Tech News

Google has finally confirmed that a Google Pixel 4a would be arriving on August 3 and even teased the device on Thursday. On Friday, 9to5Google’s own Dylan Roussel spotted a mention of Google’s Pixel 5a. This was spotted in a code change on Google’s Android Open Source Project or AOSP. We are still waiting for the Google Pixel 5, which may not be released until later this year, but now we know that the 5a is now in development. The code change mentions devices since the Pixel 2, along with the version of Android they (launched/will launch) with. The Pixel 4/4a are listed with...

Netflix will add playback speed controls to its Android app tomorrow. Once you get the new update, you will be able to choose 0.5x, 0.75x, 1.25x, and 1.5x, aside from 1x of course, which has been the only option up until now - and will remain the default. So if you're a fan of sped-up or slowed-down playback on Netflix, you will need to manually pick your favorite speed for every single title you want to watch. On the flip side, the playback speed options will be available regardless of whether you're streaming something or watching a show or movie that you have previously...

If you're in the US and have been eyeing Samsung's Galaxy S20 Ultra but haven't bought one yet, and if you don't mind using it on Verizon, this is definitely one for you. This weekend, Best Buy is taking $400 off the price of the device, if you activate it with Verizon. As usual with these types of deals, you'll have to grab the smartphone on the carrier's monthly installment plan. You will be paying $36.66 each month for two years, bringing the grand total to $879.84, which is the best price we've seen for the S20 Ultra so far. It's not the only Samsung handset that's on offer,...

The Black Shark 3S has joined the game and it has picked up a few upgrades compared to the Black Shark 3. The biggest change is that the 6.67” AMOLED display now has a 120Hz mode in addition to the 90 Hz mode of its predecessor. The new panel is capable of 270Hz touch sampling rate (same as before). The display has two pressure-sensitive zones, which can be mapped to different actions. Also, the gyroscope is used to detect flicking motions. You can create game macros too, which trigger several actions in sequence. Voice commands are available as well, so you can start the screen recorder...

The Exynos 990-powered Galaxy Note 20 Ultra bearing model number SM-N986B got exposed in a benchmark listing earlier today, and hours later, the South Korean version of the same device, carrying model number SM-N986N had turned up on Geekbench as well. The more recent entry confirms a previous report about Samsung treating the South Korean Galaxy Note 20 series same as it did the Galaxy S20 lineup. In other words, customers in South Korea will get the Snapdragon-powered variant instead of the Exynos 990 chipset.

Samsung is looking past the humiliation felt by the System LSI division when the company decided to fit the Galaxy S20 series with a Qualcomm chipset over the in-house Exynos solution in its home country. The company is seemingly maintaining the same path it stepped on earlier this year and the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra in South Korea will be powered by the Snapdragon 865+ chipset as a result.

No surprise, there’s a difference in synthetic benchmark performance

As we’ve mentioned before, synthetic benchmark scores don’t tell the whole story or reflect real-world performance with perfect accuracy, but the benchmark results at hand are unsurprising to say the least. The Snapdragon 865+ Galaxy Note 20 Ultra performs better than the Exynos 990 variant in Geekbench 5 in both single-core and especially multi-core tests.

And if benchmark figures aren’t a good-enough clue that the Exynos 990 Galaxy Note 20 models are likely to be lagging behind the Snapdragon 865+ variants, the fact that Samsung opted for the Snapdragon-powered S Pen flagship in its home country speaks volumes.

Perhaps those rumored optimizations do exist and the Exynos 990 SoC inside the Galaxy Note 20 will run cooler and perform better than it does under the hood of the Galaxy S20. But even so, Samsung doesn’t seem to have much confidence in its own chipset if it will replace it with a Qualcomm solution in its home country of all places.

The post Benchmark confirms the Korean Galaxy Note 20 Ultra has Snapdragon SoC appeared first on SamMobile.

Yesterday we got news that HMD Global will unveil several entry and mid-range Nokia phones at IFA Berlin. Now, the brand is teasing another lunch event featuring several new smartphones which will take place on August 4 in China. According to speculations, we should see the Nokia TA-1258 which recently got certified on TENAA. It’s an entry-level phone which packs a 5.99-inch HD+ screen, a single 8MP rear camera and a 3,000mAh battery. It’s powered by the Unisoc SC9863 chipset paired with 3GB and 32GB storage and runs Android 10. Nokia TA-1258 in Gold Sand It remains to be...

Earlier this month Oppo Germany published the specs of the international Oppo Watch, but today we are getting a proper announcement. The global Oppo Watch may share the name with its Chinses counterpart, but has significant differences on the inside. The global Oppo Watch comes with two chipsets - the Qualcomm Snapdragon 3100 Wear, which helps it run Wear OS and the Ambiq Micro Apollo 3, which powers the proprietary system of what Oppo calls low-power mode. The Oppo Watch is available in two sizes, 46 mm and 41 mm, with the first one having a 1.91” AMOLED screen with 402 x 476...

On Monday we’re going to see a new 5G midranger, called Realme V5. The brand has been teasing the device for the past week or so, but today a leak reveals the price of the phone - it will be CNY1,699, which translates to $245/€205. The price tag applies to Realme V5's 6/128 GB variant, but it's not clear if other versions will be available. The teaser also confirms the battery will be 5,000 mAh, although no info on what sort of fast charging will it come with. In the same time the phone with a model number RMX2111 popped up on AnTuTu, scoring exactly 301,380, which falls in line...

Galaxy Z Fold, Galaxy Z Fold 2, Galaxy Z Fold 3, Galaxy Z Fold 4, Galaxy Z Flip, Galaxy Z Flip 2, Galaxy Z Flip 3, Galaxy Z Flip 4. Try saying that sentence quickly, and tell me whether those names flow off your tongue as easily as something like Galaxy S1, Galaxy S2, Galaxy S3, Galaxy S4, Galaxy Note, Galaxy Note 2, Galaxy Note 3, Galaxy Note 4.

I’m assuming you’re suddenly wondering how Samsung came up with the surprisingly bad naming scheme for its foldable phones, just like I have been in recent days as we move closer to the launch of the Galaxy Z Fold 2. Of course, no one out there will ever take the names of all those phones one after the other in real life, but I think you get the point I’m trying to put across.

Six syllable names for a phone aren’t a great idea

When the Galaxy Fold launched last year, we assumed Samsung would simply start adding a number at the end for each new foldable phone. We’d get the Galaxy Fold 2, Galaxy Fold 3, Galaxy Fold 4, and so on. Then the Galaxy Z Flip arrived, and Samsung decided to put all its foldables under the Galaxy Z umbrella.

The Galaxy Fold is still the Galaxy Fold, but its upcoming sequel is going to be called Galaxy Z Fold 2, an annoyingly long and ill-conceived moniker. Then, next year, provided Samsung is still making foldables (let’s face it, the company’s got excellent products and a solid lead in the foldable market to even think about stopping), we’ll get the Galaxy Z Flip 2, followed by the Galaxy Z Fold 3.

Galaxy S and Galaxy Note are two easy to pronounce and fairly cool sounding names. Frankly, so are Galaxy Z Flip and Galaxy Z Fold. The problem arises when you start adding a number at the end, at which point they become the opposite of cool. Samsung’s idea behind choosing the letter Z for its foldable series was that it “intuitively communicates the idea of a fold while delivering a dynamic, youthful feel,” but I don’t think the company put enough thought into it when deriving this particular naming strategy.

To be fair, I don’t really have any ideas to offer of my own, except that maybe Samsung should have stuck with Galaxy Fold or Galaxy Flip for its book-like and clamshell foldable phone lineups. However, I don’t get paid to think up fancy names for consumer products, while I’m sure there’s a whole team making money doing just that over at Samsung’s headquarters, and they really should have done a better job.

What do you think? Do you think Samsung’s current naming scheme for its foldables is fine? If you had the choice, what would you call them? Let me know down in the comments!

The post I’m sorry, but Samsung’s foldable phone naming strategy is laughably bad appeared first on SamMobile.

Xiaomi is going to launch an updated version of its Redmi K30 Pro smartphone, which latest reports say will be named Redmi K30 Ultra. The new device with model number M2006J10C is now on TENAA with full specs sheet and pictures, and we see a lot of similarities with its siblings. However, there is one key difference - the new phone will skip on the Snapdragon 865 chipset and will appear with a new platform, likely by Mediatek. Redmi K30 Ultra on TENAA TENAA usually gives only the CPU frequency, but looking at the 2.6 GHz entry, we are likely looking at the Dimensity 1000+...

The Galaxy Note20 leaks have been coming thick and fast these days painting an increasingly clear picture of what’s to come at August 5’s Galaxy Unpacked event. In the meantime, the Note20 Ultra powered by the improved Exynos 990 has passed through Geekbench giving us an early look at its performance. The device bears the same SM-N986B model number which has been seen before and comes with 12GB RAM. Unsurprisingly it runs Android 10, presumably with One UI 2.5 on top. It managed 928 points in the single-core test and 2,721 in the multi-core department. These scores are comparable...

Select Galaxy Note 10 and Galaxy Note 10+ models are already receiving the new Android security update dated August 1st, 2020. The rollout began on Wednesday with the international variant of the Galaxy Note 10+ (SM-N975F). It still appears to be limited to Germany, but with August being just around the corner, Samsung will likely ramp up its deployment efforts in a matter of days.

The August 2020 Android security update for the Galaxy Note 10 series is identified by build number N97xFXXS6CTGA. No other changes or additions are part of this over-the-air release.

First year of Galaxy Note 10 updates is behind us

As always, you can attempt to initiate a manual installation by launching the Settings app, navigating to its Software update subsection, and then tapping the Download and install option which will greet you on the following interface. Alternatively, just wait for a notification prompting you to download the OTA release, assuming you haven’t previously disabled auto-updates on your device. Full system images from Samsung will also be available for download from SamMobile‘s firmware archive shortly after they’re released.

Meanwhile, the Galaxy Note series is scheduled for its annual refresh on Wednesday, which is when Samsung will be officially announcing the Galaxy Note 20 range. The new smartphones have already been in a mass-production phase for a while now, so if you end up being among their early adopters, there’s no guarantee they’ll be running this particular security patch out of the box. However, it’s essentially a guarantee the Galaxy Note 20 and Galaxy Note 20 Ultra will at the very least be able to download the August 1st update from day one.

Galaxy Note 10

• Model: SM-N970F
• Dimensions: Bar: 151.0 x 71.8 x 7.9 mm
  
• Display: 6.3 inch / 160.02 mm Dynamic AMOLED Display
• CPU: Exynos 9825
• Camera: 16MP

More specifications

Galaxy Note 10+

• Model: SM-N975F
• Dimensions: Bar: 162.3 x 77.2 x 7.9 mm
  
• Display: 6.8 inch / 172.72 mm Dynamic AMOLED Display
• CPU: Exynos 9825
• Camera: 16MP

More specifications

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Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Samsung had unveiled its new UV Sterilizer for smartphones and other accessories last month. Initially, it was Thailand, but the company announced that it would bring the device to more markets around the world. Today, the South Korean firm has announced the launch of UV Sterilizer with wireless charging in India.

Samsung’s UV Sterilizer with wireless charging is priced at INR 3,599 (around $48) in India. It will be available through all retail channels in India starting early August 2020. It will also be available for purchase from Samsung’s official online store.

The company’s new UV Sterilizer is made by Samsung C&T, a partner of the Samsung Mobile Accessory Partnership Program (SMAPP). It is designed to disinfect your smartphone, smartwatch, wireless earphones, and everything that can fit inside the sterilizer within 10 minutes using two UV lights. The accessory also wirelessly charges Qi-compatible devices at 10W.

The South Korean firm mentions that bacteria and germs like E. coli, Staphylococcus Aureus, and Candida Albicans can also be killed using its device. The company claims that tests done by two independent certification institutes show that its sterilizer can effectively kill up to 99% bacteria and germs.

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Here’s something interesting: Samsung might introduce two cancelled color options of the original Galaxy Fold. When the Galaxy Fold was announced last year, four color options were made official: Space Silver, Cosmos Black, Martian Green and Astro Blue. Then, things went awry and the device had to be delayed for a few months. When the Fold eventually released in September after going through a few design changes for enhanced durability, Samsung only offered it in Space Silver and Cosmos Black.

However, as Max Weinbach discovered, at least the Samsung US website is now listing the Galaxy Fold in green and blue and the silver and black versions are nowhere to be found. And when we reached out to our sources, we were told that Samsung is indeed planning to launch the 5G Galaxy Fold in metallic green and blue in select markets like Korea. Naturally, we’re left scratching our heads, as there’s no conceivable reason to bring new color options for a device that’s set to get a yearly refresh soon, at least not without a price cut to go along with it.

This is the first time we’re hearing about the original Fold getting new colors almost a year after it hit retail shelves, but if that’s actually happening, we guess we could learn more at Samsung’s upcoming Unpacked launch, where the Galaxy Note 20 and Galaxy Z Fold 2 will be unveiled alongside new flagship tablets and wearables.

Would you purchase a Galaxy Fold here in 2020 if it launched in new colors, even though the Galaxy Z Fold 2 will also be available for purchase in a few weeks?

The post Could Samsung launch the original Galaxy Fold in new colors soon? appeared first on SamMobile.

The fourth generation of Oppo’s mid-range Reno series is going global, though with some alterations. The Oppo Reno4 Pro increases performance across the board compared to its predecessor, the Reno3 Pro, with better performing chipset, screen, camera and battery. Don’t get it mixed up with the Chinese Reno4 Pro though, as there are some major differences, which we’ll get to in a second. To give you the short version, the global Reno4 Pro has a bright 90Hz AMOLED display, a Snapdragon 720G chipset, 48MP main camera and 65W fast charging. Now let’s dive into the details. The 6.5” E3 Super...

Most high-end Galaxy smartphones from Samsung come with an IP67/68 rating for dust and water resistance. This feature can be quite handy not only in everyday scenarios but also in emergency cases. Recently, an Australian couple who were stranded off the coast were rescued with the help of the Galaxy S10.

The incident took place off the coast of Queensland, Australia. Jessica and Lindsay were enjoying a trip on their family boat 38km off the coast of Cairns, Queensland. The location is known for its iconic Great Barrier Reef. When a mishap took place, and their boat’s motor got entangled with the anchor rope, they fell in the water and were swept off by waves. Their boat got overturned, leaving them no time to grab their lifejackets or Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB).

Jessica, however, was able to grab her Galaxy S10 and used the emergency service to contact the emergency service via phone and text after the boat capsized. After speaking with the local chief of police, they shared screenshots of their location using GPS and Google Maps. The information helped the helicopter and boat emergency teams in finding the couple. Since it was dark, they used the Galaxy S10’s LED flashlight to guide the rescue teams.

Before the rescue, the couple stayed in the water for hours. They had concerns about the nearby marine wildlife as they had spotted a six-foot shark right before their boat capsized. This incident showed not only the importance of safety but also the Galaxy S10’s endurance, even in unusual situations. Jessica’s Galaxy S10 is still functioning normally even after staying in salty seawater.

The post Galaxy S10 helps in rescuing stranded Australian couple after boat overturns appeared first on SamMobile.

India welcomed the Oppo Reno3 Pro in February this year, now it’s time to say “hello” to the new model – the Oppo Reno4 Pro. There’s talk that the company will also show off its first smartwatch at this event, but we’ll have to watch the livestream to find out. As for the phone, Oppo has been kind enough to confirm two highlights – the 90 Hz screen with curved sides and the 65 W SuperVOOC 2.0 fast charging. The latter gives you a full charge in just 36 minutes and carries with it a TÜV Rheinland certification for safety. Oppo already launched the Reno4 Pro 5G in China last month,...

Huawei India released a teaser with a cross-word puzzle to fill in the blanks with letter that spell “MatePad T8”. The words used to describe the tablet are: Metal body, long battery, Octa-core, Immersive, Portable, Elegant looks, Affordable, Ultra slim, and “GR8”. Each word that you spot in this crossword is a feature of our next big surprise! Link up all the missing letters together and find the name of our big surprise.Let's see who cracks this 'Ultimate Puzzle!'#HuaweiIndia #Puzzle #ComingSoon pic.twitter.com/8Jt5kr9cSY— Huawei India (@HuaweiIndia) July 30, 2020 The MatePad was...

Samsung posted strong financial results for the second quarter of 2020, and the company’s flagbearer was its chip business. Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the demand for memory and storage chips has been rising as more people stay home to learn and work. Now, the company’s Vice Chairman Lee Jae-Yong inspected the chip packaging facility in Asan to oversee the future plans.

It is being reported that Samsung heir Lee, who has been visiting the company’s various factories and meeting key executives over the past few months, visited the company’s Onyang Campus in Asan, South Korea, and checked its future plans in chip packaging solutions. He stressed on preparing the company for the rising demand for advanced semiconductor chips.

Lee reportedly said, “We must lead the post-pandemic era. We have no time to hesitate.” This is the second time he has visited the facility that specializes in semiconductor packaging. The company said that semiconductor packaging has become a core technology in its business as the demand for high-capacity and low-power chips is rising on the back of strong growth in 5G, AI (Artificial Intelligence), and IoT (Internet of Things) sectors.

Samsung has been trying to boost its chip packaging technology. In 2018, the company established a test and system package (TSP) division that is dedicated to chip packaging. The South Korean firm is the biggest memory chip maker in the world, and its semiconductor unit brought in $15.2 billion in revenue during Q2 2020, up 13.3% from Q2 2019.

The company had announced earlier this year that it has developed 160-layer 3D V-NAND technology for manufacturing memory chips. It has also set up a task force to improve the yield of its 6th Gen NAND flash chips to make sure that its yield is the highest and its processes are the most efficient in the industry.

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The Exynos vs Snapdragon debate shows no signs of abating anytime soon. The Exynos 990 that powers the Galaxy S20 series in most markets is inferior to the Snapdragon 865 that Samsung used in markets like the US and China. And, for the Galaxy Note 20 and Galaxy Note 20 Ultra, Samsung has decided to keep the same Exynos chip while upgrading the Snapdragon 865 to the Snapdragon 865+.

That hasn’t gone down well with fans, and the first benchmark of the Exynos 990-powered Galaxy Note 20 Ultra won’t do anything to change their opinion. That’s because the benchmark can’t really tell us if Samsung has fixed the main issues with the Exynos 990: Its tendency to heat up, throttle the GPU in long gaming sessions, and draw too much power when high performance mode is enabled. A recent rumor suggested Samsung has ‘heavily’ optimized the Exynos 990 for its second outing, but it remains to be seen if that is actually the case.

The benchmark does confirm that performance levels of the Galaxy Note 20 and Galaxy Note 20 Ultra will be similar to the Galaxy S20, S20+, and S20 Ultra, which shouldn’t come as a surprise as both flagship series have the same processor inside. And while a single benchmark isn’t enough to tell the complete story, the Exynos variants will seemingly fall further behind the Snapdragon variant in multi-core performance, thanks to the switch to the Snapdragon 865+ on the latter.

The Galaxy Note 20 series is going to be unveiled in just five days at Samsung’s virtual Unpacked event and will be accompanied by the Galaxy Z Fold 2, Galaxy Tab S7 and Galaxy Tab S7+, Galaxy Watch 3, and Galaxy Buds Live. Hopefully, the Korean giant will have a good explanation this time around for its decision to sell a superior version of its latest flagship in select markets, instead of the PR-laced non-answer it offered us earlier this year.

The post Galaxy Note 20 Ultra Exynos 990 benchmark offers no surprises appeared first on SamMobile.

Oppo is expected to unveil the global version of the Reno4 Pro later today, but its vanilla sibling is already up online in Thailand. The phone is listed on the company website with full specs sheet, pricing, date of availability and proper renders. The regular Reno4 comes with Snapdragon 720G chipset and four shooters on the back that look a lot like the Reno4 5G version, but after further inspection, the fourth cam and the LED have switched places. Oppo Reno4 While the official website is saying nothing on the screen, the Oppo Reno4 is already listed at local retailers Lazada...

Motorola launched its cheapest 5G smartphone – powered by the Snapdragon 765. We’ve always known the Moto G to offer a compelling package at an affordable price and with the G 5G Plus, Moto brings 5G connectivity to the budget midrange segment. With a lot of other smartphones using the same processor populating this space, what makes the G 5G Plus stand out? The phone has a 6.7-inch LCD screen with 90Hz refresh rate, and a cinematic 21:9 aspect ratio, making this one tall smartphone. The phone’s body is made up of a plastic frame and back panel, but we found plastic to offer a better...

The Galaxy Watch 3 has been leaked extensively over the past few weeks and was even handled in detailed unboxing videos. One month ago, we had exclusively leaked the watch’s specs. Ahead of the official unveiling on August 5, more images of the upcoming smartwatch have been leaked, offering us a detailed look at what features to expect from it. Its color variants and complete specs sheet have also appeared on the internet.

Noted leakster Evan Blass (@evleaks) published several images of the Galaxy Watch 3 earlier today on Twitter. Samsung’s next-gen smartwatch will be available in two colors: Mystic Bronze and Mystic Silver. The 45mm model will only come with a black leather band, while the 41mm version will have an option for a pink leather strap. The 41mm variant of the Galaxy Watch 3 will have a 1.2-inch Super AMOLED screen, while the 45mm version sports a 1.4-inch Super AMOLED screen.

The Galaxy Watch 3 features Gorilla Glass DX screen protection, a rotating bezel, and two physical buttons on the right side. Its case is made using stainless steel 316L and is IP68-certified for dust and water resistance. It is also MIL-STD-810G compliant for ruggedness. It runs Tizen Wearable OS 5.5 and comes equipped with 1GB RAM and 8GB storage. Connectivity features of the smartwatch include GPS, LTE (only in cellular variants), 2.4GHz Wi-Fi b/g/n, and Bluetooth 5.0.

The 41mm version of the Galaxy Watch 3 weighs 48g and comes packed with a 247mAh battery. The 45mm variant of the smartwatch weighs 53g and is powered by a 340mAh battery. In terms of sensors, the watch features an 8-LED PPG heart-rate monitor, accelerometer, ambient light sensor, barometer, ECG, and gyro. It also comes equipped with a microphone, a loudspeaker, and a linear vibration motor (for better haptic feedback).

As usual, the Galaxy Watch 3 is compatible with both Android and iOS smartphones and comes equipped with Bixby. Samsung is quoting “multiday battery life” in its marketing material for the upcoming smartwatch. It is also claiming better sleep monitoring and a way to measure blood oxygen levels with VO2 Max readings. The company also seems to be bringing post-run coaching and analysis with the Galaxy Watch 3.

Except for the pricing and availability details, we now know pretty much everything about Samsung’s upcoming smartwatch. Are you excited about the Galaxy Watch 3, and would you buy it? Let us know in the comments section below.

The post New images offer a look at Galaxy Watch 3 color variants, features, specs appeared first on SamMobile.

For some time now we've been hearing rumors about a delay this year in the start of shipments of the upcoming iPhone 12 family, compared to Apple's past release timelines. This wouldn't be anything very large, the story goes, but would shift things by a few weeks. Today during its earnings call for the third fiscal quarter of 2020 (also known as the second calendar quarter), Apple has pretty much confirmed this. Luca Maestri, the company's CFO, said that while last year Apple started selling the new iPhone generation in late September, in 2020 the company projects supply will be "available...

Google's Pixel 4a, initially rumored to become official at the Google I/O conference in May - which didn't happen because of the coronavirus - is finally close to launch, it seems. A few days ago a new rumor gave what seems like the umpteenth presumptive unveiling date, namely August 3. And now Google has confirmed this, though in the most convoluted way possible. If you head to a new special page on the Google Store website, you'll get a puzzle based on 'lorem ipsum', a famous describer of placeholder web pages. If you solve the puzzle, you'll get the August 3 date, as well as a...

This time it’s on purpose – the MatePad 10.8 official, which was spotted yesterday, is now officially official and there’s a surprise, a second tablet. The company also revealed a new talk band and a children’s smartwatch. Let’s have a look. Huawei MatePad 10.8 The tablet uses a 10.8” IPS LCD with 2,560 x 1,600 px (that works out to 280 ppi pixel density). The display supports the M-Pencil stylus, alternatively you can also attach a keyboard add-on if you prefer to type rather than write. The Huawei MatePad 10.8 is powered by the flagship Kirin 990 chipset. It’s paired with 6 GB...

I’m not buying the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra. I’ve already talked about how, compared to the Galaxy S20 Ultra, the Note 20 Ultra looks unexciting. Yes, I know switching from a Galaxy S20 Ultra to a Galaxy Note 20 Ultra isn’t something most regular consumers will do. My main pet peeve is that Samsung will be breaking the tradition of each Note flagship being better than the Galaxy S flagship launched in the same year.

However, while I am not excited by the Galaxy S20 Ultra, I have to say I’m mighty disappointed with how the Galaxy Note 20 is shaping up. Last year was the first time Samsung launched its latest Note flagship in two sizes. The Galaxy Note 10 had a few limitations, such as the lack of expandable storage and just a Full HD display, but it was otherwise an excellent compact flagship, especially for consumers buying into the Note ecosystem for the first time.

You would assume that the Galaxy Note 10’s successor would bring plenty of upgrades. But if the rumors are to be believed, Samsung has also made a few questionable decisions for the Note 20’s spec sheet despite reportedly setting the same price tag for it as the Note 10 commanded last year.

Less of an upgrade, more of a sidegrade

As we have opined before, the Galaxy Note 20 is looking more like a Galaxy Note 20 Lite than a proper flagship. First, there’s the fact that it misses out on an amazing new feature that debuted with the Galaxy S20 series earlier this year. I’m talking about the 120Hz display. The Galaxy Note 20 reportedly has a 60Hz panel. That’s despite having a larger battery than the smallest Galaxy S20 and the Note 10 that would easily handle the extra power draw that results from a higher refresh rate.

Samsung is also doing something we thought it would never do again: The company has reportedly used a plastic back for the Galaxy Note 20. Nope, it’s not removable like the plastic back on Samsung’s old phones like the Galaxy S5 or Galaxy Note 4. If it’s not removable, the only advantage of a plastic back is that it won’t break upon impact like a glass back would. That’s an important advantage in my eyes, but for others, it will make the Galaxy Note 20 feel a lot less premium than a €949 smartphone should in 2020.

Of course, the Exynos 990 is also a major reason why the Note 20 will be disappointing, though this applies to the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra as well. A recent rumor said Samsung has optimized the 990 to the point that it’s better than the Snapdragon 865+, but we have been served underwhelming Exynos chips two years in a row, so you will forgive me if I don’t believe the Exynos 990 won’t be as problematic as it is on the Galaxy S20 smartphones. Samsung seems unable to make good processors anymore, and it’s shameful that the Snapdragon variants of its flagships continue to be exclusive to select customers.

The Note 20 will be a good phone, but that’s not enough for €949

Despite the rumored shortcomings, the Galaxy Note 20 will still be a good phone. Those who purchase it will appreciate features like the camera’s zooming capabilities, big battery and super fast charging, Samsung’s excellent software, and the ever-versatile S Pen (now with reduced latency and enhanced functionality).

However, compared to the Galaxy Note 10, the Galaxy Note 20 isn’t bringing a whole lot of upgrades, and it will also miss out on the 120Hz display that you find on even the smallest Galaxy S20 model. It’s more of a sidegrade in my opinion, and I don’t think that’s good enough for a phone that’s expected to cost between €949 and €1099 (depending on whether you get the LTE or 5G variant).

What do you think?

The post Galaxy Note 10 was great, but the Note 20 is looking mighty disappointing appeared first on SamMobile.

Realme has been busy with its product launches in the past month and it looks like August will bring more of the same. The young company is set to introduce its new V-series on August 3 with the V5 5G and we now have an in-hand look at the device. Realme V5 hands-on shots The V5 will sport a 6.5-inch punch hole IPS LCD with FHD+ resolution and a 16MP selfie cam up front. Around the back, which sports a dual-tone finish, we’re expecting a 48MP primary shooter, 8MP ultrawide snapper and two 2MP units - one for macro shots and another for depth data. The V5 will be powered by the...

Galaxy Unpacked 2020 is nearly upon us and we have a variety of new devices to look forward to, from new wearables and the Galaxy Note 20 series to tablets equipped with 120Hz displays and the fresh Galaxy Z Fold 2. Needless to say, Samsung fans are in for a treat, and even if we assume that most of the upcoming products don’t pique your interest, the likelihood is high that at least one of these devices will make you want to watch Samsung’s first virtual launch event.

To make a quick recap, Galaxy Unpacked 2020 will be the company’s first launch event of this magnitude to take place exclusively online. But even if there won’t be a physical crowd at Galaxy Unpacked to cheer for Samsung’s new products, millions of gadget enthusiasts will have the opportunity to tune in and see what the company has been working on for the past year.

What Galaxy devices will be unveiled at Unpacked 2020?

Excitingly for enthusiasts of foldable display technology, Galaxy Unpacked 2020 will host the unveiling of Samsung’s second-gen Galaxy Fold, i.e., the Galaxy Z Fold 2. It promises to address many of the first model’s shortcomings and it looks gorgeous from what we’ve seen in leaked renders. Most importantly, it ditches the foldable screen’s notch in favor of a punch-hole selfie camera and it adopts a much more generous cover display.

Then there’s the Galaxy Note 20 series which so far has been somewhat polarizing. The base Galaxy Note 20 model might not turn many heads, or it might attract new customers to the series thanks to the lower price relative to the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra. The latter model, however, might give existing Galaxy Note owners enough reasons to upgrade, whether it’s the refreshed design, the 120Hz display, or the new S Pen pointer feature.

Meanwhile, Samsung will unveil not one but two Galaxy Tab S7 flagship tablets, both of which are said to feature 120Hz displays. The larger Galaxy Tab S7+ in particular looks poised to challenge Apple’s iPad Pro, and that alone should grab the attention of many Samsung tablet enthusiasts.

Last but certainly not least, Samsung will unveil two new wearable products at Galaxy Unpacked. They are the Galaxy Buds Live and the Galaxy Watch 3. The former changes Samsung’s wireless earbuds formula completely and marks the long-awaited addition of Active Noise Cancelling, whereas the Galaxy Watch 3 marks the return of the physical rotating bezel in a more modern package.

Which of these devices are you looking forward to the most at Galaxy Unpacked 2020? Cast your vote below and feel free to leave a comment.

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The latest member of vivo’s S-series is scheduled to go official on August 3 with the launch of the S7. So far, we’ve seen a few renders and specs of the device but now, we’re getting more details thanks to a leaked leaflet. We can see the S7’s will carry a dual selfie camera with a 44MP primary sensor and autofocus housed in a small notch up top. The back will sport a 64MP main cam which comes with a similar design to the X50 Pro as well as two auxiliary shooters below. The phone will be powered by the Snapdragon 765G and will come in just 7.39mm of thickness. The S7 will also...

Financial reports for Q2 of 2020 are emerging and LG is the latest company to share its results. The Korean giant revealed its performance was affected significantly by the worldwide impact of the pandemic. All five key divisions of LG reported a decline on a yearly basis, with the Mobile Communications Company posting sales of about KRW1.31 trillion (about $1.07 billion), which is 18% lower than the same period last year. LG announced a 31.1% increase in sales on a quarterly basis, quoting “stabilization of supply disruption” and pointed out that lockdown measures were lifted in...

Samsung Group reported strong Q2 2020 results at an earnings call earlier today, in part thanks to improved profits recorded by the component solution division, Samsung Electro-Mechanics, particularly in the camera and 5G chip sectors. Interestingly enough, the recent earnings call also highlighted the tech giant’s ambitions to have a deeper involvement with the automotive industry.

As you may recall, Samsung’s various subsidiaries including SDI, System LSI, and Samsung Semiconductors have been in talks with carmaker Hyundai over the possibility of a deeper collaboration that may lead to Samsung Group having a larger stake in the automotive business. Now, according to a recent report from Pulse, Samsung Electro-Mechanics is looking to play a bigger role in the parent company’s plans by improving its market share in the multilayer ceramic capacitor (MLCC) segment.

Churning out more automotive MLCCs by the end of the year

Samsung Electro-Mechanics first began mass-producing MLCCs for European and Chinese automakers in 2016, and the company has become the second-largest MLCC global supplier following Japan’s Murata Manufacturing. But despite this achievement, the company has been struggling with its MLCC business since last year when Samsung Group was betting on the Galaxy Note 10 series to offset some of the losses experienced by Samsung Electro-Mechanics in the segment.

However, the component solution division revealed at the recent earnings call that it will complete expanding its new MLCC plant in Tianjin, China, before the end of 2020. Samsung Electro-Mechanics aims for this facility to become the center of its automotive MLCC business over the next few years.

Demand for automotive MLCC is rising on the back of autonomous cars, and Murata Manufacturing has been capitalizing on this market shift with great success. Samsung Electro-Mechanics is apparently looking to do the same. The company revealed that its new factory in Tianjin could start mass manufacturing IT and industrial MLCCs by the end of the year if demand will be high enough.

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HMD Global is preparing to bring several new smartphones to IFA 2020. There are no flagships among them, instead the company has focused on bolstering its entry level and mid-range offerings. The Nokia 2.4, code name Wolverine, will be fairly large with its 6.5” screen and 4,500 mAh battery, according to leaked info. Compare that to the 2.3, which has a 6.2” screen and 4,000 mAh battery. Nokia 2.4 (Wolverine) running Geekbench 5 The new model will be powered by a MediaTek Helio P22 chipset as seen in this Geekbench result (octa-core Cortex-A53 at 2.0 GHz and PowerVR GE8320 GPU)....

A major leak yesterday gave us our first detailed look at the Galaxy Z Fold 2. There’s a lot of excitement for Samsung’s next foldable smartphone. It’s clearly going to bring a lot of improvements over its predecessor, the Galaxy Fold.

What many had hoped was that Samsung would price it a bit lower than the $1,980 that it asked for the Galaxy Fold. A new report out of South Korea claims that we shouldn’t expect a price cut for the device. It also mentions September 18 as the Galaxy Z Fold 2 release date.

Galaxy Z Fold 2 is probably not going to get a price cut

The report mentions that Samsung and its carrier partners in South Korea have agreed on September 18 as the release date for the Galaxy Z Fold 2. It goes without saying that South Korea will be among the first, if not the first, market to receive the company’s new foldable device.

Samsung will reportedly sell the Galaxy Z Fold 2 for 2,398,000 Korean won which is exactly what it charged for the Galaxy Fold. This is the equivalent of $2006 at prevailing exchange rates. So if Samsung is not cutting the price, this means customers elsewhere can expect the same $1,980 price tag. The silver lining here obviously being that at least it’s not going to increase the price.

Customers who don’t mind paying more will be able to purchase a Galaxy Z Fold 2 Thom Browne Edition. It appears that Samsung is extending the partnership it entered into with this fashion designer for the Galaxy Z Flip to the new foldable as well. The Thom Browne Edition will most likely have an exclusive finish with accessories to match. It’s expected to cost almost 4 million won or $3,350.

Samsung is likely going to unveil the Galaxy Z Fold 2 on August 5 during its virtual Galaxy Unpacked event.

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Samsung will be incentivizing Galaxy Note 20 Ultra pre-orders with a complimentary pair of the Galaxy Buds Live or Galaxy Buds+, at least in some countries. One such promotion is currently being planned by Samsung Indonesia, according to a newly leaked image of a flier which recently appeared on Twitter, as can be seen below. Much like it’s usually the case with such initiatives, the company will be giving out e-vouchers alongside pre-order confirmations.

Those coupons will seemingly cover the full price of either the Galaxy Buds+ or the upcoming Galaxy Buds Live in Indonesia, but other markets may only be treated to partial discounts, entirely different pre-order incentives, or a complete lack of any such free goodies whatsoever.

Well, so the Buds Live will be sold for about $179 here. Great deal, I guess.

Ngl, these two colours look good but I'll reserve the spot to replace my S20U for the S21U (or whatever the hell they'll call that thing). pic.twitter.com/QQn1U9W2MH

— Alvin (@sondesix) July 29, 2020

Inferring Galaxy Buds Live pricing

For added context, this is the equivalent of $180 worth of pre-order incentives we’re talking about, which isn’t a particularly valuable opportunity relative to much more generous promotions Samsung often runs in some markets. Assuming whatever it’s selling isn’t doing particularly well, that is. The figure corresponds with recent reports about Galaxy Buds Live pricing which is expected to range from $170 to $220/€190, depending on the market. On a related note, the Galaxy Note 20 prices also leaked just yesterday.

What’s more, the same source reveals exactly how long will Samsung be offering the Galaxy Note 20 series for pre-orders, stating that the early adopter period will run from August 6th to August 19th. Two weeks of pre-orders sounds about right for Samsung. The company used to run somewhat longer launch promotions, but with everything that’s been happening this year, it likely isn’t expecting to shatter any sales records and might have ultimately decided against unnecessarily prolonging this whole affair.

Galaxy Note 20 Ultra 5G

• Model: SM-N986B
• Dimensions: Bar: 164.8 x 77.2 x 8.1 mm
  
• Display: 6.9 inch / 175.26 mm Dynamic AMOLED 2X
• CPU: Exynos 990
• Camera: 108MP

More specifications

Galaxy Buds Live

• Model: SM-R180
• Dimensions: Ear Buds: 27.3 x 16.5 x 14.9 mm
  Cradle (Ear Buds): x x mm
  
• Display:
• CPU:
• Camera:

More specifications

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The Galaxy A51 held the crown of the best-selling Samsung smartphone worldwide in the first three months of 2020. When we reviewed the A51, we found it to be perfect in its own reality, but that notion has now been challenged by Samsung itself, at least in the Indian market. Samsung launched the Galaxy M31s in the country today, and it has made the Galaxy A51 a horrible deal for customers in India in the process.

The Galaxy A51 is currently available for INR 25,250 ($337) for the 6+128GB configuration and INR 26,999 ($360) for the 8+128GB variant. The Galaxy M31s, set to go on sale on August 6, is priced at INR 19,499 ($260) and INR 21,499 ($286) for the same memory and storage configurations. That’s a difference of nearly INR 5,000 ($67) between the two phones, and even though the Galaxy M31s is cheaper, it offers most of the same specs as the Galaxy A51 while absolutely destroying it when it comes to battery capacity and charging speeds.

Samsung may as well stop selling the Galaxy A51 in India

The Galaxy M31s has a 6,000 mAh battery, and it’s paired with support for 25W fast charging that takes the battery from 0 to 100% in 97 minutes (according to Samsung’s official figures). The Galaxy A51, on the other hand, has a 4,000 mAh battery with the outdated 15W fast charging. With the advantage of both a massive battery and super fast charging, the M31s is easily the option you should pick if battery life is a priority for you.

Even if battery life isn’t that important for you, the M31s is still an infinitely better deal than the A51. As mentioned earlier, the two share most of their specs. Both have a 6.5-inch Full HD+ Infinity-O Super AMOLED display, the octa-core Exynos 9611 processor, the option of 6GB and 8GB RAM, and 128GB of expandable storage. The 32MP front camera and the ultra-wide, macro, and depth cameras on the back are the same as well, but the M31s gets a 64MP primary camera instead of a 48MP sensor like the A51.

The Galaxy M31s also runs Android 10 and One UI 2.1 out of the box. It might be missing a couple of features, like a built-in screen recorder (we’ll know once we have the device in our hands), but you can always download third-party alternatives from Google Play. Another benefit on the Galaxy M31s is its side-mounted fingerprint reader. Samsung’s optical in-display fingerprint sensors have gotten much better this year, but side-mounted physical scanners still reign supreme in speed and accuracy.

With Samsung’s latest M series device offering so much at such an attractive price, the company may as well stop selling the Galaxy A51 in India. If you’re on the lookout for a mid-range phone, just ignore the Galaxy A51 and wait for the Galaxy M31s instead, and maybe give the same advice to your friends and family as well.

Galaxy M31s

• Model: SM-M317F
• Dimensions: Bar: x x mm
  
• Display: 6.5 inch / 165.1 mm Super AMOLED Display
• CPU: Exynos 9611
• Camera: 64MP

More specifications

Galaxy A51

• Model: SM-A515F
• Dimensions: Bar: 158.5 x 73.6 x 7.9 mm
  
• Display: 6.5 inch / 165.10 mm Super AMOLED Display
• CPU: Exynos 9611
• Camera: 48MP

More specifications

The post Galaxy M31s makes the Galaxy A51 a horrible deal for Indian customers appeared first on SamMobile.

How's that for a plot twist? Despite its well documented struggles in western markets, Huawei has managed to top the COVID-influenced Q2 2020 smartphone market. According to Canalys, Huawei shipped 55.8 million phones to Samsung's with 53.7 million. Huawei managed to extend its domination of the already recovering Chinese market and now accounts for over 70% of all shipped phones to mainland China. Meanwhile, Samsung's key markets were disrupted by the pandemic and its sales fell 30% on a yearly basis. Ben Stanton, Senior Analyst at Canalys, said that “if it weren’t for COVID-19,...

The hugely popular Galaxy M-series just got its newest member - say hello to the M31s. It brings a 6.5-inch Infinity-O sAMOLED panel - a first for the M-series as well as a 25W charging support (with the required charger in the box) to top up the massive 6,000 mAh battery. The phone also carries a Gradient design with black and blue shades and features a side-mounted fingerprint scanner. Around the back, we find the 64-megapixel primary Sony IMX682 shooter alongside a 12MP ultrawide snapper and two 5MP modules - one for macro shots and another for depth data. Samsung has also brought...

Add “a miraculous Huawei resurrection at Samsung’s expense” to the list of things industry watchers weren’t expecting to see in 2020. New market data suggests Huawei at the very least pulled level with Samsung in terms of global smartphone shipments in the second quarter of the year. It likely even surpassed it, seizing the title of the world’s largest handset manufacturer for the first time ever. More specifically, Huawei is estimated to have shipped 55.8 million smartphones from April to June, toppling Samsung by over two million units.

While this shift in market dynamics isn’t expected to last, it also wasn’t anticipated to materialize in the first place, at least not to this degree. Particularly when you realize Huawei’s latest achievement can largely be attributed to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

Huawei’s fortunes are only thanks to its home country of China

Don’t forget Huawei still has a giant target on its back, courtesy of the U.S. Samsung actually stands to heavily profit from Washington’s continued sanctions on Huawei, but given how China was the first to end up in this COVID-19 mess, it’s also the first to experience some short-term recovery effects in between outbreaks, Canalys analysts explain. That is, Huawei’s Q2 insurgence seems to be fueled by China’s overall nationwide rebound from its last coronavirus crisis, and Samsung should go through a similar event cycle.

Which isn’t to say Samsung can be happy with this news, especially as Huawei’s Q2 2020 performance is still below its 2019 levels. Making matters even worse is the fact that an almost identical phenomenon occurred last month, with the only difference being that it affected the smartwatch market. Naturally, both milestones primarily underline the sheer size of China instead of some specific business ingenuity on Huawei’s part. After all, with TSMC being set to stop all shipments to Huawei this September, the company might just have to throw in the towel or try its luck with selling heavily outdated smartphones moving forward.

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