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In-display fingerprint sensors are a key part of the current hole-punch display designs that most Android vendors use. But there is an exception to the rule: Foldable phones like the Galaxy Z Fold and Flip. Samsung placed the fingerprint sensor on the side of those handsets, and it will reportedly keep them there on the Galaxy Z Fold 4 and Flip 4 this summer. Don't Miss: Friday’s deals: $174 AirPods Pro, Fire TV Stick 4K, protein bars, Frito-Lay snacks, more That might seem like a downgrade compared to the regular Android smartphone experience. Android device makers have preferred fingerprint sensors to 3D face authentication, while Apple prefers the latter. Face ID is responsible for the big notch at the top of the iPhone. But there’s no need for a notch on Android phones. The fingerprint sensor sits under the screen on Android handsets, allowing vendors to offer all-screen display designs without ditching the extra security that biometrics can offer. Foldable phones are more complex, as they offer users two experiences. Whether we’re looking at the Fold or Flip designs, each device has a main foldable display and a secondary cover screen on the outside. Where do you put the fingerprint sensor to serve users at all times? Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 3 phones in various colors. Image source: Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 fingerprint sensor placement The foldable screen might seem like the display you’d use most, especially on clamshells like the Galaxy Z Flip 3. But placing the fingerprint sensor under the foldable display means the user will keep having to unfold the handset to unlock it. That can be a problem for mobile payments on a device like the Flip 3. Then, there’s a case for placing the fingerprint sensor under the cover display of devices like the Fold. But that would make it largely inaccessible for use when the main screen is unfolded. After all, the fingerprint sensor doesn’t just let you unlock the phone. It also authenticates you inside apps while you’re using it. With that in mind, it’s not a surprise to hear that the Galaxy Z Fold 4 and Flip 4 will keep in place the fingerprint sensor of their predecessors. That’s according to Business Korea, which claims that Samsung has considered using in-display sensors for the upcoming phones. However, Samsung decided not to move forward with such plans. Samsung has patents describing dual in-display fingerprint sensors for foldable phones like the Galaxy Z Fold 4. The sensors would sit both under the cover screen and under the foldable display. That way, users would have access to a fingerprint sensor no matter how they use a Fold handset. However, such a design would come with additional costs. Samsung would have to use two sensors, and they would occupy additional space inside the phone. With all that in mind, mounting the fingerprint sensor in the side button makes more sense for the Galaxy Z Fold 4 and Flip 4. The same blog says that the Vivo X Fold that launches next week will feature in-display ultrasonic fingerprint sensors on both the cover and the foldable screen. The post Galaxy Z Fold 4’s fingerprint sensor won’t be under the display appeared first on BGR. View the full article

For the most part, hardcore competitive gamers don’t use a television set or standard computer monitor for their gaming excursions. Instead, a gaming monitor built for the sole purpose of high-intensity, marathon gaming sessions is their device of choice. This doesn’t speak on behalf of all gamers, but the ones that prefer a real competitive edge typically opt for one of these aforementioned monitors. If you’re thinking about making the transition from casual video game player to an esports legend, you’re going to need to make the switch sooner rather than later. If you’ve already thought about gaming computers and gaming keyboards, you should add in some thoughts on a monitor. For those not comfortable choosing a coveted gaming monitor, you’re in luck — we compiled a list of the best gaming monitors to date. It’s time to make your transformation complete. You want to become the best gamer you can be. MSI 32" Full HD RGB LED Non-Glare Super Narrow Bezel 1ms 2560 x 1440 144Hz Refresh Rate Free Sync Height Adjustable Curved Gaming MonitorRating: 4.5 StarsCurved gaming display (1800R) – the best gameplay immersion Mystic light – the ultimate gaming finish WQHD high resolution – game titles will even look better, displaying more details due to the WQHD resolution BGR may receive a commissionBGR may receive a commissionAvailable on Amazon$318.34Available at Walmart$389.40 Best Gaming Monitors for Your Eyes: ASUS VG275Q 27 inch Full HD 1080p 1ms Dual HDMI Eye Care Console Gaming Monitor ASUS VG275Q 27 inch Full HD 1080p 1ms Dual HDMI Eye Care Console Gaming Monitor Pros: Height adjustable, flicker-free, and blue light filters technology Cons: Built-in speakers need an upgrade Marathon gaming affects your eyes more than anything else. If that’s number one on your priority list, the ASUS VG275Q 27 inch Full HD 1080p 1ms Dual HDMI Eye Care Console Gaming Monitor is an excellent choice. It’s the best for your eyes because the ASUS Eye Care technology features flicker-free and blue light filters to help minimize eye fatigue. From a display standpoint, the monitor delivers enhanced color performance and control, so you can have a fully customizable, crystal clear picture. Thanks to its ergonomic design with a solid range of height, tilt, and pivot adjustments, it can fit on almost any desktop surface or table. This has dual HDMI connectivity for additional uses. It has AMD FreeSync which eliminates choppy frame rates. You won’t have to worry about your eyes, even if you’re in dimly lit environments. The speakers aren’t great, so if you’re looking for more immersive sound, you’ll have to upgrade separately. ASUS VG275Q 27 inch Full HD 1080p 1ms Dual HDMI Eye Care Console Gaming Monitor with FreeSync/A… Price: $219.00 Buy Now Best Curved Gaming Monitor: MSI Optix MAG321CQR 32″ Curved Gaming Monitor MSI Optix MAG321CQR Curved Gaming Monitor Image source: MSI/Amazon Pros: 1800R curve panel design, Mystic Light Cons: Mounting option could be better For a wider monitor with enhanced graphics, a curved monitor is best. If you’re interested in a curved monitor, the MSI Optix MAG321CQR Curved Gaming Monitor is your best bet. It features a 144Hz refresh rate to help eliminate screen tearing and choppy frame rates for a smooth, clear picture. This is 32″ with a curved design. Its 1800R curve panel design is perfectly optimized for the human eye, making it a great all-around monitor for hardcore gamers. The ultimate gaming finish comes from the Mystic Light, so you can sync it up with your favorite RGB light. The WQHD high resolution allows game titles to look even better. It has a 1ms response time to eliminate screen tearing and choppy frame rates. The connectivity is set up through a USB hub. The super narrow bezel gives you an immersive experience. This is height adjustable also. MSI 32" Full HD RGB LED Non-Glare Super Narrow Bezel 1ms 2560 x 1440 144Hz Refresh Rate Free Sy… Price: $299.99 Buy Now Best Value: Sceptre 20″ 1600×900 75Hz Ultra Thin LED Monitor Sceptre 20″ 1600×900 75Hz Ultra Thin LED Monitor Image source: Sceptre/Amazon Pros: Affordable, fast response times Cons: Headphones jack is not great If you’re looking for a smaller monitor that will give you quality value, the Sceptre 20″ 1600×900 75Hz Ultra Thin LED Monitor is a good pick. It is an LED HD+ monitor with a high resolution of 1600×900. There are two HDMI ports that are convertible to DVI. The fast response time is 5ms. The dimensions are 18.01″ x 7.02″ x 13.57″ with the stand. WIthout the stand, it is 18.01″ x 1.32″ x 10.43″. It can be used with a Vesa wall mount. There are two built-in speakers, so this can be used in an office or at home. It features a 75Hz refresh rate. This provides a crisper picture by preventing the backlight from flickering periodically. It will fit into your budget, as it is much less than other options here. Sceptre 20" 1600x900 75Hz Ultra Thin LED Monitor 2x HDMI VGA Built-in Speakers, Machine Black W… Price: $119.35 Buy Now Best for graphics: SAMSUNG Odyssey G5 Series 32-Inch WQHD (2560×1440) Gaming Monitor SAMSUNG Odyssey G5 Series 32-Inch WQHD Gaming Monitor Image source: Samsung/Amazon Pros: WQHD resolution, 32″ design Cons: Motion blur can become a problem If you want more to look at, check out the SAMSUNG Odyssey G5 Series 32-Inch WQHD Gaming Monitor. This has unmatched immersion for gamers, as you can get in with the 1000R panel. There is a curvature that helps the human eye. It stretches out 32″ and packs in 1.7 times the pixel density of Full HD. The WQHD resolution delivers incredibly detailed images. This has a lightning-fast 1ms response time and you can be sure that you’re getting information as fast as possible. Your eye will strain minimally. For effortlessly smooth gameplay, the AMD FreeSync Premium features adaptive sync technology which reduces screen tearing and input latency. It’s impressive for the awe-inspiring graphics with HDR10. Make sure your settings are correct or the motion blur could be an issue while you’re gaming. This has a great discount at the moment too. SAMSUNG 32” Odyssey G5 Gaming Monitor, WQHD (2560x1440), 144Hz, Curved, 1ms, HDMI, Display Port… Price: $298.40 You Save: $81.59 (21%) Buy Now Best large monitor: ViewSonic VX3418-2KPC Gaming Monitor ViewSonic VX3418-2KPC 34 Inch 21:9 UltraWide WQHD 1440p 144Hz 1ms Curved Gaming Monitor Image source: ViewSonic/Amazon Pros: Pre-set customizable visual modes, 34 inches Cons: Cannot tilt backward or forward The ViewSonic VX3418-2KPC 34 Inch 21:9 UltraWide WQHD 1440p 144Hz 1ms Curved Gaming Monitor stretches out for you to see more. This has an immersive 1500R curved viewing experience. It has panoramic images, vivid color, and incredible details in 2K resolution. It has Flicker-free technology and blue light filters for comfort while you’re using it. There are pre-set customizable visual modes. This supports laptops, PCs, and Macs with HDMI and DisplayPort inputs. This has a 21:9 aspect ratio and it has 34″ for you to look at. The WQHD 1440p resolution and 1ms response time for an enthusiastic gaming experience. The VESA adaptive sync calibrates frame rates automatically. ViewSonic OMNI VX3418-2KPC 34 Inch Ultrawide Curved 1440p 1ms 144Hz Gaming Monitor with Adaptiv… Price: $449.99 Buy Now Check out the best Xbox accessories! The post Best gaming monitors in 2022: Enhance your gaming setup appeared first on BGR. View the full article

The Galaxy S22 series came with an unexpected suite of problems that might have hurt the flagship’s sales prospects this year. The most critical issues concern the Galaxy S22’s Exynos processor, as Samsung had to deal with throttling and GPS issues in a matter of weeks. The performance controversy is the more serious of the two, having turned into a significant scandal in Korea. Samsung has issued a fix, allowing users to reduce throttling. But the issue continues to affect Samsung, and the company apparently plans a big strategy change concerning the Exynos System-on-Chip (SoC) that go in phones like the Galaxy S22 series. Don't Miss: Wednesday’s deals: $3 covid tests, $174 AirPods Pro, $36 ionic hair dryer, more Galaxy S22 customers found that their phones would reduce the phone’s performance to prevent overheating and save battery life. The practice is standard for the industry, but Samsung’s new phones cheated in apps. The Galaxy S22 recognized benchmark apps, so they didn’t throttle the performance while those ran. The results would be misleading, showing peak performance that was only theoretical. The Galaxy S22 throttle disaster recap Samsung needed only a week in early March to issue a software fix. You can disable the throttling threshold that Samsung set. But the phone will still reduce performance while under heavy load. All phones and computers behave in such a manner. The problem with Samsung’s newest flagships is that pundits were already worried about the Exynos 2200 SoC even before the Galaxy S22 release. Samsung was late to unveil its next-gen Galaxy processor that should compete against the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 and A15 Bionic. And Samsung’s announcement only focused on the chip’s GPU capabilities rather than the chip’s performance. Galaxy fans worried about performance issues and overheating even before the phone came out. Recent history showed that the Exynos processors aren’t always on par with their Snapdragon counterparts. It was only last year that Samsung mocked its own chips while insisting that the Galaxy S21 will deliver better performance than the previous model. Samsung Galaxy S22 Plus color options. Image source: Samsung This year, Samsung focused on the Galaxy S22 ray tracing support that comes with the Exynos 2200. That’s a first for mobile devices, but nobody is even talking about that milestone. The throttling problem overshadowed that achievement. As for performance, cheating in benchmarks did not help Samsung get close to the A15 Bionic. Finally, the Galaxy S22 performance issues seem to have impacted the Exynos 2200 versions. That’s why Samsung rolled out the fix updated in Korea and Europe in early March. US Galaxy S phones usually ship with the latest Snapdragon SoC on board. Samsung’s new Exynos processor strategy A report earlier this week said that Samsung might use a MediaTek flagship processor in the Galaxy S22 FE. The report noted that the MediaTek SoC would replace either the Snapdragon or Exynos chips without singling out either brand. However, it seems more likely for Samsung to ditch the Exynos 2200 in favor of the Dimensity 9000 for the new Fan Edition phone. BREAKING： TM Roh: "We will build processors specifically for the Galaxy" No further details yethttps://t.co/VeMihx1BZ9 — Ice universe (@UniverseIce) April 6, 2022 This wasn’t the only SoC development coming from the South Korean smartphone vendor. TM Roh, the chief of Samsung’s mobile division, said that the company will manufacture processors exclusively for the Galaxy smartphones. That’s according to the Korean news site iNews24. But it’s unclear what it means. Samsung makes all sorts of Galaxy-branded devices, not just flagships like the Galaxy S22 FE. In fact, mid-range phones like the Galaxy A53 usually outsell the flagships. Those handsets also rock Exynos processors that Samsung designs in-house. iNews24 says that Roh’s remarks came in response to the Galaxy S22 throttling and GPS controversies. The exec addressed the matter during a town hall meeting last month, saying that Samsung will make an “AP unique to the Galaxy.” Galaxy S22 Exynos 2200 benchmarks: Geekbench 5.1 single-core result. Image source: Computer Base Will the Galaxy S22 successor run on new Exynos chips? 
One interpretation might be that Samsung’s next-gen Exynos processors will be customized for Galaxy devices. Samsung would not sell those SoCs to competing Android vendors. The other is that Samsung might design a new Exynos processor specifically for flagships like the Galaxy S22. After all, throttling the performance of a flagship phone is more likely to hurt a company’s image. People buying more expensive devices expect the best experience from them. Comparatively, throttling mid-range chips wouldn’t be that much of an issue. While we can only speculate on Samsung’s next moves, it’s clear the company has been paying attention to the Galaxy S22 backlash. Samsung seems ready to deploy actual fixes to a problem of its own creation. That includes possibly adopting MediaTek processors in the short term while developing a next-gen Exynos chip that can deliver sustained performance. The post Samsung rethinking Exynos strategy after Galaxy S22 processor throttling mess appeared first on BGR. View the full article

The Galaxy S22 might be the most exciting flagship series Samsung made, but it’s also marred by various controversies and issues. Chief among them is the throttling problem that impacted primarily Exynos 2200 versions of the Galaxy S22 in Korea and Europe. Samsung fixed the problem quickly, but the Galaxy S22 performance issues turned into a massive scandal in Korea, impacting sales. A new rumor now claims the Galaxy S22 FE will switch to MediaTek’s flagship System-on-Chip (SoC) offerings. Assuming the rumor is accurate, the Galaxy S22 might be the first Samsung flagship to pack a MediaTek processor. And the chip will likely replace Qualcomm or Exynos. The latter seems like the more likely victim considering the Galaxy S22 throttling issues. Don't Miss: Tuesday’s deals: $99 AirPods, $230 Apple Watch SE, Gillette sale, more Is there a Galaxy S22 FE phone? Several weeks before Samsung unveiled the Galaxy S22 series, the Galaxy S21 FE finally arrived. At the time, we told you that it might be better to hold off your purchase until the S22 rolled out. The cheaper Galaxy S21 FE delivered 2021 specs and a few compromises that let Samsung cut the phone’s price. The Galaxy S22 would offer better specs, with prices unchanged compared to its predecessor. Little did we know at the time that the Galaxy S22 would disappoint with the various issues Samsung had to deal with. Considering what has happened so far, it might make sense to see Samsung release a Galaxy S22 FE this year to “fix” the Galaxy S22 problems. Like last year, Samsung is yet to confirm the Galaxy S22’s Fan Edition. And in 2021, Samsung considered canceling the release, according to rumors. Samsung denied those reports, but it moved the Galaxy S21 FE release from summer 2021 to early 2022. Samsung Galaxy S22 Plus smartphone. Image source: Samsung The big MediaTek switch A new report from Business Korea name-checks the Galaxy S22 FE, claiming the phone will roll out in the second half of the year. Strangely enough, the blog also says the Galaxy S23 flagship will roll out in the second half of 2022, which must be a mistake in detailing Samsung’s purported plans for this year. Release dates aside, the blog notes that Samsung will use MediaTek’s System-on-Chip (SoC) for about half of the Galaxy S22 FE models and the Galaxy S23 phones sold in Asia. Samsung has only used MediaTek chips for its more affordable handsets in the past. This would be the first time Samsung goes for the top MediaTek SoC. Business Korea doesn’t say which SoC brand the MediaTek chip in the Galaxy S22 FE will replace. But the implication is that it’s the Exynos 2200 flagship. The report notes that Samsung is having a hard time promoting its SoC. And it so happens that the Galaxy S22 throttling issues have been spotted and fixed in Korea and Europe. The specs of MediaTek Dimensity 9000 flagship processor. Image source: MediaTek Will the Dimensity 9000 power the Galaxy S22 FE? MediaTek released the Dimenisity 9000 flagship SoC in mid-November 2019. At the time, we noted that MediaTek’s new chip achieved many “world firsts” in the industry and that it could be the kind of SoC that goes against the iPhone 13’s A15 Bionic. More interestingly, MediaTek mentioned Samsung among the Android vendors that will use the Dimenisity 9000 SoC. This was well before the Galaxy S21 FE and Galaxy S22 launch events. And it was several months before the Galaxy S22 throttling scandal. The Galaxy S22 performance issues were so significant in Korea that Samsung had to deal with them during its most recent shareholders meeting. Samsung apologized for the problem and said it hasn’t been cutting corners when designing the Galaxy S22. Pundits speculated that Samsung had to throttle performance to prevent the Galaxy S22 from overheating by running at peak capacity. Using the SoC at its max potential for a more extended period would also hurt the battery life. And they said Samsung did that so it could cut production costs. The Galaxy S22 phones will still throttle performance even after the fix is rolled out. But the user can at least have a say on when that throttling starts. Considering all that, the MediaTek high-end SoC might help Samsung deliver a better fix to its Galaxy S22 performance problem. After all, MediaTek teased that Samsung will use the Dimensity 9000 this year. The post Galaxy S22 FE might feature MediaTek’s flagship processor, rumor claims appeared first on BGR. View the full article

Reports said in mid-February that the Galaxy S22 series hit record sales in Korea during preorders. The phone outsold the Galaxy S8, the last phone to top 1 million units during preorders. Just over a month later, Samsung is reportedly ready to offer big Galaxy S22 price cuts in the country. Apparently, the Galaxy S22 throttling controversy impacted sales in the region. As a result, Samsung and carriers have decided to offer significant subsidies to buyers looking for one of the three new models. Don't Miss: Monday deals: AirPods, Apple Watch, kids toys, star projector, more What is the Galaxy S22 throttling issue? Soon after buyers got their hands on the preordered Galaxy S22 units, they discovered that a service installed on the handsets would throttle performance. The Game Optimizing Service (GOS) is an app found on various other Galaxy devices. It’s supposed to prevent overheating and preserve battery life. But users who discovered the issue also found that Samsung was cheating in benchmark apps. Some speculated that problems with the Galaxy S22 processor or cooling system might have led to the throttling behavior that customers observed soon after buying the phone. Some went even further, saying that Samsung looked for price cuts on Galaxy S22 components. Samsung’s need to save money isn’t necessarily surprising. After all, the Galaxy S22 phones have the same starting price as last year’s models. Samsung needed about a week to release an update in Korea. A few days later, the GOS fix was in place in Europe. But then we discovered the throttling issue was a bigger scandal than we thought. Samsung had to apologize to shareholders for the Galaxy S22 performance issues. The company also noted that the GOS throttling wasn’t the result of cost-reduction policies. Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra in white, with stylus. Image source: Samsung The Galaxy S22 price cuts A report from The Korea Times mentioned the Galaxy S22 price cuts in relation to the throttling scandal. Samsung hasn’t outright reduced the starting prices for the three Galaxy S22 flavors. Instead, it’s local carriers that are offering significantly higher subsidies than before. KT and LG Uplus are two local operators that increased the Galaxy S22 and Galaxy S22 Plus subsidies by up to 500,000 won ($410). They went to 500,000 in subsidies for the Galaxy S22 Ultra last month. Users still have to subscribe to cellular plans of over 85,000 won ($70) per month to take advantage of the higher Galaxy S22 price cuts. The subsidies and minimum monthly fee might vary from carrier to carrier. But the report notes that the subsidies have more than tripled from the previous 150,000 won ($123) discounts that carriers offered initially. “The amount of subsidies that will be provided is something that our company and mobile carriers decided together after a consultation,” a Samsung spokesman told the site. The person also said that the entire market is in a difficult situation, and the increased subsidies were put in place on April 1st. Discounts on new Android phones aren’t surprising It’s normal for the latest Galaxy S phone to lose value quickly after the first months of sales. That’s why we told you not to buy the Galaxy S20 a couple of years ago when Samsung’s pricing structure started at $999. The $799 Galaxy S22 seemed like a great deal during preorders before the GOS scandal. But it quickly became clear that it might be a good idea to avoid the Galaxy S22 for the time being. Even when it gets a price cut. Samsung has not confirmed that the GOS controversy forced it to cut the Galaxy S22’s price in its home market. But the discounts are in place in the region. This indicates that Samsung felt the need to offer bigger incentives to buyers following the performance scandal. It’s unclear whether Samsung will adopt similar strategies in other markets. Again, you can’t save up to $410 on the Galaxy S22 in Korea by paying full price for the handset. You have to agree to a new contract with your carrier to get the savings. But if you haven’t purchased the Galaxy S22 of your dreams, it might be a good idea to wait a while longer for a much better deal. The post Samsung cuts Galaxy S22 prices in Korea after throttling controversy appeared first on BGR. View the full article

The Galaxy S22 series is Samsung’s best-selling Galaxy S version in recent years, according to the company’s own remarks. However, the Galaxy S22 has also been at the center of a few unfortunate controversies that buyers need to know about before purchasing the flagship. Now, there’s yet another problem to add to the pile of Galaxy S22 issues, an audio-video sync bug that Samsung has yet to fix. Don't Miss: Monday deals: AirPods, Apple Watch, kids toys, star projector, more The Galaxy S22’s many problems To recap the recent Galaxy S22 controversies and issues that prospective buyers should be aware of, we’ll remind you that Samsung has been misleading customers regarding a few key features. The Galaxy S22 and Galaxy S22 Plus do not have a dynamic refresh rate as good as initially advertised. The Plus and the Galaxy S22 Ultra do not actually recharge much faster using the optional 45W fast charger. Then, Galaxy S22 phones were found to throttle performance and cheat on benchmark tests. There’s a software fix for this one in some regions, but not in the US. Samsung was quick to address the issue after many people criticized the Galaxy S22 in Korea. That’s to say that Samsung can fix software issues, like the new audio-video problem that users discovered. Finally, some Galaxy S22 units ran into GPS connectivity issues, another problem that software might fix. Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra smartphone. Image source: Samsung The audio-video sync issue Unlike the throttling issue that Samsung hurried to patch, there’s no telling when the audio-video sync problem will be fixed. Also, unlike the Galaxy S22 performance slowdown, there’s no telling how widespread the audio problem is. Per SamMobile, “many” Galaxy S22 users had to deal with the audio-video sync issues. The problem impacts both the Snapdragon and Exynos variants of the phone. Notably, the throttling issue seemed to primarily affect the Exynos 2200 models. The Galaxy S22 audio-video sync issue can appear with or without wireless earbuds. The wireless earbuds seem to trigger it even more, however. The blog says there are some types of actions on the phone that can cause audio-video sync issues. The problem can happen in the Gallery app and also in YouTube or Chrome. In the Gallery, unmuting a video might lead to the image freezing, but the audio continues playing. Changing resolutions in YouTube can also cause audio and video to fall out of sync. Interestingly, SamMobile says the “Processing speed” toggle that fixes throttling doesn’t impact the audio-video sync bugs. They occur regardless of whether it’s on or off. Also, the audio problem affects both Snapdragon and Exynos phones. However, the sync issues might have appeared after Samsung fixed the throttling problem, the blog says. Your mileage might vary but if you experience audio-video sync issues on your Galaxy S22, you’re not alone. Samsung will hopefully fix the problem at some point in the future. But for the time being, there’s no way to fix it yourself. The post Galaxy S22 has audio-video sync problems that Samsung hasn’t fixed appeared first on BGR. View the full article

Last fall, Apple launched its Self Service Repair program in response to increased pressure from the right-to-repair movement. Five months later, Samsung announced its own self-repair program that might soon let you repair Galaxy phones yourself at home. It’s not surprising to see Samsung follow closely in Apple’s footsteps. It’s something Samsung has been doing for years for big mobile-related decisions. Unlike Apple, Samsung will be working with the experts at iFixit to help Galaxy device owners repair their handsets. Don't Miss: Friday’s deals: $199 Roomba, $450 65-inch Roku TV, Arlo cameras, $50 air fryer, more The good news is that Samsung is ready to support the right-to-repair movement in time for the Galaxy S22 series. I’m not saying that your Galaxy S22 will definitely need repairs. But if you’ve seen any drop tests, you know the odds are against you. The front and back glass are surprisingly fragile and might suffer unfortunate accidents that will necessitate repairs. Unfortunately, the Galaxy S22 phones aren’t part of the first batch of Galaxy devices that Samsung’s new program will support. Galaxy S21 on a table. Image source: Christian de Looper for BGR Can a Samsung phone be repaired? Most phones can be repaired, whether they’re Samsung Galaxy devices or iPhones. It’s not just the display that can break. Internal components might fail. The battery might need a replacement. These sound like simple repairs and Samsung’s new product will target these sort of do-it-yourself fixes. Samsung explained that it will support repairs for the Galaxy S20 and Galaxy S21 this summer. Joining those phones is the Galaxy Tab S7+ tablet. The company will provide access to genuine parts, repair tools, and “intuitive, visual, step-by-step repair guides.” iFixit should help with the latter, which is what you want to hear if you plan to repair your Samsung phones. It’s unclear when the Galaxy S22 series will follow, but you’ll likely be able to repair the handset yourself in the future. Initially, Samsung will let you replace display assemblies, the back glass, and the charging ports. The company will also let customers return the faulty parts for proper recycling. You won’t be able to do anything about software issues, however. Like the Galaxy S22 throttling or GPS problems. Samsung Galaxy S22 Plus color options. Image source: Samsung Maybe you shouldn’t repair the Galaxy S22 yourself Just because you might be able to repair the Galaxy S22 at home using genuine parts doesn’t mean you should. It might look easy in some of those teardown videos. But those people are professionals who know what they’re doing. It’s not their first time disassembling a phone that cost $1,000 or more. If your Galaxy phone breaks and needs repairs, you might want to look for help from trained professionals who can get the job done quicker and safer. In addition to announcing its own self-repair program, Samsung also reminded users that they have several service options available. The company says it operates a far-reaching same-day repair service covering 80% of the US population. More than 2,000 locations are available to Galaxy device owners for repairs. Also, Samsung runs more than 550 “We Come To You Vans” that offer in-person service within a 30-60 minute drive. Repairs using that service take about two hours. Samsung can also ship an empty box to your home so you can send a Galaxy phone to be repaired. One other way to fix a broken Galaxy S22 or older device is to find an Independent Service Provider in your area. These are certified technicians who work with genuine Samsung parts. The post Samsung will let you repair Galaxy phones yourself at home appeared first on BGR. View the full article

There’s no point comparing the $429 iPhone SE 3 with the $1,199.99 Galaxy S22 Ultra, some might say, even though both of them are 2022 smartphones. The former is a mid-range device, the cheapest new iPhone that you can buy from Apple. The latter is Samsung’s best possible Galaxy S22 model and the revival of the Note series. However, the $429 iPhone SE 3 absolutely obliterates the $1,200 Galaxy S22 Ultra when it comes to power and performance. And that’s an important detail, considering that Samsung won’t do any better than that in 2022. When you think of all the Galaxy S22 controversies and issues we saw so far, the iPhone SE 3 looks even better. Don't Miss: Wednesday’s deals: $50 Echo Buds, secret Fire TV deal, Oral-B sale, Samsung monitors, more iPhone SE 3 vs. Galaxy S22 Ultra specs comparison There’s no denying that the Galaxy S22 Ultra offers various features that will appeal to buyers looking for a flagship experience. We’re looking at a large, bright OLED display that supports 120Hz refresh rates. The phone features a great build quality and an advanced camera module on the back. Then there’s the built-in S Pen, a feature that Note fans will love. The iPhone SE 3 also comes with great build quality. But the handset features the same design as the 2017 iPhone. It still has large bezels and a 60Hz LCD screen with a lower resolution than the Galaxy S22. On the back, there’s only one camera lens. But it comes with all the possible upgrades Apple could add using the same design. iPhone SE 3 specs and features. Image source: Apple Inc. The Galaxy S22 Ultra also features a larger battery than the iPhone SE 3 because it’s a significantly larger phone. But the Ultra doesn’t deliver the best battery life in town, failing to match the iPhone 13 Pro Max. The iPhone SE 3 does offer better battery life than its predecessor, however. To get back to the overall design, we can’t talk about build quality without discussing drop tests. The iPhone SE 3’s display is stronger than the Galaxy S22 Ultra. That’s according to drop tests that showed the Galaxy S22 phones are more likely to break than the iPhone. The curved screen on the Galaxy S22 Ultra also makes it more prone to sustaining damage than handsets with flat screens. The big performance gap Where the iPhone SE 3 shines is performance. The phone features the same A15 Bionic System-on-Chip (SoC) as the iPhone 13, and benchmarks show the phone is just as fast as iPhone 13 models. That means the newest iPhone SE will last for many years without showing its age. Not to mention that Apple makes sure that its latest iOS releases will support several iPhone generations. That’s something Samsung hasn’t managed to achieve because it doesn’t control the underlying operating system. However, starting with the Galaxy S22 series, Samsung will guarantee four years of Android releases for certain devices. Galaxy S22 Exynos 2200 benchmarks: Geekbench 5.1 single-core result. Image source: Computer Base Early Galaxy S22 Ultra Geekbench benchmarks showed that the A15 will outperform both the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 and the Exynos 2200 chips. What’s worse for Samsung is that the A13 Bionic in the iPhone 11 and iPhone SE 2 also outscores the Exynos 2200 in benchmarks. You won’t find benchmark results for the Galaxy S22 phones anymore. That’s because Geekbench banned the Galaxy S22 Ultra and other Samsung devices for cheating on the tests. Samsung has throttled the performance of its phones, except for benchmark apps. After facing massive criticism, Samsung issued an update to improve the Galaxy S22’s performance. But there’s still reason to worry about performance and overheating on the phones. The Exynos 2200 seems to be prone to overheat, but that’s just speculation. Also of note, the throttling fix isn’t yet available in most markets. Galaxy S22 Ultra colors. Image source: Samsung The iPhone SE 3 wins Again, comparing mid-range and flagship handsets might seem unfair. But the iPhone SE 3 delivers a flagship experience that can exceed the Galaxy S22 Ultra. The $429 device has no real competition right now. The $449 Galaxy A53 that Samsung just launched won’t come close. That should be obvious when you consider that the $1,200 Galaxy S22 Ultra flagship can’t even compete with the iPhone SE 3. With all that in mind, the new iPhone SE might be the best choice for all smartphone buyers who aren’t loyal to one brand or operating system. The $429 iPhone SE 3 can also be an excellent 5G device for people who want a fast handset right now but not necessarily an expensive flagship. Given all the issues impacting the newest Samsung phones, whether they’re performance problems or Samsung’s misleading claims, you might want to wait for the Galaxy S23 Ultra rather than getting the current model. More iPhone coverage: For more iPhone news, visit our iPhone 14 guide. The post Apple’s $429 iPhone performance crushes the $1,200 Galaxy S22 Ultra appeared first on BGR. View the full article

As if Samsung didn’t have enough Galaxy S22 issues to deal with in the weeks since launch, some users discovered that a basic smartphone functionality wasn’t working. Galaxy S22 Ultra buyers complained on forums about spotty GPS connectivity that renders any app or service that requires location data useless. At the time, we told you that it wasn’t clear how widespread the problem was. We said that Samsung will likely see the complaints and provide fixes if necessary. It turns out that Samsung has acknowledged the issue. An update will fix the problem, but it’s unclear when Samsung will release it. Don't Miss: Wednesday’s deals: $50 Echo Buds, secret Fire TV deal, Oral-B sale, Samsung monitors, more The Galaxy S22 series turned out to be Samsung’s most successful flagship in years, according to preorder sales estimates. But Samsung has had to deal with a few notable controversies almost immediately after its launch. The misleading refresh rate issues, the seemingly non-existent 45W fast-charging speeds, and the Galaxy S22 throttling issues are all problems you should be aware of. Also, the Galaxy S22 is hardly as durable as you might think, and the glass can shatter on impact against a hard surface. But users might not immediately feel the impact of these issues or worry about Samsung’s misleading claims. In contrast, a problem with the GPS is something you will notice as soon as it happens. Suddenly, your Google Maps, Uber, Tinder, or location sharing apps might stop working. Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra in white, with stylus. Image source: Samsung Why won’t GPS work on the Galaxy S22? It’s unclear what caused the Galaxy S22 GPS problems, but the matter got Samsung’s attention. A Samsung Community moderator in Europe acknowledged the GPS connectivity problems and unified the complaints under a single thread: Latest I’ve heard from the Samsung side of things is that a software fix is being prepared to resolve the GPS issue. We’ve not been give a timescale for that (other than ‘soon’), but please keep a look out for upcoming software updates. As the moderator notes, “soon” is the best timeframe we have for the Galaxy S22 GPS fix. But Samsung already showed it can release fixes for important issues in record time. The Galaxy S22 throttling problem has been Samsung’s biggest worry so far. It’s also an example where Samsung worked quite fast to fix it. Korean customers got the update in about a week. Then Samsung released it in Europe a few days later. The throttling issue might have other repercussions that we’re yet to discover. But what matters is that Samsung hurried to ensure a fix rolled out as fast as possible. Exynos really needs to be optimized, the S22's camera bugs, screen failures, and GPS failures all happened in the Exynos 2200 version — Ice universe (@UniverseIce) March 24, 2022 Getting back to the GPS issue, the lack of any sense of urgency indicates that not that many Galaxy S22 users might be affected. You can always return or exchange your faulty Galaxy S22 version rather than wait for a fix. Well-known insider Ice Universe said on Twitter that the Exynos 2200 chip might be to blame for various Galaxy S22 issues, including the GPS. But that’s just speculation. The post Galaxy S22 GPS issues will be fixed, Samsung says appeared first on BGR. View the full article

The newly released iPhone SE 3 selling out during preorders wasn’t a surprise to anyone who remembers the success of its predecessor. Like the second-gen model, the iPhone SE 3 offers unrivaled value. At $429, you get the iPhone 13 experience in an iPhone 8 body, complete with Touch ID. That means the old iPhone SE 2 can go head to head against the Galaxy S22 flagships that launched a few weeks earlier. Meanwhile, the new iPhone SE 3 actually beats Samsung’s Galaxy S22 when it comes to performance. Even the $1,200 Galaxy S22 Ultra. The handset uses the same A15 Bionic chipset as the iPhone 13, matching the flagship iPhone’s speed in benchmarks. And the Galaxy S22 can’t outperform the iPhone 13 in benchmark or speed tests. Not to mention the fact that Samsung phones were revealed to secretly throttle app speeds. Performance isn’t the only area where the iPhone SE3 beats the Galaxy S22. The latest iPhone also handles drops better than Samsung’s Galaxy S22 models. That’s according to drop tests that were performed recently. Don't Miss: Wednesday’s deals: $50 Echo Buds, secret Fire TV deal, Oral-B sale, Samsung monitors, more Galaxy S22 durability Comparing the iPhone SE 3 and Galaxy S22 might not sound reasonable. The former isn’t a flagship, after all. But we already established that the $429 iPhone SE 3 packs better performance than the best phone Samsung makes. Of course, the Galaxy S22 does offer a significantly better display experience. It’s not just the design and size, but also the support for 120Hz refresh rates. And it has a more complex camera system on the back. That said, the Galaxy S22 isn’t more durable than a phone that starts at $429. Tests from Allstate Protection Plans showed that the Galaxy S22 can’t handle accidents very well. The displays of all three devices shattered on the first impact in a 6-foot drop on a rough sidewalk. The conclusion is simple: you need a screen protector and a case for all Galaxy S22 phones. Despite the use of Corning Gorilla Glass Victus Plus on the front and back, these new Samsung phones won’t survive drops. Moreover, the Galaxy S22 Ultra’s curved display edges seem to be especially prone to cracking. iPhone SE 3 drop test Like the Galaxy S22, the iPhone SE 3 should be more durable than its predecessors. The phone features the “toughest glass in a smartphone,” according to Apple. Allstate put Apple’s claim to the test… and found it to be true. The iPhone SE 3 survived a face-down drop test onto a sidewalk from six feet. The screen only got minor scuffs, but it didn’t break like the Galaxy S22 phones. The iPhone SE 3 drop test performance is similar to the iPhone 13 and iPhone 12, Allstate said. However, unlike the iPhone 13 and iPhone 12, the iPhone SE 3 failed a drop test with the back facing down. The glass panel cracked on the first drop. Allstate Protection Plans’ iPhone SE 3 drop test results. Image source: Allstate Protection Plans Finally, the iPhone SE 3 also survived the side drop, with the aluminum case only showing minor scuffing. The moral of the story is clear. Any phone made of glass can shatter after certain impacts. The iPhone SE 3 won’t survive all drops, as various factors will influence the outcome. But Allstate performs the same drop tests for all phones. And this shows the iPhone SE 3 is more likely to survive an impact with a sidewalk than the Galaxy S22 phones. You should still consider purchasing protective gear for the iPhone SE 3 despite these findings. The rear panel appears to be more fragile, so it’ll require a case for most people. More iPhone coverage: For more iPhone news, visit our iPhone 14 guide. The post iPhone SE 3 is more powerful than a Galaxy S22, and it also wins in drop tests appeared first on BGR. View the full article

No matter how careful you are, chances are that you will drop your phone eventually. When and if this does happen, all you can do is cross your fingers and hope that it didn’t cause any damage. Thankfully, even the glass-covered smartphones that companies are releasing now are rather sturdy. But there are still risks, which is why content creators continue to conduct drop tests with any new phones. Speaking of which, over the weekend, PhoneBuff shared a new drop test video, pitting the iPhone 13 Pro Max against the Galaxy S22 Ultra. Don't Miss: Wednesday’s deals: $50 Echo Buds, secret Fire TV deal, Oral-B sale, Samsung monitors, more iPhone 13 Pro Max vs. Galaxy S22 Ultra drop test As PhoneBuff explains in the video, Samsung included a couple of notable upgrades on the Galaxy S22 Ultra that should improve its durability. First, Samsung says its front display uses Corning’s Gorilla Glass Victus Plus. Weirdly, it’s unclear what makes it “plus,” because there is no documentation on Corning’s website about this specific product. The Galaxy S22 Ultra also features a new Armor Aluminum frame. Samsung claims that it’s 10% stronger than the 7000 series aluminum frame that it typically uses. So, are these improvements enough for the Galaxy S22 Ultra to beat the Ceramic Shield and stainless steel frame of the iPhone 13 Pro Max? Watch and find out: Results of the drop test As you can see in the video, the iPhone 13 Pro Max is the clear winner. Early in the drop test, the iPhone and Galaxy appeared to be equally durable. After one back drop, both phones got several minor scuffs and each suffered a crack on the rear panel. The iPhone was slightly worse for wear. Other than that, both were fully operational. The corner drop was also inconclusive. Even with its sharp corner, the Galaxy S22 Ultra didn’t sustain any serious damage. The scratches are clearly more noticeable on the S22 Ultra, but the iPhone 13 Pro Max also had a dent after the drop. The face drop was the most damaging for both phones. The front display glass shattered on both the Galaxy S22 Ultra and the iPhone 13 Pro Max. All of the fancy names in the world did not save the displays from shattering upon hitting the concrete. With that said, the damage looked significantly worse on the Galaxy. The cracks covered more of the display, and the under-display fingerprint scanner stopped working altogether. Finally, it’s worth noting that as PhoneBuff continued to drop both phones ten more times from even higher up, the condition of the Galaxy worsened much more quickly than that of the iPhone. By the end of the drop test, the S Pen wouldn’t even come out of the S22 Ultra’s slot. Meanwhile, the iPhone 13 Pro Max continued to work flawlessly. In the end, the iPhone 13 Pro Max received an impressive drop test score of 39/40, while the Galaxy S22 Ultra received a 34/40. Both phones are relatively durable, but the iPhone will seemingly stand a better chance of surviving multiple rough tumbles. More iPhone coverage: For more iPhone news, visit our iPhone 13 guide. The post iPhone 13 Pro Max vs. Galaxy S22 Ultra drop test: Which phone survives? appeared first on BGR. View the full article

The Galaxy S22 has been a big success for Samsung so far, but the new flagship series isn’t without problems or controversies. The latest issue concerns the Galaxy S22 Ultra, as Samsung’s new Note model seems unable to hold a GPS connection. That’s the kind of problem that would impact any app that relies on location data. You’ll need GPS for Google Maps and other navigation apps. And you’ll also be using it whenever you want to share your location with someone else. Don't Miss: Wednesday’s deals: $50 Echo Buds, secret Fire TV deal, Oral-B sale, Samsung monitors, more The current controversies Before we get to the GPS issues, let’s look at the Galaxy S22’s other problems. I’ve recently highlighted four reasons not to buy the Galaxy S22, even when better price deals arrive. One of those concerns the Galaxy S22’s ability to survive drops, but it’s immediately fixable. The Galaxy S22 Ultra seems especially fragile in such accidents. You can reduce the risk by getting protective accessories from the first day. We then have Samsung misleading buyers regarding the Galaxy S22 and Galaxy S22 Plus display efficiency. Similarly, the 45W fast charging support available on the Plus and the Galaxy S22 Ultra seems to be a marketing gimmick. It has to be said that S22 series is the best selling Samsung flagship mobile phone in recent years, but it is also the one with the most problems. — Ice universe (@UniverseIce) March 21, 2022 The most important issue concerns the phone’s performance. The throttling issue that was widely covered in the past few weeks might be hiding a more significant problem with Samsung’s flagships. It might be a chip a cooling issue. Samsung said in an explanation to shareholders that it hasn’t been cutting costs, however. That’s to say that the Galaxy S22 series is already drawing attention for the kind of faults you wouldn’t expect from a flagship. The GPS signal loss problem falls in the same category. Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra in white, with stylus. Image source: Samsung The Galaxy S22 Ultra GPS problems Addressing camera quality issues, leaker Ice Universe also observed on Twitter that the Galaxy S22 is the best-selling Samsung flagship in years. But also the one suffering from the most problems. The leaker previously criticized Samsung for the throttling issue. The GPS connectivity complaints come from elsewhere, however. Android World detailed the problem, explaining that Galaxy S22 Ultra users would encounter GPS issues from the first boot. The problem can persist even after updates, and the GPS won’t work. A post on a Samsung Community forum in Europe has some 202 replies showing that some Galaxy S22 Ultra buyers have experienced the GPS problem. But the issue doesn’t appear to be widespread at the moment. There’s no fix for it either. The blog notes that resetting the APN settings might work. You can also consider resetting network settings. Whatever it is, it might be a problem with the phone rather than apps that need location data to work. If you’ve experienced any Galaxy S22 Ultra GPS issues, you can consider reaching out to Samsung for help. The post Some Galaxy S22 Ultra units might have a GPS connectivity issue appeared first on BGR. View the full article

If you’ve picked up a Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra, then you’re already equipped with one of the best Android phones on the market right now. But what if I said you could make it even better? Here are four handy Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra tips to help you get even more out of your new phone. Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra tips to help you get more out of your new phone Image source: Samsung The Galaxy S22 Ultra is a great phone, despite some throttling problems, and it’s the biggest phone that Samsung has to offer right now. But just because it’s good doesn’t mean there aren’t things you can do to make it better. Newer phones these days have a lot of different features and settings that aren’t enabled by default. When turned on some of those features can make your experience with the phone even better. Wondering if you should buy the Galaxy S22? You can compare the three different models on Samsung’s website to see which one fits you best. Make unlocking your phone faster The Samsung Galaxy Ultra 22 tip on our list has to do with the phone’s fingerprint scanner. When you first power up the device, you’ll need to press the power button anytime you want to activate the fingerprint scanner. If you want to bypass this small inconvenience and make unlocking your phone just a little faster, you can toggle the Finger always on setting. When toggled on, this setting will let you scan your fingerprint even when the screen is off. You’ll still need to line it up perfectly with the under-display scanner. Once you’ve got the hang of it, unlocking your phone will be even more efficient. If you find yourself needing the fingerprint icon to guide you, you can always tap the screen to activate it. Find your apps easier The App Drawer can be a great way to navigate the apps you’ve downloaded onto your phone. With that in mind, though, the Galaxy S22 Ultra doesn’t sort the apps by any kind of logic by default. Because of that, it can be difficult to find the apps you’re looking for sometimes. Thankfully, there’s a way to sort them all. To take advantage of this Galaxy S22 Ultra tip, simply open the App Drawer and press three dots at the top. From here you can select the Sort option, which will let you sort your apps alphabetically. You can also sort them using a custom order, which lets you change where each app is situated in the drawer. Customize Air Command Image source: Samsung One of the best things about the Galaxy S22 Ultra is the S Pen, the Galaxy Note’s best accessory. You can do a lot with the S Pen, like jot down quick notes, draw in your favorite sketchbook app, or even open apps and tools using the Air Command feature. Air Command essentially lets you use the S Pen without touching the screen on your Galaxy S22 Ultra. Instead, all you need to do is hover over the phone display and click the button on the S Pen. This will bring up a list of tools and options to select. If you want to add an app or tool to this list, you can simply tap the Add button down at the bottom. Next, select the option you want to add to the list, and boom, you’re ready to go. Making use of this Galaxy S22 Ultra tip is as easy as that. Reduce spam calls with Call Screening One of the benefits of mobile phones is that we can keep in contact with family and friends no matter where we are. Sometimes, though, that freedom gets used against us. If you find yourself dealing with a lot of spam calls, you can cut down on the junk by turning on Call Screening. This Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra tip is really handy because it lets you filter out unwanted calls. To turn it on, simply open your settings, navigate down to the Apps section, and then tap choose default apps. From here you can select Caller ID and spam app, and then select the Phone app to set it up. Presto, now fewer spam calls will make it through. The post 4 things you need to do on your new Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra appeared first on BGR. View the full article

Samsung’s Galaxy A53 leaked not too long ago, and we told you at the time the 2022 mid-ranger would dominate the Galaxy S22. That was before all of the Galaxy S22 controversies. The prediction was based on the A53’s predecessors’ sales performance. Those phones outsold their Galaxy S contemporaries in previous years. Fast-forward to Wednesday, and Samsung has finally launched the Galaxy A53. The phone offers truly incredible value for anyone looking for decent performance for the right price. And the price, by the way, just got better. Add to that the same four years of Android guarantees and 5G support of the Galaxy S22, and you get a Samsung phone that can easily outsell a flagship. Don't Miss: Wednesday’s deals: $50 Echo Buds, secret Fire TV deal, Oral-B sale, Samsung monitors, more Like the iPhone SE 3, the Galaxy A53 is similar to the previous generation. Galaxy A52 users will find the hole-punch design similar. The same goes for the rear-facing plastic back. They’ll expect 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage for the cheapest model. That’s precisely what Samsung delivers with the Galaxy A53. We’ve got a 6.5-inch OLED screen with a 120Hz refresh rate, Full HD resolution, and a built-in fingerprint sensor. The camera system on the back is also in line with expectations: 64-megapixel primary sensor, 12-megapixel ultra-wide camera, and two 5-megapixel depth and macro lenses. A 32-megapixel shooter pierces the screen. Samsung’s Galaxy A53 mid-range phone. Image source: Samsung The Galaxy A53 price What changed on the Galaxy A53 is the processor. Instead of a Snapdragon System-on-Chip (SoC), you’ll get the Exynos 1280 5nm chip. Or the kind of SoC that Samsung can throttle and nobody will care. Put differently; the Galaxy A53 won’t touch the iPhone SE 3 when it comes to performance. Also new is the 5,000 mAh battery, which Samsung says will last for two days on a single charge. That’s 25W charging, by the way. Add IP67 water and dust resistance, and the Galaxy A53 should be on any list of mid-range devices. That’s especially considering that Samsung cut the Galaxy A53 price by $50. The phone is available for preorder starting at $449.99 before any trade-in or other deals. Moreover, you get a free pair of Galaxy Buds Live, which retail for $169.99 otherwise. The Galaxy A53 will ship to buyers on April 1st. The four years of Android updates should clinch this deal, as it ensures you’ll be on the latest version of Android for the entire period you might want to use the phone. You also get five years of security upgrades. Galaxy A53 color options. Image source: Samsung The other Samsung mid-rangers While US buyers are only getting the Galaxy A53, Samsung launched two additional A-series models on Wednesday. The Galaxy A33 is the cheaper version of the Galaxy A53. Also a 5G phone, the Galaxy A53 has a slightly smaller display at 6.4-inch. And it only offers support for 90Hz refresh rates. Also notable is the display design. This isn’t a hole-punch display. Instead, it has a camera notch at the top and a larger bottom bezel. The primary rear camera also gets a downgrade to a 48-megapixel sensor. Otherwise, the Galaxy A33 is identical to the Galaxy A53. But the phone will retail in Europe for €369. The Galaxy A53’s price in Europe is €449, implying the Galaxy A33 would cost $369 in the US. But, again, Samsung isn’t launching the more affordable A-series phone in the States. Finally, there’s the higher-end Galaxy A72, which isn’t getting a US launch either. The phone packs a larger 6.7-inch OLED screen, a Snapdragon 778G SoC, and a 108-megapixel primary camera. The phone will go on sale in select markets on April 22nd, for an undisclosed price. The Galaxy A33 5G will also hit various markets on April 22nd. The post Samsung’s Galaxy A53 is once again the mid-range Android phone to beat appeared first on BGR. View the full article

When the Galaxy S22 series launched, we told you that the Galaxy S22 preorder deals were so good you had to check them out. The alternative was to wait for the Galaxy S22 price to drop to buy a better deal in the weeks that followed the release date. With more than a month since preorders started, we’ve had a chance to learn more details about Samsung’s Galaxy S22 phones. And it turns out that the various controversies surrounding the phone make it a questionable purchase. In what follows, I’ll cover four reasons why you shouldn’t buy the Galaxy S22, even when the price drops. Don't Miss: Wednesday’s deals: $50 Echo Buds, secret Fire TV deal, Oral-B sale, Samsung monitors, more Should you buy the Galaxy S22? The Galaxy S22 is one of the most anticipated phones of the year, something that can be said about any of its predecessors. And Samsung already registered record sales for the handset in Korea. But that was during preorders before all the problems came to light. In what follows, we’ll highlight three significant controversies that hurt the Galaxy S22. Add to that the phone’s poor performance in durability tests, and you have at least four solid reasons not to buy a new Samsung flagship smartphone. Galaxy S22 Ultra drop test: Camera damage. Image source: YouTube The glass breaks easily The Galaxy S22 features a sturdy design, and we saw the phone survives all sorts of durability tests with ease. But the one area where the Galaxy S22 fails is accidental drops. We saw a few drop tests so far, and the Galaxy S22 models shattered after just the first drop. The Galaxy S22 Ultra’s curved edges appear to be particularly prone to cracking. That’s not to say other glass phones are any safer. And this isn’t such a big controversy. The iPhone 13 certainly isn’t shatter-proof, although it won’t break quite as easily. You should know from the get-go that you will need protective gear with the Galaxy S22. All that Aluminum Armor and Victus Glass talk won’t do much to safeguard the phones against drops. Galaxy S22 Ultra display supports 1Hz refresh rate. Image source: Samsung Samsung lied about the Galaxy S22 display refresh rate Nobody forced Samsung to lie about the Galaxy S22 and Galaxy S22 Plus display specs in its announcement. But the company did it anyway. And it hasn’t exactly apologized. As a reminder, Samsung initially said that the Galaxy S22 and Galaxy S22 Plus support dynamic refresh rates between 10-120Hz. That’s a great feature to have, as it helps the phones conserve battery life by intelligently lowering the refresh rate when full 120Hz support isn’t needed. The truth is that the Galaxy S22 and Galaxy S22 Plus can only go as low as 48Hz. That’s still helpful, of course. However, it doesn’t change the fact that Samsung lied about the specs. Samsung Galaxy S22 Plus smartphone. Image source: Samsung What 45W charging? Buy a Galaxy S22 phone, and you won’t get a charger in the box. Samsung mocked Apple’s move a few years ago and then copied it anyway. Obviously. That’s not a problem for most handset owners, as they probably have USB-C chargers at home that will work fine with the new device. But if you want to take advantage of the fastest charging speed on the Galaxy S22 Plus and Galaxy S22 Ultra, you will need a 45W charger. You can buy a 45W charger from Samsung or a third party. Regardless of where you get it, tests have shown that 45W charging is a joke on the Galaxy S22 Plus and Ultra. That’s right, it appears as though Samsung lied yet again. This is the kind of feature that looks great on paper. But in real-life tests, the phone spent about a minute recharging at top speeds. After that, it no longer charges at 45W. Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra smartphone. Image source: Samsung The worst offense: Galaxy S22 app throttling Say you’re willing to ignore all the Galaxy S22 issues noted above, and you’re determined to buy one of the three models. You should be aware of the big Galaxy S22 performance throttling issues. The controversy is so significant that Samsung rushed to issue a fix and roll it out in Korea and Europe. Moreover, Samsung is facing lawsuits and investigations at home, and the company had to address the matter openly during its shareholders’ meeting earlier this week. Samsung apologized, but the damage was already done. Also, the company said it didn’t cut Galaxy S22 costs at the time. Some speculated the phones had to reduce performance because they lack proper cooling. Even with the fix in place for some regions, the throttling controversy is still worrying. We’ll have to wait a bit longer to understand what happens if you remove the throttling. The feature is meant to prevent overheating and battery drain. Does that mean you should expect these problems once you disable throttling? The throttling problem nullifies all of Samsung’s marketing efforts that promote the speed and performance of the new phones. And benchmark tests already showed the Galaxy S22 can’t outperform the iPhone 13 series that was released last year. Also, Samsung’s Galaxy Tab S8 flagship tablets suffer from the same problem. Galaxy A52 in black and Galaxy A72 in white. Image source: Samsung Do not buy the Galaxy S22 To recap, the Galaxy S22 isn’t as durable as we thought it would be. Samsung misled customers about the display specs on the cheaper models. The charging speed isn’t as fast as advertised even on the more expensive models. And the performance of all Galaxy S22 versions. With all that in mind, there’s no reason to buy the Galaxy S22 right now. Not even after Samsung inevitably slashes prices in the coming weeks. I will note that one can ignore these problems. You can buy accessories to protect the glass, just like any glass phone. You don’t need the display to go down to 10Hz. And 25W charging is fast enough for most people. Finally, the throttling fix might really solve the performance issues. But people buying a Samsung flagship expect the best possible experience. It’s the principle of the matter. Dealing with all these issues is an aggravating headache when you spend so much money on the latest and greatest smartphone. Just imagine what it would mean for the latest iPhone to disappoint buyers like this. Galaxy S22/S22 Plus vs. Galaxy S22 Ultra reviews on Samsung.com as of March 16th. The Galaxy S22, S22 Plus, and Ultra reviews on Samsung’s website seem to agree. These are three-star phones at best. Instead of the Galaxy S22, you can look forward to the Galaxy A53 and A33 mid-rangers that can’t possibly disappoint. On the other hand, if the Galaxy S22 price drops to A53 levels before any trade-in offers and carrier deals, it might be worth revisiting. The post 4 reasons not to buy Samsung’s Galaxy S22 even when the price drops appeared first on BGR. View the full article

Last week, Apple unveiled the iPad Air 5 tablet, surprising buyers with a shockingly powerful upgrade. The mid-range iPad has the same M1 System-on-Chip (SoC) as the 2021 iPad Pro and several Macs. Benchmarks revealed Apple did not make changes to the M1 SoC in the iPad Air 5, supporting the idea that mid-range Android tablets can’t match its performance. But a new development indicates the iPad Air 5 is not just a big headache for Google, but also for Samsung’s Galaxy Tab S8 flagship tablet. The Galaxy Tab S8 series represents the best possible Android alternative to the iPad Pro. But the three Galaxy Tab S8 versions all suffer from the same app throttling problem as the Galaxy S22. Don't Miss: Wednesday’s deals: $50 Echo Buds, secret Fire TV deal, Oral-B sale, Samsung monitors, more What is the difference between the iPad Air and the iPad Pro? With the new iPad Air 5, you get a 10.9-inch display, the M1 SoC, 64GB of storage, and 8GB of RAM all for $599. These are the base iPad Air 5 specs that will satisfy the needs of most tablet users. The 11-inch iPad Pro starts at $799. The $200 price bump gets you double the storage, a slightly larger and brighter screen that comes with ProMotion support, a second ultra-wide camera and LiDAR sensor on the back, and Face ID authentication instead of Touch ID. The Galaxy Tab S8 tablets are all supposed to be iPad Pro rivals. The cheapest model starts at $700. You’ll have to pay $200 more for the Plus and then another $200 on top of that for the Ultra. You read that properly — the S8 tops out at $1,100. Samsung’s flagship tablets start with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage and feature OLED screens. The base model has an 11-inch display, which means it’s about as big as the iPad Air 5. All Galaxy Tab S8 models feature the same Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 SoC, which is an A15 Bionic alternative, not an M1 competitor. And the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 can’t even outperform the iPhone 13 chip in benchmarks or real-life tests. Even without the throttling issues, the new Snapdragon doesn’t play in the same league as the M1. Samsung revealed the Galaxy Tab S8 series at Galaxy Unpacked 2022. Image source: Samsung Samsung’s app throttling controversy Samsung preloaded an app on various Android devices that can reduce the performance of thousands of apps. It’s called Game Optimization Service or GOS, and it’s supposed to mainly impact games. Unfortunately, it impacts thousands of apps that shouldn’t be affected. GOS reduces performance to prevent overheating on the Galaxy S22 and other phones. This prevents battery drain, as the CPU speed is lowered. Also of note, GOS throttles both the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 and Exynos 2200. These are the two SoCs that power the Galaxy S22 series line. The Galaxy Tab S8 suffers from the same problem, even though the tablets are much larger than Galaxy S22 phones. In theory, Samsung could have significantly improved the three tablets’ cooling system. And all of them feature much larger batteries, so battery life worries aren’t as serious. Yet GOS is very much enabled. Having the best Android flagship tablet throttle performance is an absolute nightmare, especially when the iPad Air 5 delivers iPad Pro performance. And the new iPad Air is $100 cheaper than the most affordable Galaxy Tab S8. Samsung issued a fix for the Galaxy S22 in some regions, allowing users to bypass GOS throttling. Moreover, Samsung apologized to shareholders this week, indicating how important this Galaxy S22 controversy is. But it’s unclear when the Galaxy Tab S8 fix will roll out. Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra design. Image source: Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 line excluded from Geekbench 5 News that Apple hasn’t modified M1 performance for the iPad Air 5 has to be a devastating blow for Samsung’s Galaxy Tab S8 ambitions. Especially since the new iPad Air dropped at the same time as news that the Galaxy Tab S8 suffers from the infamous app throttling issue. What’s worse is that the Galaxy Tab S8 tablets will suffer the same fate as the Galaxy S22 phones when it comes to benchmarks. Android Police reports that Geekbench will delist the S8 series from its website for cheating. The blog was able to verify that the Galaxy Tab S8 tablets throttle the performance of resource-intensive apps, but it does not throttle benchmark test apps. That’s a humiliating start for the Galaxy Tab S8 that indicates the iPad Pro is still the best “Pro” tablet choice in town. Or the iPad Air 5, if you’re on a tighter budget. More iPhone coverage: For more iPhone news, visit our iPhone 13 guide. The post iPad Air 5 absolutely crushes Galaxy Tab S8’s throttled performance appeared first on BGR. View the full article

We may finally have our first look at the Samsung Galaxy A33 specs, and even a look at its outer design. The A33 is rumored to be the most affordable device that Samsung plans to announce at its upcoming Awesome Unpacked event. Based on a series of new leaks, the device looks to borrow some designs from previous Samsung devices like the A52, which is one of the best Samsung phones around. DON’T MISS: Deals: AirPods Pro sale, $14 bed pillows, $200 off MacBook Pro, more Galaxy A33 specs leak ahead of official reveal A33 pic.twitter.com/U7xb7dE6uk — Ev (@evleaks) March 15, 2022 With Samsung planning to fully reveal its A-series lineup on March 17, 2022, it wasn’t that shocking to see leakers dropping details about at least one of the upcoming phones. With just a day to go, we’ve already got a good look at the outer design thanks to renders shared on Twitter by Evan Blass. Specs-wise, Appauls has shared an in-depth look at what the A33 will sport. Appauls says the Galaxy A33 5G will sport a 6.4-inch Super AMOLED display with a waterdrop notch at the top. Samsung calls the display the “Infinity-U Display”, Appauls notes. The panel will offer up to 2400×1080 resolution at 412 ppi. It will also come with a 90Hz refresh rate, for smoother visuals. Finally, the display will feature Corning’s Gorilla Glass 5 for protection. These leaked Galaxy A33 specs also say that the new phone will sporty Samsung’s Exynos 1280 processor. This is a previously unannounced processer, but many believe it will feature an octa-core CPU with a 2.4Ghz boost clock. The Galaxy A33 will also sport a 5,000mAh battery with support for 25W charging. The charger will also be sold separately. Price and camera details Two of Samsung’s previous mid-range devices sport similar designs to the leaked Galaxy A33 renders. Image source: Samsung Cameras are a pretty big deal when it comes to budget phones. In a lot of cases, budget devices offer some sacrifices in the camera area to help drive down their price. Appauls reported Galaxy A33 specs show that the device will come with a 48MP f/1.8 main camera with OIS. It will also feature an 8MP f/2.2 ultra-wide system with support for 120-degree FOV. The outlet reports that the front camera will be a 13MP selfie camera with an f/2.2 aperture. Additionally, the phone will support night mode, panorama, single take, food, portrait, and several other photo modes. When it comes to price, the Galaxy A33 specs leak says that the phone will retail for around $417 USD. Based on the specs we’re seeing; it looks like Samsung is setting its mid-range options up for yet another year of success. Keep in mind, the Galaxy A33 is only the first of three new mid-range devices the company is set to announce. We’ll no doubt see more details about the Galaxy A33, as well as the other two devices, the A53 and A73 during the event on Thursday. If you like what Samsung’s doing with the Galaxy S22 Ultra, but don’t want to pay that high of a price, these new A-series devices could be a great option to look into. The post Samsung Galaxy A33 specs leak ahead of official announcement appeared first on BGR. View the full article

The Galaxy S21 Ultra might be the best Samsung phone of 2021 so far, but it’s hardly the Samsung phone most people will buy this year. Not even the cheaper Galaxy S21 phones are selling that great, even though they’re significantly more affordable than last year’s basic Galaxy S20 models. Samsung already launched a trio of Galaxy A series phones only a few weeks ago, including the Galaxy A52, which will likely become the best Galaxy phone of the year. The Galaxy A51 won that title last year. While the A52 is a decent mid-range phone that’s probably one of the best affordable Androids one can consider right now, Samsung just unveiled another Galaxy handset that some customers might appreciate. The Galaxy Quantum 2 sports flagship specs as well as a feature that’s unlike anything seen in that many other devices. Today's Top Deal This automatic jar opener went viral on TikTok and people are flooding Amazon to get one! Price: $35.99 Buy Now The Galaxy Quantum 2 is the successor of last year’s Galaxy Quantum and a phone that’s currently available only in South Korea, where Samsung and SK Telecom have just announced it, per The Verge. The phone is Samsung’s second handset with built-in quantum cryptography technology to secure encryption. Samsung’s Galaxy Quantum 2 smartphone launched on SK Telecom. Image source: SK Telecom Unlike other Androids, Quantum 2 features a custom cryptography chip made by ID Quantique. The chip is a 2.5mm square that’s the world’s smallest quantum random number generator (QRNG). The processor “allows smartphone holders to use services that require security in a more safe and secure manner by generating unpredictable and patternless true random numbers,” the carrier said. Here’s how the QRNG chips from ID Quantique work, according to the company: At its core, the QRNG chip contains a light-emitting diode (LED) and an image sensor. Due to quantum noise, the LED emits a random number of photons, which are captured and counted by the image sensor’s pixels, giving a series of raw random numbers that can be accessed directly by the user applications. These numbers are also fed to a random bit Generator algorithm (RGB) which distills further the entropy of quantum origin to produce random bits in compliancy to NIST 800-90A/B/C standard. The following video briefly explains the QRNG processor technology: The QRNG chip should make the phone even more secure than other devices, as Quantum cryptography makes it more difficult for someone to remotely hack the handset. Direct access to the handset would be required. The chip will work with apps that use the Android Keystore APIs. SK Telecom says the handset works with apps including Shinhan Bank, Standard Chartered Bank Korea, and T World. In the future, it should also work with Samsung’s own credit cards and other apps that benefit from increased security. Aside from the quantum cryptography chip, the phone offers users impressive hardware that is slightly better than a Galaxy S10+ handset from 2019. We’re looking at a 6.7-inch OLED display with 120Hz refresh rate and in-display fingerprint sensor and a Snapdragon 855+ processor. The difference is that the Galaxy S10 phones shipped with a regular 60Hz screen and a slightly slower Snapdragon 855 chip. The Quantum 2 also features a 64-megapixel primary sensor, compared to the Galaxy S10’s 12-megapixel main camera. On top of that, the Quantum 2 will sport 5G connectivity, a feature not available to any 2019 Samsung flagship. The Quantum 2 will start selling in South Korea on April 23rd for an unspecified price, although preorders should start on April 13th. But that might not be the only country where the handset is available. Various reports said recently that Samsung is readying a Galaxy A82 phone which would feature the 2019 Snapdragon 855 flagship processor. The Quantum 2 appears to be the Galaxy A82. It’s unclear at this time when the Galaxy A82 will launch in other international markets and whether it’ll sport the same QRNG encryption chip. The Galaxy A Quantum launched internationally as the Galaxy A71 without the extra security chip. Today's Top Deal This automatic jar opener went viral on TikTok and people are flooding Amazon to get one! Price: $35.99 Buy Now View the full article

A new cycle of Galaxy leaks might have just started, signaling that Samsung is getting closer to launching a new flagship. Phones like the Galaxy S and Note appear in various leaks and rumors in the months preceding their official launch. By the time Samsung takes the stage during a Samsung Unpacked event, fans already know everything about the new high-end handsets, from design and specs to price and release date. The Galaxy Z foldables also qualify as Samsung flagships, especially the Z Fold that features the same top-of-the-line hardware as the newest Galaxy S and Note. And it just so happens that we’re currently witnessing an increase in Galaxy Z Fold 3 rumors. Things will be slightly different for Samsung this year, as the Galaxy S21 series won’t be followed by the Galaxy Note 21. Samsung said the chip shortage would prevent it from launching a new Note this year, while reports said that Samsung was looking to scrap the phone in favor of foldables. A report said a few days ago that Samsung has just two foldable phones planned for 2021: The Z Fold 3 and Z Flip 2. A new rumor now says the Z Fold 3 might launch even earlier than expected, while providing additional details about the phone’s design. Today's Top Deal Amazon shoppers are obsessed with these top-rated Wi-Fi smart plugs - now on sale under $6 each! Price: $22.94 You Save: $4.05 (15%) Buy Now The Elec claims that the Galaxy Z Fold 3 will have a 4,380 mAh battery. That’s in line with other 2021 Android phones, but that particular battery size doesn’t follow the industry trend. Newer phones usually come with bigger batteries, and a foldable phone certainly seems to have extra room for increasing the battery capacity. But the Z Fold 3’s battery matches that of the original Fold, and both are slightly smaller than the Fold 2’s 4,500 mAh battery. The reduced capacity is directly tied to the phone’s design. The Elec says that Samsung is reducing the battery size to accommodate the change in display size for the Fold 3 and increase its portability. The report says the main foldable screen will measure 7.5 inches, which is slightly smaller than the Fold 2’s 7.6-inch screen. The external display will be 6.2 inches. However, previous reports said that the cover screen might be even smaller. What’s interesting to note here is the focus on portability. One of the things some people criticized about the Fold’s design was its bulkiness. When folded, the Fold models have a screen gap next to the hinge. Earlier this year, Huawei showed the world a different take on a foldable phone with the main screen placed internally. The Mate X2 is thinner than the Fold phones. It features uneven sides and has no gap. It’s unclear how Samsung plans to improve the portability of the Z Fold 3. The same Elec story says that Samsung wants to unveil the Z Fold 3 and Z Flip 2 earlier than expected, aiming for July. That would be about a month earlier than the traditional mid-August launch window for the Note series. Regardless of when the next Unpacked will take place, it’s likely the Z Fold 3 and Z Flip 2 designs have long been finalized, and they’re likely to leak before the press conference. The Elec also references two exciting Z Fold 3 rumors, saying that Samsung is expected to bring new technologies to the foldable device, including S Pen support, adaptive refresh rate, and under panel cameras (UPC). The Galaxy S21 Ultra’s adaptive 120Hz screen tech is likely to make it into an expensive phone like the Z Fold 3 as well. The other two technologies are also quite exciting, teasing two noteworthy innovations for foldable phones. Stylus support on a Samsung foldable means the Ultra Thin Glass (UTG) cover will be more durable than last year’s version. It’s unclear how Samsung would bring the S Pen to its foldable line. The device could be an optional accessory for the Fold 3, just like with the Galaxy S21 Ultra. If it’s built into the foldable phone, then the S Pen housing would consume the kind of space that could have been used for expanding the battery size. Galaxy Z Fold3 is still very likely to adopt UPC pic.twitter.com/DD6TMPLlM0 — Ice universe (@UniverseIce) February 15, 2021 As for UPC, Samsung has already confirmed it has developed notebook OLED screens with UPC tech. Placing a camera under the display of a phone would be the next step. In mid-February, the well-known leaker Ice Universe said on Twitter that the Galaxy Z Fold 3 is “very likely” to adopt UPC tech. Finally, SamMobile reported a few days ago that Samsung had already started the development of the Galaxy Z Fold 3’s firmware. The report said the phone would feature at least 256GB of storage and that it will run Android 11 with Samsung’s One UI 3.5 on top. Today's Top Deal This automatic jar opener went viral on TikTok and people are flooding Amazon to get one! Price: $23.99 You Save: $1.99 (8%) Buy Now View the full article

Samsung isn’t the only company making foldable smartphones, but it’s certainly the leading player. Huawei, Motorola, and Xiaomi have launched or unveiled their own foldable devices already, and Lenovo made a foldable laptop. Other smartphone makers released dual-screen handsets (Microsoft and LG), rollable phones (Oppo and LG), and showed off foldable concepts of their own. But Samsung was the first mainstream smartphone maker to reveal a foldable handset, and the first to launch two different form-factors. Several reports claim that Samsung wants to increase foldable phone sales significantly. Its recent moves show that the company is looking to make foldable phones more affordable to interested buyers. But a new rumor indicates that Samsung doesn’t have any exciting foldable surprises in store for 2021. Today's Top Deal Amazon shoppers are obsessed with this nonstick frying pan – today it’s only $14! Price: $13.99 You Save: $3.00 (18%) Buy Now Samsung said a few weeks ago that the current chip crisis might force it to cancel this year’s Galaxy Note 21. But the chip shortage might really just be the “perfect storm” for Samsung to kill the Note line without many questions. Various rumors claimed in the past that the Note brand is dying and might be replaced by foldables. Samsung has not announced any new foldable devices this year, choosing instead to offer extensive trial periods for the existing Galaxy Z Flip and Z Fold 2. We would have expected the new Z Flip 2 to launch in the first half of the year, with the Z Fold 3 set for the second half. According to SamMobile, the two phones are coming this year, and they will both launch in the second half of 2021. But Samsung will not unveil a third foldable form-factor this year or a cheaper Galaxy Z Fold. Samsung has an abundance of design patents for foldable devices, including one that shows a dual-foldable handset that would feature two hinges and three display sides. Samsung also patented a foldable tablet design. As always with patent documentation, the technology innovations that companies want to protect might not always be used in commercial products. A different rumor said a few months ago that Samsung was also working for a more exciting Galaxy Z Fold version. The “Lite” variation would help Samsung lower the entry price for the handset and lure in more buyers who aren’t comfortable paying nearly $2,000 for a high-end Fold. The Lite would launch alongside the more expensive Z Fold upgrade. That doesn’t appear to be the case. But Samsung might not even need a Lite version of its foldables. As it introduces new models, it could drop the prices of the current Z Flip and Z Fold 2. Samsung already cut the Z Fold 2’s price a few days ago, when it launched an extended trial promo in the UK — a similar promotion was available to US buyers until a few days ago. That way, it could sell more affordable foldables alongside the brand new models, which would probably be priced between $1,500 and $2,000. The arrival of Xiaomi’s first foldable will help in that regard, as the Chinese smartphone maker has a very aggressive price for its high-end foldable, which will put additional pressure on Samsung. That said, SamMobile doesn’t say when Samsung will launch its 2021 foldable handsets. The likeliest scenario is for Samsung to host an Unpacked event in August, which would have been the new Note’s traditional press conference. Today's Top Deal Crazy Amazon deal gets you Sylvania color LED smart light bulbs for only $7 each! Price: $27.99 You Save: $7.00 (20%) Buy Now View the full article

Switching from one smartphone platform to another is not a decision that anyone takes lightly, which explains why the top vendors go to such lengths to convince consumers to at least consider making a change. The latest attempt from Samsung is admittedly one of the more clever stabs we’ve ever seen, as the Galaxy maker released a web app this week that allows iPhone owners to emulate Android as it would appear on a Galaxy phone. If you visit Samsung’s iTest website on your computer, you will see a QR code that you can scan with your iPhone’s camera app. You can also just visit iTest.nz on your iPhone, but either way, you’ll need to load the site in Safari in order to move forward. Once the site is open in Safari on your phone, you will be instructed to tap the center icon at the bottom of the screen, scroll down, and tap Add to Home Screen. You can name the web app whatever you want, and the icon will then pop up next to all of your other apps. Tap on it to “sample the other side.” Today's Top Deal Crazy Amazon deal gets you Sylvania color LED smart light bulbs for only $7 each! Price: $27.99 You Save: $7.00 (20%) Buy Now Once you open the app, your iPhone will immediately turn into a semi-functional Galaxy smartphone running Samsung’s One UI overlay for Android. The home screen looks just like it would on a new Galaxy S21, complete with all of the pre-installed Samsung apps that ship with Galaxy devices, such as the Galaxy Store, Galaxy Themes, Samsung Health, and the Game Launcher. While you explore the simulated phone, you will receive occasional texts and calls to give you tips on using the app and to make the experience feel more authentic. You can open most of the apps within the simulation, though some are more interactive than others. For example, if you open the Galaxy Themes app, you can actually pick from a number of themes and apply them to the home screen. In the Galaxy Store, you can’t actually download any new apps, but you can click on the icons for featured games like Pokemon Go and Garena Free Fire to watch a short preview video. My favorite shot across the bow is in the Game Launcher, where you can see that Galaxy owners have access to both Fortnite and Xbox Game Pass — two apps that are currently inaccessible on iOS. In fact, Apple has made it clear that Microsoft’s Xbox Game Pass will never be allowed in the App Store as it exists today. Whether or not you have any interest in switching from iPhone to Android, iTest is a neat toy and a fun way to waste a few minutes on a cloudy Friday. And who knows — maybe you’ll be so intrigued by the Android experience that you will consider taking a look at whatever Samsung has to offer next. Today's Top Deal Amazon shoppers are obsessed with this nonstick frying pan – today it’s only $14! Price: $13.99 You Save: $3.00 (18%) Buy Now View the full article

In the early days of the smartphone era, it was easy to argue that the iPhone was a superior device to anything Samsung was bringing to the table. Practically speaking — which is to say if we put aside the abstract notion of how “open” a device should be — the iPhone consistently offered up a better user experience than Samsung’s Galaxy models. In fact, the iPhone was so ahead of the curve that Samsung had no qualms about openly copying a myriad of features from Apple, from icon design down to the look and feel of the device itself. Fast forward to 2021 and the smartphone market is markedly different than it was even five years ago. These days, the chasm between the iPhone and premium Galaxy handsets is smaller than it’s ever been. What’s more, it’s not uncommon these days for Samsung to roll out new features only to see Apple implement them later on down the line. In short, if you’re looking for a top-tier smartphone, you really can’t go wrong picking between the iPhone or one of Samsung’s flagships. Today's Top Deal This automatic jar opener went viral on TikTok and people are flooding Amazon to get one! Price: $44.99 Buy Now A strict comparison of features, however, only tells one part of the story. You see, one of the ongoing advantages Apple’s iPhone has long maintained over its Android rivals is that it maintains its value for far longer. Put differently, you can make a lot more money selling or trading in your old iPhone than you can from doing the same with a Samsung Galaxy smartphone. To this point, recent data from SellSell clearly shows that Apple’s iPhone 12 lineup retains its value significantly more than Samsung’s Galaxy S21 lineup. Specifically, the site found that while the iPhone 12 lineup lost approximately 18.1-33.7% of its value since launching in late 2020, Samsung’s Galaxy S21 series “has seen shocking depreciation of between 44.8-57.1% since launch in January 2021.” Bizarrely, it’s almost like the Galaxy S21 is like a car to the extent that loses a lot of value immediately at the point of purchase. And the fact that the Galaxy S21 was released just a few days before February essentially shows that the S21 lost about 50% of its value in just over two months. When comparing the top-of-the-line iPhone 12 Pro Max against the top-of-the-line Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G, both with maxed-out storage, the iPhone lost 30.7% of its value while the S21 lost 53.3% of its value. Meanwhile, the cheapest iPhone 12 model lost 33.7% of its value since launch while the cheapest Samsung S21 model lost nearly 51% of its value since launch. The study further found: The Galaxy S21+ 5G 128 GB is the best performing of Samsung’s offerings. Not that that will mean much as it has lost a shocking 44.8% (14.9% per month) of its value since launch in January 2021 (three months at the time of writing). The Galaxy S21 5G 256 GB has depreciated in value by a startling 57.1% (at a rate of 19% per month) despite only being on the market for three months. If resale value is an important consideration in your smartphone purchase decision, you’ll definitely want to pick up an iPhone over the best Samsung has to offer. Today's Top Deal Amazon shoppers are obsessed with these top-rated Wi-Fi smart plugs - now on sale for $5.40 each! Price: $21.59 You Save: $5.40 (20%) Buy Now View the full article

At the beginning of the year, Samsung announced its own Tile-rivaling Bluetooth trackers alongside the Galaxy S21. Samsung’s Galaxy SmartTag is slightly thicker than the Tile, but serves the same purpose: Attaching to your stuff and tracking it with Bluetooth so that you don’t misplace it. Less than three months have passed since the debut of the SmartTag, but this week, Samsung decided that it was time to announce the sequel. In a press release on its website Thursday morning, Samsung revealed the Galaxy SmartTag+. As the name suggests, these trackers are even more advanced than the original models. Unlike the first SmartTag, the SmartTag+ is equipped with Bluetooth Low-Energy (BLE) and ultra-wideband (UWB) technology, which means it can find your lost items with even greater accuracy. But the most exciting upgrade is the addition of an AR Finder. Today's Top Deal Save $10 on a 2K camera drone that's so compact, it folds up to the size of a smartphone! Price: $69.99 You Save: $10.00 (13%) Buy Now As Samsung explains, the Galaxy SmartTag+ is capable of using augmented reality (AR) technology that will help to visually guide you to your missing stuff in the environment through your phone’s display. Samsung says that the AR Finder features a simple interface that will show you exactly how far away you are from the tracked item and will point you in the right direction. Once you’re close enough, you can make the item produce a loud ring. “UWB is a true game changer, making it possible to lock onto the position of an object with much greater precision,” said KJ Kim, EVP and Head of Mobile R&D Office, Mobile Communications Business at Samsung Electronics. “That’s why we’re continuing to expand UWB throughout the Galaxy ecosystem, finding new ways to leverage this technology to help make people’s everyday lives easier and more convenient.” The other significant upgrade is the move to Bluetooth Low-Energy connectivity, which combines with the Galaxy device network to allow users to find their devices from much further away. By opting into SmartThings Find on the SmartThings app, SmartTag+ owners will have the option to enable their Galaxy phone or tablet to help others find their lost tags and devices. If you report a missing item, nearly Galaxy devices that have opted into the program will alert the server to their location and send you a notification. That way, even if your lost item is miles away, the network and the new technology will still be able to work together to help pinpoint its location on the map. The one major caveat here is that the Galaxy SmartTag+ only works with Samsung devices. You can’t track your items with a SmartTag or a SmartTag+ if you own an iPhone or any other brand of Android phone or tablet. Also, many of the features of the SmartTag+ require Samsung devices with UWB technology, so you’re limited to newer devices like the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra, Galaxy S21+, Galaxy S21 Ultra, and Galaxy Z Fold 2. Samsung says that the Galaxy SmartTag+ will be available on April 16th for $39.99. Today's Top Deal Amazon shoppers are obsessed with this nonstick frying pan – today it’s only $14! Price: $13.99 You Save: $3.00 (18%) Buy Now View the full article

Unfold the Galaxy Fold or Z Fold 2, and you end up with a device that looks a lot like a tablet, albeit a small one. The screen comes in at 7.6 inches, which means the Galaxy Fold devices are about as big as the 7.9-inch iPad mini when open. But Samsung is also exploring foldable devices that would feature even larger displays. Today's Top Deal Crazy Amazon coupon gets you best-selling Wi-Fi smart plugs for just $2.10 each! Price: $8.39 You Save: $19.60 (70%) Coupon Code: SPXNK4C6 (by 4/17) Buy Now The same technology used to make foldable smartphones can be employed in bigger devices featuring foldable screens. Lenovo already launched a foldable laptop that proves the tech works, although the device isn’t as slick as a foldable smartphone. The laptop is relatively thick and features larger bezels. Samsung’s foldable tablet will have a thinner profile, according to illustrations from a newly discovered patent. Dutch blog LetsGoDigital found the images in a design patent for a Display device the USPTO awarded to Samsung in mid-February. Illustration from Samsung patent highlights front and back designs of a foldable tablet. Image source: LetsGoDigital via Samsung Unlike the Galaxy Fold, the device in these illustrations does not feature an external display. Samsung apparently doesn’t think this foldable Galaxy Tab version should be used when folded, so the only reason for the tablet to feature a foldable screen is to reduce its overall footprint. This could allow Samsung to offer buyers an even bigger device than the 11-inch and 12.4-inch high-end tablets it’s currently selling. The patent doesn’t reveal, however, how large such a foldable tablet would be. While there’s no telling when Samsung will release a foldable tablet and whether the designs in this patent will ever be used, the illustrations do highlight some of the ideas Samsung is toying with. The foldable tablet would be thicker at the hinge area, but the tablet will fold seamlessly, just like a book, without leaving any space between the two sides, as it happens with the Galaxy Fold models. The hinge would also create two notches that could house the cameras. Interestingly enough, this device has no external cameras. The hinge is also where Samsung would place several key features of a mobile device. On one side, we’d have the USB-C port and a speaker. The other speaker would sit on the opposite side, next to a power button. Illustration from Samsung patent highlights the hinge thickness, notch, and side elements. Image source: LetsGoDigital via Samsung The two sides of the display seem to be thinner than the hinge area, despite having to house battery cells and provide support to the large folding screen. Durability remains the primary concern about foldable devices. The bigger the screen, the bigger the worries. The patent shows two halves aren’t symmetrical, with one of them being slightly thicker than the other. It’s unclear whether the foldable tablet would only work in tablet mode or whether Samsung could turn it into a laptop, where half of the screen would serve as a keyboard — that’s one of the use cases for Lenovo’s ThinkPad X1 Fold. Samsung did make plenty of headway when it comes to building foldable devices. The 2020 models feature screens made of glass that are much sturdier than the Galaxy Fold’s plastic screen. Samsung also fixed the hinge design issues that allowed debris to get into the first-gen foldable. Foldable glass and hinge technologies will mature further, and future foldable devices should be even more durable than the first models. That said, it’s unclear when the first “Galaxy Tab Fold” might arrive. Today's Top Deal Amazon shoppers are obsessed with this nonstick frying pan – today it’s only $14! Price: $13.99 You Save: $3.00 (18%) Buy Now View the full article

Between the global pandemic and the $1,000 starting price, Samsung’s Galaxy S20 never had much of a chance. There wasn’t anything wrong with the new models themselves, but for whatever reason, Samsung opted to raise the price points across the lineup while simultaneously eliminating the cheaper “e” model altogether. Of course, Samsung never could have predicted that the world would shut down just days after the phone’s launch, but it wasn’t being set up for success. The good news is that the company learned its lesson before releasing the Galaxy S21. According to market research firm Counterpoint Research, the Galaxy S21 series outsold last year’s Galaxy S20 series by a two-to-one margin over the first six weeks of availability. The firm believes that the cheaper $799 entry point has been one of the keys to the turnaround, as has stronger support from US carriers in 2021. Today's Top Deal Amazon's #1 best-selling waterproof Bluetooth speaker is somehow on sale for just $27! Price: $26.99 You Save: $9.00 (26%) Buy Now “There has been a significant change compared to last year in terms of the model mix, with one-third of S21 Series sales coming from the base model S21,” said Counterpoint’s US Research Analyst Maurice Klaehne — yet another reason the S21 has taken off. “Lower cost coupled with trade-in offers that essentially make the S21 device free, is helping increase demand for these ‘entry-level’ flagships. Samsung also got the camera configuration on the base model right, giving it three on the rear to match up with the deluxe S21 Plus.” According to the firm’s data, the standard Galaxy S20 model accounted for just 26% of sales of the 2020 lineup, while the Galaxy S21 has made up 35% of sales of the 2021 lineup. Slashing $200 off the price of the entry-level model has clearly made a huge difference, perhaps more so than anything the pandemic did. While interviewing retailers and speaking with consumers, Counterpoint discovered a number of interesting factors that resulted in such a marked improvement for Samsung’s flagship line this year. First, as Klaehne alluded to in his quote, aggressive promotions from carriers have driven sales, with T-Mobile and AT&T offering an $800 credit with a new plan and a trade-in device. Verizon’s was only slightly lower with up to $750 trade-in value. Consumers were also fans of the new design of the camera array, which now sits flush against the edges of the phone rather than protruding out of the back panel as it did on the Galaxy S20. They also were fans of the plastic material, because even if it’s less premium, it can be easy to grip than metal. In the near term, Samsung’s biggest rival might be itself, as Klaehne explains that with tax returns being delivered and stimulus checks being deposited in bank accounts, many consumers will spring for devices they can purchase all at once, such as Samsung’s A-series phones that are much cheaper than its Galaxy line. Today's Top Deal Save $10 on a 2K camera drone that's so compact, it folds up to the size of a smartphone! Price: $69.99 You Save: $10.00 (13%) Buy NowView the full article