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It’s already April and Samsung hasn’t announced any new foldable phones this year. We would have expected the Galaxy Z Flip 2 successor by now, but that’s not the case. It’s still unclear what sort of seasonality to expect from Samsung’s foldable releases. Not to mention that 2021 will be a more challenging year for Samsung and other smartphone makers. The current chip shortage might convince Samsung to cancel the Galaxy Note line temporarily or even provide the company with the best excuse to discontinue it entirely. Word on the street is that Samsung wants its foldable phones to replace the Note, and the company is looking to ramp up sales significantly. Before that can happen, Z Flip and Z Fold phones need to become more accessible, and Samsung is looking at ways to achieve that. The latest moves include expanding its extended trial program for foldable phones in some markets, and a significant price cut in others. Today's Top Deal Amazon shoppers are going nuts for this 22-piece screwdriver set on sale for just $22 Price: $21.99 Buy Now The Galaxy Z Flip and Z Fold are “old” devices by today’s standards, but they’re still more expensive than some of the best 2021 handsets with traditional screens that can’t fold. Samsung launched a promotion a few weeks ago that lets people try a Samsung foldable for 100 days before buying. The program, which expired on April 1st, had no equal in the industry. You can return a brand new device if you don’t like it, but you typically only have a couple of weeks to do it. Interestingly, Samsung moved the deal to a different continent and shortened the trial window. UK buyers tempted by Samsung’s foldables will have 60 days to try them out. The deal is valid through June 22nd, SamMobile explains. Both the Galaxy Z Fold 2 and the Z Flip are covered, but buyers still have to pay for either handset. If they’re not happy with their purchase after 60 days, they’ll be refunded once the return is received. The good news is that the Galaxy Z Fold just got a permanent £200 ($276) price cut in the region. The phone dropped from £1,799 ($2,487) to £1,599 ($2,210), which means the handset is just slightly more expensive than the Galaxy S21 Ultra or the Galaxy Z Flip 5G — the latter still costs £1,229 ($1,699) in the UK. Samsung is also discounting the Z Fold 2’s price in its home market, where customers have access to an even better deal. According to local The Korea Bizwire, the price cut is permanent. The Z Fold 2 now costs 1.892 million won ($1,676) in South Korea, down from 2,398 won ($2,125). Samsung discontinued the Galaxy Z Flip last month in the region, which was priced at 1.349 million won ($1,195) instead of the original 1.65 million ($1,462) launch price. The price drops are obviously intended to boost sales. At the same time, Xiaomi just shocked the industry with a high-end foldable handset that competes directly against the Galaxy Z Fold 2. The Mi Mix Fold has 2021 specs and a few novel features, but the handset has a much lower entry price, at 9,999 yuan ($1,523). Samsung is expected to release at least a couple of new foldable handsets this year, featuring the latest available hardware. Previous rumors claimed that Samsung might launch a more affordable Galaxy Z device and a new dual-folding model that’s unlike anything Samsung has shown us before. As you can see below, long-time Samsung leaker Ice Universe is already teasing Samsung’s foldables on Twitter. I know some news, but I can't say it. Please be sure to look forward to Fold3, which is a cross-age product. — Ice universe (@UniverseIce) April 2, 2021 Today's Top Deal Amazon shoppers are going nuts for this 22-piece screwdriver set on sale for just $22 Price: $21.99 Buy Now View the full article

A few days ago, Samsung warned investors and fans that the current chip shortage might prevent it from launching a new Galaxy Note smartphone this year. But there was no evidence that Samsung was actually developing a Note 21 phone before the company said the chip shortage could impact smartphone production. Early rumors always seem to reveal specs and design choices for the next Galaxy flagship well before the phone is ready to launch. That hasn’t happened with the Note 21 series. If anything, longstanding rumors said that Samsung would cancel the Note series, which is increasingly difficult for Samsung to differentiate from its Galaxy S phones. The Galaxy S21 Ultra is the best proof of that. It features a large display and supports the S Pen. Screen size and stylus interaction were the signature features of the original Note. Various rumors also claimed that Samsung might replace the Note with the obvious choice that would keep the Note legacy intact. A foldable phone would offer a bigger display than traditional smartphones and could continue to support S Pen functionality like the Note. A new report from Asia says that Samsung is indeed looking to diversify and expand the foldable phone lineup for 2021 by launching a third device that would fold not once, but twice. The double-folding phone would join the Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Z Flip 2 phones that are both still expected to launch later this year. Today's Top Deal Amazon shoppers are going nuts for this 22-piece screwdriver set on sale for just $22 Price: Price too low to display Buy Now Sources familiar with Samsung’s plans told Nikkei Asia the Samsung aims to increase foldable phone production “sharply,” despite chip shortages. Samsung also aims to make up for the lost Note sales with foldables, hopefully increasing revenue in the process. Samsung sold an estimate of 3.5 million foldable handsets last year, and wants to raise that figure to over 10 million a year in the near future, which would match Note sales. People who claim to be familiar with Samsung’s plans said that “the suspension of the Note series was pretty much decided last year. The company wants to bet more on foldable phones that have much higher prices with distinctive designs.” A different person said that Samsung has “long struggled to differentiate its two premium phone series, the Galaxy S and Note, which are often set for the first half of the year and the second half, respectively… The company is thinking to use foldable phones as a key differentiator and hopefully to replace its Note series in some ways.” A double-folding Galaxy phone wouldn’t necessarily be a surprise. We’ve already seen several patents from Samsung detailing such devices. The handset would feature two hinges instead of one. When unfolded, the device would offer users even more screen real estate than the Galaxy Z Fold. And a smartphone design like this could potentially replace the Note. This year’s foldable Galaxy handsets are supposed to feature S Pen functionality, according to rumors. Nikkei makes no mention of the stylus but offers other details about the double-folding handset. “The design is set to make the unfolded screen aspect ratio be in line with the mainstream ratio of 16:9 or 18:9, so more video games and other apps could run more smoothly with better resolutions on the device,” according to a person with knowledge of the matter. The Galaxy Z Fold 2 has a 25:9 aspect ratio, making it harder to develop apps that take advantage of the whole screen. On the other hand, Samsung has always stressed that the bigger display can be split between different apps to enhance multitasking. According to the report, the unnamed double-folding Samsung phone will be unveiled as early as late-2021. Samsung usually launches the new Note flagships during an Unpacked event set in early August. It’s unclear when the 2021 Galaxy Z Flip and Fold versions will be announced. Today's Top Deal Amazon shoppers are going nuts for this 22-piece screwdriver set on sale for just $22 Price: Price too low to display Buy Now View the full article

The Galaxy S21 series features the best possible Android phones you can buy from Samsung this year, with the S21 Ultra being the most powerful of the three flagships. Samsung did not repeat last year’s pricing mistake, and the S21’s entry price is much better at $799. But it’s unlikely that the S21 will match iPhone 12 sales this year. In fact, the Samsung phone that most people will buy this year might not even be one of its expensive flagships. Today's Top Deal Amazon finally has 6-layer KN95 masks made in the USA! Price: $39.99 Buy Now Omdia’s smartphone sales rankings for last year showed that the iPhone 11, iPhone SE, and iPhone 12 were the best-selling handsets of 2020. Coming in fourth was Samsung’s mid-range Galaxy A51 with an estimated 23.2 million sales. The following comparison also shows that the Galaxy A50 was Samsung’s second best-selling phone of 2019. Omdia’s smartphone sales rankings for 2020 and 2019. Image source: Omdia via WCCFTech The fact that Samsung just hosted a virtual Unpacked launch event for the Galaxy A52, A52 5G, and Galaxy A72 further proves just how vital the Galaxy A series has become for the company. These shouldn’t be the kind of devices worthy of a press event when a press release would do, but sales matter. Samsung’s Rachel Lee during the Galaxy A52 and A72 Unpacked event. The three handsets will offer buyers a few high-end features for more affordable price tags, including several upgrades over their predecessors. The Galaxy A52 costs €349 ($415), the A52 5G is slightly pricier at €429 ($510), and the Galaxy A72 is the most expensive of the three at €449 ($534). Samsung did not share US pricing during the event, indicating that the phone won’t initially be available in North America — only in European markets. All the handsets feature a similar Infinity-O display, in-display fingerprint sensor, quad-lens camera with optical image stabilization (OIS), IP67 rating, and 90Hz refresh rate screen. The phones feature expandable storage via microSD cards, a feature not available on the S21 series. The handsets also come with a charger in the box. Each phone runs Android 11 out of the box and will get three years of Android updates and four years of security updates. Galaxy A52 in violet. Image source: Samsung Other specs include an unspecified octa-core processor, 4GB, 6GB, or 8GB of RAM (depending on model and market), 128GB or 256GB of storage, dual-SIM support, Wi-Fi 802.11 ac, Bluetooth 5.0, USB-C (Type 2.0), NFC, headphone jack, 32-megapixel selfie camera, and a 64-megapixel primary rear sensor. The A52 features a 6.5-inch Super AMOLED display with 800 nits of brightness, and the 5G version supports 120Hz refresh rates. The other three rear cameras are a 12-megapixel ultra-wide lens, 5-megapixel macro camera, and 5-megapixel depth sensor. The 4,500 mAh battery supposedly delivers two days of use on a single charge and supports 25W charging speeds. Galaxy A52 in black and Galaxy A72 in white. Image source: Samsung The A72 model features a bigger 6.7-inch Super AMOLED display and loses the depth sensor in favor of an 8-megapixel telephoto lens that supports 3x zoom. The phone features a slightly larger 5,000 mAh battery. It’s unclear whether a 5G version of the A72 will launch this year. The phones will be available to order in select European markets on Wednesday, with other regions to follow. The full Unpacked event and other clips showing the new Samsung Galaxy A-series phones are below: Today's Top Deal Amazon finally has 6-layer KN95 masks made in the USA! Price: $39.99 Buy Now View the full article

Rumors in late 2020 said that Samsung might abandon the Galaxy Note series, as it’s looking at making significant changes to its operations. Samsung was contemplating adding the S Pen stylus to other devices, including the Galaxy S21 Ultra and the upcoming Galaxy Z Fold 3. Samsung later confirmed the rumors, and the S21 Ultra does support the stylus. The S Pen is the only remaining Note feature, as the Galaxy Note is no longer the largest smartphone you can buy. Samsung dismissed rumors that there won’t be a Note 21 phone in stores this year a few months ago. But the Korean giant is now changing tune. There might not be a Galaxy Note 21 this year, but not because the Galaxy S21 Ultra is practically a Note 21 version. Today's Top Deal Amazon finally has 6-layer KN95 masks made in the USA! Price: $39.99 Buy Now Samsung co-CEO DJ Koh, who previously lead the mobile division, said during the annual shareholders meeting in Seoul that the current chip shortage will pose a severe problem next quarter. Per Bloomberg, that’s where he said that Samsung is considering skipping the introduction of a new Galaxy Note this year. “There’s a serious imbalance in supply and demand of chips in the IT sector globally,” Koh said. “Despite the difficult environment, our business leaders are meeting partners overseas to solve these problems. It’s hard to say the shortage issue has been solved 100%.” “Note series is positioned as a high-end model in our business portfolio,” he said. “It could be a burden to unveil two flagship models in a year, so it might be difficult to release Note model in [the second half of 2021]. The timing of Note model launch can be changed, but we seek to release a Note model next year.” Samsung is the latest company to acknowledge the “serious imbalance” in semiconductors globally. The COVID-19 pandemic has increased the demand for all sorts of electronics that require plenty of chips, from smartphones to cars. It’s the automaking industry that has been complaining the most about the chip shortage. Samsung chiming in further confirms the massive problem that several tech companies are facing. Bloomberg reports that industry giants including Continental, Renesas Electronics, and Innolux have warned of longer-than-anticipated deficits. Volkswagen confirmed it had lost production of about 100,000 cars worldwide. Toyota and Honda have also been impacted, with the chip shortage and extreme weather in the US slowing production. Carmakers are expected to lose $61 billion of sales this year because of poor inventory planning. Samsung is already working with partners to resolve the issue, the co-CEO said. Samsung manufactures its processors for smartphones, as well as other chips for its customers. But it also relies on other suppliers for certain silicon, like power management and radio chips. Like Samsung, Qualcomm is also affected, especially since Samsung manufactures some of its chips. Qualcomm’s 5G chips issues might lead to a 5% drop in the global smartphone output in the second quarter of 2021. China is also eating up chips, further fueling demand and impacting supply. Some analysts expect shortages to be ironed out in the coming months, but the current problems could still affect the broader consumer electronics industry. “The tightened supply of Qualcomm AP chips produced by TSMC is affecting everybody except Apple,” Samsung Securities analyst MS Hwang told Bloomberg. “PCs will soon be hit due to the short supply of display driver ICs, and the profitability of TV will be affected by soaring LCD panel prices.” Before Koh’s comments, there was no indication that the Note 21 was actually in the making, so the chip shortage could give Samsung the best reason to kill the Note. With about five months to go until the handset’s expected summer launch, we’ve had no rumors to indicate the handset might be in production. Samsung flagships do not stay secret for too long, and the absence of early rumors is quite telling. Today's Top Deal Amazon finally has 6-layer KN95 masks made in the USA! Price: $39.99 Buy Now View the full article

Samsung just launched a new 100-day “Buy and Try” promo for the Galaxy Z Flip and Galaxy Z Fold 2 foldable phones. Buyers can try either device for more than three months before deciding whether to keep the handset. Several additional promotions can lower the entry price for both devices. The 100-day trial promo expires on April 1st. Foldable phones are getting better and better with each new generation, but they’re not quite where we’d want them to be. The price remains prohibitive, and there’s always the worry that foldable phones might not handle accidents with grace. But foldable phones are part of the future, and Samsung’s move signals that foldable phones will play a big role in its smartphone strategy going forward. Samsung has just announced a program that’s too good to pass up if you qualify. You need to be interested in foldable phones and ready to pay the price tag of the Galaxy Z Flip or Galaxy Z Fold 2. You also need to make up your mind by April 1st. If you’ve checked all those boxes, then you’ll be able to try the foldable version of your choice for 100 days, which is the best offer available for essentially test driving an exciting phone you don’t intend to keep. Today's Top Deal N95 masks made in the USA are on Amazon for $1.16! Price: $57.90 Buy Now Samsung is practically extending the return period from 15 days to 100 days, which isn’t something you’ll get when buying other mobile devices, whether they’re made from Samsung or someone else. You’ll be able to try the foldable phone of your choice for more than three months before deciding on whether to keep it or getting a traditional phone instead. Samsung is taking a big risk here, but the upside is that more people will get to use the Flips and the Folds, and some of them might convert to actual users. The Galaxy Z Flip sells for $1,199.99, while the Z Fold 2 starts at $1,999.99. Samsung’s promo will help it move more stock even before other companies start launching new devices, including new foldable handsets. It’s usually in February and March that Android vendors launch new devices for the first half of the year. Samsung beat everyone to the punch with its mid-January Galaxy S21 announcement. The new “Buy and Try” program is only available on Samsung.com, and you have until April 1st to take advantage of the offer. Samsung offers up to $550 instant trade-in for the offer as well as $200 instant credit for accessories. This would make it even easier to pay for these expensive foldables should you decide to keep them, as long as you’re willing to trade-in your. The trade-in credit goes up to $600 if you’re switching from certain versions of the iPhone. Additional savings might be available depending on the type of buyer — employer discount, students, government, military, and public safety. Before you decide whether to test this unique 100-day “Buy and Try” foldables program, make sure you read all of Samsung’s documentation. Terms and conditions will apply, as with any program, and you’ll have to ensure the device isn’t damaged during the trial program to get the full amount you paid for the phone back. View the full article

A report from Korea says Samsung might supply foldable OLED screens to three Android vendors this year, including Google. A foldable Pixel 6 would feature a 7.6-inch screen, according to the report. It’s unclear whether the handset would resemble the Galaxy Z Flip or the Galaxy Z Fold. The report notes that smartphones using the Samsung Display panels will be launched within the year, implying the foldable Pixel will be unveiled in 2021. It was just days ago that I noted Pixel 6 rumors were conspicuously absent for this time of year. Android 12 does hide some clues that indicate Google’s Pixel 6 could support face unlock, under-display fingerprint scanning, and that it could come in an XL version. But in a matter of hours, two separate Pixel 2021 rumors emerged. First, a leaker produced the purported design of the Pixel 5a that Google is expected to unveil this spring/summer, featuring the same design used on the Pixel 5. Separately, a report from Asia indicates that Google is working on a foldable Pixel of its own, which could launch this year. That’s equal parts exciting and troubling. Today's Top Deal Sleek black KN95 masks are back in stock at Amazon after selling out twice! Price: $14.99 Buy Now Google is certainly in the best position to make a foldable phone, as it develops the software that has to run on all Android foldables. It wasn’t a surprise to hear in November 2019 that Google helped Samsung develop the multi-app interface for its original Galaxy Fold. By actually making a foldable, Google would develop the Android features that other vendors would need for their own foldables. However, Google doesn’t have a great history at building perfect Pixels. Each generation that Google launched featured some sort of issue. Some of them were hardware-related and could not be fixed via software patches. The Pixel 5 has a “gap” design problem of its own, one that Google dismissed as a “normal feature.” Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 foldable phone launched in September 2020. Image source: Samsung Foldable phones are more expensive to make and require plenty of research and development to get things right. The first Galaxy Fold showed that even a company as experienced as Samsung didn’t get foldables right the first time. And that was after years of teasing foldable phones and showing off concepts. The original Fold featured a couple of design issues that led to the quick destruction of the fragile foldable display during early testing. Samsung needed six months to fix those issues. The Galaxy Z Flip and Z Fold 2 that followed showed, however, that Samsung learned from its mistakes. A new report from Korea now says that Google is among the handset vendors that might get foldable panels from Samsung Display. Oppo and Xiaomi, which showed off foldable concepts in the past, are also working with Samsung, according to The Elec. “Smartphones using these panels will launch within the year,” the site notes. The Oppo device is a clamshell device featuring an in-folding screen that measures 7.7 inches when unfolded. A 1.5- to 2-inch display sits on the outside. This is the equivalent of the Galaxy Z Flip. Like Oppo, Xiaomi has also switched from out-folding display to in-folding tech. The company’s 2021 device features an 8.03-inch main display and a 6.38-inch external screen. The phone would be similar to the Galaxy Z Fold and the newly launched Huawei Mate X2. The foldable Pixel would feature a 7.6-inch panel, the report notes. It’s unclear whether Google would go for the Flip or Fold design. Revisiting the Android 12 findings from earlier this week, they would all make sense for a foldable Pixel 6 phone. Regardless of design, the phone would have external and internal displays, and Google could fit both 3D face unlock and under-display fingerprint sensors into such a device. The one-handed operation mode could also work well with a foldable Pixel. That’s assuming The Elec has accurate information on hand. Separately, Samsung is also reportedly developing a custom processor for future Pixel devices. It’s unclear if Google will use custom silicon for its Pixel 6 phones. But there’s no question that a foldable Pixel 6 featuring a Samsung OLED panel and a Google chip would be an exciting proposition. It’ll also be an expensive one. Today's Top Deal N95 masks made in the USA are on Amazon for $1.16! Price: $57.90 Buy Now View the full article

Samsung released the first Galaxy Z Flip on February 14th, 2020, and a 5G model followed in July. Samsung has yet to announce a follow-up to the Galaxy Z Flip 5G, but Waqar Khan has shared a stunning concept video that offers up one potential design. In addition to including the same triple camera array that appeared on the Galaxy S21, Khan also added a small touchscreen on the front of the phone. One of the more intriguing design trends to follow in recent years has been the resurrection of the flip phone. Back in the mid-2000s, the Motorola RAZR’s clamshell chassis was ubiquitous, and the concept of flipping a phone open and closed seemed natural. A decade later, smartphones had taken over, and the new goal was to have a display take up as much of the front panel as possible. But no trend ever truly dies, and over the past few years, some of the biggest names in the industry have revived flip phones with a modern twist: Foldable displays. At this point, there are a number of foldable smartphones on the market, but Samsung’s have certainly received the most attention. The company’s first attempt at a foldable — the Galaxy Fold — was plagued with issues, but gave us a valuable peek into the future of phone design. Months later, Samsung introduced us to the Galaxy Z Flip, which did away with the book-like design of the Fold in favor of a layout similar to that of the old Razr. Later in 2020, Samsung revealed a 5G model of the Z Flip, but it looked virtually identical to the original. A follow-up to the Galaxy Z Flip seems inevitable, and in anticipation of its arrival, Waqar Khan has mocked up a 3D model of the phone that draws heavy inspiration from the design of the recently-released Galaxy S21. Today's Top Deal N95 masks made in the USA are on Amazon for $1.16! Price: $57.90 Buy Now Not much about the Galaxy Z Flip 2 (or the Z Flip 3, if Samsung wants to align the naming scheme with that of the Z Fold series) has leaked yet, but there are rumors that the next Z Flip will feature a triple rear camera. If this turns out to be the case, it would certainly make sense for Samsung to carry over the same camera array that debuted on the Galaxy S21 series. The Galaxy S21 received significantly better reviews than its immediate predecessor, due to its lower price and its updated design, so it’s easy to see why Khan chose to include the camera on his concept: In addition to the updated rear camera, Khan has also added a small touchscreen that would show the time and date, allow users to interact with media, and present notifications. This is one element of the all-new Motorola Razr that the current Galaxy Z Flip can’t match. It’s unclear if Samsung has any plans to add such a feature to the next Z Flip, but none of the upgrades that Khan proposes seem all that far-fetched for a sequel. Samsung has yet to even hint at a release date for any future foldable phones, but the Galaxy Z Flip 5G was unveiled on July 22nd, so we might be waiting until at least this summer to see the Z Flip 3. Today's Top Deal Amazon shoppers are obsessed with these black AccuMed face masks - now at the lowest price ever! Price: $19.99 You Save: $6.26 (24%) Buy Now View the full article

Apple sold more phones than Samsung in the fourth quarter of 2020, says market research firm Gartner. This is the first time that Apple has sold more phones than Samsung in a single quarter since 2016, which is when the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus came out. Apple and Xiaomi were the only two of the top five smartphone vendors that saw growth in 2020, while Samsung, Huawei, and Oppo all saw their sales decline. The overwhelming popularity of the iPhone has never been in question, especially in the United States, but that hasn’t been enough for Apple to overcome Samsung’s international dominance in recent years. In fact, Apple has not topped Samsung in sales since 2016, but that streak finally came to an end last quarter. According to market intelligence firm Gartner (via 9to5Mac), the launch of the iPhone 12 last fall was the driving force behind Apple’s fourth quarter, during which iPhone sales saw year-over-year growth of 14.9%. Meanwhile, Samsung’s phone sales suffered an 11.8% drop over the same period, giving Apple the edge. Today's Top Deal Sleek black KN95 masks are back in stock at Amazon after selling out twice! Price: $14.99 Buy Now “The launch of the 5G iPhone 12 series helped Apple record double-digit growth in the fourth quarter of 2020,” wrote Gartner. “Apple surpassed Samsung to retake the No. 1 global smartphone vendor spot. The last time Apple was the top smartphone vendor was in the fourth quarter for 2016.” This was not enough for Apple to win 2020, as Samsung was still the top smartphone seller in the world, despite sales dropping 14.6% year-over-year. “The sales of more 5G smartphones and lower-to-mid-tier smartphones minimized the market decline in the fourth quarter of 2020,” wrote Anshul Gupta, senior research director at Gartner. “Even as consumers remained cautious in their spending and held off on some discretionary purchases, 5G smartphones and pro-camera features encouraged some end users to purchase new smartphones or upgrade their current smartphones in the quarter.” Unsurprisingly, smartphone sales were down for the year, with the novel coronavirus pandemic and supply issues to blame. Gartner also notes that Apple and Xiaomi were the only two smartphone vendors in the top five to see growth in 2020, showing just how popular the iPhone 12 series has been since last fall. With the latest Galaxy line having launched in January and the Galaxy S21 starting at a more reasonable $800, it’s possible that Samsung will reclaim the throne this quarter, but the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro didn’t start shipping until October 23rd, so it should be a tight contest over the next several weeks. There’s also a chance Apple releases an iPhone SE Plus next month, which would keep the sales train rolling into the spring. Either way, beating Samsung for even a single quarter, given the sheer amount of smartphone models that Samsung rolls out every year and the difference in popularity across several major international markets, is impressive. Today's Top Deal N95 masks made in the USA are on Amazon for $1.16! Price: $57.90 Buy Now View the full article

A couple of purported Samsung videos show two smart glasses concepts that Samsung might be developing. The Glasses Lite wearable would connect to smartphones, tablets, and wearable devices, transforming app experiences into AR experiences. The Samsung AR Glasses concept shows a more sophisticated version of the product, which would work a lot like Microsoft’s HoloLens. Smart glasses, which could describe any version of spectacles that can do more than address eyesight issues, are in development at various tech companies. These could be augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), or mixed reality (MR) glasses. The concept is similar. A wearable device that’s slightly or significantly bulkier than regular glasses would project images on the user’s retina. The images would appear on top of the real environment around the user (AR and MR) or replace reality with a virtual world for a more immersive entertainment experience (VR). Several companies already sell VR devices that work with computers and gaming consoles, while others have launched the first AR and MR wearables — Microsoft’s HoloLens is a notable MR mention. Several similar devices were just announced at CES 2021. But creating smart glasses that are just slightly thicker than regular glasses remains a significant challenge for tech companies. Several rumors have claimed that Apple is working on smart glasses of its own, but it’s hardly the only tech company to do so. It would surprise nobody to learn that Samsung has its own smart glasses in the works, and a couple of videos show two such concepts that the South Korean giant is reportedly developing. Today's Top Deal N95 masks made in the USA are on Amazon for $1.16! Price: $57.90 Buy Now A Twitter user who goes by the name WalkingCat has shared two videos that appear to come from Samsung. While there’s no way to verify their authenticity, 9to5Google says the leaker has provided accurate details about unreleased Samsung devices in the past, including the Galaxy Tab S7 Lite and the new Galaxy Chromebook 2. R&D Vision Concept ? https://t.co/JYQmy850K9 — WalkingCat (@_h0x0d_) February 21, 2021 The first video shows a Samsung Glasses Lite device that looks like a thicker version of the Snap Spectacles. It’s also a smarter version of Spectacles that would interact with all sorts of devices, including Samsung smartwatches, Android smartphones and tablets, and Windows computers. The video shows a user typing an email on a virtual Dex display that the glasses project on the retina. The glasses can also be used to play games and watch video, with the screen moving around as the user tilts their head. The concept video also shows the user engaging in a video call while standing in the kitchen, although there is a massive problem with this type of experience. The other person would not see the smart glasses wearer unless there’s a second camera somewhere in the room. The Glasses Lite would also work outside, with the clip showing the user piloting a drone, with the camera feed projected right on the retina. The glasses would also turn to sunglasses mode while outside. In simpler terms, the Glasses Lite would take many of the apps available on a smartphone and bring them over to a bigger display via Samsung Dex. But it won’t be a physical monitor. and….. this is the 3D holographic version https://t.co/PXDAHjDNWb — WalkingCat (@_h0x0d_) February 21, 2021 The second clip shows a different version of the glasses that looks more like an alternative to Microsoft’s HoloLens. These are the Samsung AR Glasses that would project all sorts of 3D images on top of the real work. The user would interact with these digital creations, whether it’s a virtual keyboard, 3D objects that can be manipulated, or holograms of clients who participate in a complex AR simulation. Some of the use cases in this example also imply the need for external cameras and additional sensors to detect gestures and allow the user to interact with digital objects. Also, it’s unclear how the holographic meeting between people would work. Those digital avatars that visit the room would require plenty of other sensors in the room to visit the virtual home the user is working on. Then again, the purpose of these concept videos isn’t to explain everything. Plenty of tech developments will be required to bring these products to life. While Samsung is yet to confirm these products, the company certainly has what it takes to develop this kind of products. Samsung launched VR glasses before, but those needed a compatible Galaxy phone to work. The future versions of AR and VR glasses might only require a tethered or wireless connection to a phone, tablet, or computer. Today's Top Deal Amazon shoppers are obsessed with these black AccuMed face masks - now at the lowest price ever! Price: $19.99 You Save: $6.26 (24%) Buy Now View the full article

According to a leaker, the Galaxy Z Fold 3 might be the first Samsung flagship with a selfie camera placed under the display. Samsung already confirmed its UPC technology, teasing that laptops featuring OLED screens with cameras under the display would be launched in the near future. Under-panel camera tech will likely be used for other Samsung smartphones as well. Samsung’s flagships already come with high-end OLED panels, which are the best in the industry. CES 2021 was an online-only tech event this year on account of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Even if virtual, the show delivered plenty of tech announcements, proving that it can work in this format. Samsung has hosted several press events during CES, culminating with the Galaxy S21 announcement event scheduled right after CES. One of the most exciting Samsung announcements of early January came in stages, with Samsung releasing several teaser videos about the new technology before addressing it properly. Samsung used YouTube clips to tease the new OLED panels for laptops, which would allow notebook makers to increase the quality of screens while simultaneously increasing the screen-to-body ratio. We also learned those laptops would support 90Hz refresh rates and would present an innovation unseen on notebooks before. Samsung calls it UPC, short for under panel camera. We’ve also known it as under-display camera tech, a display innovation that several smartphone vendors are working on, Samsung included. ZTE launched the first commercial handset with a UPC selfie camera, with other Chinese smartphone makers having already demoed such concepts in previous years. While Samsung introduced UPC tech for laptops, the company also teased that it wants UPC on phones. A well-known insider now claims that the first Samsung phone to sport an under-display selfie cam is closer than we thought. Today's Top Deal Sleek black KN95 masks are back in stock at Amazon after selling out twice! Price: $14.99 Buy Now In one of Samsung’s other CES announcements, the Korean giant showed ways to “upcycle” Samsung devices you no longer use using a video. In it, the phone seen in the top image was featured. The handset looks a lot like a Galaxy Note phone that lacks a selfie camera. This could be Samsung’s cheeky way of surprising fans while teasing its UPC tech. On the other hand, Samsung has used concepts in its video shown at trade shows that had nothing to do with real projects. However, the clip seemed to suggest that the Note 21 might feature a UPC display. That is if the Galaxy Note 21 will become an actual product. Fast forward to a month later, and Twitter user Ice Universe claims that the Galaxy Z Fold 3 is “very likely” to adopt UPC tech. Galaxy Z Fold3 is still very likely to adopt UPC pic.twitter.com/DD6TMPLlM0 — Ice universe (@UniverseIce) February 15, 2021 The leaker has often made accurate predictions about unreleased Samsung hardware, especially phones, in the past few years, proving some sort of inside access to Samsung’s secrets. The image he uses for the UPC comes from one of those OLED panel videos that Samsung released in early January. Samsung’s soft launch of UPC tech indicates the company is satisfied with the technology. The main problem that cameras under the display face is photo quality. The cameras have to capture light through an OLED display layer, so AI computational photography will be needed to ensure the best results. But if Samsung is ready to use UPC screens in laptops, they could be ready for smartphones. As for the next-gen foldable handsets, the Galaxy Z Fold 3 is undoubtedly the right candidate to test UPC. The first-gen Fold had an ugly selfie camera notch that was fixed last year with the help of a hole-punch screen. Swapping out the hole-punch selfie cam for an under-display camera could be the natural evolution of things. Let’s not forget that the Z Fold phones have a screen on the outside that could keep its hole-punch camera for safety. Should the UPC camera malfunction during video calls or selfies, users could always fall back to the external display’s selfie camera. While Ice has a great track record reporting on unreleased Samsung devices, only time will tell if this Z Fold 3 rumor is correct. The phone should be unveiled at some point this summer, so we’ll learn all of its secrets well before that happens. Today's Top Deal N95 masks made in the USA are on Amazon for $1.16! Price: $57.90 Buy Now View the full article

Samsung unveiled a battery phone like no other, the Galaxy F62, which features a 7,000 mAh battery and specs similar to what you’d expect from a 2019 Android phone. The phone features hardware on par with the Galaxy Note 10+, a Samsung flagship launched in the summer of 2019. The Galaxy F62 will retail for $330 in emerging markets, with India getting it first. Android vendors have been making “battery” phones for a few years now, targeting a particular category of handset users. They’re usually affordable handsets with massive battery packs, but the specs are generally underwhelming. The battery is the main feature of the handset. It would last longer than flagships, but the phone itself wouldn’t be that formidable. That’s always been a compromise in this particular handset niche, and an understandable one, considering the target audience. Buyers looking for a smartphone with long battery life might not necessarily need all the bells and whistles of a more expensive phone, as long as they have a communication device that shouldn’t be recharged too often. That all changes with the Galaxy F62 that Samsung announced on Monday. The phone comes with a massive 7,000 mAh battery pack, but it also features high-end specs on par with 2019 handsets or later. Today's Top Deal N95 masks made in the USA are on Amazon for $1.16! Price: $57.90 Buy Now While that might seem like a compromise, these battery phones do cater to a certain type of buyer. They have to be affordable in addition to holding a charge for a more extended period. But the F62 has the same 7nm Exynos 9825 processor inside as the Galaxy Note 10+, a phone that was launched in summer 2019. To put things in perspective, getting a 2019 flagship phone is similar to buying an iPhone 11 launched in September 2019. The iPhone 11 is still the better choice when it comes to speed and performance. But it’s also more expensive than any Android phone launched in 2019. The Galaxy F62 “fixes” that problem, as it’s quite affordable, retailing for INR 23,999 or around $330. But the handset is only available in India for the moment, where it launches on February 22nd. Aside from the 7,000 mAh battery and the 7nm octa-core processor, the F62 a 6.7-inch Super AMOLED Plus hole-punch display, 6/8GB of RAM, 128GB of UFS 3.0 storage, microSD support up to 1TB, a fingerprint reader in the side button, and Android 11 with One UI 3.1 on top. The phone supports fast battery charging, with the 25W charger needing two hours to replenish the battery. The handset also supports reverse charging via USB-C. We’re looking at a primary camera system featuring four shooters, including a 64-megapixel main camera, 12-megapixel ultra-wide lens, a 5-megapixel depth lens, and a 5-megapixel macro lens. On the front, there’s a 32-megapixel selfie camera. Both camera systems support 4K video recording. There are a few compromises that allowed Samsung to keep the price low. The phone doesn’t have 5G support or wireless charging, and it features a plastic back rather than glass. The Galaxy F62 is an excellent alternative to a flagship this year, especially in emerging markets, especially during the pandemic. While Samsung targets buyers in India, the phone will probably be available in other markets soon. View the full article

A report from South Korea illustrates the unseen tech war between Samsung and China. Samsung has strict practices to prevent employees from stealing sensitive information that could be sold to Chinese companies. China is targeting Samsung engineers with better job offers. The report notes that the South Korean government is also involved in protecting what it sees as “national core technologies” from reaching China, including the OLED displays that Samsung makes for Galaxy phones and iPhones. It’s a known secret in the mobile industry that Samsung can’t prevent Galaxy leaks. All of its phones leak months ahead of release, with little mystery left for the actual Unpacked press conferences where the next-gen Galaxy S, Note, or Fold is unveiled. The Galaxy S21 went through the same process in the months preceding the mid-January announcement. Perhaps it’s just a case of Samsung not really caring enough to really prevent those leaks. The leaks might ruin the surprise, but the hype can help with sales even if the mystery is lost. While Samsung might seem complicit to some extent with those leaks, it turns out the company is fighting what appears to be a fierce war against the kind of leaks that matter far more, leaks that could hurt its bottom line. Unbeknownst to most people, Samsung is under attack from China, where local companies target Samsung employees with lucrative job offers. Also, corporate espionage campaigns attempt to steal trade secrets from key sectors where Samsung has immense expertise. This includes Samsung’s OLED tech that’s used in Galaxy phones and iPhones alike, as well as Samsung’s semiconductor business. Today's Top Deal Amazon shoppers are obsessed with these black AccuMed face masks - now at the lowest price ever! Price: $19.99 You Save: $6.26 (24%) Buy Now Nikkey Asia explains in a detailed report that the South Korean government is very much aware of the corporate espionage, helping local companies guard their tech secrets. The report focuses on Samsung, but Chinese companies are also targeting other South Korean companies, like LG. In the five years ending in 2019, 123 cases of tech leaks from South Korea were recorded, according to data from the nation’s top intelligence agency, the National Intelligence Service (NIS). Most of those leaks (83) went to China, many involving technologies where South Korean companies have a lead on competitors, including semiconductors, displays, and shipbuilding. Three men were caught last August attempting to leak Samsung OLED secrets to China. They are currently facing at least three years in prison as a result, according to the report. Samsung has strict security practices in place to prevent employees from stealing sensitive data. The camera and audio-recording functions of smartphones belonging to employees are disabled in labs and factories. The printing paper at one laboratory includes metal foil so metal detectors placed at the doors will prevent employees from leaving with sensitive information. Samsung also forbade employees from taking documents with technical data out of the office during the novel coronavirus pandemic, even though many people were working from home. But Samsung can’t force employees to stay at their jobs. Samsung has a workforce of over 287,000 workers worldwide, and headhunters from China are targeting these individuals with better job offers. Nikkei explains: Openings posted on online job-hunting sites in South Korea often include such phrases as “Work location: inland region of China” or “Wanted: workers from display-related companies,” alongside the promise of “favorable treatment for workers from companies S and L.” The S and L stand for Samsung and LG. The employees who do accept job offers in China attempt to hide that they’re working in China. Some adopt aliases to keep authorities and former employers from tracing them. And they might use particular routes to return home, like flying from Hong Kong or Shanghai, busy destinations that allow them to blend in. The report notes that Chinese display maker BOE, which has been vying for Apple’s iPhone business for years, has hired around 120 South Koreans, including more than 50 former Samsung engineers who led the development of OLED screens for the iPhone. A BOE plant in Chengdu has production lines set up just like Samsung Display’s main plant in South Korea. BOE supplies OLED screens for the iPhone repair market, but it’s not a certified iPhone screen provider. The South Korean government has designated OLED technologies as “national core technologies,” with NIS having a section dedicated to making sure those secrets stay in Korea. The report also notes that China’s Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp. (SMIC), which is on a US government blacklist, has also hired many South Koreans, with at least 62 people appearing in SMIC-related patents. Headhunting of Samsung employees with expertise in chip production tech has increased just as the US-China tech tensions started heating up. The full Nikkei story is available at this link. Today's Top Deal N95 masks made in the USA are on Amazon for $1.16! Price: $57.90 Buy Now View the full article

The Galaxy S21, S21+, and S21 Ultra feature the strongest Gorilla Glass panels available for smartphones, but the phones still might not survive all accidental drops. The displays might not even function at all after being dropped. A drop test video from Allstate shows that the screens of all three handsets were cracked after a face-down drop. The rear panels on the Galaxy S21+ and S21 Ultra were also cracked in the test. The camera systems are encased in metal, and they survived the drop test. It’s early February, which means the newest Galaxy S phone is available in stores. Samsung unveiled the Galaxy S21, Galaxy S21+, and Galaxy S21 Ultra in mid-January, more than a month earlier than usual. The phones were available for preorder as soon as Samsung’s Unpacked press conference ended, and they’ve now shipped to buyers. The Galaxy S21 is easily the best Android phone of 2021 so far, but it’s not like it has any competition for the time being. The phone delivers a few design changes, including a major camera makeover that’s supposed to improve durability, as well as the high-end specs that you expect from a next-gen Galaxy S phone. But one thing didn’t change on this year’s Samsung flagships: the Galaxy S21 phones don’t appear to be any more durable than last year’s models. The first major Galaxy S21 drop test already provides the news you’ve been dreading — you’re going to need cases and screen protectors for your new Galaxy S. Today's Top Deal Sleek black KN95 masks are back in stock at Amazon after selling out twice! Price: $14.99 Buy Now With the new Galaxy S21, Samsung fixed several things that Galaxy S20 users complained about. The phones are cheaper than last year’s models, but Samsung had to make compromises to get there, including the use of plastic on the cheapest S21 phone. The camera module used to break on some Galaxy S20 phones, so the S21 camera systems are enveloped in metal. The Exynos-powered S20 would overheat and cause a lag in performance, and that has also been corrected. But the folks at Allstate just showed us that the Galaxy S21 phones aren’t more durable than last year’s models. They produced the same drop test they’ve done with other handsets in the past, including previous-generation Galaxy S phones, and found the Galaxy S21 handsets won’t handle drops gracefully. In face-down tests, all three Galaxy S21 phones were damaged. The entry-level S21 fared the best, with a cracked screen and raised glass. The Galaxy S21+ display cracked and loosened, and the screen then malfunctioned during usability tests. The S21 Ultra screen took the most damage and could not be used after a single drop. All Galaxy S21 phones feature new Corning Gorilla Glass Victus on the front, which is the toughest Gorilla Glass so far. The S21 and S21+ have flat displays, while the Ultra gets rounded corners. But the phones still failed the drop test. Allstate also dropped the phones on their backs, with two of them shattering after just one drop each. That’s the Galaxy S21+ and S21 Ultra that feature glass panels on the back. The Galaxy S21 has a plastic rear panel, which means the back will survive drops better than glass. The cameras were not damaged during the drops, so the metal “Contour Cut Camera” does work. Drop tests aren’t always indicative of real-life drops, and your mileage may vary. As is the case with other phones, the Galaxy S21 handsets will survive some drops unscathed. But the damage risk is clearly there and protective gear might be required to save the glass. Additionally, Samsung offers a Samsung Care+ extended warranty program that will replace broken screens for $29 — all the information is available at this link. The full video from Allstate follows below. View the full article

Samsung announced it would manufacture large quantities of 14-inch 90Hz OLED displays that will be just as good as 120Hz LCD screens. Several mysterious “global IT companies” will release new laptops with OLED screens this year, the company said. Samsung is rumored to launch new Galaxy Book Pro notebooks of its own, which are expected to be high-end devices that could support OLED screen tech. Samsung teased OLED screens for laptops around the all-digital CES 2021 event this year, touting the advanced features of these displays compared to traditional LCD screens. OLED panels support much higher contrast ratios and darker blacks, and that’s because each pixel lights up independently. This leads to richer colors and better HDR support. These features aren’t new, as most high-end phones pack OLED screens, with Samsung being the main manufacturer. That includes most of the all-screen iPhones launched since 2017. More interesting is a feature that Samsung is finally ready to roll out in commercial products, the under-display camera tech that many smartphone vendors are developing. Samsung calls it under-panel camera (UPC), and it’ll be available on notebooks with OLED screens before smartphones. Samsung finally confirmed that it’s manufacturing OLED displays for 2021 14-inch laptops, without disclosing the mysterious beneficiaries. Today's Top Deal Sleek black KN95 masks are back in stock at Amazon after selling out twice! Price: $14.99 Buy Now Laptops with OLED panels are hardly new. Several players in the industry have already used OLED screens on several creations, Samsung included. But they’re not common for the industry. Samsung’s big push for OLED laptops might convince more PC makers to make use of the technology. Samsung is certainly looking to make the most of its OLED tech in terms of revenue, and buyers looking for smartphone-like experiences will certainly appreciate the upgrades. Samsung confirmed that it would start producing 14-inch panels that will support a 90Hz refresh rate in March. Samsung is making “very large quantities” of OLED panels. The press release also addresses an apparent disadvantage of OLED screens. The displays will “require the use of a high-spec. graphics card.” Therefore, choosing an OLED version of a laptop would also deliver a secondary upgrade, a better GPU to support it. In its announcement, Samsung also says that the 90Hz OLED panels offer “high-speed driving performance on par with that of 120Hz LCD.” The company doesn’t reveal the “global IT companies” that will releases OLED laptops this year. Considering that Samsung Display is making “very large quantities of 14-inch 90Hz OLED” panels, we’d expect quite a few notebook makers to be among Samsung’s clients. Apple is expected to launch a new 14-inch MacBook Pro this year, but there are no rumors to indicate the device could sport an OLED screen instead of LCD. If anything, Apple is more likely to go for the new mini-LED screens for MacBooks and iPads than OLED. A separate report from SamMobile says that Samsung is developing a couple of new laptops, on top of the models announced at CES 2021. These are the Galaxy Book Pro and the Galaxy Pro 360. Both devices are expected to support Bluetooth 5.1 and 4G/5G connectivity, but it’s unclear whether they’ll feature OLED displays. The report notes that the notebooks should be high-end devices given the naming scheme. And it’s high-end devices, featuring better GPU, that we’d expect to rock OLED screens initially. View the full article