The Galaxy Ring is one of the most exciting devices of the year for Samsung Health users looking for a carefree and screen-free fitness and health-tracking experience. It's subtle, does the job, and lasts even longer than a Galaxy Watch on a full battery charge. Or does it?

Well, it should, and it used to. Samsung advertises the Galaxy Ring for up to seven days of battery life on a full battery. It's a close approximation, as battery life will vary depending on the ring size. Bigger Galaxy Rings have bigger batteries and more battery life, but the difference isn't that great.

As mentioned in our Galaxy Ring review, we got around six days of use from our Samsung smart ring on a full charge. That's good performance for a carefree user experience, as far as we're concerned. But here's the problem. We're not getting close to that figure anymore.

Galaxy Ring has a battery drain issue

The Galaxy Ring we use for reference has been losing battery charge much quicker than before. Lately, we haven't been able to get more than three days of usage from a full battery.

That's about half of what we used to get on a full charge, and it's not much more than we'd achieve on a Galaxy Watches with a bit of clever feature management.

We're not the only Galaxy Ring users facing this issue. Here's another example from @imparkerburton on X. He used to get eight days of usage, but now the Galaxy Ring drops to a little over 50% after roughly fifteen hours.

The story continues after the video

We're guessing this is a temporary issue Samsung could and will fix through a firmware update. The Galaxy Ring might need some extra battery optimization, and if this is a widespread bug, Samsung will likely address it sooner rather than later. Until then, we'll keep you posted if we find any temporary or permanent solutions.

The post Samsung’s new Galaxy Ring has a battery life problem appeared first on SamMobile.

In case you forgot, we're supposed to be going through a new AR and VR revolution, except we're not. The Vision Pro, Apple's first mixed reality (XR) headset, hasn't reshaped the market how many thought it would. And soon, it will be Samsung's turn to have another try at the virtual and augmented reality market. Will it succeed?

There's no way to tell how things will go for Samsung and its two major partners, Qualcomm and Google. It's hard to predict how the XR market will evolve or change and which manufacturer will finally manage to bring this technology truly into the mainstream.

Nevertheless, Samsung, Qualcomm, and Google say they're working on the “next XR experience.” And according to tipster @UniverseIce, the tentatively named ‘Galaxy XR' has some things in common with the upcoming Galaxy S25 flagship phone.

Galaxy XR and Galaxy S25 have common DNA

According to the latest rumor, “some of the design and features of the Galaxy S25 take into account the Galaxy XR.” It's unclear what this means exactly, and it would be easy to assume that the source hints at a Gear VR kind of experience where the phone powers the headset.

However, every leak and rumor so far says otherwise. The Galaxy XR should be a stand-alone device with its own processing hardware and power source, as well as a 3500ppi OLEDoS screen developed by Samsung Display or at least a micro-OLED from Sony.

If we were to guess, it's more likely that the source says the Galaxy S25 and Galaxy XR may have overlapping design languages.

As an older rumor has it, the Galaxy S25 series could look more different than the S24 and S23 lineups, as Samsung might be ready to transition to a new design language. Of course, this makes it harder to predict what kind of design Samsung's XR headset might adopt.

Furthermore, these different devices — phone and XR headset — could share some clever features, like Samsung Continuity and Galaxy AI.

The story continues after the video

Galaxy AI could have a huge positive impact on the XR experience, as it might be the key to lifting some of the barriers that have so far held XR back, such as typing without a real keyboard or otherwise interacting seamlessly with the digital world around the user.

For now, it's just a guessing game. Samsung hasn't been confirmed these features so far. The company hasn't said anything that would link Galaxy AI and Galaxy XR, so time will tell how things develop.

Previous rumors suggest Samsung may release a developer version of Galaxy XR this year, followed by the consumer version in Q1 2025.

The post Galaxy S25 and VR headset to share design elements and features appeared first on SamMobile.

We have some exciting information to share, especially for Galaxy A phone users hoping to get their hands on some Galaxy AI action. SamMobile learned from sources that Galaxy AI will eventually expand beyond the high-end segment and reach mid-range Galaxy A phones, starting with a couple of 2024 models.

Our sources tell us that Samsung's latest innovation, Galaxy AI, will land on Galaxy A devices for the first time on a couple of models already released in 2024, namely the Galaxy A35 and the Galaxy A55. However, there are a few caveats.

Not the complete Galaxy AI experience

Firstly, we don't have an exact date when Galaxy AI will reach the Galaxy A35 and Galaxy A55. However, our sources tell us it will happen through the One UI 6.1.1 update, which could land on these mid-range phones this month or the next.

Secondly, not every Galaxy AI feature will be released for the Galaxy A35 and Galaxy A55. There's no information regarding which AI tools will make the cut and which ones will be missing, but we're guessing Samsung will leave out the ones that require vast amounts of on-device processing power.

At the time of writing, the most affordable Galaxy AI-enabled phone you can buy is the Galaxy S23 FE. Even the Fan Edition phone is missing Instant Slow-Mo, which was one of the AI features Samsung included in the original Galaxy AI suite for the Galaxy S24 series.

More details after the video

Thirdly, we can only confirm Galaxy AI will go live for the Galaxy A35 and Galaxy A55, but not for older Galaxy A devices, even if there are hardware similarities.

For example, the Galaxy A35 uses the same chip as the Galaxy A54, i.e., the Exynos 1380 SoC, but even so, we can't confirm that Galaxy AI will be released for the Galaxy A54. Samsung may limit its efforts to Galaxy A models released in 2024 and later.

Samsung is betting big on Galaxy AI, and at Unpacked 2024, the company confirmed that it wants to bring these innovative AI tools to more than 200 million Galaxy devices, including phones, tablets, and wearables.

The post Galaxy AI will come to select 2024 Galaxy A phones appeared first on SamMobile.

Last week, after a few months of waiting, Samsung finally released its first 1TB microSD cards, the Evo Select and Pro Plus. As a Nintendo Switch user, I must say these 1TB cards have been a long time coming. But they are finally here, and they might be the perfect accessory for collectors to complement the Switch as we get closer to the console's eventual sequel – expected to be announced before the end of Nintendo's 2024 fiscal year (March 31, 2025).

The Nintendo Switch debuted in 2017 with 32GB of internal storage. The variant equipped with a Samsung OLED panel followed in 2021 and bumped the internal memory to 64GB. That's not enough storage to support a more comprehensive game collection that keeps growing, but thankfully, the Switch is equipped with a microSD card slot. And that's where I think Samsung can come to our rescue as game collectors and enthusiasts who have had to deal with limited storage.

In theory, Switch users can store games on multiple SD cards and swap between them as needed. In practice, Nintendo recommends using a maximum of two cards. Otherwise, the game selection screen can get a bit too confusing. Plus, you can't hot-swap microSD cards. You have to power off the system before swapping the memory card. The more SD cards you use with your Switch, the more cumbersome the experience gets.

Samsung, I've been waiting for you for years

I've used the Nintendo Switch as one of my main gaming systems for the past few years, and during this time, I've acquired enough games that a single 512GB Samsung microSD card was no longer enough. I had to get a second 512GB card for more games, and I wish I didn't have to split my collection in half.

Unfortunately, back when I reached my 512GB limit, Samsung had no 1TB microSD cards on offer, and other brands that had 1TB options were asking way too much money. It was cheaper to buy smaller memory cards, so, like many other Switch users, I resorted to using two.

Now, thanks to Samsung finally introducing its first 1TB microSD cards at what seems to be a fair price, having my entire game collection on a single card doesn't seem as out of reach as it used to.

The story continues after the video

All in all, I feel like Samsung's 1TB microSD cards are kind of a blessing for Nintendo Switch users with sizeable game collections that look for more convenience and hate swapping out microSD cards. Even if they won't buy a Samsung card, the company has enough brand power to help keep 1TB microSD prices in check. They were fairly ridiculous a few years ago when I wanted one, but now I feel like the market is finally stabilizing.

As for me, I'm very tempted to make a final investment in my Nintendo Switch and swap out my two 512GB cards with a single 1TB Samsung card before Nintendo announces the Switch sequel. I don't need it, but it would make my Switch gaming experience more comfortable.

Image credit: Nintendo

The post Samsung’s first 1TB SD cards are a blessing for my Nintendo Switch appeared first on SamMobile.

To use Samsung's language, I've been on the fence about the Galaxy Z Flip series for a few years now. I can almost relate to those On the Fence ads from Samsung, save for the fact that, instead of having a hard time choosing between an iPhone and a Galaxy Z Flip, I'm having difficulties leaving my Galaxy S flagship behind. And this year, so far, it hasn't been any different.

I started using the Galaxy S24+ roughly six months ago, and so far, I have no complaints. In my eyes, the S24+ is just as perfect as the Galaxy S22+ was two years ago. Maybe even better, given the super bright 2,600 nits display, which I'm a big fan of, especially now during the bright summer days.

But I'm also a fan of flip phones. I've always liked them, even before they were smart. For the past few years, I kept thinking about switching to the flip side. I haven't done so yet, and that's just a testament to how good the Galaxy S Plus phones have been to me. And I'm starting to wonder if I ever will.

It's hard for a Plus user to get on board with the Flip

If I were in a position where I'd now choose my first-ever Galaxy phone, I'd probably pick the Galaxy Z Flip 6. It's gorgeous, and Samsung's foldable display technology never ceases to impress me.

However, as an existing Galaxy S24+ owner, I find it too hard to hop over the fence and jump into the flip side of Samsung's garden, so to speak.

The story continues after our Galaxy Z Flip 6 review video

You see, the Galaxy Z Flip 6 is a beautiful foldable phone, and in my book, it is the best of its kind in 2024, hands down! However, compared to the Galaxy S24+, which I think is the closest slab-type phone alternative to the Flip 6, it compromises too much in favor of its dual-screen hinged design.

The Galaxy S24+ has a higher-resolution display, better (and more) cameras, the same chip and memory configuration (except it runs on Exynos 2400 in most regions), a bigger battery with faster charging, support for Samsung DeX support and Ultra Wideband, and a more resilient build with a higher IP68 rating.

My only reasonable choice might be Samsung's other foldable

I'm slowly reaching the conclusion that, as an existing Galaxy S24+ owner, I'd have to really want the Flip and minimalist cover screen experience in order to leave a near-perfect S24+ behind. And as much as I appreciate the Flip series, I just don't think I like it that much.

It might be a lot easier to buy the Flip 6 if you upgrade from an older or lower-end phone — or a different brand — but for me, to exchange the Galaxy S24+ for a Flip is asking a bit too much.

With that in mind, I find it very interesting that the more foldable phone generations get released and the more I sit on the proverbial fence, the more I wonder if the only reasonable foldable phone for me — an S Plus series fan — is a Fold rather than a Flip.

The Galaxy Z Fold 6 does look very good to me. It looks better than all its predecessors. It's slick and powerful, and I love its sharp edges and corners. Besides, at least I can say that the Galaxy Z Fold 6 beats the Galaxy S24+ in more areas, has a larger foldable display, and doesn't compromise as much as the Flip 6 in favor of the hinged form factor.

All in all, after all these years of waiting for the perfect time to buy a Galaxy Z Flip, I'm beginning to think that maybe I never will, and I'll eventually end up on the Fold side. I haven't made up my mind yet, and I'll probably wait for the Galaxy S25+ to come out before I make my decision.

The post I’m not ready to give up my Galaxy S24+ for a flip phone appeared first on SamMobile.

Among all other foldable phones, Samsung's new Galaxy Z Fold 6 ranks highest in terms of camera performance, according to independent review website DxOMark. Interestingly, the Fold 6 even beats the Pixel Fold in the zoom department, even though Google's foldable phone technically has a superior telephoto camera.

By camera performance, DxOMark ranks the Galaxy Z Fold 6 1st among all other foldables and 45th in the global ranking. Its camera setup scores 133 points, which is the same as devices like the iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Plus, Pixel 7a, Galaxy S24 and S24+, and Galaxy S23 and S23+.

By sub-categories, the Galaxy Z Fold 6 scores 135 points in the zoom department, which is substantially higher than the 117 points achieved by the Google Pixel Fold.

Interestingly, the Galaxy Z Fold 6 has a 10MP telephoto camera with 3x optical zoom capabilities, whereas the Pixel Fold boasts a 10.8MP telephoto shooter with 5x optical zoom. The latter is superior on paper, but DxOMark suggests the Fold 6's telephoto camera wins over Google's despite the hardware differences.

What other things does the Z Fold 6 do well

Across other camera characteristics, the independent review website praised the Galaxy Z Fold 6 for its fairly wide dynamic range and good exposure, low noise in bright environments, good depth estimation in bokeh photos, effective video stabilization, good colors in video recordings, decent telephoto details in long-range shots, and good video detail in most conditions.

The story continues after the video

On the other hand, no camera is without fault, and DxOMark criticizes the Galaxy Z Fold 6 for things like autofocus errors in low light, some luminance and chroma noise in low light, occasional color rendering inaccuracies, luminance noise in ultra-wide shots, underexposed night shots when not using the flash, unstable autofocus and refocusing in video mode, and a few other issues.

There are many more camera-related details in DxOMark's test, so you should check it out if you want the full picture — no pun intended. And if you'd like to hear more about the Galaxy Z Fold 6 beyond camera performance, you can check out our full review, which covers everything about the phone, from displays and performance to design and software.

The post Galaxy Z Fold 6 has the best camera among foldables, DxOMark says appeared first on SamMobile.

One of the worst things that can happen to a foldable phone is to suffer from a foldable display failure. Although they get tougher every year, foldable panels remain more susceptible to breakdowns and damage than standard non-foldable displays. It is one of the reasons why many people remain reluctant toward foldable phones and haven't bought one yet. That and the high costs associated with replacing a state-of-the-art foldable display.

Nevertheless, Samsung stands by its foldable phones with something called ‘Galaxy Z Assurance,' not to be confused with Samsung Care+ insurance.

Galaxy Z Assurance is a sort of stamp of approval and comes with a one-time discounted foldable screen replacement. It appears to be specific to the US market, where the following Galaxy Z Assurance render is featured on the online store's landing pages for the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Galaxy Z Flip 6.

Samsung's stamp of approval claims that the latest phones are “Built to withstand” and are tested and verified for at least 200,000 folds or “10 years of approximate use.”

You'd have to fold the Galaxy Z Flip 6 or Z Fold 6 roughly 55 times a day to reach 200,000 folds in 10 years. Nevertheless, assuming you will need a foldable screen replacement, the Galaxy Z Assurance program could save you some money.

One-time $200 screen replacement for a limited time

Samsung's Galaxy Z Assurance policy states that you can get a cheap(er) one-time foldable screen replacement for your Galaxy Z Fold 6 or Galaxy Z Flip 6 should you need it. It will set you back only $200.

Without this policy, replacing the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Z Flip 6 inner screens would cost you $549 and $319, respectively. However, there is a caveat you'll need to keep in mind.

More details after our review video

What might disappoint you is that this Galaxy Z Assurance policy has an expiry date. So, if you planned on using your foldable phone for many years — maybe seven or so — and thought you could use this repair policy later, you won't be able to.

More specifically, Samsung states that the one-time discounted screen replacement must be claimed within two years of the date of purchasing the Galaxy Z Fold 6 or Galaxy Z Flip 6.

After that, you'll have to pay the full price for a screen replacement, should you need one, regardless of whether or not you used your Galaxy Z Assurance ticket within the first two years.

The post ‘Galaxy Z Assurance’ for Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Flip 6 explained appeared first on SamMobile.

The upcoming Galaxy Ring is one of the most exciting products of the year for Samsung Health fans who have been waiting for a discreet and screen-free health and fitness tracker. But it is not a one-size-fits-all solution, and what will be the Ring's greatest quality in the eyes of some users could become its weakest point for others.

Some people love the idea of ditching the smartwatch in favor of a smart ring because Galaxy Watches have a few issues and UI design problems. These customers also hope that wearing a smart ring will free their wrists so they can once again wear their prized collection of classic and diverse analog watches, all without giving up health and fitness tracking through Samsung Health.

Galaxy Watches are sometimes sluggish, the UI doesn't seem greatly optimized for the circular screen, and battery life is decent but not stellar if you're using all the fitness and health trackers at once. Besides, smartwatches can sometimes look too toyish and cheap. Plus, having one more screen to worry about can add to the daily frustration.

Meanwhile, the Galaxy Ring is focused entirely on tracking the wearer's health, fitness, and sleep without any distractions. There are no extra bells and whistles, no apps to worry about, no screens to catch your eye, and no wristbands to discomfort you when you sleep.

So, what's even the point of wearing a Galaxy Watch anymore? Well, if you don't know, you'll want to hear this out.

Why you may want to wear a Watch instead of a Galaxy Ring

Assuming the Galaxy Ring and Galaxy Watches will have the same tracking capabilities, we narrowed it down to two main reasons why you might still prefer a Galaxy Watch over a Galaxy Ring, especially if you're new to Samsung Health and have to pick one device over the other but can't or don't want to have both:

• Music playback without a phone in your pocket.
• Live fitness monitoring when you work out.

If you enjoy the idea of leaving your phone at home when you go for a jog and listening to music in your earbuds, the Galaxy Watch will probably be the best way to go. Galaxy Ring specs are scarce as of now, but we're guessing it won't offer music playback capabilities through your Galaxy Buds.

As for the second reason, a watch might be a better fitness companion in high-intensity situations. You see, the Galaxy Ring will be able to record the wearer's health, fitness, and sleep data, but the primary way for users to check that recorded information is through the Samsung Health app on their phones. And that's not something you may want to do during a workout.

Because it doesn't have a screen, the Galaxy Ring doesn't have a way for you to check things like your heart rate, distance traveled, and reps live when you're out jogging or working out. You can't monitor any parameters during your active time. Or, at least, not conveniently without looking at your phone.

When wearing a Galaxy Watch, you can check those parameters at a glance from your wrist while you're being active. But at best, a Galaxy Ring will only post that information to the Samsung Health mobile app so you can consult it later, preferably after your fitness session.

Know what kind of fitness tracking experience you want

In conclusion, the Galaxy Ring might be the best wearable if you want to collect fitness and health data in the background and don't care about things like music playback and keeping an eye on your vitals when you're working out. Furthermore, it will probably be the best and least distracting device capable of tracking your sleep.

On the other hand, a Galaxy Watch will still be the superior fitness companion if you want to leave your phone at home when you go out running and want to play music in your headphones or track live health and fitness parameters from your wrist during those active moments.

Ideally, if you want to combine the best of all worlds and wear classic watches without abandoning Samsung Health, you'll probably want to use the Galaxy Ring at all times and pop the Galaxy Watch on your wrist only when you're working out. Then, once you're done, you can remove the Galaxy Watch or replace it with a classic timepiece but keep the Galaxy Ring on your finger for continuous background tracking.

If you have to choose between them, you'll have to figure out which aspects are more important to you. Would you prefer the comfortable and distraction-free background tracking of the Galaxy Ring? Or do you want to benefit from live fitness and health monitoring as you work out and smartphone-free music playback through your Watch and wireless headset?

The post Why you may want to wear a Galaxy Watch instead of a Ring appeared first on SamMobile.

Way back in February, SamMobile published an exclusive story about the next Galaxy Unpacked 2024 event and when Samsung will likely host it. We confirmed that Unpacked should take place on July 10, and that hasn't changed yet. On the contrary, the closer we get to said date, the more certain it becomes.

The same July 10 date has now appeared on what seems to be an official Galaxy Unpacked banner posted early on a Dutch carrier's website (via Tweakers).

The banner, seen below, promotes an early bird offer and a chance to win a Harman Kardon speaker from mobiel.nl. It seemingly has an official design that embraces the starry Galaxy AI logo and hints at foldable devices.

Samsung is, of course, expected to unveil at least two new foldable phones at the next Unpacked event on July 10, including the Galaxy Z Flip 6 and the Galaxy Z Fold 6. These foldables will be the star of the show for phone enthusiasts, but other exciting devices will be joining them on the big stage.

Where will Galaxy Unpacked be hosted?

Unsurprisingly, the banner confirms that the Galaxy Unpacked event will be streamed online through Samsung's website. And we can be sure it will also be streamed live through YouTube. We will also host the YouTube presentation on SamMobile, so make sure to stay tuned.

As for the event's location, the banner makes no mention, but all evidence so far points to Paris being the event's main location. It's the perfect fit for this year's Unpacked, given that the Olympics are just around the corner and Samsung is an official Olympics partner.

Aside from the Galaxy Z Flip 6 and Fold 6, Samsung is also expected to announce a new Galaxy Watch 7 and Watch Ultra, as well as new Buds 3 earbuds and the highly anticipated Galaxy Ring.

The Galaxy Ring is Samsung's first device of its kind and will give Samsung Health fans an alternative to using smartwatches for tracking fitness activities and sleep patterns. Samsung teased it at MWC, and there's a lot of excitement building up around this new device category.

The post Dutch carrier reconfirms July 10 date for Galaxy Unpacked 2024 appeared first on SamMobile.

Samsung Galaxy phones have all sorts of clever systems in place to keep them operating within normal parameters. One such system monitors hardware temperatures and takes action to prevent overheating if ever necessary.

Interestingly, Google appears to be working on a new thermal management solution for Pixel phones called Adaptive Thermal. The latter is built into the Device Health Services app.

A recent APK teardown (via Android Authority) of said app reveals some interesting aspects about how Adaptive Thermal might function and why it could be superior to Samsung's anti-overheating measures.

Giving users a better fighting chance against overheating

The APK teardown reveals two key elements of Adaptive Thermal. One is that the system can take extensive actions to keep phone temperatures in check. The other is more of a teaching tool.

According to strings of code found in Google's app, the Adaptive Thermal system keeps a close eye on the Pixel phone's battery and triggers a “pre-emergency” alert when it reaches 49 degrees Celsius.

At this point, the system appears to be throttling the phone's performance to help it cool down. A notification informs the user that they “may experience slower performance” and that they should “try avoiding direct sunlight or close any battery-intensive apps.”

Adaptive thermal will continue to monitor temperatures every five minutes and take extra steps if the battery reaches 52 degrees. If those extra anti-overheating measures (which are yet unknown) fail and the battery reaches 55 degrees Celsius, Adaptive Thermal sends a warning and shuts the phone down after 30 seconds.

What Samsung could learn from this

This is more or less the standard nowadays. Phones can monitor temperatures, send warnings, and shut down the phone as an emergency measure in case of excessive overheating.

Samsung's Galaxy phones can also cleverly prevent overheating by dimming the screen, throttling performance, pausing charging, and possibly through other steps.

However, in addition to these automated steps, Google's Adaptive Thermal solution seems to offer users better information about what's going on and how they can help prevent overheating.

Unlike Samsung's overheating notification, which only has an “OK” button, Adaptive Thermal's notification seems to have a “See care steps” option. When selected, this option reveals tips on how users can cool down their phones. It suggests actions such as disabling 5G connectivity, avoiding direct sunlight, closing intensive apps like games, closing down the Camera app, and more.

Samsung offers overheating management tips for Galaxy phones on some of its support pages online, but you have to know where and how you can find them online. And in case you're wondering, Samsung's Tips app doesn't contain any useful information about heat management, either.

Google's Adaptive Thermal system will allow Pixel phone users to receive heat management tips straight from the overheating notification, which seems to be a much more sensible way of doing things.

There's no known release date for Adaptive Thermal but it might come with the next version of Android. Either way, it might be something Samsung may want to consider adding to its own Device Care suite in One UI.

In the past, through Good Lock modules like Thermal Guardian, Samsung gave users in select markets more control over a chip's throttling parameters. However, Thermal Guardian is more of an experimental tool designed for advanced users rather than a general teaching tool.

The post Samsung could learn from Google’s upcoming Adaptive Thermal tool appeared first on SamMobile.

Google is working on improving and ironing out Android 15 for a release later this year. As usual, the new OS version introduces a handful of new features, some of which are not entirely original. Instant Hotspot is one such addition to Android 15, and fresh reports say it won't be coming to Samsung Galaxy devices.

First things first, what is Android's new Instant Hotspot feature? In short, it's a neat little tool that lets an Android tablet or Chromebook instantly connect to a phone's hotspot network.

f you use an Android tablet or a Chromebook without Wi-Fi in the vicinity of your phone, you'll see a pop-up asking you whether you want to use your phone's hotspot network, and the process is seamless.

It sounds convenient as much as it sounds familiar to Galaxy device users. And herein lies the apparent reason why Instant Hotspot isn't coming to One UI, Google says (via Android Authority).

Samsung's One UI already has something called Auto Hotspot

If it sounds like you've already encountered something like Google's Instant Hotspot on your Galaxy device, you probably have. Samsung's One UI boasts a feature called Auto Hotspot, which fulfills the same function as Instant Hotspot.

The difference is that Google's Instant Hotspot works with any Android tablet and Chromebook, whereas Samsung's Auto Hotspot only works with Galaxy devices, as long as they share a Samsung account or family group.

Story continues after the video…

On the bright side, Galaxy device users have had Auto Hotspot for some time, and the fact that they won't gain access to Google's version through Android 15 won't make much of a difference to their experience.

As long as you use Samsung Galaxy devices exclusively, you won't miss Instant Hotspot whatsoever. However, if you were hoping to utilize the Auto Hotspot feature in One UI with other Android tablet brands or a Chromebook, you might feel left out once Android 15 lands.

Editor's Note: Samsung might have had to choose between keeping its in-house Auto Hotspot One UI feature — which it developed before Google created Instant Hotspot — or ditching a feature Galaxy device users already have in favor of Google's alternative. 

It's understandable why Samsung might not be keen on abandoning Auto Hotspot and why it might not want to overcomplicate the user experience by offering both hotspot features at the same time.

However, seeing how Google's Nearby Share and Samsung's Quick Share have merged, maybe Samsung's Auto Hotspot will eventually merge with Google's Instant Hotspot.

The post Android 15 Instant Hotspot feature not coming to Samsung, but that’s okay appeared first on SamMobile.

Samsung's portable projector with Gaming Hub often fluctuates between full and discounted prices. Most of the time, you can buy The Freestyle projector for its original $799 price, but every once in a while, Samsung cuts $200 off.

As you probably guessed, now is one of those times when you can buy The Freestyle 2nd Gen at a $200 discount for $599 instead of $799.

As usual, you can pay for the projector outright or buy it through a 24-month agreement with Samsung Financing, wherein you only need to pay $25 a month instead of $33.34. Alternatively, you can pay $150 every two weeks for two months.

A portable projector and Gaming Hub machine

The greatest things about The Freestyle 2nd Gen are its portability and versatility. This is a small Full HD portable projector that takes advantage of features such as autofocus, keystone, and leveling.

In addition, The Freestyle can be paired with a variety of Samsung accessories, including a light socket attachment for floor projections, a battery pack for outdoor remote use, and more.

The Freestyle also boasts 360-degree audio, comes with a SolarCell Remote, and runs Tizen OS, just like Samsung's regular smart TVs. As a result, it offers access to services like Samsung TV Plus and Gaming Hub, which offer a great deal of entertainment.

This $200 off is a limited-time offer, so hit the buy button below and grab your Freestyle portable projector before prices go back to normal once again.

Image Credit: Samsung

The post The Freestyle 2nd Gen portable projector gets another $200 discount appeared first on SamMobile.

Apple's latest iPad Pros announced earlier this week must look quite interesting even for Samsung. The new models are the industry's first to use Tandem OLED displays supplied by the Korean tech giant (and LGD) and boast a few other innovations that garnered attention in the media.

A few examples are that the new iPad Pros are the thinnest Apple products ever made; they offer compatibility with a new high-tech Pencil Pro; their new M4 chip promises massive performance and efficiency gains; and these new iPad Pros boast a better thermal design.

Speaking of the thermal design, it is one of the most intriguing bits Apple revealed at its launch event. The tech giant thought of a clever and unique way to improve the iPad Pro's cooling through the Apple logo by turning it into a passive cooling element.

New iPad Pro's Apple logo acts as a heatsink

Apple's new iPad Pros boast more performance and better thermal management than previous models. In part, this is thanks to two new upgrades that facilitate heat dissipation.

First, Apple claims it has incorporated graphite sheets into the new iPad Pro's housing. Second, the Apple logo itself, located at the back of the iPad Pros, is now a part of the cooling design.

The Apple logo emblazoned on the new iPad Pros is made of copper. It acts as a heatsink that helps dissipate and transfer heat from the M4 chip and internal components.

Story continues after the video…

Apple claims the new iPad Pros offer 20% better cooling but hasn't revealed precisely how much this new copper logo contributes to these gains. Nevertheless, it seems a creative way to add functionality to the iconic Apple logo.

Unlike the “Samsung” letters engraved on the Galaxy Tab S9 series' back panels, the iPad Pro's Apple logo is more of a structural component with cooling properties, at least, according to Apple.

But even if we assume that the copper logo provides minimal cooling and very little real-world benefits, it is very clever marketing, if nothing else.

The post Apple’s logo is now a heatsink appeared first on SamMobile.

Apple's latest iPad Pros announced earlier this week must look quite interesting even for Samsung. The new models are the industry's first to use Tandem OLED displays supplied by the Korean tech giant (and LGD) and boast a few other innovations that garnered attention in the media.

A few examples are that the new iPad Pros are the thinnest Apple products ever made; they offer compatibility with a new high-tech Pencil Pro; their new M4 chip promises massive performance and efficiency gains; and these new iPad Pros boast a better thermal design.

Speaking of the thermal design, it is one of the most intriguing bits Apple revealed at its launch event. The tech giant thought of a clever and unique way to improve the iPad Pro's cooling through the Apple logo by turning it into a passive cooling element.

New iPad Pro's Apple logo acts as a heatsink

Apple's new iPad Pros boast more performance and better thermal management than previous models. In part, this is thanks to two new upgrades that facilitate heat dissipation.

First, Apple claims it has incorporated graphite sheets into the new iPad Pro's housing. Second, the Apple logo itself, located at the back of the iPad Pros, is now a part of the cooling design.

The Apple logo emblazoned on the new iPad Pros is made of copper. It acts as a heatsink that helps dissipate and transfer heat from the M4 chip and internal components.

Story continues after the video…

Apple claims the new iPad Pros offer 20% better cooling but hasn't revealed precisely how much this new copper logo contributes to these gains. Nevertheless, it seems a creative way to add functionality to the iconic Apple logo.

Unlike the “Samsung” letters engraved on the Galaxy Tab S9 series' back panels, the iPad Pro's Apple logo is more of a structural component with cooling properties, at least, according to Apple.

But even if we assume that the copper logo provides minimal cooling and very little real-world benefits, it is very clever marketing, if nothing else.

The post Apple’s logo is now a heatsink appeared first on SamMobile.

Apple recently announced a new series of iPads that compete with the Galaxy Tab S series. Incidentally, Samsung's latest high-end tablets are now available for a lower price. The company offers discounts of up to $220 on the Tab S9 series, and as an extra treat, Samsung is giving away free high-end wireless earbuds.

Through this limited-time deal, you will receive a new pair of Galaxy Buds 2 Pro for free when you buy the Galaxy Tab S9, the Tab S9+, or the Tab S9 Ultra. The offer applies to any memory configuration.

The Galaxy Buds 2 Pro earbuds usually cost $229, so this is a pretty great deal if you're in the market for a new high-end tablet and a pair of wireless buds. And the offer gets even better.

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Aside from the new pair of Galaxy Buds 2 Pro, Samsung also offers limited-time price cuts across the entire Galaxy Tab S9 series. Here's a break-down of all the Tab S9 deals you can find on Samsung's e-shop as of this writing:

• Save $100 on the 8GB + 128GB Galaxy Tab S9.
• Save $120 on the 12GB + 256GB Galaxy Tab S9.
• Save $100 on the 12GB + 256GB Galaxy Tab S9+.
• Save $120 on the 12GB + 512GB Galaxy Tab S9+.
• Save $150 on the 12GB + 256GB / 512GB Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra.
• Save $220 on the 16GB + 1TB Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra.

All these deals are available outright, for a limited time, without a trade-in. However, you can also save up to an extra $800 on the Tab S9 series if you have an older phone or tablet you want to exchange.

The Galaxy Tab S9 tablets are the best Android tablets you can buy and the only Android tablets that offer a decent stylus experience. The S Pen is included in the price.

All in all, this deal offers fantastic value, so you might not want to miss out. Hit the buy button below and grab a new Galaxy Tab S9 at a discount alongside a pair of Galaxy Buds 2 Pro earbuds for free while the offer stands.

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Apple's latest iPad Pros announced earlier this week must look quite interesting even for Samsung. The new models are the industry's first to use Tandem OLED displays supplied by the Korean tech giant (and LGD) and boast a few other innovations that garnered attention in the media.

A few examples are that the new iPad Pros are the thinnest Apple products ever made; they offer compatibility with a new high-tech Pencil Pro; their new M4 chip promises massive performance and efficiency gains; and these new iPad Pros boast a better thermal design.

Speaking of the thermal design, it is one of the most intriguing bits Apple revealed at its launch event. The tech giant thought of a clever and unique way to improve the iPad Pro's cooling through the Apple logo by turning it into a passive cooling element.

New iPad Pro's Apple logo acts as a heatsink

Apple's new iPad Pros boast more performance and better thermal management than previous models. In part, this is thanks to two new upgrades that facilitate heat dissipation.

First, Apple claims it has incorporated graphite sheets into the new iPad Pro's housing. Second, the Apple logo itself, located at the back of the iPad Pros, is now a part of the cooling design.

The Apple logo emblazoned on the new iPad Pros is made of copper. It acts as a heatsink that helps dissipate and transfer heat from the M4 chip and internal components.

Story continues after the video…

Apple claims the new iPad Pros offer 20% better cooling but hasn't revealed precisely how much this new copper logo contributes to these gains. Nevertheless, it seems a creative way to add functionality to the iconic Apple logo.

Unlike the “Samsung” letters engraved on the Galaxy Tab S9 series' back panels, the iPad Pro's Apple logo is more of a structural component with cooling properties, at least, according to Apple.

But even if we assume that the copper logo provides minimal cooling and very little real-world benefits, it is very clever marketing, if nothing else.

The post Apple logo is officially more functional than Samsung’s appeared first on SamMobile.

Apple recently announced a new series of iPads that compete with the Galaxy Tab S series. Incidentally, Samsung's latest high-end tablets are now available for a lower price. The company offers discounts of up to $220 on the Tab S9 series, and as an extra treat, Samsung is giving away free high-end wireless earbuds.

Through this limited-time deal, you will receive a new pair of Galaxy Buds 2 Pro for free when you buy the Galaxy Tab S9, the Tab S9+, or the Tab S9 Ultra. The offer applies to any memory configuration.

The Galaxy Buds 2 Pro earbuds usually cost $229, so this is a pretty great deal if you're in the market for a new high-end tablet and a pair of wireless buds. And the offer gets even better.

Story continues after the video…

Aside from the new pair of Galaxy Buds 2 Pro, Samsung also offers limited-time price cuts across the entire Galaxy Tab S9 series. Here's a break-down of all the Tab S9 deals you can find on Samsung's e-shop as of this writing:

• Save $100 on the 8GB + 128GB Galaxy Tab S9.
• Save $120 on the 12GB + 256GB Galaxy Tab S9.
• Save $100 on the 12GB + 256GB Galaxy Tab S9+.
• Save $120 on the 12GB + 512GB Galaxy Tab S9+.
• Save $150 on the 12GB + 256GB / 512GB Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra.
• Save $220 on the 16GB + 1TB Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra.

All these deals are available outright, for a limited time, without a trade-in. However, you can also save up to an extra $800 on the Tab S9 series if you have an older phone or tablet you want to exchange.

The Galaxy Tab S9 tablets are the best Android tablets you can buy and the only Android tablets that offer a decent stylus experience. The S Pen is included in the price.

All in all, this deal offers fantastic value, so you might not want to miss out. Hit the buy button below and grab a new Galaxy Tab S9 at a discount alongside a pair of Galaxy Buds 2 Pro earbuds for free while the offer stands.

The post Save up to $220 on Galaxy Tab S9 series, get Buds 2 Pro for free! appeared first on SamMobile.

Samsung's new Galaxy S24 flagships have been holding their value since their release earlier this year, which might be a testament to their success and Galaxy AI doing its magic to capture the imagination of prospective customers. The Galaxy S24 Ultra is rarely available at a discount with no strings attached, but Samsung makes up for it through an enhanced trade-in program and a $100 instant Samsung Credit offer.

As of this writing, you can save up to $750 when you trade in an older device for the Galaxy S24 Ultra, which means you could buy the new best flagship for as low as $549.

Granted, the only phone that has a trade-in value of $750 is the Galaxy S23 Ultra. So, if you want to trade up from the 2023 model, you can exchange your phone and pay $549 for the new flagship. You get new and more powerful hardware, better build quality with Gorilla Armor screen protection, better camera features, support for 7 OS upgrades, and more.

Story continues after the video…

You can also get $700 when you exchange the Galaxy Z Fold 5 or the iPhone 15 Pro Max. You can also save $550 or $600 if you trade in the Galaxy S21 Ultra or the Galaxy S22 Ultra, which means you can save a lot of money if you trade up from an older-than-2023 Ultra model.

There are plenty of great trade-in offers available on Samsung's e-shop, and in addition, you can also get a $100 instant Samsung Credit with your carrier if you don't pick the unlocked model.

Lastly, you can also save some cash through bundle deals. If you pair the Galaxy S24 Ultra with the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro, you can save $130. You can also bundle the Galaxy Watch 6 or Watch 6 Classic for an extra $193 or $239 when you buy the Galaxy S24 Ultra.

Hit the buy button below and get your new Galaxy S24 Ultra today through Samsung's enhanced trade-in offers.

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Samsung's unexpected Galaxy Tab S6 Lite 2024 refresh is slowly reaching more markets. The company has just launched the tablet in Malaysia, and it is now available for just over $315.

The Galaxy Tab S6 Lite (2024) was announced in March, but global availability varies by market. In Malaysia, the tablet is available with 128GB of storage and costs RM1,499.

In case you missed the news back in March, the Galaxy Tab S6 Lite (2024) is a refresh of a 2020 tablet. Samsung refreshed it first in 2022, and this year, it did it again.

The latest model is virtually identical to the previous ones, except that it ships with newer One UI 6.1 firmware and is powered by a more up-to-date Exynos 1280 SoC.

The old and refreshed components are wrapped in the same lightweight and slim durable metal unibody, and the 10.4-inch TFT LCD is surrounded by uniform bezels all around.

S Pen productivity on a budget

One of the main attractions of the Galaxy Tab S6 Lite (2024) is that it offers access to DeX (on-device) and the S Pen for a relatively low price.

Samsung DeX can turn the Galaxy Tab S6 Lite into a lightweight productivity machine, especially when paired with a keyboard. And One UI features such as Multi Window and Pop-Up View elevate the tablet's productivity potential even higher.

The S Pen is included in the box, which is good news for users who want to leverage the Notes app's handwriting capabilities or sketch and join drawing contests in apps like PENUP.

Thanks to the Exynos 1280 chip, the Galaxy Tab S6 Lite (2024) can also do some light gaming, but nothing too demanding. It's a decent budget tablet with DeX and productivity tools.

In Malaysia, the Galaxy Tab S6 Lite comes with 128GB of storage and 4GB of RAM, and it's available in two color options: Mint and Gray. A more powerful option with an S Pen and on-device DeX would be the Galaxy Tab S9 FE, but it has a higher price. The Galaxy Tab S6 Lite (2024) is a more budget-oriented tablet with some features that punch above its weight class.

Join SamMobile on social media for instant Samsung news updates, in-depth Galaxy device reviews, hot deals, and more.

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After a few months of waiting, Samsung's 2021 and 2022 flagship phones have finally started getting the highly anticipated One UI 6.1 update with Galaxy AI features. Yesterday, Samsung began the One UI 6.1 rollout for the Galaxy Z3 and Z4 lineups, the Galaxy S21 series, and the Galaxy S22 trio of 2022 flagships.

At the moment, the One UI 6.1 update is available only in Korea, but it should reach more markets soon, even though Samsung may have halted the update for the Galaxy S22 due to alleged boot issues.

In any case, this firmware release brings many new features and at least one under-the-hood change you need to be aware of if you're a latecomer to One UI 6.1 and are now waiting for this fresh release.

Without further ado, here are the first things you should do once you get One UI 6.1 on your 2021 or 2022 high-end phone.

Bring back Notification Categories

One of the One UI 6.1 update's quirks is that it hides the Notification Categories menu, preventing users from managing notification types on the go.

As you probably know, the brilliant Notification Categories feature lets One UI users choose which notification types they can receive from apps individually. For example, it lets you turn off miscellaneous and marketing notifications for apps while keeping other, more important notification types enabled.

More so, this feature lets users manage notification types on the fly by tapping and holding a notification they don't like and turning it off with just a few screen taps.

Although this feature is now hidden in One UI 6.1, it still exists, and you can bring it back. To do this, open the Settings app, access “Notifications,” go to “Advanced settings,” and tap the “Manage notification categories for each app” toggle ON.

Beware the missing Samsung gestures

One other change you need to be aware of once you update your phone to One UI 6.1 is that Samsung navigation gestures are gone. The only remaining options are on-screen nav buttons and the arguably superior Google navigation gestures.

However, if you prefer Samsung gestures and you're actively using them, you won't be able to once you update to One UI 6.1. But fortunately, there is a way to re-enable them.

You can bring Samsung gestures back through the NavStar Good Lock module, regardless of whether or not you're in a market where Good Lock is supported. Check out our full guide for more details on how to use Samsung gestures in One UI 6.1.

Try these Galaxy AI features

On the more enjoyable side of things, the One UI 6.1 update brings Galaxy AI to your older flagship phone. For 2022 Galaxy flagships, the AI suite consists of almost everything that debuted with the Galaxy S24 series, except for Instant Slow Mo inside the Gallery app.

For 2021 flagships, things look a bit sadder, as it seems like there's only one Galaxy AI feature available for the Galaxy Z Fold 3, Z Flip 3, and Galaxy S21 series, and that is Circle to Search.

Once you get One UI 6.1, you'll probably want to try some Galaxy AI tools before others. We recommend taking Generative Wallpaper, Generative Edit, and Circle to Search for a spin.

• To access Generative Edit, pinch the home screen, go to “Wallpaper and style,” tap “Change wallpapers,” select “Generative” under the Creative category, and start generating AI wallpapers based on keywords.
• To use Generative Edit, open the Gallery app, select an image you want to edit, tap the pencil-shaped button, and then press the Generative AI icon that looks like a couple of stars on a blue gradient background. Check our review for all you need to know about Generative AI.
• To use Circle to Search, simply tap and hold the home button/gesture handle and then circle around or tap objects on the screen to view relevant web searches. It's that simple.

Galaxy AI brings a few other tools you may try, albeit they are focused more on productivity. As long as you are using a 2022 flagship model with One UI 6.1, you can summarize articles in Samsung Internet and Samsung Notes, use the new AI-powered Interpreter, translate calls on the fly, and even change the tone of your messages with Chat Assist.

Lastly, you should keep in mind that you can manage most of these new Galaxy AI features individually by opening the Settings app, accessing “Advanced features,” and tapping “Advanced intelligence.”

The post Things to do once you get One UI 6.1 on your Galaxy phone appeared first on SamMobile.

The new Samsung TV lineup for 2024 brought with it massive discounts for the 2023 series. Prospective buyers who don't mind saving a couple of thousand dollars by buying a 2023 model are in for a treat, as they can now buy the Neo QLED 4K QN90C model and save up to a whopping 54%.

Thanks to a new limited-time discount on the QN90C 4K, the bigger the TV you buy, the more money you save:

• Buy the 55-inch Neo QLED QN90C for $1,199 and save $800.
• Buy the 65-inch Neo QLED QN90C for $1,599 and save $1,200.
• Buy the 75-inch Neo QLED QN90C for $1,999 and save $1,300.
• Buy the 85-inch Neo QLED QN90C for $2,199 and save $2,600.

Samsung's Neo QKED QN90C TV boasts advanced features such as a Mini LED backlight with thousands of dimming zones, a very bright 4K QLED panel with Neo Quantum HDR+, a refresh rate of up to 120Hz, and low latency for gaming.

The QN90C also sports a SolarCell Remote and supports Gaming Hub and Samsung TV Plus. And in terms of audio, it features a 4.2.2-channel speaker setup, Adaptive Sound+, Q-Symphony support, and Dolby Atmos. The QN90C supports the latest Tizen OS version, which has a more modern UI layout and a refreshed Settings menu.

As for the 2023 vs 2024 lineup, what you're missing out on by buying an earlier 2023 model consists mostly of AI-driven image processing and upscaling. The 2024 Neo QLED TVs supposedly offer better image processing through AI, but make no mistake: the 2023 versions still look fantastic a year after their release.

Hit the buy button below and buy the QN90C at a massive discount while the deal lasts.

The post Save up to 54% on Neo QLED 4K TVs appeared first on SamMobile.

The closer we get to the next Galaxy Unpacked event, the more I feel like my smartwatch is becoming less attractive. My Galaxy Watch 5's appeal is waning, and not because I'm anticipating Samsung to unveil a new smartwatch series at Unpacked but because I love the idea of the Galaxy Ring more every day while the realities of wearing a smartwatch are becoming harder to ignore.

Truth time. I've been using the Galaxy Watch 5 for about a year now, and I like all the new health, fitness, and sleep-related features it offers — features smartphones lack. I wear it because I like its functions, but here's the kicker: I dislike actively using the smartwatch in the true sense of the word.

The Galaxy Watch UI feels sluggish compared to my phone. The UI seems poorly optimized for the circular display. The simple act of touching tiny UI elements on the small circular screen to navigate the Watch has become tiresome. And the Watch 5 has started waking me up in the morning for no good reason.

After about a year of using my Galaxy Watch 5, I am now only wearing it for occasional fitness tracking and to tell the time when I'm leaving home. However, I don't use it as much as I used to, and I don't rely on the tiny screen to check my Samsung Health stats. I prefer viewing those statistics on the much more detailed and comfortable Samsung Health mobile app on my Galaxy S24+.

Galaxy Ring can't come soon enough

With the Galaxy Ring sparking my imagination, I realized that I don't want a smartwatch as much as I wish I had a minimalist solution to health and fitness tracking. A solution that could relay complete data to my smartphone and the full-fledged Samsung Health app.

At the moment, a Galaxy Watch is the best way to do that, as fitness bands aren't as accurate or complete as smartwatches. But once the Galaxy Ring comes along, it might turn out to be what I'm missing, i.e., a way to keep track of my health and fitness through the Health app on my phone instead of using another device with a screen. And without having to worry about battery life for yet another device that can't hold a charge for more than two days.

The Galaxy Ring isn't even out yet, and I'm already using the Galaxy Watch less every day. I keep forgetting to wear it because the wristband buckle gets in the way when I use my laptop. But I also no longer wear it as much as I used to for sleep tracking because the sensor lights have gone haywire.

What I dislike about my smartwatch:

• Wear OS and One UI Watch feel slow and choppy — from navigating the UI to answering calls and controlling media. Mediocre performance levels got annoying after a while.
• I've started ignoring many features that seemed cool at first but slowly became inconvenient and gimmicky due to performance, stability, and optimization issues.
• The UI is not optimized for the circular screen. And switching from One UI on a phone to One UI Watch leaves a sour taste and feels like I went back in time 10 years — and not in a good way.
• The UI often looks childish. And the smartwatch can look toyish.
• The wrist strap buckle gets in my way when using a laptop.
• Battery life is not bad, but not good enough for me to charge and forget about it for more than a day and a half. Yet another battery-powered device to worry about.
• Navigating Samsung Health features directly on the smartwatch is mostly a pointless gimmick when you have a much more functional Health app on your phone.
• Trying to use the Watch as a TV remote is a painful experience filled with stutters and delays.
• Even in Night Mode, the Watch keeps firing up all sensor lights on all cylinders in the early morning, often waking me up.

What I like about my smartwatch:

• It tracks health, fitness, and sleep data relatively accurately and relays it to my Health app.

Why I'd like to swap my Watch 5 for a Ring:

• In terms of Samsung Health, the Galaxy Ring should do everything my Watch 5 does, and more, without all the gimmicky features and the almost-useless screen.
• A simple design. A fitness tracker I can wear without worrying that I'll scratch my laptop when I rest my wrist on it as I type.
• One less reason to worry about battery life every 1-2 days.
• It doesn't add another slow and unresponsive touchscreen to my life.
• I can wear a stylish regular watch and continue to track my health and fitness.

To be fair, I would have never criticized the Galaxy Watch 5 as much if I didn't have an alternative. But soon, I will, and if it's as good as it looks, it might spell the end of smartwatches for me.

I loved my Galaxy Watch 5 until Samsung announced that the Galaxy Ring was on its way. Now, I can't wait to get rid of the smartwatch and replace it with what I think will be a superiorly-designed fitness and health tracker that doesn't get in your way. I'll happily trade my Galaxy Watch 5 for a Ring if the latter is as good as it sounds.

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The post I’m starting to hate my Galaxy Watch and can’t wait to swap it for a Ring appeared first on SamMobile.

We're seeing new reports from people experiencing green line display issues on their Samsung Galaxy phones. Almost like clockwork, these types of reports seem to be spiking once or twice a year, and a portion of affected customers usually claim that the green line defect happened after a firmware update.

The big question now is whether or not you should be afraid of updating the firmware on your Samsung Galaxy phone. Is it safe to update your device? Here's our take on the matter.

Can these hardware failures be caused by firmware updates?

First, what is the green line problem affecting some Samsung Galaxy phone customers? In short, it's a display issue of yet-unknown origins that manifests as one or more vertical green lines (sometimes purple) that run across a Galaxy phone's screen.

Many Galaxy phone models have reportedly had this issue, and, in fact, phones from other brands have experienced this as well — even iPhones equipped with OLED panels.

Is this a hardware problem? Is it an OLED-specific issue? Or can firmware updates break Galaxy phone screens in this manner?

Well, smartphones are complex devices, and unless Samsung comes out with an official statement, we can't be too sure of anything. What we can say is that, usually, green and/or purple vertical lines on a smartphone's display indicate a hardware failure — a bad display connection. Not just on Samsung phones but on more or less any device, from any brand, equipped with an OLED panel.

This kind of green line issue can have a few causes. For example, the OLED connection may have short-circuited because of liquid damage or other factors. Dropping the phone can also cause hardware damage and lead to these green line display issues.

There's also the possibility of manufacturing defects — although, in most cases, it's logical to assume that these manufacturing defects would be noticeable immediately upon powering up the phone rather than cropping up after a few years of usage.

But what about firmware updates? Can they cause these green-line issues?

Is it safe to update your Samsung phone?

Until more evidence comes to light, we can't be too sure of the causes behind the green line display issues that affect some Galaxy (and other) phones. However, most signs point to hardware failures and human nature rather than anything that has to do with software.

Some people claim it's all caused by firmware updates, and they've embraced that narrative on social media. But it's probably wiser to avoid sensationalized social media posts when it comes to trying to gain information on any issue. It's probably better to try to identify the same old patterns that crop up year after year and consider the few facts there are:

• There's an inherent failure rate for any consumer electronics. These green line issues happen, albeit rarely, with every phone brand. However, Samsung is the biggest phone OEM, so it will get the most attention.
• These green line display issue reports are minuscule in number compared to Samsung's phone sales figures. This issue is far from being as widespread as it may seem.
• These problems appear to affect users from India the most. However, many phone models not manufactured in India seem to be affected, which suggests this isn't a quality control issue at the Noida plant.
• Green line display problems seem to affect many models across different price ranges, including Galaxy A, M, S, and Z.
• Reports concerning the green line display problem often snowball once every few months. Media outlets pick up these user reports, after which more user reports crop up, and so on, creating a feedback loop.
• Some social media users looking for engagement have faked green-line issues.
• We shouldn't ignore the human element, i.e., there's always the possibility that a percentage of affected phone users have caused accidental damage to their phones, have had improper third-party screen repairs done to their phones, or are using third-party screens but omit these details in their reports. This makes it even more difficult to identify the real cause of the issue for users who should be eligible for an official explanation or free repairs.
• Green lines developing after a firmware update can be a mere coincidence. There's nothing linking these together other than conjecture.

Consider this: Samsung India now offers free limited-time display replacements for a few select affected devices.

Therefore, it's logical to assume that the company wouldn't go through all this trouble if it could fix these issues remotely through a firmware update. Rather, the limited-time free screen replacement program might indicate that at least a small number of these green line cases could be caused by a manufacturing defect, and Samsung might be using this limited-time program to investigate the problem further.

Likely, it's more unsafe to never update your phone again

Samsung releases firmware updates regularly — at least once a month for flagship models — which means some of these green line display issues can coincide with firmware update releases, even if the two are completely unrelated.

By the looks of things, it's probably safer to keep updating your phone with new security patches than it is to try to avoid the problem by never updating your phone again. There's a reason why security patches exist.

However, there's always that element of unknown, at least until more details come to light — if ever. So, if you want to be extra careful, you can always turn off automatic updates by opening the Settings app on your phone, accessing “Software update,” and toggling “Auto download over Wi-Fi” off. You can then try to monitor every new firmware update and wait for user reports for a few days or weeks before you update yourself.

The post Do Samsung firmware updates cause green line display issues? appeared first on SamMobile.

Samsung is bringing the beloved Galaxy S23 series back into the spotlight. The flagship trio released in 2023 is still in stock, but now, it's also available at lower prices through Samsung's Certified Re-Newed (CRN) program.

Marking the celebration of Earth Day, Samsung has just re-released the Galaxy S23 lineup through its Certified Re-Newed online store.

The CRN program aims to put used phones back into circulation, thus reducing waste and giving prospective customers more options to buy high-end phones for lower prices.

Think of it like this: The Galaxy S24 series went on sale at the beginning of the year, and many Galaxy S23 series users leveraged the trade-in program to upgrade from the S23 to the S24 at a discount.

Now, instead of throwing away or recycling those old phones, Samsung is bringing used Galaxy S23 models back into circulation, but not after extensive testing and refurbishing.

How much does a CRN Galaxy S23 phone cost?

Before any used Galaxy phones are sold through the CRN store, certified Samsung technicians run extensive tests consisting of 147 points of inspection. They replace parts where needed using genuine components.

Furthermore, every Certified Re-Newed phone comes with a year-long warranty and a brand-new battery.

As far as the Galaxy S23 series is concerned, it is available through the CRN store starting today for the following prices:

• 128GB and 256GB Galaxy S23 costs $619 and $669, respectively.
• 256GB and 512GB Galaxy S23+, available for $769 and $869.
• 256GB and 512GB Galaxy S23 Ultra, available for $919 and $1,069.

All three models are available only in one color — Phantom Black. And even though these Galaxy S23 phones originate mostly from trade-up customers, you can also buy one of these Certified Re-Newed devices at a lower price through trade-in. The program lets you save up to an extra $484.

Lastly, Samsung says that if you use the Shop Samsung app to buy a CRN Galaxy S23, you get a minimum of $300 guaranteed trade-in value.

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Samsung has introduced the ViewFinity S9 monitor to its Spring Sale 2024 event, which runs only this week. Today, the S9 monitor gets an impressive 47% discount.

The 27-inch ViewFinity S9 monitor gets a hefty $750 discount, which drops the price from $1,599 to $849. If you buy the monitor in four bi-weekly installments, you're looking at payments of only $212.50 instead of $400.

Samsung's ViewFinity S9 monitor is a great solution for people who want a 5K resolution on an IPS panel with a matte finish and pro-grade features. It's also one of the better options for Apple users who may want to connect a Mac or MacBook.

The ViewFinity S9 has 218 pixels per inch, 99% DCI-P3 coverage, factory-calibrated color accuracy, and users can also calibrate the monitor through the Smart Calibration tool, available for select Galaxy S, Note, Fold, and Flip devices, as well as iPhone 11 or later.

In terms of ports, the ViewFinity S9 has a Thunderbolt 4 port with 90W Power Delivery, three USB-C ports, and a Mini DisplayPort. Also included in the fantastic $849 discounted price is a SlimFit Camera, which can be detached, and a height-adjustable stand that can also tilt and rotate.

As an added bonus, the ViewFinity S9 is a smart monitor that runs Tizen OS and offers access to smart TV apps, streaming, and platforms like Samsung TV Plus and Gaming Hub (where applicable). It even ships with a TV remote.

Hit the Buy button below and grab the discounted ViewFinity S9 while this Discover Spring Sale deal lasts.

Image Credit: Samsung

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The Galaxy A54 was a turning point for the modern Galaxy A5x series. It paved the way for the current design language, which has a more minimalistic approach without exaggerated camera housings and with flatter surfaces. As a side effect, the Galaxy A53 is the last of its kind in the A5x series, and I must say, in 2024, it looks like it aged rather gracefully.

The Galaxy A53 is starting to show its age, both in terms of specifications and aesthetics. It certainly looks like it belongs to a different era of smartphones.

Nevertheless, to my surprise, seeing it up close again makes me think it doesn't look bad. In fact, I'd say the Galaxy A53 in 2024 aged much more like fine wine than vinegar.

At the very least, I think the Galaxy A53 aged better than other devices from the same year, including the Galaxy M53 and even the Galaxy S20 FE (2022), which, to be fair, was a re-release of a 2020 model.

Either way, the Galaxy A53's camera housing still has a touch of elegance and doesn't look too out of place in 2024. I wouldn't say the phone looks better than the Galaxy A54 or the upcoming A55, but it's beginning to have a sort of retro quality to it that stands out in an interesting way.

At the very least, I can say it is one of the better-looking devices from Samsung's previous design generation. And I know this is all subjective, and not everyone might agree with my view on the Galaxy A53's aesthetics, but that's just fine.

If you are looking to upgrade from the Galaxy A53 to a newer phone with a more updated design and better specs, Samsung is planning to announce the Galaxy A55 next week. As soon as Samsung confirms all of the Galaxy A55's specifications on March 11, we'll let you know why you may or may not want to switch to the latest model.

The post Is it just me, or has the Galaxy A53 design aged gracefully in 2024? appeared first on SamMobile.

Your Galaxy Z Flip 5 is one of the most uniquely designed smartphones on the market, and this originality requires some imaginative thinking from Samsung when it comes to creating accessories.

Samsung really put its mind to work to develop some of the Galaxy Z Flip 5's cases. And today, we're taking a look at the best Samsung accessories you can get for your foldable flip phone.

The iconic Galaxy Z Flip 5 FlipSuit Case

Let's start with one that is impossible to ignore: the FlipSuit Case. The Galaxy Z Flip 5 was Samsung's first smartphone to introduce the FlipSuit Case, and they really make a perfect match. In short, the FlipSuit Case is a transparent silicon case that looks quite average, yet it's anything but.

The beauty of the FlipSuit case lies in the interchangeable NFC cards you can slide between the case and the Galaxy Z Flip 5's back panel. These Interactive Cards come with unique designs but also enable new wallpapers and animations for the cover screen and the foldable display, new themes, icon packs, and more. Here are some examples:

The FlipSuit case itself costs $60, and Interactive Cards can usually be purchased separately for $15 each. The availability of FlipSuit case Interactive Cards differs by market, and you will have to refer to your local Samsung store to see which ones are available for your Galaxy Z Flip 5.

In the USA, at least, you can pair your Galaxy Z Flip 5 and FlipSuit Case with Interactive Cards such as:

• BTS Dynamite
• Marvel Black and White
• Pixar Buzz
• Disney Oh Boy Mickey
• Artist Collection Suit Case
• Artist Yeye Weller
• Minions
• Cookie Monster
• Polka Dot
• SKZOO Frame
• Smiley Face
• Keith Haring People

Not all of these Interactive Cards are always in stock, and the list is not exhaustive. Additional card designs for Galaxy Z Flip 5 FlipSuit cases can always appear in stock at Samsung's online shop.

Non-interactive Galaxy Z Flip 5 cases and other accessories

You can also pair your Galaxy Z Flip 5 with cases that aren't as bold as the FlipSuit case. The list includes:

• Galaxy Z Flip 5 Silicone Case with Ring — $40: Available in Indigo Blue, Mint, Lavender, Cream, and Apricot.
• Galaxy Z Flip 5 Clear Gadget Case — $50: Transparent but with an interchangeable ring on the back panel, which can be replaced with other accessories like pop-in grips and toks.
• Galaxy Z Flip 5 Flap Eco-Leather Case — $90: Available in Cream, Black, or Etoupe. It's an eco-leather case with a sleek look and a flap that protects the hinge.
• SHLDAir Galaxy Z Flip 5 Case — $45: The strongest case for your favorite foldable flip phone, designed to absorb the impact of falls from up to 13 feet. It has a magnetic hinge cover and a raised-edge aluminum shield for the cover screen.

Speaking of the cover screen, you can protect your Galaxy Z Flip 5's cover display with the Front Protection Film, available for $19.99. It's cut specifically for the unique shape of the Z Flip 5's cover display and provides a smooth and responsive touchscreen experience.

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Yesterday, we brought to light a trademark application pertaining to a new Samsung device called the Book 4 Edge. We thought about it for a bit and guessed that the Book 4 Edge might be Samsung's first Windows 11 on ARM laptop. Now, an online benchmark is lending weight to our prediction.

The Galaxy Book 4 Edge by Samsung popped up in the online benchmark Geekbench earlier today (via Windows Latest). The laptop runs Windows 11 Home (64-bit) and is powered by the Snapdragon X Elite CPU and 16GB of RAM.

Qualcomm previously said it is looking for partners for its new Snapdragon X Elite chip, and this benchmark, if legitimate, confirms that Samsung is on the list.

Conversely, this benchmark also seems to indicate that Samsung is not yet ready to create its own Exynos ARM-based chip for laptops. And that's probably a good thing at the moment, seeing how the company is busy proving that it sorted out Exynos for mobile phones.

Plenty of power for Windows on ARM devices

Synthetic benchmark scores for the Galaxy Book 4 Edge laptop powered by the Snapdragon X Elite chip look promising. The laptop scored 2,706 points in single-core and 12,646 points in multi-core tests in Geekbench 6.2.2.

Comparing these scores to Apple's M1, M2, and M3 chips, it looks like the Snapdragon X Elite beats the first two but is outperformed by the M3. Apple M Pro chips excluded.

Of course, in practice, the M and Snapdragon X Elite chips run in very different environments, i.e., MacOS and Windows 11 on ARM, which means these benchmark figures might not necessarily say which chip performs better in the real world. Apple has optimized its M chips for MacOS very well, and it remains to be seen if we can say the same about the Snapdragon X Elite and Windows 11 on ARM.

Interestingly, recent rumors say Qualcomm's new chip will also power the upcoming Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 and Surface Pro 10 tablet PC. Samsung's Galaxy Book 4 Edge will inevitably compete with Microsoft's Surface line, but whether this Book 4 Edge is a regular notebook, a 2-in-1 with a 360-degree hinge, or a tablet PC with a detachable keyboard is to be determined.

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The Galaxy S24 series is getting all the attention nowadays, but your Galaxy S22 series device is treating you just fine. Whether you own the base model, the Plus, or the Ultra, you're not ready to give up on your Galaxy S22 just yet, and that's fine by us. We think the 2022 model is still a great phone, regardless of whether it's the Snapdragon or Exynos variant.

Nevertheless, after two years of usage, you may feel like your Galaxy S22, Galaxy S22+, or Galaxy S22 Ultra's battery doesn't last as long as it used to on a single charge. You want to keep using the phone and wish its battery could last as it used to.

Or perhaps the screen has too many scratches, and the frame is too scuffed. You'd like to give your Galaxy S22, S22+, or S22 Ultra a shiny new look without breaking the bank.

However, your phone is out of warranty, and you're not sure where to start. Well, this might be just the place. Stick around, and we'll try pointing you in the right direction for all the information you need.

What are your options to renew your Galaxy S22-series device?

Samsung offers in-store repairs in every market. In addition, in some markets like the USA, UK, Europe, India, and others, the company may also offer doorstep repair services, mail-in options, and pick-up repair services.

And if you're a DIY enthusiast, Samsung has launched the Self-Repair program in several markets, including the USA and Europe. This option lets you buy the parts and tools you need to replace your Galaxy S22's battery and screen yourself. Samsung also provides online instructions through its partners, such as iFixit.

You can save some money using the DIY Self-Repair program, but there's the risk of damaging other Galaxy S22 components. It's a risk you'll have to decide whether or not you want to take.

Ultimately, it's up to you to decide which repair method works best. You should be able to find more information about the repair options available in your market on Samsung's website. Here are a few examples:

• Samsung support and service page for the USA.
• Samsung Self-Repair services for the USA.
• Samsung support and service page for the UK.
• Samsung Self-Repair services for the UK.
• Samsung support and repairs in the Netherlands.
• Samsung Self-Repair services in the Netherlands.
• Samsung Service India.

What can you repair on your Galaxy S22, S22+, and S22 Ultra?

One key thing to remember if you want to replace your Galaxy S22, S22+, or S22 Ultra's battery or screen is that they often come together in one kit. In most markets, you can replace either your screen or the entire screen module, which includes the display, metal frame, and battery.

However, in most markets, you cannot change only the battery without the other components. The battery replacement kit usually includes the screen assembly.

As for prices, we'll use the US market as an example. Here's an estimate of what you should expect to pay for a screen or screen module replacement for your Galaxy S22 device if you want Samsung to do the work:

• Galaxy S22 screen repair — $174.
• Galaxy S22+ screen repair — $199.
• Galaxy S22 Ultra screen repair — $249.
• Galaxy S22 screen module (display+battery+frame) replacement — $199.
• Galaxy S22+ screen module replacement — $229.
• Galaxy S22 Ultra screen module replacement — $289.

If you want to DIY and use the Self-Repair program, as of this writing, Samsung's partner iFixit offers assemblies (display + battery + frame), with and without the tools you need for DIY repairs, for the following prices:

• Galaxy S22 screen + battery + frame module for $159 / $166 with iFixit tool kit.
• Galaxy S22+ screen + battery + frame for $182 / $189 with iFixit tool kit.
• Galaxy S22 Ultra screen + battery + frame $232 / $239 with iFixit tool kit.

You can renew and personalize your Galaxy S22

One last tip we have for you is that, if you go the DIY route and use Samsung's Self-Repair program to renew your Galaxy S22, S22+, or S22 Ultra, nothing is stopping you from mixing and matching colors and creating combos that even Samsung hasn't offered.

The repair kits for the Galaxy S22 don't include the back panel. You can buy those separately, but let's assume you don't have to. Well, nobody says you can't mix, for example, your Dark Green Galaxy S22 back panel with a Dark Gray or Pink Gold metal frame.

As long as you find the right color choices in stock for screen modules + frames, you can create dozens of color combinations that were never officially on sale for the Galaxy S22 series.

The post What does it take to replace your Galaxy S22’s battery or screen? appeared first on SamMobile.

Samsung kicked off the month of March with new challenges for Samsung Health and PENUP users. As usual, the new Samsung Health challenge is a month-long, and PENUP artists can participate in a two-week contest before the theme changes in mid-March.

Here are the current live challenges. For Samsung Health, the March theme is “Jungle.” Samsung asks participants if they've become too dependent on high-tech devices and invites them to “Imagine getting lost in a jungle where you're totally unplugged from technology. Things may be uncomfortable, but think of it as an adventure.”

As for the PENUP challenge, it began on March 1 and will end on March 15. The theme is “Let's Draw School,” and as usual, Samsung wrote a fairly lengthy introduction to the challenge to set the mood and inspire digital painters.

There's always room for interpretation with these PENUP challenges, but Samsung encourages PENUP users to “Take on this month's challenge by drawing schools you attended in the past, the memories you have from school, or schools from our future.”

If you want to participate in these March challenges, open Samsung Health on your Galaxy phone, access the “Together” tab, and accept the Jungle challenge.

As for PENUP, you can access the “Challenges” tab from the app's main screen, tap the “Let's Draw School” banner at the top, and tap the cup-shaped button in the lower right corner. Before you start drawing, as usual, you can also view submissions from other PENUP users and read the challenge's description by tapping “Introduction.”

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For every few great new features and changes in One UI 6.1, there's one that makes me wonder what Samsung was thinking. Don't get me wrong, I love the Galaxy S24+ and One UI 6.1 so far, but some aspects go against my idea of improvement.

As I pointed out before, one such issue has to do with the Notification Categories feature, which One UI 6.1 hides behind a new and arguably useless menu that only serves to make this incredibly useful and streamlined tool unnecessarily obscure. Especially for new users who may not know this feature ever existed.

But, anyway, here's another change in One UI 6.1 that I simply don't understand and bugs me. It's in a similar vein as Notification Categories, i.e., a primary feature that used to be highly accessible and is now inexplicably hidden behind extra menus.

Voice Recorder took steps backward with the Galaxy S24 series

The Voice Recorder app in One UI 6.0 and earlier versions lets users pick between the Standard and Interview recording modes straight from the home screen. In my mind, it makes perfect sense to have these two main modes at the forefront of the Voice Recorder UI. It's sensible to let users choose the best recording mode for each situation with ease.

Here's what the Voice Recorder app's home screen looks like in One UI 6.0, with easy-to-reach “Standard” and “Interview” selection buttons.

Voice Recorder modes in One UI 6.0

Now, moving on to One UI 6.1. True enough, the Voice Recorder app gained very useful new Galaxy AI features like summarize, transcribe, and translate — at least for the Standard recording mode. But for whatever reason, the update also hid the Standard and Interview recording options deep into the app's settings menu. These modes are now four taps away instead of just one.

Voice Recorder modes in One UI 6.1

Needless to say, if you want to record audio with your Galaxy S24, you better go through the app's settings menu and make sure you have the right option selected for the occasion every time you want to start a recording. It's convoluted for no reason, and I'm adamant that the old UI design was superior.

Perhaps Samsung moved the two recording modes to a new menu to ensure that people read the detailed information about each one and understand the Interview mode's AI limitations. Even so, the execution is far from ideal. If you ask me, a new “Recording Mode” shortcut button on the app's home screen would have been much better than hiding this new mode menu deep into the settings screen.

With the next big update, I'm hoping Samsung will address some of these odd UI shortcomings that cropped up on the Galaxy S24 series. I do love the Galaxy S24+, but sometimes, it feels like One UI 6.1 took a few steps back, and it's hard to understand Samsung's decision-making process.

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Samsung announced its Discover Spring Sale 2024 event last week. Officially, the event starts this Monday and ends Sunday, March 10. However, we have some good news for Samsung fans who might want to start doing discount shopping this weekend. The Early Access Discover Spring Sale event is already underway until March 3.

These exclusive Early Access deals are available when you use the links below. You can save on watches, tablets, smartphones, and monitors. Here's all you need to know:

• Save up to $70 on the Galaxy Watch 6 Classic.
• Save up to $120 on the Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra.
• Get up to $1,000 enhanced trade-in credit on the Galaxy S24 Ultra or S24+, in addition to $100 extra credit. Available for AT&T and T-Mobile variants.
• Save up to $600 on the 49-inch Odyssey OLED G9 curved gaming monitor.

As usual, the deals work whether you buy these devices outright or through a monthly installment plan via Samsung Financing. Do keep in mind that these exclusive deals are available only throughout the weekend, and make sure you use the links above.

In case you miss out on these exclusive discounts, fret not. Samsung will launch new ones for other products throughout the week. We will highlight the best deals every day, so stay tuned.

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The Galaxy S24 series is chock-full of Galaxy AI features, some of which have not even been advertised. Nevertheless, these clever Advanced Intelligence technologies from Samsung exist and can open up new and interesting possibilities if you know where to find them.

Here's one you might not be aware of. Samsung added a new AI-powered Gallery feature that can turn any Motion Photos captured with the Galaxy S24 into long-exposure photos. Here's all you need to know.

Motion Photos can now be long-exposure photos

When the Motion Photo option is turned on in the Camera viewfinder, your Galaxy S24 captures a short video alongside your photo. And now, with the power of AI, these short videos, a.k.a. Motion Photos, can be turned into long-exposure photos via the Gallery app.

Below is our short TikTok video demonstrating how you can take advantage of this AI tool on your Galaxy S24. Make sure you check it out and stay tuned for more tips and tricks.

@sammobileofficial

Galaxy S24 Long Exposure HACK! #galaxys24 #samsungtips #samsungmobile #samsunggalaxy #galaxyai #fyp #foryoupage

♬ original sound – SamMobile Official

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Samsung's Galaxy Book laptops and Galaxy mobile devices are getting better integrated every year. Features like Second Screen work great across One UI for tablets and Windows OS on Galaxy Books. And recently, the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro earbuds received a firmware update that enabled Auto Switch for the new Galaxy Book 4 series.

Meanwhile, Samsung is now making big moves to become a better health and fitness-oriented mobile device brand, and to this end, the company will release its first smart ring, the Galaxy Ring, later this year.

This new wearable has health and fitness tracking capabilities like a Galaxy Watch and even enables additional sleep-tracking features that are not yet available to Galaxy Watch users, i.e., respiratory rate tracking, heart, night movement, and sleep latency tracking.

With such a powerful push into the health and fitness market and cross-device features becoming more prevalent, I think it might be time for Samsung to expand the Health platform to include Galaxy Books laptops.

Samsung Health for laptops would even outsmart Apple

It took a long while for Samsung to bring its Health app to tablets, but it happened with the Galaxy Tab S9 series. Now, Samsung is expanding its wearable lineup with new Galaxy Fit and Galaxy Ring devices. And as Galaxy Book laptops are seemingly becoming more interconnected with mobile devices, it makes sense, in my mind, for the Health platform to expand its reach even further.

The Galaxy Ring should be a no-nonsense fitness and health tracker for all. It has the opportunity to become ubiquitous among health and fitness enthusiasts, as it works seamlessly in the background and doesn't have unnecessary gimmicks or distractions. And I think it would only be fitting for Galaxy Ring users to have the option to check their health and fitness data through their Galaxy Book laptops.

In doing so, Samsung would prove that the Galaxy Ring and its Health platform are designed for every type of user. It seems fitting for Samsung, an official sponsor of the Olympic Games, to overcome platform-specific limitations.

This move could even attract customers from Apple's camp. The Cupertino giant's Health app doesn't work on MacBooks, possibly to lure customers into buying iPhones and iPads. Samsung could, and should, in my opinion, show Apple how it's done.

Editor's Note: The mobile Samsung Health app can be accessed on the Galaxy Book series through the Phone Link software. However, it's not a native solution for Windows OS. It's more like mirroring your mobile Health app to your laptop. Nevertheless, you can technically access Samsung Health on a Galaxy Book via Phone Link if you connect your Galaxy laptop and phone. That's better than nothing, but there is plenty of room for improvement.

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This might be your last chance to buy the Odyssey Ark 2nd Gen. gaming screen from Samsung at a significant price cut. The company offers a $1,000 discount on this 55-inch monitor and says the promotional period ends on March 3.

The Odyssey Ark 2nd Gen. costs $2,999 outright or $125.01 a month when purchased through a 24-month Samsung Financing agreement. However, if you take advantage of this deal, you can buy the giant 55-inch screen for $1,999 outright or $83.34 a month.

Samsung's Odyssey Ark 2nd Gen. is an impressive 55-inch Quantum Mini-LED curved gaming monitor with a 4K resolution, a gray-to-gray response time of 165Hz, and FreeSync Premium Pro.

The panel has a 1000R curve, which looks spectacular, and just as spectacular is the versatile stand that allows this giant 55-inch gaming screen to rotate to 90 degrees in Cockpit Mode.

We had the chance to check out the original Odyssey Ark a couple of years ago, and you can view our video below for a general idea of what to expect. The 2nd generation model was announced in October 2023. It brings four-way Multi-View connectivity and replaces one HDMI 2.1 port with a DisplayPort.

Story continues after the video

This monitor also has a built-in KVM switch, allowing you to switch between different sources and control them using a single mouse and keyboard set. And the Ark Dial controller offers quick access to Multi-View, Game Bar, Flex Move Screen options, as well as Gaming Hub, TV Plus, and other smart TV apps.

This 55-inch screen boasts HDR10+ and can reach 600 nits of peak brightness with full-array local dimming. The monitor also embeds a 60W audio setup with Dolby Atmos support.

If you don't want to miss out on a $1,000 discount, make sure you hit the Buy button below and take advantage of this limited-time offer before March 3. You never know when Samsung might bring back a deal for the Odyssey Ark 2nd Gen. that is as good as this one.

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Included in the Galaxy AI suite for the Galaxy S24 series is a Generative Wallpaper tool. You may have heard of it, and it is one of the funner sides of Galaxy AI for Samsung's latest flagships. If you already have used Generative Wallpapers on your Galaxy S24, here's a neat little trick you might want to try.

Fun fact: The wallpapers generated by the AI on the Galaxy S24 are wider than they appear. They're not precise 19.5:9 rectangular images. They contain more AI-generated scenery than it seems, but they're cropped to fit the Galaxy S24's home screen.

Unfortunately, because Samsung doesn't offer an option to save these Generative Wallpapers as image files, and because they don't appear in the Gallery, you can't view the whole AI-generated picture at once. But if you are having fun with these AI wallpapers, there is a way to see more than meets the eye.

View Generative Wallpapers in landscape mode

It turns out that Generative Wallpapers for the Galaxy S24 series are optimized for both portrait and landscape modes. Better yet, landscape wallpapers are not just cropped versions of portrait wallpapers.

If you allow your Galaxy S24's home screen to show content in landscape mode and rotate your phone 45 degrees, you will see that your AI-generated wallpapers are wider than they appear in portrait mode. Take a look at the examples below.

Wallpapers viewed in landscape mode are cropped at the top and bottom, but they will show more content to the sides — content you'll never see in portrait orientation.

As far as we can tell, this is the only official way to get a more complete view of the wallpapers you can generate with the help of AI on the Galaxy S24 series. But hopefully, Samsung will add more settings and options soon.

Until then, if you want to have a bit more fun with your AI wallpapers, you can try this trick by pinching the home screen, accessing “Settings” by tapping the cogwheel icon, and turning on the “Rotate to landscape mode” option.

If you are going to generate more AI wallpapers on your Galaxy S24, keep in mind that there is a limit of 15 wallpapers you can create before old designs are replaced by new ones.

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Samsung continues to be a global Olympic and Paralympic partner, and last month, the company revealed its slogan for the 2024 Summer Olympic Games in Paris. Now, in anticipation of the Olympics, Samsung has announced a new partnership with the Dutch Basketball Association.

Basketball is the fastest growing sport in the Netherlands. Now, the Dutch Basketball Association has entered a 3-year partnership with the Korean tech giant Samsung.

The company will support basketball in its entirety as a sponsor. But interestingly, Samsung says its main focus in the run-up to the 2024 Summer Olympics will be 3×3 basketball.

Streetball is taking over, and Samsung is there for it

Not only is Basketball the fastest growing sport in the Netherlands, with the country earning eleven medals at the European and World Championships over the past two years, but 3×3 basketball has also become the number one urban team sport globally.

3-on-3 street basketball, or streetball, puts two teams of three players against one another in matches that last up to 10 minutes or until one team scores 21 points.

Because streetball has a different set of rules than court basketball, it makes for a dynamic and spectacular game with innovative moves and great teamwork, where quick decision-making skills can make the difference between winning and losing.

Samsung is supporting all the Dutch 3×3 basketball teams at the 2024 Olympic Summer Games in Paris. The men's teams have at least two chances to qualify for the Olympic Games, while the women's teams can participate in three qualifying tournaments as European champions.

Exactly how Samsung will support the basketball teams in the Netherlands isn't entirely clear, and we don't know if the players will get money and/or Samsung devices out of this partnership. However, the director of the Dutch Basketball Federation, Maarten Hoffer, says:

“Our sport is growing in every possible way. The fact that a leading, innovative brand like Samsung is committed to our sport as a partner shows where Dutch basketball stands: we are proud of that. Samsung has all the knowledge and technology in-house to help make basketball, and 3×3 basketball in particular, even better and more popular in our country.”

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This year, Samsung continued its three-pronged strategy for Galaxy S flagships and released three variants of its S24 series, including the base model, the top-tier Galaxy S24 Ultra, and the middle-of-the-road Galaxy S24+. Now, it's time to present our video review of the latter.

We believe the Galaxy S24+ might be the default choice for many prospective Samsung flagship buyers who don't want a foldable phone or the Ultra model with an S Pen. And thankfully, for these customers, this year's Plus model just got a bit more premium flavor, separating itself further from the base variant.

Ultra-grade screen, great design, fantastic battery life

Samsung's new S24+ has a higher QHD resolution, just like the Ultra model, and can achieve 2,600 nits of brightness, again, just like the Ultra.

The phone is decently sized and has the same high-quality build you'd find on the rest of the series, save for the fact that it doesn't have the Ultra's titanium frame or Gorilla Armor glass. Nevertheless, the Galaxy S24+ looks and feels exquisite.

On the more practical side of things, the Galaxy S24+ is bigger than the base model, which makes it a better multimedia device. Besides, it is a battery monster. The 4,900mAh battery with 45W charging really stands the test of time and offers fantastic autonomy on a single charge.

Without further ado and spoilers (assuming you haven't read our full written Galaxy S24+ review), check out our video review below for all of our thoughts and conclusions on this device.

On a final note, in case you might be wondering, the Galaxy S24+ does ship with One UI 6.1 and the same Galaxy AI tools as the Galaxy S24 Ultra.

These Galaxy AI features open up new possibilities and even break down language barriers. They let users translate voice calls in real time, transcribe audio, summarize documents and webpages, edit photos faster than ever, and search the web for anything on their screens through Circle to Search.

If all this sounds tempting and you're considering buying the Galaxy S24+, make sure you dig into Samsung's online shop for potential discounts, trade-in deals, and bundle offers. You may also want to try the Shop Samsung mobile app, where the company sometimes offers exclusive deals.

The post Our Galaxy S24+ video review is up. Is this the best flagship without S Pen? appeared first on SamMobile.

Samsung's Portable T5 EVO SSD is the best at offering a high capacity in a compact form factor. It's sturdy and drop resistant, easy to carry, has great Magician Software features, and now, it's cheaper thanks to a limited-time discount.

The Portable T5 EVO SSD comes in three storage configurations, starting at a whopping 2TB and topping out at 8TB, with a 4TB option in between.

The higher the storage, the higher the price, evidently. And the 2TB, 4TB, and 8TB T5 EVO SSDs usually cost $189, $349, and $649, respectively.

Now, you can save $15 on the 2TB model and buy it for $174, $30 on the 4TB variant and buy it for $319, or $80 on the 8TB storage configuration and buy it for $569.

Story continues after the video

This portable SSD from Samsung weighs only 102 grams and measures 40 x 95 x 17mm. It has a titanium-plated ring, shock resistance, and fall protection up to 6 feet. The drive uses the USB 3.2 Gen 1 interface and offers sequential read and write speeds of up to 460 MB/s.

Data protection is handled by 256-bit AES Hardware Encryption, and through the Samsung Magician Software, users can update the SSD's firmware, assess the performance, test genuine validation, backup data, check the drive's health, and more.

Especially with this ongoing deal, the T5 EVO is a fantastic portable SSD for customers who are looking for a lot of storage at a reasonable price and don't necessarily care about having the fastest performance. This SSD is great for PCs, laptops, smartphones, and even gaming consoles unless you want to install the latest-generation games, which require special SSD storage solutions that are more than 10x faster than USB 3.2 Gen 1 drives.

Hit the Buy button below if you want to take advantage of this limited-time discount while it lasts and grab the Portable T5 EVO SSD at a great price.

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One very unexpected side effect of using the Galaxy S24+ for the past few weeks is that I'm no longer interested in Samsung's vivid display mode. I know! The vivid mode is iconic among Galaxy phone users, and like many others, I have used it exclusively for years. It was my default setting for Samsung's AMOLED panels, even if it made them unrealistically colorful.

At some point, using Vivid mode was a way to show off the uniqueness of AMOLED and remind yourself that you're using a Galaxy phone rather than an iPhone or a boring Android device. Vivid wasn't necessarily better than the natural screen mode but stood out in a world of Android phones whose LCD panels were neither vivid nor natural but only dull.

However, many things have changed over the past half a decade, and that time's long gone. I must admit I feel like I've been stuck in an obsolete mindset for the past few years without even realizing it, and I am just now, ahem, recalibrating my perception, all because Samsung's Galaxy S24 series does things differently.

Natural is more beautiful

Samsung calibrated the vivid mode differently on the Galaxy S24 series, making it look less vibrant. And after weeks of using the Plus model, I feel like I've seen the light and snapped out of a colorful fever dream.

Whether willingly or by mistake, Samsung converted me to using more natural colors on my Galaxy phone after years of staring into oversaturated tones. And even though the company has been working on recalibrating the S24 series' vivid mode for customers who miss those accentuated colors, I'm no longer among those interested.

I'm not suggesting Samsung should not update the vivid mode for Galaxy S24 users who want their displays to have an extra splash of color, but I am saying that Samsung (willingly or not) tricked me into not caring about vivid mode any longer. And I think it's for the better.

Within my sphere of natural colors rendered by my Neo QLED TV, PC monitor, laptop screen, and even smartwatch, it's hard to understand why I thought the vivid color mode on my Galaxy phone was the only reasonable option. I now realize that it was probably out of force of habit more than anything else. And, let's face it, Samsung's marketing magic from many years ago may have also lingered in my subconscious and played a role.

Nevertheless, it feels as though the Galaxy S24+ dispelled that magic for me. And now that I have used the latest flagship with a more natural color profile, I am not looking forward to reusing bright and vivid tones. I won't. I have already switched to the natural color mode on the Galaxy S24+. And once the vivid color mode firmware update reaches my phone, it won't make a lick of difference to my user experience.

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The SmartThings app is the centerpiece of any Samsung IoT ecosystem that contains multiple devices. Galaxy phone and tablet users rely on the SmartThings app to control various aspects of their Samsung setups, from smart TVs to wearables and Bespoke home appliances, as well as services, routines, scenes and more.

But here's a quick tip you might be unaware of. Did you know there's a much easier and faster way to control your SmartThings device ecosystem than by opening the SmartThings app? Here's all you need to know.

Control your SmartThings ecosystem without opening the app

Once you have everything set in SmartThings, you can control devices, routines, scenes and more from your Galaxy phone's or tablet's quick panel. You don't even have to open the SmartThings app if you don't want to.

Here's how you can do this on mobile devices that run the latest One UI versions, such as the Galaxy S24.

Swipe the status bar down twice (or once using two fingers) to access the quick toggle area. Then, tap the rectangular “Device Control” button. That's all! You can now control your SmartThings devices, routines, services, scenes, and more from this quick panel area. And there's a convenient “Open app” button if you really want to dive deeper into the SmartThings mobile app.

As you may have guessed, you can also customize this Device Control quick panel in One UI by adding other IoT platforms besides SmartThings, changing some security settings concerning the visibility of your SmartThings controls on the lock screen, and customizing which devices, scenes, services, and so on show up in the Device Control quick panel. Try experimenting with this feature and find your best setup.

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Samsung is getting ready for springtime and has announced a new Discover sales event for the season. The company says spring is “the perfect time to gear up and get moving on your goals,” and wants to help its customers on that task with new deals, starting the week after next.

For the first time, this year's Discover Spring Sale event will offer “Mystery Deals” across four categories — mobile, monitors, home entertainment, and monitors. But today, the company also offered a sneak preview of some of the deals you can expect during the week starting March 4.

Regarding Mystery Deals, Samsung will host four hidden images on its official website every day, starting at 9 am ET. Visitors will be able to click these images to discover that day's Mystery Deals before they expire the following morning at 8:59 am ET.

Discover Spring Sale — what discounts can you expect?

Samsung is offering a glimpse of some of the deals it has prepared for the upcoming Discover Spring Sale event, including discounts on Bespoke home appliances, smart TVs, and even the Galaxy S24+.

• Throughout the entire week, starting March 4, Samsung will cut $500 off Bespoke Ultra Capacity Electric Dryer and Ultra Capacity Front Load Washer.
• On March 4, the Bespoke 4-door French Door Refrigerator in Charcoal Glass and Matte Black Steel will cost $1,500 less.
• March 4-10: 50-inch The Frame TV gets $200 cheaper.
• On March 9, the 49-inch Odyssey G9 Curved Gaming Monitor will be $500 cheaper.
• The 65-inch S90C OLED TV gets a $900 discount for the entire week starting March 4.
• March 4-10 the Q900C 7.1.2 Wireless Dolby Atmos soundbar gets a $400 discount.
• On March 6, you'll be able to save up to 73% on the 512GB Galaxy S24+ through an enhanced trade-in offer, $50 Samsung Credit, and a free memory upgrade.

If you're planning on gearing up this spring and want to save some cash while you're at it, stick around. We'll keep our eyes peeled on Samsung's online store for more Discover Spring Sale 2024 offers and bring you extra details as soon as they become available.

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When Samsung announced the high-capacity Portable T5 EVO SSD in November, the storage solutions went on sale in numerous across Asia, Europe, and North America. Nevertheless, some markets lagged behind and did not offer the T5 EVO SSD at that time. Now, they're catching up.

Today, Samsung announced the release of the Portable T5 EVO SSD in Vietnam. The storage drive will be available in three configurations with 2TB, 4TB, and of course, 8TB.

As of this writing, the Portable T5 EVO SSD is listed on Samsung's online shop in Vietnam but is not yet buyable. However, prices for Vietnam are official for the 2TB and 8TB T5 EVO variants. They will go on sale for the suggested retail prices of VND 4,749,000 ($193) and VND 16,229,000 ($661), respectively. Oddly, prices for the 4TB model are missing.

Massive storage in a compact design

In Vietnam, Samsung presents the Portable T5 EVO SSD as a great alternative to traditional hard disk drives (HDDs), as it provides the largest storage capacity available today and 3.8x faster transfer rates via USB 3.2 Gen 1.

The Portable T5 EVO can reach sequential read and write speeds of up to 460MB/s and can use Samsung's fantastic Magician Software for maintenance, firmware updates, data backup, performance assessments, genuine validation testing, real-time health checks, and more.

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Samsung also says the Portable T5 EVO is durable and can survive drops from up to 2 meters high. The drive is AES 256-bit hardware encrypted. It works with desktop and laptop PCs, tablets, smartphones, and other device types. It's compatible with Windows, Android, and MacOS operating systems.

Portable T5 EVO SSD buyers in Vietnam benefit from a 3-year warranty. The drive is available in one color combination featuring a black body and a gray titanium-plated ring. True to the “Portable” name, the drive weighs only 102 grams and measures 40 x 95 x 17mm, making it extremely compact and lightweight.

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If you own a Samsung TV with access to the Gaming Hub platform, you may have tried and enjoyed using the Xbox Game Pass cloud gaming service on your TV for a monthly fee. Now you're convinced you want to play more console games on your Samsung big screen, and you may be thinking of upgrading from cloud gaming to a full-fledged Xbox console.

If that's the case, you have two options. You either buy the cheaper Xbox Series S or the more powerful Xbox Series X. The latter can offer higher image fidelity and has an optical disk drive, which opens up a whole other realm of games available on physical disks. It's a great feature for game collectors.

But gaming hardware is expensive — is what you might be thinking. Well, yes, it can be, especially if you are looking to buy a high-end gaming PC. But gaming consoles are a lot more affordable and reasonably priced.

The upgraded Xbox Series S with 1TB of storage and a controller is usually available for only $350. Or, even better, right now, you could save some cash on the more powerful Xbox Series X model and accessories.

Grab an Xbox Series X and accessories at discount prices

Best Buy has a limited-time offer, and if you hit the orange “Buy” button below, you can buy an Xbox Series X and save $50. Usually, the Xbox Series X costs $500, but you can now buy it for $450.

The Xbox Series X has 1TB of storage and includes a controller. However, if you'd like a second controller, you could use the $50 you saved on the console to buy an Xbox Series controller at a discount. It's now available for $45 instead of the usual $60.

And if you really want to deck out your Xbox Series X console and add more storage on top of the on-board 1TB, the official Seagate Storage Expansion Card NVMe SSD is also available for a lower price at Best Buy. You can save $60 on the 1TB or 2TB Expansion Cards and buy them for $160 or $340, respectively. Hit the “Buy” button below for more details.

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