Samsung introduced several AI-powered features with the Galaxy S24. Samsung called the Galaxy S24 its first AI Phone. It is the first smartphone brand to go big with AI, seeing the AI boom. And Apple will soon follow Samsung, but its approach will be a bit different compared to its South Korean rival.
Apple could only bring on-device AI features to iPhones with iOS 18
According to a report from Mark Gurman (via 9To5Mac), AI features on iPhones will be powered entirely by a Large Language Model (LLM) developed by Apple, and all the AI processing will happen on-device. We can expect Apple to heavily market the privacy and speed benefits of using on-device AI processing. These AI features will reportedly debut with iOS 18 and will be showcased during WWDC 2024.
While on-device AI has privacy and speed benefits, it isn't as powerful as AI processing offered by dedicated servers in the cloud. However, it is possible that Apple will only introduce AI features that work well with on-device AI processing. For example, it could offer better auto-replies and Siri requests.
This differs from Samsung's approach of using a mix of on-device and cloud-powered AI features. Samsung uses a mix of its own LLM and Google's Gemini for AI processing. Users have to option to process AI data locally on the device with a simple toggle. As seen on the Galaxy S24 and older phones that have received One UI 6.1 with AI features, some AI features work fast, while others are slow, depending on the workload and complexity.
While Apple hasn't revealed any AI feature that could debut with iOS 18, it could bring better language translation, more reliable autocorrect while typing, and advanced image editing features. A few weeks ago, it was revealed that Apple was in talks with Google about using Gemini to power some AI features in iOS 18. However, it isn't clear if that deal has been agreed upon.
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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Samsung has released a new software update for the Galaxy Z Flip 5G—yes, the 2020-launched model. If you still have that phone, don't get your hopes too high, as the update doesn't bring a newer version of Android or One UI. It is just a security update.
Galaxy Z Flip 5G gets April 2024 update in the USA
The new software update is now available for the carrier-locked and factory-unlocked variants of the Galaxy Z Flip 5G in the USA. The update for the carrier-locked version comes bearing firmware version F707USQS7IXC1 and is available on Sprint's network in the country. The factory-unlocked version of the phone is getting updated with firmware version F707U1UES7IXC1. It, too, is getting the update on Sprint's network.
If you have a Galaxy Z Flip 5G and live in the US, you can install the new update on your foldable phone. To do that, navigate to Settings» Software update, and tap Download and install. You can also download the new firmware file from our firmware database and flash it manually. For the manual process, you would need a computer running Windows OS and the Odin tool.
If you want to use a foldable phone that can run the latest version of Android and One UI, check out the Galaxy Z Flip 5 in our review video below. It runs Android 14-based One UI 6 and will get three more Android OS updates in the future. It has a huge cover screen on the front, better cameras, faster processing, higher reliability, and longer battery life.
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.
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.
Over the past couple of years, Sony has been using Samsung Display's QD-OLED panels in its flagship TV models. However, that isn't the case this year, and Sony has switched to a Mini LED panel for its flagship TV mode for 2024. While it still uses LG's WRGB OLED panel in this year's model, it isn't pegged as the Japanese firm's top-of-the-line TV.
Sony's flagship TV for 2024 uses Mini LED panel instead of a Samsung QD-OLED
Sony's new TV lineup for 2024 includes just four TV models: BRAVIA 3, BRAVIA 7, BRAVIA 8, and BRAVIA 9. These model names are much simpler to remember and understand than Sony's previous naming scheme. The BRAVIA 3 is a regular LED-backlit (Direct LIT) LCD TV with no full array local dimming. The step-up is BRAVIA 7, which is a Mini LED TV, and it will be available in 55-inch, 65-inch, 75-inch, and 85-inch sizes.
The next step up is the BRAVIA 8, which comes in 55-inch, 65-inch, and 75-inch sizes and uses LG Display's WRGB OLED panel. Compared to its predecessor (last year's A80L), it has thinner bezels, and that's about it. The BRAVIA 9 is Sony's top-of-the-line TV for 2024, and it uses a higher-end Mini LED panel with a lot more local dimming zones, higher brightness, and better colors. It comes in 65-inch ($3,299), 75-inch ($3,999), and 85-inch ($5,499) sizes.
You can watch our hands-on video of Samsung's QD-OLED TV lineup for 2024 below. It will compete with Sony's BRAVIA 8 and BRAVIA 9 TVs this year.
Sony will continue selling last year's A95L, which uses Samsung Display's QD-OLED panel, but it isn't clear if its stocks will last the entire year. So, if you want to get the Sony A95L, you should consider buying it sooner rather than later. As an alternative, you can buy Samsung's S95C or the new S95D QD-OLED TV. The S95C is a lot cheaper than Sony's A95L, while the S95D is cheaper and has a Glare-Free coating to prevent reflections.
The Japanese firm also launched two new soundbars, a five-speaker home theater unit, and a neckband “portable theater” called BRAVIA Theater U. Sony is using the term BRAVIA for its home theater and soundbar names for the first time. Its new soundbars have copied a few features from Samsung's soundbars, including Active Voice Amplifier, SpaceFit Sound, and Q-Symphony.
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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Circle to Search is one of the most talked about AI features available on One UI 6.1, the version of One UI that introduced the Galaxy AI experience to Galaxy smartphones and tablets.
With Circle to Search, you can circle or highlight any images or text you see on their screen to instantly search for them on Google, without leaving the current app you're using. Circle to Search replaces Google Assistant as the default way of asking Google to look things up for you on the internet from any app or screen on the device and can be accessed by long pressing the home button.
The Galaxy S24, S24+, and S24 Ultra were the first Samsung devices to come preloaded with Circle to Search, and Samsung later made it available for older Galaxy flagships through the One UI 6.1 update. Circle to Search also received an interesting new feature that some may find more useful than the search functionality: instant language translation.
How to instantly translate on-screen text using Circle to Search
Whether you’re reading text on a website in your phone’s browser or viewing a PDF file, Circle to Search can instantly translate that text to different languages with a press of a button.
It’s a simple yet effective feature, and here’s how you can use it on a compatible Galaxy smartphone or tablet:
Step 1: Long press the home button to bring up Circle to Search when you come across text that you wish to translate.
Step 2: Tap the language translation button (highlighted in the screenshot below).
Step 3: Select the target language to which you want to translate the original text. The language of the original text will be auto detected by Google, but you can manually change the source language as well if the auto detection doesn't work.
Step 4: As soon as you select the target language, Google will show you the translated text (we translated English to Dutch for the purpose of this guide, and the result can be seen in the screenshot below).
Once the on-screen text has been translated, you can tap any word in the translated text to instantly look it up on Google. You can also copy that word or any part of the text to the clipboard for pasting in other apps.
Not seeing the translate button? Your Google app may need updating
Circle to Search is part of the Google app that comes preloaded on all Android phones, and if you don't see the language translation button when long pressing the home button to bring up Circle to Search, you may need to update the Google app on your device.
You can see all the app updates available for your device by opening the Play Store app, tapping your profile icon, and selecting Manage apps and device. Some new features can also require a server-side update, so you may have to wait a few days for the translate option to show up even after updating the Google app.
Which devices support Circle to Search?
Circle to Search is only available for Galaxy devices that have received the One UI 6.1 update with Galaxy AI. Those include all of Samsung's flagship smartphones and tablets from 2023 and 2022, and you can check out the full list of devices that support Galaxy AI or will get Galaxy AI in the future here.
Samsung has released a new software update to the Galaxy A34 and the Galaxy A54. These two mid-rangers from Samsung are getting the April 2024 security update in several countries worldwide. In the next few months, they might get the One UI 6.1 update with some new features.
Galaxy A34 and Galaxy A54 get April 2024 security update in Asia, Africa, and Latin America
The latest software update for the Galaxy A34 comes with firmware version A346EXXS6BXD6 in the Philippines. In Afghanistan, Egypt, Iraq, Morocco, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, the UAE, and Tunisia, the update comes bearing firmware version A346EXXS6BXD7. In some countries, including Israel, Kenya, Lebanon, Morocco, Nigeria, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey, the phone is getting a new update with firmware version A346EXXS6BXD9.
The new update for the Galaxy A54 has been released with firmware version A546EXXS7BXD1 in Argentina, Bangladesh, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Guatemala, India, Malaysia, Mexico, Nepal, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Thailand, the Philippines, Uruguay, and Vietnam. In Chile and Thailand, the firmware version of the update is A546EXXS7BXD4.
These updates fix dozens of security vulnerabilities found in both these phones. The updates don't bring any new features or performance improvements, though.
If you have a Galaxy A34 or the Galaxy A54 and live in any of the countries mentioned above, you can install the new update on your phone. You can do that by opening the Settings app, navigating to Software update, and tapping Download and install. You can flash the new update manually by downloading the appropriate firmware file from our database and using a Windows computer and the Odin tool.
According to the information revealed by GalaxyClub, the Galaxy Ring will most likely come in nine sizes (US ring sizes 5 to 13). All these variants of the Galaxy Ring will likely come with different model numbers, and that information has now been revealed. You can see the list of model numbers of all variants of the Galaxy Ring below.
SM-Q500
SM-Q501
SM-Q502
SM-Q505
SM-Q506
SM-Q507
SM-Q508
SM-Q509
You might have noticed that some logical model numbers (SM-Q503 and SM-Q504) are missing from the list above. Likely, those models haven't been spotted yet, but they exist. The SM-Q500 will be the smallest size, while the SM-Q509 will be the largest size available.
Galaxy Ring features
The Galaxy Ring is expected to become available for purchase alongside the Galaxy Z Flip 6 and the Galaxy Z Fold 6 sometime in July 2024. However, timelines aren't confirmed yet, and things may change. The Galaxy Ring features gyro and heart rate sensors, allowing workouts and sleep to be tracked. It could be quite comfortable to wear and last a week on a single charge.
The Galaxy Ring is for those who don't want to keep wearing a smartwatch all the time. However, it likely works with a Galaxy Watch for even more accurate health and workout tracking. While Samsung hasn't revealed the price of the Galaxy Ring yet, it could be priced lower than the Galaxy Watch 4.
Buying a used phone is always a gamble. It might work fine now but you never know what gremlins it must be hiding. When they do surface, you could be on the hook for expensive repairs, particularly if the devices are out of warranty.
If you're in the market for a used Samsung phone, it might be best to avoid the models that have the display green line issue. Samsung has been offering free display replacements in select markets but there's a time limit on that offer. If you get caught outside that window, you'll have to pay for the costly display replacement yourself.
We first heard about the display green line issue on some Samsung phones last year. Users reported seeing unusual green lines on their device's display. What was particularly confusing was the fact that these lines didn't appear because people dropped their phones or bumped something sharp on the display. The lines appeared after a software update.
The issue seems to plague Samsung devices that have Super AMOLED displays. There have even been similar reports about phones from other companies that use Samsung displays in their devices. It's unclear precisely what's causing the issue. Samsung hasn't shed much light on it, even though it has offered free display replacements.
Galaxy S20, S21, S22, and Note 20 series are most affected
The display green line issue affects the Galaxy S20, Galaxy S21, and Galaxy S22 series as well as the Galaxy Note 20 series. Any model from these lineups could develop the problem, but that's not to say it most certainly will. The affected units are still few and far between when you consider that Samsung has sold tens of millions of units across all of these product lines.
Nevertheless, if you're going to buy a used Samsung phone, it would be best to steer clear of these models if you don't want to deal with a potential problem with the display later on. Samsung's free one-time display replacement offer for out of warranty devices ends on April 30, 2024, anyway, so don't count on a free fix beyond that.