Galaxy S10 specs leak looks quite suspicious

A new Galaxy S10 specs leak has seemingly surfaced from Chinese social network Weibo and it tells a different story. Earlier reports have suggested that there will be three models of the Galaxy S10. All three have now received certification in China. The base model – SM-G970 – is expected to feature a single camera both at the front and back.

The other two models are expected to come with a dual and triple rear camera respectively. The largest model – SM-G975 – is even believed to have a dual front camera. It would thus have a total of five cameras. This Galaxy S10 specs leak is for the base model and it appears to be quite suspicious.

Galaxy S10 specs leak

The 5.8-inch AMOLED display is in line with earlier reports. So is the new Qualcomm Snapdragon chip as Chinese variants don’t come with Exynos processors. It will be coupled with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage even though that amount of storage seems unlikely for the base model.

The camera specs are entirely suspicious. This leak mentions that the base Galaxy S10 will have a 12-megapixel f/1.5 and 16-megapixel f/1.9 dual rear camera. It’s even claimed to feature a 16-megapixel f/1.9 and 8-megapixel f/1.9 dual front camera.

This is completely different than what has been said so far about the base Galaxy S10 model. The cameras would be a major differentiating factor between the three models. It wouldn’t make sense for Samsung to offer this setup with the cheapest model. The SM-G975 will reportedly be the largest model with a 6.44-inch display and a total of five cameras.

Even the SM-G973 has not been rumored to feature a dual front camera. That sits between the base and the top-of-the-line models. It’s said to be the only Galaxy S10 model with a dual rear camera.

Chalk this up as a far-fetched rumor. That’s despite the fact that it mentions some specs that are likely accurate. Then again, those specs have already been reported multiple times. Do you think this Galaxy S10 specs leak is even a tiny bit accurate? Personally, I don’t.

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Triple-camera Galaxy A7 goes on sale in South Korea

Samsung unveiled the new Galaxy A7 last month. It’s the company’s first smartphone with a triple-camera system at the back. India was one of the first markets to get this device. Samsung has now started selling it in its home country.

Customers in South Korea can now pick up the company’s triple-camera touting Galaxy A7. This also happens to be Samsung’s first smartphone with a side-mounted fingerprint sensor.

Galaxy A7 goes on sale in South Korea

The Galaxy A7 is being sold for 499,400 won in South Korea. That’s roughly $440. It’s a mid-range device with the specs to match the price tag. It has a 6-inch 1080×2220 pixel resolution AMOLED display. The Exynos 7885 is under the hood with up to 6GB of RAM and 128GB storage. Support for microSD cards up to 512GB is present as well. A 3,300mAh battery keeps the lights on. The device ships with Android 8.0 Oreo.

Its triple-camera system is what customers will buy this device for. The primary 24-megapixel sensor is aided by an 8-megapixel Ultra Wide sensor. We found that the camera works as advertised in our Galaxy A7 review. There’s also a 5-megapixel depth sensor. The Ultra Wide sensor really does come in handy when you want to fit more in the frame. The Galaxy A7 has a 24-megapixel selfie camera as well.

The three cameras are lined up vertically at the back. It’s a departure from a design element that made Samsung’s devices stand out from the competition. We have opined that it would have been better for Samsung to retain its uniqueness and many of you have agreed.

Samsung is yet to confirm when it will begin sales of the new Galaxy A9. It’s the world’s first smartphone with four rear cameras. Samsung said at the launch event earlier this month that the device will be out in November.

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Samsung reveals it’s developing a foldable display laptop

A foldable display laptop is being developed by Samsung. The company confirmed this yesterday during the launch event for the Samsung Notebook Flash. Clearly, the company’s vision for foldable displays goes beyond mobile devices. It already has a foldable smartphone in the pipeline which will be revealed next month.

Lee Min-cheol, Samsung’s vice president of marketing for PCs, said yesterday that the company is developing this new form factor for laptops. This is part of Samsung’s efforts to innovate PC products in line with the changing market dynamics for mobile devices.

Samsung’s foldable display laptop

“Like foldable smartphones, Samsung is collaborating with display makers to develop laptops with foldable displays that will not just simply fold in and out but create new value and user experience, amid the changing market trends for laptops,” he said at the event.

He added that Samsung is currently developing large AMOLED displays for laptops. The idea here is to create new user experiences and a laptop with a foldable display will do just that. Lee Min-cheol didn’t say when we can expect such a product to arrive.

Customers want their notebooks to be powerful without compromising portability. The entire premise of this form factor is that you can work on the go. A foldable display notebook could take this to the next level. You can fold the display for a smaller footprint for work on the go. It can later be folded out for a larger display when you want to watch a movie, for example.

This may also allow for additional use cases related to multitasking. Samsung isn’t the only company thinking about foldable smartphones for devices other than smartphones. Lenovo is reportedly working on a 13 inch tablet with a foldable screen as well. No surprise that Samsung’s confirmation of looking into this form factor comes after reports surfaced of Lenovo’s work with LG Display.

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Samsung reportedly close to using graphene batteries in smartphones

Lithium-ion batteries take over an hour to charge fully. Graphene batteries can reduce that time to just 12 minutes. That’s what Samsung claimed when its Advanced Institute of Technology successfully synthesized its patented graphene ball last year. The company said that this could be used to make lithium-ion batteries charge faster and last longer.

Many have since been interested in finding out when this battery technology will make its way to the company’s smartphones. The existing technology limits just how much capacity manufacturers can put inside a device while making space for all of the other components. Graphene batteries are said to be the solution.

Samsung could start using graphene batteries for smartphones next year

Chinese social media network Weibo is awash with rumors that Samsung is done with the development of graphene batteries. The company is expected to start using them in smartphones from next year.

Samsung’s Advanced Institute of Technology said last year that this graphene ball material will increase battery capacities by 45 percent. It also said that the charging speed would be improved by five times. The batteries can even maintain a higher temperature so they would be safer too. Samsung has patented this technology in the United States and South Korea.

There’s no such indication that this battery technology will be introduced with the Galaxy S10. The company’s next flagship smartphone is due in early 2019. It’s possible that the next Galaxy Note handset could be the first to get it. Given Samsung’s inclination to bring new technologies to mid-range devices first now, the possibility can not be ruled out for a more affordable device as well.

This is all based on speculation right now. There’s nothing out from Samsung yet to suggest that this technology is ready to be used commercially. Take this with a grain of salt, as you would any and all rumors from Weibo.

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Samsung foldable phone reveal may finally be close

It seems the long-awaited Samsung foldable phone might be revealed soon. The company has reportedly been working on this device for the past few years. It’s expected to finally show it off later this year. Samsung has now put up a teaser which suggests that the foldable device may be revealed next month.

Samsung’s mobile boss DJ Koh had previously said that the device could be revealed at the Samsung Developer Conference 2018. The teaser is indeed for SDC 2018 which takes place November 7-8 in San Francisco, California.

Samsung foldable phone reveal

The Samsung foldable phone reveal has been subtly hinted in a tweet about SDC 2018. The embedded video shows the silhouette of an in-folding device being opened up. “The crossroads between the present and the future,” Samsung teases in the tweet itself.

It remains to be seen if the company will provide a sneak peek of the device or show it off in all its glory. Initial reports had suggested that the device could be released this year. It’s now believed that the Samsung foldable phone will actually be released next year. Samsung is apparently just showing it off now so that it can be the world’s first manufacturer to reveal a true foldable device.

DJ Koh also dropped some hints recently about the device, saying that it will double as a phone and tablet. He added that it would be possible to use the device as a tablet with multitasking abilities before folding it up so that it becomes a smartphone. Previous reports have suggested that the in-folding device will have a 7.3-inch primary OLED display when folded out and a 4.6-inch external OLED display. The specifics of these displays are unknown and so are the other specs.

Many are anxiously waiting for the Samsung foldable phone reveal and it appears that it may not be long now before Samsung shows off the device to the world. Koh has already said that the device will be released globally.

The crossroads between the present and the future – Samsung Developer Conference is where you’ll meet the knowledge needed to stay on tech’s cutting edge. #SDC18
Learn more: https://t.co/t66edOWIUi pic.twitter.com/bDZHuZVWee

— Samsung Mobile (@SamsungMobile) October 18, 2018

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Galaxy A9 (2018) headed to China as the Galaxy A9s on October 24

Samsung’s Galaxy A9 (2018), the world’s first smartphone with four rear cameras, will soon be launching in China. A Twitter post says the Galaxy A9 (2018) will be rebranded as the Galaxy A9s for China, with a launch event set for October 24 at Xi’an City Wall. Pricing for the A9s could start at ¥3,499, which is roughly $500. That’s competitive pricing, to say the least, compared to what the phone costs in Europe, but it makes sense considering China may be one of the most important markets for Samsung’s newest A series phone.

Galaxy A9 (2018) launching in China later this week

The Galaxy A9 (2018)’s rear cameras include a 24MP and 5MP pair for Live Focus pictures, a 10MP telephoto lens, and an 8MP ultra-wide lens with a 120-degree field of view. The ultra-wide camera on the Galaxy A7 is extremely useful, as we said in our review, and the A9 (2018) also offers 2x optical zoom similar to Samsung’s flagships. We even have a picture from each of the four Galaxy A9 cameras to show you the difference each camera makes to what you capture.

Galaxy A9 (2018) specs include a 6.3-inch Super AMOLED Full HD+ (2220×1080) Infinity display, Snapdragon 660 SoC, 6/8GB of RAM, 128GB of internal storage, a rear-mounted fingerprint sensor, and a 3,800 mAh battery with fast charging. The front has a single camera that takes 24-megapixel pictures. The phone runs Android 8.0 Oreo and comes in four gradient color options.

The Galaxy A9 (2018) is set to hit retail in November. Various European countries will see orders shipping from around November 15th, but it remains to be seen when Chinese consumers will be able to get their hands on the Galaxy A9s.

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In pictures: Some Samsung apps in their Oreo vs Android Pie avatars

Samsung is working on a considerable user interface refresh with Android Pie. Leaked Galaxy S9 and Galaxy Note 9 Pie builds have revealed an updated card-based interface and a dark theme for Samsung’s new Experience 10 UX, and we can already try out some of those Samsung apps with the design changes Pie will introduce to Galaxy smartphones.

Android Pie will bring notable UI changes

The updated versions of some proprietary Samsung apps, such as Calculator, Samsung Notes, and Voice Recorder, offer a look at the design language Pie will bring to Galaxy phones. These are early builds, though, and these apps might change drastically by the time the official Pie update comes along. For example, the Calculator app has an all-black UI while the other apps don’t. Also, you cannot rollback to the Oreo versions of apps like Samsung Notes if you install the Pie versions, so it’s best not to try them out at this point.

If you do want to take the risk, we have the apps in our APK section for your downloading pleasure. If not, you can check out our comparison pictures below to see how the apps look in their Oreo and Pie avatars (Oreo version on the left, Pie version on the right in each image). Do let us know what you think of the look Samsung is going for with Android Pie.

Samsung Notes

Samsung Calculator

Samsung Voice Recorder

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Galaxy Watch can now track REM sleep without continuous heart rate monitoring

The Galaxy Watch’s recent software update has brought an important change for the watch’s sleep tracking feature. The Galaxy Watch can now track REM sleep at night without needing continuous heart rate monitoring. Before the last update, REM sleep data was only recorded when the watch was set to always monitor heart rate. That dependency of REM sleep tracking on heart rate monitoring has now been removed.

Galaxy Watch sleep tracking now has dedicated toggle for REM sleep

The Galaxy Watch also has a separate toggle for enabling or disabling REM sleep recording with the latest update. Continuous heart rate monitoring will probably give you a better idea of how much REM sleep you’re getting each night, because the heart beats faster during REM sleep. But having heart rate monitoring set to frequent (which measures heart rate every ten minutes) will mean reduced battery usage overnight, even though it might be at the expense of the accuracy of REM sleep tracking.

To access the REM sleep recording toggle, scroll to and tap the sleep tracking widget on the watch, then tap the three-dot button on the right and tap the Settings option. REM sleep tracking will be enabled by default once the Galaxy Watch update is installed, but you can disable it using the toggle if you wish.

 

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Samsung HMD Odyssey VR headset upgraded with Anti-Screen Door Effect display

Samsung has announced an upgraded version of its HMD Odyssey Windows Mixed Reality headset, called the HMD Odyssey+. As expected, the upgrade comes in the form of a new display, one that has Anti-Screen Door Effect (Anti-SDE) technology. The display resolution remains the same as the original headset (2880×1600), but the anti-SDE tech will reduce the chances of users seeing gaps between pixels.

Samsung HMD Odyssey+ brings a sharper VR viewing experience

The screen door effect is one of the major drawbacks associated with virtual reality headsets. Despite a high pixel density of 1,233 PPI on the dual 3.5-inch AMOLED displays inside the HMD Odyssey+, the proximity of the user to the displays means pixelation can be visible in various kinds of content. The screen door effect can also cause dizziness or nausea in some folks. According to Samsung, the anti-SDE AMOLED display works by applying “a grid that diffuses light coming from each pixel and replicating the picture to areas around each pixel.” The Odyssey+ also has wider eye boxes (146mm vs 138 mm on the original) to better fit the user’s eyes, with breathable anti-fog material on the face padding preventing mist build-up around the eyes.

The rest of the features are carried over from the first Odyssey. You get premium AKG-tuned audio with 360-degree spatial surround sound, built-in dual microphones that support Cortana, and 110 degrees field of view and a 90Hz refresh rate for the dual AMOLED displays. The HMD Odyssey+ comes bundled with two motion controllers with six degrees of freedom (DOF) for a full range of three-dimensional movement, along with HDMI 2.0 and USB 3.0 ports for connecting to a Windows-powered computer. It also supports the Steam VR platform.

The Odyssey+ will go on sale in the US today with a price tag of $499.99 from the Microsoft Store and Samsung.com. Availability will expand to Korea, China, Hong Kong, and Brazil, among other countries, at some point in the future.

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