Galaxy S11/S20 camera features to include Pro mode video recording

The Galaxy S11/Galaxy S20 may bring back a camera feature to Samsung devices that went missing the first One UI update and resulted in plenty of understandable backlash from users. The folks over at XDA Developers dug into the stable Android 10 firmware released for the Galaxy Note 9 and found references to a couple of features that are likely to be introduced with Samsung’s next flagship, and one of those features is the ability to record videos using the camera’s Pro mode.

Pro mode video recording is finally coming back

As mentioned above, Samsung removed Pro mode video recording with the Android Pie/initial One UI update for its devices. The company looks set to reintroduce it with the Galaxy S11/S20, although it remains to be seen if Samsung will also bring Pro mode video recording to existing smartphones. At least the Galaxy S10 and Galaxy Note 10 should get it, as Samsung tends to bring new camera features from newer flagship to older ones (for example, the Galaxy S10’s dedicated Night shooting mode came to the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy Note 9).

In an earlier Android 10 firmware, XDA Developers had found references to a couple of other new camera features that could be announced with the Galaxy S11/S20, such as Director’s View, and they have now been able to glean more information from the Note 9’s Android 10 firmware. Director’s View, for example, will allow you to lock focus on a subject while recording a video and maintain focus on that subject even when switching between the regular, telephoto, and ultra-wide lenses.

The Galaxy S11/S20 could also bring new Live Focus bokeh effects, which is to be expected as Samsung introduces those with every flagship Galaxy S or Note device. There will be a mode called Single Take Photo, which will seemingly take pictures and videos automatically when it detects optimal moments, like someone smiling or kissing. This is similar to the Photobooth model found on Google’s Pixel phones. Last but not least, Samsung’s upcoming flagship could record 8K videos as well.

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Samsung says it shipped over 6.7 million Galaxy 5G smartphones in 2019

2019 was the year that 5G finally became a reality. South Korea, Samsung’s home country, was the first to flip the switch on public 5G cellular networks. Samsung was ready to welcome the revolution with its very first compatible smartphone, the Galaxy S10 5G.

The company continued to release new 5G compatible smartphones throughout the year. It even offered support on a non-flagship Galaxy A series device. Samsung wanted to establish a lead in the 5G market right off the bat and it was able to do that. The company today announced that it shipped more than 6.7 million Galaxy 5G smartphones in 2019. It captured 53.9 percent of the global 5G smartphone market.

Samsung brands 2020 as the year of Galaxy 5G

Samsung offered customers a total of five 5G compatible devices – the Galaxy S10 5G, Galaxy Note 10 and Note 10+ 5G, the Galaxy Fold 5G and the Galaxy A90 5G. The Galaxy A90 5G was Samsung’s first non-flagship device to come with support for the next-gen cellular network.

The company wants to let everyone know that as far as 5G is concerned, it was just getting started in 2019. “For Samsung, 2020 will be the year of Galaxy 5G,” said TM Roh, President and Head of Research and Development at IT & Mobile Communications Division, Samsung Electronics. He added that the company is going to bring 5G to more devices this year.

Samsung has been working on 5G for over a decade, particularly on network equipment which will enable mobile carriers to deploy their 5G networks. Samsung provided the equipment for the 5G network in South Korea and it has also been selected to provide the relevant equipment for three of the top mobile carriers in the United States.

As more carriers across the globe deploy their public 5G networks, Samsung will be able to leverage its already dominant position to offer Galaxy 5G devices across all price points.

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Galaxy Tab S6 5G release confirmed for the first quarter of 2020

It emerged in October last year that Samsung had a 5G variant of the Galaxy Tab S6 flagship tablet in the pipeline. We reported just last week that Samsung had quietly confirmed on its own website that it would be releasing this tablet in the near future.

After announcing earlier today that it had shipped 6.7 million Galaxy 5G smartphones in 2019, Samsung also confirmed the Galaxy Tab S6 5G release timeframe. It says that the tablet is going to be released in the first quarter of this year.

Galaxy Tab S6 5G will be released in South Korea initially

It became quite evident over the past few months that a 5G variant of the Galaxy Tab S6, bearing model number SM-T866N, would be coming soon. The tablet has already received its Bluetooth certification and has even been approved by South Korea’s National Radio Agency.

The Galaxy Tab S6 5G has the distinction of being the world’s first 5G tablet. Samsung confirmed today that the tablet is going to be available in South Korea in the first quarter of 2020. The company hasn’t said anything about its availability in other markets across the globe.

It’s quite likely that there won’t be a big difference in the specs of the two variants. The Galaxy Tab S6 features a Snapdragon 855 processor with 6/8GB RAM and 128/256GB of onboard storage. The tablet has a 10.5-inch 1600×2560 pixel resolution Super AMOLED display and a 7,040mAh battery. Check out our Galaxy Tab S6 review to find out how the flagship tablet measures up.

Samsung hasn’t confirmed as yet how much the Galaxy Tab S6 5G is going to cost. The LTE variant costs 999,900 won which is around $860. The Galaxy Tab S6 5G could be priced the same or slightly higher than its LTE counterpart. A firm release date will be announced in the coming months.

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Galaxy S9, Galaxy A80 with Android 10 pick up vital certification

There’s a long list of Samsung devices that will receive the Android 10 update. Samsung has only crossed a few names off the list so it’s going to be very busy rolling out the update for more devices in the coming months.

The Galaxy A80 is one of the devices that’s due to receive the update. The Galaxy S9 is bound to get it as well, Samsung even included it in the One UI 2.0 beta program. Both handsets have now picked up a vital certification with Android 10 onboard.

Galaxy S9 and Galaxy A80 certified with Android 10

The Wi-Fi Alliance certification isn’t a confirmation that the stable Android 10 release is just around the corner for these devices. It’s merely an indication that progress has been made and that the devices will eventually get the update that everyone is waiting for.

Samsung would certainly be releasing the Android 10 update for the Galaxy S9 in the coming days. It has already released stable Android 10 for the Galaxy Note 9, so the Galaxy S9 should get its due in the next few days.

The Galaxy A80 has always been on the list of supported devices so it’s bound to get Android 10 eventually. Since it wasn’t a part of the One UI 2.0 beta program, those who own the device haven’t had a chance to try out One UI 2.0 on it yet.

We should see Samsung pick up the pace in the coming weeks. Expect many more devices to pick up this certification running Android 10 in the near future.

Galaxy A80

• Model: SM-A805F
• Dimensions: 165.2 x 76.5 x 9.3mm
• Display: 6.7"(170.2mm) Super AMOLED
• CPU: Qualcomm Snapdragon 730
• Camera: 48 MP, CMOS F2.0, 8MP, CMOS F2.2, 3D Depth

More specifications

Galaxy S9

• Model: SM-G960F
• Dimensions: 147.7 x 68.7 x 8.5mm
• Display: 5.8” (146.5mm) Super AMOLED
• CPU: Exynos 9810
• Camera: 12 MP, CMOS OIS (F1.5/F2.4)

More specifications

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Samsung’s new Galaxy Book Flex alpha is a sub-$1,000 QLED laptop

Samsung announced the Galaxy Book Flex α (alpha) today as a budget-friendlier alternative to the original model unveiled a couple of months ago. The new variant retains the 2-in-1 design and the overall look of the original model, but lacks a few features and has lesser internal specifications in favor of a lower price tag, making it the most affordable QLED laptop on the market with a launch price of under $1,000.

There’s nothing wrong with cutting corners to lower the price of a product, especially if doing so will allow you to cover more price points. Samsung does this with the Galaxy Book Flex alpha but retains the original model’s aluminum premium build and a few other characteristics like the 13.3-inch FHD QLED display.

No Wireless PowerShare, optional S Pen

One of the more unique features that set both the Galaxy Book Flex and Book Ion apart from other laptops was the inclusion of Wireless PowerShare. The Galaxy Book Flex alpha seemingly does away with this feature, and although this may be disappointing for a relatively small number of Galaxy smartphone owners, it’s not necessarily a bad thing for prospective buyers who don’t own a Galaxy smartphone boasting Wireless PowerShare. These customers would’ve paid extra for a feature that they cannot use, so while the lack of Wireless PowerShare will let some people down, it might be good news for others.

The removal of Wireless PowerShare may have also allowed the OEM to fit the device with a smaller battery without making huge compromises to battery life. The new model has a 54Wh battery as opposed to a 69.7Wh unit but still promises up to 17.5 hours of battery life on a single charge.

Likewise, the Galaxy Book Flex alpha doesn’t come with an S Pen, however, prospective buyers will be able to purchase one separately.

Other hardware specifications, price, release

The Galaxy Book Flex alpha comes in one size only, namely 13.3 inches. The QLED panel has a resolution of 1920 by 1080, and the whole device weighs only 1.19Kg.

Under the hood, there’s a 10th generation Intel Core CPU coupled with Intel UHD graphics and 8GB or 12GB of DDR4 RAM. Samsung offers three storage configurations including 25GB and 512GB HDDs, as well as up to 1TB SSD (MVMe) similar to the full-fledged model.

The 2-in-1 has stereo speakers, a backlit keyboard featuring a fingerprint scanner, a 720p camera, one USB-C and two USB 3.0 ports, an HDMI output, and a microSD card slot.

The Galaxy Book Flex alpha comes only in Royal Silver and will become available for purchase in the United States in the first half of 2020 for a starting price of $829. The full-fledged model is already available in South Korea for the starting price of $1,470, so, in contrast, the company managed to lower the price for the Galaxy Book Flex alpha considerably by abandoning some key features or making them optional. It’s seemingly a good compromise for the sub-$1,000 price range; one that makes the Book Flex alpha an interesting proposition given its QLED display.

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Samsung’s 2020 Family Hub fridges are on a whole other level thanks to AI

Samsung is bringing its next-generation Family Hub refrigerators at CES 2020, with the fresh lineup promising a slew of new AI capabilities. After years of gathering consumer feedback, Samsung concluded that one of the most beneficial upgrades to the Family Hub refrigerators would be the addition of AI-powered cameras for better meal planning.

Previous Family Hub refrigerators have been equipped with interior cameras, allowing users to check their food inventory via the embedded touchscreen instead of having to open the door. Now, with the next-generation Family Hub refrigerators, these internal cameras have become much smarter by adopting AI image recognition.

2020 Family Hub ViewInside AI cameras are a game-changer

The new Family Hub ViewInside cameras coupled with AI image recognition technologies open up a world of possibilities. The cameras are now able to scan your food inventory and send you updates on items that have been added or removed. Therefore, the Meal Planner has become smarter and automatically takes into account your food inventory before preparing shopping lists, while Quick Plan can now recommend week’s worth recipes.

Samsung also integrates technology from Whisk into the next-gen Family Hub refrigerators. Whisk is a food AI startup that was acquired by Samsung NEXT, and the AI tech is capable of planning meals and creating shopping lists based on the number of guests you are expecting.

In other words, the new AI features lift a few responsibilities off your shoulders with smart alerts and automated inventory-keeping, allowing you to focus on more important things, spend less time creating lists, and worry less about what items might be missing from your fridge.

Family Board and Smart Home get better too

While the new AI features are the highlight of the 2020 Family Hub refrigerator lineup, Samsung is also improving other existing non-AI features including Family Board, which now supports video playback.

Likewise, SmartThings on Family Hub refrigerators gives users the ability to monitor and control more than 1,000 SmartThings-compatible IoT products, ranging from smart lights to thermostats. The system is further enhanced with a new SmartThings Video widget which lets you check your security cameras without leaving your kitchen.

(At least) some of these features are coming to existing Family Hub fridges

With the launch of a new generation of Family Hub refrigerators, Samsung also confirmed that it will improve the existing lineup by adding at least some of the aforementioned software features through a future firmware update scheduled to launch this spring.

It’s not entirely clear which – or if all – of these new features will be made available via updates, but the improvements to Family Board and SmartThings are fairly safe bets. The AI-based improvements, however, might remain exclusive to the newer generation Family Hub.

Whatever the case may be, it looks like AI is going to play an important role in Samsung’s CES 2020 presentation. The company is expected to unveil improved AI for TVs at CES 2020, and it even teased a brand new mysterious AI product called NEON ahead of its official unveiling in Las Vegas.

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Samsung and Lee Jae-yong maintain focus on 3nm chipset development

Samsung Electronics is making advancements in 3nm semiconductor manufacturing technology, as leader Lee Jae-yong made his first on-site appearance of 2020 at the Hwaseong R&D center, South Korea. There, he discussed the company’s plans for commercializing future chipsets based on 3nm GAA technology, or more precisely, Samsung’s patented 3nm MBCFET process based on GAA.

A Samsung spokesperson cited by The Korea Herald made it even clearer that the company has no plans to slow down its progress, adding that ‘Lee’s visit to the semiconductor R&D center once again highlights Samsung’s pledge to grow as a top chipmaker in the non-memory field.’

Ironically, Samsung’s semiconductor manufacturing plant in Hwaseong, South Korea, hit a snag at the beginning of 2020 as a minute-long electricity blackout halted the production line and possibly caused millions of dollars in damage. Perhaps this is another reason why Lee Jae-yong chose the Hwaseong R&D center as his first location to visit in 2020, however, the report makes no mention of the recent hurdle.

When can we expect Samsung to commercialize 3nm chips?

There’s no concrete answer as to when Samsung will be able to mass-produce chipsets based on the 3nm MBCFET process, but it’s highly unlikely for this to happen by the end of 2020. Nevertheless, six months ago, Synopsys CEO revealed that his company’s EDA tools used by Samsung for the creation of 3nm chips should be ready for the undertaking of mass-production within two-to-three years.

Samsung has to take one final step before 3nm chipsets will be ready, and that is to mass-manufacture 5nm FinFET chipsets. The development of the 5nm FinFET process was concluded in April and mass production could begin in the first half of this year.

You can read more on Samsung’s 3nm manufacturing process, how it differs from 3nm GAA, how it compares to 7nm performance-wise, and other benefits it brings in our earlier coverage.

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First Samsung Galaxy A51 firmware is available for download now

The Galaxy A51 was the first of Samsung’s 2020 Galaxy A series handsets to be unveiled. Samsung announced the device at an event in Vietnam. It’s also the company’s first smartphone to ship with Android 10 out of the box.

This handset was released in Vietnam first. It will gradually make its way to many markets across the globe in the coming weeks. Now that the device is out, Samsung will also periodically release firmware updates for it, and the very first update is now available for download.

First Galaxy A51 firmware is out now

Samsung has focused on elevating the camera experience with the Galaxy A51. The new handset has big shoes to fill as the Galaxy A50 was perhaps one of the most popular Galaxy A devices from last year. As we pointed out in our Galaxy A51 hands-on, the new kid on the block does appear to have potential.

Armed with the December 2019 security patch, the very first Galaxy A51 update with firmware version A515FXXU1ASL6 is now rolling out. We already have it available for download in exhaustive our firmware database.

Don’t expect much in the way of new features for a device that already comes with Android 10 and One UI 2.0 out of the box. The security updates will also be few and far between. It’s already known that the Galaxy A51 will receive quarterly, not monthly, security updates.

We’ll have a full review of the Galaxy A51 up in the near future. So don’t forget to check back in with us if you’ve been keeping an eye on this smartphone.

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Galaxy Note 10 scores January 2020 security patch in Germany

Samsung continues its early release of the January 2020 security patch and the latest device to receive it is the Galaxy Note 10 in Germany. This is the first update for the phablet ever since it made the jump to Android 10. The package is identified by software version N970FXXS1BSLD and it doesn’t seem to include any new features aside from the latest security patch.

Samsung has done a tremendous job keeping the majority of its smartphones updated to the latest monthly security patches, and the company began rolling out the January 2020 security patch before its changelog was even published. The Galaxy A10, A10s, A20, A30, A50, and Galaxy Tab S5e have all received the January 2020 security patch already.

The update for the Galaxy A50 which brought the January 2020 security patch did seem to include additional features, at least judging by the software version. This doesn’t seem to be the case for the latest Galaxy Note 10 software version. This is a more generic update including only the latest security fixes for Android OS and Samsung’s proprietary software. But it is welcomed nonetheless, especially this early in the year and this soon after the release of stable Android 10.

Samsung Galaxy Note 10 owners in Germany should receive the update notification at any moment and grab the January 2020 security patch OTA. Otherwise, they can try and trigger the update by opening Settings, navigating to Software update, and tapping Download and install. As usual, our readers can also check our firmware archive, download the package, and install it on their phablets using a Windows PC.

Galaxy Note 10

• Model: SM-N970F
• Dimensions: 151.0 x71.8x7.9mm
• Display: 6.3"(160.02mm) Super AMOLED
• CPU: Exynos 9825
• Camera: 12 MP, CMOS F2.2 Telephoto & 12MP F1.5/F2.4 77° & 16MP F2.2 123° Ultra-wide

More specifications

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Galaxy A series helps Samsung secure top spot in Middle East and Africa

Samsung was the most influential smartphone vendor in the Middle East and Africa at the end of Q3 2019, according to a recent report citing Counterpoint Research. The company’s mobile devices accounted for 29 percent of the market, and its Galaxy A series has enjoyed tremendous success, hitting an all-time high in sales in these regions.

Galaxy A10 and A20 were strong sellers

The Galaxy A10 and Galaxy A20 were two of the most sought-after smartphones in the Middle East and Africa, and they’ve greatly contributed to Samsung’s success in Q3 2019. This doesn’t come as a big surprise given that the Galaxy A10 was Samsung’s best-selling smartphone in Q3 globally.

Emerging markets like Africa and the Middle East are now slowly transitioning from feature phones to smartphones, and the Galaxy A10 is an appropriate entry-level device that doesn’t break the bank.

China has little influence in these markets

The second most popular OEM in these markets was China’s Tecno Mobile, which managed to outperform Huawei. And aside from Huawei who doesn’t seem to pose a threat at this point, Samsung doesn’t face any strong opposition from Chinese rivals like it does in other markets. Xiaomi, VIVO, and OPPO have yet to enter these regions.

The smartphone market grew by 2 percent in the Middle East and Africa in Q3 2019. While this is not a huge figure, it does show that the adoption rate of smartphones is on the rise. Having said that, it’s quite beneficial for Samsung to establish itself as the smartphone brand in emerging markets. Brand recognition and loyalty go a long way, and having a foothold in these regions early on will make it more difficult for rival companies to compete later down the line.

Galaxy A10

• Model: SM-A105F
• Dimensions: 155.6x75.6x7.94mm
• Display: 6.2"(157.48mm) LCD
• CPU: Exynos 7884
• Camera: 13 MP, CMOS F1.9

More specifications

Galaxy A20

• Model: SM-A205F
• Dimensions: 158.4 x 74.7 x 7.8mm
• Display: 6.4"(162.5mm) Super AMOLED
• CPU: Exynos 7885
• Camera: 13 MP, CMOS & 5MP, CMOS

More specifications

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Samsung-backed 8K TV certification program makes life easier for buyers

Samsung Electronics entered the new year with an announcement of a new partnership with the 8K Association (8KA). The main purpose of this collaboration is to create a new certification program for 8K TVs and label them as such, making it easier for customers to differentiate between 8K-certified products and other devices.

Although Samsung’s QLED 8K TVs will be among the first to bear the 8KA certification logo this year, the program is obviously not limited to the Korean company’s product portfolio. Other brands can obtain the certificate as long as their TVs meet certain requirements.

These requirements are not limited only to reaching an 8K resolution. In other words, an 8K panel won’t necessarily guarantee an 8KA certificate, and there are a few other criteria that need to be met before OEMs can promote their 8KA products. In short, 8KA-certified TVs will have to top a resolution of 7680 by 4320 as well as peak brightness levels equal to or greater than 600 nits. They also have to support HVEC and HDMI 2.1.

Samsung joins the 8K Association just in time for CES

Although the official announcement makes no reference to CES 2020, the timing suggests that Samsung might unveil its first 8KA-certified TVs at the event in Las Vegas. The company is already expected to unveil new 8K TVs at the event, one of which might eliminate bezels entirely.

Likewise, Samsung could unveil a new AI-based 8K upscaling technology at the same event, and we expect the company and its rivals to make a stronger push into 8K territory this year.

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What’s your opinion about Samsung’s update policy last year?

Samsung fans always have a thing or two to say about Samsung’s update policy. Normally, they feel that the company doesn’t send them out as quickly as it should be. Others feel that there’s too much fragmentation, with certain markets getting the updates early while others were made to wait for much longer.

There was some improvement in the frequency last year, particularly in the case of security updates. We even saw Samsung rolling out new patches even before they had been detailed. The company also did a great job of getting the Android 10 update out the door.

It started the beta program and was able to release the Android 10 update for the Galaxy S10 in late November. Samsung later released the update for the Galaxy Note 10. It even managed to get Android 10 out for the Galaxy Note 9 on the very last day of 2019.

Those with US unlocked models still feel that Samsung should be doing a much better job of getting the updates out for their variant. We have also pointed out several times this year that Samsung didn’t do as good a job with updates for the Galaxy Fold as it should have.

What’s your opinion on Samsung’s update policy for 2019? Did you feel that there was some improvement or none at all? How should Samsung improve it in 2020? Comment below and lets get a discussion going.

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Daily Deal: 60% off PowerBear Fast Car Charger [45W]

No matter where you are, there will always be an (inconvenient) time where you need to charge your smartphone. Many of us spend a lot of time in our cars commuting to and from work which makes it the perfect time to give that smartphone battery some much-needed energy. This car charger comes with two USB 3.0 quick charge ports. This means you’ll be able to get an additional 50% charge in under half an hour. Your traveling companion will be able to charge just as fast with the 2nd port. At 60% off, this is a massive deal that you can’t miss if you’re looking for a great car charger.

Hit the Buy Now button below to get them while still discounted!

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