Galaxy S20 Ultra could feature a stainless steel frame

Stainless steel. Apple’s iPhone XS Max uses it, and last year, Samsung had listed stainless steel on its product page for the Galaxy Note 10 and Galaxy Note 10+ even though the two phones use the same aircraft-grade aluminium frame as every other Galaxy flagship since the Galaxy S6. But could 2020 be the year when Samsung finally moves to stainless steel?

The answer is yes, according to the latest rumor from Twitter, although it seems only the Galaxy S20 Ultra will sport a stainless steel frame. The Galaxy S20 Ultra is shaping up to be quite the beast compared to the Galaxy S20 and Galaxy S20+ as far as the specs are concerned, so we’re not completely surprised that the top-end model of Samsung’s upcoming flagship could also feature a stronger frame.

If the Galaxy S20 Ultra does indeed have a stainless steel frame, then it could also be considerably heavier than the Galaxy Note 10+ and Galaxy S10+ (at least the standard S10+, not the ceramic one). But, almost every year we hear that Samsung will make the shift to stainless steel only for the company to not actually do it, so we’d recommend taking this particular rumor with a grain of salt.

Do you think stainless steel is something you would like to see on Samsung’s flagship phones, or do you think it doesn’t matter because you’ll simply slap a case on the device? Let us know in the comments!

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Samsung Health and Echelon bring indoor cycling training programs to TVs

Echelon, the indoor cycling trainer platform, has teamed up with Samsung to bring its training programs to Samsung Health. The company will host live fitness classes via Samsung Health, and it joins other fitness brands like Fitplan, My Fitness by Jillian Michaels, and Calm in delivering training live feeds to Samsung TVs.

Shortly after Samsung introduced its latest TV lineups at CES 2020, the company confirmed that Samsung Health is going to expand and launch on the company’s TVs this year. The platform will deliver unique fitness content to the big screen, and it has the potential of becoming a great asset for home gyms.

Echelon could greatly benefit from this collaboration

President of Echelon, Lou Lentine, believes that the collaboration with Samsung through the Samsung Health platform provides ‘an amazing opportunity’ for its instructors in Chattanooga and Miami to stream live fitness and wellness classes around the world.

You can check the video below to get a feel of what Samsung Health on TVs is all about. It promotes indoor fitness activities like never before, and it provides a platform for other fitness-oriented companies to reach a larger userbase. Do keep in mind that although Samsung Health is free, some partnered third-party fitness platforms rely on their own subscription or payment plans.

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[Poll] Do you miss wireless charging on your Samsung Galaxy A?

Samsung’s Galaxy A series extends from the low end of the market to the upper-mid-range segment, offering prospective buyers a choice at nearly every price point. The user experience will vary depending on what model you’re using, but some characteristics – or lack thereof – are shared between all of the Galaxy A models. One such characteristic is the fact that they all lack wireless charging capabilities.

Wireless charging has been one of the selling points of Samsung’s flagship phones for years now. The feature is expected from every new top-tier Galaxy smartphone hitting the market, but the same cannot be said for the Galaxy A series; even for the 2020 lineup.

We’d like to hear our readers’ opinions regarding wireless charging capabilities. Flagship owners don’t usually switch to a mid-range device once they go high-end, but if you’ve done that and you’re now using a Galaxy A device then the question is, do you miss wireless charging? Or have you found that it wasn’t as important for you as you initially thought? How big of an incentive is wireless charging for you, and would you be more inclined to buy a smartphone from the Galaxy A series if it would have wireless charging capabilities? Vote in the poll below, and feel free to share your thoughts in the comment section.

Do you miss wireless charging on your Samsung Galaxy A?

• Yes, Samsung should definitely start offering it
• No, it shouldn't if that's going to make them more expensive
• No, I always buy the flagships anyway

Results

• Yes, Samsung should definitely start offering it 47%, 16 votes
  16 votes 47%

  16 votes - 47% of all votes
• No, it shouldn't if that's going to make them more expensive 26%, 9 votes
  9 votes 26%

  9 votes - 26% of all votes
• No, I always buy the flagships anyway 26%, 9 votes
  9 votes 26%

  9 votes - 26% of all votes

Total Votes: 34

22 January 2020

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You or your IP had already vote.

• Yes, Samsung should definitely start offering it
• No, it shouldn't if that's going to make them more expensive
• No, I always buy the flagships anyway

×

You or your IP had already vote.

Results

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Samsung Pay improves in the UAE, beta version is now live in Kazakhstan

Samsung Pay is improving in the UAE through new collaborations with First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB) and Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank (ADIB). The new partnership allows customers to attach their ADIB Visa and FAB Mastercard or Visa credit/debit/prepaid cards to the mobile payment solution and make fast and easy payments through MST and NFC.

Additionally, a beta release for Samsung Pay is now taking place in Kazakhstan exclusively through Halyk Bank. The beta period will last until January 27, and it remains to be seen when the service will go live.

Samsung Pay now supported by 15 banks in the UAE

Samsung Pay was released in the UAE at the beginning of 2017 in partnership with Mashreq Bank. By the end of 2018, a total of 12 banking institutions in the UAE were supporting Samsung Pay. At present, Samsung Pay is supported by 15 banks, including FAB and ADIB. Refer to the table below for details.

Last year, Samsung focused less on launching its mobile payment solution in more markets and more on improving the service in existing countries. Last month, the company confirmed its plans to continue improving the platform wherever it’s already available, all the while expanding in new territories throughout 2020. It’s very early in the year and the company seems to be keeping its promises, so we’ll likely see Samsung Pay being launched in more markets before 2021.

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Daily Deal: 15% off IMDEN Bluetooth FM Transmitter

The automotive industry is heading towards an autonomous future powered by touchscreens, AI, and 5G, yet this is a slow process and there still are numerous vehicles on the road that lack even basic connectivity features such as Bluetooth. But as long as your car has a 12V power outlet in its dashboard and a car stereo installed, you can make it smarter using an FM transmitter. It connects to your smartphone via Bluetooth, and then it relays any audio received via Bluetooth – ranging from music to phone calls – to your car stereo over an FM frequency of your choice.

If you’re in the market for such a device, the IMDEN Bluetooth FM Transmitter might be what you’re looking for. It has two USB charging ports, a yellow-ray LED display showing the FM channel in real-time, and comes with a built-in microphone with CVC technology for hands-free calling. The IMDEN Bluetooth FM Transmitter is now available for 15% off.

Hit the Buy Now button below to get one while still available!

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Entry-level Samsung Galaxy A01 also headed to the US

For the longest time, customers in North America didn’t have the option to buy smartphones from Samsung’s mid-range Galaxy A series. That changed in 2018, when Samsung launched the Galaxy A6 (2018) in the US, and in 2019, we saw a few more A series phones make their to the country. This year should be no different, and we already know that the Galaxy A51 will be launching stateside at some point. Now, FCC certifications have revealed that the Galaxy A01 is on its way to the US as well.

The FCC has certified two models of the phone. One is the SM-A015V, which should be the carrier-locked model for Verizon. The other is the SM-A015T1 for Metro PCS, T-Mobile’s prepaid brand. The Galaxy A01 will probably be sold by other carriers in the country as well, although at this time only the Verizon and Metro PCS variants have been spotted. Samsung is also developing firmware for the Verizon variant but not for the Metro PCS variant, so Verizon could be the first carrier to start selling the device.

In terms of features and specs, the Galaxy A01 is rather similar to the Galaxy A10e, which is the most affordable A series phone available in the US right now. It comes with a 5.7-inch HD+ Infinity-V display, an octa-core processor, 2GB of RAM, 16GB of expandable storage, a dual rear camera setup with 13MP primary and 2MP depth sensors, a 5MP front-facing camera, and a 3,000 mAh battery. It runs Android 10 with One UI 2.0 out of the box.

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Google Duo could soon be integrated into Samsung’s messaging app

With the Galaxy S10, Samsung brought Instagram integration to its Gallery app, enabling users to quickly upload their photos and videos to their Instagram account. With the Galaxy S20, Samsung could be working on integration with another popular service: According to The Korea Herald, the Galaxy S20 and the Galaxy Z Flip could feature Google Duo integration in the stock messaging app.

Samsung is reportedly in talks with South Korean carrier SK Telecom and Google “on starting a video messaging service on Samsung’s Android-powered phones.” Google Duo will apparently be integrated into the regular messaging app and use Rich Communication Services (RCS) messaging that allows users to share photos, videos, music, and more over the standard SMS app instead of having to install third-party clients like WhatsApp.

However, it’s unclear what benefit the Google Duo integration will bring. South Korean carriers reportedly want users to be able to use video calling without paying extra data charges. But RCS messaging can only send media files of up to 5 MB in size without consuming any data, so Google Duo integration wouldn’t allow for very long video calls if saving on data charges is the primary goal. We guess we will have to wait until the launch of the Galaxy S20 and Galaxy Z Flip to get the finer details on what advantages Samsung’s so-called video messaging service based on Google Duo will offer.

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Galaxy Z Flip price may not be as low as previously thought

Technical complexities make foldable phones harder to produce than standard smartphones, and with the foldable segment still in its infancy, prices for foldable devices tend to be sky high. The Galaxy Fold may offer a lot of bang for buck considering how much of an engineering feat it is, but it’s not an affordable device by any stretch of the imagination.

So when the first reports about the possible pricing for Samsung’s next foldable phone, the Galaxy Z Flip, came out, it got people excited. Initial rumors said the device would be priced anywhere between $850 and $1000, but earlier this month, it was said that the price could be set between $862 and $1293. And, as recently as yesterday, it was suggested the Galaxy Z Flip could cost around €1400 at launch.

Well, it seems the actual price tag may not be nearly as high, but it may not be as low as initially believed, either. According to Korean publication Naver, the Galaxy Z Flip will be priced at 1.6 million won in South Korea. That translates to around $1,375, which is nearly $100 more than what the Galaxy Note 10+ 5G sells for in the US. It’s likely to put many folks off the prospect of buying a Galaxy Z Flip, especially if they want the latest and greatest specs. But it’s also a more logical price considering this is a foldable phone we’re talking about.

With so many conflicting reports on how much the Galaxy Z Flip could cost, it’s best to simply wait for Samsung’s official announcement of its next foldable phone, which will be accompanied by details on its pricing and availability. The Galaxy S20 and Galaxy Z Flip will be unveiled on February 11 in San Francisco, so it won’t be long before we find out exactly how big a hole the company’s new foldable phone will burn in your pocket should you decide to buy one.

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This might be one of the best features of Samsung’s next foldable phone

Samsung’s next foldable phone, the Galaxy Z Flip, is set to go official in less than three weeks. Unlike the Galaxy Fold, which has a book-like form factor that opens into a tablet-sized screen, the Galaxy Z Flip will have the old-school flip phone form factor. The folding and unfolding action will still be handled by Samsung’s complex and advanced hinge mechanism, though, and it seems the hinge will allow users to open and fix the Galaxy Z Flip’s screen at any angle.

This has an important benefit, for those wondering. By opening the Galaxy Z Flip’s display at a 90 degree angle, you could place the phone down on a surface and take a photo or video from afar by having the upper half of the display pointing towards you. Samsung actually teased this ability of the Galaxy Z Flip to open halfway and stay that way back at its developer conference last year (see the picture below), and it could very well be the feature that distinguishes the Galaxy Z Flip from the Galaxy Fold and Motorola’s new Razr phone.

The fact that the Galaxy Z Flip will be able to stay open at an angle makes Samsung’s use of a glass layer on the phone’s inner display even more impressive. Yes, unlike the Galaxy Fold, the folding display on Samsung’s upcoming foldable phone won’t be as fragile as it will have a layer of ultra-thin glass on top, although it remains how the integrity of that glass will hold up over time if the device is often opened at an angle and kept that way.

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