Exynos 850 is an 8nm processor for mid-range smartphones

The Galaxy A21s was announced last month with the Exynos 850 processor. Back then, not much was known about the phone’s chipset, but Samsung has now listed the Exynos processor on its website, revealing its detailed features and specifications.

The Exynos 850 (S5E3830) is built using Samsung’s 8nm LPP process and it is designed for smartphones, tablets, wearables, and IoT (Internet of Things) devices. It has an octa-core Cortex-A55 CPU and all the cores are clocked at 2GHz. It uses ARM’s Mali-G52 GPU but misses out on an on-chip NPU that is found in other Exynos chipsets such as the Exynos 980 and the Exynos 990.

The ISP inside the Exynos 850 supports up to 21.7MP cameras at the front and the rear. There’s support for up to 16MP+5MP dual-camera setups as well. Video recording maxes out at Full HD resolution and 30fps. The ISP also supports various types of autofocus mechanisms, including PDAF, and there is HDR as well as electronic video stabilization.

The new SoC (System on Chip) is compatible with LPDDR4X RAM, eMMC 5.1 storage, and microSD cards. It lacks 5G connectivity but features an integrated LTE modem, GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou, Galileo, dual-band Wi-Fi b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5.0, and FM Radio. We expect this chipset to appear in various entry-level and mid-range Galaxy smartphones in the coming months.

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Samsung SDI to invest $39 million in EV battery components joint venture

Samsung SDI is Samsung’s arm that develops batteries for electric vehicles, smartphones, smartwatches, and wireless earphones. It has been revealed that the company will invest around KRW 48 billion (around $39 million) in EcoPro EM, a joint venture that will make cathode materials for electric vehicle batteries.

EcoPro EM is a joint venture between EcoPro BM and Samsung SDI. The total investment into EcoPro EM will be KRW 120 billion (around $96.9 million), and Samsung SDI will contribute KRW 48 billion, while EcoPro BM will invest the remaining amount of KRW 72 billion. EcoPro BM will control 60 percent of the joint venture, while Samsung SDI will have 40 percent control.

The joint venture is expected to begin the construction of the cathode material plant in Pohang, North Gyeongsang Province in South Korea before the end of this year. The production of cathode materials for NCA (Nickel Cobalt Aluminum) 811 batteries will start in the first quarter of 2022.

A cathode is among the four main parts of a lithium-ion battery. The other three parts are anode, electrolyte, and separator. Samsung SDI entered this joint venture to become more self-reliant in making electric vehicle batteries, which is its primary source of income. It recently partnered with Hyundai to supply batteries for Hyundai’s future electric cars and plug-in hybrids.

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The Sero TV designed for smartphone users is out now in USA and UK

Samsung’s pivoted mobile-friendly TV, The Sero, is finally launching in the USA and the UK. After debuting in South Korea last year, The Sero was brought to CES 2020 where Samsung confirmed that it will release the TV model to more markets by the end of the year.

Samsung’s lifestyle TV wrapped in an eco-friendly packaging is finally available in the USA as of this writing. It has a 43-inch display and it costs $1,999 or $55.56 a month for 36 months with Samsung Financing. The Sero was also officially confirmed for the UK earlier today. The product page is already live, so even if the product is not yet available for purchase online in the UK, this could change by the time you’re reading this story. In the UK, The Sero is going to be listed alongside a price tag of £1,599.

A TV designed for Galaxy smartphone users

The Sero is an unusual TV, and that’s not just because it comes wrapped in an eco-friendly package that can earn you prizes of up to $10,000 from Dezeen and Samsung. What sets this TV model apart from any other is its design. The large 43-inch display pivots around the center, meaning it can physically switch between portrait and landscape orientations automatically.

Regardless if you buy the TV in the USA, the UK, or in other markets, mirroring content from your Galaxy smartphone to The Sero is as easy as tapping the phone against the TV’s frame. The TV will then change orientation depending on how you hold your connected phone. It also comes with a 60-watt audio system built into its base. Check the links below for more details

• Buy The Sero online from Samsung USA
• Check The Sero online at Samsung UK

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Galaxy Buds+ Ambient Sound gets further optimized with new update

Samsung is releasing another software update for the Galaxy Buds+. It carries version R175XXU0ATE3 and it weighs around 1.32MB. Similar to a previous update that rolled out to the Galaxy Buds+ a couple of months ago, the most recent version promises some optimizations to the sound quality of the Ambient Sound feature. Likewise, the changelog mentions improved system stability without detailing any other under-the-hood tweaks Samsung may have made.

A couple of months back, a moderator on the official Samsung Community forums did mention that the company is still looking into ways of improving the stability of wireless connections to prevent sound interruptions. Samsung may have addressed some of these concerns with the latest release, so let us know in the comment section if you have noticed a better wireless connection for your Galaxy Buds+ after this update. More so, let us know if Ambient Sound changed for the better after this new release.

You can download the latest software update with Ambient Sound optimizations for the Galaxy Buds+ from the Galaxy Wearable app on your connected smartphone. Look for version R175XXU0ATE3, and keep in mind that the update’s availability will expand gradually. If you haven’t received the update notification yet, you should soon.

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Galaxy Watch Active 2 Under Armour Edition keeps reaching new markets

It’s been many months since the Galaxy Watch Active 2 was introduced. We’re effectively closer to the launch of a sequel than we are to the debut of the original Watch Active 2, so it may come as a surprise that the Watch Active 2 Under Armour Edition is still being made available in new markets roughly 8 months after the initial release. In a surprising announcement Samsung made the Galaxy Watch Active 2 Under Armour Edition official in South Africa earlier today. The wearable is now available in South Africa for the starting price of 8,499 rando ($488).

The Bluetooth-only Galaxy Watch Active 2 Under Armour Edition is available in two sizes. The 8,499 rand price tag corresponds to the smaller 40mm model, while the larger 44mm variant costs 8,999 rand ($517). The smaller model is available in Mystic Blue, which is actually gray, while the 44mm variant is only available in Under Armour Black.

The Galaxy Watch Active 2 Under Armour Edition is identical to the standard variant in all aspects except minor details on the exterior design and the fact that it comes pre-loaded with the MapMyRun app along with six months of free membership to MapMyRun Premium. It offers training plans, more intuitive coaching, and exclusive compatibility with the UA HOVR running shoes. Check the links below for more details.

Galaxy Watch Active 2 review

• Check the Galaxy Watch Active 2 (40mm) Under Armour Edition at Samsung South Africa
• Check the Galaxy Watch Active 2 (44mm) Under Armour Edition at Samsung South Africa

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Russia is the latest market to get the value-oriented Galaxy A21s

Samsung is bringing its new budget-conscious smartphone, the Galaxy A21s, to more markets, the latest of which is Russia. As of this writing, the phone with 32GB and 64GB of built-in storage is listed online at Samsung Russia next to a Where to Buy button. Therefore, it’s not quite available for purchase online just yet, but you should be able to find it in select retail stores.

Although prices are not mentioned on the online store page, Samsung Russia’s official announcement does reveal that the Galaxy A21s with 32GB of storage should cost 15,990 rubles ($229). Meanwhile, the 64GB model will set you back 16,990 rubles ($243).

New Exynos 850 and a 5,000mAh battery

The Galaxy A21s is Samsung’s first smartphone to use the Exynos 850 SoC. It was built on an 8nm LPP process and it has eight ARM Cortex-A55 CPU cores clocked at up to 2.0GHz, paired with either 3GB or 4GB of RAM.

Unlike many other Galaxy smartphones on the market, the Galaxy A21s has a rear-mounted fingerprint scanner. This is arguably a better choice, especially at this price point where under-display fingerprint scanners can be even more unreliable than usual. The rear panel also accommodates a 48MP main shooter, an 8MP ultrawide sensor, and two 2MP sensors – one macro and one depth.

The 13MP selfie camera resides in the upper-left corner of the screen. It’s an Infinity-O panel design with a 6.5-inch diagonal for the TFT LCD and a resolution of 1600 by 720 pixels. All the components rely on a large 5,000mAh battery with support for 15W fast charging. In Russia, the Galaxy A21s is available in black, blue, and red.

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Galaxy A50, Note 8, Xcover Pro pick up June security patch via update

Samsung began the June 2020 security patch rollout earlier today with the Galaxy S20 series. The Unlocked Galaxy S10 and Galaxy Note 10 lineups in the USA followed suit, and now, three very different Galaxy smartphones are joining the party. They are the Galaxy A50 (SM-A505FN), the Galaxy Note 8 (SM-N950F), and the Galaxy Xcover Pro (SM-G715FN), with their latest updates carrying firmware numbers A505FNXXS5BTF1, N950FXXSBDTED, and G715FNXXS4ATE1, respectively.

The latest update including the June 2020 security patch is now making its way onto the Galaxy A50, Galaxy Note 8, and Galaxy Xcover Pro in a wide variety of countries across Europe, from Germany and the UK, to countries in Southeast Europe. You can refer to our firmware archive and check the update’s availability for your country for the SM-A505FN, the SM-N950F, and SM-G715FN by hitting each of these links. You can then download the latest firmware and install it on your smartphone using a Windows PC.

The more traditional method of acquiring new firmware updates is to wait for the notification to pop up on your phone and tap it. Alternatively, you can try to trigger the update by opening Settings on your phone, going to Software update, and tapping Download and install. As for other Galaxy devices, Samsung is already covering a variety of them with the June 2020 security patch, and many other models are bound to join the rollout over the coming days.

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Unlocked Galaxy S10 and Galaxy Note 10 get June security update in USA

Not to be outdone by the Galaxy S20 series, the unlocked Galaxy S10 and Note 10 lineups in the USA are now getting new software updates that include the June 2020 security patch. The updates for the unlocked Galaxy S10 and Note 10 models in the USA are identified by firmware numbers G97xU1UES3DTDD and N97xU1UES3CTE5, respectively.

The package is rolling out now for the entirety of the two smartphone lineups, including the unlocked Galaxy S10e, Galaxy S10, and Galaxy S10+, as well as the Galaxy Note 10 and Galaxy Note 10+. Although a similar update brought camera and call quality improvements to the Galaxy S20 lineup, the Galaxy S10 and Note 10 models are seemingly not getting any new features along with the newer security patch. The June 2020 security patch is very fresh and has yet to be detailed by Google and/or Samsung. But like any other security patch before, it should fix various vulnerabilities affecting both Android OS and Samsung’s own software.

Downloading the latest update and the June 2020 security patch for the unlocked Galaxy S10 and Note 10 lineups in the USA is as easy as tapping the notification when it arrives, or going to the phone’s Settings app, tapping Software update, followed by Download and install. As always, you can also check our firmware archive, download the package for the Galaxy phone model you own, and install it using your Windows PC.

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Daily Deal: 30% off 2-pack Sandisk Ultra 128GB MicroSD card

Sandisk is known for producing storage devices for over 30 years. Their microSD cards are usable in a broad range of devices which makes them popular. These class 10 cards have a fast read/write speed so they’re perfect to use in your smartphone. By using them in your device, you’re able to expand the storage capacity by a massive 128GB which gives you plenty of room for photos or a lot of music. This 2-pack is now available at 30% off, which makes it the perfect time to get them in!

Hit the Buy Now button below to order while they’re still discounted.

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Unlocked Galaxy S20 models now getting June security update in the US

In a surprising development, Samsung has released new software updates for the Galaxy S20 series in various markets with different changelogs and security patches on the same day. Over in its home country, Samsung released an update that brings call quality improvements to the Galaxy S20, S20+, and S20 Ultra and bundles the May security patch. In the US, the company is updating unlocked versions of the Galaxy S20 series devices with the June Android security patch.

Based on its firmware version and changelog, the update rolling out for the unlocked Galaxy S20 models in the US only brings a new security patch. It’s unclear if the camera improvements included in the update released for international models a couple of weeks back are present in the update for the unlocked US variants. The last time the carrier-free versions of the Galaxy S20, S20+, and S20 Ultra received an update with new features was way back in April, so it seems Samsung isn’t treating them the same as the carrier-locked models.

It remains to be seen when the international Galaxy S20 models will receive the June security update, but we will let you know once they do. In the meantime, if you own an unlocked Galaxy S20, S20+, or S20 Ultra, you can download the new update from the phone’s Settings » Software update menu or from our firmware archive. If you own a Galaxy S20 Ultra, you can check if the latest update includes camera improvements by seeing if there’s a new ‘close-up zoom’ feature in the camera that we have detailed here.

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This cursed wallpaper can crash your Samsung Galaxy smartphone

A known Samsung insider recently discovered one of the most bizarre Android bugs in recent memory – one that bootloops your device after a wallpaper change. The image, seen above, crashes not just Galaxy devices but many other Android smartphones, as well. Following further investigation, this appears to be a direct consequence of the OS’s lack of built-in RGB support. More specifically, the high dynamic range of the “cursed” image returns a histogram value higher than 255, thus exceeding the limit of the sRGB color space native to Android.

In effect, setting it as your wallpaper is likely to crash and even bootloop your device, as many Twitter users too curious for their own good found out. On the bright side, the nature of the bizarre bug means that applying any kind of processing to the image – from changing a single pixel to screenshotting it – should render it safe to use. That isn’t to say experimenting with it is recommended, though, so consider yourself warned.

A fix is on the way

The crash-inducing issue, brought to light by IceUniverse, is reportedly limited to Android 10 and older versions of the operating system as Android 11 handles such potential color space discrepancies on the fly. A straightforward fix has already been submitted to Google’s AOSP repository by developer Davide Bianco who proposed artificially limiting histogram bounds in Android 10 to 255, and Samsung has also reportedly prepared a fix that will arrive in a future software update for Galaxy devices.

In case you’ve disregarded all warnings and now have a bootlooping Galaxy smartphone on your hands, you may be able to revive it by rebooting into safe mode and changing your wallpaper from there. Some users also report they’ve had success with manually deleting wallpaper data, while others have had to reset their device through the recovery menu to get their device working again.

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Samsung launches 8GB RAM variant of Galaxy M31 in India

Samsung has launched a new variant of the Galaxy M31 in India, and it has 8GB RAM and 128GB internal storage. The South Korean smartphone brand had launched 64GB and 128GB variants of the smartphone with 6GB RAM in the country in February 2020.

The Galaxy M31’s 8GB RAM variant (SM-M315FZKHINS) is priced at INR 19,999 (around $265) in India, and it is available in black and blue colors. Samsung has not started selling the 8GB RAM variant yet and is currently displaying the ‘Notify Me’ button on its website.

The 64GB storage variant, which comes with 6GB RAM, is priced at INR 16,999 (around $225), while the 128GB variant with 6GB RAM costs INR 17,999 (around $240).

Galaxy M31 specifications

The Galaxy M31 sports a 6.4-inch Super AMOLED Infinity-U display with Full HD resolution. The phone runs Android 10 with One UI 2 and uses the Exynos 9611 processor. It is equipped with 6GB/8GB RAM and 64GB/128GB UFS 2.1 storage. There’s a microSD card slot and a dual-SIM card slot.

The phone has a fingerprint reader at the rear and 32MP selfie camera with 4K video recording at the front. The mid-range smartphone features a 64MP+8MP+5MP+5MP quad-camera setup at the rear. Only the primary camera sensor can record 4K videos at 30fps.

In terms of connectivity, the Galaxy M31 comes equipped with 4G LTE, GPS, Wi-Fi ac/b/g/n, Bluetooth 5.0, USB Type-C port, and a 3.5mm headphone jack. A 6,000mAh battery powers the phone and supports 15W fast charging.

Galaxy M31 review

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Newest Galaxy S20 series update adds call quality improvements

Samsung has a new software update for the Galaxy S20 series which it started rolling out in its home country of South Korea. However, the firmware package doesn’t come with a new Android security patch. Instead, it seems to only introduce some call quality improvements to the Galaxy S20, Galaxy S20+, and the Galaxy S20 Ultra. The software upgrade in question can be identified by build number G98xNKSU1ATED and is just over 208 MB in size.

This new over-the-air rollout comes less than two weeks after Samsung last updated its newest series of Android flagships. Its previously released firmware images included camera and stability improvements. The next software update for the Galaxy S20 line will presumably include the June 2020 security patch.

Samsung improves call quality on Galaxy S20 smartphones

Samsung’s newest Galaxy S20 series firmware began rolling out in South Korea late last week. It’s currently unclear whether these same software updates are meant to be released globally as is, or if their call quality improvements will be bundled with the June 2020 security patch that’s expected to hit the Galaxy S20 family in the coming days. South Korean owners of compatible flagships (SM-G981N, SM-G986N, and SM-G988N) can download the latest updates for their devices from SamMobile‘s firmware archive.

Samsung has been hard at work improving the Galaxy S20-series devices ever since their release, with the company being likely to maintain that packed OTA release schedule moving forward. Meanwhile, the manufacturer is also gearing up for the launch of its next high-end Android smartphones in the form of the Galaxy Note 20 and Galaxy Fold 2 series.

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Verizon to launch Galaxy A71s 5G UW featuring Snapdragon 765

Samsung is working on a new variant of the Galaxy A71 5G for Verizon’s network. According to a new report, the phone will be branded as the Galaxy A71s 5G UW. The ‘UW’ bit shows that the phone will support Verizon’s Ultrawide 5G network, which uses the mmWave 5G technology for faster download and upload speeds when compared to sub-6GHz 5G.

Although Verizon’s version of the smartphone (SM-A716V) would look like any other Galaxy A71 5G, it reportedly uses the Snapdragon 765 processor. If the information in this report is correct, the Galaxy A71s 5G UW will be the first phone with the Snapdragon 765 chipset to feature support for mmWave 5G networks.

The global variant of the Galaxy A71 5G features a 6.7-inch Super AMOLED Infinity-O display with Full HD+ resolution and an optical fingerprint reader. Its 32MP selfie camera is hidden inside a punch-hole cutout in the top-center part of the screen. The smartphone uses an Exynos 980 processor, 6GB/8GB RAM, 128GB UFS 2.1 storage, and a microSD card slot.

The phone runs Android 10 with One UI 2.0. It has a quad-camera setup at the rear, featuring a 64MP primary camera sensor, a 12MP ultrawide camera, a 5MP macro camera, and a 5MP depth sensor. It can record 4K 30fps videos. The Galaxy A71 5G is powered by a 4,500mAh battery and supports 25W fast charging via the USB Type-C port.

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Samsung starts selling The Wall TVs in South Korea, offers experience zones

Samsung has started selling its The Wall lineup of ultra-premium QLED TVs in South Korea. The company had started experience zones for the new TVs at the Samsung Galleria Mall in Gwanggyo, Suwon, Gyeonggi Province on March 31 so that customers could see the massive TV in action.

An experience zone for The Wall TV is present at Samsung Electronics’ Premium Store inside the Gwanggyo store’s eighth floor. People can experience the 146-inch version of The Wall. However, the experience is being operated as a customized concierge service and will only be available for those who pre-book the visit.

Samsung said in a press release that it would expand experience zones for the TV to more stores across South Korea in the future. People would be able to experience the moon in 8K resolution and Quantum HDR 24X. The South Korean firm will hold various events, including the opening of The Wall Experience Zone, to coincide with the revamp of its store.

The Wall TVs are based on the micro LED technology, which offers improved picture quality compared to LCD technologies. It offers 8K resolution, ultra-low reflection backlight technology, improved color volume, and HDR10+. Business and cinema versions of The Wall are available as well, and they offer modular designs.

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