Galaxy A51(s) 5G for Verizon has a Qualcomm chipset instead of Exynos

Aside from the Galaxy A71s 5G for Verizon, Samsung now seems to be developing a Galaxy A51 5G variant for the same US-bound carrier. An unannounced Galaxy device carrying model number SM-A516V has popped up in the online benchmark Geekbench and was approved by the Wi-Fi Alliance and the NFC Forum earlier this month.

According to the benchmark, the Galaxy A51 5G for Verizon (SM-A516V) is equipped with a Qualcomm-made 8-core chipset paired with 6GB of RAM. The motherboard’s codenamed ‘lito’ suggests this SoC is none other than the Snapdragon 765G. Both Geekbench and the Wi-Fi Alliance confirm the device runs Android 10, presumably with One UI version 2.1 on top.

It might be released as the Galaxy A51s 5G UW

Between the Galaxy A51 5G having model number SM-A516 and the aforementioned Galaxy A71s 5G UW being identified by model number SM-A716V, it’s logical to assume that the new SM-A516V model number might be corresponding to a so-called Galaxy A51s 5G UW meant for Verizon.

Samsung first announced the Exynos-powered Galaxy A51 5G for the US market in early-April. The phone is supposed to be released in the country by the end of the summer for $499.99. Verizon’s model would presumably go on sale around the same time and for roughly the same price, but only time will tell exactly how else it will differ from the non-Verizon variant aside from having an Snapdragon 765G chipset instead of the Exynos 980.

The post Galaxy A51(s) 5G for Verizon has a Qualcomm chipset instead of Exynos appeared first on SamMobile.

from SamMobile https://ift.tt/31o7zb5
via IFTTT

Several “new” iOS 14 features take inspiration from Samsung’s One UI

If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery then Apple’s iOS 14 is certainly flattering both Samsung’s One UI and Google’s Android OS. Apple recently took the veil off its latest mobile OS version at WWDC 2020, and interestingly enough, iOS 14 has a lot of features that Android and Galaxy smartphone users have been taking for granted for years.

This is only natural, as rival companies will always try to stay ahead of each other even at the cost of originality. Besides, the three tech giants including Apple, Google, and Samsung have been tinkering with mobile software for the past decade, and some ideas were bound to overlap over this long period of constant optimization.

We recently discussed what we think Samsung and the One UI team could learn from Apple’s WWDC 2020 and iOS 14, but now we decided to have a bit of fun and take a closer look at the latest iOS 14 features that have undoubtedly been inspired by Samsung’s One UI and Google’s mobile operating system.

Home screen widgets and an app drawer

Home screen widgets and the app drawer have been a part of Samsung’s proprietary software since forever, but were you aware that these simple features we take for granted have been missing from iOS all this time?

Apple’s new iOS 14 took a page straight from Google’s book with the addition of home screen widgets and the so-called App Library. Granted, Apple’s widgets and app drawer are not exactly identical to Google’s, but they serve the same purpose.

Emoji search and the ability to change the default email/browser apps

Up until iOS 14, iPhone users have been unable to search for emojis through the default keyboard, believe it or not. This function that had already existed on Samsung Keyboard for some time has now finally been added to iPhones.

More so, it’s been roughly a decade since the first version of iOS was introduced, but it’s only now in the year 2020 when iPhone users can finally change their default mailing and internet browser apps. Before iOS 14, iPhone owners were forced to use Apple’s first-party browser and mailing apps as the default choice.

More compact UI elements, inspired by One UI

One UI represented a big step forward in the evolution of Samsung’s proprietary software, as it cleaned up, streamlined, and modernized the user interface in a more cohesive manner. With One UI, Samsung focused on bringing more relevant information to the forefront while minimizing other elements.

An example of this is the incoming call screen. It no longer occupies the entire display in One UI (although it can still be set to full-screen if so desired); instead, it appears in a pop-up window with discrete ‘accept’ and ‘reject call’ buttons. One UI 2 made the pop-up even less intrusive.

Some iOS 14 design elements seem to have been directly inspired by One UI. Similar to Samsung’s software, Apple’s latest mobile OS version ditches the full-screen call screen design in favor of a pop-up.

Apple Pen can now draw shapes automatically

Similar to Samsung’s hidden Neat Shapes feature in Samsung Notes, iOS 14 adds a new Apple Pen function that lets users draw perfect shapes.

Granted, Apple’s implementation looks a bit more intuitive, but even so, it’s not an original idea. And since Apple seemingly took inspiration from Samsung, perhaps the Korean tech giant can learn something from Apple’s Neat Shapes equivalent as well to further improve its implementation.

Picture-in-picture video

Another feature Samsung users are very well used to is picture-in-picture for videos. It has been previously included in iOS for iPads, but up until now, it was not something that iPhone owners could take advantage of, for whatever reasons. A few years later and Apple is finally adding picture-in-picture video support to iOS for iPhones.

Even more features inspired by Android OS

There are a handful of other iOS 14 features that could be described as love letters to Google’s Android OS. To begin with, Apple’s mobile OS now finally ships with an onboard translate app.

Then there’s what Apple calls App Clips. It’s essentially an equivalent to App Slices in Android OS, meaning that iOS 14 users can now find various app components when using the search function.

Last but not least, Apple hasn’t given up on competing with Google Maps, and iOS 14 has finally added directions for cyclists in Apple Maps, once again playing catch-up with the Mountain View tech giant.

---

It’s incredible to think that some of these basic Android / One UI features have been missing in iOS throughout all this time, but there you have it. Should we be mad at Apple for getting inspiration from Samsung and Google? I don’t think so, at least not as long as certain differentiating factors exist. Some ideas are simply too good to be ignored and this is why we see many similar features across different operating systems and apps. Do you agree, or do you think developers should never imitate one another?

The post Several “new” iOS 14 features take inspiration from Samsung’s One UI appeared first on SamMobile.

from SamMobile https://ift.tt/31fgfAC
via IFTTT

Daily Deal: 7% off the Galaxy Tab A (2019)

The Galaxy Tab A is a basic tablet that’s being sold at a fair price. It’s perfect for when you use a tablet occasionally and don’t need a lot of power for gaming or video. It comes with an 8″ display that’s able to good colors and the dual speakers are able to produce spacious surround sound. The battery life is decent as well and will give you up to 13 hours of use on a full charge. This tablet also has a special Kids Mode which is very useful if you have kids that you want to play around with the tablet. You can now get this tablet discounted at 7% off which is just that little extra you want for this already reasonably priced tablet.

Hit the Buy Now button below to order one while still discounted!

The post Daily Deal: 7% off the Galaxy Tab A (2019) appeared first on SamMobile.

from SamMobile https://ift.tt/2Z7JBhA
via IFTTT

[Poll] Did you purchase the Galaxy S10 Lite?

The Galaxy S20 series has been on the market for less than four months, and a Galaxy S20 Lite — or Galaxy S20 Fan Edition, as it might be called — is already on its way. We exclusively broke the news that the device is in development a couple of weeks back and revealed its color options earlier this week, and we can be sure that more information will pop up online as we move closer to the phone’s official launch.

However, what we probably won’t know anytime soon is how well these so-called Lite flagship variants do in the market. The Galaxy S10 Lite has only been around for half a year, but despite being an excellent phone that gets so many things right, it doesn’t seem to have hit it off with customers all that much. Perhaps its $650/€650 price tag was to blame? Perhaps Samsung didn’t do a good job of marketing it, or perhaps there simply wasn’t much demand for such a device?

It’s hard to say, but one can only assume that Samsung sees some benefit in continuing to make these ‘cheaper’ variants of its flagships, which is why the Galaxy S20 Fan Edition is under development. And that’s why, in our latest poll, we want to ask you, our readers: Did you purchase the Galaxy S10 Lite? Do you like it, or did you not find the device attractive enough to get one?

Vote in the poll below and share your thoughts with us down in the comments section!

Did you purchase the Galaxy S10 Lite?

• Nope, didn't see the point
• Yes, I think it's good enough for my needs
• Nope, was too costly at launch
• Yep, and I love it
• Bought it, but sold it soon after

Results

The post [Poll] Did you purchase the Galaxy S10 Lite? appeared first on SamMobile.

from SamMobile https://ift.tt/3g0hKql
via IFTTT

Samsung’s smart TV for avid smartphone users, The Sero, is live in France

Samsung has released its rotating vertical TV, The Sero, in France where it is now available for 1,499 euros. The Sero is a smart TV designed specifically for avid smartphone users who want to mirror content from their handsets onto the big screen. This is all thanks to the 43-inch display that rotates automatically from portrait to landscape mode depending on the type of content that’s being streamed from the connected smartphone.

Samsung France claims that around 40% of video content created on smartphones has a vertical format. Evidently, displaying vertical content in portrait mode leads to a lot of screen real estate being lost, and The Sero was created precisely to tackle this problem. A 4.1-channel 60-watt sound system incorporated in the TV’s base completes the user experience.

In France, you can buy The Sero in 3 or 4 equal payments

Samsung has released The Sero in France for 1,499 euros but customers have a choice of buying the device outright or acquiring it in exchange for 3 or 4 equal payments by credit card worth 499.67 and 374.76 euros, respectively.

The Sero ships in Navy Blue, it has QLED display technology, an AI Quantum 4K Processor, HDR+ support, three HDMI inputs, 2 USB ports, and Bluetooth 4.2 connectivity. It’s integrated with virtual assistants including Bixby, Amazon Alexa, and Google Assistant.

• Buy The Sero from Samsung France

The post Samsung’s smart TV for avid smartphone users, The Sero, is live in France appeared first on SamMobile.

from SamMobile https://ift.tt/3i0Aic5
via IFTTT

Samsung was the world’s second-biggest semiconductor company in Q1 2020

Samsung is among the biggest semiconductor firms in the world, and according to a report from the market research and analysis firm Omdia, the company was second biggest during the first quarter of this year. The South Korean Electronics giant was behind Intel, which was the biggest semiconductor supplier across the globe in Q1 2020.

Samsung’s revenue from its semiconductor business was $13.75 billion in the previous quarter, up slightly (1.4%) from $13.55 billion in Q4 2019. This revenue made up for 12.5% of the global semiconductor industry revenue. Intel, with 17.7% of the worldwide semiconductor revenue, was the number one brand. Intel’s semiconductor revenue during Q1 2020 was $19.5 billion, 1.8% lower than its income in Q1 2019.

SK Hynix, Micron, Broadcom, Qualcomm, TI (Texas Instruments), HiSilicon, Nvidia, and Kioxia (formerly Toshiba Memory) were the other semiconductor brands on the list. Most of these companies saw their revenue grow during Q1 2020 despite the COVID-19 pandemic. However, Qualcomm (14.6% growth) and HiSilicon (40.3% growth) showed the highest growth during the period. It is surprising to see HiSilicon’s growth as Huawei experienced trade sanctions.

Samsung has big plans to become the world’s biggest semiconductor firm by 2030. It has planned investments worth billions of dollars to reach its goal. It will soon start mass production of chips based on 5nm EUV technology and is investing in the development of 3nm GAA technology.

The post Samsung was the world’s second-biggest semiconductor company in Q1 2020 appeared first on SamMobile.

from SamMobile https://ift.tt/3g6n63D
via IFTTT

Galaxy A01 Core leak reminds us single rear cameras are still a thing

The Galaxy A01 Core is likely close to release as it’s now making the news for the third time in a week. This time, on the account of a hi-res press render leaked just moments ago, showing the entry-level smartphone in two colors – blue and red. There’s also no understating that “entry-level” part, seeing how the Galaxy A01 Core appears to be a truly barebones device, even for the low-end range of the ultra-competitive smartphone market.

It’s currently unclear whether Samsung has plans to release the Galaxy A01 Core in more color options than the two seen above. The image itself was shared by known industry insider Evan Blass, also known by his “evleaks” handle, via Patreon.

Two colors, one camera… zero reasons to buy?

Needless to say, with how affordable mid-rangers have gotten in recent years, there’s little reason to consider an entry-level smartphone in 2020. Samsung itself appears to be aware of that fact given how much it reduced the number of such handsets it releases on an annual basis over the last half a decade. The Galaxy A01 Core will presumably be primarily targeted at developing countries, as is the case with most low-end devices Samsung’s still making these days.

Perhaps the most compelling reason to consider buying the Galaxy A01 Core in 2020 will be its recently confirmed removable battery, a feature that’s rarely encountered in today’s smartphone market. One international variant of the entry-level handset had its model number spotted online earlier this week, with the SM-A013F/DS designator being indicative of dual-SIM capabilities. Samsung’s upcoming device will also utilize an 18:9 (2:1) display sporting a resolution of 1,480 by 720 pixels. That combination of specs also suggests a diagonal of approximately five inches. Combined with the rest of its modest feature set, including that single rear camera that really looks out of place in this day and age, the Galaxy A01 Core should debut in the ballpark of $100.

The post Galaxy A01 Core leak reminds us single rear cameras are still a thing appeared first on SamMobile.

from SamMobile https://ift.tt/2Yx5qYW
via IFTTT

Samsung is also working on Galaxy M01 Core

Samsung had launched the most affordable Galaxy M series smartphone, the Galaxy M01, in India last week. Now, it looks like the company is working on a Galaxy M series device that’s even more affordable. A new Galaxy smartphone with model number SM-M013F/DS received Wi-Fi certification yesterday, and it looks like the phone will be a trimmed down version of the Galaxy M01.

Going by the model number, there’s a possibility of the SM-M013F/DS being launched as the Galaxy M01 Core. As per the document, the device runs Android 10. It could be cheaper than the Galaxy M01, and it features a dual-SIM card slot, dual-band Wi-Fi b/g/n, and Wi-Fi Direct. Since the Galaxy A01 Core is expected to feature a removable battery, we expect the same design to be carried over to the Galaxy M01 Core as well.

At this time, there is no information about the phone’s processor, design, display, and cameras. However, we think that the phone could be launched in the next few months as it has received Wi-Fi certification. The rest of the specifications of the Galaxy M01 Core could be similar to the Galaxy A01 Core. Samsung is also working on a beefed-up version of the Galaxy M01 with 32GB internal storage.

The post Samsung is also working on Galaxy M01 Core appeared first on SamMobile.

from SamMobile https://ift.tt/3dBGcwO
via IFTTT

Galaxy S20 series now supports AR objects in Google Search

Devices in Samsung’s latest flagship smartphone series, the Galaxy S20, Galaxy S20+ 5G, and the Galaxy S20 Ultra 5G, have recently been added to Google’s ARCore list. The phones also support Google’s new Depth API that lets you do even more in AR (Augmented Reality) apps.

It took Google and Samsung more than three months to bring the Galaxy S20 series into the ARCore compatibility list, but at least they’re also compatible with the new Depth API. You can now use these phones to view tons of 3D models with a tap of a button in the Google Search app. You can even move these objects around and see them in AR space in your home via the camera’s viewfinder, and click pictures and record videos of those 3D models.

The Depth API helps distinguish between real-world foreground and background, so digital objects can move more realistically in space with the help of improved pathfinding. Earlier, digital objects just appeared on top of both the foreground and background, but now they can partially or fully hide behind real-world objects.

The Galaxy S20+ and the Galaxy S20 Ultra also feature a VGA 3D ToF (Time of Flight) camera for accurate mapping of objects, something that could be used in AR apps, but Google hasn’t started taking information from those sensors yet and it is still relying on the primary camera of the devices for ARCore.

Google ARCore with Depth API – Occlusion Off vs. Occlusion On

The post Galaxy S20 series now supports AR objects in Google Search appeared first on SamMobile.

from SamMobile https://ift.tt/2YCahbn
via IFTTT