Galaxy Note 20 will get dynamic switching between 60Hz and 120Hz mode

The 120Hz displays on the Galaxy S20 series are awesome, but they aren’t utilized to the fullest potential. For one, you can’t use the high refresh rate with the maximum screen resolution. Samsung also decided to not add the option to dynamically switch between 60Hz and 120Hz refresh rate based on what app is opened or what content is played, even though it did ponder doing so at one point.

It’s unclear at this time if the Galaxy Note 20 and Galaxy Note 20 Ultra will be able to provide the high refresh rate at the highest screen resolution (whether or not the regular Note 20 will have a 120Hz display is also up in the air). But it looks like at least the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra will come with the dynamic refresh rate feature. Tipster Ice universe shared a photo on Twitter showing an ‘adaptive’ refresh rate option in the Note 20 Ultra’s settings menu, and we have heard from our own sources that Samsung is indeed testing such an option for its upcoming flagship.

Adaptive vs variable refresh rate: There’s a difference

This adaptive/dynamic refresh rate feature shouldn’t be confused with variable refresh rate. The former will simply allow the phone to automatically switch between 60Hz and 120Hz refresh rate, which the Galaxy S20 series already does when certain apps are opened. Variable refresh rate (VRR) is a hardware feature that enables a display to vary its refresh rate in real-time to any number between the minimum and maximum refresh rate. Rumors say the Galaxy Note 20/Note 20 Ultra has support for variable refresh rate, but they are all unconfirmed at this time.

Adaptive refresh rate adjustment is purely a software feature that Samsung could easily bring to the Galaxy S20 lineup through a software update, and we’re assuming it will after the Galaxy Note 20 series goes on sale. Of course, instead of waiting for an update that may or may not come, you can simply use Bixby Routines to manually set up your Galaxy S20 to switch between 60Hz and 120Hz refresh rate in different apps.

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T-Mobile starts rolling out June 2020 security patch to Galaxy S10 series

The unlocked variants of the Galaxy S10e, Galaxy S10, and the Galaxy S10+ started receiving the June 2020 security patch last month. Now, T-Mobile has started rolling out the June 2020 security patch to the devices on its network, one week after the Galaxy S10 series started getting the July 2020 security patch.

T-Mobile started rolling out the update to the Galaxy S10 devices last weekend. The latest updates for the Galaxy S10e, Galaxy S10, and the Galaxy S10+ carry firmware versions G970USQU3DTE8, G973USQU3DTE8, and G975USQU3DTE8, respectively. Apart from the June 2020 security patch, the new software update also brings Wi-Fi calling improvements to the phones along with bug fixes and other improvements.

If you’re a Galaxy S10e, Galaxy S10, or Galaxy S10+ user on T-Mobile’s network in the US, you would’ve received the notification for the update already. You can also check for the new update by navigating to Settings » Software update and tapping the Download and install option on your smartphone.

Over the past few months, Samsung has immensely improved the pace of releasing software updates and security patches to the unlocked versions of its smartphones. However, carriers are still lagging when it comes to releasing updates to Galaxy devices on their networks.

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Samsung could launch new affordable tablet with Snapdragon 662

It has been a few months since Samsung launched a new affordable tablet in the Galaxy Tab A series. However, a possible sighting of a new tablet from Samsung is being reported. The device with model number SM-T5050 has been found in Geekbench’s database, and it appears to use a Snapdragon processor.

Going by the model number, it could end up being launched as the Galaxy Tab A 7.0 (2020), but only time will tell its real name. The upcoming Galaxy Tab A series tablet scored 317 points and 1,358 points in Geekbench’s CPU performance benchmark test. The tablet runs Android 10, has 3GB RAM, and uses a Qualcomm processor with codename ‘Bengal.’

SM-T505 uses Snapdragon 662 chipset

Going by the information available in the kernel source code, Bengal has an octa-core Kryo 260 CPU (4+4 clusters) and an Adreno 610 GPU with a 980MHz clock speed. Both, the Snapdragon 662 or the Snapdragon 665, match the description. However, the one used in the SM-T505 seems to be the Snapdragon 662.

Announced earlier this year, the Snapdragon 662 is a newer chipset than the Snapdragon 665. It uses an 11nm process and features the up to 192MP camera sensor support, LPDDR4X RAM, Hexagon 683 DSP, X11 LTE modem, GPS, Wi-Fi ac, Bluetooth 5.1, USB 3.1 Type-C support, and Quick Charge 3.0 compatibility.

We can expect Samsung to launch more affordable tablets later this year, after the launch of its two high-end tablets: Galaxy Tab S7 and Galaxy Tab S7+.

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Galaxy Note 20 could be launched in South Korea with Snapdragon 865+

Samsung usually launches Snapdragon versions of its smartphones in China and the US, while other markets have to make do with the Exynos versions. However, something strange happened earlier this year — the Snapdragon 865 version of the Galaxy S20 series was launched in South Korea, humiliating the Exynos team. Later, reports about the Exynos 992-equipped Galaxy Note 20 started circulating, claiming that Samsung could go back to the Exynos chipset for its home market.

According to a new report from South Korean publication DDaily, Samsung will launch the Snapdragon 865+ versions of the Galaxy Note 20 and the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra in South Korea. According to the report, Samsung could continue with its Snapdragon strategy for the South Korean market even further. The main reason for the company’s strategy is said to be the Snapdragon chipset’s relatively higher GPU performance.

It is being reported that GPU performance has become extremely important and that Samsung Electronics saw a noticeable difference between the Exynos 990’s and the Snapdragon 865’s graphics capabilities. It was also the reason why Samsung exclusively used the Snapdragon 855 chipset in the Galaxy Fold, according to the report. Snapdragon processors also feature faster 5G modems for higher download and upload speeds. Various tests have proved in the past that Snapdragon versions of Galaxy smartphones also offer longer battery life than Exynos versions.

Meanwhile, the company’s in-house chipset division is trying to improve the graphics performance of the Exynos processors by joining hands with AMD to use the Radeon technology. We could see the first Exynos chipset with AMD Radeon graphics sometime next year, and it could be named Exynos 1000. The Galaxy S21 (or Galaxy S30) could be the first phone to use the rumored Exynos 1000 processor with a 5nm EUV process.

Would you buy the Galaxy Note 20 if it comes with the Exynos 990 chipset in your country? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.

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Samsung claims 6G could arrive in 2028 ahead of uncertain earnings

Holograms, lonely people, augmented reality, and Samsung trying to replace its customers with robots. Oh, and 6G by 2028; that would be the gist of a newly released white paper from Samsung Research talking about “The Next Hyper-Connected Experience for All“.

Which is a fair title given the report’s overall content but hardly sets up a convicing claim that the sixth generation of mobile networks won’t be on the drawing board for well over a decade this time around. As that argument comes down to the fact that it usually takes around ten years between early rollouts of such tech.

Samsung is now making 6G predictions

Whereas the 3GPP’s work on 5G NR progressed at its own pace, and because of that, we’re now getting networks purpose-built not just for streaming Netflix in 4K but everything from remote surgeries and large-scale IoT to driverless vehicles and a bunch of other existing tech waiting to change the world. For the first time in the history of telecommunications, the best and brightest were allowed time to think about how the critical infrastructure they’re in charge of could benefit everyone in the long term. On top of ensuring 5G has enough clear upgrade lines and alternatives to both those and initial deployment that it might as well be considered 6G.

In case you haven’t noticed, the world is still in the middle of a global pandemic and Samsung will soon be reporting its first quarterly earnings that are making investors kind of nervous. Despite the fact that last week’s guidance was decent enough to beat street estimates. But a detailed breakdown of how Samsung has been spending money during the Great Lockdown probably won’t help you make rational decisions about its stock, which is why it’s now making suggestions that anyone will be making money from yet another completely new generation of technology by the end of this decade.

If you need additional proof, here’s an actual white paper on 5G from five years ago published by that same branch. So, we’ll just have to assume Samsung knows the difference between a forecast based on industry trends a booklet disseminated ahead of another touchy afternoon with investors.

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Will you buy the Galaxy Note 20 if it sports the Exynos 990 processor?

The closer we get to the official launch of the Galaxy Note 20 series, the less likely does it seem Samsung will manage to address all major complaints consumers voiced over its previous flagship, the Galaxy S20 family. In case you haven’t heard the latest, we’re now getting conflicting information on whether the company will even attempt to fix the Exynos 990, one of the most disappointing chips it ever delivered, especially as part of a $1,000 smartphone.

It goes without saying that at this point, the only way Samsung can “fix” the Exynos 990 is by axing the entire thing and that was exactly what many of us were hoping would happen from day one, especially after rumors of a revised mid-generational refresh started to circulate the industry. Changing by far the most expensive of your SoC lines in the middle of a year is not going to do any favors to your production costs but many believed the move was necessary. Samsung’s own engineers reportedly felt “humiliated” by having to ship the Galaxy S20 models intended for their countrymen with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 865.

Which leads to our current dilemma. The fact that Samsung messed up with the Exynos 990 is highly unfortunate, obviously, but it’s already behind us. Samsung’s decision to spend extra just so that its home country can get the much better-performing Galaxy S20 models isn’t too scandalous, either. It’s not like Korea represents a huge chunk of its international market and it’s certainly the most loyal one, making its decision one obviously borne of that aforementioned engineering shame rubbing off on some C-suite executives.

But if the Exynos 990 is so much worse than the Snapdragon 865 that Samsung sees it as a source of domestic shame and prefers not to sell it in Korea at all, yet launches its second $1,000 smartphone using the same chip abroad, we’re guessing not many of us would take that bait. In fact, it will be especially hard to digest the faults of the Exynos 990 now that the Galaxy Note 20 and Note 20 Ultra are confirmed to have the Snapdragon 865+ in markets where the Snapdragon variant is sold.

And that brings us to our latest poll: Will you buy the Galaxy Note 20 or Note 20 Ultra if it sports the Exynos 990 processor? Vote by selecting one of the options below and let us know your thoughts down in the comments section!

Will you buy the Galaxy Note 20 if it sports the Exynos 990 processor?

• Nope, I want the Snapdragon variant
• Nope, it should have either Exynos 992 or Snapdragon 865+
• Yes, because there's not really any choice
• Yeah, I don't care too much about Exynos or Snapdragon

Results

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[Poll Results!] Do you care more about security updates or Android OS updates?

Android OS updates are understandably great. They bring new features and improvements. However, Samsung devices only get two major OS updates, and as we’ve recently discussed, Samsung fans should be more excited about One UI updates over Android OS.

Samsung devices do get security updates for at least three years after launch. This means that users remain protected against vulnerabilities for far longer. Many would prefer that over new functionality in the third year, particularly in this day and age, when the safety and security of the data on our devices are of absolute importance.

Where do you stand? Do you care more about receiving Android OS updates or are you satisfied that at least Samsung is providing security updates for three years? Vote below and share your thoughts with us in the comments section.

Results: Over 50% of those who participated in this poll said that they care about Android OS and security updates equally. 34% care more about Android OS updates as they tend to bring new features while only 14% said they value security updates more.

Do you care more about security updates or Android OS updates?

• I care about both equally 51%, 1285 votes
  1285 votes 51%

  1285 votes - 51% of all votes
• Android OS updates, because of the features 34%, 857 votes
  857 votes 34%

  857 votes - 34% of all votes
• Security updates, because I prefer safety more 14%, 349 votes
  349 votes 14%

  349 votes - 14% of all votes
• I really have no opinion on updates 1%, 36 votes
  36 votes 1%

  36 votes - 1% of all votes

Total Votes: 2527

24 June 2020 - 14 July 2020

Voting is closed

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Exclusive: 11-inch Galaxy Tab S7 will miss out on this fancy feature

For the first time in many years, Samsung is launching a new flagship tablet with different display sizes. The Galaxy Tab S7 and Galaxy Tab S7+, expected to launch next month alongside the Galaxy Note 20 and Galaxy Z Fold 2, will feature 11-inch and 12.4-inch displays respectively. Samsung is clearly aiming for the market dominated by the iPad Pro with its upcoming tablet lineup, and as we have seen with Samsung’s flagship phones, the regular Tab S7’s spec sheet will be more humble compared to the Plus variant’s spec sheet (which we revealed exclusively last week).

And, thanks to our usually reliable sources, we have learned that one feature the regular Galaxy Tab S7 will miss out on is an in-display fingerprint reader. Similar to the Galaxy Tab S5e, the Tab S7 will have its fingerprint sensor embedded in the power button. Whether or not that’s a good thing will depend entirely on an individual’s perspective. We feel physical fingerprint sensors are the best, especially when they’re placed on the side of a device instead of the back. They are not as fancy as in-display solutions, but their speed and accuracy remain unmatched.

As far as the Galaxy Tab S7+ is concerned, we still don’t know if it will sport an ultrasonic fingerprint sensor like Samsung’s flagship phones or an optical sensor. Not that it matters much – both the ultrasonic and optical sensors Samsung is using in its devices today are on a mostly equal footing when it comes to their performance, so the user experience won’t really be affected either way.

What can we expect from the Galaxy Tab S7 and Galaxy Tab S7+?

The difference in fingerprint technology aside, the Galaxy Tab S7 and Tab S7+ will both be true flagship tablets. Both models will be powered by the newly announced Snapdragon 865+ processor, support the S Pen, and come with an official keyboard accessory. The Tab S7+ will be powered by a massive 10,090 mAh battery and the Tab S7 should have a battery capacity somewhere in the 7,700-7,800 mAh ballpark, along with up to 45W super fast charging.

5G connectivity is also going to be part of the package. Other features we have come to take for granted on Samsung’s flagship tablets, such as beautiful AMOLED screens and quad AKG-tuned speakers, are to be expected as well. On the flip side, water resistance continues to be a feature Samsung refuses to bring to its flagship tablets, which is a missed opportunity in the opinion of some of us here at SamMobile.

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Apple paying almost $1 billion penalty to Samsung because of the iPhone

Samsung’s hold over the mobile OLED market allows it to demand top dollar from its customers. It can also contractually obligate customers to purchase a certain quantity of panels. If they don’t meet the minimum order quantity, they have to pay Samsung a penalty.

Apple sources the majority of its OLED panels for the iPhone from Samsung Display. It’s required to meet the minimum order quantity or else pay a penalty. According to reports, Apple is now looking at a $1 billion penalty payment to Samsung Display.

Apple has previously paid Samsung Display a penalty as well

This will not be the first time that Apple has to pay a penalty to Samsung Display for buying fewer OLED panels than previously agreed. Apple paid nearly $684 million to Samsung in Q2 2019 because it didn’t meet the minimum order quantity.

Recent reports in Korean media have suggested that Samsung Display might receive another penalty payment from Apple. A local media outlet had estimated that the penalty would be around $745 million. It’s now suggested that the actual amount is going to be much closer to $1 billion.

Sources revealed to the analysis firm Display Supply Chain Consultants that Apple’s penalty payment will be around $950 million in Q2 2020 because it bought fewer OLED panels than it was required to. Samsung recently posted its earnings guidance for the second quarter of 2020. This penalty payment from Apple is now expected to turn what may have been an operating loss for the display division into an operating profit.

Apple is not immune to the changing market dynamics. People are now holding on to their flagship devices for longer. The outlook for 2020 isn’t rosy either as the pandemic erodes customers’ purchasing power. So while it may have expected to sell more iPhones, and would have agreed to a certain quantity with Samsung Display to ensure dedicated production capacity for its OLED panels, market conditions have backed it into a corner and now it has no option but to pay almost $1 billion as a penalty.

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Galaxy J8 Android 10 update rollout now underway

The Galaxy J8, one of the last handsets released in Samsung’s now-defunct Galaxy J series, is getting treated to the Android 10 and One UI 2.0 update. This is the second and final major update for the device and is currently rolling out in Russia, with more markets likely to follow in the coming days. The J8’s Android 10 update comes with firmware version J810FPUU4CTG3 and is bundled with the latest security patch.

That’s in addition to a slew of new features, such as an enhanced Dark/Night mode that can now darken your wallpaper, new navigation gestures, Google’s Digital Wellbeing suite of tools for tackling your smartphone addiction, smoother animations, clearer app icons and colors, an updated camera app with a cleaner interface, and a slew of UI improvements over One UI 1.0. Since the Galaxy J8 is a budget phone, Samsung has unsurprisingly kept features like a screen recorder out of the phone’s Android 10 update. The J8 is also unlikely to get One UI 2.1.

Galaxy J8 owners in Russia can download the Android 10 and One UI 2.0 update over the air via their phone’s Settings » Software update menu by selecting the Download and install option inside. If you live in a different market, the method to download the OTA update remains the same once the update starts rolling out in your country. You will also find the Android 10 firmware for the Galaxy J8 in our firmware archive.

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Samsung could allow more employees to work from home

Samsung Electronics is reportedly considering expanding its remote working program to more employees going forward due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. According to a new report, the company recently surveyed its consumer electronics business division workers on work-from-home solutions.

Earlier, the South Korean tech giant only allowed those employees to work from home who showed symptoms of the virus or those who were suspected to have come in contact with COVID-19 patients. Pregnant employees working with the company and overseas business travelers were also allowed to work from home. However, after the number of active COVID-19 cases started spiking in South Korea, the company is forced to allow other employees to work remotely as well.

Excluding factory and production line workers, Samsung is considering allowing some of its employees to work from home. A Samsung official said that the company is reviewing options to expand the work-from-home policy but the final decision has not been taken yet.

Samsung had to close most of its stores worldwide over the past few months after the declaration of the COVID-19 pandemic. Many of its factories were temporarily shut down after some workers were confirmed to have been infected with the virus. Due to store closures and a recession-like situation, the company’s sales took a dip, and the business was affected.

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