Exclusive: Full specs of the Galaxy Tab Active 3, Samsung’s new rugged tablet

We first reported a couple of months ago that Samsung has a new tablet in the pipeline and that it would be launched under its Galaxy Tab A brand. We also found out that it will have the same chipset as the Galaxy S9, the Exynos 9810. This meant that the tablet would be an entirely mid-range affair.

More information about the device has trickled in since then and it’s safe to say that you won’t be buying it for the specs. The unique selling point of this tablet is going to be its rugged nature. It’s the successor to the Galaxy Tab Active 2 from 2017 and will likely retain the MIL-STD 810 certified case.

Full Galaxy Tab Active 3 specs revealed

We have now received the full Galaxy Tab Active 3 specs. In addition to the Exynos 9810, the tablet will come with 4GB of RAM and 64/128GB storage options. It runs Android 10 out of the box.

There’s a 13-megapixel camera on the back and a 5-megapixel selfie camera. The 8.0-inch LCD display has a 1920×1200 pixel resolution. A 5,050mAh battery keeps the lights on. There will be both Wi-Fi only and LTE models as well as support for Bluetooth 5.0. An S Pen accessory will be available as well with support for remote control.

Samsung launches these tablets for a very specific market, think workers on an oil rig on a manager on the factory production floor. It has prioritized durability above everything for the Galaxy Tab Active 3 as it’s built to the MIL-STD 810 standard so that it can handle extreme temperatures and excessive pressure, vibrations and drops. It even has a physical home, back and recents button to allow workers easy access when they’re wearing gloves.

It’s only a matter of time now before the Galaxy Tab Active 3 is released. Organizations that have been waiting to upgrade from their Galaxy Tab Active 2 will most likely be interested in this too.

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There’s hope Exynos 1000 won’t be horrible compared to Snapdragon 875

You all know about the Exynos 990 vs Snapdragon 865 controversy by now. There was outrage and petitions, company executives being grilled by shareholders, and the Exynos team feeling humiliated that their product was skipped in favor of the Snapdragon for Galaxy S20 units destined for South Korea.

Samsung has given up on trying to make its own custom cores. This was one of the reasons why there was a growing difference between the Exynos and Qualcomm chips. It will simply license IP from ARM much like in the way Qualcomm does. A new rumor gives us hope that the Exynos 1000 might not be that bad compared to the Qualcomm Snapdragon 875.

Exynos 1000 could even be as good as its Snapdragon counterpart

The rumor comes from @UniverseIce who claims that both next-generation Exynos and Qualcomm chips will feature a 1 + 3 + 4 core configuration. This means that there will be one prime core, three performance cores and four power efficiency cores making up the chipset.

ARM unveiled its new flagship CPU core designs earlier this year. The new Cortex-A78 is the successor to ARM’s current fastest core, the Cortex-A77. ARM claims a 20 percent improvement in CPU performance and up to 50 percent less power consumption for the same CPU performance. This was an evolutionary update and nothing out of the ordinary.

The more interesting announcement was that of ARM’s new entirely performance-oriented X1 core. It was the result of ARM’s CXC program in which it works with partners to develop custom cores. At integer calculations, the X1 is claimed to be 23 percent faster than even the new Cortex-A78 with a 30 percent higher peak performance compared to the Cortex-A77. It also has enhanced machine learning capabilities. The X1 core is bigger and needs more power than the A78 which means that it was unlikely we’d see CPUs with multiple Cortex-X1 cores.

The only way a 1 + 3 + 4 configuration makes sense for the Exynos 1000 is for it to feature the X1 Core which would handle tasks that require maximum performance, three Cortex-A78 cores for more routine tasks and four Cortex-A55 for nominal tasks to maximize power efficiency, that is if ARM doesn’t unveil a successor for its efficient core.

This should, at least in theory, bridge the gap between the two so much so that we won’t have to go through an Exynos 1000 vs Snapdragon 875 debacle next year for the Galaxy S21. Do keep in mind that none of this is confirmed right now and it won’t be possible to get a true understanding of the capabilities of these chipsets until we get our hands on devices running them.

As it stands, there’s hope that Samsung customers in regions where the Exynos variants are shipped may have one less thing to worry about.

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AT&T’s Galaxy Tab S5e joins the rest of the world, gets Android 10 update

The Galaxy Tab S5e that was sold in the USA by AT&T is finally getting Android 10. The firmware update was originally released for the Galaxy Tab S5e in June and availability continued to expand to dozens of markets in subsequent weeks. US carriers are usually updating their devices later than the rest, and AT&T began rolling out Android 10 for the Galaxy Tab S5e this week. As they say, it’s better late than never.

The latest firmware update for AT&T’s Galaxy Tab S5e is identified by firmware version T727AUCU1BTH2. The package weighs around 2GB and it introduces Android 10, One UI 2.5, as well as the August 2020 security patch. The September security patch has been out for a couple of weeks now, and this suggests that the Android 10 update for AT&T’s Galaxy Tab S5e was being prepared for release way ahead of the launch of the latest security patch. In fact, the unlocked Galaxy Tab S5e sold outside of the USA has already received the September 2020 security update this week.

As for Android 10 in the USA, AT&T’s official changelog doesn’t mention anything else aside from the security patch level, but don’t be fooled by this lack of information from the carrier. The One UI 2.5 update is significant and brings features like Music Share, Quick Share, Google’s fullscreen UI navigation gestures, reworked UI elements, more emojis, an improved camera app layout, smoother animations and transitions, improved Dark Mode and more.

If you own AT&T’s Galaxy Tab S5e, you should be able to download the update once the notification arrives on your tablet. If you don’t like waiting, you can try to trigger the update by opening Settings on your tablet, accessing Software update and tapping Download and install.

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Samsung’s The Wall does the impossible by making waves in Japan

As far as electronics are concerned, there aren’t many markets that Samsung traditionally struggled to penetrate, but Japan’s commercial display segment is certainly one of them. Or was one of them, up until recently. Earlier this week, Japan’s largest display solutions provider – NGC – released two new commercial variants of The Wall, Samsung’s most awe-inspiring MicroLED product to date. Carrying model numbers IW012J and IW016J, both displays are already proving to be a hit among NGC’s corporate customers, a company official revealed.

In effect, it appears The Wall might finally allow Samsung to do the seemingly impossible and get a sizable foothold in Japan’s ultra-competitive market for commercial displays.

MicroLED isn’t just the future – it’s the present

The development does a lot to validate Samsung’s increasingly bullish stance on MicroLED technologies. Compared to traditional LED displays, The Wall is capable of displaying twice as many colors, including perfect blacks, all the while being completely modular. Such a significant technical advantage goes a long way in standing out amid the sea of digital signage that Japan is becoming, which would explain why The Wall is now making waves in the Far Eastern country.

Looking at the bigger picture, it’s still dubious whether Samsung can translate this momentum into sustainable success. After all, the Japanese commercial display market has a natural inclination toward domestic manufacturers. But so long as Sharp and NEC, the two largest names in the segment, remain unable to offer modularity beyond LCDs, The Wall seems well-positioned to capitalize on this growing B2B demand for futuristic commercial signage.

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Galaxy M01s and Galaxy M01 Core are now INR 500 cheaper in India

Samsung India has dropped the price of two of its budget devices, the Galaxy M01 Core and the Galaxy M01s, by INR 500 ($6.81). It’s not a huge discount and it might not persuade you to buy one of these two devices if you didn’t have a reason to do so already, but the two M-branded phones were already fairly affordable so an INR 500 discount is not insignificant in this context.

Both the Galaxy M01 Core and the Galaxy M01s were released in India in July. The Galaxy M01 Core was released for INR 5,499 ($75) whereas the Galaxy M01s had an entry-level price of INR 9,999 ($136). These prices are now lower by INR 500, so the Galaxy M01 Core costs INR 4,999 ($68) while the Galaxy M01s will set you back ($129). It’s unclear whether these new prices are temporary or permanent, but we’re more inclined to believe its the latter seeing how Samsung only recently brought new Galaxy M devices to India, including the Galaxy M31s and the Galaxy M51.

Samsung intends to release 20 million Galaxy M phones in India by the end of 2020 and the recent discounts could be a reflection of the company’s efforts in this direction. Or they might simply follow the natural order of things and adopt lower prices in the wake of newer and better models. Either way, you can check the links below if you’re interested in buying either the Galaxy M01 Core or the Galaxy M01s in India for the new low prices.

• Buy the Galaxy M01s from Samsung India
• Buy the Galaxy M01 Core from Samsung India

Galaxy M31s

• Model: SM-M317F
• Dimensions: Bar: 159.3 x 74.4 x 9.3 mm
  
• Display: 6.5 inch / 165.1 mm Super AMOLED Display
• CPU: Exynos 9611
• Camera: 64MP

More specifications

Galaxy M01 Core

• Model: SM-M013F
• Dimensions: Bar: 141.7 x 67.5 x 8.6 mm
  
• Display: 5.3 inch / 134.1 mm PLS TFT LCD
• CPU: MediaTek MT6739
• Camera: 8MP

More specifications

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If it’s got an Exynos 990, is it really a Galaxy S20 ‘Fan’ edition?

The best thing about the Galaxy S10 Lite, the device everyone thought had no reason to exist, was that it was powered by a Snapdragon chip worldwide. It wasn’t a full-blown flagship, but for anyone who wanted a high-end Galaxy phone with a Snapdragon 855, the Galaxy S10 Lite was the perfect choice.

When the Galaxy S20 Fan Edition rumors started (we were the first to reveal that the device exists), it excited us that a Galaxy S10 Lite successor was on its way and would give people the option to buy a flagship-like phone with the Snapdragon 865/865+. Only, it seems Samsung isn’t really taking the same approach for the Galaxy S20 Fan Edition: The device is rumored to be powered by the Exynos 990 for the LTE variant and the Snapdragon 865 for the 5G variant.

And that makes me wonder: Is this phone really going to be for fans if it includes the most criticized feature of the Galaxy S20 series?

Fan Edition feels like a misnomer if there’s an Exynos 990 under the hood

Now, I know what some of you are thinking: Regular customers don’t really care or know what processor is inside their phone, and it’s only us ‘geeks’ who make a big deal of it. You would be right, but still, why put something that disappointed pretty much everyone who cares about the technical stuff in a phone that has the Fan Edition tag, unless the thinking here is that true fans will gobble up anything Samsung has to offer? With the Exynos 990 powering the Galaxy S20 FE, people may as well save up and get the flagship Galaxy S20 or Galaxy S20+, because the upcoming spin-off isn’t really expected to offer anything unique over its flagship cousins (except maybe a flat display).

The Galaxy S20 FE is set to go official in less than a week from now, and I’m very interested to see if Samsung will address the Exynos elephant in the room or if it will just push it under the rug (I’m assuming it’s going to be the latter). I’m even more interested to hear what our readers think about the Galaxy S20 FE being powered by the Exynos 990, so sound off in the comments section!

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Galaxy Z Flip 2 specs and features wishlist: Samsung take note!

For me, the Galaxy Z Flip was one of the most exciting phones Samsung released this year. I have long been a fan of the clamshell form factor and since it all but disappeared over the past decade, I was super excited to see that Samsung brought it back with a modern twist.

As I mentioned in our Galaxy Z Flip review, the biggest compliment you could give the Galaxy Z Flip was that it didn’t feel like an unusual device. Here we were in 2020 with a phone that gave us a hit of nostalgia but wasn’t just a gimmick. It was very well made, beautifully designed, had great specs and was such a breath of fresh air that going back to a regular phone after using it felt like a downgrade, at least in terms of the experience.

It won’t be long now before we start hearing bits and pieces of information about the Galaxy Z Flip 2 or whatever Samsung ends up calling it. Samsung has already hit it out of the park with the Galaxy Z Fold 2. It’s so much better than the Galaxy Fold that it makes me even more excited for its next clamshell foldable. I have a few things on my Galaxy Z Flip 2 specs and features wishlist that I hope make the cut.

Design

There’s little that Samsung needs to change as far as the design is concerned. I do hope to see some sharper body lines like it has gone with for the Galaxy Z Fold 2. Hopefully, Gorilla Glass Victus will cover the outside glass for increased durability. Even though the glossy finish applied to the case is striking, it’s a pain to try and wipe fingerprints and smudges off of it. I’d much prefer the matte finish that Samsung picked for the Galaxy Z Flip 5G. Oh, and if Samsung can make the Galaxy Z Flip 2 a bit thinner, that would be great.

The hinge is an integral part of the design and Samsung already did quite an impressive job with it for the Galaxy Z Flip. I’d prefer even tighter tolerances on the internal CAM structures so that there’s an even wider range of angles for Flex Mode. Durability improvements should also be among Samsung’s priorities. The more its hinge is protected against dust and foreign particles, the better this device is going to be for customers. The hinge color customization feature Samsung is offer for the Galaxy Z Fold 2 will be nice to have too.

Display

Does the Galaxy Z Flip 2 display need to be any larger than the 6.7-inch FHD+ panel on its predecessor? I feel that the size is good enough for such a device but if Samsung could trim the bezels to gain a fraction more screen real estate, I wouldn’t mind. There has been some talk about Samsung’s second-generation Ultra-Thin Glass panel and I’d expect to see that on the new foldable as it would be a major step forward for durability.

What Samsung absolutely needs to include is the 120Hz adaptive refresh rate. We have already seen how wonderful it is on the Galaxy Z Fold 2. Customers who spend top dollar on Samsung devices every year are already quite used to the higher refresh rates thanks to the Galaxy S20 series, the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra, Galaxy Z Fold 2 and even the Galaxy Tab S7+. They’re justified in keeping this expectation so I hope Samsung is not going to let them down.

I’d like to see a larger cover display on the Galaxy Z Flip 2 because the 1.1-inch cover display on its predecessor isn’t of much use. It’s not possible to reply to texts using it and even the preview ticker for notifications just cuts off abruptly. A larger panel would allow us to get common tasks like dismissing notifications or shooting off quick replies without having to unfold the device every single time.

Cameras

There’s a lot of room for improvement in the camera department. I’m certainly not wishing for 100x Space Zoom or 8K video recording, that seems completely unnecessary for this device. I’d rather see much better wide-angle and ultra-wide sensors on the device. I sorely missed the telephoto camera on the Galaxy Z Flip as I used to travel frequently back when the world was a simpler place and optical zoom would often come in handy when exploring new places.

As I sauntered across Europe with the Galaxy Z Flip in what seems like a lifetime ago even though it was only February of this year, I found the lack of a telephoto camera quite bothersome. Here’s to hoping that we get one on the Galaxy Z Flip 2, I’ll surely be a happy camper.

Performance and battery life

Samsung doesn’t need to upset the apple cart here at all. It made the great decision of shipping the Galaxy Z Flip with the Snapdragon 855+ which was Qualcomm’s flagship processor at that time. It needs to stick with that strategy for the Galaxy Z Flip 2. 256GB base storage is satisfactory and I wouldn’t really be miffed if the 8GB RAM wasn’t increased as well.

What I would prefer is a larger battery that offers more than the Galaxy Z Flip’s combined 3,300mAh capacity. Samsung’s battery optimization for the device was on point and it’s quite possible to get a full day’s use out of the Galaxy Z Flip. Even if the larger battery doesn’t drastically improve the screen on time by much, it would balance out the increased power requirements that a larger cover display will have. Lastly, I’d appreciate 25W charging speeds as well.

Software

It’s safe to say that the Galaxy Z Flip 2 will come with Android 11 and One UI 3.0. It’s also going to be supported for three major Android OS upgrades. I’d like to see more apps supporting Flex Mode, in that they dynamically adjust their UI when the device is propped up at around 90 degrees.

New software features that allow users to take full advantage of this form factor will be welcome as well. Samsung should develop features that provide a unique user experience through the cover display so that its true benefits can be realized.

What’s on your wishlist?

This is just about all that I’d like to see on Samsung’s next foldable smartphone. Of course, I wouldn’t mind being pleasantly surprised if Samsung goes above and beyond our expectations from the device. What’s on your wishlist of Galaxy Z Flip 2 specs and features? Drop a comment below and let us know.

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Galaxy S20 FE 5G leaks in real-life images, flat display confirmed

The Galaxy S20 Fan Edition is just days away from its official unveiling, and the leaks are out in full force. Topping off two months’ worth of early sightings are several real-life images of the Galaxy S20 FE 5G that just appeared on Twitter. The high-resolution photographs seen below confirm Samsung equipped its upcoming smartphone with a flat display. In effect, the Galaxy S20 FE 5G has noticeably thicker bezels, at least relative to the original Galaxy S20 series.

Apart from these real-world images, today’s leak also reiterates some of the previously rumored specs attached to the Galaxy S20 Fan Edition. Those include a 6.5-inch 120Hz display, IP68-rated resistance to the elements, and One UI 2.5 based on Android 10.

#GalaxyS20FE
She's Flat
6.5" FHD+ 120hz
Nice price
IP68
3x optical + 10x digital = 30x rear
32mp Selfie Shooter
One UI 2.5
* Right between that S20 & S20+ * pic.twitter.com/DF3ABnmjUi

— Jimmy Is Promo (@jimmyispromo) September 17, 2020

Samsung’s most affordable flagship of the year

The triple-camera setup on the back of the smartphone is said to consist of a 32-megapixel main camera, a wide-angle lens, and a 3x telephoto one. In terms of technical prowess, the device seems to be sitting between the Galaxy S20 and Galaxy S20+.

Samsung already confirmed its final Unpacked event of the year is taking place next Wednesday, September 23rd. Both the LTE and 5G versions of the Galaxy S20 Fan Edition are expected to be unveiled as part of the happening. Much like the smartphone’s moniker implies, this will be Samsung’s most affordable flagship of the year. It’s also believed to be launching globally, albeit with limited color availability, with Samsung working on at least half a dozen different variants. Finally, the Galaxy S20 FE debut will also see Samsung continue its celebrity collaboration with boy band phenomenon BTS.

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PSA: Galaxy Z Fold 2 eSIM functionality will be enabled with an update

The Galaxy Z Fold 2 went on sale globally today, but some pre-order customers have been using it for a few days already. And many of them have been wondering: Where can they find the eSIM option on their new foldable? The Z Fold 2, like the Galaxy Fold, comes with one physical SIM slot and an embedded SIM, but as owners of the device have realized, the latter isn’t actually available for use.

Well, we can confirm that eSIM functionality is indeed missing on the Galaxy Z Fold 2 out of the box, but don’t worry: Samsung has confirmed to us that it will be enabling the eSIM option on its new foldable with a software update.

No ETA yet for the update

We haven’t been told when that software update will arrive, but we can only hope Samsung will roll it out as soon as possible, because anyone who uses two different carriers or was using an eSIM previously before they upgraded to the Z Fold 2 is currently in a bind. Not to mention that the ability to connect to a mobile network is basic stuff that everyone expects to just work on a smartphone, whether it’s an affordable one or one that costs $1999.

We’ll be sure to let you know once Samsung releases the said software update for the Galaxy Z Fold 2. In the meantime, if you already have the big, bold and beautiful foldable in your possession, be sure to leave a comment and tell us how your experience has been so far, the missing SIM functionality notwithstanding.

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Galaxy A21s VIVA Trot Edition launches with free music

The Galaxy A21s VIVA Trot Edition is the name of the latest unconventional smartphone that Samsung is launching in its home country. Much like its name implies, this mid-ranger is specifically targeting aficionados of old-fashioned K-pop, which is the simplest (but not entirely accurate) way to describe trot as a genre. Priced at the equivalent of $275, the Galaxy A21s VIVA Trot Edition just made its debut in the Far Eastern country as an SK Telecom exclusive.

According to the wireless carrier, the device is specifically targeting a middle-aged demographic, i.e. people who enjoy trot music. To that effect, it comes with a pre-installed FLO widget that allows users to stream such tracks free of charge. The idea was to make less trendy musical genres more accessible, an SK Telecom official said.

The trot show must go on

Beneath the surface, this is the same Galaxy A21s that Samsung launched at the beginning of the quarter, albeit with a fresh, darker coat of paint. It previously proved popular enough to warrant a pre-order period in South Korea, so there’s no doubt this limited-edition release will additionally boost its sales numbers.

Popular music defined much of Samsung’s smartphone marketing over the course of this year. Most notably through the company’s collaboration with boy band phenomenon BTS which still continues to this date. While it remains to be seen whether this approach resonates with the older generations, the appearance of the Galaxy A21s VIVA Trot Edition at the very least implies Samsung is willing to cover all of its bases.

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Samsung makes a case for Galaxy Z Fold 2’s productivity chops as work-from-home continues

The COVID-19 pandemic is still raging, and millions of new cases are being discovered every week. Amid this dangerous situation, most people are learning and working from their homes to stay safe. As expected, the screen times have shot up by a huge margin. In a survey conducted by Samsung, consumers have shown interest in smartphones that offer more productivity as they juggle between personal and professional lives while staying home.

A new infographic published by Samsung shows how people’s lives have changed since the pandemic and how dependent they’ve been on smartphones for various activities. It shows that phones are among the highest-used devices and more people want to buy a device that offers better multitasking. The survey conducted among consumers in Korea and the US shows that younger generations are multitasking on their phones more often and most of them want to use one device for everything.

As many as 82% of consumers are staying home more often, and their screen time has increased due to remote working (or learning in case of students). People are also increasingly using their devices for entertainment, shopping, and for staying in touch with friends and family. The South Korean brand says that the Galaxy Z Fold 2 is engineered for the new normal, and we agree with Samsung in our review. The new foldable smartphone’s bigger screen offers higher productivity and a more immersive experience while watching videos or playing games.

Samsung’s infographic below shows more interesting statistics about how consumers are using their smartphones during this pandemic and what they want in their new devices.

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