It has long been rumored that Samsung might eventually kill the Galaxy Note lineup. Recent reports had claimed that the South Korean firm could discontinue the Galaxy Note series as soon as next year, especially after it was revealed that the Galaxy S21 Ultra would feature S Pen compatibility. However, Samsung has put those rumors to an end by claiming that it is not discontinuing the Galaxy Note series anytime soon.
According to Yonhap News, a Samsung official has revealed on the condition of anonymity that the company is “preparing to release the next Galaxy Note series next year.” TM Roh, Samsung’s mobile business chief, had hinted in an editorial that the company is bringing support for the S Pen to the Galaxy S21 Ultra. And after reading the editorial, many had assumed that it meant the discontinuation of the Galaxy Note series. However, a company’s official said, “Roh’s message does not mean that the Galaxy Note series will be discontinued.”
There have been conflicting reports about the future of the Galaxy Note lineup. Reuters had claimed that Samsung has no plans to release the next-generation Galaxy Note in 2021, but ET News claimed that the company might release one last Galaxy Note series before merging it into the Galaxy S series. However, we now know that there is a new Galaxy Note lineup planned for next year. We still don’t know the company’s long-term plans, though.
The Galaxy Buds Pro will be Samsung’s highest-end truly wireless earphones and they will be unveiled next month alongside the Galaxy S21. Their design and color variants have already been leaked over the past couple of weeks, but the rest of the specifications and features weren’t revealed. The Galaxy Buds Pro have now received a new certification, revealing some of its specs.
Going by the Galaxy Buds Pro’s FCC certification, the truly wireless earphones bear model number SM-R190 and they feature Bluetooth 5.1. If you remember, older truly wireless earbuds from Samsung use Bluetooth 5.0, which means that the upcoming earbuds will offer a stronger and more reliable wireless connection when connected to your smartphone, tablet, or computer. Bluetooth 5.1 also brings directionality to the equation, which means they could work more reliably with SmartThings Find.
Samsung has equipped its upcoming wireless earbuds’ case with a 500mAh battery and a 60mAh battery in the earbuds. It means that the earbuds could last longer than the Galaxy Buds+ or almost as long when ANC is turned on. Yes, as reported earlier, the Galaxy Buds Pro feature active noise cancellation. Leaked schematics of the earbuds’ case show that it has a USB Type-C port for charging. They will be available in three colors: black, silver, and violet.
Previously leaked images of the earbuds show that they have a Galaxy Buds Live-like rounded square case. However, the earbuds have an in-ear canal design for effective noise isolation. Qi wireless charging is also expected to be present. It is being reported that Samsung will price them at $199, which is higher than the Galaxy Buds Live, but still manages to undercut the $249 AirPods Pro.
Samsung has been supplying OLED screens to Apple for a few years now. These display panels are used in Apple Watches and iPhones. It is now being reported that Apple could tap into Samsung Display’s supply chain to source OLED panels for the upcoming iPads.
According to a new report from South Korean media, Apple has decided to shift from LCDs to OLED displays for some of its iPad models. The Cupertino-based tech giant has reportedly requested Samsung Display and LG Display to make hybrid OLED panels for next-generation iPads. Samsung will start supplying OLED panels to Apple for iPads starting 2022.
The hybrid OLED panels in question are supposedly thinner than normal OLED panels as they use a combination of flexible and rigid OLED technologies. These panels use rigid glass as a TFT (Thin Film Transistor) substrate and have a TFE (Thin Film Encapsulation) protection. Samsung Display reportedly calls such panels ‘Ultra Thin’ (UT) panels. A Samsung employee said that the company has already started making preparations for the equipment and facilities to manufacture hybrid OLED panels for Apple.
It will be the first time that Apple will use an OLED screen on an iPad. It has long been rumored that the company will switch to MicroLED technology for the iPad in 2021. However, the company may use OLED screens on high-end models and MicroLED screens on mid-range models. Even Samsung is using MicroLED panels for its next-generation TVs.
It’s almost as if not one day is passing by without the Galaxy S21 leaking one way or another, and today the Galaxy S21 5G is back in the headlines thanks to another leaked image. This time it’s not a CAD render made by fans but an outright official press render of the Galaxy S21 5G viewed from the front (seen above).
This is the first official press render to hit the web, which only serves to remind us that the Galaxy S21 series is only a few weeks away from its debut. The render, courtesy of @evleaks via Voice, doesn’t reveal anything we didn’t already know about the about the phone’s exterior. And because there’s no view of the back panel, the most interesting design element, i.e., the new camera bump, is not visible. At least not yet.
We suspect that more official press renders will be leaked sooner rather than later, so stay tuned if you don’t want to miss out on the hype. As for the Galaxy S21 5G render at hand, it reveals the usual Infinity-O display with a selfie cutout in the center, as well as a very thin speaker grille at the top, physical buttons mounted on the right edge of the phone, and relatively slim bezels all around.
The official press render might also be giving us a sneak preview on Samsung’s design for its upcoming Galaxy S21 wallpapers. They, too, are likely to leak ahead of the phone’s January 14 unveiling so stick around and we’ll keep you up to speed.
It’s the final stretch of 2020 and we can finally look back at Samsung’s performance over the past twelve months and see how the company treated its customers during one of the worst years in recent history. And there’s good news, as Samsung was able to releases a ton of new and improved smartphones this year, from budget-friendly devices to mid-range value monsters and innovative foldable flagship phones.
But with so many great mobile products to have come out of Samsung’s factory gates this year, it’s nearly impossible to pick a definitive winner. Is the Galaxy A51 the best device of the year thanks to its massive shipment numbers? Definitely, if shipping figures is what you care for the most, which is doubtful.
Nevertheless, this year Samsung had something to offer for everyone, so let’s take a look at some of the most impactful Galaxy phones of 2020, in order of released, and the features that made then stand out the most. Which Galaxy smartphone do you reckon should be on top?
Galaxy Note 10 Lite: First attempt to make the S Pen more affordable
The Galaxy Note 10 Lite was the first smartphone included in this list to have went on sale in 2020. It was released in January as Samsung’s first-ever attempt at creating a budget-oriented smartphone equipped with an S Pen, and it succeeded.
For obvious reasons – mainly the low 600 EUR price in most European markets – the Galaxy Note 10 Lite had to let go of certain key features that are present in the premium Galaxy Note series, such as an IP rating, DeX support, and the premium camera combo.
However, for Galaxy fans who’ve been waiting for an opportunity to experience the S Pen and the suite of productivity apps without breaking the bank, the Galaxy Note 10 Lite represented their best option to date and it still remains a decent choice even after the launch of the base Galaxy Note 20 model.
Galaxy Z Flip: Revitalizing an old, beloved form factor
The Galaxy Z Flip was a great addition to Samsung’s emerging foldable series. The first of its kind, the Galaxy Z Flip revitalized the old clamshell form factor when it was released in February.
It’s the company’s second foldable device ever, and it’s probably one of the most resilient foldable devices on the market. It introduced the UTG and Hinge Sweeper technologies, both of which were later adopted by the Galaxy Z Fold 2.
But perhaps more importantly, the Galaxy Z Flip proved that the mobile world doesn’t have to be confined within the limits of the so-called candy bar form factor.
The Galaxy S20 series may have had a rocky start due to early issues with Samsung’s new ambitious camera system but problems were addressed via firmware updates and, in the end, we think that the Galaxy S20 Ultra was able to earn its place in history. It remains one of Samsung’s best and most intriguing Galaxy S devices of all time, and it also deserves praise for introducing high refresh rate displays.
It was the first and possibly the last Galaxy phone to carry the Space Zoom branding. The label was accompanied by a massive 108MP main camera and a 48MP periscope telephoto sensor boasting up to 100x zoom.
But the big takeaway is that even if the Space Zoom branding may be gone, Samsung’s bonkers periscope telephoto lens technology that debuted with the Galaxy S20 Ultra is changing the mobile industry, forcing rivals to follow in its footsteps.
Galaxy Note 20 Ultra: The best S Pen experience to date
Every year Samsung releases a new Galaxy Note model with better hardware internals and a refreshed version of its Android skin, but this year Samsung went the extra mile, at least in regards to the more expensive Galaxy Note 20 variant.
The Galaxy Note 20 Ultra boasts a 120Hz display protected by Gorilla Glass Victus and a new S Pen with an outstanding latency of just 9ms. As a result, writing and doodling on the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra is almost an analog experience.
The Galaxy Note 20 Ultra is the best flagship in the series for anyone who considers the S Pen and the accompanying suite of apps to be the most important part of the Galaxy Note experience. It was also the first smartphone model to bring Wireless DeX for more freedom.
This year Samsung didn’t break new ground exclusively in the premium segment, but instead, the company tried to improve its product lineup across all price points, and the Galaxy M51 was a result of those efforts.
The Galaxy M51 is Samsung’s first-ever consumer-grade smartphone to break the 6,000mAh battery capacity barrier. It features an impressive 7,000mAh unit with the added benefit of 25W fast charging.
The phone’s design is unassuming, the macro camera isn’t fantastic, and features are missing on the software side of things because it’s a Galaxy M-branded device after all. But for a sub-$300 price, the Galaxy M51 offers unbeatable hardware to the point where it challenges even the more expensive Galaxy A71.
Galaxy Z Fold 2: Challenging the mobile world’s limits
The Galaxy Z Fold 2 wasn’t a new entry to Samsung’s foldable portfolio the same way the Galaxy Z Flip was, however, it improved upon the formula established by the original Galaxy Fold in virtually every aspect.
Samsung’s second foldable smartphone-tablet hybrid was released with a considerably larger outer display, a better foldable screen that boasts a high refresh rate of 120Hz, better internal hardware and an updated design. It is the best foldable of its kind, Samsung or otherwise.
And whether you love it or hate it, it’s undeniable that the Galaxy Z Fold 2 has changed the mobile landscape in 2020, arguably for the better. Its existence alone has persuaded other OEMs like LG and Microsoft to think outside the box. Regardless, it’s a dream come true for many smartphone fans who have been following the foldable display scene for many years.
Last but certainly not least, the Galaxy S20 FE was released in October 2020 and it makes the list for several reasons. It’s not perfect, as some units are suffering from a touchscreen issue, but in normal conditions the Galaxy S20 FE is a killer smartphone.
It offers incredible value for money and it can be described as Samsung’s flagship killer of 2020. Despite the fact that it was released for under $700, the Galaxy S20 FE has a 120Hz Super AMOLED display, an excellent main camera, all-day battery life (even on 120Hz), water resistance, wireless charging, flagship-grade software and lots of colors to choose from.
It’s also one of Samsung’s very few smartphone models to ship with a Qualcomm-made Snapdragon chipset in every market, and it’s the first FE-branded phone to go on sale in years.
Despite the economic uncertainties caused by the global pandemic, 2020 was a good year for Samsung Galaxy smartphone fans. We had countless models to choose from at varying price points and Samsung continued to innovate in numerous segments, including mid-range.
We believe that every device on this list is worthy of mention or praise for different reasons but we’d love to hear from our readers as well. Have you purchased any one of these Galaxy smartphone models this year or would you add more to this list? Which Samsung smartphone model released in 2020 do you think is the best and why? We invite you to cast your vote and/or leave a comment below.
We’ve been hearing a lot lately about Samsung’s alleged plans to make at least one Galaxy S21 variant compatible with the iconic S Pen, and the company’s President and Head of Mobile Communications Business TM Roh has just confirmed this in a roundabout way.
In a recent statement to the mobile press, TM Roh discussed more about the Galaxy lineup’s foreseeable future and, among other things, he confirmed that Samsung is looking for ways to bring the Galaxy Note experience to more devices.
We’ve also been paying attention to people’s favorite aspects of the Galaxy Note experience and are excited to add some of its most well-loved features to other devices in our lineup said TM Roh without mentioning the S Pen outright. But it’s undeniable that the S Pen and accompanying suite of S Pen apps are the main elements that Galaxy Note owners love most about their devices.
Samsung customers and prospective Galaxy S21 buyers in Indonesia have a chance to win the next flagship phone by showing their interest for the upcoming flagship lineup through a new dedicated registration page.
Samsung Indonesia revealed in a recent tweet that Something EPIC is on its way without outright spelling the Galaxy S21 moniker. The attached video does refer to The Next Galaxy so there’s no question of what the registration page is all about. It’s for the upcoming Galaxy S21 series and Indonesian customers can now sign up to receive exclusive updates, promotions, offers, and a chance to win a free Galaxy S21.
Expect more Galaxy S21 promotions to pop up in other regions
The company hasn’t revealed when the winners will be announced or how they’ll be picked, but if you already plan on buying the Galaxy S21 then registering early on will only increase your chances of getting a better bang for your buck.
Samsung should unveil the Galaxy S21 lineup on January 14. The company is launching the series earlier than usual and, in some markets like India, Samsung is already accepting pre-orders in exchange for an INR 2,000 ($27) fee.
The series isn’t available for pre-order everywhere and even registration pages haven’t went live globally. However, Samsung will likely start launching registration pages for more regions soon and more early adopters should get a chance to win various prizes. We’ll keep up to speed as soon as Samsung sheds more light on its global launch plans.
It’s December 15 and contrary to expectations, Samsung hasn’t revealed the highly anticipated Exynos 2100 chipset today. The company teased its fans with a short animated trailer last week in anticipation of today’s unveiling, however, the unveiling was not centered around the chipset itself but rather on the full-length version of the original trailer.
In other words, Samsung has a new lengthy ad / appreciation video to share with its fanbase but it hasn’t said much about the Exynos 2100 SoC’s capabilities. Thankfully, the company seems confident in its latest creation, so much so that it felt like thanking fans for their patience and support so far.
Samsung’s Exynos team realizes the importance of customer feedback
Even though Samsung’s heartfelt Thank You video doesn’t reveal and specifics about the chipset itself, it does say something about the way the Exynos team has approached the development of the Exynos 2100 solution.
The Exynos team claims to have realized just how important and impactful fan support can be, perhaps even more so now that fans are displeased with how the Exynos platform evolved or didn’t evolve in recent years. But with a renewed confidence in the talent of our team, we have refocused our efforts to meet our fans’ expectations by developing a whole new mobile processor, claims Samsung. And by whole new, the company likely refers to the fact that the Exynos 2100 doesn’t have custom Mongose CPU cores.
The Exynos 2100 SoC should feature a single X1 CPU core clocked at 2.91GHz, three high-performance Cortex-A78 CPU cores clocked at 2.81GHz, and four high-efficiency Cortex-A55 cores operating at a frequency of 2.21GHz. The CPU will work alongside a Mali-G78 graphics chip and the entire package will compete and coexist with the Snapdragon 888 solution.
We’re not sure at this point if Samsung will even bother with a launch even dedicated solely to the Exynos 2100 chipset. It’s possible that the company will keep quiet until it will be ready to unveil the Galaxy S21 series along with the Exynos 2100 solution. And in the grand scheme of things, it doesn’t really matter if Samsung will or won’t have a dedicated event as long as the Exynos 2100 can deliver on its promises and expectations.
Samsung’s next-generation Galaxy A series smartphones are expected to be unveiled in the coming weeks. Some of the specifications of the Galaxy A52 and the Galaxy A72 were leaked recently. The Galaxy A52’s design was leaked, too, along with the processor and memory capacity of its 5G variant. The upcoming phone will also be launched in a 4G version, and our friends at GalaxyClub found out that it uses a different processor.
If you are a Snapdragon fan, you should be happy with the Galaxy A52 4G (SM-A525F). Going by a recent benchmark, the phone uses the Qualcomm Snapdragon 720G processor. It is a downgrade compared to the Snapdragon 750G processor that’s used in the Galaxy A52 5G, but it is still a huge upgrade over the Galaxy A51’s Exynos 9611 processor and it could offer decent gaming performance. The Snapdragon 720G uses two 2.3GHz Kryo 465 Gold CPU cores, six 1.8GHz Kryo 465 Silver CPU cores, the Adreno 618 GPU, and a 4G modem.
Geekbench 5 results show that the Galaxy A52 4G runs Android 11 and has 8GB of RAM. Going by previous leaks, the smartphone could feature a quad-camera setup featuring a 64MP wide-angle camera and a macro camera. There will likely be an ultrawide camera and a depth sensor in the mix. The phone appears to sport a 6.5-inch Super AMOLED Infinity-O display, an in-display fingerprint reader, a USB Type-C port, and a headphone jack.
It is quite surprising to see that Samsung isn’t using any Exynos processor in any version of its Galaxy A52 even though it has a potent chipset in the form of the Exynos 980. It is also surprising that the newly announced 5nm Exynos 1080 processor hasn’t been found powering any Galaxy smartphone yet. We hope that at least the Galaxy A72 5G uses the Exynos 1080 SoC.
Samsung has released a new Android 11 One UI 3.0 beta update for the Galaxy Note 10 and Galaxy Note 10+. This follows the release of a new beta build for the Galaxy S10 lineup just yesterday. For the Note 10 and Note 10+, this is the third beta update to be rolled out since the beta program kicked off a few weeks back, and as expected, the changelog isn’t very different from the one for the Galaxy S10e, S10, and S10+.
Accompanied by build number ending in ZTLB, the new update fixes multiple camera issues, including the inability to open the Camera app and crashes while it’s being used, a crash of the home screen launcher, and fingerprint unlocking issues. Rather serious bugs, going by their description, which is perhaps why Samsung took extra time to bring these new beta builds to the Galaxy S10 and Galaxy Note 10 lineups.
If you’re using the One UI 3.0 beta on your Galaxy Note 10 or Note 10+, you should be able to download the new firmware by going into the phone’s Settings app, selecting Software update, then tapping Download and install. It goes without saying that your data should be backed up before attempting the update, as there’s always a risk of device-breaking bugs creeping into pre-release software.
When is the stable One UI 3.0 update due for the Galaxy Note 10 and Note 10+?
Samsung is planning to update the Galaxy Note 10 and Note 10+ to One UI 3.0 sometime in the next month, according to the roadmap it has published on the Samsung Members app. However, it’s possible the company will not be able to meet that deadline in every market. Samsung has shown major improvement in how quickly it expands the rollout of major updates with the Galaxy S20’s Android 11 release, but it remains to be seen if it will extend the same courtesy to its 2019 flagships. Or the Galaxy Note 20 and Note 20 Ultra, for that matter, as those phones have yet to receive the stable Android 11 build anywhere except on a single carrier in the United States.
