Samsung might not stop making LCD panels so soon

Samsung Display had originally planned to stop the production of LCD panels by the end of 2020. However, that plan was postponed slightly, and the production was scheduled to stop in March 2021. The company has now announced that it will continue making LCD panels indefinitely in its L8 fab in the Asan plant.

South Korean media IT Chosun says that Samsung Display will continue producing LCD panels for monitors and TVs as the demand for such products has increased following the COVID-19 related stay-at-home trend. Samsung Electronics reportedly requested Samsung Display to continue the production of LCD panels. However, a Samsung Display spokeswoman declined to comment on the report.

According to TrendForce, a 30% QoQ uptick was seen in demand for laptops, monitors, and TVs since the COVID-19 pandemic. Samsung Display had originally planned to stop the production of LCD panels by 2020 and move to the QD-OLED technology. It even sold its China LCD factory in Suzhou to TCL’s CSOT (China Star Optoelectronics Technology). However, the company will now continue operating its LCD plant in South Korea.

Samsung Electronics has reportedly denied buying QD-OLED panels from Samsung Display for its TVs because it has been rallying against OLED technology, and adopting QD-OLED might send wrong marketing signals. Reports claim that the company might buy some small-sized QD-OLED panels for monitors soon. For its high-end TVs, the company plans to use Mini-LED and MicroLED technologies.

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Samsung starts accepting pre-orders for 110-inch MicroLED TV in Korea

Samsung’s first ready-to-install MicroLED TV was unveiled earlier this month. The company has now announced that it will start accepting pre-orders for its premium TV in South Korea. Those who pre-order the 110-inch MicroLED TV will get access to various benefits.

Pre-orders for the MicroLED TV will start tomorrow and continue until January 29, 2021. Samsung has created an entirely new process to offer consultation to the buyer right from pre-order to the installation of the new TV. The company will send a limousine when customers visit a special consulting store. Moreover, a dedicated team will install the MicroLED TV at the buyer’s home. The South Korean firm is also offering a 7-year warranty for the new TV.

Customers can pre-order the TV via specialized call centers, Samsung Digital Plaza, and other authorized brick-and-mortar stores. Deliveries of the MicroLED TV will begin after its launch in March 2021.

While pre-ordering the MicroLED TV, customers can choose from three packages: Chef Collection, Home Cinema, and Relax. The Chef Collection will come with a Samsung Chef Collection Refrigerator (Mare Blue), which features metal doors designed by Italian firm De Castelli. The Home Cinema package will come with The Premiere laser beam projector, the JBL L100 Classic luxury speaker, and a massage chair. The Relax package includes air travel and accommodation to visit Jeju island and play professional golf.

Samsung’s MicroLED TV offers stunning design, picture quality

The new MicroLED TV from Samsung comes in a 110-inch variant right now, but the company has plans to launch it in more screen sizes. It features the MicroLED technology and uses more than 8 million micrometer-sized LEDs to create various backlight zones. This new technology offers OLED-like deep blacks, high contrast ratio, and very high brightness for an immersive experience. The TV has a monolith design, which means it has no bezels and sits close to the wall.

Samsung’s Tizen-powered 110-inch MicroLED TV features ‘Majestic Sound System’ with a 5.1-channel speaker setup and Object Sound Tracking. It also has a Micro AI processor for content upscaling and the 4Vue feature that lets users watch four channels simultaneously. The TV will be launched in other markets such as the Middle East and the US in the coming months.

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Firmware updates don’t stop and the Galaxy Buds Live get a new one

Samsung is rolling out a new firmware update for the Galaxy Buds Live wireless earbuds. We can confirm that the update is being deployed in Europe at the least, but as usual, availability will expand gradually into more markets over the coming days and weeks.

Availability aside, you shouldn’t expect a game-changing update for your wireless bean-shaped earbuds; not according to the minimalist changelog that mentions only stability improvements. The update weighs about 2.2MB and it’s labeled as firmware version R180XXU0ATK2. It’s a bit larger than the recent stability update for the Galaxy Buds+ so other tweaks and/or improvements may have snuck in but we haven’t noticed anything worth reporting. In case you do, feel free to let us know in the comment section below.

The Galaxy Buds Live are a few months old and this isn’t their first firmware update, but in case you are new to Samsung’s wearable ecosystem then the way you acquire new updates is through the Galaxy Wearable app that runs on your connected smartphone. Just tap the notification followed by Download and install. And in case you haven’t yet received an update notification, well, there’s not much else you can do besides remaining patient until the gradual rollout reaches your device.

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Galaxy Z Flip 3 might be getting downgraded to ‘budget flagship’ status

Despite the premium form factor, the Galaxy Z Flip 3 might not be a full-fledged flagship. Namely, GalaxyClub just dug up a model number likely belonging to the international variant of Samsung’s upcoming foldable smartphone – SM-F720F. What’s more, that designation is said to belong to an LTE-only device, which carries some less-than-exciting implications.

Primarily because the last high-end SoC to even release in an LTE-only configuration was the Snapdragon 855 Plus. This is the same chip found inside the original Galaxy Z Flip, whereas its promptly launched follow-up utilized the 5G-enabled Snapdragon 865 Plus.

Should we be getting worried about the next Galaxy Z Flip?

While Samsung is no stranger to downgrading its non-mainstream smartphone lines, the worst we can probably expect here is a combo of the Snapdragon 865 (the non-plus model) and some LTE modem. Or the Exynos 990, of course, as that would pretty much make the SM-F720F on par with the regular Galaxy S20 Fan Edition.

Meanwhile, the Galaxy Z Flip 3 variant with 5G support is likely to be labeled as the SM-F721B. But that’s just an informed guess based on today’s leak and Samsung’s recently established product practices. It’s worth pointing out that the very existence of an LTE-only Galaxy Z Flip 3 contradicts a recent report from the tech giant’s home country. Exactly two weeks ago, industry sources claimed that Samsung’s entire 2021 foldable smartphone portfolio will embrace 5G connectivity.

But if Samsung truly intends to release another foldable smartphone without 5G connectivity, such a device would almost certainly debut with a sub-$1,000 price tag. That’s a pretty major silver lining to this development, seeing how the company’s flexible-display devices still haven’t descended into the triple-digit territory. The Galaxy Z Flip 3 is currently expected to launch in May or thereabouts.

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Galaxy S21 pre-order reservations start in the US

More than three weeks ahead of the Galaxy S21 announcement, Samsung USA has started accepting pre-order reservations for the upcoming phones. You can now sign up to be notified when pre-orders for the Galaxy S21, Galaxy S21+, and the Galaxy S21 Ultra go live in the region.

Samsung is letting consumers register for the pre-order notification via the Samsung Shop app. If you want to register for the pre-order, you need to click on the ‘Reserve Now’ button on the banner image, fill in the required details, and accept the terms and conditions.

The South Korean firm is offering some benefits for reserving the pre-orders. You can get up to $60 credit that you can spend on accessories while pre-ordering a Galaxy S21 series device. The company is also offering an extra $10 credit to those who pre-order the phone via the company’s app. The company will also let you trade-in your existing smartphone for up to $700, depending on the phone and its condition.

Galaxy S21 series specs

The Galaxy S21, Galaxy S21+, and Galaxy S21 Ultra are expected to feature a new design, 120Hz Super AMOLED display, Snapdragon 888 processor in the US (Exynos 2100 in other markets), 8GB/12GB RAM, 128GB/256GB/512GB storage, and Android 11-based One UI 3.1. The Galaxy S21 and the Galaxy S21+ are rumored to sport Full HD+ screens, while the Galaxy S21 Ultra could have a QHD+ display.

The Galaxy S21 and the Galaxy S21+ could come with a 10MP selfie camera and a 12MP+12MP+64MP triple-camera on the rear. The Galaxy S21 Ultra could have a 40MP selfie camera and a 108MP+12MP+10MP+10MP quad-camera setup on the rear. All phones are expected to feature 8K 30fps video recording, stereo speakers, 5G, IP68 certification, in-display fingerprint reader, Samsung Pay, Wireless DeX, wireless charging, and reverse wireless charging.

Samsung is expected to equip the Galaxy S21 Ultra with additional features like S Pen compatibility and Wi-Fi 6E. The Galaxy S21, Galaxy S21+, and the Galaxy S21 Ultra are expected to be powered by 4,000mAh, 4,800mAh, and 5,000mAh batteries, respectively.

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