Weekly SamMobile Quiz 84 – Come test your Samsung knowledge!

Fancy yourself as a Samsung superfan? Take our quiz and see how many answers you can get right! This is a fun activity that we do with our readers every week to test their knowledge of the Korean giant. The quiz has a mix of easy and difficult questions that most fans should be able to answer without turning to Google.

We make a new quiz for you every weekend so we hope that you’ll participate and learn a thing or two about Samsung in the process! Don’t forget to share the results of the quiz with your friends and see if you can outscore them. A little competition never hurt anybody!

Remember, if the quiz isn’t loading properly, please access the non-AMP version of this webpage.

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Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Galaxy Z Flip 3 wallpapers now available for download

There has been no shortage of leaks concerning the Galaxy Z Fold 3 and the Galaxy Z Flip 3. Samsung has already confirmed its August 11 Unpacked event so we may not have to wait for long until these devices are unveiled.

The leaks are going to continue right up until the event. The latest only today brings us the Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Galaxy Z Flip 3 wallpapers.

Download Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Galaxy Z Flip 3 wallpapers

Samsung has gone for an impressionist vibe with the new wallpapers for the upcoming foldable devices. It’s keeping that butterfly silhouette for the Galaxy Z Fold 3’s wallpapers as we’ve seen with the Galaxy Z Fold 2. It just appears to be more ornate and as if it’s been painted by hand.

We get similar vibes from the Galaxy Z Flip 3 wallpapers. The colors are vibrant and the abstract design really makes them look quite unique. The Galaxy Z Flip 3 wallpapers are available in four different color combinations.

You can download them now and start using them on your existing foldable devices should you so desire. They’ll only really fit the Galaxy Z Fold 2 and the Galaxy Z Flip. This leak includes the wallpaper for the Galaxy Z Fold 3’s cover display as well. The color and design is consistent with the wallpaper for the internal foldable display.

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A few potential fixes to WhatsApp chat backup getting stuck on your Galaxy phone

Many WhatsApp users are reporting an issue related to the backup function getting stuck at 100%. The problem seemingly affects Android users, Galaxy smartphone owners, and iOS customers in equal measure. It crosses all mobile platforms, and as of this writing, there doesn’t seem to be a definitive solution in sight. Nevertheless, WhatsApp users can try to work around the problem with a bit of tweaking.

The WhatsApp chat backup problem

WhatsApp has a backup option that syncs data with Google Drive. Users have to opt-in before using it, and once they do, they can allow WhatsApp to perform regular backups of chat messages and media files to Google Drive.

A notification — complete with a progress bar — is sent to the user when a backup starts. So far, so good. But the problem that many WhatsApp users face is a progress bar that gets stuck at 100%.
From our own experience using WhatsApp on various Galaxy smartphones, the backup process finishes eventually, though it’s painfully slow and can take hours.

Various solutions have been attempted to fix this issue permanently, but none seem to have worked. There are, however, several possible temporary solutions that could help you get past the stuck backup process faster.

The problem is very likely to reoccur later on, and some fixes might not always work. But if you’re one of the many WhatsApp users getting nagged by this issue, then there’s not much else you can do except for waiting or trying to work around the issue. So, here are a few fixes that Galaxy smartphone owners and affected WhatsApp users can try.

Ways to try getting WhatsApp chat backup unstuck

First things first, let’s get the more obvious possible solution out of the way by making sure that you’re using the latest version of WhatsApp from the Google Play Store. It’s up to you if you want to update your existing app or uninstall it first, but if you’re looking for a clean install, you’re more likely to get results from clearing the app’s cache.

Clear WhatsApp cache

Tap and hold the WhatsApp shortcut and tap the small “i” (info) button. Alternatively, you can open the Settings app on the phone, go to Apps, scroll all the way down to and tap WhatsApp.

Then, go to Storage and tap the Clear Cache button in the lower-right corner of the screen.

Make sure you have the right Google account linked with WhatsApp

WhatsApp uses Google Drive to sync data, which means that a Google account is required to perform automated backups. And while this is unlikely to be the root of your problem, there’s a theory that if the Google account linked to WhatsApp is inactive, the backup-to-Google Drive function could run into issues.

To check if you have the right Google account linked with WhatsApp, open the app and tap the three-dot button located in the upper-right corner. Go to Settings and access the Chats category. From there, tap Chat backup and make sure you have the right Google account.

It could be as easy as closing WhatsApp from recent apps

If the backup process runs in the background for long enough, it could be that the system puts WhatsApp to sleep as the backup process continues. It might look like the process is stuck at 100%, but it might’ve been completed already while the app was asleep. What you’re seeing could be a leftover notification.

If you want to test this, simply close WhatsApp from recent apps when you think that the chat backup process is stuck, and then reopen the app. Notice if the backup process completes or hangs again.

Back up WhatsApp chat over Wi-Fi only

4G is fast enough for backing up WhatsApp chats, not to mention the fact that 5G is becoming more widespread, but if your app decides to perform a backup when you’re not connected to a Wi-Fi network, then poor cellular coverage might lead to the WhatsApp backup progress bar slowing down or even getting stuck.

You can set WhatsApp to back up chat data only when the phone is connected to a Wi-Fi network. To do this, open the Settings menu in WhatsApp, access the Chats category and Chat backup section, and tap Back up over. Select Wi-Fi only from the drop-down menu.

Lower the amount of data WhatsApp has to back up by excluding video

WhatsApp lets users back up not only text chat to Google Drive but video messages as well. Evidently, videos take a lot more data than text, and this could make the progress bar look like it’s stuck, or it might even cause the backup process to freeze.

You can try lowering the amount of WhatsApp chat data being backed up to Google Drive by excluding video data. To do this, go to WhatsApp settings and access Chats, tap Chat backup, and turn off Include videos.

Delete existing WhatsApp chat backups from Google Drive

And lastly, you can try deleting your WhatsApp chat backup files from Google Drive and start fresh with a new backup, assuming you’ve taken the proper precautions in case you need to preserve your data.

To delete WhatsApp chat backups in Google Drive, open your Google Drive account in your browser, click the cog icon in the top-right corner to access Settings, then click Manage Apps and look for WhatsApp Messenger. Click the Options drop-down menu and clear the app data.

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This new Targus Phone Dock supports DeX and external storage in Knox

Mobile accessory manufacturer Targus has announced a new USB-C docking station for smartphones, and it’s packed with various connectors for peripherals, including Ethernet. More importantly, Targus has partnered with Samsung to make its new Universal USB-C Phone Dock compatible with the South Korean tech giant’s DeX environment.

The Universal USB-C Phone Dock allows Samsung smartphone users to connect their handsets to an external monitor through an HDMI port. It’s essentially a souped-up alternative to the official Samsung DeX Cable, except it’s also a hub boasting USB 3.2 ports, a microSD card reader, a 3.5mm headphone port, and an Ethernet port for a closer-to-desktop experience.

The Phone Dock’s external storage is compatible with Samsung Knox

Although Targus’ latest solution is a universal phone dock that can work with other brands of smartphones, it’s evident that the company’s main focus was to create an accessory that’s capable of taking advantage of Samsung’s ecosystem.

Aside from the Targus Universal Phone Dock offering compatibility with Samsung DeX, the hub also has compatibility with the company’s Knox secure platform. It allows the SD card slot can be used inside the Knox environment.

Finally, the Phone Dock has a tilt function supporting two viewing angles — 60 and 75 degrees — for use cases that don’t require a DeX connection to an external monitor. The accessory will be available for purchase from mid-August for $119.

• Check the Universal USB-C Phone Dock at Targus

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Samsung is telling the history of electronics through a new animated series

Samsung has released a new animated series on YouTube called “The History of the Electronics Industry that Changed the World.” The first episode is now live and tells the story of how networks have developed over the years, starting with Samuel Morse and his contribution to the invention of the single-wire telegraph and the Morse code, of course.

Samuel Morse was an American painter who got inspired by American physician and scientist Charles Thomas Jackson to conceive the idea of an electric telegram that would allow people to send and receive messages over long distances.

Single-wire telegraph and the Morse code no longer represent the pinnacle of long-distance communication nearly two centuries after their conception in the 1830s. But these ingenious inventions paved the way for future technologies such as the TV, the telephone, and eventually the smartphone and the 4G and 5G networks on which they rely.

Stay tuned for more episodes on the history of the electronics industry

The new animated series launched by the Samsung Innovation Museum will comprise a total of five episodes. The first one tells the story of Samuel Morse, and the upcoming episodes will be called:

• John Baird and the TV
• Alexander Graham Bell and the Telephone
• James Harrison and the Refrigerator
• William Shockley and the Semiconductor

The series consists of bite-sized animated history lessons, with the first episode compressing a lot of information in a 3-minute long video. Check it out below and stay tuned for more Samsung animations.

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Latest Samsung Internet update fixes bookmarks and Secret mode passwords

Samsung is rolling out a new update to its mobile browser. Samsung Internet version 14.2.3.14 is now available for download, and although it doesn’t bring any brand-new features to the table, it addresses some issues affecting the recently added bookmark bar.

As many of you know, Samsung added a bookmark bar to its mobile browser a little over a month ago. The bookmark bar works as you would expect and contributes to a more streamlined browsing experience, but it isn’t without issues. The good news is that the latest Samsung Internet update claims to address issues with bookmarks malfunctioning and fixes password mismatch errors when using Samsung Internet in Secret mode.

In addition to fixing bookmarks, the latest update also claims to introduce new security patches and improve the browser’s stability.

Samsung Internet users can download the latest update from the Play Store and the Galaxy Store, or they can simply download the Samsung Internet v14.2.3.14 APK file from our website and install the app manually.

Stay tuned for more news on future updates. Samsung Internet 15 is already available in beta, and it will eventually become available outside of the beta program. The new beta version improves the browsing experience and introduced enhanced anti-tracking technologies.

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S Pen Pro specifications leak ahead of launch

The Galaxy S21 Ultra’s S Pen accessory lacks Bluetooth LE connectivity, which means that it lacks some features compared to the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra’s S Pen. During the Galaxy S21 Ultra’s launch, Samsung had also revealed that it is working on the S Pen Pro, which is bigger and features Bluetooth connectivity. However, the company had not revealed its full feature set. Now, some of its specifications have been revealed.

According to tipster Chun (@chunvn8888 on Twitter), the S Pen Pro features a 0.7mm tip, and it can sense 4,096 levels of pressure. Apparently, it can also be used with the Galaxy Z Fold 3 without damaging its foldable display. The special stylus is said to feature a USB Type-C port for charging. It can also be magnetically attached to some cases on the back of compatible Galaxy smartphones (similar to the Galaxy Tab S7’s S Pen). It is being rumored that the S Pen Pro will be priced around £70 (most probably without the case) in the UK.

Samsung has already revealed that it has created a special S Pen for the Galaxy Z Fold 3. However, it is not clear as to how it would be different than the S Pen Pro. We should get more information about both upcoming styli on August 11, 2021, when the Galaxy Z Flip 3 and the Galaxy Z Fold 3 would be officially unveiled.

Since the South Korean firm has confirmed that it won’t launch a new Galaxy Note device this year, if someone wants a brand new smartphone with S Pen compatibility, their best bet would be getting the Galaxy S21 Ultra or the Galaxy Z Fold 3 along with the option S Pen/S Pen Pro accessory.

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Galaxy devices now available via eBay’s Certified Refurbished program

eBay is a popular marketplace for the buying and selling of used goods. It’s not without its pitfalls, though. There’s no shortage of stories about customers getting scammed or not receiving the product that they paid for.

To address these issues, eBay launched the Certified Refurbished program last year. Samsung Galaxy devices are now a part of this program. Customers will be able to purchase professionally refurbished Galaxy devices on eBay.

Buy refurbished Samsung phones from eBay with confidence

Only sellers qualified by eBay can list their devices as “certified refurbished.” This gives customers the peace of mind that the refurbished product they’re buying meets eBay’s conditions. All certified refurbished listings must have been professionally refurbished to a high standard.

They must be sold or sourced directly from the manufacturer, include a manufacturer warranty, free shipping and even 30-day returns. These devices must also be shipped in new packaging and include original or new accessories.

Samsung will now be selling its stock of refurbished Galaxy devices through the eBay Certified Refurbished program. Simply head over to ebay.com/SamsungDirect to view all of the eligible devices that are available for purchase at prices over 50% off retail.

For example, a refurbished Galaxy S20 Ultra can be picked up for 21% off while the Galaxy Buds Live are available for 59% off the retail price.

All Samsung Certified Refurbished devices have been restored to a like-new condition. They come with a 2-year warranty in addition to new packaging and accessories.

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Samsung was the top Android tablet maker in Q2 2021

Customers who want flagship Android tablets don’t have much choice. Samsung has remained committed to this segment by launching new flagship tablets every year. It has actually launched three premium tablets over the past year as part of the Galaxy Tab S7 series.

The company also makes mid-range and entry-level tablets. That has enabled Samsung to cater to a wide range of customers. The strategy has paid off as Samsung remained the top Android tablet maker in the second quarter of this year.

Samsung is the undisputed Android tablet king

The latest figures from Strategy Analytics show that Samsung shipping 8.2 million tablets in Q2 2021. It registered an 18% growth year-over-year compared to the same period in 2020. The diverse product range, which includes the Galaxy Tab S7, Tab S7+ and the Galaxy Tab S7 FE, helped Samsung increase its share. This also enabled Samsung to grow its tablet market share by 2.1 percentage points of 18%.

Lenovo’s Android tablet shipments were up significantly. It shipped 4.7 million units during the quarter, a 67% increase compared to Q2 2020. Huawei’s troubles enabled Lenovo to pick up its share outside China.

Amazon is the third-largest Android tablet vendor thanks to its affordably priced devices. Its tablet shipments grew 49% year-over-year to 4.2 million this past quarter. The company now accounts for a 9% share of the global tablet market.

Apple remains the leader in the overall tablet market. It shipped 15.8 million units in Q2 2021, grabbing a worldwide market share of 35%.

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Galaxy A Quantum picks up the July 2021 security update

The Galaxy A71 had received the July 2021 security update last week. Yesterday, the Galaxy A Quantum (a variant of Galaxy A71 5G) started receiving the update in South Korea.

The latest update for the Galaxy A Quantum (SM-A716S) has firmware version A716SKSU3CUG5, and it includes the July 2021 security patch. It fixes more than 20 user privacy and data security-related vulnerabilities. It might also include the Android Auto-related bug that some Galaxy smartphone users were facing. No new features or UI changes are expected to be a part of this update.

If you are a Galaxy A Quantum user in South Korea, you might have already received a notification of the new update. If you haven’t, you can check for the update manually by navigating to Settings » Software update and tapping on Download and install. You can also choose to flash the firmware manually after downloading the latest firmware file from our firmware database.

Samsung had launched the Galaxy A Quantum in South Korea in mid-2020 with Android 10 on board. The phone received the Android 11-based One UI 3 update earlier this year, and it will get at least one major Android OS update in the future.

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Galaxy S21 August 2021 update rollout kicks off in China

As usual, Samsung started rolling out a new security update to its Android smartphones even before the start of the month. The Galaxy A52 was the first smartphone to get the August 2021 security update, and then the update was expanded to the Galaxy A72 and the Galaxy A8 (2018). Now, the update has been released to the Galaxy S21 series.

The Galaxy S21, Galaxy S21+, and the Galaxy S21 Ultra have started getting a new software update in China. It bears firmware version G99x0ZCU2AUGE and includes the August 2021 security patch to the smartphones. While Samsung hasn’t revealed which vulnerabilities it has fixed with the new security patch, the official changelog for the Galaxy S21 series mentions bug fixes and improved device security and stability.

If you are a Galaxy S21 series smartphone user in China, you can now check for the latest software update by navigating to Settings » Software update and tapping on Download and install. You can also download the latest firmware file from our firmware database and flash it manually using a Windows PC. The update could expand to Hong Kong and Taiwan within a few days.

Samsung could expand the August 2021 security update rollout to the Galaxy S21 series in more international markets over the next couple of weeks. The company had launched the Galaxy S21 series earlier this year with Android 11-based One UI 3.1. They will get three major Android OS updates in the future, along with monthly security updates.

CHINA VERSION S21 updated August patch pic.twitter.com/KUSyOasV1G

— Ice universe (@UniverseIce) July 30, 2021

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Galaxy A03s could be launched in India soon

Samsung has launched multiple entry-level smartphones this year, but the company isn’t done yet. It is working on the Galaxy A03s (SM-A037F), and the smartphone has already received multiple certifications for the launch clearance. Now, it looks like the smartphone could make it to the Indian market soon.

The South Korean firm has published support webpages for the Galaxy A03s on its Indian website, which means that the company will most likely launch the smartphone in India. While the webpage doesn’t reveal anything more than the model number of the smartphone, we can see that the phone will feature a dual-SIM card slot.

It was revealed earlier that the Galaxy A03s features a 6.5-inch Infinity-V display (most likely an LCD panel), a 13MP triple-camera setup at the rear, a 5MP front-facing camera, a MediaTek Helio G35 processor, 4GB RAM, Android 11, a USB Type-C port, and a 3.5mm headphone jack. It also features GPS, Wi-Fi b/g/n, and Bluetooth 5.0.

It measures 166.6 x 75.9 x 9.1mm, but the camera bump area might be a bit thicker. The Galaxy A03s passed through the FCC certification, revealing that it is powered by a 5,000mAh battery. Knowing Samsung, the company will likely equip the phone with 15W fast charging.

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Galaxy S20 FE gets another update with the July security patch

Every so often, Samsung ends up releasing multiple updates for a device in a single month. It’s now doing so for the Galaxy S20 FE. The Galaxy S20 FE was among the first devices to receive an update with the July 2021 security patch, and it is now getting another such update. This one carries firmware version G780FXXU4CUG5 and is available for the Exynos-powered LTE variant at this time. The Snapdragon-powered 5G and LTE models will probably get it in the near future, as well.

Unfortunately, in both instances, the changelog only mentions enhanced security while the firmware versions suggest there are other changes in there, so it’s unclear what these updates are all about. Still, whatever it is must be important, or Samsung wouldn’t bother releasing two updates for the Galaxy S20 FE in such a short time, that too with an existing security patch even though a newer one — dated August 1, 2021 — has already begun rolling out to some Galaxy devices.

So, if you own a Galaxy S20 FE, you should probably grab the latest software as soon as you can. It seems to be rolling out in random parts of the world at the moment but should pick up momentum in the coming days. You can check if it’s available for you by opening the phone’s Settings app, selecting Software update, and tapping Download and install. If the update is out in your country, you can also download the latest firmware from our archives and install it on your S20 FE using a Windows PC.

Thanks for the tip, Max!

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The Galaxy A72 is catching up with the A52, gets the August security update

Samsung began rolling out the August 2021 security patch a couple of days ago, and you can be sure that it was the first OEM to debut it. The update got released for the Galaxy A52 first, and after a surprise visit to the Galaxy A8, the August 2021 security update is now rolling out for the Galaxy A72.

The latest firmware update is now available for the Galaxy A72 in Russia, Ukraine, and possibly other neighboring markets. Users can identify the update by firmware version A725FXXU3AUG2. The firmware number hints that the update could includes additional changes and/or features along with the new security update, so keep an eye out.

Previous Galaxy A72 firmware updates were quite generous, bringing improvements to Quick Share, Gallery, Camera, call quality, face recognition, and introducing the option to view remastered pictures.

If you own the Galaxy A72 and Samsung is rolling out the new update in your region, you should be greeted by an update notification at any moment. Or you can check for new firmware updates by opening the Settings app on the phone, tapping Software update followed by Download and install. Of course, you can also download the latest update from our firmware section and install it on your phone manually.

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Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra long-term review: The ‘last’ true Note?

In any other year, this would be just about the right time to be excited about a new Galaxy Note flagship. Not in 2021, though. Samsung’s giving the Note lineup a rest this year and is focusing on its new foldables instead.

In fact, while the company hasn’t yet cancelled the Galaxy Note series, the fact that it is bringing S Pen support to other flagships — the Galaxy S21 Ultra and the upcoming Galaxy Z Fold 3 — isn’t a good sign for the future of what is the best stylus-toting smartphone series in the business.

That means the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra could be the “last” true Note offering from Samsung for quite some time, and those looking to buy one today will be wondering just how well it will hold up over the long term. Well, we’ve got part of the answer: We can tell you how well it has held up after almost a year since it first went on sale.

Our long-term Galaxy Note 20 Ultra review is now up on YouTube, and you can check it out by hitting the play button below. Oh, and if you love the Galaxy Note lineup, we’ve got a petition going in the hopes that Samsung will give us a Note flagship early next year, even if it means skipping the Galaxy S line in 2022. Join all your fellow Note fans and sign that petition so we can get Samsung’s attention!

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Another company fails to come remotely close to Samsung’s software update game

Samsung’s been crushing it with firmware updates lately, and it doesn’t seem to plan on slowing its pace down in the foreseeable future. Unfortunately — for non-Samsung customers — some Android smartphone manufacturers don’t feel the same way Samsung does. And while the latter company is now offering three major Android OS updates for many of its phones, Motorola’s firmware policy has just folded and crumbled, much like the new Razr (2019) did when faced with the Galaxy Z Flip.

Motorola just took three new phones out of the oven. They run Android 11 and none of them will benefit from more than a single Android OS update — presumably to Android 12. It comes as a bit of a surprise yet feels like deja vu to many Motorola customers.

The company originally intended to cut firmware support last year before it had a change of heart following backlash. But despite Motorola’s efforts to keep fans happy last year, no such efforts will be made for the new Edge 20 trio of smartphones moving forward. And while these phones cover different price points, they’re all subjected to the same one-update policy.

Motorola isn’t the only smartphone manufacturer to cut corners in terms of firmware support. OnePlus adopted a similar support strategy with the Nord series — though it’s now trying to catch up again — and other OEMs such as Sony simply can’t keep up with Samsung’s pace. The only Android smartphone company that stands a chance is Google itself, mainly due to a recent rumor hinting that Google could start offering five Android OS updates for future Pixel phones.

You better hope other people will buy the same Motorola phone as you

Motorola might be able to offer more than one Android OS update for the Edge 20 series, assuming that enough people will buy these phones and the company determines that it’s worth spending time and resources on this endeavor. According to Android Authority citing Motorola, “If [the company] does find that the device has a longer life cycle in the market, [they’ll] obviously review to see whether it needs more OS upgrades.”

In other words, if you’re a Motorola Edge 20 customer, you could get a second Android OS update if enough people buy the same phone model as you and you all continue using these devices for at least a couple of years. Even so, this is not a guarantee, and no new updates will be released after the first if it’s deemed unprofitable, or a waste of time, or whatever Motorola might decide.

And although Motorola isn’t in the same league as Samsung in terms of market influence, resources, and others, it’s difficult not to compare Motorola’s approach to Samsung’s. The latter made efforts to extend support for Android OS firmware updates, and it doesn’t really care about these types of metrics anymore. Almost every Galaxy smartphone, regardless of its price and popularity, is guaranteed to receive at least two Android OS updates and four years of security patches throughout its lifetime. A good number of Galaxy devices, mid-range and high-end, are getting three major Android OS updates.

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The Galaxy Z Flip 3 seemingly has 25W charging capabilities, after all

We have some pretty exciting news for fans of Samsung’s foldables, and especially for prospective Galaxy Z Flip 3 buyers. The upcoming foldable phone has reappeared in the 3C database earlier today, and this time, it was accompanied by a 25W charger. This means that the Galaxy Z Flip 3 should be capable of 25W fast charging, contrary to previous reports that hinted at a 15W upper limit.

The 3C document mentions the EP-TA200 15W charger that was first spotted months ago, as well as the EP-TA800 charger with 25W capabilities. The 3C application confirms that the Galaxy Z Flip 3 should be compatible with both, though it’s important to keep in mind that this 3C document doesn’t guarantee that the phone will ship with a 25W charger in the box. It will likely be accompanied by the 15W charger for cost-saving purposes, while Samsung will give customers the option of buying the 25W charger separately.

25W charging capabilities would offset the relatively small battery

The Galaxy Z Flip 3 is expected to sport a dual battery with a combined capacity of 3,300mAh — same as the original model. It should be equipped with the Snapdragon 888 5nm chipset and a more demanding 120Hz display, which means that battery life probably won’t be anything to write home about — once again, same as the original model.

Now, upping the charging speed from 15W to 25W would obviously not improve battery life on a single charge, but it would make recharging the 3,300mAh battery a much faster process, thus giving Galaxy Z Flip 3 users fewer reasons to worry. It’s definitely a step in the right direction, so here’s hoping that the 3C documents reflect Samsung’s final plans for the upcoming foldable.

Samsung will unveil the Galaxy Z Flip 3 on August 11 at Galaxy Unpacked, and then we’ll know with certainty if the device has or doesn’t have 25W fast charging capabilities. But, needless to say, this recent 3C entry looks promising at the very least.

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Sign the petition for a new Galaxy Note flagship in 2022

For the first time in about a decade, there’s not going to be a new Galaxy Note flagship. This is something that Samsung fans are not too happy about. The Galaxy Note series has a very loyal fanbase, the kind that doesn’t really want to switch to another device.

Samsung has confirmed that it won’t be launching a new Galaxy Note device in 2021. It hasn’t said that the Galaxy Note series is being discontinued. However, with the S Pen expanding to more devices, some fans are worried that this is what the company might end up doing.

So there’s a petition now calling on Samsung to launch a new Galaxy Note flagship in the first half of 2022. You might think where the device would fit in Samsung’s release schedule given that the Galaxy S22 series will be there. To some, it might sound like a crazy idea but what if Samsung skips the Galaxy S22 series in H1 2022 and launches new Galaxy Note devices instead?

Either way, in order to keep some of its most loyal fans happy, Samsung must launch a new Galaxy Note device next year. Sign the petition now and show Samsung that the Galaxy Note loyalists mean business!

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Samsung India is losing ground to phone brands so small they barely register

Samsung has lost some ground in India in Q2 2021, but the company retained second place on the podium. It was led by Xiaomi and followed by Vivo, Realme, Oppo, and other minor brands. Speaking of which, it looks like Samsung didn’t lose ground to Xiaomi or one of the bigger brands, but to smaller ones that barely even register in Counterpoint Research’s graphs, as seen below.

Xiaomi was the leading OEM in India in Q2, but its smartphone market share was roughly the same as a year ago. It captured 28.4% of the market, down 0.1% year-on-year, while Samsung had a market share of 17.7%, down from 25.7% in Q1 2020.

Meanwhile, Vivo lost a 2% market share while Realme and Oppo won a few percentage points. In essence, this means that the 8% Samsung had lost were picked up mostly by other, very small brands. Smaller than Realme and Oppo, at least.

As for the phone market as a whole — including smartphones as well as feature phones — Xiaomi is leading with a 20.5% share, and Samsung is following with a 16.6% share.

Samsung’s performance was helped by the Galaxy M and F series

Counterpoint Research claims that the share of 5G smartphones is on the rise in India. However, this doesn’t seem to have helped Samsung much. The top 5G smartphone brands in India are Realme and OnePlus.

What drove Samsung’s sales figures were the new models from the Galaxy M and Galaxy F series of smartphones.

Since the start of 2021, Samsung introduced four Galaxy F-branded phones to India, starting with the Galaxy F62 in February and continuing with the Galaxy F02s, the Galaxy F12, and the Galaxy F22.

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Samsung got hit harder than Apple by the global semiconductor shortage

It’s the end of the second quarter, and analysts have shared new data pertaining to the market performance of major smartphone vendors over the past three months. Samsung is leading the global smartphone market, as expected, but the balance of power has changed, with Xiaomi outperforming Apple in terms of shipments to become the world’s second-largest smartphone brand for the first time.

Counterpoint Research has revealed that global smartphone shipment revenues in Q2 2021 were up 25% year-on-year after a total of 329 million smartphones got shipped out by all brands combined. Samsung’s global smartphone shipments have declined by 24% quarter-on-quarter but grew 7% year-on-year. The company shipped 58 million smartphones in the second quarter of the year, but lost 4% market share in the process and now accounts for 18% of the global market.

As far as revenue shares are concerned, Apple had a whopping 41% in Q2 2021, whereas Samsung’s revenue share declined from 17% in Q2 2020 to 15% a year later. Xiaomi was also able to increase its revenue share from 6% to 9%.

Supply chain constraints have limited Samsung’s growth in key markets

The global semiconductor shortage has caused difficulties for Samsung once again. Analysts reveal that Samsung was faced with supply issues and low inventory in key regions, limiting the company’s potential for growth in Q2.

Apple, on the other hand, didn’t face the same difficulties thanks to its “strong industry relationships” and “careful supply chain management.” In other words, the company was able to tackle the semiconductor shortage with more grace than Samsung, the latter of which was forced to rethink its resource allocation and focus more on sustaining the premium supply chain over the mid-range one.

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Surprised? August 2021 security update lands on the Galaxy A8 (2018)

The Galaxy A8 (2018) is now in the process of receiving the August 1st, 2021 security update. The latest firmware release from Samsung only started rolling out earlier this week, and it still has ways to go as far as momentum is concerned. Well, unless you happen to be an owner of this three-year-old mid-ranger that is. Or this year’s hottest mid-ranger.

In other words, all are equal in the eyes of Samsung’s after-sales support. At least in the sense that these updates are all done by different regional branches of the company. There’s simply too many of them to worry about whether a $400 device will be getting a new firmware version five days before a $300 one.

Samsung doesn’t have time to worry about which device cost more, the updates usually arrive as soon as they’re done

That might have been the reality of the Android platform only a few years ago, but all of that is changing today. Assuming you stop buying Chinese, at least. But back to things that last longer, Galaxy A8 owners should be on the lookout for a software release carrying the A530FXXSLCUH1 designation. No features or improvements other than security enhancements appear to be part of this month’s download.

And besides the Galaxy A8 and the aforementioned Galaxy A52, the August 2021 security patch still hasn’t made its way to any other Samsung device. But August isn’t even here yet, so, that’s pretty much par for the course. We’ve observed a near-identical pattern just last month. Plus, you can count on Samsung to ramp up even more momentum and start churning out these patches even quicker after the holiday-heavy summer is over.

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Samsung wants to go shopping for new companies with its $114B cash

Samsung announced its quarterly results today. Its Q2 2021 profit is the highest in three years as it registered a 20% increase in revenue and a whopping 54% surge in operating profit. The surge was largely driven by the semiconductor division.

The company has been investing heavily in improving its core competencies to sustain its growth momentum for the future. With over $114 billion in cash reserves, Samsung is now open to major mergers and acquisitions.

Money is no object for Samsung

The company had previously said in January this year that it’s actively pursuing mergers and acquisitions. While it hadn’t named the targets, market analysts felt that Samsung might acquire an automotive semiconductor company. NXP, Texas Instruments and Microchip Technologies were believed to be among the targets.

Samsung has said once again that it’s going to push forward with large-scale acquisitions in the coming years to increase competitiveness in the post-COVID world. Samsung Electronics Executive Vice President Ben Suh confirmed to investors during a conference call today that “we are positive about pushing forward with significant-scale M&A within the next three years.”

Suh pointed out that the company has been extensively preparing for this and that it hasn’t limited its target companies. Market analysts feel that Samsung will aim for companies that can add to its core strengths in the semiconductor and mobile industry.

Samsung hasn’t made a major acquisition since it bought Harman in 2016 for $8 billion. There are many prospective targets in both industries that Samsung can potentially buy. With a substantial cash balance of over $114 billion in the bank, money isn’t going to be an object for Samsung when it goes company shopping.

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Case maker joins in on Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Z Flip 3 leaking action

No one seems to be trying to keep Samsung’s upcoming foldable phones a secret anymore. Samsung itself has been mentioning the Galaxy Z Fold 3 and the Galaxy Z Flip 3 in app changelogs, leakers have been showing us renders of the devices for many weeks, and now, a case maker has joined in on the action as well.

A Korean retailer has listed cases for the Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Galaxy Z Flip 3 that show us both phones from every angle. And what beautiful phones these are. The Galaxy Z Flip 3 in particular looks amazingly stylish, and we can imagine it being the bigger seller of the two thanks to its compact form factor and, of course, the lower price tag.

The Galaxy Z Fold 3, meanwhile, is sure to attract those looking for a productivity-focused device, especially with its support for the S Pen and the considerably larger folding screen. That folding screen, in addition to supporting stylus input, will provide an uninterrupted viewing experience thanks to its under-panel camera.

As for cases, we’re bound to see plenty of third-party options hitting the market once the Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Galaxy Z Flip 3 go on sale. Samsung will have cases of its own, including some snazzy new designs for the Z Flip 3 that make it easier to lug the phone around.

The new foldables will be unveiled on August 11 and are expected to hit retail shelves in late August.

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