Galaxy A02 moves closer to launch, gains new certification

We had reported four months ago that Samsung was working on two affordable smartphones, the Galaxy A02 and the Galaxy M02. Two months ago, the phones received Wi-Fi certification, revealing their operating system version. The Galaxy A02 has now gained another certification, which means it could launch over the next few days.

The Galaxy A02 (SM-A022F/DS) has received certification from Thailand’s regulatory authority NBTC. The certification also reveals the phone’s marketing name (Galaxy A02) and that the phone supports 4G LTE connectivity and has a dual-SIM card slot. It was previously revealed that the upcoming budget smartphone from Samsung would feature 32GB and 64GB variants, and it will be available in at least three colors: black, blue, and red. It features Bluetooth 4.2 connectivity, as revealed by its Bluetooth certification.

As per previous reports, the Galaxy A02 features a MediaTek MT6739WW processor and 2GB RAM. It runs Android 10 out of the box, which means it will feature One UI 2.x. It will feature a massive, 5,000mAh battery, which is a huge jump from the Galaxy A01’s 3,000mAh battery. It is also rumored to feature a 5.7-inch Infinity-V display and a 13MP+2MP dual-camera at the rear.

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Here’s your first in-depth look at what’s inside the glass-clad Galaxy S21+

The base Galaxy S21 model and the top-tier Galaxy S21 Ultra have already been disassembled on camera so it’s only natural for the third and final model to make an appearance as well. The same tech YouTube channel as before did the honors of disassembling the Galaxy S21+, and unsurprisingly, the phone sits right between its two siblings with a repairability score of 7/10.

The Galaxy S21+ looks very similar to the base model both inside and out, and their specs are nearly identical too. The phone has a glass back panel that can be removed with prying tools and the help of a heat gun, and indeed, this component is the reason why the Galaxy S21+ gets a repairability score that’s 0.5 points lower than the base model’s. The standard Galaxy S21 has a polycarbonate back panel that’s easier to remove.

The latest disassembly video all but confirms that Samsung is using graphite thermal pad for the entire Galaxy S21 series, or at least it seems to be doing so for the international variants that are powered by the Exynos 2100 chipset.

Check out the video below for a much closer look at the Galaxy S21+ from the inside. Hopefully you’ll never have to use the disassembly video as a DIY reference, but if you’re curious to see what beats at the heart of Samsung’s new flagship phone then a disassembly video is probably the best and most convenient way of finding out.

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Next-gen Exynos SoC with AMD GPU crushes Apple in early benchmark

The new Exynos 2100 chipset employed by the Galaxy S21 flagship series feels refreshing thanks to Samsung’s decision to abandon its custom CPU cores in favor of ARM’s design. The SoC is capable-enough to compete with the Snapdragon 888 solution from Qualcomm, but one area that hasn’t fundamentally changed is the graphics chip.

The good news is that AMD and Samsung have combined forces and — as you may have already heard earlier today — the next-generation of Exynos chipsets powered by AMD graphics might hit the consumer market sooner rather than later. So soon, in fact, that the Korean media claims to have acquired early 3D benchmark results pertaining to Samsung’s upcoming AMD-powered mobile chipset solution.

Giving the Apple A14 Bionic chipset a run for its money

Samsung’s mysterious chipset that’s supposedly scheduled for a 2022 release doesn’t have an official name yet, but the solution has apparently been benchmarked using GFXBench.

This is the the point where we should highlight the fact that the rumor at hand was picked up and passed along by IT Home from a Korean community website, and there don’t seem to be any screenshots to support it. But for what it’s worth, the alleged benchmark results are very positive and the mysterious Exynos chipset powered by AMD is a lot more capable at 3D graphics, so much so that it beats the Apple A14 Bionic SoC:

Apple iPhone 12 Pro / A14 Bionic GFXBench (offscreen) results:

• Manhattan 3.1 = 120 fps.
• Aztec Ruins (normal) = 79.9 fps.
• Aztec Ruins (high)  = 30 fps.

Unnamed next-gen Exynos chipset GFXBench results:

• Manhattan 3.1 = 181.8 fps.
• Aztec Ruins (normal) = 138.25 fps.
• Aztec Ruins (high) = 58 fps.

Once again, we need to stress the fact that the source hasn’t shared a screenshot to support these figures, but even if there was one, it would probably still be too early to be entirely certain of the leak’s validity.

We do expect AMD’s GPU to make a big positive change in Samsung’s chipset lineup but we’ll have to wait and see if those improvements will be in line with what was shown in this leak. Either way, Apple won’t sit idly by and Samsung’s next-gen solution will compete with the tentatively-named A15 Bionic next year.

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The Galaxy Watch 4 / Active 3 could feature a diabetes-monitoring sensor

Samsung might follow the Galaxy Watch 3 with not one or two, but three new smartwatch models that are reportedly in the works. They’ll be unveiled at the next Unpacked event and one of the three upcoming smartwatch models could introduce a new health-related technology. The wearable will reportedly be equipped with a sensor capable of reading the user’s blood glucose level in a non-intrusive manner, which would be extremely useful for people who are diagnosed with diabetes.

Sources haven’t made up their minds regarding the names of the upcoming Samsung wearables. The model that’s rumored to boast the new health sensor could reportedly hit the market as the Galaxy Watch 4 or the Galaxy Watch Active 3, but details on the other two models are non-existent.

Generally speaking, the Galaxy Watch and Watch Active series are nearly identical except the latter has a physical rotating bezel whereas the former adopts a touchscreen-based / virtual bezel.

The new sensor might utilize Raman spectroscopy

Industry sources haven’t been able to reveal the exact technical details of Samsung’s upcoming smartwatch but judging by past events, the Galaxy Watch 4 / Galaxy Watch Active 3’s blood glucose sensor might utilize a technique known as Raman spectroscopy.

It was exactly one year ago when Samsung Electronics together with the Samsung Advanced Institute of Technology (SAIT) and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have revealed a non-invasive method of monitoring glucose levels that utilizes Raman spectroscopy.

In layman’s terms, a sensor based on Raman spectroscopy utilizes lasers to identify chemical compositions. In practice, this technology should allow for accurate blood glucose level readings without having to prick the patient’s fingertip.

It’s only the beginning of 2021 and we’re many months away from the next Unpacked event, which means there’s a lot of time left for leaks and rumors, especially if Samsung plans to release three new smartwatch models. But as far as the new blood glucose level sensor is concerned, it might be required to go through lengthier approval processes — same as ECG —  so only time will tell if it will reach the consumer market this year.

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Samsung has reportedly lowered its Galaxy S21 shipments expectations

The Galaxy S21 flagship series will start shipping to customers by the end of the week. The first month on the market will be decisive for the new lineup, as it will give Samsung a more accurate idea of what kind of demand it should expect in the first quarter. But for the time being and until a more accurate prediction can be made, the company has reportedly set its expectations a bit lower than last year.

Samsung is reportedly estimating that it will ship a total of 26 million Galaxy S21 flagships by the end of 2021. It seems as though the company has adjusted its expectations according to the Galaxy S20 series’ market performance, the latter of which registered 26 million shipments in 2020, down from the estimated 35 million shipments. This year, the company is apparently expecting to ship 10 million base Galaxy S21 units, 8 million Galaxy S21+ units, and another 8 million Galaxy S21 Ultra units.

Shipments might be lower but sales figures don’t have to

Shipment and sales figures are two different things, even though they are interconnected. A company can ship a whole lot more products to retailers than it will actually sell — sometimes, but not always to its detriment — and it’s why shipment figures are usually viewed only as a rough estimate of a product’s true market performance.

As far as Samsung and the Galaxy S21 series goes, the company may have adjusted its shipment figures as a way to prevent overproduction and oversupply. Samsung might no longer afford to flood the market as it used to, and back in November we heard about Samsung wanting to follow demand more closely and gradually increase the Galaxy S21 production capacity as needed. This will inevitably lead to lower initial shipment figures compared to previous years, but it doesn’t necessarily mean that Samsung is expecting to sell fewer Galaxy S21 models overall.

Galaxy S21

• Model: SM-G991B
• Dimensions: Bar: 151.7 x 71.2 x 7.9 mm
  
• Display: 6.2 inch / 157.48 mm Dynamic AMOLED 2X
• CPU: Exynos 2100
• Camera: 12MP

More specifications

Galaxy S21+

• Model: SM-G996B
• Dimensions: Bar: 161.5 x 75.6 x 7.8 mm
  
• Display: 6.7 inch / 170.18 mm Dynamic AMOLED 2X
• CPU: Exynos 2100
• Camera: 12MP

More specifications

Galaxy S21 Ultra

• Model: SM-G998B
• Dimensions: Bar: 165.1 x 75.6 x 8.9 mm
  
• Display: 6.8 inch / 172.72 mm Dynamic AMOLED 2X
• CPU: Exynos 2100
• Camera: 12MP

More specifications

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Samsung heir Lee Jae-yong isn’t interested in getting out of jail sooner

Lee Jae-yong, the vice chairman and heir to the Samsung conglomerate, has been facing an unprecedented legal challenge for the past few years. There were allegations of bribes being paid to Park Geun-hye, the former President of South Korea, and her close friend Choi Soon-sil in order to obtain the government’s approval for a controversial merger which allowed the Lee family to cement its control over the conglomerate.

The allegations were fought in courts but Lee found himself going to prison for the first time in 2017. He was sentenced to five years in prison at that time. Lee had appealed the ruling and was able to secure his release while the Supreme Court order a retrial of the case. The retrial ended up in Lee being sent to prison once again. However, this time around, he’s not looking for an early exit.

Prosecutors could still ask for a longer sentence

An appellate court in South Korea sentenced Lee Jae-yong to 2.5 years in prison last week. It was expected that Lee would opt for an appeal in order to get the sentence overturned so that he may be released from jail. However, lawyers for the Samsung vice chairman have now confirmed that Lee has decided to “humbly accept” the court’s decision. He is not going to appeal and will serve out the sentence.

Lee will now remain in jail until his sentence is completed. Since he has already served a year in jail previously, he will be released in June 2022. That’s without parole for which Lee will be eligible by September this year. He could receive a presidential pardon or commutation which would allow him to be released ahead of time.

Samsung and Lee seem to be willing to put this matter behind them. The course of action they’ve chosen is to let the prison sentence run out so that Lee may finally be free of this legal headache once and for all. They just need to hope that the prosecutors don’t decide to appeal the decision.

While that might seem an odd thing for the prosecutors to do now that they’ve managed to send him to jail, don’t forget that they were pushing for a nine year prison sentence for Lee during the retrial. If they feel that the 2.5 year sentence isn’t enough, they can appeal the decision and try to get a longer sentence.

Monday is the deadline for filing of the appeal and if the prosecutors haven’t done that by the end of business today, this sword will no longer be hanging over Lee’s head.

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Galaxy S8 starts receiving January 2021 security update

The January 2021 security update has now started hitting select variants of the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+, Samsung’s popular flagship duo from 2017. More specifically, the new over-the-air release has reached the Exynos models across Latin America. These firmware revisions are identified by version numbers G950FXXSBDUA3 and G955FXXSBDUA3 for the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+, respectively.

Beyond the latest series of security patches from Samsung and Google, no other additions or changes appear to be part of the newly debuted software update.

How long will Samsung keep supporting the Galaxy S8 series?

If you aren’t keen on waiting for the rollout to reach your particular device, full system images containing the January 2021 security update are already available for download from our firmware archive.

Naturally, before going the tinkerer’s route of manually flashing the latest update onto your Galaxy S8 or Galaxy S8+, you should try the more convenient option of triggering an OTA installation manually. To do so, open your Settings app, navigate to the Software update section and hit the Download and install prompt on the following interface.

Given how the Galaxy S8 series is almost four years old by now, it’s no surprise that it isn’t getting monthly security patches any longer. With that said, this popular pair of flagships should keep receiving quarterly updates from Samsung for a while longer. After all, it hasn’t even been a full year since the lineup was relegated to a quarterly update schedule. In the meantime, many future Galaxy devices even outside of Samsung’s flagship portfolio are nowadays launching alongside the promise of three generations’ worth of major Android upgrades.

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Looks like Samsung isn’t raising the Galaxy A52 and Galaxy A72 prices

The Galaxy A52 and Galaxy A72 are two of the most highly anticipated Samsung phones this year. Samsung’s Galaxy A series is one of its best-selling lineups and with good reason. These are feature-packed mid-range devices with great designs and reasonable price tags.

With every revamp, there’s always a chance that the price could be increased. A new report suggests that this may not be the case. Samsung may not increase the price of its new Galaxy A devices.

Galaxy A52 and Galaxy A72 expected prices have surfaced

GalaxyClub has come across the Galaxy A52 and Galaxy A72 prices that were collected by German price comparison portal Idealo.

Prices for the Galaxy A52 will start at €369 for the 4G variant with 128GB of internal storage. That’s exactly what Samsung sold the Galaxy A51 in the same configuration for last year. The 256GB model of the Galaxy A52 5G will cost €429.

There’s also going to be a Galaxy A52 5G that’s said to cost €449 and €509 with 128/256GB storage respectively. The Galaxy A51 5G wasn’t widely released in Europe but it was actually priced a bit higher at €479.

The 4G Galaxy A72 is reportedly going to cost €449 with 128GB and €509 with 256GB storage. The base variant of the Galaxy A72 was priced at €469 last year. There’s no information about the prices for the Galaxy A72 5G at this point in time.

These prices will be applicable in Europe. Samsung will likely stick to the same strategy in other markets. So you can be cautiously optimistic that these new devices won’t likely cost more than their predecessors did in your market.

Do keep in mind that these prices haven’t been officially verified but they provide us with an estimate nonetheless. Samsung is likely going to retain the same level of pricing for its new premium mid-range handsets. Will customers pay the price of not getting a charger in the box for this? We can’t count that possibility out just yet.

Samsung hasn’t confirmed when it will unveil the new Galaxy A series. We expect that to happen in the near future.

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One UI 3.1 brings more productivity features to Galaxy Tab S7, Tab S7+

Samsung released the Android 11 update to the Galaxy Tab S7 and the Galaxy Tab S7+ last week with One UI 3.1. The company’s flagship tablets became the first Galaxy devices to receive the One UI 3.1 update. The South Korean firm has now revealed all the new features that are a part of the One UI 3.1 update.

One UI 3.1 brings Auto Switch, Wireless Keyboard Sharing, and Second Screen

With One UI 3.1, Samsung’s focus is on enhancing productivity and streamlining the Galaxy ecosystem. Galaxy Tab S7 and Galaxy Tab S7+ users can now move across devices seamlessly by copy/pasting images and text with other devices running One UI 3.1 such as the Galaxy S21. They can also continue browsing the internet from where they left off on other devices, thanks to Samsung Internet. For example, after browsing a webpage on the Galaxy S21, they can continue browsing it on the Galaxy Tab S7 by clicking on the Samsung Internet icon on the bottom right corner of the multitasking menu.

 

With the Second Screen feature, users can connect the Galaxy Tab S7 or the Galaxy Tab S7+ with their WiDi (Wireless Display)-capable Windows 10 PC for more screen real estate. The Extend Mode allows the Galaxy Tab S7 to act as the second screen and move app windows there for enhanced productivity. With the Duplicated Mode, the laptop’s screen can be mirrored to the Galaxy Tab S7 series device.

The Wireless Keyboard Sharing feature allows users to use the Galaxy Tab S7’s Book Cover Keyboard to type and navigate on the Galaxy S21. The Auto Switch feature can be used to share the Galaxy Buds Pro between the Galaxy S21 and the Galaxy Tab S7, depending on which device is being actively used. Obviously, to use all these features, users would need to be logged into the same Samsung account on all their compatible Galaxy devices.

The One UI 3.1 update is rolling out to the Galaxy Tab S7 and the Galaxy Tab S7+ in various markets. Samsung could release the same update to other smartphones and tablets over the next few months. However, the company mentions that not all devices running One UI 3.1 would get all these features.

Galaxy Tab S7

• Model: SM-T870
• Dimensions: Tablet: 253.8 x 165.3 x 6.3 mm
  
• Display: 11 inch / 279.4 mm LTPS TFT
• CPU: Snapdragon 865+
• Camera: 5MP

More specifications

Galaxy Tab S7 Plus

• Model: SM-T970
• Dimensions: Tablet: 285 x 185 x 5.7 mm
  
• Display: 12.4 inch / 314.96 mm Super AMOLED Display
• CPU: Snapdragon 865+
• Camera: 5MP

More specifications

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