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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New leak reveals snazzy Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 cases

Over the past few weeks, we’ve seen the Galaxy Z Flip 3 several times. Many renders of the foldable are out and about., which give us a decent idea about what it has in store for us. Now 91mobiles has posted fresh images of the soon-to-be-released foldable’s protective cases.

As you can see in the images, one Galaxy Z Flip 3 protective case will come with a handy ring that lets you lug it around. Another model will replace the ring with a strap of sorts that one can hook to surfaces. The strap also protects the foldable part of the phone from daily wear and tear, although it doesn’t cover the entire surface.

They also showcase at least three different colour variants, yellow, pink and purple, that will match the foldable’s chassis. There appears to be a cutout at the back for the Galaxy Z Flip 3’s secondary display, along with rectangular notches of sorts. The cases also reveals the positioning of the power and volume rocker, which will be located at the right spine.

Because the Galaxy Z Flip 3’s dual rear cameras sit flush with the secondary display, there is no need to make accommodations for them. The LED flash, on the other hand, peeks through a hole. One of the cases is expected to be made of leather, while the other will use silicone.

The Galaxy Z Flip 3 is set to launch on August 11 at Samsung’s Unpacked event, where the Galaxy Z Fold 3 will also be in attendance, along with Samsung’s new Galaxy Buds 2 and Galaxy Watch 4 wearables.

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Here’s what Qualcomm’s 2022 flagship chipset could have in store for us

Leaks surrounding Qualcomm’s 2022 flagship chipset have been few and far between. Initially, it was speculated that it will be called the Qualcomm Snapdragon 895. However, the well-known leaker Ice Universe tells us that it will be launched as the Snapdragon 898 instead, which makes more sense. We also get to find out about some of its key specifications.

As expected, the Qualcomm Snapdragon 898 will feature ARM’s newest Cortex X2 CPU core. It will operate at 3.09GHz, a smidgen higher than the Snapdragon 888+‘s Cortex X1 core, which happens to be clocked at 3.0GHz. We can expect it to be paired with three high-power Cortex A710 cores and three efficiency Cortex A510 cores.

The Snapdragon 898 will be the first Qualcomm chip in a long time to ditch the ageing, but still reliable, Cortex A55 CPU cores. It’ll be interesting to see what the new hardware brings to the table in terms of power efficiency and battery life. Similarly, the Cortex A710 core also promises to improve upon multi-threaded performance.

We can also expect the upcoming Exynos 2200 SoC to feature a similar CPU core configuration. However, its vastly superior AMD Radeon GPU has the potential to decimate whatever Qualcomm can throw at it, at least on the graphics side of things. Early estimates suggest that it can even give the Apple A14 Bionic a run for its money.

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It’s now Galaxy Fold 5G’s turn to get the July 2021 security update

The Galaxy Fold was among the first Samsung smartphones to get the July 2021 security update. However, the 5G version of the foldable smartphone was left out. Now, the South Korean smartphone giant has released the latest security update to the Galaxy Fold 5G.

Samsung has released a new software update to the Galaxy Fold 5G (SM-F907B) in Switzerland and the UK. The latest update has firmware version F907BXXU5EUF3 and it includes the July 2021 security patch. We don’t have the official changelog for the update yet, but according to the company’s website, the July 2021 patch fixes more than 20 privacy and security-related vulnerabilities present in Android’s codebase as well as Samsung’s One UI.

If you are a Galaxy Fold 5G user in any of the countries mentioned above, you can check for the latest update manually by navigating to Settings » Software update and tapping on Download and install. You can also flash the new firmware manually after downloading it from our firmware database.

Samsung had launched the Galaxy Fold 5G in late 2019 with Android 9 on board. It received the Android 10-based One UI 2.1 update last year, the Android 11-based One UI 3.0 update in January 2021, and the One UI 3.1 update in February 2021.

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Samsung’s Q2 2021 profit was the highest in three years, thanks to strong chip sales

Three weeks after unveiling its earnings expectations, Samsung has announced its final Q2 2021 numbers. The company said that its revenue increased 20%, and the operating profit increased 54% compared to Q2 2020. The company’s operating profit during the second quarter was the highest over the past three years, thanks to strong chip and memory sales.

Samsung’s revenue during the second quarter of 2021 was KRW 63.67 trillion (around $55.56 billion), and the company made an operating profit of KRW 12.57 trillion (around $10.97 billion). While the sales of Galaxy smartphones faltered due to chip shortages and disruptions in the company’s Vietnam factories, the company’s semiconductor chip divisions continued to drive profits.

The chip division contributed KRW 6.93 trillion (around $6.04 billion) to the operating income, while the smartphone division contributed KRW 3.24 trillion (around $2.82 billion). A “one-time gain” (probably from Apple for its OLED orders penalty) and increase in panel prices helped the display division contribute KRW 1.28 trillion (around $1.11 billion) to the operating profit.

Samsung said that higher memory prices and increased demand for memory chips were the key factors driving higher profits. The company expects the demand for memory chips to stay strong for the rest of the year on the back of data center, PC, and server sales. The operations of its semiconductor fabs were back to normal as its Austin chip plant was working full swing.

In the future, the South Korean firm expects to solidify its leadership in the premium smartphone segment by mainstreaming the foldable category. The company is expected to launch the Galaxy Z Flip 3 and the Galaxy Z Fold 3 with sleeker and more durable designs and lower price tags. Samsung Display said that it is working on under-screen camera technology, which will debut with the Galaxy Z Fold 3.

 

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