The Frame now hosts video game artwork for the first time with Microsoft’s help

Samsung and Microsoft continue joining forces to bring their platforms closer together, with the latest outcome of this partnership leading to a collection of gaming-related digital art pieces going live on The Frame Art Store. Fitting for Samsung, given that it is the official TV partner for Microsoft’s Xbox Series X in the USA and Canada.

The Frame — Samsung’s artsy smart TV — and the accompanying Art Store are now hosting a collection of iconic gaming artwork called “Xbox Throughout The Years.” It’s the first-ever curated gaming collection to make it onto The Frame and showcase artwork from popular titles such as Halo and Microsoft Flight Simulator on the QLED display.

The Samsung-Microsoft collaboration continues

“We’re excited with ‘Xbox Through the Years’ to continue building on our years of successful collaboration with Samsung, now around Xbox Series X,” said the Director of Xbox Global Partnership without offering more details on what the near future might hold.

However, with Unpacked happening next week, we’re very likely to hear more from Samsung and Microsoft about the way their products will intersect and possibly integrate in the near future, not only around the Xbox platform but also Windows 11.

Galaxy Unpacked is scheduled for August 11, and once the event goes live, we’re expecting to see the Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Z Flip 3, the Galaxy Watch 4 and Watch 4 Classic, and the Galaxy Buds 2 hit the stage.

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Galaxy Z Fold 2 long-term review: Still holding (folding?) up a year later?

We’re barely a week away from Samsung’s next Unpacked event, where the company is going to unveil new foldable phones, including the Galaxy Z Fold 3. This makes it the perfect time to look back at the Galaxy Z Fold 2, which was announced almost exactly a year back.

The Galaxy Z Fold 2 brought an insane number of improvements over the original Fold. It featured Samsung’s new ultra-thin glass on the folding screen for improved durability, innovative multi-angle folding and unfolding through Flex Mode, a vacuum cleaner-based sweeper tech to keep dust away from the internals, and a larger outer screen.

It was also an excellent flagship phone in general, and we loved it despite some of its shortcomings. But what about now, a year later? How has the Galaxy Z Fold 2 held up after all this time? To answer that, we’ve now published our long-term Galaxy Z Fold 2 review on YouTube, which you can check out below.

Oh, and we’re making a lot more YouTube videos now, so don’t forget to subscribe to our channel for more such content in the near future.

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Samsung Pokemon Go players in the US and NZ can have fun like before

Pokemon Go players in the USA and New Zealand can now enjoy playing their favorite augmented reality game like they did before the pandemic, for better or for worse. Niantic — the developer of Pokemon Go — has released a new update for the popular mobile game; an update that reverts some of the changes made when the COVID pandemic started.

Pokemon Go is an augmented reality game that uses the map of the real world as its game world, inviting players to go outside, hunt for Pokemon, and do battle with other players. To make the game playable during lockdowns, Niantic had previously tuned the game’s mechanics in a way that would allow Pokemon Go players to enjoy the game from the comfort of their homes.

Pokemon Go players in the USA and NZ need to go back outside

Niantic is now rolling out a new Pokemon Go update in the USA and New Zealand. The update will revert PokeStop and Gym interaction distances to normal (40 meters instead of 80 meters), and the frequency of buddy Pokemon Gifts has been reduced to make up for the fact that players will now be collecting more items from outside PokeStops. Additionally, after the new update, Incense effectiveness will be boosted only while moving.

These changes to Pokemon Go are bringing the game back to its normal state pre-pandemic, at least in the USA and New Zealand, though more regions could follow soon. But, oddly enough, not every Pokemon Go player is happy with these latest changes, as it was more convenient playing the game from their homes, even if this kind of defeats the purpose of Pokemon Go — one of the most social mobile games in existence.

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Samsung captures key Tokyo 2020 Olympic moments with the Galaxy S21

Samsung is demonstrating the Galaxy S21 series’ camera prowess at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. The company has shared a gallery of high-quality images, all of which were captured during the event. The company collaborated with Getty professional photographer Mark Metcalfe who was tasked with capturing key moments on camera at the Olympics using the Galaxy S21.

Samsung is, of course, an Olympic Games partner, and this isn’t the first time when the Galaxy S21 series is being mentioned in the same sentence as the sporting event. The company has gifted Galaxy S21 bundles to Olympic and Paralympic athletes, and announced a $1,000 prize for every Olympic medal won by Canada.

Capturing Olympic moments with Galaxy S21 8K Video Snap and Single Take

The pictures were presumably captured with the top-tier Galaxy S21 Ultra model, even though Samsung is pushing the entire series in the spotlight with this recent announcement. Nevertheless, these photos were made possible by technologies such as the Bright Night sensor, 8K Video Snap, and Single Take, all of which are available across the Galaxy S21 flagship trio.

We also touched on these features in our reviews, so make sure you check them out below if you haven’t already. But as far as technical specs go, the Galaxy S21 and Galaxy S21+ share the same triple camera setup comprising a 12MP main unit with Dual Pixel PDAF and OIS, a 12MP ultra-wide shooter, and a 64MP telephoto camera with PDAF, OIS, and up to 3x hybrid zoom.

Meanwhile, the Galaxy S21 Ultra uses a 108MP main camera with laser autofocus and OIS, a 12MP ultrawide sensor, a 10MP telephoto shooter, and a 10MP periscope camera with 10x optical zoom.

Galaxy S21 review | Galaxy S21+ review | Galaxy S21 Ultra review
Galaxy S21 Ultra long-term review

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Galaxy S21 sales disappoint big time as interest in the S series wanes

Galaxy S21 Q2 sales figures aren’t looking too good. Despite the fact that the Galaxy S21 flagship trio performed positively in Q1, with early sales figures showing that the new lineup is outperforming its predecessors, the series’ Q2 performance wasn’t nearly as good.

In fact, according to Business Post citing Kiwoom Securities, Galaxy S21 sales figures after the first six months on the market are lower than last year and the year before. In other words, the Galaxy S21 is performing worse than the Galaxy S20 as well as the Galaxy S10.

This is despite the fact that early Galaxy S21 domestic sales were up 30% compared to the Galaxy S20 lineup and despite the new flagship series reaching a four-year high in just one month on the market.

People don’t seem to care as much about the Galaxy S line as they used to

By the time the Galaxy S21 trio of flagships turned six months old, it had registered 20% lower sales than the Galaxy S20 series did in its first six months on the market last year.

Even worse, Galaxy S21 sales after the first two quarters were down a whopping 47% compared to the Galaxy S10 series released in 2019, according to Kiwoom Securities.

Early Galaxy S21 ales were helped by Samsung’s decision to release the series a month earlier, but it turns out that this strategy didn’t help much in the long term. Sluggish Galaxy S21 sales were reportedly caused by the fact that interest in the Galaxy S series is waning as the smartphone market continues to evolve. Giving the Galaxy S21 Ultra an optional S Pen accessory was another attempt at making the flagship stand out more from its competitors.

Next year, Samsung is said to be planning on putting the Galaxy S series back on the map by giving the upcoming Galaxy S22 a new Exynos chipset powered by AMD graphics. Meanwhile, the company has shelved its Galaxy Note series and it’s betting big on its upcoming foldables.

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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Wurl teams up with Hollywire to bring celebrity gossip to Samsung TV Plus

Although Samsung TV Plus is one of the truly free video streaming services out there, it is yet to make a meaningful impact on the market. Samsung plans on remedying that by adding celebrity news channel Hollywire to broadcast round-the-clock celebrity news, gossip and the likes to Samsung TV Plus.

The monetization of the said content will be handled by Wurl, which is already responsible for the service’s distribution in India and a few other regions.

Samsung TV Plus content offerings continue to expand

Carl Heiting from Wurl had the following to say about the new endeavour: “Through our Wurl Network, we are taking Hollywire to the next level, expanding upon its brand’s success to bring it to an international audience.”

Hollywire is also host to a boatload of Bollywood content, which should pique the interest of Samsung TV Plus users in India. Wurl has done a decent job of taking Hollywire to new heights in several markets, and it’ll be interesting to see how it performs in India.

It is no easy feat, as the Indian market is already chock full of locally-grown content providers that have firmly established their foothold in the lucrative video streaming market.

While celebrity gossip is a welcome addition to Samsung TV Plus’ repertoire, it’ll take a lot more than that for the service to become mainstream in India. Its ad-supported business model could go either way, as many users turn to the internet to get away from ads.

Regional language content is critical, as the lack of it has spelt doom for many streaming services. Some new channels would be nice, too, as the current selection is incredibly tepid.

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The Galaxy M62 and M32 have landed in Brazil with promo prices in tow

The Galaxy M32 debuted in India a couple of weeks ago, and Samsung is now bringing this new cost-effective phone to Brazil. Not only that, but Samsung has also just released the slightly older yet more powerful Galaxy M62 to Brazil, and they’re both available at discounted prices for a limited time.

Customers who buy the Galaxy M32 or Galaxy M62 in Brazil before August 31 will take advantage of special prices. The Galaxy M32 would normally cost 2,399 Brazilian Real ($457), but customers who act fast will only have to pay 1,999 Real ($380).

Similarly, the Galaxy M62 debuted at a 1,000 Real ($190) discount, which brings the launch price down to 2,499 Real ($476).

As usual, customers willing to buy the Galaxy M32 or Galaxy M62 using a Samsung Itaucard will have the option of paying for these devices in up to 24 monthly installments.

The Galaxy M32 and Galaxy M62 are nothing alike

The Galaxy M32 and Galaxy M62 are two very different phones, even though they look quite similar when viewed from the back. The Galaxy M32 is powered by a MediaTek chipset and has a high refresh rate 90Hz display, whereas the Galaxy M62 relies on a more competent Exynos 9825 chipset but has a display limited to 60Hz.

It’s also worth noting that the Galaxy M62 is a carbon copy of the Galaxy F62, the latter of which we reviewed half a year ago. In fact, if you are looking forward to buying one of these two Galaxy M phones in Brazil, you might want to check our reviews for a much closer look at their specifications and capabilities.

Whichever smartphone model you choose, keep in mind that the discounted prices won’t last forever, so you may want to act fast. Check the links below for more details.

Galaxy M32 review | Galaxy F62 (M62) review

• Buy the Galaxy M32 at Samsung Brazil
• Buy the Galaxy M62 at Samsung Brazil

Galaxy M32

• Model: SM-M325F
• Dimensions: Bar: 158.9 x 73.6 x 8.4 mm
  
• Display: 6.4 inch / 162.56 mm Super AMOLED Display
• CPU: Mediatek Helio G80
• Camera: 64MP

More specifications

Galaxy M62

• Model: SM-M625F
• Dimensions: Bar: 163.9 x 76.3 x 9.5 mm
  
• Display: 6.7 inch / 170.18 mm Super AMOLED Plus
• CPU: Exynos 9825
• Camera: 64MP

More specifications

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Galaxy Buds 2 specs completely revealed in a new leak

The Galaxy Buds 2 will succeed the successful Galaxy Buds+ and the unique Galaxy Buds Live. Samsung is expected to officially unveil them during the Galaxy Unpacked August 2021 event next week. However, its images and pricing were leaked over the past few weeks. Now, all of its specs have been revealed as well.

Galaxy Buds 2 specs include Bluetooth 5.2

According to tipster Snoopy (@_snoopytech_), the Galaxy Buds 2 features a Bluetooth 5.2 chip. That’s an improvement over the Galaxy Buds+ and the Galaxy Buds Pro, which use Bluetooth 5.0 chips. The upcoming truly wireless earbuds will likely support SBC, AAC, and SSC codecs. If Samsung wants, it could bring support for Bluetooth LE audio with LC3 (Low Complexity Communications Codec), which was recently launched by the Bluetooth SIG.

The Galaxy Buds 2 will reportedly feature ANC (Active Noise Cancellation) and transparency modes, thanks to three microphones on each earbud. They feature a dual-driver setup, similar to the Galaxy Buds+ and the Galaxy Buds Pro. Each earbud houses an 11mm woofer and a 6.3mm tweeter for richer sound than typical TWS earbuds.

The battery life of the individual earbud seems to have taken a hit when compared to the Galaxy Buds+. When ANC is turned off, the Galaxy Buds 2 can reportedly last 8 hours on a single charge. With ANC turned on, their battery life drops to just 5 hours. Their rounded square case holds enough power to charge the Galaxy Buds 2 for up to 13 hours (with ANC on) or 20 hours (with ANC off). It has a USB Type-C port and supports Qi wireless charging. It also features fast charging, which helps the earbuds last up to 55 minutes with just 5 minutes of charging. The Galaxy Buds 2 are IPX7-rated for water resistance.

The Galaxy Buds 2 will be available in at least four colors: black, olive green, purple, and white. It was recently reported that they feature a new pairing process and that they cost $150. They will compete with Apple’s Beats Studio Buds, OnePlus Buds Pro, and dozens of other sub-$150 TWS earbuds in the market with ANC. They seem to lack 360-degree audio, which is present in the Galaxy Buds Pro.

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New Telegram update brings its video call capabilities to a whole new level

Over the years, Telegram has evolved from a barebones, pseudo-anonymous messaging client to a feature-rich client that outdoes most of the competition out there. The developers also do a stellar job of keeping it up to date with new features, many of which end up on WhatsApp a few months later. The latest Telegram update (version 7.9) cranks up the messaging client’s already formidable video calling prowess to an entirely new level, along with a host of other QoL improvements.

Group Video calls now support more participants

Telegram 7.9 lets up to 1,000 viewers watch a live video call, which can accommodate up to 30 participants. Telegram jokingly promises that it plans on upping that number till all the humans on earth can tune into one. Users can broadcast both the contents of their screen and camera feed in a video call. This should, theoretically, put it on par with the likes of Zoom and WhatsApp.

The update also improves upon the existing Video Messages feature. One can now play and pause a video message, something that wasn’t possible in earlier versions of the app. It essentially plays the message on a fully functional video player that allows you to adjust its playback speed and the likes. Furthermore, playing a video message will not interrupt any media playing in the background. You can pinch to zoom into a video message, too.

Additional auto-delete options, improved screen sharing

Telegram lets you auto-delete messages after a specified time. The Telegram 7.9 update now lets you retain your messages for up to a month before permanently banishing them to the nether realm. This feature can come in handy when you need some messages to stick around for a while, but not too long.

Telegram 7.9 also has a little something for those who prefer one-on-one video calls. Users can now share sounds from their devices during a video call. It should save users the trouble of playing crackly audio over another device.

As mentioned earlier, the Telegram 7.9 update is quite feature-rich. We’ve covered the major ones above, but there are a ton of others. For starters, the image editor lets you fine-tune your images better when zoomed in by adjusting the brush size. The Telegram Desktop client gets a fully functional image editor, too. Lastly, there are some new animated emojis thrown in the mix. You can read the complete Telegram 7.9 changelog on the official website.

While you’re here, do check out the official SamMobile Telegram channel for your daily fix of all things Samsung.

Image credits: Telegram

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Google Assistant is joining Bixby on the Galaxy Watch 4 series

The Galaxy Watch 4 and Galaxy Watch 4 Classic will be Samsung’s first smartwatches in many years to be based on an operating system other than Tizen OS. They’ll run Google’s Wear OS with a fresh version of One UI for smartwatches on top, so unlike previous Galaxy wearables, the upcoming series will reportedly support the Google Assistant.

In fact, according to a recent tweet by @_snoopytech_, the Galaxy Watch 4 series will support both the Google Assistant and Samsung’s Bixby virtual assistant. This bit of detail is supported further by yesterday’s leaked spec sheet, and it’s a pretty big deal.

Up until now, the Galaxy Watch series only offered Bixby out of the box. The Google Assistant was not available through legitimate means, and Amazon’s Alexa is available through an app from the Play Store, though the implementation leaves a lot to be desired.

Time will tell if users will be able to change the default assistant

Even if the Galaxy Watch 4 series will come pre-loaded with Google Assistant and Bixby, as yet, there’s no evidence to confirm whether or not users will have the option to choose a default virtual assistant between the two.

It could be that Bixby will be activated by default without an option to pick Google Assistant as the main virtual helper, or it could be that Samsung will allow Galaxy Watch 4 customers to determine which assistant gets priority over the other.

But given that Samsung was willing to shelve Tizen in favor of a deeper collaboration with Google on Wear OS, it’s very likely that Galaxy Watch 4 / Classic owners will have the option of picking their default assistants. We’ll keep you posted as more details come out. Until then, feel free to let us know if you favor Tizen over Google Assistant or the other way around.

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Surprised? Korean activists oppose Samsung leader’s parole release

More than 1,000 civic rights and labor protection groups in South Korea have jointly opposed the potential early prison release of Samsung Group chairman Lee Jae-yong. The possibility of his parole has already been the subject of much speculation in the country since last month, leading up to today’s press conference where various activists were advocating against it.

The move, backed by exactly 1,056 activist group and labor unions, was a mostly symbolic gesture trying to draw attention to the circumstances at hand. The circumstances that some consider would be a regression from the 2017 political shift that led to the ousting of the former President Park Geun-hye’s government and Lee’s imprisonment.

Samsung leader’s parole release still not a done deal

Despite the preemptive protests, there’s still no firm indication that Lee might be released from prison early. The speculation from last month mostly rests on his well-established legal circumstances that allow him to request a parole hearing after already completing 60% of his prison sentence.

Assuming Lee’s legal team already requested another review of his case, the chaebol leader could be released as early as August 15th. The media in the Far Eastern country have been reporting on the parole hearing request as a done deal since July. And the prospects of his early release aren’t as universally criticized as today’s press conference would suggest. With that said, some of the ongoing trials concerning a controversial 2015 merger of two Samsung affiliates — Cheil Industries and Samsung C&T — could still add to Lee’s prison sentence in the near future.

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Galaxy S20 FE with the Snapdragon chip gets August 2021 security update

A few days ago, Samsung started rolling out the August 2021 security update. The Galaxy A52 was the first phone to get it. The update was then released to the Galaxy A72, Galaxy A8 (2018), Galaxy S20 FE (Exynos version), and the Galaxy S21 series. Now, the security update is available for the Galaxy S20 FE (4G) with the Snapdragon 865 chip.

Samsung has released a new security update to the Galaxy S20 FE’s 4G variant with the Snapdragon chipset (SM-780G) in Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines, and Vietnam. It comes with firmware version G780GXXS2AUG4 and includes the August 2021 security patch. According to the South Korean firm’s documentation that was published today, the August 2021 patch fixes 40 vulnerabilities related to user privacy and data security.

If you are a Galaxy S20 FE user in any of the markets mentioned in this article, you can check for the update by navigating to Settings » Software update and tapping on Download and install. You can also flash the latest firmware file manually after downloading it from our firmware database. More markets will get the update over the next few days.

The Galaxy S20 FE’s 4G-only Snapdragon 865 version was launched three months ago. Originally, the Galaxy S20 FE was launched in 4G and 5G variants. The 4G variant used the Exynos 990 processor, while the 5G variant used the Snapdragon 865 chipset. However, due to the chip shortage, the company had to launch a third variant with 4G connectivity and the Snapdragon 865 processor in some markets.

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Here’s how much Galaxy Z Flip 3, Galaxy Z Fold 3 could cost in India

Earlier today, the European prices of the Galaxy Z Flip 3, Galaxy Z Fold 3, Galaxy Watch 4, and the Galaxy Watch 4 Classic were revealed. Now, the Indian pricing of the two upcoming foldable smartphones may have been revealed. If the information is correct, the Galaxy Z Flip 3 and the Galaxy Z Fold 3 will be more affordable than their predecessors.

According to a new report from 91Mobiles (who is working in collaboration with tipster Yogesh Brar), the Galaxy Z Flip 3 will be priced anywhere between INR 80,000 (around $1,077) and INR 90,000 (around $1,212). That’s in line with the phone’s leaked European pricing. The Galaxy Z Fold 3 will reportedly be priced at INR 1,35,000 (around $1,818), but its MRP could still be INR 1,49,000 (around $2,007).

Take this information with a pinch of salt, though, as it looks like a wild guess. Moreover, these prices come after the European pricing of the Galaxy Z Flip 3 and the Galaxy Z Fold 3 was leaked, which makes us even more skeptical.

Samsung is expected to launch the Galaxy Z Flip 3 and the Galaxy Z Fold 3 with some exciting pre-order offers and trade-in deals, making them much easier on the wallet. It has been reported in the past that the company could give away the Galaxy Buds 2 for free (during the pre-order period) with its upcoming foldable phones. There might be additional discounts in India on purchases made using debit or credit cards from certain banks.

Are you looking to upgrade to the Galaxy Z Flip 3 or the Galaxy Z Fold 3 this year? Let us know in the comments section below.

Galaxy Z Flip 3

• Model: SM-F711B
• Dimensions: Folded: 87.4 x 73.6 x 17.3 mm
  Unfolded: 167.3 x 73.6 x 7.2 mm
  
• Display: 6.7 inch / 170.18 mm Dynamic AMOLED Display
• CPU: Snapdragon 888
• Camera: 12MP

More specifications

Galaxy Z Fold 3

• Model: SM-F926B
• Dimensions: : x x mm
  
• Display: 7.6 inch / mm Dynamic AMOLED 2X
• CPU: Snapdragon 888
• Camera: 12MP

More specifications

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Samsung monthly updates: Vulnerabilities fixed in August 2021 security patch detailed

Once again, Samsung was the first Android OEM to release a new security patch. The company started rolling out the August 2021 security update in the last week of July, and the Galaxy A52 was the first phone to get it. However, the South Korean firm had not revealed which vulnerabilities it had fixed with the update until today.

Samsung has now published the list of privacy and security-related vulnerabilities fixed with the August 2021 patch. It includes 38 fixes from Google’s Android Security Bulletin for August, which includes fixes for 2 critical vulnerabilities, 23 high severity vulnerabilities, 9 moderate level vulnerabilities, and 3 vulnerabilities that do not apply to Samsung devices. The South Korean firm had already shipped one fix from Google’s August patch in its July 2021 update.

Samsung’s latest security patch also includes fixes for two vulnerabilities found in Galaxy smartphones and tablets. One of those vulnerabilities is marked as highly severe and is related to the reuse of IV (Initialization Vectors). The company fixed it by preventing the addition of custom IVs. The other vulnerability is said to be low in severity and is related to UAF (Use After Free) memory exploit in the conn_gadget driver. Samsung fixed it by adding proper check logic to prevent use after free.

As of today, the South Korean firm has released the August 2021 security update to the Galaxy A52, Galaxy A72, Galaxy A8 (2018), Galaxy S20 FE (Exynos 990 and Snapdragon 865 versions), Galaxy S21, Galaxy S21+, and the Galaxy S21 Ultra. More phones are expected to get the update in the coming weeks.

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Samsung is making the Google Tensor chip that could kill its phones

It was first rumored back in 2020 that Google might stop using Qualcomm’s Snapdragon processors for its Pixel smartphones. The company wasn’t going to pick Samsung’s Exynos chips instead. It was actually thinking of designing its own in-house smartphone chip.

Since Google doesn’t have its own fabrication facility, it would need to contract the manufacturing of the chipset it designed to a third party like Samsung or TSMC. That contract has reportedly been awarded to Samsung.

Is Samsung bringing Pixel phones at par with its own flagships?

It was reported earlier this year that Google has co-developed its new high-end processor with Samsung’s semiconductor division. The chipset is also going to be manufactured using Samsung’s 5nm LPE fabrication process.

The Google Tensor chip has been officially announced today by the company best known for internet search. It also confirmed that this chip will come with the new Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro handsets due later this year. The Tensor SoC is named after the Tensor Processing Units that are used by Google in its data centers.

Google hasn’t revealed the technical specs of the Tensor SoC. It remains unclear which components Google has designed itself and which have been licensed. What’s known for sure is that the mobile TPU for AI tasks and a new Titan M2 security chip are Google-designed. There are no details on the CPU, GPU and 5G modem right now.

Earlier rumors have suggested that the processor will have two Cortex-A78 and two Cortex-A76 cores in addition to four Cortex-A55 CPU cores. A 20-core ARM Mali GPU may also be present. While the company hasn’t confirmed who is manufacturing the Tensor chip, Nikkei Asia hears from sources familiar with the matter that Samsung is handling the production of this chip on its 5nm process technology.

Google has been talking up the artificial intelligence and machine learning capabilities of the Tensor chip which will enable the new Pixel phones to deliver experiences no other smartphone can. The most obvious improvements will be visible when taking photos or recording video and in voice recognition.

With Google’s software prowess unshackled by the constraints of third-party SoCs, could it finally deliver a powerful flagship experience that can rival the best Samsung phones? Only time will tell.

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Samsung needs a ‘one more thing’ moment for upcoming Unpacked event

If you’ve been following tech news with even a tiny bit of interest these past few weeks, you know just how extensively everything we’re going to see at Samsung’s August 11 Unpacked event has leaked. Leaks happen every year before Samsung announces new products, but this time it seems to be especially bad.

That means Samsung’s event will be a dud on arrival. Yes, the average consumer doesn’t really follow leaks and rumors, but the average consumer also doesn’t watch these events as much as you would think. For the rest of us, Samsung’s second Unpacked show for 2021 has effectively been ruined, but there’s a way Samsung can salvage some of this mess.

Why have an event when the internet’s already ruined it?

It’s simple: Samsung needs a “one more thing” moment as it is wrapping up all of its announcements on the virtual stage. Perhaps a tease for an upcoming product, like the Galaxy S21 FE? Maybe a small glimpse at the kind of performance and awesomeness we can expect from the company’s AMD-powered Exynos chipset?

Because without any sort of surprise reveal or new information that hasn’t already surfaced online, this instance of Unpacked will end up being a major bore. And, unless Samsung can put a lid on all of these yearly leaks, the next Unpacked may turn out to be even worse.

In fact, that will probably happen, as Samsung doesn’t seem to be doing anything to stop these leaks. Well, there are rumors that the company has been sending takedown notices to websites and leakers to get pictures and videos of its upcoming products off the internet, but doing something after the fact doesn’t really matter.

Wishing for a “one more thing” moment is all we can do at this point. Hopefully there’s something unknown and mysterious waiting for us at Unpacked next week. If not, Samsung may as well tell us everything right now, kinda like how Google decided to announce its upcoming Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro out of the blue earlier this week, well before the products are actually set to go on sale.

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Samsung takes Intel’s crown again to become the top global chipmaker

The semiconductor division is a literal cash cow for Samsung. The company posted record profits in Q2 2021 largely due to the stellar performance of this division. The increased demand for its semiconductor products also enabled Samsung to once again take Intel’s crown to become the world’s top chipmaker.

Samsung first passed Intel to take the top position four years ago in 2017. However, Intel was able to claw back its lead in 2019. However, the intense demand seen following the pandemic has once again pushed Samsung to the top spot.

Memory chip demand pushes Samsung to the top once more

It was a pretty big achievement when Samsung became the world’s largest chipmaker by revenue in 2017. It had ended Intel’s 24-year streak in the top position. Samsung kept up the momentum in 2018 as well by outselling Intel yet again.

However, due to the oversupply in the memory market towards the end of 2018 and the beginning of 2019, the semiconductor division’s revenues took a hit. Since Intel isn’t in the memory market, it remained unaffected. This allowed Intel to take back the top spot by the end of 2019.

Fast forward to 2021 and Samsung is back on top. It has become the world’s top chipmaker by revenue. The semiconductor division brought in revenues of $19.7 billion for Q2 2021 compared to Intel’s $19.6 billion. Memory chips have once again pushed Samsung to the top as a supply shortage has once again raised prices.

The steady increase in memory chip demand is likely to continue so Samsung is going to occupy the top spot for some time. However, with Intel entering the foundry business and winning over Samsung clients like Qualcomm, it may not be long before it starts to claw its way back to the top yet again.

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Samsung will make your next NVIDIA graphics card even more expensive

Trying to find a graphics card at MSRP has been a real challenge over the past year. Demand has skyrocketed due to cryptocurrency mining. The chip shortage is not helping matters as the supply remains constrained. So scalpers are making a killing by buying up GPUs and selling them multiple times over the retail price.

This is obviously hurting gamers and others who just want a GPU that doesn’t cost a kidney. As if that wasn’t enough, your next NVIDIA graphics card will be even more expensive thanks to Samsung.

Your next NVIDIA graphics card could be even more expensive

Samsung Foundry has announced that it’s going to increase the price of semiconductor wafers. These wafers are utilized to manufacture chips for NVIDIA graphics cards, SOCs and more. Companies like NVIDIA that contract chip manufacturing to Samsung will pass on the increased cost of manufacturing to their customers. The end result will be an increase in the MSRP of graphics cards.

However, Samsung has a good reason for hiking the prices of its wafers. It’s doing this to finance the expansion of its S5 fabrication plant in Pyeongtaek, South Korea. Samsung wants to increase capacity in order to meet surging demand. The additional facility will enable the company to achieve higher production figures, particularly for the advanced nodes that will enter production in the coming years.

The higher capacity will enable Samsung to make more chips for its customers, like NVIDIA. The benefit for them will be that they can then get more supply in order to meet demand. That should help reduce the shortage in the semiconductor market.

In the meantime, graphics cards will remain as difficult to find at MSRP as ever before. Despite the recent crackdown on cryptomining in countries like China, the supply hasn’t stabilized enough to prevent scalpers from selling GPUs at exorbitant prices.

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Xiaomi may have just defeated Samsung in European smartphone market

Samsung has been facing a lot of heat from Chinese smartphones brands, especially in Asian markets. The South Korean firm was still ahead of those smartphone brands in Europe and North America. However, it looks like Xiaomi may have just defeated Samsung in the European market.

According to the latest numbers from market research firm Strategy Analytics, Samsung slipped to the second position in the European smartphone market in Q2 2021. The report states that Samsung shipped 12 million smartphones during the quarter and acquired a 24% share of the market. Xiaomi, on the other hand, shipped 12.7 million smartphones to acquire a 25.3% share of the market. The Chinese brand grew 67.1% year over year, while Samsung faltered 7% when compared to Q2 2020.

Boris Metodiev, Associate Director at Strategy Analytics, said, “Xiaomi has seen great success in Russia, Ukraine, Spain, and Italy among others and found customers eager for its Mi and Redmi series of feature-rich, value smartphones.”

Apple ranked third with 9.6 million iPhone shipments in Q2 2021. The world’s most profitable company grew 15.7% during the period when compared to Q2 2020. OPPO grew a whopping 180% year-over-year to reach 2.8 million shipments and a 5.6% market share. Realme, OPPO’s subsidiary brand, grew a staggering 1800% in the region and shipped 1.9 million smartphones during the second quarter of this year. It currently has a market share of 3.8%.

Total smartphone shipments during Q2 2021 in Europe stood at 50.1 million units, a 14.4% year-over-year growth. The market’s rebound was reportedly driven by continued economic recovery post-COVID-19, healthy demand from consumers using older phones, and value-for-money 5G smartphones.

With Asian and European markets in its favor, Xiaomi may look towards the North American market in the near future. The US, in particular, is considered to be the most profitable smartphone market, and Xiaomi may try to partner with cellular network operators to gain a foothold in the country.

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Galaxy Watch 4, Galaxy Watch 4 Classic prices confirmed in a new leak

Samsung will unveil a bunch of new devices next week during its Galaxy Unpacked August 2021 event. The company’s first Wear OS 3 smartwatches will be a part of the event as well. Their design and complete specs sheet have been leaked already, and now their pricing has been revealed as well.

Galaxy Watch 4 price could start at €279

Leakster Even Blass (@evleaks) has published a few images of the Galaxy Watch 4 and the Galaxy Watch 4 Classic, and they reveal the European prices of the wearables. The Galaxy Watch 4’s 40mm variant could carry a price tag of €279, while its 44mm variant could cost €309. The Galaxy Watch 4 Classic, which has a rotating bezel and a bigger screen, could be priced at €379 for the 42mm variant and €409 for the 46mm variant.

pic.twitter.com/8K7PiB3YwZ

— Evan (@evleaks) August 3, 2021

Galaxy Watch 4, Galaxy Watch 4 specs

Both smartwatches sport circular Super AMOLED displays with Corning’s Gorilla Glass DX/DX+ protection. They feature an IP68 rating as well as an MIL-STD-810G-compliant design for dust, water, and shock resistance. Both smartwatches run One UI Watch 3.5 software on top of Wear OS 3. They also feature an accelerometer, barometric altimeter, ECG, GPS, gyro, heart rate monitor, sleep monitoring, SpO2 sensor, stress monitoring, and even body fat composition measurement.

The Galaxy Watch 4 and the Galaxy Watch 4 Classic will come equipped with the 5nm Exynos W920 dual-core processor, 1.5GB RAM, and 16GB of internal storage. They also feature dual-band Wi-Fi b/g/n, Bluetooth 5.0, and NFC. The smartwatches have a loudspeaker and microphone for taking calls and other tasks. The Galaxy Watch 4 is expected to feature a 247mAh battery, while the Galaxy Watch 4 Classic could have a 361mAh battery.

Both smartwatches feature Qi wireless charging, Samsung Health, SmartThings, Google Pay, and Samsung Pay.

Galaxy Watch 4 (42mm)

• Model: SM-R880
• Dimensions: Watch: x x mm
  
• Display: 1.2 inch / 30.2 mm Circular Super AMOLED
• CPU:
• Camera:

More specifications

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Carrier variant of the Galaxy A32 5G gets July 2021 security update

While Samsung updated most of its phones and tablets with the July 2021 security patch last month, carrier variants of some of its devices have still not received the update. The Galaxy A32 5G’s carrier variant was stuck on the May 2021 security update until today. Now, it has started getting the new security patch.

The carrier variant of the Galaxy A32 5G (SM-A32U) has started getting a new software update on Comcast’s network in the US. It comes with firmware version A326USQU3AUG2 and includes the July 2021 security patch. As per Samsung’s documentation, the new security patch includes fixes for more than 20 privacy and security-related vulnerabilities in Galaxy devices. The update could reach more networks over the next few days.

If you are a Galaxy A32 5G user on Comcast’s network, you might have already received a notification of the new update. If you haven’t, you can check for it manually 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.

Samsung had launched the Galax A32 5G six months ago, and the phone reached US shores sometime in April 2021. The device was launched with Android 11-based One UI 3.1 out of the box, and it seems to be on Samsung’s quarterly security update schedule. The Galaxy A32 5G will get two major Android OS updates in the future.

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Galaxy Z Flip 3, Galaxy Z Fold 3 prices leak once again

Samsung will officially unveil the Galaxy Z Flip 3 and the Galaxy Z Fold 3 next week during its Galaxy Unpacked August 2021 event. However, even before the unveiling, the pictures, specifications, and pricing of the phones have been leaked. Now, the prices of the upcoming foldable phones have leaked once again, and this time from a very trusted source.

Galaxy Z Flip 3, Galaxy Z Fold 3 European prices leak

Reliable leakster Evan Blass (@evleaks) has tweeted images that showcase the prices of the Galaxy Z Flip 3 and the Galaxy Z Fold 3. It looks like the Galaxy Z Flip 3 will come with a starting price of €1,099 in European markets, while its higher-end storage variant could cost €1,149. The Galaxy Z Fold 3 could come with a price tag of €1,899, and its higher-end storage variant could cost €1,999.

Remember that pricing is almost never a direct conversion across markets and currencies. https://t.co/MLvLUynwjG pic.twitter.com/fdbRvnySu6

— Evan (@evleaks) August 3, 2021

If this information is correct, the Galaxy Z Flip 3 will be priced €350 lower than its predecessor. The Galaxy Z Fold 3, on the other hand, could cost €100 lower than the Galaxy Z Fold 2. Moreover, the South Korean firm is expected to have some excellent pre-order deals and trade-in offers for its upcoming foldable smartphones, that could result in even lower ownership cost. That’s in line with our exclusive report about lower starting prices for the Galaxy Z Flip 3 and the Galaxy Z Fold 3.

The Galaxy Z Flip 3 will feature a stronger body and a more durable foldable display. It will also feature a bigger cover display, a faster processor, newer software, and faster charging speeds. The Galaxy Z Fold 3 has a stronger and slimmer body as well. It will also come with a faster processor, an under-display selfie camera, improved cameras all around, and S Pen compatibility.

Are you thinking of upgrading to any of the upcoming foldable Galaxy smartphones? Let us know in the comments section below.

Galaxy Z Flip 3

• Model: SM-F711B
• Dimensions: Folded: 87.4 x 73.6 x 17.3 mm
  Unfolded: 167.3 x 73.6 x 7.2 mm
  
• Display: 6.7 inch / 170.18 mm Dynamic AMOLED Display
• CPU: Snapdragon 888
• Camera: 12MP

More specifications

Galaxy Z Fold 3

• Model: SM-F926B
• Dimensions: : x x mm
  
• Display: 7.6 inch / mm Dynamic AMOLED 2X
• CPU: Snapdragon 888
• Camera: 12MP

More specifications

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