Galaxy Watch 4 review: Samsung reinvents the Android smartwatch

For many years, Samsung has been the only true challenger to Apple’s dominance in the smartwatch market. It used the same strategy that the fruit company does. Samsung controlled both the hardware and software of its smartwatches. The Galaxy Watch series has done very well but Tizen’s lack of third-party apps has always been a limiting factor

Google tried competing but since it wasn’t making its own hardware the smartwatches that its partners, mostly fast fashion brands, made were not that great. For the past few years, it actually felt like Google hadn’t been paying attention to its Android-based smartwatch platform.

Both Samsung and Google apparently came to the conclusion that it was better to work together than to keep themselves locked inside their walled gardens. So Google decided to take Samsung’s help to improve the Android-based Wear OS and our favorite Korean company ditched its own Tizen OS for its new Galaxy Watch.

The Galaxy Watch 4 is the result of this historic collaboration. Is it any good? Are the new features worth the upgrade? Does it still have that Samsung watch DNA despite running Android? These questions, and others that you may have, will get answered in this Galaxy Watch 4 review.

Let’s get one thing out of the way first. This review covers both the Galaxy Watch 4 and Galaxy Watch 4 Classic. The physical rotating bezel is the only real difference between the two. They both have the same specs and features. Both watches are available in two different sizes with Bluetooth-only and LTE configurations.

Galaxy Watch 4 design

Modern and minimal is what Samsung wanted the Galaxy Watch 4 to look like. To achieve that, Samsung made subtle changes to the frame that allows for a seamless transition from the frame to the strap. Available in 40mm and 44mm sizes, the Galaxy Watch 4 has two oblong-shaped buttons on the frame. It also has the digital rotating bezel that was first introduced with the Galaxy Watch Active 2.

The 42mm and 46mm Galaxy Watch 4 Classic has the familiar sporty design that we’ve seen on previous models like the Galaxy Watch 3. It also has the fan-favorite physical rotating bezel which just makes navigating through the interface a breeze.

The build quality, fit and finish of Samsung’s smartwatches only improves with every iteration. These new models have been put together extremely well. I love just how comfortable they are to wear. These are actually the thinnest watches yet from Samsung and that only makes them more appealing.

The minimal and lightweight design is what makes them so comfortable. Slap one on your wrist and forget about it. You won’t feel like you have something big and bulky strapped to the wrist. That’s particularly great if you want to be wearing the watch throughout the night for sleep tracking.

Smartwatches have evolved into lifestyle products. The variety of colors and finishes on offer ensure that your Galaxy Watch 4 can remain the perfect accessory as your day takes you from the office to the gym and to a night on the town. There are plenty of watch faces to switch up the look and you can use any standard 20mm strap to further customize the look.

Galaxy Watch 4 performance

Up until last year’s Galaxy Watch 3, all Samsung smartwatches have used the same Exynos 9110 dual-core processor that first came with the Galaxy Watch in 2018. Clearly, it was time for an upgrade.

The Galaxy Watch 4 features Samsung’s new Exynos W920 chipset. This is the first 5nm chipset to be used in a Samsung smartwatch. It delivers 1.25x and up to 10x gains in CPU and GPU performance respectively.

This isn’t the only noteworthy part of the Galaxy Watch 4 vs Galaxy Watch 3 comparison. The new model also has 1.5x the RAM at 1.5GB and double the storage at 16GB compared to last year’s watch.

It’s noticeably fast. I particularly like how smooth the animations are now. There’s little to no lag when swiping through the different screens or jumping between apps. I do get the sense that with more optimization of the software we can see a further improvement in performance. That will likely be done through firmware updates down the line.

I was excited to try out the new features that Samsung has added to improve the integration of its smartwatches with the wider Galaxy ecosystem. With Auto Switch, your compatible Galaxy Buds earbuds can now switch between the phone and the watch. The new Buds Controller also lets you manage touch controls, enable ANC and check battery status right from the wrist.

When you install apps on your phone that have a watch-compatible version, they will be automatically downloaded to the Galaxy Watch 4. All important settings like do not disturb hours, blocked callers, world clocks, etc are automatically synced between your phone and watch.

All of these features work as advertised. It’s great to see this enhanced level of integration between the watch and other devices in the ecosystem. That’s really the key to providing a good user experience and keeping users in that walled garden.

Samsung and Google have done a great job of optimizing Wear OS for this Exynos W920-powered smartwatch. There’s an obvious benefit to using Android. Galaxy Watch 4 owners can now access the vast library of Android apps. Google Maps is finally available on Samsung watches and so are many other useful apps.

The Galaxy Watch 4 works with Android smartphones from all manufacturers, not just Samsung. However, you can only extract the best possible performance from it when using it with a Galaxy smartphone. While earlier watches have supported iOS devices, you won’t be able to use the Galaxy Watch 4 with an iPhone.

Galaxy Watch 4 display

Both small and large sizes of the Galaxy Watch 4/Watch 4 Classic have a 1.2-inch and 1.4-inch Super AMOLED display respectively. The company has fitted higher resolution displays on its newest smartwatch and the improvement is clear as day.

The viewing experience is excellent as these displays get nice and bright with vibrant colors. The higher resolution makes the graphics and animations pop even more. The display gets bright enough to remain useful even under direct sunlight.

There are plenty of watch faces to adorn this beautiful display with. I particularly like the AR Emoji one that basically gives you a visual reminder of what you’re doing. If your listening to music, the emoji will vibe to it, or if you’re running then it runs too. It’s a neat novelty.

Galaxy Watch 4 interface

You’ll find yourself asking why does the Galaxy Watch 4’s interface look so familiar when it’s running Wear OS and not Tizen? One of the concessions Samsung has extracted for collaborating with Google on wearables is to have its custom UI on its smartwatches. So the Galaxy Watch 4 may be running an Android-based OS but it’s topped with Samsung’s One UI Watch interface.

That’s why the interface feels so familiar but changes have been made to the way it all works. For example, previously you could hold the back key to open all apps. Now you have to swipe up on the display.

It needs to be a conscious swipe up from the lower part of the display because often it just won’t register if your finger is a bit too high up. This could prove to be frustrating on the smaller models, particularly of the bezel-touting Classic variant.

Swipe right for the notifications, down for quick settings and left for the tiles. The tiles are where you can configure your widgets for easy access to apps and fitness features. I’ve tried to like all of the interface changes that One UI Watch brings but I still find myself wishing for the more streamlined interface of the previous Tizen-based models.

Perhaps some of these changes were made out of necessity to please Google or Samsung has just switched things up for the sake of switching things up. Kudos to Samsung for giving the UI a familiar feel but as a long-time user of its smartwatches, I can’t help but feel that something’s a bit off. It’s going to take some time to get used to this.

Galaxy Watch 4 health and fitness

Samsung is using a new 3-in-1 health sensor on the Galaxy Watch 4 that sits much closer to the skin than individual sensors for more accurate readings. Many of the health and fitness features that you’ve come to expect from its watches are already present.

There’s tracking support for 95 workouts with accurate reporting on a variety of metrics for each type of activity. All of these features worked very well over the course of the week that I spent with the Galaxy Watch 4. Automatic workout tracking helped out in many instances when I forgot to launch a workout. I like that Samsung even offers tracking support for niche workouts.

ECG and blood oxygen saturation monitoring are present as well but only available for users in select markets. Please remember that smartwatches are never meant to be diagnostic tools. So don’t rely entirely on the watch’s ECG feature if you want to keep an eye out for AFIB or its O2 saturation readings if you are facing a medical issue.

Sleep tracking has been further improved with continuous blood oxygen monitoring and advanced Sleep Scores that provide more insight to improve the quality of your sleep. There’s even Snoring detection which works in tandem with your phone.

Wear the watch and put your phone near your head on a stable surface like a nightstand. It will pick up your snoring and relay the data to Samsung Health. So you can finally confront your partner about their snoring with quantifiable data. How fun.

A new Galaxy smartwatch always brings a major new health feature. For the Galaxy Watch 4, Samsung has introduced the bioelectric impedance analysis or BIA sensor to provide body composition measurement. This is a unique feature, one that you won’t even find on the latest Apple Watch.

It works by sending a weak electrical signal throughout your body when you place your fingers on the electrodes in the buttons. The impedance enables the watch to measure metrics such as body fat percentage, skeletal muscle, fat mass, basal metabolic rate and body water.

These metrics can be very powerful when you want to make changes to your lifestyle. They help you get a sense of what’s working and what’s not diet and exercise-wise so that you can achieve your fitness goals more effectively.

The Galaxy Watch 4 is basically trying to do what a lot of smart weight scales already do but with a lot of disclaimers. Samsung says that people who have an implanted pacemaker or similar medical devices shouldn’t use this feature. The same goes for people who are pregnant. It even points out that measurement results may not be accurate for users under 20 years of age.

I found the body composition measurements to be accurate-ish. They were off by 5-10% when compared with those taken with a smart scale. Perhaps the accuracy could be further improved through software optimization but that remains to be seen. The feature is fine for establishing a baseline of sorts. I’d still rely more on the DEXA measurements for body composition if they were that crucial for my health goals.

All of the health and fitness data is synced with the Samsung Health app. You can get it on non-Galaxy smartphones as well. So even if you’re on a different Android device you can still get the most out of this watch’s health features.

Galaxy Watch 4 battery life

In the interest of keeping the device thin and light, Samsung probably decided against increasing the battery capacity. The small and large models of the Galaxy Watch 4 and Watch 4 Classic feature a 247mAh and 361mAh battery respectively. There is no improvement here compared to the Galaxy Watch 3.

You could get up to three days on the large model but only if the device was used moderately. If you start using any of the features that would make you buy this watch in the first place, it becomes a different story.

I could get almost two days of battery life and the usage was a mix of music playback, activity tracking and keeping up with notifications. When I used features like GPS, offline music streaming or kept the Always-On Display enabled as well, the watch would make it through the entire day but I would need to charge it before heading out the next morning.

The models that have the 247mAh battery can also keep up with for you up to 24 hours. I did notice some inconsistency in battery drain even though I wasn’t doing anything out of the ordinary. Perhaps there’s some room for optimization here.

The Galaxy Watch 4’s battery life isn’t bad. It’s good enough. Even if you take full advantage of its functionality, the watch is going to last you throughout the day. We’re already quite used to charging our phones once a day. Why should it bother us if we need to do it for a smartwatch too?

Galaxy Watch 4 verdict

The Galaxy Watch 4 is a bold upgrade. It wouldn’t have been a problem for Samsung to launch another Tizen-based watch with all of the new health features it has introduced with the Galaxy Watch 4. The new watch would probably have done well. It would have been business as usual.

Yet the company decided to break the mould. It decided to essentially reinvent Android smartwatch. It collaborated with Google to bring Wear OS out of the shadows. There is no bigger endorsement of Wear OS than Samsung decision to ditch Tizen for it.

The work that Samsung has done with Google on Wear OS will benefit the entire Android smartwatch ecosystem. Samsung can drive innovation for Android-powered smartwatches unlike any of Google’s partners. The Galaxy Watch 4 is living proof of that.

Samsung has also sensibly priced its new smartwatches especially when you compare them to what it did last year. The cheapest Galaxy Watch 3 cost $400. The lowest you can pay for a Galaxy Watch 4 is $249.99. Even the Watch 4 Classic with its rotating bezel and the larger battery starts at $349.99.

I’d be more than happy to buy a Galaxy Watch 4 at these prices. It offers incredible value for money with great new features, a completely new chipset and access to Android’s vast library of apps.

It seems that the company has intentionally made the Galaxy Watch 4 more attainable. Samsung has hit the reset button on its smartwatches. Wear OS will not be released for any of its previous models. I feel for you if you spent $400 on a Galaxy Watch 3 because it has become obsolete in just one year.

The hardware improvements alone justify the upgrade if you currently have any of the watches released since the original Galaxy Watch came out in 2018. I have used every single smartwatch Samsung has launched. I choose to be inside this walled garden. For me, it will be a conscious decision to buy the Galaxy Watch 4. I want to stick with this ecosystem and as Samsung’s smartwatches blaze a new trail, I will gladly traverse it.

There’s no denying the fact that the Galaxy Watch 4 and Galaxy Watch 4 Classic are genuinely good options for anyone considering an Android-based smartwatch. Even if they don’t use a Samsung phone. There is no doubt in my mind that these deserve a place on the list of best Samsung smartwatches ever made.

Pros	Cons
New 5nm chipset, more RAM and storage	No MST support for Samsung Pay
Subtle yet elegant design changes	Battery capacity could have been improved
Great new fitness features	UI can take some getting used to
Priced very sensibly	Bixby needs more work
Access to a wide variety of apps	Gestures can be finicky sometimes

Galaxy Watch 4 (40mm)

• Model: SM-R860
• Dimensions: Watch: 40.4 x 39.3 x 9.8 mm
  
• Display: 1.2 inch / 30.4 mm Circular Super AMOLED
• CPU: Exynos W920
• Camera:

More specifications

Galaxy Watch 4 Classic (42mm)

• Model: SM-R880
• Dimensions: Watch: 41.5 x 41.5 x 11.2 mm
  
• Display: 1.2 inch / 30.4 mm Circular Super AMOLED
• CPU: Exynos W920
• Camera:

More specifications

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I’m not buying Samsung’s excuses for not giving the Galaxy Z Flip 3 UDC

Although both the Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Galaxy Z Flip 3 use similar display technologies, it’s only the larger model that enjoys the benefits of the new UDC (Under-Display Camera) technology. Samsung gave its reasons why UDC technology was reserved for the Galaxy Z Fold 3, but to be honest, I’m just not buying into this narrative.

Samsung explained that UDC got left out for the Galaxy Z Flip 3 because the clamshell foldable phone is a lot more selfie-oriented than the Galaxy Z Fold 3, whereas the latter device is supposed to enable immersive experiences. Because UDC has lower quality than a regular selfie sensor, Samsung decided to give the Z Flip 3 the better alternative.

It seems like a sensible decision at first glance, except it sort of falls apart on closer examination.

First of all, the quality of Samsung’s first UDC isn’t that bad. It’s actually quite decent for a selfie camera, as seen recently in our sample, and it’s not that much worse than the regular 10MP selfie sensor Samsung’s using for many of its phones.

Secondly, the Galaxy Z Flip 3 already has a cover display, and anyone aiming for higher selfie quality can and will use the dual-camera setup together with the cover screen for much better results.

Thirdly, the Galaxy Z Flip 3 — and any other smartphone for that matter — could very much benefit from an uninterrupted display and a more immersive experience when watching videos, browsing the web, video calling, and so on. This isn’t something that only tablet users want, Samsung. Smartphone users have been waiting for the downfall of display notches and cutouts for years!

It’s these types of excuses that tend to come back and bite Samsung

The last thing I don’t like about Samsung’s recent explanation is that it once again highlights the company’s inability to sometimes view the bigger picture. Or perhaps, it shows that the company doesn’t trust its customer base with the real version of the truth, whichever it might be.

I’ll go out on a limb here and say that the main reasons why UDC was left out for the Galaxy Z Flip 3 might have to do with low supply, high manufacturing costs, and/or the fact that UDC is a new and relatively untested technology. Or maybe Samsung wanted to keep the spotlight more on the larger foldable model.

Regardless, once supply and manufacturing shortcomings are dealt with, Samsung will likely want to bring UDC to more phones, including the Galaxy Z Flip 4 or future models. And Samsung will then have some explaining to do. Because if the Z Flip form factor remains relatively unchanged by the time it gets UDC technology, the company’s recent excuses will fly right out the window.

It’s these types of shortsighted statements that can come back and bite the company, similar to how Samsung mocked Apple for removing the wall charger from retail boxes, only for the Korean tech giant to do the same later.

At the end of the day, I’m hoping that Samsung will change its mind by the time the Galaxy Z Flip 4 enters the final design stages, and it won’t hold on to what I believe is an absurd notion that UDC is unfit for the clamshell form factor.

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Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 review: Raising the bar for wireless earbuds

Samsung has taken to launching a pair of new wireless earbuds every six months. It launched the Galaxy Buds Pro with the Galaxy S21 series earlier this year. The new Galaxy Buds 2 have been launched alongside the Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Galaxy Z Flip 3.

Don’t think of the Galaxy Buds 2 as a successor to the Galaxy Buds Pro. They’re actually meant to replace the Galaxy Buds+ that Samsung launched back in 2020. There are a lot of similarities between Samsung’s wireless earbuds, so do the Galaxy Buds 2 offer enough to justify their existence?

That’s the main question we’ll be answering in this Galaxy Buds 2 review. We’ll also dive deeper into all of the improvements that Samsung has made and the features that the Galaxy Buds 2 offer.

Galaxy Buds 2 design and fit

The familiar in-ear design has been further improved with the Galaxy Buds 2. They’re actually 15% smaller than the first Galaxy Buds. The difference can be felt instantly. These earbuds don’t protrude from the ear; in fact, someone looking straight at you would probably not be able to make them out at first glance.

This is the third pair of earbuds to have the same square case design. You can hardly tell them apart. As you’d expect, the earbuds are made out of plastic with touch panels on either side. The glossy finish doesn’t look that appealing. Personally, I would have preferred a matte finish on the earbuds to keep up that understated look.

The touch panels work very well, perhaps too well. There were no issues trying to get them to pick up the taps for play/pause, double taps for skip or triple taps for back. Given how sensitive they are, expect the earbuds to pick up accidental taps when adjusting or taking them off unless you’re really conscious to not hit the panels with your palm.

These aren’t the only Samsung earbuds that we have experienced this behavior with. That being said, the touch panels remain an integral part of the Galaxy Buds user experience. You can customize the actions using the Galaxy Wearable app for enhanced control.

I still remember how uncomfortable it would get wearing the original Galaxy Buds for long periods of time. Samsung has improved comfort with every iteration since then. Despite its curvy housing, the Galaxy Buds 2 are comfortable for extended wear. Three sets of silicone ear tips ship with the earbuds to allow you to get a secure fit.

There were no problems with the fit when wearing the Galaxy Buds 2 during a run or intense exercise. What I do miss are the wingtips of the Galaxy Buds+ as they provided a more confident and snug fit. Samsung probably had to remove those silicone bits to prevent interference with the mic array or the Voice Pickup Unit.

It’s also important to note in this Galaxy Buds 2 review that the earbuds are IPX2 rated for water-resistant. You shouldn’t submerge them but they’ll hold up nicely during exercise or even taking a leisurely stroll when it’s drizzling outside.

Since the Galaxy Buds 2 are $50 cheaper than the Galaxy Buds Pro, the first thought most customers would have is what has Samsung cut back on to reduce the price. It’s great to see that the build quality, fit and finish were not degraded in order to achieve the lower price.

Galaxy Buds 2 sound quality and performance

This is where the Galaxy Buds 2 took us by surprise, particularly the bass. Samsung’s previous earbuds were able to output decent levels of bass but the Galaxy Buds 2 kick things up a notch. The bass is punchier than you’d expect at default settings. I didn’t feel the need to turn it up using the bass boost option in the app.

It’s impressive that the audio quality you get from the Galaxy Buds 2 is quite close to the Galaxy Buds Pro. The sound stage does feel a tad restricted but that’s something most normal users wouldn’t really pick up.

Use the Galaxy Buds 2 with a Samsung smartphone for the best audio experience. That’s because Samsung’s proprietary Scalable Codec is then used to deliver superior sound. Even though these earbuds work with all Android devices, you’ll lose some of the quality on a non-Samsung device.

The Galaxy Wearable app provides a host of EQ options that can be used to tune the listening experience. Most users won’t need to tinker with those options as the sound profile is nicely balanced by default.

Once again, we were pleasantly surprised by the Galaxy Buds 2. Wireless earbuds that don’t provide great sound are not worth buying. Samsung has made sure that its latest earbuds deliver an enjoyable and immersive experience. Sound quality is certainly not where Samsung has made adjustments to reduce the price.

Galaxy Buds 2 Active Noise Cancellation

It’s great to see that these $150 wireless earbuds provide Active Noise Cancellation. This feature is even making its way to entry-level earbuds so it would have been a shame if the Galaxy Buds 2 didn’t have it.

Active Noise Cancellation makes a noticeable difference in cancelling out background noise when you enable it. The earbuds do a better job of cancelling out high frequency sounds like that of an overhead fan or an airplane engine compared to constant rumbling frequencies of traffic sounds, for example.

That’s not a complaint about the ANC performance on these earbuds. Let’s not forget that this is a pair of $150 wireless earbuds. For the price, the Galaxy Buds 2 deliver excellent noise cancellation, perhaps even better than some of the competing products in this price range.

You can always choose to amplify the sound of your surroundings through the Ambient Sound mode. It pipes in surrounding noise through the earbuds. There are three levels of amplification to choose from, with the highest setting turning things up way more than you’d like. This is a great feature for when you want to be aware of what’s going on around you.

Galaxy Buds 2 call quality

Call quality left a lot to be desired on Samsung’s earlier earbuds. Users would complain that their voices sounded muffled on phone calls or downright robotic. That’s not ideal if one of the reasons why you’re buying wireless earbuds is to make calls hands-free.

Samsung has progressively improved the call quality on its earbuds. The Galaxy Buds 2 actually deliver the best experience of any Samsung earbuds. That’s partly because of the sophisticated mic array and Voice Pickup Unit that enhance voice clarity.

The company has added a new machine learning solution to the Galaxy Buds 2 for improving the call quality by blocking out background noises. In our tests, we found that the person on the other end of the call doesn’t really hear any background noise.

There won’t be any disturbance from traffic if you’re on a call while walking outside or even the gentle drone of the AC in your room. One of our team members felt that the call quality from the Galaxy Buds 2 was very close to a call made directly from the phone. That’s high praise for the earbuds.

Galaxy Buds 2 connectivity and features

This Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 review won’t be complete without talking about the many features that the new earbuds offer. We’re already familiar with most of them as they’re present on Samsung’s earlier models as well. This includes the likes of hands-free Bixby Voice wakeup, Swift Pair for easy pairing with a Windows 10 PC, and Game Mode that reduces latency between the audio and video when playing games.

Still wondering what Samsung has taken away to cut the Galaxy Buds 2 price? The 360-degree audio feature it introduced with the Galaxy Buds Pro is missing from the new earbuds. This feature provided “theater-like” sound by using Dolby Head Tracking technology to provide you with a sense of which direction the sound is coming from.

Voice Detect is another Galaxy Buds Pro feature that’s missing from the Galaxy Buds 2. It makes ANC and Ambient Sound work together intelligently to let you have conversations with people around you without having to take off the earbuds or even turn the volume down.

Samsung has kept the very useful Auto Switch feature that was introduced with the Pro model. It enables the Galaxy Buds 2 to automatically switch between different Galaxy devices. For example, if you’re watching a video on your Galaxy tablet and you get a call on your Galaxy Z Fold 3, the Galaxy Buds 2 will automatically connect to the phone so you can answer the call and then reconnect to the tablet so you can resume watching the video.

Galaxy Buds 2 battery life

Samsung claims that the Galaxy Buds 2 can last for up to 5 hours with ANC on and 7.5 hours with ANC off on a single charge. These claims are accurate since we got about the same listening time with both ANC on and off in our tests. The charging case can be used to extend the battery life by up to 28 hours. A quick 5-minute charge provides an hour of listening time.

Since these are meant to be the replacement for Samsung’s 2019 model, a Galaxy Buds 2 vs Galaxy Buds+ comparison is only fair. While the former is better in almost every way it can’t quite match the impressive battery life of the Galaxy Buds+.

Improvement of the battery life was one of the reasons why the Buds+ came out in the first place. The Galaxy Buds+ provide an impressive 11 hours of play and talk time on a single charge. That’s just the buds alone without the charging case.

Granted, the Buds+ don’t have speakers as powerful as the latest model or Active Noise Cancellation. Samsung has just prioritized size and weight reduction as well as more powerful internals over mammoth battery life. It’s not like 5 hours with ANC is anything to scoff about.

Galaxy Buds 2 verdict

Since it launches new earbuds every six months, Samsung has to position them in a way that customers consider the new earbuds on their merits. It has done that perfectly with the new model. The Galaxy Buds 2 doesn’t threaten the Buds Pro, yet it offers enough to make owners of older models consider an upgrade.

This Galaxy Buds 2 review aims to make your purchase decision easier. Should you buy it? If you already have a pair of the Galaxy Buds Pro, move along. This isn’t for you.

However, they deliver a far better ANC experience than the Galaxy Buds Live and are a huge upgrade over the Buds+/Buds. Consider buying the Galaxy Buds 2 and you won’t be disappointed by everything that it has to offer.

What’s incredible is that the Galaxy Buds 2 are also raising the bar for earbuds in this price segment. The exceptional sound quality, vastly improved call quality, robust Active Noise Cancellation and decent battery life easily justify the $150 price.

Make them your first wireless earbuds if you haven’t bought one yet. Just use them with a Samsung device for the best experience.

Pros	Cons
Comfortable and snug fit	Glossy finish isn’t appealing
Exceptional bass and sound quality	Best experience only possible with Galaxy devices
ANC works like a charm	Battery life could have been enhanced
IPX2 water resistance rating an added benefit

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The first Galaxy Watch 4 firmware update is already out and waiting for you

With roughly one week left before the Galaxy Watch 4 and Galaxy Watch 4 Classic start shipping to customers, Samsung is now rolling out the very first firmware update for its brand-new Wear OS-powered wearables.

According to the official changelog, the firmware update improves device stability, fixes bugs, adds new or enhances existing features, and improves performance. The update carries firmware version R8xxXXU1BUH5 and weighs 290.52MB.

The first of many Wear OS/One UI updates

Samsung fans who have pre-ordered the Galaxy Watch 4 or Galaxy Watch 4 Classic or plan on buying one of these wearables next week should be able to download the first firmware update through the Wearable app as soon as they sync the smartwatch with their smartphone. Yes, the two new smartwatches run a new version of Wear OS co-developed by Samsung and Google, but the updating process is virtually the same as before.

Unlike other Wear OS smartwatches, Samsung’s wearables include the proprietary One UI launcher, which helps them integrate more closely with the Galaxy ecosystem. The new smartwatches can even sync their watch faces with the Galaxy Z Flip 3 cover display.

We expect this to be one of many firmware updates for the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 series, so stick around if you want to keep up to speed with future developments.

Hands-on with the Galaxy Watch 4 | Hands-on with the Galaxy Watch 4 Classic

Galaxy Watch 4 (44mm)

• Model: SM-R870
• Dimensions: Watch: 44.4 x 43.3 x 9.8 mm
  
• Display: 1.36 inch / 34.5 mm Circular Super AMOLED
• CPU: Exynos W920
• Camera:

More specifications

Galaxy Watch 4 Classic (46mm)

• Model: SM-R890
• Dimensions: Watch: 45.5 x 45.5 x 11 mm
  
• Display: 1.36 inch / 34.5 mm Circular Super AMOLED
• CPU: Exynos W920
• Camera:

More specifications

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Samsung’s Vietnam supply issues cause ~5% market share loss in LATAM

Xiaomi has gained a lot of ground at Samsung’s cost lately after dethroning the Korean tech giant in a couple of markets and becoming the world’s biggest smartphone brand in the process. But the year is not over yet, and we have now learned that Xiaomi is also gaining a lot more ground in LATAM countries (Latin America), while Samsung is doing the exact opposite.

Although Samsung continues leading the smartphone market in LATAM ahead of Motorola, Xiaomi, ZTE, and Apple, its market performance in Q2 2021 wasn’t that great. Over the course of one year, Samsung’s market share dropped from 42.5% to 37.3% in Q2 2021. The lost market share was captured mainly by Xiaomi and ZTE. The latter had an 11.4% share in Q2 2021, up from 4.9%, while ZTE managed to increase its share from 3.2% to 4.4%.

Samsung’s losing focus as the LATAM smartphone market recovers

Samsung lost a little over 5% market share in one year, but the bigger issue is that the company lost all this ground as the LATAM smartphone market was recovering.

Smartphone shipments in LATAM declined 6.5% in Q2 compared to the previous quarter. However, they surged a whopping 41.8% year-on-year, according to Counterpoint Research.

Despite this favorable climate, Samsung lost ground to Xiaomi and ZTE. The reason is that the company was affected the most by its supply shortages caused by delays at its Vietnam factory, claims the market watcher.

The same production issues in Vietnam have also caused the Galaxy Tab S7 FE to be released gradually in fewer markets than initially expected.

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Slowly but surely, the Galaxy Tab S7 FE is going on sale in more markets

The Galaxy Tab S7 FE is one of the many mobile devices whose original release plans were affected by the global semiconductor shortage. It’s been two months since the tablet’s launch, and availability continues to be limited to a handful of key markets. Thankfully, Samsung is slowly but surely bringing the Galaxy Tab S7 FE to more markets, with South Africa being the latest.

Samsung and partner retailers in South Africa are selling the Galaxy Tab S7 FE 5G for R14,999 ($981). The company is giving prospective buyers the option of purchasing the Galaxy Tab S7 FE 5G in 6, 12, or 24 monthly payments. 36-month data plans are also available through select operators.

The S Pen is included in the retail package

Although the Galaxy Tab S7 FE might not be ‘fan edition’ good, it remains a decent tablet with plenty of opportunities for mobile productivity and entertainment enabled by the large 12.4-inch display, the excellent speakers, as well as DeX and other software goodies. And unlike the Galaxy Z Fold 3, the Fan Edition tablet does ship with an S Pen in the box. The keyboard cover, however, has to be purchased separately.

Samsung is selling the Galaxy Tab S7 FE 5G in South Africa in three color options: Mystic Black, Mystic Green, and Mystic Pink. As of this writing, the tablet is available in a single memory configuration with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of built-in storage. The 4G model is not listed for sale.

• Buy the Galaxy Tab S7 FE 5G at Samsung South Africa

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Samsung to offer additional pre-order benefits with Galaxy Z Flip 3, Z Fold 3 in India

Samsung had announced Galaxy Z Flip 3 and Galaxy Z Fold 3 pricing in India earlier this week along with some pre-order benefits. Now, the company has announced a special, one-of-its-kind live pre-booking event for its latest foldable smartphones. Customers who pre-order during this event will get additional benefits.

Samsung Now is a unique live commerce platform that is available on Samsung India’s website. Customers who pre-order the Galaxy Z Flip 3 or the Galaxy Z Fold 3 in India via Samsung’s website on August 23 (6 PM to midnight) will get additional benefits, including early delivery, a free Galaxy SmartTag, Galaxy Z Fold 3 5G Flip Cover with S Pen, and Galaxy Z Flip 3 5G Silicon Cover with Ring. These benefits are in addition to the INR 7,000 (around $94) cashback that is available via HDFC Bank cards and a one-year subscription to the Samsung Care+ service plan.

The Galaxy Z Flip 3 costs INR 84,999 (around $1,143) for the 128GB variant and INR 88,999 (around $1,196) for the 256GB variant. The Galaxy Z Fold 3 256GB is priced at INR 1,49,999 (around $2,017), while the 512GB version costs INR 1,57,999 (around $2,124).

Asim Warsi, Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer, Samsung India, said, “Young shoppers in India are seeking real-time & interactive shopping experiences. Taking their cue, we are introducing Samsung Now, which will make Samsung.com the coolest & most rewarding destination for our young shoppers. We are really excited to launch India’s first live online shopping platform that will premiere with the launch of our latest Galaxy Z series – Galaxy Z Fold3 & Galaxy Flip3.”

• Pre-order Galaxy Z Flip 3 and Galaxy Z Fold 3 from Samsung India

Galaxy Z Flip 3

• Model: SM-F711B
• Dimensions: Folded: 86.4 x 72.2 x 15.9~17.1 mm
  Unfolded: 166 x 72.2 x 6.9 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: Unfolded: 158.2 x 128.1 x 6.4 mm
  Folded: 158.2 x 67.1 x 14.4~16 mm
  
• Display: 7.6 inch / mm Dynamic AMOLED 2X
• CPU: Snapdragon 888
• Camera: 12MP

More specifications

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Galaxy M01 gets the July 2021 security update

It has been close to a month since Samsung started rolling out the August 2021 security update. However, the Galaxy M01 was still stuck on the April 2021 security patch until today. The entry-level smartphone has finally started getting the July 2021 security update, which fixes various vulnerabilities.

Samsung has released a new software update to the Galaxy M01 in India. It has firmware version M015GXXU3BUH1 and includes the July 2021 security patch that fixes some 20 bugs and vulnerabilities related to privacy and security. Do not expect this new update to bring any new features or design changes.

If you are a Galaxy M01 smartphone user in India, you will soon get the new update. If you don’t want to wait for the update to arrive on its own, you can check for it manually by navigating to Settings » Software update and tapping on Download and install on your phone. You can also choose to flash it manually after downloading the latest firmware file from our firmware database.

The Galaxy M01 was launched last year with Android 10-based One UI 2. The smartphone received the Android 11-based One UI 3.1 update four months ago.

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Galaxy A50 gets the August 2021 security update

The Galaxy A50 is the latest Samsung smartphone to get the August 2021 security update. The smartphone, which was launched two years ago with Android 9 Pie-based One UI software, is currently running Android 11-based One UI 3.1 with the latest security patch. The new update is currently rolling out in various South American markets.

Samsung has released a new software update to the Galaxy A50 in Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Puerto Rico, and Uruguay. The update carries firmware version A505GUBS9CUH1 and includes the August 2021 security patch that fixes 40 user privacy and security vulnerabilities.

If you are a Galaxy A50 user in any of the markets mentioned above, you might have already received a notification of the new update. If you haven’t received the new update, 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.

Samsung has currently listed the Galaxy A50 in its monthly security update schedule, but it could soon be downgraded to quarterly updates. The phone has already received two major Android OS updates (Android 10 and Android 11) and may not receive another major update in the future.

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WhatsApp Web: A simple guide on how to use the web app

WhatsApp is the world’s most popular cross-platform messaging app. As of February 2020, it has more than 2 billion users across the globe. A large number of users access the service through WhatsApp Web. It’s a web-based client that provides you with more flexibility on how you use this messaging app.

The Facebook-owned app is available on major platforms. It acts as a bridge for users on different platforms, enabling them to chat, send files make voice and video calls for free. They can also use WhatsApp Web online. It enables them to access their conversations through a web browser.

WhatsApp was originally available for mobile devices only. The company launched WhatsApp Web in January 2015. The web client is simply an extension of the user’s phone. WhatsApp Web only mirrors the conversations and messages that they receive from their mobile device. None of the messages are actually transferred over to the computer. In the interest of security, everything still lives on the user’s phone.

A simple guide on how to use WhatsApp Web

The WhatsApp Web app requires authentication through a personal QR code. Users can find this QR code inside the WhatsApp app on their phone. Since the web interface is basically just mirroring the app, the handset must remain connected to the internet for WhatsApp Web to function. If your smartphone loses the internet connection, WhatsApp Web will no longer work until the connection resumes.

To get the QR code, you’ll need to visit web.whatsapp.com. The code will be generated automatically when the page finishes loading. Once it appears, the code needs to be scanned through the WhatsApp app on your phone for the connection to be established.

You can do that by launching the app on your phone and tapping on the three dot menu in the top right hand corner. Tap on WhatsApp Web from the dropdown list followed by Link A Device. Simply point your phone’s camera at the WhatsApp Web QR code to launch the web app.

All of your conversations will now be immediately available in the browser. Communications remain end-to-end encrypted even when using WhatsApp Web online. The recipient never knows if you’re using WhatsApp Web or the mobile app.

Benefits of using the WhatsApp Web app

Once you’ve scanned the WhatsApp Web QR code and opened up the web app, you no longer need to use the phone to send messages and files. This makes it very easy to keep on top of your conversations from your computer. There’s no need to switch between the PC and the phone every time a new message comes in. You can read and reply to them from the web browser.

The biggest benefit of WhatsApp Web is that you can use your PC’s keyboard to type out messages. This means that you can type considerably faster than you would on your phone’s keyboard. It makes typing lengthy formal messages very easy.

Need to quickly share files from your computer? Through WhatsApp Web, you can easily send contacts, photos, documents and other files. Select as many as you want and send them on their way. If you receive a lot of files through WhatsApp, keep in mind that the web app won’t automatically save them on your computer. You will need to manually download the incoming files on the computer. WhatsApp on the phone will save incoming media automatically if the relevant option is enabled.

WhatsApp Web doesn’t let you make voice and video calls to individual contacts like the mobile app does. However, it’s possible to make group video calls on the web version through the Messenger Rooms feature. Once you create a room, simply share the link with the people you want to invite to the group video chat.

They’ll be able to join even if they don’t have WhatsApp or Messenger. It also doesn’t require you or the participants to log into Facebook. It’s pertinent to note that Messenger Rooms aren’t end-to-end encrypted.

So if you’re already using WhatsApp on your Samsung Android device but are yet to try the WhatsApp Web app, scan the WhatsApp Web QR today and unlock a powerful way to interact with your preferred messaging service.

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Samsung announces SmartThings Edge for faster and more reliable home automation

SmartThings is one of the world’s top IoT and home automation platforms, and Samsung is improving it every year with new feature additions. Over the past few months, Samsung has launched SmartThings Find and SmartThings Energy to the platform. Now, the company has announced SmartThings Edge for faster and more reliable home automation.

SmartThings Edge is a new hub architecture that allows the core functionality of smart home products to be executed on the local network rather than depending on cloud processing. This makes experiences faster, more reliable, and more secure. The company says that users might not see changes in the front-end, but the back-end will get notably faster in terms of connectivity and experience.

This new feature eliminates the need for cloud-based processing, which means that a lot of processes can be accomplished locally on a SmartThings Hub. Users can also add devices LAN-based, Zigbee, and Z-Wave devices. SmartThings Edge is compatible with version 2 and version 3 SmartThings Hubs and on newer hubs that are sold by Aotec. The company is also bringing support for Matter, an open-source smart home platform that is also backed by Amazon, Apple, and Google.

Samsung is slowly moving away from the legacy Groovy platform and modernizing a lot of its core components. Developers can now build device drivers with Lua to offer a more robust and simpler way for integrating smart home products into SmartThings. The company says that it is committed to improving SmartThings to build more meaningful experiences.

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