You can save up to $800 on new Galaxy flagships with this Verizon deal

Verizon customers who are looking to buy a new Galaxy flagship smartphone can now save big on the Galaxy S21 series as well as the Galaxy Z Flip 3 and Galaxy Z Fold 3. The carrier is willing to offer a discount of up to $800 for customers that add a new line.

This effectively makes the base Galaxy S21 model “free” as long as customers add a second line. The Galaxy S21+ is $199 with this deal, whereas the Galaxy S21 Ultra costs $399.

Verizon released the Android 12 One UI 4.0 update for the Galaxy S21 series only a few days ago, so this deal offers a great opportunity for customers who want to be among the first to use the latest software.

The Galaxy S22 lineup will replace the Galaxy S21 in February, but the latter remains a great flagship even ten months later, especially if you can get one free.

This is also a great opportunity for foldable phone enthusiasts who might want to own the latest Galaxy Z Flip 3 and Galaxy Z Fold 3 models without having to pay the full retail price.

Check our reviews below for more information on these fantastic Samsung flagships, and watch our Galaxy S21 One UI 4.0 hands-on video for a closer look at the latest Android 12-based firmware.

Galaxy S21 review | Galaxy S21+ review | Galaxy S21 Ultra review
Galaxy Z Fold 3 review | Galaxy Z Flip 3 review

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Samsung’s next-gen DDR6 / GDDR6+ memory solutions will be 2x faster

Samsung Semiconductor is developing DDR6 memory for next-generation computing devices. The upcoming standard will be twice as fast as the ongoing DDR5 solution, though customers will have to wait a couple more years, at least, for its release. In addition to DDR6 memory, which will be used alongside CPUs, Samsung also talked about the future of GDDR memory, which is vital for graphics cards.

The company is in the early stages of DDR6 development, but the standard could be finalized in 2024 through an ongoing collaboration with JEDEC members, says a recent ComputerBase report. JEDEC is an independent semiconductor standardization body with over 300 members.

DDR6 will be twice as fast as DDR5 in all aspects

Once DDR6 memory is available, customers should take advantage of data rates that are twice as fast compared to DDR5 solutions. Similar to how DDR5 doubled the data rates over DDR4, the upcoming DDR6 standard should do the same and thus achieve transfer rates of around 12,800Mbps on JEDEC modules. Or roughly 17,000Mbps overclocked.

In addition, DDR6 will have twice the memory channels of DDR5, i.e., four 16-bit channels and 64 memory banks.

As for LPDDR6 (Low Power DDR), Samsung doesn’t appear to have any plans to increase transfer rates over LPDDR5, but the company is reportedly trying to achieve a 20% energy efficiency boost.

Samsung to replace GDDR6 with GDDR6+

Although Samsung will probably release GDDR7 sometime in the distant future, the company reportedly plans to offer a faster-than-GDDR6 solution sooner as a bridge between the two generations. Called GDDR6+, the memory standard will be a refinement over GDDR6.

GDDR6+ memory is said to reach speeds of up to 24Gbps per pin, which means that GPUs with 256-bit bus could achieve up to 768GB/s bandwidth. In turn, GPUs with a 320-bit or higher bus could exceed 1TB/s bandwidth.

As for what will be coming after GDDR7, it could be twice as fast as GDDR6 and top 32Gbps throughput per pin. However, there’s no official roadmap for GDDR7, so the upcoming GDDR6+ solution could fill in its place for a few years to come.

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These Samsung TVs are getting AV1 video codec on Netflix

Netflix has announced that it has started supporting the new AV1 video codec on select smart TVs from Samsung and other brands. AV1 is a modern royalty-free video codec that offers higher compression and better performance compared to conventional codecs.

AV1 was developed by AOMedia (Alliance for Open Media), and its founding members include Amazon, Apple, ARM, Cisco, Facebook, Google, Huawei, Intel, Microsoft, Mozilla, Netflix, Nvidia, Samsung, and Tencent. Various other chipset, device, smartphone, and TV manufacturers are its promoters.

The AV1 video codec is now supported on the following smart TVs from Samsung.

• Select Samsung UHD Smart TVs (2020 or later)
• Select Samsung UHD QLED Smart TVs (2020 or later)
• Select Samsung 8K QLED Smart TVs (2020 or later)
• Samsung The Frame 2020 (and later)
• Samsung The Serif 2020 (and later)
• Samsung The Terrace 2020 (and later)

The media streaming giant said that it observed higher quality videos and fewer frame drops at the same bitrate while using the AV1 codec. The company is working with all its partners (device manufacturers) to roll out AV1 compatibility to more devices. It is also exploring the possibility of streaming HDR videos in AV1.

Netflix first started supporting the AV1 codec on Android smartphones early last year. Back then, the company said that it saw 20% better compression while using AV1 compared to the VP9 codec. It had also said that it wants to roll out AV1 on all the platforms. However, the company isn’t committing to any strict timeline.

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Game Launcher update adds support for non-game apps and Android 12

Samsung is rolling out a new update for its Game Launcher app, which adds support for Android 12 and introduces a few changes to the UI and the app’s feature set. In addition, Samsung claims that the new update — version 6.0.03.1 — fixes various issues and improves performance.

One of the biggest additions to Game Launcher with this latest update lets gamers add non-game apps to the “My games” list and hide the app’s shortcut from the home screen via Game Launcher settings.

Other additions include the option for Game Launcher to be used with child accounts that have limitations. Furthermore, with Game Launcher version 6.0.03.1, users can now swipe left and right on the “My games” window.

To grab the latest Game Launcher update, open the Samsung Galaxy Store app on your phone and look for new app updates. As always, the update is gradually reaching devices in more markets, so there’s a chance you may have gotten the update notification without getting the new app version itself. Just be patient and it should reach your device soon.

Game Launcher now supports Android 12, which is great news for Galaxy S21 owners running One UI 4.0. The Android 12 update was released earlier this week and continues reaching more markets as we speak, not unlike the Game Launcher update.

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Galaxy Z Fold 4 said to lack the Galaxy Note’s best S Pen feature

The Galaxy S21 Ultra got an optional S Pen case, becoming the first in the series to support the iconic stylus, and similarly, the Galaxy Z Fold 3 was released half a year later along with an S Pen accessory. Now the upcoming Galaxy S22 Ultra is expected to have a dedicated built-in S Pen holster, which fueled some speculations that the Galaxy Z Fold 4 will follow the same evolutionary path and fully embrace the S Pen next year. This, however, might not be the case, according to a new rumor that surfaced on Naver (via @FrontTron).

According to the rumor, Samsung is now in the process of building Galaxy Z Fold 4 prototypes before deciding on a final design, and none of the existing sample models have a built-in S Pen holster. However, the source adds that these pre-production models are subject to change, obviously, and that Samsung should decide on a final design for the Galaxy Z Fold 4 by early March.

The hardest part is over

Should Samsung decide to give the Galaxy Z Fold 4 a dedicated S Pen holster, the company will have to rethink the device’s internal design in order to make room for the said accessory. This will take research and development time, but the hard part, i.e., adding S Pen support to the foldable display panel, has been done since the Galaxy Z Fold 3 got released.

The Galaxy Z Fold’s book-like form factor is a natural fit for the S Pen, so it would make sense for the next-gen foldable phone-tablet hybrid to fully embrace this accessory. But of course, we can’t be certain of Samsung’s future decisions, especially since the company itself doesn’t have a clear path, so we’ll have to wait and see if the Galaxy Z Fold 4 will have a dedicated S Pen holster or not. Hopefully, we’ll find out more way ahead of March.

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Galaxy A13 5G user manual reveals outdated OS version, headphone jack

The Galaxy A13 5G, which is expected to be Samsung’s most affordable 5G smartphone for 2022, could be launched soon. Earlier today, the smartphone received Bluetooth certification, and a few hours ago, the phone’s official renders were leaked for the first time. Now, we have received the Galaxy A13 5G user manual, which reveals many details of the upcoming smartphone.

The user manual showcases the design of the smartphone along with some of its specifications and features. The Galaxy A13 5G has a triple-camera setup at the rear, including a 50MP primary camera and a macro camera. The smartphone also features a dual-SIM card slot and a dedicated microSD card slot. The device has a side-mounted fingerprint reader, a USB Type-C port, and a 3.5mm headphone jack. It will launch with the one-year-old Android 11 operating system out of the box.

Previous reports have revealed that the Galaxy A13 5G comes equipped with the MediaTek Dimensity 700 processor, which has an octa-core CPU and is fabricated using TSMC’s 7nm process. The phone could feature 4GB/6GB RAM and 64GB/128GB internal storage. It has 5G connectivity (probably sub-6GHz), GPS, Wi-Fi 5, Bluetooth 5.0, and NFC.

The upcoming smartphone is powered by a 5,000mAh battery and reportedly supports 25W fast charging. The Galaxy A13 5G will be launched in various parts of the world, including Canada and the US. It could be available in four color variants: Black, Blue, Orange, and white. You can see the user manual by clicking on the link below the image.

Samsung Galaxy A13 5G User Manual

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Here’s the first official look at the Galaxy A13

Samsung is working on two Galaxy A13 variants, one with 5G and the other with LTE connectivity. While the South Korean firm has not revealed any information regarding the upcoming smartphone, the Galaxy A13’s design and specifications were leaked over the past couple of months. Today, the phone’s first set of official renders have been revealed.

Tech publication GizNext has published a few official press images of the Galaxy A13. The design of the phone appears to be in line with what was leaked earlier. All the photos showcase the black variant of the smartphone. It has a 6.5-inch Infinity-V display (most probably an IPS LCD panel) at the front. At the rear, the phone has a triple-camera setup with an LED flash. Earlier reports about the smartphone claim that the Galaxy A13 will have a 50MP ISOCELL primary camera.

The Galaxy A13 will reportedly feature a MediaTek Dimensity 700 processor, 4GB/6GB RAM, 64GB/128GB internal storage, and a microSD card slot. The smartphone is said to come powered by a 5,000mAh battery with support for 25W fast charging. Other features like GPS, Wi-Fi b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5.0, a USB Type-C port, and a headphone jack are expected to be on the phone.

Samsung’s upcoming smartphone could come with Android 11 out of the box, and it could receive at least two major Android OS updates in the future. For added security, the smartphone is said to feature a side-mounted fingerprint reader. The phone will be launched in most countries around the world, including Canada and the US.

 

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Galaxy Tab A8 (2021) gets closer to launch

The Galaxy Tab A8 (2021) is Samsung’s next mid-range Android tablet, and its design was leaked for the first time two months ago. Some of its specifications were confirmed as well. Now, the tablet has moved closer to its launch as it has received a necessary certification.

The Galaxy Tab A8 (2021) with model number SM-X205 has appeared in Wi-Fi Alliance’s database. According to the information found in its Wi-Fi certification document, the tablet features 2.4GHz and 5GHz Wi-Fi ab/g/n/ac connectivity. It also features Wi-Fi Direct and runs the Android R (Android 11) operating system.

Going by previous reports, the Galaxy Tab A8 (2021) features a 10.5-inch IPS LCD screen with Full HD+ resolution and a 60Hz refresh rate. The tablet, which is powered by the UNISOC T618 processor, will reportedly be available in three variants: 3GB RAM + 32GB storage, 4GB RAM + 64GB storage, and 4GB RAM + 128GB storage.

The Galaxy Tab A8 (2021) has a 5MP front-facing camera and an 8MP rear-facing camera with an LED flash. It is said to be powered by a 7,040mAh battery and could support 15W fast charging. Samsung could launch it in three colors: Gold, Grey, and Silver. It could come in Wi-Fi-only and LTE variants.

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US carriers start rolling out November 2021 security update to Galaxy A50

Usually, carrier-locked variants of Samsung’s smartphones and tablets receive software updates a few days (or weeks) after the international variants. However, the Galaxy A50’s carrier-locked variant has received the November 2021 security update before the global variant of the smartphone.

The latest software update for the carrier-locked version of the Galaxy A50 (SM-A505U) comes with firmware version A505USQSGDUJ2 in the US. The update is rolling out on Sprint’s network, and more carriers could release it over the next few days. The new firmware includes the November 2021 security patch, and Samsung claims it fixes dozens of privacy and data security-related vulnerabilities. While we don’t have the official changelog for the update, it could also include device stability improvements.

If you are a Galaxy A50 user in the US, you can check for the latest software update by navigating to Settings » Software update and tapping on Download and install. You can also download the latest firmware file from our firmware section and flash it manually.

Samsung had launched the Galaxy A50 in the first quarter of 2019 with Android 9.0 on board. The smartphone received the Android 10-based One UI 2 update in May 2020 and the Android 11-based One UI 3.0 update in March 2021.

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Samsung’s most affordable 5G smartphone inches closer to launch

Right now, Samsung’s most affordable 5G smartphone is the Galaxy A22 5G, but the company will release a more affordable 5G smartphone next year. It was revealed three months ago that Samsung is working on the Galaxy A13 5G. Now, the smartphone has inched one step closer to its launch.

Multiple Galaxy A13 5G variants—SM-A136U, SM-A136U1, and SM-A136W—have appeared in the Bluetooth SIG database today. These are the Canadian and US (carrier-locked and unlocked) variants of the entry-level 5G smartphone. All these variants feature Bluetooth 5.0 with LE. Samsung might announce the Galaxy A13 5G as soon as early next year. There will also be a 4G LTE variant of the smartphone.

Galaxy A13 5G leaked specifications

The design of the Galaxy A13 5G has been leaked already. It will reportedly launch in at least four color variants: black, blue, orange, and white. The smartphone uses the MediaTek Dimensity 700 processor, 4GB/6GB RAM, 64GB/128GB internal storage, and a microSD card slot. It is expected to feature a 6.5-inch Infinity-V display.

At the rear, the upcoming 5G smartphone could have a triple-camera setup featuring a 50MP ISOCELL primary camera. It is said to be powered by a 5,000mAh battery and could support 25W fast charging. It also has a USB Type-C port, a headphone jack, and a side-mounted fingerprint reader.

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