Unlocked Galaxy S10 units get November 2021 security update in the US

Samsung had released the November 2021 security update to the international variants of the Galaxy S10 last month. The South Korean firm has started rolling out the update to the unlocked variants of the Galaxy S10 in the US today. The update is already available on most US carrier networks.

The latest security update for the Galaxy S10e, Galaxy S10, and the Galaxy S10+ comes with firmware version G97xU1UES6GUK1. It is available on AT&T, Bluegrass Cellular, Comcast, C-Spire, Verizon, and Xfinity Mobile’s networks. The update includes the November 2021 security patch that fixes dozens of privacy and security-related vulnerabilities. The new software might also bring general bug fixes and device stability improvements.

If you are a Galaxy S10 series smartphone user in the US, you can check for the new update by navigating to Settings » Software update and tapping on Download and install. You can also download the latest firmware file for your smartphone from our firmware database and flash it manually.

Samsung had launched the Galaxy S10 series in early 2019 with Android 9 Pie. The phones in the series received the Android 10 update in November 2019 and the Android 11-based One UI 3 update earlier this year.

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Next flagship Qualcomm Snapdragon chip for Samsung Galaxy phones announced

Qualcomm has finally unveiled its latest flagship smartphone chipset, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1. Yes, the company is changing the naming structure for its processors. This chipset is expected to power the Galaxy S22 series in various markets, including Africa, Asia, and the US. It competes with MediaTek’s recently announced Dimensity 900 processor and Samsung’s upcoming Exynos 2200 chipset.

Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 is built on Samsung Foundry’s 4nm process node

The Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 is built using Samsung Foundry’s 4nm process and uses ARM’s V9 cores. The chipset has one Cortex-X2 CPU core clocked at 3GHz, three Cortex-A710 CPU cores clocked at 2.5GHz, and four Cortex-A510 CPU cores clocked at 1.8GHz. The company is promising 20% faster CPU performance or 30% improved power efficiency. This new chip has 6MB L3 cache memory, which is 50% higher than the Snapdragon 888’s 4MB L3 cache.

Graphics processing is handled by Qualcomm’s next-gen Adreno GPU that promises 30% faster performance or 25% power savings compared to the Snapdragon 888. This new GPU also features 60% faster graphics performance in apps or games that use Vulkan APIs. It also features VRS (Variable Rate Shading), volumetric rendering, and high-refresh-rate HDR gaming. The chipset is compatible with 3200MHz LPDDR5 quad-channel RAM (51.2Gb/s memory bandwidth) and UFS 3.1 storage.

The Triple 18-bit Spectra ISP (Image Signal Processor) inside the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 can handle three 36MP cameras simultaneously with zero shutter lag. It is also compatible with up to 200MP camera sensors, complete with zero shutter lag. The ISP can also support 8K 30fps and 4K 120fps video recording with 10-bit HDR. Infinite 720p slow-motion video recording at 960fps is supported as well. The processor also supports HDR10, HDR10+, Dolby Vision, and HLG video playback.

Qualcomm usually leads the industry when it comes to connectivity, and the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 is no different. The chipset’s integrated X65 5G modem supports up to 10Gb/s download speeds and 3Gb/s upload speeds on mmWave networks. The modem supports both mmWave and sub-6GHz SA (Standalone) and NSA (Non-Standalone) networks. Other connections supported by the chipset include multi-frequency GPS, Wi-Fi 6E, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.2, and USB Type-C 3.2.

The 7th Gen AI engine inside the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 promises to offer 70% faster AI performance, higher shared memory, and higher power efficiency while performing AI tasks such as audio and image recognition. It is also the first Android Ready SE-compatible chipset. It provides high data security levels to provide better support for standardized digital car keys, digital driver licenses, and other documents.

Samsung’s 2022 high-end smartphones could use the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor

The Galaxy S22, Galaxy S22+, and the Galaxy S22 Ultra, which will be launched in February 2022, are expected to use the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1. Samsung’s next-generation foldable smartphones that will be released in the second half of 2022 could use this chipset as well, at least going by the company’s track record.

It will be interesting to see how the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 competes with the Exynos 2200, which is expected to use the same ARM V9 CPU cores. The upcoming Exynos flagship will also use an AMD Radeon Mobile GPU based on the RDNA2 architecture and will support VRS and raytracing as well. Moreover, the Exynos 2200 is also expected to be manufactured using Samsung’s own 4nm process. With so many things in common, their performance comparison will be interesting to see.

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Samsung Galaxy S22 wallpapers are already here, download now!

For a flagship phone that’s not coming until February next year, there have been some surprisingly extensive Galaxy S22 leaks already. We’ve seen everything from highly-detailed renders to actual photos of the Ultra model, ruining much of whatever event Samsung will hold to formally announce its next flagship lineup.

Today, another leak is upon us, though this time we’re not seeing the phones themselves or hearing any rumors about their specs and features. Instead, the folks over at Android Police have published what they claim are wallpapers from the Galaxy S22 series, ready for your downloading pleasure!

You can instantly notice how Samsung isn’t diverging from the usual theme it follows for wallpapers that come preloaded on its flagship devices. These Galaxy S22 wallpapers show splashes of sand in different hues, and one of them is dark mode-friendly, as well.

And no, despite having leaked so early, these wallpapers aren’t low-res. Three of them measure 2340×2340 pixels and the dark one is 3072×3072 pixels, so they should look great on whatever device you may decide to use them on. If you’re using Android 12 and One UI 4.0, remember that you can also use colors from the wallpaper for your system theme and icons!

Check out the wallpapers below; to download them individually, just click on the image you want to expand it to its full size, then right-click/long press it to save it to your computer or phone. To download all four wallpapers in a single ZIP archive, click this link.

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Huawei wants to respond with a Galaxy Z Flip 3 competitor this year

The Galaxy Z Flip 3 is by far the most successful foldable smartphone yet, Samsung or otherwise. It doesn’t have any real competition, but Huawei is reportedly planning on changing this — at least in China, where it’s still allowed to sell its phones.

A fresh report says Huawei could release its first clamshell foldable phone this year to compete with Samsung. The information comes via Weibo from the supply chain. More specifically, Huawei’s hinge supplier, which is reportedly working on a durable and lightweight solution for what could become Huawei’s first foldable clamshell smartphone aimed at competing directly with the Galaxy Z Flip 3.

Accompanying the original Weibo post were a couple of rough renders depicting what could be Huawei’s first clamshell foldable. One example has a fairly large cover display, while the other lacks a second screen altogether. The examples are rough and likely not an accurate reflection of the phone’s actual, final design.

Nevertheless, Huawei’s first clamshell foldable might be closer to reality than these renders suggest. Huawei could introduce this new clamshell foldable phone in late December, says the source. Regardless, it probably won’t threaten the Galaxy Z Flip 3 and its ongoing market supremacy. Huawei is apparently betting on a lower price thanks to decreased hinge costs, but Samsung is very much in a similar position. It’s not as if Huawei is the only OEM to take advantage of gradually lower production costs over time.

Of course, this wouldn’t be the first time for Huawei to be inspired heavily by Samsung’s foldable phones. The company pretty much gave up on its original vision and copied Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold design earlier this year, so the idea that Huawei is now looking to imitate the Galaxy Z Flip 3 shouldn’t surprise anyone.

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Foldable smartphone shipments surge in Q3 thanks to Samsung’s latest models

The foldable smartphone market appears to have exploded in Q3 2021, right around the time Samsung introduced the Galaxy Z Fold 3 and the Galaxy Z Flip 3. Foldable smartphone shipments reached millions in Q3 2021, and Samsung had a market share of a whopping 93%.

The Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Z Flip 3 led foldable smartphone sales in Q3. Both models contributed to unprecedented growth, though the market had a stronger bias for the Galaxy Z Flip 3 — reveals a new DSCC report (via @DSCCRoss). Huawei followed Samsung with a 6% foldable market share.

Q3 foldable smartphone shipments from all brands combined (but mostly Samsung) were 215% higher quarter-on-quarter and 480% higher year-on-year. Throughout the three-month period, the foldable market recorded roughly 2.6 million shipments. DSCC estimates that foldable smartphone shipments in Q4 will be closer to 4 million. By the end of the year, Samsung could increase its market share even further to 95%.

Samsung should top over 6 million foldable smartphone shipments in 2021, which falls in line with the company’s ambitions from earlier this year. As for 2022, it’s estimated that the foldable phone market will reach shipments of around 17.5 million, up from 7.5 million this year.

The Galaxy Z Flip 3 dominates the foldable segment

The Galaxy Z Flip 3 was by far the most popular foldable smartphone in Q3 2021, proving that the compact form factor and lower price are a great combination.

Samsung’s latest clamshell smartphone had a market share of 60% in Q3, outperforming the Galaxy Z Fold 3 with a market share of 23%, and the Galaxy Z Flip 5G with 7% market share.

The Galaxy Z Flip 3 is expected to dominate Q4 2021 with a 58% share, though the Galaxy Z Fold 3 should catch up and cover 36% of the market.

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We explore one possible future of One UI 4.1 in a new video at SamMobile TV

Samsung is working on releasing Android 12 and One UI 4.0 for more Galaxy devices. And while all this is happening, the company is also preparing One UI 4.1 for the upcoming Galaxy S22 flagship series. The latter should be the first to introduce One UI 4.1 to Samsung fans, but as yet, there’s not much known about the improvements in One UI 4.1 over the ongoing One UI 4.0 firmware.

Regarding One UI 4.0, we’re having a lot of fun with the new firmware, but not everything’s perfect, and we previously talked about a few things that we believe Samsung could’ve done better. Now, as promised, we’re following up with a new video on SamMobile TV in which we’re exploring a few of the features and changes One UI 4.1 could bring to the table based on what’s lacking in One UI 4.0. Or, if you prefer, four improvements we’d like to see in One UI 4.1.

We touch on RAM Plus management, UI navigation — more specifically vertical scrolling — video call effects, and an adjustment we’d like to see to 4K 60fps video recording that, we believe, could make the already-excellent Camera experience a little bit better. Check our latest video below, and don’t forget to follow our social media channels if you want to stay up to date on future news and videos.

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Samsung’s developing a Galaxy Home Mini 2 that you might never buy

The original Galaxy Home Mini never left South Korea, and at this point, there’s no chance it will. However, our sources tell us that Samsung is now developing a smart speaker, and once again, it could be exclusive to the South Korean market.

The so-called Galaxy Home Mini 2 should carry model number SM-V320. We’re hearing that the smart speaker could be equipped with a display, though it’s unclear what shape. We can imagine something akin to the Google Home Hub or a device shaped like the Galaxy Home Mini but with a speaker embedded on top. There’s no detailed information at this point, so we can only guess.

The narrative that drove the Galaxy Home Mini was that Samsung used this smart speaker as a test launch for a new line of devices. The company presumably wanted to collect feedback from customers before it could fully commit to mass production. But as we all know, the Galaxy Home Mini was released in small quantities and never left South Korea.

The Galaxy Home Mini 2 could follow a similar path, we hear. It could be limited to South Korea, though it will probably be released in larger quantities and boast improvements over the original model based on customer feedback. We’ll keep you posted as soon as we find out more. Feel free to follow our social media channels if you don’t want to miss out on future news.

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PSA: Your Samsung Cloud data will be deleted after today

Remember Samsung Cloud? The company launched its very own cloud storage service about five years ago. It offered decent free storage and even paid tiers to customers who needed more. However, a few years down the line, Samsung decided that it no longer wanted to continue offering the service.

So the decision was made to shut down Samsung Cloud’s Gallery Sync and Drive features. The company initially gave users until August 31, 2021 to download all of their data. It later gave a three-month extension until November 30. Guess what date it is today?

You must download your Samsung Cloud data today

The company has divided Samsung Cloud users into two groups based on their Samsung Account registration. Users who live in Group 1 countries had September 30 as the deadline to download their data before Samsung nuked it from its servers.

The deadline for Group 2 countries is November 30. Users have until today to download all of the data that they backed up to Samsung Cloud using the Gallery Sync and Drive features. Gallery Sync enabled users to sync images and videos to Samsung Cloud directly from the Gallery app on their device. With Drive, users could upload any file to the cloud.

Users in Group 2 countries may have noticed a persistent notification on their devices. It was the final data deletion warning. The notification informed users that their files in Samsung Cloud will be deleted after November 30 and provided an option to download them.

If you still haven’t downloaded your Samsung Cloud data, it’s strongly recommended that you do so today. It won’t be available for download from tomorrow, December 1. Samsung will remove all user data from its servers thereafter.

Samsung Cloud will stick around. It continues to offer features such as device backup and sync in addition to storage for data from the Samsung apps like Contacts, Calendar, Samsung Internet and Notes.

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Snapdragon 8 Gen1 flagship SoC to offer up to 60% GPU performance boost

Like Samsung, Qualcomm is developing a new chipset for the next generation of flagship smartphones. It’s referred to as the “Snapdragon 8 Gen1,” and according to newly leaked information, it’s significantly faster than the previous solutions, particularly regarding graphical performance.

The Snapdragon 8 Gen1 chipset seemingly has new Kryo CPU cores that are roughly 20% faster and 30% more power-efficient than the ongoing generation of Snapdragon flagship SoCs. In addition, the CPU is paired with a 4th-generation Adreno graphics processing unit, which Qualcomm estimates to be 30% more powerful and 25% more efficient than the existing Adreno solution.

Vulkan API increases GPU performance further

The new Adreno GPU was seemingly optimized for the Vulkan API, so while the GPU delivers a 30% performance boost in normal conditions, in apps that use the Vulkan API, it promises up to a 60% increase in performance.

The leaked slide below (via VideoCardz) suggests that the Snapdragon 8 Gen1 is manufactured using a 4nm process rather than 3nm. The next-gen SoC should also benefit from a 4x faster AI engine and feature an integrated 5G modem (up to 10 Gbps) and Wi-Fi 6 / 6E.

In addition to the Snapdragon 8 Gen1 flagship SoC for mobile — which should be used by Samsung’s future flagship phones in select markets –Qualcomm seems to have developed a chipset called the “Snapdragon G3x” for handheld gaming consoles. The leak suggests that Qualcomm intends to release a handheld console hardware developer kit based on the Snapdragon G3x platform. It appears to have been co-developed with Razer and has a 120Hz OLED display, but the supplier is unknown. It might be Samsung Display, or it might not.

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Samsung invites UK gamers to Odyssey Gaming Corner at Selfridges

Samsung’s Experience Store in London UK now has a space dedicated to gamers who may want to experience the qualities of Samsung’s award-winning Odyssey Noe G9 monitor first-hand. The company opened the Samsung Odyssey Gaming Corner at its experience store in Selfridges, the latter of which got redesigned nearly a couple of months ago to set a new standard in retail.

The Odyssey Gaming Corner opened yesterday — November 29 — and will remain in place until the end of December. Over the next few weeks, Samsung Experience Store visitors in Selfridges have the opportunity to play popular games like Rocket League and Minecraft on Samsung’s Odyssey Neo G9 Quantum Mini-LED monitors.

The Gaming Corner at Selfridges was set up in collaboration with leading esports organization Guild Esports. And from December 7, visitors will be able to join gaming personalities Nihacu and Harrie Silver live at the store. The event will be broadcast through Twitch TV.

The Odyssey Neo G9 was introduced earlier this year as the first Samsung monitor to be based on mini-LED technology. It has a 1000R curvature which helps players immerse in their games, and the monitor is packed full of technologies, including AMD FreeSync Premium Pro, NVIDIA G-Sync, and HDR10+. The monitor has an aspect ratio of 32:9 and a resolution of 5,120 by 1,440.

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Samsung has a battleplan to improve its smartphone market share in 2022

The global smartphone market is estimated to record shipments of around 1.52 billion next year, similar to 2021. However, according to leaked supply chain information that pertains to the company’s shipment plans, Samsung aims to increase its global smartphone market share by a couple of points in 2022 and capture 21.9% of the market.

Samsung’s estimates (via The Elec) show that the company had a global market share of 20.9% in 2019, 19.6% in 2020, and 19.0% this year. In other words, the company’s global market share has steadily declined over the past few years, while its main rival — Apple — improved its market share from 14.0% to 15.8% in 2020 and further to 17.2% in 2021.

For Samsung to capture 21.9% of the smartphone market next year, other companies would have to lose ground. And according to estimates, Apple’s market share could drop to 16.7% in 2021. Similarly, Chinese companies could lose a few percentage points and hold 45% of the market combined, down from 45.5% this year.

Samsung’s strategy seemingly involves an aggressive push into the upper mid-range segment with the launch of the Galaxy S21 FE in January. The company will then unveil the top-tier Galaxy S22 flagship series in February and release it later the same month. Furthermore, the Galaxy A series will continue to play a big role in the company’s future. Samsung is expected to release several Galaxy A models in the first half of 2022, including the Galaxy A33 and Galaxy A53.

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The Galaxy A13 leak no one was waiting for is here

The Galaxy A13 is expected to be the cheapest 5G phone in Samsung’s 2022 A series lineup, but a 4G variant was recently reported to be in the works, as well. And today, the folks over at 91Mobiles have managed to obtain pictures of what is reportedly the rear panel for the non-5G Galaxy A13.

These pictures reveal a few of the phone’s features, including a quad-camera setup at the back along with an LED flash, a headphone jack, and a USB-C port. The quad-camera setup is a little different here compared to the A12. The sensors are no longer arranged in a square island; in fact, it seems the camera sensors will protrude directly from the body, similar to the A13’s 5G variant and devices like the Galaxy A32.

Unfortunately, not a lot of specific details are available about the LTE Galaxy A13 model at the moment. It will no doubt be a low-end affair, though, and we can expect it to share some of the 5G model’s features, such as a 6.5-inch display, Android 11 out of the box, and a 50MP main camera. Again, nothing particularly exciting, but that’s standard fare for Samsung’s phones in the budget segment.

The Galaxy A13 is rumored to already be in production at Samsung India’s manufacturing facilities, and considering the Galaxy A12 came out in November last year, the A13 could hit the shelves before the end of the year. We’ll keep you posted as we learn more about the device, so stay tuned!

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Galaxy S22 India launch inches closer with crucial certification

As is tradition, multiple leaks have effectively spoiled the Galaxy S22 series in its entirety. We know a good chunk of what each variant has in store for us and even the tentative launch/pre-order date. Indian customers will be pleased to know that the Galaxy S22 has cleared a major regulatory hurdle, i.e. BIS (Bureau of Indian Standards) certification.

Twitter leaker Mukul Sharma aka @Stufflistings happened to spot the Indian Galaxy S21 variant on the BIS website with model number SM-S901E/DS and SM-S901B/DS. The ‘E’ suffix at the end of the former suggests that the Galaxy S22 Indian variant could run the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset, something that has been corroborated by an earlier report.

Unlike previous years, the Exynos-powered Galaxy S22 could have a leg up over its Snapdragon 8 Gen 1-powered counterpart thanks to its AMD Radeon GPU. It is about as good as it gets when it comes to raw power, although bad thermals could prevent it from operating at its peak. Still, Indian customers are likely going to be happy they’re finally getting the Snapdragon variant.

Other Galaxy S22 specs we know of so far include a 50MP primary camera, a 12MP ultrawide camera, a 10MP telephoto camera, and a 10MP selfie camera. It could feature a 6.08-inch AMOLED panel clocked at 120Hz, a 3,700mAh battery that supports 25W fast charging and LPDDR5X RAM.

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Xiaomi’s latest gimmick to one-up Samsung in India is impressive, but worthless in the long run

It is no secret that Samsung is quite behind the pack when it comes to battery charging speeds. Mid-rangers from Realme surpass the 65W barrier, something that isn’t due for even the upcoming Galaxy S22 Ultra (though some rumors suggest it is). Now, Xiaomi wants to take it a step further and launch a phone that supports 120W fast charging.

91mobiles has learned from its sources that a Xiaomi-branded smartphone, presumably the Xiaomi 11T Pro+, could hit Indian shores as the Xiaomi 11T Hypercharge. As its name somewhat suggests, its crown jewel will be the ability to charge its battery at blazing fast speeds surpassing the 100W barrier.

Xiaomi, Oppo, Vivo, Realme and even Samsung, for that matter, have been engaged in a never-ending war of numbers for the past few release cycles, as exhibited by the growing number of megapixels on their phones’ cameras. Battery charging speeds are no better off, either. As mentioned earlier, it is common for Chinese OEMs to throw in high-wattage charging solutions even with their affordable products.

Much like the bloated megapixel counts, high wattages look good only on paper and offer little in the way of real-world benefits,  as exhibited by our side-by-side comparison of the Galaxy Note 10+. We used the out-of-the-box 25W charger and pitted it against the 45W alternative and found that the latter only offers marginal results.

Those results are likely to get narrower once you up the wattages. Realistically, the time you save by using a 65W charger and a 120W charger is not worth the hazards associated with the latter. At such high wattages, one faulty component could result in a fire or worse. Furthermore, subjecting your battery to such high current/voltages will cause it to degrade faster, effectively reducing the phone’s overall longevity.

Besides, it is understandable as to why Samsung is treating its smartphone batteries with utmost caution. The Galaxy Note 7 fiasco is still relatively fresh in everyone’s mind, and the last thing it wants it for history to repeat itself, especially at a time when its losing its grip over key markets such as India.

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Galaxy Z Flip 5G is the first Samsung phone to get December 2021 security update

The Galaxy Z Flip 5G has become the first smartphone to get the December 2021 security update with stable software. In typical Samsung fashion, the December 2021 security patch was released even before the month started. More Galaxy smartphones and tablets will get the new security update over the next few weeks.

The latest software update for the Galaxy Z Flip 5G comes with firmware version F707BXXS6EUK1, and it is available in the following countries:

• Australia
• Austria
• Baltic region
• Bulgaria
• France
• Germany
• Hungary
• Italy
• Nordic Countries
• Poland
• Portugal
• Romania
• Singapore
• Slovakia
• Spain
• Switzerland
• The Czech Republic
• The Netherlands
• The UK

The new update for the Galaxy Z Flip 5G includes the December 2021 security patch, but Samsung has not revealed which security vulnerabilities were fixed with this update. We expect to see a detailed report from Samsung within the next two weeks.

If you’re a Galaxy Z Flip 5G user in any of the countries or regions mentioned above, you can check for the new update 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.

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November 2021 security update is now rolling out to Galaxy A71

Various Galaxy smartphones and tablets have already received the November 2021 security update. Now, the Galaxy A71 has started getting the update, at least in South American countries. The new security patch could be released in more markets over the next few days.

The latest software update for the Galaxy A71 comes with firmware version A715FXXS7BUK1. It is currently available in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Guatemala, Panama, Peru, Puerto Rico, and Trinidad & Tobago. The update includes the November 2021 security patch that fixes dozens of security vulnerabilities found in Galaxy smartphones. As usual, the new software might also include general bug fixes and device stability improvements.

If you’re a Galaxy A71 user in South America, you can check for the new software update by navigating to Settings » Software update and clicking on Download and install. You can also download the latest firmware file from our firmware database and flash it manually.

Samsung had launched the Galaxy A71 in early 2020 with Android 10 onboard. It received the Android 11-based One UI 3.1 update earlier this year. It will get the Android 12 update in the first half of 2022.

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Samsung could launch smaller, more affordable MicroLED TVs next year using LTPS tech

Samsung had unveiled 99-inch and 110-inch variants of its MicroLED TV—The Wall—earlier this year. The South Korean firm had also announced that it will launch 76-inch and 88-inch variants of the TV by the end of 2021. However, those models are nowhere to be seen, and it was reported that the launch of the 76-inch variant had been put on hold. Now, a new report claims that the company will launch smaller MicroLED TVs next year.

According to a report from TheElec, Samsung Electronics has asked AUO and Samsung Display to make 12.7-inch LTPS (Low-Temperature Polycrystalline Silicon) TFT panels for its MicroLED TVs. The company was using PCBs (Printed Circuit Boards) to make MicroLED TVs, but it is hard to use the technology to make smaller TVs with 4K resolution. With LTPS TFT panels, the process will become simpler, and Samsung can launch smaller-sized, more affordable MicroLED TVs.

LTPS TFTs could pave the way for more affordable MicroLED TVs

Multiple TFTs are used to make a single MicroLED TV. For example, an 89-inch MicroLED TV needs 49 12.7-inch TFT panels arranged in a 7×7 matrix. Similarly, 101-inch and 114-inch MicroLED TVs need 64 (7×7 matrix) and 81 (9×9 matrix) TFT panels, respectively. Samsung is hoping to get each 12.7-inch TFT panel between $70 and $80, but that price may or may not be achieved initially.

TFT-based MicroLED TVs need up to 24 masks for production. In comparison, current-generation OLED TVs need only 12 masks, and each layer of mask increases the production cost. So, MicroLED TVs are currently costlier than OLED TVs, which isn’t an ideal business case for Samsung. So, Samsung needs to bring down the production cost using improved technologies and better processes.

The South Korean firm will reportedly launch 89-inch, 101-inch, and 114-inch MicroLED TVs sometime next year. MicroLED TVs offer the same advantages as OLEDs, including wide viewing angles, infinite contrast ratio, and deep blacks, while also negating OLED’s burn-in issues, making MicroLED TVs better than OLEDs. However, their pricing needs to come down significantly before they can defeat OLED TVs in the market.

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