What is the newest Samsung phone? – February 2021

It has often been difficult to keep track of the newest Samsung phone given that the company releases so many throughout the year. Samsung has dozens of models across different series which cater to all price ranges. This page will be updated on a monthly basis to ensure that you can always know what is the newest Samsung phone in each series.

The latest Galaxy Phone in every series

Galaxy Z Fold 2

The highly anticipated successor to the original Galaxy Fold has finally been unveiled. The Galaxy Z Fold 2 was made official alongside the new Galaxy Note lineup on August 5. Samsung will start taking pre-orders for the device from September 1. That’s also when the company revealed more details about the device.

It comes with a larger 6.3-inch cover display and a 7.6-inch foldable display at 120Hz refresh rate. The internal display is more durable as its made out of Ultra Thin Glass. It gets flagship-level internals including the Snapdragon 865+ with 12GB of RAM and 256GB of UFS 3.1 storage. Check our Galaxy Z Fold 2 specs page for the detailed specs of this device.

The camera setup of this device includes a 12-megapixel primary sensor paired with a 12-megapixel ultra wide and a 12-megapixel telephoto camera with 2x optical zoom. The Galaxy Z Fold 2 is available for pre-order now and will be released on September 18. It costs $1,999 and is offered in Mystic Black and Mystic Bronze color options.

Galaxy Z Flip

Samsung’s second foldable smartphone wasn’t launched as part of its Galaxy Fold series. The company decided to launch it as the Galaxy Z Flip instead. The Galaxy Z Flip was released in February and has quickly become one of the most highly sought after foldable smartphones on the market, and for good reason.

As we point out in our Galaxy Z Flip review, the device feels surprisingly normal despite the fact that it can fold in half into something you can easily wrap your hand around. It features 2019 flagship-level specs with a Snapdragon 855+ processor, 8GB RAM and 256GB storage. There’s also a 12-megapixel f/1.8 wide-angle camera and a 12-megapixel f/2.2 ultra-wide camera at the back. Selfie duties are handled by a 10-megapixel f/2.4 camera embedded in a punch hole in the 6.7-inch foldable display. It also has a combined battery capacity of 3,300mAh.

The Galaxy Z Flip is available far more widely than the Galaxy Fold was. It costs $1,380 and comes in three colors – Mirror Purple, Mirror Black and in select markets, Mirror Gold.

Galaxy Note

August is Galaxy Note month and right on cue, Samsung has unveiled two new handsets this time around as well. The Galaxy Note 20 and Galaxy Note 20 Ultra are now official and available for pre-order. They’ll go on sale come August 21.

There are some major differences between the two models. The Galaxy Note 20 and Note 20 Ultra feature a 6.7-inch flat FHD+ display and a 6.9-inch Quad HD+ curved display with dynamic 120Hz refresh rate. The former doesn’t have a microSD card slot while the latter does. Both don’t support 45W super fast charging, maxing out at 25W instead.

While the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra retains the signature metal and glass build that Samsung flagships have become familiar far, the Galaxy Note 20 only gets a plastic back. That’s a surprising decision Samsung has made this year, in addition to not offering 120Hz refresh rate on the smaller handset.

They also use the same Exynos 990/Snapdragon 865+ chipsets with the Note 20 only getting 8GB RAM while the Ultra gets a 12GB RAM configuration as well with up to 512GB of storage. Check out our hands-on to learn more about these phones and visit our devices page for the full Galaxy Note 20 and Galaxy Note 20 Ultra specs.

Prices start at $999 and $1,299 for the 5G Galaxy Note 20 and Note 20 Ultra respectively.

Galaxy S

Samsung unveiled its highly anticipated flagship lineup for 2021. The newest Samsung phones in the Galaxy S lineup are now the Galaxy S21, Galaxy S21+ and the Galaxy S21 Ultra. All three handsets are powered by the Exynos 2100/Snapdragon 888 chipset depending on the region. Samsung is offering different RAM and storage options on the variants.

The display supports adaptive refresh rate and is protected by Gorilla Glass Victus. Samsung has also revamped the design with a new Contour Cut camera housing that adds a touch of class to the device. It has taken away expandable storage, though, so there’s no microSD card slot on the entire lineup.

The Galaxy S21 is the entry-level device and also the smallest of them all. It features a 6.2-inch FHD+ flat display. Samsung has opted for a plastic back on this device instead of glass. Its camera setup includes a 12-megapixel f/2.2 ultrawide, 12-megapixel f/1.8 wide with OIS and 64-megapixel telephoto f/2.0 camera with OIS and 3x zoom. There’s also a 10-megapixel front camera. A 4,000mAh battery keeps the lights on with support for 25W fast charging. The Galaxy S21 is available in 128/256GB storage with 8GB of RAM.

Samsung has given the Galaxy S21+ a larger 6.7-inch FHD+ display. It also gets a flat panel but has glass on the back instead of plastic. This device has the same camera setup as the Galaxy S21. It’s also offered in 128/256GB storage capacities with 8GB of RAM. The Galaxy S21+ has a slightly larger 4,800mAh battery compared to its predecessor.

The Galaxy S21 Ultra is Samsung’s ultimate flagship. It comes with a 6.8-inch WQHD+ curved display that supports 120Hz refresh rate at the highest resolution. The camera setup puts the device in a league of its own. There’s Samsung’s latest 108-megapixel primary sensor, 12-megapixel ultra-wide and two 10-megapixel telephoto cameras with 3x and 10x optical zoom.

The handset offers an impressive 100x Space Zoom. A laser autofocus module is present as well. There’s a 40-megapixel camera up front for selfies. The Galaxy S21 Ultra has a 5,000mAh battery and is available in 128/256/512GB storage with up to 16GB of RAM.

Samsung has slightly reduced the prices for its 2021 flagship lineup. The Galaxy S21, Galaxy S21+ and the Galaxy S21 Ultra start at $799, $999 and $1,199 respectively.The devices went on sale January 29. Check out Galaxy S21/Galaxy S21+ and Galaxy S21 Ultra hands-on for our thoughts on the new devices.

Galaxy Fan Edition

Samsung has brought back the Fan Edition moniker and has also confirmed that it will release new Fan Edition models of its flagships every year. It’s kicking things off with the Galaxy S20 FE which is being marketed as a flagship in its own right.

Unveiled in September 2020, the Galaxy S20 FE brings many of the best features that were introduced with the Galaxy S20 lineup earlier this year. It gets a 6.5-inch FHD+ flat 120Hz refresh rate display, the same Exynos 990/Snapdragon 865 chipset, stereo speakers, a large 4,500mAh battery and three years of Android OS upgrades.

The Galaxy S20 FE also comes with a triple-camera system at the back which includes a 12-megapixel wide and 12-megapixel sensor in addition to an 8-megapixel telephoto camera with 3x optical zoom and 30x Space Zoom. A 32-megapixel camera is present up front.

Samsung is now selling the Galaxy S20 FE. Prices start at $699 for the 5G variant in the United States.

Galaxy A

Samsung has significantly expanded its Galaxy A series over the past couple of years. It now offers over a dozen smartphones across all price ranges. You can get a entry level device like the Galaxy A10 and a 5G-capable device like the Galaxy A90 5G.

The Galaxy A12 and Galaxy A02s are now the latest Galaxy phone in this series. These are actually Samsung’s first 2021 budget handsets. They were unveiled in the last week of November and will be released across the globe in January.

The Galaxy A12 comes with a 6.5-inch HD+ TFT display. The MediaTek Helio P35 chipset is available with up to 6GB RAM and 128GB storage. There’s also a 5,000mAh battery under the hood with support for 15W fast charging.

Its camera setup includes a 48-megapixel primary sensor, a 5-megapixel ultra-wide as well as depth and macro sensors of 2-megapixel each. There’s an 8-megapixel selfie camera as well. Prices for the Galaxy A12 start at 179 euro.

The Galaxy A02s also features a 6.5-inch HD+ TFT display with a 1.8GHz octa-core processor that’s paired with 3GB RAM and 32GB storage. A 5,000mAh battery is also present with 15W fast charging support. The triple camera setup at the back consists of a 13-megapixel primary, 2-megapixel macro and depth sensors. A 5-megapixel selfie camera is also present.

Samsung is going to release the Galaxy A02s in February 2021. It’s priced at 150 euro.

Galaxy M

Samsung introduced its Galaxy M lineup earlier this year. It’s a new budget lineup aimed primarily at India with features that were previously never seen on devices in this price range from Samsung. The series is also unique in that Samsung only sells the Galaxy M devices online.

The Galaxy M51 is currently the latest handset in this budget series. It comes with a 6.7-inch Super AMOLED Infinity-O display with a Snapdragon 730G chipset paired with 6GB RAM and 128GB of storage. The handset runs the latest version of One UI Core out of the box. All of this is paired with a massive 7,000mAh battery with support for 25W fast charging.

The rear quad camera includes a 64-megapixel primary, 12-megapixel ultra-wide and 5-megapixel depth camera in addition to a 5-megapixel macro sensor. There’s a 32-megapixel camera upfront.

Samsung is now taking pre-orders for the Galaxy M51 in Germany for 360 euro in blue and black colors. It will be available in markets like India soon.

Bear in mind that this list only tells you about the newest Samsung phone in every series, not what’s the best in a given price range. It’s to show you what the latest phone is so that you know what to look out for when buying a new Samsung smartphone.

The post What is the newest Samsung phone? – February 2021 appeared first on SamMobile.

from SamMobile https://ift.tt/2MJTwUq
via IFTTT

Best Samsung Galaxy Tablets in February 2021

Nobody makes Android tablets the way Samsung does. The company is an outlier as it still comes out with a flagship Android tablet every year. As part of the company’s vision to offer something for everyone, Samsung’s lineup also includes mid-range and affordable options. Its flagship tablets have really come into their own over the past few years.

This variety can often present a challenge to those who just want to know what the best Samsung Galaxy tablets are. To help them out, we have created this list of best Samsung tablets which breaks down the strength of each option and explains who should buy them, and why. In addition to detailed information about each tablet, you’ll also find links to our in-depth reviews for these tablets.

Our Best Samsung Tablets List For February 2021

Samsung has treated us to two new high-end tablets this year. This is the first time that we’re seeing it launch two separate models of its flagship tablet. The Galaxy Tab S7+ is accompanied by the Galaxy Tab S7. Some of the company’s earlier tablets have also made it on the list as they offer good value for money.

Best Samsung Tablet – Spec monster: Galaxy Tab S7+

The Galaxy Tab S7+ is surely one of the best tablets that Samsung has ever made. It has a beautiful metal build and feels absolutely premium. It also happens to be the first flagship tablet from Samsung to feature a 12.4-inch display. It’s not just any display, either. This Super AMOLED panel has a buttery smooth 120Hz refresh rate.

It’s powered by a top-of-the-line chipset and paired with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of internal storage. There’s also a chunky 10,090mAh battery. 5G support is present onboard. The Galaxy Tab S7+ is an absolute productivity champ with features like Multi-Active Window and wireless DeX. Samsung has also improved its S Pen by reducing latency and added more functionality.

Reasons to buy: Big and beautiful display, 120Hz refresh rate, great performance and battery life.

Who should buy: Customers who need a tablet for their work from home setup and enterprise customers for business applications.

Galaxy Tab S7+ Specs | Galaxy Tab S7+ Review | Buy Galaxy Tab S7+ from Amazon

Best Samsung Tablet – Productivity: Galaxy Tab S6

Much like its successor, the Galaxy Tab S6 was undoubtedly the best Android tablet to be released in 2019. It was also the first time that Samsung shipped its flagship tablet with the latest high-end chipset. Samsung initially released the LTE model only but later followed up with a separate 5G model.

The Galaxy Tab S6 also happened to be the first Samsung tablet to feature a dual camera setup at the back. Despite being a year old, it’s still one of the best Samsung tablets for its $729 price tag, and can often be purchased at a discount these days. That’s because it offers a better display than the base Galaxy Tab S7 and there’s really no significant difference in performance.

Reasons to buy: Great build quality, separate 5G variant, Super AMOLED display and dual cameras.

Who should buy: Anyone who needs a powerful Android tablet and feels that the Galaxy Tab S7+ is just too much for them.

Galaxy Tab S6 Specs | Galaxy Tab S6 Review | Buy Galaxy Tab S6 from Amazon

Best Samsung Tablet – Entertainment: Galaxy Tab S5e

Do you only need a tablet to watch Netflix, occasionally browse the internet and use social media apps? The Galaxy Tab S5e is the best option for you. Granted, all of this can also be done by the most basic of tablets, but there won’t be any frustrating performance issues with the Galaxy Tab S5e.

The $479 Galaxy Tab S5e was Samsung’s thinnest tablet when it came out, yet it got a beautiful metal build and a gorgeous 10.5-inch Super AMOLED display. You really can’t beat the quality of Samsung’s AMOLED display and watching video content on it is truly a visual delight. Rich sound is provided by its AKG-tuned quad speakers, making it a well-rounded device for chilling with on a lazy Sunday afternoon.

Reasons to buy: Incredibly light and thin, exceptional display, quad speakers and side-mounted fingerprint sensor.

Who should buy: Customers who want a tablet purely for the purpose of consuming multimedia content.

Galaxy Tab S5e Specs | Galaxy Tab S5e Review | Buy Galaxy Tab S5e from Amazon

Best Samsung Tablet – S Pen on a budget: Galaxy Tab S6 Lite

Samsung launched the Galaxy Tab S6 Lite earlier this year with the sole purpose of bringing the S Pen to the masses. Previously, one needed to purchase Samsung’s flagship tablet just to get the S Pen experience. With the Galaxy Tab S6 Lite, Samsung has significantly lowered that barrier of entry.

It still feels sufficiently premium thanks to its metal body. The Galaxy Tab S6 Lite also has something that none of the tablets mentioned above have: a 3.5mm headphone jack. Don’t expect a gorgeous AMOLED panel, though, the Galaxy Tab S6 Lite has a 10.4-inch LCD display. The tablet isn’t suited to heavy workloads but if you don’t need that much power, at $429 it’s a great option for those who want the S Pen experience without breaking the bank. It’s often available for purchase online at a decent discount.

Reasons to buy: Affordable, S Pen, 3.5mm headphone jack and good build quality.

Who should buy: Those that don’t require a powerful tablet but would like to have the S Pen experience without spending a fortune.

Galaxy Tab S6 Lite Specs | Galaxy Tab S6 Lite Review | Buy Galaxy Tab S6 Lite from Amazon

Why These Are The Best Samsung Tablets This Month

The Galaxy Tab S7+ is absolutely one of the best tablets that Samsung has made. It’s packed to the gills with tech and is a great fit for any work from home setup. There’s no question about it being on the list of best Samsung tablets. The same can’t be said for the Galaxy Tab S7, though, which is why the Galaxy Tab S6 finds its way on the list. Even though it’s a year old, it’s still a great option for those who need a productivity tool but don’t necessarily feel the need to buy the latest model.

Samsung continues to sell the Galaxy Tab S5e as well because it fits nicely into its tablet lineup. This isn’t really meant for any heavy workloads but is a great option for watching content. The display is gorgeous and the tablet itself is impossibly thin, making for a very comfortable user experience.

Lastly, the Galaxy Tab S6 Lite is a viable option for customers who want to experience the S Pen on a large display but don’t need a flagship tablet. It offers them the opportunity to experience the best of what the S Pen has to offer at a reasonable price point.

The post Best Samsung Galaxy Tablets in February 2021 appeared first on SamMobile.

from SamMobile https://ift.tt/3hdvu1Y
via IFTTT

Best Samsung Watch in 2021

Samsung releases new smartwatches every year. They’re much loved by its customers across the globe. The company went in a different direction for its smartwatches when it decided to embrace the circular design, allowing it to offer customers a more natural user experience. It also uses its own Tizen platform for these devices so that it can offer more functionality.

It has taken Samsung some time to perfect its smartwatch philosophy. The Galaxy Gear, released in 2013, was its very first smartwatch and quite far from being the best Samsung watch. Samsung made significant improvements to its watches in the years since. It ended up shifting entirely to Tizen OS, adopting a circular design, a physical rotating bezel for navigation and launched LTE models.

The great thing about Samsung smartwatches is that they’re not just compatible with the company’s Galaxy smartphones. Not only can you use them with any Android phone, but Samsung has also even made its watches compatible with iPhones. This enables people who may not be part of the Galaxy ecosystem to also own a Samsung watch. However, to get the best possible user experience from them, they should always be used in conjunction with a Galaxy phone.

These are some of the best Samsung smartwatches available today. The list has been put together by our expert reviewers. It includes the latest models as well as Samsung smartwatches that provide the best value for money in 2021.

Our Best Samsung Watch List

Our list of best Samsung smartwatches for 2021 includes the Galaxy Watch 3. It’s the company’s newest watch and it brings several new features in addition to design improvements. A couple of models from last year are present as well since they provide good value for money. Since these watches all run on Samsung’s own software, the company has a bit more flexibility in extending new features even to older models.

Best Samsung Watch – Overall: Galaxy Watch 3

The Galaxy Watch 3 is the true successor to Samsung’s popular Galaxy Watch. It has a physical rotating bezel, a refined design and comes with a genuine leather strap out of the box. It’s the best overall Samsung watch because it’s the latest model and it also brings several new features.

It can monitor blood pressure, blood oxygen saturation and heart rate in addition to several other metrics. It’s also possible to take an ECG reading with the Galaxy Watch 3. All of Samsung’s health and fitness tracking features are onboard in addition to enhancements for the messaging features. The Galaxy Watch 3 is also the first Samsung smartwatch to be offered in Titanium. Prices start at $399.

Reasons to buy: Exceptional design, robust build quality, great health and fitness features.

Who should buy: Those who love the physical rotating bezel, fashionistas and loyal Samsung fans.

Galaxy Watch 3 Review | Buy Galaxy Watch 3 on Amazon

Best Samsung Watch – Fitness Tracking: Galaxy Watch Active 2

Samsung’s 2019 lineup was entirely focused on customers who live the active lifestyle. The Galaxy Watch Active 2 improved upon its predecessor in more ways than one. It was offered in larger sizes with increased battery capacity and additional fitness tracking features. Samsung also improved the accuracy of the sensors used to track fitness metrics.

The Galaxy Watch Active 2 also included a digital rotating bezel. It provided users with a unique way of navigating the interface of their smartwatch. Features like ECG and blood pressure monitoring were first introduced with the Galaxy Watch Active 2. It remains a viable option for those who primarily want a smartwatch for fitness tracking. Prices start at $249.

Through a recent software update, Samsung has brought many of the Galaxy Watch 3’s new features to the Galaxy Watch Active 2.

Reasons to buy: Larger sizes, health and fitness tracking features and a more affordable price.

Who should buy: Customers who want a smartwatch that offers great health and fitness tracking and looks great doing it.

Galaxy Watch Active 2 Review | Buy Galaxy Watch Active 2 on Amazon

Best Samsung Watch – Value for money: Galaxy Watch Active

Released in early 2019, the Galaxy Watch Active makes it on our list of best Samsung smartwatches because it now offers great value for money. Those who prefer a compact smartwatch should opt for it as it’s only available in the smaller 40mm size and happens to be incredibly light.

While it doesn’t have the advanced monitoring features like the Galaxy Watch Active 2, it can track the same number of workouts and can also perform sleep tracking. It didn’t feature a physical rotating bezel but Samsung later enabled the digital bezel feature through a software update. Prices start at $199.

Reasons to buy: More compact size, fitness tracking, often available for under retail price due to discounts.

Who should buy: Those who like smaller watches and just want robust fitness tracking without breaking the bank.

Galaxy Watch Active Review | Buy Galaxy Watch Active on Amazon

Best Samsung Watch – Battery Champ: Galaxy Watch

The Galaxy Watch was far from a budget option when it came out in 2018. It quickly became popular because of its design and the physical rotating bezel. Not only does it look great, but it also offers many of the same health and fitness tracking features.

It also offers the most battery capacity of any Samsung smartwatch to date, thereby making it the battery champ on our list of the best Samsung smartwatches. The company continues to use the same Exynos 9611 chipset that it has in all of the models released since so there’s really no performance gap to be worried about. Like the other models, it supports Samsung Pay and even has an integrated GPS. Prices start at $259.

Reasons to buy: Great battery life, robust design and amazing build quality. Often sells for lower than retail online.

Who should buy: Customers who prioritize battery life above all else and want a full-fledged smartwatch for less.

Galaxy Watch Review | Buy Galaxy Watch on Amazon

Why These Are The Best Samsung Smartwatches In 2021

The Galaxy Watch 3 is the best overall because it’s the latest Samsung smartwatch. It also has the most features and one of the most refined designs we have seen. The return of the physical rotating bezel is a welcome change as well. It enables those who may have been holding out to go ahead and purchase a new Samsung smartwatch.

Samsung’s fitness-focused watches, the Galaxy Watch Active 2 and Galaxy Watch Active, remain attractive options because they offer great health and fitness tracking features. They’re more affordable now as well since they’ve been out for a year and can often be picked up at a discount.

Lastly, the Galaxy Watch certainly deserves a place on our best Samsung watch list. It still remains a fan-favorite and even though it doesn’t have some of the more advanced features, the Galaxy Watch is no slouch even two years after it was released.

The post Best Samsung Watch in 2021 appeared first on SamMobile.

from SamMobile https://ift.tt/31eC56S
via IFTTT

Galaxy S21 Ultra outlives iPhone 12 Pro Max in new drop test

The Galaxy S21 Ultra held its own in one merciless drop test better than the iPhone 12 Pro Max did. And we mean that quite literally, as you can see for yourself below. Conducted by YouTube channel EAP, this exhaustive durability test pitting Samsung and Apple’s latest flagships against each other yielded quite predictable results.

That isn’t to say the Galaxy S21 Ultra didn’t take a beating. But Samsung’s ultra-premium smartphones have been on the more resilient end of flagships for years, at this point. Whereas the opposite can be said of the iPhone family. Ultimately, anyone who shells out the equivalent of hundreds of dollars on a smartphone will probably want to invest in a protective case.

What does this tell us about the Galaxy S21 Ultra’s real-world resilience?

Another thing to keep in mind is that drop tests akin to the one we’re featuring here tend to overemphasize the importance of outliner scenarios. Most Galaxy S21 Ultra owners who end up dropping their precious devices probably won’t have to deal with falls above waist height. Fortunately, those are the cases in which Samsung’s build quality excels the most.

The Galaxy S21 series went on sale worldwide last Friday. Compared to last year’s Galaxy S20 family, Samsung released the new lineup with a massive $200 discount across the board. And while that generational discount required some notable compromises from the Galaxy S21 and Galaxy S21+, the company did not hold back with the Galaxy S21 Ultra in spite of the lower price.

The post Galaxy S21 Ultra outlives iPhone 12 Pro Max in new drop test appeared first on SamMobile.

from SamMobile https://ift.tt/3cuWjiU
via IFTTT

Samsung brings Android 11’s smart home controls to One UI 3.1

Samsung had announced its extended partnership with Google during the unveiling of the Galaxy S21 series, making several Google services a native part of One UI. Google Discover Feed is readily available as an alternative to Samsung Free on devices running One UI 3.1, while Google Messages can be installed from the Play Store and run as a native app. Now, Google’s Android 11 smart home menu has appeared in One UI.

With the launch of One UI 3.0, Samsung had introduced its own SmartThings-based smart home control menu in One UI. However, with One UI 3.1, the company has expanded it to include smart home controls for Google Assistant-compatible devices. In the Quick Settings menu, you can access smart home controls by tapping on the ‘Devices’ button and then choosing Google Home from the dropdown menu. You can easily switch between Google Home and SmartThings controls from the quick settings menu.

In comparison, Google’s Pixel phones house smart home controls in the power menu, which can be accessed by long-pressing the power button. Samsung also seems to have disabled one-tap controls to turn on and off smart home devices. You would have to tap again on each device’s name to bring up its own menu.

These smart home controls are currently limited to devices running One UI 3.1, which means they are available on the Galaxy S21, Galaxy S21+, Galaxy S21 Ultra, Galaxy Tab S7, and the Galaxy Tab S7+. We expect the new feature to be rolled out with One UI 3.1 to more devices in the coming weeks.

The post Samsung brings Android 11’s smart home controls to One UI 3.1 appeared first on SamMobile.

from SamMobile https://ift.tt/3thGDoQ
via IFTTT

Is Samsung faking moon photos with Galaxy S21 Ultra’s 100x Space Zoom?

The Galaxy S21 Ultra has the most versatile smartphone camera on the market right now. Thanks to its dual-telephoto cameras (3x zoom and 10x zoom) and the Zoom Lock feature, it is well-equipped to take clear images of faraway subjects. However, some consumers and experts have expressed doubts over its ability to take real photos of the moon. It was being alleged that Samsung is using AI trickery to fake images of the moon, similar to what Huawei did a couple of years ago with the P30 Pro.

The conspiracy was that Samsung is slapping a texture of the moon onto anything that resembles it. So, Raymond Wong from InputMag decided to investigate those claims by talking to experts and comparing the images of the moon shot using the Galaxy S21 Ultra and a $4,800 camera rig. He talked to some tech reviewers, including Michael Fisher (a.k.a MrMobile), Danny Winget, Dave Lee (Dave2D), Max Weinbach, and Brian Tong.

Easy to Show. Tried it just now. Here: Even if you take an unsharp/messy photo of something that looks like a moon it snaps a moon(ish) texture on it. simple as that. No magic hardware just clever software (combination), huawei did same year ago. pic.twitter.com/BmVhUPnq8v

— Alexi Bexi (@alextv) January 21, 2021

Dave Lee suggested that the images could be fake or at least optically enhanced beyond reality. He said, “I think if it is fake, they’re doing some higher-level stuff than Huawei.” Michael Fisher tried to trick the Galaxy S21 Ultra into thinking that a golf ball placed against a black background is the moon and checked if the phone is adding moon textures over it. Wong tried to do the same using a clove of garlic and taking a 100x shot. However, the Galaxy S21 Ultra didn’t turn those objects into a moon by adding textures.

Max Weinbach tried to search the Galaxy S21 Ultra’s camera APK to see if it had textures of the moon, but nothing turned up. Brian Tong said, “I don’t think the S21 Ultra is making up textures that it adds on top of the Moon. Adding textures seems way too aggressive. I could understand AI maybe filling in the blanks to a certain degree.”

$1,200 Galaxy S21 Ultra vs $4,800 Sony A7R III: Who took better shots of the moon?

After receiving mixed opinions from the experts, Wong figured that the only way to prove what was going on is to compare the Galaxy S21 Ultra with a mirrorless camera and a long-range zoom lens. He captured an image of the moon with the Sony ASR III, which had a $2,000 200-600mm lens attached to it. The patterned lines and textures lined up between the shots of the two devices. Moreover, even after cleaning up the image from the mirrorless camera and then sharpening it in Adobe Lightroom, the Galaxy S21 Ultra’s image turned out to be better.

In the end, it was proven that Samsung isn’t faking photos of the moon, but there was a lot of software processing going on in the background. In fact, the Galaxy S21 Ultra shot better images of the moon than the Sony mirrorless camera that costs thrice as much as the smartphone. Even in our review of the Galaxy S21 Ultra, we managed to capture some impressive images of the moon in the day and the night.

You can read more on this subject and how Samsung is using AI to improve its 100x Space Zoom so that it can capture such excellent shots of the moon in the detailed article on InputMag by clicking the source link below the article.

What do you think about the Galaxy S21 Ultra’s camera and its AI optimization techniques? Let us know in the comments section below.

The post Is Samsung faking moon photos with Galaxy S21 Ultra’s 100x Space Zoom? appeared first on SamMobile.

from SamMobile https://ift.tt/3oBL4Y7
via IFTTT

Samsung’s Chromebook shipments grew 4x in 2020, driven by the pandemic

The demand for affordable laptops and tablets was through the roof during 2020, thanks to the pandemic. Samsung managed to ship close to 10 million Galaxy Tab devices in Q4 2020 and over 31 million tablets over the course of the whole year. Now, the South Korean tech giant’s Chromebook shipment numbers have been published.

The company managed to ship a million Chromebook devices in Q4 2020 according to market research firm Canalys. That’s a staggering 6.3x growth compared to Q4 2019. In all of 2020, Samsung managed to ship close to 2 million Chrome OS laptops, which is a 4x growth compared to 2019.

Although the South Korean firm had the highest growth in the global Chromebook market, it still has a lot of room to grow. HP was the biggest Chromebook brand in 2020 with 9.4 million shipments and a 31% market share. Lenovo shipped 6.8 million Chromebooks and acquired a 22% share of the market. Dell (15% market share) and Acer (14% market share) were ranked third and fourth, respectively, with shipments of 4.6 million and 4.3 million.

Samsung launched the Galaxy Chromebook last year, and it was the first Chrome OS-powered laptop with a 4K AMOLED screen. The company had also launched two affordable Chromebooks—Chromebook 4 and Chromebook 4+—a few months prior to that. It recently unveiled the Galaxy Chromebook 2, the first Chromebook in the world with a QLED screen. The new laptop also features improved battery life compared to the original Galaxy Chromebook.

The post Samsung’s Chromebook shipments grew 4x in 2020, driven by the pandemic appeared first on SamMobile.

from SamMobile https://ift.tt/2MIBKEu
via IFTTT