Tired of pop-ups? Google’s about to make the web less annoying (and break it)

Samsung’s merciless stance on alert-abusing adware and privacy-friendly policies are some of the biggest reasons why we prefer its Internet browser over its many Android alternatives. Ever since native ad-blocking support first arrived to the popular app back in 2016, the company’s been hard at work fleshing out its functionality. But the latest blow to annoying frontend design practices won’t be coming from Samsung’s direction – at least not initially.

Namely, Google still seems keen to continue investing in ad-blocking tech, regardless of the fact that it just happens to be the largest ad conglomerate in the world. And its next milestone seems pretty much guaranteed to leave a trace on your web-browsing experience, as Alphabet’s subsidiary is currently preparing to gradually sunset the Alert API in Chrome.

Samsung Internet is likely to follow Chrome’s lead here… but will this break the web?

Yes, the thing capable of pushing out pop-up messages. The very one that countless of shady sites have been abusing since the dawn of the modern browser. As of Chrome 91, cross-origin iFrames (i.e., those sent by embedded HTML windows) are a thing of the past. The implication is that the Alert API will be facing further limitations in the very near future. And the Chromium foundation of Samsung Internet also makes this change a likely release candidate for Samsung’s own mobile browser.

Granted, eliminating something as ingrained as the Alert API without breaking a whole swath of websites in the process seems… pretty much impossible. For better or worse, mind you. And some developers have already started rallying opposition to the move on social media, arguing the tool is still irreplaceable in many teaching and debugging scenarios.

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Galaxy S20, Note 20 August security update rollout kicks off in the USA

The August security update for Galaxy devices began rolling out last month and is beginning to appear in more and more countries as the days go by. In the Galaxy S20 lineup, the Galaxy S20 FE was the first to get the latest security update, and the other three Galaxy S20 models are now joining the party, as well.

And, surprisingly, the rollout has kicked off in the USA of all places, with unlocked models first in line. The same goes for the Galaxy Note 20 and Galaxy Note 20 Ultra, unlocked units of which are also receiving the August 2021 security update at the time of this writing.

Security enhancements are all you’re getting with the August update

Unfortunately, the updates for both the Galaxy S20 series and the Galaxy Note 20 series are quite boring, as they only feature security enhancements. The August 2021 security patch itself is quite bare-bones, with merely two critical Android OS vulnerabilities being fixed.

It’s likely just the calm before the storm, though: Samsung will soon be releasing One UI 3.1.1 (which will debut on the new foldables) for many of its devices, and the Galaxy S20 and Note 20 lineups are sure to be on the eligibility list. Of course, the update train won’t stop there for these two flagships – they will also be upgraded to Android 12 and One UI 4.0 in the future and will go all the way up to Android 13.

The new firmware versions accompanying the Galaxy S20 and Note 20 updates are G98xU1UES2DUG6 and N98xU1UES2DUG1 respectively. Owners of unlocked models should be able to download it over the air from their phone’s Settings » Software update menu. Our firmware archives also have the relevant files for anyone wishing to manually upgrade using a Windows PC.

Galaxy S20 5G

• Model: SM-G981U1
• Dimensions: Bar: 151.7 x 69.1 x 7.9 mm
  
• Display: 6.2 inch / 157.48 mm Dynamic AMOLED 2X
• CPU: Snapdragon 865
• Camera: 12MP

More specifications

Galaxy Note 20 5G

• Model: SM-N981U1
• Dimensions: Bar: 161.6 x 75.2 x 8.3 mm
  
• Display: 6.7 inch / 170.18 mm Super AMOLED Plus
• CPU: Snapdragon 865+
• Camera: 12MP

More specifications

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Watch: Galaxy Buds 2 get unboxed ahead of launch, this time on video

The Galaxy Buds 2 are expected to be officially unveiled during Samsung’s next Galaxy Unpacked event on August 11. However, the upcoming truly wireless earphones have been leaked extensively, and their full specifications, colors, and pricing have already been revealed. Now, the Galaxy Buds 2 have been unboxed, as seen in a new video.

Samsung’s upcoming true wireless earbuds feature a design that’s similar to the Galaxy Buds Pro. And it is a departure from the design seen with the Galaxy Buds and the Galaxy Buds+. The South Korean firm has equipped the Galaxy Buds 2 with a Bluetooth 5.2 chip, a dual-driver setup (11m woofer and 6.3mm tweeter), and six microphones. They feature ANC (Active Noise Cancellation) and a transparency mode.

The Galaxy Buds 2 feature an IPX7 rating for water resistance. The earbuds come packed with a 61mAh battery, while their case has a 472mAh battery. These earbuds can last up to 8 hours on a single charge with ANC turned off, and combined with the case, they can last up to 20 additional hours. With ANC turned on, the Galaxy Buds 2 can last up to 5 hours (13 hours with the case).

The case features a rounded square design, a USB Type-C port, and Qi wireless charging. The Galaxy Buds 2 will be available in four colors: Black, Olive Green, Purple, and White. They are expected to cost $150 and will compete with the likes of AirPods, Beats Studio Buds, and OnePlus Buds Pro.

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Original Galaxy Fold gets the August 2021 security update

Samsung started rolling out the August 2021 security update in the last week of July. The Galaxy A52 was the first smartphone to get the update. Samsung’s first-generation foldable phones—Galaxy Fold 5G and Galaxy Z Flip—received the update this week. Now, the latest security update is available for the Galaxy Fold as well.

The Galaxy Fold (SM-F900F) is currently getting the new software update in France. The update bears firmware version F900FXXS5EUG1 and includes the August 2021 security patch. It fixes 40 vulnerabilities related to user privacy and security. While we don’t have the official changelog for the update yet, it could also feature general bug fixes and device stability improvements.

If you are a Galaxy Fold user in France, you will get the update soon. If you don’t want to wait for the update to arrive on its own, you can manually check for it by navigating to Settings » Software update and clicking on Download and install. You can also take the manual firmware flashing route, but you’ll have to download the latest firmware file from our firmware database and have a Windows PC handy to flash the firmware.

The Galaxy Fold was launched with Android 9-based One UI in September 2019. The phone received the Android 10-based One UI 2 update last year and the Android 11-based One UI 3 update a few months. Currently, the phone is running One UI 3.1, which includes a few features that were originally introduced with the Galaxy S21 series.

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Galaxy Z Flip picks up the August 2021 security update

After releasing the August 2021 security update to the Galaxy S21, Galaxy S20 FE, and the Galaxy Fold 5G, Samsung has released it to the original Galaxy Z Flip. However, this update has only been released to the international variants of the Galaxy Z Flip in Asian and European markets.

The Galaxy Z Flip (SM-F700F) has started getting the new software update with firmware version F700FXXS7DUG1 in dozens of Asian and European countries. It includes the August 2021 security patch that fixes 40 privacy and security-related vulnerabilities. It might also include general bug fixes and device improvements, but there are no new features or user-facing changes.

If you are a Galaxy Z Flip user in Asia or Europe, you might have already received a notification for the update. You haven’t received it yet, you can check for the OTA update by navigating to Settings » Software update and tapping on Download and install. You can also take the manual flashing route and download the latest firmware file from our firmware database.

Samsung had launched the Galaxy Z Flip early last year with Android 10 and One UI 2. The phone received the Android 11-based One UI 3 update in December 2020 and the One UI 3.1 update in February 2021. The foldable phone has been getting monthly security updates since its release.

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Samsung is testing virtual money transfers on Galaxy phones with no Internet

Samsung Electronics has reportedly joined forces with the Bank of Korea (BOK) to participate in a central bank digital currency (CBDC) pilot program kickstarted by BOK late last month. Samsung and other interested parties “will research the practicalities of the CBDC in a test environment,” according to an executive statement cited by The Korea Times.

In essence, Samsung Electronics wants to test the central bank digital currency (CBDC) and usability of blockchain-based systems on its Galaxy smartphones. Through its pilot tests, the company aims to determine if it will be possible for mobile payments to be completed using the digital currency when there’s no internet available.

Furthermore, Samsung Electronics is trying to determine whether or not it will be possible to “send CBDC remittances to other mobile phones or to other connected bank accounts.” According to an unnamed Samsung official, these are “the core points” the company’s exploring through this partnership with the Bank of Korea.

The pilot program will be backed by Samsung SDS and the Kakao consortium

The SDS branch of Samsung will be involved with the pilot program for the central bank digital currency, but it won’t work alone. It will be backed by affiliate Escor, and it will be joined by the Kakao consortium to get the project rolling.

Both Samsung and the Kakao consortium will work on launching the pilot program designed to test CBDC transfers and remittances between different countries.

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First Galaxy A52s leaked renders confirm a new mint green color option

The Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Z Flip 3 aren’t the only unannounced smartphones to have leaked ahead of their official announcement. The Galaxy A52s may be a much less impressive device, but it, too, has now been spotted in a handful of leaked renders, signaling what could be a market launch just around the corner.

The Galaxy A52s looks virtually identical to the standard Galaxy A52, and that’s not a bad thing. Both phones have a modern design language with an Infinity-O display, a metal frame, and a camera bump that color-matches the rest of the back panel.

The refreshed model introduces a new color option

Speaking of colors, the leaked renders at hand showcase the Galaxy A52s in four color options, of which one is new. Same as the Galaxy A52, the upcoming refresh will seemingly be available in black, white, and violet; however, it might do away with the blue color option in favor of mint green.

The source behind these renders — @_snoopytech_ — adds that Samsung will release the Galaxy A52s in a single storage option with 128GB of built-in memory.

The Galaxy A52s could debut in Germany, where support pages already exist, and it’s rumored to hit the shelves in Europe for around 450 euro. It could go on sale in Korea in September, but regardless, it might not bring too many changes aside from a souped-up Snapdragon 778G processor.

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