SoundAssistant might be coming to DeX with Android 12 and One UI 4.0

One UI 3.1.1 debuted with Samsung’s latest foldable flagships at Galaxy Unpacked. It’s not a massive update, as you can tell by the version number, but it brings a few foldable-centric features. However, Samsung is working on a more meaningful firmware update — one based on Android 12. It’s going to be called One UI 4.0, and according to a recent post by a Samsung forum moderator, one of the brand-new additions to One UI 4.0 will be support for SoundAssistant in DeX mode.

Mind you, this doesn’t seem to have been set in stone yet, but Samsung is considering adding this feature to DeX. According to the forum moderator, “SoundAssistant support in DeX mode will be reviewed for the next OS.” However, no availability details are available at this time.

SoundAssistant is a Samsung app that offers more audio control, so it would make a logical addition to DeX.

When are Android 12 and One UI 4.0 coming?

A few weeks ago, another Samsung community manager seemingly spilled the beans about the availability of Android 12 and One UI 4.0. And assuming that the moderator was correct then the One UI 4.0 beta program could launch in September. The firmware is expected to first be released for the Galaxy S21 series.

As to when a wide release might happen, it all depends on how the beta phase undergoes and how many bugs the community finds, and on Samsung’s ability to address issues before launching Android 12 and One UI 4.0 to the masses. If all goes right, One UI 4.0 could hit the airwaves in December.

The post SoundAssistant might be coming to DeX with Android 12 and One UI 4.0 appeared first on SamMobile.

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Galaxy Z Flip 3 and Galaxy Z Fold 3 buyers are nothing alike, survey finds

The demographics buying Samsung’s latest two foldable smartphones have surprisingly little in common, according to a new market survey. Namely, Korean wireless giant SK Telecom just published some new insights highlighting major differences between the profiles of consumers who own Samsung’s existing foldables or have already pre-ordered either the Galaxy Z Fold 3 or the Galaxy Z Flip 3.

For example, future Galaxy Z Flip 3 owners are way more likely to be drivers. Based on the fact that they’re 150% more likely to use car-related mobile apps compared to owners of other Samsung smartphones. On the other hand, users of the Galaxy Z Fold series seem to be more avid shoppers. As the frequency of their purchases made via mobile apps is 20% higher than the median.

The average age of foldable smartphone owners tells us something about the Galaxy Note series

Another curious tidbit is that the Galaxy Z Fold demographic comprises 120% more golf aficionados compared to any other pool of Samsung’s smartphone customers. This particular data point is as Korea-specific as they come, though. But the rest? Not so much.

Take, for instance, the age distribution of the Galaxy Z Fold-series owners in the country. People in their 30s and 40s are the largest demographics here, accounting for 29% and 28% of the consumer pool, respectively. They’re followed by buyers in their 50s (18%), whereas those in their 20s account for just 15% of total owners.

This distribution might at least partially explain why Samsung felt it can skip the Galaxy Note series this year. As its demographics and those of its premium foldable flagships seem to line up rather perfectly. Another data point illustrating as much concerns social media usage, which is 2.5 times higher among owners of the Galaxy Z Flip series compared to their Galaxy Z Fold peers (which might be why the Z Flip 3 focuses more on selfie quality than hiding the front-facing camera).

Pre-order or not, you can pick up the Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Galaxy Z Flip 3 starting on August 27th.

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

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

The post Galaxy Z Flip 3 and Galaxy Z Fold 3 buyers are nothing alike, survey finds appeared first on SamMobile.

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Did you know you can control Android 12 phones with your face?

Google had unveiled Android 12 for the first time in February 2021, and it has already released various beta builds for Pixel smartphones. This new version of Android brings a lot of new features and optimizations. It also brings a new feature that lets users control their smartphones using facial expressions.

According to a report from XDA Developers, a new update (v12.0.0) to Android Accessibility Suite on Android 12 brings the Camera Switches feature. This new feature allows users to control smartphones using just facial expressions, which would be a boon to some people with disabilities as they don’t need to rely on using the touchscreen to control their phones.

Users can navigate the UI of their phones or tablets running Android 12 through various facial expressions: Look Left, Look Right, Look Up, Open Mouth, Raise Eyebrows, and Smile. Using these expressions, users can do the following actions:

• Back
• Home
• Next
• Notifications
• Overview
• Pause Camera Switch
• Previous
• Quick Settings
• Reverse Auto-Scan
• Scroll Backward
• Scroll Forward
• Select
• Toggle Auto-Scan (disabled)
• Touch & Hold

When this feature is turned on, a persistent notification icon is shown on the device’s display to let you know that your camera is being used. You can even set the gesture size so that you can choose how big you want to make the gesture before the phone recognizes it as an action. More gestures could be added to Camera Switches in the future.

The feature might also come to phones and tablets running older versions of Android since the folks over at XDA Developers were able to install Android Accessibility Suite on phones running Android 11. However, the feature hasn’t been rolled out to such phones officially yet.

Samsung has already announced the Android 12-based One UI 4 beta update program for the Galaxy S21 series, and it could be released sometime in the next two months. We can expect the South Korean firm to start releasing the stable Android 12-based One UI 4 updates to its flagship devices by the end of this year.

The post Did you know you can control Android 12 phones with your face? appeared first on SamMobile.

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Tech Talk on SamMobile TV: Is the Galaxy Z Flip 3 for everyone?

Who are the foldable smartphones for? The very first models had a lot of people asking this question. Not only were they prohibitively expensive but they also needed more refinement. Samsung has been trying to answer this question for the last couple of years. It wants people to know that foldable smartphones are for everyone.

The company has taken some major steps to mainstream foldable smartphones. The new Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Galaxy Z Flip 3 are more durable, powerful and the cheapest foldables yet from Samsung. The Galaxy Z Flip 3 in particular now costs as much as a Galaxy S21+, $999 to be precise. With that, Samsung has eliminated a major psychological barrier for customers.

Customers have considerations beyond pricing, too. We discuss those and some of the other reasons to really understand whether the Galaxy Z Flip 3 is good for everyone in a new segment on our YouTube channel.

Do check out the video below and don’t forget to subscribe to our channel for more videos on your favorite Samsung products.

The post Tech Talk on SamMobile TV: Is the Galaxy Z Flip 3 for everyone? appeared first on SamMobile.

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Samsung needs to fix this brightness issue on its foldables

Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 3 is a major step-up over the Galaxy Z Fold 2 thanks to a number of improvements and new features, like water resistance, an under-display camera, S Pen support, stronger design, and a brighter and more power-efficient folding display. The last part may not actually be as good as we thought, however, based on our experience with battery life on the Galaxy Z Fold 3, and we think the way Samsung’s foldable phones handle display brightness is to blame.

The Galaxy Z Fold lineup uses separate ambient light sensors for the cover and main displays, and the main display’s brightness is adjusted based on input from both those sensors. This is similar to how Samsung’s regular flagship phones have ambient light sensors on the front and back for brightness control. As the experts at DisplayMate explain it, “your eyes are generally more adapted to the surrounding ambient light level that is behind and around the phone, which needs to be taken into account in setting the proper screen brightness.”

However, in our testing, we realized the Z Fold 3 seems to be giving a much higher priority to the cover display light sensor, which is driving up the main display’s brightness even when it’s not needed and resulting in high battery use as a result.

We’re seeing battery drain of up to 10% with 30 minutes of use on max brightness, which is pretty disappointing considering Samsung’s using a new power-efficient OLED panel for the phone. As we said in our 24-hours impressions article, the 100 mAh smaller battery could be part of the reason why battery life isn’t great, and it’s also possible that battery life will improve as we continue to use the device and it adjusts to our usage patterns.

Still, out of the box it’s one of our biggest gripes with the Z Fold 3, and we really hope Samsung can make some improvements. Perhaps give us the option to disable the use of the cover display light sensor for brightness control on the main display? We’re not sure what the solution would be, but fingers crossed the Z Fold 3 comes out flying in battery tests once we have used it for a longer period.

The post Samsung needs to fix this brightness issue on its foldables appeared first on SamMobile.

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Here’s how much Galaxy Z Flip 3, Galaxy Z Fold 3 cost in India

Samsung has finally revealed the pre-order dates, pricing, and availability information for the Galaxy Z Flip 3 and the Galaxy Z Fold 3 for the Indian market. The company’s newest foldable smartphones will be available for pre-order in India from August 24 to September 9, and they will be available for purchase starting September 10, 2021.

In India, the Galaxy Z Flip 3 is priced at INR 84,999 (around $1,145) for the 128GB variant, while the 256GB variant costs INR 88,999 (around $1,199). The 256GB version of the Galaxy Z Fold 3 costs INR 1,49,999 (around $2,210) in the country, while the 512GB version costs INR 1,57,999 (around $2,219). The Galaxy Z Flip 3 will be available in Cream and Phantom Black colors. The Galaxy Z Fold 3 will be available in Phantom Black and Phantom Green colors.

As an introductory offer, consumers pre-booking the Galaxy Z Flip 3 or the Galaxy Z Fold 3 can get an upgrade voucher worth INR 7,000 or a cashback of INR 7,000 if the purchase is made using an HDFC credit or debit card. In addition, Samsung is offering consumers a one-year Samsung Care+ service plan that includes accidental damage (physical and liquid) cover.

Those who pre-reserved any of the two foldable smartphones in India will get a Galaxy SmartTag for free. The Galaxy Z Flip 3 and the Galaxy Z Fold 3 can be pre-ordered via Samsung India’s online store, Samsung Shop app, and various retail stores across 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

The post Here’s how much Galaxy Z Flip 3, Galaxy Z Fold 3 cost in India appeared first on SamMobile.

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Specs leak: Don’t count on buying the AMD-powered Galaxy S22

Excited for the AMD-powered editions of the Galaxy S22 series? So are we, but getting your hands on one of these won’t be easy in the slightest. That’s according to the latest industry rumor concerning Samsung’s next flagship series, which also happens to disclose some other technical details about the upcoming devices.

Let’s start with the more straightforward part of the news: display sizes. Namely, the Galaxy S22 is said to feature a 6.06-inch screen, 0.14 inches smaller compared to its predecessor. A near-identical resizing is in store for the Galaxy S22+, which is expected to sport a 6.55-inch panel. The Galaxy S22 Ultra, on the other hand, is destined for a 6.81-inch display. It should hence have a similar physical footprint to that of the 6.8-inch Galaxy S21 Ultra.

AMD or not, the Galaxy S22 Ultra will remain a few steps ahead of its peers

Furthermore, only the Galaxy S22 Ultra is anticipated to sport an LTPO panel, with the other two smartphones using LTPS tech, as per the same source. In the battery department, the trio is estimated to feature 3,800mAh, 4,600mAh, and 5,000mAh cells. So, no real change compared to this year’s models. Other than the base Galaxy S22 possibly looking at a slight downgrade compared to the 4,000mAh Galaxy S21 – at least on paper.

The lineup is also said to circumvent Samsung’s under-display camera tech. The very one responsible for one of the most underwhelming aspects of the Galaxy Z Fold 3. As for the main camera setups, the Galaxy S22 and Galaxy S22+ are expected to sport familiar-looking triple-lens setups utilizing a 50-megapixel wide-angle camera, a 12-megapixel telephoto module, and another 12-megapixel, ultra-wide shooter.

Meanwhile, the Galaxy S22 Ultra should utilize Samsung’s cutting-edge 108-megapixel sensor for its main camera and double down on the telephoto front for a total of four rear cameras. On top of leveraging a laser autofocusing system.

As for the system-on-chip powering the 2022 flagship range, the Snapdragon 898 is expected to be the silicon found in the vast majority of markets. While the Exynos 2200 is still on course to be commercialized by early next year, its yield is predicted to remain low until at least mid-2022. Meaning your chances of picking up a Galaxy S22-series device equipped with the much-anticipated AMD GPU are pretty slim, no matter where in the world you’re located.

The post Specs leak: Don’t count on buying the AMD-powered Galaxy S22 appeared first on SamMobile.

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