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الأربعاء، 4 ديسمبر 2019

[Poll Results!] Would you buy a mid-range Galaxy phone for the S Pen?

When the Galaxy Note series first debuted back in 2011, it was supposed to offer two attractions that you couldn’t find on any other smartphone, Galaxy-branded or otherwise: a big screen, and the S Pen stylus. Over the years, big screens have become quite mainstream, but the S Pen has remained unmatched and is currently the only feature that truly differentiates Samsung’s Galaxy Note lineup.

While Samsung has been making mid-range tablets that support the S Pen, the stylus has not been seen on any Galaxy smartphone other than a Galaxy Note flagship, except for the Galaxy Note 3 Neo that was launched in 2014. Now, Samsung is working on a device called the Galaxy Note 10 Lite, which could possibly be a upper mid-range device that’s bundled with the S Pen. And, recently, we speculated that the S Pen may end up coming to the Galaxy A series as well, after discovering a mysterious new Samsung device that doesn’t fit any of the company’s current smartphone lineups.

In short, the S Pen may soon cease to be exclusive to Samsung’s flagship Galaxy Note smartphones. For many, that will hurt the charm and uniqueness of the Galaxy Note series, but for Samsung, it makes sense. The company’s latest flagships are doing quite well, but the general trend in the smartphone market these days suggests that consumers are no longer as interested in flagship phones as they were a few years ago.

People are also holding on to their phones longer, and competition in the mid-range market is getting more and more intense at the same time. Samsung may not be able to match the competition when it comes to the value-for-money quotient in the mid-range segment, but it can attract customers by offering a feature like the S Pen and the related software functionality, which no other manufacturer has been able to replicate.

And here’s the question we’re asking today: Would you buy a mid-range Galaxy smartphone for the S Pen? Vote in the poll below, then tell us why you would or would not buy a mid-range phone for the S Pen — and any other thoughts you may have on the matter — down in the comments section.

Results: As we had been expecting, a majority of voters said they would buy a mid-range phone with the S Pen, with 45% votes going to that option of the poll. 29% of voters, however, said they wouldn’t buy such a device, while 26% said they would like to see such a device before they make a decision, and it’s possible they will see such a device very soon.

Would you buy a mid-range Galaxy phone for the S Pen?

The post [Poll Results!] Would you buy a mid-range Galaxy phone for the S Pen? appeared first on SamMobile.

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Why the Samsung Galaxy Fold often feels like a missed opportunity

By now, Samsung fans and detractors alike know everything there is to know about the Galaxy Fold. To recap, it was unveiled and then delayed due to some pretty obvious issues. To its credit, Samsung took the time to see what needed fixing and did that in order to get the device out.

It can’t be considered a failed launch by any stretch of the imagination. On the contrary, given the reception it has received in the market, the Galaxy Fold appears to be selling much better than Samsung would have hoped.

We have been big supporters of the Galaxy Fold throughout its entire journey. But as much as we love the groundbreaking nature of the device, we now feel that that the first foldable smartphone represents a bit of a missed opportunity for Samsung.

There’s no denying the fact that the Galaxy Fold is an experimental device. That’s one of the reasons why it has been sold in such limited quantities and why the entire process has been so tightly controlled. Many customers who picked up the device were true Samsung fans. They spent $2,000 on a phone just to experience Samsung’s cutting edge technology. They might have also thought that the Galaxy Fold would be at the forefront of software development as well.

Galaxy Fold software could do more with the foldable form factor

That couldn’t be further from the truth. We have highlighted before how Samsung has been indifferent about the software experience for Galaxy Fold users. There hasn’t been much in the way of new software features being released for the device after its launch. Even improvements that should have been there from the start haven’t been sent out. Case in point: the lack of functionality for the cover display. It doesn’t make any sense as to why the cover display is still not being used to its full potential. It’s not even possible to register fingerprints on the cover display.

As we’ve talked about before, it doesn’t make much sense why there’s no option to activate the cover display when using the foldable display as a viewfinder for the camera. Doing this would allow the subject to take a look at the framing and composition and make any adjustments to their pose before the photo is taken. Samsung didn’t work on this in the time it took to fix the device’s issues and it hasn’t done anything about it since the device came out in September.

Software updates and the so-called Premier Service are lackluster as well

It’s clear that Samsung is just sending out regular security updates for this phone as it would for a regular phone. However, the Galaxy Fold is anything but a regular phone and that’s what makes Fold owners like myself disappointed. Samsung has an experimental device out in the hands of people who would understand and would actually appreciate being used as testers for new and innovative features. Yet it’s choosing to do nothing with this opportunity.

Another inconsistency that still exists is the difference in the update release schedule for the 4G and 5G variants of the Galaxy Fold. The 5G variant has typically received updates much later than the 4G variant. This is something we have particularly witnessed with our own 5G units procured from Germany.

Samsung had also made a big deal about the Galaxy Fold Premier Service when the device came out. It was meant to make the process of dealing with support easier if something were to go wrong with the device. One of our units developed a few dead pixels and it took us more than a month to get it fixed from Samsung Germany. The process was unnecessarily long and didn’t show any signs of being premium.

Early adopters of the Galaxy Fold would certainly appreciate it if the company took an initiative to bring more software features that take advantage of the foldable form factor, even if they’re experimental in nature. They actually expect that for this device, and we feel that Samsung should pay heed and actually do something about it.

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Exclusive: Galaxy S11 will be capable of 8K video recording

We have long advocated the idea that the Galaxy S11 needs to be a superstar in the camera department. Some of Samsung’s rivals have really upped their camera game so it’s about time that the Korean giant made some strides of its own.

All of the Galaxy S11 rumors that we have heard so far do suggest that it’s going to be a beast in the camera department. There’s also an expectation that it’s going to have support for 8K video recording. This is something that we can now confirm.

Galaxy S11 is capable of recording 8K video

Our sources tell us that the Galaxy S11 will indeed be capable of recording 8K video. The first hint about this possibility came when the Exynos 990 processor was announced. It’s the chip that’s going to power the Galaxy S11. It does have the capability of recording 8K video at 30 frames-per-second.

An APK teardown of the Samsung Camera app included in the fourth One UI 2.0 beta firmware had references in the code for 8K video recording. That was another hint about this feature’s chances for the Galaxy S11.

The Galaxy S11 is expected to feature a 108MP primary camera. One of the reasons why the Galaxy S11’s camera setup is codenamed “Hubble” is because it’s expected to support 5x optical zoom as well. The zoom camera is also going to have support for optical image stabilization.

Samsung isn’t due to unveil the Galaxy S11 until early next year. Chances are the company will go for an event in February. It’s certainly shaping up to be an exciting device for those who prefer Samsung’s Galaxy S series. We’ll be sure to bring you more information about the device as soon as we hear it.

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Leaked Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Lite renders show a headphone jack

Yet another upcoming Galaxy smartphone has been revealed through leaked renders. This time, leakster OnLeaks has managed to procure renders of the Galaxy Note 10 Lite, showing us what the Galaxy Note 10 knock-off will look like. And perhaps the main thing to notice here is that the Note 10 Lite, unlike its flagship cousins, has a headphone jack. However, that is to be expected, as the Note 10 Lite is supposed to be an upper mid-range device and Samsung isn’t getting rid of the headphone jack on mid-range phones just yet.

The Note 10 Lite renders are rather dark, but it’s easy to see that the overall design will closely resemble that of the Galaxy S10 Lite, Galaxy A91, Galaxy A51, and even the Galaxy S11. Like those devices, the Note 10 Lite will also have a rather wide and rectangular rear camera cutout even though it will have only three rear cameras. That’s a design choice Samsung first made with the budget Galaxy M30s earlier this year, and it seems it will continue to do so for all of its upcoming smartphones as well.

The Galaxy Note 10 Lite could measure 163.9 x 76 x 8.6mm, according to OnLeaks, which would make its overall size pretty much the same as the Galaxy Note 10+, which measures 162.3 x 77.2 x 7.9 mm. The screen size is a mystery for now, but a 6.7-6.8″ panel seems likely given those dimensions. As far as the specs are concerned, the Note 10 Lite was should have the Exynos 9810 chipset, 6GB of RAM, 128GB of storage, and Android 10. A Bluetooth-enabled S Pen and an in-display fingerprint reader should be included as well.

There is currently no word on how much the Galaxy Note 10 Lite will cost or when it will go on sale, although a previous rumor said it could go official in India later this month. We’ll have to wait and see if that turns out to be the case and just how affordable the “lite” Note 10 will be. Until then, you can follow our roundup of Galaxy Note 10 Lite rumors to be on top of everything that gets revealed about the handset before its official announcement.

The post Leaked Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Lite renders show a headphone jack appeared first on SamMobile.

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No Android 10 betas planned for Galaxy A series phones

Owners of Galaxy A series phones like the Galaxy A50 will have to wait for the stable version of Android 10 to come to their phones, as Samsung isn’t planning to hold a beta program for any Galaxy A smartphone. The company confirmed this in its community forums in Korea. The wording used suggests that plans could change later down the line, especially as it included not one, not two but three A series devices in the public beta testing of Android Pie earlier this year.

Two of those devices were the Galaxy A7 (2018) and Galaxy A6 (2018), for which Android Pie was the first major OS update, and the third was the Galaxy A7 (2017). The A7 (2017) only received the Android Pie update in Korea as it was launched in Samsung’s home country with Android 8.0 Oreo out of the box while shipping with Android Nougat in all other countries, but still, the company did have a beta program for its A series phones last year, and it could do the same with Android 10.

Right now, however, owners of Galaxy A series phones eligible for the Android 10 update are out of luck and should not be too hopeful of getting early access. According to Samsung’s official schedule for Android 10, Galaxy A smartphones will start getting the update sometime in April. At least the Galaxy A30 could make the jump in some countries in January, but since these official schedules are subject to change, there’s no telling if Samsung will be sticking to the currently proposed timeline.

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Daily Deal: 40% off OtterBox SYMMETRY SERIES Case for Galaxy S10

Modern smartphones have become more difficult to repair, and Samsung’s Galaxy phones are no exception. We’re all aware of the hurdles faced when trying to replace a screen or glass back on a modern device like the Galaxy S10. Needless to say, it’s probably better to try and avoid reaching that point of no return, and the most effective way of achieving this is to buy a protective case for your phone. Need any suggestions? You might want to check out this discounted OtterBox SYMMETRY SERIES case for the Galaxy S10. It’s slick, it’s durable, and it’s 40% off.

Hit the Buy Now button below and get one before it sells out!

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Galaxy S8 and Note 9 remain the most popular Android phones in the USA

The most popular Android smartphones in the USA might not be the ones you’re thinking of unless you’re thinking of the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy Note 9. That is according to a PCMag report based on data gathered from the Speedtest mobile app.

Samsung is the second-largest mobile manufacturer in the USA, following Apple, so there’s no surprise that the three most popular Android smartphones in the states are made by the Korean tech giant. However, these popular models are not from the latest generation, which might come as a surprise to those of you who tend to follow a yearly upgrade schedule.

Galaxy Note 9 and Galaxy S8 dominate the US market

The Galaxy Note 9 and Galaxy S8 are, by far, the most popular Android smartphones in the USA, and that is partly because they had more time on the market compared to newer models like the Galaxy S10 series, and especially the Note 10. Although the newer Galaxy flagships have sold very well, many Galaxy S8 and Note 9 users haven’t felt the need to upgrade to a newer model yet.

This could change next year, at least for Galaxy S8 owners who might want a piece of One UI 2 and Android 10. The newer OS version will not be coming to the Galaxy S8 series, and the only way to experience it officially will be to upgrade to a newer device, whether it’s going to be the Galaxy S11 or a Galaxy A (2020) model.

As it stands, the Galaxy Note 9 seems to be more popular among users residing in the Southwest USA and across the West Coast. The Galaxy S8 has more traction in the Northern USA and the South East, while the Galaxy S9+ is seemingly very popular in South Dakota and Connecticut.

Keep in mind that this data was gathered from users who have benchmarked their devices and mobile connections using the Speedtest mobile app. It might not tell the complete story of which Android smartphones are popular and where. However, given Samsung’s position in the US market, it would be outlandish to think that the most popular Android smartphones in the country are not made by Samsung.

Which Galaxy smartphone do you own? Do you relate to these findings, or are you rocking a different model that hasn’t been mentioned in this story? Join us in the comment section below.