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الاثنين، 21 ديسمبر 2020

Samsung, Kakao, and SK Telecom join hands to develop AI tech to fight COVID-19

Samsung has announced that it has joined hands with SK Telecom and Kakao to develop AI (artificial intelligence) technologies that could help fight the COVID-19 pandemic. The three companies have formed a joint research and development group to create an AI platform that can track infections and offer preventive advice to people.

The AI platform that Samsung, internet giant Kakao, and telecom giant SK Telecom are planning to develop will be completed by early next year. It is said to offer assistance in combating the COVID-19 pandemic by analyzing and predicting infection hotspots and recommending social distancing to people in those areas. It will also be able to answer disaster-related queries by voice. The companies plan to open the platform to developers and public institutions in the future. Other national and international firms could also be invited to join the AI platform.

Samsung, Kakao, and SK Telecom already offer AI-powered smart speakers, and they started pursuing joint AI projects earlier this year. Speaking of AI, Samsung is also working on NEON artificial humans, which are based on the technologies developed by the company’s own STAR Labs. NEONs are expected to be used in banking, customer care, healthcare, retail, and media sectors.

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Samsung’s Galaxy Chromebook 2 looks red hot in newly leaked image

The Galaxy Chromebook was 2020’s most premium Chrome OS-based laptop, and Samsung is following it up with a successor in 2021. Three weeks ago, we had reported that the South Korean tech giant would soon launch the Galaxy Chromebook 2. Now, the design of the upcoming Chromebook has been revealed, thanks to a leaked image.

Trusted leakster Evan Blass has published the first press render of the Galaxy Chromebook 2. The image shows Samsung’s upcoming Chrome OS-powered laptop in two colors: Fiesta Red and Mercury Gray. Unlike last year’s model, the Galaxy Chromebook 2 appears to extend the Fiesta Red color all the way to its sides, making it look extremely attractive. It is a 2-in-1 convertible laptop with a metal build. It appears to feature a webcam, a full-sized keyboard, an S Pen, two USB Type-C ports, a headphone jack, a microSD card slot, and a volume rocker.

There’s no information on the Galaxy Chromebook 2’s specifications yet, but using a faster processor and a better thermal design would be a good place to start. Samsung also needs to work on its upcoming Chromebook’s battery life since that’s where the first-gen model missed its mark. The company recently unveiled its new Windows 10-powered laptops—Galaxy Book Flex 2, Galaxy Book Flex 2 5G, Galaxy Book Ion 2, and Notebook Plus 2—that offer 11th Gen. Intel CPUs for better performance and longer battery life.

What do you think of the Galaxy Chromebook 2?

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Samsung will unveil ‘the future of the display’ during The First Look 2021 event

Samsung usually kicks off the new year with the announcement of its new TV lineup, but this year will be slightly different. The company has set an event titled ‘The First Look 2021,’ where it is set to unveil new display technologies along with new products and its “vision for the future of the display.”

Just before CES 2021, which is set to start on January 11 and end of January 14, Samsung will likely showcase its 2021 smart TV lineup. The event is set to happen on January 6, 2021, at 11 AM EST. We expect the company to unveil new MicroLED TVs, Mini-LED TVs, and 4K and 8K QLED TVs. Going by the silhouettes visible in the event’s invitation, there is a possibility of Samsung unveiling new laptops and tablets that use new display technologies. The South Korean tech giant could also announce followups to its The Frame, The Serif, and The Sero lifestyle TVs.

Samsung recently unveiled its first ready-to-use 110-inch MicroLED TV for homes. It features 4K resolution, OLED-like picture quality, built-in 5.1-channel speakers, zero bezels on all four sides, and Tizen operating system. The company claimed that its new TV offers very high brightness, high contrast ratio, and immersive audio for a great audio-visual experience.

The South Korean tech giant wants to avoid OLED technology for its future TVs and jump straight to MicroLED technology. MicroLED displays can theoretically offer OLED-like viewing angles, contrast, and response time while steering clear of the usual OLED problems, including screen burn-in and low brightness. However, it is a new technology, and the biggest challenge resides in offering high screen resolution and reducing the price.

Samsung The First Look 2021 Event

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Samsung shows how NEON artificial humans fit into banking of the future

Samsung had unveiled its NEON artificial humans earlier this year during CES 2020, generating a lot of hype. The company had showcased various scenarios where NEON could be helpful, including in the finance, healthcare, retail, and TV sectors. Today, Samsung has announced that it has partnered with South Korean financial firm Shinhan Bank to offer NEON as a customer’s personal teller and financial advisor.

A newly released video showcases Samsung’s NEON Frame at the opening event of Shinhan Bank’s newly dedicated innovation center, Expace. NEON Frame is a device that features NEON artificial humans, a large portrait screen, a 4K vision sensor, RGB status lighting, Hi-Fi speakers and microphones, and a fingerprint reader to offer a next-generation banking experience to customers. The device can also be fitted with additional features and security measures such as card readers, contactless payments, and more.

Shinhan Bank aims to offer advancements in the financial industry by adopting new digital technologies such as NEON for transactional banking. Samsung’s focus with NEON is to humanize AI and give it a face. Banking is only one of the industries where Samsung wants to deploy NEON. The company had said earlier that its artificial humans are not designed to take human jobs but to assist them in various ways, and one such example is to use NEON as a backup news anchor for breaking news at very late hours.

NEONs are powered by Samsung’s CORE R3 and SPECTRA technologies. Core R3, which is developed by STAR Labs, stands for Reality, Realtime, and Responsive, and it computationally creates lifelike reality. The company has partnered with a Korean IT firm to create human-like algorithms to improve NEON.

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Galaxy S20 FE is easily my favorite 2020 Samsung smartphone

No smartphone maker has launched as many flagships as Samsung in 2020. Well, no one did that last year, either, when Samsung released three LTE Galaxy S10 models, a Galaxy S10 5G, two Galaxy Note 10 models, and the Galaxy Z Fold. This year, we saw three Galaxy S20 models, two Galaxy Note 10 models, a Galaxy Z Fold successor, LTE and 5G variants of the Galaxy Z Flip, and the Galaxy S20 FE (Fan Edition).

The Galaxy Z Flip isn’t an all out flagship, but it’s still called one because of its high price tag. Meanwhile, the opposite is true for the Galaxy S20 FE, a phone Samsung says is a flagship but is sold at a price that is a lot lower than what we expect from the company’s high-end phones. And, for me, that combination makes the S20 FE Samsung’s best phone in 2020, as I’m sure it does for many of our readers.

Is the Galaxy S20 FE perfect? No. Is it amazing? Hell yes!

The Galaxy S20 FE isn’t a perfect phone. In fact, for some consumers, the experience has been disappointing, because of the touchscreen issues that plague some units. Samsung hasn’t been able to fix those issues completely via software updates, and it’s looking more and more likely that there’s a hardware problem that will never truly go away.

But not every Galaxy S20 FE has a faulty touchscreen, which was true for the unit I used earlier this year, so my experience was overly positive. The large-but-not-so-large 120Hz display, snappy performance, all-day battery life, features like IP68 water resistance and stereo speakers, and an all-round excellent camera setup, all for $699? It just felt too good to be true when the phone was my daily driver, and I still haven’t completely come to terms with just how good of a value proposition it is.

What impressed me most was the zoom camera on the Galaxy S20 FE. Or rather, that it’s better than what you get on the costlier Galaxy S20 and Galaxy S20+: The S20 FE gives you a proper telephoto lens with 3x optical zoom instead of digital zoom achieved by cropping a high-resolution image. Photo quality is comparable up to 10x magnification, but move past that and the Galaxy S20 FE’s advantage becomes easy to see, as we demonstrated in our review.

The only thing I would have liked to see Samsung do better with the Galaxy S20 FE is software updates. The phone has the exact same feature set as the other Galaxy S20 models and it has the same processor(s), but it hasn’t received Android 11 and One UI 3.0 at the same time as those models. Samsung did start rolling out the update recently, but till now, less than a handful of countries have received it and the rollout could go on until February next year in some markets.

Of course, if it were up to me, I would also make sure the Galaxy S20 FE shipped with a 25W super fast charger in the box, but given the asking price, I can’t really blame Samsung for making a few compromises. I’m just glad our favorite phone maker had the audacity to even make such a device, and I can’t see what the next Fan Edition Galaxy smartphone will be like.

What do you think of the Galaxy S20 FE? Is it your favorite Samsung phone from 2020 as well, or is there another Galaxy device that you found to be the best offering from the Korean giant in this pandemic-stricken year?

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Here’s everything the Galaxy Buds Pro leaks have told us so far

It’s unclear if the form factor introduced by the Galaxy Buds Live will ever make a comeback but Samsung’s soon-to-be-released pair of earbuds, the Galaxy Buds Pro, won’t share the same design language. Can we be certain of this given that Samsung has yet to make an official announcement? The answer is: As certain as we can be in the wake of countless approval documents, leaks and rumors that have painted a fairly comprehensive picture of the Galaxy Buds Pro over the past few weeks.

Some details are always subject to change but, for the most part, we have a fairly good idea of what to expect from Samsung’s new earbuds. They’ll have an in-ear design and they should be Samsung’s second wireless earbuds to boast ANC (Active Noise Cancelling), but given the in-ear design, we expect ANC to be significantly more efficient this time around.

Galaxy Buds Pro: Leaked specifications and design

Aside from ANC, the Galaxy Buds Pro are also expected to boast improved Ambient Mode and higher audio quality across the board. Sweat resistance, wireless charging support, and touch controls are par for the course.

New to the Galaxy Buds Pro will be the 3D spatial audio mode for videos. It leverages head tracking to deliver a vivid, immersive sound coming from all directions, according to a recent leak. This could be the only feature that may have given Samsung a reason to use the ‘Pro’ moniker for its new earbuds.

The Galaxy Buds Pro charging / carrying case should conceal a 500mAh battery with 2.5W charging and a USB-C port. Some media outlets have claimed that each earbud will have a 60mAh battery, which would be logical to expect, but there’s no strong evidence of this being true. And according to FCC documents, the Galaxy Buds Pro have Bluetooth 5.0, not Bluetooth 5.1.

As to how the Galaxy Buds Pro look like, they seem to draw more from the Galaxy Buds and the Galaxy Buds+ rather than the Galaxy Buds Live. They have an in-ear design and look like a refined version of the Galaxy Buds+ with more polished, smoother edges.

Samsung has prepared a new range of colors for the Galaxy Buds Pro to match the Galaxy S21 series. The earbuds will be available in Phantom Silver, violet and black, as seen in leaked press renders.

Galaxy Buds Pro: Leaked price details for Europe cause concerns

When the Galaxy Buds Live were released a few months ago, they were priced higher than the Galaxy Buds+. Similarly, the Galaxy Buds Pro might cost more than the bean-shaped earbuds they’ll succeed.

In key European markets, at least, the Galaxy Buds Pro will reportedly hit the shelves for 229 EUR, which would make them 20 EUR pricier than the Galaxy Buds Live. Of course, now there’s the addition of 3D spatial audio and perhaps ANC works better than before, so the price hike might be justified even if it may be off-putting initially.

Time will tell if it will be worth it or if the aforementioned price applies to the majority of European markets. This story will be updated with more details as they emerge so stay tuned! The Galaxy Buds Pro should be unveiled on January 14 alongside the Galaxy S21 series.

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Updated: Everything you can expect from the Galaxy S21 flagship lineup

It’s difficult to believe that the Galaxy S21 series is weeks away from release but it is true, at least according to all the credible reports, including our own, hinting at a mid-January launch event. The series has already been leaked and rumored extensively so we have a fairly good idea on what to expect next month.

A refreshed design, an updated One UI version and better performance are all par for the course, as is the case every year with each new generation of Galaxy flagships. But the nitty-gritty of how Samsung will improve the formula next year is what counts the most. It will make the difference between an iterative update and an innovative product. Time will tell to which category the Galaxy S21 series belongs, but until Samsung spills the beans officially, here’s all we have learned about the lineup so far through less official means.

Galaxy S21 series design

Samsung is once again redefining its flagships’ design language and is bringing a new range of colors to mark the occasion. The base Galaxy S21 variant is said to gain inspiration from the Galaxy Note 20 and sport a plastic back instead of a glass finish. The Galaxy S21+ might also be wrapped in plastic though this detail is unclear as of this writing, but the Galaxy S21 Ultra should enjoy more premium materials.

The biggest change in design consists of a new camera housing for all three models. This design element continues to be the focal point of the back panel but the housing has a more streamlined design and is flushed against the side and top edges of the phone.

Samsung’s new range of colors for the Galaxy S21 series has the ‘Phantom’ designation and the base model will be available in Phantom Pink, Violet, Gray, and White. The Galaxy S21+ will launch in Phantom Violet, Black, and Silver, whereas the Galaxy S21 Ultra will be available in Phantom Black and Silver, though additional color options could be added to the top-tier model later down the line.

Galaxy S21 series display

One of the biggest and unexpected changes to the Galaxy S21 series might come in the form of S Pen support. Several rumors have suggested that the Galaxy S21 lineup, or at least the Galaxy S21 Ultra, will support the S Pen, even though it won’t ship with one or have a dedicated slot akin to the Galaxy Note series.

The Galaxy S21 should carry a 6.2-inch display. The S21+ model will reportedly have a 6.7-inch panel, and they should both have FHD+ resolutions. The Galaxy S21 Ultra, on the other hand, is said to feature a 6.8-inch panel with a higher WQHD+ pixel count.

All three models are also expected to support a high refresh rate of 120Hz, but oddly enough, only the top-tier variant might benefit from adaptive refresh rate. The panels should have an improved contrast ratio of 3,000,000:1 and a peak brightness of 1600 nits.

Galaxy S21 series internal hardware

The Galaxy S21 series will be powered by a new generation of chipsets. The flagship trio is expected to employ the Snapdragon 888 chipset in markets such as the USA, South Korea, and China, whereas the global variant will rely on the brand-new Exynos 2100 SoC. Samsung’s next-gen solution has yet to be officially unveiled but it will be introduced on December 15. It should feature a new high-performance Cortex-X1 CPU core, three Cortex-A78 cores, and four Cortex-A55 cores. Graphics will be handled by a Mali-G78 graphics chip.

On the Qualcomm side, the Galaxy S21 series will benefit from the Snapdragon 888 chipset. It incorporates the Snapdragon X60 5G modem and it promises up to 25% CPU performance improvements and up to 35% faster graphics rendering compared to the Snapdragon 865.

Regardless of the chipset’s make and origin, the base Galaxy S21 model is likely to ship with 8GB of RAM, though 12GB options might also be available. The Galaxy S21+ and Galaxy S21 Ultra could ship with 12GB of RAM as standard.

As for batteries, a few certificates from regulatory agencies have emerged months ago, revealing that the Galaxy S21, Galaxy S21+, and Galaxy S21 Ultra will be powered by batteries with capacities of 4,000mAh, 4,800mAh, and 5,000mAh, respectively. There may not be chargers in the box in some markets, however.

Galaxy S21 series cameras

Samsung might be focusing a lot more energy in making the Galaxy S21 Ultra’s camera system excel. That’s not to say the Galaxy S21 and Galaxy S21+ will let us down, but they won’t benefit from the same advanced camera features as the Galaxy S21 Ultra.

The Galaxy S21 and Galaxy S21+ should share the exact same main camera characteristics. They should carry 12MP primary and ultra-wide sensors as well as a third 64MP telephoto camera.

The Galaxy S21 Ultra should have a 108MP main shooter, a 12MP ultra-wide sensor, and two 10MP telephoto lenses featuring 3X and 10X optical zoom. A laser autofocus system is expected to be on-board as well, similar to the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra, and the telephoto lenses are said to feature Dual Pixel autofocus for enhancing focusing.

Specifications pertaining to the selfie cameras are unknown but regardless, the sensor will be enclosed in an Infinity-O display cutout and it won’t be hidden behind the display.

Galaxy S21 series software and availability

The most recent One UI 3.0 firmware update is now available for the Galaxy S20 series and it will soon reach additional flagship models. But while Samsung was tinkering with the beta versions of One UI 3.0, the company was also developing One UI 3.1 behind the curtain.

One UI 3.1 will debut with the Galaxy S21 series but the firmware’s feature list has yet to be revealed. Samsung has successfully kept One UI 3.1 under wraps but one main feature that could define the experience is a new form of authentication through Bixby Voice.

All of these devices, features, and more should be unveiled by Samsung on January 14 at a virtual Galaxy S21 launch conference. The series is expected to go on sale on January 29. Time will tell how much the new flagships will cost but they might reflect the Galaxy S20 series’ launch prices. Other reports suggest that the series might get a hefty price cut over the Galaxy S20, with the base model said to be going on sale for anywhere between $849 and $899. We’ll keep you up to speed as soon as more Galaxy S21 details emerge.

This is a developing story and will be updated as more details emerge. Stay tuned!

Update 1: A new report emerged on December 10, revealing that the Galaxy S21 series is already available for reservation at Experience Stores in India for customers who willing to pay an INR 2,000 ($27) fee.

Update 2: A credible report confirms that the Galaxy S21 series, or at least the Galaxy S21 Ultra will have S Pen support and an optional S Pen case accessory. The same report goes into more availability details for Europe.

Update 3: The Galaxy S21+ has been exposed through a real-life hands-on video depicting the front and back panels. Benchmarks were also performed on camera.

Update 4: Samsung’s new flagship series will reportedly sport a Sony IMX563 sensor.

Update 5: Reports from Korea say that Samsung will ship the Galaxy S21 series with a 25W charger in the box and is developing a 30W charger to be sold separately.

Update 6: STAR Labs CEO confirms that NEON, the artificial human, is not coming with the Galaxy S21 series or any other Galaxy device.

Update 7: One UI 3.1 is expected to allow users to set Google Discover on the leftmost home screen of the Galaxy S21.

Update 8: Samsung Indonesia reveals that the Galaxy S21 will be given away to some early adopters. Meanwhile, the company confirms S Pen support for more Galaxy devices next year, and the first official Galaxy S21 press render has leaked.

Update 9: More official press renders leak to reveal the Galaxy S21, the Galaxy S21+, and the Galaxy S21 Ultra along with the new Phantom color palette. The entire spec sheet for the Galaxy S21 Ultra also made its way online. Alleged pricing details for the Galaxy S21 series emerged. It’s both good and bad news.

Update 10: European Galaxy S21 buyers may not get chargers or earphones in the retail box. On the bright side, eco-friendly Galaxy S21 Kvadrat cases are in the works and the latest official wallpapers for the series are already up for download.