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Samsung's Galaxy A80 has a rotating triple camera and no notch
Samsung wants to bring the rotating camera phone back. And the Galaxy A80 is the phone that's going to do it. It has a huge 6.7-inch 1,080 x 2,400 AMOLED screen, but before we dig into all the other specs, let's get right into the most interesting point: that rotating triple camera, made for both primary shooting and your selfies. And thus, no notch. It will launch in Europe, Asia and other territories on May 29th.
Pixel and OnePlus buyers typically switch from Samsung phones
Who do you think is most likely to switch to value-for-money phones like the Pixel 3 and OnePlus 6T? Former iPhone users balking at iOS or top-tier pricing? No -- it's prior Samsung owners, according to a study. Counterpoint Research estimated that ex-Galaxy users represented 51 percent of Pixel 3 buyers and 37 percent of 6T customers in the fourth quarter of 2018. While there were iPhone converts, they were much smaller slices of the pie at 18 percent for the Pixel and 16 percent for the 6T.
The Galaxy S10's fingerprint reader was thwarted by a 3D printer
The fingerprint reader in the Samsung Galaxy S10 has caused a few issues already, such as incompatibility with some types of screen protectors. The in-display scanner uses ultrasound to read the physical ridges of your fingerprint, supposedly making the device more secure -- thieves shouldn't be able to press a photo of owners' prints against the reader to unlock the device, for example. But it seems people are already finding ways to thwart the sensor.
Samsung sees its Q1 profit drop 60 percent from last year's record
Samsung just released guidance for its Q1 2019 earnings report, and estimates an operating profit of 6.2 trillion won (about $5.5 billion), which is less than half of the $14.4 billion profit it recorded in the same period last year. Samsung had issued an unprecedented warning for investors of bad news on the way, citing declines in prices for memory chips, and lower demand for screens like the OLED display it makes for Apple's iPhone. We'll have to wait a few more weeks for a detailed breakdown and final numbers, but in its last earnings report Samsung noted how it hoped the Galaxy S10 series would help turn things around. The prediction for overall revenue dropped by only fourteen percent, to 52 trillion won. The last time Samsung saw a drop of this magnitude, we were looking forward to the Galaxy Note 4 and 4K TVs. Now the company hopes investments in data centers will drive more demand for memory, and that the high-priced Galaxy Fold can drive profits by enticing competitors to use its flexible display tech for their own devices.
Universal Pictures will master new and existing titles in HDR10+
Now that Samsung has established HDR10+ as a viable and accessible alternative to Dolby Vision HDR, it's looking to bring more HDR content to viewers. To do so, Samsung is partnering with Universal Pictures Home Entertainment (UPHE) to master a selection of new releases and existing movies and shows with the standard. Not only will we soon have more HDR10+ hardware, we'll also have something to watch on it.
Samsung Galaxy Watch Active review: Basic doesn't mean bad
Smartwatches may no longer have to be expensive to be good. Case in point: the Galaxy Watch Active. Pitched as a lower cost version of last year's Galaxy Watch, Samsung has boiled that flagship smartwatch down to its essentials. It ditched the rotating bezel, pared down the design and slapped on the word "Active" to appeal to sportier users. This smartwatch packs all that Samsung's flagship wearable has to offer, but at a fraction of the price, which means you'll have to deal with some minor tradeoffs.
Samsung's 5G Galaxy S10 debuts in South Korea first on April 5th
Samsung's 5G phone will be available for sale in South Korea on April 5th. The launch of the S10 5G comes ahead of South Korea finalizing plans to become the first country to roll-out 5G nationwide. Samsung's phone will likely recruit an onslaught of people onto the new mobile network and serve as a litmus test as more countries expand to 5G in 2019.
Watch Samsung bend the Galaxy Fold hundreds of times
Samsung is attempting to put to rest doubts over the Samsung Galaxy Fold's durability by revealing how each device is tested. The company released a video on Wednesday that shows its devices undergoing a factory stress-test, where a line-up of brand new Samsung Galaxy Folds fold, and then unfold, and then fold again.
Samsung's new soundbars detect what's on screen to optimize output
Samsung has announced its new soundbar lineup: the Q series, optimized for -- you guessed it -- the company's QLED TVs. The HW-Q70R and HW-Q60R are the latest offerings from Samsung's ongoing collaboration with Harman Kardon, with the premium HW-Q70R supporting Dolby Atmos and DTS:X.
Huawei P30 Pro hands-on: Another bid for smartphone camera glory
Since it first partnered with Leica on the P9, Huawei has focused on delivering unique cameras on its flagships. With the P30 and P30 Pro, the company continues that tradition by serving up a four-camera setup with an intriguing new sensor that promises vastly improved performance in low light.
Samsung's Galaxy A70 has a huge display and 32-megapixel selfie camera
Samsung has launched its biggest A-series phone ever, and it has a pretty impressive camera setup, too. The Galaxy A70 packs a 6.7-inch Super AMOLED 20:9 1,080 x 2,400 display with an "Infinity-U" notch. That houses the 32-megapixel, f/2.0 selfie camera that beats the main camera on many other phones. On the back is a 32-megapixel F1.7 main camera (trumping the 24-megapixel main camera on the last model), an ultra-wide-angle camera and a depth sensor.
Samsung's earnings warning shows the impact of slower iPhone sales
Samsung usually publishes an earnings guidance so investors know what to expect when its full earnings come in. Now, the tech giant has pre-empted its guidance with a warning in what Reuters says is an unprecedented move, perhaps in an effort to prepare its investors for a bad first quarter as early as possible.
NBC shot an entire episode of the 'Tonight Show' with the Galaxy S10+
Samsung is no stranger to using TV events as sales pitches for its smartphones, but now it's taking over an entire TV show. Variety has learned that the March 25th episode of NBC's Tonight Show will replace the usual studio program with a tour of Jimmy Fallon's favorite New York City locales (complete with The Roots and guests) shot entirely with a Galaxy S10+ phone. In essence, it's one long ad for the smartphone's cameras. Samsung's Patricio Paucar isn't shy about the reasoning, either -- it's an attempt to "break through the noise" and get people to pay attention when they might tune out the usual commercials.
Samsung's US marketing lead quits following department investigation
Samsung's US marketing team is in the midst of turmoil, and that might include some high-profile casualties. Wall Street Journal sources claim that Samsung recently fired "several" workers in its American marketing division after an internal investigation into possible violations of policies through dealings with business partners. Not long after, Samsung's marketing chief Marc Mathieu (above) and VP of media and partnerships Jay Altschuler both left -- it's not clear that the events are connected, but the timing is at least raising eyebrows.
Leaked Galaxy Fold pops up in a video with a significant seam
Samsung's first foldable Galaxy phone is still more than a month away from launch, but as tends to happen, it looks like someone has gotten their hands on one early. It's unclear if the one appearing in a phone unlocker's YouTube video is a retail version or an early prototype, but SamMobile notes it appears to originate from Vietnam, which is home to one of the company's manufacturing hubs. The video is a much clearer hands-on than anything we saw that the Galaxy Fold's unveiling event (it stayed in glass cases and in the hands of demonstrators), but what jumps out the most is a visible crease on the unfolded screen.
Engadget giveaway: Win a Samsung Galaxy S10 courtesy of Speck!
Samsung's just finished its recent phone-launch extravaganza leaving several new handsets to choose from. If you're not a fan of super-sized phones like the S10+, but want to spend that little bit extra, you may be angling for the Galaxy S10. It has many of the hallmarks you'd want in a handset: A quality camera, good battery life, a zippy experience and... a headphone jack! It's still a valuable item to be carting along with you on everyday adventures, so slipping it into a protective case like one of Speck's Presidio line is a no-brainer. In fact, Speck has provided us with a Galaxy S10, three of its cases and a GrabTab ($9.95) for one lucky reader this week. The Presidio Grip ($39.95+), V-Grip ($39.95+) and Pro ($39.95+) all have "Impactium shock barrier" drop protection and easy-to-hold exteriors. They're also a slim fit and allow for wireless charging without removing the case. All you need to do is head to the Rafflecopter widget below for up to five chances at winning Samsung's latest, along with the peace of mind that Speck cases can provide. Good luck! Winner: Congratulations to Carlos Y. of Canoga Park, CA!
Google Wear OS at five: Older, wiser, but unpolished
Half a decade has passed since Android Wear debuted. During that time, we've seen in-screen fingerprint readers, rollable TVs, self-driving cars, super-smart AI, phones with folding screens and more. In the midst of all that technological advancement, Android Wear has remained relatively unchanged. In its five years, Google's OS has grown smarter and more useful and has even undergone a serious makeover. But the system, now known as Wear OS, still doesn't feel fully matured.
Samsung's Notebook 9 goes on sale March 17th
Samsung has revealed its Notebook 9 Pen and Notebook 9 Pro will go on sale this Sunday, March 17th. The 2-in-1 Pen, as the name suggests, comes with an S Pen and has an aluminum body that's just under 1.5 centimeters thick on the 13.3" model. There are also versions with a 15-inch screen. The 13.3-inch model weighs 2.47 pounds and the larger versions start at 3.28 pounds. Samsung claims the device offers up to 15 hours of use on a single charge.
Samsung imagines full-screen phone with a camera hidden under the display
Samsung is working on a "perfect full-screen" phone that will be 100 percent display, with no notches, bezels or cut-outs. According to Yang Byung-duk, the company's display R&D vice president, "Technology can move to the point where the camera hole will be invisible, while not affecting the camera's function in any way."
Samsung unveils the highest-capacity smartphone DRAM yet
Samsung has unveiled the highest-capacity smartphone DRAM chip yet, a 12GB LPDDR4X package that will give premium smartphones more memory than the average laptop. The chip will be ideal for complex multi-camera devices and folding smartphones with high-resolution screens. "With more smartphones adopting more features, Samsung has seen increasing demand for higher-capacity DRAM chips from phone makers," the company said.