The Galaxy S9 should sport the same shape screen as the Galaxy S8, according to The Bell,which also claims that the firm has already placed an order for the 5.8-inch and 6.2-inch Infinity Display panels for the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+, respectively.
Looking to the future, Samsung is also believed to have commissioned its screen-making division, Samsung Display, to start manufacturing the 6.3-inch Infinity Display that’s set to be on board the upcoming Galaxy Note 8 for the Galaxy Note 9.
In addition, the report notes that Samsung is working tirelessly to find a way to feature the on-screen fingerprint recognition technology that was scrapped from the Galaxy S8 at the last minute on the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy Note 9.
If a recent hands-on image is anything to go by, the company should have the optical scanner ready in time as the only technical hurdle it needs to overcome is matching the brightness of the area containing the sensor to the rest of the screen.
It’s a little too early to speculate about both the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy Note 9, though we expect them to feature a Snapdragon 845 processor, at least 6GB of RAM and a dual-camera. They should also ship running Android O.
[THE IVESTOR]Samsung Electronics‘ upcoming flagship smartphone Galaxy S9 is expected to use the same size and shape of the display screen as S8, The Bell reported on July 18.
Citing unnamed industry sources, the report said Samsung has recently informed Samsung Display, its display-making unit, of the S9’s display specifications.
The S9 will have a 5.77-inch display screen, while the bigger S9 Plus will come with a 6.22-inch screen. The same size as the S8 lineup launched in April.
The so-called “infinite” shape is also expected to curb the right and left sides with no home button.
The report said Samsung is likely to attempt again to feature on-screen fingerprint scanning that is missing from the S8 due to technical immaturity.
In the meantime, Samsung has also tentatively decided to use the same 6.32-inch display screen for the Galaxy Note 9 as the upcoming Note 8 that is expected to be unveiled on Aug. 23 in New York.
The report said Samsung is playing it safe with its flagship phones next year rather than taking too many risks.
Picking the right smartphone can be tough. With Apple, Samsung, LG, HTC and plenty of other manufacturers releasing handsets at a steady clip, it can be difficult to keep up with each and every launch. We use our smartphones for work, play and everything in between, so it’s important to settle on the right blend of hardware, operating system and price tag that makes sense for you.
After all, you’re likely going to be spending anywhere from 18 months to two years of your life with your new handset, unless your budget allows you to upgrade on whim. Deciding between so many candidates can be a bit of a struggle, but we’re here to help with our guide to the best smartphones around.
Article prices are based on the RRP, but more up-to-date listings can be found in the buyers guide widget below.
Apple iPhone 6s
Score: 91/100
Apple’s follow-up to the iPhone 6 isn’t as much of an incremental update as some were expecting. The 6s is more powerful and carries a pressure-sensitive display, not to mention significant improvements in the camera department. As well as simply being another easy-to-use iOS device, new features include the “3D Touch” panel, which lets you “peek” inside apps, surfacing information and actions without opening the app fully. The upgraded 12-megapixel camera has a few tricks of its own, too, like the new 4K video mode and animated “Live Photos.” New Rose Gold option aside, though, the iPhone 6s is practically identical in looks to its predecessor. It’s not cheap either, so iPhone 6 owners might find it hard to justify an upgrade.
In a sentence: Apple’s iPhone 6s is a great phone and safe bet, especially for anyone moving from an older 5 or 5s.
Price: £539 and up
Samsung Galaxy S7
Score: 90/100
Samsung’s Galaxy S7 takes everything that made the S6 great and improves upon it. The outcome is a flagship with a gorgeous Quad HD display, outstanding performance and subtle design tweaks that make the marriage of metal and glass that bit more appealing. Those already leaning in Samsung’s direction will be thankful for the return of expandable storage, with cards of up to 200GB capacity finding a microSD slot to call home. An IP68 water- and dust-resistant rating only sweetens the proposition. Only minor progress has been made in the imaging department, but the S7 has a capable and versatile camera nonetheless. A steep price is one of the only downsides of the device, but you’re paying for premium.
In a sentence: Easily one of the best Android smartphones available.
Motorola’s made a name for itself putting out great devices at reasonable prices, and the Moto X Style is a perfect example of that philosophy. A fondness for larger displays is a must. If that’s the case you’ll get a pleasing 5.7-inch Quad HD display to poke at, and Moto Maker means you can customise an already expedient design with whatever colour and texture combination you see fit. Purists in particular will enjoy the vanilla Android build with a light drizzle of Motorola chocolate sauce on top. The Moto X Style has a great camera, too, even if it isn’t quite as good as those on some rival devices. Similarly, the handset offers flagship performance, but it’s not the most powerful device around. There are compromises, but none that should tempt you to overlook the Moto X Style considering its relatively low price.
In a sentence: An expert lesson in striking the balance between user experience and price.
Price: £369 and up
Apple iPhone SE
Score: 89/100 Many people felt left behind by Apple’s turn to bigger-screened iPhones, and the SE is an attempt to regain their favour. The 4-inch form factor feels both familiar and fresh in its design — like an iPhone 5s with softer curves — and the SE benefits from the inclusion of the same internals found in the iPhone 6s, meaning it’s lightning fast. The two also share the same, excellent camera, though the iPhone SE lacks “3D Touch” functionality and possesses an older, slower Touch ID fingerprint sensor. Still, it offers fantastic battery life and happens to be the cheapest iPhone Apple’s ever sold. Oh, and lest we forget: Rose Gold.
In a sentence: A no-brainer for champions of the 4-inch form factor wanting to upgrade from an older iPhone.
Price: £359 and up
HTC 10
Score: 88/100
The HTC 10 marks the end of a few uneventful years at the company, defined by a series of unremarkable flagships. But what a return to form. The HTC 10’s sleek, all-metal design packages a 5.2-inch Quad HD display and internals that are almost unmatched in their performance. While its competent 12-UltraPixel camera isn’t the best on the market and battery life is distinctly average, HTC has cleaned up its Android skin and included a few attractive extras like hi-res audio support and AirPlay compatibility. HTC has again created a flagship handset that can hang with the best of ’em, but that means you’re looking at premium pricing to match.
In a sentence: On the podium as one of the top Android smartphones on the market.
Price: £570
Google Nexus 6P
Score: 87/100
The Nexus 6P is another device for those who prefer a larger-than-average screen. The 5.7-inch, Wide Quad HD display isn’t all the handset has to offer, though, with an abundance of processing power and impressive battery life. Being a Google device, the Nexus 6P also receives Android updates as soon as they become available, so you’ll always be on the latest version. Combine all these features with a solid camera, and you get a large-screen smartphone at a pretty competitive price. However, it’s worth bearing in mind the Nexus 6P lacks a microSD slot to expand storage, and its all-metal design is like the smartphone equivalent of Marmite.
In a sentence: A great option for people who like a larger screen that also benefits from the most up-to-date Android software.
Price: £449 and up.
Moto G
Score: 87/100
When Motorola launched the first Moto G a few years ago, it immediately stood out as offering unparalleled value for money. Now in its third generation, the Moto G is still one of the best all-round smartphones for anyone on a budget, or those that would rather not pay for bells and whistles they’ll get little use out of. While it doesn’t excel in any one area and ignores flagship-grade components to keep costs down, there are no particularly uninviting compromises either. The Moto G’s outward appearance can also be heavily personalised using Moto Maker, at which point avid mobile gamers and users of more demanding apps might want to pay a little extra for more RAM and internal storage.
In a sentence: A decent, affordable Android smartphone that makes minimal sacrifices to hit its low price point.
Price: £149 and up.
OnePlus 2
Score: 86/100
OnePlus is in the business of making serious smartphones and selling them for a fraction of the price of competitors. Case in point: the OnePlus 2. It has all the guts and performance of a market-leading flagship, with style and build quality being far from an afterthought. Those features alone make the price tag easy to justify, and that’s without mentioning the versatile 13-megapixel camera. OnePlus has held back in a couple of areas, understandably, such as opting for a 5.5-inch 1080p display instead of a Quad HD panel. Other compromises include a lack of expandable storage and NFC, which are likely to be either deal-breakers or features you can easily live without.
In a sentence: A inexpensive, near-flagship device that prioritises performance and price.
Price: £249
LG G5
Score: 81/100
LG has released some excellent flagship smartphones in the past, but this year the company has skipped an incremental upgrade in favour of something much more adventurous. Top-tier performance and fun, flexible dual-camera array aside, the bottom bezel of the device is completely removable, making space for a couple of modular accessories LG calls “Friends.” These include a hi-res audio attachment and a camera grip that also extends battery life, which is pretty average otherwise. At this point, however, you have look beyond the few accessories currently available and hope others will explore the potential of the modular design even further.
In a sentence: A powerful Android smartphone that dares to be different
Price: £449
Sony Xperia Z5
Score: 80/100
The Xperia Z5 is either another of Sony’s beautiful, polished products, or a slightly lazy attempt to tweak its tired “Omnibalance” design. Regardless of which side of the fence you find yourself on, you can’t dispute the build quality and high waterproof rating. The Xperia Z5 offers the kind of performance you’d expect from a genuine flagship, but pairs that with a 5.2-inch 1080p display. Gorgeous it might be, but it does fall short of competitors’ higher-resolution screens. What your money is primarily going towards is the 23-megapixel rear camera, which happens to be one of the best on the market. The Xperia Z5 isn’t cheap, but it won’t disappoint serious smartphone photographers.
In a sentence: Another lovingly built Sony smartphone with one of the best cameras around.
Price: £469
Wileyfox Swift
Score: 79/100
Fledgling British brand Wileyfox has made an extremely good first impression with the Swift. Like the Moto G, the Swift is all about crafting a low-cost smartphone that still provides an excellent user experience. With a relatively charming, all-plastic design, a bright 5-inch, 720p display and easily customisable Cyanogen software, there’s plenty to like. You also get a decent amount of processing power for an affordable device, though the 13-megapixel camera leaves quite a lot to be desired. However, aside from its underwhelming camera, the Swift deserves serious consideration if you’re after a good smartphone that doesn’t weigh heavily on your wallet.
In a sentence: An affordable Android smartphone that represents excellent value for money.
Samsung’s new flagship handsets come with 159 new emojis as well as a number of additional emoji font changes. This is the first time that Samsung has added a new set of emoji since it released the Galaxy S5 back in 2014. Most of the additions come from Unicode 7.0 and Unicode 8.9 releases, however as we’ve seen on other platforms, some previous Unicode characters given emoji status retroactively have also been added.
Some of the new emoji that can be found in the Galaxy S7 include the robot face, hot dog, burrito, nerd face and even the middle finger. The entire list of new additions can be viewed here. The Galaxy S7 and the Galaxy S7 edge come with the new emoji right out of the box and existing Galaxy devices that get the Android 6.0 Marshmallow update will get the new emojis as well
As the world wraps up 2015, one renowned toy expert remains exceptionally occupied. Santa Claus is working around the clock to ensure a joyful and Merry Christmas. One his favorite new products – the Galaxy View – has made his preparations not only more convenient but downright enjoyable!
A New Addition to the Ho, Ho, Home Office
Boasting a large, 18.4-inch screen and captivating display, the Galaxy View was designed for entertainment. While Santa does enjoy binge-watching his favorite television series from time to time, he specifically likes the gadget for its productivity features and uses it to complete important tasks, such as checking the latest toy trends or shopping for bulk supplies of coal.
“The device’s ultra-large touch screen makes multitasking a cinch, which comes in handy when I need to update the naughty and nice list while checking my email,” Santa notes. “Things sure are easier now that I get Christmas lists sent directly to my inbox. I haven’t had to make a single trip to the post office so far this year.”
The Galaxy View, which is equipped with a stand, also comes in handy when Santa conducts meetings at his home office. “The head elves must be constantly educated on the latest in toy manufacturing, and the large screen, sharp graphics and crisp, clear audio of the device ensure that the presentations are engaging and delivered effectively.”
And for those moments when he needs to keep a closer eye on his workshop, the device’s front-facing camera allows for video chatting in real time so he can ensure that the toy production line and gift wrapping department are running smoothly.
Entertainment for Every Room of the House
When Santa needs a break from his hectic workload, he lets off steam by releasing his inner gamer. A long-time fan of console games, Santa especially loves S Console, a feature developed to bring mobile games to the big screen of the Galaxy View. Though the service, users can connect their smartphones to play mobile games in a more traditional way, without the need for a console.
His favorite game genre? Vehicle simulation. The flight simulators in particular, he claims, help him prepare for his annual trip around the world.
The attached handle and light weight, at only 2.65 kg, makes it easy to transfer the Galaxy View from the home office to the living room to the kitchen, where the Santa family uses the Galaxy View for browsing holiday recipes and watching instructional videos when cooking together.
A Device for the Whole Family
As things have become quite chaotic over the past couple weeks, Family Square—a specialized app inspired by the notes that busy family members leave for one another on refrigerators and countertops—allows the happy couple to communicate more easily.
“The missus loves Family Square because it lets her send me reminders to give Rudolph a bath or to not eat too many cookies in one sitting. I’ve started getting those reminders on a daily basis,” he jokes.
The Santa residence also uses Family Square to share photos and doodles on the device, which can be interconnected with one another’s smartphones. In this way, it brings them all a little closer, which is the one thing the man of the house is hoping to do more of when his holiday obligations for the year have been fulfilled.
In fact, Santa and his family have already planned a holiday movie marathon for the evening of Santa’s return from his big trip around the world—an evening where the long battery life of the Galaxy View will most certainly come in handy.
We confirmed multiple times in the recent months that Samsung will release at least two variants of the Galaxy S7. One variant will feature the company’s own Exynos 8890 chipset, while the other variant will come equipped with Qualcomm’sSnapdragon 820 SoC. The benchmark scores of the Exynos variant were leakedmultiple times recently. Now, the benchmark scores of the Galaxy S7 with Snapdragon 820 have surfaced on the Internet, which shows that both variants have similar performance.
A post found on Weibo by a Chinese tipster supports that fact that a variant of the Galaxy S7 will indeed come with the Snapdragon 820, and that its performance was tested using Geekbench’s benchmarking suite. According to the post, the device scored 2,456 points in the single-core performance test, while the multi-core test score was 5,423 points, which points towards impressive performance. The Snapdragon 820 uses four Kryo CPU cores with two cores clocked at 2.2GHz and the remaining cores clocked at 1.6-1.7GHz.
Geekbench (Single-Core)
Geekbench (Multi-Core)
Samsung Galaxy S7 (Snapdragon 820)
2,456
5,423
Samsung Galaxy S7 (Exynos 8890)
2,294
6,908
Apple iPhone 6s Plus (Apple A9)
2,495
4,351
Apple iPad Pro (Apple A9X)
3,222
5,468
Instead of using ARM’s stock CPU designs, Samsung and Qualcomm have used their own custom CPU cores in these chipsets. Samsung recently announced the Exynos 8890 with M1 cores and Mali-T880MP12 GPU. If this information is legit, buyers of the Galaxy S7 in the US, China, and some other markets, where Samsung will release the Snapdragon 820 variant, need not worry about the phone’s performance. The Galaxy S7 will reportedly use a specialised variant of the Snapdragon 820 with thermal heat pipes.
A couple of months back when Qualcomm was yet to fully unveil the Snapdragon 820 it was rumored that the new chipset was also facing overheating issues like its predecessor the Snapdragon 810, Qualcomm was quick to shoot down those rumors and said that the Snapdragon 820 performed well within the parameters. Nevertheless it remains a concern for those who never fully took Qualcomm at its word that the Snapdragon 810 didn’t have any problems with overheating even though there was ample evidence to support the findings.
A new report out of Asia claims that to ensure that the Snapdragon 820 does cause such problems for the Galaxy S7 Samsung is now seeking internal heat pipe suppliers for its next flagship handset. The company is apparently experimenting with several different types and shapes of heat pipes, it will decide based on these experiments whether or not to include a heat pipe in the Galaxy S7 for the purpose of heat dissipation. This method has already been used in devices like the OnePlus 2 and the Sony Xperia Z5 Premium for this exact same purpose, it really won’t be groundbreaking at all if Samsung decides to do the same with the Galaxy S7. We exclusively confirmed a few months back that Samsung is going to release two models of the Galaxy S7 with variants being powered by either the Exynos 8890 or Snapdragon 820 processor based on the market.
Samsung announced the sequels to the Galaxy A3, Galaxy A5 and Galaxy A7 today. Set to launch in China this month before expanding to other markets, the 2016 iterations of the A3, A5 and A7 pack a potent mix of hardware, with features like a fingerprint sensor, cameras with optical image stabilization, and a premium metal and glass design. Like all of its official smartphone announcements, Samsung didn’t talk about the pricing, but Samsung Benelux has kindly offered us the official price tags for the Galaxy A3 and Galaxy A5 (2016).
The Galaxy A3 (2016) will be priced at €329, while the Galaxy A5 (2016) will cost €399. These prices are slightly higher than the launch prices for the original A3 and A5 but aren’t exactly too high for what is on offer. Well, the A3 isn’t exactly as huge an upgrade as the new A5 (or the A7), but the premium design is likely the reason for the, um, premium that consumers will have to pay for the device.
We are not aware of the price for the Galaxy A7 (2016), but we expect it to cost https://sydneycbd.repair/?s=
going by the price difference between the other two handsets. You should keep in mind that these prices are for Europe and could vary in other markets, and we will be updating this post with all the pricing information we learn in the coming days.
Samsung’s Galaxy S and Note smartphones usually get the most fuss, but it’s arguably the Galaxy A series that matters most. These are the affordable phones that you’re more likely to see in some parts of the world, and they’re what keep the company going. It’s a big deal, then, that Samsung just launched 2016 upgrades to the entire Galaxy A line. The 4.7-inch A3, 5.2-inch A5 and 5.5-inch are all sleeker than their ancestors, with narrower bezels and other cues clearly borrowed from the Galaxy S6. However, the real selling point may be shopping. Both the A5 and A7 are the company’s first non-flagships to support Samsung Pay — you no longer need to splurge just to use a Galaxy phone in place of your credit card.
Not that they’re slouches otherwise.
All of them have sharper displays (720p on the A3, 1080p on the A5 and A7), faster processors (1.5GHz quad-core and 1.6GHz octa-core) and higher-capacity batteries. You’ll also find optical image stabilization on the 13-megapixel cameras for the two higher-end models, although little has changed for the 5-megapixel front shooters. And yes, despite the trend among higher-end Samsung handsets, they still have microSD card slots to expand their built-in 16GB of storage.
China gets first crack at the new Galaxy A series in mid-December, and you’ll see the line spread to other countries after that. That’s unfortunate if you want to pick up a Galaxy A before the year is out, but it makes sense given Samsung’s recent troubles. On top of its lackluster high-end sales, it’s being squeezed at the low end by Chinese rivals like Huawei and Xiaomi, which offer feature-packed phones for very little cash. Samsung needs these new budget models if it wants to bounce back in the country.
launched in October has been a welcomed surprise in the world of wearable technology. Introducing a circular design with an innovative rotating bezel UX, the Gear S2 makes navigating applications and checking the notifications smooth, easy and intuitive.
This upbeat video emphasizes the Gear S2’s rotating bezel and its circular UX, navigating through the music, S Health and notification features, which are represented by a group of core performers. A mix of choreography, projections and unexpected props makes every scene of this video unique.
[The cast of the “Human Kaleidoscope” come together, arms outstretched, showing the power of the circle.]
The “Human Kaleidoscope”
production features a diverse cast of over 150 performers that includes musicians, athletes and dancers who enact a variety of common actions. They are all choreographed together for one epic performance, captured live on camera. This represents Samsung’s playful, fun side, showing the human personification of the Gear S2, put to energetic music.
Shot in large from an aerial perspective, the performers truly encapsulate the power of the circle, a symbol of unity, wholeness and timelessness. By setting up a projector and camera to hover 70 inches above the ground, the full scale of the production could be captured.
[Projector and camera set up for aerial shots used for the “Human Kaleidoscope”.]
The innovative design and functionality of the newest Samsung smartwatch, along with Samsung’s extensive list of partners and apps for the Gear S2, make it perfect for organization and productivity. But the Gear S2 is not just for discreetly checking notifications and responding to messages during meetings. The Gear S2 is perfect for music lovers, fitness enthusiasts, social networkers and anyone with a creative and active lifestyle.
With Samsung’s mobile Gear VR headset hitting stores in time for the holidays, a deluge of new VR users is on the way. If you’re among them, here’s three quick warnings you should heed.
1. Never Leave Your Gear VR Face Down or Outside
As a mobile VR headset, Gear VR is easily portable and may find itself resting on the coffee table of a living room, taken to a friend’s house, or even used outside on the patio. In any case, never leave your Gear VR headset face down (lenses up) or outside. If the sun catches the lenses at the wrong angle it can focus the rays onto your phone screen like a magnifying glass, possibly ruining the screen of your precious (and expensive!) phone.
This issue affects other headsets as well. At least one Oculus Rift user accidentally fried their device and shared the warning:
There is now a burn mark in the center of my left part of the screen from where the sunlight was focused into a small fire. I hope this save’s someone else from making the same mistake.
The face down position is especially prominent when using the Gear VR without any straps attached (like a View-Master), so be extra careful when passing it around that someone doesn’t inadvertently rest it face down, putting it in a vulnerable position as the sun sweeps across the sky and its rays across the room.
2. Never Use Gear VR Without a Phone Docked in the Headset
Gear VR is compatible with a number of different phones (depending upon which headset you have). Without a phone locked into the headset, the lenses, which normally focus light from the display into your eye, are exposed. If you are wearing the headset with no phone and accidentally look at a powerful light you can risk damaging your vision as the rays from that light will be focused into your eye. NEVER look at the sun through the bare headset.
3. Gear VR Should Not Be Used by Anyone Younger than 13
Samsung and Oculus’ official stance is that Gear VR should not be used by anyone less than 13 years old. The Gear VR manual reads:
The Gear VR should not be used by children under the age of 13. Watching videos or playing games with the Gear VR may affect the visual development of children.
Although Gear VR is fun and accessible, it may be best to play it safe even if the youngsters are begging for a try. For those older than 13, Samsung still urges caution for extended use:
When children, age 13 or older, use the Gear VR, adults should limit their usage time and ensure they take frequent breaks. Adults should monitor children closely after using the Gear VR if children feel discomfort.
