Tag: samsung

This is how Samsung laughs at Apple for its lack of innovation: the tradition returns for Christmas in the form of an advertisement

Samsung, true to its tradition, has taken a shot at Apple in its latest ad, pointing out that there is no foldable iPhone to compete with the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Galaxy Z Flip 6, and not only that: Apple hasn’t innovated in decades. “Think different… but not too different,” says the voiceover in the ad, mocking Apple’s old marketing slogan. Later in the clip, the owner of a new iPhone asks “what’s new?”, to which a shopping companion responds “who cares?”. The ad shows […]

Samsung, not to miss its traditional appointment, has taken a shot at Apple in its latest ad, pointing out that there is no foldable iPhone to compete with the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Galaxy Z Flip 6, and not only that: that Apple has not innovated for decades.

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“Think different… but not too different,” says the voiceover in the ad, mocking Apple’s old marketing slogan. Later in the clip, the owner of a new iPhone asks “what’s new?” to which a fellow shopper responds “who cares?”

The advertisement shows the Galaxy Z Fold 6 being used to run applications in parallel, and the Galaxy Z Flip 6 being used for live translation, implying that Samsung phones are much more original and innovative than anything coming out of Apple at the moment. They also promote some of the AI image enhancement tools available on Samsung phones.

Samsung hits the mark with a quite clever ad

Almost at the end, the slogan “No one should wait for innovation” appears on the screen. It might be an allusion to the staggered rollout of Apple’s intelligence in iOS.

Regardless of what you might think about the innovation of the iPhone compared to Samsung phones, Samsung is clearly ahead when it comes to foldables. We are still waiting for Apple to launch a foldable iPhone (or a foldable iPad), although rumors about such a device have been circulating for years.

Apparently, according to the latest rumors, there is a foldable iPhone on the way in 2027, and a foldable iPad Pro in 2029, and it seems that these two devices will make use of OLED screens.

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While previous rumors about a foldable iPhone had suggested it might appear next year, this latest leak suggests that we will have to wait a while longer, allowing Samsung to continue mocking its rival for not having foldables in the coming years.

I wish the Samsung Galaxy Ring was as amazing as this revolutionary patent

We have talked a lot about the Galaxy Ring, Samsung’s smart ring designed as a more comfortable and health-focused gadget than current smartwatches. Despite the intentions, this wearable still has a long way to go… especially if it doesn’t lower its price. And the future lies with them, as smart rings are inevitably becoming a popular way to track health and fitness, and it seems that more and more companies want to find ways to make these devices stand out. And Oppo has presented a patent […]

We have talked a lot about the Galaxy Ring, Samsung’s smart ring designed as more comfortable and more focused on health than current smartwatches. Despite the intentions, this wearable still has a long way to go… especially if it doesn’t lower its price.

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The future lies with them, as smart rings are inevitably becoming a popular way to track health and fitness, and it seems that more and more companies want to find ways to make these devices stand out.

Oppo has filed a patent for a smart ring that gives us an interesting idea of how innovative companies can be when they set their minds to it.

OPPO patent discovered by mysmartprice

A modular smart ring

Oppo’s idea for a smart ring is to make it modular. According to the patent, the smart ring consists of three different sections—a ring, a holder, and the electronics—all covered by what appears to be a dome.

The electronic components are placed in the ring, but they can be removed at any time. By making the hardware modular, the patent claims that the ring section will be thinner and lighter, making it more comfortable and suitable to wear with other rings.

Interestingly, the illustrations accompanying the patent show some protrusions that likely conceal the smart ring’s sensors on the top part of the ring.

Apparently, they are attached to the upper section of the “support” and will also be removable. It is not shown, but it is likely that the smart ring will need a section without electronic components to fill the gap left when they are removed.

Perhaps the most striking aspect of the design is the dome that covers the electronic components, giving it an appearance similar to that of a pearl or signet ring.

It is not the most modern design for a ring, despite its high-tech innards, but it is certainly very different from the discreet designs we are seeing for smart rings at the moment.

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Without a doubt, it is an unusual design and concept, but a patent does not mean it will become a real product. Hopefully, we will see it as a final product in a few months.

Samsung may have solved the only major flaw of foldable phones

We all know that foldable phones would be the best option on the market if it weren’t for their high price and the large crease that runs across the screen right where it folds, but Samsung seems to have found the key to solving it. This information comes from the famous leaker Ice Universe, who has one of the best track records when it comes to rumors. Apparently, the “crease control” of the upcoming special edition of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 is “better than ever.” However, we do not expect this Special Edition model to appear in any […]

We all know that foldable phones would be the best option on the market if it weren’t for their high price and the huge crease that runs across the screen right where it folds, but Samsung seems to have found the key to solve it.

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This information comes from the famous leaker Ice Universe, who has one of the best track records when it comes to rumors. Apparently, the “wrinkle control” of the upcoming special edition of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 is “better than ever.”

Now, we do not expect this Special Edition model to appear anywhere outside of South Korea and China, but it bodes well for the future foldables from Samsung that will be more widely available, including the Galaxy Z Fold 7.

An ultra-flexible crystal to solve the issue

According to respected industry analyst Ross Young, the improvement may be due to Samsung using ultra-flexible glass (UFG) for the first time: this high-strength panel technology is slightly thinner around the fold, resulting in a more uniform appearance.

The foldable screen technology has improved significantly over the years, let’s not forget that the first Galaxy Fold phone was launched in 2019, but these screens are still not completely flat when opened outward, due to the underlying hinge.

Even in our favorite foldable phones, including the Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold and the OnePlus Open, the crease remains visible despite the technological improvements in recent years.

We will have to wait to see for ourselves how much Samsung has progressed in this department, but it is fair to say that progress is being made year after year. And apparently, the issue with folds is one of the reasons why we haven’t seen a foldable iPhone yet.

Regarding the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 Special Edition, previously leaked renders have suggested that it will be a thinner model, with larger screens on both the inside and outside.

Samsung releases an ad mocking Apple’s latest commercial… with an unfortunate ending

The ad, which we’ve left down below, showed a bunch of professional equipment gradually being crushed by a hydraulic press.

A few days ago Apple introduced the world to its new 2024 iPads, with special focus on the iPad Pro with M4 chip and only 5 mm thick. The event was amazing, the problem is that they made an unfortunate announcement to present these new tablets.

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The ad, which we leave below, showed a lot of professional equipment (mixing tables, instruments, computer equipment, etc.) that was gradually being crushed by a giant hydraulic press.

After crushing everything, under the press, the iPad Pro with M4 chip appeared. The message was clear: this thin and light product is capable of doing what previously required a whole room full of professional and expensive equipment.

And Samsung responds with a very beautiful ad… until it ends

Apple received a ton of criticism for its announcement of the iPad Pro M4, after which the company had to apologize and assured that it would not use this marketing material on television, but it would only remain for social media.

Naturally, this announcement caught Samsung’s attention, and the Korean giant wasted no time trying to discredit its biggest rival in the smartphone space with its own advertisement posted on Twitter with the caption that says: ‘We would never crush creativity. #UnCrush’.

A new advertisement shows a musician walking through the same area where that huge hydraulic press caused havoc before, picking up a partially destroyed acoustic guitar.

Next, take a seat, with a Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra placed right in front of you, showing you which musical notes to play. Right at the end of the ad, Samsung says: “Creativity cannot be crushed”, in a direct reference to Apple.

But, here comes the twist, at the end of the ad a message appears that says: Galaxy Tab S9 Series, with Galaxia AI. Yes, the company that says it won’t crush creativity announces that they also use AI. Dark times for artists.

Samsung’s AI will reach the entire Galaxy S family

The next Samsung update will bring two Galaxy AI features, Circle to Search and Magic Rewrite, to the models…

Samsung announced a few weeks ago that artificial intelligence will be its main product from now on, that’s why it is deploying AI within all its high-end smartphones.

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According to 9to5Google and Android Central, Samsung plans to bring some Galaxy AI features to several of its older phones and tablets next month through the One UI 6.1 update.

Both refer to a message from a Samsung representative published on the company’s community forum in Korea.

Samsung wants AI to reach all its models

A slightly trimmed-down version of Galaxy AI (without Instant Slow-Mo) will be coming to Samsung flagship devices starting in 2022, specifically to the S22, S22 Plus, S22 Ultra, Z Fold 4, Z Flip 4, Tab S8, and Tab S8 Ultra models.

Every device will receive the same version of Galaxy AI as the more affordable Samsung Galaxy S23 FE. The Instant Slow-Mo feature, which automatically plays a video in slow motion when touched, was introduced in Galaxy AI in the S24 family, but is now also available in the S23 models.

This means that if you have a flagship Samsung phone from 2021, a surprise awaits you. The next Samsung update will bring two Galaxy AI features, Circle to Search and Magic Rewrite, to the S21, S21 Plus, S21 Ultra, Flip 3, and Fold 3 models.

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Samsung assures us that their personal assistant is not dead

The company is working very hard to equip its voice assistant with artificial intelligence functions. Samsung does not plan to kill off Bixby.

Many people are not familiar with Bixby, but Samsung users have had to endure the virtual assistant for the past decade, with varying degrees of success. With the arrival of AI to Samsung, many did not know what would happen to Bixby.

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A Samsung executive has declared to CNBC that the company is “working very hard” to equip its voice assistant with artificial intelligence functions, suggesting that the company sees Géminis as a competitor, not as a substitute.

It’s good to know, because rumors were talking about an imminent death of Bixby. Earlier this year, when Samsung announced a bunch of new generative AI features for its flagship phones, their voice assistant was barely mentioned.

Bixby is not dead, just in the AI workshop

Samsung and Google also emphasized that the Galaxy S24 phones would use Gemini Nano, the AI model on the Google device. It wouldn’t have been far-fetched to see Samsung replace Bixby with the Gemini-powered Google Assistant, but apparently, that’s not the plan.

Won-joon Choi, executive vice president of mobile at Samsung, told CNBC: “I think we need to redefine the role of Bixby, so that Bixby can be equipped with generative AI,” and added that it would have to be “smarter” and capable of conversing more naturally.

Samsung is not the only technology company that is trying to incorporate AI into its voice assistant: it is expected that Apple will announce an AI-powered Siri at this year’s WWDC.

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Meanwhile, the AI features of the Galaxy S24 have arrived on last year’s phones through the One UI 6.1 update. Galaxy AI, as the whole package is called, is currently free. If Samsung plans to charge for its AI features in the future, it will have to offer much more than it is capable of doing now. Whatever that vision may be, Bixby seems to be a part of it.

More than a decade later, Samsung would prove Apple right

Rumors suggest that Samsung might be willing to shake things up again, considering a square design for its future Wear OS watch.

The world of smartwatches is divided between two types of companies: those who believe that screens should be square and those who believe that screens should be round. This dilemma is based on how companies see and understand the smartwatch business.

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Interestingly, when Samsung entered the smartwatch market in 2013, it launched the Galaxy Gear with a square 1.6-inch display. But since the debut of the original Galaxy Watch, they have stuck to circular displays, almost all Android models are circular, imitating the original watch design.

Now, rumors suggest that Samsung might be willing to change things up again, considering a square design for its future Wear OS watch.

Return to square design, as Apple has been doing for a decade

SamMobile reports that Samsung is considering returning to a square design for its smartwatches, similar to its old Galaxy Gear. Apparently, the “idea is being enthusiastically considered internally and the change is very likely to happen”.

The report is lacking in other details, and there is no clarity on whether we could see this change in the Galaxy Watch 7 series by the end of this year or wait for future models. If Samsung had planned such a drastic design change for its Galaxy Watch 2024 lineup, it would have already leaked.

Given the lack of rumors, let’s stay calm about the possibility of the Galaxy Watch 7 coming with a square screen, no matter how much we may want it.

The Samsung Galaxy Watch smartwatches are known for their rotating circular bezel, which makes it easy to navigate through the user interface and long lists. However, if the company adopts a square display for its future Wear OS watches, it is unclear how it will implement the rotating bezel.

Samsung will also have to optimize One UI Watch for the style change of the screen, as the skin is currently optimized for circular screens.

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Apple has been using a square screen on the Apple Watch for years. Compared to a circular screen, a square one can display more information and makes typing easier. Undoubtedly, depending on how you approach the smartwatch, one design is much more optimal than the other.

Samsung wants its ring to be the next big thing

They haven’t specified what sensors the ring contains, but they have mentioned sleep information based on heart rate…

In last month’s Galaxy Unpacked event, Samsung showcased for the first time its Galaxy Ring, a ring that aimed to be a wearable that beats Apple in its own field: health. Now we know a little more about this gadget.

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Several journalists have been able to test it during the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, which started last Sunday: they say it is very lightweight and available in three colors, although Samsung insists that the final product is subject to changes.

The objectives that Samsung has for this new line of products are very interesting, as they do not consider it just another wearable, but part of the company’s vision for a future of environmental detection.

What is the Samsung ring?

Dr. Hon Pak, Vice President of Digital Health at Samsung, has not specified what sensors the ring contains, but has mentioned sleep information based on heart rate, movement, and respiratory indicators.

Dr. Pak claims that Samsung’s collaboration with Natural Cycles (which already tracks menstruation and fertility in its Galaxy Watch series) will also extend to the ring, putting it in direct competition with the Oura ring.

In the Galaxy Ring, the battery size increases slightly as it gets bigger, although Dr. Pak couldn’t provide any exact estimate of the battery life.

The Galaxy Ring will serve as the foundation for a new metric that Samsung will soon introduce in the Health app, called My Vitality Score. It is based on a model from the University of Georgia that incorporates four factors: sleep, activity, resting heart rate, and heart rate variability.

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Dr. Pak envisions a holistic system that supports individual health goals instead of a single device bombarding users with disconnected data.

Samsung believes it can beat Apple on its own turf

A blood sugar meter that doesn’t pierce the skin and a blood pressure monitor seem to be the Korean company’s goals to surpass Apple in its field.

Apple has been trying for years to incorporate a non-invasive glucose meter into its smartwatches, but has always fallen short due to technological limitations.

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Reducing a sensor to a size that can fit into a wearable and take accurate readings is a challenging endeavor, although according to the latest reports, Samsung is reportedly trying to introduce the technology before Apple, which would be a major victory for the Koreans.

Samsung is also studying the possibility of controlling blood pressure and is making a significant investment to achieve its goal. This is all we can see in the Galaxy Ring.

An advancement that can save lives and improve the quality of millions

The recent Galaxy Ring teaser is proof that Samsung is taking seriously the incorporation of features that can provide accurate information about the user’s health.

According to Bloomberg, a non-invasive blood sugar meter and a blood pressure monitor seem to be the company’s goals. In an interview, Hon Pak, who is the head of mobile digital health at Samsung, oversees these efforts and believes that the company will be in a much stronger position if it focuses on blood pressure and glucose control.

“If we are able to control blood pressure and glucose continuously, we will be in a completely different situation,” commented the Samsung executive. “I think everyone wants to get there. We are investing a lot in it.”

When commenting on the function of non-invasive blood glucose monitoring, the executive did not provide a release estimate, although he expects the technology to be available within a five-year timeframe.

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As for why the Galaxy Ring was joked about, Pak says that the device is an alternative for those who don’t want to wear a smartwatch, but still want to track metrics like health and sleep.

Are you interested in the Galaxy S24? Samsung’s artificial intelligence will be free… but only for a limited time

For now, there isn’t much more information, but many of the Galaxy AI functions of the S24 are enabled by Google Cloud…

Surely you heard that Samsung announced its new family of Galaxy S24 phones. This will be Samsung’s high-end model for 2024 and the one that will have to compete with the iPhone 15 and the Google Pixel 8.

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As always, we will see better cameras, better screen, better processor and, most importantly, the addition of having artificial intelligence inside the phone… for a limited time if you don’t pay.

Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra, S24 Plus, and S24 include a wide variety of new AI features, from conversation translation to object removal from photos (Google’s Magic Erase). And they will be available on many previous phones.

But, as discovered by Android Central, the fine print on Samsung’s website reveals that they may not be free forever. And that could be hard to sell.

Free for a limited time, will Samsung convince?

The footnote on the Galaxy S24 Ultra product page is imprecise, but clearly leaves the door open for Samsung to charge in the future: “Galaxy AI features will be offered for free until the end of 2025 on compatible Samsung Galaxy devices. Different terms may apply to AI features provided by third parties.”

Samsung also did not provide much clarification. Drew Blackard, Vice President of Mobile at Samsung US, told The Verge: “We are committed to making Galaxy AI features available to as many of our users as possible. We will not consider any changes in that direction before the end of 2025.”

For now, there is not much more information, but many of the features of Galaxy AI from S24 are enabled by Google Cloud, so either of the two companies could end up putting their features behind a paywall.

It’s not too surprising if we consider how expensive it is to offer these features and run the large AI models that power them. Manufacturers could turn to subscription models to cover these ongoing costs, as they can’t be exactly offset by advertising like Google does with searches.

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But it’s a small change in the way we think about buying a phone: right now, they don’t come with any additional charges besides the purchase price, unless you choose to add a protection plan or additional cloud storage through iCloud or Google One, for example.