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Huawei Mate Xs 2: Does Huawei’s Galaxy Fold killer prove Samsung is doing foldables wrong?

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It was 2019 when Huawei phones were still able to run Google apps natively. Again, back in 2019, together with Samsung, the two biggest Android phone-makers (at the time) started a revolution that was going to be talked about for years to come.

The Huawei Mate X and Galaxy Fold were announced in February and eventually made it to the shelves, bringing an ocean of ambition and a large pool of imperfections. They were anything but finished products that probably shouldn’t have been released, but what I want to focus on is their potential. The Mate X and Galaxy Fold marked the beginning of the foldable phone race, and this one isn’t slowing down!

As you might know, Samsung’s 2020 and 2021 Galaxy Fold successors decided to follow a linear upgrade pattern with some obvious changes that should’ve been there from the beginning (Galaxy Z Fold 2), or some appreciated but yet incremental improvements (Galaxy Z Fold 3).And despite being a massive upgrade over the original Galaxy Fold (the bar wasn’t set high), Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 3 is still facing challenges that troubled the company’s foldables phones from day one…
  • The Fold 3 is still awkwardly shaped when closed
  • It still has the most prominent crease and gap we’ve ever seen on a foldable
  • It’s still heavier, bulkier, and less capable in some key areas compared to a slab phone

Meanwhile, although the Chinese foldable contender was visibly shaken by the (ongoing) US trade embargo that cut the company’s stream of Google apps and access to key hardware components, Huawei… persisted.In fact, in the midst of the trade ban, the company from Shenzhen pulled off a tech miracle, becoming the first phone-maker to surpass Samsung and/or Apple and become the world’s biggest phone manufacturer – a lead that Huawei held just for a few months back in 2020.

Despite the hard times, Huawei’s overachieving, ambition-filled, and innovation-driven corporate culture remained intact, and the Huawei Mate Xs 2 is here to deliver the proof. What’s left is to see if progressive thinking and impressive engineering are enough to convince western audiences that outward-folding phones without Google apps are the way to go.

Easy task! Huh?

Mate Xs 2: Huawei goes back to its foldable roots; throws shade at Samsung’s thick Fold 3, and Apple’s conservative iPhone 13



I sat through the 20-minute Mate Xs 2 presentation, delivered by yours truly, Richard Yu (in fluent Mandarin), so you don’t have to. You’re welcome! I’ll take a statue by the East Coast.

Anyway… What I wanted to try and understand was exactly how Huawei is planning to compete with the likes of the Galaxy Z Fold 3, Oppo Find N, Vivo X Fold, and Honor Magic V, or in other words, inner folding phones. And thanks to my Google Pixel 6 Pro, which is somewhat fluent in Chinese because of its ability to translate conversations and text, I think I managed to get the gist of it!

Huawei really believes in the outward folding design, and if we look at what the company’s managed to achieve here, it’s hard to argue with the end result. In true Huawei spirit, there were a bunch of Galaxy and iPhone comparisons throughout the presentation, which, of course, aimed at painting Huawei in a positive light.

But let’s see if Richard Yu & Co have anything to brag about…

Huawei Mate Xs 2: As light as an iPhone and with a bigger battery than the Galaxy – is this the most “normal” foldable to date?



Huawei’s Mate Xs 2 sets a few foldable phone records that prove the outward foldable form-factor shouldn’t be overlooked by rival companies. As someone who’s spent a good amount of time actively using the Galaxy Z Fold 3, the first thing that stands out to from the Mate’s spec sheet is how much lighter the Mate Xs 2 is compared to Samsung’s foldable or any other inner-folding phone on the market:

  • Huawei Mate Xs (255g or 257g for 12/512GB version)
  • Galaxy Z Fold 3 (271g)
  • Oppo Find N (275g)
  • Honor Magic V (293g)
  • Huawei Mate X2 (295g)
  • Vivo X Fold (311g)

I’ve done it many times but I won’t get tired of repeating that phone weight matters, and it makes a much more significant difference to the user experience than you might think.

Let’s not ignore the fact that, as of now, foldables are in the same place where slab phones were about ten years ago – they must get thinner and lighter at all costs.

Unlike laptops or large tablets where a difference of 10, 20 or even 50g will likely go unnoticed, for a device that you hold in one hand, even as little as 5g can make a difference. But the Honor Mate Xs 2 has achieved something truly beyond anyone’s expectations here…The Mate Xs 2 is:
  • 16g or 6.2% lighter than the Galaxy Z Fold 3
  • 20g or 7.8% lighter than the truly tiny Oppo Find N
  • 38g or 14.9% lighter than the much bulkier Honor Magic V
  • 40g or 15.6% lighter than the Mate X2 – Huawei’s own inner-fold
  • 56g or 21.9% lighter than the Vivo X Fold, which is heavier than an iPad mini 6

But here comes another kicker…

The Huawei Mate Xs 2 is so far ahead of the competition when it comes to weight that we need to compare it to “normal” flagship phones to understand exactly how light it is for what it is.

And when we do, we find out that the Mate Xs 2 is only about 15 grams heavier than an iPhone 13 Pro Max and actually lighter than Apple’s biggest flagship when the latter is in a case! What?!

  • Huawei Mate Xs 2 = 255g/257g
  • iPhone 13 Pro Max in a standard case ≈ 265g

Frankly, foldables aside, this clearly means that Apple is in an urgent need to trim down the weight on their flagship phones, but at the same time, it tells us how far Huawei has come, and that is… very far. The original Huawei Mate X weighed a whopping 300 grams. Yep.

Mate Xs 2 battery size: Is Huawei’s 2022 foldable an engineering miracle?

But surely, if Huawei’s 2022 foldable is the lightest on the market and more lightweight than an iPhone 13 Pro Max in a case, it must have a tiny battery? Well, actually… Quite the opposite!

  • Huawei Mate Xs 2 – 4880 mAh battery (12/512GB version) or 4600 mAh for the standard version
  • Honor Magic V – 4750 mAh battery
  • Vivo X Fold – 4600 mAh battery
  • Huawei Mate X2 – 4500 mAh battery
  • Oppo Find N – 4500 mAh battery
  • Galaxy Z Fold 3 – 4400 mAh battery

For starters, setting apart the highest-end Mate Xs 2 model from the entry-level one by giving it a bigger battery might be a first-ever for two devices that share the same dimensions but… You do you, Huawei.Anyway, packing what’s nearly a 5000 mAh cell into a foldable device that’s just 11mm thick when closed and 5.4mm when unfolded is nothing short of incredible. Don’t forget that the Mate Xs 2 is also notably lighter than all of the above-mentioned phones.

Of course, we’ll have to wait for our review unit and further testing to tell if the bigger battery will be as game-changing as it appears to be.

The Huawei Mate Xs might just be the most “normal” foldable phone we’ve ever seen



Sure, the weight and battery magic Huawei’s managed to pull off are indeed the most impressive features of the new Mate Xs 2.

However, this company is also promising that this time around, the hinge mechanism of the device is sturdier, thanks to layers of titanium alloy that sit beneath the display. Furthermore, the hinge is said to be improved and tighter than before, which would be a very welcome upgrade. Early hands-on reviews by Chinese media seem to approve of that.

But in the end, I want to point out something else…

If we forget all the technical details (which are very impressive), I believe Huawei’s goal was to create the most “normal” foldable phone that doesn’t feel like a remote control when closed or a bad tablet when opened. And… it seems like they did it!

Yes, I believe Huawei’s outer-folding design is the way to go (for the record, I always believed that), and as of now, it’s the only design that allows a foldable phone to feel as close to a standard phone as possible which is crucial for the user experience.

Apart from that (and if we do want to go back to technicalities), the Mate Xs 2’s outer-folding design brings another host of improvements over inner-folding phones:

  • There’s no camera bump, which means the phone won’t rock when placed on a table
  • You can use the primary cameras on the phone without having to hold it in its tablet form
  • The Kindle-like grip on the right side of the Mate Xs 2 makes the phone easy to hold with one hand when unfolded, especially given how light it is
  • You can use the rear portion of the screen as a viewfinder for the person you’re taking a photo of when the phone is closed, which isn’t possible with an inner-folding phone
  • You have the same screen whether the phone is folded or unfolded, meaning you never have to choose between two different displays (in terms of feel or sometimes even technical capabilities)
Moreover, Huawei’s nearly eliminated the crease and promised that the Mate Xs 2 is the foldable phone with the flattest display in the business – a claim that I might have to agree with, judging by the early comparisons I’ve come across online.

The Mate Xs 2 also features two of the Huawei P50 Pro’s excellent flagship cameras – the 50MP primary sensor (without OIS) and the same 13MP ultra-wide-angle shooter. The third lens onboard is a 3x optical zoom one, which matches phones like the iPhone 13 Pro and Galaxy S22. Knowing Huawei’s legacy of incredible smartphone cameras, it’s safe to assume this one will deliver superb performance.

The Huawei Mate Xs 2 won’t be as expensive as expected… not even close

The cherry on top here is that the Mate Xs 2 costs just $1,500! Of course, if you travel to China to get one…

We expect the Mate Xs 2 to go on sale in other markets, but as of now, we don’t know exactly when this will happen. However, according to some of my sources, the global version of the device will most likely cost about $1,800, which isn’t affordable, but isn’t exactly beyond my expectations either, given that just the display on the Mate Xs 2 costs about $500.

In fact, this is a massive price difference compared to Huawei’s previous folding phones, which were approaching the $3,000 mark, and a sign that Huawei really believes in this form factor and wants more people to get their hands on it as soon as possible.

In the end: Would you buy a Huawei Mate Xs 2 if it ran Google apps?

Despite looking like the best foldable device that’s seen the light of day, there are two challenges ahead of the Mate Xs 2. Thankfully, Huawei’s been working hard and tried to address both, or at least make them less of a problem. Of course I’m referring to:

  • Durability
  • Lack of Google apps

Firstly, the company promises the Mate Xs 2 is more durable than the Mate Xs thanks to the use of a titanium alloy layer that sits beneath the display. The company also provides an interesting case in the box that’s designed to stay on the Mate Xs 2 when the phone is folded but also unfolded. Needless to say, this significantly reduces the likelihood of breaking the phone’s display since this one won’t be exposed at all times.

As far as Google apps are concerned, Huawei phones still can’t run those, and to all tech enthusiasts’ biggest disappointment, it looks like this isn’t changing anytime soon. However, Huawei’s done a good job at mitigating the crisis by bringing non-Google apps to its phones via the AppGallery – Huawei’s own app store or Petal Search, which lets you install apps from the internet.

Instagram, Facebook, Messenger, WhatsApp, Spotify, and even some mainstream games like Asphalt 9 and PUBG are all available on Huawei phones, including the Mate Xs 2. And, of course, you can use Google services via the browser as you would on your laptop. Sure, not having YouTube or Google Maps as apps isn’t ideal, but it’s also not like you can’t access them at all, in case you decide to invest in a Huawei device.

So, please… let me know! Would you buy a Huawei Mate Xs 2 if it ran Google apps and if it was priced just like a Galaxy Z Fold 4? Because I know the answer to this question for myself…



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Three new Samsung wearables all codenamed ‘Heart’ surface, may be Galaxy Watch5

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A new report surfaced from Galaxy Club with evidence of a new trio of smartwatches all carrying the codename “Heart”. It has not been confirmed whether ‘Heart’ is the actual codename for the unreleased Galaxy Watch 5, but the newly surfaced codenames Heart-S, Heart-L, and Heart-Pro lineup with a previous report that there would be a Pro variant of Samsung’s next smartwatch.

According to the report, it appears Samsung may be looking to shift its strategy with the Galaxy Watch. The Galaxy Watch4 came in regular and “Classic” variants, but the Galaxy Watch Active2 is overdue for a successor. It is possible the Active wearable line may be dropped for a more unified smartwatch offering.

Samsung Galaxy Watch4

The Heart-S is the smallest version that’s either 40mm or 42mm with model number SM-R90X. Meanwhile, the Heart-L is a larger version that’s either 44mm or 46mm with model number SM-R19X. Finally, the Heart-Pro is a codename that corroborates with last month’s report, and it only exists in one size.

The report doesn’t confirm that these are indeed Galaxy Watch 5 models, and we don’t know what the final naming scheme of Samsung’s new smartwatches will be yet.

Last month’s report revealed that the top-tier Galaxy Watch5 model will come with a 572 mAh battery , a significant step up from the Watch4 models. In any case, Samsung isn’t expected to announce a new Galaxy Watch until later this year, probably during its annual Unpacked event, normally sometime in August.

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Looking for a smartphone under 25k? Look no further as Samsung Galaxy M53 5G is the answer. Here’s why!

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Ever since Samsung made its way into the mid-range, the brand has been making waves by bringing segment-leading features to a price-sensitive market. And the result is, that a user gets to experience best-in-class features without it pinching their pockets. Samsung has made it possible with the M-Series smartphones. This year is no different as Samsung takes a step further, with the latest M-Series devices, particularly with the
Galaxy M53 5G. Galaxy M53 5G has many features that can give top smartphones a run for their money. Be it the design language that fits the psyche of the Gen Z or the segment-leading & Samsung-only features, or the impressive price – the Galaxy M53 5G is a device that’s #UpForItAll. So let’s delve deeper into the latest sensation in town & understand why it is the ideal smartphone for you to buy in 2022, especially in the under 25k category.

#1 Segment best 108MP camera1

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Galaxy M Series smartphones have made a name for themselves thanks to their impressive camera performance. Samsung is already known in the industry for its social media-ready captures with punchier colour science. Still, taking it a step further, the Galaxy M53 5G comes with a mind-boggling 108MP lens with an F1.8 aperture. The lens can click super-sharp pictures allowing users to get brighter & more detailed shots than ever. With such a capable camera, Samsung has made the Galaxy M53 5G one of the best offerings under-25k. Apart from this, there are three more cameras on the rear – an 8MP ultrawide angle with an F2.2 aperture, a 2MP depth camera and a 2MP Macro camera. On the front, you’ll get the solid 32MP selfie shooter – the only one in this segment. That’s not all, the camera app on the M Series has smart features like AR Fun Zone, where you can add filters to your selfies, object eraser, photo remaster, etc. Don’t worry, we’ll talk about all these new features more, down the page.

#2 Segment leading – sAMOLED+ Infinity-O 120Hz display1

Having a strong foothold in display technology, Samsung is a pioneer when it comes to smartphone displays. And the previous Galaxy M-Series users can vouch for the impressive display quality of their devices. Taking things a step further, the Galaxy M53 5G comes with a segment-leading sAMOLED+ 120Hz 6.7-inch display which promises a much deeper, richer and brighter display experience, allowing you to immerse yourself in the content you are watching.

#3 Exclusive Galaxy features:
Auto Data Switching: We bet you must have come across a situation where there’s no cell reception on your primary SIM when you desperately want to stay connected. Frustrating, isn’t it? Well, Samsung took note of this user problem and provided a one-of-a-kind solution with their Auto Data Switching feature. The Galaxy M53 5G is a dual-SIM smartphone, and it utilizes the power of both the SIMs to their maximum with the Auto Data Switching feature. This feature lets you make and receive calls or use data from your secondary SIM seamlessly, even when your primary SIM is in a no network area. This way, you can stay in touch with your loved ones anywhere you go.

Voice Focus Feature: Indian consumers face a constant challenge, which is the lack of voice clarity when answering a phone call amidst background noise (be it traffic or a loud music scene). Samsung took note of this issue and ensured that the Galaxy M series is up to solve this challenge for us, by bringing in the Voice Focus Feature. Now with Voice Focus, you can say goodbye to unclear conversations even in the midst of the noisiest of environments. The feature blocks loud ambient noise and amplifies the receiver’s voice so that you are heard as clearly as you hear. Now that’s innovative.

Vapour Cooling Chamber: With smartphones getting more efficient & smarter, many processes need to be shuffled in a matter of seconds. This usually causes the device to heat up. While there are ways to dissipate the heat, Samsung’s way is genuinely path-breaking. With a Vapor Cooling Chamber in place, you can enjoy long video calls or push to the limits your gaming prowess all day long. The Vapour Cooling Chamber keeps your Galaxy M53 5G super cool, so it stays up for it all. It’s truly up for multitasking like a pro!

RAM Plus: Another cool feature that has made its way into the Galaxy M-series is the RAM Plus feature. Many smartphone users complain about being affected by limited RAM availability on their smartphones. With growing concerns over this issue, Samsung included the RAM Plus feature on the Galaxy M53 5G, which intelligently reads your multi-tasking needs with various apps and provides up to 16GB of RAM whenever you need it. This way, you can ensure that your phone is up for binge-watching, shopping, surfing and more.

Object Eraser: How often have you clicked a photo from your smartphone, and some random person photobombs it; ruining the moment? Plenty of times? Samsung has a unique solution to this pet peeve – the Object Eraser. And it does exactly what it states; it erases objects you don’t like in a particular photo. All you have to do is go to the edit menu when viewing a photo. You will see an option called Object Remover. Select it, Tap on the object you want to remove and let the Galaxy M53 5G do the magic. It is as easy as it is said. Don’t you wish everything in life was as simple!?

#4 Everything else that makes the Galaxy M53 5G up for it all!

The latest offering from Samsung provides unmatched performance with its 6nm Mediatek Dimensity 900 processor with up to 2.4 GHz Octa-Core and the ARM Mali G68 GPU. Being future-ready, the Galaxy M53 5G supports 5G and has 12 5G bands. For a fuller, richer audio experience, the Galaxy M53 5G comes with Dolby Atmos. This feature will let you hear full & loud sounds that seem to surround you in the scene. With this smartphone, you can take movie night or your favourite games to the next level with a cinematic sound that immerses you in the scene. Speaking of movie nights and games, the smartphone comes with a massive 5000mAh battery with reverse charging making it up for it all. You also get 25W fast charging support
2 that can juice up your phone in less time and keeps you up for super long days.

There are more features to unravel, which we’ll discuss extensively as we move along, keep a tab on this space. The smartphone will be up for sale from 12 noon, April 29, 2022, on
Samsung Online stores and
Amazon. The smartphone is priced at an introductory price of Rs.23,999
3

So don’t wait any longer & bring home a device that’s #UpForItAll – the Samsung Galaxy M53 5G.

1T&C Apply.
2Charging adapter sold separately.
3Price shown for 1N of 6+128GB.



Disclaimer: The article has been produced on behalf of Samsung by the Times Internet’s Spotlight team.

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Technology

My Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra just failed the drop test

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It started when I felt a tiny ridge – an imperfection – on the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra’s perfect plane of glistening Gorilla Glass.

My finger caught on something I couldn’t see. I absentmindedly ran my finger back and forth over the screen, which was currently displaying my Twitter feed. Did I feel something? Nah…no, wait…there is it.

I stopped reading angry tweets and started examining the screen as my mind flashed back to two days prior.

Standing in my kitchen, I fumbled with the 6.8-inch Android 12 smartphone (which I’d been using frequently, especially for its stellar photography chops), it slipped from my grasp and clattered to the tile floor just one meter below.

“What was that? Was that your phone?” my wife called from the other room.

I quickly snatched the prone device from the floor. It’s nestled in a rubber Samsung case, so I wasn’t too worried. I looked it over, noticed no breaks, and yelled back, “Yes. It’s fine.”

“Why do only my phones shatter?” asked my wife.

(Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)

First, I don’t drop phones. In nearly 20 years of testing them, I’ve never broken a review unit. I did once drop a 12.9-inch iPad Pro on a glass table, shattering the screen, but that was an arguably unwieldy tablet. I don’t drop phones…or rather, I didn’t.

Now, on the train, running my finger over what I realized was a crack, I understood what I’d done.

Looking closer, I could see a fine fissure snaking from the top of the phone, just above and to the right of the selfie camera, nearly two-thirds of the way down the face of the display to the right edge.

When the phone is on, you can barely notice it unless a letter falls right under the crack and is split into two slightly displaced halves.

This should not have happened.

With the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra, Samsung built a brick of a phone off the original Galaxy Note design base. It’s a large, solid, rigid, but not unpleasant to hold, 229-gram device that, from the look of it, should be up for a drop or two.

The phone is wrapped in Gorilla Glass Victus+ (which is rated by Corning to handle drops of up to 2 meters). It covers that back and my now damaged 6.8-inch AMOLED screen. Plus, I had it in a case.

This fine fissure, which starts at the top of the phone just above and to the right of the selfie camera, snakes nearly two-thirds of the way down the face of the display to the right edge.

You might wonder why I didn’t arrive at this conclusion when I reviewed the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra. The fact is that  I don’t do drop tests with review units, devices temporarily handed to me by manufacturers that they have every expectation will be returned in reasonably pristine condition.

I’m happy to dip them in water, but not drop them on concrete knowing that, even if they don’t break, they’ll get some unsightly scuffs. I don’t think it’s a good idea to do that with equipment you don’t own.

Also, my review process reflects how I would use these products if I owned them. I generally don’t drop technology (or really anything).

Still, here I am, confronted with the result of an unplanned drop test and the results aren’t good.

A three-foot (or 1 meter) drop of the cased smartphone shouldn’t have resulted in this crack. However, I understand that with any glass-screened device, all you need to do is find the optimal stress point and where the physics are just right to fracture even the toughest screen.

(Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)

At least this is a clean crack and not a shatter – you know, the ones that make the screen unusable and even dangerous to touch (those tiny glass shards). This is a break that, while substantial, you really have to look closely to see it or turn off the screen, which seems to highlight it more.

It’s also worth noting that the screen crack in no way affects the performance of the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra. It’s just as fast and fun to use as ever – until my digit skips over that fine, sharp edge. That break also means that the device is no longer sealed against the elements. I wouldn’t confidently drop it in a bucket of water or even use it out in the rain for too long.

I’m disappointed in myself for my clumsiness and, a bit, in the Galaxy S22 Ultra for not being equal to such a short fall.

It’s not a great look for this Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra, but I caution against assuming that all S22 Ultras are prone to fragility. My guess is that the fall caught the top edge of the phone and that a screen-first fall might’ve had a different result.

On the other hand, get a case on your Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra and hold onto it – tight.

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Why did no one tell me about the bright red Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra?

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The Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra looked to me like a rather dull phone: all adverts I’ve seen have shown gray or dark purple versions, and indeed the test unit I took for a spin was a nondescript black.

That didn’t cause me to bat an eye, as lots of premium phone-makers opt for boring shades for smartphones (apparently bright shades don’t sell well for these top-end handsets).

Well, I thought that – until someone mentioned off-hand about the bright red version. A blindingly vibrant Galaxy S22 Ultra? Sounds right up my street – so why had I never heard of such a thing?

Revel in the red

You can see the red Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra above. 

I think it’s so much better-looking than all the other shades – its red and black linings complement each other really well, giving it a warm and energetic feel. It’s like a Dennis the Menace phone!

So why had I never heard of it before? Well, because most of the adverts I’ve seen for the Galaxy S22 Ultra have been run by operators and companies selling the thing. However, this red versions is exclusive to Samsung’s website.

(Image credit: Samsung)

These exclusive colors rarely get featured in adverts, simply because they’re not available from most of the retailers running the videos, so it’d somehow flown straight under my radar.

It’s the same story for my new second-favorite color, the Sky Blue one. If I’d known Samsung offered these two shades of Galaxy S22 Ultra, I maybe wouldn’t have pegged them all as bland-looking handsets.

Catch-22, Galaxy S22-style

People often say that colorful premium phones don’t sell well, which is why most brands prioritize the somber ones. 

But if those boring colors are placed first and foremost, and the fun ones are hidden away on a retailers’ website, then it’s only natural that the dull ones will sell better. Most buyers aren’t even going to know the exciting ones exist – as my revelation proves.

So are bright colors hidden away because they don’t sell well, or do they not sell well because they’re hidden away? It’s a whole Catch-22 situation, but if it means I don’t get to see these colorful, fiery red Galaxy S22 Ultra models until ages after it’s out, I’m annoyed.

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Samsung, please don’t go big for your next smartwatch

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While all gadgets have their design challenges, there’s one that continues to plague smartwatches — battery life. There are a few ways to mitigate that, but unfortunately, many smartwatch makers choose the absolute worst solution: making the smartwatch bigger.

The latest example might be Samsung. According to a SamMobile report, the company is mulling a “Pro” version of the next-generation Galaxy Watch. Details were scant, except for one thing: this “Pro” model could potentially pack a much larger 572mAh battery.

If true, that would be a meaningful upgrade. Poor battery life is one of the biggest complaints users have reported with Samsung’s Galaxy Watch 4 lineup. It’s also common for “Pro” models to act as the premium option with longer battery life, better materials, and, unfortunately, the biggest honking display possible.

The Series 7 also bumped up the sizes of the Apple Watch
Photo by Vjeran Pavic / The Verge

It’s possible that Samsung could figure out a way to include a bigger battery without increasing the size of the watch. However, recent smartwatch trends hint otherwise. Take the Apple Watch. The Series 7 bumped up the size of the watches from 40mm to 41mm, and from 44mm to 45mm. An iFixit teardown revealed that the Series 7’s batteries were 1.6 percent larger for the 41mm and 6.8 percent larger for the 45mm. It’s likely that the larger always-on displays needed beefier batteries to maintain that same 18-hour battery life.

Samsung is also guilty of this. The Samsung Galaxy Watch 3 came in 41mm and 45mm variants. The Galaxy Watch 4 Classic comes in 42mm and 46mm. What would a proposed “Pro” version be? 43mm and 47mm? You might think a 1mm increase in size isn’t much to complain about, but it adds up over time.

As someone with petite wrists, I can say that watches beyond 42mm start to become uncomfortable. (Not to mention, they look absolutely ridiculous.) To get the same performance — especially during workouts — I have to make certain adjustments for fit. And while people of all genders come in all shapes and sizes, excluding smaller options ends up excluding a large number of women. The result is you end up treating smaller people as an afterthought.

This 42mm Garmin Fenix 7S Sapphire Solar watch is as large as I can go before it gets uncomfortable
Photo by Victoria Song / The Verge

Take Garmin’s Fenix 6 and Fenix 7 lineups. The Fenix 6X Pro was the first to get solar charging. People with smaller wrists who might have wanted that feature had to wait. And now, two years later, the 51mm Fenix 7X is the first and only model to get an LED flashlight. It’ll likely trickle down to smaller sizes in the future, but only Garmin can say when. As a woman who occasionally runs at night, I would’ve loved to have that feature on the smaller Fenix 7S I tested. But getting that feature meant I’d have to sacrifice my comfort. And what is the point of a wearable you don’t want to wear?

At a certain point, this becomes unsustainable. There’s a limit to how big we can make these devices before the battery gains are offset by discomfort. It’s bad business to exclude potential customers who happen to reside in smaller bodies. Some of this is just the current limitations of wearable tech. Also, nothing is set in stone yet. Samsung could just scrap the whole idea of a “Pro” watch. But even so, I would hope that these companies are using their resources to create new solutions to that problem instead of always opting for the easy way out.



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Why You Should Buy the Dumbest TV You Can Find

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Photo: Gaurav Paswan (Shutterstock)

Watching television used to be a pretty straightforward experience. At one time, there were roughly seven channels and you got them by fiddling with an antenna. But the proliferation of programming platforms and the advance of technology has made interacting with your television a much more complex experience. Enter so-called “smart” televisions (sometimes referred to as connected TVs), which offer an all-in-one convenience: All the major streaming platforms pre-loaded, Internet connectivity is built-in (usually including the world’s worst web browsing experience), and they even have app stores that let you install other useful utilities, just as you do on your phone.

That’s a lot of reasons to want a smart TV in today’s hyper-connected age but there are actually a lot of reasons why you don’t want a smart TV—and why you should strongly consider buying a “dumb” TV that offers an incredible viewing experience, and leave all the smarts to a separate device. In fact, here’s why you should buy the dumbest TV you can find.

Consider ads and privacy when buying a TV

Smart TVs are marketed to you as the ultimate entertainment experience, but you’re actually not the only customer—or, often, even the most important customer. Many smart TV makers are aggressively selling your viewing data and populating their user interfaces (UI) with advertising. Televisions that cost thousands of dollars come out of the box absolutely riddled with preinstalled apps and huge, ugly, persistent ads everywhere you look.

Worse, they often bury the settings you need to change in order to eliminate most (but not all—never imagine you’d be allowed to actually own the television you just spent a mortgage payment on) of those ads.

And the privacy issue isn’t small. These days, when you power up a smart TV you probably have to click through a legal agreement—and somewhere in there you agree to let the TV’s manufacturer monitor everything you do with the device and sell that information. The companies that buy that information? They will use it to target ads, which will be served up on your TV. So not only will some faceless corporation know that you binge-watch Is It Cake?, they’ll also weaponize that information against you.

Even worse, some TV makers are experimenting with shoving ads at you while you’re watching live television. To be clear: This is in addition to the ads that a broadcast or cable channel might be serving up to you while you watch. And these live ads are calibrated using your own viewing data the TV has been gathering since you powered it up. And other TV manufacturers are rolling out ad models that are increasingly difficult to avoid, like Samsung’s “takeover” ads that pop up every time you turn on the TV.

Want to avoid this advertising hellscape? Buy a dumb TV. With a dumb TV you can hook up any streaming box you want—Roku, Apple, Chromecast—and if that platform starts to mimic a smart TV in terms of advertising and other concerns, you can leverage those free market forces and switch to another.

Security is a concern with smart TVs

When I bought my first “smart” TV a few years ago, having Netflix and other streamers pre-loaded was great. And then, not so great, because the TV’s manufacturer allowed the device’s operating system to decay, and never updated the built-in Netflix app. Eventually, I was basically forced to buy a Roku just to get the current version of the app.

And that’s not unusual. Television manufacturers are typically not software developers, and there is a strong tendency to orphan their platforms almost as soon as they release them. Aside from the inconvenience of having outdated apps, this is also a huge security concern. Your smart TV is an Internet-connected device, after all, loaded with your personal information and attached to your home’s wi-fi or wired Internet. Microsoft issues security updates for Windows on a weekly basis, so how do you think your TV is doing after two years of zero software patches? With a dumb TV you don’t have these concerns—granted, in theory your smart TV can be updated with new features, but no software is going to make a 4K TV into an 8K TV, so the benefits are minimal.

Flexibility is key

Finally, going with a dumb TV gives you the most flexibility and control when it comes to your entertainment experience. With a dumb TV, you can choose whatever streaming device you want. But an Amazon Fire stick or an Apple TV box will offer you all the same options and features, with the bonus of being able to switch any time you want. When you buy a smart TV, you’re locked into that company’s interface and platform whether you like it or not—and those platforms tend to be poorly-designed and frustrating to interact with.

Buying a dumb TV

The big caveat when it comes to dumb TVs is that they are absolutely not the priority in the market, and so it can be difficult to find a dumb TV that has the screen size, resolution, and other features of a smart TV. Still, it’s not impossible. Samsung makes a 65-inch 4K dumb TV, for example, as does Sceptre, but identifying and finding dumb TVs can be challenging. Here are a few tips if you’ve decided to go dumb:

  • Business displays. You know when you walk into an office or store and a bunch of big TVs are blaring advertising and store content? Those are almost always dumb TVs. They’re usually called commercial TVs or commercial monitors—the word “commercial” is the giveaway. These are fully-functioning TVs that typically don’t have smart features because businesses don’t need them.
  • Outdoor TVs. Most outdoor televisions lack smart features. They’re not ideal for indoor use, it’s true, because they’re designed to be super-bright to be visible in sunlit areas and often lack built-in speakers, but they’re an option if you run into a wall finding other sources of dumbness.
  • 4K monitors. The difference between a TV and a monitor is getting mighty thin in the streaming age. You can hook your streaming device to a computer monitor, instantly making it into a TV. Monitors tend to be smaller than TVs, however, so finding one bigger than 50 inches or so can be a challenge. Still, it’s an option if those smaller sizes work for you.

In the end, buying and setting up a TV is all about entertainment and relaxation—it should be easy. While you’ll definitely give up some features if you go dumb, you’ll also gain back your privacy and full control over your couch-surfing, which is priceless. But if you decide that the trade-offs for a smart TV are worth it, that’s obviously fine as long as that decision is an educated one.

 

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Technology

Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 and S8 Plus review: welcome to the S ecosystem

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If you’ve been looking for a tablet to complement your Android phone, for many years, your choices have been few and far between. In fact, the Android tablet market has provided so few compelling options that even many Android enthusiasts would recommend that you just buy an iPad if you want a tablet.

The problem with buying an iPad if you own an Android phone is that you miss out on a lot of the system integrations that come with using an iPhone and an iPad together. Apps that you own on your phone need to be repurchased on the tablet, you don’t get system-level things like the ability to hotspot your phone from the tablet, and the two devices never feel as connected or coherent as if they both ran the same platform.

That’s where Samsung’s latest Tab S8 and S8 Plus have an opportunity, at least if you own Samsung’s flavor of Android. (Samsung also has a third tablet in the Tab S8 line, the Ultra, that’s larger and more expensive — I’ve reviewed it separately here.) Though they look and function very similarly to Samsung’s prior tablet efforts — and still have much of the same baggage — Samsung has made progress developing integrations and an ecosystem of its own between its devices that may be enough of a reason to choose a Samsung tablet over an iPad if you also happen to carry a Samsung phone and use Samsung wireless earbuds.

That isn’t to say Samsung has come as far as Apple in those integrations, nor is it to say that the traditional Android tablet gripes — namely, a much smaller pool of optimized apps — don’t apply here. The Tab S8 and S8 Plus are also expensive tablets, starting at $699.99 and $899.99, respectively, before you add any accessories like a case or keyboard. But they do provide us a glimpse of an Android-first ecosystem that hasn’t really existed before.

The Tab S8 Plus has a 12.4-inch 120 hertz OLED display with punchy colors and deep blacks.

The hardware differences between 2020’s Tab S7 / S7 Plus and this year’s Tab S8 versions are such:

  • New Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor
  • Wi-Fi 6E support
  • Higher resolution front camera
  • Improved lens on the back camera
  • Lower latency on the S Pen

The standard Tab S8 is only available in Wi-Fi configurations; the Tab S8 Plus can be purchased with 5G cellular connectivity. It’s odd that this isn’t uniform across the line.

Visually, the new tablets are identical to the prior models. They come with the same 11-inch 120Hz LCD or 12.4-inch 120Hz OLED screens and have the same Dolby Atmos quad speakers. Just like before, the hardware is impressive, and either tablet provides an excellent video watching experience. Performance is also very good, with smooth responsiveness, quick app loading, and no “jelly scrolling” issues to be found. These are priced like premium tablets, and they feel like it, which is a good thing.

Between the two, I prefer the smaller Tab S8, which is easier to hold in one hand and more comfortable for the kinds of tasks I do on a tablet, such as reading books or news articles. If you want the better tablet for watching movies, the S8 Plus’ OLED screen has the edge, though it doesn’t quite have the same punch and brightness as Apple’s 12.9-inch iPad Pro.

Both models also have 16:10 aspect ratio screens, which is better suited for larger-screen laptops than tablets. It makes them feel cramped when browsing websites in landscape and awkwardly tall when held in portrait orientation.

The Tab S8 has the same fingerprint scanner built into its sleep / wake button as the Tab S7; similarly, the Tab S8 Plus has the same under-screen fingerprint scanner as the Tab S7 Plus. Both worked fine in my testing, though neither are as fluid or quick to use as facial recognition logins. (You can enable face login on either tablet, but it’s not as secure as the fingerprint scanners or Apple’s Face ID.) Neither tablet has a 3.5mm headphone jack and relies on just one USB-C port for all of its I/O.

One of the hardware differences between the two models is their biometric system; the Tab S8 Plus has an under-screen fingerprint scanner, while the Tab S8 has a fingerprint scanner embedded in its sleep / wake key, seen here.

Either model can be had with a respectable 128GB or 256GB of built-in storage. And unlike an iPad, the Tab S8 line supports microSD card storage expansion (up to 1TB), so you can add more to it after the fact.

Both come with Samsung’s S Pen stylus in the box, which has been improved to be slightly more responsive this year. I like the S Pen a lot, particularly for taking handwritten notes on the screen. It has a softer tip compared to the Apple Pencil, which reduces the slipperiness when writing on glass and means I don’t need to put a special screen protector on the Tab S8 like I usually do with an iPad. And it’s doubly great that it doesn’t cost an additional $129 on top of the cost of the tablet. I’m not an artist by any means, so if you’re looking for that perspective, I suggest checking out Brad Colbow’s videos on YouTube about the S8 line, but for taking handwritten notes, marking up screenshots, or just navigating the tablet’s software throughout the day, the S Pen is great.

The S Pen magnetically attaches to a strip on the back of the tablet for charging and storage (though it will only charge if it’s facing a specific orientation — weird). The pen will work as an input device without any charge — charging it up allows you to connect it to the tablet via Bluetooth and use extra functions like air gesture controls that I’ve never really gotten the hang of. The magnets on the back of the tablet holding the S Pen in place aren’t especially strong, and since the pen sticks out off the back, it’s easy to knock it off in your bag. Some of Samsung’s cases magnetically attach to the back of the tablets and provide a cover over the S Pen, which keeps it in place much better, but such a case will cost between $70 and $80.

Keyboard cases are available with or without trackpads. The Tab S8’s Book Cover Keyboard (pictured) lacks a function row for common system controls.

Speaking of cases, the Tab S8 and S8 Plus are compatible with the same options as the Tab S7. I was able to test out the awkwardly named $139.99 / $159.99 Book Cover Keyboard Slim for both sizes, which pairs a folio design with a trackpad-less keyboard. The keyboard works fine — there’s no Bluetooth pairing headaches or charging necessary thanks to pogo pins that let it communicate with the tablet — but I missed having a trackpad available. It also only provides one angle of view, which is limiting, and the rear cover has a hole for the S Pen to pass through instead of the cover to keep it in place. If you want to spend more money, you can fix all three of those problems with the $199.99 / $229.99 Book Cover Keyboard, which is unchanged from when I tested it with the Tab S7 models, and comes with its own set of limitations (namely, it’s very awkward to use on a lap).

Frustratingly, neither the $700-plus Tab S8 nor the $900-plus Tab S8 Plus comes with a charging brick in the box, even though they support up to 45-watt fast charging. Though this has become common among high-end phones, these are the first tablets I’ve seen that do not come with a charger in the box.

The Tab S8’s smaller size makes it more suited for tablet-style tasks, such as reading ebooks.

With so much of the hardware being carried over from the last generation, the biggest advancements can be seen in the software.

Samsung can’t really fix the perennial Android problem of poorly optimized apps that either don’t format well to larger screens, don’t support keyboard shortcuts, or don’t work well with Samsung’s desktop-style Dex software mode. So Samsung has spent its time on optimizing its own apps and making the Tab S8 and S8 Plus play nicely with Samsung phones.

Many of the things that Samsung has developed will be familiar to owners of iPhones and iPads. I was able to remotely turn on my Galaxy Z Fold 3’s mobile hotspot feature from the settings menu of the Tab S8; the Galaxy Buds Pro I had in my ears switched between the Tab S8 and my Fold 3 automatically depending on which device was playing audio. Samsung even has a take on Apple’s Handoff feature to let you continue using an app on another device, though it’s currently limited to just Samsung’s browser and notes apps and doesn’t work with any third-party apps.

If you have a Windows PC, you can use the Tab S8 models as external displays, just like Apple’s Sidecar feature. You can even use the keyboard case with multiple devices, though switching between them involves Bluetooth pairing and isn’t nearly as seamless as Apple’s new Universal Control feature.

Samsung’s own apps, such as Internet, its browser, have been optimized to work well on the larger screens. You can synchronize tabs and history between your phone and tablet easily, and the browser does a good job loading and working with desktop websites on the tablet. Since so few of the Android apps I use regularly have been optimized to work well on a tablet screen, I ended up spending a lot of time in the browser, especially when I had the keyboard case attached.

Other stock apps, such as Samsung’s Calendar, work well on the large display, as do some of Microsoft’s apps, such as Outlook and Office (both of which come pre-installed). Google’s apps tend to be more hit or miss, and productivity apps I rely on, such as Slack and Asana, are just awful stretched-out versions of their phone apps and don’t take advantage of the larger screen at all. Obviously, your experience will vary depending on which apps you plan to use, but it’s safe to say that Android still has a long way to go compared to Apple’s tablet app ecosystem.

The Tab S8 models can use Android’s standard split-screen multitasking or switch to Samsung’s windowed DeX mode.

Samsung has its own take on multitasking that it’s built on top of Android’s native ability to run two apps side by side in a split-screen mode. On the Tab models, you can split the screen three ways, plus add a floating app on top to view four apps at the same time. It can be a little confusing and cumbersome to use, but no less than the iPad’s strange approach to multitasking.

Beyond that, Samsung also has its DeX mode, which provides a desktop-like environment to run windowed Android apps in. It’s meant to bridge the gap between a mobile operating system like Android and a more traditional desktop one like Windows. Though DeX has its fans (hi, yes, I see you in the comments), I’ve never been able to get along well with it, and that hasn’t changed on the Tab S8.

Though Samsung’s apps work fine in DeX, many Android apps don’t know what to do when they are forced into a windowed mode, with small text, odd layouts, and sometimes they can’t even launch. There are other weird limitations, too, like the inability to use the mouse pointer to select text in the browser or an app — an action I do many times per day as an editor. DeX remains an option to use in a pinch, but it’s not something I would want to work in for long periods of time.

Android does bring some advantages depending on your use case and needs. If you’re into streaming games or running gaming emulators, it’s much easier to do so on Android than it is on an iPad. You can pair a controller to either Tab S8 model and have a competent portable gaming rig that comes with an excellent screen and very good speakers.

On the flip side, Samsung and Android are still behind when it comes to other services that can take advantage of the larger screen. On an iPad, I use Apple News with a News Plus subscription to read a wide variety of paywalled magazines and newspapers for a simple monthly fee — there’s just nothing comparable that I’ve been able to find for Android. Fortunately, the Tab S8 / S8 Plus have access to all of the popular streaming services, including Netflix, HBO Max, Disney Plus, Hulu, and more. The big one missing is Apple TV Plus (you can watch it in the browser, but that’s a sub-par experience to a dedicated app).

The Tab S8 models have a premium build to match their premium price tags.

After years of not seeing a great reason to buy an Android tablet, I have to admit that Samsung has presented a compelling pitch this time around — provided you are already in the Samsung Android ecosystem. The Tab S8 and S8 Plus integrate well enough with other Samsung products, they are excellent hardware on their own merits, and if you have specific use cases that are poorly served by Apple’s strict control over iOS, these tablets might just be what you’re looking for.

Samsung still has some work to do fleshing out its ecosystem, and hopefully, Google’s renewed interest in Android tablets will produce better third-party app support (I’m not holding my breath there, though). And it’s a bummer that if you have a Pixel or other Android phone, you can’t really take advantage of a lot of the integrations Samsung has developed.

But I think the biggest hurdle with the Tab S8 and S8 Plus as they are is their pricing. These are premium tablets with big price tags — especially once you start to add accessories to them. Samsung will likely release some more attractively priced tablets to replace some of its older models, and it has been good about delivering software updates to bring some of these new features to existing devices, though the a company spokesperson declined to comment on future updates when I asked..

For now, though, if you want a good Android tablet experience and you aren’t interested in living the dual-platform life, the Tab S8 or S8 Plus is about as good as it gets.

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Technology

Samsung S22 Ultra: Tips and Tricks

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We’ve been using the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra for the past month and have been blown away by the phone’s performance. It started with the looks for us – a sleek new design with integrated S-Pen and slim camera units – however, has extended beyond even the all-day battery life and next-generation chipset.

We’re finding the more we use the phone the more appreciation we have for the handy tools that take the user experience to the next level. The kind of things that we wish every smartphone had! And whether that means using the S-Pen as a remote camera shutter button or editing RAW images in post-production we’re outlining our favourite Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra tips and tricks below. Let’s check them out!

Related: Want to learn more about the performance of the S22 Ultra? Check out the specs here.

The S-Pen

Handwriting to Text

It goes without saying really, but the S-Pen is the greatest tool added to the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra this year. While it might’ve spelled the end to our beloved Note (at least as we know it), the fact it’s been so cleanly implemented into the Galaxy S22 Ultra gives even more reason to pull out the pen and use it at every chance we got.

Outside of obvious use cases such as signing digital documents, it’s handwriting-to-text where the S-Pen shines. Inside the S-Pen settings, you can toggle on ‘S-Pen-to-text’ that allows you to write straight into browsers like Chrome without having to type anything out. Above this, if the space gets too cramped in the search bar, the sidebar menu can be expanded to include a dedicated handwriting function for jotting things down on the go.

If you’re drawing shapes with the S-Pen but can’t get that perfect shape, hold down the pen once you’ve finished and the phone will automatically draw the perfect shape. The experience of handwriting with the S-Pen couldn’t be easier, but the features extend far beyond handwriting and jotting down notes. We haven’t even spoken about Gesture Controls yet!

Gesture Control

Gesture controls are easily our favourite feature of the S-Pen. Since Samsung integrated the pen into the device itself they’ve expanded the capabilities, encouraging users to push it out every chance they get. You might think “what else is it good for other than writing”? Well, check out some of the best S-Pen gestures below.

  • You can click and hold down the button to open the camera and use the S-Pen as a remote shutter.
  • If you wave the pen clockwise or anti-clockwise it’ll zoom the camera in and out.
  • Double click the button and it will open the selfie camera.
  • You can gesture the S-Pen left and right to toggle through images in your gallery, and change songs on Spotify.
  • Swipe up or down to adjust the volume.

While handwriting with the S-Pen might be your first thought, there are so many other ways to utilise this trick bit of kit when it comes to using the cameras. Speaking of which, there are plenty of tips and tricks integrated into the camera software as well, so let’s check them out.

Image: Samsung/ Using Nightography

Camera

Nightography

Nightography is a new capability of the Samsung Galaxy S22 range that takes advantage of the top-tier camera hardware. If you’re looking to get the best possible images from a smartphone look no further than the Galaxy S22 Ultra’s 108MP main sensor (1-inch) that allows the phone to take in more light than most smartphones on the market. This translates to exceptional low-light photography and Samsung is making things easy for the user with its ‘nightography’ capability, accessed within the camera app.

Here, you can snap away and let the large sensor and software do the rest. Hold the phone still and the camera will indicate a countdown timer as it opens the shutter and lets in the light before taking the image. As you can see from the results above, the image is brighter, yet remains sharp with little hazing. It’s a very handy feature that comes into its own when travelling through low-light situations at night.

Autoframing

With so much video conferencing going on it’s good to know the camera will auto frame video when conferencing with friends and work colleagues. On top of this, it will face-track individuals whenever someone steps into the frame, opening it up as it recognises the need for more space. The feature is smart enough to track up to 10 people at one time. Finally, if you click on someone’s face it’ll focus on them and zoom in, perfect for presenting.

Image: Samsung

Detail Enhancer

Within the photo mode, you’ll see an icon in the bottom right-hand corner of the screen. If you tap on that it enables a detail enhancer that sharpens the image while remaining subtle. You’ll really notice the difference in objects that have strong textures e.g. plants, small sculptures, and paintings.

Once you’ve taken that detailed shot you can go one step further by popping out the S-Pen and jumping into the Samsung Photo Editor where filters can be applied to photos and settings can be adjusted, including light balance, brightness, exposure, contrast, highlights, shadows, saturation, tint, and temperature. Most importantly, it remains easy to use because you shouldn’t have to be an expert photographer fluent in post-production to understand what looks good! But if you are… Samsung has this covered as well.

Image: Samsung Community

RAW Images

The Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra can take pictures in RAW quality, allowing you to capture more detail and greater dynamic range from your camera sensor. This results in more overhead for editing purposes, great for professionals and those looking to experiment and learn professional camera skills and post-production.

To shoot in RAW on the Galaxy S22 Ultra; Open the camera app and go to pro-mode, from there, open the settings and navigate to picture format where you will find RAW image setting. This will unlock maximum quality from the camera’s allowing you to edit the photos in post-production in finer detail. Inside the image gallery, RAW images will be marked up with a ‘RAW’ indicator in the top right corner so you know which are ready for transfer. We highly recommend utilising Adobe Lightroom here. It’s a free app that can be found in the Google Play store and provides the best photo editing on mobile devices, period.

Image: Man of Many/ Ben McKimm

Object Eraser

Our most used software or post-production feature has to be the Object Eraser. From inside the camera gallery, open any image and then click ‘edit’ before finding the three dots in the bottom right-hand corner and navigate your way to the object eraser. Use the S-Pen and draw around the object you want to remove, e.g. person, animal, traffic cone, light pole, or other and simply click ‘erase’. This also works for shadows and reflections by selecting the appropriate button and highlighting with the S-Pen.

It’s one of the handiest tools to use if you’re travelling and tourists keep photobombing the background of your photo, or maybe there’s just some trash on the ground? Whatever it is, the erase tool will get rid of it cleanly.

Image: Samsung

User Interface

So we’ve shown you all the features you didn’t know about the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra’s Camera and S-Pen, but what about the User Interface? Customisation is the aim of the game here and alongside a bunch of small (yet handy) features create an ultra experience that goes above and beyond what you thought a smartphone was capable of. Let’s check them out.

Customisation

First and foremost is customisation, and the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra is one of the most customisable smartphones on the market. Almost everything can be adjusted to your liking here, from colour themes to personal contact videos (yep, videos), and even emojis. Here are a few customisation tips we’ve been loving.

  • Pinch the home screen to change themes, including a colour palette that can be matched to your wallpaper.
  • You can set videos as a call background, even the audio can be used as a ringtone.
  • Emojis can be merged together and animated as a gif, yep.
  • Display settings will let you toggle on extra brightness to reach that 1750-nit maximum capacity.

Other Cool Features

  • Set a timer and it will merge as a pop-up to the home screen even when you’re not using the app so you can pause it.
  • The camera indicator light will tell you when it’s on, however, you can manually turn off the camera for privacy.
  • The camera cutout can be hidden for selected apps manually through the display menu.
  • A ‘Battery Protect’ setting helps stop the phone from charging above 85% increasing the lifespan of the battery.

Image: Samsung

Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra is Just That

We’ve been using the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra for the past month now and guarantee the tips and tricks listed above will take your smartphone experience to the next level. While the Galaxy S22 Ultra experience might start with class-leading performance thanks to a powerful chipset, all-day battery life, 6.8-inch QHD+ display, and even IP68 water-resistance, it extends beyond the numbers into a rounded user experience that will have you wondering “how on earth did it just do that” every single day. Check out the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra via the link below, with prices starting from $1849 AUD.

Check it out

About the author

About the author

JOURNALIST

Ben McKimm

Ben lives in Sydney, Australia. He has a Bachelor’s Degree (Media, Technology and the Law) from Macquarie University (2020). Outside of his studies, he has spent the last decade heavily involved in the automotive, technology and fashion world. Turning his passion and expertise into a Journalist position at Man of Many where he continues to write about everything that interests the modern man. Conducting car reviews on both the road and track, hands-on reviews of cutting-edge technology and employing a vast knowledge in the space of fashion and sneakers to his work. One day he hopes to own his own brand.

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Technology

Samsung will now let Galaxy users repair their own devices

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Samsung is the latest tech company giving customers the ability to repair their own mobile devices amid pressure from consumers, regulators and even US President Joe Biden to ease restrictions on fixing products.

The company announced on Thursday a new program that will allow users of some of its flagship Galaxy devices to repair their own products, giving them and third-party fixit companies access to genuine parts, repair tools and visual step-by-step repair guides for the first time. Previously, Samsung (SSNLF) users had to rely on the company’s in-house repair service to fix devices.
The new program will first be available starting this summer to users of the Galaxy S20 and S21 family of products, and the Galaxy Tab S7+, but not to owners of its S22 lineup. The company said it is collaborating with iFixit, an online repair community that’s worked with Motorola on a similar self-repair program.
In November, Apple (AAPL) announced a program, called Self Repair Service, that will make spare parts for Apple products, such as displays, batteries and camera modules, available to purchase and give anyone access to repair manuals. The program, which has not yet officially launched, will be limited to iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 users to start. Apple previously said the service will later expand to Mac computers that use Apple’s new in-house M1 chip.
Companies such as Samsung and Apple have been criticized for using tactics that make it harder for independent repair businesses to access devices, such as using non-removable memory or batteries, or sealing devices with special glue. The companies argue that this is done to ensure the products are properly repaired through authorized repair services.

Kyle Wiens, CEO of iFixit, told CNN Business that Samsung’s latest announcement is “part of a sea change where manufacturers are moving to support your right to repair.”

“Extending the lifespan of electronics is essential for the future of the planet, and providing consumers with self-repair options is an essential step to making that happen,” he added.

Last summer, President Biden urged the Federal Trade Commission to set rules preventing manufacturers from imposing restrictions on independent device repair shops and DIY repairs, a principle known as “right to repair.” A week later, the FTC vowed to “root out” illegal repair restrictions on various products, including phones. This push has also gained traction among regulators in Europe.

New regulations could prohibit this practice and require all smartphone manufacturers to make parts, tools, repair manuals, and diagnostics for out-of-warranty repairs more readily available to third-party businesses.

“In many cases, the price to fix a smartphone or computer is close to, if not more than, replacing it all together — a strategy that encourages people to buy new devices rather than fixing them,” Pedro Pacheco, a senior director at market research firm Gartner, told CNN Business at the time.

Consumers could benefit from the shift in other ways. Because giving customers more control over how their devices get fixed could likely prolong the lifespan of products, companies will need to “entice consumers to switch or upgrade smartphones with better specs and other approaches,” Pacheco added. “They will need to refocus their efforts.”

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