Tag Archives: Commodity Markets

Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra vs. the competition: A new titanium contender

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Samsung formally unveiled its Galaxy S24 line of smartphones at its latest Samsung Unpacked event on Wednesday, including its newest flagship, the Galaxy S24 Ultra. For a fuller idea of what to expect, you can check out my colleague Sam Rutherford's hands-on impressions. In short, though, the main updates are a new titanium frame with flatter edges, a promised seven years of software updates, an expected processor bump, a slightly tweaked camera setup and a host of new generative AI features. Starting at $1,300, the device is also $100 more expensive than its predecessor, though there are some early pre-order deals to lessen that blow a little.

If you're thinking about taking the plunge, we've broken down how the Galaxy S24 Ultra compares to two other top-end handsets, the Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max and the Google Pixel 8 Pro, on the spec sheet. As always, specs can't tell the full story, but if you want a reference for what $1,300 (or more) gets you in early 2024, here's how the new phone stacks up. 

Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra

Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max

Google Pixel 8 Pro

Pricing (MSRP)

$1,300 (256GB), $1,420 (512GB), $1,660 (1TB)

$1,199 (256GB), $1,399 (512GB), $1,599 (1TB)

$999 (128GB), $1,059 (256GB), $1,179 (512GB), $1,399 (1TB)

Dimensions

6.4 x 3.11 x 0.34 inches

6.29 x 3.02 x 0.32 inches

6.4 x 3.01 x 0.35 inches

Weight

8.22 ounces

7.8 ounces

7.5 ounces

Screen size

6.8 inches

6.7 inches

6.7 inches

Screen resolution

1,440 x 3,120

1,290 x 2,796

460 ppi

1,344 x 2,992

489 ppi

Screen type

LTPO AMOLED

Up to 120Hz (1-120Hz)

Up to 2,600 nits brightness

Gorilla Armor

LTPO OLED

Up to 120Hz (1-120Hz)

Up to 2,000 nits brightness

Ceramic Shield

LTPO OLED

Up to 120Hz (1-120Hz)

Up to 2,400 nits brightness

Gorilla Glass Victus 2

SoC

Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy

Octa-core CPU

Apple A17 Pro

Hexa-core CPU (up to 3.78GHz)

6-core Apple GPU

Google Tensor G3

Nona-core CPU (up to 2.91GHz)

Arm Mali-G715 MP7 GPU

RAM

12GB

8GB

12GB

Battery

5,000mAh

Up to 30 hours video playback

"Up to 29 hours video playback"

4,950mAh

"Beyond 24 hours"

Charging

USB Type-C 3.2

Up to 45W wired

Wireless charging up to 15W (with proprietary charger, up to 10W with other Qi chargers)

Reverse wireless charging

USB Type-C (USB 3.2 Gen 2)

"Up to 50 percent charge in around 30 minutes"

MagSafe/Qi2 wireless charging up to 15W

Qi wireless charging up to 7.5W

Reverse wired charging

USB Type-C 3.2

Up to 30W wired

Up to 23W wireless with Google Pixel Stand (2nd gen)

Qi wireless charging up to 12W

Reverse wireless charging

Storage

256GB, 512GB or 1TB

256GB, 512GB or 1TB

128GB, 256GB, 512GB or 1TB

Rear camera

Main: 200 MP, f/1.7

Ultrawide: 12 MP, f/2.2, 120 degree FOV

Telephoto: 50 MP, f/3.4, 5x optical zoom

Telephoto: 10 MP, f/2.4, 3x optical zoom

Main: 48 MP, f/1.78

Ultrawide: 12 MP, f/2.2, 120 degree FOV

Telephoto: 12 MP, f/2.8, 5x optical zoom

Main: 50 MP, f/1.68

Ultrawide: 48 MP, f/1.95, 125.5 degree FOV

Telephoto: 48 MP, f/2.8, 5x optical zoom

Front camera

12 MP, f/2.2

12 MP, f/1.9

10.5 MP, f/2.2

Video capture

Rear: 8K at 24/30 fps, 4K at 30/60 fps, 1080p at 30/60/240/960 fps

Front: 4K at 30/60 fps, 1080p at 30 fps

Rear: 4K at 24/25/30/60 fps, 1080p at 25/30/60/120/240 fps

Front: 4K at 24/25/30/60 fps, 1080p at 25/30/60/120 fps

Rear: 4K at 24/30/60 fps, 1080p at 24/30/60/120/240 fps

Front: 4K at 24/30/60 fps, 1080p at 30/60 fps

Water and dust resistance

IP68

IP68

IP68

Wi-Fi

Wi-Fi 7

Wi-Fi 6E

Wi-Fi 7

Bluetooth

v5.3

v5.3

v5.3

OS

Android 14, One UI 6.1

"Seven generations of OS upgrades and seven years of security updates"

iOS 17

Android 14

"Seven years of OS, security and Feature Drop updates"

Colors and finish

Titanium frame

Titanium Gray, Titanium Black, Titanium Violet, Titanium Yellow, Titanium Green, Titanium Blue, Titanium Orange

Titanium frame

Natural Titanium, Blue Titanium, White Titanium, Black Titanium

Polished aluminum frame

Obsidian, Porcelain, Bay

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/samsung-galaxy-s24-ultra-vs-the-competition-a-new-titanium-contender-193434222.html?src=rss

Hideo Kojima’s Xbox game is the cinematic horrorfest ‘OD’

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Hideo Kojima officially unveiled his upcoming game (that leaked in 2022) at the Game Awards 2023. Previously described as something “no one has ever experienced or seen before,” the cinematic OD (previously known as Overdose) will include a collaboration with horror director and comedian Jordan Peele.

OD’s 90-second trailer includes intimate closeups of actors reading nursery rhymes and other dialogue as they grow increasingly frantic. In the clip’s final moments, you catch a glimpse of a door opening in the reflection of their eyes (with a creaking sound hammering the point home). Wherever the game’s plot takes us, the trailer makes it clear it falls squarely in the horror genre (as expected).

We already knew the title would be published by Xbox Game Studios, relying heavily on Microsoft’s cloud technology. Previous leaks indicated Death Stranding actor Margaret Qualley would play the protagonist, although she was nowhere to be found in the trailer. The billed cast in the trailer includes Sophia Lillis, Hunter Schafer and Udo Kier.

You can watch OD’s cryptic trailer below.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/hideo-kojimas-xbox-game-is-the-cinematic-horrorfest-od-024342457.html?src=rss

Hideo Kojima’s Xbox game is the cinematic horrorfest ‘OD’

Posted on by

Hideo Kojima officially unveiled his upcoming game (that leaked in 2022) at the Game Awards 2023. Previously described as something “no one has ever experienced or seen before,” the cinematic OD (previously known as Overdose) will include a collaboration with horror director and comedian Jordan Peele.

OD’s 90-second trailer includes intimate closeups of actors reading nursery rhymes and other dialogue as they grow increasingly frantic. In the clip’s final moments, you catch a glimpse of a door opening in the reflection of their eyes (with a creaking sound hammering the point home). Wherever the game’s plot takes us, the trailer makes it clear it falls squarely in the horror genre (as expected).

We already knew the title would be published by Xbox Game Studios, relying heavily on Microsoft’s cloud technology. Previous leaks indicated Death Stranding actor Margaret Qualley would play the protagonist, although she was nowhere to be found in the trailer. The billed cast in the trailer includes Sophia Lillis, Hunter Schafer and Udo Kier.

You can watch OD’s cryptic trailer below.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/hideo-kojimas-xbox-game-is-the-cinematic-horrorfest-od-024342457.html?src=rss

Qualcomm’s satellite texting plan is dead because phone makers aren’t interested

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Back in January, Qualcomm announced Snapdragon Satellite, a project that aimed to let Android users send texts via satellite when they don't have cell service. It would have been the company's answer to Apple's emergency SOS feature that debuted in the iPhone 14 lineup. However, the initiative hasn't worked out as Qualcomm hoped.

Qualcomm is ending its Snapdragon Satellite partnership with satellite phone maker Iridium. Although the pair "successfully developed and demonstrated the technology" smartphone makers "have not included the technology in their devices," Iridium said in a statement.

Smartphone makers have “indicated a preference towards standards-based solutions” for satellite connectivity, Qualcomm told CNBC. In other words, they're looking for a more open approach that doesn't necessarily position Qualcomm as a go-between. As The Verge notes, the cost of satellite texting may have dissuaded some manufacturers too. Apple is footing the bill for emergency SOS for the time being.

Now that its agreements with Qualcomm are coming to an end, Iridium says it will be able to work directly with smartphone makers, mobile OS developers and other chipmakers. Apple, meanwhile, has expanded its emergency SOS feature by adding crash detection integration in iPhone 15.

Elsewhere, Starlink is set to roll out its satellite SMS service next year. It plans to eventually offer satellite-powered voice and data functions directly to phones, meaning users won't necessarily need to have a Starlink terminal nearby.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/qualcomms-satellite-texting-plan-is-dead-because-phone-makers-arent-interested-204331091.html?src=rss

Qualcomm’s satellite texting plan is dead because phone makers aren’t interested

Posted on by

Back in January, Qualcomm announced Snapdragon Satellite, a project that aimed to let Android users send texts via satellite when they don't have cell service. It would have been the company's answer to Apple's emergency SOS feature that debuted in the iPhone 14 lineup. However, the initiative hasn't worked out as Qualcomm hoped.

Qualcomm is ending its Snapdragon Satellite partnership with satellite phone maker Iridium. Although the pair "successfully developed and demonstrated the technology" smartphone makers "have not included the technology in their devices," Iridium said in a statement.

Smartphone makers have “indicated a preference towards standards-based solutions” for satellite connectivity, Qualcomm told CNBC. In other words, they're looking for a more open approach that doesn't necessarily position Qualcomm as a go-between. As The Verge notes, the cost of satellite texting may have dissuaded some manufacturers too. Apple is footing the bill for emergency SOS for the time being.

Now that its agreements with Qualcomm are coming to an end, Iridium says it will be able to work directly with smartphone makers, mobile OS developers and other chipmakers. Apple, meanwhile, has expanded its emergency SOS feature by adding crash detection integration in iPhone 15.

Elsewhere, Starlink is set to roll out its satellite SMS service next year. It plans to eventually offer satellite-powered voice and data functions directly to phones, meaning users won't necessarily need to have a Starlink terminal nearby.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/qualcomms-satellite-texting-plan-is-dead-because-phone-makers-arent-interested-204331091.html?src=rss