Tag Archives: Samsung

Galaxy Tab Active5 rugged tablet leaked with suitcase design and stylus

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Thanks to the Apple iPad Pro, tablets have been given a bit of a lifeline. To be honest, there’s still a bit of uncertainty regarding the purpose of these large screens, especially with smartphones now having extra big displays. There are, however, industries where tablets play an essential role, whether it’s in communication, retrieving information, or organizing data. In this line of work, tablets don’t have to look stylish or have the latest specs as it is more important for them to be durable and reliable, no matter the environment. That’s the core focus of the upcoming Galaxy Tab Active5, but it seems that Samsung isn’t missing the opportunity to add a few fine touches to this rugged device.

Designer: Samsung (via MSPoweruser)

Samsung’s rugged tablets have always been built like tanks and they have the design to prove it. They’re thick and have plenty of protective layers, which definitely makes them look the part of a device that might survive even getting run over by a truck. Looking unappealing, however, isn’t really a requirement, and Samsung has been playing around with a variety of designs to give the tablet a bit more personality.

With the Galaxy Tab Active5, Samsung is adopting a design that might remind some of those super-durable suitcases, complete with linear bumps across the surface. Those humps aren’t just for show, though, as they help diffuse the force of impact away from the sensitive electronics inside the tablet. It’s definitely not stylish, but it’s not terribly unattractive either.

Samsung is also giving the tablet a stylus, similar to its predecessor. Now, you aren’t going to make art using it, though that’s certainly doable. It’s meant more to be used as a precise input tool, especially for those times when you’re wearing gloves that don’t work on touch screens. Of course, you could also use it to scribble notes and draw quick diagrams or directions, something you can’t easily do even with a naked finger.

Despite these contemporary designs and features, the Galaxy Tab Active5 is undeniably a few steps behind compared to even the cheapest tablets today. That’s true not just for the specs but also for the interface. There are even navigation buttons under the screen that haven’t been seen since the likes of the Galaxy S7 from 2016. Those buttons, however, are critical for frontline workers who might not always have the luxury of having their fingers exposed to the elements, giving users alternative methods of controlling the tablet under any situation.

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Galaxy Z Fold 5, Z Flip 5 joins Samsung self-repair program with a catch

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Foldable phones are generally considered to be less durable than their single-form counterparts because of the fragile flexible screen as well as the hinges that give them their titular feature. Considering the complications of this design, repairing foldable phones is relatively more expensive and more difficult to pull off by trained technicians, let alone even the most advanced phone user. It’s, therefore, a bit surprising but nevertheless welcome move that Samsung has announced that you can now legally and officially repair its latest foldable phones on your own. That said, there are still details that are left unknown, making it questionable how meaningful this announcement really is.

Designer: Samsung

It wasn’t too long ago when phone manufacturers vehemently denounced any repair done by anyone other than authorized service providers. Officially, this is meant to protect their intellectual property and product quality, but some see it as a cunning ploy to monopolize the repair service industry and squeeze out more money from customers. Brands such as Apple, Google, and Samsung have reached a sort of compromise where they provide official parts and replacement guides via a third party like iFixit, practically allowing anyone or any shop to repair some phones on their own.

Unsurprisingly, the list of supported devices under these Self-Repair programs is rather short, but Samsung just made a big splash in how it’s expanding that to more devices and more countries. 30 European countries, including Denmark, Greece, Hungary, and Portugal, have been added to the list, bringing the total to over 40 countries across the world. It’s still a small number, admittedly, but a lot better than the total sum of zero from two years ago.

Samsung is also expanding the list of supported devices to include its latest products, not just the Galaxy S23 series but also tablets such as the Galaxy Tab S9 and even the Galaxy Tab A9. More surprising, however, is that the Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Galaxy Z Flip 5 are included in the announcement. In fact, given their reputation, you could almost say that they’re the highlight of that announcement. After all, wouldn’t it be interesting to have a foldable phone that could be repaired by yourself or some third-party service?

While that’s technically true, the major caveat is that the official self-repair program only supports replacing a phone’s battery, rear glass cover, and USB-C charging port. With the design of Samsung’s foldable phones, even those might be more difficult compared to regular phones. Unfortunately, iFixit hasn’t updated its list yet, so we don’t have the full picture of what you can do with this new information, but you can definitely be sure you won’t be replacing that foldable screen on your own any time soon.

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Samsung Galaxy A15 and A25 launched with an odd design element

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Compared to its rather rowdy past, Samsung has been changing its phone designs less frequently these days. This allows the brand to cement its image, especially when those designs remain unique to it. The absence of a large camera bump, for example, has become a signature element in Samsung’s flagship Galaxy S phones, espousing a level of minimalism not found in other brands. It’s also becoming a standard even in its mid-range Galaxy A family, almost turning into Samsung’s design DNA. That’s not to say it no longer experiments with different designs, as demonstrated by its latest mid-range models that bear what might be the strangest design detail to have come across a Samsung phone in recent years.

Designer: Samsung

At first glance, the new Galaxy A15 and A25 look quite plain, almost like the smaller versions of the Samsung Galaxy S flagship. In fact, given what we know so far about next year’s upcoming Galaxy S24, you could almost say they prefigure Samsung’s next big thing. The Galaxy A15 and A25 feature very flat edges on all sides, at least except where the volume and power buttons are.

In most smartphones, the volume and power buttons are the only pieces that protrude from the side of an otherwise flat or featureless edge. It’s a necessary style to allow the fingers to immediately locate and press the buttons even without seeing them. Samsung, however, seems to have gotten the idea to raise not the buttons themselves but the area surrounding the buttons. It calls it “Key Island,” and it seems to be inspired by the common camera island or camera bump design on most smartphones.

The area flanking and in between these two buttons are raised almost to the same height as the buttons themselves. The sides of this mound gently curve upward while the island itself has a curved surface that contrasts with the flat edges of the rest of the phone. It’s not immediately clear, but it seems that the volume and power buttons still rise a little bit higher than the island, making it a two-step elevation also like some smartphone camera bumps.

While it adds a bit of visual uniqueness to the Galaxy A15 and A25, it is still puzzling why Samsung decided to go with this Key Island design in the first place. To some extent, it defeats the purpose of tactile physical buttons since it will be harder for fingers to sense where the correct buttons or areas actually are. The extruded portion might also snag more than simple buttons, not to mention taking up more space and becoming incompatible with cases that would have otherwise fit these two phones. Thankfully, these are mid-tier products and Samsung can afford to play around with what might become unpopular designs. Hopefully, this isn’t a foreshadowing of what the Galaxy S24 will have in a few months.

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Galaxy S24 designs unofficial look reveals familiar faces, subtle changes

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We’re nearing the end of the year, which means almost all the new flagship phones for 2023 have already flown the coop. That also means that the Internet is seeing a constant stream of leaks and rumors about next year’s roster, especially the ones that will be ushering in the new year. As per tradition, Samsung will be opening the year with its own definition of a “bang,” with none other than the Galaxy S24 family to pave the way for 2024. But just like any flagship smartphone from any brand any year, this trio has already been leaked to death. The latest addition to that list is a bunch of official-looking unofficial images that uncover what the Galaxy S24 will look like, and it looks like it’s going to be a very flat affair.

Designer: Samsung (via Windows Report)

Galaxy S23 Family

In contrast to its practice a few years ago, Samsung seems to have mellowed down on making big changes to its flagship phones’ designs. The 2021 Galaxy S21 and the Galaxy S22 the year after were almost identical, while this year’s Galaxy S23 still looked slightly similar but ditched the “Contour Camera” bump for a more minimalistic design. It seems that the upcoming Galaxy S24 will continue that trend, preferring refinement over sensational changes in order to establish a stronger brand identity.

This new set of images of the Galaxy S24, Galaxy S24+, and Galaxy S24 Ultra match those rumors. They retain the basic design identity of the current Galaxy S line but have some subtle yet important changes as well. If there’s one word that could describe the Galaxy S24’s design, it would be that it has embraced the flat trend even further.

This is especially true with the Galaxy S24 and Galaxy S24+, which now have nearly flat edges with chamfered corners where the front and glass back cover meet the frame. You can be sure that there will be a lot of criticism about Samsung copying Apple yet again, but it’s actually surprising it took this long to do that. In the meantime, a lot of other smartphone brands have already adopted this flat look, so it’s not like Samsung needs to be singled out.

The more important flat change, however, is with the Galaxy S24 Ultra’s screen which ditched the curved edge or “Infinity Edge” design of yesteryears. As mentioned before, this isn’t just a visual change, because it lets owners exploit all the screen space available, down to the last pixel at the edges. It’s a more usable design, especially for a smartphone that uses a stylus. Of course, all of these are still unofficial, but given all the “confirmation” we’re seeing on the Internet, it’s almost as good as gold. The Galaxy S24 lineup is expected to be announced on January 17th, 2024, though even that date isn’t official.

Galaxy S23 Family

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Galaxy Z Fold 6, Z Flip 6 foldable phones might finally fix pain points

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Foldable phones are getting more common these days, but that doesn’t mean they don’t have room for improvement. Whether it’s the larger book-type foldable or the stylish clamshell flip phone, there are still lingering concerns in terms of design and durability. Admittedly, there have been quite a few major improvements over the years thanks to increased competition in this market segment. Although it was a pioneer, it almost seemed that Samsung had been stagnating instead, sticking too close to safe designs. That changed with the Galaxy Z Flip 5 this year and it will keep changing for next year’s generation that are expected to introduce new screens that address some of those complaints.

Designer: Samsung (via Ross Young)

It’s not really that puzzling that Samsung decided to focus on improving the durability and reliability of its foldable phones over fancy features. After all, those are the biggest concerns buyers have when trying to sink their teeth into such an expensive investment. But four years after it first launched the Galaxy Fold, the basic design of this foldable phone hasn’t changed. In fact, one of the biggest complaints is how the external Cover Screen is too narrow, making it awkward and even difficult to use the phone as a regular phone when folded close.

According to industry sources, the Galaxy Z Fold 6 will have a wider Cover Screen to resolve this issue. An exact figure wasn’t given, but any additional width would be an improvement to the current design and put it on the same page as its rivals. Of course, this would translate to a change in the aspect ratio of the internal main display, which might end up looking more squarish than before.

The Galaxy Z Flip 6 is also getting a bigger Cover Screen, one that spans 3.9 inches diagonally versus the current 3.4 inches. This is being compared to the 4.0-inch iPhone 5s and iPhone SE (2016), which are the last small iPhones that Apple made. In theory, that means there will be more space for content, which opens the door for more apps as well.

Of course, that isn’t always the case in practice, because the screen aspect ratio and shape won’t be the same as an iPhone. And just like the Galaxy Z Flip 5 now, the kinds of apps that you can use on that external screen are very limited. There are no signs that Samsung will open up its Cover Screen to more apps the way the Motorola Razr does, so the impact of this change could be very minimal in the end.

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Samsung Glasses Mixed Reality Headset: What We Know So Far

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Although it was a bit late to the game, it was unsurprising that the Apple Vision Pro mixed reality headset blew people’s minds the moment Apple officially revealed its existence and features. It has definitely caused many players in the market to rethink their designs and strategies, including Samsung who was supposedly close to announcing its own XR or eXtended reality hardware. The initial expectations were along the lines of a full headset not unlike the (Facebook) Meta Quest 3 or Samsung’s own defunct HMD Odyssey, but it seems that Samsung was “inspired” by its biggest rival to go back to the drawing board. While still largely a mystery, some of the pieces are falling into place, laying the foundations for what will soon be called Samsung Glasses.

Designer: Samsung

What: The Design

There is still some debate on what specific area of the umbrella eXtended Reality (XR) space Samsung’s headset will be aiming for. Based on a recently leaked prototype, it would have leaned more on the virtual reality side of the equation, with outward-facing cameras to allow wearers to see a glimpse of the world outside. This is the conventional HMD or Head-Mounted Device design and something Samsung is already familiar with. But with rumors of Samsung reviewing the device in lieu of the Apple Vision Pro, you can expect some big changes in terms of design.

Image courtesy of Brad Lynch

A recent trademark filing in the UK reveals that Samsung is calling dibs on the “Samsung Glasses” name. The description, which covers VR, AR, MR, and XR, isn’t exactly telling, but it does suggest it will take on a form closer to smart glasses. Considering the necessary hardware involved, it won’t be something simple like Ray-Bans or Google Glasses, more like, well, the Apple Vision Pro or the Meta Quest Pro. While not completely comfortable or portable, this design at least opens the door to AR and mixed reality more than a typical VR headset.

Apple Vision Pro

Apple Vision Pro

How: The Specs

In addition to the usual processors and electronics needed to drive such a mixed reality headset, Samsung Glasses will succeed or fail depending on the optics it uses. The prototype mentioned above lists micro OLED displays, pancake lenses, and cameras for eye and hand tracking, all of which contribute to a more immersive experience when viewing and manipulating digital objects. Samsung was reportedly planning on using a 2022 processor to power this headset, but Apple’s challenge has it mulling over a more capable chip it could use instead.

Samsung Odyssey+

Samsung Odyssey+

One thing that Samsung might be doing differently from Apple is having the battery built into the headset, though mounted on the rear rather than the front. While this naturally adds to the weight of the device, its location attempts to at least balance the load on both sides. It also makes the Samsung Glasses a bit more portable since it doesn’t have to rely on an external battery connected via a cable.

Meta Quest Pro

Meta Quest Pro

When: The Date

With the Apple Vision Pro’s market launch nearing, Samsung really doesn’t have much time left to put out its own take on the eXtended Reality space. Insider sources claim that the date has been pushed back to mid-2024, in contrast to Apple’s launch sometime between January and April. That’s not to say that Samsung is taking it slow, as developers are allegedly told to finish their XR apps by November. There will be an internal launch next month, so we might get a few more unofficial sneak peeks of the device.

Samsung GearVR

Samsung GearVR

Of course, most of these are still conjectures based on a variety of unofficial sources, so there is still plenty of room to hope for a better device. Conversely, Samsung’s track record with the Gear VR and, later, the HMD Odyssey doesn’t inspire much confidence. The design of the headset is critical for comfort, but it will be the software that will determine whether such a piece of hardware will actually entice buyers in the long run.

Apple Vision Pro

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Samsung Galaxy Buds Poke Ball cases add a fun, eco-friendly twist to wireless earbuds

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Once frowned upon as a sign of being disconnected from your surroundings, TWS or truly wireless stereo earbuds have now become the norm for smartphone users. They do bring quite a few benefits, like freedom from the tangle of cables, though they also become prone to getting lost easily. They also open up a lot of opportunities as far as design goes, particularly when it comes to brand collaborations. After all, it’s only too easy to slap colors and logos onto these earbuds’ charging cases. A bit more interesting, however, are designs that embrace less conventional shapes or materials, like these cases for Samsung’s line of Galaxy Buds that come in the form of iconic monster-catching balls from the popular Pokemon franchise.

Designer: Samsung

To be clear, these Poke Balls don’t replace the charging cases that Samsung earbuds use. In Pokemon parlance, the original earbuds case would be the Pokemon that would live inside the ball when not in active use. Instead, the charging cases go inside these balls, which solves both the problems of compatibility. In fact, these Poke Balls are compatible with the entire range of Galaxy earbuds, including the Galaxy Buds Live, Buds Pro, Buds 2, Buds 2 Pro, and the recent Buds FE.

As for the Poke Ball designs, what’s being made available in Europe, particularly in Spain, are the purple Masterball, the blue Greatball, and the Yellow Ultraball. A bit ironically, the classic red and white Poke Ball is not available, which would have been a design that would have immediately identified the spheres as Poke Balls rather than just some random toy. That was actually the first design that was launched, so it might make its way to other countries at some other point in time.

This, after all, isn’t the first time that Samsung and The Pokemon Company collaborated on Pokemon-themed accessories and devices. What makes this particular set of Poke Balls, however, is that it’s a part of a range of eco-friendly accessories that use recycled materials rather than virgin plastic. Whether these make their way to other markets, only time will tell.

As endearing as these designs might be to Pokemon fans, there are a few practical drawbacks that interested buyers must be aware of. First is that the earbuds will no longer be easily pocketable when in the Poke Balls because unlike in the animated show, these don’t shrink to tinier sizes. The second is that the balls themselves don’t have built-in batteries or ways to charge the cases inside, which means you’ll have to take out the charging case if you need to top it off.

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