EXPANDING GALAXY...
Samsung ready to unpack its latest kit
SAMSUNG is getting ready to show off its latest and greatest hardware innovations – the South Korean tech giant is hosting an event next week. Samsung Galaxy Unpacked 2020 will be a virtual event, obviously, and is scheduled to take place on August 5 at 3pm.
Unlike other tech companies, Samsung isn’t altogether shy about teasing fans with some information about what it plans to show off.
In a bid to build the hype, the company tends to slowly release teasers in the run up to events – so much so this time that we have a pretty good idea what we’ll be seeing. In fact, this week Samsung released a dark silhouette image of five devices, more or less giving the game away.
So, here’s what we think will be coming our way when Samsung raises the curtain and reveals whether the rumours are true, or not...
GALAXY NOTE 20
SAMSUNG has actually confirmed that the Note 20 – the latest in its oversized phone/tablet line – by actually releasing a photo of it on its Russian website.
The image shows the camera unit on the back of the device, which sports three lenses, as well as the pen stylus that will come with it.
There will reportedly be two versions of the Note 20 – the Ultra with a 6.9in screen, and a standard version with a 6.7in screen. The Ultra will be a better all-round device, with a 108MP sensor in its main camera unit.
It won’t do the 100x zoom found on Samsung’s flagship S20 Ultra phone, but will go up to 50x.
The smaller Note’s camera (which, like its big brother, will have a standard, wide and zoom lens) will top out at 48MP.
The screen on the bigger Note will wrap slightly round the edges of the device, and will feature technology similar to that used by Apple in its Watch Series 5 to allow more control over the refresh rate – this means the software will be able to control how often the screen will refresh, allowing for better battery life.
Both devices will feature a smaller punched-out hole in their screens for the front-facing camera.
The pen stylus is said to be similar in looks to last year’s version, but may include extra features allowing it to be used as a more versatile pointer during presentations.
GALAXY WATCH 3
ONE of the more surprising details about the new smartwatch Samsung is planning to show off is its name – the Watch 3.
Surprising mainly because we haven’t seen a Watch 2, yet.
That minor detail aside, the big deal about this new device is that Samsung is planning to feature a bezel around the outside of the device that rotates to allow control over apps.
Expect upgrades to the Tizen software that runs on the device, too – with better fitness tracking options.
GALAXY BUDS LIVE
SAMSUNG is reportedly ready to upgrade its wireless earbuds, too – and it’s giving them a new name.
The Buds Live will be an upgrade on the current Buds Plus (which were only released earlier this year).
The new earbuds will reportedly include the one feature that was missing from the earlier model – active noise cancellation.
Sadly, this new feature will impact the device’s battery life, which is reported to halve to somewhere around the five-hour mark. The earbuds will also sport a new, less obtrusive, bean-shaped design.
GALAXY Z FOLD 2
WE KNEW a new foldable phone was coming, but all the rumours pointed to a 5G version of the ‘clamshell’ Galaxy Z Flip.
Now that Samsung has already revealed that device, those in the know are now suggesting the bigger Fold phone is getting an upgrade next week (and the teaser image from Samsung certainly backs that rumour up).
Not much is known about how the phone will differ from the original version – but we can safely assume it, too, will sport a 108MP camera unit.
There will likely be a larger screen on the outside of the device, and 5G support seems to be a given.
GALAXY TAB S7
WITH only really Apple for competition in the tablet space, Samsung obviously still feels it’s worth being in the game.
There will be two new tablets in the Galaxy series coming next week – the S7 and the S7 Plus.
Nothing revolutionary is expected from these devices – they’ll be sized at 11in and 12.4in and support the pen stylus.
The bigger tablet will also reportedly support 5G connectivity.