Android Authority

Mint Mobile is upping all its data tiers next week

Fri, 22 Jan 2021 18:00:20 GMT

Mint Mobile will increase the data allotments for all its subscription tiers starting next week.
This jump in data comes at no extra cost for new or current users.
Actor Ryan Reynolds, who owns a major stake in the company, announced the change in another silly video.

Today, MVNO carrier Mint Mobile announced a restructuring of its data plans. Bucking the usual trend of companies asking for more money for less value, MM is giving customers more. Now, all subscribers will get more data with their plans.

Starting January 28 (the day before the Galaxy S21 series hits shelves, coincidentally), the data increases take effect. Users on the 3GB plan will now get 4GB of data. The 8GB plan gets upped to 10GB, and the 12GB plan is now the 15GB plan.

Pricing for all plans stays the same as it is today. That’s $15, $20, and $25 each month respectively.

Mint Mobile data increase

We’re upping our data. And our political influence. #MintMobile @Mayor_Max pic.twitter.com/ue2hcMJRXX

— Ryan Reynolds (@VancityReynolds) January 21, 2021

In what has become a tradition, actor Ryan Reynolds announced the news in a funny ad spot. Reynolds — who has a major ownership stake in the company — briefly discusses how much money AT&T and Verizon spend on political donations. He then laments that Mint Mobile doesn’t spend anything on politics.

To rectify this, the company issues a whopping $15 check to the mayor of Idyllwild, CA: a dog named Max. Yes, you read that correctly — the real-life mayor of Idyllwild is a dog and Mint Mobile just gave him a $15 political contribution.

The mayor’s full name is Maximus Mighty-Dog Mueller II. You can read all about this good boy on his Wikipedia page.

Interested in signing up for Mint Mobile? Here’s everything you need to know.

Signal adds a raft of features in wake of WhatsApp exodus

Fri, 22 Jan 2021 16:00:16 GMT

Credit: Edgar Cervantes / Android Authority

Signal’s latest beta release includes features that’ll make anyone who left WhatsApp feel more at home.
Among other additions, there’s a new feature to set independent wallpapers for all of your chats.
You’ll also find an option to set a status update and support for stickers.

A little more than a week after an influx of fleeing WhatsApp users took it down for the better part of a day, Signal is trying its best to keep those individuals from returning to Facebook’s chat app. Its latest beta release, which was spotted by WABetaInfo, adds a number of features, all of which should be familiar to you if you’re one of those people who left WhatsApp after it announced its disastrous privacy policy change.

To start, you’ll find a new option to set independent wallpapers for all your chats. This is a fun customization feature that’s been a part of a variety of messaging apps, not just WhatsApp. It was notably missing from Signal where your customization options were limited to picking between light and dark modes. Another new personalization feature allows you to write a short status update other people can see when they’re browsing through their contact list. Signal has a couple of suggestions like “Free to chat” and “Taking a break” to help you get started.

Also new to this update is support for animated stackers, and Signal’s first sticker pack, “Day by Day.” A corresponding update to the desktop client allows you to create your own stickers, which you can share with your friends and family.

On the practical side of things, the update introduces a low-data mode for calls, and an option that allows you to set a destination for files to be downloaded automatically. You’ll also find a new feature that allows you to send shareable group chat invites to your friends. Lastly, Signal has enhanced its group call functionality so that now you can include seven other people in a call rather than only five total.

Again, all of these are features you’ll find in other chat apps, not just WhatsApp. But if you’re one of the people who ditched WhatsApp for Signal, they should help make you feel more at home.

Deal: Pick up the JBL Flip 5 Bluetooth speaker for just $79.99 ($40 off)

Fri, 22 Jan 2021 13:00:14 GMT

Credit: Woot

We get sent a lot of free tech at Android Authority, but I just bought the JBL Flip 5 Bluetooth speaker myself. It arrived yesterday and I already love it, although if I were in the US then I’d be kicking myself because it’s now on sale at a much better price from Woot. While stocks last, you can pick it up for just $79.99 ($40 off).

The JBL Flip 4 is first on our list of the best Bluetooth speaker for under $100, but the Flip 5 doesn’t usually fall into that category. The latest model in the line maintains the same powerful 12-hour battery and tough build while adding improved charging and an all-new racetrack-shaped driver.

The sound is fantastic from my new addition, especially the bass that’s packed into the compact unit. While I’m not planning to throw it in a lake any time soon, the IPX7 covering means that it’s completely water-resistant down to three meters. The JBL app also allows you to pair your speakers together — up to 100 at a time — and synchronize the music.

This deal isn’t as fleeting as many Woot sales, but this is a popular Bluetooth speaker so we expect stocks to move pretty quickly. Hit the widget below to check out the offer for yourself.

$79 .99

JBL Flip 5

Save $39 .96

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JBL Flip 5 Buy it Now

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Poll: Do you think LG should sell its smartphone division?

Fri, 22 Jan 2021 12:21:37 GMT

Credit: David Imel / Android Authority

We don’t need to rehash LG‘s well-known struggles in the smartphone industry. The company’s been floundering for years now losing revenue, dropping market share, and shedding consumer trust. This week, a memo stemming from the company’s top brass suggested that it’s exploring “all possibilities” for its mobile division. This has led to rumors of a sell-off to another smartphone firm.

While this eventuality isn’t something LG would want, it might be a valid option. Selling all or part of the company’s mobile division would allow it to focus on particular market segments. LG’s strategy seemingly reflects this notion, too. It already outsources the manufacturing of its budget mobiles to other firms. This has let the company build more adventurous flagships, including the LG Wing and to-be-confirmed LG Rollable.

Arguably, for a company as established as LG, a sale to a competitor shouldn’t be an option. The company remains a force in the US market, and while it seems like a distant memory it has produced a slew of excellent mobiles in the past. Fundamentally, it’s still possible for it to regain its former glory.

Loading poll

We could probably play a lengthy game of pros and cons with LG, but we want to know from you what you think about the company’s prospects. Do you feel that LG’s mobile arm should be sold? Or do you feel there’s still some fight left in the Korean marque?

Do be sure to vote in our poll above, and drop a comment down below if you have any pressing thoughts on LG or its wares.

The fate of LG’s rollable phone is apparently ‘undecided’

Fri, 22 Jan 2021 08:19:12 GMT

Credit: LG

A new report says that LG is undecided about launching its rollable phone.
The company is reportedly “open to every possibility.”
Industry insiders are also saying that it could completely abandon the project.

LG seems undecided on the fate of its highly-anticipated rollable phone. According to the Korea Herald, the firm said on Friday that it’s still working on the device but hasn’t made any detailed plans for its launch.

LG recently flaunted the rollable phone at CES, hinting that it’s ready to announce it. However, soon after the trade show, rumors started floating about the company selling its mobile business. Nothing is confirmed yet, but LG is reportedly considering all possibilities.

For the rollable phone too, LG apparently said that it’s “open to every possibility.”

Some local industry sources also told the Korean outlet that LG may choose to abandon the rollable project altogether so as not to repeat the failure of the Wing smartphone. The swivel device was a great attempt at a new form factor but its sales reportedly bombed, at least in its home country.

We haven’t heard anything directly from LG, so we’ll just have to wait and see what the company decides.

This Snapdragon 888 phone might rival S21 Ultra for an impressive camera setup

Fri, 22 Jan 2021 07:28:16 GMT

Credit: Vivo

Vivo has launched the X60 Pro Plus in China.
The new phone packs a Snapdragon 888 processor and an upgraded rear camera system.
There’s no word on global availability just yet.

Vivo announced the X60 and X60 Pro last month, packing the brand-new Exynos 1080 upper mid-range processor and a 48MP main camera with micro-gimbal stabilization. But what if you want a full-blown flagship experience? Fortunately, the BBK brand has just announced the Vivo X60 Pro Plus.

The new phone swaps out the mid-range Exynos processor in favor of a cutting-edge Snapdragon 888 chipset, which means you should expect superior CPU and GPU performance compared to its stablemates. You can also expect 55W wired charging for the 4,200mAh battery, which should be a solid improvement over 33W charging on the other phones.

Vivo’s new flagship ups the ante in the camera field too, delivering a setup jointly developed with Zeiss as well as Zeiss lens coatings for better image quality. The phone differs from its stablemates by offering a 50MP Samsung GN1 main camera instead of a 48MP shooter. This main camera lacks micro-gimbal stabilization though (using OIS instead), with Vivo adding it to the 48MP (IMX598, 114 degree field of view) ultra-wide snapper instead.

Credit: Hadlee Simons / Android Authority

Other notable camera details include a 32MP 2x telephoto lens for portraits, and an 8MP 5x periscope shooter. In terms of camera software, the Vivo X60 Pro Plus touts night portraits, ultra-wide and panoramic night shots, a 100MP mode via the 50MP shooter, a starry sky mode, and color restoration of black and white photos.

The new phone shares a few features in common with its cheaper siblings otherwise, such as a 6.56-inch FHD+ OLED screen with a 120Hz refresh rate, a 32MP selfie shooter in a punch-hole cutout, an in-display fingerprint sensor, and Origin OS atop Android 11.

The Vivo X60 Pro Plus will be available in China, starting at 4,998 yuan (~$772) for the 8GB/128GB model. Expect to splash out 5,998 yuan (~$927) for the 12GB/256GB variant. The phone is available in gray leather or orange leather options. We’ve asked Vivo about wider availability and will update the article if/when they get back to us.

Honor’s first phone since its split from Huawei is an affordable flagship

Fri, 22 Jan 2021 06:47:07 GMT

Credit: Honor

Honor has announced the V40.
It’s the first smartphone from the company as an independent firm.
The launch is limited to China at present, but Honor does not rule out the possibility of global availability.

Honor is now no longer under Huawei‘s wing, and while that comes with its freedom from US-related pressures, it’s also a daunting prospect to not have support from a major smartphone maker. Nevertheless, the first device from its new era is now here.

The Honor V40 was largely developed when Honor was part of its former parent company, and its aesthetic suggests this, too. Upfront, the phone carries the dual camera oval cutout like the P40 Pro, while at the rear, the top-left aligned camera housing is also reminiscent of the Huawei flagship. That said, there’s enough to differentiate it from the Honor V30.

It wears a 6.72-inch OLED display that tapers at its edges but packs a 120Hz refresh rate and a 300Hz sampling rate — both figures a buff over current Huawei wares. The 10-bit panel also supports HDR10, while dual speakers should improve the binge-watching and gaming experience.

The Honor V40 ditches Kirin silicon for the MediaTek Dimensity 1000 Plus chipset mated to 8GB of RAM and up to 256GB of internal storage. This cocktail is powered by a 4,000mAh battery which can be topped up using 66W wired charging or 50W wireless charging.

As for camera smarts, the Honor V40’s rear array is dominated by a 1/1.56 inch 50MP RYYB primary camera that stands up top like the Xiaomi Mi 10 Ultra. Although the design is exciting, the rest of the array isn’t. It’s joined by an 8MP ultrawide and a 2MP macro snapper. A 16MP selfie camera sits alongside a secondary sensor in the oval selfie camera cutout.

Honor V40: Price and availability

For now, the Honor V40 will be limited to China. The phone will debut at 3,599 yuan (~$556) for the 128GB version and 3,999 yuan (~$618) for the 256GB option. Colorways include Magic Night Black, Titanium Silver, and Rose Gold which is a little warmer than Apple’s flavor.

When asked about details of an international debut, Honor told Android Authority in an email that “a lot of things are in progress” but didn’t dismiss or confirm potential availability beyond China. It also remains unclear if the phone will come with Google Mobile Services should it see a wider launch.

Realme Watch 2 incoming with bigger battery, similar everything else

Fri, 22 Jan 2021 06:18:09 GMT

The Realme Watch 2 has appeared on the FCC website with complete design and spec details.
It carries the same design as its predecessor but packs a bigger battery this time around.
Most of its features are also the same as the first Realme Watch.

Realme’s first attempt at making a smartwatch wasn’t all that successful. Yes, it was affordable, but it lacked accurate fitness tracking skills and made it very hard for us to recommend over other budget fitness trackers. Now, the company is gearing up to launch a successor.

The Realme Watch 2 has appeared in a listing on the FCC website, revealing its name, design, and features.

Unlike the Realme Watch S Pro which is a more premium device, the Realme Watch 2 retains the same 1.4-inch square display as its predecessor. In our review of the first watch, we noted that its screen was dull and hard to see in outdoor conditions. Sadly, this could also be the case with the Watch 2, but we’ll only know for sure once we test it.

Credit: Realme

Fitness tracking features on the upcoming Realme smartwatch include SpO2 monitoring, 24-hour heart rate monitoring, tracking for various workouts, sleep tracking, and a meditation mode.

You also get a battery upgrade this time around. The Realme Watch 2 houses a 305mAh cell compared to the 160mAh battery on the previous model. This should easily last you more than a week or ten days since the Realme Watch delivered its promised seven-day battery life.

Elsewhere, you get Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity and an IP68 rating for water and dust resistance. There’s no word on a launch date, but it shouldn’t be too far off given the FCC listing.

Fossil Gen 5 LTE version now available from Fossil.com (Update: Verizon, too)

Thu, 21 Jan 2021 20:54:07 GMT

Credit: Fossil

Fossil has unveiled its first-ever LTE-capable smartwatch, the Fossil Gen 5 LTE, at CES 2021.
As expected, this is nearly the same smartwatch as 2019’s Fossil Gen 5 smartwatch, only with cellular connectivity.
It’ll launch this year exclusively on Verizon for $349.

Update, January 21, 2021 (03:54 PM ET): It looks like things are happening a lot faster for the Fossil Gen 5 LTE than expected. Although Fossil told us it would land in the Spring of this year, it’s already here — just ten days after the company announced it.

Today, you can grab Fossil’s first LTE-powered watch from its official website for $349. Conversely, you can also head to Verizon and buy it there for the same price. You can also take advantage of a Verizon payment plan and pay $14.54 each month for 24 months.

Keep in mind that the Gen 5 LTE is exclusive to Verizon. Even if you buy it directly from Fossil, you’ll still only be able to activate its LTE capabilities on the Verizon network. In other words, if you’re not on Verizon or don’t plan on switching, the Gen 5 LTE isn’t for you.

Original article, January 11, 2021 (08:00 AM ET): Wear OS smartwatches with LTE connectivity are few and far between. Mobvoi has really been the only company committed to LTE Wear OS smartwatches, but now we can add Fossil to that list. Fossil has announced the Fossil Gen 5 LTE, it’s first-ever LTE-equipped smartwatch.

Having access to an LTE connection on your watch is invaluable to some people. It means you don’t need to have a phone nearby in order to send texts or receive calls. And because all Gen 5 smartwatches have a built-in speaker, taking calls from your wrist is that much easier.

However, you’ll need to be a Verizon customer to use Fossil’s new smartwatch. The Fossil Gen 5 LTE is Verizon-only at the start, though Fossil says it’s working to add support for other carriers in the future. While we’re on the subject of exclusivity, this is an Android-only smartwatch, too. Fossil is also working on iOS compatibility, though it doesn’t have a timeframe for when that may happen.

Credit: Fossil

As the name suggests, the new watch is almost identical to the company’s previous Gen 5 watches. The Fossil Gen 5 LTE has the same display, processor, RAM, and storage configuration as the version we reviewed in 2019. That means it, unfortunately, misses out on Qualcomm’s new Snapdragon Wear 4100 series chipset. However, we felt the performance of the 3100 chip was perfectly acceptable. Battery life was good too — thanks in part to Fossil’s custom battery modes — though it’ll be interesting to see how an LTE connection affects battery longevity.

There’s one other caveat worth mentioning: the LTE smartwatch somehow misses out on the most recent software update Fossil rolled out last August. It will launch without VO2 max estimates, the new wellness app, enhanced custom battery modes, and more. Fossil hopes to bring this software update to the LTE variant “soon.”

The Fossil Gen 5 LTE is available for pre-order now and launches in the US this Spring for $349, and will launch globally later this year. Two color options are available: a smoke-tone stainless steel case with black straps and a rose gold-tone stainless steel case with blush straps — both in the larger 45mm size. We’ve linked to Fossil’s landing page below, but you’ll also be able to find it on Verizon.com and in select Verizon stores this Spring.

$349 .00

Fossil Gen 5 LTE

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Fossil Gen 5 LTE Buy it Now

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Speed Test G: Galaxy S21 Ultra Snapdragon 888 vs Exynos 2100 (Neck and neck)

Thu, 21 Jan 2021 19:30:25 GMT

In the latest Speed Test G video, it’s a bout between the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra Snapdragon vs Exynos processors.
As one would expect, the Snapdragon 888 handily beats the Exynos 2100 in the end.
However, the Exynos chip leads until the GPU tests begin, proving that AMD could be Samsung’s saving grace.

It’s no secret that Samsung fans around the world hate the fact that some countries see Exynos versions of the company’s flagship phones. Here in the United States, we see Snapdragon variants of pretty much every Sammy flagship, including this year’s Galaxy S21 line.

In the latest Speed Test G video, Gary Sims pits the best-of-the-best of the Android world against each other. The Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra Snapdragon vs Exynos bout helps to answer the question of whether or not the Exynos 2100 can beat the Snapdragon 888.

The simple answer is “no”: the Exynos 2100 loses handily. However, the Snapdragon 888 lags behind the Exynos 2100 at first, likely due to the latter chip’s overclocked CPU. It’s only when GPU tests begin that we see the Exynos variant trail behind.

You can see the full Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra Snapdragon vs Exynos fight in the video above, or at the Speed Test G channel. It definitively proves that Samsung can go head-to-head with Qualcomm when it comes to mobile processors. It just needs some help with the GPU side of things. And hey, that’s likely what the AMD deal is all about, so expect future Exynos chips to meet Qualcomm’s output — maybe even exceed it.

Weezer’s new music video is basically a 4-minute Pixel 5 ad

Thu, 21 Jan 2021 18:30:02 GMT

The video for Weezer’s new single “All My Favorite Songs” heavily features Google Pixel 5 smartphones.
Frontman Rivers Cuomo even uses the “OK Google” hotword while prominently holding the Pixel 5 with its “G” logo in plain sight.
The song actually isn’t too bad, either.

Los Angeles rock band Weezer has a habit of releasing a lot of albums and a lot of music videos to promote those albums. Today, the group dropped its latest video effort for the lead single off its new record. Dubbed “All My Favorite Songs,” the track’s lyrics center on frontman Rivers Cuomo’s simultaneous yearning to be social and reclusive.

Oh yeah, and the video is basically one big advertisement for the Google Pixel 5.

All My Favorite Songs (on my Pixel phone)

Although there’s no announcement in the video or on the video’s YouTube page, it’s very likely Google helped fund the project. Not only do the band and entire cast use Pixel phones, but Cuomo even uses the “OK Google” hotword to start recording a video of bandmate Brian Bell. It’s a bit too Google-heavy to not have been financially supported by the Big G.

Regardless, the music video is fun and the song is pretty good. The story centers on two teens who don’t know each other but connect on the internet. However, the internet is magic and allows for the two to physically enter the same space. The two then head to Weezer’s rehearsal space where they find the band preoccupied with their Google Pixel 5 smartphones. Seriously.

Eventually, everyone is on their phones and the lead teen escapes back to his room. All is not lost, though, as he gets to add the girl he met as a friend on social media.

The video is mirrored above for you to check out. “All My Favorite Songs” appears on Weezer’s fourteenth (!!!) album which is titled OK Human. It lands on January 29. Maybe Google helped fund the album name, too?

Today only: Save 52% on this fun Raspberry Pi starter kit

Thu, 21 Jan 2021 17:18:11 GMT

Credit: Woot

A combination of cold weather and a certain pandemic has left many of us in need of a new hobby. If you’re prone to a bit of tinkering, building your own Raspberry Pi projects should be right up your street. Woot is here with a one-day flash sale on the CanaKit Raspberry Pi Kit for Dummies, allowing you to get your geek on for just $49.99 ($54 off).

The Raspberry Pi is the ultimate Internet of Things device. It’s a mini-computer you can plug into keyboards, monitors, and other devices to perform all sorts of tasks, from building electronics to playing games. The great thing is that you don’t need to be a tech whiz to enjoy dabbling with these gizmos.

Related: 11 Pi projects for everyone

The CanaKit bundle comes with a Pi 3 board, the Raspberry Pi For Dummies booklet, and a whole host of extra electronics to start connecting up. Not only can you build your own Pi systems using the kit, but you’ll also have a base hub to build robots, smart home devices, and more.

The kit alone will keep you busy, but it’s worth noting that there’s much more tuition out there to open up the endless potential of this hobbyist gadget. Here are some examples of great deals on learning kits:

The Raspberry Pi Mastery Bundle for $34 ($865 value)
The Complete Raspberry Pi Course Bundle for $19 ($299 value)
The Ultimate Pi eBook Bundle for $19.99 ($123 value)

The Woot deal ends at midnight, and that’s if the kits don’t sell out first — the other Pi deal on the site is already out of stock. Hit the widget below to check out the deal while you can.

$49 .99

CanaKit Raspberry Pi Kit for Dummies (Pi 3 Included)

Save $54 .01

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CanaKit Raspberry Pi Kit for Dummies (Pi 3 Included) Buy it Now

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Samsung Galaxy S21 review: It’s a great Honda, not a great Mercedes

Thu, 21 Jan 2021 16:01:24 GMT

This year, power users are no doubt super excited about the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra. It has all the specs, all the cameras, and all the juice you need to power through a day (or two) of heavy smartphone use. While that’s great for the enthusiast crowd, they represent but a tiny fraction of the overall smartphone-buying population. Most people don’t need all those bleeding-edge specs and features (or all that money drained from their bank accounts).

Enter the Samsung Galaxy S21. This phone isn’t for power users. In fact, if you’re a power user, I can guarantee that the Galaxy S21 is not the phone for you.

This might be a surprising development for some because the Galaxy S line has a deep history rooted in being the “best of the best.” This year, though, Samsung has tossed that out the window and tried to establish the vanilla Galaxy S21 as something else: the best device you can get at a price most flagship phone buyers can afford. But did it succeed?

This is Android Authority’s Samsung Galaxy S21 review.

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Samsung Galaxy S21

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Samsung Galaxy S21 Buy it Now

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About this Samsung Galaxy S21 review: I used the Samsung Galaxy S21 over a period of six days. It was running One UI 3.1 based on Android 11 on the January 2021 security patch. Samsung provided Android Authority with the device for the purposes of this review. It came pre-loaded with a Verizon SIM card.

Design and display: Value trumps specs

Credit: David Imel / Android Authority

71.2 x 151.7 x 7.9mm
In-display ultrasonic fingerprint sensor
Gorilla Glass Victus
IP68 water and dust resistance

6.2-inch Dynamic AMOLED (2,400 x 1,080)
Flat display
Infinity-O selfie cutout
120Hz adaptive refresh rate

The front of the Galaxy S21 remains mostly unchanged from last year with an almost bezel-free display and a selfie camera cutout at the top center. However, the curved glass is gone. Instead, we have flat sides all around with gently rounded corners.

See also: The best Samsung phones

How you feel about curved glass will be very subjective. From a utilitarian standpoint, flat displays make Android’s gesture navigation system much easier to perform. Swiping up or from the sides of a flat display feels more natural than running your finger up a bump. On the flip side, curved displays offer more immersion since videos and other media seem to roll off into infinity. It’s a trade-off either way.

But let’s be real: the main reason Samsung opted for a flat display this year is to bring costs down. This is something I’ll be saying a lot in this Samsung Galaxy S21 review. That’s also the reason the Galaxy S21 has a lower resolution display than any mainline S21 phone since the Galaxy S5. Dropping a 1440p display in favor of a 1080p display, though, wasn’t a big deal to me. The display is still bright and beautiful, and its 6.2-inch form factor achieves a respectable 421ppi density.

The display also has a 120Hz adaptive refresh rate. The keyword there is “adaptive,” which means that you won’t see 120Hz all the time. Instead, the phone’s software will determine what refresh rate is best for the situation you are in. For example, if the app you’re using has a 60Hz refresh rate limit, then there’s no reason for the battery-draining 120Hz rate to be active. Likewise, if the app would benefit from a 120Hz refresh rate, then the software will react accordingly.

The Galaxy S21 has a 120Hz refresh rate, but you won't see it all the time and you can't control it.

This might be disappointing for folks who just want to force 120Hz all the time. There is no way to achieve this out-of-the-box with the Galaxy S21. However, this adaptive system strikes the right middle ground between performance and power drain.

Now let’s talk about the back of the phone. With the Samsung Galaxy S20 series, Samsung went with an almost brutalist design aesthetic. The phones were like gray slabs of steel with zero nuance. Some might argue that this doesn’t matter because it has no effect on how the phone functions. They might use the old, “You’re just going to put it in a case anyway” excuse.

However, I would argue that the design of a phone is a big deal. How the phone looks and feels in your hand can either make you attach to it personally — or not attach to it at all. This year, the Samsung Galaxy S21 actually has some design flair to it that might help people who care about that kind of thing fall in love with their smartphone again.

The rear camera module is probably the biggest design statement of the device. The aluminum casing blends in naturally with the aluminum rails surrounding the phone. With the module built into the side of the device, it allows for a uniform look — as well as a much less obtrusive camera bump. While the module still protrudes from the back of the device a bit, it’s quite subdued. This is a welcome change.

Another big change is the introduction of “Glasstic” on the back of the Galaxy S21. The other two phones in the Galaxy S21 family — the Galaxy S21 and Galaxy S21 Ultra — have traditional glass backs, but not here. This may disappoint a lot of people, but I’m actually a big fan for two main reasons. The first is that I don’t need to worry as much about dropping the phone. The Gorilla Glass Victus front is incredibly tough and the plastic back certainly won’t shatter if it slips from my hand.

The second reason I’m a fan of the plastic back is how it makes the phone so much lighter. At 171g, this phone is roughly 15% lighter than the Galaxy S21 Plus and roughly 25% lighter than the Galaxy S21 Ultra. After using the Galaxy S21 for a few days, I find myself lamenting at how heavy all my 200g+ phones feel in comparison.

You might be wondering if the plastic feels cheap. In my opinion, it doesn’t — the soft-touch material combined with the aluminum accents feels pretty premium to me. However, it doesn’t feel like glass, which is why the “Glasstic” moniker is just nonsense. If you go in expecting it to feel like glass, you’re going to be disappointed. If you go in expecting a really high-quality plastic, you’ll be pleased.

Regardless of your feelings on plastic vs. glass, the awesome colorways on offer with this phone are a real standout. The Phantom Violet model Samsung sent us is just gorgeous. There are also a bunch of other colors you can get, including Phantom White (white back with silver rails), Phantom Pink (pink back with gold rails), and Phantom Gray (gray back with gray rails). Keep in mind, though, that the 256GB model of the phone is only available in Phantom Gray.

Credit: David Imel / Android Authority

The biggest design criticism I have, though, is an unexpected one. At the bottom of the phone, you’ll find the USB-C port, a speaker grille, a microphone hole, and the SIM card slot. For whatever reason, Samsung opted to put the microphone hole right next to the SIM card tray. This makes it likely that users will accidentally stick a SIM tool into the microphone hole. I’m not sure why Samsung didn’t instead opt to put the mic hole on the other side of the USB-C port. Regardless, please be careful when ejecting your SIM card tray as poking the microphone hole would not be a good idea.

That speaker grille produces some OK sound. It gets plenty loud, which is appreciated, but bass is pretty much non-existent. This is just how speakers this small will generally sound, though. Also, do note that the Galaxy S21 and Galaxy S21 Plus both have Bluetooth 5.0 support while the S21 Ultra has Bluetooth 5.2. This will be important info for people with specific accessory needs such as hearing aids.

Performance and battery: Something’s missing here

Credit: David Imel / Android Authority

Qualcomm Snapdragon 888
X60 integrated 5G mobile platform
8GB of RAM
128 or 256GB of storage

No microSD card expansion
4,000mAh battery
25W wired charging
15W wireless and 4.5W reverse wireless charging

When it comes to processing power in a smartphone, you want as much as you can get. While that might seem sound advice, the Samsung Galaxy S21 might have found the upper limit. The brand new Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 processor in this phone might be overkill for a phone that’s geared towards the general consumer

Snapdragon SoC guide: All of Qualcomm’s smartphone processors explained

As one would expect, everything you do on this phone is fast and smooth. Opening apps, swiping through screens, and even quickly plowing through the endless scroll of a social network feed goes without a hiccup. To test the upper limits of this phone, you would need to intentionally push it. There won’t be many real-world situations in which you’d find this phone lacking power.

Check out some benchmark scores below to see how it fares from an objective point of view:

Looking at these totals compared to the Galaxy S20 from last year, we’re seeing about a 15% jump. Considering how fast 2020’s flagship Snapdragon 865 chipset already was, a double-digit move forward is nothing to sneer at. Simply put, this phone will cut through your daily smartphone processing needs like a hot knife through butter.

Granted, you are losing out on additional RAM options this year when compared to the devices of last year’s lineup. This really shouldn’t make too much of a difference for most people, though, as 8GB is plenty for a smartphone. Chances are good that if you really need more RAM, you shouldn’t be buying this phone anyway — that’s what the S21 Ultra is for.

The Galaxy S21 offers unrivaled bang for your buck for sheer power.

As far as network data goes, the Snapdragon 888 features a fully integrated 5G modem. This is a first for a flagship Snapdragon SoC. The integrated modem ensures that all Snapdragon phones in the Galaxy S21 lineup can access all manners of 5G connections, including Sub6 and mmWave. While using the phone, I saw the 5G symbol in the status bar quite often. Granted, it’s still incredibly difficult to find mmWave access unless you go looking for it, but at least Sub6 is prevalent enough to move us away from LTE. Even if the speeds on Sub6 are pretty comparable to the 4G speeds of LTE, it does relieve LTE network congestion, which is good for everyone.

Unfortunately, if you were planning on using those 5G speeds to download gigabytes of content to your phone, you’re going to be in a tough spot with the Galaxy S21. The entry-tier model comes with 128GB of internal storage, which is a decent amount but will likely fill up quickly. If you want the 256GB model, it will cost you an extra $50. That’s the upper limit for the vanilla model. Additionally, none of the Galaxy S phones this year feature expandable storage. That means 256GB is as much as you can get, which is pretty limiting.

Once again, though, this limitation likely has much to do with keeping the cost of the phone down. It might be less forgivable to not have a microSD card in the Galaxy S21 Ultra, but with the Galaxy S21, the limitation is a little more understandable. Disappointing, but understandable.

In another cost-saving move, the Galaxy S21 features the same 4,000mAh battery capacity we saw in the Galaxy S20. While that’s not small by any stretch of the imagination, it’s not what we expect from most flagship Android phones nowadays. When you have even some mid-rangers with 5,000mAh cells, it seems a bit dodgy to have a flagship with a battery that’s 20% smaller.

Regardless, I saw perfectly adequate battery life during my Samsung Galaxy S21 review testing. On my heaviest day of usage, I saw 8.2 hours of screen-on-time. That was with a day of nearly five hours of driving navigation and around six hours of music streaming. On lighter days, I went to bed with about 40% battery left over. This got me through most of the second day before I needed to charge up. I’m sure if I was exclusively at home on Wi-Fi and only used the phone in moderation, I could get two full days out of the Galaxy S21.

Of course, charging the phone isn’t as straightforward as it used to be. The phone’s maximum charging speed is 25W, which is the same as last year’s model. This is a huge drawback when you have phones like the OnePlus 8T delivering 65W. It’s even more upsetting when you realize that there’s no charging brick in the box with the Galaxy S21. That means to even get the 25W maximum speed it offers, you’ll need to buy an appropriate charger. Samsung will happily sell you one for $20.

I could easily get two full days out of the Galaxy S21.

Thankfully, Samsung kept wireless charging and reverse wireless charging for the Galaxy S21. However, they are also locked to last year’s metrics at 15W and 4.5W, respectively. These numbers aren’t bad, but Samsung is falling way behind the curve in this realm in which other OEMs are offering 30W wireless speeds.

Your needs might differ, but the slow charging speeds and lack of an in-box charger are probably the biggest drawbacks to this phone.

Finally, we need to address the elephant in the room that is the Exynos 2100. Here in the US, we will have the Snapdragon 888 version of the Galaxy S21. Other parts of the world will have the Exynos 2100. I don’t have that version so I am unable to test it, but most of what I said above should still apply. The Exynos version should still be plenty fast and will offer 5G support. The RAM count will stay the same and so will the battery capacity. We’ll have more testing of Exynos variants of the Galaxy S21 lineup coming soon, which will hopefully give some clarity on just how different performance will be.

Camera: Good last year, good this year

Credit: David Imel / Android Authority

Main: 12MP, ƒ/1.8, 1.8µm with OIS and dual-pixel AF
Telephoto: 64MP, ƒ/2.0, 0.8µm with OIS and phase-detection AF
Ultra-wide: 12MP, ƒ/2.2, 1.4µm with 120-degree FoV

3x hybrid optical/digital zoom
30x digital “Space Zoom”
Selfie: 10MP, ƒ/2.2, 1.22µm, with dual-pixel AF

In an interesting move, Samsung put the exact same camera module in the Galaxy S21 as it did in the Galaxy S20. The Galaxy S21 Plus and Galaxy S21 Ultra saw some changes, but the Galaxy S21 remains the same. As such, pretty much everything we said about the Galaxy S20 camera last year will apply once again this year.

Before we get into the various modes, though, there are two things we should mention about the camera app itself. The first is that when you first start snapping pics, the app will tell you that you should turn on the 64MP mode. This pixel bins the image down to 12MP and allows for sharper details. However, to do so it locks you to the telephoto lens, which is set at 1.1x (3x hybrid zoom). This makes focus very unstable and, ironically, washes out the pics. Check out two example shots below to see what we mean.

We recommend avoiding the 64MP mode entirely as a result, as most people would likely rather have in-focus images with better details than the other way around.

Photography terms explained: ISO, aperture, shutter speed, and more

The second thing that the camera app will ask you about is which selfie mode you prefer. The two choices are “Natural” and “Bright.” Your choice here will come down to your own personal preference, but the natural setting is likely to give you more accurate selfies.

With that out of the way, let’s get into the various modes. The images you see below have all been compressed for faster site loading. To see the uncompressed, unedited versions, check out this Google Drive folder.

Daylight

As with last year, daylight photos are almost always good. Samsung has clearly made some algorithmic changes because colors seem to be more accurate and realistic. There were a few times where the auto HDR took things a bit too far and overexposed an image. Overall, though, nearly every outdoor sunlight photo you take with the Galaxy S21 is going to come out great.

Telephoto / Ultra-wide

When using the camera app in its normal mode (i.e. not the 64MP mode), you have three buttons in the viewfinder. The two-tree icon uses the main camera to capture your 1x, “basic” images. The single tree icon swaps to the telephoto lens and defaults at 3x zoom. This is a hybrid of optical and digital zoom, not pure optical like we see on the Galaxy S21 Ultra. Finally, the icon with three trees swaps to the ultra-wide lens at 0.5x.

You can see an example of each lens below and how they perform with an indoor sunlit scenario. Overall, the results are fantastic with accurate colors, plenty of detail, and a good level of exposure. Also, note the consistency of color across each lens.

Samsung Galaxy S21 Normal Mode Ultra Wide

Credit: Ryan-Thomas Shaw / Android Authority

While expensive flagship smartphones grab all the headlines, there’s a booming market for budget phones in the UK, which are great if you want to save some cash. While you won’t receive all the latest bells and whistles, cheap phones still offer competitive performance, camera quality, and extra features without breaking the bank.

If you’re sick of forking out a small fortune for every phone, or you’re looking for an inexpensive first foray into the world of Android, you’re in luck. Here are some of the best phones under £200 you can buy in the UK.

Samsung Galaxy A21s
OnePlus Nord N100
Nokia 6.2

Editor’s note: We will update this list of the best phones under £200 as new ones launch.

1. Redmi Note 9

Credit: Xiaomi India

It’s easy to get lost in the ever-confusing sea of entry-level smartphones from Redmi. However, this one stands out thanks to its great on-paper value for money.

The Redmi Note 9 sits comfortably under £200 and comes with a total of five cameras, a Full HD+ display, a huge battery, and the latest Android operating system.

Related: Redmi Note 9 Pro review

You get dual-SIM support, microSD expansion, a 3.5mm headphone jack, and a Gorilla Glass 5 display. Also offered are 18W fast charging and 9W reverse charging which could come in handy if a friend’s phone needs a quick top-up. This shouldn’t be much of a problem for the Note 9 since it comes with a massive 5,020mAh battery.

Check Redmi Note 9 pricing

Redmi Note 9 specs:

Display: 6.53-inch, Full HD+
SoC: MediaTek Helio G85
RAM: 4GB
Storage: 128GB

Cameras: 48, 8, 2, and 2MP
Front camera: 13MP
Battery: 5,020mAh
Software: Android 10

2. Realme 7

Credit: Dhruv Bhutani / Android Authority

Realme is one of the fastest-growing brands in the smartphone space, focusing mainly on the budget segment. The Realme 7 is the company’s take on a sub-£200 smartphone and packs in a fair few features for the price.

Powering the Realme 7 is Mediatek’s Helio G95 chip which, while not blazing fast, is enough to keep the device running smoothly. Accompanying this is 6GB of RAM and 64GB of storage. There’s a 6.5-inch 1080p 90Hz IPS display which makes for a solid content-consumption experience and a sizeable 5,000mAh battery to keep the phone going well past a day of usage.

The Realme 7 has great battery life and solid performance.

Realme included 30W Dart Charge with the Realme 7 which provides a claimed 50% charge in just 26 minutes. In a pinch, this could be incredibly convenient to top up so quickly.

Related: Realme 7 Pro review

The rear of the device presents four total cameras, though the only two you should really care about are the 48MP main sensor and 8MP ultra-wide camera. The former can shoot Ultra HD 30fps video and 1080p 120fps slow motion. The 16MP selfie camera is capable of capturing 1080p video at 30fps, too.

Overall, the Realme 7 is a solid option for those in the market for a sub-£200 with great battery life and solid performance.

Check Realme 7 pricing

Realme 7 specs:

Display: 6.5-inch, Full HD+
SoC: Mediatek Helio G95
RAM: 6GB
Storage: 64GB

Cameras: 48, 8, 2, and 2MP
Front camera: 16MP
Battery: 5,000mAh
Software: Android 10

3. Motorola Moto G8

Motorola

Motorola’s G-series phones have been a mainstay of the UK’s mid-range for years now and the Moto G8 is another winner for the venerable budget family.

The low-resolution 6.4-inch display isn’t the best out there and the Snapdragon 655 won’t win any speed tests, but the Moto G8 does come with a few unexpected perks like a triple camera (standard, ultra-wide, and macro), a fingerprint sensor, and a clean software experience.

Check Moto G8 pricing

Moto G8 specs:

Display: 6.4-inch, HD
SoC: Snapdragon 655
RAM: 4GB
Storage: 64GB

Cameras: 16, 8, and 2MP
Front camera: 8MP
Battery: 4,000mAh
Software: Android 10

4. Xiaomi Poco X3 NFC

Credit: Ryan-Thomas Shaw / Android Authority

Xiaomi’s Pocophone or “Poco” line has become synonymous with superb value-for-money. The Poco X3 NFC is no exception to this rule.

For £199, you get a big, bright IPS 120Hz display, solid performance, long-lasting battery life, and a decent selection of cameras. Benefiting the multimedia consumption experience are the excellent hybrid stereo speakers and included headphone port.

We called the Snapdragon 732G “good enough” in our Poco X3 NFC review. With 6GB of RAM and 64GB of storage, there’s enough to keep the phone feeling fluid through most tasks. Gamers will need to pony up for the flagship-killer Poco F2 Pro.

The Poco X3 NFC is fantastic as long as you can live with in-software ads.

The 5,160mAh battery allows the phone to last well over a day of usage. Backed by 33W fast charging, the X3 NFC does well to keep up with the competition, charging the device from 0% to 100% in 63 minutes.

What allows such a great spec sheet for £199 is the software compromise. Xiaomi included in-OS ads which while not super intrusive, do make the phone feel less “premium.”

Overall, the Poco X3 NFC is a fantastic device for the money as long as you can put up with the in-software ads.

Check Poco X3 NFC pricing

Xiaomi Poco X3 NFC specs:

Display: 6.67-inch, Full HD+
SoC: Snapdragon 732G
RAM: 6GB
Storage: 64GB

Cameras: 64, 13, 2, and 2MP
Front camera: 20MP
Battery: 5,160mAh
Software: Android 10

5. Samsung Galaxy A21s

Credit: Samsung

The Galaxy A21s is one Samsung’s better budget smartphones and offers plenty for its £179 price tag.

The large 6.5-inch display is interrupted only by a small punch hole in the top left-hand corner and is surrounded by relatively thin bezels. Along with the included headphone port, this large size makes it great for watching films on the go.

On the back of the phone, there are four cameras. Two of these are a 48MP main camera and an 8MP ultra-wide camera. Combined with the 13MP selfie camera, the setup looks pretty complete for a phone in this price range.

The massive 5,000mAh battery offers long-lasting battery life and Samsung includes a 15W charger in the box. All these things combined make the Galaxy A21s one of the best phones under £200 you can get.

Overall, for well under budget, the Galaxy A21s is a great option for those in the market for a cheap and cheerful smartphone.

Check Samsung Galaxy A21s pricing

Samsung Galaxy A21s specs:

Display: 6.5-inch, HD
SoC: Exynos 850
RAM: 3GB
Storage: 32GB

Cameras: 48, 8, 2, and 2MP
Front camera: 13MP
Battery: 5,000mAh
Software: Android 10

6. OnePlus Nord 100

Credit: Ryan-Thomas Shaw / Android Authority

The OnePlus Nord N100 is the firm’s cheapest smartphone ever. It’s essentially a re-branded Oppo A53 which means that it has a large battery that lasts two days.

The front features a 720P 90Hz IPS display, a punch hole camera, and some thin-ish bezels. The rear presents three cameras, a capacitive fingerprint-reader, and some OnePlus branding. The body is made of plastic to keep costs low so the Nord N100 doesn’t feel incredibly well made.

The four total cameras comprise of a 13MP main sensor, 2MP macro, 2MP depth sensor, and an 8MP selfie camera. The camera performance is adequate for the price, though doesn’t stand out as particularly strong.

The OnePlus Nord N100's sizeable battery has strong endurance.

What does stand out is the battery life. The Nord N100 managed us two days of usage in our review period with some rather heavy usage. For those who occasionally check social media and use text messaging, expect three or even four days. This phone has strong endurance.

OnePlus included some creature comforts like a headphone port, fast fingerprint scanner, and microSD expansion. Overall, the Nord N100 is a decent smartphone for £179.

Check OnePlus Nord N100 pricing

OnePlus Nord N100 specs:

Display: 6.52-inch, HD+
SoC: Snapdragon 460
RAM: 4GB
Storage: 64GB

Cameras: 13, 2, and 2MP
Front camera: 8MP
Battery: 5,000mAh
Software: Android 10

7. Nokia 6.2

It’s hard to choose just one phone from Nokia‘s increasingly confusing portfolio of mid-range and entry-level phones, but the Nokia 6.2 just about edges out the competition right now.

The Nokia 6.2 may not have the raw power of some other phones under £200, but it looks far more premium thanks to its high-tech polymer build. You also get a Zeiss triple-camera with a 16MP main shooter, 5MP depth sensor, and an 8MP wide-angle camera.

Throw in 64GB of expandable storage, 4GB RAM, and the near-stock Android One software and you’ve got yourself a great phone.

Check Nokia 6.2 pricing

Nokia 6.2 specs:

Display: 5.71-inch, HD
SoC: Snapdragon 439
RAM: 3GB
Storage: 32GB

Cameras: 13 and 2MP
Front camera: 8MP
Battery: 3,000mAh
Software: Android 9 Pie

There you have it, our picks for the best phones under £200. If you want to spend a bit more, check out our guide to the best phones under £300 and the best phones under £500. We’ll add more great budget phones to this list as more hit the market.

Save $60 on the Apple Watch Series 6, and more great smartwatch deals

Thu, 21 Jan 2021 15:12:05 GMT

Credit: David Imel / Android Authority

Smartwatches have cemented themselves as staples of any tech collection, but they’re not all created equal. Some, like Fitbit, excel at health tracking while others, like Fossil watches, are focused more on fashion. But one thing we love about any smartwatch is saving money with a great deal.

In that spirit, we’ve rounded up all of the latest smartwatch deals we could find and summarized them below.

Featured deal: Save $60 on the Apple Watch Series 6

Credit: Walmart

There are many reasons why we called the Apple Watch Series 6 the best smartwatch you can buy in 2020. Aside from its premium price tag, there isn’t much to complain about with the most recent offering from Apple. And the cost is a little easier to stomach right now as you can pick up the Apple Watch Series 6 for $339 ($60 off).

The Series 6 comes packed with advanced health features to help you stay committed to your 2021 resolutions. Stellar heart rate monitoring with the ability to take an ECG anytime, a new blood oxygen sensor and app, and sleep tracking all provide useful wellness metrics. Plus, you can check all your fitness metrics at a glance with the always-on retina display.

See also: The best fitness tracker deals

With a premium design, unmatched third party accessory and app support, regular major software updates, and tight integration in the Apple ecosystem, the Apple Watch Series 6 is worthy of consideration for any wearable fan looking for the best of the best — especially iPhone users.

Hit the button below to check out the deal, or scroll on for dozens more.

$339 .00

Apple Watch Series 6 (40mm, GPS)

Save $60 .00

Buy it Now

Apple Watch Series 6 (40mm, GPS) Buy it Now

Save $60 .00 $339 .00

Smartwatch deals:

Garmin deals
Fitbit deals
Fossil deals
Samsung deals
Other smartwatch deals

Smartwatch deals launch and end on a regular basis. We’ll keep updating this post as we come across new deals.

Garmin smartwatch deals

If you’re looking for a new fitness tracker, one name near the top of your list should be Garmin. We’ve found a selection of deals on Garmin watches, with the most eye-catching being on the Fenix 5.

Fitbit deals

You’ll probably already know that the Fitbit is a smartwatch with a fitness focus. You can choose from a wide variety of styles and colors and pair them with any device. Whether you want the Fitbit Sense or the Inspire 2, there’s probably a Fitbit that meets your needs.

If you want to make fitness your forte, check out the top deals below.

Fitbit Sense for $279.95 ($50 off)
Fitbit Ionic for $189.99 ($60 off)
Fitbit Inspire 2 for $89 ($11 off)
Fitbit Charge 4 for $131.83 ($18.12 off)

You can learn even more about fitness trackers right here.

Fossil smartwatch deals

Credit: Fossil

Fossil is another big name in the smartwatch game, making high-end smartwatches with a wide variety of color options. You can choose from black, dark blue, and other options with leather bands that can look fashionable anywhere.

Here are some of the best Fossil deals around right now.

Fossil Gen 5 Smartwatch Julianna HR Brown Croco Leather for $179.99 ($116 off)
Fossil Gen 5 Smartwatch Garrett HR Stainless Steel for $179.99 ($116 off)
Fossil Gen 5E for $205.98 ($43 off)
Fossil Gen 5 Carlyle for $239.99 ($55 off)
Fossil Sport for $239.99 ($35 off)

There are also tons more sweeping discounts to be found on the Fossil website. Hit the button below to find out what smartwatch savings you can make!

Check out the Fossil Sale!

Samsung smartwatch deals

Credit: Jimmy Westenberg / Android Authority

If you’re loyal to Samsung, there are still savings to be made. You can keep all of your tech in the same family as your Galaxy phone with the Galaxy Watch Active 2 or Galaxy Watch 3. As the Active name might suggest, it’s a fitness-focused smartwatch with a minimalist design.

You can check out good deals on Samsung smartwatches below.

Galaxy Watch 3 (41mm, LTE) for $389.99 ($60 off)
Samsung Galaxy Watch 3 (41mm, GPS, Bluetooth) for $339.99 ($60 off)
Galaxy Watch Active 2 (44mm, Bluetooth) for $219 ($51 off)
Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2 (40mm, GPS, Bluetooth) for $199 ($51 off)
Galaxy Watch 3 (45mm, LTE) for $419 ($61 off)
Galaxy Watch (42mm, LTE) for $199.99 with promo code AASGWTCH ($100 off)
Samsung Galaxy Watch Active (40MM, GPS, Bluetooth) for $134.99 ($65 off)

You can also learn a bit more in our reviews of the Galaxy Watch and the Galaxy Watch 3.

Other smartwatch deals

While a few names seem to bubble to the top of the popular smartwatch lists, we can’t give every manufacturer its own section. Otherwise, we’d still be updating the savings by the time they change again. This section is where we’ll highlight deals from other manufacturers like Huawei, Apple, and more.

Check out some nice deals below.

Apple Watch Series 3 (GPS, 42mm) for $199 ($30 off)
Michael Kors Access Gen 4 Runway for $159 ($136 off)
Michael Kors Access Gen 5 Lexington for $245 ($105 off)
Diesel On Men’s Axial for $259.99 ($90 off)
Ticwatch Pro for $129.99 ($20 off)

Those are the best smartwatch deals we could find right now, but we’ll bring you more deals as they crop up. In the meantime, if you want to check out which fitness trackers are on offer, you can check out our fitness tracker deals hub.

Pebble founder reveals universal chat app for Android, with iMessage support

Thu, 21 Jan 2021 14:17:29 GMT

Credit: Beeper

A new subscription-based app called Beeper promises to unify 15 messaging apps.
The app also touts iMessage support.
The iMessage functionality requires a Mac, or Beeper will send an old iPhone to you.

There are loads of cross-platform chat apps out there, with the likes of WhatsApp, Telegram, and Signal all available on both Android and iOS. Unfortunately, Apple’s iMessages app is still an Apple-exclusive service. But a new app promises to unify a variety of popular chat apps, including Apple’s chat platform.

Beeper is the brainchild of Pebble smartwatch founder Eric Migicovsky (h/t: The Verge), and it promises to unify 15 messaging apps into one app on Android, iOS, Windows, MacOS, and Linux. The app also grants capabilities like unified search and the ability to set reminders.

Some of the more popular apps and services supported in Beeper include WhatsApp, Signal, Facebook Messenger, Twitter, Discord, Hangouts, Slack, IRC, and yes, iMessage. However, the founder admits that it’s had to resort to a workaround to get Apple’s service running on Beeper.

“Beeper has two ways of enabling Android, Windows and Linux users to use iMessage: we send each user a jailbroken iPhone with the Beeper app installed which bridges to iMessage, or if they have a Mac that is always connected to the internet, they can install the Beeper Mac app which acts as a bridge,” reads an explanation on the service’s website.

Credit: Twitter/Eric Migicovsky

This isn’t an unprecedented workaround, as other unofficial Android apps like AirMessage and WeMessage also call for a Mac or iPhone as a relay to your Android device. But the fact that Beeper is sending a jailbroken iPhone to you (even if it’s a much older one) is rather neat.

The service costs $10 a month, so it’s unclear if subscribers will need to commit to a fixed period of time if they want the jailbroken iPhone (e.g. six months, 12 months).

The company adds that all of its bridges are open-sourced so you can verify the security of your data and have a look at how Beeper connects to each chat service (the client app isn’t open source though). Nevertheless, you can press the button below to check out more info at the Beeper website.

Beeper

Samsung could be working on a follow-up to flippy Galaxy A80

Thu, 21 Jan 2021 10:37:32 GMT

Samsung is reportedly working on a successor to the Galaxy A80.
The new phone is set to be called the Galaxy A82.
It’s unclear whether it’ll offer a flipping camera setup as well.

Samsung rejuvenated its mid-range Galaxy A series back in 2019, and the Galaxy A80 was arguably the most interesting device back then. The smartphone packed a motorized flipping camera mechanism that brought to mind the Oppo N series, but was really unlike anything we’d seen before.

Now, Dutch website GalaxyClub reports that Samsung is working on a successor to the Galaxy A80, apparently called the Galaxy A82. Unfortunately there isn’t much to know about the device, bar the outlet saying it’ll have 5G connectivity. This wouldn’t be a surprise given that Samsung is launching devices like the Galaxy A32 5G.

Furthermore, the website says it “cannot say with certainty” whether the Samsung Galaxy A82 will have a flipping camera mechanism as well. So you might want to pick up a Zenfone 6 or Zenfone 7 instead if the Galaxy A80 successor is lacking the feature.

The Galaxy A80’s flipping camera system was originally developed as an alternative to the display notch, enabling a full-screen design and great selfies via the main cameras. But we’ve since seen the ZTE Axon 20 5G, being the first phone with an under-display selfie camera. So we wonder whether Samsung is investigating this approach for the new phone as well. Then again, selfies taken with the ZTE phone’s camera are a notable step down from traditional selfie cameras.

Otherwise, the Galaxy A80 also brought a Snapdragon 730 chipset, an OLED screen, and a 3,700mAh battery. We’d therefore expect the new phone to pack a Snapdragon 700 series or Exynos 1080 chipset, as well as a bigger battery due to 5G consuming more power.

Huawei Mate X2 details surface: More signs point to Galaxy Z Fold approach

Thu, 21 Jan 2021 08:07:52 GMT

Huawei Mate X2 specs have reportedly surfaced online.
It’s believed the new foldable will offer an in-folding design.
The Kirin 9000 processor and a quad rear camera setup could feature too.

The Huawei Mate X and Mate XS showed off a rather different approach to the foldable phone compared to Samsung’s efforts, opting for an out-folding design with the main screen on the outside. We’ve heard murmurings for a while now that the company could be eyeing Samsung’s in-folding form factor with the Mate X2, and we’ve now heard even more apparent details.

Weibo leaker Digital Chat Station revealed what could be the Mate X2’s specs, partially citing a TENAA filing. For starters, it seems like you can expect an 8.01-inch 2,480 × 2,200 in-folding screen, and a 6.45-inch secondary screen (2,700 × 1,160) ostensibly on the front. The foldable seems pretty capable in terms of core specifications too, said to offer a Kirin 9000 processor, a 4,400mAh battery, and 66W charging.

Credit: Weibo/Digital Chat Station

The tipster also dished out more apparent details, claiming a 16MP front-facing camera (it’s unclear whether this is on the main screen or secondary display), and a quad rear camera combination (50MP+16MP+12MP+8MP). The Huawei Mate X2 is said to offer 10x zoom support too, although it isn’t known whether this is native or hybrid zoom.

Finally, it’s believed that the new foldable will still be running Android 10, which would be a shame but not surprising given that EMUI 11 is currently based on the older version of Android. There’s no guarantee that the new US administration will give Google a green light to deal with Huawei, so don’t hold your breath for Google Mobile Services just yet.

Either way, it seems like the foldable phone segment will be bustling in 2021. Samsung is tipped to offer a cheaper foldable as well as S-Pen support on the Galaxy Z Fold 3, while Xiaomi is said to be working on a foldable with the code-name Cetus.

OnePlus and Oppo are apparently joining R&D forces (Updated: Official statement)

Thu, 21 Jan 2021 07:36:05 GMT

OnePlus and Oppo have reportedly merged their R&D efforts.
OnePlus more or less confirmed this in a statement.
An Oppo insider reportedly said that it’s similar to the relationship between Xiaomi and Redmi.

Update: January 21, 2020 (4:41 AM ET): We’ve now heard from OnePlus regarding the reported merger of its R&D resources with Oppo. The company sent the following emailed statement to Android Authority.

To better maximize resources and further position OnePlus for growth, we are in the process of further integrating some R&D capabilities within OPLUS, our long-term investor. OnePlus will continue operating independently and working to deliver the best possible user experience for existing and future OnePlus users.

The statement more or less confirms that OnePlus is joining forces with Oppo for research and development. In fact, OPLUS is an investor group that oversees OnePlus, Oppo, and Realme, so we might see the effects of the new integration across all three brands.

Original article: January 21, 2020 (2:36 AM ET): OnePlus and Oppo often make devices that are very similar. The latest smartphone innovations coming from the BBK duo are also identical. For instance, the color-shifting electrochromic glass we first saw on the OnePlus Concept One, and recently the OnePlus 8T Concept, is now being mass-produced for the Oppo Reno 5 Pro Plus.

OnePlus even switched up its smartphone strategy last year to include more budget models, making its Oppo-fication more apparent than ever.

Now it seems, the two companies have further aligned their agendas. According to an exclusive report from DoNews, OnePlus and Oppo’s R&D departments have merged. New employees in the integrated research department are also being hired by Oppo, not OnePlus.

Oppo insiders reportedly told the publication that the research and development of the two companies had basically merged as early as December last year, but now the ink is completely dry on that deal. Oppo and OnePlus are apparently part of the Oga Group, an entity that seeks to further the integration between Oppo, Realme, and OnePlus brands.

“It’s similar to the relationship between Xiaomi and Redmi, sharing the same R&D system,” the Oppo insider told DoNews.

Elsewhere, the latest report confirms that software is not part of the R&D merger for now. So Oxygen OS and Color OS should retain their distinguishing features. Although, similarities have already started creeping up between the two skins if you look at the tweaks on Oxygen OS 11 and Color OS 11.

‘App Pairs’ could transform how we use big screen Android phones

Thu, 21 Jan 2021 07:15:05 GMT

Google is reportedly working on tweaking its split-screen feature for Android.
Dubbed App Pairs, the system could potentially allow users to launch two apps simultaneously.
It would be a big productivity boost for users of large display or foldable Android phones.

Smartphone displays are growing ever larger but the software to utilize all this space hasn’t quite kept up. On Android 11, you can use two apps simultaneously, but the implementation remains clunky. Now, this feature could get a welcome refresh in Android.

According to a report by 9to5Google, the next version of the OS could see the debut of “App Pairs”. The feature would allow users to group two apps together.

While details remain scant on the feature’s exact benefits, the implication here is that you could pick two complementary apps to exist as a single task in Android. While it’s not outright suggested, it’s also possible that users could launch the two apps simultaneously negating the need to launch them sequentially then splitting the screen. This would let users skip a step in the clunky workflow, and would be particularly helpful on larger display devices like tablets and foldables.

9to5Google created a mockup of how the feature may be implemented, highlighting the suggested use of a single task card for two apps on Android’s Recents screen. Users may then be able to swap between it and other apps in the Recents menu.

Credit: 9to5Google

App Pairs is a feature that a number of manufacturers have implemented in their own UI designs. Samsung calls its split-screen feature App Pair but requires the use of the Edge panel. Microsoft lets users pair apps on the Surface Duo‘s launcher allowing the dual-screen device to open two apps on the two screens. Both are more intuitive than Android’s current system using the Recents app screen.

It’s unclear when App Pairs could make its bow, but it’s likely Google would want to get it melded to Android 12. As big displays become the norm, it’s important that Android keeps pace with this trend.