News/Samsung
AI enhancements fail to impress as mobile phone satisfaction falls to ten-year low
Mobile phone satisfaction has plummeted to a 10-year low as consumers grow increasingly disillusioned with AI features that fail to deliver on their promises. This dissatisfaction comes at a time when smartphone manufacturers continue to prioritize cutting-edge technology over fundamental features like battery life and call reliability, creating a growing disconnect between what companies offer and what customers actually value. The big picture: American customer satisfaction with mobile phones has dropped from 82% to 78% in 2025, marking the lowest satisfaction score in a decade according to a new American Customer Satisfaction Index study. Behind the numbers: AI enhancements that...
read May 19, 2025AI assistant Gemini coming to Samsung and Sony earbuds
Google plans to expand Gemini AI assistant access to various audio devices across its ecosystem, marking a strategic shift away from Google Assistant as the company pushes its newer AI technology to more hardware. This expansion brings enhanced AI capabilities to earbuds and wearables, allowing for more sophisticated interactions than previously possible with Google Assistant. The big picture: Samsung will bring Gemini to its Galaxy Buds 3 and Galaxy Watches in the "coming months," while Sony earbuds will also gain Gemini integration as part of Google's broader expansion to cars, TVs, and Pixel Watches. Key capabilities: Gemini on these audio...
read May 13, 2025Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge preorders open with early deals
Samsung's ultra-thin Galaxy S25 Edge is set to launch on May 30, positioning itself as a direct competitor to Apple's rumored iPhone 17 Air expected to be announced at WWDC in June. This high-end phone, priced at $1,099.99, represents Samsung's thinnest mobile device ever and joins the well-received S25 lineup, which has garnered praise for its performance, build quality, and display technology, with the S25 Ultra even earning an Editors' Choice award from PCMag. The big picture: Initially teased in January and delayed due to South Korean political unrest, the Galaxy S25 Edge offers premium specifications in an extraordinarily slim...
read Apr 30, 2025Samsung’s One UI 8 may introduce AI video summarization
Samsung appears poised to expand its Galaxy AI capabilities with a new video summarization feature in its upcoming One UI 8 software update. This development represents part of a growing trend among tech giants to apply AI tools to multimedia content, potentially transforming how users consume video across their devices. By enabling on-device video summarization for any media, Samsung could differentiate its offering from more limited implementations like YouTube's existing feature. The big picture: One UI 8 may introduce a Galaxy AI tool that can summarize any video played on Samsung devices, not just content from specific platforms. The feature...
read Apr 28, 2025AI-driven FOMO stalls purchase decisions for smartphone consumers
The current debate over smartphone AI features represents the growing divide between industry hype and practical user value, particularly for consumers outside tech-intensive work environments. As manufacturers integrate more AI capabilities into devices like the upcoming iPhone 16, many users are questioning whether these features justify upgrading, especially when their current devices meet their core communication needs adequately. The big picture: AI features in smartphones remain at an early stage where their utility varies dramatically based on individual lifestyle and professional needs. A MacRumors forum user with a functioning iPhone 12 is weighing whether to upgrade primarily for AI capabilities,...
read Apr 25, 2025Google pays Samsung billions to preinstall Gemini AI
Google's billion-dollar push to dominate AI on Samsung devices has emerged as a critical issue in its ongoing antitrust battle with the Department of Justice. Following Judge Amit Mehta's ruling that Google's search engine constitutes an illegal monopoly, new testimony reveals the company has pivoted to securing premium placement for its Gemini AI assistant through massive financial incentives to device manufacturers—mirroring the same business practices that landed it in legal trouble in the first place. The big picture: Google pays Samsung an "enormous sum of money" monthly to preinstall the Gemini AI app on Samsung devices, according to testimony from...
read Apr 16, 2025Long-term care: Samsung extends 6-year software support to budget Galaxy A36 and A26
Samsung is pushing the boundaries of budget smartphone support with its newest Galaxy A-series phones, creating unprecedented longevity in the sub-$500 market. The company's commitment to six years of software updates for devices starting at just $300 represents a significant shift in the affordable smartphone segment, where extended support has traditionally been reserved for premium devices. This move comes as Apple exits the truly affordable market with its $599 iPhone 16e, creating an opportunity for Samsung to capture more budget-conscious consumers seeking long-term value. The big picture: Samsung's new Galaxy A36 and A26 phones will receive six years of software...
read Apr 14, 2025Bad Weather? Whatever. Samsung’s Galaxy XCover7 Pro brings functionality to harsh environments.
Samsung's latest rugged smartphone, the Galaxy XCover7 Pro, represents a significant evolution in durable mobile technology designed for harsh environments. This 6.6-inch device builds upon Samsung's expertise in creating resilient phones with enhanced features like a 120Hz refresh rate and improved audio capabilities, positioning it as a specialized tool for professionals working in challenging conditions where standard smartphones would fail. The big picture: Samsung has announced the Galaxy XCover7 Pro, a rugged smartphone certified to withstand extreme conditions including drops, temperature fluctuations, and brief underwater submersion. The device features MIL-STD-810H certification and IP68 resistance rating, making it suitable for high-intensity...
read Apr 11, 2025Samsung plays catch-up, races to reclaim AI memory chip dominance with accelerated HBM timeline
Samsung's push to reclaim leadership in AI memory chips comes at a critical juncture in the semiconductor industry, where high-bandwidth memory has become essential infrastructure for artificial intelligence applications. With growing competition in this lucrative market segment, Samsung's aggressive timeline for introducing next-generation HBM technology signals the company's determination to reassert its traditional dominance after falling behind competitors in capitalizing on the AI computing boom. The big picture: Samsung Electronics plans to strengthen its position in the high-bandwidth memory chip market this year, responding to shareholder criticism over lost opportunities in AI-related semiconductor business. Key details: Jun Young-hyun, who leads...
read Apr 11, 2025Samsung’s Galaxy S25 Ultra boosts flagship experience with AI and subtle refinements
Samsung's latest Galaxy S25 Ultra smartphone elevates the flagship Android experience through significant AI advancements and thoughtful refinements to an already successful formula. While positioned as an incremental upgrade rather than a revolutionary overhaul, the device maintains Samsung's leadership position by delivering comprehensive excellence across performance, camera capabilities, battery life, and software features. The expanded AI toolkit and continued S Pen integration highlight Samsung's commitment to both productivity and ecosystem development in the premium smartphone market. The big picture: The Galaxy S25 Ultra refines rather than reinvents Samsung's premium smartphone offering, focusing on enhanced AI capabilities and subtle design improvements...
read Apr 7, 2025Consumer tech giant Samsung faces 21% profit drop amid AI chip market struggles
Samsung is facing a significant profit decline in its first quarter due to challenges in the AI chip market and persistent losses in its contract manufacturing division. The company's recent leadership changes following its co-CEO's death come amid intensifying competition from SK Hynix, which has gained an edge in supplying high-performance memory chips to industry leader Nvidia. This struggle highlights the volatility of the semiconductor industry and Samsung's current disadvantage in the lucrative high-end AI chip market. The big picture: Samsung Electronics is expected to report a 21% drop in Q1 profit, with analysts projecting 5.2 trillion won ($3.62 billion)...
read Apr 3, 2025Apple Intelligence bested by Google, Samsung as features aren’t compelling enough to drive iPhone upgrades
Apple Intelligence features, while innovative, haven't proven compelling enough to make a tech journalist switch his primary iPhone, highlighting a critical challenge for Apple's AI strategy. Despite some useful tools like email summaries and Visual Intelligence, most features lack the essential quality that would drive widespread adoption and hardware upgrades—a potential concern as Apple expands its AI offerings to more markets. The big picture: Apple's AI features remain in an optional rather than essential category for many users, despite the company's significant investment and Tim Cook's claims that iPhone 16 models sell better in markets where Apple Intelligence is available....
read Mar 7, 2025Samsung’s Bespoke AI Laundry Combo now 33% off during limited-time sale
Samsung's new Bespoke AI Laundry Combo is seeing significant discounts during the current Discover Samsung sale, offering consumers a chance to purchase advanced laundry technology at nearly one-third off its regular price. This all-in-one washer-dryer unit represents how smart home technology is evolving beyond convenience to incorporate energy efficiency and AI-driven optimization, addressing both environmental concerns and practical household needs. The deal specifics: Samsung's Bespoke AI Laundry Combo All-in-One is currently available for $2,199, a substantial reduction from its regular $3,324 price tag. This represents the fourth-lowest price tracked overall and the third-lowest price directly from Samsung. Buyers receive a...
read Feb 20, 2025Samsung releases One UI 7 beta with new AI filters (and broken Google Wallet)
The One UI 7 beta program represents Samsung's major software overhaul for its Galaxy smartphone lineup, with the fourth beta release now available for the Galaxy S24 series. Samsung's methodical approach to this software update indicates the company's focus on refining user experience and adding new capabilities. Latest developments: Samsung has rolled out the fourth One UI 7 beta specifically for Galaxy S24 series devices, marking another milestone in the software's development cycle. The Galaxy S24 Ultra now includes the Log video option, previously exclusive to the S25 line, enabling professional-level color grading and video editing capabilities A new AI...
read Feb 10, 2025Samsung reveals roadmap for 6G technology in new report
The telecommunications industry is progressing toward 6G technology development, with major players laying groundwork for the next generation of mobile communications. Samsung Electronics has published a comprehensive white paper examining how artificial intelligence and sustainability will shape the future of mobile networks. Major developments: Samsung Electronics' new white paper, "AI-Native & Sustainable Communication," explores emerging trends and technologies that will define 6G networks and services. The document builds upon Samsung's initial 6G white paper from July 2020, reflecting evolving market demands and technological progress Charlie Zhang, senior vice president at Samsung Research, emphasized the company's focus on AI-enabled communication technologies...
read Feb 6, 2025Samsung Galaxy S25 Enterprise Edition launches early with key upgrades and
Samsung has launched its Galaxy S25 Enterprise Edition ahead of schedule in Europe, offering business-focused variants of its flagship phones with enhanced security and support features. Key details and pricing: The Galaxy S25 Enterprise Edition maintains identical hardware specifications to the standard models while commanding a modest price premium. The base Galaxy S25 Enterprise Edition is priced at £819 in the UK, £20 more than the standard version The Galaxy S25 Ultra Enterprise Edition costs £1,269, also carrying a £20 premium Currently, no Plus model has been announced for the Enterprise lineup Enterprise-specific features: Samsung's business-focused models come with additional...
read Feb 5, 2025Galaxy S25 becomes first Android device to track photo edits made by AI
Samsung's Galaxy S25 series has become the first Android device to implement C2PA metadata standards for tracking AI-powered photo edits, marking a significant step toward digital media authenticity verification. Key implementation details: The Galaxy S25 lineup automatically adds specialized metadata and watermarks to images modified using Samsung's AI editing tools. When users edit photos with AI features, the system embeds C2PA metadata containing details about the device, AI tools used, and authentication credentials A visible watermark stating "AI-generated content" appears in the bottom left corner of edited images These content credentials can be viewed through Samsung's Gallery app or the...
read Feb 2, 2025One UI 7 now lets you use Galaxy AI writing tools without Samsung’s buggy keyboard
Samsung has updated its Galaxy AI Writing Assist feature in One UI 7 to work with third-party keyboards, no longer requiring users to use Samsung's default keyboard app. Key Update: One UI 7 introduces keyboard-agnostic functionality for Galaxy AI writing tools, making them accessible across different keyboard applications through a simple highlight and tap interface. Users can now access Galaxy AI writing features by highlighting text or long-pressing in empty text fields, regardless of which keyboard app they're using The Galaxy AI logo appears alongside other text editing options when text is highlighted in social or chat apps Writing tools...
read Jan 23, 2025Google’s Gemini AI works across multiple apps in new Galaxy smartphones
Google's AI assistant Gemini has gained new cross-application capabilities that allow users to complete multi-step tasks using natural language prompts, with the feature being prominently featured on Samsung's S25 phones. Key functionality: Gemini can now seamlessly work across multiple applications simultaneously to help users complete complex tasks that previously required manual switching between apps. Users can issue a single prompt to accomplish multi-step tasks, such as locating a restaurant and sharing the details with contacts The AI assistant works across both Samsung's native applications and Google's suite of apps While not exclusive to Samsung's S25 series, the feature will come...
read Jan 23, 2025Why Samsung’s alliance with Google is a major threat to iPhone dominance
At Unpacked 2025, Samsung announced its new Galaxy S25 smartphone lineup featuring advanced AI capabilities and deep integration with Google's technology ecosystem. Key announcement: Samsung unveiled its latest Galaxy S25 smartphones at the Unpacked event, showcasing on-device large language models and multimodal AI capabilities that adapt to user behavior. The new phones feature AI that can learn from user habits and take actions based on visual and audio inputs Samsung's partnership with Google's Project Astra enables advanced features like screen sharing and live video streaming These capabilities differentiate Galaxy devices from other Android phones, including Google's Pixel line Ecosystem strategy:...
read Jan 22, 2025These exciting new AI features are coming to Google Pixel and other Android phones
Samsung Unpacked 2025 showcased new AI features that will soon be available across Google Pixel and other Android devices, expanding the capabilities of digital assistants and search functions. Key Updates: Google announced that several AI features introduced at Samsung Unpacked will be rolled out to various Android devices, with some features exclusive to newer models like the Pixel 9 lineup. Gemini's functionality will expand to allow cross-app action chaining, enabling users to complete multiple tasks with a single command New capabilities will integrate with popular Google services including Maps, Calendar, and YouTube Third-party app support is planned for future expansion...
read Jan 22, 2025All the major announcements from Samsung’s Unpacked 2025
Samsung kicked off 2025 with its highly anticipated Unpacked event, unveiling a comprehensive refresh of its flagship smartphone lineup along with ambitious AI innovations. The Korean tech giant introduced the Galaxy S25 series, featuring the standard S25, S25+, and S25 Ultra models, alongside a surprise preview of the upcoming Galaxy S25 Edge. While maintaining familiar design elements, Samsung has doubled down on artificial intelligence integration through its expanded Galaxy AI suite, introduced more powerful Snapdragon 8 Elite processors, and made notable improvements to its camera systems. Let's dive into the key announcements that dominated this year's showcase. Samsung Galaxy S25...
read Jan 22, 2025Samsung wants to turn its latest generation of Galaxy smartphones into AI companions
Samsung announced three new Galaxy S25 smartphone models at its Unpacked event, each of which prominently feature artificial intelligence capabilities while maintaining the same price points as previous models. Core specifications and pricing: The Galaxy S25 lineup maintains similar hardware to its predecessors, with notable upgrades limited to a faster processor and enhanced ultrawide camera capabilities. The three models are priced at $800 for the standard version, $1000 for the Plus model, and $1300 for the Ultra variant The smartphones will be available in retail stores starting February 7 Samsung reported a 25% increase in Galaxy S24 sales last year,...
read Jan 22, 2025The Galaxy S25 is here: These AI features run on-device, and these in the cloud
Samsung's Galaxy S25 series introduces a mix of on-device and cloud-based AI features, with the company providing clear details about which features require internet connectivity and which can run locally on the device. Core functionality breakdown: Samsung has implemented a diverse array of AI capabilities in the Galaxy S25, with processing requirements varying by feature. Audio Eraser, AI Select, natural language Gallery search, Now Brief/Now Bar, and Routine Suggestions operate entirely on-device Cross-app actions via Gemini Live, Draw Assist, and Sticker Generation require cloud connectivity Call Summary, Read Aloud, and Writing Assist utilize a hybrid approach of both local and...
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