Latest news with #PhoneArena
Phone Arena
6 hours ago
- Phone Arena
Samsung's ecosystem has never looked stronger
In our search for the best technology, we often tend to overlook what's right in front of us. Instead, we salivate over the tech specs of a distant product, but without seeing the full picture and using it, it's easy to glorify a specialized product that disappoints in daily use. This year, after going through dozens of devices, I keep on coming back to... Samsung. The brand is always in our face and you can often see people criticize it for some individual spec where it is not quite the best. There is certainly a grain of truth in this, but there is also the bigger picture. And after spending a few days with the new Galaxy Watch 8 series, I am more convinced than ever that Samsung's ecosystem has never looked this good. The unique cushion design of the Galaxy Watch 8 proves Samsung is ready to take risks (Image by PhoneArena) The cliche usually goes that Samsung is a company that follows closely in Apple's footsteps. But the Galaxy Watch 8 series show that Samsung is able to take some bold risks. Take the new cushion design of the Galaxy Watch 8 (or should we just say the "squircle design"?). It is unlike any other smartwatch on the market. Do you think it was an easy decision to go away from the beloved circle shape of the watch to this crazy looking new design? I bet that it wasn't, but Samsung went for it anyway. The result is a watch that goes against the grain, but for a good reason — a slightly bigger battery and much improved comfort. Bonus points for this watch looking like the iconic Panerai Radiomir Otto Giorni luxury smartwach that costs north of $10,000. Samsung also deserves credit for sticking with the rotating bezel design, its own invention that again remains unmatched and has a loyal following. Samsung took another controversial decision earlier this year with the Galaxy S25 series. Rather than equip its flagship phones with bigger batteries like all other major flagships, it went with ultra-slim designs. I'm not even talking about the Galaxy S25 Edge here, I mean the other three models. The Galaxy S25 Plus is in my view the most underrated flagship, with a body just 7.3mm in thickness and a weight of merely 190 grams. This is lighter than the much smaller iPhone 16 Pro, which has a much smaller screen! And I don't know why the Galaxy S25 doesn't get more recognition for its super compact and lightweight design. This phone is seriously the ONLY truly compact phone in 2025, if you ask me. Add to that the unexpected success of the 2025 Galaxy A series, which is apparently selling like hotcakes. The Galaxy A36 and specifically the Galaxy A56 are 90% a flagship at half the price. These phones are among our top picks for budget phones, and while the Pixel 9a gets a bit more recognition for its camera, the Galaxy A series provide the better overall value and a much more practical (and larger) screen size. Market analysts from IDC also recognized the A series in their latest report: "Samsung was able to consolidate its market leadership and outperform the overall market achieving strong growth in the quarter driven by the sales of its new Galaxy A36 and A56 products," said Francisco Jeronimo, vice president, Client Devices, IDC. "These new products introduce AI-enabled features to mid-range devices, which has been effectively used in retail stores to drive sales, as more consumers become curious about AI." IDC sales data shows Samsung is killing it lately And let's not even get started on the topic of Apple and AI... Samsung is also quicker and more agile with new form factors. Case in point — the Galaxy Ring. Have you heard about an Apple or Google-made smart ring? Nope, both those companies are way behind Samsung on that front. And of course we have all the Folds and the Flips. Samsung is clearly in the lead in the Flip segment, and while you could argue that the Fold was the weak link... it just made it great with the recent Fold 7 release. We have to admit, though, that it's not all roses. Apple is clearly far ahead of Samsung on the virtual/mixed reality front with the Vision Pro. Too bad that product costs $3,500 and nobody is buying, though. Samsung might be behind, but it has some products in the pipeline such as Project Moohan, its Vision Pro alternative, that is expected later this year. Not everyone loves the new One UI style (probably the one area where Samsung copied Apple the most). However, it's a much needed fresh coat of paint and I'd argue that a few mistakes made in the process are better than sticking with the old boring look of One UI. So these are my reasons to believe that Samsung is undergoing a bit of a renaissance in 2025. The company is not afraid to take risks, and most importantly, it takes the right risks. It has addressed most of the criticism and if you are sleeping on Samsung's ecosystem... well, it might just be the bargain buy of 2025, considering all the lucrative deals that we commonly see. But let me know what you think: is Samsung the success story of 2025? Secure your connection now at a bargain price! We may earn a commission if you make a purchase Check Out The Offer
Phone Arena
6 hours ago
- Phone Arena
5 changes Apple needs to make for the upcoming iPhone 17
iPhone 16 . | Image credit – PhoneArena We are getting closer to the iPhone 17 launch and as usual, the closer we get, the more the leaks and rumors start piling up. And honestly? Based on what we've heard so far, the base model still feels like it is missing some key upgrades. So, here's a look at the five biggest changes Apple needs to make to the standard iPhone 17 if it wants to truly call it an upgrade over the iPhone 16 – and not just another refresh. Let's get this one out of the way – because it's honestly getting embarrassing. In 2025, a $799 flagship phone still rocking a 60Hz screen just doesn't cut it. The iPhone 16 is stuck there and Apple has to change that with the iPhone 17 .It's time to bring ProMotion – Apple's fancy name for the LTPO display that smoothly adjusts from 120Hz down to 1Hz – to the regular iPhone. Every major rival already does it. Galaxy S25? 120Hz. OnePlus 13? 120Hz. Xiaomi 15? Same story. Hey, even a bunch of mid-range phones come with high refresh rates say Apple might finally bump the iPhone 17 up to 90Hz. Sure, that's better... but honestly, still not enough. Siri needs a serious glow-up At this point, Siri isn't just lagging behind – it's kind of broken. In 2025, with AI assistants from Google, Amazon and OpenAI pulling off some seriously impressive stuff, Siri still feels stuck in the past. The promised upgraded Siri is still missing. | Video credit – Apple Apple promised big things for Siri with Apple Intelligence on the iPhone 16 , but most of that didn't pan out. The iPhone 17 needs to turn that mess around and finally deliver a version of Siri that feels smart, responsive, and genuinely helpful. Faster charging speeds, please Officially, the iPhone 16 lineup didn't get faster wired charging – but under the hood, there were signs of progress. Our tests showed brief charging spikes up to 38W when the phone was under heavy load, like during gaming or using demanding real jump was on the wireless side. Apple boosted MagSafe charging from 15W to 25W, which is getting surprisingly close to wired speeds. But again, in 2025, that's still playing catch-up. Android phones like the Xiaomi 14T Pro or Motorola Edge 50 Pro are miles ahead when it comes to charging speed. Even affordable models like the Edge 50 Fusion beat the iPhone here. Apple needs to stop lagging and step it up with the iPhone 17 and actually, some leaks suggest it might indeed do so. Base model deserves better cameras Apple's camera game is solid – if you are going for the Pro models. The regular iPhones don't get the same love and that's a shame. More RAM to keep up with AI With AI becoming a thing – and apps and games getting heavier – RAM matters more than ever. The iPhone 17 is expected to come with 8 GB of RAM, which sounds decent… but might not be enough in the long stay future-proof, it would make more sense for Apple to match the 12 GB expected on the rest of the iPhone 17 family: the iPhone 17 Air, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max. More RAM means smoother multitasking, better app performance and just a longer-lasting phone overall. What would actually make you upgrade to the iPhone 17 ? And what more do you think Apple needs to bring to the base model to make it worth it in 2025? Drop your thoughts – curious to see what's on your wish list. Secure your connection now at a bargain price! We may earn a commission if you make a purchase Check Out The Offer
Phone Arena
8 hours ago
- Phone Arena
The Galaxy Watch 4 to get a surprise major software update: the veteran isn't done yet
You thought the Galaxy Watch 4 was over and out? No, just because this cool digital timepiece was released back in 2021 it doesn't mean it's out of the Galaxy Watch 4 was a milestone in Samsung's smartwatch history: it marked the shift for Samsung's wearable lineup, moving away from its long-running Tizen operating system in favor of Google's Wear OS 3. This change brought access to the Google Play Store and, thus, significantly expanded the range of apps available compared to the limited selection on Tizen. Of course, Samsung being Samsung, added its own One UI Watch interface on top, keeping the familiar look and feel for existing users. When the first One UI 8 Watch beta update was rolled out, it was limited to the fifth and sixth generation Samsung Galaxy smartwatches, but now, rumors have it that Sammy will also make Galaxy Watch 4 owners happy. This will most likely be the final major software update for the Galaxy Watch 4, but that should ruin the day of users who still rock the 2021 gadget, as there are multiple improvements with the One UI 8 Watch . The One UI 8 Watch update should introduce a refreshed interface with redesigned Tiles, richer watch faces, smoother animations, and an updated app launcher that offers a vertical grid or list view with frequently used apps at the top. Image by PhoneArena The update adds the Now Bar, which shows active tasks like workouts, timers, and more, along with new charging animations and an updated battery icon. Notifications get a smarter design, stacking alerts from the same app and preventing duplicate notifications when the phone is in use. That could very well be my personal favorite. The update also expands gesture controls with more double-pinch and handshake options, making navigation more intuitive. The Galaxy Watch 4 has a dual-core 1.18GHz chipset, 1.15 GB of RAM, and approximately 7 GB of storage. Of course, it's not the most powerful smartwatch out there, but it's capable and reliable. It comes with a 361 mAh battery, which Samsung claims can deliver up to 40 hours on a single charge. Again – nothing to write home about, but certainly not to be retired for now! Secure your connection now at a bargain price! We may earn a commission if you make a purchase Check Out The Offer
Phone Arena
12 hours ago
- Phone Arena
Forget what you heard! The iPhone 17 lineup might all be powered by next-gen chips
iPhone 16 . | Image credit – PhoneArena The iPhone 17 series is right around the corner – Apple is expected to launch the lineup this September – and as usual, the closer we get, the more the leaks start heating up. The latest one? It sounds like the regular iPhone 17 might actually get a bigger performance boost than previously thought. According to a new report, the base iPhone 17 won't be using the A18 chip from the iPhone 16 after all. Instead, Apple is reportedly packing the next-gen A19 chipset inside, putting it on the same playing field as the iPhone 17 Air. The Pro models, of course, should take it one step further with the more powerful A19 Pro chip. However, while the chip might be upgraded, this latest report once again points to only 8 GB of RAM for the base iPhone 17 . The rest of the lineup – including the Air and Pro models – should jump to 12 GB for the first time ever on an iPhone. And that extra RAM should make a difference when it comes to multitasking and all the AI-heavy features Apple Intelligence is set to bring. Now, to be honest, using the A19 in the entire iPhone 17 series feels like a more typical Apple move and for me, it was always a bit hard to imagine the company reusing the same chip from the previous base model again. Yes, Apple has done something similar before, like with the iPhone 14 and 14 Plus, which reused the A15 chip from the iPhone 13 Pro lineup or the base iPhone 15 getting the chipset from the iPhone 14 Pro models. But those kinds of decisions haven't been consistent enough to call it a pattern and it feels more natural for Apple to move ahead with the latest chip across the board. This is how the upcoming iPhone 17 series might look like. | Image credit – Majin Bu And what's the difference between the two? Well, the A19 Pro is expected to have more GPU cores and higher clock speeds compared to the standard version. That should translate to noticeably better performance in graphics-heavy tasks like gaming, video editing, or anything AR-related. Basically, the Pro version of the chip is built to power the more advanced features you'll find on the higher-end iPhones. Secure your connection now at a bargain price! We may earn a commission if you make a purchase This offer is not available in your area.
Phone Arena
a day ago
- Phone Arena
Extreme durability, unmissable style — Pitaka's new Cadmyra material is excellent for MagSafe wallets!
This story is sponsored by Pitaka. PhoneArena's opinions in this article have not been affected in any way! Pitaka MagSafe Woven Wallet Receive the latest mobile news By subscribing you agree to our terms and conditions and privacy policy Compatible with MagSafe or magnetic cases Flexible? Recommended Stories Slim and light A perfect match within Pitaka's ecosystem - with a strong magnetic grip Convenient everyday carry - compact but capable of holding two cards Business and travel - quick scan your access cards, keep your ID at the ready Now available Pitaka is a manufacturer, now well-known for specializing in high quality aramid fiber accessories for our mobile. Note that we said accessories, not just cases — while Pitaka did start off with cases, the company expanded to watch straps, carry bags and stands for fit together great, especially if you are a fan of the high quality raw aramid fiber weaves that Pitaka has perfected. And now, there's another accessory to add to the list!The latest development in Pitaka's case building was weaving in colors for intricate patterns, blends, and gradients. The Sunset and Moonrise finish demonstrate that the best — one being a warm, almost fiery collection of colors, the other being cool and you can now pair those cases with a magnetic wallet made of flexible aramid fiber, with the same patterns woven if you are a fan of the classic utilitarian look of aramid fiber, the black and gray option is still available!Not just for iPhone — most popular Android phones now also have cases made for them that hold a magnetic ring at just the right spot. Pitaka's own MagEZ cases for the S25 Ultra — or the innovative PinButton case — all have the MagSafe the Magnetic Woven Wallet is the perfect addition to your trusty Pitaka case. And it stays in place with a strong magnetic has developed the Cadmyra material specifically to get something flexible, which still retains the toughness and scratch resistance of high-grade aramid fiber. The endgame is to use the material in wallets, backpacks, luggage, and who knows what else the future holds. With the Magnetic Woven Wallet, we get to experience it for the first is Cadmyra? At its core, it's high-grade aramid fiber weaves, fused with durable polymers. However, that process typically gives you a robust but boring final product. One that feels flat, raw, and fusing the flexible fiber with various materials, and experimenting with different polymers, Pitaka was able to upgrade the raw and utilitarian feel of a typical aramid armor to a finish that resembles the soft touch of high-quality bonus is that it's still extremely durable — extreme heat, cold, or humidity do not cause it to change shape, color, or become brittle. It's very resistant to abrasions and microscratches and has been tested to withstand weeks of simulated sun exposure with just minor fading — no peeling, no bubbling, no it is still flexible. The Magnetic Woven Wallet can hold 2 credit cards, but will not warp, fade, or wear any time soon. Bonus points, due to the slightly flexible nature of the material, it kind of feels like a mix between genuine leather, and that familiar raw aramid weave whole Magnetic Woven Wallet weighs just 38 g, and adds a minimum amount of bulk to the back of your phone. If you do get the matching patterns with the MagEZ cases, it blends in nicely with the entire with its sleek design, and the excellent Cadmyra cover, the Magnetic Woven Wallet is:The Pitaka Magnetic Woven Wallet is available in three colorways: Black/Gray twill, Sunrise, and can grab it for $39.99/￡39.99/€49.99 either from Pitaka's website or Pitaka's official Amazon web store!
