Latest news with #ZacKew-Denniss
Android Authority
5 days ago
- Android Authority
Leaked Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra render shows off bezels so thin, Samsung had to use a waterdrop notch
Zac Kew-Denniss / Android Authority TL;DR Leaked renders reveal the designs of the upcoming Samsung Galaxy S25 FE and Tab S11 Ultra. According to the render, the Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra has thin bezels, a waterdrop notch, dual rear cameras, and S Pen support. In the leaked render, the Galaxy S25 FE also features a thin bezel, a hole-punch display, and triple rear cameras. The Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Flip 7 are the flavor of the month, but Samsung is already working towards the launch of its next lineup of phones and tablets. We expect the Galaxy S25 FE to launch soon, and the company even confirmed that the Galaxy Tab S11 series is coming soon. We've seen leaked renders of the Galaxy S25 FE, but now we have another round of them alongside leaked renders of the Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra. Leaker Evan 'evleaks' Blass has shared renders of both of these devices: While the renders are low-resolution, there's still plenty to learn from them. For one, the Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra seems to have a waterdrop notch, unlike the wider notch we see on its predecessor, the Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra. The bezels are thin on the Tab S11 Ultra, but they are thin on the S10 Ultra too, so it remains to be seen what Samsung's plan is for the Ultra tablet. On larger tablets, you do need some bezel space to hold the device comfortably. The render also shows two rear cameras and support for the S Pen. We know from a previous leak that the Galaxy Tab S11 series will include the Tab S11 and the Tab S11 Ultra, both coming in with the MediaTek Dimensity 9400 SoC. At this point, the Galaxy S25 FE looks like a typical Samsung phone. The only point of note is that the leaked renders show relatively thinner bezels on the front, corroborating some previous renders. Samsung is expected to launch these devices in late Q3 or early Q4 of this year. Based on their launch window, it's fair to expect them to come with One UI 8 based on Android 16 out of the box. Got a tip? Talk to us! Email our staff at Email our staff at news@ . You can stay anonymous or get credit for the info, it's your choice.
Android Authority
09-07-2025
- Android Authority
I've seen the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 and 8 Classic I don't hate the squircle redesign
Samsung's Galaxy Watches have looked almost identical since the brand returned to Wear OS with the Galaxy Watch 4 in 2021, with the exception of last year's Galaxy Watch Ultra. Now the rest of the Galaxy Watch line-up is changing to match their Ultra cousin with a new shape and strap mechanism that makes the Watch 8 series the biggest redesign in Samsung's wearable history. I had some brief hands-on time with the Galaxy Watch 8 and 8 Classic, and they could be Samsung's best, despite the quirky looks. Galaxy Watch 8 design Zac Kew-Denniss / Android Authority The Galaxy Watch 8 has adopted a similar design to the Watch Ultra, placing the circular display within a squircle frame. It's certainly a divisive move, but I think it looks great in person — far better than it looks in any of Samsung's press images. Samsung says the design change was made to make the watch more comfortable, and I have to agree. The Watch 8 is thinner than its predecessors, and the wider footprint makes it sit on my wrist without the curve of the housing digging into my skin. The metal lugs that the strap attaches to are gone, replaced with the same mechanism that's used for the watch bands on the Galaxy Watch Ultra, as you can see illustrated by the side-by-side with my Galaxy Watch 6. The upside is the increased comfort I already mentioned, and what Samsung says is a big improvement in health sensor accuracy, thanks to the watch sitting more evenly on your wrist. The downside, of course, is that the watch bands from old Galaxy Watches and all the standard 20mm bands on Amazon won't work here — you'll need to buy straps designed to use Samsung's new system. The Watch 8 comes in 40mm and 44mm sizes in either silver or graphite, with either Wi-Fi/Bluetooth only or an LTE variants available. Galaxy Watch 8 Classic design Zac Kew-Denniss / Android Authority The Classic model returns this year, also with the new design, and I'm pleased to report that it returns that rotating bezel from previous models. Unlike the regular Galaxy Watch 8, which is made of Armor Aluminum, the Classic is made from stainless steel, and it looks fantastic. The rotating bezel feels solid and satisfying, thanks to a mechanical click with each degree of rotation. Sure, it's the same functionality as the touch bezel on the non-Classic models, but this is more satisfying to use. Zac Kew-Denniss / Android Authority The Classic differentiates itself with more than just a rotating bezel and larger size (46mm) this year, thanks to a hand-me-down from the Galaxy Watch Ultra. The Quick Button sits between the buttons we're used to, and can be remapped to a plethora of different functions, like starting a specific workout, a timer, water lock mode, and more. The specs C. Scott Brown / Android Authority The specs table below shows just how similar these two watches are, with the only real differences being display/battery sizes, materials used for the body, and the storage, which is doubled for the Watch 8 Classic. Galaxy Watch 8 Galaxy Watch 8 Classic Dimensions and weight Galaxy Watch 8 40mm: 40.4 x 42.7 x 8.6mm 30 g 44mm: 43.7 x 46 x 8.6mm 34 g Galaxy Watch 8 Classic 46mm: 46.4mm x 46mm x 10.6t 63.5g Materials Galaxy Watch 8 Case: Aluminum Armor Front: Sapphire Crystal Galaxy Watch 8 Classic Case: Aluminum Armor Front: Sapphire Crystal Display Galaxy Watch 8 40mm: 1.34-inch Super AMOLED, Full color, Always On Display 438 x 438 resolution 44mm: 1.47-inch Super AMOLED, Full color, Always On Display 480×480 resolution 3,000 nits peak Galaxy Watch 8 Classic 1.34-inch Super AMOLED, Full color, Always On Display 438×438 resolution 3,000 nits peak Processor Galaxy Watch 8 Exynos W1000 5 cores 3nm process Galaxy Watch 8 Classic Exynos W1000 5 cores 3nm process RAM Galaxy Watch 8 2GB Galaxy Watch 8 Classic 2GB Storage Galaxy Watch 8 32GB Galaxy Watch 8 Classic 64GB Battery Galaxy Watch 8 40mm: 325mAh 44mm: 435mAh WPC-based wireless charging Galaxy Watch 8 Classic 445mAh WPC-based wireless charging Connectivity Galaxy Watch 8 Bluetooth 5.3 LTE Wi-Fi (2.4 & 5GHz) NFC GPS dual frequency (L1+L5) Glonass Beidou Galileo Galaxy Watch 8 Classic Bluetooth 5.3 LTE Wi-Fi (2.4 & 5GHz) NFC GPS dual frequency (L1+L5) Glonass Beidou Galileo OS Galaxy Watch 8 Wear OS 6 One UI 8 Watch Galaxy Watch 8 Classic Wear OS 6 One UI 8 Watch Sensors Galaxy Watch 8 Samsung BioActive sensor (Optical Bio-signal sensor, Electrical Heart Signal, Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis) Temperature sensor Accelerometer Barometer Gyro sensor Geomagnetic sensor Light sensor Galaxy Watch 8 Classic Samsung BioActive sensor (Optical Bio-signal sensor, Electrical Heart Signal, Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis) Temperature sensor Accelerometer Barometer Gyro sensor Geomagnetic sensor Light sensor Durability Galaxy Watch 8 5ATM IP68 MID-STD-810H Galaxy Watch 8 Classic 5ATM IP68 MID-STD-810H Compatibility Galaxy Watch 8 Compatible with Android 12.0 or later with more than 1.5GB of memory No iOS support Galaxy Watch 8 Classic Compatible with Android 12.0 or later with more than 1.5GB of memory No iOS support Colors Galaxy Watch 8 Graphite, Silver Galaxy Watch 8 Classic Black, White Software and features Zac Kew-Denniss / Android Authority If you're familiar with the One UI 8 Watch beta for the Galaxy Watch 7 family, there isn't much more to see here. One UI 8 Watch is here out of the box for the Watch 8 series, and there's a lot to like. The app drawer is easier to parse and has a new list mode, tiles can be arranged in multiple lists for better organisation, and the Now Bar from Samsung's One UI 7 for phones makes an appearance and is easily the highlight of this version. New features for the Watch 8 series are health-focused. Sleep Apnea tracking is coming to the UK and EU with the Watch 8 series, and later, older models back to the Galaxy Watch 4, something I look forward to testing as someone who suffers from the condition. The Galaxy Watch 8 and 8 Classic are all about fitness and health tracking, with almost no other features to talk about Sleep tracking is enhanced by the ability to measure vascular load, which will allow the Watch 8 to determine how hard your heart is working while you sleep. Finally, there's the antioxidant index. By holding your finger to the same sensor that performs the body composition scan, the Watch 8 and 8 Classic can tell you what your antioxidant levels are and how to increase them. How useful this and other new health metrics are remains to be seen, as does their accuracy. Are they any good? Zac Kew-Denniss / Android Authority I could only spend about half an hour with these watches, so performance and battery life metrics will have to wait until our full review. What I can say is that they feel like watches I want to upgrade to from my Watch 6. The new design may look weird in a photo, but in person, it looks fantastic and feels even better when you wear it. The thinner profile makes them less likely to snag on anything, and the squircle metal frame will take the brunt of any impacts that do occur instead of the display. The wider footprint felt good to me, but that might not be the case for those with smaller wrists, and the new strap mechanism, while cool, does mean we lose out on the vast watch band ecosystem that's been built up over the last few years. Overall, these feel like a solid step forward for Samsung's wearables, and fans are sure to be glad to see the return of the Classic model in all its rotating bezel glory. Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 Bright display • Powerful health features • Gemini built-in MSRP: $349.99 Brighter display, better battery life The Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 offers a new 'squircle' look, with new band attachments, backed by new software, a 50% brighter display over last year's model, and a slightly larger battery. The watch is available in four configurations: a 40mm display in Wi-Fi or LTE and a 44mm display in Wi-Fi or LTE. See price at Samsung Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 44mm LTE See price at Amazon Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 40mm Wi-Fi Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 Classic Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 Classic Rotating bezel • Bright display • Best software features MSRP: $499.99 Going squircle, still Classic The Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 Classic continues the Classic lineage but with a squircle redesign. Available in Wi-Fi and LTE, with a 3,000 nit display and big 445mAh battery, enjoy all of the best Samsung smartwatch software experiences in style. See price at Samsung Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 Classic Wi-Fi See price at Amazon Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 Classic Wi-Fi See price at Amazon Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 Classic LTE
Android Authority
29-05-2025
- Business
- Android Authority
Samsung's One UI 8 Android 16 beta absolutely dunks on Google
Joe Maring / Android Authority Samsung surprised us all this week by releasing the One UI 8 beta for the Galaxy S25 series, which is based on Android 16. Following the messy rollout of One UI 7 and Samsung's track record of launching betas after Google has finalized a stable Android update, the arrival of One UI 8 has been a pleasant surprise. There are some welcome changes, from improvements to alarm groups to better support for older Galaxy Buds. Are you going to download the One UI 8 beta? 503 votes Yes 47 % No 31 % When it's more stable 22 % What's more surprising is that Samsung's version of Android 16 is more feature-complete than Google's, with two of the main additions everyone is looking forward to already working in One UI 8. 90:10 splitscreen The OnePlus Open came with a new kind of split-screen multitasking called Open Canvas. Google is bringing this feature to Android 16, but it isn't available in the current beta for Pixel devices. It is here in One UI 8, though, as seen in the video above. It's a great addition to split-screen. Being able to quickly switch between the two apps while having enough space to use each one is a game-changer, and I look forward to seeing how it performs on foldables and tablets. The question is, why does Samsung have it in One UI 8 already when Google hasn't enabled it in the official Android 16 beta? Live Updates Live Updates are similar to the Live Activity feature you'll find on iOS. It allows an app to display real-time information in a place that's easy to see, no matter what you're doing on your phone, such as showing a progress bar for your food order or directions from Google Maps. Zac Kew-Denniss / Android Authority YouTube Music Live Notifications Despite Live Updates being showcased at Google I/O, the feature isn't yet available in the Android 16 beta. It is available on Samsung phones and doesn't require One UI 8. Samsung calls this feature Live Notifications, and it was introduced in One UI 7, which is based on Android 15. It does everything described above and even lets you control your media playback. One UI 8 doesn't have everything Ryan Haines / Android Authority Samsung doesn't get everything, though. Android 15 introduced Notification Cooldown to Pixels, a feature that mutes notifications for up to two minutes at a time if you receive too many in quick succession. Even in One UI 8 with Android 16, this isn't present on Samsung devices. We don't know why Samsung has opted not to integrate Notification Cooldown, but it's a shame. It's a useful feature that can stop the constant barrage of information from being overwhelming. It seems odd that Samsung consistently receives early access to features, while Google's smartphone brand, the Pixel, is often overlooked and has to wait. You could say it ultimately doesn't matter so long as the Pixel gets everything eventually, but I disagree. Google, logically, should want people to buy a Pixel phone. It sends a strange message when Samsung frequently gets priority over Google's own product. Have you tried out the One UI 8 or Android 16 betas yet? What do you think of them? Let us know in the comments below.
Android Authority
29-05-2025
- General
- Android Authority
One UI 8 makes living with multiple alarms a whole lot easier
Paul Jones / Android Authority TL;DR Samsung's new One UI 8 beta for the Galaxy S25 series improves its alarm group functions. Users can now add existing alarms to alarm groups. Further, they can now place an alarm group widget on their home screen, making it much more convenient to control multiple alarms with a single tap. Samsung rolled out One UI 8 beta program for the Galaxy S25 series, and we're digging through the update to find all the changes. With One UI 8, Samsung is adding some quality-of-life improvements to alarm groups, one of the best features added to One UI 7. Many people set multiple alarms for tasks like getting up for work or school. If you are one of those (no judgment), you'd know that managing all of these alarms can be a hassle, especially if you want to pause them for a day or two. Samsung introduced the ability to group alarms together with One UI 7, letting users group related alarms to turn them on and off with a single click. As part of the One UI 8 changelog, Samsung is touting the following upgrades to the alarm group functionality: Enhanced alarm groups: You can now add existing alarms to an alarm group by tapping the + button on the Alarm group screen. You can also add an alarm group to a widget on your Home screen so you can turn all of the alarms in the group on or off with a single tap. The first part of this change fixes an annoyance in One UI 7. In One UI 7, the plus button inside an alarm group would create a new alarm within the group rather than letting you add an existing alarm to the group, as you can see in the screen recording below: With One UI 8, pressing the Plus button within an alarm group lets you choose between adding a new alarm or moving an existing alarm into the group. Further, as mentioned in the changelog, you can now add an alarm group widget to your home screen. In the screenshot below, you can see widgets for an individual alarm and an alarm group. This makes it highly convenient to toggle an alarm group right from your home screen. Zac Kew-Denniss / Android Authority One UI 7 only lets you place a single alarm as a widget, even if that alarm already nests within an alarm group. Now, with One UI 8, you can have complex alarm groups and still easily manage them. These are small quality-of-life changes that make a profound impact on the end user experience. Got a tip? Talk to us! Email our staff at Email our staff at news@ . You can stay anonymous or get credit for the info, it's your choice.
Android Authority
27-05-2025
- Business
- Android Authority
These are the 6 Google apps I always install on a new Samsung phone
Ryan Haines / Android Authority Apps that come preloaded on your smartphone can be a touchy subject. An app I use every day and I'm glad to see on my phone out of the box could be considered bloatware by someone who doesn't use it. Naturally, there are numerous Samsung apps on a Samsung phone, but you'll find Google apps like Chrome, Gmail, and YouTube pre-installed, too, among a few others. However, plenty of other Google apps are worth using, and these are the ones I download first on my Samsung phone. Before we begin, a brief disclaimer: Apps pre-installed on Samsung phones vary based on model and region, so while none of these came preloaded on my Galaxy S24 Ultra or Galaxy S25 in the UK, one or two might already be on your phone in your country. Google Tasks Zac Kew-Denniss / Android Authority I use Tick Tick Premium for most of my task needs, but if you don't want to pay for or use something as involved and only need a simple task app, Google Tasks should be the one for you. Samsung's Reminders app is good, but it can only sync to non-Samsung devices via Microsoft To Do, and that synchronization isn't as instant as I'd like. So, Google Tasks is the perfect app for me that works on the web, Android, and iOS and costs nothing. Even though I'm a Tick Tick user, I still keep Google Tasks installed for its Assistant/Gemini and voice command integration, something Tick Tick currently lacks. If I'm driving with Android Auto or have my hands full and need to set a reminder via my Nest speakers, those simple items can be added to my Google Tasks account with 'Hey Google, remind me to …' Google Wallet Zac Kew-Denniss / Android Authority Galaxy devices come with Samsung Wallet pre-installed. The app is fine, but many banks and loyalty programs don't support it, and I find the overall experience more clunky than Google's alternative, which is more widely supported. In fact, I can't think of any banks, at least in the UK, that don't support Google Wallet. Samsung Wallet also insists on adding a swipe target on the bottom of the home and lock screens, which I always activate by mistake when I'm trying to open the recent apps screen. Turning that off (or uninstalling Samsung Wallet entirely) and switching to Google Wallet makes the overall experience smoother and less frustrating. Google Calendar I enjoy Samsung's Calendar app quite a lot, but I still use Google Calendar for certain things, and you might prefer it, too. For starters, it works well with Google Tasks, showing them in your calendar and providing a shortcut to make reminders without leaving the app. If Google Tasks is your go-to, then Calendar should be too. Outside of Tasks, Calendar integrates better with third-party calendar accounts than Samsung's app, at least in my experience. I use it to integrate my due dates at work and shared calendars with my family group. Another bonus is that Google adds some delightful design flourishes, like the illustrations at the top of events. Gboard Zac Kew-Denniss / Android Authority If you only take one of these recommendations, please let it be this one. Even I, who usually advocates for Samsung apps being better than most people think, admit that Samsung's keyboard is trash. Whenever I see a post online about an iPhone user switching to a Samsung phone for the first time, one of the biggest complaints I see is that they can't stand the keyboard. Gboard is the best keyboard, and downloading it on your Samsung phone will make the phone easier to use and the entire experience less exasperating. The only exception to that rule used to be foldables, as Samsung's keyboard was the only one that defaulted to a split layout when the phone was open, but now Gboard does this too, and even has full S Pen detection for handwriting input. There's really no reason not to ditch Samsung Keyboard and switch to Gboard. Google Docs Zac Kew-Denniss / Android Authority Google Drive comes pre-installed on most Samsung phones, but Docs doesn't. I know we don't all handle documents on our phones regularly, but most of us do at some point, and I'd rather have it ready for when I do need it than have to rush to install it when required. The beauty of Google Docs is its ability to handle almost any document format, like those used in Microsoft Office, which other apps can struggle with. Combine that with the simple and quick cloud sync through Google Drive, robust editing features, and plenty of options for sharing and collaborating in documents, and Google Docs is a must-have app for me. Google Keep Zac Kew-Denniss / Android Authority Google Keep is the best note-taking app and an essential for any smartphone. The key to its success is its simplicity. It's easy to create notes and lists, attach media or links, categorize with colors and categories, and pin the important notes to the top. Plus, it recently got better formatting with headers, bold, italics, and underlining. Another reason Keep is my notes app of choice is how quickly it syncs between devices. Keep is available on Android, iOS, and via the web, and it takes seconds for a note to sync via your Google account. There are other note apps with cloud sync, but I haven't found one as seamless and simple as Google Keep. Among the plethora of Google apps available, these are the ones I use most. Gboard makes any Samsung phone feel a million times more usable, Tasks is a simple way to stay organized, and Wallet is the superior way to pay. Is there a Google app you can't live without? Let me know below.
