Latest news with #flagships
Phone Arena
6 days ago
- Phone Arena
Here's why the Galaxy S26 Ultra's camera upgrade matters, but won't grant it the king's crown
When it comes to camera phones, nobody should disregard Samsung's upcoming Galaxy S26 Ultra… and Galaxy Ultra phones as a whole. They've proven to be tough, potent and capable. Yet, many choose to go with a phone made by another it because Samsung's Ultra flagships are too expensive for some?Yeah, money could definitely be a decisive factor. For example, the Galaxy S25 Ultra (12 GB of RAM, 256 GB storage – the baseline model) was launched at $1,300 some months ago. Not counting various trade-in offers or carrier-locked offers, I must say: $1,300 is a lot. A year ago I was able to get a Galaxy S24 Ultra rival from China (Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 on board, same RAM and storage, plus four 50 MP cameras and a 1-inch sensor on its back) for about $750.I don't know about you, but a $550 difference is a lot in my book. Especially if I'm not getting a $550 difference in real-life usage. So, if I was on the lookout for a great camera phone right now, I'd definitely look into the possibility of getting the S25 Ultra… but I'd definitely the end of the day, it's not just money. People also pay attention to hardware numbers and specs. As popular and as good the Galaxy series may be, the truth is that Samsung doesn't offer the most impressive, cutting-edge hardware when it comes to photography and why I almost popped a champagne bottle yesterday, when I stumbled upon the following PhoneArena article title:I was so-o-o sure it's a new main camera sensor that was promised. Good that I didn't open that champagne bottle, though: it turns out that this huge upgrade is a new, brighter don't get me wrong – I'm all for brighter lenses (that's what a lens with a large aperture is called: "bright"). As a rule of thumb, the larger the aperture – the better. Bright lenses are always more refined, more expensive, more I can't wash away that foul taste in my mouth either: when will Samsung step in the 1-inch sensor territory? The Galaxy S25 Ultra for reference. | Image by PhoneArena When you hear about upgrades to a phone's camera, most people immediately think of more megapixels or bigger sensors. But in reality, smartphone photography is shaped by a combination of many things. Camera sensors in smartphones have evolved rapidly. While many flagship phones – especially from Chinese brands like Xiaomi and Oppo – have already adopted 1-inch-type sensors, Samsung has stuck with smaller sensors on its Ultra line. The S24 Ultra uses the 1/1.3" ISOCELL HP2 sensor, which is expected to be used on the S25 Ultra. While a 1/1.3" sensor is definitely large (in comparison to what mid-rangers pack), it's still smaller than a 1-inch sensors have clear benefits: better low-light performance, improved dynamic range, and more natural depth of field. Features like pixel binning, which merges multiple pixels into one for brighter, cleaner photos, help smaller sensors stay competitive. Autofocus systems have also improved, with technologies like Dual Pixel and laser focus enhancing accuracy. And of course, periscope lenses have become common for achieving long-range zoom without compromising phone many feel Samsung has fallen behind by not moving to a larger sensor. In 2025, a 1-inch sensor isn't groundbreaking – it's what I expect from Samsung in the future. That particular future is not happening in 2026, per current rumors. And while sensor size isn't everything, it's a key part of the equation, especially for a device marketed as the best camera phone money can buy. The Galaxy S25 Ultra for reference. | Image by PhoneArena That brings us to lenses and apertures. The aperture – measured by an f-number like f/1.4 or f/2.2 – tells you how wide the lens can open to let in light. The lower the number, the wider the opening, and the more light that hits the sensor. A brighter (lower f-number) lens can dramatically improve photo quality, especially in low-light situations. It allows for faster shutter speeds and lower ISO settings, both of which help reduce blur and noise. Again, reports suggest the Galaxy S26 Ultra will get a brighter main lens, likely improving indoor and night photography compared to the f/1.7 lens on the S25 Ultra. The Galaxy S25 Ultra for reference. | Image by PhoneArena The expected change on the S26 Ultra is a meaningful one – but only up to a point. A great lens matters most once you've crossed a certain threshold in sensor quality. If your sensor is still relatively small, the benefits of a brighter lens are limited. For example, the same APS-C sensor paired with an f/1.4 lens will outperform that same sensor with an f/2.2 lens, especially in low light. But if you shrink the sensor too far, even the best lens can't fully can a lens actually be too bright? In some cases, yes. While a wide aperture lets in more light, it can also reduce depth of field too much, especially on larger sensors – leading to parts of the subject being out of focus. It can also cause issues with lens aberrations or softness at the edges of the frame. In the end, Samsung's decision to upgrade the lens rather than the sensor isn't pointless – but it feels overdue. For a phone line that markets itself as a camera king, the hardware needs to reflect that ambition. A better lens is a good step. A bigger sensor would be a serious leap!
Android Authority
24-07-2025
- Android Authority
It's time to stop defending slow charging speeds
Robert Triggs / Android Authority We're fast approaching the launch of the new Pixel 10 series and iPhone 17, and the one thing I'm really dreading is another year of sluggish charging speeds. While Google's Pro XL model has gradually increased its charging power to a level close to Samsung's Ultra, the smaller, more popular flagship phones in the US are stuck charging below 25W. Compared to their fast-charging Chinese counterparts, such as the 80W OnePlus 13, these supposed flagships feel positively archaic. If you want some numbers, the Galaxy S25 takes 77 minutes to fill up, the Pixel 9 takes 85 minutes, and the iPhone 16 takes agonising 107 minutes — the OnePlus 13 does it in 35. Even 30 minutes on the plug will leave you with less than 60% battery on all these phones. Of course, those are smaller models in their respective series, yet even the more powerful 37W Pixel 9 Pro XL takes 77 minutes to full. This can all feel agonisingly slow — especially when you're in a hurry. When you're in a hurry, fast charging is an indispensible tool. Of course, if you predominantly charge your phone overnight, then whether it takes over an hour or just 30 minutes to fully charge makes absolutely no difference. However, there usually comes a time in all of our lives when we need a far quicker top-up. I often forget to charge my phone overnight, leaving me with just a few minutes to spare before dashing out the door. I've also lost count of the number of times I've quickly grabbed an outlet before boarding a long flight. It's times like these when fast charging becomes indispensable, with just five or ten minutes on the plug enough to give you 25-40% of a full charge. Once you have it, you can't live without it, and I want all my future phones to be just as capable of getting me through these touch-and-go moments. Fast charging without compromise Robert Triggs / Android Authority Ah, but doesn't fast charging kill long-term battery health? Well, there's some truth to this; high currents and hot temperatures can accelerate battery degradation, causing a cell to lose its charge-carrying capacity faster than it would under ideal charging conditions. However, this isn't a terminal problem. High current charging is mainly limited to early periods in the charging cycle, when voltage stress is lower. We've tracked countless models where advertised 100W rates apply for barely a minute, and modern phones ease off the power once temperatures spike. Likewise, limiting high power levels to short periods prevents excess heat. Intelligent settings can give us fast charging and long-term battery health. In reality, today's high-power phones tend only to make a slight difference to long-term battery health—certainly not so drastic that it cuts its lifespan by half. Still, this trade-off can make fast charging a tough choice for well-informed consumers, but it doesn't have to be that way. You can always charge speedy phones with slower plugs, but some modern smartphones come with built-in fast charging toggles. Samsung has included these options in its settings menu for years, and you'll find a similar smart charging option on the latest OnePlus and OPPO models. Ideally, far more phones should offer users fine-grained control over their charging preferences, in addition to the now commonplace 80% charging limit. Robert Triggs / Android Authority But perhaps the best idea I've seen recently is HONOR's boost notification, which pops up when you put your phone on charge. The idea is elegantly simple: prompt the user to press for higher power levels and less regard for heat, ensuring faster charge times if they're in a hurry. Or do nothing and default to slower, more battery-friendly power levels if you're charging at your desk or overnight. Between configuration settings and notification prompts, it's clear that we can have the best of everything without any trade-offs: Longevity-conscious settings for desk and overnight charging with quick top-ups for those times we urgently need more juice. These features are already here, at least in part, on some top-tier smartphones. Now it's time for brands to bring everything together and make them mainstream. That means you Apple, Google, and Samsung. Really, there's no excuse for sluggish charging other than cutting costs on lower-end batteries and budget charging circuits, neither of which is forgivable in phones starting at $800. It's time to stop making excuses.
