SAMSUNG Galaxy S22 Smartphone, 256GB, 8K Camera

 8K SUPER STEADY VIDEO: Shoot videos that rival how epic your life is with stunning 8K recording, the highest recording resolution available on a smartphone; Video captured is effortlessly smooth, thanks to Auto Focus Video Stabilization on Galaxy S22*

NIGHTOGRAPHY + PORTAIT MODE: Capture the night with crystal clear, bright pics and videos, no matter the lighting with Night Mode; Portrait Mode auto-detects and adjusts to what you want front and center, making all your photos worthy of a frame.

50MP PHOTO RESOLUTION + BRIGHT DISPLAY: From elaborate landscapes to intricate creations, capture vivid detail with 50MP resolution; Your favorite content will look even more epic on our brightest display ever with Vision Booster.

ADAPTIVE COLOR CONTRAST: Streaming on the go, working from your patio or binge-watching late into the night? The Galaxy S22 adaptive screen automatically optimizes color and brightness, outdoors and indoors.

LONG LASTING BATTERY + FAST CHARGING: Power every scroll, click, tap and stream all day long* with an intelligent battery that works with you, not against you**; Dive back into action at a moment’s notice with 25W Super-Fast Charging***

PREMIUM DESIGN & CRAFTMANSHIP: With a classy, eye-catching glass-metal-glass design, we’re setting a standard for smart phones; With our strongest aluminum frame and the latest Gorilla Glass, this phone is lightweight and durable to help endure scratches and dings.

LIVE SHARING w/ GOOGLE DUO: Watch viral YouTube videos and content together with your friends, from anywhere****

Samsung Galaxy M51 Gets Android 12 Updates

 The Samsung Galaxy M51 was long overdue to get Google's latest OS, but, on the other hand, this is almost a two-year-old mid-range handset, so kudos to Samsung for pushing a second major update.

Anyway, the handset is reportedly getting Android 12 in Russia with build number M515FXXU4DVD1 and it will likely hit other markets pretty soon. That's how the company usually distributes updates.

It's worth noting that this is pretty much the end of the road for the Galaxy M51 in terms of major firmware updates. The device won't be getting Android 13, although it will continue to receive essential monthly security patches from Google for another year.

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Samsung reports record-breaking Q1 revenues boosted by strong Galaxy S22 sales

 Samsung announced its financial results for the first quarter of the year, and the company proudly revealed a record-breaking consolidated revenue for the third straight quarter.

Operating profit was KRW 14.12 billion, and it improved 51% from a year earlier (KRW 9.38 trillion), with the Device Experience (DX) division posting the highest revenue since 2013

According to the detailed financial report, literally all divisions reported a yearly increase both in sales and operating profit. Speaking of the mobile phones business, Samsung revealed the numbers are the result of strong sales of the Galaxy S22 Ultra flagship, as well as “positive responses to new, mass-market 5G models” and “solid sales of Device Ecosystem products” which include tablets, smartwatches and audio wearables.

The memory business achieved a record-high in sales amid solid demand. The same happened to the Samsung Display division, where results were driven by strong sales at major smartphone makers, as well as large displays for QD panels. TVs are part of the Visual Display Business, and numbers there were driven by the demand for Neo QLED and Super Big TVs.

The strength of the US dollar against the Korean won outweighed the weakness in some currencies, bringing KRW300 billion in operating profit, compared with the previous quarter.

Samsung is wary of the macroeconomic and geopolitical uncertainties, including the continuing COVID pandemic, as well as the ongoing logistics issues. Looking ahead to the Q2 results and H2 plans, the Korean company will prioritize strengthening its position in the premium segment for smartphones and expanding its SoC chip productions

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OxygenOS 12 Open Beta 1 for the OnePlus Nord 2

Following an earlier release of an Open Beta build of Android 12 for the original Nord, today OnePlus has finally managed to get round to issuing a similar release for the much newer Nord 2, which launched last July running Android 11 and is still stuck on that version of the OS even today.

That's a big shame, but OnePlus is seemingly working on rectifying it. One small step at a time. The first such step is today's release of OxygenOS 12 Open Beta 1 for the Nord 2. As usual with such builds, don't go down this path if you're not comfortable with bugs and random issues showing up. The Open Beta 1 will make some features of the Nord 1 Pac-Man edition disappear, so maybe skip this entirely if you have one of those.

photo credit: ytechb.com

Aside from everything that Google packed into the Android 12 release last year, this update also brings you "AI System Booster 2.1", which makes "your system run smoothly even when the load is high", Smart Battery Engine (a feature that prolongs battery life based on "smart algorithms and biomimetic self-restoration technology"), improved textures on app icons, optimized Extra HD (a feature that can "significantly enhance image and video resolutions"), three adjustable Dark mode levels, a bunch of new styles and features for the Shelf, Work-Life Balance, Gallery, Canvas AOD, and the added HyperBoost end-to-end frame rate stabilizer for games.

If you're interested in the full, lengthy changelog, you can find it at the Source linked below, which is also where detailed installation instructions await the brave among you. As for known issues, so far there are only two: Face Unlock might be unusable in the dark after turning on Brighten screen in dim light through Settings, and Fortnite will crash.

It's important to remember that going from a mainstream build to an Open Beta can be done without any erasing of data, but if you are on the Open Beta branch and then want to go back to the main one, you will have to erase all the contents of the phone. Final note: as of now, the only download available of OxygenOS 12 Open Beta 1 is for the Indian version of the Nord 2.

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Galaxy A13 5G support page goes up in Greece as European launch nears

 The Samsung Galaxy A13 (4G) is already available in parts of Europe. The 5G model is still nowhere to be seen on the Old Continent months after it launched in the US. That is about to change as a support page for the SM-A136B/DSN, aka Galaxy A13 5G dual-SIM, has appeared on Samsung Greece.

The 4G model is available through partner stores at a regular price of €200 and a discounted price of €180 (e.g. Germanos). The 4G phone can also be found in other countries at various prices, e.g. in the Netherlands, where a 64 GB unit can be had for €174, and in Germany (€190). The older Galaxy A22 5G started at €250, but can currently be found for €210-€230, which puts an upper limit to the reasonable pricing of the A13 5G.

What does the Galaxy A13 5G has that its 4G sibling doesn’t have? Well, besides the next-gen connectivity, it also has a more powerful Dimensity 700 chipset (with two A76 big cores instead of all A55), along with a Mali-G57 MC2 GPU (vs. G52).

The rest is a mixed bag. The 5G model has a 90 Hz IPS LCD, though at a lower resolution (HD+ vs. FHD+), it also keeps the 50 MP main camera, but loses the 5 MP ultra wide. The battery is the same, 5,000 mAh capacity and 15W charging.

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Netflix plans to expands its Games catalog to up to 50 by the end of this year

 Last year Netflix launched the Games Service, which allows subscribers of the streaming giant to download and play select Android and iOS games for free. 17 titles are available at the moment, but The Washington Post reports that the company aims to grow that list to nearly 50 games. 

 To be clear, we’re talking about games that run on your device, you just don’t have to buy them (similar to Apple Arcade) and there are no ads or in-app purchases. This isn’t a game streaming service like GeForce Now or Google Stadia.

It looks like the company will leverage vertical integration – it is developing both a mobile game and a TV show based on the Exploding Kittens board game. The mobile game is launching next month, the TV show is slated to premiere in 2023.

According to a source familiar with Netflix's plans, the streaming service is planning to stay within the mobile gaming space, but it is open to other avenues in the future. The source says Netflix is "looking at content opportunities around video games from every direction.” It’s not clear precisely what this means, but it may be that the company is considering a future move into game streaming at a later date.

Mobile games are the focus for now, and we should expect a lot more titles to drip feed out of the streaming service over the coming months. The company plans to have a strategy where it can continue adapting video games such as Cuphead, The Witcher, and League of Legends into TV shows. Then it can adapt its own shows into games similarly to how it did with Stranger Things: 1984. It's not entirely clear how you can play existing titles, so we recommend following our guide on how to download Netflix games if you want to try any of the existing 18 games out.

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Android 13 Beta 1 is now available for Google Pixels

    Google has made the first Android 13 beta build available for public testing. And as always with Android betas, it's much easier to install and play with than the Developer Preview builds were.

That's by design, as by now hopefully there should be no huge, horrible, show-stopping bugs. That said, you are still likely to experience loads of issues, as this is the first of four planned betas before the final release hits later this year.

 If you're interested in trying out the Android 13 Beta 1, and have a supported Google Pixel smartphone, then you can just head on over to the Android Beta Program website here and enroll your device.

Then you should receive Android 13 Beta 1 as an over-the-air software update within a few minutes (up to a few hours). Subsequent beta builds will also be sent to you over-the-air just like normal software updates, and the same goes for the final version of Android 13 once that's fully baked and ready to get out of the oven. If you are already running a Developer Preview build of Android 13, then you'll get the first beta (and the next ones) over-the-air as well.

Android 13 Beta 1 comes with new permissions for more granular access to media files and improved audio routing APIs. Apps that want to access media on your phone now have three different permissions specific to what file type they want to access - one for images and photos, one for videos, and one for audio files. Previously, all of these were baked into a single "media access" permission, which, if granted, allowed the app to access all types of media. Not anymore, though.

When you grant one of the new permissions, the app in question will only have read access to the respective media file type(s) and nothing else. When developers' apps will target Android 13, they will have to migrate to this new permissions model.

There are also some minute improvements to audio routing, as well as better error reporting for apps that generate keys - but these will probably be of interest primarily to app developers.

Next month at the Google I/O developer conference, the company will share more details about Android 13 along with more new features, and it's very likely that the second beta will drop right about that time, in order to showcase the newly unveiled stuff.

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Tecno x pro full spec

Tecno launched the Camon X Pro at the same time they dropped its little brother – the Tecno Camon X. That, as it is believed, is in furtherance 

Galaxy s9 vs pixel 2: which android flagship will win??

Samsung is expected to take the wraps off itsGalaxy S9 and S9+ handsets at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona on Feb. 25, but don't expect many surprises when the phone finally arrives. Almost every detail about Samsung's next generation of premium Android flagship devices has leaked in recent weeks, including photos of what the phones look like. (Spoiler alert: Little has changed from the S8.)

Samsung Galaxy S9. Credit: OnLeaksSince Samsung's last round of phone releases, Google has raised the bar for Android devices by coming out with a new version of the Pixel. The Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL come packed with all kinds of features, from a killer camera with object recognition to a squeezable body that triggers Google Assistant.

If the S9 is going to edge past the latest Pixels, it's going to have to match the camera prowess of Google's phone. So it's no surprise that Samsung will reportedly put a more advanced shooter in its newest phone. In fact, the company promises to "reimagine" the camera.

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Here's how we see the Galaxy S9 stacking up against the Pixel 2 based on the leaked specs for Samsung's new phone. We'll have an even clearer picture of how the two phones measure up after Samsung officially unveils the S9 on Feb. 25.

Galaxy S9 vs. Pixel 2: Leaked vs. Real Specs

Phone	Galaxy S9/S9+	Pixel 2/XL
List Price	$895-$935	$649 / $849
OS	Android Oreo	Android Oreo
Screen Size (Resolution)	5.8 inches (2960 x 1440) / 6.2 inches (2960 x 1440)	5 inches (1920 x 1080 pixels) / 6 inches (2880 x 1440 pixels)
CPU	Snapdragon 845	Snapdragon 835
RAM	4GB / 6GB	4GB
Storage	64GB, 128GB	64GB, 128GB
Rear Camera	12-MP Super Speed Dual Pixel (f/1.5, f/2.4); 12-MP (f/1.5, f/2.4) and 12-MP (f/2.4)	12 MP (f/1.8)
Headphone Jack	Yes	No
Battery	3000 mAh / 3500 mAh	2700 mAh / 3520 mAh

Cameras

Samsung is reportedly betting big on the S9's cameras to compete with Apple's latest iPhones as well as with the Pixel 2. The company's invitation to its Mobile World Congress event features  the tagline "Camera Reimagined," stressing just how much importance Samsung is placing on the camera with this update to the Galaxy lineup.

Galaxy S9

The Galaxy S9+ is expected to sport an impressive dual-lens rear-facing camera, which neither of Google's Pixel handsets have. Samsung added two lenses to its supersized Galaxy Note 8, released last fall, and according to noted leaker Evan Blass. that feature is expected to make its way to the slightly smaller S9+. We expect the secondary lens to enable the same tricks it does in the Note 8, including a Live Focus mode for bringing objects into focus while blurring the background. The S9+'s telephoto lens is also expected to support optical zoom.

But a big shakeup is expected in the primary 12-MP lens, which didn’t change much in the S8 from the S7. Samsung reportedly added an adjustable aperture to the S9's main shooter, which will be able to automatically open from f/2.4 to f/1.5, the widest of any smartphone ever. A new slow-motion video mode is also coming, according to Blass — the camera will reportedly sense fast movement and slow it down to 480 frames per second.

Pixel 2 XLAs noted above, the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL sport a single 12-MP lens, but Google relies on software to pull off the same portrait effect you'll find on dual-lens phones and that we expect to see in the S9+. The downside to Google's approach: You can only see the blurred effect after you take the photo instead of in preview mode like on the Note 8 (and soon the S9+). Look for Samsung to emphasize this edge.

Design and Displays

If you like the look of the Galaxy S8 and S8+, you're in luck: Both versions of the S9 will reportedly look almost identical to last year's models. The Infinity Display we loved in the S8 is expected to make its way to the S9.

Pixel 2 XL (left) and Pixel 2 (right)The two new handsets will likely feature thin bezels at the top to encase the front-facing camera, but we expect them to be unobtrusive. That's in direct contrast to the smaller Pixel 2, which surrounds its 5-inch OLED display with bezels thick enough to house a fingerprint scanner (even though Google places that sensor on the back of its phone). The Pixel 2 XL sports slimmer bezels than its little sibling, but doesn't match the expected breadth of the S9 display, which will likely extend to the edges and wrap around the sides of the phone, too. Just like the S8.

The S8 was dinged for the location of its fingerprint scanner, which is located next to the camera lens. That means you might smudge your camera when aiming to unlock your phone. In a long-awaited move, Samsung will apparently take a page from the Pixel 2 and other Android flagships by putting the S9's fingerprint scanner below the camera lens.

The Pixel 2 lacks a headphone jack. Samsung will take a different tack, reportedly hanging onto a jack for the S9. That feature alone would set the S9 apart from other premium flagships, as phones from Google, Apple and HTC have all eliminated the headphone jack.

Credit: VentureBeatThen there's the display. Both S9 models are expected to have Super AMOLED panels with ultrasharp 2960 x 1440-pixel resolution. The Pixel 2 XL has a similarly high-res display, while the smaller Pixel 2's OLED panel is 1920 x 1080. The Pixel 2 XL was the subject of widespread complaints about its screen, ranging from a strange blue tint when viewing at a certain angle to OLED burn-in. Google released a software update to fix those issues. Samsung's high-res, curved AMOLED displays have not experienced similar issues, though in our testing, we’ve found the iPhone X’s panel offers more natural-looking colors.

Performance

Samsung will likely be first handset maker to use Qualcomm’s cutting-edge Snapdragon 845 mobile processor. which could make the S9 the fastest Android phone on the market when it launches in March. The processor is also expected to make the S9 more efficient, more secure and extend its battery life, which we'll put to the test when we get our hands on the device.

The Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL both have the last-gen Snapdragon 835 processor, like the S8 and S8+. The Pixel 2 lagged behind the Galaxy S8 in a Geekbench 4 performance test, but the Pixel 2 turned in a faster video-editing time than the Galaxy S8 and Note 8.

We'll be performing several real-world tests and synthetic benchmarks on the Galaxy S9 to see how it stacks up.

Special Features

Samsung and Google are working to differentiate their smartphones with voice-activated assistants.

The Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL have Google Assistant, activated by squeezing the devices' sides. Google Assistant taps into how you use Google's various services to answer your questions and provide you useful information.

Samsung's Bixby isn't at that level yet — far from it, actually. But Samsung is reportedly working to improve its assistant and make it more relevant in the S9 interface, instead of being a separate service that isn't well-integrated with the rest of the phone. On the Galaxy S8, Bixby is triggered with its own side button, but rumor has it that Samsung is integrating its assistant more seamlessly into the phone's interface. It could be called AI UX.

Google Lens on the Pixel 2 XLThe Pixels also have smarter cameras with a feature called Google Lens that can recognize objects in photos and give you more information about them. It's unclear if Samsung has anything similar in store for the S9, but Google has hinted that the feature could find its way to other Android phones.

Bottom Line

We don't have every detail about the S9, though we do know that the faster processor and overhauled camera system will go a long way toward making it a better rival for the Pixel 2. Based on the rumors, the S9 will likely beat Google's phone on design and performance. However, it remains to be seen whether it can take the camera crown from the Pixel 2, or whether Bixby can up its game.

We'll update this story with more information when Samsung shows off the Galaxy S9 and S9+ on Feb. 25.