Did you know Samsung owns a podcast platform that is available exclusively to Galaxy device users? Well, not for long. And if you've never tried Samsung Podcasts, now is your last chance to do it before the company pulls the plug.
Samsung is now notifying publishers that it will discontinue the Podcasts platform on December 1st, 2024.
The company also clarifies that any personal information it collected for the purpose of providing the Podcasts service will be “destroyed without delay.”
In addition, user content, including podcasts downloaded by listeners onto individual Galaxy devices, will be instantly removed on December 1st.
What even is Samsung Podcasts?
Now that the bad news is out of the way, you might be wondering why you've never even heard of Samsung Podcasts. You're likely not alone.
Samsung Podcasts went live in 2021 through Samsung Free, the latter of which later became Samsung News in select markets. However, Samsung's podcasting platform was not released in every region where the News and Free content aggregation outlets are available.
Confused yet? Here's the shorter version: Samsung Podcasts is available only on Galaxy devices, exclusively through the News and Free content aggregation platforms, and only in select markets. Until it won't be at all, starting with December 1st.
This limited reach could be why Samsung decided to pull the plug on Podcasts. It sounds like the platform may have had too many barriers that kept it from building a big enough audience.
As for the well-being of Samsung News/Free, the company said in its notice that these two content aggregation platforms will continue to operate without podcasts.
No actual photo of the upcoming Galaxy S25 Ultra has ever surfaced, but this new leak got close. Two images of Galaxy S25 Ultra dummy units have emerged on X (via @Jukanlosreve), confirming the phone's design with a fair degree of accuracy.
Update: More photos of Galaxy S25 Ultra dummy units have emerged via @OnLeaks. You can see them below.
Interestingly, @MaxJmb says these dummies “look horrible compared to the real product.”He also confirms that the camera rings are different on the real phone.
Original story follows
These dummy units reaffirm that the Galaxy S25 Ultra has a different form factor than the previous models, boasting a flat frame with slightly rounder corners. It looks like a squarer version of the base and Plus Galaxy S24.
These images further confirm that the Galaxy S25 Ultra has a flat display without rounded edges and a camera setup that reminds us of the S24 Ultra.
But speaking of cameras, previous rumors said that the Galaxy S25 Ultra's camera rings will borrow the ridged look of the Galaxy Z Fold 6. However, we're not seeing this fine detail in these S25 Ultra dummy unit photos.
For now, it's hard to determine whether this means the dummy units are not 100% accurate — which is often the case when it comes to the finer details — or the previous rumor was incorrect.
The story continues after our Galaxy Z Fold Special Edition video
On a final note, the dummy units may have also revealed what two of the Galaxy S25 Ultra colors might look like.
Market watchers expect Samsung to release the S25 Ultra in four standard colors (Titanium Black, Titanium Blue, Titanium Gray, and Titanium Silver) and three online-exclusive colors (Titanium Blue/Black, Titanium Jade Green, and Titanium Pink Gold).
The two colors seen in the dummy unit photos above are likely the standard Titanium Black and Titanium Gray or Silver.
Although the functionality of Circle to Search hasn't changed much since it debuted on the Galaxy S24 family of phones, Google seems undecided about its UI design. A teardown of a Google app version in development shows that the company is again redrawing the UI of Circle to Search.
These recent findings in the Google app (version 15.45.43.ve.arm64 beta) reveal a redesigned Circle to Search UI that has a new button shaped kind of like a traditional app drawer (via Android Authority).
Functionality-wise, it's more like a toolbox than an actual app drawer in the true sense of the word. When tapped, this button reveals a small pop-up menu containing different Circle to Search functionalities, including “Translate” and “Identify a song.”
Even “Google Lens” is included in this pop-up toolbox, oddly enough. As confirmed by a Samsung Community moderator not long ago, the Lens option got removed in a recent Circle to Search update “due to a change in the concept of the Google app.” It now seems like it might make a comeback.
One last unusual design element revealed by this recent Google app teardown is that the “Identify a song” option exists in two places, both in the toolbar and the new pop-up menu.
This redundancy could merely be the result of this Circle to Search UI redesign being incomplete. Or it could hint that the new UI might have a user-favorite slot that could accommodate any other Circle to Search tool.
Yesterday, it was reported that Samsung is working on a Galaxy Z Flip FE phone that will be launched next year. Today, it has been revealed that OnePlus is already working on a cheaper flip-style phone to rival the first Galaxy Z Flip FE.
OnePlus' flip phone could rival Galaxy Z Flip FE
A tipster from China, known as Digital Chat Station, claims that OnePlus is working on a flip-style foldable smartphone like the Galaxy Z Flip 6.
He also claims that it is an Ace series smartphone, which means it won't be a true high-end device. The Ace series is more like Samsung's Galaxy FE series, which offers many high-end specifications but cuts some corners to keep the price low. The Ace series that is launched in China is usually launched as the R series globally.
So, it appears that OnePlus is already targeting Samsung's upcoming Galaxy Z Flip FE with its Ace series foldable smartphone. This phone will reportedly be launched in the second quarter of 2025.
The first OnePlus foldable phone, the OnePlus Open, is a rebranded version of OPPO's Find N3. So, it is possible that OnePlus' first flip phone could be a rebranded version of the OPPO Find N3 Flip. The Find N3 Flip has a triple-camera setup featuring a primary camera, an ultrawide camera, and a telephoto camera.
If OnePlus' first flip phone has a dedicated telephoto camera, it could trump the Galaxy Z Flip FE in imaging.
Usually, Google releases a developer beta version of Android in the first quarter of each year. However, with Android 16, it is three months earlier with the release of Developer Preview 1. This marks a significant shift in the Android update release timeline.
First Android 16 Developer Preview has been released
Google has released the Android 16 Developer Preview 1 update for compatible Pixel devices. Once a few Developer Preview updates are released, Google plans to release the Android 16 Public Beta update in January 2025, followed by the stable Android 16 update in the second quarter of 2025.
According to Google, this three-month earlier release is meant to “better align with the schedule of device launches across our ecosystem, so more devices can get the major release of Android sooner.” Google also plans to release another minor Android version update in the fourth quarter of 2025.
This means that Samsung has to improve significantly, as it might have to release the stable One UI 8.0 update sometime in the third quarter of next year to keep up with Google.
The story continues after our One UI 7 video below.
What's new with Android 16?
The first Developer Preview version of Android 16 brings an Embedded Photo Picker, Health Records, and Privacy Sandbox on Android. Some other new features include improved Audio Sharing, a 7-day Privacy Dashboard History, and Notification Cooldown.
Embedded Photo Picker
Android's Photo Picker is a built-in UI that app developers can use to pick photos and videos stored on the phone's local storage or on cloud storage. It is safer than custom photo pickers that app developers generally use.
The new Photo Picker can be updated via Google Play System and Google Play Store updates. On Android 14 and Android 15, the new Photo Picker was an option. However, with Android 16, the new Photo Picker will be the default way.
Health Records via Health Connect
The Health Records feature allows apps to read and write a user's medical records in the Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources (FHIR) format. It requires explicit user consent to access a user's medical records, such as heart rate or vaccinations.
Privacy Sandbox on Android
It is a way that protects user's data privacy while offering app developers and brands a way to advertise their products and services. Privacy Sandbox was launched in 2019 and is now coming to Android with Android 16.
Audio Sharing via Bluetooth Auracast
Android 16 offers an improved way to share audio with Bluetooth earphones or speakers via Bluetooth Auracast. Android phones with Bluetooth LE Audio can create an audio stream, and multiple users with compatible Bluetooth audio devices can connect to that stream.
7-day Privacy Dashboard History
Android has been offering a 24-hour view of privacy-related data, such as apps that access or request your camera, location, and microphone. With Android 16, that dashboard now shows data from the past seven days.
Notification Cooldown
When you receive several notifications in a short amount of time, Android 16's Notification Cooldown feature reduces your phone's notification ringtone volume and minimizes alerts for up to two minutes. Google says that alarms, calls, and priority notifications are not affected by Notification Cooldown.
Google will likely add more features and user-facing UI design changes in the future Developer Preview and Public Beta versions of Android 16.
It has been a few weeks since Samsung announced the Galaxy Z Fold Special Edition. It was launched only in China (known as W25) and South Korea. We imported the phone and have been using it for 24 hours. Here is what we think about Samsung's most advanced foldable phone.
Watch our Galaxy Z Fold Special Edition video
The Galaxy Z Fold Special Edition is an improved version of the Galaxy Z Fold 6. It has bigger screens, and the cover screen's aspect ratio is much closer to that of a normal, slab-style smartphone.
Moreover, the inner foldable screen measures 8 inches diagonally and has a squarer aspect ratio compared to the Galaxy Z Fold 6.
The phone feels more like a regular smartphone when you are using it folded. When unfolded, you can use two apps side by side in an aspect ratio that you are accustomed to.
The Galaxy Z Fold Special Edition has a 200MP primary rear camera, offering a Galaxy S24 Ultra-like image and video quality. However, that also makes the phone's camera bump bigger. So, it rocks more on a flat surface compared to the Galaxy Z Fold 6.
The other two cameras remain similar to the Galaxy Z Fold 6, but the 12MP ultrawide camera now has autofocus. It means the phone can focus at a shorter distance for much better macro shots. Samsung has added the Focus Enhancer feature to the Z Fold Special Edition.
The other smaller changes include no support for S Pen on the inner screen, Wi-Fi 7, 16GB RAM, and a regular 4MP internal selfie camera (versus a 4MP under-display camera on Z Fold 6).
The Z Fold Special Edition is lighter (236g) and thinner (10.6mm) than the Z Fold 6 but comes in only one color. It uses an Armor Aluminum frame and not titanium, as some rumors had suggested.
Unassuming as it may be, the Galaxy A16 is one of Samsung's most delightful surprises of the year. It's the first low-cost phone in the company's lineup to enjoy better support than flagship phones from most other brands, promising six major OS upgrades for six years.
Whether bringing six Android OS upgrades on this kind of low-end hardware is feasible remains to be seen, but we can't deny that the Galaxy A16 sounds like a good value proposition.
Since Samsung officially announced it in early October, the Galaxy A16 has steadily reached more markets and continued to catch the attention of prospective budget phone buyers. Today, the Galaxy A16 does the same for Samsung customers in Spain.
Galaxy A16 reaches a new market in Europe
The Galaxy A16 is available in Spain starting today. Samsung confirms the device should be available in this region in both LTE and 5G flavors, but as of this writing, we see only the LTE model in the Spanish online shop next to a starting price of €199.
For €199, buyers in Spain get the 128GB model with 4GB of RAM. Customers can also pick the 256GB variant for €279.
The store page is a bit confusing, as the 256GB model also lists 8GB of RAM. However, as far as we can tell, the 8GB RAM option is available only for the Galaxy A16 5G, and as we said before, there is no mention of 5G connectivity for the model available right now.
Other specs you might be interested in are a 6.7-inch 90Hzs display, an IP54 splash-resistant build, a side-mounted fingerprint scanner, a 5,000mAh battery with 25W charging, and a 50MP primary camera.
Q-Symphony must be one of my favorite ideas and technologies Samsung came up with in recent years. I didn't think much of it initially, but now I think it's pure genius. It's the kind of technology that makes you wonder why nobody else thought about it before. Well, now Sony is copying it.
What is it?
Q-Symphony is an audio technology developed by Samsung that lets you combine the audio coming from your Samsung TV's speakers with the audio from your Samsung soundbar.
Wait, isn't that how it always works for all TV and soundbar combinations, regardless of brands? Far from it.
In most cases, when you use other smart TV and soundbar brands, you have to pick one audio output or the other. You can output the audio to the TV's onboard speakers or your connected soundbar, but not both simultaneously.
This is a limitation that every other TV and soundbar/speaker combination always had. It's not a problem Samsung created, but it is a hardware limitation of all TV multimedia setups.
Samsung, however, came up with a clever solution. Why not develop a new technology that allows users to combine the audio capabilities of their Samsung TV and Samsung soundbar? That way, customers can get a richer sound experience without spending any extra cash on additional speakers.
It adds real value to Samsung's products
That is the one thing I love most about Q-Symphony. It achieves an amazing feat by adding value to two product categories — TVs and soundbars — without creating artificial barriers or compromises. It lifts them.
The audio limitation already existed before Q-Symphony came along. Samsung only came up with a solution to an existing problem. It didn't generate value by creating a limitation first and selling a solution later through Q-Symphony.
And yes, Q-Symphony only works with Samsung-branded TVs and soundbars, but I wouldn't call that an arbitrary limitation in this case. Other brands are seemingly free to copy the basic idea, and after years, Sony appears to be doing it.
Q-Symphony makes choosing a soundbar a lot easier
The other thing I love about Q-Symphony is that it simplifies the decision-making process for customers. That, and the fact that it truly creates a device ecosystem that helps Samsung and customers alike.
There are dozens upon dozens of soundbars out there from a dozen brands. Which one is better? How many reviews should you read or watch before you pick the right soundbar for your Samsung TV? This whole process can be daunting if you're not familiar with the subject matter.
Q-Symphony does away with all of that and simplifies your decision-making process. Why? Because as long as you have a Samsung TV that supports Q-symphony, other soundbar brands are obsolete. And the rule of thumb is, the better your Samsung TV, the better its on-board speakers, and thus, the better the Q-Symphony experience when pairing the TV to a Samsung soundbar.
Even if we assume that a soundbar from a different brand could be technically superior to a similarly-priced Samsung soundbar, Q-Symphony negates that potential advantage as long as the Samsung TV has Q-Symphony and at least a couple of decent speakers.
The Samsung soundbar will sound better when paired with a Samsung TV that has decent Q-Symphony audio. You'll get more speakers for your money, improved Dolby ATMOS, a wider soundstage, better device compatibility, and fewer headaches. It's genius!
The only thing Samsung TV users have to decide is which Q-Symphony soundbar they should buy rather than which brand they should start with. And that's a relatively easy choice, which can be based on the available budget. As long as the soundbar has Q-Symphony, it's all good.
I think Q-Symphony is a perfect example of how to create a product ecosystem by adding value through solutions to existing tech limitations. Samsung caught lightning in a bottle with this one, and I hope the company can learn everything it can from Q-Symphony and apply a similar philosophy across its entire ecosystem.
Samsung held the tool-in ceremony for its new chip research and development facility in Giheung, South Korea. This is the same place where Samsung first began making semiconductor memory chips 50 years ago and made the world's first 64MB DRAM in 1992.
It plans to bring back the glory it recently lost in the memory chip segment from the same place.
Samsung plans to invest $14.4 billion in its chip research and development facility in Giheung, South Korea
At its new chip research facility in Giheung, Samsung expects to take a significant leap into the future. The company plans to develop future memory chips and other semiconductor design and manufacturing technologies at this facility.
This is a unified research and development facility where Samsung's foundry, memory, and System LSI divisions will continue their research and develop new technologies.
Samsung plans to invest around KRW $20 trillion ($14.4 billion) by 2030 in its new complex that covers an area of 109,000 square meters.
The tool-in ceremony is quite important in a semiconductor facility, as that is when the production equipment arrives. High NA extreme ultra-violet (EUV) lithography equipment and new material deposition equipment will be installed at the R&D facility.
Those tools will be used to develop 3D DRAM and NAND flash memory chips with more than 1,000 layers. Wafer bonding infrastructure will also be installed for things like wafer-to-wafer bonding.
The construction of this new facility started in 2022 and is now complete. Now that chip fabrication equipment has arrived, the process of setting up the equipment and testing it will start soon. The campus will include a dedicated line that will start the production in mid-2025.
About 100 guests from Samsung and other partner firms and customers were present at Samsung's tool-in ceremony.
Young Hyun Jun, Vice Chairman and Head of the Device Solutions Division at Samsung Electronics, said, “NRD-K will bolster our development speed, enabling the company to create a virtuous cycle to accelerate fundamental research on next-generation technology and mass production. We will lay the foundation for a new leap forward in Giheung, where Samsung Electronics' 50-year history of semiconductors began, and create a new future for the next 100 years.“
I have been using it for the past couple of months, and contrary to my expectations, there is one aspect with which I was most and least impressed at the same time: battery.
Galaxy Watch Ultra's battery life is impressive but charging speed isn't
Samsung has equipped the Galaxy Watch Ultra with a big battery (590mAh, like the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro) and a 3nm chip (Exynos W1000). While I expected more, I am still extremely impressed with its battery life.
I have been getting close to three days of battery life on a single charge. Even with the Always On Display (AOD) mode turned on, the watch can go without needing a charge for nearly two days. And that is with all the health-related features turned on and set to the maximum settings.
Moreover, unlike my Galaxy Watch 4, which I have been using for over two years, the battery life is consistent. I haven't experienced any sudden drop in battery levels.
However, another aspect of the Galaxy Watch Ultra's battery is the biggest pain point, at least in my experience: its battery needs a long, long time to get fully charged. It takes more than a couple of hours to go from zero (or 5%) to full, and while I don't expect Samsung to make charging speed fast enough to get a full charge 30-45 minutes, the 2+ hour charge time is disappointing for a watch with the Ultra tag.
Galaxy Watch Ultra charges slower than even the Apple Watch Ultra
Samsung has long been criticized for not upgrading the charging speeds on Galaxy devices. And instead of addressing those complaints, it is going in the opposite direction. Not offering upgrades with new devices is acceptable, but taking steps backwards is inexcusable, especially when taking into account the higher price tags that are attached to Samsung's phones and wearables this year.
The Galaxy Watch Ultra isn't the only 2024 product from Samsung that charges slow, and it feels like there is a trend developing. The Galaxy Z Fold 6 takes longer to charge at 25W compared to its predecessor, while the Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra charges extremely slow at 45W with third-party cables that charge other Samsung phones and tablets at 45W just fine.
As far as the Galaxy Watch Ultra is concerned, what makes it worse is that it needs Samsung's proprietary charger. That's because of the way the back of the watch is designed.
That shape allows for more accurate health and fitness tracking, but makes it incompatible with chargers from other manufacturers. It is also the reason why the Watch Ultra doesn't support Wireless PowerShare, meaning you cannot wirelessly charge it using your flagship Galaxy phone.
That's not a problem with smartwatches from competing brands. They also charge much faster. For example, Oppo smartwatches take just one hour to go from 0-100%. Even the Apple Watch Ultra 2, with a battery capacity comparable to that of Samsung's first Ultra smartwatch, charges up to 80% in 60 minutes, and hopefully Samsung will try to match that with the Galaxy Watch Ultra's sequel.
Samsung may finally have started development on the Android 15 firmware for the Galaxy S23 series (via Tarun Vats). The Galaxy S23 series is expected to be among the first batch of devices that get the One UI 7.0 beta program later this year, but for some reason Android 15 testing for the 2023 flagship lineup hadn't yet begun in earnest.
Okay, that's not entirely accurate. A Galaxy S23 Ultra was benchmarked running Android 15 as early as July this year, so Samsung has been working on the One UI 7 update for the Galaxy S23 series (and other devices) for a long time. However, Galaxy S23 test builds have only gone live on Samsung's firmware servers this month.
We have seen Android 15 firmware for several Galaxy smartphones on Samsung's servers in recent weeks. It's all leading up to what we are eagerly waiting for: the One UI 7.0 beta program. Galaxy S24, S24+, and S24 Ultra owners will get to test One UI 7.0 before everyone else, followed by those who own devices like the Galaxy S23, S23+, S23 Ultra, and Galaxy Z Fold 6.
Samsung will release the official Android 15/One UI 7 update in 2025, following the launch of the Galaxy S25 lineup.
Owners of Samsung's Galaxy smartwatches are finally being rewarded for their patience. Samsung announced the rollout of the stable One UI 6 Watch update, which also brings Wear OS version 5, to eligible Galaxy Watches today.
The Galaxy Watch 6 series is the first to get the stable update and all the new features. The update is rolling out in Korea and should hit other countries in the coming days and weeks.
This isn't the first time Samsung has released the stable One UI 6 Watch and Wear OS 5 update for the Galaxy Watch 6 and Watch 6 Classic. The stable update went live for One UI 6 Watch beta users a few weeks back, but it's only now that the proper worldwide release has kicked off this.
Other Galaxy watches eligible for One UI 6 Watch should also receive the update sometime this week, at least in some markets. One UI 6 Watch is coming to every Samsung smartwatch running Wear OS, including the Galaxy Watch FE.
It may take a few weeks before the update is available in every country. Compared to smartphones, Samsung releases major updates to its smartwatches at a more leisurely pace.
Once the update is available in your country, you will receive an automatic notification. You can also manually check for the update from the Galaxy Wearable app on the phone your watch is paired with.
![[Updated] Galaxy S25 Ultra shape and colors confirmed by dummy photos](https://www.sammobile.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Galaxy-S25-Ultra-dummy_3-540x540.jpeg "[Updated] Galaxy S25 Ultra shape and colors confirmed by dummy photos")
