Out of the box, these Galaxy Buds + didn’t quite fit my ears. It comes with two additional tip options, but the large is still a bit too small for me. I wouldn’t run with them.
But perhaps the biggest selling point is the promised battery life of 22 hours, which includes the charge from the case.
Now it’s time to fire up these buds if I can get them paired to my iPhone. That’s a wrap from San Francisco!
After the event, we were shuffled into a demo room on the mezzanine for some up-close time with the new devices. Not surprisingly, the Galaxy Z Flip is the main draw.
So what’s my first impression? To start, it feels good to put a shorter phone in my pocket again. Despite a throwback premise, it’s a very contemporary phone in terms of weight, design and size. Perhaps most importantly it feels sturdy.
But lots of questions remain: The real test will be how it holds up to folding, unfolding and refolding endlessly. I’m also curious if it might get caught in an awkward, half-opened position from time to time in my bag.
On the nostalgia: Back in the day, the most satisfying thing for me with flip phones was feeling the snap when it shut. The idea that I may no longer need a screen staring at me, begging for me to light it up, is freeing. But $1,380 is a lot to pay to relive the past.
The major US wireless carriers are latching on to Samsung’s new smartphones as a way to get more customers to connect to their 5G networks.
Both AT&T and Verizon said Tuesday that customers will be able to preorder Samsung’s 5G-enabled S20 devices on February 21. (WarnerMedia, CNN’s parent company, is owned by AT&T). T-Mobile tweeted that the devices will be “dropping soon” on its network.
US wireless carriers have poured billions of dollars into deploying 5G, but it has not yet been widely adopted by consumers, thanks in part to the limited number of 5G-enabled devices available. Phones need different components in order to access the new network.
Samsung’s S20 line adds to its roster of 5G-enabled mobile phones. Both Verizon and AT&T said the new models can access lower-frequency networks that cover greater distances and super-fast, high-frequency 5G networks.
People who don’t want to shell out almost $1,000 (or more) for a new Samsung Galaxy S20 device can now buy its predecessor at a markdown.
Samsung knocked $150 off the price of each of the smartphones in the S10 series that released last year. This means those smartphones now have starting prices ranging from $599 for the basic S10e to $849 for the S10+.
Samsung has a few new ways for Galaxy S20 users to listen to and share music.
Spotify integration: Samsung’s voice-enabled smartphone organizer, Bixby Routines, now works with the popular music streaming service. This means the phone’s voice assistant can suggest curated Spotify playlists when you tell it what tasks you’re doing, whether it’s working out, getting ready or commuting.
Music sharing: Samsung wants to solve a classic problem at parties or on road trips — giving up your bluetooth speaker connection when a friend wants to play a song from their phone. The Galaxy S20 will allow users to cast their Bluetooth connection to another smartphone, so both devices can share DJ duties without disconnecting from the external speaker.
Smartphones aren’t the only new hardware Samsung is showing off today. It also unveiled new version of its bluetooth earphones, the Galaxy Buds+.
What’s new?
Availability: Online starting Thursday February 14; in stores starting Friday March 6
Colors: Red, blue, black and white
Cost: $149
As the rumor mill predicted, all three phones in the S20 series come with built-in 5G support. Yes, the next-generation mobile technology is far from ubiquitous yet, but Samsung is betting 2020 will be the year when it hits the mainstream.
So how it is planning to help move things ahead? Google partnerships
Samsung says the S20’s 5G capabilities will also appeal to gamers, who it says are among the most avid users of its Galaxy devices.
Let’s be honest, when it comes to new smartphones, most people just want them to last longer. So this is welcomed news for Galaxy fans ready for an upgrade: The phones have bigger batteries to support all of that extra computing power.
The three S20 devices have batteries about 10% larger than their predecessors in the S10 series, which already boasted 24 hours of battery life and the ability to charge other phones wirelessly.
And speaking of size, the screens are bigger than ever, too. The Galaxy S20 Ultra clocks in at 6.9 inches (that’s compared to 6.7 inches for the S10 5G).
Samsung is also amping up its AMOLED display to enable faster scrolling, clearer video and more responsive interaction with the screen than previous devices.
Samsung devices are known for their cameras, so it’s no surprise the new S20 line is getting a big upgrade. Here’s what’s coming:
New lenses: The S20 has a total of four camera lenses — three in the back and one in the front. The S20+ and S20 Ultra have an additional 3D depth lens at the back for AR apps.
Better sensors: All models have larger sensors than previous models, allowing for sharper, brighter pictures and an incredibly powerful zoom.
More on that zoom:
Samsung’s newest flagship smartphone series is finally here after months of leaks.
Here’s what the lineup looks like, and what it’ll cost to get your hands on one:
The phones are available in four colors — pink (only on the S20), blue (on the S20 and S20+), gray (on all three models) and black (on the S20+ and S20 Ultra). You can pre-order them online starting Friday, February 21, and they’re set to hit stores on March 6.
The Galaxy S20 series leans heavily on the specs and features Samsung thinks users want (and need) most — a bigger camera system with better zoom; a smoother, more responsive screen; and, of course, 5G. (All devices feature built-in 5G support)
Here are a few more images of the $1,380 Galaxy Z Flip.
Samsung kicked off its Unpacked with the Galaxy Z Flip. This feels like what the crowd came for.
The smartphone folds into a square, with a small rectangular display on the front cover for notifications. The company will be hoping to avoid the problems it had with its first foldable smartphone.
What’s the main difference? Unlike the Galaxy Fold, which folded vertically outward similar to butterfly wings, the Galaxy Z Flip stays true to its name by adopting the clamshell design typical of more traditional flip phones.
First impressions: It is admittedly slick, especially for those of us who cherished their flip phones of the pre-iPhone era. Samsung claims that it isn’t just bending glass, but “bending the laws of physics.” We’ll need to fact check that one.
Cost: $1,380. But the Galaxy Z Flip is cheaper than its closest competitor: Motorola’s rebooted smartphone version of its iconic Razr flip phone costs $1,500.
Availability:
Samsung’s Galaxy event is starting in moments, and if you can’t be there in person CNN Business has you covered with the livestream posted at the top of this page. 👆👆👆👆👆👆👆
It’s a beautiful day at the Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco, a spectacular spot down by the marina, where Samsung will reveal the latest phones in its Galaxy lineup.
I was, however, greeted by a reality check on the way in: a sign warning of the coronavirus health emergency. There are a smattering of attendees wearing masks.
I was also welcomed by a row of millennial-targeted rotating TVs. The entry way into the exhibit space is more nightclub than anything. It looks like it will be a capacity crowd.
Samsung’s foldable smartphone debut last year didn’t go so well.
Let’s recap, shall we? The Galaxy Fold — a 4.6-inch smartphone that folds out into a 7.3-inch tablet – was supposed to go on sale last April. But early reviewers said the $1,980 device broke after just a few days of use, citing issues with the display and the hinge that allows it to fold.
When did it actually launch? Samsung’s scramble to fix the issues led to months of delays. It finally hit stores in late September.
Growing competition: Now Motorola, which pioneered the OG flip phone, is getting in on the foldable game, too. It started selling a $1,500 smartphone version of its iconic Razr earlier this month. Although its specs are somewhat lackluster, Motorola is counting on the nostalgia factor – and perhaps a sturdier foldable design – to help drive sales.
Last year, Samsung became the first major manufacturer to launch a 5G smartphone, when it released the Galaxy S10 5G. It has since launched 5G versions of the Galaxy Note 10, Note 10+, A90 and Galaxy Fold.
So it would only makes sense for Samsung to double down on its 5G efforts this year by equipping each device in its S20 lineup with built-in support for the ultra-fast wireless network.
5G networks in general may be off to a bumpy start, but Samsung is clearly establishing itself as the early leader in the space. After all, Apple isn’t expected to launch a 5G-capable iPhone until September.
Google’s Android account tweeted an infinite regression video on Feb. 5, in which the “A” in “Galaxy” appears as a box that says “Android.” And the “N” in “Android” appears as a box that says “Galaxy.”
What could Google be talking about? Perhaps Google has some software tricks up its sleeve for the Z Flip, or plans to release a specialized version of Android to play nicely with the S20. We’ll find out later today!
The string of wins for “Parasite” wasn’t the only surprising part of the Oscars on Sunday. Samsung also shocked some viewers by revealing its new flip phone, the Galaxy Z Flip, in a 30-second ad during the awards show.
What we know now: It flips open (almost like a clamshell) to reveal one large screen and can “sit” with the top of the screen facing vertically for a better video chat experience.
What we don’t know: Price, release date and specs. Expected cost: $1,400.
Leaks of the Galaxy Z Flip have appeared in the wild, including on social media, for a while, but we’ll finally learn more on Tuesday.
