More details about Samsung’s Galaxy Watch 5 and 5 Pro have emerged ahead of next week’s Unpacked event, where the company is widely expected to launch the wearable alongside new foldable smartphones. Details include the Canadian pricing for the smartwatch, plus information about charging capabilities.
According to leaker ‘SnoopyTech‘ (@_snoopytech_ on Twitter), the Galaxy Watch 5 models will have the following prices in Canada (as an aside, it’s so nice to have leaked Canadian pricing so I don’t have to convert from USD to CAD for once):
Watch 5 40mm – $349
Watch 5 44mm – $389
Watch 5 Pro 45mm – $559
Watch5 Series CANADIAN Prices: Watch5 40mm 349 CAD Watch5 44mm 389 CAD Watch5 Pro (45mm) 559 CAD
In USD would that be CALCULATED: 271 USD for the Base model 300 USD for the 44mm 435 USD for the Pro. pic.twitter.com/vlmjnzkDPf
Next up, charging. SnoopyTech tweeted that the Galaxy Watch 5 would sport a 10W fast charger. As 9to5Googlenotes, previous Galaxy Watch models shipped with 5W chargers. The Galaxy Watch 5 will reportedly charge from zero to 45 percent in 30 minutes. The Galaxy Watch 4 took 110 minutes to charge fully.
Unfortunately, it’s hard to say how fast the watch would hit 100 percent. Most fast charging tech slows down the charging speed as the battery gets closer to full charge. Plus, with previous rumours indicating the Galaxy Watch 5 will sport a larger battery, it’s possible the Watch 5’s time to full charge will be the same as on the Watch 4.
Regardless, a faster charge is welcome, especially to get to half battery. It should help ease charging anxiety when your watch needs a top-up and you’ll be away from an outlet for a while.
Finally, it looks like the Galaxy Watch 5 will sport a USB-C charger instead of USB-A like before (the watch itself still connects wirelessly to a charging puck). That could open new charging possibilities, like charging the watch by plugging it into the USB-C port on your phone.
Anyway, we’ll likely learn more about the Watch 5 and its charging capabilities when Samsung unveils the smartwatch at Unpacked on August 10th. Learn more about what to expect from the event here.
Several phone manufacturers added some form of motion photo feature to their phones a few years back. Although the name changes from smartphone to smartphone — some call it Motion Photo, Live Photo, Moving Picture, Top Shot, or whatever (I made up one of those, guess which one) — the main benefit is the same: images move.
Here’s the thing: I used to turn motion photos off all the time because I thought it was pretty useless. Who wants pictures that move? That’s what videos are for. At least, that’s how I felt until I became a dad — now, motion photos are indispensable. The feature has saved so many pictures I’ve snapped of my very, very wiggly daughter because even if I don’t get the shot, it’s probably in the motion photo.
Because of that, I’ve been making sure motion photos are turned on whichever device I’m using (currently, that’s the excellent Pixel 6a). Below, you’ll find a brief overview of how the feature works and steps to enable it on some popular smartphones.
How motion photos work
Motion photos rely on a pretty complex mix of machine learning (ML) and software trickery, but the basic premise involves capturing a short video when people press the shutter button. The thing is, a video is just a stream of pictures stitched together, and most modern smartphones already capture a bunch of photos when you press the shutter button for things like HDR.
That’s a very simple explanation, of course — there’s a lot more to it. Google has a whole blog post about its motion photo tech, which does a great job showcasing some of the complex ML work going on in the background — it’s likely other manufacturers use similar systems.
It’s worth noting that some parts of motion photos are fairly consistent across devices. Regardless if you use an Apple or Android phone, you should be able to play a motion photo by pressing and holding the photo when you view it in your gallery. Moreover, I’ve noticed the actual photo often looks better than the motion photo, in part because the photo generally gets the full benefit of image processing and HDR, while the motion photo doesn’t.
How to enable motion photos
iPhone
Apple’s ‘Live Photo’ feature is very easy to turn on and off right in the camera. Look for the bullseye-like icon in the top-right corner of the camera — if it’s yellow, Live Photos are on. If it’s white with a line through it, Live Photos are off.
In the Apple Photos app, look for the ‘Live’ icon in the top-left corner when viewing a picture to tell whether an image is also a Live Photo.
Google Pixel
Google wrapped its motion photo feature into something called ‘Top Shot’ when the Pixel 3 launched. Top Shot adds some extra functionality to motion photos, such as automatically suggesting the best picture based on everything captured with the motion photo. This is part of what made motion photos such a lifesaver for me since I could snap a picture of my daughter and then use Top Shot to pick out the motion photo frame where she’s actually still smiling.
To turn on Top Shot in the Google Pixel camera app, tap the settings icon in the top-left corner, then select one of three options: off, auto, or on. I usually run with auto, since it’s pretty good at grabbing motion photos and running Top Shot when I need it (like when I take a picture of my daughter) and when I don’t (like when I take a picture of a flower).
In the Google Photos app, look for a circle icon with a play button in it at the top of the screen when viewing a photo (usually next to the Cast button). This icon marks which photos have motion — you can press and hold the picture, or tap the icon, to play the motion.
Samsung Galaxy
Similarly, you can enable motion photos on Samsung phones within the camera app. Look for a square icon with a triangle intersecting the right edge — that’s the motion photo icon. Tap it to turn motion photos on or off.
To view a motion photo, look for the ‘View motion photo’ button in the Samsung Gallery app.
LONDON, UK – FEBRUARY 20, 2020: Samsung tech brand leterring logo in Harrods shopping mall.
As large tech companies report losing revenue this quarter, Samsung stands out for doing the opposite.
The company has increased its revenue by 12 percent this quarter compared to last year. Samsung points to its DX division, which covers digital appliances, health equipment and more, for its success.
The company also says it had “solid sales” for devices in its Galaxy S22 and Galaxy Tab S8 series.
However, the company acknowledges overall market demand declined compared to the first quarter of the year because of geopolitical issues and inflation. But Samsung says the supply chain issues it experienced in the first quarter “were mostly resolved in the second quarter.”
In June, the company announced it started producing 3-nanometre microchips (nm), outpacing rival TSMC, which makes chips for Apple devices. Compared to 5nm, the first generation of 3nm reduces power consumption by 45 percent and improves performance by 23 percent.
The company released the second quarter results as it’s gearing up for its Unpacked event on August 1oth. The occasion will feature the foldable Z series lineup, the Watch 5 series, and many other gadgets. You can read MobileSyrup’s article on what to expect here.
Samsung next Unpacked event is coming up in a couple of weeks, and while we’ve learned a lot about the Fold 4 and Flip 3, we’re finally starting to see leaks about the rumoured Galaxy Buds 2 Pro.
According to 9to5Google, Samsung’s next wireless earbuds will cost $229.99 (roughly $295). This is a $30 USD (roughly $38 CAD) increase over the original Galaxy Buds Pro and $80 USD more than the current Galaxy Buds 2.
It’s currently unclear why there’s this much of a price increase. However, the Buds 2 Pro will reportedly feature 24-bit audio. Additionally, the source confirmed the colours for the Galaxy Watch 5 and Watch 5 Pro. According to the report, the 40mm Watch 5 will be available in gold, gray and silver, and the 44mm model will come in blue, gray and silver. Lastly, the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro will only be available in black and gray.
We’ll learn more about the Watch 5 Pro, Galaxy Buds 2 Pro, and more at Samsung’s upcoming Unpacked event on August 10th. For more on the tech giant’s next Unpacked keynote, check out our article that outlines everything to expect from the event.
The Galaxy A53 is Samsung’s latest mid-range smartphone.
The device offers an expected mid-range Android experience that doesn’t stand out, but nonetheless, the A52 is still a decent smartphone for the average user. While the handset isn’t as impressive as its flagship counterparts, its $589 price tag makes it a decent deal (especially in Canada).
With this in mind, its specs and price put the Galaxy A53 in competition with smartphones like the iPhone SE ($579) and the Pixel 6a ($599). That said, the A53 is even more affordable than these other devices.
Let’s take a look at Samsung’s latest mid-range champion.
Look-a-like
The A53 features a decent-looking screen. It’s not great, but with the smartphone’s price in mind, the 1080 x 2400-pixel resolution panel looks great when looking at photos, watching videos or browsing the internet. The AMOLED panel is colourful and bold, and the colours pop more than I’d expect for a handset at this price. Further, the device offers a 120Hz refresh rate with 800nits of max brightness, making it easy to view even under direct sunlight.
Additionally, the 120Hz refresh rate results in buttery smooth display performance, which is perfect for scrolling through Instagram or playing games.
I also like the overall design of the Galaxy A53. It’s an attractive smartphone, but I wish colour variants beyond ‘Awesome Black’ were available in Canada.
The display features a modern hole-punch camera, with relatively slim bezels around the screen. The bezels aren’t the smallest I’ve seen on a smartphone, but they’re better than the iPhone SE’s and similar to the Pixel 6a’s. Flipping the A53 to the rear, you’ll notice an S22-like design and a matte finish. Of course, the phone still attracts smudges, but it generally looks more premium than its price tag might indicate. Camera bump-wise, the A53 features an array of shooters similar to the S22+’s and the S22 Ultra’s.
The layout is similar to the S22 Ultra’s but lacks the island-like look, offering a mixture of the two devices.
Big ol’ battery
How premium the A53 feels is only part of the smartphone’s experience.
There’s an in-display fingerprint scanner for unlocking the display. It works well but isn’t notable, and I’ve used the worse scanners and better ones. However, for what it’s worth, it does feel slightly quicker and more accurate than the A52’s. The Galaxy A53 also features IP67 dust and water resistance, which means it should be able to survive spills and even be submerged in up to one meter of water. Other mid-range devices also offer IP67, including the iPhone SE and the Pixel 6a.
This time the A53 features a rather large 5,000mAh battery, a notable improvement over last year’s A52’s 4,500mAh cell and well beyond the size of the battery in the iPhone SE and Pixel 6a. Thanks to its increased size, the A53 can make it through a day with no concerns. For me, a typical day involves me using Wi-Fi primarily and streaming YouTube for a brief period, scrolling through Instagram and probably about 30 minutes of video calls.
Mid-range camera
However, what feels weird this time is, according to Samsung’s website, there’s no charging brick in the device’s box. There’s a USB-C cable, but the lack of a charging brick is frustrating. Though this follows industry trends, I still expect to find a charging brick in the box of a mid-range smartphone. That said, even the Pixel 6a doesn’t feature a brick in its box.
On the more positive side of the spectrum, the Galaxy A53’s camera isn’t a source of contention.
The smartphone sports a 64-megapixel primary shooter, a 12-megapixel ultrawide, a 5-megapixel macro and a 5-megapixel depth shooter. I brought the A53 to Instanbul, Turkey, during a recent trip and below are several photos I snapped with the smartphone.
For the most part, the A53 snaps decent photos. With the primary shooter, I found images oversaturated and not true-to-life, but that’s Samsung’s specialty in the camera space, and I’m sure some people have come to like this style of photography. This oversaturated style is especially noticeable in photos that feature the sky and the sea. That said, sometimes the phone struggles to pull in detail, resulting in photos that look unclear.
On the other hand, the Galaxy A53’s 23-megapixel selfie camera isn’t great — especially for Black people or those with darker skin — as it tends to brighten the subject significantly. Though I refer to myself as a selfie king, I know a smartphone’s front-facing shooter isn’t a critical feature for everyone, but still, it’s worth keeping in mind that the A53 doesn’t snap great images with its front camera.
There’s also no telephoto lens in the A53, but that’s expected from a mid-range smartphone, and even some so-called flagships ditch the telephoto lens, like the iPhone 13 and Pixel 6, for example.
With all of that said, the A53’s cameras aren’t bad for the device’s cost. Flagships like the S22 Ultra, Pixel 6 Pro, and the iPhone 13 series obviously perform better, but the punchy oversaturated colours still look decent, and the overall results are pretty good. The Pixel 6a’s camera is a clear competitor, and it snaps images similar in quality to the Galaxy A53, but it ultimately comes down to your taste in photography style.
Sub-$600
Overall, the A53 is a stellar mid-range option. It features a decent camera, good battery, a premium-like design and a reasonable even price tag. There are many smartphone options out there in the mid-range market, but the A53 strikes a reasonable balance between performance, style and cost.
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Samsung’s next Galaxy Unpacked event is just around the corner. It’s scheduled for August 10th at 9am ET/6am PT and will be streamed on the company’s website and YouTube page.
Like last year, there’s no Note in sight, as the company’s S22 Ultra took the place of the once beloved Note series. August’s Unpacked event will focus on the foldable Z series lineup alongside some gadgets, including the Watch 5 series and the successors to the Galaxy Buds Pro.
Samsung Galaxy Fold 4
At this point, it’s unclear whether Samsung will continue calling its foldable “Z.” A previous report indicated that there would be a change due to the letter’s resemblance to the ‘Z’ symbol used by Russia in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict.
Previously, Yogesh Brar leaked everything we needed to know about the foldable smartphone.
GoiBrar’sBrar’s leak, the phone will feature the same sized outer and inner display compared to last year’s Z Fold 3, both with 120Hz refresh rate. We also expect the same 4,400mAh battery and up to 512GB of storage.
Additionally, we’ll see some changes to the processor, as Samsung will reportedly use a trio of cameras with a 50-megapixel primary shooter, 12-megapixel ultra-wide, and a 12-megapixel 3x telephoto shooter. According to a tweet by Ice Universe, the 3x optical will be superior to all other Samsung devices, even the S22 Ultra.
Samsung will also improve the under-display camera on the Fold 4. According to Brar, the Fold 4 will feature a 16-megapixel UDC, whereas last year’s only had a 4-megapixel sensor.
According to Brar, the Z Flip 4 will sport a 6.7-inch FHD+ AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate. Additionally, the foldable will sport a 2.1-inch external display (up from last year’s) and Qualcomm 8+ Gen 1 chip, 8GB of RAM and up to 256GB of storage.
The handset is also poised to feature the same camera setup as last year’s offering two 12-megapixel rear shooters and a 10-megapixel selfie camera. This marks a stark difference between this and next year’s and is expected to sport a 50-megapixel primary camera.
Lastly, the phone is rumoured to feature One UI 4.1 based on Android 12, as well as a 3,700mAh battery with 25W wired charging and 10W wireless.
We’ve seen renders of the Galaxy Z Flip 4 in its Bora Purple colour variant. This was also shared by OnLeaks and GizNext. Further, the handset will come in Blue, Gold Pink and Graphite.
Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 and Watch 5 Pro
This year, we’re poised to get the Galaxy Watch 5 in two size variants and the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro, which will only come in one size variant. According to the previous leaks, the Watch 5 Pro will replace the old Classic Watch variant.
The Galaxy Watch 5 Pro, the successor to the Watch 4 Classic, will no longer sport the beloved physical bezel. Additionally, it will only come in one 45mm size variant.
The base Galaxy Watch 5 will use a more straightforward design and be available in 44mm and an unspecified smaller size. Both variants will feature physical buttons on the right of their displays alongside LTE connectivity, GPS support, and 5ATM water resistance.
Additionally, the Galaxy Buds 2 will lack the 360-degree sound feature and “outside double-tap” volume controls that were available on the Galaxy Buds Pro. Further, each earbud will sport a 61mAh battery and a case will feature a 472mAh power cell.
Certification documentation first spotted by SamMobile indicates that the Galaxy Watch 5 will sport a battery of 276mAh. In comparison, the Galaxy Watch 4 ships with a 247mAh battery.
Furthermore, the Watch 5 Pro is expected to use Sapphire glass as it’s more durable and can protect better against scratches. Both Apple and Huawei use this material.
Renders of the devices were previously shared by 91mobiles.
Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro
Samsung’s Galaxy Buds 2 Pro renders have been shared online. This leak was shared by Evan Blass and 91mobiles, who also recently leaked the Galaxy Watch 5 series.
The Galaxy Buds Pro 2 isn’t too different from its predecessor in terms of design. These ones will come in three colours: ‘White,’ ‘Graphite’ and ‘Bora Purple,’ which will match the Galaxy Z Flip 4.
A previous datamine discovered that the earbuds would offer active noise cancellation, as well as single/double/triple-tap, touch-and-hold, and disable-signal-tap functionalities available to set up through the app.
Additionally, the Galaxy Buds 2 will lack the 360-degree sound feature and “outside double-tap” volume controls that were available on the Galaxy Buds Pro. Further, each earbud will sport a 61mAh battery and a case will feature a 472mAh power cell.
So far we haven’t seen any renders of the Galaxy Buds Pro 2, but we expect it to look similar to its predecessor.
This is everything we expect to see at the upcoming event. Follow MobileSyrup for more coverage from Samsung’s August Unpacked, including Canadian availability and pricing.
Samsung has announced its new colour variant for the S22, ‘Bora Purple.‘
Funny enough, the word “Bora” means “purple” in Korean, which means the colour variant is actually called ‘Purple Purple.’
The phone will launch in Canada on August 10th and start at $1,099.99 CAD.
What’s weird with this colour variant is that the phone already comes in violet and gold pink. Violet sort of verged towards a pink colour variant with a gold pink camera bump, whereas Bora is definitely a lot more “purple” than the violet option.
Previous rumours indicate that Bora Purple is Samsung’s hit colour this time around, as the Z Flip 4 and Galaxy Buds 2 Pro will also launch in this colour on August 10th.
Only a couple of weeks before the official launch, we’re seeing new renders of the Galaxy Z Flip 4. Giznext, in collaboration with OnLeaks, has posted new alleged official press renders of this clamshell foldable.
According to the leak, we’ll see the phone in four colourways, including Bora Purple, Pink Gold, Graphite and Blue.
Recent reports indicate that the Flip 4 will be available in three different models including 8GB + 128GB, 8GB + 256GB, 8GB + 512GB of storage. The prices are tipped to start at €1080 ($1,410 CAD), €1158 ($1,511 CAD), and €1275 ($1,664 CAD). Additionally, the phone will sport a Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 Plus, Android 12 OS topped with One UI and three cameras, two 12-megapixel sensors on the rear and one 10-megapixel shooter for selfies.
A new teaser for Samsung’s Unpacked event was posted by @chunvn8888 on Twitter. The teaser showcases the silhouette of both the Z Flip 4 and the Z Fold 4.
The teaser uses the tagline “Flex is greater than Flat,” which seems oddly worded, but in the last snippet the tagline ‘Next Galaxy > Phones Now’ with the Z Flip 4 is used as the greater than sign.
Additionally, Samsung calls the type of screen used by the Z Flip and Z Fold the “Infinity Flex Display” due to the Ultra Thin Glass’ flexible glass material that makes the Z Flip easy to fold.
Both Flip 4 and Fold 4 specs and renders were previously leaked.
Reportedly, the phone will feature the same sized outer and inner display compared to last year’s Z Fold 3, both with 120Hz refresh rate panels. We’re also expecting the same 4,400mAh battery and up to 512GB of storage. Additionally, we’ll see some changes to the processor with the phone sporting a Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1, and Samsung will reportedly use a trio of cameras with a 50-megapixel primary shooter, 12-megapixel ultra-wide, and a 12-megapixel 3x telephoto shooter.
Additionally, reports say the Z Flip 4 features a 6.7-inch FHD + sAMOLED display with 120Hz support. The device may support 8GB RAM with 128/256Gb storage options. Further, the device is expected to be powered by Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1.
This time around, Samsung looks to be more confident with its foldables and is really pushing this series.
To kick off the weekend, Best Buy Canada is rolling out a new lineup of deals. This week, you can find saving on a number of tech products including a new PC, Google Nest, and Echo products.
Here are but a few standout deals featured this week:
Best Buy Canada’s Top Deals sale of the week has already begun. The sale runs from Friday, July 22nd until Thursday, July 28th. Check out the full list of Top Deals here.
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