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Tech News
Samsung is said to be preparing a shift from unlimited free Galaxy AI tools to a tiered system with usage credits, according to reports. Features like Photo Assist, Now Brief and Creative Studio would stay free but capped, with a paid Galaxy AI Premium subscription offering up to four times the usage limit plus extra features, starting around $4.99 monthly or $47.99 yearly.
A review assessing OnePlus smartwatches highlights the OnePlus Watch 4's five-day battery life in smart mode and up to two weeks in power saver mode. Testing also found the OnePlus Watch 3 charged to 80% in 30 minutes, outperforming the Apple Watch Series 10 and Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra in the same timeframe. The review also notes OnePlus watches are priced lower than rivals while maintaining solid build quality and bright AMOLED displays, though their OHealth software is considered only average.
CNET tested five book-style foldable phones in 2026 — the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 and Z Fold 8 Ultra, Motorola Razr Fold, Google Pixel 11 Pro Fold and Apple's new iPhone Duo — to compare battery performance using its smartphone lab data. The outlet separated book-style and flip-style foldables for comparison due to differences in design and screen size, noting the Galaxy Z Fold 8 can last a full day despite its slim build.
SemiAnalysis reports that Chinese company Envision has completed the first 120MW phase of its Galaxy AI data center campus in Ulanqab, Inner Mongolia, in under a year, at roughly one-fifth the cost of comparable US facilities. The full campus, serving two unnamed internet companies, is planned to reach 800MW of IT capacity by 2027, pairing data halls with dedicated wind farms and battery storage rather than relying solely on the local grid.
Researchers at Swinburne University of Technology identified an object called AGC 322753 containing roughly 2 billion solar masses of hydrogen gas but showing no visible stars. The finding, published in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, came from comparing radio survey data from the Arecibo Observatory and China's Five-Hundred-Meter Aperture Spherical Telescope.
Early test builds of One UI 9.5 reportedly include a PC-style interface for Samsung Internet when used with Samsung DeX, along with a desktop sidebar and dedicated Galaxy AI tools. These features appear to be in development and have not been officially announced by Samsung.
DroidDeck, an Android app that emulates PC games, has expanded device compatibility to include Google Pixel phones and Samsung Galaxy models with Exynos chips. The update also improves its dual-screen mode, letting users run a Linux-like desktop interface on one screen while a game plays on another.
A phone comparison piece weighs Google's Pixel 11 lineup against Samsung's Galaxy S26 series, noting the Galaxy S26's Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chip outpaces the Pixel's Tensor G6 in gaming and benchmarks, and enables higher-resolution video capture. The comparison also highlights Samsung-exclusive features like DeX desktop mode, Modes and Routines automation, and stylus support on certain models, none of which Google offers equivalents for.
A One UI 9.5 beta build, firmware S948BXXU6ZZK3, has appeared on Samsung's Korean and US update servers for the Galaxy S26 Ultra, a step that usually precedes open registration. Samsung hasn't confirmed a date, but its prior point-five update opened testing on December 8, 2025. Enrollment, once live, will go through the Samsung Members app and will likely be limited to six countries: Germany, India, Poland, South Korea, the UK and the US.
Samsung's Galaxy S26 Ultra now supports up to 60-watt wired charging and faster wireless charging, up from the 45-watt cap on previous flagships, while the S26+ also sees wireless speed gains. The base Galaxy S26 keeps 25-watt charging but gets a larger 4,300 mAh battery, up from 4,000 mAh in the S25.
CNET photographed scenes at a Bay Area garden using Apple's iPhone Duo and Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 8, two book-style foldables that start around $1,900-$1,999 for 256GB. Neither phone includes a telephoto lens; the Duo has dual 48MP wide and ultrawide cameras while the Z Fold 8 has dual 50MP wide and ultrawide cameras, alongside differing selfie camera setups on their cover and inner screens.
Amazon is selling the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra for $949.99, a $450 cut from its $1,399.99 list price. The listing carries a 4.6-star rating, and the phone features a 6.9-inch display, S Pen support, a customized Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy chip, and storage options up to 1TB.