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A Geekbench 7 listing for the Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra (SM-X940) reveals it running MediaTek's Dimensity 9500 chip with 12GB of RAM and Android 17 preinstalled. The device scored 2,760 in single-core and 9,291 in multi-core, notably higher than a comparable Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra result.
Samsung has launched the Galaxy S26 FE with only minor spec upgrades over its predecessor, yet raised the price by $50/£50 for equivalent storage tiers, reportedly due to rising component costs. This narrows the price gap to the flagship Galaxy S26 to roughly $100, while that model offers a stronger chipset and better cameras.
Samsung has rolled out the eighth One UI 9 beta update for the Galaxy S26 lineup, starting with the Galaxy S26 Ultra in South Korea. The 513MB Android 17-based update carries firmware ending in ZZHM and the August 5, 2026 security patch, with the changelog citing only stabilization fixes for device operation. It arrives alongside the first One UI 9 beta for the Galaxy S25 series.
Foldable phones from Samsung, Google, Motorola and Chinese brands still make up only 1.6% of global smartphone shipments despite years of hinge and display improvements, with 19.6 million units shipped last year according to Counterpoint Research. A commentator argues that Apple's expected entry into the foldable market will finally push the category into the mainstream, much as it did with smartwatches and wireless earbuds.
Roku has entered the OLED television market with two new lines: the Pro Series, sold exclusively on Amazon starting at $999, and the pricier Pro Series LX arriving in October. Both run Roku's own OS and include 120Hz-or-higher panels, HDMI 2.1 ports, Dolby Vision and HDR10 Plus support, and gaming features like VRR and auto low latency mode.
Samsung has begun rolling out the first One UI 9 beta update to the Galaxy S25 lineup, following months of testing limited to the Galaxy S26 series. The update, roughly 3,862MB with firmware DZHK, brings Android 17 and the August 5, 2026 security patch, and is currently available in South Korea, the UK, and India, including on the Galaxy S25 FE.
Samsung has introduced a cheaper variant of its Galaxy Book 6 laptop lineup, starting at $799, positioned as a lower-cost alternative to earlier models that began at $1,050. The new laptop runs on Intel Core 3 or Core 5 processors, with configurable storage up to 1TB and RAM up to 16GB, and features a 14-inch display with up to 25 hours of battery life. It comes in Gray and a new Violet Silver color and includes AI tools like AI Select and Note Assist.
A new leak from tipster @phonefuturist suggests Samsung's standard Galaxy S27 and S27 Plus could adopt the same 3x telephoto camera system found in the upcoming Galaxy S27 Pro. An earlier ETNews report had pegged that Pro model's zoom lens at 12MP, though the new leak doesn't confirm sensor details for the base models. Samsung is separately said to be testing a 50MP 4x telephoto for the Galaxy S27 Ultra.
Smartwatches from Apple, Google and Samsung all include a basic flashlight feature that simply maxes out the display's brightness and turns it white. Despite mockery of the feature compared to a phone's dedicated camera flash, it proves genuinely useful for quick tasks like finding a dropped pill, precisely because the watch is already on your wrist rather than buried in a pocket or bag.
A ZDNET tester took Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 8 and Google's Pixel 11 Pro Fold to Germany to compare their camera systems side by side. The Z Fold 8 relies on two 50-megapixel wide and ultrawide sensors, while the Pixel 11 Pro Fold pairs a 48-megapixel main camera with a 5x telephoto lens and a 10.5-megapixel ultrawide, giving it a zoom advantage the Samsung device lacks.
Google explains that using Find Hub to mark an Android device as lost will log it out of the owner's Google account and strip all cards from Google Wallet, with an option to show a contact message on the lock screen. If account access isn't possible, users can lock the phone remotely via android.com/lock by verifying their identity and phone number. Samsung devices with SmartThings Find offer a similar safeguard, automatically locking Samsung Wallet and pausing transactions until identity is confirmed.
Samsung is reportedly diverting Display Driver IC components originally set aside for future foldable production to sustain current Galaxy Z Fold 8 manufacturing, according to ZDNet Korea. The move comes as demand for the foldable has exceeded Samsung's forecasts, while supplier UMC's 22nm production line is already running at capacity and unable to expedite output.