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Tech News
Samsung's Certified Re-Newed program is now available on Amazon, offering 14 refurbished Galaxy phones from two generations, priced from $489 for the Galaxy S24 FE (128GB) up to $1,029 for the Galaxy S25 Ultra (512GB). Each unit passes Samsung's 147-point quality check, receives a new IMEI number, and comes with a one-year warranty.
A China 3C regulatory filing for Samsung's Galaxy A58 indicates the phone will support a maximum charging speed of 45W, matching the Galaxy A57 and Galaxy A56 before it. The certification did not disclose battery capacity, though the previous two models used 5,000mAh batteries.
Google's November 2026 System Services release notes confirm a feature that automatically backs up photos and videos from Android phones to Windows PCs using Quick Share, shipping with Google Play services v26.43. The update is rolling out gradually, and earlier teardowns indicated Samsung phones and PCs would initially be excluded from support.
Samsung Galaxy users running One UI 9 reported Android Auto failing to connect or frequently dropping connections, even over wired cables. Google confirmed it was aware of the issue and has now told Android Authority that a fix addressing the Android 17/One UI 9 problem is already rolling out.
A Northeastern University study ran 5,943 experiments across twelve smart TV platforms and found that automatic content recognition (ACR) tracking often continues even after viewers disable it. Vizio's SmartCast devices sent data to an Amazon Kinesis endpoint in 100% of opted-out test scenarios, while Samsung Tizen devices showed ACR-like traffic in over 60% of cases; only four operating systems fully honored opt-out requests.
European supermarkets suffered a suspected cyber-attack in November that affected refrigeration systems, prompting fresh scrutiny of internet-connected devices. UK researchers at UK Cyber Defence have found more than 800 refrigeration and building-control interfaces tied to British retailers that are accessible via the public internet, though this doesn't confirm they're hackable. The NCSC says it has no evidence of UK impact but is working with international partners to investigate the incidents.
Samsung Galaxy phones continue to ship with preinstalled apps that users cannot uninstall outright. Owners can instead disable, hide, or mute notifications for unwanted apps through the Settings menu, though these steps don't delete the apps or free up storage. Core apps such as Phone, Messages, Contacts, Gallery and My Files remain permanently fixed on the device.
Microsoft's new Insider Experimental Preview Build (26340.9843) allows users to type an app's name into Windows 11's taskbar Search and launch it directly on a connected Android phone, mirroring it on the PC via Phone Link. The same build adds the ability to call, text, or trigger phone actions like Do Not Disturb from Search, currently for Android with iPhone support promised early next year. The feature works with select phones from Samsung, HONOR, OPPO, ASUS, vivo, Xiaomi, iQOO, and Realme.
Amazon is offering Samsung's 77-inch S90H 4K OLED TV, a 2026 model, at $800 off its list price. The set features a glare-free OLED panel, Samsung's Tizen-based smart TV platform, up to 4K/165Hz gaming support with VRR, ALLM and four HDMI 2.1 ports, HDR10+ and HLG, and a 2.1-channel 40W speaker system with Dolby Atmos and Q-Symphony support. It currently holds a 4.4 out of 5 rating on Amazon.
According to reports, Samsung plans to bring an upgraded version of its Privacy Display technology to the Galaxy S27 Pro and S27 Ultra, while the standard S27 and S27 Plus will not get the feature. Other rumored S27 changes include a 200MP main camera, a 50MP telephoto lens with 5x zoom on the Ultra, and larger batteries of 5,200mAh and 5,800mAh for the Pro and Ultra respectively.
Amazon has cut the price of Samsung's 512GB Galaxy Tab S10 Plus from its $1,299.99 list price to $799.97, a $500 reduction. The model includes 12GB of RAM, Wi-Fi connectivity, a 12.4-inch display, a bundled S Pen, and ships running Android 14 in Moonstone Gray or Platinum Silver.
Amazon is selling the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 for $1,599.99, a $300 markdown from its $1,899.99 list price, representing a 16% discount. The retailer says this matches the second-lowest price recorded since the foldable's launch.