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Breaking: Samsung One UI 3.0/Android 11 stable is out for Galaxy S20 series

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Samsung Galaxy S20 September 2023 update US

Samsung has successfully completed the beta testing of its latest custom skin One UI 3.0 for the Galaxy S20 series smartphones. And begun sending the most awaited One UI 3.0 update for the Galaxy S20, S20+, and S20 Ultra smartphones. The One UI 3.0 is based on Android 11 and brings you some of the features from the Android ecosystem.

According to the latest information, the Galaxy S20 series started receiving the latest firmware update with build versions: G981NKSU1CTKF, G986NKSU1CTKF, and G988NKSU1CTKF for the Galaxy S20, S20+, and S20 Ultra respectively.

The Android 11/One UI 3.0 is initially rolling out for these smartphones (without carrier-branded) from South Korea and will soon be available for other countries in the coming days/weeks. It installs the November 2020 security patch for better device security.

However, Samsung and Verizon already started releasing the stable Android 11 update for the Verizon-branded Galaxy S20 series smartphones in the US, yesterday.

Furthermore, the South Korean tech giant has also released the official roadmap of the eligible devices and their update schedule.

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Some main features of the One UI 3.0

With One UI 3.0, Samsung has made some remarkable changes in the user interface and accessibility that can easily reflects on the quick settings panel, settings menu, the app drawer, and other parts of the UI.

The lock screen now has smoother fingerprint animation and a new lock icon hovers on the top center. UI of the unlock method such as PIN UI is also changed compared to One UI 2.5 and comes with a dialer with round backgrounds that look very good.

Home Screen appears the same but when you open the App Drawer and Recent Apps, the new transparent background (Similar to the notification) will also be found here and more visible. Not only that, it helps you to view the apps and recent apps section better than before.

The background of the Quick Settings panel has a semi-transparent blurred background, which increases the overall viewing experience and better highlights the quick setting buttons. The date is moved to the center area while the search, power button, settings, and more menu icons are moved to the top right corner of the screen.

Samsung has completely redesigned the volume control panel and each control for Ring, Media, Notifications, and System and now appears “Vertically” instead of Horizontally.

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Here’s how to check for the latest update manually.

You can find the latest update on your Galaxy S20 model by going through Settings on your device, accessing the Software updates, and hitting the Download and install option.

Meet Yash, author and dynamic creator of the compelling tech narratives at Sammy Fans. He has evolved from a Samsung firmware aficionado to a multi-faceted tech storyteller. Yash's expertise shines brightest with his explorations into Samsung's One UI. Beyond the screen, his love for nature (especially landscapes and rivers) adds a unique flavor to his work.

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Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra earns historic iFixit repair score, but trails iPhone

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Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra Teardown

Galaxy S25 Ultra is being praised not only for its innovations but also for repairability. iFixit is the latest in line, awarding the newly released Galaxy S25 Ultra the best repair score for a Samsung phone in a decade.

Listening to consumer feedback, Samsung has significantly improved repair options on the Galaxy S25 Ultra, admitted by iFixit too. The teardown (video) goes through various phases to evaluate the repairability of the device.

The Galaxy S25 Ultra has four simple tabs, which you just pull to remove the battery. Samsung has seemingly made this change to comply with the new Right to Repair laws in Europe, anyway, it’s a step in the right direction.

However, you’ll still need to deal with a lot of adhesive when opening up the device. This excessive use of adhesive could make repairs messy and complicated.

Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra Teardown

Image – iFixit

The camera is designed in a way that makes it easier to swap out parts. If your phone requires a camera repair, you can fix it with ease, and you’re not stuck buying parts only from Samsung.

iFixit verdict: The S25 Ultra earns a provisional 5 out of 10 on our smartphone repairability scale—better than most Samsung flagships of the past decade, but still far from an ideal scenario where anyone can comfortably fix their own phone with readily available parts.

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iFixit gave the S25 Ultra a repairability score of 5 out of 10. That’s better than older Galaxy models but not as good as some other phones like the iPhone 16 Pro Max (7/10).

There’s still room for improvement and I’m sure Samsung will keep improving. Galaxy phones will continue to offer endless possibilities apart from improving other crucial aspects.

S Pen

S25 Ultra’s S Pen doesn’t have the crucial chips and capacitor that once powered Bluetooth. However, the stylus has retained the PCB and some familiar structures, which continue to offer decent handwriting and Air Commands.

Galaxy S25 Ultra’s stylus remains to be a minus point on the table. General users have no regret losing iconic features like Air Actions. However, it’s a big downgrade if you are either a tech enthusiast or the one who often uses S Pen.

S Pen - S24 Ultra vs S25 Ultra

Image – iFixit

The new S Pen lacks Bluetooth, ditching remote control, and Air Actions. Samsung noted that less than 1% of users used Bluetooth-powered features. Qi2 is blamed to be a prime suspect behind the removal of the functionality.

You can watch the full teardown video here.

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Samsung brings MagSafe-like Qi2 to Galaxy S25 Ultra, S Pen struggles

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Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra

Samsung has officially launched the Qi2 magnet case for the Galaxy S25 Ultra but it reportedly disrupts the S Pen. The new Qi2 Clear Magnet Case brings MagSafe-like charging functionality to the new Samsung flagships.

Galaxy S25 family’s Clear Magnet Case is now available for purchase in the US. Using this accessory, you can make your smartphone compatible with the Qi2 charging standard, which brings it close to Apple’s MagSafe.

If you own the Galaxy S25 or S25 Plus, you can go ahead with your Qi2 case purchase. But you should think twice before buying a Qi2 magnetic accessory for your S25 Ultra, more importantly, if you often use the S Pen stylus.

Magnetic accessories are disrupting the S Pen functionality on the Galaxy S25 Ultra. The device shows a warning that the accessory can interfere with the S Pen, resulting in broken signals between the stylus and the phone.

FIberborne Qi2 case for Galaxy S25 Ultra issues a warning (via AndroidCentral):

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“Magnetic accessories can interfere with your S Pen: The magnets in accessories can interfere with the signals your S Pen sends to your phone. They may cause your S Pen to not write correctly or cause Air commands to occur unintentionally.”

With a MagSafe adapter and Samsung’s silicon case, the S Pen interference warning didn’t appear. As the compatibility and functionality fluctuate, shoppers should hold off their horses and wait until Samsung officially drops a clarification.

Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra Qi2 Case S Pen Warning

Image – Android Central

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Why Samsung should fear DeepSeek’s lightning-fast adoption

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DeepSeek AI

Samsung has dominated the AI Phone race with Galaxy AI. Meanwhile, Chinese phone makers are trying hard to topple Samsung in the AI Phone game as they are aggressively serious about the lightning-fast DeepSeek adoption.

Leaker IceUniverse highlights that DeepSeek adoption will pick up pace across Chinese smartphone brands. Various vendors have already announced the integration of DeepSeek into their devices to power AI and generative AI experiences.

Following its debut, DeepSeek has become a major global player, with its AI chatbot surpassing even ChatGPT in popularity. The AI model has even shaken up the US stock market, with Nvidia flagging a notable decline in shares.

Originating from China, DeepSeek’s open-source approach offers a competitive advantage, delivering cost-efficient AI models with robust performance, which has become a big hurdle for US tech titans such as OpenAI and Google.

Following the Galaxy S24’s lead, Chinese smartphone brands like Xiaomi, Oppo, Vivo, and Honor began embedding AI deeply into their devices last year, with initiatives like AI-as-a-Feature becoming standard.

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Samsung has outlined strategies in 2025 to focus on personalized AI experiences. The rapid integration of DeepSeek by Chinese brands could lead to a unified AI ecosystem in China, potentially sidelining Apple and Samsung.

The impact won’t be limited to China, with challenges likely in markets like Europe, India, and Latin America. Samsung needs to enhance its AI offerings, possibly deepening its collaboration with Google or accelerating its own AI innovations.

Meanwhile, Samsung is still struggling to provide the last year’s Android OS to Galaxy devices. The company must quicken its unbeatable yet lazy software update system to keep pace with the agility of its Chinese competitors.

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Could Samsung’s setback be MediaTek, Nvidia’s golden opportunity in AI phones?

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Google MediaTek Gemini Nano

MediaTek and NVIDIA could join forces to redefine AI phones. Samsung struggled with its 3nm Foundry process, leading it to cancel the highly anticipated Exynos 2500 mobile platform’s debut with the Galaxy S25 series.

Samsung is exclusively using the Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset in the new flagships. The Exynos 2500 is being evaluated for a potential debut in the Galaxy Z Flip 7. The company is also running test production to stabilize its 2nm process.

DigiTimes report suggests that MediaTek and NVIDIA could partner on mobile chips to target the AI phones arena. The two companies already collaborating on automotive chips and projects like the Nintendo Switch 2 and an AI PC platform.

It is rumored that Nvidia and MediaTek are eyeing the development of a cutting-edge AI smartphone chip. Even at least possible, it is an alarming situation for leading vendors like Apple, Qualcomm, and Samsung.

The integration of Nvidia GPUs with MediaTek’s expertise in mobile chipsets could usher in a new era where smartphones not only consume AI but actively process it at the edge, enhancing privacy, speed, and efficiency.

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If MediaTek and Nvidia craft a mobile chipset, the solution would introduce enhanced AI capabilities, high performance, energy efficiency, improved gaming and AI/VR applications, and on-device AI processing.

Production isn’t a big hurdle with MediaTek as TSMC is geopolitically bound with it. Nvidia’s expertise would make a significant impact on the graphics performance, potentially becoming a nightmare for leading mobile platform OEMs.

Nothing has been revealed by MediaTek or Nvidia, take this information as a grain of salt.

(Via/Source)

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Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra simplifies 45W Super Fast Charging 2.0, no 5A cable needed

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Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra back design

Samsung has simplified its Super Fast Charging 2.0 with Galaxy S25 Plus and S25 Ultra. The new smartphones feature a more streamlined charging profile that ditches the requirement of using a special 5A charging cable.

The Galaxy S25 Plus and S25 Ultra support 45W Super Fast Charging 2.0 at 15V and 3A. This difference from the conventional 10V and 4.5A ends the need to use a 5A cable to get the maximum 45W charging speed.

The new charging profile also improves the fast charging on the new flagships. Tests show the Galaxy S25 Plus and S25 Ultra charge faster than their predecessor, that too at the same charging speed of a maximum of 45W.

Switching to the new 15V 3A charging profile is a subtle yet potentially game-changing modification. It allows for 45W charging without the need for a 5A cable, as any standard USB PD cable capable of handling 45W should suffice.

However, the general user base is divided on the charging profile shift. Feedback from users on various platforms indicates mixed results. Some found the 45W charging works with 3A cable, but a portion of the user base has contradicted these claims.

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A significant portion of the user base claims that achieving maximum charging speed still necessitates the use of a 45W power adapter paired with a 5A USB-C cable as PPS support might still play a role in achieving optimal speeds.

We’ve tested our S25 Ultra with Samsung’s 45W charging adapter and a non-5A cable. The device has started charging on Super Fast Charging 2.0 mode and the charging duration was marginally different from the S24 Ultra.

We asked Samsung about the new charging profile and its impacts. The article will be updated once the company’s response arrives.

Samsung Super Fast Charging 2.0

Image – SammyFans

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