Seems like Gen Z in the US is turning away from Samsung and Apple phones, chasing the nostalgia of the BlackBerry smartphone. Many were too young to use BlackBerrys during their 2000s peak but now crave their retro charm.

TikTok drives this BlackBerry revival, with #blackberry videos surpassing 125,000 posts. These “nostalgia tech” clips show users customizing old models, offering a break from the constant updates of Samsung and Apple ecosystems.

Another TikToker whose video got 2.7 million views said BlackBerry phones help curb phone addiction. “My iPhone is ruining my life,” she noted, a sentiment shared by those tired of Samsung and Apple’s immersive ecosystems.

A viral TikTok by @notchonnie, featuring a white BlackBerry Classic, hit over 4 million views. She captioned, “Is it practical? No. Is it fun? Yes.” This reflects Gen Z’s rejection of Samsung and Apple’s high-tech norm.

The New York Times reports that Gen Z is fueling demand for old BlackBerry models or their re-release. Unlike Samsung’s Galaxy or Apple’s iPhone, BlackBerrys offer a simpler, less app-driven experience that resonates with this generation.

Image – Kim Kardashian using BlackBerry phone | Source – Frazer Harrison / Getty Images

BlackBerry, once a smartphone leader, quit the smartphone market in 2020. A failed 5G BlackBerry attempt by OnwardMobility dashed hopes for new models. Still, a portion of Gen Z prefers these retro phones over Samsung and Apple.

The appeal lies in BlackBerry’s unique features: a tactile keyboard and trackball, unlike the touchscreens of Samsung and Apple phones. BlackBerry Messenger (BBM), a private chat service, lets users connect without the app overload.

Nostalgia tech blends retro design with modern appeal. Refurbished BlackBerry handsets, costing far less than a new Galaxy or iPhone, allow Gen Z to embrace simplicity without the premium price tags of today’s leading smartphones.

A recent leak suggests that the Galaxy Watch could soon let users pay for things using Samsung Wallet in South Korea. This feature, expected to roll out soon, could make shopping a whole lot easier with just a tap of your wrist.

Samsung’s been tinkering with digital wallet upgrades for a while now. The company is testing NFC payments, which are already a hit elsewhere, and with more NFC spots rapidly emerging in Korea, this could catch on fast.

The update doesn’t stop at just payments.

Another leak indicates that transit cards will also be supported on the Galaxy Watch. This means you can tap your watch at transit terminals, streamlining your daily commute without needing your phone or a separate card.

The addition of transit card support takes it further. Your Galaxy Watch could store payment cards and passes, turning it into a one-stop solution for shopping and travel. It’s all about convenience, right from your wrist!

Samsung has already merged Pay with Wallet for streamlined experiences. Now, with Samsung Wallet preparing for a massive Wear OS upgrade in South Korea, Galaxy Watch users have another reason to rejoice at the imminent launch.

When to expect?

Galaxy Watch 8 might debut the Wallet payments feature in South Korea. The new Wear OS 6-based One UI 8 Watch might expand the functionality to even more Watch owners with older versions through a firmware update.

Samsung might also advance the rollout by bringing it through a Wallet app update. NFC-based payments are already available in the Global market. Expansion to South Korea will give Samsung Wallet a much-needed boost over Apple Pay.

Samsung’s One UI is a big part of what makes Galaxy phones and tablets unique. With One UI 7 finally rolling out to users, attention is shifting to the next chapter: One UI 8. The upcoming software update, based on Android 16, brings exciting new features to Samsung devices.

There’s confirmation that it will arrive earlier than usual, marking a significant change in how Samsung releases software updates. In this article, we’ll discuss the release date, the beta testing program, which devices will get One UI 8 based on Samsung’s update policy, and what this means for Galaxy users.

Samsung One UI 8 Release Date:

Historically, Samsung has aligned its major One UI releases with the annual Android update cycle, typically landing in the fourth quarter, around October or November, following Google’s stable Android release. For instance, One UI 6 debuted on October 30, 2023, while One UI 7, delayed significantly, launched on April 7, 2025. However, One UI 8 is breaking this pattern completely.

Android 16-based One UI 8 will be released this summer in 2025. This update, confirmed by Google, marks a significant acceleration in Samsung’s update cycle, aiming to align closely with Google’s timeline. The company is targeting an ambitious summer 2025 stable release timeline, potentially arriving as early as July, months ahead of Samsung’s traditional fall update schedule.

Samsung One UI 8 Beta Program:

Samsung officially launched the One UI 8 beta program on May 28, 2025, starting with the Galaxy S25, S25+, and S25 Ultra in Germany, Korea, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The Beta program has now expanded to India and Poland.

Galaxy S25, S25+, and S25 Ultra users can apply to install the One UI 8 beta through the Samsung Members app using the new sign-up process announced by Samsung. This time, Samsung surprised Galaxy users by releasing the beta program without any major official announcement.

The beta program follows Samsung’s usual approach of starting with flagship devices and expanding to other models later. Samsung is already rolling out One UI 8 Beta 2 for the Galaxy S25 series and may soon extend the beta program to other devices, including the Galaxy Watch 7 and Ultra.

Samsung One UI 8 Eligible Devices:

While Samsung hasn’t officially confirmed the One UI 8 device list, we can rely on its official software update policy to identify the devices guaranteed to receive the update. Samsung now offers up to seven years of OS upgrades for select flagship devices (starting with the Galaxy S24 series) and four years for others, alongside five years of security updates for many models. Based on this policy and the confirmed One UI 7 rollout, the following devices are certain to be eligible for One UI 8:

• Galaxy S Series: 
  • Galaxy S25 Edge, S25, S25+, S25 Ultra, Galaxy S24, S24+, S24 Ultra, S24 FE, Galaxy S23, S23+, S23 Ultra, S23 FE, Galaxy S22, S22+, S22 Ultra.
• Galaxy Z Series: 
  • Galaxy Z Fold7, Z Flip7 (To launch with One UI 8), Galaxy Z Fold6, Z Flip6, Galaxy Z Fold5, Z Flip5, Galaxy Z Fold4, Z Flip4.
• Galaxy Tab Series:
  • Galaxy Tab S10+, Tab S10 Ultra, Galaxy Tab S9, S9+, S9 Ultra, Galaxy Tab S8, S8+, S8 Ultra.

Mid-range models like the Galaxy A55 and A35 may also qualify under the four-year policy. Older devices, such as the Galaxy S21 series, may miss out, as four-year support may end before One UI 8 arrives.

One UI 8

The summer 2025 launch of One UI 8 aligns perfectly with Samsung’s upcoming foldables—the Galaxy Z Fold7 and Z Flip7, expected in July 2025. These devices will ship with Android 16-based One UI 8 preinstalled. This marks a significant change for Samsung, bringing a major update much sooner than fans expected.

If you have any questions about One UI. Let me know on my X handle (SamsungSWUpdate), and I’ll help you figure out when it might get the update!

The US administration is considering taking new actions to make it harder for China to source important semiconductors by tightening control on Samsung, SK Hynix, and TSMC.

It’s suggested that the South Korean firms, along with the Taiwanese chip manufacturer, are on the list of companies to receive special attention from the U.S. Department of Commerce. If decided, these firms will no longer receive U.S. goods and technologies to their plants inside China, which will turn into a nightmare.

Over the past decade, the US has taken many steps to curb China’s access to advanced technologies and goods produced by US companies. For example, Nvidia is not allowed to sell its high-end AI chipsets to Chinese customers due to the chip restrictions. Samsung also abides by these restrictions by not selling advanced chipsets and high bandwidth memory.

However, the case of foreign companies was a bit different. Samsung, SK Hynix, and TSMC had special permission to operate within China for years even after special chip curbs. This new move is likely to revoke that special allowance and stop US goods and technologies to their subsidiaries.

Samsung has a large NAND flash memory plant in Xi’an, Shaanxi Province, which fulfills about 40% of its overall global NAND demand. In 2021, the company invested $25.8 billion in this plant. The South Korean company also runs a chip packaging facility in Suzhou, which completes the final stages of semiconductor production.

On the other hand, TSMC has a wafer fabrication facility in Shanghai for 28nm or above process technologies. This facility provides wafers for Chinese clients for less advanced chip used in smart ars, smartphones and other industries. Its Nanjing plan makes 16nm and 28nm chips, directed toward Chinese customers for the mobile and computing sectors.

Not Final

A White House official revealed that this decision is not final and it’s being saved as a measure of assurance that China stays in check within the current trade deal talks.

A Commerce Department spokesperson said the foreign chipmakers can continue to operate in China but they may need a U.S. goods supply license review in order to continue their businesses.

(source)

Hey everyone! We’ve got some serious news about a massive data breach that might affect billions of people. Over 16 billion login details – yes, 16 billion, have been exposed, and some of these belong to major platforms like Apple, Google, and Facebook. That’s a lot of personal information, and hackers can use it right now.

This major breach includes full login information, like the website address, usernames, and passwords, many of which are still valid. This means hackers can easily use them to get into accounts.

Unlike older leaks that contained old or outdated information, this data is recent and dangerous. Experts believe malware called “infostealers” is behind the breach. This malware is designed to steal personal details from infected devices, including login credentials, browsing history, and session cookies.

Hackers can use the stolen data to get into your email, bank, or social media accounts. They might also trick you with fake messages or bypass security like two-factor authentication.

So, what can you do to stay safe? First, change your passwords, especially if you use the same one across multiple accounts. Use strong and unique passwords for each account and enable multi-factor authentication wherever possible. Make sure to scan your devices for malware, too.

This breach is a reminder that we all need to take control of our online security. With 16 billion logins exposed, now is the time to be extra careful and protect your digital life.