Phones
OnePlus insider explains Samsung, Google’s 7-Year Android Updates might be a scam
In an interview, OnePlus President, Kinder Liu, took a jibe at Samsung and Google’s 7-Year Android Updates commitment for their latest flagships. Liu shared facts saying “Simply offering longer software update policies completely misses the point.”
Last October, Google introduced its Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro, which will get 7 years of Android and security updates. The recently launched Galaxy S24 series follows the same approach, with Samsung promising 7-Year Android Updates and regular security patches.
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OnePlus has recently launched the OnePlus 12 in the global market. The device comes with four years of Android and five years of security update support. In the interview with Tom’sGuide, the President disclosed reasons why OnePlus doesn’t bring Samsung/Google-like software support.
Apart from this, the official explained that OnePlus conducted tests with TÜV SUD for the OnePlus 12 and OnePlus 12R to simulate years of use. The results ensure that the new flagship will deliver a “fast and smooth” performance for four years.
Last but not least, Liu noted that the smartphone’s battery will start to degrade a few years after activation. In this case, how the device will be able to perform adequately after a period of four/five years? Meanwhile, advanced SoCs will lead you to upgrade to a new variant even earlier than usual.
“It’s not just software update policies that are important to the user, it’s the fluency of your phone’s user experience, too,” Liu explained, suggesting that longer software support doesn’t necessarily mean much if your smartphone’s hardware can’t perform at the same level.
He equated a smartphone to a sandwich and said, “Some manufacturers are now saying that the filling in their sandwich — their phone’s software — will still be good to eat in seven years’ time. But what they’re not telling you is that the bread in the sandwich, the user experience, might be moldy after four years. Suddenly, a seven-year software update policy doesn’t matter because the rest of your experience with the phone is terrible.”
Samsung Galaxy S24 FE outperformed the Apple iPhone 16 Plus in ray tracing. The new Fan Edition is equipped with an Exynos 2400e processor, while Apple’s iPhone 16 Plus uses an A18 chip manufactured using TSMC’s 3nm process.
GSMArena evaluated the Exynos 2400e performance used in Galaxy S24 FE. The chip has a slightly lower core frequency than the Exynos 2400. However, this modification made no major change in terms of performance.
Galaxy S24 FE with Exynos 2400e scored 2146 and 6711 points in single-core and multi-core tests, respectively. It’s slightly less than the 2201 single-core and 6926 multi-core points in the Galaxy S24’s Exynos 2400 chipset.
Apple’s A18 chip lags behind the Exynos 2400e used in the Galaxy S24 FE in ray tracing performance. The iPhone 16 scored 6,691 points in 3DMark’s Solar Bay test, whereas the Exynos Exynos 2400 scored 8,743 points.
Meanwhile, the phone scored 3,870 points in 3DMark’s Wild Life Extreme GPU test at 4K resolution compared to 4,029 points of the iPhone 16 Plus. The Galaxy S24+’s Exynos 2400 chip scored 4,365 points on the same benchmark.
iPhone 16 Plus is a flagship phone, while the S24 FE belongs to Samsung’s Fan Edition. The mainstream flagship line is S24, which is far ahead in GPU performance. Apple’s CPU edge will also be crushed with the Galaxy S25 series.
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Gemini Live seemingly hitting Samsung phones internationally. Google has been sequentially expanding Gemini Live functionality to free Gemini users. It was previously available for Gemini Advanced subscribers only.
Not only Samsung, but all Android phones could now use the Gemini Live feature. Just trigger Gemini Assistant and you will get a new toggle added at the bottom right. It will also be featured in an in-app notice for better understanding.
Integrated within Gemini, Gemini Live is a free-flowing, conversational way to interact with Google’s AI by talking, rather than typing. It allows users to interrupt, switch topics mid-conversation, and receive spoken responses seamlessly.
Just got Gemini Live on my Xiaomi 14T Pro as a free user!
Google announced earlier this month that Gemini Live will be rolling out to free (non-Gemini Advanced) users. Some users got it last week, but it seems to have more widely rolled out in the past day from what I've seen.… pic.twitter.com/3jFXGxKBpa
— Mishaal Rahman (@MishaalRahman) September 27, 2024
Gemini Live is Google’s answer to OpenAI’s ChatGPT 4o. However, it is a much easier way to interact with AI useful for brainstorming, discussing topics, conducting research, and eventually, setting appointments and finding directions.
At present, Gemini Live supports the American English language only. There are different voices (with different tones) available to select during setup. If you are unable to change the voice, try changing Gemini’s language to English (United States).
Samsung has its own virtual assistant called Bixby, which is powerful enough. However, most Galaxy smartphone users keep Google’s Gemini (previously Assistant) default and Google’s making it a must thanks to integration of AI.
Circle to Search is another epic feature widely available in Galaxy phones. This unique way of searching saves a lot of time and makes searches easier and effortless. We are expecting even more epic experiences in the future.
Samsung could soon launch its new Fan Edition smartphone. Ahead of the launch, the official unboxing video of the Galaxy S24 FE leaked, revealing the phone’s design, colors, specifications, and key features.
Leaker EvanBlass posted an official Galaxy S24 FE unboxing video. Samsung is expected to launch the smartphone on September 26. The leaked video will be published by Samsung following the phone’s official announcement.
In-box stuff includes an S24 FE handset, a USB Type-C to Type-C cable, a SIM tray ejector pin, and a user manual. The video showcases the smartphone in all of its upcoming color variants alongside some Samsung.com exclusive shades.
The Galaxy S24 FE will have a 4700mAh battery, up from the 4500mAh of the S23 FE. The display is also 6.7-inch, a 3-inch increase over the previous FEs. The upgraded panel will support ProVisual Engine and extra brightness up to 1900nits.
The device features a 50MP primary, a 12MP ultrawide, an 8MP telephoto, and a 10MP selfie camera. Galaxy AI could introduce new camera features such as AI Zoom so the handset could deliver enriched zoom shots.
Samsung has reportedly increased the pricing by $50 in key markets. This is due to upgrades made across aspects including display, processor, and battery. The phone could start at $649 in the US and the 256GB model could have a price tag of $709.
Additional features include an in-display fingerprint reader, stereo speakers, up to 7 years of Android updates, Galaxy AI suite, an IP68 rating, support for 25W wired, 15W wireless charging, and 4.5W reverse wireless charging.