News
Google ensuring Pixel 9a beat iPhone SE 4, Galaxy S25 FE
Google is ramping up efforts to attain growth in the smartphone market. The company is working on the Pixel 9a, an affordable variant of the Pixel 9 flagship. The leaked specs sheet suggests that Google ensuring Pixel 9a beats iPhone SE 4, and Galaxy S25 FE.
AndroidHeadlines revealed Pixel 9a specifications that could keep it ahead of Galaxy S25 FE and iPhone SE 4 next year. The smartphone will reportedly get a 6.3-inch FHD+ 120Hz OLED display with up to 2700nits peak brightness.
The Pixel 9a could be powered by Google’s latest Tensor G4 and boot Android 15. While the chip is rumored to be the same as the Pixel 9, it would use Exynos Modem 5300 from the Pixel 8 series, potentially ditching satellite connectivity support.
Similar to the Pixel 8 and Pixel 9 series, the affordable model would be eligible for longer software support, including 7 years of major OS and security updates. Memory configurations could include 128GB and 256GB with 8GB of RAM.
In terms of optics, the Pixel 9a could have a 48-megapixel 1/2″ Sony IMX787 sensor. The 13-megapixel Sony IMX712ultrawide camera and 13-megapixel selfie snapper are said to remain the same as the Pixel 8a.
Apart from this, Google could bring a larger, 5000mAh battery to the Pixel 9a. It could be a whopping boost of 11% in battery capacity. The Pixel 8a comes with a 4492mAh battery, which is nearly 11% less than 5000mAh.
Samsung has recently launched the Galaxy S24 FE, and the S25 FE could be released in late 2025. Apple is rumored to debut its 2025 iPhone SE (SE 4) in the first half of the next year with some major upgrades over its predecessor.
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News
Samsung SmartThings teams up with YouTube Music for ultimate smart lighting
Samsung SmartThings is collaborating with YouTube Music. The latest collaboration reiterates that the company continues to elevate the SmartThings experiences further.
Following the partnership with YouTube Music, Samsung SmartThings can tailor the Music Sync experience more effectively to users’ needs regardless of the setting or time of day.
This includes new buttons that align with familiar YouTube Music settings like Relax, Party, and Workout, creating a seamless connection between Music Sync and the YouTube Music App.
SmartThings’s Music Sync unlocks accurate content sync across music apps within the Galaxy ecosystem. This ensures users can enjoy a truly synchronized experience without limitations.
It seems collab with YouTube Music is just the beginning. Later this year, SmartThings will announce additional partner companies to enrich the Music Sync experience.
SmartThings x YouTube Music
With Music Sync integration, YouTube Music Premium users can enjoy perfect light synchronization with Philips Hue bulbs while listening to their favorite songs.
For instance, when users press the Party button on Music Sync, their party playlist on YouTube Music will start playing, and the lighting will shift to a color pattern preset.
As we look to the future, we remain committed to expanding our ecosystem and incorporating user feedback to enhance the Music Sync experience even further.
News
Samsung News app gets fun upgrade with The Six trivia game in the US
Samsung News app is getting upgraded with the arrival of a popular trivia game, The Six. As part of growing the Samsung News platform, the company is bringing a fun upgrade that will elevate your feed to a whole new level.
The Six is now available to play on the Samsung News app in North America and Canada. The company is raising this new format by expanding its interactive gaming experience from Smart TVs directly to Galaxy devices.
Notably, The Fix was launched earlier this year exclusively on Samsung Smart TVs. The Six is available to play on the Samsung News platform, with more ways to play coming soon.
The Six offers daily trivia challenges where players compete by answering six questions on topics ranging from entertainment to world history, with faster correct answers earning higher scores.
With the introduction of The Six game, Samsung News continues to improve and meet audiences’ appetite for trending, breaking, and local news and engaging interactive experiences.
“Samsung’s commitment to broadening access to all types of gaming content and providing more ways for people to play continues to make our devices a top choice for players,” said Avner Ronen, Vice President of Product Development at Samsung. “As a fan-favorite game, we’ve seen the popularity of The Six on our Smart TVs and are excited to bring this engaging experience to millions of mobile devices.”
Samsung News App
Last April, Samsung launched the new Samsung News app. Replacing the Samsung Free, Samsung News app is available as a Google Discover alternative on your Galaxy phone’s minus-1 screen.
Following the launch, the Samsung News app is gradually becoming an essential destination for millions of Galaxy owners, delivering timely, curated news right to their fingertips.
With personalized morning and evening briefings, as well as custom feeds based on interests, it offers a convenient and accessible way to stay informed and engaged.
News
LIVE DEMO: Samsung, Google and Qualcomm’s Apple Vision Pro Killer Is Here
Samsung yesterday unveiled Project Moohan (Galaxy XR headset). Google also introduced the Android XR crafted for next-gen XR devices. We now have an official live demo of Android XR featuring the Samsung Galaxy XR headset.
The official live demo video of Android XR and Samsung Project Moohan (Galaxy XR headset) has been recently posted by an X user and former Google Product Manager named Bilawal Sidhu (via AndroidAuthority).
It showcases two Google representatives demoing an Android XR headset and its capabilities. Samsung will launch the XR device next year, and it’s unclear whether the product used for the demo is a prototype or a final version.
Samsung is set to usher in a new era of spatial computing segment. The first device could be a headset rather than the rumored glasses. It will be a direct competitor to Apple’s Vision Pro, which was released earlier this year.
The headset has an indicator on the interface that shows when Gemini is active in a multimodal conversational experience. The demonstrator also scrolled a webpage with hands, the same experience as a trackpad or a touchscreen.
Android XR features “spatial windows” that allow users to move and resize them in their field of view using hand gestures. Google TV experience also showcased that lets users scroll through titles that appear floating above the real world.
Samsung’s headset could prefer Gemini over Google Assistant, given the demonstrator heard using the “Hey Gemini” hotword. Users will also be able to watch spatial VR videos and take advantage of newly built immersive map experiences.
Samsung and Google announced to further elevate the XR experience. The headset could be introduced in the latter half of the next year. The launch is far while you can enjoy a sneak peek at what’s coming to shelves next year.
First ever live demo of Samsung’s mixed reality headset running Android XR!
Gemini AI built right in, the Google apps you know and love with a very intuitive UX.
Also cool to see Google maps immersive view playing a key role which I cofounded & led product for while at Google! pic.twitter.com/kUHclfxGge
— Bilawal Sidhu (@bilawalsidhu) December 12, 2024