Samsung
Will Chinese phone makers provide 8 years of Android updates or it will only be Samsung?
Google and Qualcomm have announced 8 years of software updates for smartphones with the new Snapdragon 8 and 7 series chipsets. Since Chinese phone makers rush to use new chips in their devices, will they also rush to provide 8 years of software updates in their smartphones or will it only be Samsung?
Sales data from Counterpoint Research shows that Xiaomi was the fastest-growing brand in 2024, followed by Vivo and Transsion Group.
Meanwhile, Apple and Samsung remained squared in terms of year-over-year sales growth. Despite that Samsung managed to remain on top and Apple a close second.
The surge in Chinese smartphone companies is a good sign of a moving market. However, these phone companies are also playing smart by hiding what matters the most after the device’s sale.
For example, Vivo and Xiaomi have listed more than 100 devices on their software support page but no transparency on software updates rollout.
These companies talk a lot about cameras, flashy designs, and even some cross-device features. At the end of the day, these promos are limited to the time of the purchase and after that, it’s just a device that contributed to these companies’ sales volume. That’s how these Chinese companies increase their sales numbers while running away from after-sale services.
China vs Global
Even if they do focus on some sort of software support, it will be heavily focused on native customers. When this focus shifts to the global customers, these companies don’t even get called out for their mysterious after-sales software support.
For example, the Vivo X200 Pro, the phone was praised by every single YouTuber, some of them called it the most improved, some gave it credit for battery and even praised its software that it’s fast and snappy.
One thing you’ll notice is that none of them talked about this phone’s software support or how many updates it will get because that’s the one thing that they don’t even know by themselves.
It’s not their fault because the secrecy of these Chinese phones is on the next level. These companies present consumers with a phone with the launching year’s top hardware and that year’s software with an added few new features. End of the story.
Samsung
Another thing is that Samsung sits on top of every conversation for software development. I also criticized the phone maker on One UI 7, but that will only improve the phone’s software experience. End of the day, Samsung has the most transparent software support in the industry.
In Samsung’s ecosystem, you know the phone’s software update cycle and Samsung’s software policy. Furthermore, the phone maker has an active feedback system where you can report bugs.
The company is running 7 years max for its new flagship phones and some of its mid-range phones get up to 6 years of support.
Soon, the company might even announce entry in the 8-year Android updates club but what about Chinese phone makers, will they end their software support secrecy in 2025 or they continue their mass volume shipment strategy? Let us know your thoughts on this via our social channels.
In January, Samsung unveiled the Galaxy S25, S25+ and S25 Ultra but saved the S25 Edge for a later release without revealing much about its design, and we now have 4 details about this device that are confirmed.
This phone is currently ruling over a discussion about slim devices, and shows Samsung’s chase to offer a fresh innovation to consumers. Though, the S25 series consists of three options with different display sizes, the S25 Edge aims to offer ease of access.
The future of this phone hinges on its success, and eventually make a place in the main lineup. It’s also a possibility that the phone will oust the Plus variant, but we don’t Samsung’s plans for this device.
Meanwhile, the Korean phone maker has made some design upgrades to the Galaxy S25 Edge that looks compelling. These details are based on past leaks about renders, specifications and dummy models.
Display
Edge will bring a flat 6.6-6.7 screen, identical to S25 Plus. It features a hole punch to house a selfie camera. The bezels are tiny and expand the view on all sides.
Thin
The phone is all about its slim outlook, standing at only 5.84 mm. This is way thinner than the standard S25 with 7.2 mm thickness. This thin appearance will also contribute to a lighter and easy to hold design. This is missing from modern devices and Galaxy phones aren’t exception, but S25 Edge could make a big difference.
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Camera
The phone has a vertical camera system inside a large pill shape bump consisting of an LED flash.
Titanium
The slim design will be protected by the Titanium frame, which we didn’t expect in the first place. With this addition, the phone will offer three colors including an all-black version.
Launch Date
Samsung has not announced a launch date for the S25 edge, but it is expected to launch in April.
Conclusion
The phone comes with reworked components that show Samsung’s extra effort to minimize size and space inside the structure. That said, the S25 Edge shows a lot of promises, but we only give a verdict on its ease of access when the device makes an official debut.
Samsung has introduced a new way to reuse old smartphones in its Circular Battery Supply Chain. This process allows materials from used Galaxy phones to be turned into resources for new devices. The Galaxy S25 is the first phone to use this recycling system.
Every year, Samsung collects about 200 tons of waste battery material at its factory in Vietnam. However, Vietnam didn’t have the tools to recycle these materials effectively.
To solve this, Samsung worked with other companies to create a system that extracts cobalt, a key material for batteries, from old Galaxy phones. This recycled cobalt is then used to make new batteries for the Galaxy S25.
The process begins by gathering old Galaxy smartphones and taking out their batteries. These batteries are shredded into a fine powder called “black mass.” This powder is then processed to get cobalt, which is important for making batteries work properly.
Samsung has successfully recycled over 90% of the cobalt from old batteries using the Circular Battery Supply Chain. In fact, half of the cobalt in the Galaxy S25 comes from recycled materials.
This helps reduce the need for mining new resources and supports Samsung’s aim of being more environmentally friendly. The company worked hard to ensure the system is safe and follows all environmental regulations.
Samsung’s Circular Battery Supply Chain is a big step forward in creating sustainable products. The company plans to expand this recycling process to include other materials, like lithium, in the future.
With the Galaxy S25, Samsung is showing how technology can be both high-quality and eco-friendly. The company will use this technology in future devices too.
Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra hits 2.55 Million sales in launch month
Samsung has introduced Mobile Driver’s License support to the Samsung Wallet app. This allows you to store your Driver’s License or State ID on your Galaxy phone, so you don’t need to carry the physical card anymore. You can use this digital ID at TSA checkpoints to make travel easier and quicker.
With the Mobile Driver’s License feature, you can safely store your Driver’s License or State ID on your phone. Once stored, you can use it at TSA checkpoints instead of showing a physical ID.
To keep your personal information safe, Samsung Wallet uses fingerprint or PIN authentication to access your Mobile Driver’s License. Your ID details are encrypted and protected by Samsung Knox security, so your data is secure.
Notably, this feature is available to users in select states right now, but Samsung plans to add more states soon. Currently, the feature is live in limited states, including Arizona, Iowa, Maryland, Georgia, Colorado, and West Virginia.
Samsung is also looking to expand the use of mobile IDs to other places beyond TSA checkpoints in the future, some of which are currently not even possible with a physical ID.
How to Add Your Driver’s License to Samsung Wallet
To add your Mobile Driver’s License to Samsung Wallet, you just need to follow a simple process. Here’s how to do it:
- Open the Samsung Wallet app on your phone and go to the ‘Quick Access’ tab.
- Click on the ‘+’ button, then select ‘Digital IDs’ and tap the ‘Driver’s License/State ID’ option.
- Scan the front and back of your Driver’s License or State ID. After scanning, click ‘Next’.
- You’ll need to follow the on-screen instructions to do a Face Scan. This helps verify that you are the rightful holder of the ID.
- After the Face Scan, click ‘Submit’ and authenticate your identity using either your fingerprint or PIN. This ensures that only you can access your digital ID.
Once you’ve added your Mobile Driver’s License, you can use it at TSA checkpoints to show your ID digitally. When you reach TSA, you can use your phone to show your Mobile Driver’s License in two ways.
First, you can tap your phone near the NFC reader, and your ID will automatically appear. Second, you can open the app, select your Mobile Driver’s License, and scan the QR code with a TSA reader.
Samsung has launched its 2025 Neo QLED TVs in the US, bringing new technology and features to improve your viewing experience. The new Samsung Vision AI powers the TVs, offering enhanced picture and sound for a personalized viewing experience.
The Vision AI technology adapts to your preferences, providing smarter features. These features include “Click to Search” to learn more about actors, “Live Translate” for real-time subtitles in any language, and “Universal Gestures” to control your TV using hand motions with a Galaxy Watch.
The Neo QLED 8K series includes the QN990F and QN900F models, which offer amazing 8K picture quality. These TVs have Quantum Matrix Mini LEDs, which provide bright, clear images even in bright rooms. The QN990F also uses a powerful AI processor that makes regular content look sharper and smoother.
Also, it has Motion Xcelerator, which makes fast-moving scenes look clear. Dolby Atmos sound and Object Tracking Sound Pro create realistic, immersive audio that matches the action on screen.
For 4K TV lovers, the Neo QLED 4K series offers the QN90F, QN80F, and QN70F models. These TVs also feature Quantum Matrix Mini LEDs and AI processors to make the picture look great.
Samsung’s new TVs also give you access to the Samsung Art Store, where you can choose from over 3,000 pieces of art to decorate your TV. With Samsung’s Tizen OS, you’ll get updates for years, and the TVs work well with smart home devices.
These new Samsung 2025 Neo QLED TVs are available in sizes from 43” to 98”, starting at $1,399 in the US. Check more details here.
Samsung has expanded its Galaxy A lineup in the US with the release of two budget-friendly smartphones, the Galaxy A26 and Galaxy A36. Both phones offer impressive specs and long-term software support.
The Galaxy A26 is priced at $299, while the more premium Samsung Galaxy A36 comes in at $399 in the US. Both phones launch with Android 15 and One UI 7, along with a promise of six years of software updates. It ensures OS upgrades through Android 20 and security patches until early 2030.
Both phones offer great value for the price, with strong performance and long software support. They are available for purchase in the US with amazing offers. Samsung is offering discounts of up to $150 with trade-ins, also up to $80 off if you buy the Galaxy Buds FE or Galaxy Watch FE with your new phone.
Galaxy A36
The Galaxy A36 offers a 6.7-inch Super AMOLED display with FHD+ resolution and a 120Hz refresh rate. It runs on the powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 chip with 6GB of RAM, and comes with 128GB of storage (no microSD slot).
Moreover, the phone features IP67 water resistance and a 5,000mAh battery with fast 45W charging. It has a triple rear camera setup – 50MP main camera, 8MP ultrawide camera, and 5MP macro camera. The front camera is 12MP.
Galaxy A26
The Galaxy A26 shares many features with the A36, like the 6.7-inch screen and 5,000mAh battery. However, it uses Samsung’s Exynos 1380 chip instead of the Snapdragon.
The phone has a triple rear camera setup of 50MP, 8MP, and a 2MP macro sensor. The Galaxy A26’s front camera is 13MP, and it includes a microSD card slot for extra storage. It features a 25W charging speed, slower than the Galaxy A36.
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