Discussion: Should Samsung still launch a Galaxy Note this year?

Samsung announced the Galaxy S21 series earlier this week, putting all speculations and rumors to an end. With a radical design, improved performance, new camera features, and more, the Galaxy S21 series makes for an interesting package. But if there’s one feature that is set to rewrite the fate of Samsung’s flagship lineup, it is stylus support. Samsung has partnered with Wacom to bring S Pen support — as well as the more advanced and upcoming S Pen Pro — to the Galaxy S21 Ultra. But this new advancement also blurs the lines between the Galaxy S and the Galaxy Note series, and might even make the Note irrelevant sooner or later. When Samsung launches the Galaxy Note 21 later this year, would it still be as exciting as previous devices in the series?

All Samsung Galaxy S21 news here

Over the last couple of years, Samsung has diverted its attention to fostering a new galaxy of foldable smartphones. With power-packed foldable devices such as the Galaxy Z Fold 2, the Galaxy Note series target group is inadvertently leaning in the favor of more screen real-estate. Reports already confirm that the Galaxy Note series sales took a hit in 2020. And in addition to that, a recent editorial by Samsung Electronics’ Head of Mobile Communications Bussiness, Dr. TM Roh, adds fuel to the speculations about the purported Galaxy Z Fold 3 getting S Pen support, just like the Galaxy S21 Ultra.

Even though sources familiar with the developments at Samsung have confirmed it will not discontinue the Galaxy Note series — at least not in 2021, there is little left that really maintains its uniqueness.  And, without the S Pen being a unique proposition anymore, the popularity of the Galaxy Note Series appears destined to stall. Don’t you agree?

While it’s suggestive that Samsung might discontinue the Galaxy Note series in the coming years, do you think it should save the effort and not launch a Galaxy Note device later this year? Let us know in the comments below. 

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Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra

The Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra is the ultimate overkill in the new 2021 flagship series, packing in a flagship SoC, a premium build, a great display, and an amazing camera setup, as well as all the extras expected on a premium flagship.

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Google reportedly requires new Android TV devices support AV1 video decoding

With there being many different hardware companies making smartphones, tablets, televisions, PCs, and silicon; software companies making apps and operating systems; and media giants making streaming services, it’s important for key industry players to agree to support certain video coding formats to ensure the best user experience, minimize network use, and support a wide variety of devices. That’s why the Alliance for Open Media created the AV1 video codec. It’s designed to efficiently transmit video over the Internet with a minimal impact on quality. The best part is that it’s royalty-free so companies don’t have to pay any licensing fees, but sadly, its adoption has been rather slow until very recently. AV1’s adoption may accelerate in 2021 as Google is reportedly mandating that all new Android TV products support AV1 video decoding.

While it’s clear that AV1 is gaining popularity for online streaming and media consumption, only a handful of streaming services to date encode some of their content in AV1. YouTube streams some videos encoded in AV1 on select Android TV devices, Vimeo started to encode some of the videos on its Staff Picks channel in AV1, and Netflix streams select titles in AV1 if the service’s data saving mode is turned on. Google, one of the biggest proponents of AV1, recently announced its plans to use AV1 for “the whole range of Google’s video applications and services”.

For more widespread AV1 adoption to happen, however, there needs to be more devices with hardware to decode AV1, which is a necessity to ensure power-efficient and speedy video playback. To that end, Google is requiring that all new Android TV devices launching after March 31, 2021, support AV1 video decoding. This requirement is said to apply to all new TV products launching with Android 10 or Android 11 later this year, according to an internal slide reviewed by XDA. This slide is part of a presentation that Google held for its Android TV partners last year. Therefore, we do not know if this deadline is up-to-date, and we did not receive a response from Google when reached for comment.

There’s more evidence behind Google making AV1 support a requirement for all future Android TV devices. The company reportedly already requires AV1 video decoding support for all 4K HDR and 8K Android TV devices that launch with Android 10. Industry insider AndroidTV Guide points out that many recently launched 4K HDR Android TV devices ship with an AV1-compatible SoC, such as the MediaTek T30/T31/T32 or the Realtek RTD2851M. TCL’s X915 8K TV, for instance, supports AV1 decoding thanks to its Realtek RTD2851M SoC combined with the RTD2893, making it one of the first TVs to support streaming 8K videos from YouTube. Since Google is already pushing high-end TVs to support AV1, it makes sense that they’re soon extending this requirement to all Android TV products, which Google is able to do since it controls the Android TV platform.

Interesting, I learned that ANY new #AndroidTV Television launching with Android TV 10, MUST support AV1 decoding with an SoC that supports it of course.

And that’s indeed verified by the recently launched Skyworth SUC6500/7000/7500 and Motorola Revou TVs (Mediatek MT9602). pic.twitter.com/gX5QH1K3Kv

— Android TV Guide (@androidtv_rumor) October 29, 2020

In fact, a major TV brand has already confirmed that its entire 2021 TV lineup will support AV1 video. FlatPanelsHD reports that all of Sony’s 2021 TVs will support AV1 video decoding. Sony ships its existing TVs with Android TV and will continue to do so in 2021. Separately, we asked TCL if its upcoming 2021 Google TV series will have AV1 hardware decoding, but we did not receive a response prior to publication.

LG and Samsung — both of which utilize their own operating systems — have already started to implement AV1 support in some of their TVs, according to FlatPanelsHD. It’s only a matter of time before a majority of TVs support the royalty-free codec. Other devices, such as smartphones, tablets, and PCs, are also recently getting AV1 video support. MediaTek’s Dimensity 1000 and Samsung’s Exynos 2100 mobile chipsets both support AV1 decoding, while Intel’s 11th-gen processors, NVIDIA’s RTX 30 series GPUs, and AMD’s Radeon RX 6000 series GPUs also support AV1. As devices get better displays and streaming services increase their quality, the adoption of better video coding standards will be important to satisfy users’ expectations and to prevent our Internet infrastructure from choking.

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Google’s TalkBack screen reader is getting new features available first on Galaxy phones

Google has partnered with Samsung to create a new version of TalkBack, an accessibility service that provides spoken feedback of what’s shown or happening on screen. TalkBack was released in the early days of Android, but in 2018, Google rolled it into the Android Accessibility Suite app alongside other services aimed at helping users with disabilities use their smartphone.

At Galaxy Unpacked, Google’s Hiroshi Lockheimer announced the new version of TalkBack, stating that it’ll be “available first on Galaxy.” The Galaxy S21 series was the star of the show at the event, so it’s likely that Samsung’s latest flagships will be the first to take advantage of Google’s revamped screen reader service.

“As part of our commitment to make computing as accessible to everyone, we’ve collaborated with Samsung to develop a new version of TalkBack, a Google screen reader, available first on Galaxy. This can really help shape the future of how everyone interacts with their phones.” Hiroshi Lockheimer, SVP of Platforms & Ecosystems at Google.

Google followed up this announcement with a brief mention of the revamped TalkBack in a blog post. The company says that “TalkBack has been revamped so that people with blindness or trouble seeing their displays can use spoken feedback and gestures to navigate their phone without having to look at the screen.” We reached out to Google for clarity on what features have been added to this revamped version of TalkBack, and we received the following statement:

“TalkBack is a Google screen reader included on Android devices. Using spoken feedback and gestures, it offers a full phone experience without needing to look at your screen. Collaborating with the blind and low vision communities, this revamped version of TalkBack features many of users’ top wish list items: new, more intuitive multi finger gestures, a unified menu, new reading controls and customizable menus and gestures.” – Google spokesperson

We were told that the new version of TalkBack will be coming to more devices soon.

Google has updated the Android Accessibility Suite app with new features for TalkBack only a handful of times in the past. Back in October of 2020, the company actually released new multi-finger gesture options, while in April of 2020, the company added a Braille keyboard. We don’t have screenshots to share showing the revamped TalkBack, but if you decide to pick up a Galaxy S21 or own a recent Galaxy device, you’ll be first to experience the new version.

Android Accessibility Suite (Free, Google Play) →

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Apple blocks users from sideloading iOS apps on M1 Macs

Soon after Apple launched its M1 Macs, a tool was released that allowed users to sideload unsupported iOS applications. A few months later, and Apple has blocked this workaround.

Up until now, users were able to download the tool iMazing and install unsupported .IPA files. That meant users could run iOS apps like Netflix and Instagram, which aren’t available to download on M1-equipped Macs. But a server-side update from Apple has now made doing this much more difficult, if not impossible.

“The change itself was made to the App Store system that delivers the actual .IPA file and it is all part of Apple’s APIs that manage the DRM (Digital Rights Management) protections of the operating system,” 9to5Mac explained. “Because of this, it’s unlikely that a workaround will present itself in the future.”

Credits: 9to5Mac

An error message displays when users attempt to sideload an iPhone or iPad app on an M1 Mac running macOS Big Sur 11.2 beta. The popup explains that iOS apps that are sideloaded can’t be installed because “the developer did not intend for it to run on this platform.” Users running macOS Big Sur 11.1 are also met by an error message.

When the M1 chip was introduced, it opened up the potential for iPhone and iPad apps to run natively on its newest machines. And while many apps are available to download through the Mac App Store, developers can opt-out of their apps being made available on the Mac. As a result, a lot of popular apps aren’t yet available for M1 Macs, hence why sideloading was such a big deal.

As Apple moves its entire lineup of Macs exclusively to M1 chips (or whatever successor is to come), hopefully, these developers will make their apps available. 9to5Mac said if you have apps that are sideloaded on your M1 Mac, they should still run. But if you try to install new applications, you’re out of luck.

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Apple may be working on a foldable iPhone to take on Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold

Samsung was one of the first companies to really nail the foldable smartphone form factor. But just as the company is gaining a strong foothold in the segment, Apple is reportedly hot on its heels.

According to Bloomberg, Apple is eyeing the possibility of releasing a foldable iPhone, although a potential release is likely years away. The company has allegedly developed prototypes for internal testing, but rather than creating fully realized devices, Apple has reportedly procured foldable screens to analyze their longterm viability. “Apple has internally discussed a number of foldable screen sizes, including one that unfolds to a similar size as the 6.7-inch display on the iPhone 12 Pro Max,” Bloomberg said in its report.

The foldable displays that Apple has tested reportedly feature an invisible hinge, with the electronic components located behind the screen similar to the Galaxy Z Flip. In contrast, Microsoft launched the Surface Duo last year, which did have a visible hinge that separated the device’s display panels.

Samsung’s Galaxy Z Flip.

If a foldable iPhone ever does come to fruition, it’s unclear if it will replace the current form factor or complement the iPhone lineup as it exists now. Bloomberg warns that while Apple is open to the idea of a foldable iPhone, the project may get scrapped.

The report underlines how the smartphone market may evolve as a whole in the future. While foldable devices aren’t all that prevalent right now, Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 2 and Galaxy Z Flip proved that they are viable—and they can be really, really good.

The downside is that foldable devices are expensive. But as the necessary components come down in price, that may not be as big of an issue down the road. As the technology evolves and prices stabilize, foldable phones could potentially become the dominant form factor across the industry.

In the meantime, Bloomberg provides a few early details about the 2021 iPhone, which is said to feature relatively minor changes. One such upgrade could be an in-screen fingerprint sensor, giving users a convenient way to unlock their phone when Face ID fails. In the age of masks, the return of Touch ID to a flagship iPhone could be big. Apple has also discussed removing the charging port in favor of its wireless MagSafe charging system, according to Bloomberg. Lastly, the company reportedly plans a new iPad Pro that has a MiniLED display and a faster processor, as well as a new entry-level iPad with a slim profile like the 2019 iPad Air.

Featured image: Apple’s iPhone 12 Pro Max

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Apple reportedly eyeing subscription podcast service

Apple offers one of the most widely used podcasting apps on the market, and a new report claims the company is looking to put more resources behind the medium.

According to The Information, Apple is in discussions to launch a premium podcast service that would feature access to original content for a monthly fee. The latest rumor builds on an earlier report from Bloomberg that claimed Apple is exploring ways to expand into original programming in podcasts.

Apparently, Apple’s goal is to use the service to complement Apple TV+. One possibility is for these original podcasts to be a spinoff of shows already on the video streaming platform. The other possibility is for these original podcasts to be written with the intent of eventually becoming a show or movie on Apple TV+.

Apple is also reportedly exploring original podcasts in an effort to compete against the likes of Spotify, which has built a strong lineup of exclusive podcast content, including The Joe Rogan Experience. Apple has allegedly approached production companies about collaborating on original content, although The Information warns that we may not ever see a finished product.

The Information suggests that Apple could try to entice creators by offering the opportunity to earn more money. Outside of these few details, the report doesn’t reveal when such a service might launch or how much it will cost, although it does mention the possibility of users paying for individual podcasts.

If that’s the case, Apple’s premium podcast service may not charge a monthly free. Rather, it might allow podcast creators to charge for individual episodes, or a series, at their discretion.

Apple already offers a variety of different services, including Music, TV+, News+, Fitness+, Arcade, and iCloud—all of which can be subscribed to individually or in a bundle. While adding premium podcasts to the mix seems like the logical next step, they better be extremely compelling in order to convince people to pay.

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Samsung SmartThings integration with Google Nest goes live

Google and Samsung have confirmed that the promised tighter integration between Google Nest and Samsung Smartthings has been launched, following its announcement at the end of last year. Although quietly announced alongside yesterday’s Samsung Unpacked launch, reports on Reddit suggest it actually went live at the start of the week, offering control for Nest cameras, thermostats and doorbells inside the Smartthings app, for the first time.

Even now, it’s not a complete integration. Nest Secure security systems and Nest Protect smoke alarms are excluded, as they use a different API, and most disappointingly, Google’s smart speakers are also missing from the list, although Google Nest Hub Max’s camera can be added to your Smartthings CCTV system.

It’s not all one-sided, with Google Assistant control being added to a range of Samsung appliances, offering a more complete experience. This is on top of the arrival of Google Assistant on Samsung TVs and the launch of Smartthings integration with Auto.

As ever, devices, especially third-party devices are only as good as the developer implementation of the API, so it may be a while (if ever) before you start to see some of the outlying products appearing in the Google Home app. If you’re a developer involved in smart home products, you can find out more about what’s possible and how to implement it right here.

Google said in a statement: “We’re also working with Samsung to make it easier to manage smart home products from your device. You can control Nest devices, like Nest thermostats, cameras and doorbells, from the SmartThings app on Galaxy smartphones and tablets. See all your connected devices on one screen by tapping on “Devices” in the Quick Panel of the Galaxy S21.”

2021 looks to be a pivotal year for smart homes, and this is just the beginning. Google and Samsung are working to deepen integration between their products, including a simpler ongoing process. Later this year, we’re expecting to hear details of a much-needed common standard for smart home devices, launched by a consortium including Amazon, Google, Apple and the members of the Zigbee Alliance (of which Samsung is one) under the umbrella of “Project Connected Home Over IP”. When that launches, we can expect to see the smart home revolution accelerate at an even faster rate.

 

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