The end is near for this year’s EOFY sales, with the price‑cut frenzy wrapping up as June 30 comes to a close. Even so, there’s still time to snag a last‑minute TV bargain before the new financial year kicks in.

If you’ve been thinking about upgrading your TV, this is the moment to stop scrolling and start grabbing. Retailers are clearing out stock fast, and the mix of price drops, bonus offers and surprise markdowns means you can pick up a genuinely great screen for far less than you’d expect.

I’ve seen bargains you wouldn’t believe. Door‑buster TV deals stacked higher than warehouse shelves, flash sales that lit up retailer sites like neon signs in the night. I watched prices plunge in the final hours of EOFY, deeper than anyone thought possible. All of those deals will be lost in time, like tears in rain. Time to buy.

I cannot stress this enough — this is your last chance to score an epic TV deal at clearance prices before the EOFY sales are over. If you’ve been waiting for the right moment to refresh your home setup with a new Samsung, Sony or Hisense television, you won't find a better time than now — here are my picks for the best last-minute EOFY TV deals.

So there you have it — my roundup of best TV deals from this year’s EOFY sales. If you’ve been thinking about an OLED upgrade, want to see how the latest RGB tech performs, or simply feel like it’s time for a larger TV, these options are well worth a look. But you'd better act fast — the discounts won’t stick around past July 1.

The Samsung S95H OLED TV might be my favorite flagship from the brand to date. It’s been designed to dominate both light-controlled home theaters and bright living rooms alike, defying the historic limitation that even the best OLED TVs can't handle high ambient light.

Samsung has delivered the brightest OLED TV we’ve ever tested. After hours of watching and gaming on the S95H, I’m confident you can comfortably watch this panel in any environment without worrying about a washed-out image. The combination of raw luminance and an incredibly effective glare-free display keeps the screen looking pristine, no matter the genre.

Alongside the premium picture tech, this set gets integration with Samsung's popular Art Store, allowing the TV to double as a high-end gallery piece when it's not in use. Then there’s a the controversial metal bezel bordering the screen, a feature I thought I’d despise but somehow grew on me — no, really.

While there are a few caveats I’ll note in my following Samsung S95H OLED TV review, overall, I think this set is a striking reminder at just how dominant modern OLED technology can be.

Samsung S95H OLED TV: Price and sizes

The Samsung S95H is positioned as a premium flagship set, and its pricing reflects its status at the top of the brand’s OLED lineup. While official launch pricing varies by size, it commands a top-tier premium:

• 55-inch Samsung S95H OLED (QN55S95HAFXZA): $2,499
• 65-inch Samsung S95H OLED (QN65S95HAFXZA): $3,399
• 77-inch Samsung S95H OLED (QN77S95HAFXZA): $4,499
• 83-inch Samsung S95H OLED (QN55S95HAFXZA): $6,499

I’ll remind you that OLED TVs come in fewer sizes than Mini-LED TVs. That said, if you want Samsung OLED at a lower price and with smaller screen sizes, the Samsung S90H is a compelling alternative. You will lose Art Store access as well as see some shortcomings in performance, detailed in charts further below.

Samsung S95H OLED TV review: Design, ports and connectivity

Samsung has made an… interesting design choice with this TV. It features a non-optional metal bezel that sits behind the screen, making the uniform chassis look like it’s floating off the wall when mounted. That said, you do get a set of sturdy metal feet included, which I used for the sake of this review.

I really thought I would hate the bezel, but I fear it’s grown on me. I can understand it might deter some shoppers but I think it ended up making this TV look as elevated as the picture ultimately proves.

It helps that Samsung no longer requires an external One Connect box by default for its flagship OLED now, too. Instead, the primary inputs are fully integrated directly into the back of the TV. You get 4x HDMI 2.1 inputs built right in with one supporting eARC. (You do have the option to add an external One Connect box separately, which grants an additional 4x HDMI 2.1 inputs on top of the integrated ones.)

Note that there isn’t an ATSC 3.0 tuner to support 4K over-the-air broadcasts. I’d recommend the Sony Bravia 8 II as an alternative OLED with the technology should that be a deal-breaker for you.

How we test TVs

We follow a standard testing protocol for every TV we review at Tom’s Guide. Our benchmarks include a series of technical and subject tests designed to rate the set’s performance.

For our technical tests, we use a Jeti spectraval 1501-HiRes spectroradiometer, a Klein K10-A colorimeter, a Murideo 8K-SIX-G Metal pattern generator, and Portrait Displays’s Calman calibration software to take measurements. We also use a Leo Bodnar 4K Input Lag Tester for determining whether it’s one of the best gaming TVs. For a more detailed look at what we do and how we do it, check out our “How we test TVs” page.

Samsung S95H OLED TV review: Performance

The primary storyline of the S95H is its outstanding overall picture quality, fueled by class-leading brightness. Testing scenes from “Top Gun: Maverick,” the sun-drenched nostalgia of the cinematography looked absolutely spectacular. Colors were highly accurate right out of the box, offering a deeply cinematic feel.

That said, Samsung's ongoing refusal to support Dolby Vision remains a point of contention. I always have to add a caveat here, especially when evaluating premium sets: Without Dolby Vision, you lose out on HDR highlights having that extra little bit of "pop" and dynamic refinement. Fortunately, the S95H's native panel brightness is so immense that I almost didn't miss it, but it's still a frustrating omission for purists.

When it comes to gaming, the performance is nothing short of immersive. Diving into Marvel's Spider-Man on PS5, the web-slinger has honestly never looked better. Fast-paced motion was handled brilliantly. Spinning helicopter blades remained perfectly clear, and the contrast and environmental reflections off city skyscrapers looked amazing. I noticed some very slight artifacting during intense, chaotic sequences, but generally, the motion was incredibly smooth. Watching sand flying around during heavy action scenes showed off a spectacular level of graphical pop that bursts right off the screen.

Samsung S95H OLED TV review: Test results

While our objective lab testing confirms that this is the brightest OLED we have ever put through our benchmarking pipeline, the final metrics tell a compelling story against its nearest premium competition.

The most remarkable takeaway from the bench tests is the S95H's staggering HDR brightness, clocking in at 2,721 nits. This draws a definitive line between where the S95H vs. S90H stand in Samsung’s OLED lineup, while also improving on the previous generation S95F's brightness by nearly 30%.

Combined with a blistering 9.7ms input lag and some of the best coverage you’ll find of both the Rec. 709 and BT. 2020 color gamuts, expect to see the S95H used as a point of comparison in many of our TV reviews going forward.

Samsung S95H OLED TV review: Audio

The audio system built into the S95H is pretty good for day-to-day viewing, though it naturally hits a physical limitation. Because the ultra-thin chassis isn’t as spacious as a bookshelf speaker’s, the audio leaves you wanting more when it comes to deep bass performance.

On the plus side, vocal clarity is rock-solid, meaning you won’t struggle to hear dialogue during quiet scenes. That said, to match a picture this elite, I highly recommend adding one of the best soundbars. Staying in-brand with the 2026 Samsung HW-Q990H to access Samsung's Q-Symphony feature makes a lot of sense here, as it allows the TV's integrated drivers to work in tandem with a compatible Samsung soundbar for a wider soundstage, but be prepared to pay a premium for Samsung’s top soundbar.

Samsung S95H OLED TV review: Interface

The S95H runs on the Samsung One UI TV interface, which feels more refined and highly functional than ever. A standout improvement is the navigation bar positioned right up at the top of the screen, which makes it significantly easier to find your apps, inputs, and settings without getting lost in endless menus.

For art lovers, the built-in Art Store is a major perk. It gives you access to a massive library of pieces to display when the TV is idle, turning a giant black rectangle into a focal point for your room. You do need a membership to enjoy it properly, though you can also sync the TV to the SmartThings app and upload your own photos to view.

Otherwise, navigation across the OS feels snappy, and downloading all the best streaming services is quick and painless. I do wish Samsung’s free content platform (Samsung TV Plus) didn’t autoplay with volume on start up, but it does offer a lengthy lineup of ad-supported shows and movies that, again, are totally free.

Samsung S95H OLED TV review: Remote

If I found one glaring flaw in the premium presentation of the S95H, it’s the included remote. For a flagship TV of this price tier, this rechargeable remote feels surprisingly cheap and plasticky in the hand.

Worse yet, it completely lacks a backlight. Finding buttons during a late-night movie session in a dark room becomes a guessing game. While it gets the job done and features standard shortcut options, it feels like an afterthought compared to the highly premium build of the TV itself.

Samsung S95H OLED TV review: Verdict

If your priority is securing unparalleled OLED picture quality that can thrive even in a sun-soaked living room, the Samsung S95H OLED TV is an absolute triumph. It has some noteworthy rivals like the LG G6 OLED, but for most folks, this will be the best TV you can buy in 2026.

Its best-in-class brightness levels and superb “Glare Free” panel make it a versatile beast for movies and gaming alike. You will have to live with a subpar remote and the lack of Dolby Vision support, but if you can look past those complaints, the pure visual horsepower on display here makes it one of the absolute best televisions I believe money can buy.

We've already had one Galaxy Unpacked event this year, but what about the second Galaxy Unpacked? Samsung typically holds two of these events each year, and with the Summer Unpacked event, it focuses on the latest foldables and smartwatches. This year is shaping up to be no exception, with rumors pointing to the next Unpacked taking place in London in July.

This year's event could be a little different, though, because it sounds like Samsung will offer three new foldables this year instead of the usual two. With the iPhone Ultra set to launch later this year, with a wider design, Samsung is expected to release a wider foldable of its own. That's on top of appearances from new versions of the Z Fold and Z Flip models that appear every year.

Here's what you need to know about Galaxy Unpacked Summer 2026 and all the new devices expected to be revealed at the show.

When is Galaxy Unpacked Summer 2026?

Samsung hasn't officially confirmed when the next Unpacked event will take place. But the rumors we've heard suggest the event will be held in London on July 22. We don't have any additional details beyond that, including what time the launch event will take place.

But with July 22 just over a month away, it shouldn't be long before Samsung makes all the details official.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8

Samsung's reportedly mixing things up with the Galaxy Z Fold 8, and it's expected that two models will bear the name. The standard Z Fold 8 is what people had been referring to as the Galaxy Z Fold Wide, on account of the new wider design Samsung is set to debut in the near future.

The design is remarkably similar to that of Apple's iPhone Ultra, which is supposed to arrive later this year. Various renders and dummy models show a foldable that's shorter and wider than traditional Z Fold models. The folding screen is tipped to be 7.8 inches in size, while the cover display is just 5.4 inches.

Other rumored hardware includes a pair of rear cameras instead of the usual three, a Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset, and a 4,800 mAh battery.

There's an awful lot we still don't know about this phone, including details on price and a lot of the basic hardware. However, the reports have made it clear that this new naming convention is happening. Which in turn implies Samsung sees the new wider Z Fold as a long-term addition to its foldable family, rather than a one-off — as we saw with the Galaxy Z TriFold and Z Fold SE.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra

The successor to the Galaxy Z Fold 7 is reportedly getting an extra upgrade, thanks to a brand new name. With the Z Fold Wide bearing the standard Z Fold 8 name, what we thought would be the Z Fold 8 is now being promoted to Ultra rank.

The good news is that the name change isn't just for show. Rumor has it that there will be a bunch of major upgrades coming to this year's flagship Galaxy foldable — least of which is the possibility of a creaseless display. That's the one design feature that foldable phone makers have been striving for since their inception nearly a decade ago, and the Z Fold 8 could, at the very least, come close to it being a reality.

Design-wise you're looking at the same basic shape as the Galaxy Z Fold 7, albeit with a slightly larger 8-inch foldable display and a 6.5-inch cover screen. Despite the increased size, the phone is expected to be 15 grams lighter, and if past foldables are anything to go by, it may even be slightly thinner.

Samsung may also finally upgrade the resolution of the main camera lens to 200MP — up from 50MP. The 12MP ultrawide lens is expected to rise to 50MP, with a slightly smaller jump from 10MP to 12MP on the telephoto camera. The two selfie cameras apparently won't be changing, though, so they're sticking at 10MP.

Other rumored hardware includes a Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset, a larger 5,000 mAH battery and a charging boost from 25W to 45W. However the starting price may be higher as a result of the global RAM shortages, with rumors suggesting a $2,199 price tag for a basic 256GB model.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8

Samsung has mostly neglected the Z Flip series over the years, and the rumors suggest that this year won't be any exception. In other words you should only expect to see incremental upgrades from the Galaxy Z Flip 8 when it arrives at Galaxy Unpacked.

From a design perspective we're likely to see more or less the same phone as last year. A 6.9-inch foldable display paired with a 4.1-inch cover display that surrounds a pair of camera lenses. We haven't heard anything about the kind of camera hardware to expect, but we're likely to see a 50MP main lens, a 12MP ultrawide lens and a 10MP selfie camera. It's also possible we'll see a reduction in weight and thickness, as has been the trend with past Z Flip devices.

From a performance perspective, it's unclear what kind of chipset Samsung will opt for. While the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 would offer the best performance, there's a good chance Samsung will instead opt for an Exynos chip. The Galaxy Z Flip 7 came with an Exynos 2500, and logically that would mean the Z Flip 8 would utilize the 2nm Exynos 2600.

Sadly there have been reports that Samsung may be scrapping the Z Flip series, which means the Galaxy Z Flip 8 may be the last Samsung flip-foldable we see for a while. So if you want a Samsung flip phone, rather than a Motorola Razr, this may be the one you need to buy.

Galaxy Watch 9 and Watch Ultra 2

Galaxy Unpacked won't just be about the phones, and word is that we'll also see two new smartwatches at the July event: The Galaxy Watch 9 and the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2. There's a lot still unconfirmed about these wearables, but there have been a couple of rumors and leaks suggesting crucial changes.

The first is a report claiming Samsung has ditched the Exynos 1-series chips in favor of Qualcomm's Snapdragon Wear Elite chipset. This may be to support more AI features on the watches themselves, rather than passing them off to a smartphone.

It's also speculated that 5G could make an appearance, alongside a more powerful health sensor that improved tracking accuracy of metrics like heart rate, sleep, Afib and more.

Intelligent Eyewear

We've already seen Samsung's Intelligent Eyewear, designer glasses equipped with cameras and AI, at Google I/O back in May. Google's developer conference didn't go into a lot of detail about what to expect from the smart glasses, which means Galaxy Unpacked has plenty of opportunity to fill in the gaps.

At the very least Samsung needs to provide concrete details about pricing and when the glasses will actually go on sale. We'd also like to hear more about hardware specs, features and capabilities, plus any additional brand collaborations that might see different Eyewear designs go on sale in the near future.

Outlook

The star of Galaxy Unpacked is definitely going to be the new foldables, especially since the event is expected to see the debut of a brand new folding Galaxy phone. That doesn't happen very often, and it's going to be interesting to see what Samsung has in store for us — and what this means for the Galaxy Z Fold 8 series as a whole.

That's not to say that Unpacked will only be about the phones. Rumors suggest that we'll be seeing updates for Samsung's smartwatches, including some notable upgrades, and we're all but guaranteed to get more information about the Intelligent Eyewear smart glasses. Who knows? Maybe there will be a few more surprises up Samsung's sleeve on the day.

We'll just have to wait for Samsung to confirm when Galaxy Unpacked is going to take place, and what it actually has in store for us on the day.

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We're still several months out from the launch of the Samsung Galaxy S27 Ultra, but the rumors have started rolling in revealing some of the changes we might be able to expect from the phone. According to leaker yeux1122 over on Naver, there could be some significant changes coming to the phone's hardware — including the loss of a camera lens.

The leaker claims that Samsung will be removing the secondary telephoto camera lens. The fourth lens has long offered 3x optical zoom, and a resolution far below that of the main telephoto camera. The Galaxy S26 Ultra's 3x lens offers just 12MP resolution, compared to the 50MP on its counterpart. This is never a particularly good look, when you're glancing at hardware specs.

There's more to photography than extra megapixels, but it's believed that Samsung has decided the 3x lens is now redundant. Apparently shooting at 3x magnification with the 5x lens produces better quality photos. In other words, removing the camera means Samsung can promise better photos, while reducing the effort and expense needed to manufacture the Galaxy S27 Ultra.

Considering phone components have been rising in price over the past few years, in part thanks to the explosion in demand for RAM, reducing the cost of making a Galaxy S27 Ultra could help us avoid a price hike for another year. At the very least it might help to minimize the amount of extra money we're expected to pay if the price does change.

yeux1122 also claims that the loss of the camera lens will allow Samsung to finally increase the size of the S27 Ultra's battery. It's not clear whether this is because the loss of a camera frees up extra internal space, or if it's all down to money. I'd bet on it being a money decision, but I wouldn't be surprised if it was a little bit of both.

Considering Samsung's Ultra-tier flagships have featured 5,000 mAh batteries for over six years, since the release of the Galaxy S20 Ultra, it's about time we saw some change. After all, the iPhone 18 Pro Max is expected to offer up to 5,200 mAh of battery capacity, while other rivals have exploited silicon carbon technology to offer thousands of extra milliamp hours of stored power.

It's unclear whether silicon carbon batteries will make an appearance in the Galaxy S27 series, but Samsung has confirmed it is exploring the use of technology.

On the topic of hardware changes I'm not sure I believe, yeux1122 also claims that the Galaxy S27 Ultra will feature a horizontal camera bar. This is supposed to allow for magnetic Qi2 wireless charging, similar to that of MagSafe and the Pixel 10's "Pixelsnap."

Samsung previously said magnetic charging wasn't possible because the internal magnet affected the display and prevented the S Pen from working. I can see how the camera hardware might get in the way of a magnetic ring, but I don't understand why Samsung would want to keep that from a secret.

As much as I'd like to see full Qi2 magnetic charging come to more Android phones, it's a shame it might come at the expense of the Galaxy's easily-identifiable design by turning it into a Pixel-looking phone with a stylus.

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About a month ago, after a security update, my Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra refused to connect to Android Auto with my 2019 Honda CR-V. It's not an uncommon experience between Android and that specific car, it seems.

However, a recent Google Play Services update may have solved the issue. I noticed on Sunday that I was able to brute force the connection, but it's been smoother in the last couple of days since then. If it's helped me out, then there's a chance it could do the same for any of you struggling to get your Android phone to talk to your motor.

The Google update went live on Monday, June 8. Google's release note simply reads: "[Auto] Bug fixes for Device Connections related services."

It doesn't detail how Google fixed the bugs, but it's clear that the connection issues are a problem.

When the S26 series was released in March, owners of both the new Samsung phones and Pixel phones reported issues with Android Auto connectivity. At the time, some users suggested that the new Advanced Protection security feature was blocking the connection. Neither Google nor Samsung confirmed this or any other theory.

This isn't a new problem

Initially, I was able to connect my new S26 Ultra immediately. I only noticed issues after a Samsung security update in May. Obviously, something happened, but I'm not sure where in the Android pipeline things are getting clogged.

Personally, I've had issues with Auto connections for years going back to the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra. That may or may not be related to Android Auto or my CR-V, which I've owned for about three years now.

Because Android Auto typically requires a tethered connection, connection problems can come from the type of USB-C wires used to connect your phone and the vehicle.

I've found that connection disruptions often tend to happen after security updates, which seem to break the established connection between my phone and the car.

For now, I'll happily use Android Auto because I do enjoy it. But I'll hold my breath every time my phone proffers a new update. And if you've also suffered issues with Android Auto, I want to hear from you — drop me a comment below this article and let me know.

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Next month, Samsung is expected to hold its annual summer edition of Galaxy Unpacked, where at least two new Galaxy Watches should launch alongside the Galaxy S27 Ultra smartphone.

Recently, SammyGuru discovered both the Galaxy Watch 9 and the Watch Ultra 2 in China's 3C certification database. However, there's something missing: Apparently, we won't be seeing a new version of the Classic model.

The 3C certification does appear to list at least one spec for the two watches. The listing confirms that both watches will support 10W charging, which is the same as the Ultra Watch and the Galaxy Watch 8.

No Classic model?

A lack of a Classic model isn't too surprising, since Samsung typically releases it on a two-year schedule. So after last year's Galaxy Watch 8 Classic, we likely won't see it again until the Galaxy Watch 10 Classic next year.

However, at the end of May, Android Authority did find development codenames including one, 'wise9', which seems to indicate that a Classic model is in the works. "Wise9" would seem to signify the Watch 10 Classic, as the Galaxy Watch 8 Classic was codenamed wise8.

Currently, we lean toward trusting the certification listing, but it's possible Samsung could surprise us on July 22, when the launch is rumored to occur.

Jam-packed event

Galaxy Unpacked 2026 is likely going to be a full event in July.

Not only are we expecting the next Galaxy Watches, but at least three foldable phones. The usual iterative Galaxy Z Flip 8 and Galaxy Z Fold 8 should be accompanied by a new Galaxy Z Fold Ultra, a wider version of the Z Fold that's meant to rival the rumored iPhone Fold.

We could also potentially get another look at Samsung's 'Intelligent Eyewear' Glasses, which were previewed at Google I/O in May, though Samsung has confirmed that they won't actually release until the Fall.

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Samsung just announced a major update to the Samsung Health app for Galaxy Watch that launches on June 8. The announcement says the update will highlight "key health features" that will be included in the forthcoming Galaxy Watch 9.

“Samsung Health is evolving to connect health data measured by Galaxy Watch with AI-based insights, enabling users to understand their physical and mental condition more easily and intuitively,” said Hon Pak, Samsung's Senior VP and head of Digital Health Team for Mobile eXperience said in the announcement. Here's what's coming and they do.

Vitals

The biggest updates appear to be features that combine multiple data points for a more holistic look at your health. That starts with the new Vitals feature.

According to Samsung, Vitals analyzes five "key overnight bio-signals": blood oxygen, heart rate, heart rate variability, respiratory rate and skin temperature. These are measured against your resting baseline and the app will only send notifications if it detects "meaningful deviations," which could indicate that you need more rest or are fighting an illness.

There are supposed to be fewer notifications so that you're not overwhelmed.

Heart Health Score

Like Vitals, the new Heart Health Score tracks multiple data points and combines the information into a single daily metric. The data comes from the Vascular Load tracking introduced with the Galaxy Watch 8 last yaer.

Vascular Load monitors vascular stress via insights found in sleep, stress and activity monitoring. It's not combined with body composition data to create the Heart Health Score. This should give you a better idea of your heart health.

Samsung does stress that these features are for wellness and not for diagnosis or treatment.

Daily Cardio Load and Fitness Index

The next two features are fitness focused. Daily Cardio Load is supposed to help you understand accumulated cardiovascular strains. It can recommend training targets and rest times to help you train without risking burnout or injury.

Fitness Index "ensures exercise routines are working." It analyzes heart rate, V02 max, and daily steps against your peers. This is supposed to deliver personalized content and goals so that you can make targeted improvements.

Updated Interface and capabilities

To make these new features easier to understand Samsung says that the Health app introducing a streamlined layout that focuses on five "core pillars": Sleep, Activity, Nutrition, Mindfulness and Vitals. The update is supposed to let you quickly access daily wellness tips and your Energy Score from the home screen.

Additionally, Samsung is introducing a new "Hearing Health" feature that lets the Galaxy Watch monitor surrounding ambient noise to help protect your ears by determining if it's too loud.

Availability

Several times the Samsung announcement seems to indicate that these features will be a major part of the next generation of Galaxy Watches.

"The newly announced health features will first be available on the upcoming Galaxy Watch."

Confusingly, that seems to indicate that people using older Galaxy Watches won't be able to use anything in this update yet. We reached out to Samsung for clarity on this.

“The features announced today are part of an upcoming Samsung Health update. Availability of specific features may vary by device and market," a Samsung spokesperson told us in a statement.

I'm not sure that clears things up, especially in regard to what's coming to currently available Galaxy Watches.

Meanwhile, the Samsung Health app update starts rolling out on June 8. You do need have Android 11 or higher and Samsung Health app version 6.30.2 or higher to access these new features.

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Samsung kept things mostly the same with the Galaxy S26 Ultra this year compared to the S25 Ultra outside of the interesting privacy display. But next year's flagship Galaxy S27 Ultra could finally be the upgrade we're looking for.

A pair of leaks popped up over the weekend, which seem to show several major updates, including a crazy idea for cooling the phone. However, the biggest change is reportedly a much larger battery, which would legitimately be shocking since Samsung has kept the Ultra locked at 5,000mAh for the last seven years.

The battery leak comes from tipster Debayan Roy on X who released some specs for the Ultra.

S27 Ultra versus the S26 Ultra

Per Roy, the S27 Ultra should have a better OLED panel, improved chip set and the new LPDDR6 RAM plus a a battery that he has listed as greater than 6,000mAh. He also suggests it will have Qi2 charging, something that was rumored for the S26 Ultra but ultimately did not come to pass.

Here's how Roy's specs compare to the S26 Ultra.

The new 2nm Snapdragon combined with the LPDDR6 RAM should mean the S27 Ultra is far more efficient and powerful than the S26 Ultra. Additionally, it means that it should last longer and that's before you get to how it's getting a larger battery.

For some history, Samsung has used a 5,000 mAh battery in its Ultra series since the Galaxy S20 Ultra. That's seven generations with the same battery capacity. Yes, through more efficient chipsets and optimizations, Samsung has managed to improve battery life every generation — but it's been a surprising oversight on the company's part as rival companies are dropping 10,000 mAh silicon carbon batteries.

Cooling options

According to a new report out of the Korean publication Sisa Journal e, Samsung is apparently considering introducing a liquid cooling system in the S27 series. It's not something you often see in phones, though the RedMagic 11 Pro released in December 2025 does feature such a system.

As far as I know, Samsung last used liquid cooling in the Galaxy Note 9 which launched in 2018.

For the unaware, liquid cooling uses a sealed liquid (usually water) that circulates inside the device to rapidly dissipate heat buildup. Samsung is reportedly exploring liquid cooling or air cooling for its Galaxy phones.

Air cooling is faster than liquid but makes the phones heavier.

“Since liquid cooling using cooling fans has noise issues and many other limitations, we are focusing on liquid cooling and are considering a direction to maximize performance through a structure that connects directly to the AP," said Park Min, a Samsung senior researcher, at a seminar in Korea.

Apparently, Park noted that Apple has already started filing active cooling system patents, and Samsung is trying to be competitive with heat dissipation. "I believe commercialization is not far off," Park reportedly said.

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The rumored launch date for the Galaxy Z Fold 8 is coming up fast, and this year, we're expecting to see not one but two book-style foldables come out of Galaxy Unpacked. The first is the successor to the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7, which may have been renamed Z Fold 8 Ultra, alongside a squatter passport-shaped Z Fold 8 — previously known as the Z Fold Wide.

In case you were skeptical that the wider foldable would launch later this year, images of what seem to be the Z Fold 8/Wide have surfaced in the real world (via Ice Universe). Though, sadly, it's hidden under what's referred to as an anti-leak protective case, which limits what we can actually see.

The phone was spotted in Korea, in the hands of a person we can only assume is a Samsung employee. There isn't a lot we can actually see about the phone's design, since the case blocks most things, and Ice Universe claims that this is an internal case designed to protect prototype devices and prevent leaks. Considering how often unreleased phones have been spotted out in the world, that's definitely a smart move.

Despite the fact that there are minimal visible details, it's clear that this is the wider Z Fold 8 model. Not only is the device shorter and wider than a typical Galaxy foldable, but it also only has two rear cameras — a common feature of the various renders and dummy units we've seen so far.

The existence of a Z Fold 8 out in the real world also seems to confirm that this phone is ready to be released. Real-world testing is one of the last things you do with a smartphone, because there's no way a company risks repeating what happened to the iPhone 4 until all lab-based tests have been exhausted.

In other words, this is a strong indicator that the wide-shaped Z Fold 8 will appear at the rumored Galaxy Unpacked event next month. Though considering the Z Fold 8 has a similar design to the upcoming iPhone Fold, I would be shocked if Samsung didn't push out the new design before Apple's annual September event.

There's a lot we still don't know about the Galaxy Z Fold 8, beyond the passport-shaped design. Rumors claim that the phone will offer dual 50MP cameras and a 4,800 mAh battery, but very little else has actually leaked. This means, unless something big happens in the next month and a half, Samsung may actually have some surprises in store.

We'll have to wait and see what happens, but at the very least, we should get all the relevant information at Galaxy Unpacked — which is currently rumored to take place on July 22.

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For the last few years, a 240Hz refresh rate has been the standard for the best gaming monitors that promise buttery smooth performance. However, with Computex 2026 kicking off in Taipei this week, monitor manufacturers are cranking the Hz to the limit.

Our friends at Tom's Hardware reported that Acer is boosting its Predator gaming monitor up to 1,000Hz. And Samsung is expected to reveal 32-inch QD-OLED that offers 360Hz at 4K and 680Hz at 1080p, per PCWorld.

But unless you're a professional FPS gamer, you may not need those super speeds. Recently, my colleague Tony Polanco got a chance to check out LG's "world's first" 1,000Hz gaming monitor.

"All the slides moved very smoothly at 240Hz and up. I’m sure a eagle-eyed esports player could tell the difference between 1,000Hz and 720Hz, but I sure couldn’t," Tony wrote of the experience.

Tony also recently went eyes-on with Samsung's new 6K gaming monitor saying it "can offer a truly rich viewing experience."

One nice thing about these new super monitors is that it makes slightly older, but still quality monitors a bit cheaper. I've picked out four that you can pick up right now for under $1,000 and under $500 that still over 240Hz refresh rates and optimal performance.

240Hz OLED gaming under $500

If you're looking to save some money, then the HP HyperX OMEN QD-OLED and Alienware's new AW2726DM are both newer monitors released this year the won't break the bank. Neither monitor will blow you away with design or the best specs but they perform mighty well at their price point and tick all the right boxes.

Just under $1,000

These next two monitors are both bigger than the sub-$500 ones we looked at but also more expensive. However, Samsung's 6k monitor is expected to launch around $1,600 and the LG 1,000Hz beast is expected to be well north of $1,000 when it releases.

At launch both the Lenovo Legion Pro 34WD-10 OLED and LG UltraGear 45GX90SA had equally sky-high prices. However, they're both about a year old now and between sales and a natural price drop have reached friendlier waters.

The Lenovo has seen the biggest drop as it launched closer to $1,200 but is now only $879 on Amazon.

"The Legion Pro 34WD-10 is an excellent performer. The exquisite QHD OLED panel has enhanced every aspect of my gameplay, from immersion to performance. And having the space of the ultra-wide aspect ratio has been incredibly useful for operating multiple windows when working," my colleague Peter Wolinski said in his hands-on testing.

Meanwhile, the LG UltraGear is so good that we described as both a good gaming monitor and an impressively feature OLED TV. this set can pull some true double duty if you need. Problem is it launched with a massive $1,700 price tag. Fortunately, it's nearly halff off now.

If you're in the market for a new gaming monitor don't wait for spec monsters that you don't actually need. Try out any of these suggested monitors and your eyes will be in for a treat and a super smooth performance.

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Samsung has been king of the foldable phone business for so long that it should be terrified at the prospect of getting some serious competition. The impending release of the iPhone Fold (or iPhone Ultra if you prefer) could be the thing that finally topples Samsung from its throne. The Korean company looks to be pulling out all the stops to make sure that doesn't happen.

That's been particularly obvious from the latest batch of Z Fold 8 rumors, including one from prolific Samsung leaker Ice Universe. They claim Samsung has been working on reducing the crease of the Galaxy Z Fold 8 series — to the point where it's "as impressive as that of the OPPO Find N6."

Attacking the iPhone Fold where it hurts

The display crease has reportedly been a real sticking point for Apple and the iPhone Fold. It's been claimed that Apple intends to use the crease-free display as one of the iPhone Fold's key selling points, in an attempt to make up for the fact that it's pretty late to jump on the foldable bandwagon.

The Oppo Find N6 doesn't eliminate the crease, but the consensus is that it gets pretty darn close. If Samsung has managed to reach the same level, then it's going to be quite the achievement.

The only question is whether it will be on par with Apple, since the company is reportedly trying to outdo all other foldable phones in crease elimination. But the closer Samsung gets, the less impressive Apple's achievement will seem — especially since the Z Fold 8 series is arriving first.

Interestingly, rumor has it that Samsung Display is the company that developed the crease-free display for the iPhone Fold. However, it's unlikely that the iPhone display will be available for other phone companies, least of all Samsung.

Not only is the design likely a collaboration between Samsung and Apple engineers, but there will also be legal agreements in place to prevent the likely unique iPhone design from being utilized on other phones — especially future Galaxy Z Fold models.

An Apple-like design is coming

But there's more to the Z Fold 8 series than a little bit less display crease. Samsung's also releasing a second design at some point this year, with a shorter, passport-like look that is remarkably similar to the leaked iPhone Fold design.

Samsung experimenting with new looks and special edition models is nothing new, though. We already saw the release of the Galaxy Z TriFold late last year, and despite the fact that it was expensive and didn't stay in production for long, the response to the larger-screen foldable was positive. Likewise, we had the Galaxy Z Fold Special Edition, which formed the basis of upgrades that eventually landed on the Galaxy Z Fold 7.

That said, the fact that Samsung is releasing something so similar to the iPhone Fold — even if it isn't identical — doesn't feel like a coincidence.

If I were a betting man, I'd say that this was a way to gauge just how much more popular Apple's shorter and wider foldable design might be. It's important to know whether the iPhone Fold's hypothetical success is because of the design, the fact it's the only foldable iPhone, or some combination of the two.

What's in a name?

It's also been rumored that Samsung is renaming the eighth generation foldable "Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra," despite the fact that it's a follow-up to the non-Ultra Galaxy Z Fold 7. As for the name Z Fold 8, that is apparently being bestowed upon the new wider design, which everyone has been calling the Galaxy Z Fold Wide up until now.

Leaker Ice Universe claims that this decision has only been made recently. While Samsung has been using Ultra branding on various phones for decades, my cynical mind thinks it's a bizarre attempt to capitalize on Apple's first foldable. Since Apple's first foldable phone may be called iPhone Ultra, I imagine Samsung must have wondered why it hasn't done that yet.

After all, Ultra has been a staple part of the Galaxy S series for at least six generations, and there's no better way to declare that a certain phone is the best than adding a descriptive term to the name.

It's unlikely that Samsung will end its apparent campaign to oust the iPhone Fold before it even releases, but there are still plenty of things we don't know about both the Galaxy Z Fold 8/Ultra and the Z Fold Wide.

But since the phones are rumored to be coming at a Galaxy Unpacked event on July 22, we don't have long to wait to see what Samsung has in store for foldable phone fans — and what it thinks will be able to fight back against iPhone Fold. Let me know what you're hoping to see from Samsung in the comments below.

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We do a lot of stuff on our phones, and having an abundance of storage space can really come in handy — especially if you're finding your old 128GB of free space doesn't cut it anymore. But those storage upgrades can get very expensive if you're not careful, and the worst part is that you can't take them with you next time you buy a new phone.

A 256GB iPhone 17 costs $799, but a 512GB model is $200 more. That's $200 extra that you'll need to pay every time you buy a new iPhone, and all so you can maintain that same level of storage. Luckily, you don't have to pay for extra storage, and there are alternative options available that could save you money in the long run.

Cloud storage

I will caveat this particular point because cloud storage subscriptions are another kind of trap. It's one of the easiest ways to offload files and photos from your phone, but it also locks you into an ongoing subscription that you'll need to maintain for the immediate future. The cheap storage option you start with may start to fill up within a few years, at which point your options are to pay for more storage or end up back at square one.

But investing in a cloud subscription is an easy way to avoid the expensive storage upgrades, at least in the short term. For example, a 200GB iCloud Plus plan is $2.99 a month in the United States, or $35.88 a year.

You don't get quite the same amount of storage as upgrading to a 512GB iPhone 17, but you're also paying considerably less up front. It'd take five and a half years for your total subscription costs to hit the $200 mark, by which point you may be ready to buy a new iPhone anyway.

iCloud isn't the only option for iPhone owners, but it is the most convenient since it's owned by Apple. But if you're willing to forgo that convenience, you may be able to find a better deal with one of the best cloud storage companies instead.

Just remember that you need to maintain your cloud storage subscription indefinitely if you want to retain access. Stop those monthly payments, and you stop being able to upload new files — or in some extreme cases, you may lose access to the stuff you already uploaded.

Trading one recurring cost for another monthly bill is not always the most prudent financial choice you can make. Thankfully, there are other, more cost-effective options available.

It's also worth noting that cloud storage is an excellent tool for backing up your phone automatically, which can be a lifesaver in the event your phone veer gets damaged, stolen, or accidentally erased.

Buy a phone with a microSD card slot

These days, finding a phone with a microSD card slot is easier said than done. There are no premium phones that still offer expandable storage the way some of them used to, but phones with microSD card slots do still exist. One of our favorites is the Moto G 2026, which costs less than $200.

The downside is that these are often some of the cheapest phones you can buy, and have all the sacrifices and compromises that come with paying such a low amount for your phone. In some cases, that even means that you have no higher storage options, because there's only one variant actually on sale.

Then again, consistently picking a phone with a microSD card slot means that you never need to worry about transferring files to a new device ever again. You simply need to pop the memory card out of your phone and slip it into the replacement — a process that takes less than a minute. microSD cards are also portable, easy to upgrade and can be plugged into other devices if needed.

Considering these phones are already on the lower end of the pricing spectrum, you're technically saving even more than you would have done if you bought a flagship device. Just remember that you will need to be happy with the lower performance and weaker cameras that come with cheap phones.

Offload to external storage drives

The most cost-effective way to avoid having to continually buy high-storage phones is to invest in some external storage. Here, there are two routes: a network-attached storage, or a simple portable hard drive.

A network storage system will cost more upfront, but most can be configured so that you can back up your phone automatically to the drive, and then access it via the cloud, wherever you are. NAS drives also have other functions, like being able to store your music and movie collections, so it's more than just a one-trick pony.

The less expensive option is to purchase a portable hard drive or one of the best SSDs, ideally with a USB-C cable. A 1TB portable hard drive can be purchased for under $100 if you go with a lesser-known brand. Even the more well-known names, like Western Digital, Seagate, or Samsung, don't charge a whole lot more for similar levels of storage.

Just about every modern phone or tablet can connect to external storage of some kind, meaning you can plug your drive straight into your phone and offload files without using a desktop machine as an intermediary. Older iPhones with Lightning ports may be a little more awkward to handle, but that's due to slow transfer speeds and the shape of the port itself. But most of your issues will be alleviated with either an adapter or a Lighting-equipped USB cable.

The main downside here is that external storage is typically kept offline. While cloud storage is accessible anywhere, via the internet, offloading photos and files to a hard drive means you need physical access to the drive to reclaim your saved files.

Remote access can be an option with the right equipment and know-how, but it isn't a default feature. Likewise, there are hyper-compact SSDs out there that can snap onto the back of your phone via MagSafe, if you need regular access.

But then again, how often do you urgently need access to older photos and files? I'd wager that it isn't very often, which means external storage isn't quite so bad after all.

Learn to manage your existing storage

It doesn't matter what method you choose to avoid paying a premium for high-storage phones; you should always take the appropriate steps to ensure that the storage you have on your phone is adequate. After all, if you always have enough room on your device, then you don't need to spend money on extra storage — regardless of whether it's an external hard drive or an ongoing cloud subscription.

The best way to do this is to keep your storage requirements as low as possible and not fill it up with superfluous stuff that you don't need.

One part of this is keeping the number of saved photos under control, which can be handled in a number of ways. The main one is to make sure you delete downloaded content that you don't intend to keep, including any memes or files sent over via instant messaging apps. The files themselves may not be very big, but they all add up over time.

It's also possible to reduce the resolution of any photos you take with your camera. While high-resolution photos and videos may sound good, they take up a lot of space and the difference in quality usually isn't that noticeable to the casual observer. For instance, a 12MP photo I took on my Pixel 10 Pro is 1.9MB, while a 50MP shot is 8.6MB.

Shooting in RAW mode also means higher storage requirements versus JPEG. In my case, 12MP and 50MP RAW shots take up 12MB and 35MB, respectively. That single hi-res RAW shot takes up more space than 18 12MP JPEGs.

You also need to remember that mobile apps take up a lot of space, too, as do the various pieces of information they store. It's always worth checking the Apps menu of your storage settings and seeing which pieces of software are using up more space than they should. For instance, my camera currently takes up 2.47GB of space, with 1.09GB vaguely labeled as "User data," while Audible is taking up 3.46GB — 3.26GB of which are various downloaded audiobooks.

Try to give these apps a purge every once in a while, but since you often can't pick and choose which stray files get deleted, make sure that you don't end up erasing something that can't be recovered. Google Photos takes up almost 13GB of space on my phone, but since clearing the storage would also mean deleting precious photos and videos, I leave it well alone. So, if in doubt, let the app take up the space it needs.

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I discovered my Android phone was constantly sharing my location, microphone, camera, and contacts with apps running in the background. Most requests are legitimate — Maps needs location, your camera app needs camera access. But many apps hold permissions I'd completely forgotten granting months ago.

Google's Privacy Dashboard on Pixel phones shows exactly which apps accessed what data and when. If you're using a Samsung device, the feature is called "Permission Manager" and works similarly.

When I launched the dashboard, it was eye-opening — and not a little bit scary. Here's how to access the Privacy Dashboard on Pixel/Google Android, and take back control of your data.

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Samsung's iPhone Fold rival, the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Wide just appeared in a new leak alleging to show a dummy unit of the rumored foldable phone. If this is the true design, I could be convinced to finally make the leap to a foldable phone, especially one that may be among the best foldable phones.

The latest leak comes from regular tipster Sonny Dickson who described the wider foldable as "literally an S25 Edge thin when folded."

For reference, the Galaxy S25 Edge measures in at 5.8mm. Usually when foldables open, that number gets about halved, suggesting the Wide could measure in at 2.6mm(!) thin when unfolded. A USB-C port measures about that much, and based on Dickson's video, it certainly seems like that's the case.

The dummy unit may be a bit thicker than how the device will actually look in its final production. My colleague John Velasco noted that it appears that there's a gap between the displays when folded, which is important given how foldables a couple years ago were bent on eliminating the gap.

As we've seen in leaked renders, the wider Z Fold has a surprisingly broad cover display.

In a separate response to the video, Samsung leaker Ice Universe claimed that internal testers at Samsung are "very fond of this device." He also warned that this should be used as a rough reference since the build quality is "far from the real device."

A wider screen looks better

Last year, when Samsung experimented with its Galaxy Z TriFold, it proved that a foldable with more of a tablet aspect ratio could make for a great phone. That device features a 10-inch interior display that puts it closer to the size of the best tablets.

Samsung optimized a number of apps for the bigger display. It takes away the square aspect ratio of most foldables and treats it like a true display.

I love my iPad mini, and the rumored Z Fold Wide is supposed to have a similar 4:3 aspect ratio. As John Velasco points out, this wider display would actually run Android apps better, especially ones centered around video.

Outside of price, which will always put me off foldable devices, this new design actually makes me curious about the Z Fold 8 Wide and I really want to test it out now.

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If you were planning on picking up a Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 later this year, you might want to be doubly sure you're purchasing the correct model. According to a new leak, Samsung may be changing how it names its foldables this year, thanks to the release of what we've been referring to as the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold Wide.

According to Ice Universe, the wider-screen Galaxy foldable is going to be called the Galaxy Z Fold 8. Meanwhile, what should have been the Galaxy Z Fold 8, and the successor to the Z Fold 7, is allegedly being called the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra. Not only is that going to be somewhat confusing, but the name change could also have some serious ramifications for both devices (and their price tags).

And I have a sneaking suspicion that the impending release of iPhone Fold may be at least partly responsible.

Galaxy foldables are finally getting proper competition

This year is going to be huge for the foldable phone market, and it's arguably going to be the biggest year for the segment since the launch of the original Galaxy Fold back in 2019. And it's all because Apple is expected to release the first foldable iPhone, which is called either the iPhone Fold or iPhone Ultra, depending on who you ask.

The only real competition Samsung has had outside China for foldables comes from Google and Motorola, and the stats show that neither of them is selling enough foldables to usurp its position as the maker of the best foldable phones. But considering how successful the iPhone has been, the iPhone Fold is likely to be the first widely available foldable that could cause serious issues for Galaxy Fold sales.

The Galaxy Z Fold 7 wasn't quite as iterative as some of its predecessors, notably the Galaxy Z Fold 6, and did come with some much-needed hardware upgrades. The 200MP camera finally made an appearance, and the 4MP under-display camera was removed in favor of a far more capable 10MP hole-punch. The Z Fold 8, or Fold 8 Ultra as it may be called, is said to be upping the ante again with a larger battery and faster charging — two things Samsung's foldables sorely need.

But are these upgrades going to be enough to properly compete with an Apple foldable? That's unclear, but some of the leaks and rumors point towards the fact that Samsung does have concerns Apple may beat it at its own game.

The fact that the Galaxy Z Fold Wide even exists is indicative of that. Various leaks have made it clear that Apple is opting for a wider passport-shaped design with the iPhone Fold, compared to the taller and narrower Z Fold design we've seen until now. The similarities the Z Fold Wide's design has with the iPhone Fold can't be ignored, and just like the release of the TriFold, it feels Samsung is finally coming around to the idea that different designs may be better.

Plus, it can't be a coincidence that Samsung might rename the Z Fold 8 as Z Fold 8 Ultra. Even though Samsung has been using Ultra branding on the Galaxy S series for over six years, the sudden decision to add it to a foldable right before Apple does something similar seems fishy.

This wouldn't let the Z Fold Wide stand on its own merit

Of course, changing the naming convention like this has its own problems. Notably, you're suddenly attaching a premium name to what was, technically, the standard model. It has me concerned that Samsung may be about to increase the price of the Z Fold 8, under the guise of it being an Ultra device that requires an Ultra price tag.

A price hike was inevitable at some point in the near future, mostly thanks to RAMageddon and the increasing cost of actually building phones. But a price hike that ties into a name change would be a very cynical way to do it.

I could get on board if the Z Fold 8 were to end up with additional hardware worthy of the Ultra moniker. The return of the S Pen is a great example, and would help the foldable tie in with the Galaxy S-series' Ultra phones. But if it's another incremental upgrade, it's a name change for the sake of a name change. I didn't like the idea of the Galaxy S26 potentially being renamed Galaxy S26 Pro, and I don't like the fact that the Z Fold 8 could have the Ultra label slapped on just because.

As for the Z Fold Wide, a rebrand would effectively make the phone look like the sequel to the Z Fold 7 — rather than letting it stand alone as its own phone — as was the case with the Galaxy Z TriFold that was released late last year. We don't know a lot about the phone, thanks to limited rumors, but what I have heard has me feeling very ambivalent about the phone in question.

Various design leaks have shown that the Wide should only have two rear cameras. That seems to be happening a lot with new phone designs, like the Galaxy S25 Edge, and it's going to make the Wide look less appealing compared to its predecessors. Likewise, an apparent drop from a 200MP main camera to the rumored 50MP lens is not going to be a good look. Even if the second lens is also 50MP, and a noticeable upgrade from 12MP.

If I were Samsung, I'd be releasing the Z Fold Wide as its own phone, separate from the Z Fold 8. Much like the Z Fold Special Edition or the Galaxy Z TriFold, this would be an experiment to gauge the popularity and functionality of a passport-style foldable.

If successful, the lessons learned could be applied to future foldables — just as the Z Fold SE was effectively a prototype version of the Z Fold 7. If it's a failure, then lessons learned; Samsung hasn't launched what was supposed to be a new annual release only to find nobody wants it. That's a lesson it likely learned from the Galaxy S25 Edge; the Galaxy S26 Edge hasn't appeared yet for a reason.

Samsung needs to get it together

Rumors are rumors, and there's no guarantee that Samsung really will mix up the names of its upcoming foldables. Don't forget that rumors claimed the Galaxy S26 would be called the Galaxy S26 Pro, in a weird attempt to boost sales, but that didn't happen. The same could still be true of the Galaxy Z Fold 8 and the Z Fold Wide, and we won't know for sure until Galaxy Unpacked in July.

Then again, the rumored name changes certainly don't feel like a coincidence, considering the iPhone Fold is coming. Apple arguably poses the biggest threat to Samsung's foldable dominance, and it's going to be pulling out all the stops to try and keep the Galaxy Z Fold series in the top spot. Even if that means mimicking the iPhone Fold's design, and opting for some marketing trickery in the process.

But that feels like a big mistake on Samsung's part. I relish the idea of competition in the foldable phone space, but it should mean phone makers are pushing to make their devices the best they can be. Samsung has spent a lot of time letting its foldable phones stagnate, especially with the Z Flip series, and I'm hoping the iPhone Fold will be the kick in the pants it needs to actually try innovating and improving future models more than it has so far.

Just as long as it doesn't try to trick people into thinking its phones are something that they're not.

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Samsung phones are finally catching up with iPhones and other Android phones, with the news this week that Samsung Wallet will now support digital passports thanks to a partnership with CLEAR. That should make verifying your identity at the airport and other select locations a little more seamless than before.

Digital passport support has been part of Apple and Google Wallet for some time, but anyone using Samsung Wallet has been left out in the cold. Sure, some Samsung phones have access to Google Wallet as well, but it's not the default option and requires physically downloading it from Google Play. This change should help make everything nice and easy for Samsung users.

According to Samsung, the "Samsung ID with CLEAR" is backed by the information in your passport and lets you use the digital ID at over 250 TSA checkpoints without having to take out your paper passport. The ID will also be accepted at select sports arenas, though only the BMO Stadium in LA has been mentioned by name.

All the information is secured by Samsung Knox and encrypted on your device. That means it's not stored on any external servers, and it's only accessible via your passcode or fingerprint.

What you should know before you travel

The process of verifying your digital ID is quite easy and only requires you to scan a Digital ID QR code at the airport ID readers. However, this isn't an excuse to leave your passport at home, with the TSA guidelines stating that you still need to carry a physical ID in case any additional verification is required.

As with Apple and Google, there are some caveats to the digital ID in Samsung Wallet. The first is that it's only available to U.S. passport holders and isn't available for foreign passports. Samsung Wallet already supported digital driver's licenses, which were valid at eligible TSA checkpoints, so nothing has changed in that regard.

You're also only allowed to use the digital ID for domestic flights, and any international travel will require the same paper passport you've always had to use. That's all because international borders still aren't equipped for digital IDs, and turning up without a verifiable paper passport will mean you end up on the first flight back home.

Considering Apple and Google have supported digital passports for several months, it's good to see Samsung finally catching up.

We're still a long way from being able to completely replace paper passports when we travel, especially internationally, but if digital IDs can make airport security a little more painless, then I am all for it.

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The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8 is coming, joining the Galaxy Z Fold 8 at Galaxy Unpacked later this summer. While 2026 is bound to be a big year for foldables, fans of Samsung's flip-foldables may not want to celebrate. Rumors have been remarkably quiet about what the next Z Flip will offer, which suggests that we may not be getting any major upgrades.

To make matters worse, rumors suggest that this may be the last ever Samsung flip phone — at least for the time being. The rising cost of manufacturing, along with the Z Flip lineup's general stagnation, means that the Z Flip 9 may not happen. It's too early to say for sure, but it would be quite the shake-up in the foldable world if that were to happen.

But, for now, we can only focus on the next flip-foldable on the way. Here's what we know about the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8: Rumored Specs

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8: Release date & price

The Galaxy Z Flip 8 is going to be unveiled later this summer, with a special Unpacked event currently rumored to take place on July 22. Pre-orders will likely open that same day, and if experience tells us anything, it's that the phone itself will likely release roughly two weeks later — around August 5.

Pricing is unclear right now, but we'd expect the phone to cost the same $1,099 as the Galaxy Z Flip 7 and Z Flip 6. That said, with the number of price hikes that have been imposed on phones, including Samsung's own Galaxy S26 Plus and Galaxy S26 Ultra, there's no telling what might happen. Especially since it's been a couple of years since the last Z Flip price increase.

We obviously hope that the price stays the same for at least another year, but there's no telling what might happen.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8: Design & Display

We haven't heard many rumors regarding the Z Flip 8's design or its two displays. So we are more or less expecting the same look and shape as last year's model, though it's possible that there may be a few slight variations to be aware of. It's likely that the most we will actually see is a reduction in thickness, weight and bezel size. This is what's happened in the last few generations, at any rate.

This means you should expect to see a 6.9-inch folding OLED display, capable of offering 1080P resolution and a 120Hz refresh rate. Meanwhile, the cover display will presumably stick to the same 4.1-inches as the Z Flip 7, with the corner-to-corner display panel that surrounds the two main cameras. The smaller screen means it won't be a full 1080p, resolution, but we should still see the 120Hz refresh rate make another appearance.

The color options will presumably change for the new generation, but right now, we don't know what options will actually be available.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8: Cameras

We also haven't heard any rumors about the Z Flip 8's camera setup. It's unlikely we'll see any additional lenses, so expect a standard main/ultrawide camera array, plus a hole-punch selfie camera on the folding screen.

If Samsung opts for the same cameras as last year, we'll see a 50MP main lens, 12MP ultrawide and a 10MP selfie camera. Some of this hardware has stuck around for a few years, and it's about time that Samsung offered us some kind of upgrade. But considering the cost of manufacturing phones is rising, I wouldn't expect anything major. At most, a resolution bump to the ultrawide camera, and maybe a slightly better sensor.

Then again, things may be more or less identical to last year. It wouldn't be the first time Samsung offered an iterative upgrade to its flip-phone lineup. Just look at the differences between Z Flip 7 and Z Flip 6.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8: Performance

While the larger Galaxy Z Fold 8 is expected to run on one of Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipsets, the same may not be true of the Galaxy Z Flip 8. Last year saw Samsung equip the Z Flip 7 with one of its own Exynos 2500 chipsets, and signs point to something similar happening with the Z Flip 8, too.

Reports have suggested that the Exynos 2600 will be the brain powering the Galaxy Z Flip 8. That follows the example set by the Galaxy S26 and Galaxy S26 Plus outside North America, and would mean Samsung is pushing its own chips more than we've seen over the last few years.

While that news may be disappointing for some, benchmarking tests show that the Galaxy S26 and S26 Plus both performed fairly well with the Exynos chipset. Not quite as well as the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy, but it's a far cry from the disappointing performance of Exynos chips in the pre-pandemic years. Clearly, Samsung is putting the 2nm process, which offers better performance and efficiency, to good use.

As for RAM, things are a little unclear due to the ongoing memory shortages. Samsung has hedged a lot of its bets on AI, which requires a significant amount of RAM to operate effectively. But we've already heard rumors that some devices will be reducing the amount of RAM available.

The Pixel 11 may be one of them, with leaked specs suggesting the standard model will only include 8GB of RAM on models with lower levels of storage. Samsung may do something similar, downgrading the amount of memory from 12GB to 8GB unless you're willing to pay a premium for 512GB or 1TB of storage. Though things aren't entirely clear on that front at the moment.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8: Battery & charging

Samsung has offered small upgrades to battery capacity for the last few Z Flip releases. Whether that trend will continue for another year isn't clear, but considering what Samsung did with the Galaxy S26 and the 5,000 mAh battery rumored to be coming to the Z Fold 8, I'd say the odds are fairly high.

Sadly, the rumors suggest that charging speed won't get the same attention, with the Z Flip 8 reportedly coming with the same 25W wired charging speeds as before.

This presumably means that wireless charging will stick to 15W speeds, though it would be nice if Samsung upgraded to Qi2 technology — even if it doesn't come with magnets.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8: Outlook

There are still a lot of unanswered questions when it comes to the Galaxy Z Flip 8, but with Galaxy Unpacked just under two months away, there's plenty of time for the big secrets to leak out into the world. That said, what little we do know paints a rather boring picture — suggesting that the Z Flip 8 won't be hugely different from its predecessors.

If that's the case, then Samsung is going to have to make some magic if it's going to drum up the hype for this phone. No doubt the company will be focusing on Galaxy AI features, rather than the hardware alone, but it seems unlikely that the Z Flip 8 will have anything truly unique. At the very least, its newest features will be shared with its larger sibling the Z Fold 8, which may dampen the excitement for the smaller model.

Only time will tell, and we'll just have to wait and see what Samsung has in store for us when Galaxy Unpacked rolls around in July.

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I don't mean to brag, but aside from a little photosensitivity, my eyesight is damn near perfect. In the 30-plus years I've been alive, I've often been grateful for the fact that I don't need any sort of corrective eyewear to function. Unfortunately, in a world increasingly interested in the best smart glasses, that poses a problem.

I imagine that if I did wear glasses, I might be more enthusiastic about smart glasses as a whole. It doesn't matter whether we're talking about specs with built-in displays, like Meta Ray-Ban Display, or something that relies on voice and audio like Intelligent Eyewear from Samsung and Google. But the fact that I generally don't wear accessories on my face means the entire prospect of smarter eyewear does not appeal to me in the slightest.

I say this following the reveal of Samsung and Google's Intelligent Eyewear at Google I/O earlier this week. The glasses may not have displays or gesture controls, but the addition of Gemini and its connection to Google apps and services has wowed some of my colleagues here at Tom's Guide. And yet, my lack of eyewear experience means I can't really see the appeal.

What do smart glasses do?

Different smart glasses offer different features, depending on who made them and on the hardware available. Typically, these frames come with an integrated camera, microphone, personal speakers, and a way to interact with an AI assistant. For Meta Ray-Bans, that assistant is Meta AI, while the new Intelligent Eyewear from Samsung and Google is linked in with Google's Gemini.

While the basic hardware allows these glasses to be used as cameras or headphones, the extra capabilities are wholly dependent on the AI you have access to. Like smartwatches, they are essentially a way of interacting with another device, usually your phone, using voice prompts and commands.

Google revealed that Intelligent Eyewear will have access to a whole host of Google services, including Google Maps, which should give it a slight edge over platforms that don't have such a robust software suite to fall back on.

More advanced smart glasses have pushed the envelope a little further, with new hardware and ways of interacting with the glasses themselves. The Meta Ray-Ban Displays include a wristband that enables gesture control, as well as a small screen in your line of sight that adds visual information and apps to the mix.

Fully-fledged AR glasses are also available, with more robust eye-level screens. A good example is the Viture Beast, which is our current pick for the best smart glasses. However, these devices are a lot larger and more obvious, on account of the AR display needing more hardware to operate.

AR glasses certainly feel more appealing to me, as a non-glasses wearer, especially if they can overlay TV or monitor-style screens directly in my line of sight. But AI-only glasses are a much harder sell.

I already don't like using wearables

So I don't wear glasses to correct my vision, that doesn't mean I can't wear smart glasses anyway, right? Sadly, there are two main problems to contend with here. The first is that I don't have much interest in wearing glasses as a fashion statement, as was the trend 10-15 years ago when hipster culture seemed to be everywhere.

Wearing frames with blank lenses, or no lenses at all, is going to make me feel almost as ridiculous as if I had a curly moustache tattooed onto my index finger. Not to mention the fact that they're going to need cleaning regularly. I have to clean my sunglasses at least once a day, and I can't imagine having to voluntarily do that more frequently. I feel your pain, glasses wearers, I really do.

I'm also very aware of the fact that I don't really like wearables either. I've used a few smartwatches and fitness trackers over the years, and without fail, I will eventually stop wearing them because of the inconvenience. I know there are benefits to having a smartwatch, but the benefits don't outweigh the hassle of wearing and charging them.

The idea of doing this for a pair of glasses, and wearing them in a position that's almost impossible to ignore, is an instant turn-off for me. Especially when I remind myself that I don't actually like talking to AI assistants or chatbots, and prefer to do all my phone activities manually.

I can see the appeal for some, but not me

I can see why some people may find smart glasses an appealing prospect. If you're already wearing glasses on a regular basis, then the prospect of throwing some smarts into the mix might be quite appealing. If you're going to be wearing glasses to see, then you might as well let them multitask and add a little more convenience to your life.

Likewise, if you wanted to be able to take advantage of Gemini Live or other AI modes that benefit from an active camera feed, then face-mounted cameras make that whole process a lot easier.

But that doesn't appeal to me. I'm not the biggest fan of using AI in the first place, and without AI, those glasses are mostly pointless — especially if you don't need corrective lenses.

Plus, I've lost count of the number of sunglasses I've lost in various dumb and unlikely circumstances. I once lost a pair of sunglasses cycling over an intersection too fast, only realizing it after they'd been run over and destroyed. I absolutely do not trust myself with expensive sunglasses, let alone a hi-tech pair with electronics and a battery inside.

So Intelligent Eyewear might have a bunch of cool and interesting features, but they are definitely not going to earn a place on my wish list.

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Upgrading your phone can be an expensive endeavor, even if you spread the cost out over two or three years. Thankfully, you can offset some of the cost by either selling or trading in your old device. If you play your cards right and sell the right phone in the right place, you may even be able to save hundreds of dollars on the cost of your new device.

The question is, how do you actually maximize your phone's resale value and get the most money back for your used handset? Here are seven ways to help increase the value of your phone, and use it to reduce the cost of that shiny new device you've had your eye on.

The type of phone matters

It goes without saying that not all phones are equal when trade-ins are concerned. It's all about supply and demand: The more in-demand your existing phone is, the more someone is going to pay for it. For that reason, newer devices sell for more than older ones, while premium devices sell for more than their cheaper counterparts.

The $500 Galaxy A56 is not going to sell for anything like as much as the $1,200 Galaxy S25 Ultra, after all.

It's also worth noting that the brand of phone plays a big role. iPhones are very sought-after devices, and tend to hold their value better than other brands. Likewise, phones with ample brand awareness, like Samsung, are going to sell for more than devices from the likes of HMD or Nothing. So just remember that the type of device you have will limit how much you can actually get for your old phone.

Compare trade-in prices

How you sell your phone matters almost as much as the device you're actually attempting to offload. There are a bunch of different ways to sell or trade in an old handset. The most common methods are to trade it in when you purchase your new device or sell it directly to a reseller.

When it comes to making a decision, you should always check and compare trade-in prices. It's usually possible to get bonus trade-in credit during big sales events or following the launch of a new device. Considering the cost of a brand-new phone is not likely to differ much from retailer to retailer, finding the right trade-in deal could be the best option to lower the purchase price.

You may be wondering whether you could sell the phone yourself, because retailers are going to underpay to help them make a profit when they resell your phone. While this is an avenue that can be explored, you have to think about how successful you'll be.

Not only does it require more effort to sell your phone on eBay or Facebook Marketplace, but you may find that people are less inclined to buy from total strangers. Buying from a retailer or carrier comes with benefits like warranties and returns policies that you can't offer as an individual — which means you'd have to lower your asking price to entice potential buyers.

Use a case and screen protector

The best way to maximize resale value is to ensure that your phone is kept in good condition throughout its time with you. That means you should take steps to ensure it's kept safe and in good condition, ideally using a case and screen protector to minimize any potential damage that can occur.

While you may want to show off your phone in its full, naked glory, the fact is that phones are still incredibly fragile. No amount of durable materials or stronger display glass is going to change the fact that a single accidental drop could cause considerable damage. And just look at how easily the iPhone 17 Pro chips during everyday use.

Any case is better than none, though a specialized protective case is going to offer the most support. A damaged case may not be ideal, but it's far better than a damaged phone. Likewise, screen protectors are relatively cheap and come with tools that make applying them correctly easier than ever. After a few days, you may not even notice that it's there.

Sell before the next model launches

Most people will be trading in their phone because there's a new model that's just become available. This piece of advice may not apply to you. But if possible, you should always make sure to sell your phone before the newer model launches.

Why? This is because the unveiling of a brand new phone always causes the value of older models to decrease. Admittedly, trade-in prices can fluctuate throughout the year, but considering phone launches happen on a fairly regular schedule, it's easy to anticipate when the next big value drop will come.

But you can also make this work to your advantage. If you have a phone that's several years old and want to upgrade — but don't necessarily need the latest model — you should wait until after the company releases a new phone, and then look at the prices for the model it just replaced.

Unlock your phone

Nothing hinders a product's value more than having arbitrary restrictions imposed on how it can be used. And yet, it's common practice for phones to be locked to a specific carrier in the U.S. Needless to say, having a phone locked to AT&T, Verizon or some other carrier is going to be less valuable than a device that's fully unlocked.

If you originally bought a device that's unlocked, then you have nothing to worry about. But if you did get a carrier-locked phone, you should request that they unlock it for you. The general FCC guidelines are that carriers can't keep your phone locked for more than a year after its initial activation, but you will have to request it first.

It's also worth noting that different carriers have different policies on when they will fulfill an unlock request. T-Mobile and some of its subsidiaries will unlock your phone after 40 days, provided the device has been unlocked in full.

Others, like AT&T or Mint Mobile, will comply after 60 days, while Verizon does it automatically as soon as your device is fully paid off. So be sure to check your carrier for their specific policy and how you can file an unlock request.

Fix any damage

Obviously, if your device has any kind of visible damage, that is going to count against you when it comes to selling and trading in. That's especially true for any really obvious damage like a cracked screen or a weak battery. Fortunately, these are usually very easy to fix, either by taking them to a repair shop or doing the process yourself.

Sites like iFixit sell authentic parts for a range of phones, including iPhones and Pixels, while also offering tools and tutorials to help you along the way. If you're confident enough in your abilities, then it makes sense to fix any affected components yourself.

But, failing that, phone repair shops should be able to handle it for you without much issue — and with some kind of guarantee or warranty on the fix. Though this is obviously going to cost you a little bit more.

Include the original box and accessories.

If you're trading a phone into a carrier or retailer, there may not be much need to hand over the original box and accessories. But if you're selling directly or through a reseller, having those things could net you a few extra dollars of resale value. Plus, having the original box should offer a little bit more protection if you have to mail your phone somewhere.

Things to do before you sell your phone

Your phone is a precious commodity, and as such, you need to make sure you go through all the correct steps to ensure it's ready to be sold to a different person. We have a full guide on how to reset your iPhone correctly, but here are a few more tips to remember.

First thing is you should remove all the accessories, including the case or any grips you may have used. Leaving a screen protector on should be ok, so long as it doesn't show any visible cracks or signs of obvious damage.

Then you'll need to back up all your data and transfer your SIM and data to a new device. If you have a physical SIM card, that's as simple as swapping the card out, though eSIMs will need to be transferred. This process can differ depending on your carrier and device, but sometimes it can be done during the setup process. Check your carrier's pages to see what they have to say about this before you do anything.

Finally, you should do a full factory reset, which will wipe all data from your phone. Once completed, you simply need to package up your phone and do whatever needs to be done to get paid for it.

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The Samsung Odyssey G8 (G80HS) is the world’s first 6K gaming monitor, according to Samsung. While this 32-inch monitor focuses on high pixel counts, it also has two refresh rates that favor cinematic or competitive gaming.

I recently went hands-on with the G80HS at a Samsung event, and was stunned by the sharp picture quality it delivered in both its 6K 165Hz and 3K 330Hz display modes. Not only that, but the vibrant colors and smooth performance made me demo the monitor longer than I typically would. It’s a thing of beauty.

Though it doesn’t have an OLED panel, its ultra-sharp resolution and immersive 32-inch canvas make for a fun gaming experience. Here’s what I think of the Samsung Odyssey G8 (G80HS).

Samsung Odyssey G8 (G80HS) hands-on: Display

Naturally, the 6K resolution is the main draw here. And I have to say, it’s not just number-flexing.

When I played Cyberpunk 2077 on the Odyssey G8, I purposely focused on buildings in the distance. Despite being so far away, I could make out the individual windows and even the dirt around the building’s facade. Of course, objects in the foreground, like the car and the grimy streets I rode across, also came to life in stunning detail.

3K resolution is just slightly less detailed than 6K, but no less stunning. I’m used to 1440p monitors, so the step up from that is noticeable, even if it's not as sharp as 4K. I could tell the immediate difference when I switched between 3K and 6K modes. However, you’re not getting a diminished viewing experience with either mode.

We’d need to get the Odyssey G8 in for testing, but to my eyes, everything looked bright and colorful on the 32-inch display. I don’t know which display mode it was set to, but the colors didn’t appear overly saturated. Despite this not being an OLED panel, you still get excellent overall picture quality.

Samsung Odyssey G8 (G80HS) hands-on: Performance

Dual-mode gaming monitors are all the rage these days, and the Odyssey G8 follows suit with its two refresh rates.

6K resolution gives you 165Hz, while 3K mode bumps that to 330Hz. 6K 165Hz mode is ostensibly for “cinematic” games like Cyberpunk 2077 and Ghost of Tsushima, where you’d want the very best picture quality. Conversely, competitive gamers who need faster performance can flip over to 3K 330Hz. In this way, the G80HS is basically two gaming monitors in one.

Since I’m not a competitive gamer, I couldn’t notice a huge difference between the modes in terms of performance. However, I’m sure hawk-eyed Esports players will notice the difference right away. Regardless, both modes feel incredibly smooth and responsive.

Samsung Odyssey G8 (G80HS) hands-on: Design

The G80HS has the familiar design of the Odyssey series, with its sharp angles and relatively dark color way. Besides the display, the only other light source is the RGB ring around the monitor stand, which creates a nice glow when the monitor is close to a wall.

Other features include a flat stand that doesn’t get in the way of your peripherals, and easy access to the ports on the back. I was also able to raise, lower, and tilt the monitor to my liking.

Overall, this is a nice and practical design that keeps the focus on the game you’re playing.

Samsung Odyssey G8 (G80HS) hands-on: Outlook

Right now, the Samsung Odyssey G8 (G80HS) isn't yet available to purchase. However, it should cost around $1,600 on Samsung's online store. That's not cheap, but for what it offers, it could be worth it for you.

I’ve tested a lot of the best gaming monitors over the years, so it’s nice to have the Samsung Odyssey G8 G80HS flip the script by featuring a 6K resolution. That might sound ludicrous (and perhaps it is), but there’s no denying that it can offer a truly rich viewing experience.

I can’t yet say whether this should be the new standard, but it’s certainly impressive. I should have a full review of the Samsung Odyssey G8 (G80HS) soon, so stay tuned for more!

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A new report reveals some alleged specs for both the upcoming Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 and the rumored Galaxy Z Fold "Wide," which includes a bigger battery and improved cameras.

The leaked specs from the Greek publication TechManiacs (via GSMArena). The Greek leak shows some expected upgrades and updates, but another leak reveals a surprising lack of features that could make the Z Fold 8 a downgrade for some.

First, the specs.

Galaxy Z Fold 8 specs

Per Techmaniacs, Samsung will use the same Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 silicon as found in the flagship Galaxy S26 Ultra. No real surprise, as that's a trend Samsung has stuck with for a couple of years now.

The Z Fold 8 is supposed to weigh 210 grams and measure 4.1mm when unfolded, which is slightly thinner and about 5 grams lighter than the Z Fold 7. The 200MP main and 10MP selfie cameras would remain the same, but the ultrawide could bump up to 50MP. The leak doesn't mention the telephoto, but the Z Fold 7 currently uses a 10MP lens.

One nice upgrade is a 5,000 mAh battery that finally matches what's in the Ultra phones and is bigger than the 4,400 mAh in the Z Fold 7.

Galaxy Z Fold Wide specs

The rumored Z Fold Wide, which is reportedly being made in response to the iPhone Fold, got some specs leaked by Techmaniacs.

This includes a 4:3 aspect ratio, two 50MP rear cameras for the wide and ultrawide lenses, a 4,800 mAh battery, and weighs about 200 grams. None of these rumors is particularly new, but it does seem to confirm previous leaks.

But what's missing

Separately, a different leak from regular Samsung leaker Ice Universe revealed a surprising lack of features.

According to his most recent tweet, the Galaxy Z Fold 8 will not feature the controversial Privacy Display. This may be a boon for some, as complaints about fuzzy text and eye strain abounded when the S26 Ultra launched in March.

He also said that it would not have S Pen support. However, Samsung did ditch the S Pen with the Z Fold 7. The company blamed the foldable phone's thinness, though it has promised to develop a thinner, more innovative stylus. Ice Universe's claim does contradict a recent rumor claiming the Z Fold 8 would launch with a new S Pen.

Finally, since launching the original Z Fold, Samsung has slowly reduced the crease in the display. However, Ice Universe says the "crease doesn't improve much."

To be fair, it's much better on the Z Fold 7, but if Apple finally launches the iPhone Fold this year, that company's whole goal has been to eliminate the crease. The Z Fold 8 will look dated by comparison.

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So as you well know by now, the “intelligent eyewear” from Google and Samsung is launching this fall with designs by Gentle Monster and Warby Parker. While nobody was able to go actually hands (or eyes) on with these actual glasses, I did get to test the software that will be fuelling these specs and, well, the Ray-Ban Metas are kind of cooked.

Basically, everything AI-related that Meta has brought to the table in its past couple generations has been usurped by what is set to launch on Google’s glasses. We may not know what they will be called, and we don’t know the price. But if they’re competitive to Meta’s specs, Zuckerberg has a big problem on his hands.

Judging the styles

So we’ve got Warby Parker and Gentle Monster doing the designs, and I wouldn’t be surprised if most people went for the former. We only got to look at photos (ignore publications that said they got to “wear them all,” because they didn’t), so I can only give you my eyes-on perspective.

The Warby Parker frames look less daring and more subtle on your face, whereas Gentle Monster is looking to make a statement. Nothing wrong with that at all, but the aesthetic is not going to be for everyone.

As for specifics on them, Google didn’t share much. But with these prototype specs weighing less than 50 grams, I’m quietly confident that they will also be lightweight and wearable in the very long-term. Plus, they’ll definitely be prescription-friendly, as has been confirmed extensively here at I/O.

All-round smoothness

As for using them day-to-day, you’ll get your standard interface that uses your phone as the brains of your glasses, with a little bit of local AI to run the basics. It’s a method that has a proven track record so far, and they will be compatible with both Android and iOS devices.

Gemini Live is the key to making these true Ray-Ban Meta beaters, and it frankly makes Meta AI seem feeble in comparison. Rather than having to follow rudimentary vocal steps to do certain things, a press and hold on the stem turns it on and I’m having a full conversational interaction with the AI about the world around me.

As is the case with any of these demos, I had a bunch of props to work with — figuring out a Van Gogh painting, or going through a Korean cookbook and ensuring that the recipes are safe for my peanut-allergic friends to consume. In all of these, the AI voice is extra descriptive of its determination and provides a nice helping hand in a way Meta AI has never really done so.

Throw in all the Google app integration in here too and it gets even more interesting. You can receive a summary of your latest messages or turn-by-turn directions to the nearest bar (it’s been a long day, don’t judge me). It’s clear that a real-time AI like Gemini has been the missing link that’s going to bring everything together in a way that can reduce the number of times you need to pull out your phone.

Turning on the display

This is a feature that will not be coming to this first crop of smart glasses — they are all display-free. But the monocular waveguide display in this prototype does add some fantastic visual aids to some key use cases.

You’ve probably already read a lot about this when Mark went eyes-on with this same prototype last year. But to give you my thoughts, bringing Google services into a pair of smart glasses really brings a user-friendly advantage here with the likes of Google Maps and photo taking.

Seeing a little HUD give directions or a GTA-style radar when you look down for a nice street layout is a nice touch. Then the image generation efforts with Nano Banana were frankly hilarious. I took a picture of my camera guy and asked it to turn him into a superhero…what does GL mean? Also his name is Paul Antill as clearly stated on the badge, but now he’s Paul Arnold!?

Regardless, it’s clear that you’ll have plenty of fun with the generative AI experiences of these specs.

Watch out, Meta!

And all of this exposes that while the Ray-Ban Metas may have a couple of years headstart, the usefulness updates over time have been rather minor and slow in the progress of things.

I mean, sure, there are reminders of things, but do they actually mean something when they’re not integrated into your services that matter? Or do turn-by-turn directions really help when the mapping technology doesn’t hold a candle to Google Maps?

So, I say this to Zuck. You have about five months-ish to figure out how to compete with this. I’m not sure what the answer is, but Google is about to bring actually useful AI to smart glasses, and Meta AI needs to catch up fast in both a simple Q&A fashion and in agentic use, too.

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Considering Google I/O is a developer event that mainly focuses on software, it's rare to see any big hardware announcements. But that's exactly what's happened at this year's conference, with Samsung and Google offering a sneak peek at their new smart glasses — or "intelligent eyewear," as they've both put it.

The duo has unveiled two different designs, created with Gentle Monster and Warby Parker. These aren't AR Glasses that are designed to run on Android XR, though. They're more like the Meta Ray-Ban glasses, and are designed as a way to interact with your phone and AI with your voice.

Samsung describes the glasses as being "built to understand the world alongside users in real time," with the goal being to keep users connected while staying "hands-free and heads-up." In other words, it's a way of interacting with your phone without actually having to have it out of your pocket or bag — aided by Gemini.

Features mentioned by Samsung include notification summaries, the ability to add events to your calendar, navigation assistance, personalized recommendations about locations on your walking route, and even real-time translation. The translation sounds particularly interesting, because Samsung says it will be able to match the translated audio to the speaker's own voice, while also translating text on any signs or menus that you're looking at.

And yes, these glasses do have a pair of camera lenses on the front. That helps power various AI features and will offer the ability to take photos without your phone.

Samsung has made it clear that the Intelligent Eyewear isn't just about being able to sport technology on your face. It's about expanding the Galaxy device lineup in a way that merges fashion and technology. This is no doubt why Samsung is releasing multiple designs, in collaboration with other eyewear brands.

The first collections will launch this fall in "select markets," though Samsung doesn't offer any additional details beyond that. Presumably, we'll be hearing more at Galaxy Unpacked in July, ahead of a fall release date.

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One of the best things about modern smartphones is their ability to take excellent, almost-professional quality photos with ease. The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra is one of the best camera phones, packing in a 200MP main camera lens that few others can match. Not to mention a 50MP ultrawide camera, 50MP telephoto lens (5x optical zoom) and 10MP secondary telephoto (3x zoom).

However, the S26 Ultra is far from the only phone with such impressive hardware. The newly-released Oppo Find X9 Ultra also offers a 200MP main camera, but unlike Samsung, that high-resolution lens has not come alone. Oppo also included a 200 MP telephoto lens with 3x optical zoom as well, plus a 50MP ultrawide shooter and secondary telephoto lens capable of 50MP resolution and 10x optical zoom.

As we're fond of saying here at Tom's Guide, the camera hardware only tells part of the story. The quality of the final photo relies on so many other factors, including computational photography software. This means you can't conclusively say which camera produces better photos until you put them to the test.

So we did exactly that, taking over 150 photos with the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra and the Oppo Find X9 Ultra. So which one produced the best photos? Read on to find out.

Camera specs compared

Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra vs Oppo Find X9 Ultra: Daytime

When it comes to the main camera, the Oppo definitely has an advantage in terms of coloring. The photos came out richer and less washed out than the Galaxy S26 Ultra, which seems to have ramped up the brightness a little more than I would like.

That said, the coloring can't make up for the fact that the Galaxy S26 Ultra has produced much crisper photos with a lot more detail and less blur — especially when you look closely at the subject.

Winner: Samsung Galaxy S26

Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra vs Oppo Find X9 Ultra: Ultrawide

When it comes to the Ultrawide lens, the coloring comes out a little differently, with the Oppo offering a brighter and slightly more oversaturated shot compared to the Galaxy S26 Ultra. Both offer fairly similar-looking photos and the dynamic range on both is about equal.

But when it comes down to it, the Oppo has managed to pick up a lot more detail with its own 50MP ultrawide camera. Sadly, while the Galaxy S26 Ultra produces good photos at a glance, the quality is such that you would struggle to read the names on the memorial — an issues the Oppo didn't really have.

Winner: Oppo Find X9 Ultra

Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra vs Oppo Find X9 Ultra: Zoom (3x)

When it comes to the 3x magnification, I can't say either phone produced a particularly good shot. For Samsung, that's a little understandbale, since the 3x optical zoom is powered by a 10MP telephoto lens. But since the Oppo's 3x lens offers 200MP resolution, I had hoped for a better photo. Alas, this was not to be.

The Galaxy S26 Ultra suffers from too much brightness, to the point where you can barely see the brown in my smaller dog's fur. The Oppo manages to capture the colors a little better, without letting the sun overpower everything, but the quality is noticeably worse. Both dogs are blurry and out of focus, and in general it does not look like a good photo.

Winner: Draw

Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra vs Oppo Find X9 Ultra: Zoom (10x)

The 10x zoom is equally bad on the Oppo Find X9 Ultra, in fact, it almost looks like the same shot when you look closely. It makes me wonder whether The Oppo has cropped a higher resolution photo to give the illusion of longer optical zoom.

The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra shot is a significant improvement over the 3x magnification, likely aided by the higher 50MP resolution. The quality is significantly better, letting you almost make out a lot of the finer details on both my dogs. The shot is still quite bright, but its nowhere close to the brightness we saw on the 3x shot.

Winner: Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra

Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra vs Oppo Find X9 Ultra: Low Light

When it comes to low-light photography, it's clear that the Oppo captured a much better shot. Not only is its photo of the church brighter than the one from Samsung, but there's also significantly more detail on display — both on the church itself and the surrounding foliage.

Samsung's photo isn't bad, per se, and it features more natural coloring. However, the building is a lot blurrier, and the foliage looks more like a mess of green and brown. Overall, it's nowhere near as impressive.

Winner: Oppo Find X9 Ultra

Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra vs Oppo Find X9 Ultra: Selfie

The Oppo Find X9 Ultra has a 50MP front-facing selfie camera, and it's easy to assume that such a hi-res lens will run rings around the Galaxy S26 Ultra's 12MP shooter. But that's not the case. Both cameras produced some exceptional selfies, but there's a clear winner.

The Oppo definitely produced the brighter photo with more true-to-life colors, especially in the bright sunlight, but the finer details just aren't there. The Samsung managed to capture a lot of smaller details, including my dog's fur, as well as my own stubble and stray gray hairs.

It even picked up the loose dog hairs on my clothes, something that every Labrador owner will be able to empathize with.

Winner: Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra

Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra vs Oppo Find X9 Ultra: Portrait

It's a totally different story with Portrait mode switched on. It seems Samsung's selfie camera has given up, failing to adapt to the light shining through the trees and blurring up my face in the process of shooting the photo.

That's not to say the Oppo has fared much better, and the quality of the shot is significantly worse than the one taken by the regular selfie camera.

Still, the photo is a lot clearer than the one produced by Samsung, and the bokeh effect has seamlessly been applied around my person — adapting perfectly to the slightly unkempt nature of my hair. The S26 Ultra sadly added a weird halo effect around me, which makes a bad shot look even worse.

Winner: Oppo Find X9 Ultra

Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra vs Oppo Find X9 Ultra: Color

When it comes to color reproduction, it seems both phones perform similarly. While Oppo didn't focus on the flowers the way I'd prefer, you can't deny that it managed to recreate the various colors in the shot pretty well — from the orchid to the blue Ikea bag hanging out in the background.

Samsung's colors seem a little more vivid in this shot, but they are no less realistic compared to the Oppo Find X9 Ultra.

Winner: Draw

Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra vs Oppo Find X9 Ultra: Macro

Macro photography is a little tricky, especially since Galaxy S26 Ultra and Find X9 Ultra both have automatic macro modes that can't be triggered manually. This can lead to focusing issues with the final shot, and it was a recurring problem with the Galaxy S26 Ultra.

When the Galaxy could focus on macro shots correctly, the quality of the photos was impressive and on par with the Oppo Find X9 Ultra. Unfortunately, the issues actually getting the macro shots count against it, and it means the Oppo's consistently good photos come out on top.

Winner: Oppo Find X9 Ultra

Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra vs Oppo Find X9 Ultra: Panorama

The interesting thing about the panorama shots on both these phones is how they present the final product. Oppo's camera is narrower, but stretches the panoramic view out a little more — which means the scene doesn't look so bunched up.

Samsung does the opposite, squashing the landscape into a skinnier shot, but making up the difference by capturing more of the vertical axis. That certainly makes the Galaxy panorama look a lot goofier-looking when you look at the two side by side. To make matters worse, the actual quality of everything in shot isn't as crisp, which gives the Oppo camera a clear win.

Winner: Oppo Find X9 Ultra

Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra vs Oppo Find X9 Ultra: Verdict

The Oppo Find X9 Ultra camera is a lesson in why better camera hardware doesn't always mean better results. As impressive as its performance was in this shootout, across multiple key categories, I can't help but feel disappointed by its zooming performance.

The fact that a 200MP telephoto lens couldn't easily outmatch a 10MP lens is downright embarrassing. More so when you consider that the photo at 10x magnification was just as bad. Then again, the Galaxy S26 Ultra's awkward macro mode performance isn't exactly something to write home about.

Still, seeing the results of this shootout suggests that just because a phone has a grand history of taking better photos, it doesn't necessarily mean that it's always going to stay that way. It should be a warning to Samsung that it needs to stop being so complacent with its camera hardware — especially if the software isn't going to pick up the slack.

Both the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra and Oppo Find X9 Ultra can take some great photos. But it seems as though Oppo has the slight upper hand right now. At least in terms of background quality from its main and ultrawide lenses.

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Samsung has just announced that the One UI 9 beta program will launch this week. This means that Samsung Galaxy phone users will be able to try out an early version of One UI 9, which is based on Android 17, ahead of an official release sometime later this year.

According to Samsung, the beta will start on Galaxy S26 series phones, which means it's now open to anyone with a Galaxy S26, Galaxy S26 Plus or Galaxy S26 Ultra. Presumably, the beta will be available on older devices at some point too, but Samsung hasn't revealed any details about a wider rollout.

One UI 9 beta — all the upgrades

According to Samsung, the One UI 9 beta has offered "several updates across key areas of the mobile experience." Here are all the upgrades we know about so far.

Samsung Notes is getting an array of new tools, including a bunch of different pen line styles and decorative tapes. That should help enhance your note-taking experience beyond scribbling down words in a hurry with the S Pen. Meanwhile, the Contacts app now offers direct access to Creativ Studio, letting you create personalized profile cards without having to manually switch apps.

Samsung has also updated the Quick Panel, with the aim of giving users better control over the layout. This means One UI 9 will have adjustable widgets for brightness, sound and media, plus added size options to suit the user's own personal preferences.

Accessibility settings will add adjustable Mouse Key speeds, and a combined TalkBack package that merges features that had been available in Google and Samsung's separate offerings in the past software. Text Spotlight will also be able to display text that is larger and clearer in its own floating window to make reading easier.

One UI 9 also promises enhanced protection against threats and suspicious apps. The software will now block execution and installation, while warning the user and recommending they delete the potentially malicious application.

How to sign up for One UI 9 beta

The One UI beta program is only available in certain regions, with Samsung confirming that it's open to Galaxy phone users in Germany, India, Poland, South Korea, the U.K. and the U.S. If you live anywhere else, then you're out of luck and will have to wait before you can install One UI on your phone.

Signing up for the beta happens in the Samsung Members app, which is available from Google Play and the Galaxy Store, assuming it's not already installed on your phone. You'll then need to find the Beta Program tile and join any open beta tests that are available. However, there may not be any open spots, at which point your One UI 9 beta journey will end.

Once you sign up for the beta in the Members app, you'll have to head to Settings > Software Update > Download and Install, then install the relevant beta program. You'll then have to let your Galaxy run through the install process, which includes a restart, at which point the One UI 9 beta will be available to you.

Just be aware that beta software comes with some risks, and it may not work as smoothly or seamlessly as you might like. So before you upgrade to One UI 9 beta, be sure to back up all your data, and make yourself familiar with the steps needed to remove the software in its entirety — a process that involves leaving the beta and rolling back to a previous stable version of One UI with the desktop version of Samsung's Smart Switch software.

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"If you see a stylus, they blew it." Those words came out of Steve Jobs' mouth during the unveiling of the very first iPhone almost 20 years ago. I'm coming at you today to tell you that Jobs was wrong, though not in the way you might think. "Stylus" isn't a dirty word, and smartphones can gain a lot from them. But that doesn't mean phones should be overly reliant on their own miniature fake pens.

The year 2007 was a very different world for smartphones, and the idea of offering a device that only offered touchscreen controls was considered madness by many people. It was a world where phones were built around imposing physical keyboards, a lot of buttons and the tickety-tack of the stylus as suit-clad businessmen went about their day.

Late '00s touchscreens were absolute garbage by modern standards, and Apple was aiming to influence the hearts and minds of consumers with its multi-touch displays. Obviously, that gamble paid off in more ways than Apple could have predicted, and it only took a few years for touchscreens to dominate the smartphone industry and obliterate the alternatives' chances of regaining their lost glory.

With hindsight, it's clear that Jobs was going nuclear on the stylus to emphasize just how good the iPhone's touchscreen actually was. Nothing shows a lack of confidence like having a backup for your game-changing new technology, after all. But touchscreens have long since proven themselves, and the limitations of the technology are just as clear as the benefits. This means it's high time that stylus support made a comeback and fixed some of the lingering touchscreen issues.

The stylus can do the things your fingers can't

Take a look at your fingers right now, and then think about them in relation to the icons on your phone screen. Odds are, unless you have abnormally large fingertips, that they're almost perfectly sized to control the vast majority of what's happening on your phone screen.

That's by design, because it doesn't matter whether you have the skinniest fingers in the world, they're not going to be small enough to offer a great deal of finesse on a touchscreen. It's why your app icons look the way they are, and why menus and other on-screen graphics tend to be much larger than you'll find on Windows PCs or Macs.

Some things are significantly harder, or downright impossible, to do with your finger on a touchscreen compared to some kind of writing implement. If you've ever had to sign for a delivery on a tablet, and end up giving up signing your actual signature in favor of a random squiggle, then you'll know what I'm talking about.

I've used many different stylus-friendly devices in recent months, and each device has shown me the merits of being able to interact with your phone using a utensil rather than being stuck with your hands.

Stylii that get it right

TCL's Nxtpaper 70 Pro stylus is the closest I've come to emulating the experience of writing on paper, which has been incredibly satisfying when taking notes — even if the stylus itself is a little small to be comfortable over long periods. Likewise, the S Pen on the Galaxy S26 Ultra has such a fine tip that it's capable of hitting very specific points on my screen. That's been especially useful if I ever need to edit on my phone, rather than a laptop, since the S Pen offers noticeably more accuracy than my fingers ever could.

Meanwhile, the Apple Pencil (USB-C) that I use with my iPad 10 is a fairly basic stylus in the grand scheme of things, but the pen-like size and design mean it feels a lot more natural compared to the smaller smartphone-friendly styli. That's ideal for more accurate drawing, signatures and writing that involves more than just hastily scribbled-down notes.

There are plenty of things I would change, but since I have never had the opportunity to use an Apple Pencil Pro, I can't say whether Apple has already tackled them on more premium devices.

But as useful as using a stylus can be, smartphone makers need to make sure they don't fall back on the kind of habits that Steve Jobs and Apple were fighting against back in 2007 — and turning it into a crutch that's needed for every last function

Overreliance would be a recipe for disaster

Back in the pre-iPhone days, the stylus was everywhere, and you couldn't really find a touchscreen that didn't utilize one. Heck, even gaming wasn't immune to their influence, following the 2004 release of the Nintendo DS. iPhones helped show that you didn't need a stylus if the touchscreen was built correctly.

Nowadays, the stylus is a useful tool, but it's also incredibly niche and a bit of a hassle to use. Touchscreens and mobile keyboards have improved to the extent that attempting to type with a stylus is significantly slower and less efficient than simply using your hands. Even on a tablet, which arguably has more to gain from stylus support thanks to the larger screen, my experience is that attempting to use a stylus in place of regular touch controls only causes more problems.

You also need to remember that very few stylus-friendly phones actually take the stylus into account during the design phase. Unless you have a Galaxy S26 Ultra, which has an S Pen slot in the bottom left corner of the phone, you're going to need to find an alternative method of stylus storage. But even if you can get hold of a special case with stylus storage, it's going to take up more room than it otherwise would have — and that does get in the way very easily.

What I'm saying is that it doesn't matter how useful a stylus might be; using them is actually very inconvenient. I can't tell you the number of times I unclip my Apple Pencil from my iPad and find that the battery has run out — rendering it a useless hunk of plastic until I can source a USB-C cable.

Potential problems differ from stylus to stylus, and are wholly dependent on the design in question. Still, the possibilities of something going wrong are far higher than they are with a touchscreen, and the last thing anyone wants is to lose access to their phone because something went wrong with the stylus.

Bottom line

My current daily driver is a Pixel 10 Pro, and like other Google phones, it has absolutely no stylus support whatsoever. Obviously, I don't count the cheap rubber styli that are about as effective and useful as a wet paper bag full of eggs. Considering how most smartphones are designed with touch in mind, stylus support isn't exactly essential.

But it's also not essential that I eat a family-size bar of chocolate in one sitting; it doesn't mean I'm not going to do it when given the opportunity. Stylus support may not be an essential part of the smartphone experience, but it is still nice to have it — if only for the niche activities that fingers aren't really suited for.

I will admit that a stylus fits better with tablets, as the larger screen gives the fake-pen a lot more to do. But this doesn't necessarily mean that we should prevent them from being used on more smartphones. Over-relying on the stylus is a bad thing, as is forcing a potentially expensive peripheral on users that may not want it. But the stylus can still enhance the smartphone experience in a few crucial ways, and that definitely needs to be explored more.

So it's about time we stopped taking 19-year-old snide comments about obsolete technology as absolute gospel. And yes, Apple, that does mean you should offer a stylus with the iPhone Fold.

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A new report claims Samsung is developing a holographic smartphone display that could be used in a future spatial phone. The claims from the leaker Schrödinger on X span a series of posts that assert Samsung is "moving its 3D plate tech to mobile."

They shared screenshots of texts with someone alleged to be a supply chain insider familiar with Samsung's operations.

The rumored display, codenamed MH1 or H1, is not a "revival of the 3D displays" from a decade ago. Apparently, the H1 combines eye-tracking with "diffractive beam-steering," which is supposed to allow the holographic images to dynamically react to your position.

This would allow a holographic layer in the display to create depth that "appears to extend beyond the screen." It would do this without the need for glasses.

Per the unnamed insider, Samsung has patented algorithms that allow users to "tilt" the phone to see around objects in a video, a la spatial displays.

In a follow-up blog post, Schrödinger notes that the project remains in phase one of research and development. He suggests that 2030 could see the debut of holographic phones, but time will tell how accurate that prediction is.

The "secret insider" claimed there are supply-chain rumors about an Apple spatial iPhone. Samsung's push into spatial mobile is a head start for the company, but Apple is clearly interested in spatial computing and is working on ways to use the tech.

Not entirely new

Samsung has potentially been working on it for more than a decade. The company published academic work regarding holographic displays in 2020.

That report detailed eight years of trials using steering-backlight units to increase viewing angles for holographic videos, a major obstacle in getting the technology into small mobile devices.

“While a conventional display depicts images based on light intensity, holograms control not just the intensity of light but also its phase to produce images that appear three-dimensional," Hong-Seok Lee of the Samsung Advanced Institute of Technology said at the time.

Samsung patented a phone display that displays holograms as early as 2018.

Samsung isn't alone, as Apple has various patents going back years surrounding holograms. As we await the rumored Apple Glasses, in 2019, Apple received patents for holographic tech that could appear in glasses. MacRumors reported in 2008 that Apple held a patent for glasses-free autostereoscopic displays capable of delivering a personalized 3D image.

Last month, incoming CEO John Ternus and Apple SVP Greg 'Joz' Joswiak described spatial computing as "inevitable" and in the "early innings" in our interview with them.

“There's some inevitability to combining the digital and physical world,” said Joz. "That's what spatial computing was all about. I can't give you a timeline for when spatial becomes anything else, but you know it's an inevitability. Of digital and physical worlds coming together.”

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More than driving stock prices higher, the AI boom is now triggering billion-dollar labor battles. In one of the clearest signs yet of how valuable AI infrastructure has become, workers at Samsung Electronics have rejected a bonus package worth up to $340,000 per employee, according to Tom’s Hardware. Instead, they’re pushing for a compensation structure that could bring payouts closer to $1 million, and they’re willing to strike to get it.

At the center of the dispute is the question of if AI is generating historic profits, who gets to share in them?

Why a $340,000 bonus wasn’t enough

Samsung’s semiconductor division has been riding the wave of AI demand, particularly for memory chips used in data centers and AI systems. To reflect that success, the company reportedly offered workers a bonus tied to a percentage of operating profit.

On paper, it’s an eye-popping number, roughly $340,000 per employee. Yet, workers are rejecting it. The issue is that the bonus is structured as a one-time payout, not a recurring annual share of profits. For employees watching the AI boom accelerate, that difference is huge. In their view, this isn’t a one-off windfall, it's the new normal.

The $1 million comparison changing everything

Fueling the backlash is a direct comparison to rival SK hynix, which has become one of the biggest winners in the AI chip race. Thanks to its dominance in high-bandwidth memory (HBM), a critical component used in systems powered by Nvidia GPUs, SK hynix is seeing massive demand from AI companies building out infrastructure.

For SK hynix employees, that success is trickling down. According to the same Tom's Hardware report, SK hynix workers could receive payouts approaching $900,000 to $1 million under their current compensation structure. That comparison has shifted expectations for Samsung employees dramatically. What once looked like a generous bonus now feels, to some workers, like falling behind.

A strike that could cost billions

The dispute is escalating quickly, with Samsung workers threatening an 18-day strike. It's a move that could disrupt the global supply of AI-critical chips at a time when demand is already outpacing supply. The potential financial impact could range from roughly $6.9 billion to $11.7 billion in losses if production is significantly affected. This means it isn't just a Samsung problem; it could ripple across the entire AI ecosystem, from cloud providers to companies building next-generation AI tools.

Beyond the bonus size, what makes this situation stand out is the way the AI boom is changing employee expectations. Until now, semiconductor manufacturing was seen as a high-tech but relatively traditional industry when it came to employee payouts. But now workers are beginning to treat AI profits the way Wall Street treats trading gains, essentially something to be shared continuously, not handed out once.

The bottom line

This moment is showing that the AI race, once framed around which Big Tech is winning or building the best models, has shifted to the people building the foundation.

From chip engineers to factory workers, we're starting to see a bigger demand for a more consistent share of the upside. And if Samsung’s situation is any indication, this might not be the last time the AI boom leads to standoff.

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If you have one of Samsung’s new Galaxy S26 smartphones, Now Nudge is an exciting AI feature that can save you time and help you out, without you even asking. Now Nudge is part of Samsung’s Galaxy AI suite of tools, and launched with the Galaxy S26 series in early 2026.

It’s similar to Google’s Magic Cue on the Pixel 10 series, as both aim to proactively provide useful information and suggest actions based on what’s being displayed on your screen.

Now Nudge isn’t technically a new technology, but it is new for Samsung phones, and Apple currently doesn’t offer this level of AI integration on iPhone. It’s likely only a matter of time until it does, though, with iOS 27 tipped to bring a major AI overhaul to the iPhone.

What phones can I use Now Nudge on?

Samsung’s Now nudge feature is only available on the flagship Galaxy S26 series. If you don’t have one of the three following phones, you won’t be able to access it.

• Samsung Galaxy S26
• Samsung Galaxy S26 Plus
• Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra

There’s no word on whether Samsung will bring this AI feature to any of its other devices, but it’s likely to feature on the upcoming Galaxy Z Fold 8 and Z Flip 8 when they arrive later this year.

It’s worth noting Now Nudge currently supports 13 languages: English, Portuguese, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Thai, Polish, Vietnamese, Hindi. If your phone language is set to anything else, this feature won’t work for you.

How to enable Now Nudge

There’s a chance you already have Now Nudge enabled, as it’s included in the general AI features acceptance when you set up a new Galaxy S26 device. Here's how you can double-check, or get it working if you're setting your phone up for the first time.

What can Now Nudge do for me?

Now Nudge becomes more powerful and more useful, the more you use your phone. Actions such as organizing meet-ups with friends, adding your work calendar, taking photos, making restaurant reservations, and booking flights can all be taken into account when Now Nudge proactively searches for useful information.

The AI can understand the context of your text conversations, and scans the data on your phone to surface relevant information to help you seamlessly pull up booking information, share photos, open a location in Maps, add an event to your calendar, and more.

A Now Nudge prompt appears as an icon in a bar above the keyboard, and will be labelled according to either the action it’s suggesting, such as ‘Add event’ or ‘Share photo’, or the information it’s trying to flag to you, such as a phone number or reservation details.

Tapping the icon will then trigger the action being suggested, without you having to leave the messaging or social app you’re currently in and having to navigate elsewhere.

Now Nudge is just one of several Galaxy AI features, and builds on Now Brief and the Now Bar that Samsung introduced over a year ago. While Now Nudge feels a little limited in places at the moment, we expect Samsung to continue developing the feature and opening it up to more apps and data opportunities.

If you want to learn even more about the Galaxy S26 series, we spoke to Samsung's senior VP of mobile product development, Drew Blackard, who answered your burning questions about the firm’s latest phone series.

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Samsung has reportedly been developing a Galaxy Ring sequel since last year, but a new article claims it's "virtually impossible" for the Korean tech giant to release the Galaxy Ring 2 this year.

Instead, according to the Korean publication ETNews, Samsung is aiming to debut the Ring 2 in early 2027. Apparently, the release schedule is being reevaluated around the growth of the smart ring market and the launch of other flagship devices.

The Galaxy Ring is already one of the best smart rings available, and the next iteration will reportedly focus on longer battery life, better comfort and new sensors.

Rumored Samsung Galaxy Ring 2 improvements

Starting with comfort, the Galaxy Ring 2 is supposed to be thinner and weigh less thanks to optimized component placement. It was not reported by how much or how the components will be laid out.

When it comes to longevity, the Galaxy Ring is rated at seven days for its battery life, though we found it closer to six. According to ETNews though, the next iteration should improve this to 9-10 days.

Sensor functions are supposed to be enhanced including improved sleep analysis and advanced body temperature sensors. There will also likely be "expanded insights related to cardiovascular health."

Allegedly, Samsung is working on integrating blood glucose measurement technology, but it may not debut on the Galaxy Ring. The struggle centers around accuracy, regulatory approval and the implementation of "ultra-small sensors."

We may see this appear on the Galaxy Watch first, though we've seen rumors regarding that feature as far back as 2021.

Interestingly, ETNews suggests that Samsung is considering dividing functions in the Ring and Galaxy Watch. The Ring would focus on sleep and daily health data in combination with Galaxy AI and Samsung Health. The Galaxy Watch would handle exercise, notifications and app functions.

If the schedule holds, we could see the Galaxy Ring 2 launch alongside the Galaxy S27 lineup in early 2027, likely around January.

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Various iPhone Fold design leaks, including a video hands-on with an alleged dummy unit, have shown that Apple is offering a brand new take on the foldable form factor — with a device that is shorter and wider than existing devices. But the iPhone Fold won't be alone, thanks to the impending release of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold Wide.

We've already seen some glimpses of the Z Fold Wide's design, and new renders have appeared online via The Cipher Project on Telegram. The renders apparently come from One UI 9, which is expected to be released later this year, and show off the general screen design of Samsung's upcoming foldable.

While it's not quite so easy to tell without seeing these devices side by side, it looks like the Z Fold Wide won't be quite as extreme as the iPhone Fold. It does look wider than the Galaxy Z Fold 8, as showcased by similar renders uncovered by Android Authority, but it still looks taller and narrower than what Apple has in store.

Rumors claim that the Z Fold Wide will have a 7.6-inch main display and a 5.4-inch cover display. Though given the new design, that only tells us part of the story, and isn't a true indicator of screen space.

Obviously, we can't fully compare these phones until we see the real things side-by-side, but it will be interesting to see how Samsung's "Wide" design compares to other foldables on the market — and which look is most advantageous.

The renders also reiterate that the Z Fold Wide only has two rear cameras, similar to what Samsung did with the Galaxy S25 Edge. Sadly, it's unclear what the situation is with selfie cameras, with some renders showing nothing at all, while another reveals a hole-punch camera in the cover display.

We also get to see a facsimile of the lockscreen on both displays, though this doesn't show us very much. All we can see is a clock, the Now Brief bar and two shortcuts — all of which are available on existing Galaxy phones.

There's still a lot we don't know about the Z Fold Wide, and leaks haven't been particularly forthcoming about the kind of hardware we can expect. Hopefully, we'll be seeing comparable hardware to the Z Fold 8, which means that there should be a large 5,000 mAh battery, 25-45W charging and high-resolution cameras.

Stay tuned for more leaks between now and Samsung Galaxy Unpacked this summer.

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I’m no stranger to the concept of a good ol’ fashioned street price. In the TV business, new models often launch at a set price only to see some small- to medium-sized discounts shortly thereafter. In many cases, the original MSRP remains on the page, and for folks clicking around on Best Buy, Amazon or a brand’s online store, the red-colored savings indicator can be enticing.

Hisense isn’t a stranger to this, either — I’d wager that the majority of Hisense TV launches I’ve covered over the last decade have dabbled in the art (perhaps science?) of the street price. But I’ve never seen anything like what’s happening with the Hisense UR9, the brand’s highly-touted, first-ever RGB LED TV.

After just a week and a half on shelves with an MSRP of $3,499, the 65-inch Hisense UR9 is already on sale for just $1,999 at Best Buy. The $1,500 discount is bigger than any street price-related reset I’ve ever seen. Here’s what this situation tells us about the state of the RGB LED TV market.

The UR9 faces fierce competition

While keeping in mind that I'm not working off inside information, here's my read on the Hisense UR9's sudden, steep drop in price: No one's going to undercut Hisense.

Since their surge in the North American TV market about a decade ago, Hisense has been a TV brand associated with value. Hisense representatives will be the first to tell you this, too; I've heard them proudly reference their reputation for over-delivering on reported performance specs, very often at lower price points than their competitors.

But with the biggest names in the TV industry launching their own cutting-edge RGB LED TVs in 2026, this narrative was about to shift.

As you can see in the chart below, the 65-inch UR9 was sitting on shelves next to a 65-inch Micro RGB TV from Samsung with a heftier price tag — $300 worth of additional heft, to be precise. As the only two TV-makers currently offering 65-inch RGB LED TVs, Samsung was poised to be the value-conscious pick at this popular size point.

Additionally, at the 75-inch size point, the UR9 was a whole $500 more than the Samsung R95H. That doesn't seem much like the Hisense that I know, the brand that over-delivers at a lower price point than its rivals.

With these new sale prices in effect, the 65-inch UR9 is now $1,200 less than the 65-inch R95H. The 75-inch version is $1,500 to $2,000 less than the 75-inch R95H and the 75-inch LG MRGB95. Perfectly balanced, as all things should be? If you're Hisense, maybe.

Bear in mind that we're almost sure to see some sale pricing for LG and Samsung Micro RGB TVs in the coming months. TCL — whose sole RGB Mini-LED TV is only confirmed to exist in three sizes at 85 inches and above — will likely drop in price throughout the year, too.

And then there are the step-down RGB LED-based models from Hisense and Samsung: the UR8 and R85H. We've yet to test these sets, but I'm interested to see how they stack up against their flagship-level counterparts. It seems logical that the steep sale pricing on the UR9 could potentially have ripple effects on the UR8, too.

Should you buy the Hisense UR9?

If you're looking for bright, sizzling performance, a ton of features and the satisfaction that comes with getting in on the ground floor of a brand-new display technology, the Hisense UR9 is officially the most affordable way to do so. If you were on the fence about splashing out on this TV a week ago, this newly minted street price is bound to be tantalizing.

However, if you need some excuse — anything at all — to persuade you away from buying a flashy new TV right now, I can certainly help with that.

Are RGB LED TVs worth it? Well, having spent some time with a few of them, I can say that their performance ranges from "pretty good (if not a little disappointing)" to "excellent." And, for what it's worth, that level of "excellent" is closer to being on par with some of the best quantum dot-equipped Mini-LED TVs I've ever seen, so your mileage may vary on whether you think that justifies these prices.

In our full Hisense UR9 review, my colleague Dylan Haas remarked that, while the UR9 fared well in our tests, its color performance during real-world use didn't seem to meet the impressive nature of the numbers. In other words, a classic case of looks good on paper.

Its 3.5-star review isn't indicative of a bad TV, though, and the UR9's bright performance sounds best suited for bright-room viewing. Maybe, with its new sale price attached, the UR9 can find a groove as the most-affordable flagship RGB LED TV rather than a potentially tough sell.

More from Tom's Guide

• OLED is safe: I tested the Hisense UR9 RGB Mini-LED TV, and it's very good but falls short
• Samsung just made its 2026 Mini-LED TV lineup official, but one popular TV won’t be returning this year
• Samsung's new Micro RGB TV is finally here — but I'd rather buy this OLED instead

This week, Samsung held its Q1 2026 earnings call, where the South Korean tech giant discussed the last three months and did some forward-looking. During the call, Samsung teased smart glasses again.

Unfortunately, it's a throwaway line in the call, and doesn't illuminate any new details about the future Android XR-based glasses. The company has “plans to deliver immersive multimodal AI experiences through diverse form factors such as AI glasses," Seong Cho, executive vice president of Samsung Mobile eXperience (MX), said during the call.

This isn't the first earnings call where the company has discussed smart glasses. In January, Seong Cho confirmed that its smart glasses would drop in 2026.

What we know about the Galaxy Glasses so far

While Samsung just released its Galaxy XR headset last October, the company is also working on a set of spectacles meant to rival the Ray-Ban Meta glasses.

Earlier this week, leaked renders based on an alleged test unit popped up online, revealing a black pair of sunglasses that features two cameras.

Obviously, these would run on the Android XR platform powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon AR1 chipset. Recent rumors suggest they will have a 155mAh battery and two 12MP Sony IMX681 lenses.

The Galaxy Glasses should have directional speakers, photochromic transition lenses and weigh around 50 grams.

What else did Samsung say

The earnings call hinted at some TV updates, but nothing major.

The majority of the call was focused on the memory crisis and how profitable it's been for the memory division at Samsung, which has tripled in valuation this year. Even Samsung's own internal divisions, like the mobile one, are facing tough decisions regarding memory prices and building devices around it.

Unfortunately, it may not be resolved anytime soon.

Samsung's Executive Vice President of Memory Jaejune Kim said that production is constrained and could go well into 2027. "currently, just based on prebooked demand alone, the supply-demand gap is looking to widen further in 2027 versus this year," Kim said.

And this is with memory fabrication plants coming online this year and into 2027.

Despite strong sales of the S26 lineup and the recently released Galaxy A57 budget models, Seong Cho noted that increased "cost pressure" for key components are "expected to intensify." Cho even said they expect a decline in shipments due to rising costs in Q2.

The company appears to want to lean into AI and flagship premium experiences to maintain profit, which seems to indicate that mid-tier and budget-friendly models of all devices from phones and tablets to TVs and laptops will really feels the RAMageddon squeeze. armageddon.

More from Tom's Guide

• Finally something different': Leaker teases Samsung Galaxy S27 Ultra concept with a new camera bar design
• The Samsung Galaxy S27 Ultra could ditch the 'redundant' 3x zoom for this much bigger camera upgrade
• Samsung Galaxy S26's flashlight is capable of burning through plastic — here's how you can turn it down

If you've been paying attention to viral TikToks recently, you might have seen a video claiming that the Samsung Galaxy S26's flashlight is able to melt through a black plastic trash bag. We had to see whether this was actually true or not, and it turns out that it is.

Not only can a Galaxy S26's flashlight melt through a heavy-duty black trash bag, but it's also able to do it quite quickly. It's not the only phone flashlight that can melt holes through a trash bag, but it was the fastest of the three that we tested. The iPhone 17 Pro Max and Google Pixel 10 Pro flashlights bore out their own holes, but at slightly slower speeds.

It's all down to the heat the LED flash produces, and it can cause a lot more damage than burning some holes in a garbage bag. People have reported receiving first and second-degree burns after prolonged exposure to their phone's flashlight, and I can tell you burns are not a fun experience.

Thankfully, there is a secret way to dial down the intensity of your S26's flashlight — and potentially mitigate any accidental damage caused by it.

I can't guarantee that a dimmer phone flashlight will cause burns after prolonged exposure. So even if you do dial back the intensity, it doesn't give you permission to start being careless with your phone's flashlight. You still have to be careful not to leave it switched on unnecessarily, because you could still cause some damage if anything comes into prolonged contact with the flashlight.

But this does make it a little less likely to happen, and in the process emphasizes how effective a phone flashlight is at lower brightness settings. This means you're less likely to dazzle people by mistake or draw extra attention to yourself when you try and navigate in the dark.

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We're several months away from Samsung launching the Galaxy S27 Ultra, but rumors about the company's next flagship phone have started to pop up.

The latest comes from prominent Samsung leaker Ice Universe who shared a set of images that could feature the new design for the S27 Ultra. The biggest change appears to be to the phone's camera bar.

Surprisingly, it appears to be quite similar to Google's Pixel phones or a throwback to the Galaxy S10.

As tech content creator Ben Geskin commented, "Finally something different."

The original image shows a black camera bar running horizontally across the back of the phone in a pillbox shape. Ice Universe posted a second image where the pill is outlined in the same colorway as the phone.

The new array does appear to be missing two lenses compared to the Galaxy S26 Ultra, but perhaps those are hidden in the bar?

It's a big departure from the vertical look Samsung has featured since the Galaxy S21 Ultra. The Galaxy S10 featured a flush rectangle camera bar which was replaced by a square design in the corner with S20.

Beyond the camera array, there doesn't appear to be any other exterior changes to the S27 Ultra. It still features curved corners and an S Pen. The pen is nice to see, considering rumors have claimed Samsung wants to ditch it.

I am curious whether this design is real; it suggests that Samsung might be moving the camera to enable Qi2 charging, something the Galaxy line has lacked for quite a while.

What else we know about the S27 Ultra

As mentioned, we're some time away from Samsung launching the S27 series, and the rumor mill hasn't quite started to churn. But we have come across a few leaks.

For one, the S27 Ultra could finally get a new battery type, specifically a silicon-carbon battery that would introduce a higher capacity cell. Samsung is reportedly testing 12,000 mAh, 18,000 mAh and 20,000 mAh versions.

A new report out of South Korea claimed that Samsung is prepping four models for the S27 lineup: the S27, S27 Plus, S27 Pro and the S27 Ultra. The Pro model would be a slightly smaller version of the Ultra and lack the S Pen.

If Samsung sticks to its release schedule, we should see the S27 family debut in January of next year.

More from Tom's Guide

• Samsung Galaxy Glasses renders just leaked — here's what they look like
• Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 and Galaxy Z Fold Wide shown side by side in new dummy unit leak
• iPhone 20 could see Apple resurrect curved phone screens — as if we didn't learn they were a mistake when Samsung did that

In early January, Samsung confirmed that it would launch a new pair of smart glasses at some point in 2026. Since then, the company has been mum on the wearable, but a new leak just revealed the potential design for Samsung's take on AR glasses.

Regular tipster OnLeaks teamed up with Android Headlines to showcase renders of the Samsung "Galaxy Glasses." OnLeaks claims that the renders are based on "real life pictures of a testing stage unit."

Per Android Headlines, the Glasses, codenamed Jinju, are supposed to launch without a display, making them Meta Ray-Ban competitors. This is different from the previously leaked Haean glasses, which should feature a display like the Xreal One Pro.

At first glance, the Samsung glasses look similar to the Meta glasses. They appear to have two cameras, one for each temple.

What we know about Jinju?

Like Samsung's Galaxy XR headset, the Jinju glasses will also run on the Android XR platform, which we should hear more about during the The Android Show before Google I/O in May. Utilizing Android XR would allow you to use Gemini to interact with the glasses.

Android Headlines reports the Jinju specs will be powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon AR1 chipset and a 155mAh battery. The cameras should be 12MP Sony IMX681 lenses.

Additionally, the glasses will have directional speakers and photochromic transition lenses and weigh around 50 grams.

Whenever the Jinju glasses do launch, the price is expected to land somewhere between $379 and $499.

More from Tom's Guide

• I tried Google's Android XR glasses — and Meta and Apple are in trouble
• iPhone 20 could see Apple resurrect curved phone screens — as if we didn't learn they were a mistake when Samsung did that
• Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 and Galaxy Z Fold Wide shown side by side in new dummy unit leak

We're inching closer to the release of the next wave of Samsung Galaxy foldables, with various leaks suggesting we'll be seeing three new devices arrive over the summer. That includes the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 and Galaxy Z Flip 8, plus the brand new Galaxy Fold Wide.

The Wide model is set to compress the design into a foldable that's shorter and wider than its contemporaries, competing directly with the wide-format iPhone Fold.

We've seen plenty of leaks about these phones, including renders showcasing some of these phones' designs, but we haven't seen any dummy units until now. A set of them has just been posted by leaker Sonny Dickson on X, showing off what seems to be all three new Galaxy Foldables side by side — in a folded and unfolded state.

Unsurprisingly, the dummy units don't show us much we haven't already seen, though the circular cutout at the back is interesting. This looks similar to the magnetic rings on iPhones and certain Pixel 10 cases, which suggests the new foldables may come with Qi2's magnetic charging. Samsung Galaxy S25 and S26 series phones offered Qi2 charging technology, but lacked the magnetic rings.

According to Samsung, this was done because the embedded magnets would interfere with the S Pen stylus. For that reason, Qi2 Samsung phones have had to rely on special cases to connect to magnetic chargers and accessories. Since Galaxy foldables no longer support the S Pen, a trend that's rumored to be continuing with the Z Fold 8, there's less reason not to include Qi2 magnets as well.

That said, the cutout could just be artistic licence and may not represent the final design. At this stage, we just don't know what Samsung is planning to do.

Galaxy Z Fold Wide is Samsung's iPhone Fold rival

The units also show just how much shorter the Fold Wide is compared to the Galaxy Z Fold 8. The benefit of a wide display is that you'll be able to watch video content on the larger panel without the huge black bars above and below the action.

In addition, you'll get a more squat design when closed, which could make it easier to fit into a pocket. Hopefully, Samsung will be able to make its Wide Fold just as thin as the previous Galaxy Z Fold 7 to better compete with Apple's first foldable.

However, despite its name, it doesn't seem to be a whole lot wider than its taller sibling. I'm looking forward to seeing some actual dimensions and see how much physical screen space each foldable has.

The Galaxy Z Fold 8 and Z Flip 8 are rumored to be released on July 22, which means the Galaxy Unpacked launch event should take place a couple of weeks earlier. So we should find out what's going on in under three months — assuming the leaks don't reveal it all first.

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If you're well-versed in the world of viral videos, you may have seen one of the latest viral TikToks that seems to show a Samsung Galaxy S26 flashlight burning a hole through a black trash bag — while an iPhone 17 Pro appears to do nothing but shine its light.

The fact that the flashlight could be hot enough to melt plastic is pretty shocking, and some of you may be wondering whether this video is real or some kind of elaborate hoax. Well, we decided to test this out for ourselves with the iPhone 17 Pro Max and the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra. It turns out that, yes, the Samsung flashlight can melt a plastic trash bag, but not quite as severely as the video would suggest. But so can the iPhone 17 Pro Max.

The test was quite simple. We adjusted the flashlights on both phones and made sure they were both on maximum brightness. Both phones were then put inside a black trash bag, with the plastic placed as close to the flashlight as the phone designs would allow. The final step was to wait, but as you can see in the video below, we didn't actually have to wait very long.

Even though the flashlights had been kept switched off until the last possible moment, to stop heat building up, it didn't take long for them to start melting the black plastic. I'll admit that the Galaxy S26 Ultra managed it a lot faster, which suggests its flashlight heats up faster, but the iPhone 17 Pro Max was still able to melt a hole into the bag — and in the thickest, most durable sections to boot.

The result actually differed depending on which part of the bag I shone the light through. The thinner sections only warped, but still became transparent enough to let light through unimpeded. The thicker section at the top of the bag, which I assumed would be more durable, actually melted all the way through with neat little holes, though it did take considerably longer to happen.

Out of mere curiosity, and the fact I had one on hand, I later tried the same thing with a Google Pixel 10 Pro. Considering there have been reports that the Pixel 10 Pro's flashlight would get hot enough to melt its own plastic lens, it should be able to melt a trash bag, right?

The light did melt their own holes, which were noticeably smaller than those produced by S26 Ultra and iPhone 17 Pro Max. In terms of the timing, it was slower than the Galaxy but slightly faster than the iPhone.

Interestingly, the flashlights were not able to melt through a white trash bag. No doubt the black plastic is more at risk than white because black absorbs more light (and heat) than lighter colors.

Why does this matter?

So your phone's flashlight can melt through a trash bag. What's the big deal? They're not exactly known for being particularly durable. Well, this is a good example of how something as simple as your phone's flashlight could be a safety hazard.

If your flashlight can get hot enough to melt through a sheet of plastic in a few seconds, imagine how much damage it could do if you let that heat build up over an extended period of time. I know that I've had situations where my flashlight has turned on accidentally and I slipped it into my pocket, completely oblivious to what's happened until I started feeling the burning sensation in my leg.

Just because modern lights are LEDs, and don't produce a lot of heat doesn't mean they produce zero heat. And if you trap that heat somewhere for long enough, it will build up to the point where it starts to react with whatever is around it. It doesn't matter whether that's plastic trash bags, your skin, or something else entirely. You do not want it to start burning or melting.

So take precautions to avoid letting this happen to you, because second and third-degree burns are not fun. In my case, I found that I kept accidentally triggering the flashlight shortcut on my lockscreen, which I didn't otherwise use. Deleting that shortcut seems to have solved the problem.

It's also been possible to adjust the intensity of the flashlight on iPhones and Android devices for a little while, courtesy of iOS 18 and Android 16. Simply press & hold the flashlight icon in the Control Center or Quick Settings menu, and adjust the pop-up slider. Weaker lights produce less heat and are much less likely to cause accidental damage.

Knowing is half the battle, and if you can anticipate problems that may be caused by your phone's flashlight, then you're not going to burn yourself or the things around you by mistake. Oh, and be sure not to stare at your flashlight for extended periods of time, unless you want a killer headache like mine.

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The Samsung Galaxy S26 series has a lot of new features packed inside, and odds are you haven't even scratched the surface of what these phones have to offer. One of the new features is expanded support for Audio Eraser, which debuted on Galaxy S25 as a video editing tool. This year, though, Samsung is integrating that same technology into streaming apps to help fix one of Hollywood's biggest problems.

No, I don't mean the endless stream of remakes, sequels and genre movies. I mean the fact that the mixing is so bad that you can't actually hear what the people on screen are actually saying to each other. It's why all the millennials in your life insist on watching movies with subtitles. Otherwise, we'd never know what's going on between all the eardrum-splitting action sequences.

Audio Eraser fixes that problem using AI, lowering the volume of everything except the dialogue and making sure you can hear what's actually being said. The best part is that it works in real time with third-party streaming apps, including Netflix, YouTube and Instagram.

Here's everything you need to know about turning on and using Audio Eraser.

Once switched on, Audio Eraser and Voice Boost should make your streaming experience significantly better. No longer should you have to constantly adjust the volume to hear what's going on and avoid going deaf when the action and explosions start up again.

The interesting thing about Audio Eraser is that it doesn't just work for movies and TV shows. If you are listening to music on YouTube, for example, it will tone down the music so you can listen to the lyrics a little more clearly. This doesn't always work the way you might like, but it can make for some interesting listening if you're willing to experiment.

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It’s April, which means it’s once again time for Samsung to reveal its 2026 Australian TV lineup, designed to offer a wide range of options for every Aussie household.

Leading this year’s TV lineup is Samsung’s impressive new Micro RGB range, offering stunningly precise colour and light control thanks to individually controlled red, green, and blue LEDs that measure just 0.1mm — half the size of a Mini LED and thinner than a human hair.

I recently spent the day testing Samsung’s 115-inch Micro RGB flagship, the MR95F, and was amazed by its incredible colour accuracy and gorgeous glare-free display. I even joked how I briefly thought about selling a kidney to cover its AU$41,999 price tag. Thankfully, the smaller size options are much more affordable, with the 65-inch model starting at AU$5,299.

And while the MR95F is Samsung's most premium TV of the year, the electronics giant also announced a more affordable Micro RGB TV option in the R85H, which offers the same stunning colours but has a slightly less premium processor and lacks the MR95F's glare-free coating.

As impressive as Samsung's Micro RGB TV range is, there was one television in Samsung's 2026 showcase that immediately stood out to me, and that's the manufacturer's new OLED flagship, the S95H.

For starters, this year's S95H and S90H are the first Samsung OLED TVs to offer access to the Art Store. During our briefing, the flagship S95H OLED was the only TV with art displayed that was 100% indistinguishable from a real painting to the naked eye. It felt like you could stroll up and run your fingers across the canvas, sensing every brushstroke, even though that wasn’t actually possible. This is partly thanks to the glare-free displays on both the S95H and S90H, and also because these OLED models don’t have any backlights to ruin the illusion.

I know what you're thinking: "won't these OLEDS suffer burn-in from displaying art all day?" Well, Samsung says it's solved that problem via a number of safeguards, including heat reduction, brightness limiters and pixel-shift technology. In other words, the company is confident that burn-in won't be an issue on these models.

As for the differences between the S95H and S90H OLED models, this year they're (almost) purely cosmetic — the S95H is aimed at the "home aesthetics" crowd, sporting a non-detachable metal frame around the display and designed to be wall-mounted. In other words, it's like The Frame but with a flagship OLED display and processor.

Technically, the displays on the S95H and S90H are identical, but the former has the added perk of supporting an optional wireless One Connect Box. This gives you four extra HDMI ports in addition to the four on the back of the panel, making it possible to have up to a whopping eight HDMI ports altogether.

Back on the topic of aesthetics, Samsung revealed new 2026 models of The Frame and The Frame Pro. The Frame features a QLED display, while The Frame Pro steps it up with a Neo QLED screen powered by Mini LEDs for better light control. The Pro version also comes with a wireless One Connect Box, making it easier to access the TV’s ports when it’s mounted on the wall.

Pricing and availability

Samsung's whole 2026 TV lineup is now available to order across leading Australian retailers, although some smaller size options are only available via Samsung's online store.

Luckily, you can snag 5% off any of the 2026 TV ranges with an exclusive discount code for Tom's Guide readers. Just keep in mind, this offer only applies to the 2026 TV and soundbar ranges, marked as 'New' or 'First Look' on Samsung's website.

• Click here to reveal code

Below is the full list of Australian pricing and availability for Samsung’s latest Micro RGB, OLED and The Frame TVs.

More from Tom's Guide

• Best TV in Australia 2026: our top picks from LG, Samsung, Sony and more
• Best OLED TVs in 2026 tested: Our top picks from LG, Samsung and more
• Micro-LED vs Micro RGB TVs: What's the difference?

Samsung has kept the same 5,000 mAh battery in its Galaxy S Ultra models for six years, but the Galaxy S27 Ultra could finally get a new kind of battery. A new leak claims Samsung is actively testing silicon-carbon batteries for its flagship phone.

The blog Schrodinger Intel posted that Samsung is targeting next year to try silicon-carbon batteries. It's a big change, even as Samsung has managed to eke out incremental battery life increases with the lithium-ion batteries it currently uses. Most of those upgrades are software-optimized, not physical.

In February, Sung-Hoon Moon, Samsung's executive VP and head of smartphone R&D, admitted that Samsung has been "a bit un-innovative on that front" when it comes to batteries. Moon did confirm that Samsung is working on the technology while stating the silicon-carbon hasn't passed the company's "very rigorous validation standards."

What are silicon-carbon batteries

Silicon-carbon batteries started to appear in Chinese phones in 2023. Honor promised the first phone featuring the battery at MWC 2023, though the battery life leap was smaller at the time. OnePlus has seemingly gone all-in on silicon-carbon batteries, announcing its glacier batteries in 2024 and using the new tech in most of its phones released in the last two years.

On a simple level, silicon-carbon batteries enable phone companies to cram more usable battery into the same amount of space. This means that a manufacturer could swap out a 5,000 mAh lithium-ion battery for a Si-C battery of the same physical size but featuring 10,000 mAh.

This means you should get hours more battery life. For example, we tested the OnePlus 15 in our lab.

The OnePlus 15 features a Si-C battery that lasted just over 25 hours on average. That's 11 hours more than the Galaxy S25 Ultra and just about nine hours more than the Galaxy S26 Ultra and the iPhone 17 Pro Max.

Schrodinger Intel claims Samsung is testing 12,000 mAh, 18,000 mAh, and 20,000 mAh in "real model designations." However, as TechRadar notes, Si-C batteries degrade faster than lithium-ion.

Notably, per the leak, the models Samsung is allegedly testing failed at 960 charging cycles (how often the battery is charged) while the company has a commercial benchmark of 1,500.

The silicon batteries also tend to expand more, which could make them more dangerous. Samsung has been overly cautious with batteries since the Galaxy Note 7 issue years ago.

It partially explains why Apple and Samsung would be more hesitant to sell Si-C phones.

Still, it appears, based on this leak and Moon's comments, that Samsung wants to catch up with Chinese makers and improve battery life.

More from Tom's Guide

• Samsung Galaxy A57 review: A surprisingly premium phone for budget shoppers
• I put Samsung Galaxy A57's macro lens head to head with Galaxy S26 Ultra's macro mode — and it's not even close
• Samsung is killing Messages for millions of users — here's your escape plan

I have tested a lot of phones over the course of my career, and one of the things I hate the most is when phone makers add frivolous camera lenses so they can pad the numbers. The Samsung Galaxy A57 is one such phone, sporting a 50MP main camera lens, a 12MP ultrawide-angle shooter, and a significantly less impressive 5MP macro lens.

What makes this particularly irritating (for me, at least) is the fact that you don't need a dedicated macro lens to shoot macro photos. Plenty of phones feature macro modes that use either the ultrawide or telephoto camera lenses, including some from Samsung — the most recent of which is the Galaxy S26 Ultra.

But how good (or bad) is it really? The only way to find out is to actually go out and take photos. So that's exactly what I did for the Galaxy A57. I went out and took a bunch of macro shots, with the express purpose of comparing them to macro shots taken on the Galaxy S26 Ultra.

I'll admit that comparing a 5MP macro lens on a $549 phone to a 50MP ultrawide lens on a $1,299 phone doesn't seem like a particularly fair fight. But if the Galaxy A57 was able to at least semi-compete with the S26 Ultra, one of the best camera phones, it could be enough to change my mind about hardware I've always considered to be superfluous.

Spoiler alert: it wasn't.

Galaxy A57 Macro Lens vs Galaxy S26 Ultra's Macro Mode

First, let's take a look at this miniature cactus that sits on my office window. The Galaxy A57's macro shot is noticeably washed out compared to the S26 Ultra, with a gray sheen across the entire photo and considerably less color. You can still tell that the spines have a yellow and orange color to them, but that isn't nearly as visible as they are on the flagship's camera. And, the A57's shot is more out of focus with more noticeable blur.

It's a similar story with this photo of a purple flower. The A57 doesn't do the bright colors justice, and washes out the photo with a gray haze that just ruins the shot. Meanwhile, the S26 Ultra produced a shot with vibrant coloring that pops out of the picture, while also picking up far more detail in the background.

It's a familiar tale with this white flower, and this time, the A57's macro lens gives the petals an unrealistic-seeming quality. It's almost as though they've been run through some sort of filter and automatically smoothed out.

Looking at these blue flowers, the amount of contrasting color is far more noticeable with the Galaxy S26 Ultra. While they're out of focus, the background plants are incredibly colorful, and the green shows up really well in the background. Sadly, the same couldn't be said for the A57. If you'd shown me this photo on its own, I'd have assumed those plants were dying due to the color of the leaves.

Here's the rare instance where the budget phone performed well — or at least better. The yellow flowers look considerably better on the Galaxy A57, with the camera capturing the yellow hues far better than it did with blues and purples. That said, the image is rather washed out compared to the Galaxy S26 Ultra's, and the plant life in the background seems littered with grey-ish green and brown rather than the bright coloring of the fresh grass.

The dandelion is easily my favorite shot taken by the Galaxy A57, and the one that comes closest to the photo produced by the S26 Ultra. The blades of each seedling appear a little sharper on the A57 than on the S26 Ultra, which almost makes up for the duller colors. Had all the photos come out with similar quality, I would have been a lot more enthusiastic about the macro lens's capabilities.

The lichen had a similar fate, with the A57 capturing a lot more detail on the side of the tree compared to the Galaxy S26 Ultra — which apparently struggled to find its focus, and lacked a lot of the same detail as a result.

Things go a little bit back to normal with this shot of a post box, which has seen better days. The colors are brighter and more true to life from the Galaxy S26 Ultra, and you can pick out the flecks of paint still present in the corroded parts of the pillar. That said, the A57 hasn't done a bad job, but it falls into the same traps that spoil the coloring and detail captured by the S26 Ultra.

The same can't be said about the brickwork. While it's hard to wash out colors with the gray and red-brown bricks employed in British construction, the quality is all off. You can't see a lot of details in the photo, and the texture of the brick all blurs together. Meanwhile, the S26 Ultra has picked up the finer details in the brick, from the rough texture of the brick itself to the micro-holes present in the mortar.

Finally, we have this artificial flower, which is part of an Easter display near my home. The Galaxy A57's macro camera is back to its usual tricks here, capturing far less detail compared to the Galaxy S26 Ultra and washing out the coloring far more than it should. The bright colors of the yarn do help to mitigate this, but it doesn't really compare to the S26 Ultra, which captured a lot more detail and better coloring.

Bottom line

I'll admit that I didn't have high hopes going into this test. Still, some of the shots indeed came out looking very nice, with details that the Galaxy S26 Ultra missed. But at the same time, there were just as many shots that came out much worse. The gray sheen affecting so many photos and the loss of color really dampens the whole experience of taking macro shots with the Galaxy A57.

The Galaxy A57 can take some great photos. Maybe not as great as the S26 Ultra, but fairly good quality for the price you're paying. It's a shame that Samsung would go ahead and add such a disappointing lens to the phone and offer something that's just not up to scratch — even on a cheaper, non-premium handset.

It would be far better to just copy what Google and Apple have done with their cheap phones and reduce the number of camera lenses to compensate for the price tag. Everything else can be made up for with more advanced camera software.

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Samsung isn't just a leader in the premium phone market; it's also produced some of the best cheap phones around. That way, you can enjoy a lot of the best Samsung Galaxy features without having to pay the high price tags that come with the flagship Galaxy S26 series. The Samsung Galaxy A57 is the latest to arrive, and I have rather mixed feelings about everything Samsung has put together.

On the one side, Samsung hasn't added a whole lot of upgrades to the Galaxy A57 compared to last year's Galaxy A56. However, considering how good value the Galaxy S56 was, it bodes well for the kind of experience you should expect from this year's A-series phone. Even if Samsung has raised the price by $50 compared to last year.

Still, there's always been a great deal of competition in the cheap phone market and that's only going to accelerate thanks to RAMageddon and the increasing costs of production. If flagship phones get too expensive, then the likes of Galaxy A57, Pixel 10a, iPhone 17e and the rest of the best cheap phones are going to have to pick up the slack. So will it be able to keep up?

Samsung Galaxy A57 review: Cheat Sheet

• What is it? The latest mid-range Samsung phone, successor to the Galaxy A56
• Who is it for? People who want a premium-lite experience, but don't want to pay the full cost of a Galaxy S26
• What does it cost? Prices start at $549 / £529 for an A57 with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage
• What do we like? The solid premium-feeling design, strong battery performance and the addition of Galaxy AI features you'd normally only find on the Galaxy S26
• What don’t we like? The continued weak performance, a lack of meaningful upgrades, and the fact Samsung still hasn't scrapped the 5MP macro lens.

Samsung Galaxy A57 review: Specifications

Samsung Galaxy A57 review: What I like

Good battery

The battery hardware in the Galaxy A57 hasn't changed since last year, so it's no surprise that the actual battery drain is roughly the same as that of the Galaxy A56. We haven't lab-tested the battery on either device yet, but I conducted a real-world test: streaming a 1080p YouTube video over Wi-Fi with brightness at 50% for three hours.

The Galaxy A57 lost 15% of its battery during that window, compared to a 14% loss on the A56 and 16% on the Nothing Phone 4a Pro. This equates to a loss of around 5% per hour, suggesting it should last roughly 20 hours of video streaming on a single charge. This is quite impressive, considering our lab tests show the Pixel 10a lasting just over 15 hours and the iPhone 17e lasting around 12.5 hours.

As for charging, the Galaxy A57 is rated for 45W wired speeds but lacks wireless charging. Using a 67W charging brick, I found the phone restored 28% of its charge in 15 minutes, rising to 59% after 30 minutes and hitting 93% at the one-hour mark — a performance that is fairly standard compared to competitors like Nothing, Pixel, and iPhone.

Solid, premium design

The Galaxy A57’s design is reminiscent of the flagship Galaxy S26 range, featuring a premium glass-and-metal build courtesy of Gorilla Glass Victus Plus. While there are stark differences between the A57 and the S26 — size being chief among them — I still found myself getting confused when handling both phones, which is certainly a good thing for the A57.

Even the bezels, which are often the first thing compromised at lower price points, seem to be roughly the same size as those on the standard Galaxy S26. However, they remain thicker than the bezels found on the Galaxy S26 Ultra.

I'm a big fan of the new camera bump, which swaps solid metal for translucent glass. It's a small change, but it's much more visually appealing and helps the housing look a little slimmer than last year's model.

Despite being noticeably larger than the S26 — with a 6.7-inch display compared to the S26's 6.3 inches — the phone feels unexpectedly light. It’s a curious sensation because the A57 is actually 0.42 ounces heavier than the S26, proving how deceptive ergonomics can be. I'm not going to lie, though, I’m not particularly upset about being fooled this way.

Good cameras, but not perfect

The Galaxy A57 features a 50MP main camera, a 12MP ultrawide, and a 5MP macro lens. While this hardware doesn't necessarily rival the best camera phones on the market, it is quite respectable for the price.

For this review, I compared it to the Nothing Phone 4a Pro — a device that costs $50 less and has already proven its capabilities. The 4a Pro packs a 50MP main camera, an 8MP ultrawide, and a 50MP telephoto lens.

Naturally, the dedicated telephoto lens ensures that zoomed-in shots on the Nothing Phone are of considerably higher quality than those on the Galaxy A57. This held true at 2x magnification, while the 3.5x optical zoom is a feature only the Nothing Phone supports.

Admittedly, the 2x magnification shots on the Nothing Phone 4a Pro don't look fantastic, and there's a lot of blurring in the final shot. But it's still significantly better than the photo captured by the Galaxy A57, which captured far less detail and looks significantly more washed out.

The ultrawide camera is something of a mixed bag. From a distance, the Galaxy A57 looks a lot better, with more light and a clear image of this oak tree's outline. Though upon closer inspection, the details in the distance aren't really there. Whereas the Nothing Phone's is darker and gloomier, it captures a little more detail in the process.

The Galaxy's 12MP selfie camera performs much better than the Nothing Phone's 32MP shooter, producing a significantly sharper image with finer detail. However, the photo is much brighter and somewhat overexposed — a common trait in Samsung Galaxy processing.

The main camera tells a similar story. The Galaxy A57 picks up more detail than the Nothing Phone 4a Pro, which occasionally produces strange, blurry patches. While the Samsung’s coloring is brighter and feels a bit washed out, the overall image looks crisper on the A57.

Low-light shots are more evenly matched, but Samsung earns the edge by capturing more light, offering slightly better detail and clarity.

Ultimately, the Galaxy A57 is capable of taking great photos for a mid-range phone. While it lacks the reach of a dedicated telephoto lens — making zoomed shots noticeably worse than on phones that include one — such hardware remains rare at this price point.

Galaxy S26-tier software and AI features

AI is a major priority for Samsung, and the company is pushing these features across its entire lineup — including its most affordable models. Consequently, the Galaxy A57 offers plenty of AI as part of what Samsung calls "Awesome Intelligence." While it lacks the full suite of Galaxy AI features found on the flagship S-series, there is still a wealth of useful tools available.

One notable inclusion is the voice transcription tool, which can transcribe voice and call recordings to provide a written record of everything said. This makes hunting for specific quotes or soundbites significantly easier.

Other tools include the newly updated version of Circle to Search, which can recognize multiple objects at once, and the fourth generation of Bixby, which offers improved natural language and web search capabilities. Like most AI features, these flow seamlessly into the background and odds are you won't even realize you're using them. This is a benefit, as it removes the learning curve for the user.

Samsung has promised six years of software support, which includes security updates and six generations of Android. Though it's worth adding that Galaxy S26 gets seven years of support, which is important to remember if you're the type of person who keeps their phone for that long.

Samsung Galaxy A57 review: What I don't like

$50 price hike

The elephant in the room is that Samsung has increased the price of the Galaxy A57 by $50, with a $549 starting price compared to the Galaxy A56's $499. While this is still cheaper than the $599 iPhone 17e, it means the A57 is now more expensive than some of the other best cheap phones available. This includes the Nothing Phone 4a Pro and Pixel 10a, which both start at $499.

This isn't a huge surprise, and it follows price hikes on the Galaxy S26 and Galaxy S26 Plus, but it is frustrating to see prices constantly rising — especially since the whole idea behind the Galaxy A-series is to offer premium experiences at an affordable price point.

Ultimately, RAMageddon and inflation come for everyone; it was only a matter of time before Samsung raised the prices on its entry-level devices. I just wish the A57 had more to show for the extra cost.

Minimal upgrades

The worst part about the price hike is that the Galaxy A57 doesn't offer many significant upgrades to justify the extra $50 Samsung is asking for. The improvements it does feature are fairly incremental, covering only the basics one would expect from a successor model.

Changes include design updates that make the phone feel slightly more premium while reducing thickness and weight compared to the A56. There is also a new chipset — the Exynos 1680 — which is a minor improvement over the previous Exynos 1580. From a hardware perspective, those are essentially all the upgrades of note.

Software is a different matter, thanks to the inclusion of Android 16 and One UI 8.5 right out of the box, along with additional AI and camera features. For the most part, however, these aren't enough to warrant a new purchase — especially since much of the new software eventually migrates back to older devices.

The macro camera

One of my biggest pet hates about cheap phones is when a third or fourth camera lens is tacked on for seemingly no reason. Samsung is guilty of this with the Galaxy A57, which retains the 5MP macro lens. Rather than settling for two high-quality lenses— as seen on the Pixel 10a — this phone offers two good cameras and one mediocre one.

I tested the macro lens against the macro mode on the Galaxy S26 Ultra. While I never expected the Ultra to lose that shootout, the results were still embarrassing for the A57. Its shots were colorless, gray, and devoid of the detail flagship owners take for granted.

The photos weren't all terrible, but they're definitely the kind of thing users wouldn't miss. While I don't expect a telephoto lens on a mid-range phone, Samsung definitely needs to learn that less really can be more.

Weak performance

As is often the case with budget phones, Samsung has compromised on performance. The Galaxy A57 runs on the Exynos 1680, a 4nm chipset that lags significantly behind the flagship silicon found in more expensive devices. Naturally, that gap is reflected in the benchmarking results.

As you can see, the Galaxy A57 is a noticeable improvement over the Galaxy A56, especially in multi-core testing. However, the graphics performance is underwhelming because the A57 scored significantly lower than the Nothing Phone 4a Pro, which itself proved underpowered during testing.

While a comparison to the iPhone 17e isn't entirely fair — given its flagship chipset dominated at release — it's nonetheless embarrassing to see the Galaxy A57 outperformed by the Pixel 10a.

Pixel phones aren't typically known for their raw power, and considering the Pixel 10a runs on an 18-month-old Tensor G4, it shouldn't be beating its newer rivals in benchmarks. This is a disappointing showing from Samsung.

Samsung Galaxy A57 review: Verdict

The Galaxy A57 is a solid device and a worthy purchase for anyone seeking the Galaxy experience on a budget. It features a smart premium-feeling design, strong battery life, and all the benefits of Samsung's software ecosystem — including a sprinkling of AI features typically unexpected on a budget handset.

It's far from perfect, however. The cameras are competent but proved inferior to the more affordable Nothing Phone 4a Pro in several key areas. Likewise, the macro lens — while bolstering the camera count compared to the Pixel 10a and iPhone 17e — offered little actual benefit. To top it all off, the phone costs $50 more than its predecessor without much to show for it, including a return of the weak performance that plagued the Galaxy A56.

If you're looking for an affordable Samsung device, the Galaxy A57 is a solid option that gets a lot right. Just be aware that this isn't a flagship, and it struggles when compared to other entries on our best cheap phones list.

Having spent the last two weeks with Samsung’s Galaxy A57, it’s become clear to me that it’s relatively easy to get by without paying for a flagship in 2026. Phones in the mid-range have improved so much in recent years, both in terms of features and design, and the Galaxy A57 might be at the top of the pack when it comes to value.

It delivers smooth day‑to‑day performance, strong battery life and Samsung’s familiar software polish — all for roughly half the price of the S26 (at least here in Australia). As long as you’re realistic about its camera and performance limits, I can recommend it as a genuinely smart alternative to a flagship.

Currently, retailers like The Good Guys and Amazon are selling the Galaxy A57 at well below the official AU$749 starting price — at just AU$599 for the 128GB model and AU$699 for the 256GB variant, it's a no-brainer for anyone who might be considering the A57 over the entry-level Galaxy S26, even at its currently discounted price of AU$1,345.

If you’re considering the Galaxy A57, keep in mind there are a few trade-offs compared to the flagship model. However, the money you save makes those compromises worth it, making the Galaxy A57 a solid alternative to the Galaxy S26 — just as long as you're okay with making a few concessions.

Don't expect powerhouse performance

The Galaxy A57 delivers solid performance for everyday use, offering quick navigation and reliable multitasking that makes switching between apps and managing routine tasks feel smooth and seamless.

When it comes to gaming, the Galaxy A57 offers solid performance for its price. It’s not a powerhouse, but it can handle many titles smoothly, especially if you’re okay with lowering the graphics to medium or below.

That said, those looking play graphically intense games on higher settings will want to step up to a flagship like the Galaxy S26, or any other of the best gaming phones of 2026.

The Galaxy S26 delivers far superior photos

On paper, the Galaxy A57 and Galaxy S26 seem to offer similar camera arrays — each phone sports a 50MP wide-angle main sensor with an aperture of f/1.8, a 1/1.56" sensor size and 1.0 µm pixel size.

However, the S26 implements this hardware more effectively through its use of Dual Pixel PDAF (Phase Detection Autofocus), superior sensor tuning, and more robust NPU and software processing. That's largely thanks to the S26's Exynos 2600 chipset, which features a significantly more powerful Image Signal Processor (ISP) than the A57.

When it comes to the A57’s camera performance, using a standard PDAF means it takes longer to lock focus compared to the S26 — especially in low-light situations — leading to shutter lag that might make you miss that adorable (or hilarious) shot of your child or pet.

And while both handsets also offer a 12MP ultrawide sensor, they're quite different in ways that can noticeably impact image quality. For starters, the A57's ultrawide sensor doesn't offer autofocus like the S26's equivalent, opting instead for a fixed focus approach. The S26's ultrawide sensor also sports a wider aperture — f/1.9 compared to f/2.2 on the A57 — meaning it can let in more light than its mid-range cousin.

Then there's the elephant in the room: the Galaxy A57 lacks the Galaxy S26's 10MP telephoto lens with 3x optical zoom, meaning a loss in image quality when zooming in digitally.

Of course, there are trade-offs at this price, but that doesn’t mean the Galaxy A57 can’t take good photos. It’s more than capable for social media posts and shots of still subjects. Just make sure you temper your expectations when shooting at night or trying to capture fast-moving objects.

The Galaxy A57 is missing some of the S26's best AI features

Compared to its predecessor, the Galaxy A57 has taken a rather large step forward when it comes to its implementation of on-device AI. This is due to the A57's Exynos 1680 chipset, which houses a more powerful integrated NPU (Neural Processing Unit).

That means the A57 can locally perform tasks like live voice transcription, AI photo editing and the ability to analyse whatever's on your screen using AI Select. You can also use some basic generative features, like Object Eraser or Sketch to Image.

However, more advanced generative editing features are absent on the A57, as are any of the Agentic AI tools that are exclusive to the S26 series, like the ability to autonomously perform multi-step workflows across apps, or Samsung's proactive Now Nudge and Now Brief features.

That's not to say that the A57 will never get these features — Samsung promises 6 years of software updates, meaning some of these AI features may trickle down over time.

While it's unlikely that the A57 will ever provide the full Agentic AI experience, the phone's ability to perform on-device AI tasks means that features like Now Nudge and Now Brief could conceivably arrive in the future.

Galaxy A57 vs Galaxy S26 — which should you buy?

While there are still some clear advantages to owning Samsung's flagship Galaxy S26 over the mid-range Galaxy A57, the gap between these two smartphone tiers isn't as big as it used to be.

The Galaxy A57 has made impressive improvements in build quality, performance, and AI features, all while keeping its price comfortably low. For casual users looking for an affordable device that handles daily tasks with ease and still offers a premium look and feel, the Galaxy A57 is a fantastic choice.

If you’re still after a flagship-level camera, Agentic AI features and top-tier gaming performance, it might be worth splashing the extra cash on a Galaxy S26 handset.

More From Tom's Guide

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Less than a week after increasing the price of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7, Samsung quietly hiked up the price of more devices — including phones (via Phone Arena). This time, the price hikes affect Galaxy Z Flip 7, Galaxy S25 Edge, Galaxy S25 FE, and a whole list of Galaxy Tabs that are too numerous to list here.

Like the Z Fold 7 before it, the Galaxy Z Flip 7's cheapest variant, which costs $1,099 for 256GB of storage, isn't getting a price increase. Sadly, the 512GB model is now $80 more expensive, with prices rising from $1,219 to $1,299.

It's the same situation with the Galaxy S25 Edge, with the 512GB model also increasing by $80 to $1,299. The Galaxy S25 FE's 256GB model is now $749, up from $709, with the 128GB model staying at the same $649 price tag as before.

On the tablet side, there are 17 separate price hikes across various Galaxy Tab models and storage variants. The most notable of these is the 1TB Galaxy S11 Ultra, which has risen from $1,619 to $1,899 — an increase of $280. The 512GB Galaxy Tab S11 has also risen by $220, from $979 to $1,199. You can see a full list of all the price hikes in the table below.

Samsung hasn't released any statements or information about this price increase, but it's not the only company to quietly raise prices like this. Motorola recently raised the price of a bunch of its 2026 phones, Microsoft raised Surface laptop prices earlier this week, and Asus hiked up the price of the Zenbook A14 and A16 hours after announcing totally different prices.

The less we talk about gaming handhelds, the better, because those prices are really getting out of control.

Financial pressures on the tech industry are clearly to blame for all this. RAMageddon means that lots of crucial components are now in short supply, on account of AI companies buying up all the RAM and flash storage for their data centers. Not to mention the fact that tariffs are still a thing, and the constant uncertainty surrounding those charges isn't helping matters.

So if you were on the fence about buying a piece of tech, and weren't planning on waiting for the major sales seasons like Black Friday, you should probably pull the trigger now. Because odds are, the price could be going up without any advanced warning.

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Samsung has officially launched a pair of TVs that are the first of their type. The R95H and the R85H leverage an all-new type of technology that the brand is calling Micro RGB, and in the coming months, these sets will go toe to toe with similar RGB LED screens from Hisense, LG, TCL and Sony.

Recently, I was lucky enough to spend an entire afternoon with the R95H, the flagship model that occupies the very top spot of the Samsung 2026 TV lineup. And, for as impressive as this TV is, I'd much rather put that money towards Samsung's top-shelf OLED TV for 2026, the Samsung S95H.

As a TV expert, getting to see a brand-new type of TV technology is always a hoot. There's a ton of hype surrounding Samsung's Micro RGB TVs — and for good reason, too. But for now, I'd still rather park myself in front of an OLED TV, and I suspect that many home theater enthusiasts would, too.

The Micro RGB advantage

While all of these TV brands have their own, similar-sounding names for RGB LED technology, they're all building off a similar formula. Standard Mini-LED TVs use white backlights and a filter to produce color, but RGB LED backlighting taps red-, green- and blue-colored LEDs.

So, in Samsung's case, while you'll almost certainly enjoy a bright, colorful HDR picture on its top-shelf Mini-LED TV for 2026 (the QN80H), a Micro RGB TV like the R95H delivers brighter, purer color in addition to the benefits that typically come with bright, carefully controlled LEDs arranged into separate zones.

When I saw the R95H at Samsung headquarters last month, some basic tests seemed to bear this out. According to my results (which are subject to change when we formally test the R95H again in our lab), the unit I measured covered about 92% of the BT.2020 color gamut, which is the highest I've seen on a TV that isn't built around QD-OLED technology.

The R95H was also pretty bright in HDR, though my measurements of roughly 1,700 to 1,800 nits on a 10% white window in Samsung's Filmmaker mode were lower than what I expected based on my understanding of the technology.

On paper, this is a winning formula. In person, it's a feast for the eyes. But as I cycled through colorful, visually appealing content on the R95H, I couldn't help but feel drawn towards the brand's flagship OLED right down the hall.

For as good as Samsung Micro RGB TVs seem to be in 2026, I'd still rather buy a top-shelf OLED. There's still plenty of time for this new tech to sweep me off my feet, but for now, it just can't do what Samsung OLEDs can do.

The OLED advantage

For as bright as the Samsung R95H gets, it's still reliant on LED backlights. OLED TVs —like the Samsung S95H — don't need a backlight. Every single pixel in the display is self-illuminating. This advantage not only allows for consistently perfect black levels, it allows for that unmistakable OLED look.

OLED TVs can drive a ton of light to a tiny cluster of pixels in the way that makes an the picture look eerily realistic. For as good as Samsung's best Micro RGB display is at creating highlights and controlling contrast, it can't replicate pixel-level dimming.

OK, but what about color? The R95H holds this distinct advantage over many of the best OLED TVs on the market, but consider the brand's top OLED TV of 2025, the Samsung S95F. According to our tests, the S95F covers about 90% of the BT.2020 color gamut. That's very, very close to the 92% figure I measured on the R95H.

In addition, we clocked the S95F's HDR highlight brightness at around 2,100 nits. When paired with the precision of pixel-level dimming, highlights practically leap off the S95F's screen.

Critically, were you to look at the S95F OLED side by side with the R95H Micro RGB TV, your eyes would almost certainly pick up on the contrast-related benefits of the S95F before they'd notice the R95H's slightly punchier color.

Samsung Micro RGB vs OLED: pricing and outlook

As eye-opening as some of these performance specs are, they're even more valuable if the pricing of these TVs is taken into consideration. Here's how Samsung's top Micro RGB TV stacks up against the brand's flagship OLED at launch:

The R95H and the S95H are the same price across the board save for the 65-inch size point, which is about $200 cheaper on the Micro RGB side. All things being (mostly) equal, I'd rather splash out on the OLED and its jaw-dropping contrast. (And, not for nothing, but the S95H is available in a 55-inch screen size for folks who want something smaller than 65 inches.)

There's hope, however, for anyone looking to indulge in the Micro RGB experience without spending over $3,000 in the coming months. Samsung is also rolling out a step-down Micro RGB TV called the R85H. Unlike the R95H, this set is available in a 55-inch model, and it starts at $1,599. The 65-inch R85H will set you back $2,099, while the 75- and 85-inch models are on sale for $2,799 and $3,999, respectively.

Over the next few years, more brands will jump on the RGB LED bandwagon. Prices will likely come down and the technology will probably get better. There may come a day where a Samsung-branded Micro RGB TV becomes more appealing to me than its award-winning, quantum dot-enhanced OLED TVs. But that day isn't today.

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The S90H is Samsung’s newest mid-range OLED TV, and the successor to one of the best OLED TVs of 2025, the Samsung S90F. Naturally, it’s got big shoes to fill.

Last year, the S90F’s quantum dot-enhanced display was one of its primary benefits. It’s one of the features that sets the S90F apart from its primary competitor — the LG C5 — since quantum dots allow for better overall color volume than what we measured on the C5’s standard WOLED panel.

This year, however, it would appear as though Samsung has traded the S90’s QD-OLED panel for a run-of-the-mill WOLED display. This could have a pretty significant impact on the S90H’s performance year over year — and perhaps an impact on how some folks will shop for an OLED TV in 2026 and beyond.

The QD-OLED advantage

Choosing between QD-OLED and WOLED wasn't something any of us had to worry ourselves with until relatively recently, when Samsung Display began manufacturing quantum dot-enhanced OLED displays. At first, you could only find the technology within Samsung's flagship OLED series. In recent years, it trickled down into the brand's mid-range tier.

This was great news for people who were hesitant to splash out on a top-shelf TV, but who nevertheless wanted to enjoy the key benefit of quantum dot-enhanced OLED displays: added color volume.

Unlike WOLED displays, which rely on white light and color filtering to produce color, QD-OLED displays energize quantum dots with blue light — no color filter required. It's a much more efficient process, resulting in brighter, more voluminous color than what you'll typically see on comparably priced, WOLED-equipped TVs.

Last year, we saw the QD-OLED advantage on display when we tested both the LG C5 (WOLED) with the 65-inch Samsung S90F. Both sets delivered about 1,200 nits of HDR highlight brightness in their most-accurate picture modes, but the S90F covered about 89% of the BT.2020 color gamut while the C5 clocked in at about 76%.

This year, things have changed. According to a recent report at DisplaySpecifications, the entire S90H series will leverage WOLED displays. This means that, in some regions, the 55- and 65-inch versions of the S90F represent the last mid-range Samsung OLEDs to come with quantum-dot color.

If you're interested in buying a new, Samsung-branded, quantum dot-enhanced OLED display this year, you'll have to spring for one of the TV-maker's top models. (In other words, start saving up for the Samsung S95H.)

Interestingly, though, the S90H will be the first mid-range OLED to feature Samsung's glare-free display. Until now, this feature was only available on the brand's flagship-level models.

It's as though Samsung has traded the S90 Series' quantum-dot color for the matte-style display. You'll have to decide for yourself if that's a worthwhile trade, but for my money, I'd rather have quantum dots in my back pocket.

Samsung S90H: outlook

The jury won't be out on the Samsung S90H until we finish putting it through its paces in our testing lab. However, we recently tested and reviewed its primary competitor, the LG C6, and saw no significant improvement in the C6's color volume year over year. Just as the C5 covers about 76% of the BT.2020 color space, so too does the all-new C6.

If the S90H is using a similar WOLED-style panel as the C6, I expect a very similar test result on Samsung's side. WOLED-equipped TVs have certainly seen incremental improvements to HDR brightness in recent years, but without the high-level engineering typically reserved for flagship OLEDs (like the LG G5), it's been difficult for them to make the jump to the benchmark set by QD-OLED.

More from Tom's Guide

• I upgraded to an OLED TV and I wasn't prepared for the jump in picture quality
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Picture this: You've just picked up your brand new Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra or Galaxy S26 Plus, and specifically chose them over the regular Galaxy S26 because of the screen. Not only do both phones have larger screens than the regular S26, but they also feature higher QHD+ resolution. This means the screen is sharper and offers a more immersive picture than the S26's FHD+.

What you might not know is that a bunch of phones, including Samsung Galaxy devices, aren't locked to the highest resolution. In fact, the Galaxy S26 Ultra and S26 Plus arrive with resolution set to FHD+ out of the box. This is likely done to help maximize battery life, since lower resolution screens require less power to run.

But if that's a trade-off you're happy with, and want to get the most out of your phone's screen and maximize screen resolution, you're going to need to take a trip into your phone's display settings. Thankfully, it's a fairly simple setting to change, and should only take a couple of minutes at most. Here's how to change the resolution on your Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra and Galaxy S26 Plus.

Considering how much Galaxy S26 series phones cost, you're going to want to get the absolute best performance to make sure you get your money's worth — unless you're trying to save battery life. So make sure to head into the settings and get your phone's display set to the best possible resolution.

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I always thought that my budget Samsung TU7000 4K TV was decent for my needs. Streaming the best movies, playing the latest video games, and casually watching cable TV shows worked fine for me for the last five years.

But I didn’t realize how much I was missing out on until I traded up to an OLED TV.

Making the jump from my old QLED to the Samsung S85F was like stepping out of a dark room into the daylight. The difference is night and day, and now I don't think I could go back to an LED TV.

Gaming finally feels next-gen

I’m not a hardcore gamer, but I own multiple consoles: the PlayStation 5 and the Nintendo Switch 2. My old TV was limited to a 60Hz refresh rate (it didn’t even have HDMI 2.1 ports), so my games felt sluggish and slow, especially in racing games like Gran Turismo 7.

The moment I plugged my PlayStation 5 into my new Samsung S85F, I instantly felt a difference. Navigating the in-game menus, taking sharp turns when racing, and suddenly stepping on the gas and brake pedals in GT7 felt far more responsive thanks to the 120Hz refresh rate. I finally felt like I had a competitive edge.

Combined with the brighter and more color-accurate OLED panel, Samsung’s AI mode — a highlight in our review of the set — also boosted up my games, making them look a lot more vibrant than before by kicking up the backlight brightness.

When playing Stray I noticed the orange in cats’ fur looked more fluffy and clear. And even the neon red in a nearby sign stuck right out and popped. All of these small details were missing before when I was playing on the TU7000.

The improvement to gaming alone would’ve made the upgrade worth it.

Picture quality is next level

Gaming on the Samsung S85F opened my eyes to some of OLED’s biggest advantages over LED TVs, but the more obvious change came when I switched the input on my TV back to my cable box for the first time.

While the TU7000 was never bad for watching regular TV and casual streaming, the S85F produces better black levels. Darker scenes looked way more dark, and not gray, like they did on the TU7000. Contrast is also excellent, and the colors are much richer, without being overblown.

My favorite show, “Chicago Fire,” instantly came to life. In the “One Chicago” crossover episode, "Reckoning," when the show’s suspect breaks into a staging area and sets it on fire, the bright orange flames really lit up my dark living room. And, the shining silver fire extinguisher on the wall looked real enough to touch.

Watching this show at night in a completely dark room was a real treat that my old TV never delivered on. I never realized all these details on the TU7000 before, as the LED panel overblown and washed out colors. I really felt like I was getting a theatre experience.

UI feels snappier, and upscaling is better

Samsung’s Tizen OS has its critics, and I have always been one of them. On my old TU7000, the UI felt way too sluggish. Opening a streaming app like YouTube took a few seconds longer than it should have — and even switching inputs was a drag.

With my new Samsung S85F TV jumping five years ahead in processor technology, this problem was almost instantly solved. Apps open much quicker, and the interface looks much cleaner and refined.

Upscaling works better, too. When I was watching a standard 1080p broadcast of a NASCAR race on local network TV, I noticed that the stock cars looked much sharper. A lot of edge images like the track barriers, the sharp lines in cars looked smoother than before. Compression also seemed to be less of a problem than it did on my TU7000, as putting my face closer to the screen, I noticed less graininess than I did before.

Best of all, Samsung’s Motion Xcelerator technology seems to work much better than advertised, as the upscaling never felt behind, and I pleasantly enjoyed the race.

It was time for an upgrade

I have some great memories with the TU7000, but it was time for an upgrade. If you’re hanging onto a TV that you purchased in the last five years like I have, then jumping up to an OLED TV — even a more affordable one like the S85F — results in a huge performance bump.

While I’m curious what one of the higher-end Samsung models would look like in my home (the S95F is particularly tempting!) I'm genuinely pleased with the S85F. It’s excellent in terms of image quality, processing power, and gaming performance.

Not quite sure which OLED to go for? Check out our guide to the best OLED TVs if you’re looking for something to scratch that upgrade itch.

More from Tom's Guide

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• I test TVs for a living — here are 3 reasons I’d splurge on OLED over a cheap TV
• I'm a TV expert and this is the one picture mode you should avoid at all costs

When I started reviewing TVs over 12 years ago, OLED TVs were incredibly expensive and arrived with some considerable caveats relating to brightness and longevity. These days, many of the best OLED TVs are relatively affordable, and the technology is lightyears ahead of what I saw at the start of my career.

As a result, it gets tougher each year to narrow down my most-anticipated OLED TVs. With spring upon us, many of the best OLED TV-makers are in the process of releasing their latest lineups, including sets that are destined to wind up on our year-end list of the best TVs money can buy.

It wasn't easy, but I've whittled my list of the most-exciting OLEDs of the year down to just three picks. They're the sets I'm most eager to get my hands on, and the very OLED TVs I expect to win over the most hearts and minds in 2026.

LG G6

LG's latest flagship-level OLED is a wonderous sight to behold. It's the newest, upgraded version of the LG G5, one of the best TVs I've ever seen, so to say I have high expectations for it is an understatement.

First, let's get one thing out of the way: The G6 will hit shelves as one of the priciest TVs on the market. Yes, that's a massive bummer, but if it follows the same price trajectory of its predecessor, you can expect to see huge discounts on the G6 deep into the year.

In fact, right now, an argument can be made that the year-old, heavily discounted LG G5 is one of the better deals you can get after you factor in its price-to-performance ratio.

The G6 leverages the newest version of LG Display's RGB Tandem OLED display. Last year, the first iteration of this panel proved hugely successful, as the G5 remains one of the brightest OLEDs we've ever tested.

The RGB Tandem 2.0 display is equipped with a feature LG has dubbed Hyper Radiant Color Technology. From what I've seen from a couple of hands-on demonstrations, it's brighter and more colorful than its predecessor — something I genuinely have a hard time wrapping my head around.

But the biggest improvement involves color banding, otherwise known as posterization. You've probably seen this visual artifact before, even if you don't recognize it by name. It happens where a display struggles to blend soft, subtle transitions in color or brightness, resulting in what looks like a series of stripes where a gradient ought to be.

Based on a demo I received at LG headquarters, it would appear as though LG's engineers have cleaned up the G Series' occasional color banding significantly year over year. With this issue ironed out, rival OLED-makers might have lost a step compared to the G6.

Samsung S95H

The Samsung S95H is the newest flagship OLED from Samsung and a direct follow-up to the Samsung S95F, one of the best TVs we tested in 2025. Like its predecessor, the S95H is built around quantum dot-OLED technology, which typically allows for brighter, purer color than what we usually see on OLED TVs that leverage standard OLED panels.

The S95H and its upgraded QD-OLED panel will go head to head with the LG G6 this year. From what I've seen, this showdown will be a close one.

I recently spent an entire afternoon with the S95H and I couldn't stop watching "Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker." (It's a testament to how good the S95H looks that I was able to stomach more than ten minutes of that dreadful movie.)

We haven't formally tested the S95H, but I can confirm that it's brighter than last-year's S95F, particularly when it comes to HDR highlight brightness. I anticipate that the S95H's QD-OLED panel will edge out the G6 when it comes to overall color volume, but in terms of sheer brightness, it's anyone's game.

During my visit to Samsung headquarters, the S95H was wall-mounted in order to draw attention to its newest feature: a brushed-metal frame that surrounds the screen. The display itself sits above the frame, which helped the picture pop in a well-lit setting.

The S95H is the third Samsung flagship OLED in a row to feature the brand's glare-free screen. Its matte-style finish all but eliminates direct glare, but in dim or well-lit rooms, it could have the added effect of raising the TV's perceived black levels. (In other words, the matte versus glossy screen debate will continue in 2026.)

Unsurprisingly, the S95H won't come cheap. It starts at $2,499 for a 55-inch model, and if trends continue this year, I don't see it dropping in price quite as steeply as LG's models the closer we get to the holiday shopping season.

LG W6 Wallpaper TV

The LG W6 (also known as the LG Wallpaper TV) is, without a doubt, the best-looking lifestyle TV I've ever seen. So-called lifestyle TVs are a relatively new class of TV that are built to harmonize with the viewer’s life and living space, both aesthetically and functionally. The majority of lifestyle TVs resemble framed, wall-mounted portraits, and when it comes to picture quality, most of them aren't quite as impressive as high-end TVs.

The LG W6 flips the script. It taps one of LG Display's top OLED panels (RGB Tandem 2.0) and places it within an ultra-thin, wall-mounted design that sits perfectly flush against the wall. This means you're getting a brilliant combination of cutting-edge design and all of the power of an LG-engineered, OLED-driven picture.

LG claims that the W6 can get up to 3.9 times brighter than "conventional OLEDs." Considering the high-water mark set by last-year's LG G5 (which used an older version of LG's RGB Tandem display), I'm willing to bet that it'll be one of the brightest OLEDs money can buy in 2026.

The W6 is also wireless, so you can enjoy its elegant design without having to see your pesky cables peeking out from behind the panel. It comes with LG's Zero Connect Box, which transmits the signal of your connected devices from up to 10 meters away.

Having seen this TV in action, I'm convinced that it will be wildly popular among a certain crowd that yearns for a top-shelf picture with a posh touch. It won't come cheap, but it'll certainly turn heads in any room.

More from Tom's Guide

• Matte vs glossy OLED TV screens: What should you buy in 2026?
• In the market for an OLED? Here’s my expert guide on shopping for an LG TV in 2026
• We just went hands on with the LG Wallpaper OLED TV — and it's amazingly thin, wireless and actually affordable