Everything You Missed From Today’s Unpacked Samsung Live Stream
At Samsung’s Unpacked 2020 event, a live audience traded for a somewhat awkward all-digital presentation, but this year’s livestream has been filled with a slew of new devices and feature announcements. Here’s everything the company has shown for those needing to take stock.
Galaxy Note 20 and Note 20 Ultra
The presentation began with the Galaxy Note 20 and Note 20 Ultra smartphones. These large smartphones have 60Hz and 120Hz displays respectively (6.7 inches on the Note 20 and 6.9 inches on the Note 20 Ultra) and are built with “the toughest Gorilla Glass ever,” according to Samsung.
Both phones are capable of charging up to 50% of the battery in just 30 minutes thanks to Samsung’s fast charging technology. Both devices start with 128GB of storage and 8 or 12GB of RAM (for the Note 20 and Note 20 Ultra, respectively) and support 5G. As always, it only really matters if you live somewhere with decent 5G coverage – otherwise it doesn’t really matter, or something you should use to determine your next phone purchase.
The 5G support should pair well with the recently announced Xbox Xcloud service coming to Android devices on September 15th. Speaking of Microsoft, Connect to Windows has also been enhanced with improved app sync between Samsung and Microsoft software and the ability to manage more phone apps from your PC desktop through the Your Phone Windows 10 app.
Pre-orders for the Galaxy Note 20 and Note 20 Ultra begin at 12:01 pm ET on August 6, including a game kit that includes a Bluetooth controller and an Xbox Live free trial with the cloud. The Galaxy Note 20 starts at $ 999 and the Note 20 Ultra starts at $ 1299.
Tab S7 and S7 +
Samsung’s new tablets aim to strike a balance between the Apple iPad Pro and Microsoft Surface Pro hybrids. Both the Tab S7 and S7 + use the Snapdragon 865+ chipset and include an S Pen accessory and 5G support out of the box. The only significant difference is the screens; The Tab S7 features an 11-inch LED display with 2560 × 1600 resolution at 120Hz, while the S7 + has a 12.4-inch AMOLED display with 2800 × 1752 pixels.
As with the Note 20, Samsung has set aside a lot of presentation time to showcase the many features of the Tab S7 / S7 +. Notably, tablets can be used as a second screen for your PC, and they support all of Microsoft’s cross-platform features of the aforementioned Note 20, including Xbox XCloud, Microsoft To-Do, Teams and Office apps, as well as the ability to control your phone with the Samsung DeX interface.
What caught my eye was the announcement that one of the best drawing apps for iPad and Windows, Clip Studio Paint, will be available for the first time on Android on the Tab S7 / S7 +.
Tab S7 ($ 649) and Tab S7 + ($ 849) release on August 21st. An S Pen is included with both, but a removable keyboard cover with built-in trackpad will be sold separately.
Galaxy buds live
Despite being referred to as a streaming service, Galaxy Buds Live is Samsung’s next iteration of its line of fully wireless earbuds. The biggest updates to the Galaxy Buds Live are active noise cancellation and six hours of battery life, plus an additional 21 hours of charging from the new charging case. Other features include a new design built for long-term headphone use and made from recycled materials.
Galaxy Buds Live will go on sale August 6 for $ 169.
Galaxy Watch 3
Samsung’s new wearable device includes the heart rate monitor, pedometer and workout tracking of previous models, but has been updated with fall detection, Samsung Pay support (via NFC) and new hardware that can track blood oxygen and blood pressure, except in the US, for now. … Samsung is working with regulators to get these features approved and will update US models to include them sometime after launch.
The Galaxy Watch 3 comes in LTE and Bluetooth only models with 41mm and 45mm dial sizes. All versions have 1GB of RAM, 8GB of storage and wireless charging. It is also waterproof to 5 ATM.
The Galaxy Watch 3 goes on sale August 6, starting at $ 399 for the 41mm version and $ 429 for the 45mm version.
Galaxy Z Fold 2
The latest announcement was another attempt by Samsung to create a foldable phone, the Galaxy Z Fold 2.
The Galaxy Z Fold 2 will have a wide, full-lid outer display that can be used when the device is folded. The internal folding screen is a 120Hz display made from Samsung’s Ultra Thin Glass (UTG) screen material. We hope this fixes any flimsy screens and surface bubbles that plagued the original Galaxy Z Fold. Samsung has also said the phone will have the same “all-day battery” and fast charging found in the Galaxy Note 20.
Another big innovation on the Galaxy Z Fold 2 is the reinforced hinge. The Z Fold 2 can stay open at different angles, just like the Galaxy Z Flip, and the phone’s screen stays flat when closed – at least that’s what Samsung is promising. The hinge also has a built-in “sweeper” that works like the bristles of a vacuum cleaner to keep dust and other debris out of the hinge gap.
Samsung is not discussing pricing for the foldable phone, but says it will share more details on September 1 when pre-orders for the Galaxy Z Fold 2 begin.