Replacing the screen of a Samsung Galaxy Fold might not be as expensive as you feared
Beset by a seemingly endless list of problems and delays, the Samsung Galaxy Fold will surely go down in technological history as one of the most troublesome launches ever.
For anyone who stuck things out and was willing to part with the best part of two grand, there is some good news. Despite the unique technology used in the handset, Samsung has revealed that for early purchasers it has a special, low price for replacing a broken screen... the first time it happens, at least.
Watch Apple's iPhone 11 launch on YouTube
Apple is due to launch the iPhone 11 on Tuesday -- along with, it is rumoured, "one more thing" -- and the company has gradually started to expand the availability of the live stream of the event.
Originally only available to view on iOS and macOS, Apple opened up live streams of its launches to Edge, Chrome and Firefox users over the years. This time around, you can tune in live on YouTube -- regardless of what device you're using -- and find out everything there is to know about the new devices.
Samsung angers customers by canceling US Galaxy Fold pre-orders
Just when it seems that the Galaxy Fold launch could not be any more chaotic or infuriating, Samsung just managed to annoy would-be buyers even further.
For reasons that have not really been explained, the company has chosen -- at the very last minute -- to cancel pre-orders placed in the US. To soften the blow, Samsung is offering $250 of credit to those affected by the cancelations, but the news may well lead customers to question whether the Fold is really worth all the hassle.
Check out the Samsung Galaxy Fold in this hands-on video
Depending on where you are in the world, you could get your hands on a Samsung Galaxy Fold as soon as tomorrow -- and it should only be a matter of weeks before it launches in all the markets it will hit.
But what is the newly redesigned Galaxy Fold like? Samsung says it took note of the problems and criticism that cropped up after the first batch of review units were sent out, and now you can see what these changes have amounted to in a new hands-on video.
The Samsung Galaxy Fold finally has a release date
It has been one of the most problematic handset launches ever, but the beleaguered Samsung Galaxy Fold finally has a release date.
Just days after pre-registrations for the folding smartphone went live in the UK, Samsung has started to reveal detail of the release schedule. For some people -- those in Korea specifically -- the Fold launches tomorrow, September 6. The launch for other regions follows in the coming weeks.
Take two: Samsung Galaxy Fold pre-registrations go live in the US and UK
After poor reviews, a postponed launch, and something of a redesign, Samsung is readying itself to launch the Galaxy Fold.
If you haven't lost interest -- or faith -- as a result of the problems and delays, Samsung has opened up "pre-registration" once again in the US and UK. While it is not possible to pre-order yet, the move suggests that a launch is imminent, and Samsung promises you can "be the first to see the future".
Fairphone 3: Now with more HEMP!
No, the Fairphone 3 is not really made from marijuana plant fibers -- but it might as well be. This misguided attempt to make a smartphone that "care[s] for people and planet" is nearly as ugly as that hemp "shirt" your Environmental Studies buddy used to wear in college. Clunky, with middling specs and a creepy, peek-a-boo-translucent backside, it's a phone that screams "virtue signal -- incoming!"
I mean, why else would anyone buy this thing? Its aesthetic is reminiscent of every generic, first-generation slab phone ever built -- like someone took an Apple iPhone 4 and a Samsung Galaxy S2, ran them through a blender, and then reassembled the debris with scotch tape and cellophane. The expletive-laden contraction "F'UGLY" doesn’t begin to describe this abomination.
Fairphone 3: the ethical, environmentally friendly, modular phone 'that cares'
Fairphone is not a new name in the smartphone market, but it's not one that everyone is aware of. The company has a strong ethical and environmental stance, producing handsets that are gentle on the environment, the people producing them, and are easily repaired.
Now the company has announced the Fairphone 3. Due for release next month, the Android handset is a decent mid-ranger which is likely to attract more interest than its two predecessors. So what's all the fuss about?
Google reveals Android Q will be called Android 10 as it undergoes an evolutionary rebrand
Google has famously named each version of Android after a dessert or confectionery. With Android Q this changes. As well as introducing a new naming scheme, Google is also updating the branding for Android.
Android Q is to be called Android 10 -- bringing Google's mobile operating system in line with Microsoft's Windows 10, and Apple's iPhone X. The new name is accompanied by a new logo and a new color scheme.
Apple agrees to warn users if iOS updates will slow down iPhones
An update to any operating system, be it mobile or desktop, is a mix-bag of positives and negatives. Exciting new features have deprecation as a counterpoint, and while there is always the hope that updates will improve things, there is always the danger that things will actually get worse.
If you're concerned that updating your iPhone to the latest version of iOS will result in a reduction in performance, there's some good news. Apple has agreed to warn people if an update is "expected to materially change the impact of performance management on their phones".
Bittium announces the world's most secure smartphone: the Bittium Tough Mobile 2
In a world that is increasingly concerned about privacy and security, Bittium launches the Tough Mobile 2. Proudly billed as "the world's most secure smartphone" it takes a multilayered approach to security, combining both hardware and software solutions.
More than just secure, the Bittium Tough Mobile 2 -- as the use of the word "tough" would imply -- is also a rugged phone (although it does not proclaim to be the toughest phone in world). Designed and manufactured in Finland, the phone is aimed at professionals, and boasts "ultra secure communications without compromising usability".
Samsung Galaxy Fold pre-orders canceled by BestBuy
The launch of the Samsung Galaxy Fold has been, er, problematic to say the least. After serious issues were discovered with the folding screen, the company first announced a postponement to the launch, and then told people who had placed pre-orders that their orders would be canceled.
Now BestBuy has followed suit, announcing that it too is canceling pre-orders. The retailer says that Samsung has faced "a plethora of unforeseen hiccups", and because the company has failed to provide a new release date, BestBuy feels it is only fair to its customers to cancel the orders.
It's decision time: Samsung tells buyers it will cancel their Galaxy Fold pre-orders unless told not to
The launch of the Samsung Galaxy Fold is probably going to go down as one of the most problematic phone launches ever. After review handsets were found to have serious problems with the folding screen, Samsung decided to postpone the release for an unspecified length of time.
With this being one of the first foldable phones, there was obviously a great deal of interest in it, and many people placed pre-orders in spite of the high price. Now the company is giving buyers the chance to back out of their purchase, saying it is "making progress in enhancing" the phone -- but still does not know when (or, indeed, if) it will be ready for launch. In fact, Samsung will be automatically cancelling orders unless it is told to do otherwise.
Apple significantly overstates iPhone battery life
Modern smartphones are fantastic, but they burn through battery life like no-one’s business. Most of us charge our devices overnight, but if you’ve used your phone a lot in the day, there’s a good chance you’ll have needed to top up the battery at least once at some point -- especially if your handset is getting on a bit.
Few people choose a smartphone based solely on its battery life (as the abject failure of the 18,000mAh battery-toting Energizer P18K shows) but it is still an important consideration. If you’ve found you’re not getting as much life from your phone as the manufacturer claimed, you won’t be too surprised to see an investigation by consumer champion Which? came to the same conclusion.
iFixit pulls damning Samsung Galaxy Fold teardown
The launch of the Samsung Galaxy Fold has been mired in problems, culminating in the company postponing the foldable phone. In addition to reports of serious screen issues from journalists with review handsets, Samsung was also hit with an iFixit teardown that highlighted numerous design flaws.
Now, following pressure from Samsung, iFixit has removed the teardown -- although the site stresses that it was under no obligation, legal or otherwise, to do so.
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