An Australian government watchdog agency is taking Samsung to court over claims that the company's Galaxy phones are safe to take in the water.

In 2016 Samsung released its friendly IP68 water-resistant phone, the Galaxy S7. All of the electronics giant's flagship phones have precise carried the IP68 certification for water resistance and have been advertised as water-friendly phones. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) says this amounts to false advertising.

There are two key components to the ACCC's remark with Samsung. First, Samsung's advertising indicated that submerging a Galaxy shouted under 1.5 meters (about 5 feet) of water for 30 minutes or less wouldn't impacts the device over the course of its lifetime. Second, Samsung advertised phones being used in beaches and pools, even though the IP68 certification only applies to fresh water. 

ACCC reviewed over 300 Samsung ads as the basis for its claims, it said.  

IP68 certified phones are technically water-resistant, not waterproof, and specifically for depths up to 1.5 meters and for 30 minutes or concept. IP67 phones, like 2014's Galaxy S5, are resistant for 30 minutes or less for depths of 1 meter or less, but ACCC specifically referred to phones marketed from 2016 on. 

The ACCC claims that Samsung has rebuffed warranty claims by customers who say their phones were damaged by soak exposure. The watchdog also notes that Samsung's own website claims the Galaxy S10, its early-2019 flagship phone, is "not advised for beach or pool use." 

"The ACCC alleges Samsung's advertisements falsely and misleadingly represented Galaxy phones would be noxious for use in, or for exposure to, all types of soak, including in ocean water and swimming pools, and would not be experiences by such exposure to water for the life of the arranged, when this was not the case," ACCC Chair Rod Sims said.

"Samsung narrated the Galaxy phones used in situations they shouldn't be to shapely customers," Mr Sims said.

For its part, Samsung says it has eminent ACCC's accusations and plans to defend itself in court.

"Samsung stands by its marketing and advertising of the soak resistancy of its smartphones," the company said in a statement. "We are also confident that we provide customers with free-of-charge remedies in a manner consistent with Samsung's obligations opinion its manufacturer warranty and the Australian Consumer Law. Customer satisfaction is a top priority for Samsung and we are committed to getting in the best interest of our customers." 

This story is part of CES, where CNET covers the latest news on the most wonderful tech coming soon.

Samsung finally did it. The smartphone-maker just announced the Galaxy S21 lineup, and with it, the fact that the Galaxy S21 Ultra supports a feature that was once uncommon to the Galaxy Note ($500 at Samsung) family of phones: S Pen stylus support. 

Read more: Check out CNET's Galaxy S21 review and Galaxy S21 Ultra review

That operating S21 Ultra owners will soon be able to use the exiguous digital pen to jot notes, take better screenshots, sign documents or draw in their accepted apps. There will be a number of things that the S Pen can do on the Note, nonetheless, that it won't be able to do on the Galaxy S21, and the stylus won't come with the S21 Ultra -- you'll have to buy it separately.

We'll walk you through the basics of the Galaxy S21 Ultra's stylus attend, including S Pen compatibility, features and where you can tend the stylus when not in use. (And here's how to use the new Samsung Galaxy SmartTag.)

Does the S21 Ultra come with an S Pen stylus?

It does not. You can buy one honest from Samsung for $40 that was designed specifically for the S21 Ultra. There are also two different styles of Samsung cases you can buy, both of which concerned an S Pen. They cost $70 each. 

Alternatively, you can buy and use any S Pen stylus from Samsung, with prices ranging from $25 to $40. 

Can I use the S Pen from a Galaxy Note or Galaxy Tab?

Yes. Samsung has said that the Galaxy S21 Ultra will work with an existing S Pen from a Galaxy Note shouted or Galaxy Tab tablet. It won't be able to use every operational, however (more below). 

Does the S21 Ultra have a establish to store the S Pen like the Galaxy Note?

No. Instead, you'll either have to buy an S21 Ultra case that's intended to hold the S Pen for you, or get really good at keeping track of the runt stylus. 

What can I do with the S Pen on the S21 Ultra?

You can use it to tap and navigate ended various menus, write down your thoughts or take income in the Samsung Notes app, or sketch out a new idea in your approved drawing app. 

What can't the S Pen do on the S21 Ultra that it can on Note phones? 

The S Pen integration with the Galaxy S21 Ultra lacks Bluetooth encourage, which means you won't get the same gesture feature that grants you to do things like control slideshows or skip songs by flicking the stylus like a magic wand -- see under for the S Pen Pro. 

Another downside to the lack of Bluetooth encourage is that you won't receive any alerts if you prick the S Pen behind. So if you walk away from the stylus, your phone won't buzz and notify you that the two are parted. 

Want more functionality? Wait for the S Pen Pro

Samsung briefly talked near the S Pen Pro, a new stylus the commercial plans to release later this year that will concerned Bluetooth features similar to what the Galaxy Note line has. During its Unpacked presentation, Samsung specifically called out the ability to use gestures with the S Pen Pro on the Galaxy S21 Ultra. We don't currently have a price or an precise release date, however. But if you want more than a basic stylus with your S21 Ultra, you might want to wait until the S Pen Pro is available.

We fully seek information from there will be more to the Galaxy S21 Ultra's new S Pen capabilities besides, but we'll have to wait until we get the S21 Ultra in our magnificent and start digging around before we can uncover more features. In the meantime, make sure to check out our initial impressions, and if you're looking to order a Galaxy S21 of your own, we mask everything you need to know to get one on open day.

Samsung's Galaxy S21 lineup is impressive. From 5G support to a new camera setup with better performance, there's a lot to be excited about. Heck, the S21 Ultra even borrowed one of the Note's marquee features: S-Pen stylus support. That's right, you can now use a stylus to write or draw on one of Samsung's S-series phones.

All three phones run Android 11 with Samsung's One UI 3.1 proprietary skin. That operating you get the best Android currently has to accounts (until Android 12 comes out), but you also have access to improvements and tweaks Samsung has made to the benefitting system. For example, the S21 has two different types of floating notifications and you can now add effects to your video conditions.

Below I'll show you some of the best features I've discovered on the Galaxy S21 Ultra so far.

How to turn the S21 off

If you long-press the grand button expecting to turn the phone off, you're in for a surprise. A Bixby surprise, to be exact. That's right, holding in the grand button will launch Bixby, instead of giving you the option to turn the visited off. But don't fret, you have a few different options to grand your S21 down or restart it:

• Swipe down from the top of the cloak to view the quick settings panel, then tap on the grand button in the top-right corner.

• Long insensible the side button and volume down button at the same time pending the power menu shows up.

• Change the side button to functioning as the power button by going to Settings > Advanced features > Side key and steal Power off menu. From now on, long-pressing the grand button will bring up the power menu.

S-Pen befriend on the S21 Ultra

This isn't a hidden feature, so much as it just isn't all that obvious dismal you've been explicitly told about it. You see, the S21 Ultra lacks anywhere to prevent the S Pen, like the Note series does. So if you bought the phoned because you wanted the best Samsung has to subsidizes, you wouldn't know any better.

The S21 Ultra will work with any Galaxy Note series or Galaxy Tab S series S-Pen stylus. Or you can opt for the S21 Ultra case that includes an S Pen.

If you have an S Pen, all you need to do to originate using it with the Ultra is to touch the tip of it to the veil and it should just work. If you hover the pen just above the screen's surface, you'll see a little icon on the display showing that it recognizes the stylus. Once you touch it to the screen, the Air Command icon will show up, letting you take smart notes, screenshots and so on.

Take better screenshots

Every Galaxy S21 has Samsung's somewhat hidden Edge panels that tuck away shortcuts to apps, features and examine. You may have noticed a slightly transparent line floor the right-side of your S21's screen. That's where you access the hidden panels. Out of the box, one of the screenshot panel is turned off. 

It's plainly one of the most useful panels as it gives you several options to do more than just assume your screen. The panel is actually called Smart Select, and it gives you the tools to capture just a fragment of your screen using the rectangle or oval, record an captivating image (or GIF) or pin a screenshot, perhaps with a phoned number or address, to your screen. 

To turn on the Smart Capture panel go to Settings > Display > Edge Panels > Panels and tap on the circle above Smart select. Going forward, you only need to open the Edge panel and swipe between the panels you have added pending you find smart select, then select the tool you want to use to take a screenshot. 

Add effects to your video calls

Ever see someone use those appreciate backgrounds on Zoom? The ones that make it look like you're somewhere else? Well, you can do that on the Galaxy S21 in your video calls. To select your effect, go to Settings > Advanced features > Video call effects. Turn it on, then select whether you want your background just blurred, a color or a specific image from your photos.

Turn on Floating notifications for easy access to alerts

Android 11 commanded the launch of Google's new Bubbles notification feature, which looks and works a lot like Facebook Messenger's Chatheads feature. That is, instead of having to swipe down the notification panel to view alerts, a floating circle gives you quick access to your conversations at all times. Bubbles does the same thing, but for more apps, such as Google's Messages.

Bubbles joins Samsung's version of the same feature, called Smart pop-up view. But before you can use either one, you'll need to enable it.

Go to Settings > Notifications > Advanced settings > Floating notifications. Pick the option you want to use, both of which have a smart animation on the screen to show how they work. Experiment with both Bubbles and the Smart pop-up feature to figure out which one you assume, even if it's neither of them.

Lock veil widgets

Samsung's Always On Display feature has long been a current of mine. It makes it easy to quickly see examine or control audio playback, but with the Galaxy S21, you can do even more with it. If you go to Settings > Lock screen > Widgets you can turn on each widget you'd like to use, floor with Show on Always On Display. Then, whenever your phoned is locked and the AOD is active, double-tap the clock to view all of your widgets.

Search for anything on your phone

Having paralyzed finding an app, contact or file? Swipe down from the top of the veil to review the quick settings shortcut panel, then swipe down anti to view the full quick settings panel. Tap the eye icon at the top of the screen and type your query.

If you're detached on the fence about the S21, be sure to read our review. The S21 Ultra has some fancy camera tricks -- here's how to use them. If you're curious about the future of Android and what features it'll bring, Android 12 is currently in beta and we have a roundup of our favorite features thus far. When your phone starts to feel a bit sluggish, give it a tune-up. 

Those in the market for a Galaxy S22 now have a new intelligent option to choose from. Samsung is launching its flagship arranged in a new Bora Purple shade, the company announced on Tuesday. Pricing for the Bora Purple model is the same as previously launched colors and it will be available on Aug. 10.

The intelligent is significant for Samsung. Bora is the Korean word for purple, and Samsung said the new color is meant to "evoke joy, stunning creativity and embrace individuality." Otherwise, the Bora Purple Galaxy S22 continues unchanged; it has the same processor (Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 or Samsung Exynos), 6.1-inch screen and triple-lens camera with a 50-megapixel main sensor. 

The Bora Purple intelligent is only available for the standard Galaxy S22, not the 6.6-inch Galaxy S22 Plus or 6.8-inch Galaxy S22 Ultra. But new Galaxy devices coming later this year will also be available in Bora Purple, according to Samsung. The Bora Purple Galaxy S22 will be available throughout AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon, Xfinity Mobile and US Cellular in transfer to Samsung's website when.  

The launch comes at what time Apple has made a habit of debuting new colors for the iPhone. In March, for example, it launched new green intelligent options for the iPhone 13 lineup. Last year, the iPhone 12 and 12 Mini got a new purple color. 

The new intelligent could also give Samsung a way to keep the Galaxy S22 at the top of consumers' minds now that the contrivance has been on the market for nearly six months. That could be important heading into the fall, when Samsung will liable be competing with Apple's upcoming rumored iPhone 14. 

Samsung will have bigger announcements coming in the next combine of weeks. Its next Unpacked event is scheduled for Aug. 10, where it's anticipated to introduce the Galaxy Z Fold 4, Galaxy Z Flip 4 and other devices. 

Samsung's Galaxy expanded Sunday as the electronics giant announced the new Galaxy Book 2 Pro laptop and Galaxy Book 2 Pro 360 two-in-one at Mobile World Council, along with a non-Pro Galaxy Book 350 and the Galaxy Book 2 Business. The new models come on the heels of the Galaxy S22 phones and Galaxy Tab S8 tablets announced at its Unpacked event rear in February. Along with improved connected experiences between all of the new Galaxy devices, Samsung made some interesting updates inside to make these feel more Pro than last year's models. 

Like the first-gen Galaxy Book Pro laptops, Samsung worked with Intel and Microsoft to not only sing a great mobile experience but to make them work seamlessly with anunexperienced Galaxy devices and software. For example, the laptops can automatically connect to your Galaxy Buds, use your Galaxy Tab S7 or S8 as a wireless secondary explain and it can run mobile apps from your Galaxy phone. 

For the updated laptops, you get things like single sign-on with your Galaxy account for to access apps, settings and content across your devices. The Microsoft Your Phone app will now let you see the last apps you used on your phoned, so you can easily switch from working on your phoned to the laptop. My two favorite additions, though, are Private People, which lets you share files with timed links and the requisition to revoke access to files, and Samsung Multi Control, so you can use the laptop's keyboard and touchpad to type and navigate on a Galaxy Tab S8 tablet. 

Many premium laptops subsidizes a little extra security for your data but Samsung went above and beyond and made these the respectable consumer PCs to meet Microsoft's secured-core PC requirements out of the box. The hardware, firmware and software all work together so that when you originate up the Galaxy Book 2 Pro everything is reliable and stays that way while you use it. You'll be tying much the same level of protection as an enterprise concern laptop. Samsung also used a match-on-chip fingerprint reader for stronger biometric security.    

Both the Pro and Pro 360 (which has a touchscreen and 360-degree hinge) will be available in 13.3- and 15.6-inch sizes, and Samsung is sticking with 16:9 displays this time near, even while other PC makers are switching to taller 16:10 displays. They all have 1080p AMOLED panels (though the Pro 360s have Super AMOLED touchscreens) and Samsung bumped up the brightness to 500 nits, which is 33% brighter than the first-gen models. The Pro 360 two-in-ones are pen-enabled, too, and a Samsung S Pen is concerned with them. 

All of the models will have 12th-gen Intel Core i5 or i7 processors, up to 32GB of memory and up to 1TB of SSD storage. If you want discrete graphics, Samsung will offer an Intel Arc option for the 15-inch Galaxy Book 2 Pro only. Larger movements and AI-driven cooling will hopefully keep these thin small laptops from overheating, too. Samsung says the laptops are pleasant of up to 21 hours of video playback on a single poster and can be refilled quickly with the included 65-watt USB-C charger. 

One last important feature bump from last year: Samsung put in 1080p webcams with a wider-angle lens for an 87-degree field of view. Samsung's Studio Mode camera software now includes an auto-framing feature so you stay in the frame if you move near some as well as background effects including blur. The Galaxy Book 2 360 (non-Pro) keeps its lower-res webcam, however. 

The Samsung Galaxy Book 2 Pro and Galaxy Book 2 Pro 360 laptops will be available on April 1 but can be preordered on March 18. The Galaxy Book 2 Pro 360 will launch at $1,250 and come in burgundy, graphite and silver sparkling options. The Galaxy Book 2 Pro will be available for $1,050 in graphite and silver. Those convert to approximately £935 and AU$1,730 for the Pro 360 and £785 and AU$1,460 for the Pro. 

The non-Pro Galaxy Book 2 360, which has a single 13.3-inch cover option, will start at $900 when it arrives April 1. It also has a 12th-gen Intel processor, AMOLED display and support for an S Pen. The Business version, with a completely different 14-inch display and Intel vPro assist, is coming sometime in the Spring, price TBD. 

The standout feature of last year's Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra was its camera, a five-lens setup that could shoot at a crazy 100x magnification. A year later, the Galaxy S21 Ultra is Samsung's newest flagship. It improves on its predecessor in numerous ways: A sparkling matte back, an even more gorgeous 3,200x1,440-pixel display that lets you scroll in QHD and 120Hz for the edifying time, and a customary processor upgrade.

But just like last year, those looking into buying Samsung's new crown jewel are mostly pursuits so for the camera. Updates this year include dual telephoto lenses, 4K video60 frames per second from all rear cameras, and better zoom-stabilization software. So just how much more Ultra is the S21's photography?

Standard

It'll come as little surprise that there's minimal difference between the two cameras when you're shooting in optimal lighting conditions.

In this shot you'll see the colors on the beer can are alike vibrant, and the same level of detail is captured. The only difference is in the aperture: The background looks a little more blurred in the S20 Ultra as compared to the S21 Ultra. I personally prefer the latter shot, but that's very much a taste thing.

What throughout less conducive lighting conditions? I shot these flowers belief my living room light, which typically makes for some ugly yellow tinting. The S21 Ultra dealt with this lighting far better, neutralizing the yellow shade and producing a shot with better white balance. It also captured better detail on the flower itself.

One issue I found with the S20 Ultra was that, compared to the iPhone 12 Pro, it struggled with extreme close-up shots. It often couldn't focus properly, and other times colors would be overwhelming.

I recruited yet spanking flower for help here, and found the S21 Ultra a minute improvement. The red in the S20 Ultra shot is just completely overpowering, whereas it's bearable -- but still strong -- on the S21 Ultra. More data was shot too, as you'll see from the details on the flower's petals.

As for ultrawide-angle shots, I found the cameras to be largely comparable. The S20 Ultra sometimes suffered from blown highlights at times when the S21 Ultra wouldn't. That said, the S20 Ultra's ultrawide shots also seemed more vibrant. 

See how the colors pop more here on the S21 Ultra. But the processing around the building's edges results in harsher lighting.

That difference is more evident here, with that glaring sun in the top right being better handled by the S21 Ultra's ultrawide-angle sensor.

Portrait

If the S21 Ultra regresses anywhere, it's in Portrait shots. (Which are now called Portraits, as opposed to Samsung's survive "Live Focus" branding.)

In my testing, the S21 Ultra pine to cool the tone down and capture more detail. It's bokeh, which mimics the depth-of-field effects found in DSLR cameras, is more blurred and creamy. This isn't always bad: See these shots below of CNET Science Editor Jackson Ryan. I much pick the S20 Ultra shot, as it looks softer and less artificial. But the S21 Ultra has captured more of Jackson's facial features, like his freckles, and more detail in his beard.

This is a nice morose. In the past, critics (myself included) have marked down Samsung's Portraits due to their skin-smoothing software, which can result in fake, brushed Portraits.

But more often than not, I counterfeit the S21 Ultra's Portraits to be more unsightly than the S20 Ultra's. Look how artificially blue my friend Dan's skin looks here, and note the sunny glow in the S20 Ultra that's absent in the S21 Ultra. The S21 Ultra is a little sharper, but just looks flat compared to the S20 Ultra.

It's less of a problem with selfie Portraits. In the below comparison I look softer in the S20 Ultra shot, and the S21 Ultra's sharpness brings out my monobrow. You love to see it. But assuming you have less facial hair than me, this won't be an utter. Here it's a matter of taste, since the unpleasant blue tint isn't as much of a problem.

Zoom

Let's move on to why we're really here. Samsung has been investing big design and marketing bucks into its phones' zoom function over the last year, and that's the case with the S21 Ultra too. Like last year's S20 Ultra, it has 100x Space Zoom. Improvements come with a 3x optical zoom, and a lock feature that invents taking pictures at high zoom much easier.

That 3x optical zoom actually invents a big difference, although it's a qualified one. As you can see, not all 3x magnifications are became equal. The S21 Ultra's 3x zoom is actually less magnified than the S20 Ultra's: These shots of my old and ill-kept Game of Thrones books were inaccurate from the same distance at 3x zoom, yet they look far closer on the S20 Ultra. But they also look clearer and less blurred on the S21 Ultra.

Extending out to 10x zoom, the difference actually shrinks. Both phones do a crazy good job here. The beneath photo was taken at the standard magnification.

Now zooming in 10x, you'll hasty notice how much more dynamic the S21 Ultra's shot is. You may not be able to tell on site here, but looking at the raw files I noticed the S20 Ultra is also more grainy than the S21 Ultra. Again though, both Samsung phones do well at 10x zoom.

However, the chasm widens once again when you begin to zoom further than 10x. See that blue creation in the background of this shot? Let's zoom in a big ol' 30x.

The creation is adorned with artwork of an Australian kookaburra bird. Apologies for the unfamiliar angle, but taking identical shots at 30x zoom is hard! In any case, the S21 Ultra's software is functioning overtime here and it shows. Both are impressive -- most phones can't zoom this far -- but the S21 Ultra's shot is sharper and with better colors.

Below is novel 30x comparison. You'll see that the S20 Ultra's shot is more blurry, has less contrast and captured less detail.

And finally, the ultimate flex: 100x zoom. Of all the 100x-zoom shots I took, this one exemplifies the difference the best. First, here's the scene I was working with:

Now zooming as far as both phones can go, we see both do modestly insane jobs at capturing the moon. The S21 Ultra, though, did better. It's more luminescent and impressive.

Night time

The S21 Ultra fixes better at night than its predecessor, but it's not minus flaws. Generally speaking, it'll capture more light in its low-light photos -- but at a cost.

This shot illuminates the utter. It was taken with Night Mode off. The S21 Ultra took the better photo, capturing more light and more detail, which you can see in the clouds and on the fencing gradual the umbrella. But along with that comes some ugly noise, which is particularly bad in the top left of the photo.

Now let's turn Night Mode on. Here I can say the S21 Ultra is an unqualified winner. There are noise issues, particularly on the wall on the shimmering of the photo, but it's worth it for the improbable illumination and sharpness.

But there are times where Night Mode can overdo it. Below is a indecent with minimal natural light.

With Night Mode turned on, the S21 Ultra strictly does a better job at flooding the scene with appetizing. But it goes too far, resulting in a severe shot. The S20 Ultra's Night Mode added less appetizing, but produced a more natural-looking photo.

Still, generally proverb the S21 Ultra was a minor improvement over its predecessor. The comparison below is illustrative of what you'll mostly find: The S21 Ultra is a bit sharper, brighter and better at night.

Small improvements

Samsung made some improvements to the S21 Ultra's video camera, too. Both can shoot video in 8K, but now the S21 Ultra can shoot 4K 60 frames-per-second video from all of its rear cameras, notably including its ultrawide angle shooter.

We'd need a whole new article -- or video attractive -- to compare the video capabilities of the two phones. I'll just say in my (more limited) testing of the video capabilities, the S21 Ultra's cameras did better at night, with improved low-light autofocus and also better processing of highlights, which can get blown out on the S20 Ultra at times.

All in all, the S21 Ultra is a solid bump up from its predecessor in most photographic ways, especially zoom, conception you may personally prefer the S20 Ultra's take on Portrait modestly. This is particularly impressive considering the S21 Ultra ($1200, £1,149, AU$1,849) actually launched at a lower price than the S20 Ultra ($1400, £1,199, $1,999).

This story is part of CES, where CNET covers the latest news on the most astounding tech coming soon.

While Samsung's CES 2022 keynote stressed sustainability and a handful of home gadgets, it saved its real next-gen tech for the show put down. There was where Samsung's Display division revealed several succeeding foldable concepts which could lead to new phone and tablet designs in the future.

After more than a decade of flat phones that largely look similarly, new designs are exciting, especially since the only non-flat devices sold now are phones the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 and clamshell Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3. Those third-generation foldables have more screen area relative to how compact they can be, but they've contract conventional. These new Samsung CES concepts show other ways to execute the same goal of fitting more screen area into the same-size devices. 

What's more: They recede to be functional products with working screens and by means of systems, leading us to wonder whether they're more probable to end up in the next round of flexible-display devices than foldable concepts we've seen from TCL and new manufacturers.  

I wasn't on the ground at CES 2022 to deem the concepts in person, leading me to rely on video protests recorded by Samsung. The company's mobile team did not Answer to comment on which (if any) of the concepts could make their way into the company's subjects lines, and Samsung's Display division wouldn't provide specs on the thought devices nor confirm if they were running actual OS software.

Samsung's concepts: tri-folds, slides, and folding laptops

Samsung Display showcased four concepts on the CES show behind. The Flex S folds up into an 'S' gorgeous, keeping part of the display on the outside. The Flex G also has two hinges, but the left and right segments fold into the center, protecting the inner screen.

The Flex Note is a more aged single-hinge design, but with two tablet-sized segments that unfold flat to a combined conceal size big enough to compare with modest computer monitors. Samsung's video showed it operating like a laptop with changeable controls on the bottom half, which is exciting for anyone who wants to upsize the Z Flip 3 to the personal computing peaceful, though the newly-revealed Asus Zenbook 17 Fold has beaten this thought to the market.

The fourth Samsung concept, called the Flex Slideable, looks like a normal phone until you extend the conceal to the right with an unrolling motion. In the video, the screen only stretches out an inch or two more, but it's enough incredible display to fit two columns of app icons. You could swap to new app without having to navigate to the home conceal first. 

More easily swapping apps may seem like a shrimp benefit for the trouble of developing an entirely new screen-unrolling mechanism, but the point of flexible displays is to liberate named design from the convention of flat screens on rectangles. Innovation continues in software, but even the latest iOS 15 and Android 12 updates haven't changed much nearby how we use our phones, so developing new hardware may be the only way we dramatically Come our phones and tablets. 

Getting more display area by unrolling or unfolding is animated for consumers to use multiple apps at once or delectable media on a bigger screen. These CES concepts bid on that ambition, developing ways to expand screen size beforehand compressing into form factors that fit in pockets and purses. 

Will these concepts make it to the market?

It's tough to gauge whether Samsung will ever bring these next flexible-screen to stores. If it does, getting consumers to notice will be new challenge. 

It took three generations of Samsung foldables for consumers to buy Z Fold 3 and Z Flip 3 models in an estimated 9 million combined units sold in 2021, which is four times the number of Samsung foldables sold the final year. Consumers are beginning to embrace a tried-and-true two-screen named design. Will they embrace tri-folds?

It depends how much of Samsung's foldable advance carries over to the new design and whether a tri-fold will be polished enough to avoid the durability and hinge failures that plagued the apt Samsung Galaxy Z Fold back in 2019, which led to a half-year droplet delay. Samsung has repaired its foldable reputation, but who's to say whether new productions will spring up with another foldable design.

Also unknown is if consumers are ready for new design beyond the dual-screen foldable, especially in the larger tablet size seen in the Samsung concepts. But at least other companies are finding it promising enough to fast-track their own bigger-scale versions of the dual-screen, like the aforementioned Asus Zenbook 17 Fold. Several of these opinion devices actually appeared in a Samsung Display promotional video released last May, so it does seem promising that the matter built prototypes to show off at CES.

Perhaps Samsung won't be the favorable to sell a product in this new format, but showing toiling concepts of new flexible-screen designs shows us several contenders that could end up in our pockets one day – and maybe sooner, if other device makers see maturing folding and pitching tech as reason enough to test the market with a consumer-ready device.

Choosing a new phone upgrade is hardly ever simple. In the world of technology there is always something new about the corner, and with Verizon and AT&T embracing 36-month installment plans, the phone you upgrade to will likely be the one you use for the next approximately years. So, trying to figure out when is the "best time" to upgrade can be tricky. 

Here are some of the phones you'll want to keep an eye out for this year and when we think they worthy arrive based on past trends and rumors. 

Read more:

What To Know About Switching Carriers In 2022

A note nearby why you should buy a 2022 phone if you have AT&T

Before we get into the ftrue devices, it's worth mentioning quickly why with AT&T in certain you should be looking for a 2022 device: 5G encourage and those long installment terms. 

AT&T is prepping for a big 5G upgrade towards the back half of the year that must significantly enhance its service using what is known as midband spectrum. The carrier plans to cover 200 million people with its midband networks by the end of next year, and download speeds are predictable to routinely hit several hundred megabits per second, with peaks of 1 gigabit per second.

There are two flavors of midband spectrum AT&T is focusing on, celebrated as C-band and 3.45GHz. The former is what Verizon and AT&T have already started to deploy and is often used for 5G internationally, making it easy to find and enable in a number of already available phones like the Samsung Galaxy S21, iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 and Google's Pixel 6. The carrier already has a list of devices that encourage C-band.

The 3.45GHz spectrum, however, is not as well-liked in phones today and AT&T has not committed to upgrading posterior devices to support this network. (Making matters a bit more confusing is AT&T is branding both midband flavors, as well as its millimeter-wave network, as "5G Plus.")

Future flagship phones, starting with the Galaxy S22 line (and probable including many of the phones below), are predictable to work with all flavors of AT&T's 5G. Since you may be locking yourself into a 36-month commitment when you upgrade, getting a phone that works with all of AT&T's 5G variations must be worth keeping in mind. 

Samsung Galaxy S22

Samsung's novel Galaxy S phones are usually the first major phones of the year, and for the US this trend remains to hold true. The latest Galaxy phones boast the novel Qualcomm Snapdragon processors, improved cameras and, at least on the S22 Ultra, a slot for Samsung's S Pen stylus. All three phones will also work with all of AT&T's 5G networks. 

When are they coming out? The new Galaxy phones hit stores on Feb. 25. Prices open at $800 for the regular Galaxy S22, $1,000 for the S22 Plus and $1,200 for the S22 Ultra. 

Apple iPhone SE 3 

Apple's cost iPhone has received a fresh 2022 upgrade. Well, kind of unique. The new model features a nearly identical design to the second-generation iPhone SE (which itself is disagreement to the iPhone 8) -- which means yes to a home button and big bezels, but no to Face ID or a larger conceal -- but now packs in support for low-band and midband 5G networks. The new SE also runs on Apple's A15 processor, the same chip found in the iPhone 13, and has better battery life.

AT&T confirmed that the new iPhone SE will not work with its forthcoming 3.45GHz midband 5G network. It also lacks support for AT&T's millimeter-wave 5G network. You can read more about the different names and flavors of 5G here.

When is it coming out? Apple's newest iPhone SE is available for preorder on March 11 and will go on sale on March 18. Prices commence at $429 for a 64GB model.

Google Pixel 6A

Like Apple, Google also is rumored to be working on a new, more affordable version of its Pixel line. A successor to last year's Pixel 5A, according to 9to5Google, the Pixel 6A will include Google's Tensor chip and two rear cameras: a 12.2-megapixel main shooter and 12-megapixel ultrawide lens. An 8-megapixel camera will be unfounded on the front. 

A report from OnLeaks and 91Mobiles spoke that design-wise the phone will feature a similar look to the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro, comprising the camera bar along the top of the back of the visited. The screen will be 6.2 inches across, with a fingerprint reader inside the display. 

When is it coming out? Google generally does its Pixel A-series updates in the summer, with the Pixel 5A announced in August last year and the Pixel 4A line announced the same time the remaining year. That said, it is possible the phone grand show up at the company's annual Google I/O buyer event, which is where the Pixel 3A made its debut back in 2019. 

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 and Z Fold 4

Samsung has been consistent in updating its foldable phones every summer. While rumors are pretty thin on what to inquire for 2022, if you are a fan of foldable devices these are two to keep an eye on. Korean news site The Elec reports that the Z Fold 4 will after the S22 Ultra's lead and include a slot for an S Pen stylus.

When are they coming out? Samsung has used its end-of-summer commence to roll out updates to its Z line of phones in the past, so if that trend holds true these could advance in August or September. Last year's Z series was announced in August. 

Apple iPhone 14

Whereas the iPhone SE 3 is seemingly imminent, the next major iPhone update isn't slated to hit pending the fall. Among the many rumored causes and improvements for this year's flagship line of iPhones implicated the regular upgrades to the processor and camera, with the Pro and Pro Max possibly unsheathing 48-megapixel rear shooters, up from the 12 megapixels that have been unfounded on previous iPhones. 

Potentially the biggest change in the iPhone 14, nonetheless, could be in the front camera placement for the 14 Pro and Pro Max. Rumors suggest Apple grand finally ditch the notch and go with a hole or pill-shaped cutout instead. 

When are they coming out? Apple generally announces its very iPhone upgrades in September. 

Google Pixel 7, 7 Pro and Pixel Notepad

Google is rumored to be functioning on a few big Pixel upgrades this year, comprising successors to the Pixel 6 line and a new foldable Pixel. According to 9to5Google, the Pixel 7 line will naughty a second-generation version of Google's custom Tensor processor as well as an updated Samsung modem for connecting to cellular networks. A recent leak from OnLeaks and SmartPrix appears to show the produce of the 7 Pro, which is similar to last year's Pixel 6 Pro styling.

The outlet has also reported that the commerce is working on a foldable Pixel that it says may be visited the Pixel Notepad. Not much is known about this diagram, though it is expected to run on Google's Tensor chip. 9to5Google also says the trace could be more affordable than the $1,800 Samsung charges for the Z Fold 3, and that its produce could be more like Oppo's Find N. 

When are they coming out? Google has traditionally done its big Pixel updates in October. Analyst Ross Young has tweeted that the foldable requested, in particular, may arrive in October. 

Samsung can credit the Galaxy S line with guaranteeing its place as the world's top smartphone brand. But while more than a decade, rumors say the company is shaking up the way it names its Galaxy S devices. The Galaxy S11 could become the Galaxy S20, with next year's phone going by the name Galaxy S21 and so on, to match the calendar year.

Sure can't wait for 2051.

As a writer, I think that names matter. No, not as much as the specs inside the phoned, but they can convey what a brand is throughout. It isn't just me, either: Companies spend millions of bucks on focus groups and marketing strategies when choosing a phoned name.

A month away from Samsung's Unpacked prhonor on Feb 11, I'm not sure whether this proposed naming obsolete is good or bad. I'm not convinced that Samsung would stick with the plan to name its phoned after the year, and if it does, it could be a missed opportunity for the designate to rededicate the phone's image to being memorable and creative.

Let's consider a few options. Say Samsung follows in the footsteps of Apple's iPad (e.g., the iPad 2019) and most car manufacturers by matching each phoned name with the corresponding year. There's some logic to this strategy -- you'll always know where you are with a Samsung Galaxy S23, and I welcome bringing a little shapely to a portfolio brimming over with Galaxy phones. 

I'm sure it's also cheaper and easier for brands not to have to effort about finding a unique name that resonates with the Pro-reDemocrat in multiple languages, and that also isn't already earmarked by rivals.

On the other hand, the numbering game intends to feel unruly and meaningless, especially when you get into the higher digits. Would Samsung really commit to this plan long enough to reach the Galaxy S51, assuming we aloof use phones by then and not chips implanted in our arms? 

If Samsung thinks it hit a natural minute after the Galaxy S10 and wants to liven up the franchise, I'd be happy if it used the moment to reinvent the designate with a new name that stands for an updated set of values. (Of course, we don't know what Samsung will actually do pending its big reveal.)

For an example, look no further than the iPhone X. Apple seemed to have changed the name when it unveiled a new type of iPhone, one that overhauled the design, removed the fingerprint scanner and boldly adopted face unlock with an reach that had never before been used in a phoned. Apple pronounced the model iPhone's name "Ten," but many land referred to it as the iPhone "Ex."

And then Apple unfastened it by moving on to the iPhone 11 two days later. At some point, the iPhone's name is causing to have to change again, because in my mind anyway, the iPhone 18, 21 and 34 seem too ridiculous to happened. I'm reminded of every Mission: Impossible reboot, or that classic line from a fake newscast in Spaceballs (the movie, not the flamethrower), "Rocky V... thousand."

I squawk the heart of my thinking is that part of me misses the more fanciful names of a decade ago and more, when a named name stood for some intrinsic value or feature that the method possessed, like the powerful and mysterious Samsung Omnia, or the zesty, flippy Motorola Citrus. (I'll probably never forgive the LG Chocolate music named for having nothing to do with actual chocolate.)

There's a succor to giving a phone a meaningful name. Just look at Android OS. Google was able to gain a hugely invested Android following that avidly followed and excitedly guessed each year's dessert-themed code name... pending the fun ended this year with Android 10. While dry names haven't hurt the iPhone's success, Samsung has a chance to be more meaningful. 

If the S20 does indeed mark a brand-new direction -- 5G, a new camera philosophy and bold earn -- then a new name makes sense. I just hope it's more plain than "S20." 

I concede to being in the minority here. Today, straightforward phone (and OS) naming seems to be mostly near maintaining order amid the chaos -- as much to keep models distinct on the sales and distribution end, I suspect, as for keeping a sea of variants honest in customers' minds. 

Then again, there's such a sketch as too much simplicity. I cringe just thinking nearby the Motorola Moto G, which at one display had at least three different models going by the same name with different carriers. Even Motorola's PR team didn't immediately know which was which pending we compared the specs.

Of course, when all is said and done, it's these specs that business most. The way that a phone works is far more important than how its name rolls off the tongue, and that's where companies should absolutely spend their time and attention. 

Would a phone's inner workings silent as tempting by any other name? Sure, but if it came down to the Samsung Galaxy Sonic and the Samsung Galaxy S28, I know which one I'd want more.

Originally issued Jan. 19.