Latest news with #RyanHaines
Android Authority
5 hours ago
- Android Authority
Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge sales are going exactly how you expected
Ryan Haines / Android Authority TL;DR Samsung is reportedly selling fewer Galaxy S25 Edge units than originally expected. The company has 'considerably lowered' the number of units it was producing for this month. The news follows a report that Samsung was considering replacing the Galaxy S26 Plus with an S26 Edge. Samsung just launched the Galaxy S25 Edge, and it stands out thanks to a slim and light design. However, this phone design comes with several notable cutbacks. Now, it sounds like sales haven't met Samsung's expectations. The Elec reports that Samsung is selling fewer Galaxy S25 Edge units than expected. In fact, the outlet's sources say that Samsung has 'considerably lowered' the number of units it was manufacturing for this month. The sources explained that new phones typically see solid sales for the first three months on the market, but that this 'nosedive' wasn't a good sign. This news follows The Elec's report last month that Samsung was 'highly likely' to swap the S26 Plus for an S26 Edge model in 2026. However, a source noted at the time that Samsung could retain the S26 Plus if the S25 Edge sees slow sales. Needless to say, it seems more likely that the Galaxy S26 Plus will live to fight another day. Samsung's new flagship phone is just 5.8mm thick, has a lightweight design, and a 6.7-inch QHD+ screen. However, it lacks a big battery, fast wired charging, and a telephoto camera. It also doesn't help that the phone starts at $1,100. It's no wonder colleague Ryan Haines gave the phone three out of five stars in his Galaxy S25 Edge review. In addition to the aforementioned downsides, Ryan also lamented the poor thermals, as sustained performance lagged behind even the standard Galaxy S25. However, he praised the design, the primary camera, Samsung's software, and the build quality. Got a tip? Talk to us! Email our staff at Email our staff at news@ . You can stay anonymous or get credit for the info, it's your choice.
Android Authority
16 hours ago
- Android Authority
Spotify may finally let you import music without jumping through hoops (APK teardown)
Ryan Haines / Android Authority TL;DR Spotify is working on a feature to import your music. Currently, the service offers no way to import music from other services. We also discovered a URL for the feature. Hopping from one music service to another can be a pain for multiple reasons. However, losing the playlists you spent all of that time creating may be the biggest pain of all. If you want to switch to Spotify, this will be the position you'll find yourself in since it doesn't offer an import tool. But that could change in the future. Authority Insights story on Android Authority. Discover You're reading anstory on Android Authority. Discover Authority Insights for more exclusive reports, app teardowns, leaks, and in-depth tech coverage you won't find anywhere else. An APK teardown helps predict features that may arrive on a service in the future based on work-in-progress code. However, it is possible that such predicted features may not make it to a public release. Currently, if you want to import your music over to Spotify, the only way to do it is through a third-party service. And more often than not, those third parties will charge you for using their service. So if you don't want to waste any money, you'll just have to spend time rebuilding those playlists. However, we noticed strings of code in the Spotify app (version 9.0.56.459) referencing a feature that would allow you to import music. According to these strings, the feature would appear in the 'Your Library' tab. Additionally, we found a URL related to the feature hiding in the code. Unsurprisingly, the URL isn't live yet. Code Copy Text Go online to import your music Import your music We're unclear of exactly how this would work, all of what it would let you import, and where, but we can speculate. While there's no direct mention of playlists, we imagine it would include importing playlists as that would be the main use case for a tool like this. While Spotify doesn't currently have an import feature, it does have the ability to detect and show local music files. But we don't believe that feature and this feature are interconnected in any way. Got a tip? Talk to us! Email our staff at Email our staff at news@ . You can stay anonymous or get credit for the info, it's your choice.
Android Authority
21 hours ago
- Android Authority
Gemini Space is coming to Pixel phones, and it could be Google's take on Samsung's Now Bar
Ryan Haines / Android Authority TL;DR Google is developing a new feature called 'Gemini Space' for its Pixel phones, which is expected to debut on the upcoming Pixel 10 series. 'Gemini Space' could be a rebrand of the At a Glance widget that will add new information like finance recaps and sports scores. This new feature could be Google's version of Samsung's 'Now Brief,' providing a full-screen, contextual summary of your day from the lock screen. Google is locked in a race with rival OpenAI to get people to use its Gemini AI over ChatGPT, and one of its key advantages in the race is its hardware ecosystem. The company has already integrated its Gemini AI into multiple features on its Pixel devices and plans to introduce even more with the upcoming Pixel 10 series. One such upcoming feature is called 'Gemini Space,' which we expect will debut on the Pixel 10 before trickling down to previous devices. You're reading an Authority Insights story. Discover Authority Insights for more exclusive reports, app teardowns, leaks, and in-depth tech coverage you won't find anywhere else. Our first clue about 'Gemini Space' appeared in last month's Android 16 QPR1 Beta 1 release, which quietly added a new system configuration file named 'Ambient Data.' The file hints that 'Ambient Data' is the internal codename for 'Gemini Space.' Mishaal Rahman / Android Authority This 'Ambient Data' configuration file is present in the firmware for both the Pixel 9 Pro and the Pixel 8 Pro, suggesting the feature will be supported on at least some current-generation devices. Unfortunately, the file itself and the rest of the firmware offer no further details about what the feature does. We did find some related references to an 'Ambience Hub,' though details on how it works are similarly scarce. However, the naming offers a clue. Based on existing features like 'ambient display' and 'ambient AOD,' it's likely that 'Ambient Data' refers to contextual information shown on the ambient display. The 'Ambience Hub' feature, then, might be a new interface for presenting that data. Mishaal Rahman / Android Authority So what will this 'Ambient Data' consist of? We found clues in the Android System Intelligence app, which is responsible for the Pixel's At a Glance experience. Our findings suggest Gemini Space will show a finance recap and sports scores — two features we've been tracking for a while. We even managed to recently surface the finance recap toggle in the Pixel's At a Glance settings. Code Copy Text gemini_space_finance_recap gemini_space_sports_score This evidence suggests Google could be planning to rebrand At a Glance as 'Gemini Space' and relaunch it with more capabilities. Specifically, 'Gemini Space' could be Google's version of the 'Now Bar' and 'Now Brief' features on Samsung Galaxy phones. On Galaxy devices, the Now Bar is a small chip on the lock screen with live app updates, complemented by the Now Brief, a full-screen summary of your day with contextual information. While one could argue that At a Glance is already a version of the Now Bar, Pixel phones lack a comparable experience to Now Brief that is accessible from the lock screen. The 'Gemini Space' and 'Ambience Hub' features could finally provide that. Notably, we spotted Google testing a change last year that repositions the At a Glance widget to the bottom of the lock screen, which would make it look strikingly similar to Samsung's Now Bar (and Live Activities on iOS). With such limited information, our theory could be off base, and 'Gemini Space' might have no parallels to Samsung's features. If that's the case, we truly don't know what Google is building. I'm personally hoping for a feature similar to Nothing's Essential Space, but beyond the name, there's no evidence for this. It's also possible this feature is tied to the long-rumored Pixel Sense — now expected to be called Magic Cue — but we're not sure how. However, Magic Cue is expected to be a Pixel 10 exclusive, whereas our findings suggest 'Gemini Space' will not be as limited. Whatever the case, it's clear Google plans to integrate Gemini more tightly into its Pixel lineup. While the exact role of 'Gemini Space' remains to be seen, we're excited to find out. Google is rumored to launch the Pixel 10 series at a Made by Google event in August, so we hopefully won't have to wait long to see what form this feature ultimately takes. Got a tip? Talk to us! Email our staff at Email our staff at news@ . You can stay anonymous or get credit for the info, it's your choice.
Android Authority
a day ago
- Android Authority
I don't buy Samsung's excuse for not using a silicon-carbon battery in the S25 Edge
Ryan Haines / Android Authority Samsung just launched the Galaxy S25 Edge, and it's probably the most polarizing Galaxy phone in years. The new phone brings an impressively thin and light design along with a 6.7-inch display. It also has the S25 Ultra's 200MP main camera. Unfortunately, this thin and light phone comes with several compromises, such as no telephoto camera and 25W wired charging power. However, the 3,900mAh battery is the Galaxy S25 Edge's biggest cutback. Samsung could have used a silicon-carbon battery, but it didn't. And the company's reasoning is questionable at best. Do you think Samsung should use silicon-carbon batteries? 0 votes Yes, they need to adopt it already NaN % They should adopt it after thorough testing NaN % No, lithium-ion batteries are good enough NaN % Why doesn't the S25 Edge use silicon-carbon batteries? Silicon-carbon batteries differ from conventional lithium-ion batteries by lacing anodes with (surprise) silicon instead of graphite. This change allows for greater energy density. Simply put, that means a larger battery capacity for the same physical size or the same capacity in a smaller physical battery size. It really seemed like a no-brainer for a thin phone like the S25 Edge, but Samsung decided against this. Samsung US executive Blake Gaiser had a rather curious explanation for this omission when he was interviewed by Tom's Guide: Samsung's always looking at every new emerging technology that's out there. So it's something that we're definitely not keeping our eyes off of. But with that new chipset, with agentic AI helping with performance and efficiencies of these batteries, we really felt that going with our traditional lithium-ion battery was the right move for this device. I don't know about you, but I'm not buying Samsung's reasoning at all. I especially take umbrage with Gaiser characterizing this as an 'emerging technology' when they've been used in commercial phones for over two years now. That doesn't sound like a long time, but there are more smartphone manufacturers using silicon-carbon batteries than brands that aren't, at least in the flagship space. Apple, Google, Sony, and Samsung are among the only holdouts in this space. Meanwhile, HONOR, HUAWEI, Motorola, OPPO/OnePlus, realme, vivo, Xiaomi, and ZTE have all released at least one phone with this tech. In fact, HONOR is readying fourth-generation silicon-carbon tech with the launch of the Magic V5 foldable. Don't get me wrong; there is a downside to silicon-carbon batteries. They can be more prone to swelling, but smartphone brands have addressed this issue by only using a small amount of silicon. We've also seen companies like HONOR gradually increase the silicon content as they get to grips with the tech. Samsung claims that silicon-carbon batteries are an 'emerging' technology, but they've been here for a while. If anything, I thought a limited release like the Galaxy S25 Edge would've been the prime candidate for a silicon-carbon battery. This would allow the company to iron out any minor kinks for more widespread releases like the mainline Galaxy S26 series. This battery tech would also allow Samsung to slim down its foldables without compromising endurance. I also take issue with Gaiser's claim that 'agentic AI' can help deliver a more efficient experience. Sure, AI and other software enhancements can indeed make a difference, but how much is highly debatable. Furthermore, AI won't make a real difference two or three years down the line when that already small battery degrades and you effectively lose 20% of the phone's battery capacity. And it's not like Samsung can't bring these AI-assisted battery improvements to other, less slim phones. Don't get me wrong. I wasn't expecting a silicon-carbon battery to be a silver bullet for the Galaxy S25 Edge. There's only so much you can do with a super-slim design. However, even an extra 300 to 400mAh would've made an appreciable difference to everyday usage. Samsung had the chance to step up its game but missed out, again. Ah well, maybe the company will adopt this tech when Apple eventually embraces it.
Android Authority
2 days ago
- Business
- Android Authority
Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge hits a new record-low price!
Ryan Haines / Android Authority This is, by far, the hottest deal we've seen on the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge since its release, which happened just recently, in late May. Currently, you can buy the 512GB version for as low as $969.99. That is actually cheaper than the 256GB model, and it's a record-low price for this device. Buy the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge with 512GB for just $969.99 ($250 off) This offer is available from Amazon, but there are some things to keep in mind. Maximum savings only apply to the 512GB version in Titanium Silver and Titanium Icyblue. The Titanium Jetblack model costs more. Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge (512GB) Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge (512GB) Ultra-thin. The Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge is the thinnest Galaxy S device ever but still packs a 6.7-inch AMOLED display, a Snapdragon 8 Elite chip, and a 200MP main camera. See price at Amazon Save $250.00 This is such a good deal considering the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge was so recently released. And today's deal is arguably the most exciting. You can save $250 on the 512GB model, making it even cheaper than the 256GB version. In fact, this is the lowest price we've seen on this phone, regardless of storage space. Of course, the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge's main lure is its design. It's super thin at just 5.8mm. That said, the Galaxy S25 Edge has plenty of other great things going for itself. It's a high-end, premium smartphone. We often compare it to the Samsung Galaxy S25 Plus, because of its size and general specs. In some ways, it is actually better, though. It comes with a titanium frame, making the build more similar to that of the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra. It still gets an IP68 rating. Of course, performance doesn't suffer when you're dealing with devices at these price points. This phone comes with a powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite processor and 12GB of RAM. It can handle any app or task you throw at it, including premium game titles. Ryan Haines / Android Authority Like all other premium Samsung phones, the Galaxy S25 Edge comes with a large 6.7-inch LTPO AMOLED 2X screen with a sharp QHD+ resolution and a smooth 120Hz refresh rate. All that said, making such a thin phone surely has its sacrifices. In this case, the battery is pretty small at just 3,900mAh. The camera system also doesn't get the same treatment as the main Galaxy S25 line handsets. Go catch this deal while you can! It's a novel phone, and its thin design is really nice for those of us who would rather avoid bulky pockets. It's also one heck of a discount!
