Tag: Source: Androidcentral.com

Chrome unveils improved security functionalities for Android users

Android users will soon find that Chrome requests biometric verification prior to auto-filling passwords.

(Image credit: Sanuj Bhatia / Android Central)

Essential information

  • On Android, Google Chrome will soon necessitate biometric verification for password autofill.
  • This feature aims to bolster security by ensuring user authentication is required for auto-fill.
  • The rollout of this update is currently taking place within Google Password Manager and should expand soon.

Amidst the numerous browser alternatives available on Android, Google Chrome continues to be a top choice. It is usually preloaded on most Android devices, features a well-known and user-friendly interface, and provides various built-in security measures. Nonetheless, Chrome on Android has lacked a fundamental security feature, but it seems Google is making strides to rectify this.

As reported by Android expert Mishaal Rahman (via Android Authority), Google is on track to implement a significant feature in Chrome for Android that mandates users to verify their identity with biometrics before autofilling passwords on online platforms.

Google Chrome features an option titled “Authenticate with biometrics prior to filling passwords” within its Autofill settings. It’s likely that you have observed Google Password Manager prompting you for fingerprint or facial recognition when autofilling passwords, though this feature is limited to app usage.

Grasping Android: Differentiating Between Android Elements and Google Functions

The inquiry itself can be perplexing.

(Image credit: Jay Bonggolto / Android Central)

Welcome to Tech Talk, a weekly feature covering the devices we utilize and their functionality. Our goal is to present information in an easily comprehensible manner, helping you understand how and why your device operates as it does.

At times, the discussion may delve into technical aspects, as technology often possesses a layer of complexity. However, we can work through it together to make it understandable!

Tech Talk

(Image credit: Future)

A straightforward explanation of how it functions. A weekly insight into what drives your devices.

You may not find it important to understand how all of this operates, and that’s perfectly fine. Your tech devices are personal and should bring enjoyment. Still, you never know, you might just pick up a thing or two…

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Samsung’s Mobile Phone Triumph Gleams Even with 55% Decline in Q2 Profits

Samsung’s Q2 2025 performance highlights that it remains a formidable player, albeit facing significant challenges.

What you should be aware of

– Samsung’s revenue reached $53.5B, but profits plummeted by 55%, primarily due to a difficult quarter in its chip sector.
– Semiconductor profits fell significantly — from $4.6B last year to merely $287M — as a result of Nvidia delays and stricter U.S. export regulations.
– With Meta and Microsoft increasing their AI requirements, Samsung is counting on a stronger latter half of the year.

Samsung has published its Q2 2025 results, revealing a mixed picture, where overall performance has declined, albeit a few segments have managed to remain stable.

The South Korean conglomerate generated KRW 74.6 trillion (around $53.5 billion), yet profits experienced a downturn, with operating profit decreasing to KRW 4.7 trillion ($3.37 billion). This reflects a 55% drop compared to the previous quarter and is almost identical year-over-year.

Samsung attributes the downturn primarily to its semiconductor division, which faced substantial challenges this quarter.

The semiconductor sector was particularly adversely affected, recording only KRW 400 billion in profit ($287 million). This represents a dramatic fall from the KRW 6.5 trillion earned last year. A significant factor contributing to the drop is the delay in delivering high-bandwidth memory (HBM) chips to Nvidia, alongside tightened U.S. export restrictions impacting chip sales to China.

AI demand from major tech firms sparks Samsung’s optimism

Despite robust demand from AI and cloud-oriented companies, Samsung struggled to seize the opportunity this quarter as rivals like SK Hynix and Micron did.

However, there are indications of a recovery on the horizon. Samsung anticipates a more robust second half, driven by increased AI demand from major stakeholders such as Meta and Microsoft. A new trade agreement between the U.S. and South Korea, implementing a 15% chip tariff, also offers some relief and predictability.

Additionally, Samsung is making a significant gamble on its foundry business with a $16.5 billion chip order from Tesla, which will commence manufacturing at its Texas facility in 2026.

During the earnings call, Daniel Araujo, VP of Samsung’s Mobile Experience team, revealed that the Galaxy S25 FE will launch sooner than expected, likely around August or early September, according to Android Authority.

Mobile and electronics stabilize Samsung amid semiconductor downturn

Looking forward, Samsung is prioritizing advanced chip technology as it aims to bridge the performance gap in the AI arena. It is in the process of developing HBM-3E and HBM-4 memory, essential components for maintaining relevance in the AI chip competition.

Samsung’s mobile division performed well, generating roughly $2.23 billion in profit, a nearly 40% increase from last year’s $1.6 billion. The uplift was driven by strong sales across its product range, including not just phones but also laptops, smartwatches, tablets, and even smart rings.

Despite a challenging Q2 for its semiconductor business, Samsung found some equilibrium within its mobile and electronics sectors. The company is banking on AI advancements and new partnerships to aid in turning the tide in the second half of 2025.

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Galaxy Z Fold 7 Establishes New US Preorder Milestone for Z Fold Line

Foldable Phones Are Now a Resounding Success

![Foldable Phones](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/L9Qphtkffet32e9BYXYMYT-1920-80.jpg.webp)

(Image credit: Andrew Myrick / Android Central)

## Essential Information

– Samsung’s Z Fold 7 has shattered preorder records, with the Flip 7 closely trailing.
– Both devices are outpacing last year’s models by over 25%, and the Fold 7 alone is selling nearly 50% quicker.
– Carriers have experienced a 60% increase in preorders, and customers are visiting stores as well.

There is a clear enthusiasm for the new [Galaxy Z Flip 7](https://www.androidcentral.com/phones/samsung-galaxy-z-flip-7) and [Z Fold 7](https://www.androidcentral.com/phones/samsung-galaxy-z-fold-7), with recent data from Samsung indicating robust interest, likely due to the enhancements the company included in both foldable devices.

Samsung’s [latest and most impressive foldables](https://www.androidcentral.com/best-foldable-phone) are making a strong debut in the U.S., with internal figures revealing that the Z Fold 7 has achieved record-setting preorders for the product line, while the Flip 7 is not far behind.

Within just a week of its release, both the Fold 7 and Flip 7 are already exceeding last year’s models by over 25%, as reported by Samsung. The Fold 7 itself is selling nearly 50% more rapidly than its predecessor, indicating that foldables are swiftly transitioning from niche products to mainstream offerings.

Samsung’s findings align with an earlier report [indicating the Z Fold 7 accumulating more preorders than the Flip 7 in Korea](https://www.androidcentral.com/phones/samsung-galaxy/samsung-galaxy-z-fold-7-finally-pulls-ahead-of-the-flip-in-sales-in-korea), marking a first for this series.

## Genuine Interest, Not Mere Hype

![Foldable Phones](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/iyhNwQFDYkgxESLWkv3E3T-320-80.jpg.webp)

(Image credit: Andrew Myrick / Android Central)

Carriers noted a 60% increase in preorders, highlighting significant buyer interest rather than just casual browsing. Demand is escalating both online and in physical locations, with many attracted to the lighter design and enhanced cameras, according to Samsung.

Color preferences are evolving as well. While black has historically been the standard option, nearly half of Fold 7 purchasers selected the new Blue Shadow option. Meanwhile, Coralred has emerged as an unexpectedly favored choice on the Flip side, constituting 25% of preorders.

Drew Blackard, Samsung’s SVP of Mobile Product Management, states that this seventh-generation foldable lineup is a culmination of years of consumer feedback. “Once people try a Z series device, they’re captivated — and now we’re seeing everything align with unprecedented numbers.”

## Significant Enhancements

![Foldable Phones](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/9EvtFQDoc5yYq6nmjzcSWT-320-80.jpg.webp)

(Image credit: Andrew Myrick / Android Central)

The popularity of the Galaxy Z Fold 7 comes as no surprise. Samsung has reduced the thickness and weight, making it the slimmest, lightest book-style foldable to date. This polished redesign is likely a major factor in attracting more users.

Additionally, the Z Fold 7 and Flip 7 [incorporate advanced AI and improved hardware](https://www.androidcentral.com/phones/samsung-galaxy/samsung-galaxy-z-fold-7-early-battery-impressions) into lighter structures. From innovative tools to more intelligent assistants like Now Bar and [Gemini](https://www.androidcentral.com/tag/gemini) Live, Samsung is demonstrating that one can enjoy both power and portability.

The Galaxy Z Fold 7, Z Flip 7, and the more budget-friendly Z Flip 7 FE are currently available. They can be found on Samsung’s website, in retail stores, and through major carriers nationwide.

### Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7

![Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/n492cdTmAtXoxYWXC3iyrB-320-80.jpg.webp)

The Galaxy Z Fold 7 features impressive upgrades, making it an excellent choice for anyone looking for a new phone. Preorder promotions are still available, but act quickly.

### Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7

!

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Comparing the Camera Capabilities of Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7, Galaxy Flip 6, and Galaxy S25

Can Samsung extract improved shots from the same camera setup?

Samsung’s redesign of its foldable devices for 2025 introduced significant enhancements to both the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Galaxy Z Flip 7. However, unlike the Galaxy Z Fold 7, the Flip didn’t acquire any camera hardware advancements this generation. The clamshell foldable continues to feature a dual-camera arrangement on the exterior, consisting of a 50MP main sensor and a 12MP ultrawide sensor, along with a 10MP front camera.

The pressing question is whether Samsung’s transition to an in-house Exynos 2500 processor has led to enhanced image quality for the Galaxy Z Flip 7. With a new processor and updated computational photography technology, it’s feasible that the new model might surpass the previous Galaxy Z Flip 6—even with identical hardware.

To investigate, I subjected the Galaxy Z Flip 7 to a series of camera evaluations against the Galaxy Z Flip 6 and the Galaxy S25. It appears that Samsung’s image processing has significantly evolved in the new Flip. However, your preference may hinge on your personal style tastes. Let’s take a closer look.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7: Main camera

One of the advantages of having a clamshell foldable is the ability to access your best camera almost all the time. For the Galaxy Z Flip 7, that’s the 50MP primary camera featuring an f/1.8 aperture and a 1/1.57-inch sensor. The Galaxy Z Flip 6 utilizes the same primary camera, while the Galaxy S25, included for comparison, houses a 50MP f/1.8 sensor with nearly the same sensor size.

The Galaxy Z Flip 7 boasts a distinctive computational photography profile and color science, evident in the camera samples below. It showcases heightened color saturation in images and favors contrast, sometimes at the cost of accurately representing real-world colors. In contrast, the Galaxy Z Flip 6 may appear a bit washed out at times, indicating that the new model has made progress in this aspect.

For instance, in the first slide, the Galaxy Z Flip 7 displays excessive saturation and contrast, leading to a heavily darkened palm tree trunk. The sunset hues in the sky are more vibrant, but the rest of the image is darkened to achieve this effect. In the second slide, this approach proves effective as the Flip 7 better captures the blue sign than the Flip 6.

The third and fifth slides reflect a similar trend of darker hues and strong contrast—observe the roof color in the former and the leaf color in the latter. The selfie shot in the fourth slide tells a different story, as I believe the Flip 6 better replicates my skin tone than the Flip 7. This might suggest that the Flip 7 employs different color science profiles for faces and landscapes, which wouldn’t be unexpected.

In comparison to the Galaxy S25, the images are surprisingly alike. This is somewhat astonishing until one realizes that apart from a slight increase in megapixels and a minor difference in sensor size, both the Galaxy S25 and Galaxy Z Flip 7 share comparable main sensors. Overall, I tend to favor the output from the Galaxy S25, although the Galaxy Z Flip 7 surpassed it on several occasions.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7: Ultrawide and macro photography

When it comes to ultrawide and macro images, the Galaxy Z Flip 7 and Galaxy Z Flip 6 deliver nearly indistinguishable photos. Some pictures may be slightly more saturated on one device compared to the other, but this fluctuates in ultrawide and macro shots—there’s no clear trend like with the main camera images. Both phones utilize a 12MP, f/2.2 ultrawide lens with a 123-degree field of view.

For wide-angle shots, this lower-quality sensor falls short of the detail produced by the main lens. However, the expansive FOV allows you to fit more subjects into the frame or capture a vast landscape.

As previously mentioned, color accuracy shifts back and forth between the Flip 7 and the Flip 6. In the first slide, the Flip 7 is better at reproducing the palm tree colors. By the third slide, the opposite is true, with the Flip 6 excelling in capturing the tree’s shade. Again, since the hardware remains the same, this variation is to be expected.

For reference, the Galaxy S25 also features a 12MP, f/2.2 ultrawide lens, but it has a narrower 120-degree field of view. This implies that you won’t be able to include as much in the frame while zooming out when compared to the Galaxy Z Flip 6. Nonetheless, the Galaxy S25 excels in providing detail in close-up shots.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7: Zoom shots

Flip phones typically do not offer telephoto lenses for optical zoom,

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Meta’s Q2 Profit Boost Fueled by AI-Improved Advertising Income

This quarter, the firm generated $47.52 billion in revenue, primarily due to advancements in digital advertising and AI.

(Image credit: Michael Hicks / Android Central)

Key takeaways

  • Meta’s revenue for Q2 increased by 22% year-over-year, reaching $47.52 billion, largely surpassing forecasts, fueled by a 21% rise in AI-driven digital ad sales.
  • CEO Mark Zuckerberg emphasized the company’s pursuit of “personal super intelligence,” supported by significant investments in AI systems.
  • In spite of ongoing losses in Reality Labs, robust sales of Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses and Meta Quest headsets generated $370 million in revenue, which is a 5% increase compared to Q2 2024’s $353 million.

On Wednesday, Meta disclosed its earnings for the second quarter, showing a 22% rise in total revenue year-over-year, amounting to $47.52 billion just in Q2. Following the earnings release, Meta’s stock price surged by about 10%.

“This quarter was strong for both our business and community,” remarked Mark Zuckerberg, Meta’s founder and CEO, in the announcement. “I’m eager to create personal super intelligence for everyone across the globe.”

Meta credits its impressive financial performance to the digital advertising segment, which earned $46.56 billion, making up about 98% of total revenue, reflecting a 21% increase year-over-year. This figure appears to exceed analysts’ expectations of $44.07 billion. Zuckerberg noted during the earnings call that the strong trend in digital advertising was bolstered by AI, leading to about 5% more ad conversions on Instagram and 3% on Facebook.

Google Chrome Trials Function to Stop Unintentional Page Departures

Have you ever unintentionally left a tab in Chrome? Google is developing a remedy for that.

(Image credit: Android Central)

Essential information

  • Google is experimenting with a new back animation on Android that is reminiscent of iOS.
  • The back gesture displays the previous page you visited, preventing accidental navigation away from a page.
  • Some users may already notice it (observed on Chrome 138), although it’s still being rolled out gradually.

Google is designing a new swipe animation for Chrome on Android that resembles iOS significantly. It allows you to swipe back and glimpse the last page, facilitating the prevention of unintentional navigation away.

Mishaal Rahman from Android Authority has noticed the new back animation in Google Chrome. It’s appearing gradually, meaning not all users will experience it immediately. Nevertheless, Rahman observed it working on a fresh installation of Chrome 138 (the most recent stable version).

Swiping from the edge now reveals a preview of where you’re going, partially sliding the next page into view so you can determine if that’s the direction you wish to go.

Qualcomm Announces $10.4 Billion in Revenue, Affirms Xiaomi as the Initial Brand to Release with the New Snapdragon 8 Elite Chip

Qualcomm is witnessing a rise in demand for its chips and is eagerly looking forward to its upcoming flagship release. The company reported a revenue of $10.4 billion for the latest quarter, reflecting a 10% increase from the last year. This upsurge is primarily credited to its QCT division, encompassing chipset sales, with headset sales reaching $6.32 billion. The automotive and IoT sectors also experienced notable growth, fueled by Qualcomm’s innovations in AI processing.

CEO Cristiano Amon highlighted the success of their diversification approach and their prominence in AI processing, establishing Qualcomm as a preferred platform as AI technology develops. The company has fortified collaborations with leading Android OEMs such as Samsung and Xiaomi, featuring 124 smartphone designs that incorporate the Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset.

Qualcomm is poised to unveil its next flagship Snapdragon chipset in September, with Xiaomi being the first to introduce a device powered by this new chip. The Snapdragon 8 Elite is anticipated to improve AI capabilities, as demonstrated by Samsung’s Galaxy AI and Google’s Gemini AI. In addition to smartphones, Qualcomm is also advancing in XR and wearable technology, with a growing demand for smart glasses.

Looking to the future, Qualcomm is gearing up for the introduction of its next flagship chipset, the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 2, at the Snapdragon Summit in September. The company is already working with several OEMs, showcasing strong enthusiasm and expectations for new device releases.

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Closed Beta Registration Announced for Android 16 on Phone 3, Generating Enthusiasm

Here it is; you better prepare.

(Image credit: Apoorva Bhardwaj / Android Central)

Key information to note

  • Nothing has announced that the signup window for its OS 4.0 (Android 16) closed beta testing has ended.
  • Users of the Phone 3 can start registering, which will commence by showcasing the “native” features of Android 16 on the device.
  • The closed beta is projected to extend through August and into “early” September before transitioning to its Open Beta phase.

Those eagerly awaiting Android 16 on Nothing’s latest flagship can relish this teaser announcement.

This morning (July 30), Nothing declared the start of its closed beta signup window for OS 4.0 testing. As anticipated, this initial closed beta trial is designated for the Phone 3 model, which fully operates on Android 16. Nothing informs prospective testers that this initial build will concentrate on “delivering Android 16’s native features while also integrating a more robust design system that will lay the groundwork for a more cohesive UI in the future.”

The company did not disclose the features users may encounter on the Phone 3; however, it underscored the prerequisites that users must meet to participate.

Galaxy S25 Gets One UI 8 Beta 4 Update, Possibly the Last Beta Version

This might be the concluding phase.

(Image credit: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)

Key information

  • Samsung is reportedly launching its One UI 8 Beta 4 update for Galaxy S25 devices that registered for the beta.
  • This update, while appearing minimal in terms of new features, delivers a number of bug fixes for the series and associated software.
  • In July, Samsung worked on enhancing its Good Lock module toolkit, aligning those helpful features with One UI 8 ahead of a more extensive release.

As we approach August, it appears Samsung is introducing yet another beta for its Android 16-based platform.

One UI 8 Beta 4 was identified as rolling out for the registered Galaxy S25 series devices by SamMobile earlier today (July 30). The newest beta seems to be sparse on new functionalities, at least according to its update log. Notably, the patch notes indicate that Beta 4 has introduced “support for high quality voice, video, and enhanced chat services” within the Samsung IMS Service Emergency feature.

The update includes full-screen support for videos when utilizing Samsung DeX.