Tag: Source: Androidcentral.com

Receive $400 off the Galaxy S26 AND 50% off a full year of Unlimited.

Samsung’s Fold 8 battery leak brings me joy but also a bit of annoyance.

Samsung hasn’t significantly modified the Galaxy Z Fold’s battery in recent years, but that may change soon. Since 2021, the company has consistently utilized a 4,400mAh battery, while rivals like Honor and OPPO have succeeded in integrating larger batteries into sleeker foldable devices.

According to fresh information discovered by GalaxyClub, the upcoming Galaxy Z Fold 8 might feature a 5,000mAh battery, a clear upgrade from the 4,400mAh cell present in the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and various versions prior.

This may not appear to be a drastic alteration, but it would represent the largest battery Samsung has ever included in a standard Fold model. The company has maintained a similar battery size for many years. The Galaxy Z Fold 2 contained a 4,500mAh battery, and since the Fold 3, the battery has hovered around 4,400mAh, even as display and performance demands have risen.

Why foldables utilize dual batteries

Similar to previous Fold versions, the Galaxy Z Fold 8 will likely employ a dual-battery configuration. This design is essential for foldable smartphones. Each segment of the device possesses its own battery, working in unison as one system.

The leaked specifications indicate one battery with a rating of approximately 2,369mAh and the other about 2,485mAh, yielding a combined rated capacity of around 4,845mAh. Samsung would probably promote that as a typical 5,000mAh capacity, which is common practice for smartphone batteries.

If these figures are accurate, that’s roughly a 13 to 14 percent rise compared to the Fold 7. While it’s not a substantial leap, it should contribute to improved daily battery longevity. Conversely, some Chinese brands are already providing foldable devices with significantly larger batteries, sometimes 6,000mAh or more, in phones with similar thinness.

Meanwhile, the Galaxy Z Flip 8 may not receive a battery upgrade this year. This could be disappointing for fans of clamshell foldables.

The battery isn’t the sole aspect anticipated to evolve in Samsung’s forthcoming foldable. Initial leaks suggest that the Galaxy Z Fold 8 could feature a 6.5-inch cover screen, a larger 8-inch foldable OLED display, a Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy chip, and a minimum of 12GB of RAM along with 256GB of storage.

Software enhancements may also contribute to extended battery life. The device is expected to operate on Android 17 with One UI 9, potentially making it one of the first Samsung products to launch with that version immediately.

One element that the leaks have not clarified is the charging speed. Samsung’s Fold phones have utilized 25W wired charging for several years, while other leading phones, including Samsung’s own Galaxy S26 Ultra, can now charge at significantly higher rates.

Samsung is anticipated to unveil its next foldable phones around mid-2026, likely alongside the Galaxy Z Flip 8 and possibly other new foldable designs.

Android Central’s Perspective

I’m pleased to see Samsung finally enhancing the Fold’s battery. For a device designed for multitasking and extensive screen usage, battery life ought to be a priority. A 5,000mAh battery should translate to fewer mid-day charges for users who make use of the inner display as Samsung intends. Nevertheless, it’s evident that other brands already present foldables with considerably larger batteries, making this upgrade feel more like Samsung merely trying to keep pace. I value the improvement, but truthfully, this change should have occurred a few years back.

Android 16 makes its debut on the Fairphone 6, featuring improved notifications and anti-scam measures.

Samsung has always regarded the Galaxy Z TriFold as a limited edition, so this isn’t particularly surprising.

Samsung’s Circumstances Mirror the Present Issues in the Smartphone Sector

Samsung, a prominent entity in the smartphone arena, is presently maneuvering through a multifaceted environment that underscores the wider issues confronting the sector. In spite of the triumphant debut of the Galaxy S26 series, which has experienced unprecedented pre-orders, Samsung’s mobile segment is allegedly in a state of crisis due to escalating component and logistics expenses.

The smartphone marketplace in 2026 faces pressure from numerous elements. A particularly notable factor is the spike in memory costs, which have risen by more than 850% as AI data centers vie with smartphone producers for parts. This has compelled Samsung to adopt an emergency management stance, with the risk of incurring its first operating loss in the mobile division.

The problem is further amplified by geopolitical friction, such as the persistent conflict in the Middle East, which has escalated logistics costs. Samsung’s operating margins have already decreased considerably, with projections declining from 11% in Q1 2025 to approximately 3% in Q1 2026. In reaction, the firm has raised the prices of its Galaxy S26 and S26 Plus models by $100, despite only minor enhancements from the prior generation.

This situation provokes worries about the viability of the smartphone sector, particularly for smaller Android manufacturers. Brands like OnePlus and realme are also contending with rising expenditures, and the complete effect on the industry is yet to be determined. Samsung’s predicament highlights the tumultuous condition of the smartphone market and the necessity for strategic modifications to navigate these challenging times.

It’s nearly akin to establishing a routine on Google Home.

**Android Central Verdict**

Rating: ★★★★☆

This is the finest slim phone ever created, and it’s not even a close contest. If the iPhone Air and Galaxy S25 Edge’s battery and camera shortcomings held you back from purchasing them, this is the slim phone you’ve been longing for… assuming you can.

**Pros**
– Exceptional battery longevity
– Rapid charging capabilities
– Lively display
– Strong chipset performance
– Superb camera quality
– IP69 rating for protection against high-pressure jets

**Cons**
– Under-display fingerprint reader is positioned slightly low
– Exclusively available in China

—

Having spent 18 years reviewing technology, it’s quite uncommon for smartphones to genuinely astonish or thrill me, but last year was a significant turning point. I have an affinity for compact and slender phones, which goes against the prevailing trend of larger devices, and I was quite taken with the iPhone Air and Galaxy S25 Edge when they were unveiled.

Yet neither transitioned into my primary device for one crucial reason: compromises. Both models entail significant trade-offs in comparison to their non-slim versions, particularly as the latter continue to slim down with each new release.

The reasoning seemed straightforward: a slim design would inherently result in various concessions regarding performance, battery longevity, charging speed, and camera quality. At least, that was the perception until a few weeks prior when I began using a new slim phone that demonstrated that Samsung and Apple missed the mark.

Introducing the finest thin phone ever created: the Honor Magic 8 Pro Air. It’s so impressive, it has become my favorite phone to use at this time.

The Honor Magic 8 Pro Air is marginally thicker than the Galaxy S25 Edge and the iPhone Air, but this trade-off is well worth it. The Magic 8 Pro Air measures 6.1mm in thickness, compared to 5.6mm for the iPhone Air and 5.8mm for the Galaxy S25 Edge, but despite being 0.6mm thicker, you will appreciate the difference.

The justification? Significantly improved cameras, a much larger battery, and remarkably faster charging. Consequently, it is the only slim phone that feels like it genuinely maintains the flagship phone experience, especially in comparison to other options.

It’s also worth mentioning that Honor has managed to achieve all of this within a body that is smaller than its rivals, which elevates the user experience of the Magic 8 Pro Air even more.

The Magic 8 Pro Air boasts a brilliant 6.31-inch display, featuring Dolby Vision and peak brightness of 6,000 nits, which resonates with me because I have a preference for compact phones; this is much easier to handle with one hand than the 6.5-inch display on the iPhone Air (which is nearly perfect in size) and the 6.7-inch display on the Galaxy S25 Edge, which I find a bit overly large.

Had Honor opted for a larger display, it might not have been as pleasurable for me, but there’s a good chance they could have made it thinner as well. In any case, this is among the most well-designed phones I’ve encountered in years, and as we’ll explore, it finally addresses the principal compromises found in other thin phones. It is also available in four colors — Black, White, Purple, and Orange — and yes, I’m using the now-familiar Orange variant that appears just as stylish as my iPhone 17 Pro.

Battery and charging are critical areas in which the Magic 8 Pro Air excels when compared to the competition, simultaneously resolving the largest drawback associated with other slim phones.

The iPhone Air has a 3,149 mAh battery, with Apple also offering a separate iPhone Air MagSafe battery pack that nearly doubles its capacity. When connected, this pack increases the iPhone Air’s overall thickness to around 13mm. Meanwhile, the Galaxy S25 Edge has a larger 3,900 mAh battery, but lacks an official Qi2 battery pack.

In contrast, the Magic 8 Pro Air stands out significantly, sporting a 5,500 mAh battery with support for 80W wired charging and 50W wireless charging. For context, this battery is larger than that of the iPhone 17 Pro Max, the upcoming Galaxy S26 Ultra, and even folding devices like the Galaxy Z Fold 7. It takes approximately 50 minutes to fully charge the Magic 8 Pro Air, which is also quicker than both the iPhone Air and the Galaxy S25 Edge.

I was astonished by the battery capacity, and even more surprised when it provided the exact all-day battery life I had been anticipating from a slim phone. Over the past few weeks, the average battery life has hovered around 5-6 hours of screen usage per day, which is more than adequate, but I’ve also seen it exceed seven hours when primarily using Wi-Fi. This is remarkable, and simply put, the Magic 8 Pro Air is the first thin phone to

The Galaxy S26 series is arriving in the hands of consumers, and as we continue our testing of the devices here at Android Central, we find ourselves impressed by a variety of its features. Some of these are quite familiar, like the Privacy Display on the Ultra, while others are gradually being introduced, such as screen automation with Gemini. Nonetheless, one aspect that I believe has gone unnoticed is the enhanced Audio Eraser, which was already remarkable from the start.

At the Galaxy S26 launch, Samsung revealed that Audio Eraser would now be compatible with third-party apps, allowing you to modify the audio while watching a show or scrolling through reels on Instagram. I’ve been experimenting with this feature on the Galaxy S26 Plus, and I must say it’s becoming my favorite new capability in Samsung’s latest flagship devices!

Audio Eraser and the One UI 8.5 update

Samsung’s Audio Eraser may ring a bell for anyone with a more recent Pixel smartphone, and rightfully so. This feature debuted with the Galaxy S25 series, and similar to the Pixel, certain Samsung phones can evaluate videos and distinguish the audio into various segments, such as voices, music, noise, and crowd. After a video is assessed, you can modify each audio segment for the desired outcome, whether it’s to muffle the sounds of a crowd to better hear the main speaker or to enhance the background music so that voices are less prominent.

The outcomes are quite impressive, and devices like the Galaxy S26 can even perform this on videos not originally recorded on the phone, like those saved to the device.

However, with One UI 8.5 on the Galaxy S26 series, Samsung elevates this with support for third-party apps. When using applications like YouTube, Netflix, Instagram, and more, you can modify the audio so that the speaker is clearer, effectively muting any background noise or music for better comprehension.

The features aren’t as detailed as those available in the Gallery app, but the core function operates exceptionally well across third-party apps.

How to use Audio Eraser in the Gallery app

1. Choose a video in your Gallery app.
2. Tap the Galaxy AI sparkle icon. Wait for the app to analyze the video.
3. Adjust the audio categories to your preference, or tap the Auto button for the app to make adjustments automatically. You may also tap Hear original at the top to compare the original audio with the modified audio.
4. Tap Save edits once you are satisfied.

How to use Audio Eraser in third-party apps

1. Launch an app such as YouTube, Netflix, Instagram, Prime Video, etc., and start playing a video.
2. Swipe down to access the quick settings menu. Tap Audio eraser at the top.
3. Enable Audio eraser and adjust the intensity of Audio eraser to minimize background noise in the video.
4. If you’re listening to music and aim to amplify the main vocals while decreasing the music volume, set the strength to the maximum level, then activate Voice focus. This option will be greyed out and inaccessible until the strength is maximized.
5. When finished, tap Done.

One of Samsung’s most useful AI features

Many of Samsung’s Galaxy AI capabilities are entertaining to use, like generating stickers or editing images, but Audio Eraser has become one of those features I find indispensable. I often notice that for various reasons, I have difficulty hearing properly while watching TV shows. Consequently, I frequently enable captions to fully grasp the dialogue, particularly when viewing “The Expanse,” which includes a lot of action and instances where characters speak over crowds.

In the example mentioned, I struggle to hear Colm McGuinness’s voice distinctly in his exceptional performance of Ed Sheeran’s “Nancy Mulligan.” By activating Audio Eraser, his words come across much more clearly and are easier to comprehend (my only challenge then being his strong Irish accent).

That being said, Audio Eraser isn’t flawless in this aspect, especially when Voice Focus is turned on. Yes, it provides a nice lift to voices, making them much easier to hear, but occasionally the voices can become unclear as the AI attempts to keep pace, and sometimes it can have the opposite effect, making voices more difficult to understand. Therefore, this specific feature might be best utilized sparingly.

Still, I can see how this feature could also serve as a great accessibility tool, benefiting those who are hard of hearing. Some of the alterations may seem subtle, but they can significantly impact the difference between hearing something clearly and not. Even though Voice Focus has its imperfections, it dramatically enhances the experience when watching videos or listening to music, and I hope Samsung extends this to music applications like YouTube Music.

For now, Audio Eraser has

As of March 11, the Galaxy S26 series is available in stores and has reached consumers. According to Samsung, preorders for the Galaxy S26 series have increased compared to the S25, which is promising news. The Galaxy S26 Ultra is especially favored, despite its steep price. With reviews now published and users having had the opportunity to explore the devices, we want to hear your thoughts on the newest features of the Galaxy S26.

Not all features are brand new, but Samsung has made significant enhancements to existing features that give them a fresh feel. Naturally, there are numerous alterations and additions to the Galaxy S26 series, so we aim to highlight the most significant ones that you, as a consumer, will engage with.

Key features of the Galaxy S26 series

One of the standout new additions to the Galaxy S26 series is the Privacy Display, which has become a central point of Samsung’s marketing. This feature enables users to conceal the information on their display from onlookers by disabling the pixels that project light towards the sides of the screen while keeping those that display light forward active. Thus, you can still view your screen’s content.

It is also customizable, allowing you to configure it to activate only when certain apps are opened or when notifications arrive on your device. However, this display is regrettably exclusive to the premium Galaxy S26 Ultra, yet it remains an impressive piece of technology.

Gemini received significant enhancements in the Galaxy S26 series, thanks to screen automation. This allows the AI assistant to handle tasks for you, launching apps and performing actions to order an Uber or request food delivery. We recently tested Gemini screen automation ourselves, and despite some limitations and restricted app compatibility, it impressed us by accurately selecting the right food or drink options and halting when you’re set to finalize the order.

You can manually intervene in the process if you need to tweak anything, or Gemini will pause if extra details are required, such as your preferred size for a meal or drink.

This feature is being rolled out for the Galaxy S26 series but will likely be available on the Pixel 10 series shortly.

Other notable new features on the Galaxy S26 include an enhanced Photo Assist, which allows you to use natural language to instruct the AI to edit a photo or incorporate elements from one image into another, like garments. It operates similarly to Help Me Edit on Google Photos, which is also accessible on the Galaxy S26 series if you prefer that method.

Now Nudge is Samsung’s equivalent of Google’s Magic Cue found on the Pixel 10. This utilizes contextual information to highlight relevant items, such as dates, phone numbers, and even images, so you don’t have to hunt for them yourself. It’s another instance of AI becoming increasingly proactive and useful.

In terms of AI, Bixby has also been upgraded. You can now communicate with the AI assistant using more natural language, and it will assist you in navigating your device to locate or modify features. For example, if you mention that your eyes are fatigued from staring at the screen, it may recommend activating the Eye Comfort shield feature.

In addition, there are a variety of other new and improved features, including Call Screening, Document Scan, Ocean Mode photography, a more capable DeX, an enhanced Audio Eraser, and much more. Share your thoughts in the comments about which Galaxy S26 feature you find the most impressive!

Samsung has enhanced DeX on the Galaxy S26, delivering a more robust desktop experience.

Samsung DeX has been a feature on Galaxy devices for many years and is a primary reason I often favor Samsung’s top phones over other Android options. Although Google has simplified access to Android’s desktop mode with the recent Android 16 QPR3 update, Samsung DeX still feels ahead of the pack.

With the Galaxy Z Trifold, Samsung has streamlined access to DeX mode directly on the device. Users can effortlessly switch from the regular One UI 8 to Samsung DeX with a single tap on the foldable itself.

The Galaxy S26 Ultra, while not providing a large enough screen for the same on-device experience, has seen a quiet upgrade to DeX. It is now powerful enough in certain scenarios that it could feasibly replace my laptop.

Samsung DeX reaches new levels of capability on the Galaxy S26 series.

The primary DeX functionality on the Galaxy S26 Ultra remains fairly consistent. You connect your phone to an external monitor using a USB-C cable, and a desktop-like interface appears. This resembles a conventional desktop setting, featuring a taskbar at the bottom, a notification and control area on the right, navigation controls on the left, and a spacious workspace for opening multiple applications in distinct windows.

What has notably advanced on the Galaxy S26 series, particularly with the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 powering the Galaxy S26 Ultra, is the ability to run many more apps concurrently. The additional performance allows the system to handle multiple applications simultaneously without any lag.

On my Mac, I often manage several desktops, each hosting a different array of applications. For instance, one desktop features Firefox, while another contains Photoshop. Samsung has introduced a similar feature to DeX on the Galaxy S26 Ultra by supporting multiple desktops.

Now, users can open up to four desktops at once, with as many as five applications running on each. This means a total of 20 applications can function alongside each other if necessary. This capability was not possible before, but the Galaxy S26 Ultra manages it seamlessly. I tested this setup with a Galaxy S26 Ultra connected to my 27-inch 4K LG monitor, and the experience felt surprisingly akin to using my Mac.

Applications launch swiftly, animations remain fluid, and for software that already accommodates larger screens, particularly Chrome and other Google applications, the experience is very reminiscent of a standard desktop operating system.

I can foresee how this could be advantageous for many users over time. Picture carrying just a portable display and a USB-C cable linked to your phone, yet still being able to accomplish most of your work from your pocket device.

This is something productivity-driven users are likely to value. The system is potent enough to enable photo or video editing on the go, alongside normal tasks like writing or emailing.

What’s even more impressive is that you can continue utilizing your phone concurrently. DeX keeps functioning on the external monitor while One UI 8.5 continues on the phone itself. Thus, you can still respond to messages, answer calls, or check notifications on your phone, which doesn’t cease when you connect to an external monitor.

Within the Settings app on your Galaxy S26, you can personalize various DeX elements, including modifying the output resolution for your monitor, adjusting mouse or trackpad tracking speed, and even using your Galaxy S26 as a touchpad for the external display.

Multitasking in DeX has never been better.

One feature I particularly appreciate, which Samsung introduced with the Galaxy S26, is the option to cycle between windows using the Command + Arrow shortcut. You must manually enable this in DeX settings, but once activated, you can hold the Command key and use the Arrow keys to navigate between desktops, similar to managing spaces on macOS.

However, I still wish Samsung had implemented a few additional features to enhance the DeX experience. For instance, it would be fantastic to allow more than two applications in split-screen mode side by side. This could potentially be included in a software update, given that the hardware appears sufficiently powerful.

Even in its existing form, it provides a surprisingly effective desktop experience. I can envision it being particularly useful in scenarios where you leave your laptop behind but still need to edit a document quickly at college or work. Simply connect your phone to an external monitor with a cable, and it is certainly capable of managing that task efficiently.