Mobile Devices

The banning of TikTok across the United States and its unavailability in both app marketplaces has created enough demand that people are now selling smartphones with the app installed.

TikTok was banned across the United States on January 19 as the US government determined last year the app was a national security risk for its ties to the Chinese government. The banning involved the app being removed from both app marketplaces (iOS and the Play Store), and Internet Service Providers (ISPs) were banned from hosting the service.

However, the latter part of the ban has now been revoked thanks to President Trump's 75-day extension he granted, but the app still isn't available on app marketplaces, meaning users who didn't already have the app downloaded on their device aren't able to access it.

Samsung has just wrapped up its Unpacked event, where it subtly teased the release of a tri-fold smartphone, which would put Samsung, one of the world's leading smartphone manufacturers, into the new category originally started by Huawei.

Close to the end of the Samsung Unpacked event, the South Korean manufacturer teased the future of Galaxy devices and how Gemini Live will play a big part. Head of Customer Experience Jay Kim briefly mentions a multi-fold device, and behind him, we see a device with a triple-screen and presumably two hinges. The image of the device confirms long-time rumors that Samsung has been preparing to release a tri-fold smartphone, which, if it releases in 2025, will mean Samsung is scheduled to release four foldable devices this year: Galaxy Z Fold 7, Flip 7, Flip FE, and the unnamed tri-fold device.

9to5Google reports Samsung's first tri-fold will feature a monster display that measures between 9.9 inches and 10 inches when fully opened. If true, it would make it significantly larger than the 7.6-inch display on the Galaxy Z Fold 6. Additionally, the publication reports Samsung is teeing up the release of the tri-fold for Q3 2025, which puts it in line with the release of Samsung's other foldable devices. Notably, Samsung is only manufacturing 200,000 units of this new tri-fold, which indicates the company isn't planning on it being a massive success in terms of units shipped and is more so providing an option to power users that want the absolute bleeding edge of the company's technology.

Samsung has officially teased its upcoming Galaxy S25 Edge smartphone, its new ultra-slim handset that will compete against Apple's purported iPhone 17 Air later this year.

The kicker? It won't be launched globally, and will experience a staggered release according to the folks at Android Authority who chatted with a Samsung spokesperson. Samsung teased its new Galaxy S25 Edge smartphone during its Galaxy Unpacked event where it unveiled the new Galaxy S25 family of smartphones, with an ultra-thin design, flat edges, a flat display, and dual rear-facing cameras.

We don't know what is inside the new Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge smartphone, but rumor has it that we'll see the ultra-thin smartphone at just 6.4mm thick with a 3000mAh to 4000mAh battery, and a 200-megapixel camera on the rear like the flagship Galaxy S25 Ultra that was just announced at Galaxy Unpacked.

Samsung has just announced its new Galaxy S25 series of smartphones, including the new Galaxy S25, S25+, and flagship S25 Ultra handsets. Check them out:

Samsung's new Galaxy S25 and Galaxy S25+ smartphones feature the same 6.2-inch and 6.7-inch displays as their predecessors. We've also got a 50-megapixel main camera, a 12-megapixel ultrawide camera, and a 10-megapixel telephoto lens with 2x optical zoom. The new Galaxy S25 has a 4000mAh battery, while the Galaxy S25+ features a 4900mAh battery.

Samsung's new Galaxy S25 in its base form starts with 128GB of storage, while all of the new Galaxy S25 smartphones feature the company's latest One UI 7 software, which is based on Google's new Android 15 operating system. The regular Galaxy S25 features 25W wired charging, while the Galaxy S25+ features 45W charging speeds.

Leaks and speculation are firing up as we approach Samsung's Unpacked 2025 event on January 22. The Samsung Galaxy S25 Slim is the latest leaked addition to the Galaxy S25 series.

As the name suggests, the model aims to provide a slim profile for smartphone users, minimizing weight and depth. New renders released by leakers OnLeaks and SmartPrix showcased generic iterations of the new model. The device clocks in with a rumored 6.4mm depth, making it 15% thinner than the S24. It's also expected to ship with a Snapdragon 8 Elite, Samsung One UI 7, and 12GB of RAM. The aforementioned leakers also stated that the S25 Slim's cameras will feature a 200MP main camera, 50MP ultrawide, and a 50MP telephoto lens with 3.5X optical zoom.

The S25 Slim appears to be pushed in tandem with Apple's own thin phone - the iPhone 17 Air. Which is rumoured to be Apple's thinnest iPhone at 6mm thickness. However, reputable leaker Evan Blass, who recently brought us information on the S25 series AI features - took to his X account, stating, "[S25 Slim] will almost certainly not be offered through US carriers". Clarifying that the information was relayed from a 'historically trusted source".

Samsung Unpacked is just two days away. The highly anticipated event, announced at CES 2025, conjured all kinds of speculation regarding the Galaxy S25, the new AI features, and potential announcements such as the Galaxy Ring 2.

A good chunk of the speculation has been squashed following a series of leaks from smartphone leaker Evan Blass. A key portion included a promotional video from Samsung highlighting the S25 series and its associated Galaxy AI features. Among these included:

The standout feature appears to be the Gemini Assistant. In the promotional video, a user asks Gemini to "find a pet-friendly Italian restaurant with outdoor seating and send it to Tony." This ability to search and compose a message in one tap highlights the assistant's potential. However, the true practicality of these features will only become clear once they're in the hands of users.

Samsung Galaxy Unpacked 2025 is right around the corner, where we'll be introduced to the new Galaxy S25 Ultra flagship smartphone, a tease of the new Galaxy S25 Slim, OneUI 7, Ring 2 teaser, and more. Here's where to tune in:

We should see Samsung unveil its new family of Galaxy S25 smartphones including the Galaxy S25, S25+, and S25 Ultra smartphones at Galaxy Unpacked 2025. The company should also tease its ultra-slim Galaxy S25 Slim smartphone that has been in the rumor mill for a few months now, its new Ring 2, OneUI 7, and more.

Samsung could even unveil a new pair of smart glasses like some new AR glasses or an XR headset, with teh company recently teaming with both Qualcomm and Google on XR headsets. Samsung will be moving all-in on using the Qualcomm Snapdragon SoC with the new Snapdragon 8 Elite processor inside of the Galaxy S25, and even Micron LPDDR5 memory... with no Samsung parts inside of a Samsung Galaxy S25 smartphone.

During a press conference at CES 2025, Samsung Vice Chairman and CEO Han Jong-hee has outlined the company's plans to roll out a proprietary subscription service entitled the 'AI Subscription Club' for Galaxy phones and mobile devices.

As reported by ET News, the service aims to revolutionize the distribution of smartphones and tablets, shifting from installment-based sales to a subscription model that includes maintenance services. The service allows users to pay a subscription fee to own the Samsung Galaxy phone or tablet of their choice. However, no details were provided regarding pricing, tiers, or conditions of phone rentals. The service is expected to launch in February, in conjunction with a subscription service for highly anticipated AI robot 'Ballie'.

In December 2024, Samsung already launched an 'AI Subscription Club' in Korea for household appliances - TVs, refrigerators and washing machines. The service operates on monthly subscription fees, allowing users to choose durations of up to 60 months, with the option for early termination. It is fair to assume that the mobile & Ballie iteration of the service will operate on a similar model.

We're used to seeing e-ink technology in e-readers: the Kindle Paperwhite, the Kobo Libra series. Recently however, TCL has been pushing the boundaries by integrating this technology into mobile phones.

Previous models, such as the TCL 40 NXTPAPER and TCL 50 NXTPAPER, introduced reflection-free displays but were often criticized for their shortcomings in camera quality, software support, and processing power.

The latest model, the TCL 60XE NXTPAPER 5G, seeks to address these issues. It offers a 6.8-inch FHD+ screen with a dynamic 120Hz refresh rate, 256GB of storage, and 8GB + 8GB of RAM-impressive specs for its $199 price point. The phone also boasts a 50MP main camera and a 32MP AI-enhanced front camera. Despite these upgrades, the standout feature remains its innovative NXTPAPER display. 

Samsung kicked off their CES 2025 campaign by announcing a range of powerful new monitors, laptops and AI-powered TVs.

Keeping with momentum: Samsung officially pencilled in the date for their long-awaited Galaxy Unpacked event. This keynote will focus heavily on mobile innovation. With particular attention to AI , and most notably, the highly anticipated reveal of the Samsung Galaxy S25. 

Hosted in San Jose, California, on the 22nd January, the official press release from Samsung proclaims the event "The next big leap in mobile AI experiences".