Samsung’s new A51 phone costs $400, has an on-display fingerprint sensor and four cameras. The 5G version of the phone costs $500.
Samsung
As the global economy crashes and more than a million people have been diagnosed with the novel coronavirus, Samsung’s betting we’ll still need new phones — even if we’re not willing to pay as much for them. Starting at just $110, Samsung’s low-priced Galaxy A series phones for the US, unveiled Wednesday, are more wallet-friendly for shoppers on a budget. And they come as consumers wait for Apple to introduce its own cheaper smartphone, likely a successor to the 2016’s iPhone SE.
Samsung on Wednesday said six smartphones in its A Series lineup — some new and some previously announced — will be coming to the US. The lineup, which has been popular in recent months, is known for being inexpensive compared with the company’s flashy Galaxy S and Galaxy Note devices. The four 4G LTE phones range from $110 for the Galaxy A10 to $400 for the Galaxy A51. Samsung even introduced two 5G models, the $500 Galaxy A51 5G and the $600 Galaxy A71 5G, giving Samsung two of the cheapest 5G phones in the US.
The devices all sport Samsung’s curved displays and fast charging capabilities. The higher-end models have more — and better — camera lenses than the cheaper phones and come with other improvements like bigger batteries and more internal storage. And notably, they all come with 3.5mm headphone jacks.
The Galaxy A01 and A51 will hit the market Thursday first at Verizon, while the others, including the 5G models, will arrive this summer. Samsung previously unveiled the A01, A11 and A51 phones for other markets, but Wednesday is the first time it talked up its 5G models and its new Galaxy A21.
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“What’s great is the midtier consumer doesn’t have to choose between great technology and great value,” Caleb Slavin, senior manager of smartphone product strategy at Samsung Electronics America, said Tuesday in a call with journalists. He noted the A Series is aimed at consumers who care about the “essentials” like big displays and batteries.
Samsung’s phone news comes as the globe battles the novel coronavirus outbreak. The virus, which causes an illness called COVID-19, was first detected in the Chinese city of Wuhan late last year. The World Health Organization in March labeled COVID-19 a pandemic, and the virus since then has changed the way we live. Cities and entire countries around the globe have issued lockdowns, shuttering stores, canceling events and ordering citizens to stay at home to help contain the coronavirus. Millions of people have lost their jobs amid one of the worst economic downturns in decades.
A phone slowdown
Smartphone makers, led by Samsung and Apple, have been jacking up prices over the last few years. But people watching their budgets are unlikely to spend $1,000 on a new phone right now. Even before the pandemic, people were pushing back by waiting longer to upgrade their phones or opting for less expensive devices. But the coronavirus is hurting both production and sales, as well as slowing the expansion of 5G wireless technology.
Smartphone shipments saw their biggest ever drop in February — down 38% to 61.8 million units, according to Strategy Analytics — as COVID-19 ravaged China, one of the world’s largest markets and a vital manufacturing hub. For this whole year, phone sales should hit a 10-year low. Shipments of mobile phones, which include flip phones, likely will drop 13% to 1.57 billion units in 2020, while smartphone shipments should tumble about 11% to 1.26 billion units, according to CCS Insights.
Samsung on Monday became one of the first tech companies to show how COVID-19 is impacting business. The company said its sales for the March quarter will rise from the previous year but won’t be quite as strong as Wall Street anticipated. It didn’t elaborate on its preliminary results but will give more information later this month. It likely benefited from strong memory chip sales but saw a decline in its smartphone business.
Still, smartphones have long been viewed as essential, even for people who can’t afford the latest pricey gadgets. Some purchases that would normally take place early in 2020 will be delayed to later in the year, predicted Counterpoint Research analyst Neil Shah. “The US should recover fast in the second half from a rollout perspective,” he said.
Cheaper 5G devices
There’s an opportunity for companies making cheaper phones, particularly when it comes to 5G. The first 5G devices accessing the super-fast network have been expensive. Samsung’s Galaxy S10 5G from last year cost $1,299, while its regular 4G-enabled S10 started at $900. This year’s lineup of Galaxy S20 phones all come with 5G and start at $1,000.
Samsung’s Galaxy A90, its first 5G phone in the A Series, retailed for 749 euros (about $830) when it went on sale in Europe in October. The company’s new A51 and A71 5G phones are even cheaper and are closer to the level touted by companies like Chinese giant TCL.
TCL, best known for its TVs, on Monday said it will sell its first TCL-branded 5G phone in the US for $399 (£399, approximately AU$800) later this year. The company hopes that pricing will help it immediately attract buyers as it tries to build its brand outside its BlackBerry and Alcatel labels.
Apple, for its part, is expected to introduce its new, less expensive iPhone any day. That device is believed to build on 2016’s beloved iPhone SE, but it’s not expected to have 5G connectivity. The 2020 iPhone SE may cost $399 (likely £399 or AU$699), the same amount as its predecessor from four years ago.
Samsung’s A Series specs
As for Samsung, its two new 5G phones will be hard for many companies to match in the US. The A51 5G will cost $500 when it goes on sale this summer. It features a 6.5-inch FHD Plus Super AMOLED Infinity-O display, a quad-camera array with a 48-megapixel main lens, and 15-watt fast charging support.
The A71 5G will retail for $600. It sports a 6.7-inch FHD Plus Super AMOLED Plus Infinity-O display, quad-camera array with a 64-megapixel main lens, and 25-watt fast charging. Both have 128GB of internal storage, 6GB of RAM, 4,500-mAh batteries and on-screen optical fingerprint sensors. They also come with microSD slots, letting you add up to 1TB of additional memory.
Samsung’s new Galaxy A lineup starts at $110.
Samsung
The LTE version of the Galaxy A51 features many of the same specs as its 5G sibling but comes with a smaller, 4,000-mAh battery; only 4GB of RAM instead of 6; and expandable memory up to 512GB. It costs $400 and goes on sale at Verizon on Thursday before arriving at Sprint on Friday. It will arrive at other carriers and retailers later on. 4G LTE versions of the A71 and A51 are already on sale in the UK and Australia, starting at £329 and AU$749.
AT&T plans to carry the A51 in early May. When it’s available, customers will be able to order online and tap into AT&T’s doorstep deliver with virtual setup in select markets.
The other phone going on sale at Verizon on Thursday is the low-end Galaxy A01. It costs $110 and features a 5.7-inch HD Plus Infinity-V display. It has two rear cameras, a 13-megapixel main camera and a 2-megapixel depth lens. The front-facing selfie camera is 5 megapixels. The Galaxy A01 has a 3,000-mAh battery with fast charging and comes with 16GB of internal memory and 2GB of RAM. The memory can be expanded to 512GB through a microSD card. It will arrive at other carriers in the coming weeks.
Two other phones will hit the market this summer: the $180 Galaxy A11 and the $250 Galaxy A21. The A11 features a 6.4-inch HD Plus Infinity-O display, a 4,000-mAh battery, 32GB of internal storage and 2GB of RAM. It comes with three rear-facing lenses — a 13-megapixel wide angle, 5-megapixel ultrawide and 2-megapixel depth — and an 8-megapixel front-facing selfie camera.
The A21 sports a 6.5-inch HD Plus Infinity-O display, 4,000-mAh battery, 15 watt fast charge support, 32GB of internal storage and 3GB of RAM. The device has a 13-megapixel front-face camera and four camera lenses on the back: a 16-megapixel main camera, 8-megapixel ultrawide, 2-megapixel macro and 2-megapixel depth camera. Both the A11 and A21 can be expanded to 512GB memory through a microSD card.
AT&T’s Cricket Wireless and AT&T Prepaid businesses will carry the Galaxy A01 and A11 smartphones this year. It said it will announced pricing and availability in the coming months.
Originally published April 8, 6 a.m. PT. Update, 9:30 a.m.: Adds AT&T availability.
The federal government is ordering the dissolution of TikTok’s Canadian business after a national security review of the Chinese company behind the social media platform, but stopped short of ordering people to stay off the app.
Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne announced the government’s “wind up” demand Wednesday, saying it is meant to address “risks” related to ByteDance Ltd.’s establishment of TikTok Technology Canada Inc.
“The decision was based on the information and evidence collected over the course of the review and on the advice of Canada’s security and intelligence community and other government partners,” he said in a statement.
The announcement added that the government is not blocking Canadians’ access to the TikTok application or their ability to create content.
However, it urged people to “adopt good cybersecurity practices and assess the possible risks of using social media platforms and applications, including how their information is likely to be protected, managed, used and shared by foreign actors, as well as to be aware of which country’s laws apply.”
Champagne’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment seeking details about what evidence led to the government’s dissolution demand, how long ByteDance has to comply and why the app is not being banned.
A TikTok spokesperson said in a statement that the shutdown of its Canadian offices will mean the loss of hundreds of well-paying local jobs.
“We will challenge this order in court,” the spokesperson said.
“The TikTok platform will remain available for creators to find an audience, explore new interests and for businesses to thrive.”
The federal Liberals ordered a national security review of TikTok in September 2023, but it was not public knowledge until The Canadian Press reported in March that it was investigating the company.
At the time, it said the review was based on the expansion of a business, which it said constituted the establishment of a new Canadian entity. It declined to provide any further details about what expansion it was reviewing.
A government database showed a notification of new business from TikTok in June 2023. It said Network Sense Ventures Ltd. in Toronto and Vancouver would engage in “marketing, advertising, and content/creator development activities in relation to the use of the TikTok app in Canada.”
Even before the review, ByteDance and TikTok were lightning rod for privacy and safety concerns because Chinese national security laws compel organizations in the country to assist with intelligence gathering.
Such concerns led the U.S. House of Representatives to pass a bill in March designed to ban TikTok unless its China-based owner sells its stake in the business.
Champagne’s office has maintained Canada’s review was not related to the U.S. bill, which has yet to pass.
Canada’s review was carried out through the Investment Canada Act, which allows the government to investigate any foreign investment with potential to might harm national security.
While cabinet can make investors sell parts of the business or shares, Champagne has said the act doesn’t allow him to disclose details of the review.
Wednesday’s dissolution order was made in accordance with the act.
The federal government banned TikTok from its mobile devices in February 2023 following the launch of an investigation into the company by federal and provincial privacy commissioners.
— With files from Anja Karadeglija in Ottawa
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 6, 2024.
LONDON (AP) — Most people have accumulated a pile of data — selfies, emails, videos and more — on their social media and digital accounts over their lifetimes. What happens to it when we die?
It’s wise to draft a will spelling out who inherits your physical assets after you’re gone, but don’t forget to take care of your digital estate too. Friends and family might treasure files and posts you’ve left behind, but they could get lost in digital purgatory after you pass away unless you take some simple steps.
Here’s how you can prepare your digital life for your survivors:
Apple
The iPhone maker lets you nominate a “ legacy contact ” who can access your Apple account’s data after you die. The company says it’s a secure way to give trusted people access to photos, files and messages. To set it up you’ll need an Apple device with a fairly recent operating system — iPhones and iPads need iOS or iPadOS 15.2 and MacBooks needs macOS Monterey 12.1.
For iPhones, go to settings, tap Sign-in & Security and then Legacy Contact. You can name one or more people, and they don’t need an Apple ID or device.
You’ll have to share an access key with your contact. It can be a digital version sent electronically, or you can print a copy or save it as a screenshot or PDF.
Take note that there are some types of files you won’t be able to pass on — including digital rights-protected music, movies and passwords stored in Apple’s password manager. Legacy contacts can only access a deceased user’s account for three years before Apple deletes the account.
Google
Google takes a different approach with its Inactive Account Manager, which allows you to share your data with someone if it notices that you’ve stopped using your account.
When setting it up, you need to decide how long Google should wait — from three to 18 months — before considering your account inactive. Once that time is up, Google can notify up to 10 people.
You can write a message informing them you’ve stopped using the account, and, optionally, include a link to download your data. You can choose what types of data they can access — including emails, photos, calendar entries and YouTube videos.
There’s also an option to automatically delete your account after three months of inactivity, so your contacts will have to download any data before that deadline.
Facebook and Instagram
Some social media platforms can preserve accounts for people who have died so that friends and family can honor their memories.
When users of Facebook or Instagram die, parent company Meta says it can memorialize the account if it gets a “valid request” from a friend or family member. Requests can be submitted through an online form.
The social media company strongly recommends Facebook users add a legacy contact to look after their memorial accounts. Legacy contacts can do things like respond to new friend requests and update pinned posts, but they can’t read private messages or remove or alter previous posts. You can only choose one person, who also has to have a Facebook account.
You can also ask Facebook or Instagram to delete a deceased user’s account if you’re a close family member or an executor. You’ll need to send in documents like a death certificate.
TikTok
The video-sharing platform says that if a user has died, people can submit a request to memorialize the account through the settings menu. Go to the Report a Problem section, then Account and profile, then Manage account, where you can report a deceased user.
Once an account has been memorialized, it will be labeled “Remembering.” No one will be able to log into the account, which prevents anyone from editing the profile or using the account to post new content or send messages.
X
It’s not possible to nominate a legacy contact on Elon Musk’s social media site. But family members or an authorized person can submit a request to deactivate a deceased user’s account.
Passwords
Besides the major online services, you’ll probably have dozens if not hundreds of other digital accounts that your survivors might need to access. You could just write all your login credentials down in a notebook and put it somewhere safe. But making a physical copy presents its own vulnerabilities. What if you lose track of it? What if someone finds it?
Instead, consider a password manager that has an emergency access feature. Password managers are digital vaults that you can use to store all your credentials. Some, like Keeper,Bitwarden and NordPass, allow users to nominate one or more trusted contacts who can access their keys in case of an emergency such as a death.
But there are a few catches: Those contacts also need to use the same password manager and you might have to pay for the service.
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Is there a tech challenge you need help figuring out? Write to us at onetechtip@ap.org with your questions.
LONDON (AP) — Britain’s competition watchdog said Thursday it’s opening a formal investigation into Google’s partnership with artificial intelligence startup Anthropic.
The Competition and Markets Authority said it has “sufficient information” to launch an initial probe after it sought input earlier this year on whether the deal would stifle competition.
The CMA has until Dec. 19 to decide whether to approve the deal or escalate its investigation.
“Google is committed to building the most open and innovative AI ecosystem in the world,” the company said. “Anthropic is free to use multiple cloud providers and does, and we don’t demand exclusive tech rights.”
San Francisco-based Anthropic was founded in 2021 by siblings Dario and Daniela Amodei, who previously worked at ChatGPT maker OpenAI. The company has focused on increasing the safety and reliability of AI models. Google reportedly agreed last year to make a multibillion-dollar investment in Anthropic, which has a popular chatbot named Claude.
Anthropic said it’s cooperating with the regulator and will provide “the complete picture about Google’s investment and our commercial collaboration.”
“We are an independent company and none of our strategic partnerships or investor relationships diminish the independence of our corporate governance or our freedom to partner with others,” it said in a statement.
The U.K. regulator has been scrutinizing a raft of AI deals as investment money floods into the industry to capitalize on the artificial intelligence boom. Last month it cleared Anthropic’s $4 billion deal with Amazon and it has also signed off on Microsoft’s deals with two other AI startups, Inflection and Mistral.
