Samsung’s new A Series devices, including the A72, are geared at more price-conscious consumers.
Samsung
Samsung’s new mainstream phone lineup has arrived, with three models: the A52, A52 5G and A72. The new devices boast some higher-end specs but cost less than their Galaxy S siblings, something that will likely make them attractive to a wide range of buyers.
Compared with the Galaxy S21 lineup, the new Galaxy A series phones all come with features dropped from the company’s high-end devices that many consumers love: headphone jacks, MicroSD card slots to expand the memory up to 1TB and chargers in the box. They also tout two-day battery life, four camera lenses on the back and Super AMOLED screens.
But the biggest selling point for the phones is the price. Internationally, the Galaxy A52 costs 349 euros (approximately $415, AU$540), the A52 5G retails for 429 euros ($510, AU$660) and the A72 is 449 euros ($534, AU$690). The devices are available in some markets Wednesday, though Samsung didn’t detail which ones and it hasn’t yet provided US pricing. (In the UK, the Galaxy A52 5G is available now for £399 and the A72 for £419. The regular A52 isn’t on sale there.)
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Big features arrive on the budget Samsung A series
“This is a competitive price point considering the amount of tech they have,” Creative Strategies analyst Carolina Milanesi said. And for the cost, consumers are getting the bells and whistles they really need. This “is not a compromised experience,” she said.
Samsung showed off the new A family on Wednesday during a virtual Unpacked launch, an event previously reserved for its highest-end and most important devices. In mid-January, Samsung introduced its new flagship phone lineup — Galaxy S21, S21 Plus and S21 Ultra — during its first virtual Unpacked of the year. This time around, Samsung dubbed its event the Galaxy Awesome Unpacked to explain how it’s “bringing Awesome to everyone” with its new Galaxy A devices.
Samsung’s bigger push with the A series this year reflects the reality we’re all living in. Phone designs aren’t changing much from year to year, and consumers are holding onto devices for longer, about three years in the US versus two in the past. At the same time, the pandemic has hurt millions of people financially. While high-end specs and cutting-edge features are nice for attention and buzz, people still care about what they’re spending on phones — especially right now.
Galaxy A devices have been sold internationally for years but didn’t come to the US as a full lineup until 2020. They turned out to be the right phones for the times. Three out of every four Samsung phones shipped around the world last year were Galaxy A devices, according to Strategy Analytics. In the US, where there’s often a bigger market for pricey phones than in many other regions, the A family’s shipments surpassed those of the S lineup, 26% to 19%, Strategy Analytics said.
“The Galaxy A series is designed to make Samsung’s latest cutting-edge product more accessible to a wider audience than ever before,” TM Roh, the head of Samsung’s mobile business, said in an FAQ provided to reporters ahead of the event. “Price point shouldn’t be a limiting factor when choosing technology.”
Get a look at Samsung’s new Galaxy A52, A52 5G, A72 phones
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All of A’s specs
Last year’s Galaxy A lineup included four 4G LTE phones and two 5G models. They ranged from $110 for the Galaxy A10 to $650 for the Galaxy A71 5G on Verizon’s network (it’s $600 at other carriers without super-fast 5G millimeter-wave connectivity). All came with some high-end features, though they weren’t nearly as premium as the specs found in the Galaxy S, Note and foldables. And none came close to the price tag for Samsung’s premium phones, which started at $1,000 for the Galaxy S20.
This year, Samsung introduced three new models, the 6.5-inch Galaxy A52 and A52 5G and the 6.7-inch Galaxy A72. Right now, only one model, the A52 5G, can connect to 5G networks, and at least initially, the device only works on the slower but more reliable sub-6GHz. Samsung has two other A family 5G models that it previously announced, the A32 5G and the A42 5G.
Samsung’s Galaxy A52 comes in four color options.
Samsung
“While each market is in a different stage of its 5G journey, we are committed to rolling out 5G-ready devices so users can have tomorrow’s technology today and reap the benefits of 5G as soon as it rolls out in their region, be that next week, next month or next year,” KJ Kim, head of Samsung’s mobile R&D office, said in an FAQ ahead of the event.
He added that providing software updates for longer periods will allow consumers to hold onto their devices longer than before. The new A family will receive three generations of Android OS updates and at least four years of security updates.
All three new phones have big batteries, with the A52 models sporting 4,500-mAh batteries and the A72 packing in a 5,000-mAh battery. By comparison, the Galaxy S21 includes a 4,000-mAh battery, while the S21 Ultra has a 5,000-mAh battery. The A52, A52 5G and A72 come with 25-watt fast charging and come with an IP67 rating for water and dust resistance.
All three have a 32-megapixel front-facing camera and four rear-facing cameras, including 64-megapixel main lenses, 12-megapixel ultrawide lenses and 5-megapixel macro lenses. The A52 models also have 5-megapixel depth cameras and have digital zoom up to 10x, while the A72 has an 8-megapixel telephoto lens capable of digital zoom up to 30x and optical zoom at 3x.
Samsung’s Galaxy A52 comes with a 4G version or a 5G model.
Samsung
4K Video Snap lets users capture an 8-megapixel image from 4K video, while Scene Optimizer recognizes 30 different scenes — such as outdoor landscapes, pets and food — and automatically adjusts the camera settings for the best shots. The phones come with Night Mode to capture better photos in low-light situations, and they feature some pro video features. Users can set up their own photo filters with My Filter, customize their own AR Emoji and apply AR lenses from Snapchat with Fund Mode right from the native camera app.
The A52 and A52 5G have 6.5-inch FHD Plus Super AMOLED Infinity-O displays, and the 5G version has a 120Hz refresh rate. The regular A52 and A72 screens have 90Hz refresh rates, and all three have Samsung’s Eye Comfort Shield that automatically adjusts the blue light emitted by the phones based on the time of day.
The three devices have new stereo speakers that can increase volume up to 43% from older models. They’re available in Awesome Violet, Awesome Blue, Awesome Black and Awesome White. And they all come with the charging brick in the box, something Samsung has moved away from in its flagship phones.
“For many users, the Galaxy A series is their first Galaxy smartphone, and may not have the full ecosystem of Galaxy accessories at their fingertips,” Woncheol Chai, senior vice president and head of the experience planning team in Samsung’s mobile communications business, said in an FAQ provided to reporters ahead of the event. Samsung isn’t including headphones in the box with its new A series phones, and Chai hinted that future phones in the A Series may not come with chargers.
“Samsung is working on the global transition of the removal of the charger plug and earphones from Galaxy smartphones,” he said.
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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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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.
