After initially refusing to adopt “seamless updates”, Samsung has changed its stance. The Galaxy A55 5G is now the first smartphone from Samsung to support seamless updates.

After installing the latest March 2024 patch on our Galaxy A55 5G a while back, we noticed that the software update screen showed two stages of installation. The first stage was “Downloading & Installing” while the second stage was “Verification”. All the other smartphones of Samsung, including the Galaxy S24 Series, require users to restart their devices to complete the update installation, which can be time-consuming. However, with the latest development, the update was installed in the background, and we only had to restart our device to complete the update, instead of seeing it install on the One UI installation screen.

It is surprising that Samsung chose to release the feature on one of its mid-range phones, the Galaxy A55 5G, rather than their flagship phones like the Galaxy S24 series. A screenshot comparing the software update pages of the Galaxy A55 5G and the Galaxy S24+ highlights the difference in the wording used to explain the update process.

Upon restarting the device, we did not encounter the One UI installation screen that we see when we update other Samsung phones. Apart from that, the device rebooted faster than the Galaxy S24+ after it received the March 2024 patch.

It is also possible that Samsung will bring the same feature to its other devices with future updates. However, we can confirm that the Galaxy S24 series didn’t receive the feature in the February patch, while the Galaxy A55 5G came with it out of the box.

Related: Samsung Galaxy A55 5G Review: Is It A Value for Money Offering?

What is seamless updates?

In 2016, Google unveiled a feature for Android known as seamless updates. Unlike traditional update methods that require a device reboot and lock users out during installation, seamless updates install new software updates in the background. This approach involves updating a secondary system partition, with the device booting from this partition upon restart. Consequently, the primary and secondary partitions alternate upon reboot, ensuring a smooth transition with each update cycle.

Notably, seamless updates offer several advantages. They eliminate downtime associated with traditional update methods and enhance safety by providing a backup partition to which the device can revert in case of installation errors. However, seamless updates consume more internal storage space despite these benefits, which may explain Samsung’s reluctance to adopt the feature on its Galaxy devices earlier.

Samsung and Apple have been the ultimate competitors in the tech space and the former is now planning a strategy that could potentially steal some limelight from Apple’s biggest event of the year where it unveils its new iPhones. Samsung is now also planning to launch new smartphones around the same time as iPhone 16 series launch. However, those won’t be just any smartphones, but a new set of foldables that sit below the flagship ones from the brand.

According to a report by the Korean outlet “The Elec”, Samsung has accelerated it’s manufacturing process of the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and the Z Flip 6 so it can launch the phones earlier than usual – to be precise, by mid to late July. Samsung has preponed the production schedule for the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Z Flip 6 parts by about 2-3 weeks compared to the previous models. The production for Fold 5 and Flip 5 began in late May 2023 while this year, the process has been sped up and the same could begin in early May for this year’s Galaxy Z-series foldables.

As a result, the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and the Galaxy Z Flip 6 launch could be pulled to mid-to-late July. “The finished foldable phone product could be released in July because the mass production schedule of foldable phone parts is faster than last year,” an industry official said.

Read More: Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6: Everything You’d Want To Know

Galaxy Z Fold FE May Be Incoming

As to why Samsung is pulling such a move, is because it wants to grab the attention of the buyers of the upcoming iPhone 16 series by launching a new entry-level Galaxy Z Fold under its FE series of smartphones. Launching the flagship Z Fold 6 earlier in the year will give Samsung more headroom of about 2 to 3 months to pull off the move swiftly. Moreover, Samsung wants to build upon the success of the Galaxy S24 series by launching new foldables and continue their streak.

Read More: Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 Roundup: Everything You Need To Know

The first entry-level Galaxy Z Fold FE model this year is likely to be released around the same time as the Apple iPhone 16 series, which should be sometime between September and October. “The shipment target of the entry-level model Z-Fold 6 is not much, ranging from 200,000 to 300,000 units. However, it could distract consumer interest in the iPhone 16 series, which is coming at a similar time”, The Elec’s report read.

The Galaxy Z Fold FE is expected to be thinner than Galaxy Z Fold 6, which in turn is also rumoured to be thinner than the Galaxy Z Fold 5. In addition, Samsung could bring down the cost of the device by removing some features found in its flagship fold, such as S-pen support.

Google is working on the Pixel 8a and while it’s design has already been leaked in the past, a new leak now gives us a detailed look at it’s specs, which includes the Tensor G3 processor, a dual rear camera setup and a lot more.

Google Pixel 8a: Specs Leaked

The report comes from Android Authority citing a source inside Google. According to the publication, the Google Pixel 8a will sport a 6.1-inch panel, same as the Pixel 7a along with the same FHD+ resolution. However, the OLED panel now supports 120Hz refresh rates with 1,400 nits of peak HDR brightness, both of which are higher than last year’s 7a.

Further, Google Pixel 8a will have support for the DisplayPort feature that allows users to mirror their phone screen to an external display through a wired connection.

The Pixel 8a will retain 7a’s camera setup, including the main 64MP IMX787 sensor paired with a 13MP IMX712 ultra-wide angle sensor. On the front, there will be a 13MP sensor as well. Under the hood, it will have the Google Tensor G3 which will slightly differ than the one used in the Pixel 8 and 8 Pro in terms of packaging.

Read More: Google Pixel 8a design leaks, resembles Pixel 8 series

Aside from this, the RAM and storage details remain unconfirmed. However, one can expect them to remain the same if not increased over Pixel 8a’s predecessor.

The Pixel 8a will also be made available across more regions such as Czech Republic, Finland, Hungary and more.

In our opinion, the Pixel 8a does bring a considerable amount of improvements over the Pixel 7a and would be worth the purchase if priced right. Google released the Pixel 7a in May last year and we can expect it to launch the Pixel 8a around same time this year during Google I/O, which is set for May 14, 2024.

Xiaomi has announced the arrival of a new smartphone in China on March 21, and it will be the CIVI 4 Pro. The CIVI series devices from Xiaomi have remained China exclusive for a while now but there are still chances that the CIVI 4 Pro could come to other regions outside China and that includes India.

Xiaomi CIVI 4 Pro: All Details

The brand revealed the design of the CIVI 4 Pro and confirmed that it’ll be coming in four colours including black, green, blue and pink. The CIVI 4 Pro will debut with a circular camera module that’ll house triple rear camera sensors. Xiaomi says the device is equipped with advanced Kona leather on the rear, which is water- and dirt-resistant as well.

Aside from that, Xiaomi also confirmed some of the key specs of the device, such as the presence of the new Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 chip at the helm of the device. The Xiaomi CIVI 4 Pro will be the first smartphone to come with this chip. Then, similar to the brand’s flagship Xiaomi 14, the CIVI 4 Pro will also sport a Leica Summilux lens. The primary camera will come with an f/1.63 aperture, a 2x optical zoom, and a focal length of 15mm–50mm. The other Sensors are expected to be an ultrawide camera and a telephoto camera but the information about these hasn’t been confirmed so far.

As for some other leaked details, it could sport a 5,000mAh battery unit with 90W Fast charging support. It may offer an OLED display with a 1.5K resolution and 120Hz Refresh Rate on the front.

Xiaomi CIVI 4 Pro: India Launch Details

Xiaomi reserves the CIVI series for its home country but that doesn’t mean it can’t rebrand the device and sell it overseas. The CIVI 4 Pro was recently spotted on the BIS certification website, but in the name of Xiaomi 14 Lite considering both their model numbers matched. This means the brand is planning to introduce the CIVI 4 Pro under the Xiaomi 14 series in India as well as the rest of the world.

Xiaomi’s last Lite series smartphone launch in India was back in 2021 with Mi 11 Lite and since then, no such device has made it’s way to the country even though Xiaomi launched the CIVI 2 as Xiaomi 13 Lite in global markets last year.