Samsung is readying a slim foldable smartphone that is reportedly launching later this month in South Korea and is called Galaxy Z Fold Special Edition. The first look of the Galaxy Z Fold Special Edition has now been leaked, showing how the device looks in real life.

Coming via Android Headlines, the Galaxy Z Fold Special Edition first look shows the device from the rear in a black shade. The backplate has a brushed metal finish making it look premium yet minimal at the same time. It’s unclear whether its actually metal or just glass with a brushed metal finish. The form factor appears sleek, with the slimness being the reason for the noticeably thicker camera bump. While the cameras are arranged identically to the Z Fold 6, the camera module looks to be considerably protruded.

The handset reportedly has a thickness of just over 10mm (when folded), and the first look of the Galaxy Z Fold Special Edition corroborates that. When unfolded, the device will be 4.9mm thick. The power button will double as a fingerprint scanner, and it’s located on the right-hand side of the device. The volume up and down buttons sit above that power key, as expected, similar to the Fold 6.

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The Galaxy Z Fold Special Edition also retains the flat sides from the Fold 6, along with the flst screens on the front and the inside. The hinge of the foldable cannot be seen in the leaked photo of the Galaxy Z Fold Special Edition as the device is unfolded in the photo.

In addition, the foldable is expected to sport a larger 6.5-inch external display and an 8-inch internal display, exceeding the 6.3-inch and 7.6-inch displays the Galaxy Z Fold 6 features. In terms of optics, it could include the same 10-megapixel front-facing camera and the 12-megapixel ultrawide camera used in the Z Fold 6, along with a 200MP primary sensor which would be a first for any Samsung folable. The under-display camera might see a minor upgrade to a 5MP sensor from the 4MP sensor used in previous foldables from the brand, such as the Z Fold 3, Z Fold 4, Z Fold 5, and the Z Fold 6.

Google’s Android 15 was released to AOSP a few days back, and a stable release is set for October. However, before its release, we are seeing leaks regarding the Android 16 Quick Settings and Notifications panel, which is set for a complete overhaul, bringing a change that might not be widely appreciated.

According to a report by Android Authority, the publication was able to activate a new version of the notification and Quick Settings panels while tinkering with the Android 15 QPR beta. Mishaal Rahman, the source of the leak, suggests this new panel could be implemented in Android 16. However, Google could bring about a change that might be a downgrade over the current implementation of the Quick Settings and Notifications panel.

In the new panel, swiping once still brings down the notifications panel like the current implementation, but the panel now takes up about a quarter of the screen rather than the entire display. Further, you can’t longer see any Quick Settings tiles in the new notifications dropdown. On the other hand, the app you are using before you swiped down the panel is visible in the bottom half of the screen.

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One would think swiping down the second time would bring down the tiles but unfortunately, that’s not the case. Instead, the Quick Settings panel is accessed by pulling down the status bar with two fingers, which is something that we suspect won’t be liked by the public as it increases the effort being used to access quick settings.

After opening the Quick Settings panel, you can swipe left or right to navigate through multiple pages and view all your tiles, similar to how it’s done at the moment. The brightness control remains at the top, but now includes a text label and dynamically displays the brightness level as you adjust it, resembling the updated volume sliders in Android 15. Additionally, most Quick Settings tiles have been reduced in size, allowing more tiles to be displayed on a single page for easier access.

The redesign of the Android 16 quick settings and notifications panel seems to be based on Flexiglass. As the publication notes, Flexiglass is the internal codename for the redesign that Google is doing to SystemUI to make it more stable.

The new user interface is far from finished at the moment, but it could be a hint as to which direction Google plans to move in with its next version of Android. Again, the company could scrap it altogether or further tweak this UI to make it similar to the current Quick settings and notifications panel. We’ll only know once Google releases a developer preview of Android 16, ideally in February or March of 2025.

Vivo has announced a new Y-series smartphone in China, dubbed Vivo Y300 Pro, with a massive 6500mAh battery cell under the hood. The device is powered by the Snapdragon 6 Gen 1 Processor under the hood, paired with up to 512GB of storage. Here’s what else the device has to offer.

Vivo Y300 Pro: Price, Availability

The base 8GB + 128GB model costs CNY 1,799 (approx Rs 21,300), while it goes up to CNY 2,499 (approx Rs 29,600) for the top-end 12GB + 512GB trim. It comes in Black, Ocean Blue, Titanium, and White shades.

Vivo Y300 Pro: Specifications

The Vivo Y300 Pro sports a 6.77-inch AMOLED Display with a full-HD+ resolution of 1080 x 2392 pixels, 120Hz refresh rate, and up to 5000 nits of peak brightness. It also supports P3 wide colour gamut along with 3840Hz PWM dimming. The device is powered by the Snapdragon 6 Gen 1 processor, with up to 12GB of LPDDR4x RAM and up to 512GB of UFS 2.2 storage.

For optics, it gets a dual camera system on the back, including a 50MP f/1.79 main sensor with PDAF and an 8MP ultra-wide angle f/2.2 sensor. On the front, it gets a 32MP f/2.0 selfie sensor. The handset is backed by a 6500mAh battery with 80W fast wired charging support.

The device’s connectivity options include Wi-Fi 5, Bluetooth v5.1, GPS, and a USB-C port. It runs on OriginOS, based on Android 14, packs a single mono speaker, and is IP65 rated for dust and water resistance. There’s also an under-display fingerprint sensor for biometric authentication.

Many mobile users are reporting the green line issue in smartphone displays, which is affecting smartphones from various brands, including OnePlus, Vivo, Motorola, and even Samsung. This issue is increasing in number and is a concern within the smartphone industry. Here’s everything you need to know about the problem.

What is the Green line issue in smartphones?

The “Green Line Issue” is a hardware problem specific to AMOLED smartphone displays, characterized by the presence of a thin, vertical green line running from the top to the bottom of the screen. Despite the rest of the display functioning normally, this defect is highly noticeable and can be quite bothersome. Interestingly, reports of this issue have been widespread across various smartphone brands and models, all of which share a common feature – the use of AMOLED screens.

What is the exact cause of Green line issue?

The exact reason behind the green line problem seen on certain smartphone displays is still not known. However, experts believe it could be related to a defective display connector or flex cable. These parts link the screen to the phone’s main circuit board, and any damage, looseness, or flaws in them can result in display issues. Additionally, physical damage like dropping the device, applying prolonged pressure, damaging the display, or exposing it to water may also cause this problem.

Recent reports indicate that certain software updates may also trigger the appearance of the green line, which has become a significant concern for users. The green line may appear randomly after a software update designed to enhance user experience but can inadvertently become a catalyst for revealing or exacerbating hardware defects.

Some reports suggest that the problem may occur due to the device overheating during the update process. The increased temperature could affect the internal connectors, causing the display to malfunction and develop an irreversible green line.

Can the issue be resolved via a software update?

Unfortunately, the green line issue in smartphone displays cannot be resolved via an update because it’s a hardware issue and not a software malfunction. The only possible way to solve it is to replace the display entirely, for which you’ll have to visit the service centre.

Is the Green line issue widespread?

The number of people who have reported the issue on X/Twitter suggests the issue has affected a significant amount of people where people have complained of developing a green line out of nowhere. Some users have reported waking up to find a green line on their smartphone’s display despite the device remaining idle throughout the night. This suggests that physical damage is unlikely to cause the issue, as the phone was not in use during that time. The issue has affected OnePlus, Vivo, Motorola, and Samsung users mainly, with recent reports for Nothing Phones and CMF Phone 1 as well. In fact, we have also faced the issue of our Vivo X50, which is years old at this point.

How have the companies responded?

Brands, including OnePlus and Samsung, have acknowledged the issue, but long-term support is being provided only by OnePlus. The brand recently introduced an offer via its Red Cable Club where the OnePlus 8 Pro, OnePlus 8T, OnePlus 9, OnePlus 9R, OnePlus 10 Pro, and OnePlus 11 users can claim a free screen upgrade in addition to cleaning and maintenance services at a OnePlus service centre. We feel this is the best solution for affected users.

Samsung also offered a free one-time display replacement without any additional cost back in April, but the free repair service was valid only for a few days, and those who were affected by the issue after that date are now in the dark.

Motorola and Vivo have replied to customers on X that they should submit their devices to a nearby service centre for further investigation. Nothing and CMF have offered a free display replacement to their users, most likely because the user’s device was under warranty.

Samsung users have been eagerly waiting for the One UI 6.1.1 update to expand beyond Samsung’s latest foldables and that’s finally happening. Samsung has released the One UI 6.1.1 update for Galaxy S24 series for users in its home country, South Korea. Here’s what you can expect from the update.

As spotted on Samsung Korean Community, Galaxy S24 series users have begun posting screenshots of the One UI 6.1.1 update. The update brings the September 2024 security patch alongside a load of new features which Samsung has already detailed previously. The One UI 6.1.1 update for Galaxy S24 series adds features from the Galaxy Z Flip 6 and the Galaxy Z Fold 6 to the brand’s S-series devices and its previous foldables.

Portrait Studio, the feature that allows you to switch between different portrait effects, has arrived on the Galaxy S24 series alongside Sketch to image, which launched with Z Flip 6 and Fold 6. The Live Effect feature, where you can extract a sense of depth from 2D images of people and animals in the picture to get three-dimensional results has also been added to Galaxy S24 series devices with One UI 6.1.1.

Motion Clipper, which creates GIFs from motion images, alongside cut out and and overlay transition have also been ported from the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Flip 6 to Galaxy S24 series. Furthermore, the feature where you can edit DNGs in the Galaxy Photo Editor has also been made available.

Some more notable features that have been added with One UI 6.1.1 for Galaxy S24 series includes;

• Summarize and translate PDF files without converting the file
• Photo Ambient wallpapers which add weather-based effects in real time
• Automatic language recognition for voice recordings
• Listening mode in Interpreter
• Chat composer
• Call translation for calls made via third-party apps like WhatsApp
• Translation of text in images (while using Samsung Internet)

The update bears version numbers S928NKSU3AXH7, S928NOKR3AXH7, and S928NKSU3AXH9. It has a size of 2.8GB and is currently rolling out in South Korea and according to Samsung’s previous rollout patterns, the update should expand to more regions, including India, in the coming days.

The update is also slated to arrive for Galaxy S23 series, Galaxy S22 series, Galaxy Z Flip 5, Fold 5, S23 FE, Z Flip 4, Z Fold 4, Galaxy Tab S9 series, and the Galaxy Tab S8 series, likely before the end of October, because in November, Samsung is expected to begin One UI 7 rollout whose beta version has already been delayed once.