Samsung

Samsung committed itself on Monday to integrating Qi2 wireless charging into its Galaxy line of Android-based smartphones. It’s been dragging its feet for years, while the last four generations of iPhone models all support the standard.

Samsung’s just-announced adoption of Qi2 should benefit iPhone users, who until now have been the only ones able to take advantage of the new standard. More handsets using the magnetically enhanced wireless charging capability should lead to more accessories that employ it. More cross-platform accessories are a win for everyone.

A Samsung SSD can help you reach your New Year’s resolution to get organized. The T9 offers up to 4 terabytes of capacity, is blazing fast, so you can easily gather the files you have scattered all over the place onto a single drive. And you can grab the SSD now at up to $200 below the usual cost.

For an even more affordable option, the older Samsung T7 is available for as much as 41% off.

Popular tech YouTuber Marques Brownlee recognized Apple’s iPhone 16 series in two significant categories in his much-anticipated 2024 smartphone awards Thursday. No one will be shocked to hear iPhone 16 Pro won for Best Camera in the MKBHD Smartphone Awards 2024. But some might raise an eyebrow to learn iPhone 16 won for Best Small Phone.

And no iPhone took the coveted MKBHD Phone of the Year prize. That went to the “boring” Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra, which also won Best Big Phone.

Today’s featured M4 Pro Mac mini user drives a pair of 4K external displays with the tiny new powerhouse desktop. And they keep an array of budget peripherals, including data and power hubs and solid input devices. And in addition, for physical backup, they like portable storage solutions in addition to cloud backup — in this case, fairly affordable hard drives from Samsung and La Cie (and the Samsung is deeply discounted right now — see below).

In a strategic move that could reshape the mixed-reality landscape, Google and Samsung announced a partnership Thursday to develop a new mixed-reality headset running on the Android XR operating system, according to a new report. Clearly, the Google and Samsung Android XR headset directly challenges Apple’s Vision Pro and Meta’s headsets in the premium market.

The collaboration aims to create a more accessible and diverse ecosystem for extended reality (XR) devices, potentially offering buyers, including Apple users, alternative options in the growing mixed-reality space. More competition could impact both features and pricing, of course.

The Samsung T9 SSD is quick and it’s very portable. Plus, for Cyber Week means it’s up to 40% off.  Opt for 1TB, 2TB or even 4TB of additional storage for your Mac or iPad.

For an even more affordable option, the older Samsung T7 series is available for as much as 44% off.

Instagram and TikTok are obsessed with the latest innovation in TVs — Samsung’s The Frame TV. If you’re wondering why, it’s because this smart TV does more than stream Netflix. This stealthy Samsung TV doubles as an art gallery, transforming from a blank black box into your home version of The Met or MoMA.

Rather than pay more than $1,000 to enjoy this experience at home, you can save 25% on the internet’s favorite TV. A 43-inch, open-box model of the Samsung Frame TV is now available for only $749.99 (regularly $999) while inventory lasts. It’s available in other sizes as well, and Cult of Mac readers can take an extra $100 off the 55-inch model with code THEFRAME.

November 13, 2013: Apple and Samsung head back to court to determine how much the Korean company must pay for having copied the iPhone. Cupertino asks Samsung for $379 million in damages for ripping off key iPhone technical and design features.

Apple arrives at that number based on estimated lost profits, royalty rates and the $3.5 billion worth of copyright-infringing devices Samsung sold during the period in question.

With Apple Intelligence features coming out to much fanfare, it seems smartphone users don’t actually rank AI very high on their wishlists when considering smartphone upgrades, according to a new survey out Friday. With AI low on smartphone upgrade wishlists, what do they crave? Much higher among their hopes are longer battery life, more storage and better cameras. You know, the “classics.”

The Samsung T9 SSD is quick and it’s very portable. Plus, for a short time, it’s up to 45% off.  Opt for 1TB, 2TB or even 4TB of additional storage for your Mac or iPad.

For an even more affordable option, the older Samsung T7 series is available for as much as 44% off.

Today’s M1 Mac mini user highly recommends a killer keyboard we rarely see in setups, from a brand we see everywhere in setups — Keychron. The maker’s popular K line of affordable keebs features a full-size mode that doesn’t show up all that often, perhaps because many folks favor smaller ones these days, eschewing the number pad.

In the never-ending arms race for more and bigger external displays in computer setups, one distinct subset is the ultra-wide, curved gaming monitor. Samsung is big in that game, and today’s M1 Mac mini user likes his 49-inch Samsung Odyssey G9 monitor, which he pairs with a couple of 32-inch 4K flat displays. And by the way, the big curved gaming monitor is deeply discounted right now on Amazon.

The user also asked for feedback on his new setup. You can see that below, too.

In the battle of 5K resolution displays, it’s Studio Display against a small-but-growing army of foes (at least for Mac fans). Today’s M1 MacBook Pro user looks to replace a 1440K gaming display with either a Samsung ViewFinity S9 curved 5K monitor or with Apple’s well-liked but somewhat-pricey Studio Display. The advice she got leaned heavily toward Apple.

The itty-bitty Samsung USB Type-C Flash Drive is now available with up to 512GB of storage capacity — twice as much as before. And the company’s miniature USB-A version also doubled in capacity.

Plus, the 256GB versions are on sale at some nice discounts.

Some people prefer two or more displays in their computer setup, some go for just one — often a big one. Today’s outstanding MacBook Pro setup, run by an Apple admin no less, goes ultra-wide and then some with a 49-inch curved Samsung display. It’s massive.

Add Samsung Electronics chairman Lee Jae-yong to the list of people who think his company’s new smartwatch and wireless earbuds are much too similar to Apple’s. He reportedly got angry at executives of Samsung’s mobile (MX) division for approving such copycat devices.

One company executive allegedly admitted his company’s new wearable products are “Apple design plagiarism.”

Samsung’s new “UnCrush” ad aims to capitalize on the backlash to Apple’s “Crush!” ad for the M4 iPad Pro. The South Korean company’s ad, released Wednesday, is a clear response to Apple’s controversial video, which showed a hydraulic press crushing musical instruments, toys and art supplies.

Samsung’s ad shows a woman playing a song on a battered guitar — using a Samsung Galaxy tablet to display the sheet music, naturally. You can see both ads below.

Apple has lost its customary lead on smartphone customer satisfaction as archrival Samsung has drawn even overall and gone ahead in one area, according to new data.

New findings from the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) show Apple’s rating went up a point, but Samsung’s rose three points to tie overall and creep ahead on 5G satisfaction.

April 4, 1975: Microsoft is founded by childhood friends Bill Gates and Paul Allen. The software company destined to become a tech behemoth — and a major Apple frenemy.

A few years later, Microsoft will break through to the mainstream with Excel and Word, becoming a key developer of Macintosh software. Then comes the Windows operating system, looking suspiciously Apple-like. After Windows arrives, Microsoft and Apple will embark upon a long-running feud.

Adding high-speed plug-in storage capacity to your computer is so easy it’s something every Mac user should consider. Here are some of the best consumer-oriented external SSDs that are designed for portability.

Today is World Backup Day, which seems a good opportunity to explore external storage options. Especially as there are deals on some of the best SSDs available.

For the first time, iPhones captured the top seven out of 10 spots on a list of bestselling smartphones worldwide, according to Counterpoint Research.

And guess what? iPhone 15 series handsets enter the list not at the top, but at No. 5. Many markets place a greater value on less expensive handsets.

Just as Apple overtook Samsung as the worldwide smartphone leader in 2023, iPhone also became China’s favorite smartphone during that timeframe, according to a new report Thursday from International Data Tracker (IDC).

Apple captured 17.3% of China’s smartphone market in 2023, up from 16.8% in 2022 — albeit in a shrinking marketplace where smartphone shipments declined 5% overall, but with signs of recovery showing up late in the year.

Samsung’s 2024 flagship, the Galaxy S24 Ultra, is here to take on the iPhone 15 Pro Max. On paper, Samsung’s newest Galaxy packs superior hardware to the iPhone. But in a true smartphone smackdown — iPhone 15 Pro Max versus Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra — which one would win?

It turns out that a phone is more than just its specs sheet. Below are five reasons why the iPhone 15 Pro Max is better than the Galaxy S24 Ultra.

The Samsung T9 external SSD just hit store shelves in October and it’s already available at a hefty discount. Amazon knocked up to 24% off the regular cost of the speedy solid state drive.

It comes in capacities up to 4TB, and plugs easily into Mac, iPad and even the most recent iPhone models.

When someone asked a marketing director in the United Kingdom how much money he makes, the man laughed and said, “Not enough to justify the contents of this picture” of his computer setup.

Hey, we get it. But then we suffered immediate pangs of envy when he went on to say, “My sister works for Apple so got a sick deal on a refurbed [Mac] Studio and new Studio Display.”

Yeah, good for you, pal. No, really. We mean it!