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On March 3, Mobile World Congress will kick off in Barcelona, Spain. While its not the premier show it once was, many of the smartphone industrys leading players still attend the conference and frequently announce new devices there. Below, youll find a list of the more notable phones we expect to be announced at MWC 2025. Nothing Phone 3a series At MWC 2022, Nothings Carl Pei showed off a prototype of what would become the companys first handset, the Nothing Phone 1, behind closed doors, and at last years event, Nothing announced the Phone 2(a). This year, were definitely getting at least one new device from the company at MWC, with Nothing teasing something for March 4, the second day of the show. I say at least one device because Nothings invite says Phone 3a Series. To add to that, recent reports suggest the company is preparing to announce a Phone (3a) Pro alongside a regular offering. Why would Nothing release a Pro version of a midrange device, you ask? Im not sure, but this is Nothing we're talking about and the company has frequently done things a bit differently from the rest of the pack. Phone (3a) Series. Power in perspective.4 March 10 AM GMT. pic.twitter.com/auesJycJQy Nothing (@nothing) January 30, 2025 Xiaomi 15 Ultra Xiaomi In 2024, the Xiaomi 14 Ultra made its global debut ahead of MWC, and its looking like history will repeat. Before the start of this month, there was some evidence to suggest Xiaomi would launch its new flagship at MWC 2025, but more recent rumors suggest the company plans to announce the 15 Ultra on February 26. In any case, Xiaomi is listed as an exhibitor at MWC 2025, so if the phone does debut before the end of this month, theres a good chance it will be on the show floor for people to try out. Like the 14 Ultra before it, it looks like the 15 Ultra will be a photography powerhouse, with the phone rumored to feature a 1-inch main sensor and 200-megapixel periscope telephoto lens. HMD Global Since 2017, HMD Global has been a mainstay at MWC. First, with its Nokia-branded phones, including retro throwbacks like the 8110 Reloaded, and now more recently with devices carrying its own name. Given that history, it seems a safe bet the company will have something to announce at the show. What that could be is more of a mystery, though its possible the sub-$100 HMD Key could get a global release. Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge Samsung After Samsung teased the Galaxy S25 Edge at Unpacked last month, you might think it would be fitting for the company to launch the phone in Barcelona next month. After all, MWC was the venue where, up until the Galaxy S10 in 2019, Samsung announced every S series phone beginning with the S2 back in 2011, and the companys presence at MWC was the highlight of the event. Unfortunately, it doesnt seem Samsung is feeling nostalgic for and the sunny boulevards of Barcelona, with little in the way of rumors suggesting we could see the S25 Edge at MWC 2025. Still, never discount the chance Samsung may have a surprise up its sleeve. Everything else As Engadgets resident AI reporter, Im obligated to mention a lot of companies will probably have AI-related announcements to share at MWC 2025. Dont expect anything from the big players like OpenAI the company isnt registered as an exhibitor but with artificial intelligence being the trendy thing in the industry right now, everyone will be trying to cash in on the hype; in fact, AI+ is one of the main themes of MWC 2025.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/what-to-expect-at-mobile-world-congress-2025-140057792.html?sc=rss
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We called 2023s Galaxy Watch 6 a modest upgrade from the Galaxy Watch 5, which itself also got described as very similar to its predecessor, the Watch 4. So its perhaps not surprising that Samsungs latest smartwatch, the Galaxy Watch 7, represents yet another minor improvement over the last generation. Thats just the nature of a yearly update cycle for a device that is already doing most things right. Samsung released the Galaxy Watch 7 in late July of 2024 and I started testing the watch in October. A series of events (Black Friday, the holidays, CES) pushed this review onto the back burner, which means I spent a lot of time with the watch in a less formal capacity, wearing it on and off for around three months before formally evaluating it for this review. Design and hardware Samsung stuck with a flat, round face and super thin aluminum bezels that give the Galaxy Watch 7 a more classic timepiece vibe than the square Im a computer Apple Watch or the futuristic orb that is the Google Pixel Watch 3. The Watch 7 retains the curved case design introduced with the Watch 5, which is supposed to allow better contact between the sensors and your wrist. Unfortunately, the sensor node sticks out from the underside quite a bit. It took about a week of wearing the watch before it felt comfortable, and the first night I attempted to sleep with it, I was so bothered by it that I wrenched it off in the middle of the night. That convex sensor node now houses 13 heart rate sensor LEDs, compared to just four on the Watch 6. We didnt find anything lacking with the heart rate detection on the previous model and, when comparing the same workout on my personal Apple Watch Series 9 with the Galaxy Watch 7, I saw nearly the same beats-per-minute (bpm) readings. Performing a heart rate check manually on each watch gave the same result as well. Just like last year, the watch is available in a 40mm or 44mm case, which have a 1.3-inch and 1.5-inch screen, respectively. I tested the smaller model and was impressed with how readable I found it. Personally, I use a 45mm Apple Watch because the 41mm version is too hard to read, but despite being seemingly smaller, the Galaxys screen was nearly as easy. Holding the two side by side, I saw why: across the middle (where the bulk of text is displayed) the 40mm Samsung watch is actually wider than the 45mm Apple wearable. Thats because rectangular screens are measured on the diagonal, but the diameter of a circle is the same length from any angle. The Galaxy Watch has a thicker bezel, but running your finger along it is one way of interacting with the screen, so its helpful to have extra space for that. Two new colors, green and cream, add to the silver hue from last year. My silver review model is classy and the updated sport band has a scalloped texture (very reminiscent of the Apple Watch Ultras Ocean band, but much less bulky). Four pops of color thread just past the attachment points add a little personality. You can also customize the heck out of the watch faces, from background colors to clock fonts and complications. I was a fan of the new Ultra Info Board face and, overall, I felt like I had more appealing options in the faces gallery than with the Apple Watch even before heading to the Play Store to look for more options. Amy Skorheim for Engadget The upgraded processor in the Galaxy Watch 7, Samsungs own Exynos W1000, has one main CPU core and four smaller efficiency cores to run and switch between apps faster. We didnt find the Watch 6 to be particularly slow, and I found the Watch 7 to be impressively fast when skimming through notifications, controlling Spotify, starting a workout and haphazardly opening and closing apps as I got to know the interface. RAM is the same at 2GB, but storage has doubled to 32GB (with 21GB available out of the box). I didnt have long enough with the watch to put the capacity to the test, but the RAM seemed to keep the watch zipping along. There are two new components on the Watch 7: a dual-band GPS receiver and a sensor that measures your advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) index. The AGEs index is assessed as you sleep and gauges your metabolic health by detecting accumulated sugar/lipid compounds in your skin. Higher levels are associated with faster aging and adverse health conditions. Instead of a number, the result is a dot on a spectrum. Mine was just to the high side of the middle, and suggestions for improving my levels included eating vegetables, limiting processed foods, getting more sleep and being more active. Yes, little watch, I know. As for the GPS, it took a little effort to get it working the way I wanted. I was getting reliably accurate cadence and distance measurements (as checked against my Apple Watch and just looking at a map) but the mapping component was missing when I looked at the workout on my phone. After some research (thank you, Reddit) I learned that precise mapping is off by default. To turn it on, you need to first turn on Location Information in Samsung Health Settings on your phone. Then, in the Wear app, tap Watch Settings, Samsung Health settings, turn on Activities to detect, then tap Precise Location under the workout type you want to track. After that fix, I saw accurate routes in the workout details section. y. Sleep tracking I am happy to report I (probably) do not have sleep apnea. After setting p the sleep apnea detection feature, you only have to wear your watch to bed for two nights for it to log signs of the condition. Sleep apnea detection is a new feature that debuted with the Watch 7, but Samsung has said it will roll out to earlier compatible models in the future. After the watch tracks seven nights of sleep, itll award you one of eight sleep animals, which come with a description of the type of sleeper you are. This has been a feature since the Watch 4 and something the Pixel Watch does as well. I enjoyed finding out that Im a lion (thats the best sleeper and I will take a win wherever I can find it). Those who rate lower on the sleep animal food chain, can find sleep coaching tips within the Health app on ways to improve their sleep. Not surprisingly, this involves reminding you to keep a consistent bedtime while limiting distractions, alcohol and caffeine before sleep. For the sake of science, I slept for three nights in a row wearing both the Galaxy Watch 7 and my Apple Watch Series 9 so I could compare what they tracked. The two seemed to log the same patterns of awakeness and sleep, but Samsung was much more generous, telling me I got an average of about 45 more minutes of sleep and about three times as much deep sleep. I know much of our feelings about health are a matter of perspective, so I have to say I prefer the Galaxy Watchs assessments. Though, I wish Samsung would call the light sleep stage core sleep like Apple does that makes it feel more beneficial. After testing the Watch 7, however, I dont think Id wear it (or any watch, really) to bed voluntarily again. The dimmest the screen gets is 5 nits, which is much brighter than the single nit the Apple Watch and Pixel Watch can hit. When you go into sleep mode, the watch face stays off until you tap it, but the LED sensors underneath are also much brighter than the competition and were enough to wake me. One night, I turned on sleep mode early because the screen was too bright as I was putting my kid to bed at around 8PM. I kept sleep mode on as I watched TV then went to bed a few hours later. At four in the morning, I got a congratulatory vibration that woke me up to tell me Id met my sleep goal. Of course, I couldnt get back to sleep after that and I was, to put it mildly, displeased. That didnt happen again, despite leaving sleep mode on for longer than eight hours on a few occasions, so either it was a fluke or the January 2025 software update fixed the flaw. Health and activity tracking One of the new health features for the Galaxy Watch 7 is a daily Energy Score, which is calculated in the Samsung Health app, but readily available on the watch. The score considers sleep metrics and yesterdays activity levels to tell you how to approach the day ahead. On mornings when I got a higher number, the watch suggested I push myself by increasing the intensity of my workouts or trying something new. On days with a lower score, I was able to see why. This feature is nothing new in the industry, of course. Garmin has its Training Readiness score and Fitbit has been giving people Daily Readiness scores for years (and its finally free). Amy Skorheim for Engadget The measurement, along with other insights and commentary within the Health app, is where Samsung has put most of the AI-powered tricks for the Galaxy Watch 7. I saw various tips such as a suggestion to lower my activity goals (so I could actually reach them) after a few days of being a bit of a slug. All of the workout and health features from the previous models are here our review of the Galaxy Watch 6 goes into those in depth. But in short, like any fitness tracker, the Galaxy Watch records your overall activity levels using different metrics. In this case, its three things: steps, active time (how many minutes in which you move with an elevated heart rate) and activity calories (those you burn in addition to the energy used from just existing). You can adjust your goals and decide whether you want the watch to nudge you to meet them. There are around 90 workouts the watch can track and it can auto-detect a few of those including walking, running, bike riding, high-intensity interval training and swimming. Overall, I found the activity tracking to be accurate and I appreciated how much quicker the Galaxy Watch was at detecting I was out on a walk compared to my Apple Watch. Also, unlike the Apple Watch, which will ask me whether I wanted to track my exercise, the Galaxy Watch just goes ahead and automatically tracks it. The Galaxy Watch is on par with the Pixel Watch 3 in terms of how quickly it assumes Im on a walk but, like the Apple Watch, the Pixel wants me to confirm I want the workout tracked. So if Im on a walk with the dog and have gloves on, I have to do some finagling to tap the start button before seeing my stats. Galaxys screen on the other hand (literally) just goes ahead and displays duration, steps and heart rate details. Samsungs wearable is also quicker to give me credit for getting up and walking around after it prompts me to get moving. All activity and health tracking runs through the Samsung Health app, which is colorful and intuitive I actually found it more enjoyable to browse than Apples Health app. I spotted a medication widget that not only reminded me to take a pill at the same time each day, it also told me about potential drug and allergy interactions. When its time to take the med, the watch buzzes and lets me mark it as taken without pulling out my phone. Samsung introduced the feature at the end of 2023 and, as it turns out, Apple came out with its version a full year earlier, but I credit the more navigable interface of Samsung Health for allowing me to actually find and use it Id just never noticed it in Apples app. Instead of a separate app, like Fitness from Apple (in which youll also find the compnys subscription-based workouts), theres simply a tab (also called Fitness) within Samsung Health. There are dozens of videos to try for free on your phone, from providers like Zumba, Pocket Gym, FitOn and more. And when you play the videos from here, heart rate metrics from your watch will show up on your phones screen, just like Fitness+ workouts with the Apple Watch and Fitbit Premium classes with the Pixel Watch. Eventually, youd need to pay to access all the videos a given provider offers, but its nice to have a little free content you can dip into as needed. One thing I have to point out is that even if the watch is on silent, by default it will still audibly coach you when you hit or approach certain metrics after you start a workout. The first time I tracked a yoga workout, the watch started blurting out calories burned and goals achieved while the entire class was silently lying in shavasana. I was even more red-faced than usual. Save yourself the embarrassment and disable audio guides in the settings when you start a workout. Performance and use The Watch 7 was the first to run Googles new Wear OS 5 before the Pixel Watch 3, even. Samsung layers its own One UI over Googles software so the experience is a little different from the Pixel Watch. For example, you can either swipe from the left or right edge of the screen to pull up notifications or tiles (respectively) or you can drag your finger around the screen's bezel, a movement meant to complement the physical spinning bezel of the Galaxy Watch Classic variant. On a screen-only interface, I found my finger was often in the way of what I was trying to look at, so I ended up just swiping, as on a Pixel or Apple Watch. Back in 2023, Samsung introduced gesture controls to the Galaxy Watch through an update to One UI 5, but the feature, which started as an accessibility aid, didn't get much attention until Apple highlighted and expanded such functions with the release of the Series 9. The double tap feature on the Galaxy Watch 7 works similarly to how it does on the Apple Watch, performing simple functions like pausing timers, answering calls and so on. Both watches performed the same in terms of detecting when I was making the gesture but I actually used the gesture more often with the Galaxy Watch because a little pinch animation displayed over icons that the gesture could control. The Galaxy Watch 7 also supports a knock knock feature, in which you dip your fist downward twice like youre rapping on a table and itll open an app you designate in the Buttons and Gestures menu from the Wear apps watch settings. I set it to open the timer app and, later, the Google Assistant, which I found pretty convenient. Speaking of the Google Assistant, since the Galaxy Watch 4, users have been able to swap the default assistant to Googles instead of Bixby. I recommend doing that. Asking Bixby a question (like, perhaps, Whats the capital of Finland?) directed me to look at my phone. When I posed the same query to Google Assistant, the word Helsinki appeared across the watch screen. None of these are brand new features previous models allowed you to swap the assistant and gestures started with the Galaxy Watch 4. But the better processor and new sensors on the Galaxy Watch 7 have no doubt helped boost the accuracy and responsiveness. Notifications could use some work, however. Often, Id feel a vibration, but when I lifted my wrist to check what it was, Id just see the regular watch face. I could swipe to see what had triggered the ping, but I would prefer to just see it immediately. Battery and recharging I was surprised to see how many people complained about the Galaxy Watch 7s battery life when I read users' impressions at other review sites and on Reddit. At first, I found I was getting through a whole day and night, plus partway into the next day before needing a recharge. That was on par with my Apple Watch Series 9 (both have around a 300mAh battery). But I didnt have the always-on display (AOD) enabled on the Galaxy Watch. Once I turned that on, the batterys capacity steadily dove towards empty. One Sunday, I left the house around noon with the watch at 40 percent. I walked for 20 minutes, hung out at a coffee shop and played with a few features on the watch and the paired Galaxy phone. By the time I headed home at 3PM, the watchs battery had dropped to four percent, prompting it to suggest I turn on watch-only mode. After that, I only used the watch with the AOD off. That said, using the watch without AOD isnt terribly inconvenient. When I lift my wrist, the display wakes quickly. I remember being frustrated at how ridiculously hard it was to check the time on my Apple Watch Series 4, feeling dumb as I lifted my arm three or four times before the face lit up (I know I could tap to wake it, but it was the principle of the thing). If you plan to use the watch as a sleep tracker and also want to use the AOD, you may need to set aside time at the end of the day to recharge your watch before heading off to dreamland (or toss-and-turn land, depending on your sleep animal). The good news is that the watch recharges relatively quickly. I clocked it going from 4 percent to 75 percent in under 40 minutes. Both the Apple Watch Series 10 and the Pixel Watch 3 have been shown to recharge faster in other tests, but I didnt find the Galaxy Watch to take unreasonably long. The Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 (middle) compared to the 45mm Apple Watch Series 9 (right) and 45mm Google Pixel Watch 3 (left) Amy Skorheim for Engadget Price One positive carry-over from last year is price. Like the Watch 6 at launch, the Watch 7 starts at $300 for the 40mm model. Thats $49 cheaper than the base price for the Pixel Watch 3 and $99 cheaper than the Apple Watch Series 10. The Garmin Forerunner 165, our top pick for a running smartwatch, is $250. Theres no spinning-bezel Classic variant of the Galaxy Watch 7 (there wasnt a Galaxy Watch 5 Classic, either). Instead, when announcing the seventh gen watch, Samsung also launched the $650 Watch Ultra and $400 Galaxy Ring both of which make the flagship watch feel like a bargain. Of course, if youre after a true budget smartwatch by Samsung, theres the Galaxy Watch FE with a slightly smaller display, less powerful processor and fewer sensors. Wrap-up While the Galaxy Watch 7 may look nearly identical to its predecessor, a couple of internal improvements and software additions (and yes, some AI stuff) make it an appealing companion for a Samsung phone. It even does a few things better than the Apple Watch Series 10 (our current pick for the best overall smartwatch). As with most new releases, you probably dont need to upgrade if you already have the prior model. But if youre a fan of Samsungs handsets and are looking for an attractive accessory with solid sleep insights, helpful fitness tools and surprisingly approachable health data, this could be it. For a long time, the Galaxy Watch was our pick for the best Android watch you could buy. But with the release of the Pixel Watch 3, Samsungs wearable was knocked off its podium. The Galaxy Watch 7 does many things right and its classic looks and customizable watch faces will be a favorite for some, me included. Samsung also seems to be steadily improving the Health app I was especially excited about the beta Meditation and Mood-tracking features, and hope they make their way from the phone to the watch. The effort the company has put into the Health app is only making the Galaxy Watch more useful and Samsung has developed an effective set of wearable sensors that can provide more advanced health metrics like AGEs index, EKGs and body composition. The heart rate and distance accuracy was on par with my Apple Watch Series 9 but the Galaxy Watch was actually quicker to detect I was out on a walk it also automatically logged the workout for me. But if an always-on display is important to you and you want to use the watch for sleep tracking, you may want to look elsewhere. Still, this is a capable watch that makes a fun companion for an Android phone, particularly Samsung handsets, and I was sad to take it off when the review was over. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/wearables/samsung-galaxy-watch-7-review-incrementally-better-than-its-predecessoragain-133038627.html?src=rss
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Sony just had its best holiday season ever in terms of PlayStation 5 console sales with 9.5 million sold over the last three months (2024 Q3), the company announced in its earnings release. That's 1.3 million more than it sold in the same quarter last year (its previous best holiday quarter) and raises all-time PS5 sales to 74.9 million. The launch of the PlayStation 5 Pro last fall likely provided a boost for the quarter, but Sony didn't break out numbers for that console specifically. The record quarter means that the PS5 is just 1.5 million units behind where the PS4 was at the same time in its sales life cycle. It also propelled Sony to a higher-than-expected 469.3 billion yen ($3.05 billion) profit (all divisions included). The company also saw a boost in game sales, up to 95.9 million units sold in Q3 2024 compared to 89.7 million the previous quarter, despite a hefty drop in first party sales. That boosted game software revenue to 784 billion yen ($5.1 billion), compared to 733 billion yen in Q3 2023. On its webcast, Sony shouted out the success of Astro Bot and Helldivers 2, affirming its intention to expand its family and live service game offerings (despite axing recent games in the latter category). Meanwhile, PlayStation Network (PSN) monthly active users rose from 123 to 129 million. Looking ahead, Sony said it had "high expectations" game sales this year, including first-party titles Death Stranding 2 and Ghost of Yotei, both set to release in 2025. We'll also see some big third-party launches, particularly Grand Theft Auto 6 set to arrive in fall 2025. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/playstation/sony-has-sold-749-million-playstation-5s-130021792.html?src=rss
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