These are the Best Wear OS Apps: Todoist, Outlook, IFTTT, and more!

The Apple Watch is often regarded as one of the best smartwatches in the industry. While that’s mainly because the Apple Watch is indeed a fantastic product, it’s also partly because there’s no stiff competition on the Android side of things. Wear OS has been ignored for a long time by Google, and it was only recently they announced during Google I/O 2021 that Wear OS would receive yet another attempt of revival with the help of a partnership with Samsung. While this is certainly exciting, we’re yet to see watches with the new version of Wear OS, and existing watches (even Google is unsure of the compatibility) still haven’t received the update either.

While we wait for the biggest Wear OS update in years, we decided to compile a list of some of the best Wear OS apps you must try if you have a Wear OS watch already. If you’re waiting to pick up a watch from the new batch of Wear OS smartwatches (which is a smart thing to do at this point), then bookmark this page as these are all the apps you’d need to install to get you started on Wear OS.

From productivity to utilities to entertainment, we’ve covered all the popular genres of Wear OS apps. If you’re also looking for the best apps for your smartphone along with your smartwatch, we also have a list of the best Android apps.

Navigate this article:

• Best Wear OS Essential Apps
• Best Wear OS Apps for Productivity
• Best Wear OS Utility Apps
• Best Wear OS Apps for Customization
• Best Wear OS Apps for Fitness
• Best Wear OS Media Apps
• Best Wear OS Games

Essential Apps

These are the apps that form the core experience on Wear OS and the ones you must have on your smartwatch. While these Wear OS apps may not be new or unique or provide some insane functionality, they do have simple functions that make your life easier on a regular basis and improve convenience.

Messages

One of the most important use-cases for a smartwatch, let alone one with Wear OS, is the ability to check your notifications. It eliminates the need to check your smartphone regularly while you’re working, and is a good way to avoid distractions if the notification you received isn’t important.

While you can reply to notifications by default on Wear OS, you can’t initiate chats or conversations unless you have the Messages app. Using the Messages for Wear OS app, you can send text messages to your friends and family right from your smartwatch and continue existing conversation threads from your smartphone directly on your watch. When you’re in a hurry or you’re driving, this is a convenient way to use voice input to draft a quick message.

Messages (Free, Google Play) →

Calculator

The Calculator is an app you don’t realize the importance of until you’re in a situation where you need to use it. But then you realize you have to pull out your phone to perform some simple calculations. When you’re at a store trying to do a quick calculation or you’re trying to convince your friends that 87 is indeed divisible by 29, this is an app you should have on your Wear OS smartwatch at all times.

Calculator For Wear OS (Android Wear) (Free, Google Play) →

Camera Remote

If you’re in a situation where you need to click a group picture but you don’t have anyone to do it for you, this app is going to come in handy. Not just that, if you want to record selfie videos using the rear-facing camera of your smartphone but you can’t see the viewfinder since the screen is facing the opposite side, this app will help you set your frame properly.

We wonder why a camera remote isn’t a part of Wear OS by default since even some cheap fitness trackers come with one by default, but this Camera Remote app solves the problem. Note you will also need to install a companion app on your smartphone which you’ll be asked to do once you install the Wear OS app. Also, the free version has a persistent message on the app but doesn’t add any sort of watermark to your images. If you want to get rid of the message, you’ll have to buy the full version.

Camera Remote: Wear OS, Galaxy Watch, Gear S3 App (Free⁺, Google Play) →

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Productivity Apps

Needless to say, these apps are meant to improve your productivity throughout the day by adding some value in terms of making your work easier or more convenient. These apps may also help you stay away from your smartphone for longer or prevent you from unnecessarily checking your smartphone at regular intervals since the information you need is available right on your wrist.

Google Keep

Google Keep is Google’s own note-taking app that you may be aware of and may even use on a regular basis on your smartphone and computer. We personally prefer Google Keep since it’s linked to your Google account and therefore syncs across all your devices with ease. It comes pre-installed on most Android smartphones so you don’t even have to install and sign up for a third-party app.

Google Keep is also available as a Wear OS app which means you can now take notes directly on your watch or refer to notes you previously took without reaching for your smartphone. This is really handy, especially when you’re in a meeting.

Google Keep - Notes and Lists (Free, Google Play) →

Todoist

While Google Keep helps you with taking notes on your wrist, Todoist helps you set reminders, make to-do lists, and set up tasks you need to complete. You can set your agenda for the day and as you go about your day, you can keep checking off all your completed tasks.

It’s a great way to keep track of your pending work or just a convenient way to make a shopping list before you head out. This is a great use-case since it’s annoying to keep checking your smartphone while picking up items when shopping, so taking a glance at your wrist is an easier option.

Todoist: To-Do List, Tasks & Reminders (Free⁺, Google Play) →

Microsoft Outlook

Outlook is one of the most popular email clients for both PC and smartphones, and Microsoft has made the app available for Wear OS as well. This is one of the only email clients available as a Wear OS app and is also one of the best ones out there coming from a reputed developer. While your email notifications are displayed on Wear OS and you can interact with them, you don’t get full-fledged features you would expect while responding to an email or the ability to check your inbox. Outlook makes it possible and so can improve your productivity by allowing you to check your emails directly from your wrist.

Microsoft Outlook: Secure email, calendars & files (Free, Google Play) →

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Utility Apps

This set of apps can provide basic or extended functionality that improves the usability of your Wear OS smartwatch. If you were using your smartwatch just as a fitness tracker or a notification manager before, these apps will help you use your Wear OS watch to its full potential and make your watch an actual smartwatch.

Telegram

Telegram is undoubtedly one of the best Instant Messaging apps out there both in terms of privacy as well as the features it has to offer. After the entire WhatsApp saga that happened recently, some users have even shifted to Telegram permanently which is great if you have a smartwatch running Wear OS.

Telegram has a Wear OS app and is one of the only messaging services to have one. You can start a new conversation from your watch or continue an existing one, something you can’t do on WhatsApp since they don’t have a dedicated app for Wear OS.

Telegram (Free, Google Play) →

Google Translate

If you’re traveling in a foreign country and don’t know the local language, you no longer have to take your smartphone out of your pocket or backpack. Instead, you can just use Google Translate on your Wear OS smartwatch. You get the full set of languages that you usually get on Google Translate, either on the mobile app or the website. You can even use text to speech for translation which is very useful if you want to translate what someone else is saying in their local language.

Google Translate (Free, Google Play) →

IFTTT

If you’re a power user, you’re probably already aware of the IFTTT app on Android. IFTTT stands for ‘If This Then That’ and as the name suggests, you can set particular functions that can be triggered if a certain scenario takes place.

For example, you can set a simple function that if your phone detects you’re at work using your location services, then it automatically sets the phone to silent mode. While this is a simple example, there are lots of other things you can do with IFTTT to automate a lot of functionality.

With the Wear OS app, you can control your IFTTT applets and enable or disable them. If you haven’t used it before, we suggest you first download the app on your smartphone and try it out.

IFTTT (Free⁺, Google Play) →

Google Maps

This app doesn’t need any explanation. Google Maps on your wrist is a great way to navigate if you’re driving or even riding a bike. You can take a glance at your wrist for directions instead of having to mount your phone and it makes things a lot more convenient. It’s also easier to look at your wrist while you’re checking walking directions instead of carrying your smartphone in your hand.

Google Maps (Free, Google Play) →

Easy Voice Recorder

This is another of those apps that makes you wonder why Google didn’t include it by default on Wear OS. Easy Voice Recorder is a very handy tool that we’ve personally used multiple times when you want to take a quick note of something, but you don’t have the time to type it in on your smartwatch or your smartphone. You can instead just record it on your watch and then reference it later on. It can also be useful if you want to record a conversation or a meeting to take notes later on. This is a must-have Wear OS app for sure.

Easy Voice Recorder (Free⁺, Google Play) →

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Customization Apps

Who doesn’t like some customization on their watch, right? Android is an operating system that’s meant for people who love customization and while Wear OS isn’t as customizable as its smartphone counterpart, you can still mess around with a few things, especially the watch faces.

Whether you want a futuristic matrix look or a funky dial matching your outfit for the day, here’s how you can customize your Wear OS smartwatch.

Watchmaker

Watchmaker is one of the most popular Wear OS apps when it comes to customization. It offers a range of watch faces to choose from depending on what kind of designs and elements you like. Whether you’re a fan of the digital dial on a Casio or a classic analog dial from a mechanical watch, Watchmaker has it all. You can even customize watch faces made by others or completely make one from scratch if you don’t like the existing ones on the app.

The free version has limited options so we would suggest getting the Premium version if you’re going to be changing your watch faces frequently.

Watch Faces - WatchMaker 100,000 Faces (Free⁺, Google Play) →

Facer

The name itself has the word face in it implying this is also a watch face app meant for customization. If you don’t like the collection Watchmaker has to offer, you can try out Facer to see if you like the watch faces on their app. You can customize watch faces according to your liking and there’s a huge collection to choose from. You can have both Watchmaker and Facer installed on your smartwatch and alternate between them based on which app has your favorite watch faces.

Facer Watch Faces (Free⁺, Google Play) →

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Fitness Apps

One of the core functionalities of any smartwatch is the ability to help you with fitness and workout tracking. While most smartwatches come with default applications included by the OEM for health and fitness tracking, we would recommend some apps that can help you track your workouts with precision as well as help you sync your fitness data across all your devices.

Google Fit

Google Fit is a great way to track your health and fitness data since the service is linked to your Google account and the data syncs automatically with all your devices connected to the same Google account. You get a good set of features and workout modes to choose from, and if you have more than one fitness tracker or smartwatch, you can see the cumulative data of all devices in one place which can be very handy.

With Google’s acquisition of Fitbit, their fitness tracking algorithms are 0nly going to get better in the upcoming version of Wear OS so watch out for that.

Google Fit: Activity Tracking (Free, Google Play) →

Strava

Strava is probably one of the most popular apps among fitness enthusiasts. If you see your friends posting screenshots of their morning walk or run on Instagram, it’s probably a screenshot from Strava. You can use the app to track your walks, runs, swims, and even bicycle rides.

What makes Strava all the more fun is the community. While tracking your sessions, you can also compete against your friends and other Strava users which can motivate you to do better.

Strava: Track Running, Cycling & Swimming (Free⁺, Google Play) →

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Media Apps

Another great use of a Wear OS smartwatch is the ability to control the media playback on your smartphone, or even stream music directly on your Wear OS smartwatch itself. If your smartwatch has eSIM functionality, you can even leave your smartphone behind at home while you head out for workouts with a pair of Bluetooth earphones connected directly to your smartwatch and stream music from your favorite services. Here are the best media apps for Wear OS.

Spotify

Spotify is one of the most popular music streaming services across the world and they have a native Wear OS app. As mentioned earlier, you can either use your phone’s internet connection to stream music directly from your smartwatch or if you have a cellular plan on your smartwatch itself, you don’t even need to have your smartphone with you.

You can sync all your existing playlists on the watch or create a new one for your workouts. The app works well and is a great way to enjoy your music without reaching out to your smartphone while working out.

Spotify: Listen to podcasts & find music you love (Free, Google Play) →

Shazam

Do you ever find yourself in a situation where you hear some music playing while you’re outside, and you really like how it sounds, but you don’t which song it is? Shazam has got you covered.

The Wear OS app for Shazam means you can easily identify any music that’s playing around you even quicker now since you don’t have to reach for your smartphone, unlock it and launch the Shazam app to identify the track. You can just use the app on your wrist and then download the song onto your smartphone. Another must-have Wear OS app for sure.

Shazam: Discover songs & lyrics in seconds (Free, Google Play) →

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Games for Wear OS

If you thought you can’t do much on the tiny display of your Wear OS smartwatch, developers think otherwise. You can even play some lightweight, but fun games on your smartwatch, and here are two of our all-time favorite games on the platform. Note these games consume a lot of battery since the screen stays on throughout and Wear OS watches are known for their already notorious battery life. So play in moderation unless you want your watch to die in two hours.

Infinity Loop

Infinity Loop is a simple puzzle game for Wear OS which, as the name would suggest, is endless. You have to make links and connections between the dots and make closed loops out of them. This is a nice game to relax and calm your mind if you’ve had a stressful day. There are three game modes to choose from and the levels keep getting tougher as you keep playing.

Infinity Loop ® - Immersive Experience (Free⁺, Google Play) →

2048

This is the classic 2048 puzzle game that all of you have probably played on your smartphone, and is now also available as a Wear OS app. If you’re not aware of how the 2048 game works, there’s a grid with numbers in individual squares that are multiples of two. You need to club two squares of the same number that then get added to form a square consisting of the sum of the two numbers. The end goal is to keep adding the squares till you attain the sum of two squares to be 2048.

If this sounds confusing, don’t worry. Just install the game and play around for a minute. We’re sure you’ll figure it out.

2048 Android Wear (Free, Google Play) →

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These are some of the best Wear OS apps across different categories that can improve your smartwatch experience. They can help you to be more productive by allowing you to avoid checking your smartphone frequently or even add more utilities to your smartwatch by letting you take notes, set reminders, to-do lists, or even record audio. When you’re in a boring meeting, you can even fire up some games to kill time.

Which of these Wear OS apps do you use on a regular basis? Do you think we missed out on any app that you use and think it’s really useful on your smartwatch? Let us know in the comments below.

The post These are the Best Wear OS Apps: Todoist, Outlook, IFTTT, and more! appeared first on xda-developers.

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Carl Pei’s ‘Nothing’ is launching its first product next month

Back in October last year, OnePlus co-founder Carl Pei revealed he was leaving OnePlus to start a new hardware venture. The new venture later turned out to be a company called Nothing, backed by big names like iPod inventor Tony Fadell, Reddit CEO Steve Huffman, YouTuber Casey Neistat, and Twitch co-founder Kevin Lin. There were multiple rumors that consumer audio was one of the primary areas that Nothing would focus on. This did turn out to be true when the company revealed in May that it would unveil a pair of earbuds called the Ear 1. The company initially planned for a June launch, but for some reason, that never happened, and Carl Pei later confirmed on Twitter that the launch was delayed until “later this summer.” Today, the company finally confirmed the launch date of the Ear 1.

In a new press invite sent out to publications, Nothing has revealed it will launch the Ear 1, its first-ever product, on July 27. The launch event will take place on 02:00 PM BST / 8:00 AM EST / 6:30 PM IST.

While the invite doesn’t reveal anything about specifications or design, we know the new earbuds will be made in collaboration with Swedish consumer electronics firm “Teenage Engineering.”

The new earbuds will put Nothing in direct competition to the likes of Apple, Sony, and Samsung, which currently rule the market of truly wireless earbuds. Whether the Ear 1 will be able to stand out from the crowd and make a name for themselves remains to be seen.

Nothing acquired Andy Rubin’s Essential in February. It also raised $15 million in a Series A funding round led by Alphabet’s capital arm, GV.

Nothing has confirmed it will sell the Ear 1 in India via Flipkart and in the UK via Selfridges. They haven’t confirmed pricing or global availability, but we expect to learn more at the official launch.

Are you excited about the new earbuds from Nothing? Let us in the comments below.

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Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 Rumor Roundup: Here’s everything we know about the next foldable flagship phone series

Foldables have seen a sustained increase in popularity over the past few years, and a good chunk of that credit goes to Samsung. Samsung entered the foldable space with the original Galaxy Fold, which had a fair few flaws. The company took the criticism on the chin, went back to the drawing board, and returned with a fixed product. A few months later, Samsung dipped further into the foldable space with the Galaxy Z Flip, experimenting with a different form factor. On the flagship line, the Galaxy Z Fold 2 arrived sometime later, marking the strongest attempt at a foldable on a wide scale. Now it’s 2021, and that means it’s time for the next foldable. Here’s what we know about the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3, the next premier foldable flagship from Samsung!

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3: Release Date

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2, the predecessor, was launched on August 5th, 2020. Presuming an even one-year product cycle, the most obvious date for the release of the new Galaxy Z Fold 3 would be in August 2021. Certain reports incidentally suggest that the Galaxy Z Fold 3 will be coming in Q3 2021, and an August release aligns perfectly with such information.

But in the same vein, there are rumors of an even earlier July release. A release in July still aligns with the Q3 2021 expectations. Keep in mind that we are still in the midst of a global chip shortage, and it might even affect the Galaxy Note lineup. Based on such circumstances, we have little confidence in Samsung pulling forward its release schedule.

Another leaked product roadmap did not include a release for the foldable up until August 19th, but marking this date for a Galaxy S21 FE release. There are multiple ways to interpret this piece of information. Samsung could be planning for a foldable launch in the latter parts of August and beyond, or it could club the Galaxy S21 FE release with the Galaxy Z Fold 3 launch — which seems unlikely as both are very different products for different price tags and consumers, and one will eclipse the other. Or the product roadmap may be an early draft, and Samsung could still be assessing the supply chain and production to figure out a plausible launch window. Either way, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 is not going to be launched before July 2021, at the very least, and a launch in August 2021 makes the most sense.

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Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3: Variants and Pricing

The first two foldables in this lineup were rather straightforward: one single phone for the whole world. These phones weren’t meant for the mainstream audience, so the single-product lineup was more than enough to help Samsung test the waters on this nascent technology.

For 2021’s foldable space, we could see this change up a bit. There is going to be a Galaxy Z Fold 3, followed by a clamshell foldable possibly called the Galaxy Z Flip 3 (skipping over the “2” nomenclature to bring about uniformity in the lineup). Then, there are rumors of a Galaxy Z Fold 3 Lite, a slightly smaller and presumably cheaper version of the prime 2021 foldable. Considering the fact that all foldables so far have squarely been unapologetically premium, a “Lite” version denotes less powerful hardware and a cheaper price tag. If the “Lite” version does come to fruition, it will still be expensive from the perspective of glass-slab smartphones, but it could be a cheaper gateway into the world of foldables.

There are no reliable leaks on the pricing of the foldables. The Galaxy Z Fold 2 cost $1,999 at launch, and we can expect the Galaxy Z Fold 3 to also hover around this price tag. The Galaxy Z Fold 3 Lite will obviously be cheaper, though your guess is as good as ours on expected pricing. If we had to guess, we’d hope for something about $500 cheaper than the prime foldable.

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Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3: Design

As the branding would make it amply clear, the Galaxy Z Fold 3 will be a foldable smartphone, so no points for guessing that. Beyond that, we do not expect Samsung to make any significant changes to the folding form factor on this lineup. This means that the successor in this lineup is expected to have the general form factor that Samsung has been adopting for the Z Fold series — a book-style phone with an outer display, that unfolds to reveal a larger display on the inside.

Why would Samsung be sticking to this book-style form factor? Simple, because it works and it works well. Other OEMs have experimented with different approaches, and as Ben puts it, many have come to the conclusion that Samsung was right all along when it comes to foldables. Other form factors like outer-folds and tri-folds have their own limitations, and while this book-style form factor does have a few limitations, they are reasonable enough to overlook until rollables mature.

Our best look at the device comes through noted leaker Evan ‘evleaks’ Blass, who has shown off what appear to be near-final marketing images of both the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 and the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3. For the Galaxy Z Fold 3, we get a good look at the device, its rear camera modules, and the S Pen Fold Edition. For the Galaxy Z Flip 3, we see the secondary display as well as the rear cameras.

Getting down to some specifics, leaks suggest that the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 will be physically smaller than the Galaxy Z Fold 2 by a small margin. The main display could be slightly shrunk down to 7.5″, while the cover display could be 6.2″ diagonally. The new prime foldable is also expected to be slightly wider, making it different from the tall and slim stance that the previous generations had adopted when closed. If this pans out, it should feel less awkward to hold and use when closed now. The smaller device footprint will also lead to a smaller battery, going from 4,500 mAh to 4,380 mAh, and the weight of the device could also go down as a result.

The rumored Galaxy Z Fold 3 Lite could feature a 7″ main display, and a 4″ cover display. There have only been a few leaks discussing the display dimensions on the Lite, so we are skeptical about the veracity of this claim.

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Internals: SoC, RAM & Storage

Samsung has been featuring top-of-the-line SoCs on its foldables so far, and there’s no indication that this would change with the Galaxy Z Fold 3. As such, it would be fair to expect something like the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 or the Exynos 2100 on the device, coupled with generous amounts of RAM and storage. There’s unlikely to be expandable storage though, but we’re hoping to see larger storage variants like a 1TB option. On the inside, FCC reports do suggest that we would see support for Ultra Wide Band (UWB), sub-6GHz and mmWave 5G, Wireless PowerShare and Wi-Fi 6E.

Things could change up a little for the Galaxy Z Fold 3 Lite though. However, there’s no further information yet on this end.

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Camera: Will the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 feature an Under Display Camera?

The most surprising leak we’ve heard about the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3’s camera setup is that Samsung could be exploring an under-display camera (UDC) on the foldable. The leak mentions that Samsung will use a special display from Samsung Display, and the image sensor will be sourced from Samsung Electronics’ System LSI division. The company is also said to be working on an image correction algorithm to improve the under-display camera setup’s output.

Flex mode with the camera app on the Galaxy Z Fold 2

If this does indeed turn out to be true, this will be the first Samsung smartphone to feature an under-display camera (but not the first Samsung device — that is a laptop). From what we have seen in solutions so far, UDC as a technology is still a few generations away from going mainstream. Results from devices like the ZTE Axon 20 5G indicate that there’s a lot of work to be done before we can reach the stage where we are right now with conventional cameras. Samsung is also unlikely to feature a half-baked solution in their premium foldable lineup, especially with the future of the Galaxy Note series being up in the air. So either Samsung will drop the project from the Galaxy Z Fold 3 if it compromises too much with the display or the camera, or they would be confident that the results produced are worthy of a ~$2,000 flagship.

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S Pen

There are a few rumors regarding S Pen support on the Galaxy Z Fold 3. With the Galaxy S21 Ultra finally ending the Galaxy Note and Galaxy Tab-exclusivity for the S Pen, it becomes a no-brainer that the next foldable needs to support the S Pen too. After all, a larger screen device is a perfect medium for making use of S Pen-enabled creative applications.

For S Pen support to materialize, Samsung would need to make some changes to the display to support stylus input without damaging the flexible display on the inside. The company could possibly make the Ultra Thin Glass thicker on this device, along with other changes. This shouldn’t materially impact the user experience, so we’re curious to see what changes are brought about.

Evidence has been spotted on the Galaxy Z Fold 3 coming with S Pen support. Although the question which still remains unanswered is, will the S Pen be stored inside the foldable? Having an enclosure cavity for storing the S Pen would be ideal, à la Galaxy Note, but with the leaks previously pointing towards a smaller device footprint, this is increasingly unlikely to happen. The S Pen would thus be an external and extra accessory and not an integrated part of the foldable experience. This does not rule out any special cases or mechanisms of storage outside the Galaxy Z Fold 3’s body.

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Software: One UI based on Android 11

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3’s launch timeline puts it in a position where it’s unlikely to come with the newest version of Android, i.e. Android 12. So Samsung is going to be sticking with Android 11 as the base, which isn’t entirely a bad thing. The company has promised 3 generations of Android OS updates and 4 years of security updates, so your bases are covered for a long while. Samsung also has been pretty good at updating the OneUI version of its recent flagships, so when a new update comes around, you’ll be in line for it.

There’s a possibility that we see a new One UI version with the Galaxy Z Fold 3 itself. One UI 3.5, or whatever it gets called, could potentially come with S Pen-related changes, and other changes that synergize both the displays. Other than continuity elements and how the software can take advantage of two different display sizes on the device, there’s a low probability of any other groundbreaking features introduced with this one.

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XDA’s Wishlist for the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3

With all the leaks and rumors captured above, we’d also like to put forth our wishlist for the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3. Here are the features and changes we’d like to see on the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3!

A Flatter Fold & Less Heft

The point of a foldable is that it offers the user a larger screen experience in a pocketable package. The Galaxy Z Fold 2 mostly delivers, but it’s still slightly thick and heavy at 16.8mm and 282g. The phone’s heft also tires the wrist after extended one-hand usage.

We would also like to see the Fold 3 fold in a flatter-folding design like Huawei’s Mate X2. This would not only make the Galaxy Z Fold 3 look better, but shave another few millimeters off the overall thickness of the device.

The Galaxy Z Fold 2 (left) has a noticeable gap when folded; the Mate X2 does not.

True Flagship Camera System on the Galaxy Z Fold 3

All of Samsung’s foldable phones up to this point did not use Samsung’s best possible camera systems at the time of release. The Galaxy Z Fold 2, for example, lacks the 108MP sensor and Periscope zoom lens that’s been a headline feature of the past three Galaxy slab flagships.

The Galaxy Z Fold 2’s trio of 12MP sensors are pedestrian compared to the camera arrays found on the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra or S21 Ultra

When Ben reviewed the Galaxy Z Fold 2, he forgave the device for using a “lesser” camera system because he figured it was physically impossible to fit a Periscope lens (which is thicker and takes up more space than traditional camera sensors) into a foldable device. But then Huawei threw that assumption out the window by doing just that with the Mate X2.

The Huawei Mate X2 has a 10x optical Periscope zoom lens.

Now there are no excuses for Samsung — please put a Periscope zoom lens into the Galaxy Z Fold 3.

Widen the outer “Cover Display”

One major improvement Samsung made with the Galaxy Z Fold 2 over the original Fold was that it drastically increased the display area of the outside screen, which Samsung calls “cover display.” Most of that growth happened vertically however, as Samsung really just got rid of the huge forehead and chin bezels of the original Fold and did not increase the phone’s width all that much. That left the Galaxy Z Fold 2’s cover display with an awkward 25:9 aspect ratio, which is really tall and narrow. The phone is still usable for most tasks, but it exudes a cramped feeling, especially when typing on the keyboard. Some apps also don’t display properly in such a tight fit.

We would like to see the Galaxy Z Fold 3 widen the outside display to come closer to a more conventional aspect ratio. This has already been accomplished by the Huawei Mate X2, which has a 21:9 outside screen that makes the phone feel more like a conventional slab phone when folded.

Get Rid of the Crease

Both the original Galaxy Fold and Galaxy Z Fold 2 displays have a rather abrupt and harsh vertical crease down the middle of the screen that, while not too visible by the eye if looking at the “right” angle, is always noticeable by touch. The groove is so deep in fact, that it would disrupt a pen stroke for artists who value precision. Therefore, if the Galaxy Z Fold 3 is to support the S-Pen, as leaks say it would, it must reduce the crease.

The good news is, the technology is already there. Huawei’s Mate X2, Lenovo’s ThinkPad X1, and Motorola’s Razr 5G all have foldable screens that exhibit very little crease due to a folding mechanism that tucks the screen into a gap for a teardrop-like fold.

The Mate X2 (left) and the Galaxy Z Fold 2 (right).

Samsung could consider this option to reduce the crease. However, going this route may make the hinge no longer able to stay open at any angle — a useful trick of the Galaxy Z Fold 2. Maybe the engineers can figure out a good middle ground somewhere.

Easy Aspect Ratio Switch for Non-Optimized Apps

Whether it’s inside the square-ish 7.6-inch main screen or the 25:9 6.3-inch outside screen, both the Galaxy Z Fold 2 displays have unconventional aspect ratios. This means smartphone apps that aren’t optimized specifically for the Galaxy Z Fold 2 have three options to show themselves: display in normal smartphone form with letterboxing; display in stretched format to fill the screen but open the possibility of distortion; or display in full via cropping, which means the edges of the app may not show up on the Galaxy Z Fold 2 display.

Sure, app makers can optimize their apps to fit into these folding screens perfectly — and Samsung’s first-party apps all do so — but it’s highly unrealistic to expect every app maker to do so, especially when the foldable market is still niche. This is a problem that will be here to stay for the foreseeable future.

It’s not too big an issue on the Galaxy Z Fold 2 for most word-based apps. Chrome, when stretched out, is slightly odd-looking, but it doesn’t break performance or the experience. But photo-heavy apps like Instagram are trickier to handle. Distorting an image by stretching it is obviously not ideal, so Instagram on the Galaxy Z Fold 2’s big display must run either in letterboxed format, or a cropped format that chops off the top and bottom of Instagram Stories. We can cycle between either option via the Samsung Good Lock app, but shouldn’t Samsung build this functionality natively into the phone’s software instead of requiring an additional download?

Better yet, how about giving us the option to quickly swap between the three display options (letterboxed, cropped, stretched) in real-time? Maybe a pop-up button on the screen, a multi-finger gesture, or a shortcut toggle in the navigation panel? We see room for improvement here.

Increased durability

To some people, foldable phones are still synonymous with “fragile.” So for the Galaxy Z Fold 3, we would like to see increased durability of some sort. Asking for IP68 water- and dust resistance is probably highly unlikely for a foldable device. But how about a lesser IP rating, similar to those seen in earbuds, like IPX3 or IPX4? There have been stray rumors for IP53 resistance, but we’re waiting to hear something more credible on this end.

If Samsung can’t provide a tangible “proof” of durability like an IP rating, then perhaps it can give buyers more ease of mind by extending the warranty period from one year to 18 months or even two years? Samsung already seems quite confident with the Galaxy Z Fold 2’s durability, as it offers a 100-day return period, so further assuring customers that foldables are not fragile could go a long way in pushing this product category into mainstream acceptance.

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What would you like to see on the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3?

With the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 likely just a few months away, chances are most of the hardware changes have already been set in stone, so our wishlist is purely hypothetical. If Samsung hasn’t already applied these changes, it’s probably too late to see them in the Galaxy Z Fold 3.

But Samsung, after all, is the pioneer of the foldable category, so their engineers likely have some tricks up their sleeves no one expects.

What are your expectations with the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3? What big changes should Samsung do with its next prime foldable? What price point are you expecting the phone at? Should there be a Lite version of the Galaxy Z Fold 3? Let us know in the comments below!

The post Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 Rumor Roundup: Here’s everything we know about the next foldable flagship phone series appeared first on xda-developers.

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Infinix teases a 160W charging, color-changing smartphone you can’t buy

At MWC 2021, Chinese smartphone maker Infinix showcased its new concept phone with ultra-fast charging capabilities. Dubbed the Inifinix Concept Phone 2021, the new phone takes on the likes of Xiaomi and OPPO with 160W fast charging support. We exclusively reported about the phone earlier this month and even gave you a close look at the phone’s design.

The Ininix Concept Phone 2021 features a unique dual-color changing back made using a transparent solid electrochromic film (SECF) and an electroluminescence (EL) film. The back changes color between silver gray and light blue when receiving when you receive an incoming call and or charge the phone.

The main highlight of the phone is, of course, the wired 160W fast charging technology, which combines Infinix’s Ultra Flash Charge tech, Super Charge Pump, and an 8C battery cell to fully charge the phone’s 4,000mAh battery in just 10 minutes. The phone also supports 50W wireless fast charging, but Infinix didn’t share any statistics on that.

Tested. Refined. Perfected. This is how we roll at Infinix. #Infinix #InfinixConceptPhone pic.twitter.com/VJCWilo8fD

— Infinix Mobile (@Infinix_Mobile) June 28, 2021

Infinix says its fast charging tech employs four high conversion charging chips that allow the phone to reach 98.6% charging conversion efficiency while avoiding overloading and overheating issues associated with large currents. The phone also has 20 temperature sensors that work in tandem to ensure the phone temperature never goes above 40 °C/104°F.

As for the phone itself, it comes with a 6.67-inch curved AMOLED display. Under the hood, the phone is powered by MediaTek’s Helio G95 octa-core processor, paired with ARM Mali-G76 MP4 GPU, 8GB RAM, and 128GB storage. Over on the back, it has a triple camera assembly consisting of a 64MP primary lens, a 120-degree ultra-wide-angle lens, and an 8MP telephoto lens with up to 60x digital zoom. The phone runs Android 11 out-of-the-box and also incorporates “a new power button menu, communication features, and a notification history.”

There’s no word on the launch date or availability of the Infinix Concept Phone 2021.

The post Infinix teases a 160W charging, color-changing smartphone you can’t buy appeared first on xda-developers.

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Changelog hints Samsung’s next software update is One UI 3.1.1

The next update to Samsung’s custom skin, One UI, might not be called One UI 3.5 as many were hoping for. Rather it will be an incremental upgrade that will see the addition of a third digit to the current number scheme.

As spotted by @SamsungRydah, the next version of Samsung’s custom skin will likely be called One UI 3.1.1. The source of information is the update changelog of Nice Catch, a Good Lock module on the Galaxy Store. In the screenshot below, you can clearly see the mention of One UI 3.1.1 under the app changelog.

This matches Ice universe‘s leak from late last week in which he mentioned there was no One UI 3.5 in the works and that the next version will be called One UI 3.1.1 instead.

One UI 3.5 does not exist
Galaxy Z Fold3 with One UI 3.1.1
Samsung S series will test One UI 4.0 next month

— Ice universe (@UniverseIce) June 24, 2021

The reason why many were hoping the next update to be called One UI 3.5 has to do with how Samsung handled the One UI 2.x update cycle. Samsung first released One UI 2.0 and followed it up with One UI 2.1. A few months apart, the company released One UI 2.5. Since Samsung has already released One UI 3.0 and One UI 3.1, it was believed the next upgrade would come in the form of One UI 3.5.

There’s no official explanation as to why the company is going with the 3.1.1 number scheme instead of 3.5. But we suspect there aren’t enough big changes in the new upgrade to warrant a higher number bump.

As per Ice universe, One UI 3.1.1 will debut on the Galaxy Z Fold 3, Samsung’s upcoming foldable phone rumored to launch in the first week of August. Interestingly, the leaker says that Samsung will start testing One UI 4.0 on the Galaxy S devices from next month.

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These are the best mice for the HP Elite Folio: HP, Logitech, and more

The HP Elite Folio is the company’s new hybrid Windows laptop that’s powered by an ARM processor, specifically the Snapdragon 8cx Gen 2. Windows hasn’t seen a lot of success on ARM but in our testing, we concluded that it’s the best Windows on ARM PC if you compare it with the Surface Pro X or the Galaxy Book S. It comes wrapped in vegan leather which kind of reminds me of the Spectre Folio that the company launched a couple of years ago. It also comes with a great keyboard with a solid metal deck and makes space to store the bundled stylus pen.

There are a variety of mice available that can pair well with the Elite Folio — in fact, HP has some good options themselves. However, you do need to take into account that there are only two USB-C ports on the machine, which means a Bluetooth mouse is a much better option unless you are willing to sacrifice one of those ports. Let’s have a look at some of the best mice for the HP Elite Folio.

HP Z5000

Elegant design

The HP Z5000 is a sleek and modern looking mouse that should go well with the HP Elite Folio. It only supports Bluetooth wireless connectivity so you're limited when it comes to multi-device support.

Buy from HP.com

HP Z3700 wireless

Budget pick

A simple and clean looking mouse from HP with a low-profile. It also features a blue LED sensor that allows you to use the mouse on almost any surface.

Buy from HP.com

Satechi M1

Best affordable rechargeable mouse

The Satechi M1 is one of the best looking wireless mice you can get on a budget. The best part is that it comes with a built-in battery that can be charged via USB-C. It also comes in a total of four color options -- Silver, Space Grey, Rose Gold, and Gold.

Buy from Amazon

Logitech MX Master 3

Loaded with features

The MX Master 3 is a feature-loaded high-end productivity mouse. Apart from the variety of programmable buttons, it features a premium design, dual-scroll wheels made out of steel, and an excellent grip that should be great for most users.

Buy from Amazon

Razer Pro Click

Premium design meets productivity

Razer is known for its gaming peripherals for the Pro Click is the company's first proper productivity mouse made in association with Humanscale. It comes with a premium white finish with up to 8 programmable buttons, excellent battery life, and a fast 16,000-dpi sensor.

Buy from Amazon

Logitech Pebble M350

Silent and affordable

The Pebble M350 is another great budget option for the HP Elite Folio that features a lightweight compact design and whisper-quiet silent operation. It's a simple and clean looking mouse with a flat profile and is available in a total of five color options.

Buy from Amazon

Microsoft Arc Mouse

Ultra-slim and lightweight

The Arc Mouse from Microsoft is a premium mouse that features an innovative full scroll plane for vertical and horizontal scrolling instead of a traditional scroll wheel. There's a learning curve to use this mouse, especially due to its shape but we love the fact it can lay flat allowing ease of storage.

Buy from Amazon

Logitech MX Anywhere 3

Compact design meets premium finish

The Logitech MX Anywhere 3 is a smaller version of the MX Master 3 that offers excellent performance and premium design including a steel scroll wheel and programmable buttons for a customized experience

Buy from Amazon

Logitech Ergo M575 Wireless

Best trackball mouse

Having a trackball can completely change the way you use a mouse especially since the ergonomic design helps in reducing the overall stress on your wrists and hands.

Buy from Amazon

These are some of the best mice for the HP Elite Folio. Out of the above, our personal recommendation would be the HP Z5000 as it comes with Bluetooth, so you don’t have to sacrifice the limited number of ports on the laptop. You can also take a look at the Logitech MX Anywhere 3 if you’re looking for a great productivity mouse in a compact design.

Check out our list of the best laptops for 2021 along with a dedicated list of the best HP laptops. Considering how most new laptops are now coming with Thunderbolt and high-speed USB-C ports, it seems like a wise choice to invest in a Thunderbolt dock.

HP Elite Folio

The new HP Elite Folio is a premium hybrid laptop from the company and also one of the best Windows machines powered by an ARM chipset.

Buy from HP.com

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