PARIS (Nettavisen): Samsung is one of the main sponsors of this year’s Olympic Games, and on the occasion of the Olympic Games they are launching several products. Some are updates to what we already know, such as new foldable phones. Other things are quite new, such as the new ear plugs, where the design was borrowed from Apple.
What most people have been waiting for since it was hinted at earlier this year is still the health ring from Samsung. The success of rings such as Oura and its competitors has meant that even the big Asian player has jumped on the concept.
Also read: Test with Oura: This health ring gives you a really good insight
Also read: Smart ring test: Ultrahuman Ring Air
Galaxy Ring is waterproof and should have a week’s battery life like its competitors. It will come in three colors: Black, Silver and Gold. The ring is integrated with Samsung Health, and has a sleep analysis that uses artificial intelligence to help the wearer understand sleep patterns. You get both a sleep score and a snoring analysis, saving many weddings around Norway.
For women, monitoring the menstrual cycle will be a helper in everyday life, and if here, as with the other rings, the information can be shared with partners, it can also mean many relationships that get better everyday life. Samsung also uses artificial intelligence to give you an energy score every day, as its competitors know.
Also read: Best: Samsung Galaxy S24 vs. Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra (vs. Google Pixel 8 Pro)
The ring is cut in a case, as you know from ear plugs. It can be an advantage compared to the competition. Probably the biggest advantage is that you don’t need a subscription to use all the advanced functions.
Availability of the ring in the Nordics has not been announced. It will be launched in selected European countries during the summer, and success in other countries is likely to be assessed before it comes north.
It will compete with Garmin on training watches
On the health front, Samsung is also launching two different watches. The Galaxy Watch 7 continues Samsung’s previous watches, with many new functions from AI. Samsung believes this watch is a particularly good fit for its health ring, which is not currently shipping in Norway.
In addition, Samsung is launching an Ultra version for those who take their health and fitness seriously, and will likely try to take on the competition with Garmin.
When we got to try the watch during Samsung’s press event, this was a watch that could live up to what its hype promises. It is solidly built, and has advanced functions that can be easily used with the help of the touch screen.
The advanced watch has a frame in Grade 418 titanium and 10ATM water resistance, which should make it extremely durable. It operates at a wide range of altitudes, from 500 meters below sea level to 9,000 meters above.
The latter is probably good news for people like Frank Løke. It can track high-level training experiences such as swimming in the ocean and cycling in extreme environments. In practice, this should be a watch that can compete with the training watches you know from other suppliers.
The ultra version will cost around NOK 8,500, and the regular watch from around NOK 3,800.
Bendable artificial intelligence
What is not a footnote for Samsung is their phones, and there are two new foldable phones coming from Samsung as well. Both of the previous ones are updates. That means Z Fold 6 and Z Flip 6. The biggest news on both phones is how the switch works seamlessly on a foldable screen. As well as many other small and large AI functions.
These phones are among the most expensive phones on the market, with the Flip costing just under NOK 15,000 and the Fold costing just under NOK 25,000. We hope to come back with a test that will show how the Gemini app from Google, which is fully integrated on the phone, works with a foldable screen. It’s a good show at the press release stage and the demos we’ve received.
The foldable phone is lighter than its predecessors, and is also slightly smaller in height. The width is slightly increased.
One of the new features is the ability to sketch something on the phone that can be turned into images, a feature that also works on image editing. In addition, there are functions such as transcripts and summaries of websites you are directed to.
As for the Flip phone, the interior has been upgraded so that it can compete with the S24 models in terms of camera, processor and battery.
Z Fold 6 form specifications:
- 7.6-inch QXGA+
- Dynamic AMOLED 2X
- Infinity Flex Display (2160 x 1856, 20.9:18), 374ppi
- 120Hz adaptive refresh rate (1~120Hz)
Z Fold 6 Camera:
- 12MP Ultra-Wide Camera
- F2.2, Pixel size: 1.12μm, FOV: 123 ̊
- 50MP wide angle camera
- Dual Pixel AF, OIS, F1.8, Pixel size: 1.0μm, FOV: 85 ̊
- 10MP Telephoto Camera
- PDAF, OIS, F2.4, Pixel size: 1.0μm, FOV: 36 ̊, 3X optical zoom
Z Flip 6 screen specifications:
- 6.7-inch FHD+
- Dynamic AMOLED 2X
- 120Hz adaptive refresh rate (1~120Hz)
- Infinity Flex Display (2640 x 1080, 22:9)
Camera Z Flip 6:
- 10MP Selfie Camera
- F2.2, Pixel size: 1.22μm, FOV: 85 ̊
- Dual Rear Camera
- 12MP Ultra-Wide Camera
- F2.2, Pixel size: 1.12μm, FOV: 123 ̊
- 50MP wide angle camera
- Dual Pixel AF, OIS, F1.8, Pixel size: 1.0μm, FOV: 85 ̊
New earbuds inspired by Apple, with AI
It is entirely possible that Samsung can update its headphones, but what it has done is revise the way it has been done so far to something very similar to what Apple has done with the how the headphones should sit in the ear. If you’re going to take what’s promised as a starting point, this promises well:
“If you are lecturing in a foreign language, you can use the Interpreter listening mode on the Galaxy Z Fold6 or Flip6 with Buds3 in your ears. The lecture is then directly translated, reducing the language barriers in your studies. You can also control functions such as playing or stopping music by saying two words with Voice Command, without touching the headphones or the phone.
also read: Test: Sonos Ace headphones
The sound is automatically maximized no matter how you use the buds. The microphones in the Buds3 series analyze internal and external sound in real time to improve sound quality and active noise reduction with Adaptive EQ and Adaptive ANC. If you’re listening to music, Buds3 Pro will always adjust the noise and sound level for you, with features like Adaptive Noise Control, Siren Detection and Voice Detection, so you always have the best sound without anything manually adjusted.”
As you can see from the pictures, the earbuds are clearly inspired by Apple’s. The earplugs also have adaptive noise reduction that adapts the sound to the environment. If someone is talking to you, there are sirens nearby or there is noisy work, the sound will be adjusted.
This innovation is called AI sound. We’ll get back to how this works in practice after testing. When we tried this in a rather crowded press room in a very short session, the voices became robotic, but we heard what was said well. This particular function can be useful if it works because of the press releases.
The Pro version of the Galaxy Buds3 will cost from NOK 2,990. That is, the same price as Airpods Pro at the time of writing.
Nettavisen will return with tests on the products within a short time.
Also read:
