Technology - Google News

Revamped Galaxy Fold fixes past mistakes: Everything different about Samsung's foldable phone - CNET
Biggest Nintendo Direct Announcements: SNES Games, Overwatch, And More - GameSpot
What to expect from Apple’s September 10 iPhone event - TechCrunch

Revamped Galaxy Fold fixes past mistakes: Everything different about Samsung's foldable phone - CNET

Posted: 05 Sep 2019 08:59 AM PDT

galaxy-fold-fixed-3 — The new, improved Galaxy Fold.
Tyler Lizenby/CNET

The Samsung Galaxy Fold is back. After a variety of problems affecting the foldable phone's bendable screen on review devices, Samsung postponed the Fold's sale and went back to the drawing board to fix the flaws. Now, a new and improved Galaxy Fold will go on sale in September, starting in Korea and branching out throughout Asia and Europe before heading to the US.

I got a chance to go hands-on with the redesigned model, which Samsung says will avoid incurring the kind of damage that caused some reviewers' screens to break. (CNET's review unit never broke, but the screen did sustain scratches.)

The Galaxy Fold looks mostly the same as before, but there truly are fewer opportunities for particles to creep under the screen. Samsung has completely removed the question of whether the protective layer on top of the original design was an optional screen protector or an essential part of the display's integrity -- it was actually the latter, as some reviewers learned the hard way earlier this year.

Opening and closing the Fold also feels different. Smoother, perhaps. Sturdier. I always loved opening and closing the original design during my time with the phone: The sensation of resistance as you closed the screen and felt the magnetic sides snap shut.

Now it feels more complete somehow. It's hard to say why exactly, with the original Galaxy Fold so far in the rearview mirror -- the last time I held it was in mid-April.

Here's every way the Galaxy Fold has changed.

No visible screen protector: If you peel this off, it immediately makes the Fold's screen unusable. Now, this polymer layer extends beneath the plastic bezel. It's still there but you can't see it, and that's how it should be.

galax-fold-closing — The magnetic closure snapping the screens together feels just as secure.
Tyler Lizenby/CNET

Screen caps at the ends of the phone: New T-shaped plastic "caps" plug up air gaps that existed before when you fold the phone's screen -- this is the slack that's created as part of the kinetic process. I tried jamming my fingernails around this part to see if I could create any openings, but wasn't able to. That's reassuring.

Reinforced screen: The previous Galaxy Fold design had a layer of metal supporting a cushiony layer and then the top portion of the display. Samsung says this caused the screen crease that runs down the phone's center to look more prominent. Now it's reinforced the screen by adding a second layer of metal on top of that cushion. We'll see if that reduces the crease's appearance and also keeps damage by pressing too hard on the display at bay.

No more Astro Blue or Martian Green colors: The blue and green colors really took the Fold over the top, but Samsung told us that it'll only sell the Fold in silver and black now. It's a shame, but I'm not really surprised. Samsung might be preparing for fewer sales as a result of waning enthusiasm, and therefore keeping its production counts in check.

galaxy-fold-fixed-2 — What screen protector? That layer is still there, but you no longer see it and that's good.
Tyler Lizenby/CNET

No Galaxy Fold 5G in the US: Anyone in Korea who buys the Galaxy Fold will get the 5G version by default, but the opposite is true in the US -- it's 4G only for that market. Samsung says that the 5G version will come to select countries, naturally at a higher cost than the 4G model if the two are sold side by side. That includes the UK, where the Galaxy Fold 5G will be available from EE from Sept. 18.

Stay tuned for more photos and my hands-on video that shows you exactly what's new and different in this second coming of the Galaxy Fold. Meanwhile, read on about how Samsung's next foldable phone could be shaped like a square.

Published Sept. 5 at 4:44am PT. Update: 7:10am PT with video and more photos.

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Biggest Nintendo Direct Announcements: SNES Games, Overwatch, And More - GameSpot

Posted: 05 Sep 2019 08:15 AM PDT

Nintendo's latest Direct presentation aimed its focus on upcoming Switch games, and the publisher rocked the house by pointing at a bunch of titles that will be available in the next few days and months. The console is getting a slate of Super Nintendo games that are exclusive to Switch Online subscribers, and we learned about new Super Smash Bros. characters, as well as a bunch of games that'll hit before the end of the year.

Here's a rundown of all the biggest news out of the September 2019 Nintendo Direct, and don't forget to check out the full list of Nintendo Switch games and DLC released after the broadcast.

Switch Gets A SNES Library

Nintendo gave Switch owners a big new reason to subscribe to its online service: it's releasing 20 Super Nintendo games on the console, exclusive to subscribers and at no additional cost. The games include Super Mario World, The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, Star Fox, and a bunch more. Nintendo also announced an SNES Switch controller for $30 that'll also be an exclusive offer for online subscribers. Here's the full list of SNES games, all of which will be available on September 5.

Overwatch Rumors Were True

As leaked ahead of the Direct, Overwatch is getting a Switch port--and it's coming sooner rather than later. The hero shooter hits Switch on October 15.

Banjo & Kazooie Are Raring To Go In Smash

Nintendo announced Banjo & Kazooie for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate back at E3, but now we have a date for the latest character DLC: today. As in right now. The third character addition of the $25 Fighters Pass DLC pack head to Smash with a new stage, Spiral Mountain, and a title update that adds the classic Home Run Contest mode to the game as well. Check out all the details on Banjo & Kazooie, which Nintendo detailed after the Direct.

Terry Bogard Accepts Smash Invitation

In addition to getting Banjo & Kazooie, Nintendo revealed the next Fighters Pass character added to Smash to be Terry Bogard of Fatal Fury and King of Fighters fame. More characters are also in development, Nintendo said.

Pokemon, Undertale Smash Costumes Are Here

Even more Smash stuff is hitting the game today. Nintendo announced new costumes based on Pokemon and Undertale. The Undertale costume features Sans and includes a music pack of songs remixed by Undertale creator Toby Fox, and all are available for $0.75 each.

Four-Player Super Kirby Clash Released Today

Adding to the roster of things available right now on Switch is Super Kirby Clash, a four-player cooperative Kirby title in which each player takes on a version of the puffy character with a different role on the team. The game is free-to-start--Nintendo's take on free-to-play--and sports a single-player mode as well.

Little Town Hero Gets A Release Date

Pokemon developer GameFreak's upcoming non-Pokemon RPG, Little Town Hero, is coming on October 16. Nintendo showed off some gameplay footage of the title that shows you'll be fighting off monsters with ideas in turn-based battle. We also learned Toby Fox is contributing music to the game.

Divinity: Original Sin 2 With Cross-Save Out Today

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Divinity: Original Sin 2 rounded out the items hitting Switch as of today. In addition to being a well-loved and well-reviewed RPG, the game also features cross-save support between Steam and Switch.

Deadly Premonition 2 Announced, Original Available Now

Nintendo announced that Swery65's famously weird, Twin Peaks-esque game is getting a sequel in Deadly Premonition 2: A Blessing in Disguise, which we can expect on Switch in 2020. In the meantime, you can play the original Deadly Premonition right now--Nintendo released a Switch version called Deadly Premonition Origins that's available today.

Xenoblade Chronicles Remaster Set For 2020

The Wii title Xenoblade Chronicles is returning from 2012 with a Switch remake. Nintendo didn't set a firm release date, but we can expect Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition sometime next year.

Assassin's Creed Rebel Collection Confirmed

Another rumored release that was confirmed during the Direct, the Switch will get two piratey Assassin's Creed games on December 6. The Rebel Collection includes Assassin's Creed: Rogue and Assassin's Creed: Black Flag.

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What to expect from Apple’s September 10 iPhone event - TechCrunch

Posted: 05 Sep 2019 08:07 AM PDT

Here's what we know for sure: Apple's holding a big event on its campus at 10AM PT on September 10.

Here's what we almost certainly know for sure: The iPhone 11 will launch with a new camera configuration. There will be probably be three different models.

From there, things get a bit more complicated.

iPhone rumor OnLeaks Digit

There's some speculation around whether the company will continue to offer the budget-minded iPhone R as an alternative to the flagship devices. Some rumors thus far have suggested that this year's models will present a kind of paradigm shift for the line. Rather than introducing an iPhone 11R, the cheaper model could become the base level iPhone 11, with two pricier models taking up the Pro moniker, with a Pro and Pro Max model distinguishing the different screen sizes.

The shift would make some sense from the standpoint of the broader smartphone market. Pricing is one of the key reasons smartphone adoption has slowed considerably. Premium devices like the iPhone and Samsung's S series routinely top $1,000. If Apple can reposition the price point, that could go a ways toward justifying a faster upgrade cycle.

One of the key distinguishing factors between the iPhone 11 and the Pro models is likely to be the camera. The base model will retain the XS's two-camera setup, while the Pros will move to a three-camera array in a square configuration. The third lens will bring an additional wide angle to the device, similar to a number of Android handsets.

Using on-board AI and software, the cameras are said to create a composite image that can correct certain shooting errors, offer higher-resolution shots and get better images in low light. The video software on the Pro models is said to be significantly improved, as well, letting users correct color balances and apply effects on-device. The front-facing camera, meanwhile, is said to have a wider field of view, which should help face unlock work from more angles, including while lying down on a table — one of the biggest complaints with the current Face ID configuration.

The device build is largely expected to stay the same, including the top notch, which has remained unchanged since the introduction of the iPhone X. Some have suggested that the invitation hints at additional colors for the handset, which would be in keeping with other entry-level devices, like the iPhone R. The Lightning port, for better and worse, is expected to remain, in spite of the addition of USB-C on the iPad Pro.

Jeff Williams, chief operating officer of Apple Inc., speaks during an event at the Steve Jobs Theater in Cupertino, California, U.S., on Wednesday, Sept. 12, 2018. Apple will kick off a blitz of new products this week, ending a year of minor updates and setting the technology giant up for a potentially strong holiday quarter. Photographer: David Paul Morris/Bloomberg via Getty Images

A couple of rumors have been floating around hinting at the arrival of a new Apple Watch. The Series 4 device is reportedly getting a new (likely very pricey) Titanium version. The line is also set to finally add some solid sleep tracking into the mix.

The event may well see some new MacBooks, the first to include new switch mechanisms for the keyboard. That will hopefully alleviate longstanding complaints against several generations of keyboard switches.

Expect some firm dates on the software and content front, as well, including availability for the public launch of MacOS Catalina, iPadOS and iOS 13. There's a pretty good chance that the company will also firm up launch dates for long-awaited content plays like Apple TV+ and Arcade.

All (or some) of this and more (or less) will be revealed on Tuesday September 10. TechCrunch will, as always, be on hand, bringing it to you live.

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