Over the past few days we’ve been treated to two separate Meta Quest 3 leaks – or more accurately, leaks for a new cheaper Quest 3 that’s either called the Meta Quest 3s or Meta Quest 3 Lite, depending on who you believe.
But while the phrase ‘where there's smoke there's fire’ can often ring true in the world of tech leaks, I’m having a really tough time buying what I’ve seen so far from the two designs.
Going in chronological order; the first to drop was a Meta Quest 3 Lite render shared by @ZGFTECH on Twitter.
It looks an awful lot like an Oculus Quest 2 with its slightly bulkier design – perhaps because it seems to use the 2’s fresnel lens system instead of a slimmer pancake lens system like the Quest 3 – but with more rounded edges to match its namesake.
Interestingly, it also lacks any kind of RGB cameras or a depth sensor – which for me is a massive red flag. Mixed reality is the main focus for XR hardware and software right now, so of all the downgrades to make for the Lite, removing full-color MR passthrough seems the most absurd. It’d be much more likely for Meta to give the Quest 3 Lite a worse display or chipset.
@ZGFTECH did later clarify that they aren’t saying the Quest 3 Lite lacks RGB cameras, just that their renders exclude them because they can’t reveal more “at the moment.” Though as I said before, I expect mixed reality would be a key Quest 3 Lite feature, so I’m more than a little surprised this detail is shrouded in mystery.
Then there’s the Meta Quest 3s leak. The original Reddit post has since been deleted, but copies like this Twitter post remain online.
Meta Quest 3 Lite may actually be “Meta Quest 3S”u/LuffySanKira on Reddit claims they were shown these graphics in what was likely a Meta User Research Zoom meeting.I can’t verify them, but I CAN verify Meta does feedback sessions like these. pic.twitter.com/DjkZnVMP6bMarch 16, 2024
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Just like the Meta Quest 3 Lite leaked design, this bulkier headset suggests a return to fresnel lenses. Although unlike the previous model, we see some possible RGB cameras and sensors on the front face panel. On top of this, we also get some more details about specs – chiefly that the cheaper Quest 3 could boast dual 1,832 x 1,920 pixel displays.
But while the design seems a little more likely (if a little too ugly), the leak itself is setting off my BS detectors. The first issue is that the shared images include elements of a Zoom call that might make it quite easy to determine who the leaker is. To see these early designs the leaker likely had to sign an NDA that would come with some kind of financial penalty for sharing the info, and unless they have zero care for their financial well being I would’ve expected them to be a lot more careful with what they do/don’t share lest they face the wrath of Meta’s well-funded legal team.
On top of this, some of the promotional assets seem a little off. Some of them feature the original Quest 3 rather than the new design, some of the images don’t seem super relevant to a VR gadget, plus ports and buttons seem to change positions and parts change color across various renders.
As such, I’m more than a little unconvinced that this is a genuine leak.
(Image credit: Meta)
Meta Quest 3 Lite: fact or fiction?
I guess the follow-up question from my skepticism over these leaks is: is a cheaper Meta Quest 3 even on the way?
Inherently, the idea isn’t absurd. The Quest 3 may be cheaper than many other VR headsets, but at $ 499.99 / £479.99 / AU$ 799.99 it is pricier than the Quest was at launch – $ 299 / £299 / AU$ 479 – and its affordable price point is the central reason the Quest 2 sold phenomenally well.
I’ve previously estimated that the Quest 3 is selling slightly slower than its predecessor did at the same point in its lifespan, so Meta may be looking to juice its figures by releasing a cheaper model.
What’s more, while these leaks have details that leave me more than a little skeptical, the fact that we have had two leaks in such a short stretch of time leaves me feeling like there might be some validity to the rumors.
The Quest 3 Lite needs good quality mixed reality (Image credit: Meta)
So while we can't yet say for certain it's coming, I wouldn't be surprised if Meta announced a Quest 3 Lite or S. I'm just not convinced that it’ll look like either of these leaked designs.
For me, the focus would be on having a sleek mixed reality machine – which would require full-color passthrough and pancake rather than fresnel lenses (which we have seen on affordable XR hardware like the Pico 4).
The cost savings would then come from having lower resolution displays, less storage (starting at 64GB), and having a worse chipset or less RAM than we see in the Quest 3.
We’ll have to wait and see if Meta announces anything officially. I expect we won’t hear anything until either its Meta Quest Gaming Showcase for 2024 – which is due around June – or this year’s Meta Connect event – which usually lands around September or October.
If Windows 12 (or whatever Microsoft ends up naming it) exists, hardware manufacturer HP is keeping its lips sealed, but it has given us a peek at the next version of Windows 11 it seems.
We thought that we might have seen the last major update to Windows 11 last year, version 23H2, but it looks like that’s not the case. HP has published new documentation that makes references to “Windows 11 2024 Update” and “24H2”, which has Windows enthusiasts buzzing.
HP released spec sheets for its newest Spectre laptops and 2-in-1 PCs, and makes several mentions of the Windows 11 2024 Update, suggesting that it exists and it's coming soon.
According to Windows Latest, these references suggest the update will bring support for the next iteration of Microsoft’s new artificial intelligence tool, Windows Copilot 2.0, along with cutting-edge Wi-Fi 7 connectivity. Windows Copilot is being branded as the all-purpose digital assistant that will change how we engage with our devices, so it’ll be interesting to see what new features arrive with this update.
According to the documentation, “Windows 11 2024 Update” will be required to be able to use the Spectre devices’ Wi-Fi 7 (802.11BE) functionality, alongside their new Intel Core or Intel Core Ultra processors. Of course, a new Wi-Fi 7-compatible router will also be required. Windows Latest also points out that Wi-Fi 7 will be backwards compatible with devices that have older 802.11 specifications.
While HP has mentioned the Windows 11 2024 update in other documents, Microsoft itself has not officially announced it, so while these references by HP seem legitimate (and likely included by accident), we don’t fully know all of the new features that Microsoft is planning.
However, the updates mentioned by HP certainly hint at a major Windows 11 update, and the upgrade to Wi-Fi 7 is particularly exciting. These are pretty sizable updates and the advancement of the HP devices’ Wi-Fi specs is notable, but we don’t know for sure if we’ll see Windows 12 in the first half of the year or the second. What we do know is Microsoft is making some pretty big steps, especially in the development of Windows Copilot, and I expect this will be the case for most of this year, at least up till the release of Windows 12 and devices with these new specifications.
The absence of any mention of Windows 12 could be a sign that HP is being more careful with keeping secrets about a new operating system than about Windows 11 updates – but it could also hint that Windows 12 may be further off than many of us hoped.
Apple’s Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC) 2023 event is happening soon (June 5, 2023) and like clockwork, the leaks are popping up. The rumors this time suggest iOS 17 will have a new lock screen that will turn your iPhone into a sort of smart display.
What gives this rumor more credence than others is the fact it comes from notable industry insider Mark Gurman from Bloomberg. He claims in a recent report that Apple is looking for a way to “make iPhones more useful when they’re [sitting] on a person’s desk or nightstand.” The tech is reportedly based on the customizable lock screen from iOS 16 which allows “users “to see small snippets of information”.
Beyond that, not much else is known. Gurman’s anonymous sources state the iOS 17 features function similar to Amazon’s Echo Show displays and it’ll utilize a “dark background with bright text” similar to the Apple Watch's Nightstand Mode.
Smart home expansion
It's been known for a while now the company has been working on growing the smart home side of its business. All the way back in January of this year, rumors were floating around stating the tech giant is planning to launch a low-end iPad as the company’s first official smart home controller. Gurman’s report states it’s been “designed to control things like thermostats” and house lights, as well as “show video”.
It's hard to say whether or not Apple wants the iPhone to play a bigger role in its smart home plans. Sure, a smart display is useful for displaying basic information, but there has to be more to it than that. And we can't help but wonder how this will affect the Matter standard.
The protocol is in dire need of some support, after all. Matter 1.1 recently launched, and what was supposed to be a major upgrade, but without more device-type support, it's a little underwhelming. Looking at Gurman’s leaks, there isn’t a single word about Matter, which is rather concerning.
Either way, mum's the word for now. Gurman states that “an Apple spokeswoman declined to comment on [the company's] plans for iOS 17.”
A peek at the future
As for the rest of the report, it mostly consists of previously seen leaks like watchOS 10 getting widgets as part of a major revamp and the world premiere of the company’s VR headset. Some of the more interesting tidbits, however, include “significant changes to the iPhone’s Wallet app” plus an AirPlay upgrade “to make it easier for users to beam [content] to devices they don’t own.” Apparently, Apple spoke to some hotels “that offer TVs and speakers” to make the latter possible.
Be sure to stay tuned for our coverage of WWDC 2023. We do expect to see the official reveal of iOS 17.
It’s not just Ukraine: There’s a flood of intel on Russian military, nukes and crooks, says dark-web intel expert Vinny Troia, even with the Conti ransomware gang shuttering its leaking Jabber chat server.
After a decade of relative inactivity, self-described hactivist group Anonymous takes credit for a 269-gigabyte data dump of police department, fusion center, and law enforcement files. Dubbed BlueLea…
The Google Pixel 4a is starting to look like the Pixel 4 device you may actually buy, and it could be such a good value that it ends up as one of 2020's best affordable phones.
But it's been weeks since we first expected Google to officially announce the Pixel 4a and it still hasn't been unveiled. While we'd last expected it to come out alongside the Android 11 beta, now that that's officially launched, we aren't sure when we'll see Google's next mid-range device.
In any case, it's long past the time last year when Google surprised everyone by releasing the Pixel 3a and 3a XL in the middle of 2019 as affordable versions of the Pixel 3 and 3 XL retaining some of the best perks of the premium devices at a mid-range pricetag. In short, consumers could once again get the famed Pixel photography at an affordable price.
Leaks have started flowing in since the beginning of 2020, so it looks like a budget Google Pixel 4a could be coming at some point soon – although we've heard that the phone will be released alone without its larger XL sibling. That might make sense, though we'd hope the regular 4a wouldn't retain the standard Pixel 4's battery issues.
The Pixel 4 and 4 XL were popular devices, but didn't land with quite the fanfare of the Pixel 3 handsets. The cheaper Pixel 4a phones could be Google's opportunity to win back consumers, especially those who have been reducing their phone budgets amid the current outbreak.
Below we've put together everything we know so far about the upcoming phones including details on when to expect it and the first images of the upcoming handsets.
Latest story:It looks like the Pixel 4a might not go on sale until October now, though we're still crossing our fingers for an announcement about the phone on July 13.
Cut to the chase
What is it? An affordable variant of the Pixel 4 smartphone
When is it out? We should find out on July 13
How much will it cost? Around $ 399 / £399 / AU$ 649 or less
Google Pixel 4a release date
The Google Pixel 4
Originally, we had expected to see Google introduce its next affordable devices at Google IO 2020, which was expected to take place between May 12-14, but that event has now been cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Google Pixel 3a and 3a XL were announced at last year's Google IO, but in its absence, we'd heard a rumor that the Google Pixel 4a could release on May 22. That date has come and gone.
A subsequent rumor suggested a later date of June 5. Why? Probably to coincide with the Android 11 public beta launch – but that itself got pushed back, and we still haven't seen the Pixel 4a.
According to those in the know, Google will now reveal details about the Pixel 4a on July 13, though the handset won't go on sale until October. It might even be renamed the Pixel 5a and go on sale with the Pixel 5.
Yet another rumor, however, claims the Pixel 4a launch will get delayed until July 13, though we're not sure why. It will be announced without an XL model, the rumor states – and it won't be 5G-capable.
Google Pixel 4a price
The Pixel 3a cost $ 399 / £399 / AU$ 649 at launch, while the Pixel 3a XL cost $ 479 / £469 / AU$ 799. In terms of how much you'll pay for the 4a, the Google Pixel 4a price could actually be lower than the Pixel 3a price. That could be due to regional price differences – or because Google might intentionally lowball the phone's pricetag amid a more competitive mid-range market.
For instance, one price rumor puts the Pixel 4a at $ 349 (roughly £285 / AU$ 540) for 128GB of storage – so you'd be paying less and getting twice as much storage. And it's always possible there would be an even cheaper 64GB model. But Google might be thinking of a baseline lower price: the company allegedly surveyed consumers to see if they'd buy a non-premium Pixel phone for $ 349 (around £246 / AU$ 535).
Having said that, an older price rumor points to $ 399, which is exactly the same as the Pixel 3a, so we're not sure right now.
Google Pixel 4a design and display
The Google Pixel 3a XL
We're going to start with a rumor that might disappoint some of you: word is that Google might not put out a Pixel 4a XL, only focusing on the smaller device.
Apparently this is so people looking for a bigger phone stick with the Pixel 4 XL, as supposedly the Pixel 3a XL stole sales from the Pixel 3 XL.
While that rumor is seemingly backed up by the relative lack of Pixel 4a XL rumors, we've heard there could be three Pixel 4a devices, including a 5G model. This comes from Android code which refers to three different devices, presumably consisting of a main device as well as an XL and 5G phone, although they aren't named as such.
Those devices have appeared again in subsequent Google code, and this time two of them were alongside the phrase ‘pixel_20_mid_range’, all but confirming that they're unannounced mid-range Pixel phones, though the source speculates that the third code name might refer to a circuit board rather than a device.
As such, we'd say there might well be a Pixel 4a XL, but either way there's almost certainly at least going to be a Pixel 4a. So what will the base Pixel 4a look like? We think it'll be like the below, which we don't believe are hands on shots of the phone and are instead doctored image of the original Pixel.
We've left these images here though as they show what other sources believe the device may look like. It may have a punch-hole selfie camera in the top left of the screen, which would be a first for a Pixel phone.
Elsewhere, we've also seen leaked images seemingly showing retail boxes for the phone, which match the design above.
Google Pixel 4a specs
We've also seen a full specs leak for the Pixel 4a, claiming that it will have a 5.81-inch 1080 x 2340 OLED screen, a mid-range Snapdragon 730 chipset, 6GB of RAM, a 3,080mAh battery, 128GB of storage, a 12.2MP main camera, an 8MP front-facing one (in a punch-hole), a 3.5mm headphone port, and that it will come in Just Black’ and ‘Barely Blue’ shades.
There's also said to be no Soli chip, which allowed you to navigate the Pixel 4 hands-free (well, in theory). This is unlikely to be available on the Pixel 4a in order to keep the price as low as possible.
What is powering the Google Pixel 4a? That's currently a little uncertain as while the leaks above points to a Snapdragon 730, an investigation run by XDA Developers dug up prototypes of the phone that run both the Qualcomm Snapdragon 730 and the Snapdragon 765.
The Snapdragon 765 prototype may be a 5G-ready version of the phone as that chipset is designed to power 5G hardware. We've heard conflicting rumors on whether there will be a next-gen internet version of the Pixel 4a, but consistent rumors suggest it may be a reality.
A leaked benchmarks score also suggests the phone will be more powerful than the Google Pixel 3a but won't be as capable about the Pixel 4 series. It scored 6,366 in Geekbench 4 testing, which is quite impressive.
Based on a leaked image posted to the web, we're looking at 6GB of RAM (as leaked above) and faster UFS 2.1 flash storage when the Pixel 4a finally appears, with 64GB being one of the storage options. When we say faster, it's an upgrade on the flash storage used in the Pixel 3a.
Google Pixel 4a camera
Then we have the camera to talk about. We're expecting it to be similar to the Google Pixel 4's shooter – one of the best smartphone cameras around – but it's unlikely to have all the bells and whistles of that device's tech.
Someone with an early piece of hardware has provided the below camera samples with the Google Pixel 4a. It seems the shooter works well at color reproduction, but there's no gurantee this sort of tech will make its way onto the final device.
The tweet adds more evidence to the suggestion we'll see a 12MP main shooter on the Google Pixel 4a.
What we want to see in the Google Pixel 4a
The Google Pixel 4 was an innovative flagship feature, but when it comes to adapting this feature to a budget price tag, there are a few things we'd like it to consider. Here's what we want to see:
1. Bring back the fingerprint scanner
The Google Pixel 4
The Google Pixel 4 has no rear-mounted fingerprint scanner like the Pixel 3, not does it have an in-screen one like many premium smartphones around. Instead, it relies on facial recognition unlocking for you to access your phone.
For some, this is a useful feature to help them get into their phone quickly and easily; others find this an unsecured and frustrating experience. For the Pixel 4a, we'd like Google to drop this feature, and instead have a physical or screen-mounted fingerprint sensor.
It's likely Google will make this change, as the tech involved in efficient face unlocking adds quite a bit of price to the phone, so if the company wants to slash the price of the new device, it'd make sense to remove face recognition first.
2. Improved battery life
The Google Pixel 3a XL
A recurring problem with Google Pixel smartphones is that their battery lives always leave a lot to be desired, and plummet quicker than competing devices. Saying that, the Pixel 3a solved that problem with a bigger battery capacity and a weaker processor, which meant it drained battery less.
Since most normal people need smartphone batteries that'll last them a day, even in a pinch, the more affordable and accessible Pixel 4a needs a battery that'll last it this long, which means a bigger capacity than the 4 as well as tools in place to keep it going longer, like canny optimizations.
3. Drop the 90Hz screen
This is bound to be a pretty controversial suggestion, but if Google is looking for features to cut to keep the Pixel 4a price down, we'd argue the 90Hz screen is an unnecessary luxury that could be lost without making the device worse.
While some people really love 90Hz screens in phones like the Pixel 4, as it makes the viewing experience a little smoother, many more people struggle to notice the difference, especially people who aren't huge tech fans who don't know the feature is in place.
That means it's not a vital feature, and when there are aspects of the Pixel 4 that we would like to see in the 4a, we'd say the 90Hz screens are expendable.
4. Keep the telephoto camera
The Google Pixel 4’s main camera
The Google Pixel 4 smartphones bumped the number of cameras on Google's devices from one to two, adding a telephoto snapper for optical zoom.
The Pixel 3a devices saw the cameras slightly downgraded from the Pixel 3 line, but that was purely in terms of software post-processing, and the hardware was exactly the same.
A telephoto lens in a camera is really useful, so you can take better pictures of a subject without dropping the quality dramatically, and we'd love to see it kept in the Pixel 4a. We'd be surprised if this wasn't the case, as the telephoto lens really ties the rear design together. And talking of Pixel 4a design…
5. Stick with the weird design
The Google Pixel 4 XL (left) and Google Pixel 4
The Google Pixel 4 smartphones are weird looking devices, there's no getting around that. They're bare on the back except for a pretty sizeable camera bump (no fingerprint sensor, like in previous Pixels), with a glass back but a rubber frame around the edges. Yep, you read that right, rubber in a smartphone!
On the front, there's a notch the likes of which you barely see in modern smartphones, with a sizeable chin at the bottom of the screen. All in all, the Pixel 4 devices are far from 'conventional' Android phones, for better or worse.
Well, we kind of like the design. It's unique, and the Pixel 4 feels distinct in hand when you're using it. We'd like to see the Pixel 4a retain the 'weird' design, especially the rubber frame, as we found it great for protecting the phone.
The Samsung Galaxy Note 20 release date may be August 5, according to rumors, and with the OnePlus 8 devices out the way, Samsung's latest are the next big phones we're expecting in 2020. Our eyes are starting to shift away from the Samsung Galaxy S20 phones, to ponder what the new devices could be like.
We'd expect a lot of the tech from the Galaxy S20, as well as S20 Plus and S20 Ultra, to make their way to the Note 20 phones – after all, the S20 devices were the company's first flagships of the year. The Galaxy Note 10 Lite from January 2020 might also affect the Note 20 DNA, given it beckoned in a future of affordable stylus phones.
If there's a Galaxy Note 20 Lite, Samsung wouldn't need to worry about other cheap phone stylus competitors, and could instead focus on creating a true top-end model that blows the socks off any device before it. Some think Samsung is angling for the Galaxy Fold 2 to actually be the top-end Note phone, but that seems like a Game-of-Thrones-style plot twist, so we're not too sure just yet.
Before the Samsung Galaxy S20 came out we were expecting it to be called the S11, and we were also expecting this phone to be the Note 11, although that seems unlikely now. Some of the early phone leaks refer to the Note 11, but that's just referring to this handset.
So you can have an idea of what's to come with the Samsung Galaxy Note 20, we've collected every leak we've heard so far. On top of that we've got a wishlist of what we want to see in the Samsung Galaxy Note 20. Since the stylus is so central to the phone’s identity, we want to see the S Pen become a true extension of the device: more physical controls, more reason to pull it out of the phone.
What is the Samsung Galaxy Note 20? The next stylus-packing flagship phone from Samsung.
When is the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 launch date? Probably August 2020.
How much will the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 cost? The price may be around $ 949 / £869 / AU$ 1,499
Samsung Galaxy Note 20 release date and price
Given previous phones in the line came out in August or September of their year, we’re expecting the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 to be released in August 2020, and specifically August 5 has been rumored multiple times.
One thing we can be confident of is that it's coming, and this year. Not only because Samsung always releases its Note handsets on a yearly cycle, but because the company has now said that a new Note is on the way in 2020.
As for cost, the Note 10 was released at a starting price of $ 949 / £869 / AU$ 1,499, so we’d expect a starting pricetag around there or even higher. The larger Note 10 Plus cost $ 100 / £130 / AU$ 200 more, so we expect a similar price jump for the inevitable Note 20 Plus. This price scheme has become pretty standard for top-tier flagship phones.
It’s likely that Samsung’s flagship phones will come with 5G capability across the whole range – the Snapdragon 865 chipset is expected to be at the heart of the almost all 2020 flagship Android phones, and Qualcomm's new chipset is coupled with a 5G modem.
That brings up an issue for all 5G phones in 2020. The Note 10 Plus 5G was sold by Verizon in the US for $ 1,299 (around £974 / AU$ 1,888), so we’d expect a higher-than-normal price tag for any 5G-capable version of the Note 20.
Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Lite
Samsung Galaxy Note 20 leaks and news
The Samsung Galaxy Note 20 is still months away from being released, but there’s been a few potentially revealing leaks that give us a first look at the phone.
Let's start with something disappointing – there might not be a Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra, and it seems there will only be two phones in the range (the 'base' device and the Note 20 Plus). However the same source that provided that information suggested the Galaxy Fold 2 could functionally replace the Ultra, acting as the top-end device in the line.
Now, let's get into some section-specific leaks, news and rumors on the phones:
Samsung Galaxy Note 20 design and display
Our clearest look yet at the possible Galaxy Note 20 design comes from leaked renders, which show a flat 6.7-inch screen with hardly any bezel, a single-lens punch-hole camera, and a large Galaxy S20-like camera block on the rear.
Dimensions are apparently 161.8 x 75.3 x 8.5mm, which would make it thicker than the 7.9mm Note 10 range, and despite that massive screen this is apparently the standard Note 20, not the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Plus.
The renders also show the power and volume buttons having been shifted from the left to the right edge, and the S Pen slot moving from the right to the left.
The source of these renders says to expect a 6.9-inch screen and dimensions of 165 x 77.2 x 7.6mm, rising to 10.7mm thick at the camera block.
It's worth noting though that these screen sizes are at odds with an earlier leak, which listed a 6.42-inch screen with a 2345 x 1084 resolution for the Samsung Galaxy Note 20, and a 6.87-inch screen with a 3096 x 1444 resolution for the Note 20 Plus, both with 120Hz variable refresh rates.
We also have an idea of the colors the phones might come in, with sources suggesting gray, copper and green shades for the Galaxy Note 20, and black and copper shades for the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Plus.
Elsewhere, we've seen that the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 screen might curve at the top and bottom as well as the sides, according to one patent, which would make the phone look a lot more pebble-shaped than the Note 10.
A Samsung patent won just after the Samsung Galaxy 20 launch shows a phone with a display that curves all the way to the rear of the body, but with physical buttons that protrude from the curves of the screen. Could this be the Galaxy Note 20? We're not sure, as it could be a 2021 phone (or never materialize in reality), but we'd hope so.
We've also heard that the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 could have a 120Hz refresh rate screen that's 'more fine-tuned' – they don't say what it's more fine-tuned than, but presumably they mean the Galaxy S20.
Either way, this could mean it's less of a drain on battery, or has better automatic refresh rate detection. We're not totally sure yet, and the tweeted message was rather cryptic.
The Note 20 could also pack an in-screen front-facing camera, which would sit under the full display instead of within a notch or pin-hole, industry sources told South Korean tech site The Elec – and backed up by a tweet from notable leaker @UniverseIce.
And that's not the only time it has shown this device. The company also posted an image on its site showing a mystery phone with the same design. You can see it below, it's the center phone, and again, there's no visible front-facing camera, which could mean this is built into the screen.
There are of course other options – it could use a pop-up camera, and in the case of the image below it could be in the obscured top left corner (though that's not an option in the video above).
Or, perhaps most likely, this could just be a generic design, rather than one that shows a real phone. Indeed, reports elsewhere have suggested the in-screen camera tech isn't ready, so we wouldn't count on it.
Samsung Galaxy Note 20
If Samsung does stick with a punch-hole for the Galaxy Note 20 then the company might at least make the most of it though, as five Samsung patents have detailed a status indicator that would either encircle or sit beside a camera cut-out, and could display things like download progress without turning the screen on.
Finally, we've seen a Samsung foldable phone patent that seems like the Note 20 – except it's a foldable phone. While this could suggest Samsung's new stylus device folds, it seems more likely that the Samsung Galaxy Fold 2, which could come out alongside the Note 20s, will have a stylus too.
Samsung Galaxy Note 20 camera
The Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Plus camera specs have leaked more than the 'base' device's. Apparently it'll have a 108MP main, 12MP ultra-wide and 13MP periscope snapper, joined with a laser focus system that replaces the Time-of-Flight sensor Samsung's top-end phones normally have.
A leak suggests it won't have the same 100x digital zoom capability as the Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra, so presumably it won't have the 10x optical zoom either. This backs up what the Galaxy Note 20 Plus camera leak claimed, positing a 50x digital zoom as the Note 20 Plus' capability.
Having said that, a source claims it (or at least the Note 20 Plus) will have a periscope lens, like the S20 Ultra. That sort of lens design allows for a high level of zoom, so while it might not hit 100x digital zoom, you could still be able to get in close.
Patents meanwhile suggest the Note 20 might pack a spectrometer – a component that analyzes objects to discover its chemical composition. While it wouldn’t be the first phone to pack the device after the Changhong H2, as pointed out by LetsGoDigital, the Note 20 would be a phone with a much wider release.
Curiously, those are the only camera or sensor leaks we've heard so far, so we don't really know what resolution or lenses the snappers on the phone could have, or if there are any post-processing tricks that will change the way you take photos. Expect more on this front soon, though.
Samsung Galaxy Note 20 specs, features and battery
The Samsung Galaxy Note 20 will allegedly come with the same Snapdragon 865 chipset that debuted in the Galaxy S20 line – which makes sense, as they're packed with the Snapdragon X55 modem to enable 5G connectivity.
Some regions though could get an upgraded chipset in the form of the Exynos 992. Samsung typically uses its own Exynos processors in most regions outside the US, and it's rumored that an Exynos 992 could be used instead, offering a slight upgraded on both the Exynos 990, used in the Galaxy S20 outside the US, and on the Snapdragon 865.
There might only be 128GB storage in the Samsung Galaxy Note 20, at least in its smallest variant, and there wasn't a device with this amount in the previous range. That suggests there could be a more budget-focused handset in the range, perhaps a phone that's 'Lite' in all but name (or even 'Lite' in name too!).
One source claims that the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 could have a battery of around 4,000mAh – up from 3,500mAh in the Galaxy Note 10. That new size would put it in line with the Samsung Galaxy S20, and would likely mean that the Galaxy Note 20 Plus would also get a bigger battery.
However, the most recent battery leak puts the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 at 4,300mAh, so we're not sure what to expect from the standard model.
Elsewhere, we've seen what's believed to be the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Plus listed on an official Chinese certification database. As well as pointing to the phone's existence, this reveals support for 25W fast charging and 5G.
Should I wait for the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 or buy a discounted Samsung Galaxy Note 10 now?
The Samsung Galaxy Note 20 release date is still months away, if the August 2020 launch window stays constant, so you should probably consider the discounted Galaxy Note 10 or Note 10 Plus if you need a new stylus phone in the next days, weeks or even months.
In an ordinary year, this is a long time to wait anyway – like, say, if you broke your phone and need a replacement ASAP – but it’s possible Samsung's launch date might be pushed back due to the coronavirus. We don't know if the phone is far enough along in production that it will avoid these delays, but we'll report it first here if we find out.
In any case, if you need a new top-tier Samsung phone now (and have ruled out the Galaxy S20 range), you’re looking at the Samsung Galaxy Note 10 or the larger and higher-spec Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Plus. Here are the best prices in your region:
Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Plus
Samsung Galaxy Note 20: what we want to see
Since we haven't heard many rumors about the Note 20, we'll speculate as to what we want to see – improvements on last year's model and innovations we think would set the upcoming phone apart.
1. More capabilities in the S Pen
The S Pen has been the real selling point for the Note series – a stylus tucked neatly in the phone for those who hold a torch for Palm Pilot-style productivity. But aside from a couple of new capabilities introduced over the last couple years – a button that operates as a camera shutter, a few half-baked gestures – the S Pen remains primarily a writing implement.
Samsung Galaxy Note 10
Instead, we’d love to see the S Pen evolve into more of a proxy for the phone. If they can introduce one button, why not a couple more? It would be very handy to keep the phone in your pocket or perched for video and use the stylus to fiddle with volume and media navigation. Better yet, it would be great if the S Pen was used as a more universal remote across Samsung’s device family – maybe substituting a four-way joystick for the click-top so users can navigate. All we really know is the S Pen is not living up to its potential.
2. ‘Budget flagship’ version
We’re big fans of the Samsung Galaxy S10e and the standard iPhone 11 for their value as budget flagships of their respective lines, and we’d love to see a more affordable version of the Note family. This isn’t a crazy idea – there already seems to be a Note 10 Lite in production, if this leak to is to be believed.
Samsung Galaxy Note 10
But if a Lite version of the last Note isn’t in the cards, getting one in for the next version would be a great opportunity not just to get the S Pen in more hands, but to play around with the Note design in general. Previous phones in the line are sleek yet wide phablets, but why not take a page out of the Google Pixel 4’s book and give the Lite/budget flagship version a funky look?
3. Better cameras, specs, etc
Like every year, we’re hoping the Note 20 gets improvements on its predecessor – most importantly in the cameras. And since they usually get similar if not identical lens suites as in that year’s Samsung Galaxy S-series, we can hope that the developments coming in the Galaxy S11 get ported to the Note 20.
Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Plus
So the rumor of a 108MP camera headed to the S20 Plus would be great to look forward to in the Note 20 – and in the same report, a 5,000mAh battery. Both are good improvements, and we’d love to see battery life extend to breach two full days, especially with the screen-intensive S Pen functionality.
One thing we pretty much know for sure: the Note 20 will get the same Snapdragon 865 chipset headed to all top-tier Android phones in 2020, which we recently got our hands on – and found it outperformed Apple’s A13 chipset that’s in the iPhone 11 line.
4. Seamless display
While the punch-hole is certainly a less obstructive upgrade from the notch, there are still compromises: we’d love to see a screen without any break whatsoever. That probably means an under-display window for the front-facing lens, which is something a leak actually suggests might happen.
Samsung Galaxy Note 10
The Note 20 might not end up being the first phone with this development, but given its status as the sleeker design-oriented flagship in Samsung’s lineup, we would like to see that big phablet display go seamless.
5. Cheaper 5G
The Galaxy Note 10 5G cost far more than its 4G counterparts with only minor spec and camera upgrades, putting connectivity to the next-gen networks out of the hands of most folks. It would be great to see this cost shrink, full stop.
2020 probably won’t be the year that every flagship phone comes 5G-capable as a standard, but it’s going to be a lot harder to access if every 5G phone costs half again as much as its standard version. Given the Note line traditionally comes out toward the end of the year, though, Samsung could get ahead of the curve by trimming the price for a 5G Note 20 – and further differentiate it from the upcoming Galaxy S20.
See where the Note 20 might fall on our best US phones list
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