Microsoft has once again delayed its planned price increase of both its Office 365 and Microsoft 365 office software suites.
The price increase was first announced by corporate VP for Microsoft 365, Jared Spataro last August in a blog post and was set to come into effect at the beginning of this month. Now though, the software giant has pushed back the change until March 15.
Right when the price increase was set to go into effect, Microsoft announced a set of temporary discounts for cloud service providers (CSPs) that sell Office 365 and Microsoft 365 subscriptions. CSPs currently have until 5pm PDT on March 14 or 12am UTC on March 15 to submit transactions and have them invoiced at the company's February 2022 pricing.
These temporary discounts are designed to allow CSPs “to clear the backlog of orders for these SKUs due to high demand in advance of the March 1 price increases” according to a Microsoft support document.
First substantive price increase
For those unfamiliar with Microsoft's pricing changes for both Office 365 and Microsoft 365, Microsoft 365 Business Basic will increase from $ 5 to $ 6 per user per year, Microsoft 365 Business Premium will go from $ 20 to $ 22, Office 365 E1 will go from $ 8 to $ 10, Office 365 E3 will go from $ 20 to $ 23, Office 365 E5 will go from $ 35 to $ 38 and Microsoft 365 E3 will go from $ 32 to $ 36.
Thankfully though, these pricing changes do not apply to the company's consumer or education products.
Back in August of last year, Spataro pointed to the fact that these pricing changes were the “first substantive pricing update” to Office 365 since its launch just over a decade ago. He also highlighted how the company has added 24 apps including Microsoft Teams, Power Apps, Power BI, Power Automate, Stream, Planner, Visio, OneDrive, Yammer, and Whiteboard to the software suite and released 1,400 new features and capabilities across three key areas: communication and collaboration, security and compliance and AI and automation.
According to The Register, Microsoft's revenues grew by a fifth to $ 51.7bn during the second fiscal quarter of this year while operating income increased by 24 percent from $ 17.89bn to $ 22.2bn. However, the company's Microsoft Azure cloud services and its server products have been the main drivers of its higher revenue recently. As such, Microsoft's Productivity and Business Processes segment, which includes Office 365, will need to bring in additional revenue to keep up with the company's other divisions.
Beef up your home security with this fantastic deal that we've just spotted at Amazon. For a limited time, you can get the top-rated Wyze Cam Spotlight on sale for just $ 39.77 (was $ 52.96). That's the lowest price we've ever seen and a fantastic deal for an outdoor smart security camera.
Today's best home security camera deal
Wyze Cam Spotlight: $ 52.96 $ 39.77 at Amazon
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The top-rated Wyze Cam is an outdoor security camera that features a spotlight. This automatically comes on when motion is detected and sends alerts to your phone through the compatible app. The weather-resistant camera includes two-way audio so you can hear and speak with visitors, and works with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant for hands-free control. You're also getting night vision and a siren button that you can use to scare off unwanted guests.
The Wyze Cam is rarely discounted, and we don't know how long Amazon will have the home security camera at this price, so we'd snap up this deal now before it's too late.
Microsoft is preparing changes to how it charges its cloud-based productivity suite Microsoft 365 (formerly known as Office 365) that could leave many customers facing higher software bills.
CNBC reports that the “New Commerce Experience for Office” offering, set to be introduced in January 2022 will result in prices for the productivity suite spiking 20% for customers who pay on a monthly basis.
Furthermore, Microsoft seems to be eliminating the option to scale the subscription back. If customers decide, halfway through the subscription, to stop using the service, they will still need to pay for the remainder of the term.
Unhappy customers
CNBC claimed the news has been distributed through third parties and via several Microsoft employees who did not want to be named.
Microsoft’s official statement is that the company “provides flexible purchasing options to meet our customers’ diverse needs, and we don’t publicly disclose information around our premium and pricing approach for partners.”
Discussing the matter with the publication, one Microsoft partner said its customers had already raised concerns about the changes. Intivix co-founder Rob Schenk said he’s been notifying clients about the 20% increase for month-to-month arrangements, and the responses have been “mixed”, with some clients saying they “don’t like it at all”.
Some people have also taken to Reddit and to Change.org, to voice their dissatisfaction with the changes and to try and urge Microsoft into abandoning the idea.
Initially, the company planned on implementing the New Commerce Experience in October this year, but pushed it to January. From March 2022, all new orders will have to go through New Commerce Experience, with renewals having until July.
For the first half of the year, Microsoft will charge the same price for both monthly and yearly offers – with those who opt for an annual subscription apparently spared the price hike.
Having multiple payment options, as well as the ability to scale up and down easily, proved to be essential for the survival of many businesses during the pandemic.
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
Sure, Samsung Galaxy S20 deals are impressive, with 5G capabilities, top-notch screens and flagship cameras. But it won't come as a surprise to hear that Samsung flagship quality doesn't come cheap.
Luckily, now the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 is rumoured to be just around the corner, we're starting to see the older Samsung Galaxy Note 10 shed its price, with Amazon slashing a large chunk off this week.
To be exact, Amazon is offering SIM-free Galaxy Note 10 deals at a discount of 32%, bringing the price down to just £587.79. That's a £281.21 saving from the device's RRP and the cheapest UK price for the Galaxy Note 10.
Realistically, that's the cheapest price you're going to get on this phone, beating out any Samsung Galaxy Note 10 deals. Simply invest in a cheap SIM only deal to finish off the package.
Want to see the competition? Check out our guide to the best iPhone deals
This SIM-free Samsung Galaxy Note 10 deal in full:
What's the Samsung Galaxy Note 10 like?
Under the hood of the Samsung Galaxy Note 10, you will find 8GB RAM and a 3500mAh battery, making this a pretty powerful device. And the 'S' pen – a tool for productivity through your phone – is back, too and smarter than ever.
On the outside you'll notice a triple camera set-up. That gives you access to not just a wide-angle camera and optical zoom but also 4K video, optical image stabilisation and 'bokeh' video abilites.
For a limited time, you can score a massive price cut on the all-new Galaxy S20 lineup at Samsung. The retailer is offering $ 600 in instant savings on the Galaxy S20, S20 Plus, and S20 Ultra when you trade in an eligible device.
The Samsung Galaxy S20 was unveiled last month and is now available to order from all major retailers and carriers. Samsung is currently offering $ 600 in instant savings on the Galaxy S20 lineup when you trade in an eligible device. You mustship in your trade-in device within 15 days of your purchase with the provided shipping label from Samsung. You can buy the Galaxy S20 unlocked or from a carrier like AT&T, T-Mobile, and Sprint.
Keep in mind this is a limited-time offer and a fantastic deal if you're looking to buy the latest Samsung phone and have a phone to trade-in. You can also see more Samsung Galaxy S20 deals that are available from carriers and retailers.
The Huawei P40 and Huawei P40 Pro launch is set for March 26, and even though the phone is still a couple of weeks away we've had the opportunity to hold the phone in ours hands.
Below you'll find everything we know about the P40 and P40 Pro so far, but you should note the company has already launched the Huawei P40 Lite ahead of the other two more exciting handsets.
Because of the ongoing Huawei ban, new smartphones from the company can't use any Google apps (including the Play Store), greatly restricting their capabilities and value versus other smartphones. That will likely include the Huawei P40 Pro in a similar way to how the Huawei Mate 30 Pro was impacted.
Despite the dubious future laid out for Huawei's handsets, we're eagerly anticipating the upcoming Huawei P40 smartphone. The Huawei P30 and P30 Pro from 2019 are some of our favorite phones, with the latter topping our best camera phones list for a long time thanks to its 5x optical zoom Periscope lens and great software.
New phones like the Samsung Galaxy S20 family as well as the rumored iPhone 12 are sure to be tough competition for Huawei and its P40 phones, so it'll be exciting to see what the company includes in 2020.
We’ve listed what we want to see in the Huawei P40 below, as well as what we already know or have heard rumored. We'll be constantly updating this article with all the latest Huawei P40 leaks and rumors as they happen, to bring you the best idea of what to expect ahead of the handset's official launch.
Update:A leaked image has given us a close look at the likely front of both the Huawei P40 and Huawei P40 Pro, while another leaked render has shown off many of the likely colors of the Huawei P40 range.
Cut to the chase
What is it? The latest in Huawei's P range of smartphones
When is it out? March 26, release date is after
What will it cost? Probably a tiny bit more than the P30 series
Huawei P40 release date and price
Huawei originally planned to the announce the P40 series at a launch in Paris, but the company has had to cancel the physical event because of fears of the coronavirus.
Instead, the company is hosting a livestream on March 26 where it will unveil the two new handsets. This comes as no surprise, since the P30 and P30 Pro were unveiled in Paris in March 2019, and the P20 and P20 Pro launch event look place in March 2018.
The Huawei P40 price is a more interesting conversation. At launch the Huawei P30 cost £699 / AU$ 1,099 (roughly $ 910), and the P30 Pro started at £899 (AU$ 1,599, around $ 1,140), which were both pricier than the previous year’s entries.
We've heard the Huawei P40 price could roughly match the P30, but the Pro model might actually be a little bit more affordable than its 2019 equivalent. The rumored Huawei P40 Pro Premium Edition is apparently going to set you back a whopping €1,200 (around $ 1,320, £1,015, AU$ 1,955), which is enough to rival the most pricey phones on the market.
One thing we’re not expecting though? For the Huawei P40 to be available in the US, as previous Huawei phones haven’t been. It's likely the phone will be on sale in the UK and Australia, but we don't know anything for certain yet.
Huawei P40 news and rumors
Here, we've collected everything we've heard about the Huawei P40 devices so far.
Design and display
A Huawei exec has said that the P40 will havea "never seen" design, suggesting big changes to the look, and that it will run Android 10 (without Google services), and have performance and photo quality improvements.
We've held an early version of the phone (although we were unable to see the device) and we can confirm it has rounded edges all around the device. That's including the top and bottom edges so it feels similar to a pebble.
There's no 3.5mm headphone jack, no speaker grille and there's a rectangular camera surround on the rear of the device.
We don't know what material the phone was made of, but it feels like glass or ceramic. A spokesperson for Huawei confirmed to TechRadar that the device will use materials previously unseen in smartphones but the contact was unable to say what they could be.
Leaked renders of the phone, and subsequent hands-on pictures match what we were able to feel. Those renders do show the different colors the phone could come in, from expected options like black and white to some more interesting tones like almond and blue-ish.
We've also seen a leaked render (above) showing all three likely upcoming P40 models – the Huawei P40, Huawei P40 Pro, and Huawei P40 Pro Premium Edition.
You can tell which is which by the number of rear cameras – three on the P40, four on the P40 Pro, and five on the Premium Edition. And for an official look at the phones, Huawei itself has even shared a video teaser, though as you'd expect it doesn't show much.
The design of the Huawei P40, at least the Pro model, might actually come without the curved screen of the P30 Pro, according to leaked screen renders.
The leak seems tentative, so it might be wrong, but we could see the newer device be a little less top-end compared to its predecessor. We've seen screen protectors that suggest there will be a curved screen though, so the flat screen leak seems dubious.
Indeed, leaked renders, which you can see below, show the Huawei P40 Pro with a curved screen (and virtually no bezel), while the standard Huawei P40 appears to have a flat screen.
Further confusing things though, a site got hands on with a prototype of one of the models, believed to be the standard Huawei P40, and it claimed that the screen curved at all sides, albeit less dramatically than the Huawei Mate 30 Pro.
You can see a hands-on image of the phone from the back below, revealing that it also has a rectangular camera bump, a blue finish, a glass back, and a metal frame. The source claims the phone is a similar size to the 158 x 73.4 x 8.4mm Huawei P30 Pro, but slightly thicker, curvier and more comfortable to hold. The fingerprint scanner is apparently built into the screen too.
This source seems very convincing, but being a prototype it's possible that design elements will change.
We've also seen a leaked image of the Huawei P40 camera bump. The rear lump seems to be in the top-left of the phone's back, same as in the Huawei P30, and it doesn't seem too intrusive either, at least compared to devices from other companies. A leaked render gives us a different angle, and it looks like the bump could be just as long, but much wider, than the P30's.
Camera and battery life
We know what you really want to know, what photography will be like, and we've heard many rumors of the Huawei P40 Pro camera specs.
A Huawei product expert confirmed to TechRadar the P40 and P40 Pro wants to have a “market leading sensor technology specifically designed to set new records”. It's set to be something the company calls its new 'Super-Visual' image system.
The device – according to some sources – is said to have a five-camera array consisting of a 64MP main snapper, 12MP zoom camera (which is supposed to facilitate up to 10x optical zoom, which would match the Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra as the best in a smartphone), and ultra-wide, depth sensing and macro cameras of unspecified resolution.
Saying that, a separate leak suggests the main camera will be a 52MP snapper, and the fact that leaks are contradicting each other suggests we shouldn't take any of them as gospel just yet.
That 52MP claim has been made several times, with a source adding that it would use 'Quad Quad Bayer' tech to combine 16 pixels into 1, resulting in snaps of just 3.25MP, but with a massive pixel size which would likely allow for superb low light shots.
Of course, you wouldn't have to shoot at 3.25MP, as it's also rumored to support 4-in-1 pixels for 13MP shots, and would likely allow you to shoot in full 52MP quality as well.
That source also reiterated the claims of a 10x zoom lens, saying that this would be possible by using two prisms in the mechanism, rather than the single prism that current periscope lenses on smartphones use.
It points to a 52MP main lens that can take 16-in-1 shots, a 40MP ultra-wide secondary lens, and up to 10x optical zoom. Given that we've heard the 52MP and 10x optical zoom claims numerous times now, those two aspects seem likely.
We've got our reservations about that, because it wouldn't make sense for a device that will put such an emphasis on photography to not innovate in the camera department, but perhaps Huawei has something else up its sleeves, like new software tricks.
Another render (shown above) showed three rear cameras on the Huawei P40, but two front-facing cameras, so it seems there could be improvements for selfies but not for typical pictures.
Having said that, a different leak (this time hands-on and very convincing) showed four rear lenses on what's believed to be the Huawei P40, so our best guess is still that it will have four, one of which looks like a periscope zoom lens.
At least one of the models may well have two front-facing cameras though, as a leaked image supposedly showing the Huawei P40 Pro includes a large dual-lens camera cut-out, as you can see below. A render above also shows two lenses.
Features and specs
The Huawei P40 and P40 Pro could both be 5G phones, as a listing for a Chinese regulatory body suggests. A Thai certification agency has also now listed them as supporting 5G, so it's almost certain that they will. This makes sense as they're expected to run on the Kirin 990 chipset which supports that next-gen connectivity.
We'll leave you with some bizarre information that we're not sure what to make of. A rumor has suggested that as well as the Huawei P40, P40 Pro and P40 Lite, there could be aHuawei P40 Pro Premium Edition, with the most top-end specs of the lot. That's a strange name, and it seems weird that Huawei would add yet another phone to a line that might not be available in many places (if the Mate 30 series is anything to go by) which is why we're not totally sold just yet.
What we want to see
That's all we know about the Huawei P40 and P40 Pro, so below we've put together some upgrades we'd like see the company enact for the upcoming handsets.
1. A new camera lens
When the Huawei P30 Pro came out with four lenses, it was one of the first smartphones to do so, and even the P30’s three were impressive.
But now more affordable smartphones have four cameras, like the Honor 20, so one way for Huawei to continue its photography dominance, and distinguish itself from the competition, would be to add yet another lens.
Our top choice for this extra lens would be a Motorola One Action-style 'Action Cam' for recording video, as video-specific cameras are things we haven’t seen too much in cameras.
An anamorphic lens would also be great for recording video, as that type of lens is used by professional film-makers as it letterboxes the footage and captures lens flare, with other perks too.
2. Wireless charging
This is something we ask for in every new phone, as it’s a feature that’s becoming bigger over time, but wireless charging on the Huawei P40 would be a really useful feature that would fit its premium status.
We’re hopeful this feature will be added – the Huawei P30 Pro had wireless charging, as did the Mate 20 Pro, so it’s probably on a matter of time before Huawei brings the feature to its non-pro phones.
The P30 Pro
3. Improved display technology
If we were to sum up the Huawei P30 and P30 Pro displays, it’d be ‘good not great’ – the OLED are HDR10, which is fine for viewing content, but nothing on competitors with QuadHD or even 4K displays.
Huawei is always trying to be competitive in the camera department, and to view increasingly amazing pictures you’re going to need better and better displays, so it would make sense for Huawei to update its range.
Perhaps by fitting the Huawei P40 with AMOLED tech in the screen, with QuadHD or even 4K, Huawei could stay ahead of the competition.
4. Keep the notch
We’d like the Huawei P40 to keep the notch of the P30. This is something of a controversial stance, so stay with us here – but we don’t want Huawei to follow the trend of increasingly bizarre and gimmicky notch alternatives.
The reason for this is that, currently, there are no better solutions to the front-facing camera problem. Punch-hole cut-outs take up as much, if not more space, and pop-up cameras are a gimmick that can be an inconvenience when done well, and very annoying when not.
It’d be good if Huawei could shrink the P30 Pro’s notch, which is rather thick, but the P30’s is slim and inoffensive compared to that of many other phones. Better to imitate this than try something different, that ends up backfiring.
5. A redesigned user interface
This is going to be less of a controversial opinion – we’d like Huawei to redesign EMUI, its own-brand user interface, in time for the Huawei P40.
EMUI
Currently, EMUI is arguably rather bright (some would call it garish), and it comes with quite a bit of bloatware that you’ll find yourself uninstalling straight away. Chinese phone manufacturers frequently have UIs that are popular in China, but not as much elsewhere, and EMUI is a prime example.
If Huawei could dust up this UI for the Huawei P40 (which may be a simple task if the phone runs on Harmony OS), it’d certainly be much more pleasant to use.
6. Even further camera zoom distance
One of the most impressive Huawei P30 features was the digital and optical zoom available on the camera, but we’d like to be wowed again if the Huawei P40 zoom saw an upgrade.
The Huawei P30 allowed for 3x optical zoom and 30x digital, and the P30 Pro saw up to 5x optical and 50x digital – that’s pretty impressive sight. But now that smartphones like the Oppo Reno 10x Zoom support a crazy 60x zoom (despite the name), Huawei is going to have to pull out the big guns to keep competitive.
Perhaps we could see an improved telephoto lens in the P40 and P40 Pro, as well as a better megapixel count so that digital zoom creates less grainy results.
7. Dual-lens front camera
Huawei’s smartphones are noted for their rear camera arrays, but we’d like to see the Huawei P40 cameras on the front to also allow for competition-crushing pictures, and the best way for Huawei to achieve this would be by having multiple front-facing cameras.
We’ve already seen this done in phones like the Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus, which has two cameras on the front which ‘see’ depth in order to add appropriate ‘bokeh’ background blur. If there was something similar in Huawei’s upcoming phones, even just the Huawei P40 Pro, it’d give the device a competitive edge.
8. Increased IP protection rating
While the Huawei P30 Pro had IP68 protection, making it pretty much accident-proof (it means it’s dust resistant, and can be submerged up to 2 metres for half an hour), the P30 was had only an IP53 rating, so it was dust and splash protected, but if you dunk it in the bath along with your P30 Pro, it’s not turning on afterwards.
We’d like the Huawei P40 to have resistance to match its P40 Pro counterpart – we don’t like having to worry about the safety of our smartphone at all times, and if the P40 could match the P30 Pro’s protection, it’d help us sleep safe and sound at night (and by bodies of water).
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