Want a Samsung flagship phone that can take advantage of Verizon’s 5G network? Well, you’re in luck. Samsung and Verizon are releasing a new Galaxy S20 model called the Samsung Galaxy S20 5G UW. It’s a mouthful, to be sure, but the basic idea is that the device is able to use Verizon’s mmWave 5G network, which continues to spread around the U.S.
When the Galaxy S20 series first launched, only the Galaxy S20 Plus and Galaxy S20 Ultra supported mmWave 5G, which is essentially the ultra high-frequency 5G that delivers much faster speeds. The standard Galaxy S20 still supported 5G, but only low-band and mid-band 5G. With the new release you can now get any of the three Galaxy S20 models to work with Verizon’s Ultra Wideband network.
Of course, Verizon’s mmWave network in general is still relatively small. While Verizon says mmWave is available in 34 cities, it’s really only available in certain parts of those cities — so you may not actually be able to take full advantage of the higher speeds very often. Still, having a device that supports the tech may come in handy as 5G networks continue to roll out, and mmWave becomes more common.
Alongside the new model of the Galaxy S20, Verizon is also touting a few deals for the new phone. Notably, customers who buy any Galaxy S20 device from Verizon will get $1,000 towards another Galaxy S20, as long as they add a new Unlimited line and buy the phone on the Verizon device payment plan.
Not only that, but both new and existing customers will be able to save $150 when they buy a Galaxy S20 5G UW, which will be distributed over 24 monthly bill credits. Last but not least, customers can get up to $350 off when they trade in their existing device. The Verizon model of the phone will also come in a new color — Cloud White.
The Galaxy S20 in general is one of the best phones of the year, thanks to the Snapdragon 865 processor, beautifully modern design, and 120Hz display. In our review, we noted that the phone offered excellent performance, but that the device is a little too small to truly take advantage of the beautiful display — unlike the larger Galaxy S20 Plus.
The Samsung Galaxy S20 5G UW will be available for pre-order from Verizon starting on May 21, with wide availability to begin on June 4.
Two new highly requested iCloud plugins just got added to ChatGPT, giving people who rely on Apple’s Mail and Calendar services a way to search emails, check appointments, and manage their schedules directly through the chatbot.
The integration is rolling out to all ChatGPT plans, including the free tier. You can access it on the web, desktop, and iOS.
Google Play is borrowing one of the Nintendo Switch’s most useful little tricks. A new Sidekick tool called Playbacks captures a short clip after something interesting has already happened, sparing players from running a screen recorder throughout an entire game.
Playbacks is part of Google Play Store v53.8 and keeps saved clips on the phone. Google first announced it earlier this month, but the new Play Store update marks its arrival for players. Anyone who has watched a perfect win vanish because the record button came too late already understands the appeal.
Samsung’s scandal over its Game Optimizing Service, or GOS, has returned with a bill attached. South Korea’s Fair Trade Commission has tentatively fined the company 20.1 billion won, or about $15.1 million, over gaming claims made for the Galaxy S21, Galaxy S22, and Tab S8.
The regulator says Samsung promoted the devices as gaming powerhouses without disclosing that GOS placed preset CPU and GPU limits on certain demanding games. Samsung disputes that conclusion, calling GOS a legitimate way to manage heat.