Skip to main content

Samsung Galaxy phones having a bad week as display and battery issues arise

Samsung Galaxy S23 and S22 owners have been hit with a one-two punch as users have recently been experiencing defective hardware and software.

Across social media platforms, and even on the company’s own Community forums, are posts showing some kind of bubble defect appearing on the bottom corners of the Galaxy S23 Ultra. The location differs for each device: some have on the left while others have it on the right

The good news is this is purely a cosmetic thing as so far, no one has reported experiencing any kind of performance issues (unlike the recent camera stabilization flaw). However considering that the S23 Ultra costs over $1,200, you can’t blame people for being a little miffed. The company is well aware of this as the official Samsung UK Twitter told an affected user the bubble is more of a feature, not a bug. 

Apparently, if you shine a strong enough light at the S23 Ultra’s display, “some parts appear to be squashed”. The squashed look is reportedly a consequence of Samsung’s pressing process during production when the company adds “waterproofing and dustproofing” to a phone screen. Other than the bubble, everything’s seems fine. 

Affected owners are still annoyed at this defect. It does appear the Samsung UK Twitter is reaching out and trying to help people with the bubble screen. So at least, the company is aware of the defect.

Battery drainage

The same can't be said about the One UI 5.1 update that recently rolled out to older Galaxy phones like the S22 and S21. 

The patch was only supposed to introduce new features and boost device performance. However, some people are reporting battery usage on their phones skyrocketing after the patch. A user on the European Samsung Community forums posted an image of the sudden power drain. They claimed the battery on their S22 Ultra drained completely after about seven hours under moderate use. Another claims that they're forced to recharge their device by the middle of the day due to the issue.

There’s some debate, however, on what exactly is causing the battery drain. According to a report by GSMArena, the drain could be a result of either the One UI 5.1 update forcing Galaxy phones to go into Maximum Performance Mode or some kind of compatibility problem with Samsung Keyboard. If it’s the latter, official support pages suggest clearing out the Keyboard’s data cache and restarting the phone.

We reached out to Samsung to see if it was aware of the battery drain and if it’s working on a fix. So far, the company hasn’t made any official statements regarding the One UI 5.1 patch. Additionally, we asked what it will do for users suffering from the bubble defect like replacing the screen. This story will be updated if we hear back.

While we have you, be sure to check out TechRadar’s list on the best Galaxy phones for 2023 – so far. 



Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Garmin's new radar-equipped tail light will keep you safe on your e-bike

Garmin's Varia bike radars are some of the most popular pieces of cycling tech around – and now the company has delivered its first rearview radar to have been specially designed for some of the best e-Bikes .   Garmin's Varia range mounts to the back of your bike and broadcasts a radar signal behind you, so you can get visual and audible alerts when something's overtaking you. Even better, the new Varia eRTL615 plugs directly into most e-bikes, with no battery required. Because the catchily-named Varia eRTL615 is also a tail light, it'll also make sure you're visible to other vehicles too, promising to emit a flashing or solid light that's visible from up to a mile away in daylight. To connect Garmin's new radar tail light to your e-bike, you'll need to pick the right Garmin adapter cable (which isn't included). You can buy power cables compatible with Bosch, Shimano, or USB-A terminals or connections, with more info on those available on Garmin...

Revolution Software is using their own AI technology to remake Broken Sword

TechRadar Gaming is reporting live from Gamescom 2023 on the latest and greatest developments in gaming and hardware. Revolution Software announced at Gamescom 2023 that Broken Sword would be coming back, with Broken Sword - The Shadow of the Templars getting a full remake while a sixth title in the series is coming in the future too, under the title Broken Sword - Parzival’s Stone .  Speaking to TRG ahead of the announcement, Cecil talked about the studio’s plans for a Broken Sword remake and the sixth title in the series. Cecil is a larger-than-life character, who is able to talk about the studio’s plans with enthusiasm. It even carries a pocketful of stones to illustrate the plans for Parzival’s Stone , but he also talks about how Broken Sword - The Shadow of the Templars would be using AI to upscale.  Cecil wasn’t shy about the studio’s use of AI technology, but he gave a fairly robust explanation of why the game was using it. The AI technology will be used to upda...

Hackers steal passwords, emails from hookup websites

Two gay hookup websites have been breached with sensitive and personal user data stolen and sold online, new reports have claimed. The databases, which are now being sold on dark web forums, were taken from platforms called TruckerSucker, and CityJerks. They contain enough personally identifiable information to engage in identity theft , such as usernames and passwords, email addresses, profile pictures, sexual preferences, birth dates, postal addresses, IP addresses, and bios. The passwords are encrypted, but according to TechCrunch, the algorithm is “weak” and could be broken by a more persistent hacker. The silent treatment HaveIBeenPwned founder Troy Hunt, who was tipped off on the leak, described the incident as a “typical forum breach, albeit with super sensitive content.”  However the content includes more than just identity data, as there are also messages users exchanged, including arranging meetings and describing their sexual preferences.  In total, more than...