Korean tech giant Samsung has posted its highest revenue ever in 2020, thanks to a boost in its flagship phone sales.

The COVID-19 pandemic has made several tech companies a lot of money. For one, Samsung posted its highest quarterly revenue ever this year. The company cites increased customer demand for smartphones after COVID-19 lockdowns. 

More Money for Samsung

The Verge reports that the Korean tech giant posted revenue of 66.96 trillion won and an operating profit of 12.35 trillion won. In a statement, Samsung said that the economic restarted boosted customer demand for new gadgets. The company responded by supplying more phones. 

Smartphone Demand

Moreover, the demand for smartphones drove up Samsung’s revenue. Meanwhile, Samsung also saw a 59% year-on-year increase in operating profit. The company says strong sales of memory chips and consumer gadgets drove this rise.

Other companies like Huawei ordered memory chips from Samsung. Huawei had to respond to US sanctions last month. 

What’s Next?

However, Samsung warned that next quarter’s profits might dip. The demand for memory chips is falling. Also, Apple just launched the iPhone 12 this month. Before the iPhone 12, Samsung released various phones. These include the Galaxy Note 20, the Galaxy Fold 2, and the Galaxy Z Flip 5G. 

Samsung cornered the smartphone market because Apple delayed the iPhone 12 to October. For next year, the company plans to focus on foldable phones. These phones might set them apart from their rivals. Moreover, they want to introduce 5G to the mass market.

The post Samsung Records Highest Revenue Ever in 2020 first appeared on Tekrati and is written by Sam Arnold

It looks like you can already buy the new Galaxy Z Fold 2 if you’re in the UK. Check out Samsung’s UK retail website, and you can pre-order the phone at £1,799. After you finish your order, you’ll see that they’ll ship the phone by September 17. 

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 

The Verge reports that Samsung had announced the Galaxy Z Fold 2 on August 5. However, back then, the company didn’t say when the phone will come out or how much it costs. Now it seems that Samsung’s UK retail branch had different ideas. 

Galaxy Z Fold 2 will cost £1,799.00 in the UK. Samsung's pre-order page is already live. Confirms September 17th shipping date and September 18th release. https://t.co/HpkErtigWJ

— Max Weinbach (@MaxWinebach) August 27, 2020

A tweet from Max Weinbach reveals that Samsung’s UK pre-order page for Fold 2 is live and ready for consumers. The tweet also says that the phones will ship on September 17 and will officially release on September 18. 

The Galaxy Z Fold 2 Is Pretty Expensive

Initially, the Galaxy Z Fold 2 costs £1,900 in the UK, but now it seems Samsung UK reduced the price by £101. It’s still unclear whether this lower price would apply to the US market, too. When Samsung launched the Fold 1, they sold it at $1,980. The Verge guesses that the Fold 2 might be cheaper in the US as well.

Currently, only UK pre-orders have a confirmed date. Other markets still don’t have a confirmed shipping date. 

Should I Buy the Galaxy Z Fold 2?

The new Galaxy Fold should have a more durable screen than the first one’s plastic screen. At 6.2 inches, the Fold 2’s outer screen is also bigger than the first one; similarly, the Fold 2’s inner display is also larger, at 7.6 inches.

Samsung should do a full reveal of the Galaxy Z Fold 2 on September 1.

The post Samsung UK Offers Galaxy Z Fold 2 Pre-Orders at £1,799 first appeared on Tekrati and is written by Irene Hawkins

You can look outside the Apple Watch for on-the-go ECG monitoring. Now, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has cleared Samsung’s Galaxy Watch 3 for ECG monitoring. With the clearance, Samsung and Apple are the only two smartwatch makers allowed to release ECG apps.

FDA Clearance for the Galaxy Watch 3

The Verge reports that the FDA has given Samsung a Class II clearance. For Galaxy Watch 3 users, this clearance means you can use the watch as a medical device. You can rely on your watch to give you accurate data, which you can take to your doctor. Apple Watches had also received Class II clearances in 2018. 

As a Class II medical device, Galaxy Watches and Apple Watches are on the same level as home pregnancy tests and blood pressure cuffs. However, only Class III devices, like pacemakers, enjoy a Class III clearance.

The FDA confirmed the clearance. Like the Apple ECG app, the Samsung app is a Class II medical devicehttps://t.co/377jISvSsm pic.twitter.com/2rAO9V9ECI

— The Verge (@verge) August 5, 2020

The Galaxy Watch 3 as a Medical Tool

Federico Casalegno welcomed the FDA clearance at Samsung’s Unpacked event. At the event, he said the FDA giving the  Watch 3 a Class II clearance was exciting news. Caselegno is the Senior Vice President of Samsung.

Users can also access an ECG app in the Watch 2, but they can’t use it in the United States. The Galaxy Watch 3 takes a step closer to the Apple Watch in terms of use as health and wellness gadgets.

South Koreans Already Use the Galaxy Watch 3’s ECG app

In May, South Korea’s Ministry of Food and Drug Safety cleared the Watch 2’s ECG app for public use. It’s not yet clear when Americans can use the feature on their Watch 2s.

The post US FDA Clears Samsung Galaxy Watch 3’s ECG App first appeared on Tekrati and is written by Sam Arnold