7 New Devices That Apple, Google And Samsung Just Launched

It’s been a busy week for new device launches, with new Apple iMac, Google Pixel and Samsung Galaxy devices unveiled.

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There’s no summer slowdown in the world of devices. Three of the best-known tech companies all unveiled new offerings this week across smartphones, desktops and tablets. Those include Apple’s refreshed 27-inch iMac, Google’s newest budget-friendly Pixel phone and a number of new Samsung Galaxy smartphones and tablets. We’ve rounded up the key details including new features, specs upgrades and price information.

What follows are the details on seven new devices that Apple, Google and Samsung just launched.

Apple iMac, 27-inch

Apple unveiled a number of updates for the refreshed version of its 27-inch iMac all-in-one, including the addition of the latest 10th-gen Intel Core processors—including a 10-core processor option for the first time, offering up to 65-percent speedier CPU performance. The 27-inch iMac also can be configured with up to 128 GB of RAM (double the previous max) and comes with AMD Radeon Pro 5000 series graphics for up to 55 percent faster GPU performance. On storage, the refreshed iMac now will come standard with SSDs, and for the first time offers up to 8 TB of SSD. Other upgrades for the new 27-inch iMac, which features a 5K Retina display, include 1080p resolution and other enhancements for the camera; variable EQ for “better balance, higher fidelity, and deeper bass” on the speakers; and a new “studio-quality” mic array, Apple said.

Apple’s new 27-inch iMac is available now for a starting price of $1,799.

Google Pixel 4a

Google announced its latest entry into the budget smartphone arena with the Pixel 4a. The smartphone features a 5.8-inch OLED display that, for the first time, includes a “hole-punch” design featuring the front-facing camera in the upper left-hand corner. That means avoiding both big bezels or a notch cutout for the camera. The Pixel 4a also brings over many of the key camera features from the Pixel 4, Google said. Those include Night Sight with “astrophotography” capabilities, Portrait Mode and Top Shot, which captures numerous photos and recommends the best ones. Specs include the eight-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 730G processor, 6 GB of RAM, 128 GB of storage and a 3,140 mAh battery.

The Google Pixel 4a is priced at $349 and will be shipping on Aug. 20, with pre-orders open now.

Samsung Galaxy Note 20

For the smaller model in Samsung’s new Galaxy Note series, the Galaxy Note 20 will feature a 6.7-inch display with FHD+ resolution. For the S Pen, the stylus that‘s housed inside the Note, Samsung has made several improvements. Those include reduced latency for a more natural “pen to paper” type of feeling, according to the company. On connectivity, the Note 20 will include support for both variants of 5G--sub-6GHz 5G and higher-speed, millimeter-wave 5G. For the camera system, the Note 20 will offer a 64-megapixel camera in addition to two 12-megapixel rear cameras, and up to 30X zoom. The Note 20 will also be among the first devices to include Qualcomm’s recently announced Snapdragon 865 Plus processor—with a clock speed of 3.1 GHz, making it the first mobile chip to surpass 3 GHz.

Samsung’s starting price for the Galaxy Note 20 is $999.99. Pre-orders for the Note 20 start on Aug. 6, and the device will be shipping on Aug. 21.

Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra

The Galaxy Note 20 Ultra will offer a display that is not that much larger than the base model, at 6.9 inches, but does offer higher resolution at WQHD+. The Note 20 Ultra also offers a higher refresh rate, 120hz, for smoother display motion. The Ultra includes the improved S Pen as well as support for both sub-6GHz 5G and millimeter-wave 5G connectivity. The Note 20 Ultra will include a higher-end camera setup—with a 108-megapixel rear camera along with a pair of 12-megapixel cameras, and up to 50X zoom. The device will also include the Snapdragon 865 Plus and will offer 12 GB of RAM, along with up to 512 GB of internal storage.

Samsung’s starting price for the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra is $1,299.99. Pre-orders for the Note 20 Ultra start on Aug. 6, and the device will be shipping on Aug. 21.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2

Samsung is continuing to expand its portfolio of foldable smartphones with a successor to its Galaxy Fold, the Galaxy Z Fold 2. One key upgrade for the device over the original Galaxy Fold will be the inclusion of a full-size display on the cover, Samsung said. The Galaxy Z Fold 2 will feature a 6.2-inch cover display, compared to the 4.6-inch cover display on the Galaxy Fold. Additionally, when unfolded, the Galaxy Z Fold 2 will offer 7.6 inches of display space--up from 7.3 inches previously. Samsung also said the body of the device is now thinner and more durable, the gap between the unfolded screens has been reduced on the Z Fold 2. The hinge has been re-engineered from the original Galaxy Fold, so that it will be able to stand up at multiple angles like on the Galaxy Z Flip, the company said.

Samsung said pre-orders for the Galaxy Z Fold 2 will start on Sept. 1. The company did not release pricing or a shipping date for the device, saying further details will be released on the Sept. 1 date.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S7

Key features for Samsung’s latest update to its Galaxy Tab series of tablets include a variant that supports 5G—making it the first tablet to support 5G in the U.S.—and improvements to the S Pen stylus that are similar to those for the Note 20 stylus, the company said. The Galaxy Tab S7 includes an 11-inch OLED display with resolution of 2,560 x 1,600 and a 120hz refresh rate for smoother usage of the tablet. The Tab S7 also offers the ability to connect to a keyboard (sold separately) and includes an eight-core Qualcomm SDM865+ processor, with a clock speed of up to 3.09GHz.

Samsung said the Galaxy Tab S7 will be available in the fall. The variant supporting 5G will have a starting price of $849, while a WiFi-only model will start at $649.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 Plus

Like its smaller counterpart, Samsung’s Galaxy Tab S7 Plus will also be first to supporting 5G in the U.S. in the tablet market. Likewise, the Tab S7 Plus includes a 120hz refresh rate on its OLED display, which comes in at 12.4 inches with resolution of 2,800 x 1,752. The keyboard that works with the tablet is getting improvements such as the addition of function keys, including an escape and delete key. Other updates include the eight-core Qualcomm SDM865+ processor and improved S Pen stylus.

Samsung said the Galaxy Tab S7 Plus will be available in the fall. The variant supporting 5G will have a starting price of $1,049, while a WiFi-only model will start at $849.