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Canon announced that it has created a new 410-megapixel, 35mm full-frame CMOS sensor, “the largest number of pixels ever achieved” in a sensor of its size.

Because of the level of detail the new sensor can capture, Canon expects it to be used by”surveillance, medicine and industry,” where there’s demand for “extreme resolution.” With 410 megapixels, Canon’s sensor has a resolution of 24K, 198 times greater than HD, and 12 times greater than 8K. That makes it simple to crop and then enlarge a photo captured by the sensor without losing detail.

Typically, sky-high megapixel counts are limited to cameras with medium-format sensors. But the beauty of Canon cramming this many pixels into 35mm is that it should be able to be used “in combination with lenses for full-frame sensors.”

Canon had to make more than a few design changes to make this happen. The new sensor has a redesigned circuitry pattern and a “back-illuminated stacked formation” where “the pixel segment and signal processing segment are interlayered.” That translates to a readout speed of 3,280 megapixels per second, and video at eight frames per second. A monochrome version of the sensor can bin four pixels together at once to shoot even brighter images and capture “100-megapixel video at 24 frames per second,” Canon says. 

It doesn’t sound like this kind of sensor is going to make it into a consumer camera anytime soon, but the fact this level of miniaturization is possible means one day it could, for the photography sickos who want it.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cameras/canon-has-developed-a-410-megapixel-full-frame-sensor-001851969.html?src=rss

Extremely OK Games has cancelled its upcoming game Earthblade. The followup to the team’s beloved indie sensation Celeste was announced in 2022 and expected to release last year. Maddy Thorson announced the news on the studio’s website today.

“Noel and I…began to reflect on how the game has felt for us to work on day-to-day, and realized that it has been a struggle for a long time,” she wrote. “Sure, working on one project for so long is bound to become a slog, but this feels like a deeper problem. Celeste‘s success applied pressure on us to deliver something bigger and better with Earthblade, and that pressure is a large part of why working on it has become so exhausting.”

The studio, led by Thorson and Noel Berry, parted ways with EXOK co-founder Pedro Medeiros in November. However, Thorson was clear in her message that the rift between team members was not the reason for cancelling Earthblade. In fact, all of the public conversation between the former colleagues thus far has remained amicable. Thorson offered firm support for Medeiros and his new game project Neverway in her post: “If you were excited about Earthblade and angry about its cancelling, Pedro and the Neverway team aren’t the enemy and anyone who treats them as such isn’t welcome in any EXOK community.”

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/extremely-ok-games-has-cancelled-its-follow-up-to-celeste-000352550.html?src=rss

Sega has introduced a new system for player accounts. A Sega Account will connect all of a player’s games and services from both Sega and Atlus. It will also be a place for the two studios to share news, events, updates and promotions about their titles. The accounts are free and anyone can register.

To sweeten the pot, Sega will also offer bonuses and goodies to account members. The first reward people can unlock is a Kazuma Kiryu Special Outfit DLC for Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii, which is due out next month. The ensemble can be redeemed by anyone who sets up a Sega Account before March 7.

With so many studios turning to games as a service, it’s becoming standard practice to require players to create accounts or online profiles. Sega is a little slow to hop on this train, and there are some industry standard features in that are still in development for Sega Accounts, such as a page for records related to games played. There’s no language on the website now about if or when an account might be required.

In announcing this platform, Sega said there will be “various new services and features coming soon.” We already know that Sega is working on a brand new Virtua Fighter game, but we’ve also said good-bye to other old-school classics from the company. Seems like Sega is in a phase of transition, so it should be interesting to see what else they’ve got in store for this year.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/sega-unveils-a-player-account-system-221029962.html?src=rss

Samsung has officially announced its latest flagship smartphones—the Galaxy S25 Ultra, Galaxy S25 Plus, and Galaxy S25. All models feature the Snapdragon 8 Elite processor combined with 12GB of RAM, and storage options vary according to each model, from 128GB only for the S25 up to 1TB only for the Ultra version.
Besides Qualcomm’s most powerful new chipset, Samsung’s flagship series includes only a few hardware upgrades and subtle design refinements.

For this year’s S series edition, Samsung focused heavily on artificial intelligence (AI) integration and new software features designed to deliver intuitive and context-aware user experiences.

Design Refinements

Samsung has refined the design of the Galaxy S25 Series, focusing on both aesthetics and functionality.

Rounded Edges and Slimmer Bezels: The Ultra model now features slightly rounded edges for improved ergonomics. Bezels have been reduced by 15%, allowing for a larger 6.9-inch display while maintaining the same device footprint.

Corning Gorilla Glass Armor 2 on the Ultra’s front: The new glass offers improved scratch resistance and anti-reflective properties over the Gorilla Glass Armor found in the Galaxy S24 Ultra. In addition to enhanced durability, it offers better visibility in various lighting conditions.

Weight Reduction: The Ultra model is 15 grams lighter than its predecessor, offering better balance without compromising durability.

Display

The S25 Ultra Dynamic AMOLED 2X gets a slightly larger display than its predecessor, with the same QHD+ resolution with a 1-120Hz adaptive refresh rate.

Improved Performance

The Snapdragon 8 Elite, developed in collaboration with Qualcomm, powers the Galaxy S25 Series. This new processor enhances performance across the board.

Processing Capabilities: The 3nm processor delivers a 40% increase in Neural Processing Unit (NPU) performance, a 37% boost in CPU efficiency, and a 30% improvement in GPU capabilities over the previous generation. These enhancements allow the device to handle demanding tasks, including gaming and AI computations, more efficiently.

Advanced Cooling System: A new cooling system features a 40% larger vapor chamber in the S25 Ultra and 15% larger one in the S25 Plus and S25 than the previous generation.

A new tailored Thermal Interface Material (TIM) further improves heat dissipation, enhancing battery life and device longevity. Those improvements ensure sustained performance during intensive use, such as extended gaming sessions.

Battery

The S25 Ultra features an unsurprising 5000 mAh; the S25 Plus gets a 4900 mah capacity, and the S25 is 4000 mAh.

Camera Upgrades

The camera system of the S25 Ultra features a new 50MP ultra-wide lens, complementing the 50MP 5X telephoto, the 10 MP 3X zoom, and the 200MP main camera that are similar to the ones found in the S24 Ultra. All lenses offer Optical Image Stabilization (OIS).
This upgrade enhances clarity for wide-angle and macro photography, capturing impressive detail photos taken as close as 2 cm from the subject.

Macro photography captures fine detail thanks to the 50MP Ultrawide camera

The S25 Plus and S25 have a triple rear shooter with a 50MP primary sensor (OIS), a 12MP ultrawide camera, and a 10MP 3x optical zoom (OIS), the same configuration as the S24 Plus and S24.

Low-Light Photography: New technologies such as double-analysis noise removal and spatial-temporal filtering address common issues in low-light photography. These systems reduce noise at the pixel level and enhance clarity for moving objects, resulting in sharper night photos and videos.

Professional Features: The addition of Galaxy Log and virtual aperture settings in the Pro Video and Expert RAW photo mode allows more control for advanced users. LOG (logarithmic) video is a format that stores more image information in the highlights and the shadows, offering better color editing options.

Virtual aperture in ExpertRAW mode

Generative editing features have been improved for greater accuracy and faster processing, making on-device photo and video editing more efficient.

Improved Audio Features For Video Editing: The new audio eraser tool allows users to isolate or adjust specific sound elements in videos, such as removing background noise while preserving voice clarity.

A New AI-Integrated Operating System

Thanks to Samsung has significantly expanded its AI capabilities with the Galaxy S25, making the devices more intuitive and user-friendly. While the Galaxy S24 introduced Galaxy AI as Samsung’s first global AI platform, the S25 builds on this foundation by embedding AI more deeply into the One UI 7 operating system and user interface.

AI Agents: The S25 Series includes multiple AI agents designed to streamline various tasks. These agents can handle a wide range of functions using natural language input. For example, users can summarize long texts, convert videos into GIFs, and identify audio or visual content with minimal effort. The integration allows for cross-application commands, such as scheduling events in a calendar and sharing them with contacts in one step.

Personal Data Engine: A key new feature is the personal data engine, which learns user behavior, preferences, and routines. This system helps automate repetitive tasks, such as adjusting device settings for better sleep or suggesting contextual routines based on usage patterns.

Contextual Smart Features: Improved search capabilities allow users to locate photos, settings, or information using conversational queries. For instance, users can say, “Show me wedding photos from Pittsburgh,” or “Help me adjust text size,” and the device will respond accordingly. This makes navigating the phone’s features faster and more intuitive.

One UI 7.0 and Software Features

The Galaxy S25 Series debuts One UI 7.0, a redesigned user interface that integrates AI features seamlessly.

Now Brief and Now Bar: These widgets provide real-time updates tailored to user habits, including weather forecasts, calendar events, and news. The interface adjusts throughout the day to offer relevant information at a glance.

Enhanced AI Capabilities: The AI platform can now execute complex, multi-step tasks. For example, users can ask the device to find the next basketball game, add it to the calendar, and notify a contact—all in one command.

SmartThings Integration: The SmartThings ecosystem has been enhanced to provide better control over connected devices. Features like automated routines and contextual suggestions improve the overall user experience.

Sustainability and Security

Samsung has incorporated sustainable practices into the Galaxy S25 Series while enhancing device security.

Circular Battery Supply Chain: Samsung uses recycled materials in its devices and recycles rare elements from old batteries. This initiative reduces waste and supports sustainability goals.

Knox Vault 2: Security has been improved with end-to-end encryption and post-quantum cryptography. This ensures user data is protected against current and future security threats.

Pricing and Availability

Pre-orders for the series begin today, with general availability starting February 7.

The Galaxy S25 Ultra comes in Titanium Silverblue, Titanium WhiteSilver, Titanium Gray Titanium Black starts at $1299 for the 512GB model. Online colors exclusives are TitaniumPinkGold, Titanium Jetblack and Titanium Jadegreen.

The Galaxy S25 Plus and S25 offer four flavors Navy, Icyblue, Mint, and Silver Shadow. The S25 Plus starts at $999.99 for the 256GB model and the S25 is priced at $799.99 for the 128GB model. Online color exclusives are Blueblack, Coralred, and Pinkgold.

Samsung Galaxy S25 Series, Improved Performance, A New 50MP Ultrawide Camera For The Ultra, And Deeper AI Integration

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Samsung’s first Unpacked event of 2025 delivered the Galaxy S25 series — as expected. Although the phones don’t have dramatically upgraded specs, the company stuffed — you guessed it! — more AI into the devices. This latest batch is more context-sensitive and predictive, and some of it even squeezes more out of the phones’ mildly upgraded hardware.

Galaxy S25 Ultra

Sam Rutherford for Engadget

The Galaxy S25 Ultra is still the biggest, best and most expensive of the bunch. It has a 6.9-inch display and a more rounded edge for a “comfortable grip.” Samsung says it’s the “slimmest, lightest, and most durable Galaxy Ultra device ever,” rocking a titanium body with Corning’s Gorilla Armor 2 for “advanced drop protection” and scratch resistance.

Unlike the two smaller models, the Ultra’s camera sensors got a spec upgrade: Its ultrawide lens is now 50MP, up from the mere 12MP one in last year’s model.

Like its siblings, the S25 Ultra is powered by a customized version of the Snapdragon 8 Elite processor, which lets the trio of phones process many of their AI experiences on-device. Of course, that’s better for privacy.

Although the phone continues the tradition of including an S Pen (it’s now essentially the Galaxy Note), Air Commands have bit the dust. Samsung told Engadget in a briefing that fewer than one percent of S Pen-toting customers used them. And those who did mostly used them as a camera shutter, which is easily replicated in other ways. Samsung says the removal let it shed some weight and boost the S Pen’s durability.

Engadget’s Sam Rutherford got an early hands-on with the Galaxy S25 Ultra and said it “looks like a good phone” and described Samsung’s AI suite as “much more cohesive and easier to get into.” However, he also had a few reservations. “But at the same time, it seems like the biggest phone maker in the world could be doing more for its most expensive non-folding phone.”

The Galaxy S25 Ultra has 12GB of RAM, and it ships in 256GB, 512GB and 1TB storage tiers. It’s still quite the investment, though — starting at $1,300.

Galaxy S25 and S25+

Sam Rutherford for Engadget

The Galaxy S25 and S25+ saw their RAM upgraded to 12GB (same as the Ultra), up from 8GB in their 2024 predecessors. It combines with the Snapdragon 8 Elite to better handle the phones’ many AI features. (More in a minute.)

The rest of their hardware is remarkably similar to the S24 and S24+. They still have 6.2-inch and 6.7-inch displays, respectively. But Samsung’s new ProScaler AI tool can upscale images in real time to perhaps make up for the unchanged specs. Samsung says it can boost the quality of what you see by 40 percent.

Engadget’s Mat Smith tried the Galaxy S25 and S25+ and praised the phones’ “premium and solidly built” slim designs and “vivid, bright and gorgeous” displays. However, he was skeptical of the phones’ AI-centric focus. “In just a few years, Samsung has built up a substantial collection of artificial intelligence tricks, features and apps,” he wrote. “While some of them have been impressive, like live translation and annotation, others (often involving generative AI) aren’t actually helpful — or notable — enough to warrant regular use.”

Storage is also unchanged from the S24 series: 128GB or 256GB in the Galaxy S25 and 256GB or 512GB in the Galaxy S25+. Fortunately, pricing is also unchanged. You’ll pay $800 or more for the S25 and $1,000 and up for the S25+.

Galaxy AI

Sam Rutherford for Engadget

With most hardware upgrades (apart from the Snapdragon chip) coming in soft this generation, Samsung is leaning hard on AI features to make you want to throw down hard-earned cash on the new models. This year, Samsung’s One UI 7 on top of Android 15 combines to create what Samsung calls “a new AI-integrated OS.” It aims for a more personalized and context-sensitive AI, rather than just a series of one-off tools.

AI plays a central role in the phones’ camera features, with the Qualcomm chip making the phones better at analyzing noise — leading to what Samsung says is better low-lit performance. Audio Eraser is an AI tool that separates audio channels, letting you cut out unwanted ones like wind or a random stranger talking.

Samsung gathers its new collection of on-device AI tools into what it calls the Personal Data Engine. The series of multimodal (text, images, video, audio) machine learning agents leads to features like AI Select, which builds on Samsung’s legacy Smart Select tool. The new AI-powered version can scan your screen and suggest context-aware tasks — like creating a GIF from a YouTube video you’re watching.

Sam Rutherford for Engadget

You could say the AI-powered Now Bar is Samsung’s answer to the iPhone’s Dynamic Island. The pill-shaped bar sits at the bottom of the lock screen and below the digital clock when the phone is unlocked. It generates a series of reminders based on context. Within the Now Bar is another AI feature, the Now Brief, which generates morning, midday and evening summaries of info it thinks will be relevant to you.

Samsung’s Sketch to Image tool has been rebranded as Drawing Assist, and Samsung says the feature is more polished and accurate. It also adds an option to import existing images for your prompt. The S25 series also adds an upgraded version of Google’s Circle to Search (activated by long-pressing the home button). It can now recognize phone numbers, emails and URLs, letting you trigger their corresponding actions with a single tap.

Samsung Wallet updates

Sam Rutherford for Engadget

The company added two new payment features: Instant Installment and Tap to Transfer.

As its name suggests, Instant Installment is a “buy now, pay later” service that lets you turn purchases into an offline payment plan experience. It’s managed entirely on-device and available for Visa and Mastercard purchases.

Engadget’s Cherlynn Low was briefed by Samsung on the service. “It’s not that Samsung is pivoting to becoming a credit provider and taking on loans. Instead, it facilitates your purchases and turns your payments into what the company’s rep said is “the first offline payment plan experience.”

Meanwhile, Tap to Transfer is a peer-to-peer payment service, rivaling the likes of Apple’s Tap to Cash. Tap phones with someone you want to pay (or be paid by). It isn’t limited to Samsung Pay; you can use it with third-party apps, too, since it’s tied to the associated card or account. It works with Visa and Mastercard.

Galaxy Watch for Kids

Google

The Galaxy Watch for Kids may sound like a new piece of gear, but it’s instead a new setup option for the cellular Galaxy Watch 7 (and likely future wearables). You know, kinda like Apple Watch for Kids.

Samsung, which partnered with Google on the experience, says parents can set up a child’s watch from their phone and activate its eSim. From there, the kid can use the smartwatch without a paired phone. Of course, parents can set up guardrails like which apps are installed and enabling do not disturb during school hours. Location sharing is optional, and Samsung and Google are offering new kid-focused apps and watch faces to keep things fun.

Developing…

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/everything-samsung-announced-at-the-galaxy-s25-unpacked-event-183331979.html?src=rss