Using a false call to deploy emergency services to the address of a victim or a school has been turned into Swatting-as-a-Service
One Telegram channel has been found to be behind a great deal of swatting incidents in the US. Using the anonymity provided by Telegram, caller ID spoofing, and voices generated by Artificial Intelligence (AI), a person or group of persons calling themselves Torswats is suspected to be behind dozens, if not hundreds of swatting incidents.
Swatting is where someone makes a hoax emergency call to law enforcement in order to get armed police (hence the SWAT reference) to target a particular address. Swatting is a crime that has evolved from a dangerous type of prank to a cybercrime that can be ordered as a service.
NPR reported that in October 2022, 182 schools in 28 states received fake threat calls with a familiar pattern behind this wave of false calls. A voice-over-internet-protocol (VOIP) number in Ethiopia which was tied to a call about a “suspicious backpack” in a classroom call had logged calls to 79 other places across Louisiana, Arizona, and New Mexico.
Even in the stage when swatting was a prank popular among gamers, it was dangerous because of the potential consequences. Not only does it take emergency services away from their actual tasks, there have been swatting incidents that had fatal consequences. Police officers are placed in danger as victims may try to defend themselves against an unsuspected raid.
Swatting is a criminal offense in many jurisdictions, often punishable by fine or imprisonment. So swatters want to keep their identity hidden. And Torswats seems to do a good job at that. Some of the people paying Torswats for their services have been arrested, but the Telegram channel remains open for business.
Telegram is an anonymous chat platform that uses encrypted communication and does not require users to reveal their true identity. While not intended for that purpose, it is popular among criminals of all kinds and trades because they have a natural desire to stay anonymous.
Caller ID spoofing is the practice of causing the telephone network to indicate to the receiver of a call that the origin of the call is different from the true origin. Swatters use this to make the caller ID display show a phone number different from that of the origin.
Text to speech conversion software has evolved to a point where it is almost impossible for a human to discern the generated speech patterns from a real human. AI can be used to instill “voice acting” into the spoken text so the message sounds panicky, threatening, or whatever emotion is needed to make the message sound more realistic.
Torswats carries out these alarming calls as part of a paid service they offer. Payments are made in cryptocurrency to maintain anonymity. For $75, Torswats says they will close down a school. For $50, customers can buy more extreme swatting services, in which authorities can be expected to handcuff the victim and search their house.
Counter actions
If you are afraid of swatters targeting you for your online actions, you can use a VPN to hide your IP address. That gives them one less opportunity to find your physical address.
Just like there are tools and programs to generate fake voices, there are initiatives that aim to fight this increasingly widespread practice. But many of them are based on biometrics which allows the program to determine whether the text was spoken by the person or the deepfake version trying to impersonate them.
The future probably lies in deep-learning algorithms that analyze a caller’s voice and recognize unique characteristics that are tied to deepfakes. These programs will be used to assist emergency services dispatchers in recognizing AI generated voices.
Let’s hope Torswats and other operations like theirs will soon learn what it feels like to get—legitimately–arrested.
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The Pixel Fold price is once again being talked about in the leadup to Google’s annual I/O conference in May, where the device is suspected to be officially unveiled.
In a recent rumor the price was said to be $1,799. A new report from CNBC (spotted by 9To5Google), says the Pixel Fold price will be upwards of $1,700. Google will also reportedly offer trade-in discounts, plus a free Pixel Watch to buyers. This likely means the price rumored from yesterday is either close to the launch cost, or right on the money. For comparison, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 launched at $1,799 without any trade-in offers. So it sounds like Google is going to price its foldable around the same amount.
Alongside the price, the report (which cites internal communications), mention several other key details about Google’s foldable phone. It’s said to have the “most durable hinge of any foldable.” The device will also offer some level of water resistance, likely similar to what Samsung offers on the Galaxy Z Fold 4.
Battery life will apparently last for up to 24 hours with regular use. Though a low-power mode could push that out to 72 hours if needed. The device is also said to be powered by the Tensor G2 and weigh about 283 grams.
The Pixel Fold price seems to be comparable to similar offerings
Google of course hasn’t confirmed any details of this phone yet. But price is surely going to be one of the key details consumers are interested in. Given the price tags of foldables aren’t cheap.
With yesterday’s rumor noting a specific price of $1,799 and today’s leak suggesting over $1,700, it seems quite likely Google is pricing the Pixel Fold to match Samsung. Hoping to perhaps capitalize on the fact that it may offer a more durable hinge than competitors.
In addition to the Pixel Fold, Google is also expected to unveil its much more budget-friendly phone, the Pixel 7a, as well as the Pixel Tablet at Google I/O next month.
Amazon purchased Ring back in 2012, and helped make it a huge name in the smart home industry. Today, Ring has a ton of different products from video doorbells, to DIY security systems, to smart lighting and so much more. But which products are the best to put in your home? That’s what we’re here to help you with.
So here are the best Ring products that you can buy for your smart home.
Best Ring Products
Ring’s products are very competitively priced, and often times Amazon will discount them or bundle them with other products. For instance, you may see a Ring Video Doorbell bundled with another Stick-Up Cam or an Echo Show.
The Ring Floodlight Cam Wired Pro is a really great floodlight to get for your home. It has 1080p HDR video available, with nightvision. Of course, the two floodlights on either side are very bright, so you don’t really need the nightvision.
It has 3D Motion Detection and Bird’s Eye View, so you can see what’s going on everywhere in your backyard or sideyard at your home.
The Ring Floodlight Cam Wired Plus is very similar to the Pro, but it is $50 less. It doesn’t do HDR video, instead it’s just 1080p. It does have slightly different shape for the floodlight, so it won’t light up as big of an area.
Despite missing those features, the Floodlight Cam Wired Plus is still a really great option to keep your entire home protected.
The Ring Chime is more of an accessory than an actual product. Basically, you pair this with a Ring Video Doorbell, and you’ll hear a chime when the doorbell rings. So you don’t need to be near your phone or an Echo Show or Fire TV to hear that someone is at the door.
The Ring Spotlight Cam Battery HD is a good camera to put outside your home, if you don’t have the wiring needed for a floodlight. Since there are no battery-powered floodlights yet. The Spotlight Cam runs on battery, and can last a few weeks or months, depending on your settings.
There are 8 LED lights on either side of the camera that light up when it detects motion. Nowhere near as bright as a floodlight, but it does work. And there is nightvision available too.
This is the default Ring Video Doorbell basically. It does all of the necessities, at a lower price. This is the cheapest option for those that need to use it without existing doorbell wiring. Now there is a wired version for about a third of the price, but you need existing doorbell wiring for it to work.
This doorbell from Ring can record in 1080p video, it also has motion detection and Ring makes it super simple to set up. You’ll get notifications when something is seen outside of your home, as well as when packages are delivered.
Now this camera is one that you can put up in your home and see what your pets are doing when you’re at work. Or see what your kids are up to after school, before you get home. This is not meant to be used outside, since it does not have a battery and is not weather-proof.
It can be used in different angles and mounted. It’ll show you video in 1080p, and it has two-way talk. So you are able to talk with whoever is in your home.
This is a do-it-yourself security system from Ring. It’s available in a 5-piece, 8-piece and 14-piece kit, and you can buy these parts individually if you need more. This here is the 8-piece kit, which we feel is perfect for everyone. It includes the base station, keypad, four contact sensors, one motion detector and a range extender.
This will give you piece of mind when you’re not at home. Now this doesn’t require any monthly subscription, but you can get professional monitoring for a monthly subscription. And it works in the Ring app that you already use.
You’re probably wondering why you should get this over the Ring Video Doorbell 3? Well, for one, this has a wider-angle camera. So you can see from head to toe, who is at your door. This is important as some packages are dropped off so close to the door that they can’t be seen. Well they can with the Ring Video Doorbell Pro 2.
This one does need existing wiring to work, as there is no battery inside. So do keep that in mind.
The Ring Solar Panel is made specifically for the Ring Spotlight Cam Battery and the Stick Up Cam Battery. You’ll mount it close to the camera, and plug it into the camera. Now you won’t need to worry about recharging your camera. As the sun can do that for you, for free even.
Ring says that you’ll need about 3-4 hours of direct sunlight, and that will depend on your usage.
Ring has its own pathlights that you can purchase and put in your front yard. It’s a cool way to light up your path from the car to the front door. These are solar pathlights, so there are small solar panels on the top and grab sunlight during the day. Then brighten up your yard at night.
You can buy the Ring Solar Pathlight in a single, two, four or six pack. Depending on your home.
With plans to offer more ransomware, LockBit has just created a variant for macOS. But, as experts have pointed out, it’s hardly ready for anything.
News broke over the weekend that ransomware gang LockBit had begun targeting Mac users, triggering some concern in the Apple community. But have no fear: Apple security experts have dissected the ransomware, taking a deep dive into what it can and cannot do, and concluded that it is, actually, toothless.
“Yes, it can indeed run on Apple Silicon. That is basically the extent of its impact,” said Patrick Wardle (@patrickwardle), known macOS cybersecurity expert and founder of the non-profit, Objective-See. “macOS users have nothing to worry about.”
Here’s why.
The signature is invalid
Using a utility called codesign, Wardle saw that the payload’s signature value is “ad-hoc” compared to an Apple Developer ID. Because the signature is invalid, macOS won’t execute it.
If you’re brave enough to run the payload on your macOS, you’ll be met with this message, says Wardle. (Source: Objective-See)
The encryptor is likely a test file
Azim Khodjibaev (@AShukuhi), a security researcher at Cisco Talos, floated the theory to BleepingComputer that the encryptors designed for macOS were “meant as a test and were never intended for development in live cyberattacks.”
Wardle further confirmed this theory, stating the malware is far from complete. Indicators in the malware’s code suggest it’s Linux-based but compiled for macOS with basic configuration settings included. The code also shows its developers have yet to consider macOS’s TCC (Transparency, Consent, and Control) and SIP (System Integrity Protection), two security features meant to protect user files and folders.
With TCC and SIP present, the ransomware will only be able to encrypt a little, if at all.
The code is buggy and will crash
Laying further credence to the test file theory, Wardle found the macOS payload contains a buffer overflow, which will cause it to crash when executed.
No worries for now!
Apple users can rest easy knowing that this macOS ransomware, as it is now, will hardly impact anyone. However, as Wardle quickly pointed out, this may be different in future releases.
“The fact that a large ransomware gang has apparently set its sights on macOS should give us pause for concern and also catalyze conversations about detecting and preventing this (and future) samples in the first place,” he says in his blog.
With LockBit operating as a ransomware-as-a-service (RaaS) outfit, its ambition is to offer a range of ransomware. Currently, we have at least two available offerings: LockBit Black (based on BlackMatter’s code) and LockBit Green (based on Conti’s code). So expanding to target systems outside its repertoire is not only a logical move but also strategic.
“For most organizations, the main takeaway is Macs are probably safe, for now, but your Windows servers were always the prime target anyway,” says Malwarebytes Security Evangelist Mark Stockley. However, Mark warned:
“You’re only safe until you’re not, and there’s no timeline on getting this working. We won’t get a warning in advance, we’ll just hear (probably from LockBit itself) that an organization with lots of Macs has been turned over. So…what are you going to do if you have lots of Macs in your organization? Wait for the horse to bolt and then shut the door, or shut the door now?”
In an interview with BleepingComputer, LockBit’s public-facing representative LockBitSupp says the Mac encryptor is “actively being developed.”
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During its global launch event today, Xiaomi finally unveiled its much-anticipated Xiaomi Pad 6 series. The event also took the wraps off the Xiaomi 13 Ultra smartphone, the Xiaomi Smart Band 8, and a massive 86-inch Xiaomi Smart TV. The Xiaomi Pad 6 series launched in two variants – the Xiaomi Pad 6 and the Xiaomi Pad 6 Pro.
Both variants offer a high-resolution display with a high refresh rate. While the standard variant comes packed with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 870 processor, the Pro variant draws power from a more efficient chipset. Let’s take a closer look at their specs, pricing, and availability.
Both Xiaomi Pad 6 and Pad 6 Pro come with top-of-the-line specs
The Xiaomi Pad 6 and Pad 6 Pro are reminiscent on various fronts, but the company has offered slightly better innards for the latter. The Xiaomi Pad 6 series launched with a metal body and offer USB-C 3.0 port. The devices are equipped with a fingerprint sensor for added security.
Both variants also share the 11-inch display with a 2800 x 1800 pixel resolution. Xiaomi has used a 2.8K IPS LCD display with a 144Hz refresh rate. The company claims that the display is capable of offering great color accuracy. Besides, users get dual eye protection certification. Moreover, both devices are equipped with quad speakers system powered by Dolby Atmos. The tablets will run Android 13 wrapped under MIUI Pad 14 skin.
However, when it comes to the processor, the Xiaomi Pad 6 Pro has the edge over its sibling. The Pro variant comes packed with a Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen1 processor, while the standard variant runs on Snapdragon 870 SoC. The Xiaomi Pad 6 Pro has a 50MP rear camera and a 20MP front-facing camera. The Xiaomi Pad 6, on the other hand, gets 13MP rear and an 8MP front camera.
The battery is the only area where the standard variant beats the Pro version. The Pro variant comes with an 8,600mAh battery, while the standard variant comes equipped with a bigger 8,840mAh battery. However, the Pro version gets 67W charging, while the standard variant has to settle for 33W charging.
Xiaomi Pad 6, Pad 6 Pro pricing and availability details
The Xiaomi Pad 6 series launched in black, blue, and champagne gold color options. The standard variant will sell for CNY 1,999 (around $291) for the 6GB RAM and 128GB storage model, while the 8GB/128GB model is priced at CNY 2,099 (around $305). The 8GB/256GB model carries a price tag of CNY 2,399 (around $349).
Speaking of the Xiaomi Pad 6 Pro, the 8GB/256GB model will come for CNY 2,699 (around $392), while the 12GB/256GB will sell for CNY 2,999. The top-of-the-line 12GB/512GB version will set users back by CNY 3,299 (around $489). Both tablets are currently available for pre-orders in China, and the sales are expected to kick off by April 21. The company is yet to announce the international pricing and availability for the tablets.
Elon Musk confirmed that he’s working on an AI chatbot called TruthGPT. This chatbot would “create a third option” and wants to challenge OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Google Bard.
Rumors about Musk’s plans for tapping into the AI space have been circulating for months, but the recent moves suggest the billionaire has a well-baked plan for AI development. He recently launched his new company, X.AI, and was spotted buying thousands of GPUs to develop an AI product. Additionally, Musk is reportedly hiring AI engineers from rival companies like Google and OpenAI.
In an interview with Fox News, Musk revealed that his team is developing an AI chatbot to create a “maximum truth-seeking AI that tries to understand the nature of the universe.” Musk added he hopes TruthGPT would do “more good than harm,” as current AI tools are trained to lie.
Elon Musk seeks a healthy AI with TruthGPT
Of course, the billionaire admitted that rivals are ahead and he’s started late. Yet, there are no more details on how TruthGPT compared to ChatGPT and Google Bard. It also remains to be seen whether TruthGPT will be integrated into Twitter and Tesla EVs. Given the current trend of technology, we are more likely to see TruthGPT in Twitter and Tesla cars.
In his interview with Fox, Musk also warned about the potential dangers of AI. As well as its ability to destroy civilization. Musk said this was one of his main incentives to launch TruthGPT. He was one of the signatories of a recent open letter that argued all AI experiments should be halted for six months. Adding that more strict regulations are needed.
The second richest man in the world was one of the co-founders of OpenAI in 2015, which is currently the parent company of ChatGPT. Musk left the company after disagreements with current chief executive Sam Altman. He later said ChatGPT was politically biased.
Whether TruthGPT will be successful in its mission to spread healthy AI and become a rival to ChatGPT remains to be seen. But one thing is clear: with Musk at the helm, the future of technology looks brighter than ever.
CYFIRMA recently detected a cyber-attack on a person living in Kashmir, India, and obtained two malware pieces from the victim’s mobile download folder.
The investigation of these samples links the recent cyber-attack to DoNot APT, which has a long-standing record of activity in the area.
It seems the perpetrator behind the cyber-attack exploited third-party file-sharing websites to distribute malware to the victim’s mobile device.
Due to this, the downloaded files get saved in the main download folder of the victim’s device. It’s might be possible that the attacker created their file-sharing website to deploy the malware.
Interestingly, the malware samples were disguised as chat apps named:-
Ten Messenger.apk
Link Chat QQ.apk
This threat actor has carried out cyber attacks in the South Asian region since 2016 when it was first found to be active.
External threat landscape management
The earlier campaign’s Android samples had encrypted strings that utilized the Base64 algorithm.
Unlike the previous campaign’s samples, the team discovered that the strings in the current sample had two encryption layers with CBC mode and PKCS padding:-
The code was hard to comprehend because it was obfuscated and safeguarded using Pro Guard.
According to the CYFIRMA technical analysis report of the attack shared with GBHackers, it aligns with DoNot APT’s modus operandi, as they have previously targeted entities in this region.
The threat actor has employed spear-phishing tactics against their adversaries in various industries and locations in the past. However, it’s unclear what the motive was behind the recent attack.
The recent attack by DoNot APT on an individual in Kashmir does not surprise the threat intelligence community.
Since this group has repeatedly targeted NGOs and other entities in the following regions in the past:-
Kashmir
India
Bangladesh
Pakistan
It is possible that the threat actor used popular messaging apps such as WhatsApp to initiate a social engineering attack and deliver the malicious app.
In contrast to other messaging apps, WhatsApp does not save attachments to the download folder, instead, they are saved in the WhatsApp media location.
Technical Analysis
The victim will be prompted to open the application as soon as the Android Malware Sample has been installed.
Once the victim opens the app, it prompts them to enable the accessibility service through a repeated alert every time they open the app, until the victim enables it.
Once the victim clicks on “Ok,” the app directs them to the Accessibility settings page and requests that they enable Accessibility by turning on “Link Chat.”
The app then conceals itself from the main menu and limits the victim’s ability to uninstall it.
The malicious app’s Android Manifest file contains a snippet revealing its attempt to acquire various permissions.
By doing so, the app could execute malicious activities, harming the victim’s device and privacy.
Here below we have mentioned all the permissions it asks for:-
READ_CALL_LOG: This enables actors to read and fetch call logs.
READ_CONTACTS: This permission allows TA to read and fetch contacts.
READ_SMS: This permission enables the threat actor to read the victim’s received and sent SMSs.
READ_EXTERNAL_STORAGE: This allows threat actors to explore and fetch data from the file manager.
WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE: This allows threat actors to delete and move files.
STORAGE: This gives access to mobile internal storage, to view and access files.
ACCESS_FINE_LOCATION: Allows the threat actor to fetch precise locations and track the live movement of mobile phones.
WRITE_CALL_LOG: This allows the threat actor to delete numbers from call logs.
GET_ACCOUNTS: This allows the threat actor to extract emails and usernames, used for login into various internet platforms.
In order to decrypt the string, it was determined that the playstoree[.]xyz domain is involved.
In addition to being one year old, the suspected IOC is part of the notorious Do Not APT group.
The string is encrypted and decrypted by a class using a secret key. Monitoring of compromised victims’ outgoing and incoming calls is performed using the following permissions:-
android.intent.action.NEW_OUTGOING_CALL
android.intent.extra.PHONE_NUMBER
A new sample with a different name was discovered during the analysis carried out by security experts.
However, except the command and control domain, the code used in the present sample is the same as the code they have previously analyzed.
The attackers continuously focus on individuals in Kashmir, using relatively unsophisticated attack methods.
Apart from this, the threat actors have been observed using the same TTPs for the past two years, and this indicates a lack of innovation in their attacks.
Goldson malware can collect data from apps installed on the device, as well as from Bluetooth- and Wi-Fi-connected devices.
McAfee’s Mobile Research Team researchers discovered at least 60 malicious apps on Google Play Store infected with Android malware Goldoson. Collectively, these apps account for around 100 million installs on the Play Store and 8 million installs on the South Korean ONE Store. South Korean users are most vulnerable to downloading these apps.
Goldoson Infiltrates Legit Apps on Play Store
Researchers found that Goldoson Android malware has infiltrated the official Google Play Store via 60 legitimate apps. The malware component is based on a third-party library that all sixty apps use. Researchers assume that the developers mistakenly added it to the apps.
Which Apps Are Infected with Goldoson?
Some of the infected apps include the following:
Pikicast
GOM Player
LIVE Score
Infinite Slice
Real-Time Score
L.POINT with L.PAY
Swipe Brick Breaker
Bounce Brick Breaker
LOTTE WORLD Magicpass
Compass 9: Smart Compass
Korea Subway Info: Metroid
SomNote - Beautiful note app
GOM Audio - Music, Sync lyrics
Money Manager Expense & Budget
How Does The Device Gets Infected?
The Goldoson Android malware is designed to perform malicious actions on devices that download one of the 60 infected apps. Once the app is downloaded and launched, the malware library registers the app and receives its configuration from a remote server with an obfuscated domain.
This configuration sets the functions that the malware will run on the device, including ad-clicking and data-gathering features. The data collection function is activated every two days, and the collected data, along with the MAC address of connected Bluetooth and Wi-Fi devices, is transferred to a C2 server.
The ad-clicking feature is launched by loading and injecting HTML code into a hidden, customized WebView. This feature generates revenue through multiple URL visits. Overall, the Goldoson malware has been found in 60 different apps and has impacted a large number of downloads.
What is Goldoson Malware Capable of?
Goldson malware can collect data from apps installed on the device, as well as from Bluetooth- and Wi-Fi-connected devices. In addition, it can track users’ location and carry out ad fraud by clicking on ads in the background without alerting the user. Data collection relies on permissions given to an infected app when being installed.
In a blog post, McAfee researchers stated that although Android 11 and above versions are generally considered safe against data theft due to their superior security protections, in 10% of the infected apps, Goldoson could collect sensitive data from devices running these versions.
McAfee responsibly alerted Google and the app developers, who promptly removed the malicious library from the apps. Apps in which they couldn’t remove the library were taken off the Play Store.
It is worth noting that malicious versions of these apps will still be available on third-party Android app stores even though on Play Store these apps will become safe with an update. Therefore, uninstall the app, and reinstall it from Play Store to be safe.
This time around we’re comparing two high-end smartphones from Samsung. Well, one of them is the current high-end smartphone, while the other one is in the past. In this article, we’ll compare the Samsung Galaxy S23+ vs Samsung Galaxy S21+. The Galaxy S23+ kind of lives in the Galaxy S23 Ultra’s shadow at the moment, but it’s sure an excellent smartphone. We enjoyed using it quite a bit.
Some of you are probably wondering how it compares to its older cousin. Well, that’s what we’re here to find out, in case you’re thinking of upgrading, or something of the sort. We’ll first list the specs of both devices, side-by-side, and will then move to compare them across a number of categories. Let’s get started, shall we?
Samsung Galaxy S23+ vs Samsung Galaxy S21+: Design
When the design is concerned, they’re quite similar, actually. They have the same exact shape, and look very similar in general. Still, it’s very easy to differentiate between them due to the cameras on the back. The Galaxy S21+ has a dedicated camera island, while the Galaxy S23+ does not. Its camera protrudes directly from the phone’s backplate. The Galaxy S23+’s cameras also take up more space on the back.
Both phones include a flat display, with a centered display camera hole up top. The bezels are very thin on both phones, and both devices have rounded corners, and display corners. The physical buttons sit on the right-hand side of both devices. They’re also both made out of metal and glass. The Galaxy S23+ has Gorilla Glass Victus 2 on the back, while the Galaxy S21+ has Gorilla Glass Victus.
The Galaxy S23+ is slightly shorter, and a bit wider than the Galaxy S21+. The two phones are almost equally thick. Samsung’s newer model is about 4-5 grams lighter in comparison. It’s worth saying that the Galaxy S23+ does have a slightly smaller display, and a different aspect ratio, hence the differences. They’re both quite slippery in the hand, and are not particularly good for one-hand use due to their size. Still, they’re not even close to the largest phones in the market. They do feel nice in the hand, though.
Samsung Galaxy S23+ vs Samsung Galaxy S21+: Display
The Galaxy S23+ includes a 6.6-inch fullHD+ (2340 x 1080) Dynamic AMOLED 2X display. This is a flat display with a 120Hz refresh rate (adaptive). It supports HDR10+ content, and it gets quite bright at 1,750 nits of peak brightness. It has a 19.5:9 aspect ratio, and the panel is protected by the Gorilla Glass Victus 2, the same protection as you’ll find on the back of the phone.
The Galaxy S21+, on the flip side, has a 6.7-inch fullHD+ (2400 x 1080) Dynamic AMOLED 2X display. This display is also flat, and it has a 120Hz refresh rate (adaptive). It also supports HDR10+ content, but it’s less bright than the Galaxy S23’s panel. It can get up to 1,300 nits of peak brightness. This display has a 20:9 aspect ratio, and it’s protected by the Gorilla Glass Victus.
Both panels look excellent, actually. Both are very sharp, vivid, and have good viewing angles. Touch response was also quite good during our usage, so no complaints there. When used outdoors, in direct sunlight, the difference is quite noticeable. The Galaxy S23+’s panel does get noticeably brighter. Even when the sun is out of the question, that display is more pleasant to use. So, if you do spend a lot of time outdoors, in bright light, the Galaxy S23+ is definitely the better choice. If not, both panels are excellent.
Samsung Galaxy S23+ vs Samsung Galaxy S21+: Performance
Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 SoC fuels the Galaxy S23+. That phone also has 8GB of LPDDR5X RAM, and UFS 4.0 flash storage. The Galaxy S21+, on the other hand, is fueled by the Snapdragon 888 and Exynos 2100, depending on the market. It includes 8GB of LPDDR5 RAM and UFS 3.1 flash storage. The Galaxy S23+ does have the advantage from the performance hardware side of things.
Is that advantage noticeable during usage? Well, yes, actually. In regular, not demanding tasks, it’s far less noticeable, as both phones do feel very smooth. The Galaxy S23+ does not stutter, though, almost at all, while that is something you will notice on the Galaxy S21+, especially the Exynos model. The difference is more noticeable in games, though. The Galaxy S23+ can handle pretty much any game with ease, as can the Galaxy S21+, but it does struggle a bit more with the most demanding titles.
Another difference can be noticed in heat dissipation, well, especially if you have the Exynos model of the Galaxy S21+. The Galaxy S23+ does manage to stay cooler at all times. The Snapdragon 888 is also good in that regard, but not as much as the Galaxy S23+. So, yes, the newer model is the better performer overall, which is to be expected. The Galaxy S21+ is still good, though, and nothing to scoff at.
Samsung Galaxy S23+ vs Samsung Galaxy S21+: Battery
A 4,700mAh battery sits inside the Galaxy S23+, while you’ll find a 4,800mAh unit inside the Galaxy S21+. In our experience, both phones do a good job when it comes to battery life, but not to the level of the Galaxy S23 Ultra. That phone has simply outstanding battery life, so we’re not sure why it did not translate to the Galaxy S23+, as the specs are similar. In fact, based on the specs, the Galaxy S23+ should be able to push further than the Galaxy S23 Ultra, but that’s not the case.
The Galaxy S23+ can cross over the 8-hour screen-on-time mark. In our case, we still had around 10-15% of battery life at that point, sometimes even a bit more. Do note that gaming was not a part of the picture, though. The Galaxy S21+ is not close to such numbers, at least it wasn’t back in the day. We are talking about the Snapdragon 888 model, though. Still, if memory serves well, it did fly close to 7-7.5 hours of screen-on-time. Both phones are quite good in that regard.
The Galaxy S23+ supports 45W wired charging, 15W wireless charging, and 4.5W reverse wireless charging. The Galaxy S21+ is on the same playing field when it comes to wireless and reverse wireless charging. It’s a bit slower in terms of wired charging, though, as it comes with 25W charging. One thing to note is that neither phone offers a charger in the box. You’ll have to get it separately if you don’t have it already. Just get a PD3.0 charger and you’re good to go.
Samsung Galaxy S23+ vs Samsung Galaxy S21+: Cameras
The Samsung Galaxy S23+ includes a 50-megapixel main camera, a 12-megapixel ultrawide unit (120-degree FoV), and a 10-megapixel telephoto camera (3x optical zoom). The Galaxy S21+ has a 12-megapixel main camera, a 12-megapixel ultrawide camera (120-degree FoV), and a 64-megapixel telephoto unit (1.1x optical zoom). Now, both phones are capable of capturing really good photos, but the Galaxy S23+ definitely stands out.
Both phones do take really nice-looking photos during the day, but the Galaxy S23+ does manage to capture slightly more detail. It also does a better job when it comes to balancing photos, and with HDR situations. In low light, both phones manage to retain a lot of light from the shadows, but the Galaxy S23+ shots end up looking sharper in general. You’ll definitely notice the difference.
The telephoto camera does a better job on the Galaxy S23+, as the Galaxy S21+ doesn’t offer anything close to 3x optical zoom. The ultrawide camera during the day does a good job on both phones, but the photos from the Galaxy S23+ do end up looking less artificial. It also does a bit better in low light too. The video recording is good on both, but once again, the Galaxy S23+ does stand out, as the footage ends up looking a bit more stable and better processed. The differences are not colossal, though, not at all.
Audio
There is a set of stereo speakers on both smartphones. Speakers on both devices do sound good, but the Galaxy S23+ does seem to provide a better balance. It sounds a bit different, and a bit more detailed. The difference is not that big at all, and both phones are great in this regard.
What you will not find on either phone is an audio jack. You will be forced to use that Type-C port if you’d like to connect your headphones via a wire. If not, there is Bluetooth 5.3 included on the Galaxy S23+, and Bluetooth 5.0 on the Galaxy S21+.
Instagram is finally adding a requested update to its functionality. Soon, users will be able to add multiple links to their profile. For years, the app has only allowed users to add a single link to their bio. This has prompted folks to turn to third-party tools such as Linktree, a link-in-bio platform, to add multiple links.
Instagram will now let all users add multiple links to their bio
Now, Instagram is adding its own feature for users to add multiple links directly into the app. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced the launch of the update today, suitably on his own Instagram channel. He calls it “probably one of the most requested features we’ve had.”
The feature is currently rolling out to all users, both personal and business accounts. With this update, you will be able to add up to five links into your profile. The way the new feature works is that if you add more than one link to your profile, Instagram will truncate the first one and will ask if you want to add more links.
However, there is a catch to this new feature. Only the first link will be visible in your profile. Additional links will be hidden in a pop-up menu. Tapping the first link will pull up this hidden menu, allowing users to view your additional links.
This limitation might prompt users to continue using Linktree, which allows users to have any links that they add to be visible at once. It’s also possible that users will stick with Linktree out of habit or because Linktree allows users to build a more customized page for multiple links.
In any case, Instagram’s update allowing users to add multiple links to their profile was a long-time coming. And users will surely be happy that it’s being added.
