Android M is bringing extensive SD card support at a very ironic time

The lack of expandable storage on the Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 edge is among the few major gripes consumers have with Samsung’s latest flagships. But while Samsung only rejected microSD cards here in 2015, Google has always been against the notion of having expandable storage on its Nexus devices. Android has never properly supported external storage, with Google offering excuses like a confusing user interface and the slowness of microSD cards as the reasons behind its reluctance to support them.

But now, with Android M, Google is introducing support for external storage in a way that no one would ever have thought possible – on Android M, the OS will adopt an SD card inserted into a device and treat it like internal storage, and allow users to install apps on the card. This is no doubt a result of Google’s new Android One initiative, which brings stock Android with direct updates to users on a budget. Since budget smartphones have very low internal storage, the fact that the microSD card will now be treated as additional internal storage will negate the limitations of low storage spaces for things like app installation.

It took a lot of time, but Google finally seems to have seen sense and understood that while microSD cards might not offer the best experience, they are something the smartphone market cannot live without, especially in the low-end and mid-range smartphone market. Unfortunately for buyers of Samsung’s newest flagships, the search giant’s new found acceptance of expandable storage is extremely ironic, as they will not be able to use a feature that many have long clamored for on the world’s most popular mobile operating system.

The Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 edge feature UFS 2.0-based flash storage, and adding a microSD card would do nothing but hold down the performance of what is the fastest storage technology on smartphones today. But again, Android M’s extensive support of SD cards is sure to make a lot of S6 users feel somewhat disappointed. Thankfully, cheaper Samsung devices will still be able to reap the benefits, unless and until fast memory technology for mobile devices becomes considerably cheaper and manufacturers start ignoring SD cards on smartphones from all segments.

What do you think about Android M’s expandable storage support? Let us know in the comments below!

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Samsung SM-G9198 with Snapdragon 808 appears on GFXBench

Samsung is the only major Android manufacturer that has chosen to ignore the Snapdragon 810 and opt for a different flagship chip (one it’s making all by its lonesome), thanks to the 810′s heating issues and the fact that the Korean giant’s Exynos chip is considerably superior. But Samsung has said that it chooses processors according to need and hasn’t given up on the Snapdragon lineup, and the company might just be gearing up to launch its first device to be powered by the Snapdragon 808.

The Snapdragon 808 is a hexa-core chip that slots in somewhere between the Snapdragon 805 and the Snapdragon 810, and has none of the heating issues of the latter. It’s the chipset LG has chosen for the G4, its 2015 flagship, and while it might not be as powerful as the 810 or the Exynos 7420, it’s certainly a high-end chipset that can tackle everything you would throw at it. That would make the SM-G9198, which has appeared out of nowhere on the GFXBench benchmark database with a 4.6-inch display, a small yet formidable powerhouse of a device.

There’s no telling what this device is, but its specs – a 1.8GHz Snapdragon 808 SoC, a 4.6-inch, a 16-megapixel camera, 2GB of RAM, 16GB of internal storage, a 5-megapixel front-facing camera, and Android 5.1.1 – suggest it could be a spin-off of the Galaxy S6. It could possibly be the Galaxy S6 mini, and if that is indeed what this device is, then we could finally see a powerful mini version of Samsung’s flagship, something none of the previous mini smartphones managed to be.

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Android M could introduce Multi Window to Android later this year

Google officially announced Android M, the next major version of the world-dominating mobile OS, at Google I/O yesterday. While not being as big an update as Android 5.0 Lollipop, Android M will bring a lot of new features, such as native support for fingerprint sensors, Android Pay, better volume control, a new battery saving feature called Doze, and an iOS-like permissions management system for apps. But what Google didn’t announce was that Android M might also bring support for a Multi Window-like feature, something that has been discovered in the preview build the internet giant released for Nexus devices.

Samsung introduced Multi Window to Android with the Galaxy Note II back in 2012, and many have clamored for the feature on stock Android ever since. Google was rumored to be working on an implementation of its own but there was never any proof until now. A Reddit user managed to enable a multi-window feature on Android M through a series of rather complicated steps (though those who flash custom ROMs shouldn’t find it too hard to follow the procedure) – it’s rather buggy and experimental for the moment, but it’s certainly a nice indication that multi-window support could make its way to vanilla Android later this year.

A lot of Samsung features have made their way into Android’s core over the years (like the notification toggles, KNOX, or the smart select-like copy feature that will be part of Android M), but this might just be the most useful functionality that Google is taking from the Korean manufacturer. It remains to be seen if Google’s implementation will be ready by the time Android M rolls out, but it’s looking more and more likely that it will be part of the OS at some point in the future.

Moreover, this also shows how stock Android is becoming better and better each year, and how manufacturers might not need to add too much bloat and could instead work on differentiating their software mostly through the user interface in the years to come.

If you have a Nexus device and are trying out the Android M developer preview, head to the source link to see how the multi-window feature can be enabled. Or you could simply use a fully stable and intuitive Multi Window mode if you have any of Samsung’s recent mid-range and high-end devices.

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Samsung completes Lollipop rollout for Galaxy A lineup with the Galaxy A5

This week is turning out to be a good one for owners of Samsung’s full metal Galaxy A devices. The Galaxy A7 recently started receiving the Lollipop update, and it is now hitting the Galaxy A5. The Galaxy A3 was the first A series device to get the update, and today marks the day when it is available for all three in at least one region around the world. The Galaxy A5 update is rolling out in Poland, and it comes with build number A500FUXXU1BOE6.

You can expect the same changelog as the OTA for the Galaxy A3 and A7 – a slightly refreshed user interface, increased performance, lockscreen notifications, and more. You can grab the update over the air, via Samsung Kies, or through our firmware database (this is similar to how Kies works, though the installation process is manual and explained fully in our firmware section.) If you don’t see a notification for the update on your device in the next day or two, you can force it to show up by heading into the Settings » About device » Software updates menu.

Firmware Details:

Model	SM-A500FU
Model name	GALAXY A5
Country	Poland
Version	Android 5.0.2
Changelist	4944491
Build date	Thu, 21 May 2015 07:53:55 +0000
Product code	XEO
PDA	A500FUXXU1BOE6
CSC	A500FUOXA1BOE6

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Exclusive: Samsung Project Valley is a dual screen, possibly foldable, smartphone

The number of patents surrounding folding and dual screen smartphones that we have come across from Samsung would suggest that such devices would already be available in the market for consumers, but the reality is that such technologies take a long time in coming to the commercial arena from their prototype stages. But with the Galaxy S6 edge, Samsung has shown that it is ready to launch devices with unique form factors, and we now have exclusive information on what could be the company’s first dual-screen smartphone.

This smartphone is codenamed Project Valley (it’s also called Project V) and is in extremely early stages of development, and its ambitious nature means it might even be terminated at any time, something that happens with a lot of such projects. The device will support multiple gestures for switching between its two screens, and the fact that it is codenamed Project V/Valley suggest it could be a foldable device (the letter V is similar in shape to what a valley would look like, and it wouldn’t be too far-fetched to think the phone could feature two sides that fold together.)

Rumors earlier this year had hinted that Samsung could release foldable devices by 2016, and if our information is accurate, the Korean giant could indeed be hard at work on meeting that deadline. Again, there is no guarantee Project Valley will ever be showcased to the public, but it’s a clear indication that Samsung is making unique smartphone form factors an area of focus in order to keep its stronghold in the mobile industry.

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How to transfer content using Wi-Fi Direct on a Galaxy S6 or Galaxy S6 edge

Wi-Fi Direct support was introduced in Android way back in 2011 with Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, but to this day, Google hasn’t added a direct (pun intended) option for sending content using the protocol on stock Android, leaving it to third-party apps to make up for the OS’ shortcoming. Wi-Fi Direct is a technology that allows devices to connect to each other directly without the need for a common access point – it’s like Bluetooth, but is a hundred times faster and can reach speeds of up to 150 Mbps and more.

Samsung was the first to make Wi-Fi Direct work properly out of the box without the need and has offered the option of transferring data between two Samsung phones or tablets via Android’s sharing menu without the need for installing third-party apps, something that isn’t possible on devices from major competitors. The company’s implementation doesn’t work with non-Samsung devices, but if you’re moving data between two devices from the Korean manufacturer, Wi-Fi Direct is an extremely fast and convenient way of doing so.

The Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 edge are Samsung’s latest flagship devices, and the lack of a microSD slot on the two makes Wi-Fi Direct an even more useful feature. How exactly do you use Wi-Fi Direct to connect and transfer media and other data between two phones? Read on to find out.

The type of content you can send and receive includes basically everything that you can select and share via the Android share menu, such as media files (photos, videos and music) from the gallery, files from the My Files app, and even links from apps like the browser, Play Store, and more.

Here’s how the transfer procedure works:

1. On your Galaxy S6 or Galaxy S6 edge, open the app from where you want to send files/content to another device.
2. Select whatever content you want to send, then press the Share button in whatever app you’re in (the share button is an icon with three dots, with two dots connected to one in between by two lines.)
3. In the options presented, select Wi-Fi Direct.
4. Now, on the device you’re transferring content to, go into Wi-Fi settings from the settings menu. Now, depending on your device, you will either see the Wi-Fi Direct option right in the Wi-Fi settings on the top right, or it will be available from the three-dot menu, which should also be on the top right.
5. Select the Wi-Fi Direct on this device to go into the Wi-Fi Direct menu, then go back to your Galaxy S6 or S6 edge.
6. Now, you should see the name of your other device on your S6 or S6 edge. Tap on the device name, then tap the CONNECT button when you get the relevant popup on the other device.
7. This will start the transfer process. Depending on your devices, the transfer speeds can vary anywhere between 50 to 150 Mbps and possibly more, meaning all but the largest of files should be moved between your devices extremely quickly.

Go ahead and try it out on your Galaxy S6 or Galaxy S6 edge or any other Samsung device from the last year or so!

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Themes Thursday: Ten new themes launched in the Samsung Theme Store today

Starting today, we will showcase new themes from the Samsung Theme Store on our website. We will do this once every week, and we call it Themes Thursday. This week, Samsung has released ten new themes in the Theme Store that are shown below. I personally liked three of them; Low Poly, Peperico Farmer, and Mexico. Which ones did you like? Let us and other readers know your choice in the comments section below.

Stud Silver

Cubism

High Tech

Impressionism

Low Poly

Mexico

Music

My Little Friends

Peperico Farmer

Sweet Dream

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New Galaxy S6 variant (SM-G929F) imported to India for testing

We reported a few weeks back that Samsung has developed two new handsets with model numbers SM-G928S and SM-N920F, with the former being a new variant of the Galaxy S6 because the model number made it clear that it’s a derivative for an existing model rather than a completely new one. The list of model numbers for the SM-G928 that we received showed that this variant would at least be released in the United States, South Korea and a few markets in Europe.

The latest data from import tracker Zauba shows that a “sample Samsung mobile phone set” with model number SM-G929F has been imported to India for the purpose of evaluation and testing. This isn’t unusual as many unreleased Samsung devices first get imported to the country for testing before they’re made official. From the looks of it this is variant similar to the SM-G928S, and it’s unclear at this point in time when Samsung intends to launch this variant of the Galaxy S6.

Thanks Arthur!

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05-27-2015 Firmware Updates: Galaxy A7, Galaxy Note 3 LTE, Galaxy S5, and more

Samsung has a plethora of phones and tablets in its lineup, and regularly releases firmware updates for various devices. These can include major updates, which bring a newer version of the OS to a particular device, or minor ones that improve performance and stability and fix bugs. Software updates for Samsung devices roll out in various regions every day, and you can find out which firmware updates were pushed out by the company over the last 24 hours through our firmware list.

As usual, you can download each of these firmware from our firmware section (simply enter your device’s model number to view all firmware for that device) in order to update to a new firmware manually, or as a means to return to your phone or tablet’s stock software.

Country (Product Code)	Model	Model Name	Version	PDA
Argentina (PSP)	SM-N910C	GALAXY Note 4	5.0.1	N910CXXU1BOD1
Argentina (PSP)	SM-N910H	GALAXY Note 4	5.0.1	N910HXXU1BOD2
Australia (XSA)	SM-P605	GALAXY Note 10.1 2014 Edition LTE	4.4.2	P605XXUCNJ2
Australia (XSA)	SM-P605	GALAXY Note 10.1 2014 Edition LTE	4.4.2	P605XXUDOE1
Australia (XSA)	SM-T550		5.0.2	T550XXU1AOCF
Austria (T-Mobile) (MAX)	SM-N910F	GALAXY Note 4	5.0.1	N910FXXU1BOC3
Austria (Telering) (TRG)	SM-N910F	GALAXY Note 4	5.0.1	N910FXXU1BOC3
Baltic (SEB)	SM-T230	GALAXY Tab4 7.0 Wi-Fi	4.4.2	T230XXU0AOD2
Baltic (SEB)	SM-T230	GALAXY Tab4 7.0 Wi-Fi	4.4.2	T230XXU0ANJ4
Baltic (SEB)	SM-T535	GALAXY Tab4 10.1 4G	4.4.2	T535XXU1AOB1
Baltic (SEB)	SM-T805	GALAXY Tab S 10.5 LTE	5.0.2	T805XXU1BOD1
Baltic (SEB)	SM-T535	GALAXY Tab4 10.1 4G	5.0.2	T535XXU1BOD8
Baltic (SEB)	SM-T550		5.0.2	T550XXU1AOD3
Bulgaria (BGL)	SM-T550		5.0.2	T550XXU1AOD3
Bulgaria (Black Edition)(BGL)	GT-I9505	GALAXY S4 LTE	4.4.2	I9505XXUGNG8
Bulgaria (Black Edition)(BGL)	GT-I9505	GALAXY S4 LTE	5.0.1	I9505XXUHOD7
Cambodia (CAM)	SM-N910C	GALAXY Note 4	5.0.1	N910CXXU1BOC3
Canada (XAC)	SM-T530NU	GALAXY Tab 4 10.1 Wi-Fi	5.0.2	T530NUUEU1BOE5
Canada (XAC)	SM-T700	GALAXY Tab S 8.4 Wi-Fi	5.0.2	T700XXU1BOE3
Canada (XAC)	SM-T230NU	GALAXY Tab4 7.0 Wi-Fi	4.4.2	T230NUUEU0AOD1
Canada (XAC)	SM-T230NU	GALAXY Tab4 7.0 Wi-Fi	4.4.2	T230NUUEU0AOC1
Canada (XAC)	SM-T530NU	GALAXY Tab 4 10.1 Wi-Fi	4.4.2	T530NUUEU1AOA2
Caucasus Countries (CAU)	SM-G530H	GALAXY Grand Prime	4.4.4	G530HXCU1AOA3
Cellular south (XAR)	SM-T530NU	GALAXY Tab 4 10.1 Wi-Fi	5.0.2	T530NUUEU1BOE5
Cellular south (XAR)	SM-T230NU	GALAXY Tab4 7.0 Wi-Fi	4.4.2	T230NUUEU0AOD1
Cellular south (XAR)	SM-T530NU	GALAXY Tab 4 10.1 Wi-Fi	4.4.2	T530NUUEU1AOA2
Cellular south (XAR)	SM-T700	GALAXY Tab S 8.4 Wi-Fi	5.0.2	T700XXU1BOE3
Cellular south (XAR)	SM-T230NU	GALAXY Tab4 7.0 Wi-Fi	4.4.2	T230NUUEU0AOC1
China (China Telecom) (CTC)	SM-G5109		4.4.4	G5109KEU1AOC2
China (China Telecom) (CTC)	SM-G5109		4.4.4	G5109KEU1AOE2
China (China Telecom) (CTC)	SM-A5009	GALAXY A5	4.4.4	A5009KEU1AOE1
China (China Telecom) (CTC)	SM-A5009	GALAXY A5	4.4.4	A5009KEU1AOD1
China (China Unicom) (CHU)	SM-G9006V	GALAXY S5	5	G9006VZNU1BOC2
China (China Unicom) (CHU)	SM-G9006V	GALAXY S5	5	G9006VZNU1BOE3
Czech Republic (O2C) (O2C)	SM-G920F	GALAXY S6	5.0.2	G920FXXU1AOCV
Czech Republic (O2C) (O2C)	SM-G920F	GALAXY S6	5.0.2	G920FXXU1AOE3
Czech Republic (O2C) (O2C)	SM-G925F	GALAXY S6 Edge	5.0.2	G925FXXU1AOE3
Czech Republic (O2C) (O2C)	SM-G925F	GALAXY S6 Edge	5.0.2	G925FXXU1AOCV
France (XEF)	SM-T550		5.0.2	T550XXU1AOCF
France (Bouygues) (BOG)	SM-G530FZ		4.4.4	G530FZXXU1AOD1
Germany (DBT)	GT-I9515	GALAXY S4 VE	5.0.1	I9515XXU1BOC3
Germany (MBC)	SM-E500F	GALAXY E5	4.4.4	E500FXWU1AOE2
Germany (DBT)	GT-I9515	GALAXY S4 VE	5.0.1	I9515XXU1BOE3
Germany (DBT)	SM-T550		5.0.2	T550XXU1AOD3
Germany (DBT)	SM-T700	GALAXY Tab S 8.4 Wi-Fi	5.0.2	T700XXU1BOE5
Germany (Black Edition)(DBT)	GT-I9515	GALAXY S4 VE	5.0.1	I9515XXU1BOE3
Greece (EUR)	SM-T550		5.0.2	T550XXU1AOD3
Greece (EUR)	SM-T230	GALAXY Tab4 7.0 Wi-Fi	4.4.2	T230XXU0ANJ4
Greece (EUR)	SM-T230	GALAXY Tab4 7.0 Wi-Fi	4.4.2	T230XXU0AOD2
Hong Kong (TGY)	SM-G9250		5.0.2	G9250ZTU1AOE8
Hong Kong (TGY)	SM-G9250		5.0.2	G9250ZTU1AOE7
Hong Kong (TGY)	SM-E7000	GALAXY E7	4.4.4	E7000ZSU1AOD1
Hungary (Telenor) (PAN)	SM-G386F	GALAXY Core LTE	4.2.2	G386FXWUAOA1
India (INS)	SM-G920I	GALAXY S6	5.0.2	G920IDVU1BOE3
India (INU)	SM-G920I	GALAXY S6	5.0.2	G920IDVU1AOE3
India (INU)	SM-G925I	GALAXY S6 Edge	5.0.2	G925IDVU1BOE3
Indonesia (XSE)	SM-E500H	GALAXY E5	4.4.4	E500HXXU1AOE1
Iran (THR)	SM-T230	GALAXY Tab4 7.0 Wi-Fi	4.4.2	T230XXU0AOD2
Iran (THR)	SM-T230	GALAXY Tab4 7.0 Wi-Fi	4.4.2	T230XXU0ANJ4
Iraq (MID)	SM-G900H	GALAXY S5	5	G900HXXU1BOD4
Iraq (MID)	SM-G900H	GALAXY S5	4.4.2	G900HXXU1ANG3
Ireland (TSI)	SM-A300FU	GALAXY A3	4.4.4	A300FUXXU1AOB3
Ireland (O2) (O2I)	GT-I9195	GALAXY S4 mini LTE	4.4.2	I9195XXUCOD1
Ireland (O2) (Black Edition)(O2I)	GT-I9195	GALAXY S4 mini LTE	4.4.2	I9195XXUCNK4
Ireland (O2) (Black Edition)(O2I)	GT-I9195	GALAXY S4 mini LTE	4.4.2	I9195XXUCOD1
Italy (ITV)	SM-G900F	GALAXY S5	5	G900FXXU1BOC7
Italy (ITV)	SM-T550		5.0.2	T550XXU1AOD3
Italy (ITV)	SM-G900F	GALAXY S5	5	G900FXXU1BOD3
Italy (Wind) (WIN)	GT-S7580	GALAXY Trend Plus	4.2.2	S7580XXUBOC1
Kazakhstan (SKZ)	SM-G900F	GALAXY S5	5	G900FXXU1BOD3
Kazakhstan (SKZ)	SM-J100H	GALAXY J1	4.4.4	J100HXXU0AOE2
Kazakhstan (SKZ)	SM-G900F	GALAXY S5	5	G900FXXU1BOB2
Kazakhstan (SKZ)	SM-J100H	GALAXY J1	4.4.4	J100HXXU0AOC3
Kenya (AFR)	SM-G316HU		4.4.4	G316HUJVU0ANL3
Korea (KT Corporation) (KTC)	SM-G920K		5.0.2	G920KKKU1AOE5
Korea (KT Corporation) (KTC)	SM-G920K		5.0.2	G920KKKU1AODC
Korea (LG Uplus) (LUC)	SM-G920L		5.0.2	G920LKLU1AOE5
Korea (LG Uplus) (LUC)	SM-G920L		5.0.2	G920LKLU1AODC
Korea (SK Telecom) (SKC)	SM-G920S		5.0.2	G920SKSU1AODC
Korea (SK Telecom) (SKC)	SM-G920S		5.0.2	G920SKSU1AOE5
Luxembourg (LUX)	SM-T550		5.0.2	T550XXU1AOD3
Luxembourg (LUX)	GT-I9505	GALAXY S4 LTE	5.0.1	I9505XXUHOE1
Luxembourg (Black Edition)(LUX)	GT-I9505	GALAXY S4 LTE	5.0.1	I9505XXUHOB7
Macedonia (VIM)	SM-G900F	GALAXY S5	5	G900FXXU1BOE3
Macedonia (VIM)	SM-G900F	GALAXY S5	5	G900FXXU1BOC7
Malaysia (XME)	SM-P355		5.0.2	P355XXU1AOD2
Mexico (Telcel) (TCE)	SM-N910C	GALAXY Note 4	5.0.1	N910CXXU1BOD2
Montenegro (TMT)	GT-I9505	GALAXY S4 LTE	5.0.1	I9505XXUHOB8
Montenegro (TMT)	GT-I9505	GALAXY S4 LTE	4.4.2	I9505XXUGNG8
Netherlands (PHN)	SM-T230	GALAXY Tab4 7.0 Wi-Fi	4.4.2	T230XXU0ANJ4
Netherlands (PHN)	SM-T230	GALAXY Tab4 7.0 Wi-Fi	4.4.2	T230XXU0AOD2
Netherlands (PHN)	SM-T550		5.0.2	T550XXU1AOD3
New Zealand (Vodafone) (VNZ)	SM-G388F	Galaxy X Cover 3	4.4.4	G388FXXU1AOD5
Nordic countries (NEE)	SM-T230	GALAXY Tab4 7.0 Wi-Fi	4.4.2	T230XXU0AOD2
Nordic countries (NEE)	SM-T550		5.0.2	T550XXU1AOD3
Nordic countries (NEE)	SM-T230	GALAXY Tab4 7.0 Wi-Fi	4.4.2	T230XXU0ANJ4
Open Austria (ATO)	SM-G920F	GALAXY S6	5.0.2	G920FXXU1AOE3
Open Austria (ATO)	SM-G925F	GALAXY S6 Edge	5.0.2	G925FXXU1AOCV
Open Austria (ATO)	SM-G925F	GALAXY S6 Edge	5.0.2	G925FXXU1AOE3
Open Austria (ATO)	SM-G920F	GALAXY S6	5.0.2	G920FXXU1AOCV
Open Austria (ATO)	SM-T550		5.0.2	T550XXU1AOD3
Paraguay (Claro) (CTP)	SM-T111M	GALAXY Tab3 Lite 7.0 3G	4.2.2	T111MUBUANG1
Paraguay (Claro) (CTP)	SM-T111M	GALAXY Tab3 Lite 7.0 3G	4.2.2	T111MUBUAOD1
Peru (PET)	SM-G920I	GALAXY S6	5.0.2	G920IDVU1AOE3
Peru (PET)	SM-G925I	GALAXY S6 Edge	5.0.2	G925IDVU1AOE3
Philippines (Globe) (GLB)	SM-N9005	GALAXY Note 3 LTE	4.4.2	N9005XXUGNI4
Philippines (Globe) (GLB)	SM-N9005	GALAXY Note 3 LTE	5	N9005DXUGBOD1
Philippines (Open Line) (XTC)	SM-A700FD	GALAXY A7	4.4.4	A700FDXXU1AOD7
Philippines (Open Line) (XTC)	SM-N910C	GALAXY Note 4	5.0.1	N910CXXU1BOE1
Philippines (Smart) (SMA)	SM-A700FD	GALAXY A7	4.4.4	A700FDXXU1AOD7
Philippines (Sun Cellular) (XTE)	SM-A700FD	GALAXY A7	4.4.4	A700FDXXU1AOC3
Poland (XEO)	SM-T230	GALAXY Tab4 7.0 Wi-Fi	4.4.2	T230XXU0AOD2
Poland (XEO)	SM-G357FZ	GALAXY Ace 4 LTE	4.4.4	G357FZXXU1AOE1
Poland (XEO)	SM-T230	GALAXY Tab4 7.0 Wi-Fi	4.4.2	T230XXU0ANJ4
Poland (Play) (PRT)	SM-G386F	GALAXY Core LTE	4.2.2	G386FXXUANK1
Poland (Play) (PRT)	SM-G386F	GALAXY Core LTE	4.2.2	G386FXXUAOA1
Poland (Play) (PRT)	GT-P5200	GALAXY Tab3 3G	4.2.2	P5200XXUAMG7
Poland (Play) (PRT)	GT-P5200	GALAXY Tab3 3G	4.4.2	P5200XXUBOB1
Poland (Play) (PRT)	SM-G355HN	GALAXY Core 2 DUOS	4.4.2	G355HNXXU0AOB2
Portugal (MEO)	SM-A500FU	GALAXY A5	4.4.4	A500FUXXU1AOE1
Portugal (Optimus) (OPT)	SM-G900F	GALAXY S5	5	G900FXXU1BOD3
Portugal (Optimus) (OPT)	GT-S7580	GALAXY Trend Plus	4.2.2	S7580XXUBNJ1
Portugal (Optimus) (OPT)	SM-G900F	GALAXY S5	5	G900FXXU1BOC7
Portugal (Optimus) (OPT)	GT-S7580	GALAXY Trend Plus	4.2.2	S7580XXUBOC1
Portugal (TPH) (TPH)	SM-T550		5.0.2	T550XXU1AOD3
Romania (Vodafone) (CNX)	SM-G388F	Galaxy X Cover 3	4.4.4	G388FXXU1AOD4
Russia (SER)	SM-A700FD	GALAXY A7	5.0.2	A700FDXXU1BOE6
Russia (SER)	SM-J100H	GALAXY J1	4.4.4	J100HXXU0AOE2
Russia (SER)	SM-T550		5.0.2	T550XXU1AOD3
Russia (SER)	SM-T355		5.0.2	T355XXU1AOD1
Russia (SER)	SM-G357FZ	GALAXY Ace 4 LTE	4.4.4	G357FZXWU1AOE1
Russia (SER)	SM-A700FD	GALAXY A7	4.4.4	A700FDXXU1AOD4
Saudi Arabia (KSA)	SM-G900F	GALAXY S5	4.4.2	G900FXXU1ANL1
Saudi Arabia (KSA)	SM-T355		5.0.2	T355XXU1AOD5
Saudi Arabia (KSA)	GT-I9505	GALAXY S4 LTE	5.0.1	I9505XXUHOE2
Saudi Arabia (KSA)	SM-T550		5.0.2	T550XXU1AOD5
Singapore (XSP)	SM-T700	GALAXY Tab S 8.4 Wi-Fi	5.0.2	T700XXU1BODD
Singapore (SingTel) (SIN)	SM-P355		5.0.2	P355XXU1AOD1
Slovakia (TMS)	SM-T555		5.0.2	T555XXU1AOD1
Spain (PHE)	SM-T550		5.0.2	T550XXU1AOD3
Sweden (VDS)	SM-G920F	GALAXY S6	5.0.2	G920FXXU1AOCV
Sweden (VDS)	SM-G925F	GALAXY S6 Edge	5.0.2	G925FXXU1AOE3
Sweden (VDS)	SM-G925F	GALAXY S6 Edge	5.0.2	G925FXXU1AOCV
Sweden (VDS)	SM-G920F	GALAXY S6	5.0.2	G920FXXU1AOE3
Switzerland (AUT)	SM-T550		5.0.2	T550XXU1AOD3
Switzerland (AUT)	GT-I9195I		4.4.4	I9195IXXU1AOB1
Switzerland (AUT)	SM-T230	GALAXY Tab4 7.0 Wi-Fi	4.4.2	T230XXU0ANJ4
Switzerland (AUT)	SM-T230	GALAXY Tab4 7.0 Wi-Fi	4.4.2	T230XXU0AOD2
Taiwan (BRI)	SM-E7000	GALAXY E7	4.4.4	E7000ZSU1AOD1
Taiwan (BRI)	SM-G9250		5.0.2	G9250ZTU1AOE8
Taiwan (BRI)	SM-T805Y	GALAXY Tab S 10.5 LTE	5.0.2	T805YZTU1BOE2
Thailand (THL)	SM-P355		5.0.2	P355XXU1AOD1
Trinidad and Tobago (TTT)	SM-T320	GALAXY TabPRO 8.4 Wi-Fi	4.4.2	T320XXU1BNI1
Trinidad and Tobago (TTT)	SM-T320	GALAXY TabPRO 8.4 Wi-Fi	4.4.2	T320XXU1BOC1
Turkey (La Fleur)(TUR)	SM-G850FQ	GALAXY Alpha	5.0.2	G850FQJVU2COE4
USA (Verizon) (VZW)	SM-T707V		5.0.2	T707VVRU1BOD4
Ukraine (Kyivstar) (SEK)	GT-I9060I		4.4.4	I9060IXXU0AOA8
United Arab Emirates (XSG)	SM-T355		5.0.2	T355XXU1AOD5
United Arab Emirates (XSI)	GT-I9505	GALAXY S4 LTE	4.4.2	I9505XXUGNH8
United Arab Emirates (XSG)	SM-G850F	GALAXY Alpha	5.0.2	G850FXXU2COE7
United Kingdom (BTU)	GT-I9295	GALAXY S4 Active	4.4.2	I9295XXUCNH2
United Kingdom (BTU)	GT-I9295	GALAXY S4 Active	5.0.1	I9295XXUDOB4
United Kingdom (BTU)	SM-T550		5.0.2	T550XXU1AOD3
United Kingdom (BTU)	SM-T805	GALAXY Tab S 10.5 LTE	5.0.2	T805XXU1BOD1
United Kingdom (BTU)	SM-T700	GALAXY Tab S 8.4 Wi-Fi	5.0.2	T700XXU1BOE5
Unknown (BVO)	SM-G313ML	GALAXY Ace Style	4.4.2	G313MLUBU0AOE2
Unknown (XSZ)	GT-I9505	GALAXY S4 LTE	4.4.2	I9505XXUGNH8
Unknown (COD)	SM-G920I	GALAXY S6	5.0.2	G920IDVU1AOC6
Unknown (COD)	SM-G920I	GALAXY S6	5.0.2	G920IDVU1AOD1
Unknown (XST)	GT-I9505	GALAXY S4 LTE	4.4.2	I9505XXUGNH8

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The USPTO awards design patents to Samsung for the Gear Fit and some new smartphone cases

Earlier today, we reported about a patent filing by Samsung that showcased some possible upcoming improvements to the Gear VR. Now, the USPTO (United States Patent and Trademark Office) has awarded a series of design patents to Samsung covering the Gear Fit and some new type of smartphone cases.

The Gear Fit was originally announced back in February 2014, and was Samsung’s first fitness tracker, but it has received a design patent just now. In addition, Samsung has been awarded a design patent for a new type of smartphone case that has a fashionable chained handle that makes it appear like a purse. It also features pockets to store credit or loyalty cards, similar to the Wallet Case that Samsung already sells.

Unlike patent applications, design patents published by the USPTO doesn’t reveal details about the design such as underlying technology or materials used to achieve the said design. It also doesn’t spill out details about unique internal components or features that might be hidden in the device.

Via

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Samsung is bringing over a very useful iPhone camera feature to the Galaxy S6

Reviews of Apple’s iPhones are often quick to point out how its camera is the most consistent out there. Despite the low-resolution sensors, Apple has certainly made their cameras as good as possible on recent iPhones, allowing users to take great photos in pretty much every lighting condition without having to play with different settings. Samsung was able to match Apple in terms of camera consistency with the Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 edge, and the Korean giant is now bringing an extremely useful iPhone camera feature to its latest flagships.

Every smartphone camera comes with an option to vary the exposure, but on the iPhone, Apple takes it a step further by allowing users to manually adjust the exposure at the point of focus in the viewfinder. The best use case for this is when there is a lot of light in the background of the camera subject – in such cases, the iPhone camera app allows users to increase or decrease the exposure on the subject by simply dragging a finger in the required direction (up or down) on the screen.

Again, changing the exposure is possible on basically all Android devices out there, but none make it as simple as Apple does on the iPhones. But users of the Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 edge will soon be getting a similar option on their devices, as part of the Android 5.1 update. We have been testing out an early build on our Galaxy S6 edge, and we can confirm that the camera app now allows exposure control in the same way the iPhone does.

Some people will likely comment on the fact that Samsung is once again taking inspiration from Apple, but at the end of the day what matters is that users get a better experience. Apple has also been rumored to be working on implementing a Multi Window-like feature on the iPads, and it’s pretty common to see smartphone makers copying features from the competition.

The Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 edge feature cameras that are probably the best in the industry right now, and it’s great to see Samsung is continuing to add more features to further enhance the experience. Android 5.1 should begin rolling out to the two devices in June, and we expect a couple of other camera features to be part of the parcel, including support for RAW image capture and shutter speed control.

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A new Samsung Gear VR-related patent shows how it could be improved further

Samsung released the Gear VR for the Galaxy S6 and the Galaxy S6 edge a few weeks ago, but nothing new has been added in terms of hardware features. Oculus CEO John Carmack noted that the company is looking to use Samsung’s marketing might around the next major release of the Gear VR in September, but no details were spilled. Now, the USPTO has published some documents that provides a basic roadmap of features that could be a part of the upcoming Gear VR headsets.

The new document highlights how more hardware components can be used in the Gear VR to make it more useful than it currently is. According to the report from Patently Mobile, the document mentions the use of a hologram display or a projector to display visuals, a sensor module, a camera module, RAM, storage, or other forms of wired and wireless connectivity options. There is a mention about a setting that lets a user to adjust the focus settings, as eyesight varies between each user.

This patent application was filed by Samsung in Q4 2014, so the products that actually use these technologies might be far from their release. Check out the the source link to know more about the patent filing.

Via

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How to manage default applications on the Samsung Galaxy S6 and S6 edge

One of Android’s most useful features is the ability to set default apps for various functions, similar to a desktop operating system. Want to use a third-party app for things like messaging, image viewing, or browsing? You can do all that and more by simply selecting what app you would like to open for a particular task and replacing the default app that the device comes with permanently.

With Android 4.4 KitKat, Google simplified the procedure of selecting the default app for the home launcher and messaging, but didn’t do anything to simplify the process of clearing a default for a particular function, which continues to hide in each app’s specific details page in the applications settings. But Samsung thankfully stepped in by putting all these settings on a single page, something that is also available on the company’s latest devices, the Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 edge.

So how do you manage default apps for the home launcher and messaging, and how do you clear a default for a particular app? Here’s how:

1. Head into the settings menu on your Galaxy S6 or S6 edge.
2. Scroll down to find and tap on the Applications option.
3. Here, select the Default applications option.

In this menu, you will see a section for setting home and messages defaults, and a list of all applications that are currently set as default for various things, such as browsing, video, gallery, and more. To clear a particular default, you simply need to press the Clear button. This will clear the default, and the next time you try to start up the relevant function, you will once get an option to select from all the apps that can be used for the same.

We should note that the ability to manage defaults from a single location is also available on all Samsung devices that come with Android 4.4 out of the box. The only difference is that on these devices, you will find this option in the main settings menu itself, listed as Default applications at the very bottom, but it otherwise in the same way as the procedure described above.

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eCelsius is an indigestible pill that tracks core temperature using Samsung’s health platform SAMI

Remember SAMI (Samsung Multimodal Architecture Interaction), Samsung’s health platform for cloud-sourced health tracking that was introduced about an year ago? Well, Samsung invited developers to take advantage of the platform, and one of the early adopters is Body Cap from France, who showed off a pill that monitors core body temperature using SAMI.

The company’s new product dubbed ‘eCelcius’ is an ingestible pill that monitors body core temperature and transmits it wirelessly into the cloud using SAMI. Once the pill is inside the body, it will stream temperature every five seconds. If it reaches a specified temperature, it will push a notification to a smartphone, tablet, or a wearable device. You can have a look at the whole demo in the video embedded below.

Via Source

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Samsung Galaxy A7 gets Android 5.0.2 Lollipop update in Russia

The Galaxy A3 was the first Galaxy A device to be updated to Lollipop, and Samsung is now putting the spotlight on the Galaxy A7. Android 5.0.2 is rolling out to the device over in Russia (Russia was the first market where the update was rolled out for the Galaxy A3 as well), with the build number A700FDXXU1BOE6, with the firmware available via Samsung Kies and through our firmware section. It’s likely to be rolling out over the air as well, though as tradition would have it, the OTA will take a few days (and maybe weeks) to reach all users.

Android 5.0 brings over a host of improvements, including an updated user interface with Material Design touches, faster performance, advanced notifications, re-addition of full SD card access for third-party apps, a do not disturb mode and the option for setting a notification’s priority, and more. Once again, Samsung isn’t offering the new UX from the Galaxy S6 or Galaxy S6 edge, though at this point we’re not expecting any existing device to do so.

As for the Galaxy A5, it shouldn’t be long before it also gets the Lollipop update, though there’s no telling when that will happen. Let us know if you have received the update on your Galaxy A7, and if you haven’t, don’t forget to check manually in the Settings » About device » Software updates menu.

Firmware Details:

Model	SM-A700FD
Model name	GALAXY A7
Country	Russia
Version	Android 5.0.2
Changelist	4928340
Build date	Wed, 20 May 2015 10:02:37 +0000
Product code	SER
PDA	A700FDXXU1BOE6
CSC	A700FDSER1BOE6

Thanks, Sanay!

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Samsung working on the Galaxy J1 Pop (SM-J110)

The Galaxy J1 is far from the budget smartphone Samsung needs to be making for competing in the low-end market, but the company could soon be launching its successor. Our insiders have offered us information on what could launch as the Galaxy J1 Pop – we’re not sure if Pop is the codename or the final name of the device, but it will likely be the latter.

We haven’t received any information on specs, but the phone will be launched worldwide, including Russia, Brazil, and India. The hardware is likely to be as low-end as it can get, possibly with a few improvements over the Galaxy J1 (SM-J100). As a refresher, the Galaxy J1 featured a 4.3-inch WVGA LCD display, a dual-core Spectrum processor, 512MB of RAM (the LTE model has 768MB RAM), 4GB of expandable internal storage, a 5-megapixel rear camera, a 2-megapixel front-facing camera, and Android 4.4.4 KitKat out of the box.

The high-resolution front-facing camera was one of the touted features of the Galaxy J1, and we wouldn’t be surprised if it’s an area of focus on the Galaxy J1 Pop as well. We would really love to see at least 1GB of RAM and a faster processor under the hood, though the small change in model number suggests we won’t be seeing anything notably different in the Galaxy J1 Pop compared to the first phone in Samsung’s Galaxy J lineup.

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