Samsung Pay will support online shopping in the US next year

It has only been a few months since Samsung Pay was launched in the United States, the mobile payments service was initially launched in South Korea, and as it grows by adding support for more financial institutions in the US it may get even more useful in the coming year. Samsung has plans to enable users in the country to use Samsung Pay for online shopping.

Global co-general manager of Samsung Pay Thomas Ko said that online payment support “is coming soon,” aside from confirming that much more affordable Samsung handsets are going to start offering Samsung Pay “within the next year.” Two of the three handsets in the latest Galaxy A series do support Samsung Pay. As far as international expansion goes the company has already confirmed that Samsung Pay will be launched in China by early 2016 while last month we exclusively reported that the mobile payments service will go live in the United Kingdom and Spain in Q1 2016.

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Samsung Galaxy S7 rumored to be launched with two different screen sizes

As the launch of Samsung’s next-generation flagship smartphone nears, we are coming across dozens of rumors and reports related to the device. Yesterday, alleged dimensions of the Galaxy S7 and the Galaxy S7 edge were leaked along with some case designs for those devices. Now, ETNews is reporting that Samsung will release the Galaxy S7 in two different form factors in response to Apple’s strategy with the iPhone 6s and the iPhone 6s Plus.

According to the report, the South Korean smartphone giant is working on two devices – HERO1 and HERO2 – and that they will be mass produced starting from February 2016. The Galaxy S7, which is codenamed as HERO1, is expected to feature a 5.2-inch flat display. The Galaxy S7 edge (HERO2) is expected to sport a 5.5-inch dual-edge curved display. However, other rumours report that the S7 edge will be released with either a 5.7-inch display or a 6-inch display.

It is being reported that the development of the device will be fully completed by January 2016, and the company will start mass producing an initial batch of 5 million units in February. Around 3.3 million units will be the Galaxy S7, while 1.7 million units will be the Galaxy S7 edge. Samsung is focussing on increasing the sales of premium models to increase profits from its smartphone business. The company is targeting to sell more than 400 million smartphones in 2016.

The Galaxy S7 is expected to feature a QHD Super AMOLED display, a 20-megapixel camera sensor from Sony with phase-detection autofocus and OIS, 4K video recording, 4GB RAM, 32GB/64GB of internal storage, and LTE Cat. 12 connectivity. The Galaxy S7 is expected to feature a microSD card slot, but it will be absent from the Galaxy S7 edge. Both the devices will be released in two variants, one with an Exynos 8890 chipset intended for European and Asian markets, and the other with a Snapdragon 820 chipset that is intended for American and Chinese markets.

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New commercial shows how effortlessly Samsung Pay works even at non-fancy stores

If you’ve started to pay using Samsung Pay on your Galaxy smartphone, you might have come across a situation where store executives try to explain you that mobile payments won’t work with their old point-of-sale equipments only to find out that the payment has been completed successfully. Well, such encounters have inspired Samsung in making this new video commercial for Samsung Pay.

The video shows how non-fancy store executives get surprised when the transaction goes through even though their point-of-sale equipments are not ‘fancy’ like some other NFC-equipped ones that are required for Apple Pay or Android Pay. That’s because Samsung Pay uses a unique technology called MST that mimics debit and credit card swipes, so you can pay at any store that accepts card.

Go ahead and watch this video and let us know you’ve managed to surprise store executives or people around you when you made a payment through your Samsung Pay-compatible Galaxy device.

 

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Samsung ranks ninth on list of global Internet of Things companies

Over the past year or so Samsung has got really serious about Internet of Things, not only did it purchase SmartThings, it also brought in a former Google executive to lead its IoT efforts. Earlier this year the company also released its IoT platform called Artik and refreshed the SmartThings product lineup and a fortnight ago it confirmed that its CES 2016 keynote will be about its plans for Internet of Things. Despite all that Samsung has figured only ninth on the list of global IoT companies compiled by market research firm IoT Analytics.

IoT analytics evaluates companies on three different dimensions which include how often the company is mentioned online and how often it’s tagged in LinkedIn. Highest scoring company in each dimension gets a rating out of 100% and all other companies get a lower percentage in linear relation to the score of the company at the top of this list. Intel came in first place with 71% with IBM and Microsoft coming in second and third with 67% and 56% respectively. Samsung is all the way down in ninth with 28% with Oracle rounding up the top ten also with 28%. Samsung is the only non-American company that ranks in the top ten, at least it’s got that going for itself.

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2016 Samsung Series 9 notebooks will be showcased at CES 2016

Samsung has confirmed that it’s going to showcase the 2016 Series 9 notebooks at the Consumer Electronics Show 2016 in Las Vegas next month. Two models, the 900X5L and 900X3L, will join many of the other products that Samsung is going to showcase at the annual technology convention. Both of these notebooks will go on sale later in the year with CES being used as a launchpad to get the word out about the newest notebooks from Samsung.

The notebooks are powered by six-generation Intel Core i5 processors with up to 8GB RAM, 128GB SSD and will be available in Modern Pink and Iron Silver colors. 900X5L has a very thin 6.5mm bezel and also supports Quick Charge which promises 3.7 hours of battery life after just 20 minutes of charging. The 900X3L is going to be the lightest notebook in its class, weighing in at just 840, both of these notebooks have a new feature called Consulting Mode which allows the display to be tiled up to 180 degrees. In South Korea the 2016 Series 9 900X6L and 900X3L will retail for 1.79m won and 1.71m won respectively.

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Latest leak brings dimensions of the Galaxy S7 and the Galaxy S7 edge

The Galaxy S7 and the Galaxy S7 edge are without a doubt two of the most highly anticipated devices for 2016 which is why the rumor mill is just so interested in anything and everything that might be remotely related to the new flagships. The latest leak appears to be a big one though since it brings us the purported dimensions of the Galaxy S7 and the Galaxy S7 edge, Shai Mizrachi is behind this leak, he has previously established his credibility by leaking a similar diagram for the Galaxy S6 edge+.

It’s evident from just one glance that the Galaxy S7 and the Galaxy S7 edge have different screen sizes, and that’s precisely what has been reported multiple times this week, the curved variant is expected to feature a 5.5-inch display as opposed to the Galaxy S7′s 5.2-inch display. The bigger display means that the Galaxy S7 edge is going to be taller at 151mm vs 143mm and wider at 73mm against 70.5mm. The Galaxy S7 essentially has the same dimensions as the Galaxy S6, it’s only because of the larger display that the Galaxy S7 edge might be taller and wider. The accompanying report reiterates rumors that the Galaxy S7 will have a flat display and curved back and the Galaxy S7 edge will have the exact opposite, just like it is on the Galaxy Note 5 and the Galaxy S6 Edge+ respectively.

In this diagram one can also see that the IR blaster may be dropped from the upcoming flagships, if that is indeed the case Samsung fans won’t be happy, we all know how badly they took it when Samsung removed the IR blaster from the Galaxy Note 5. The diagram doesn’t betray the presence of an iris scanner on the front even though countless reports suggest that it’s going to debut with the 2016 flagships. Samsung is believed to hold the Unpacked 2016 event on February 20, 2016 to unveil these new flagship smartphones, sticking with its tradition of announcing new handsets before the start of Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain.

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More cases for the Galaxy S7 surface as Unpacked 2016 nears

It’s not uncommon to see cases for a new Samsung device leak out even before it has actually been announced, we saw this happen with the Galaxy S6 and the Galaxy Note 5 this year and now we’re seeing history repeat itself for the Galaxy S7. Multiple images of purported cases for the Galaxy S7 have already leaked online and today we’re getting a look at additional cases, there’s even one for the Galaxy S7 Plus.

Samsung is likely to unveil the Galaxy S7 and the Galaxy S7 edge a couple of months from now but we did pick up on a rumor recently which claimed that there might be as many as four different models of the upcoming flagship with the Galaxy S7 Plus being one of them. One of the cases seen in these pictures is meant for the Galaxy S7 Plus, and while it’s too soon to say if they’re the real deal, they don’t seem to show any major design changes when compared against the existing Samsung flagships. Samsung is more likely to focus on internal hardware with the next generation handsets as they’re expected to feature the new Exynos processor and even the Snapdragon 820 in some markets, and it’s becoming more plausible that the Galaxy S7 may also feature an iris scanner. A recent report suggests that Samsung is going to unveil the handset at Galaxy Unpacked 2016 which is said to take place on February 20 in Barcelona, Spain.

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Watch Samsung’s first video commercial for the Galaxy A (2016) series of smartphones

Samsung has just release the first video commercial for the Galaxy A 2016 series of smartphones on YouTube, which is a one-minute video showing a preview of what Samsung has in store for us. The video commercial explains why humans do what they do such as taking a lot of selfies and endlessly laughing while watching viral videos.

The video shows the glass-and-metal design of the Galaxy A (2016) series of smartphones in all its glory. The new Galaxy A series includes the Galaxy A3 (2016),  the Galaxy A5 (2016), the Galaxy A7 (2016), and the Galaxy A9, all of which were released in China this month. These devices might be launched in other parts of the world soon since the South Korean smartphone giant has released the first video commercial for them.

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12-inch Samsung tablet powered by Windows 10 gets certified

Samsung hasn’t released a Windows-powered tablet in quite some time now but that might be about to change in the near future. About four months back we reported that the company was working on a 12-inch tablet powered by Windows 10 and now one such tablet bearing model number SM-W700 has been certified by the Wi-Fi Alliance and Bluetooth SIG. These certifications are usually a good indicator that the device is indeed in the pipeline and destined for shelves soon.

As far as specifications go this 12-inch Windows 10 powered tablet is expected to tout a 2560 x 1600 or 3840 x 2400 pixel resolution display with a 13nm Intel Core M processor coupled with 4GB of RAM. It may also feature an S Pen which would certainly increase its productivity credentials. Samsung hasn’t hinted anything as yet about a new Windows 10 tablet so it can’t be said for sure when this tablet is going to be released and what it’s final moniker is going to be, though given that it has already received certifications, the release may not be that far off.

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Samsung Unpacked 2016 may take place on February 20

Even though it was rumored multiple times this year that the Galaxy S7 will be launched ahead of schedule in 2016 there’s really no reason to believe that Samsung is going to break its tradition of unveiling a new Galaxy device a day before the Mobile World Congress festivities kick off in Barcelona. Given that MWC is being held in February instead of March this year, that’s really the only explanation one can provide for an early launch of the Galaxy S7. Ivan Luchkov says that Samsung Unpacked 2016 will take place on February 20 in Barcelona.

In case you’re unaware, Luchkov is a Ukrainian tech blogger who shared the correct date for the Unpacked event back in 2014 when the Galaxy S5 was due to be announced. He hasn’t shared on Twitter the source of this information, only saying that you should mark your calendars for February 20 because that’s when Galaxy Unpacked 2016 is going to take place. Samsung is yet to confirm next year’s event but it’s likely to take place on or after February 20 if it’s going to stick with its traditional of unveiling new Galaxy S handsets before Mobile World Congress. This time around the company is expected to unveil the Galaxy S7 and the Galaxy S7 edge which may very well be the first Samsung handsets to feature an iris scanner.

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Samsung starts rolling out December security patch update to Galaxy S6 edge+

It looks like Samsung is quite serious in keeping its promise about monthly security updates for its devices. Samsung has started rolling out a firmware update for the Galaxy S6 edge+ in India and the Nordic countries, which includes the latest Android security patch from December 2015.

Samsung had earlier posted the details about this update on its official mobile security-related blog. The changelog is similar to the one that came with the previous firmware update. This update improves security and stability of voice calls, and the company has mentioned specifically that downgrading won’t be possible after installing the update.

The India-specific update is available only through OTA, but it will be available from our firmware section shortly. It is possible that the Galaxy Note 5 could start receiving the security patch update soon since both these devices were released at the same time.

Firmware Details

Model	SM-G928F
Model name	GALAXY S6 Edge +
Country	Nordic countries
Version	Android 5.1.1
Changelist	5943955
Build date	Thu, 17 Dec 2015 01:40:52 +0000
Product code	NEE
PDA	G928FXXU2AOL5
CSC	G928FNEE2AOK1

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Samsung to start mass producing 18nm DRAM chips in 2016

Samsung will apparently start mass producing DRAM chips with a new 1X-nano (18nm) process in 2016 according to a report from Electronic Times. The company plans to do this to cut production costs and to improve profitability since DRAM prices are predicted to continue to fall next year.

According to the report, Samsung, which is one of the fastest to implement new manufacturing processes, has finished developing 1X-nano DRAM chips and is looking to mass produce them starting Q1 2016. SK Hynix and Micron will follow the suit next year, but Micron is expected to be on the verge of making a loss after failing to use the new process.

Samsung started mass producing 20nm DRAM chips in 2014, and it was the first in the world to do so. As a result, the electronics giant was able to improve profits as well as market share by decreasing the production cost. According to DRAM Exchange, a market research company, the contract price of 4GB DDR3 D-RAM chip in November was $1.72, which is 49.1 percent lower than its cost from January.

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[Poll] Galaxy S7 fingerprint sensor replaced by iris scanner: Would you be okay with that?

These days, almost every other new phone that gets announced seems to have a fingerprint sensor on-board. Once the iPhone introduced a fingerprint scanner, Samsung followed in its competitor’s footsteps and introduced one with the Galaxy S5. Samsung originally used a swipe-based scanner, then moved to an immensely better touch sensor, which is the kind that has become rather commonplace these days.

Next year, Samsung will launch the Galaxy S7, and rumors have it that the company will be introducing an iris scanner with its seventh Galaxy S flagship. Samsung won’t be the first to do so – Microsoft was the first to implement an iris scanner on a smartphone with the Lumia 950 and Lumia 950 XL, both of which are among the first Windows 10 phones on the market. The presence of an iris scanner will drive up the phone’s cost according to the latest rumor, but that might not be the most worrisome aspect of the device, especially for fans of the fingerprint sensor.

What would be more worrisome for such fans is the possibility that Samsung might replace the fingerprint sensor with the iris scanner. That would be a nice move for the wow factor, but an iris scanner isn’t expected to be as accurate or consistent as a fingerprint sensor. It would work well even in low-light conditions since it would work using infrared, but even then there will be conditions where your eyes will not be properly visible to the scanner, hence making it a liability rather than a useful feature. It probably won’t be as fast either, and could add an additional step to even unlocking the device (with a fingerprint sensor, you can simply long press the home button for a few seconds to unlock the phone.)

Now, Samsung is most likely familiar with the technology’s limitations and won’t make it the only security system on the S7, especially since it would interfere with the convenience of Samsung Pay, a service the company is putting a lot of resources behind. But if does decide to do away with the fingerprint sensor and opt for an iris scanner, would you be fine with that decision?

Or would the lack of a fingerprint sensor put you off from buying the Galaxy S7? Or maybe you won’t care? Well, whatever your opinion is, do let us know through the poll below. Don’t forget to leave a comment as well with your thoughts on the matter.

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

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Samsung plans to produce an initial batch of 5 million Galaxy S7 units

A new report from Reuters citing South Korea’s Electronic Times reveals that Samsung is planning to manufacture an initial batch of 5 million units of its 2016 flagship, the Galaxy S7. This initial count is expected to cover both flagship models, the one that features a 5.2-inch flat screen and the other that boasts a 5.5-inch curved display, which will be known as the Galaxy S7 Edge. However, there were rumours that the larger screen variant of the device will feature a 5.7-inch display.

From the initial 5 million Galaxy S7 units, 3.3 million will have a flat screen and 1.6 million units will feature curved displays. There is also an interesting rumor, which hints towards Samsung’s plan to offer four different versions of its upcoming flagship. The purported release date of the Galaxy S7 according to the report is in February 2016 although there is a lot of speculation about it.

China Mobile for instance puts the release date in March, which falls in line with the company’s previous launches. The same release date of mid-March is also speculated by the Wall Street Journal, which is usually an extremely reliable source. If the Galaxy S7 is due to arrive in February, we will probably see an announcement at Unpacked 2016 on the 21st of February, but otherwise we could well see it in mid-March.

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Samsung working with BMW on developing smart brains for futuristic automobiles

Samsung and BMW are working together to develop the minds for autonomous vehicles of the future, a report from Business Korea suggests. This isn’t surprising if you consider that Samsung has been paying a lot of attention to the automobile parts business. The South Korean giant even assembled a special team that is dedicated to autonomous driving technologies, and it is most likely going to work with BMW in the near future.

Aside from striking a partnership with BMW, Samsung Electronics is also working with Panasonic in order to develop a smart assistant for autonomous vehicles. The smart assistant is expected to recognize the driver’s voice and help them execute commands while he pays attention to the road. This has also been made possible thanks to the US-based speech recognition technology firm Nuance Communications, the same company that created the voice assistant Siri for Apple.

Samsung is already in close ties with BMW as it supplies the German auto magnate with batteries for its electric car models. This isn’t the first cooperation that Samsung struck with an automobile company. Previously, the South Korean giant agreed to supply Audi with semiconductors, so it’s clear that it is trying to gain the business of as many companies in the automobile market as possible.

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CES 2016 Best of Innovation Award given to Samsung’s unreleased Smart TV

Samsung just confirmed that their upcoming Smart TV has won the CES 2016 Best of Innovation Award in the Accessible Tech category. This new Smart TV is due to be announced at CES next month, and it’s a cornerstone of innovation from Samsung due to its revamped user interface. This UI offers better on-screen readability and voice guidance that gives total freedom to the owner.

Samsung Electronics is bound to make an impressive appearance at CES next month, showcasing various products that range from Smart TVs to household appliances and smartphones. What’s interesting about the upcoming Smart TV is that it will probably feature Samsung’s Smart View TV app, which is currently aimed for a full release in early 2016.

The app allows you to connect your device to the TV and to create playlists for music, photos, and videos. Only a handful of Smart TVs are compatible with the Smart View TV app right now, and it will be interesting to see if this one qualifies as well.

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Samsung preserving its glory in the low-end segment of the smartphone market in South Korea

Latest data released by SK Telecom shows that in South Korea’s smartphone market the 64GB iPhone 6S is the top pick in the premium segment with the 16GB version of this very handset in second place. Only the 64GB Galaxy Note 5 came in third place with a 13.8% market share. It’s a similar story in the mid-range segment of the market where the Nexus 6P dominates with 34.6% market share. Samsung figured in fourth place with the Galaxy A5 that holds 9.7% of the mid-range segment.

Things are a bit different in the low-end segment where the Galaxy Folder 3G reigned supreme with 24.8% market share. The Galaxy J5 comes second with 18.5% and the Galaxy Grand Max in third with 15.8%. Much has already been written about the troubles that Samsung faces particularly in the high-end segment where the iPhone continue to dominate. Many analysts are of the view that Samsung will increasingly focus on low-end as well as robust mid-range handsets now to improve the fortunes of its mobile division, while making sure that it continues to maintain a presence in the high-end segment.

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New 8-inch tablet from Samsung passes Bluetooth and Wi-Fi certification

Recently, a new and unannounced 8-inch tablet from Samsung – SM-T375S and SM-T375L – have passed Wi-Fi and Bluetooth certifications. From the first looks they appear to be variants of an entry-level tablet with an import price declaration of INR 6,792, which is the equivalent to $103, but if course that’s unlikely to be the final price.

The mysterious tablet got its Bluetooth certification on the 24th of December and its Wi-Fi certification on the 16th. Having received this certification, the 8-inch tablet is bound to pass through a few more steps before being made official by the company. Samsung has been making big steps (pun intended) in the tablet industry with the massive 18.4-inch Galaxy View and we’re curious what this tablet is bound to offer.

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Images and specifications of Samsung Galaxy J1 (2016) leak

Samsung’s Galaxy J series of mid-range smartphones, especially the Galaxy J5 and the Galaxy J7, have been pretty popular with consumers in the emerging markets. Now, the South Korean smartphone manufacturer seems to be working on the successors to at least one device the the Galaxy J series. The images and specifications of the Galaxy J1 (2016) have been leaked on the Internet.

According to @S_leak, the Galaxy J1 (2016) will feature a 4.5-inch WVGA display, which is slightly larger than the 4.3-inch display on the Galaxy J1. Apparently, the Android 5.1 Lollipop-based smartphone will be equipped with an Exynos 3457 chipset that features quad-core CPU and a Mali-T720 GPU. It will be coupled with 1GB RAM, but there’s still no information about the internal storage or the resolution of the cameras on the device.

The original Galaxy J1 was announced in February earlier this year, so we shouldn’t be surprised if Samsung announces the new Galaxy J1 (SM-J120F) sometime in Q1 of 2016. We could see the device hitting regulatory authorities such as FCC and TENAA soon if the company is in the final stages of the development of the Galaxy J1 (2016).

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