Samsung CEO says Galaxy Note 7 crisis has given the company an ‘opportunity to reflect’

Samsung looked set to dominate the global smartphone market in the second half of this year as well after making its mark with the Galaxy S7 series. Analysts expected that the company’s impressive sales momentum would continue in the second half after the Galaxy Note 7 was released. It certainly seemed so as the new flagship was well received but it later ended up becoming the company’s worst nightmare. Samsung will have to make some changes to the way it does things in order to ensure that something like this never happens again. Kwon Oh-hyun, CEO and vice chairman of Samsung Electronics has said that the Galaxy Note 7 has given the company an “opportunity to reflect.”

Kwon made these comments during a speech at an event organized to commemorate Samsung Electronics’ 47th anniversary. He has called for more stringent internal monitoring in order to improve the company’s crisis management operations. Without naming the Galaxy Note 7, Kwon said that the recent crisis has given the company an opportunity to reflect whether it was complacent in its work and to seek a fresh start.

He also rallied the troops by saying that “We have a long history of overcoming crises, let us use this crisis as a chance to make another leap by re-examining and thoroughly improving how we work, how we think about innovation and our perspective of our customers.” All eyes are now on Samsung as it prepares to bounce back with the Galaxy S8 early next year.

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Samsung’s tablet shipments see a 19.3 percent decline in Q3 2016

Samsung may have managed to hold on to its lead in the global smartphone market even after the Galaxy Note 7 fiasco but the slide in its tablet market share continues and it’s not even related to the exploding flagship. The tablet market overall has been on a decline since the past eight quarters straight and the situation did not improve in the third quarter of this year. While the global market saw a year-over-year (YoY) decline of 14.7 percent, Samsung saw its market share post a YoY decline of 19.3 percent in Q3 2016.

Market intelligence company IDC estimates that Samsung shipped 6.5 million tablets in the third quarter of this year to account for 15.1 percent of the entire market. That’s a 19.3 percent decline when compared to shipments of 8.1 million units and a market share of 16 percent during the same period last year. Samsung has retained its number two position in the global tablet market while Apple remains in first place, however, even it saw a 6.2 percent YoY decline this past quarter.

IDC says that all of the negative press from the Galaxy Note 7 fiasco hasn’t impacted the company’s tablet business but cautions that overreliance on the declining tablet market is what has caused Samsung to post a YoY decline of 19.3 percent. It points out that the attempt by Samsung to enter the detachable market with the TabPro S at the start of this year hasn’t paid off yet as the price and positioning of this tablet make it uncompetitive. Samsung will seek to improve its fortunes with a new high-end tablet, we exclusively reported recently that the company is going to launch the Galaxy Tab S3 in the first quarter of 2017.

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Six new C-Lab projects spun-off by Samsung

Samsung introduced its Creative Lab (C-Lab) innovation program last year through which it enables employees to develop their own business ideas with the company contributing time and resources to help them develop that idea into a product. Samsung announced earlier this year that 18 employees who were working on five C-Lab projects officially resigned from the company to launch proper companies based on the ideas that they worked on in the innovation program. The company last showcased some new projects at IFA 2016 and it has now announced that six C-Lab projects designed to inspire and enrich lives have been spun-off.

Hum On! is a new mobile app that has been designed to enable people to make their own music by just humming. It converts a user’s humming into musical notation to allow them to write music even if they don’t have a musical background.

Waffle is a new social networking service to come out of C-Lab, it allows users to draw and leave doodles on another user’s wall. They can also add stories or other visual content to create more complex social artwork.

ItsyWatch is a wearable device for kids that helps them build good habits. It gives kids the chance to care for their virtual pets and has also been designed to relieve parental stress while strengthening the emotional bond between members of the family.

Ahead is a communication device meant for helmet users such as bikers and skiers. It gives users a hands-free option that replaces mobile phones and walkie-talkies. Ahead also enables users to listen to music and receive voice notifications.

LiCON relies on a smartphone’s camera to recognize and control Internet of Things devices. Users just need to launch the app and take a photo of any smart device to instantly control them.

Last but not the least, FITT360 is a new wearable 360-degree camcorder that allows users to capture all surrounding scenes. It’s a hands-free 360-degree camera that can conveniently be used.

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Samsung reportedly developing full-screen OLED display for the Galaxy S8

Samsung has a point to prove with the Galaxy S8 following the misfortune it has had with the Galaxy Note 7. Rumors suggest that the Galaxy S8 is going to introduce some major hardware changes to the flagship lineup one of which is expected to be a nearly full-screen OLED display. A new report suggests that one of the most drastic changes for the Galaxy S8 will indeed be a nearly bezel-less or edge-to-edge OLED display that’s currently being developed by the company.

A Samsung Display researcher quoted in the report declined to confirm whether or not the Galaxy S8 is going to feature this display, only mentioning that the company is pouring considerable resources into the development of this panel. Park Won-sang, a principal engineer at Samsung Display, said that “Samsung Display would roll out a full-screen display whose display area ratio (a scale that measures space taken up by a display on the front part of a handset) reaches more than 90 percent next year.”

The average display area ratio is currently at 80 percent among most smartphones available in the market but some have been trying to push the envelope. Park said that Samsung Display will try and push this ratio to about 99 percent over the next few years which will basically mean that every corner of the device will be covered by the display panel.

Samsung might have to remove the home button for the Galaxy S8′s full-screen display and that’s why it’s rumored that the Galaxy S8 is going to be the world’s first smartphone to feature optical fingerprint recognition technology. The company hasn’t said much about the device itself aside from the hints that it’s going to have a “slick design” and improved camera. It has also ruled out an early launch for the Galaxy S8 so we should expect to see it at Mobile World Congress 2017 in February.

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Galaxy A5 (2017) receives Bluetooth certification

Samsung has the 2017 Galaxy A series in the pipeline right now, we’re hearing new rumors and reports about these devices every other day and the latest concerns the Galaxy A5 (2017). This handset has now received its Bluetooth certification a few weeks after also receiving its Wi-Fi certification. This means that it’s now closer to release and while it’s not confirmed exactly when Samsung is going to launch this series it’s expected to do so early next year.

Latest leaks have suggested that the Galaxy A5 (2017) is going to have a design similar to that of the Galaxy S7 complete with the same rounded edges on the back. Aside from a 5.2-inch display, the handset is also expected to feature an Exynos 7880 processor with 3GB RAM, 16GB of storage as well as a 3,000mAh battery. No further information is available about the specifications as yet. The Galaxy A5 (2017) is going to be accompanied by the Galaxy A3 (2017) and the Galaxy A7 (2017) when the refreshed series is launched early next year.

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Samsung officially announces the Galaxy S7 edge in Blue Coral

It was first rumored a couple of weeks back when an image of the Galaxy S7 edge’s shell was leaked in gorgeous Blue Coral color that the handset would soon be available in this color that was introduced with the Galaxy Note 7. Samsung Singapore later confirmed that the Galaxy S7 edge in Blue Coral will be released in the first week of November in Singapore but it didn’t release any images of the device. Samsung Taiwan released images as well last week when it confirmed that the handset would also be available in that country in the first week of November. Samsung proper has now made an official announcement for the Galaxy S7 edge in Blue Coral.

The company has confirmed that the sixth color edition of the Galaxy S7 edge is going to be available starting November 1 in selected markets across the globe. Precise availability details will be announced by wireless providers and regional Samsung offices in each market. Samsung says that the Blue Coral color follows this year’s color trends which are less vivid and more tranquil. “Inspired by nature, the color shimmers as if it is illuminated from the inside of the phone’s glass surface,” it adds.

Samsung has applied a contrasting gold tone hue to the Blue Coral Galaxy S7 edge’s frame which results in a two-tone combination that described as being “sophisticated.” Other than that, it’s still the same Galaxy S7 edge that we’ve all known and loved for months now. Aside from Blue Coral, the Galaxy S7 edge is already available in White Pearl, Silver Titanium, Black Onyx, Gold Platinum and Pink Gold.

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Samsung online-exclusive accessories come worldwide in November

Samsung is never one to sit back idly, and not only works hard on new mobile devices but brings the same love of experimentation to its accessories as well. There are six new accessories for sale online in Korea that Samsung will introduce worldwide in November.

A Wireless Speaker Bottle provides 360-degree surround sound while fitting in with the drink bottles you have around your home (think soda can here) with in-built wireless charging and a motion-sensitive UX that changes color when you shake it or adjust lighting when you turn it. The wireless speaker bottle can be controlled by way of Samsung’s own Lux Manager App.

The Wireless Charger Tray is no stranger to us: we’ve seen it back when Samsung released it in Russia just a few months ago, though it hasn’t gone much beyond Russia. This charging tray lets you charge the wireless speaker bottle and smartphone at the same time. The Battery Pack Kettle design comes in 5,100mAh and 10,200mAh variations, providing the juice you need in a comfortable and functional style. Yes, the Battery Pack Kettle design features a kickstand that can prop up your phone for movies and TV shows while charging simultaneously, so you can watch and charge without compromise. You can use the Battery Pack Kettle as a lantern or lighting solution for other devices when paired with another new Samsung device, the USB LED Light.

Rounding out Samsung’s new accessories are the Wireless Speaker Scoop and the new rectangular In-Ear Headphones. The Wireless Speaker Scoop was officially FCC-certified just two months ago, and it brings a more portable Bluetooth speaker design that you can carry when leaving the Bluetooth Speaker Bottle at home. The new rectangular In-Ear Headphones provide bring high-quality audio with a fabric-and-metal design for visual style and sophisticated sound.

These six accessories will come to both Samsung.com worldwide as well as retail stores in early November, allowing you to expand your “Galaxy.” You can find out more information at the source link below.

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Daily Deal: Get your hands on this great screen protector for the Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge for just $7.85

If you recently traded in your faulty Galaxy Note 7 for a shiny new Galaxy S7 or Galaxy S7 edge, there’s a good chance you’re in the market for a reliable screen protector to keep its display in immaculate condition. If so, you’ve come to the right place. For a limited time only, you can bag yourself a Armorsuit MilitaryShield tempered glass screen protector for just $7.85. That’s a total saving of $12.10.

What’s neat about the Armorsuit MilitaryShield is that it’s crafted from a scratch-resistant, optically clear material that features self-healing technology, which helps eliminate all minor scratches on the film. Its thin design also perfectly fits the sleek profile of the handset and enables owners to install the protector without any air bubbles appearing.

If you like the sound of the Armorsuit MilitaryShield screen protector and want to take advantage of this great promotion, hit the relevant Buy Now button below. We strongly advise you to hurry, though, as Amazon only has a limited amount of inventory available for this specific deal and once it’s gone, it’s gone.

Buy Now – Galaxy S7 Buy Now – Galaxy S7 edge

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Galaxy S6 edge+ in Europe now receiving October security patch

Following its rollout for the Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge in Europe two weeks ago, Samsung is now in the midst of distributing this month’s security release for the Galaxy S6 edge+ in the region. The upgrade — firmware version XXU3BPJ3 — transports patches for a total of 68 Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVE) in the Android OS and 7 dedicated fixes for the firm’s latest smartphones.

As we’ve come to expect from all Security Maintenance Releases (SMR), the update is being pushed out in stages — so don’t worry if you haven’t received a notification just yet prompting you to install the release. That being said, if you own a Galaxy S6 edge+, reside in Europe and would like to see if the OTA is ready for your unit, head into Settings » About Device » Download Updates Manually.

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Galaxy S6 and S7 owners complaining that Samsung Keyboard isn’t playing nice with the stock email client

Over the course of the past few days, reports have started to emerge on the Internet from Galaxy S6, Galaxy S6 edge, Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge owners claiming that they’re experiencing issues while composing emails within the stock application using the Samsung Keyboard.

“Whenever I try to type contractions like I’m it replaces the ‘ with ” and deletes any letters after automatically. It also changes words like autocorrect into aautocorret and three to ttree… Autoreplace, autocaps, autospace and autopunctuate are all turned off,” writes a user on the Android Central forums.

“I talked to support twice and had someone access my device remotely. I reset my keyboard settings and the issue is still present.” Another user corroborated the problem, but revealed that they were able to overcome it by using Google Keyboard as the input method.

Unfortunately, it’s currently unclear what’s causing the bug to occur, but seeing as it’s only affecting a small amount of people, we’re guessing that it’s a result of an unannounced server-side upgrade the firm is in the process of rolling out to either its keyboard offering or email client. Although, our money’s on the latter.

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Leading Chinese smartphone makers overtake Samsung’s global market share

Samsung’s facing increasing competition from Chinese smartphone manufacturers. For the first time ever, the combined production volume of three of the region’s top producers — Huawei, Oppo and Vivo — surpassed the South Korean company’s global smartphone market share during the July-September period.

Market research analyst IDC has revealed that Samsung manufactured 72.5 million devices in the third quarter, giving it a 20 percent market share (down 2.1 percent). On the other hand, the Chinese firms produced a total of 80.1 million units, which accounts for 22.1 percent (up 1.3 percent) of the global market.

The dip in Samsung’s share likely has something to do with the Galaxy Note 7 debacle as the company had to put a lot of resources into repairing, reproducing and redistributing over 2.5 million handsets — including unsold stock — following its first official recall back on Thursday, September 15.

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Samsung to start mass producing 15nm DRAM next year

Samsung will start mass producing its next-generation 15- and 16-nanometer (nm) DRAM in the second half of next year, reveals Business Korea. In addition, semiconductor industry sources have been cited saying that the manufacturer aims to make its 18nm DRAM chips account for 30 to 40 percent of its overall DRAM production by the same period of 2017.

By constantly ramping up its current 18nm DRAM yield, Samsung has been able to hold an unchallenged position in the global DRAM market. According to market researcher IHS, the firm had a 46.6 share in the second quarter of this year, which is mainly due to its main competitors not yet manufacturing 18nm chips. They’re on track to start in Q2 of 2017.

It’s a mystery how Samsung has been able to refine its DRAM process in such a short period of time. Chung Eun-seung, executive vice president of Samsung’s DS division, suggested early last year that the company would mass produce 10-nm class chip technology by 2020. However, if it maintains its current pace, it can expect to start by early 2019.

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Rose Gold SM-W2017 flagship flip phone emerges

Samsung’s flagship flip phone, codenamed Veyron, has been a project given great care and diligence intended for the Chinese market over the last few months. With the Veyron flagship flip phone receiving its FCC certification recently, the launch of this device could occur, literally, any day now. We’ve seen the SM-W2017 flagship flip phone appear in gold, but a new rose gold variant has emerged, making what could be the most elegant flip phone even more so.

The images, taken from Playfuldroid!, show the rose gold color of the keyboard when the phone is open, as well as the model number to confirm that the phone in question does exist. Interestingly enough, the Veyron clamshell flip phone has a second screen that comes alive when you close the phone. New photos show that Samsung intends to make the most of this secondary screen by way of an Always On Display, matching exactly what Samsung has showcased on the Galaxy S7, Galaxy S7 edge, and Galaxy Note 7 this year.

What makes this Veyron flip phone so appealing is twofold: first, there’s the desire of Samsung to take the old-school and make it cool again, and flip phones are still nostalgic for many of us who remember carrying them proudly (Motorola’s heyday RAZR phone days, anyone?). Additionally, the Veyron clamshell is not just any old flip phone: it’s a flip phone with high-end smartphone specs such as the Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 SoC, 4GB of RAM, 64GB of internal storage, 5MP front camera, 12MP back camera, and USB-Type C charging. These specs are the standard high-end specs for 2016, and, with the Korean giant’s desire to win the Chinese market, it shouldn’t surprise us to see Samsung woo customers with drooling specs.

This Rose Gold Veyron flip phone, or rather, this luxury variant, is expected to cost around $1,500USD when it’s announced — so Samsung may choose to make this a limited edition flip phone. I sure wish Samsung’s flagship flip phone (whether limited edition or not) would come stateside.

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Galaxy A3 (2017) receives Bluetooth certification

We’ve known for a little while now that Samsung is working on a third-generation variant of the Galaxy A3. The handset, dubbed the Galaxy A3 (2017), has already been spotted on the GFXBench online database and imported into India for testing. However, it’s now been granted Bluetooth certification, which leads us to believe that the South Koran company is in the final stages of acquiring the documentation it needs to launch a new smartphone. The final approval the device has to receive is from the FCC, then it will be able to hit the shelves.

Unfortunately, the Bluetooth certification paperwork doesn’t reveal anything new about the Galaxy A3 (2017). Recent leaks, rumors and speculation point towards the unit packing a 4.7-inch display, a 1.5GHz octa-core Qualcomm CPU, 2GB of RAM, 8GB of expandable flash memory, a 13MP rear-facing camera, an 8MP selfie shooter and a variety of internal sensors, including a pedometer and barometer. It’s also expected to ship running Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow, but will likely be on the list to receive the Android 7.0 Nougat update.

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Galaxy Note loyalism remains at 70% despite Note 7 fiasco, new study says

Apple CEO Tim Cook, like all company CEOs, will welcome all former Galaxy Note 7 customers who are thinking about making the switch, but there may not be much of a story to tell. According to a new study, Galaxy Note loyalism remains despite the Galaxy Note 7 recall worldwide.

Research firm Baystreet, in a recent note, has said that “We believe the vast majority (70%) will remain with Samsung and likely choose a Galaxy S7 device alternative,” and that “Note customers are also among Samsung’s most loyal.” As for how many Baystreet believes will switch, the firm says that “Our base case assumes roughly half of switchers (or 15% of total) will choose an iOS device, which equates to only a 200-300k increase to 4Q16 iPhone sales.” In other words, rival company CEOs may not want to “count the chickens” that will likely never hatch.

Galaxy Note (and Samsung) loyalism remains high according to reports from carriers. In the US, wireless carrier Sprint says that the majority of Note 7 switchers are opting for a Samsung Galaxy S7 or Galaxy S7 edge. Another study from a research firm says that Note 7 switchers are opting for the Galaxy S7 edge over its flat-paneled sibling (which makes sense in terms of its dual-edge design and edge functionality). The Galaxy S7 and S7 edge are more alike than ever, but Galaxy Note loyalists will never see the two as equals — and the compromises in switching from one Samsung device to another are too great for some.

Closer to home, over a million Galaxy Note 7 owners are still clinging to their devices despite the official recall, and our poll showed that 55% of our readers will keep their Galaxy Note 7 without fear of any potential consequences.

Are you a Galaxy Note loyalist? Still holding on to your Galaxy Note 7?

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You can now pre-order the Gear S3 classic and Gear S3 frontier in the UK

The Gear S3 classic and Gear S3 frontier are finally available to pre-order from Samsung’s official website in the UK. Both models carry a price tag of £349 ($425) and are expected to start arriving at customers’ doors on Friday, November 11.

In typical fashion, the manufacturer has also kicked off an introductory promotion to encourage people to pre-order a unit. The first 1,000 people to reserve themselves a Gear S3 will receive a complimentary pair of Level Active headphones.

If you reside in the UK, there’s a good chance you may have already pre-ordered the device through independent third-party retailer Mobile Fun, which started accepting reservations for the unit on its website a little over three weeks ago.

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Daily Deal: Score a $400 discount on this giant 75-inch TV from Samsung

If you want to buy a large screen TV for your living room, now is a good time. Samsung is offering its 75-inch 4K TV at a discount in the US. The UN75JU7100 from Samsung is currently being sold with a price tag of $2,797.99 on Amazon in the US, which over $400 lower than its earlier lowest price of $3200.

Samsung launched the UN75JU7100 last year, and it comes with a screen size of 75 inches and 4K resolution, which is enough to fill any living room. Moreover, it is a smart TV with a quad-core processor and a Smart Remote Control with a touchpad for easier navigation. Thanks to Smart View 2.0, you can cast media from your smartphone, tablet, or PC/laptop on this TV.

This TV scored 7.8 out of 10 on RTINGS.com, and the TV expert says that it is a great TV for gaming and that it offers great picture quality in bright as well as dark rooms. So, hit the source link below to grab this deal before time runs out.

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Galaxy A7 (2017) surfaces on AnTuTu, specs revealed

A couple of months ago we exclusively reported that Samsung has started working on the 2017 lineup of the Galaxy A3, Galaxy A5 and Galaxy A7. We’re gradually hearing more information about these handsets as the release draws near with each passing day. The Galaxy A series is due for a refresh as it has been nine months since the existing handsets were launched. The top-of-the-line model in this lineup will be the Galaxy A7 (2017). It has now surfaced on AnTuTu where some of the handset’s specs have been revealed.

According to the benchmark result, the Galaxy A7 (2017) is going to be powered by Samsung’s Exynos 7870 processor with Mali T830 graphics processor coupled with 3GB RAM and 64GB of internal storage. Previous reports have suggested that it’s going to have a bonkers 16-megapixel camera on the front, it’s actually going to have the same camera on both sides of the device. A 5.5 inch full HD Super AMOLED display is rumored for the Galaxy A7 (2017) as well. It’s unclear precisely when Samsung is planning to launch this smartphone but it’s quite likely that the Galaxy A7 (2017) will be out early next year.

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Blue Coral Galaxy S7 edge official pictures show just how gorgeous it is

Samsung is going all out on the Galaxy S7 and the Galaxy S7 edge now that it doesn’t have a new flagship to sell in the holiday season. One of the ways it’s going to try and bring in more customers is by offering a color option that was well received with the Galaxy Note 7. We first saw a leaked photo of the Blue Coral Galaxy S7 edge a couple of weeks ago and after confirming that it will be launched in November, Samsung today released the official photos of the Blue Coral Galaxy S7 edge.

It’s the same Galaxy S7 edge that we all know and love. There’s nothing different about the device itself other than the color and you’ve got to admit, the Galaxy S7 edge looks amazing in Blue Coral. The pictures come from Samsung Taiwan which confirms that the Blue Coral Galaxy S7 edge will be released in the country on November 1 for NT$24,900 ($790). Samsung Singapore confirmed last week that this handset will be released in the country on November 5.

It goes without saying that the company will gradually release the Blue Coral Galaxy S7 edge in additional markets across the globe in the coming weeks. Do check out the gorgeous handset in the official pictures posted below and let us know in the comments what you think about it.

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ARTIK Cloud application for the Gear S2 adjusts lights, talks to non-Samsung devices

We reported earlier this summer that Samsung had released its ARTIK Cloud application for the Gear S2 in Google’s Play Store, but a new video shows just how Samsung’s new ARTIK Cloud application will work between the Gear S2 and non-Samsung devices. In the video, the ARTIK cloud app allows the user to control the lights from the Samsung Gear S2 with just a tap (thanks to the new ARTIK Cloud Gear S2 app). The ARTIK Cloud app works with Samsung’s SmartThings to let you use voice commands to say, Amazon’s Echo (already SmartThings-compatible) to turn the lights on and off.

Samsung’s expansion of the ARTIK Cloud app to the Gear S2 shows just how big of a role Samsung expects its Gear smartwatch to play in the Internet of Things. The Korean giant has also filed a patent to allow you to use the Gear S2 for TV gesture control as well as starting your washer/dryer and air conditioner, among others. Finally, the Gear S2 could be used to control Gear VR with a turn of the rotating bezel on the Gear S2 and upcoming Gear S3, and this more recent Samsung patent indicates that the patent from 11 months ago is no patent for patent’s sake.

Samsung is heavily invested in the Internet of Things (IoT), a new platform that allows devices by different manufacturers to “talk to each other” and relay information about you from rival devices. Samsung has expanded its Smart Home platform with S-Voice to let you control other Samsung devices using the voice command, but for those who prefer Google Home, yes, Google Home will be compatible with SmartThings, too – out of the box. With this massive upcoming potential for Samsung’s Gear smartwatch series, it will quickly become the case that the Gear becomes a “Galaxy” of its own.

You can check out the Gear S2′s ARTIK Cloud app in action at the screenshots and video link below.

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Themes Thursday: Here are this week’s best themes for your Galaxy smartphone

We’re back with this week’s Themes Thursday, a place where we showcase the best themes released each week for Galaxy smartphones. Samsung has been releasing over 100 themes each week, and this week is no different. 105 new themes have been released in the Theme Store over the past seven days, and we’ve picked four themes that you might like.

The Pixel Theme mimics the look and feel of the UI on the newly released Pixel smartphones by Google. It uses rounded icons, dark quick setting toggles, and satellite-shot images for wallpapers and backgrounds. The Halloween Candy is one of the nicest Halloween themes around, thanks to well-designed yet quirky wallpaper and icons. The [MINU] Pixel Blue and [Kendi] Pix UI themes are good-looking too. Both of them have circular icons and excellent wallpapers. Needless to say, all these themes are paid.

If there is any other theme released this week that you liked, let us and other readers know in the comments section below.

Pixel Theme | Paid

Halloween Candy | Paid

[MINU] Pixel Blue | Paid

[Kendi] Pix UI | Paid

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Samsung says the Galaxy S8 will have a ‘slick design’ and ‘improved camera’

The news cycle has been dominated today by the fact that the Galaxy Note 7 has eviscerated Samsung mobile division’s profits but the company doesn’t want you to focus on that, it wants you to start getting excited about the Galaxy S8. One of the company’s top executives has revealed a nugget of information about Samsung’s next flagship smartphone which many are already looking forward to as it’s expected to bounce back from its Galaxy Note 7 woes with the Galaxy S8. Samsung Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong has said that the Galaxy S8 is going to have a “slick design” and an “improved camera.”

When Lee Jae-yong says something about the company’s next flagship smartphone, you listen. He’s the son of the ailing Samsung chairman and is widely believed to be the heir apparent. His board of directors nomination was approved by shareholders today in what is perceived to be a big move in the eventual succession to his father’s post.

That’s all he has said about the Galaxy S8 so far but it’s in line with what we’ve heard from the rumor mill. Samsung is expected to make huge hardware changes and the Galaxy S8 might also be the first smartphone from the company to feature a dual camera. Samsung has already ruled out the possibility of an early launch for the Galaxy S8 so we can expect it to be launched at Mobile World Congress 2017 in February.

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Daily Deal: Grab this Galaxy compatible wireless charging pad for just $15.99

As a part of our Daily Deals series, we bring you an interesting deal every day. If you own a Qi-compatible smartphone from Samsung or any other brand, you can have a look at this wireless charging pad that is being sold for just $14.99 today by Amazon.

The Qi-compatible wireless charging pad from HiveTech, which has a retail price of $59.99, is being sold on Amazon for $14.99 in the US. It features an attractive circular design. Apart from being compatible with Samsung smartphones like the Galaxy S6, Galaxy Note 5, and the Galaxy S7, it also works with any smartphone that comes with the Qi standard for wireless charging.

There’s an LED indicator on this wireless charger that displays the charging status of the device being charged. HiveTech is also offering an 18-month limited warranty and service with its wireless charging pad.

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Still holding on to a Galaxy Note 7? It’s just not worth it anymore

The Galaxy Note 7 could have done so much for Samsung. The ill-fated flagship had a lot of potential. When the handset was unveiled in August this year many suggested that it would turn out to be Samsung’s best-selling smartphone and would carry the impressive sales momentum set by the Galaxy S7 series. It all went south when reports started surfacing that the Galaxy Note 7′s battery was catching fire for no apparent reason.

Samsung investigated the reports and found that there was a battery cell issue in the batteries it was sourcing from one supplier, reportedly its own battery making division, so the company said that it would voluntarily replace all units and ship safe ones with batteries from another supplier. That should have been the end of it but alas, it wasn’t. Even replacement handsets that were meant to be safe started catching fire and it gradually became evident that Samsung would have to take the hit and cancel the Galaxy Note 7.

That’s precisely what the company did a couple of weeks ago. After countless reports of replacement units catching fire, Samsung decided that it could no longer risk hurting its brand value and that the Galaxy Note 7 had to be discontinued. The flagship is no longer being produced and will no longer be sold. Samsung has launched compensation programs to try and get people to turn in their Galaxy Note 7 but it’s not proving to be an easy task.

It was estimated that more than 2.5 million Galaxy Note 7 units were out there when Samsung announced that the handset is being discontinued. The company has been repeatedly calling on users to exchange their units for another Samsung smartphone or even for another manufacturer’s device. It’s just urging them to power down the Galaxy Note 7 and turn it in as soon as possible. Samsung has many loyal customers, and quite a few of them are being very loyal by sticking with a device that’s a potential fire hazard, nevermind the fact that they can’t actually travel with it anywhere because the Note 7 has been banned from airplanes, trains, and even trucks. According to a recent estimate, more than one million units are still being used despite repeated warnings by Samsung and consumer protection agencies.

One of the ways Samsung has been trying to nudge users in the right direction is by rolling out a software update for the Galaxy Note 7 that limits battery charge to 60 percent. Samsung says that this is a precautionary measure as it reduces the odds of the battery catching fire, that doesn’t mean users should consider 60 percent to be the new normal and continue using their device. The update was first rolled out in Australia and will now be released in Europe and South Korea later this week.

Two weeks ago we conducted a poll and asked our readers if they are planning on keeping their Galaxy Note 7. Unsurprisingly, 55 percent of those who voted said that they are keeping the device and don’t care about the consequences while 32 percent said that they have returned it. Only 13 percent said they won’t use the device but will keep it as memorabilia. Some of the points that our readers raised in the comments section are interesting, to say the least.

Many Galaxy Note 7 owners said that they haven’t experienced any issues with their unit, they’ve never even felt that the device was overheating. They recognize that the Galaxy Note 7 is a great smartphone and despite the fact that it has no future, they’re adamant about using it no matter what happens. While that sort of loyalty is commendable, it’s most certainly risky as well.

Samsung is still not sure what caused the replacement units to catch fire so some are still holding on to their units until there’s more information about the cause. They will only make a decision to participate in the recall once there’s more clarity on the cause but who knows how long that’s going to take. Samsung has vowed to keep investigating and it will make the results public when some concrete evidence is found.

Those who have returned the Galaxy Note 7 have done so with a heavy heart, but they respect the decision Samsung made to discontinue the device as reports of units catching fire were coming in consistently and since the company didn’t know the root cause it could do nothing to fix it. Samsung was only going to sit idle for so long and watch its latest flagship go up in flames while it was castrated in the media for putting its customers at risk. It had to make that painful decision so they respect the company for it and have taken part in the recall.

Samsung’s priority right now is to get all Galaxy Note 7 units off the street and rightly so. The handset can catch fire unexpectedly and with such intensity that it can cause serious damage. I believe those who are still holding on to one are being reckless just because they think that the odds are in their favor. They are willing to put their safety and that of their loved ones at risk only because they think it won’t happen to their unit while we all know that there’s no way to be completely sure of that.

If there are still a lot of holdouts after it finally reaches a conclusion as to what caused the units to catch fire, Samsung might have to take some drastic steps. One of the steps that we can expect the company to take is to halt security and firmware updates for the Galaxy Note 7. Those who keep on holding to their unit may have to continue using it on outdated software and that’s really not a good thing. Samsung also has the option to remotely disable the Galaxy Note 7 so that it’s nothing but an expensive paperweight. The company hasn’t talked about taking any such steps so far but it may be pushed to do so when Galaxy Note 7 holdouts refuse to budge and it just wants to be done with the ill-fated flagship once and for all. The longer they keep using it the harder it will become to hold Samsung accountable should something go horribly wrong as a result of the Galaxy Note 7 catching fire. Samsung has reiterated multiple times what users should do and if they choose to ignore its warnings until something bad happens, who do you think will have a stronger position?

So if you’re one of those users I personally think you should listen to what Samsung has reiterated time and again now and take part in the replacement program. There’s going to be a new Note flagship next year so it’s not like this is going to be the end of Samsung’s phablet lineup. Recognize the fact that there is a world beyond the Galaxy Note 7 and that it’s just not worth it anymore.

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Samsung still market leader despite Galaxy Note 7 woes in the third quarter

Samsung announced its third fiscal quarter earnings today and it truly became evident just how much financial damage the Galaxy Note 7 recall has caused. The handset had the potential of further extending Samsung’s lead in the mobile market but unfortunately its potential can never be realized. Nevertheless, despite its Galaxy Note 7 woes, Samsung remained the leader in the global smartphone market this past quarter. Latest data from research firm International Data Corporation shows that smartphone vendors shipped a total of 362.9 million units worldwide in the third quarter with Samsung accounting for 20 percent of all shipments.

Data shows that Samsung shipped 72.5 million units in the third quarter which gave it a 20 percent share in the global smartphone market this past quarter. The company’s shipments declined 3.3 percent from the same time last year when it shipped 83.8 million units to command 23.3 percent of the market. Despite the recall and all of the negative publicity associated with the Galaxy Note 7, IDC finds that continued sales of the Galaxy S7 and the Galaxy S7 edge helped maintain volumes for Samsung. The affordable Galaxy J series also played its part in driving volumes in both developed and emerging markets.

Samsung is still far ahead of its rivals when it comes to unit shipments. Apple retained its second place on the list with shipments of 45.5 million units in the third quarter to clinch 12.5 percent of the market. It’s followed by Huawei, Oppo and Vivo in the remaining top 5 places with 9.3 percent, 7.0 percent and 5.8 percent of the market respectively.

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Samsung’s Galaxy Note 7 investigation will go beyond batteries

Samsung’s Galaxy Note 7 investigation will go beyond batteries, reveals Reuters. The South Korean company will examine every aspect of the faulty handset, including hardware, software and the manufacturing process to pinpoint the specific cause of the fires that led to it being forced to issue a second of recall all units in circulation and discontinue the device.

During a shareholder meeting held on Thursday, Samsung Co-Chief Executive J.K. Shin announced that the firm had distributed 1.47 million replacement models of the Galaxy Note 7 following its first official recall on September, 15. Since then it has been able to obtain 90 of the 119 devices involved in a fire, of which 55 have already been identified to be relevant to a battery issue.

It’s not only Samsung looking into the root cause of the Galaxy Note 7 explosions, though. The South Korean government is also conducting its own probe on five units that were involved in explosions in the country. The research is being conducted in the Korea Testing Laboratory, where X-rays and tomography are being used to determine exactly what caused the handsets to burst into flames.

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Sprint variant of the Galaxy J3 (2017) receives Bluetooth certification

On Tuesday, the long-rumored Galaxy J3 (2017) passed through the United States of America’s official certification authority, the FCC, and now a Sprint-branded variant of the handset has been granted Bluetooth certification in the region, which leads us to believe that Samsung is in the final stages of gathering the documentation required to launch a new smartphone on the open market.

The Sprint model of the Galaxy J3 (2017) that surfaced on the official Bluetooth SIG website earlier today carries the same model number as the device that made a pitstop at the FCC — SM-J327P. Unfortunately, the certification paperwork doesn’t reveal anything new about the unit, so the only information we have with regards to its specifications comes from a week-old listing on a benchmark database.

If the Geekbench entry is anything to go by — and they’re usually pretty reliable — it looks like the Galaxy J3 (2017) will pack a 5-inch display, a 1.4GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 430 processor, 2GB RAM, an 8MP rear-facing camera, a 5MP selfie shooter and a 2,600mAh battery. It’s also expected to ship running Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow, but will likely be on the list to receive the Android 7.0 Nougat update.

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Samsung to invest $24 billion in production facilities for its display and semiconductor business

Samsung has today revealed that it’s going to spend the remainder of the year focusing on growing its display and semiconductor business by investing a record 27 trillion won ($24 billion) in production facilities. It’s believed that around half of the money will be dedicated to beefing up the assembly of V-NAND flash memory chips and upgrading the production lines, while the remainder will be used to maximize the yield of flexible organic light-emitting displays (OLED).

This news comes shortly after the South Korean company reported that its third-quarter operating profit had been slashed by 29.7 percent to 5.2 trillion won ($4.5 billion) from a year ago, which is primarily due to the safety concerns surrounding the Galaxy Note 7 and its decision to discontinue the device following repeated reports of units spontaneously bursting into flames. Revenue also fell 7.4 percent to 47.8 trillion won ($41.9 billion).

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Here’s what Samsung will do to bounce back from one of its worst quarters yet

There’s no sugarcoating the fact that Q3 2016 turned out to be one of Samsung’s worst quarters. It actually had the potential to be one of the company’s best quarters but then the Galaxy Note 7 happened and the rest, as they say, is history. Samsung’s mobile division saw its operating profit drop to the lowest level since the fourth quarter of 2008 as it barely avoided its first-ever loss. It weighed on the company’s overall profit which is at a two-year low itself.

So how does Samsung bounce back from here and improve performance in the fourth quarter for which it has already forecasted a $3 billion hit due to missed sales of the Galaxy Note 7? It’s going to go all out on the Galaxy S7 and the Galaxy S7 edge. Samsung will continue to push the 2016 flagship and expects that it will help recover the mobile division’s earnings “to a similar level with that of the fourth quarter of 2015.” Samsung posted revenues of KRW 53 trillion ($44 billion) and operating profit of KRW 6.14 trillion ($5.1 billion) in the fourth quarter of last year. Samsung expects smartphone and tablet demand to increase in the fourth quarter due to the holiday season.

Samsung’s plan for 2017 involves expanding sales of new flagship products that will be launched with “differentiated design and innovative features,” it also points to regaining consumers’ confidence as one of the objectives for next year. Samsung will play on its strengths by enhancing software services like Knox, Samsung Pay and other cloud-related and artificial intelligence-related services. Samsung “anticipates” a turnaround next year as it launches new flagship smartphones and also expands Samsung Pay to additional markets across the globe.

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Samsung shareholders approve heir apparent’s board membership

Samsung formally appointed heir apparent Lee Jae-yong for a seat on the company’s board of directors about a month ago. Currently the vice chairman, he also happens to be the son of ailing Samsung Chairman Kun-Hee Lee and is widely believed to take on a more prominent role in one of the biggest companies on the planet before eventually being elevated to his father’s position. An extraordinary general meeting of shareholders was called by Samsung on the very same day it announced its third quarter financial results. The meeting was attended by nearly 400 people including individual shareholders and institutional investors.

Shareholders approved Lee Jae-yong’s board membership through a show of hands. He is the first member of the Lee family to join the board in nearly eight years so it’s a significant moment for the company as well as Samsung’s founding family which still maintains a tight grip on the conglomerate despite its single-digit ownership stake. As a member of the board, the heir apparent will have sway over top management and strategic decisions which include but are not limited to asset sales, restructurings and mergers.

One of the biggest challenges the younger Lee faces immediately is an open proposal by activist investor hedge Elliott Management that’s calling for Samsung Electronics to be split into two, add independent directors and even dole out a special dividend of $27 billion to shareholders. Market analysts suggest that the scion is going to speed up restructuring efforts at the company, his plans for Samsung will only become evident once he starts making some big decisions.

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Samsung will make ‘significant changes’ to quality assurance processes after the Galaxy Note 7 fiasco

The entire Galaxy Note 7 fiasco has raised some serious questions about quality assurance processes over at Samsung. Many accepted the first recall since recalls are not an anomaly and happen in every business, but when Samsung said that the replacement devices were safe and they started catching fire as well, it really made the company look bad aside from all the financial damage that it caused.

Samsung does have to come together and ensure that this never happens again. Its brand value has already suffered a lot as a result of the Galaxy Note 7′s recall and subsequent discontinuation. It recognizes that fact and soon be taking some important steps. The company has said in a press release that it’s going to make “significant changes” in the quality assurance processes to make sure that it only puts out safe and reliable products so that customers’ confidence can be regained. Samsung did not go into the details of what further steps it will be taking to ensure safety and reliability.

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Samsung Pay Canada launch expected early next month

Just yesterday, Samsung said that it’s going to expand Samsung Pay to three new countries by the end of this year but there are still some that it has named but hasn’t expanded its mobile payment service to yet. However, it appears that Samsung Pay might go live in Canada in the very near future, possibly early next month. Twitter user Saifali Maknojiya asked Samsung customer service through the built-in app about when Samsung Pay would be launched in Canada, a representative for the company said that it will be available in the country from the first week of November.

Samsung already confirmed earlier this year that Samsung Pay will be launched in Canada at some point in 2016 so it’s not like people are not already waiting for it there. The Samsung representative said that Samsung Pay will first be launched with support for CIBC Visa cards in Canada and it can’t be said for sure right now how long it would take for other Canadian banks and payment providers to get onboard. Samsung Canada is yet to officially confirm this so we do await official word on Samsung Pay’s Canada launch.

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Samsung’s third quarter results show the Galaxy Note 7 eviscerated mobile division’s profit

Samsung’s earnings guidance prior to the Galaxy Note 7′s demise suggested that the company would carry the momentum forward from its record-breaking second quarter as the new flagship looked poised for success. Then the Galaxy Note 7 had to be discontinued and Samsung later had to revise its guidance to show an immediate impact of about $2.3 billion. Samsung today released its full third quarter earnings and we now get a clear picture of just how devastating the Galaxy Note 7 has been for the company’s operating profit.

In line with its earnings guidance, Samsung’s revenue for the third quarter ended September 30 2016 was KRW 47.82 trillion ($41.9 billion). a 7.5 percent decline of about KRW 3.87 trillion ($3.4 billion). The company today posted its worst operating profit in two years. Samsung Electronics posted KRW 5.2 trillion ($4.5 billion) in operating profit which is a decline of 30 percent year-over-year.

The true impact of the Galaxy Note 7′s discontinuation is evident in the operating profit posted by Samsung’s mobile division. It posted an operating profit of only KRW 100 billion ($87.8 million), a staggering decline of 95 percent and the lowest it has posted in almost eight years. Samsung says that its mobile business saw earnings decrease significantly due to the effects of the Galaxy Note 7′s discontinuation but points out that shipments remained solid due to “continued stable sales” of the Galaxy S7 and the Galaxy S7 edge, it also saw steady growth in the mid-range segment with the Galaxy A and Galaxy J series.

 

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Samsung Z2 is now available via Flipkart and Snapdeal in India

Trying to get their new Samsung Z2 into as many pockets in India as possible, Samsung has teamed up with popular e-commerce companies Flipkart and Snapdeal. The Tizen-based smartphone is priced at Rs. 4,590 ($70) but customers can take advantage of the early ‘Diwali’ sale that Flipkart has going on. With this deal, Axis Bank Buzz credit card users will receive a 5% discount and users of both credit and debit cards from Citibank will receive a 15% cashback bonus. Snapdeal has a trade-in offer for your older smartphones. Both companies will sell the black and gold variants of the Samsung Z2. Additionally, the Z2 can also be purchased on Amazon India and Paytm.

Launched back in August, the Samsung Z2 has a 480 x 800 4 inch TFT display, a 1.5 GHz quad-core Spreadtrum processor with 1GB of RAM and 8GB of internal memory that can be expanded via micro SD. Fueling the device is a 1500 mAh removable battery that will get you up to 8 hours of talk time and up to 50 hours on standby. The Samsung Z2 has a 5-megapixel rear camerae with flash and a 0.3 megapixel front-facing camera. In addition, the Z2 is 4G LTE enabled and has VoLTE support for voice calls, making it the only Tizen-based smartphone to have these capabilities. Check out our full review of the Samsung Z2 if you’re interested in finding out more about this handset.

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Leaked Galaxy A5 (2017) renders hint at design changes

We exclusively confirmed about two months ago that Samsung is working on the 2017 iteration of the Galaxy A3, Galaxy A5 and Galaxy A7. The first dubious images of the metal shell meant for the Galaxy A5 (2017) surfaced soon after our report. Today, purported CAD renders of the Galaxy A5 (2017) have been leaked online which hint at some design changes that Samsung might make.

The existing Galaxy A5 (2016) has a design that’s partly similar to the Galaxy Note 4 as it has flared corners and scalloped sides and partly to the Galaxy S6 as both handsets look quite familiar from the back. These leaked renders suggest that the Galaxy A5 (2017)’s design will actually be quite similar to that of the Galaxy S7 and it will even have the same rounded edges on the back.

Samsung’s next mid-range handset is said to have a 5.2-inch display, measuring in at 145 x 71 x 7.8 mm, if that really is the case then the Galaxy A5 (2017) will be almost identical to the existing handset in terms of size. It’s also said that the Galaxy A5 (2017) is going to have a completely flush camera lens as well as a side-mounted speaker.

As far as the specs are concerned, sightings of the Galaxy A5 (2017) suggest that it will be powered by Samsung’s Exynos 7880 processor with 3GB RAM, 16GB internal storage and a 3,000mAh battery. Samsung is expected to launch the 2017 Galaxy A series at some point early next year.

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Wallpaper Wednesday: Scenery

Welcome to the latest edition of Wallpaper Wednesday. This week we’re focusing our attention on five scenic backgrounds. All images are available in a FHD resolution, which is a perfect fit for the Galaxy S7, Galaxy S7 edge, Galaxy Note 5 and other flagships, but they can, of course, be used on different smartphones too.

If any of the following images float your boat and you want to download and set one as your wallpaper, simply tap on a photo to maximise it, then click and hold to save it. Once the picture is stored locally, open up Settings, locate and select Wallpaper, then just tap the newly-saved image to set it as your background.

Alternatively, you can download a ZIP file containing all of this week’s backdrops by hitting the Download button at the very bottom of this post.

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Bridge

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Desert

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Iceberg

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Sea View

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Skyline

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Download

Note: We’ve tried our best to identify the creators of all of the wallpapers featured in this week’s column. However, the images appear to lack copyright information, artist signatures or any real trace of origin. If you created a wallpaper we’ve posted and would like credit, or would rather we remove the image, kindly contact us.

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