Samsung will not supply the batteries for the Tesla Model 3

Yesterday, a report was published online by Electrek claiming that Tesla Motors recently took delivery of a large quantity of battery cells produced by Samsung SDI. This resulted in a fluctuation of the stock market as Samsung’s shares firmly rose, while Panasonic’s faced a decline. Now, however, co-founder and CEO of Tesla Motors, Elon Musk, has taken to his Twitter page to reveal that the firm hasn’t signed for 120 tons of Samsung SDI 18650 batteries. Instead, the automotive giant has inked a contract to work exclusively with Panasonic for all for Model 3 cells.

Would like to clarify that Tesla is working exclusively with Panasonic for Model 3 cells. News articles claiming otherwise are incorrect.

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 8, 2016

Speaking to The Verge, a Tesla spokesperson revealed that the company “works with all the leading battery suppliers around the world, [but] Panasonic has been [its] battery cell supplier throughout the Model S and Model X programs,” so it makes perfect sense for the car manufacturer to be “working very closely with Panasonic to ramp up battery cell production at the Gigafactory for Model 3″ as there’s no need to alter a partnership that’s proved to be extremely effective in the past.

from SamMobile http://ift.tt/1tglcoD
via IFTTT

Rikers Island prison inmates in the US get the Galaxy Tab S2 for education and rehabilitation

Tablets are mostly used for content consumption and entertainment purposes by consumers, but prison inmates from Rikers Island in the US are being offered Galaxy Tab S2 tablets for their education and rehabilitation. The inmates can use educational and vocational apps, read e-books, prepare for upcoming court cases, and in some cases communicate with family members using the provided Galaxy Tab S2. All of this is being done while keeping the prison safe for the inmates.

Christopher Grewe, the CEO and founder of American Prison Data Systems (APDS) said that they’ve developed special enclosures for the Galaxy Tab S2, which make them safer than usual pen-and-paper solution or even computers with mice and keyboards. These tablets can be controlled remotely, have a custom web browser, and are secured by AirWatch’s Mobile Device Management solution. APDS settled for Android tablets because they are more customizable compared to iOS-based iPads.

The Galaxy Tab S2 provided to the inmates are connected to the Internet using Verizon’s 4G LTE cellular data network, but Wi-Fi has been disabled for security purpose. It is being reported that most of the inmates who used these tablets reacted positively, and their behavior was improved, especially younger inmates who were addicted to texting, listening to music, and playing games before they were sent to the Rikers Island prison.

from SamMobile http://ift.tt/25LsYEJ
via IFTTT

Samsung rolls out Android Wear 1.5 update for the Gear Live

Samsung is in the midst of rolling out a minor software update to all Gear Live units located in Asia, Europe, North America and South America. The upgrade, which is referred to in the industry as Android Wear 1.5, doesn’t bring any notable new features to the unit. Instead, it’s targeted at patching any issues that occurred when users installed the Android Wear 1.4 OTA that the firm started distributing back in February. Thankfully, it does appear to have addressed a very annoying bug that resulted in new notifications not being pushed to the wearable in real-time.

I have to say; it’s great to see Samsung updating a two-year-old watch with even the most minor of updates. At present, it’s unclear if the unit will receive the long-awaited Android Wear 2.0 overhaul, which will carry a whole host of new features, including a redesigned navigation interface and revamped music controls. Although, it does look promising as the Gear Live’s hardware is more than capable of running the OS. It all boils down to whether the South Korean company believes there’s enough demand to warrant the time needed to adapt the software for use on the device.

from SamMobile http://ift.tt/1VLBK2Q
via IFTTT

Samsung to launch its mobile payment platform in Australia on June 15

Samsung has today started sending out invitations to an event it’s holding in Australia on Wednesday, June 15. It’s believed that the company will use the conference as an opportunity to launch its mobile payment platform, Samsung Pay, in the region, and will provide attendees with a hands-on demonstration of the technology at work, which is something it failed to do when it rolled out compatibility in Spain last week.

As you’d expect, the Galaxy S6, Galaxy S6 edge, Galaxy S6 edge+, Galaxy S6 Active, Galaxy S7, Galaxy S7 edge and Galaxy Note 5 will be compatible for Samsung Pay. However, Samsung is expected to introduce support for a handful of its most recent mid-range smartphones, which are selling better than expected in Australia, including the Galaxy A5 (2016) and Galaxy A7 (2016). Although, nothing has been confirmed as of yet.

from SamMobile http://ift.tt/22OeXV8
via IFTTT

Samsung launches TV Plus service in Thailand and Vietnam

Samsung has launched its virtual TV channel service, TV Plus, in Thailand and Vietnam. TV Plus was first launched in the company’s homeland South Korea in October. It was met with success with an impressive user retention rate of 80 percent, after which Samsung had announced that it will launch TV Plus in more Asian markets in South East Asia.

TV Plus, which is available on Samsung’s Tizen-based smart TVs, basically emulates the user experience of a regular satellite or set-top box based TV where users can flip through various channels. The service consists of a wide variety of video content ranging from music videos to information to travel.

Samsung is not only focussing on improving picture quality on its TVs but also focussing on the software part as well as content that’s available for its users. The company is expected to move to QLED technology, which is said to offer better performance than LCD or OLED displays, for its next-generation premium TVs in the next two years.

#TVPLUS now available in Thailand and Vietnam #SmartTV http://pic.twitter.com/WXdSUHLYu0

— Samsung Electronics (@SamsungNewsroom) June 8, 2016

from SamMobile http://ift.tt/1ZwscYC
via IFTTT

Samsung Galaxy Tab E LTE with 8-inch display now available in Canada

Samsung’s latest affordable 8-inch tablet with cellular connectivity, the Galaxy Tab E LTE, is now available in Canada through Bell, Rogers, and Telus. You can purchase the LTE-compatible unlocked tablet through any of the aforementioned carrier stores in the country for $289.99.

The Galaxy Tab E LTE (SM-T377W) features an 8-inch WXGA (1280×800 pixels) LCD display, a 1.3GHz quad-core processor, 1.5GB of RAM, 16GB internal storage, a microSD card slot, and a 5,000 mAh battery. It also sports a 5-megapixel primary camera with 720p video recording and a 2-megapixel front-facing camera.

The LTE variant of the Galaxy Tab E 8.0 runs Android 6.0.1 and has a Nano-SIM card slot for cellular connectivity. Other connectivity features include dual-band Wi-Fi b/g/n, Wi-Fi Direct, Bluetooth 4.0, GPS (with GLONASS), and a microUSB 2.0 port. Samsung also sells the Galaxy Tab E LITE 7″ and the Galaxy Tab E 9.6″ in Canada.

from SamMobile http://ift.tt/216DseJ
via IFTTT

US customers, you can now pre-order the Gear Fit 2 from your favorite online retailer

The Gear Fit 2 brings some advantages to the table as opposed to its direct predecessor, namely 1) in-built GPS and 2) its Android 4.4 KitKat/ smartphone compatibility, but the device is only available for pre-order now. The pre-order timeframe is an excellent one for customers because, usually, you can find a more affordable price on a given item as well as secure the item before other world customers have access to it.

US customers have had to order the device through Samsung initially, but your favorite online retailer, Amazon, is now ready to get your business. Amazon is ordering the Gear Fit 2 for the same price as Samsung: $179.99.

The $179.99 Gear Fit 2 features a 1.5-inch, curved Super AMOLED display with a 216 x 432p screen resolution, Samsung’s homegrown, 1Ghz, dual-core Exynos 3250 processor, 512MB of RAM, 4GB of storage, 200mAh battery that gives between 2-4 days of use, IP68 water and dust resistance, as well as a barometer, gyroscope, heart rate monitor, and the most updated Bluetooth LE version (4.2). The Gear Fit 2 comes in three colors (black, blue, and pink) but is only available in black and blue at Amazon. If you don’t want to order from Amazon or really want a pink color, other online retailers B&H Photo, Best Buy, and, of course, Samsung, all have the pink Gear Fit 2 available for pre-order.

The Gear Fit 2, in addition to these specifications, works with Android smartphones that have Android 4.4 KitKat or higher (Android Lollipop or Marshmallow will also work) as well as at least 1.5GB of RAM. As Samsung has done with its Gear S2 smartwatch, the company has taken the same play out of its compatibility playbook to bring its second-generation fitness band to the masses. Samsung will release its Gear Fit 2 worldwide for direct order on Friday, June 10th, the same day as the company releases the Galaxy S7 Active worldwide.

If you’re ready to pre-order, head on over to Amazon and do your thing. Then, come back here and let us know which color you picked up and why you decided Samsung’s next little thing is your next big thing.

from SamMobile http://ift.tt/1UdvlMD
via IFTTT

Samsung delivers a large quantity of batteries to Tesla Motors

Electrek is reporting that Tesla Motors recently took delivery of large quantities of battery cells from Samsung SDI, following which shares of the latter firm rose sharply while the price of Panasonic’s shares fell. Samsung SDI declined to confirm whether a deal with Tesla is underway.

A bill of landing confirms that 120 tons of Samsung SDI 18650 battery cells were delivered to Tesla Motors recently. The electric car company currently has a long-term partnership with Panasonic and deal with LG Chem for its Roadster 3.0 upgrade batteries. However, the company might be trying to diversify its supply chain, similar to most big automobile manufacturers.

Samsung is currently working with various car brands including Audi and SEAT. The South Korean tech giant has also created a task force to develop chips for self-driving cars and is establishing partnerships with German automakers to improve its position in the smart car market. Moreover, the company is also modifying its own race track to test autonomous cars.

from SamMobile http://ift.tt/1X92ET4
via IFTTT

Galaxy Note 6 may not come with Android N pre-installed

There have been a lot of rumors and reports concerning Samsung’s next flagship handset. It’s believed that the Galaxy Note 6 is going to be among the first devices to come with Android N pre-installed, however, a leaked user agent profile of the handset makes it seem that it may not be running Android N straight out of the box. Google may have officially announced its next major Android release but it’s yet to give it a moniker, it’s actually crowdsourcing suggestions and will make a decision over the next couple of months.

The user agent profile of Galaxy Note 6 model SM-N930A has leaked online and it shows that the device is running Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow. If it was going to come with Android N one would have expected that Samsung would be testing the device with Android N developer builds but this profile makes it seem like that’s not the case. This could very well mean that the Galaxy Note 6 will come with Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow out of the box, particularly when the device is expected to be out in the first week of August.

It’s not even known for sure yet if Samsung is going to call its next flagship the Galaxy Note 6. There have been a lot of conflicting reports lately about the name of this device, many believe that Samsung is going to skip a number and call it the Galaxy Note 7 instead.

from SamMobile http://ift.tt/1t5vuHy
via IFTTT

Leak suggests Samsung’s next flagship will indeed be called the Galaxy Note 7

We’re a couple of months away from the launch of Samsung’s next flagship handset and there are conflicting reports about the name of this device. Many predictably believe that since the Galaxy Note 5 was released last year it’s only natural that this year’s phablet will be called the Galaxy Note 6. However, several reports have contradicted this, saying that Samsung will call it the Galaxy Note 7 instead to bring it in line with the premium persona it created with the Galaxy S7.

A new leak has emerged from China which hints at the possibility of Samsung’s next flagship being called the Galaxy Note 7. The image doesn’t reveal anything else so it’s best to take it with a grain of salt, for now, it’s not like faking something like this is terribly hard. There have also been rumors that perhaps the edge variant of the next flagship will be called Galaxy Note 7, but it’s all speculation at this point. Samsung hasn’t confirmed anything officially as yet. The next Galaxy Note flagship is expected to be unveiled in early August.

from SamMobile http://ift.tt/24vVCau
via IFTTT

Video Experts from ARRI preferred Samsung’s Quantum Dot SUHD TVs

Samsung recently displayed its latest Quantum Dot SUHD TVs at the Korean International Broadcast, Audio, and Lighting Equipment Show (KOBA) 2016 that was held in Seoul from May 24-27. ARRI, a German firm that’s famous for making great cameras and lighting equipment, preferred Samsung’s SUHD TVs to display clarity of its newest cameras.

ARRI chose SUHD TVs to showcase performance of its high-end cinema-grade cameras as they are HDR compatible. Samsung’s HDR TVs can show bright parts of the images brighter (up to 1000 nits) and the dark areas darker, maximizing visual effects by adjusting the contrasts in brightness. It is also being reported that the South Korean TV giant may release next-generation QLED TVs in two years.

“It was a chronic problem in the video industry since the available displays often failed to reveal what was filmed through high-end cameras,” said Kim Tae-Jung, Business Development Manager, ARRI Asia. “Since quality video content is our priority, we choose the Quantum Dot SUHD TV (for our displays at the exhibit),” said Paul Ivan, Managing Director of ARRI Asia. “I am confident that the KOBA 2016 visitors must have felt the unmatched performance of the ARRI cameras through the Quantum Dot SUHD TV.”

from SamMobile http://ift.tt/1UwpaPC
via IFTTT

SamMobile Premium May giveaway winners

May is over, and we have selected the winners of the month’s SamMobile Premium giveaway! Samsung’s wearable devices were part of our prizes for last month, including the Gear S2 Classic, the Gear VR, and the Gear 360. Who got lucky? Well, here are the winners for May 2016!

• Gear S2 classic
  Username: kumarg
  Country: Kuwait
• Gear VR
  Username: vadesh
  Country: United States
• Gear 360
  Username: dempic
  Country: The Netherlands

For June, the same prizes will be given away. How do we choose the winners? We count all our Premium and Supporter subscription members and use random.org to pick the winners. Didn’t win this month? Well, there’s always a next time!

Note to the winners: Please make sure to check your email. If you don’t receive a message from us, kindly contact us through the contact page.

from SamMobile http://ift.tt/1U5GKwJ
via IFTTT

Samsung plans to focus on a bunch of little things to push the ‘Next Big Thing’

Samsung’s marketing strategy revolved around the ‘Next Big Thing‘ for a few years now, but the company plans to change that to maintain its leading position in the slowing smartphone market. Marc Mathieu, chief marketing officer for Samsung’s North American operations, says that the company plans to focus on a bunch of little things.

The company’s new marketing campaign focuses on four “collections:” Go, Explore, Create and Move, that people do every day. ‘Go’ revolves around devices like the Gear S2 and features such as Samsung Pay, while ‘Explore’ highlights how devices like the Gear VR and Gear 360 work in tandem with the Galaxy S7. The company released two new products, the Gear Fit 2 and the Gear Icon X, last week as a part of its ‘Move’ strategy.

“It’s recognizing the phone is in the center of an ecosystem of other products and services and even experiences powered by the phone. To market the totality of our ecosystem, we needed to cut it into pieces that make sense to consumers,” Mathieu said in an interview at Samsung’s Gear Fit 2 launch.

It is important for Samsung to keep the sales momentum going by not just selling smartphones and tablets but to influence consumers to buy other stuff such as fitness trackers, smartwatches, and 360-degree cameras. The company is also running promotional offers and bundles, and it will continue to do so throughout the year. The whole idea is to show how the company’s phone becomes more than just a phone when paired with these new devices.

from SamMobile http://ift.tt/1Y5BQCs
via IFTTT

June security patch for Samsung devices detailed

Google now releases monthly security patches for Android to ensure that its users remain safe. Many of its OEM partners have gone down a similar road and they also release monthly security patches, Samsung happens to be one of them. The company today posted the details of its upcoming patch, it includes all patches up to the latest Google Security Bulletin – June 2016 package, aside from some fixes that Samsung itself has made.

Samsung sends out this patch as a maintenance release for its major flagship models. Along with Google patches, nine Samsung vulnerabilities and exposures have been addressed in this latest release, to ensure that the safety of Samsung devices remains top notch. Each of the nine items is detailed on the company’s official security blog.

from SamMobile http://ift.tt/1PfEUVN
via IFTTT

Samsung may release QLED TVs in two years

Business Korea is reporting that Samsung may release its QLED TVs in two years and that it will be the company’s choice for its next-generation high-end televisions. Samsung Display, the company’s display technology development arm, has stopped research and development of LCD displays. The company has also stressed that it won’t release OLED TVs anytime soon as it favors QLED technology.

Samsung’s current-generation Quantum Dot SUHD TVs require a separate backlight to illuminate pixels, but the upcoming QLED technology combines quantum dots with OLEDs, so they don’t need the backlight. Moreover, QLED panels have a longer life cycle and lower production costs than OLED panels.

Jason Hartlove, CEO of Nanosys, the number one quantum dot producer in the world, also said, “We are currently developing quantum dot materials to be used in QLED. QLED TVs with quantum dot technology will be released in three to five years.” It will be interesting to see how LG’s OLED TVs perform in comparison to Samsung’s upcoming QLED TVs.

from SamMobile http://ift.tt/1PD5n5f
via IFTTT

Samsung Galaxy S7 edge Injustice Edition price in Russia revealed

Samsung launched the Galaxy S7 edge Injustice Edition late last month. This limited edition handset is going to be available in a handful of countries which include China, Korea, Russia, Singapore, and countries in Latin America. A report out of Russia claims to reveal the Galaxy S7 edge Injustice Edition price in Russia.

Samsung has partnered with Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment to create this limited edition smartphone. It’s inspired by DC superhero Batman and features an exclusive black and gold color combination, as well as a gold-colored Bat-Signal on the back. It ships with special packaging which contains a gold-plated Batarang, a Gear VR headset, and a special edition case for the handset that takes inspiration from Batman’s armor. A special edition theme is included as well. According to the report, the Galaxy S7 edge Injustice Edition price in Russia has been set at 79,990 rubles ($1,220) and sales are slated to begin on June 17.

from SamMobile http://ift.tt/1PD562b
via IFTTT

Bloomberg: Samsung may release two new smartphones with bendable screens in 2017

We were the first ones to report that Samsung is working on a new smartphone codenamed Project Valley with a bendable display. Now, Bloomberg is reporting that the South Korean smartphone giant may release two new smartphones with bendable screens in 2017.

According to the report, Samsung’s flagship smartphones will use bendable OLED displays next year. One of these smartphones can be folded into half like a cosmetic compact, while the other will have a 5-inch display when used as a smartphone or an 8-inch display when used as a tablet. Bloomberg expects Samsung to announce one or both these bendable smartphones in February next year during MWC, which will give the company a head-start on Apple’s first iPhone with an OLED display that may be released in the second half of 2017.

Samsung has already acquired a number of patents required to develop and release bendable smartphones. Moreover, Bloomberg also reports that Samsung doesn’t plan to market its bendable Project Valley smartphones under its Galaxy S brand. As we reported earlier, Samsung might name the next smartphone in the Galaxy Note series as the Galaxy Note 7 instead of Galaxy Note 6 to bring its numbering in sync with the Galaxy S7 and S7 edge that were released earlier this year.

from SamMobile http://ift.tt/1Ycn2Ct
via IFTTT

The Tizen Alliance weakens as the number of member companies decreases from 10 to 4

The Tizen Alliance was established by Intel and Samsung to create a viable third option to Android and iOS. Other than Intel and Samsung, there were eight other firms including KT, Fujitsu, NTT Docomo, Orange Telecom, Huawei, SK Telecom, NEC, and LG U+. However, the Tizen Alliance is weakening with each passing year as iOS and Android are the only major smartphone operating systems left in the market.

According to a new report from Business Korea, the Tizen Alliance currently has only four members left – Intel, Samsung, SK Telecom and LG U+. Most of the members of the alliance left one by one as Intel remains the only non-Korean firm in the Tizen Alliance. Fujitsu left the board, while Huawei, KT, NTT Docomo, and Orange Telecom withdrew from the official board members to become advisory board members.

NTT Docomo, which was the most enthusiastic board member of the Alliance back in 2012, currently shows no activities. NEC left the board back in 2014, while Huawei changed its stance by developing its own IoT operating system. Even Intel is showing a lukewarm response in the development process, and it has changed its Tizen manager four times till now.

Samsung has started using Tizen in its smart TVs, refrigerators, smartphones, smartwatches, fitness trackers, and other home appliances. The company is planning to use the operating system in connected cars and in-car infotainment systems.

from SamMobile http://ift.tt/1XzHjmB
via IFTTT