Ahead of Diwali relaunch, LG is having some fun at the Galaxy Note 7′s expense

Samsung never got around to launching the Galaxy Note 7 in India because on the day the handset was supposed to be released the company ended up confirming the battery cell defect and issuing a global recall. Customers who pre-ordered the Galaxy Note 7 in India still haven’t received their units. It was reported recently that the Galaxy Note 7 will be relaunched in India prior to the festival of Diwali which would make sense as a spike in sales is normally seen before the festival. LG obviously wants to sell more of its smartphones during this time so it’s having some fun at the Galaxy Note 7′s expense.

LG is randomly sending out text blasts to customers in India, the message says: “Heard the news of exploding products? At LG, our products go through multiple tests to ensure safety of our most valuable asset – YOU. Have a safe Diwali with LG.” The jab at the Galaxy Note 7 is as clear as day in this text message.

LG is looking to capitalize on the Galaxy Note 7′s troubles and the fact that it was never even launched in India. The company’s latest flagship – LG V20 – will be going on sale in South Korea later this month and it’s possible that it might be released in India prior to Diwali. It goes without saying that LG wants people to pick it up over the Galaxy Note 7. Whether or not that will be the case remains to be seen because if the Galaxy Note 7′s performance after being relaunched in South Korea is any indication, customers who had made up their mind to purchase the Galaxy Note 7 have not been deterred by the recall.

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Samsung’s looking for Galaxy Note 7 owners to star in a new commercial it’s filming

Samsung is looking for customers who own a Galaxy Note 7 — regardless of whether they were affected by the recall or not — to register to be a part of a new commercial it will shoot in New York City later this month, reports Parent Herald. 

Interested parties will have to fill in an online form and record a short video documenting their personal experience with not only the handset, but with the South Korean company too.

Those located in the Chicago area will also have an opportunity to appear in person for auditions. Although, if they can’t make it, they still have the option submit a clip online.

The select few fortunate enough to star in the advert will be flown out to the filming location and will receive a minimum payment of $600 per day for the shooting, which will commence on October 10 and finish on October 17.

It’s currently unclear what the ad will showcase, but we’re guessing that that Samsung will use it as an opportunity to display video testimonials highlighting how well it handled the recall and how happy customers are with their replacements.

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Galaxy Note 7 recall hurting demand for other Samsung handsets in China

Samsung now has to spend considerable time and resources to rebuild consumer confidence in the Galaxy Note 7 as it starts resuming sales of the handset across the globe. China was least affected by the recall yet the country’s state broadcaster slammed Samsung for the way it handled the recall in the People’s Republic. Samsung is already facing tremendous competition in that market from local manufacturers and the Galaxy Note 7 recall has not contributed to its fortunes. The recall is actually hurting demand for other Samsung handsets in China.

According to a new report, sales of Samsung handsets have declined by as much as 30 percent at one retailer in Hong Kong, including the Galaxy S7 edge which was perhaps its best selling handset this year. Other retailers have reported a decline of up to 80 percent as customers have been spooked by the media hype surrounding the recall. Analysts have already expressed concern that Samsung may continue to bleed market share in China as the Galaxy Note 7 will only exacerbate its problems in one of the most lucrative smartphone markets on the planet.

The true financial impact of the Galaxy Note 7 will only be visible when Samsung reveals its earnings guidance for the third quarter of this year. Some analysts still expect the company to post a slight improvement in quarterly operating profit though the increase will mainly be attributed to Samsung’s display and chip businesses.

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Samsung’s Tizen Theme Editor software makes it easier than ever to create custom skins

The chances are that if you own a Tizen-powered smartphone, you’re going to want to add your own layer of customization by taking advantage of its integrated Theme Store. Unfortunately, the majority of the offerings available are pretty dull. However, Samsung has now made it easier than ever to create a custom skin with its new Tizen Theme Editor program for Windows computers.

What’s particularly neat about the Theme Editor tool is that it doesn’t require you to have any programming knowledge. Creating a theme is as simple as clicking, dragging and dropping. The most difficult thing you’ll have to do is decide what selection colors work together. When creating a skin, you will have full control over your lock screens, wallpaper, color palette, app icons and keyboard.

If you create a theme that you think deserves a place on the Tizen Theme Store, you can submit it for approval by following the steps provided here. If your application is successful, you’ll be able to decide whether you want to charge a small fee for your creation or list it for free. We’d recommend opting for the latter, though, as the majority of people don’t tend to dish out their hard-earned cash for skins.

You can download your copy of the Tizen Theme Editor program for Windows by following the source link below.

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Samsung still might see a small increase in Q3 2016 profit

Last month was pretty hectic for Samsung as it confirmed a battery cell defect in its latest smartphone, stopped selling it and then recalled all Galaxy Note 7 units it had shipped since launch. Analysts have estimated that the Galaxy Note 7 recall is going to cost Samsung more than $1 billion. The true financial impact of the recall won’t be visible until official figures are revealed by Samsung but analysts predict that the company might say that it still sees a small rise in Q3 2016 profit when the quarter’s earnings guidance is released later this week.

Some analysts have estimated that the cost of the recall and lost sales will be greater. They predict that cost associated with the recall, production of safe units and lost sales may translate into a nearly $5 billion hit for Samsung this year. If that is the case it would deal a major blow to Samsung Mobile’s sincere recovery efforts. This is why the slight increase in profit is attributed to the company’s other businesses. Its memory chip business will continue to pad the bottom line aided by rising demand from customers like Apple. The chips division is actually expected to report its highest quarterly operating profit in four quarters. Samsung’s display business is also expected to pick up some of the slack as the adoption of OLED displays increases because Chinese manufacturers like Vivo and Oppo are using them for their smartphones.

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Samsung awarded a Shonky Award for its faulty Galaxy Note 7

Unfortunately for Samsung, the exploding Galaxy Note 7 debacle hasn’t been forgotten about just yet as the firm has been awarded Shonky Award for manufacturing one of the “worst of the worst” consumer products to launch this year.

Believe it or not, this is actually the second year in a row that Samsung has received an award for producing a dud. Last year, it was presented with a Shonky for its sloppy recall of top-loader washing machines that are still continuing to spark house fires.

According to consumer group Choice (host the Shonky Awards), Samsung was given a gong this year for supplying more than 50,000 dangerous Galaxy Note 7′s to consumers that featured defunct components, which led to a large number of units bursting into flames while on charge.

 

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Samsung ranks 7th in Interbrand’s Best Global Brands 2016

Samsung appears to be very interested in doing away with the notion that the Galaxy Note 7 debacle has hurt its brand value significantly. A recent report out of South Korea revealed that despite the recall, Samsung retained its position as the most valuable brand in the country. Samsung has shared another report on its own website today which puts it in 7th place on Interbrand’s Best Global Brands 2016 list. Samsung has been assigned a brand value of $51,808 million which is a 14 percent increase from last year.

Samsung has been ranking in the top ten on Interbrand’s list for the past five years and has continuously shown growth in brand value. The company’s brand value has more than tripled over the past decade. Samsung’s launch of premium products across its mobile, TV and home appliances businesses, as well as its consumer-centric marketing efforts, were deemed to have improved its brand power. The company’s financial results and positive outlook on sales have also influenced its brand value. “We will maintain our mid and long-term marketing efforts to deliver our sincerity and distinctiveness to our customers,” said Moon Soo Kim, Executive Vice President of Global Marketing Center at Samsung Electronics.

 

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Retailer lists the Gear S3 frontier for $449

It has been over a month since Samsung unveiled its new smartwatch which comes in two different variants. The Gear S3 classic and the Gear S3 frontier have more or less the same specifications but the former is more suited towards those who want a conventional-looking wristwatch while the latter is geared towards those who prefer a sports watch. Even though Samsung said at launch that the Gear S3 will cost €399 in Europe it’s yet to formally confirm pricing and availability information for markets across the globe. A retailer has now listed the Gear S3 frontier on its website giving us an idea of what this smartwatch might cost in dollar terms.

Retailer MobileFun has listed the Gear S3 frontier in black for $449.99 and mentions that it will be available in stock within three weeks. We’ve previously heard that the Gear S3 will be released towards the end of October so the timeframe does make sense. It has also listed the Gear S3 classic for the same price and the same release timeframe. Aside from the design difference, the Gear S3 frontier also features 3G/LTE support as well as a speakerphone which enables users to take calls. The Gear S3 classic doesn’t have this feature but both variants have an integrated GPS. Samsung is yet to confirm official pricing and availability details for the Gear S3.

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Samsung ramping up 3-D NAND production to meet rising demand

According to reports, Samsung is going to start production on its new Pyeongtaek semiconductor plant in the Gyeonggi Province of South Korea ahead of schedule in order to meet rising demand for 3-D NAND flash memory chips. Samsung is reportedly planning to complete construction on the plant by December this year and start producing chips from the second quarter of next year. If all goes according to plan, the effort will enable Samsung to start mass production of chips three months ahead of schedule.

3-D NAND chips are used in premium smartphones such as the iPhone 7 and even those being made by Chinese OEMs. As the largest chipmaker in the world, it is only in Samsung’s best interests to continue to meet demand and further increase its lead over the competition. It’s believed that Samsung is directly responsible for 30 percent of the 3-D NAND capacity being brought online through 2018. The company’s new facility is going to have four production lines and it will be built on a 2.89 million-square-meter site. It’s going to be the largest facility of its kind in the world. The plant is going to have a total production capacity of 200,000 wafers, Samsung is expected to produce up to 50,000 300-millimeter wafer sheets in the first phase of mass production.

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The Wireless Phone Charger Pad by ZENS is a must-have for anyone with a Qi-enabled smartphone

Do you own a Galaxy S6, Galaxy S6 edge, Galaxy S7, Galaxy S7 edge, Galaxy Note 5 or Galaxy Note 7 and want to take advantage of your handset’s integrated Qi capabilities to wirelessly charge it? If so, you’ve come to the right place as today we’re taking a look at the Wireless Phone Charger Pad by ZENS.

The Pad itself sports an iconic design that’s extremely easy to integrate into desks, tables, nightstands and just about any other wooden surface you can think of. We configured ours in the SamMobile HQ and predominantly used it to charge the Galaxy S7 edge and Galaxy Note 7.

Fortunately, installing the Wireless Phone Charger Pad is an extremely easy task. It’s as simple as taking the custom sized drill bit included in the box, attaching it to an electric drill, then pulling the trigger to cut a hole where you want to mount the charger.

The Wireless Phone Charger Pad also comes with set of mounting tools that can be used to fix it to the desk from the underside. Although, doing so is optional. We use relatively thick desks, so we opted for the added support. We’re pleased to report that the Pad was extremely sturdy once mounted and blended into the design of the woodwork.

Usually, I’m a little skeptical when it comes to Qi chargers as they tend to draw more power than they need. However, the Pad features proprietary charging technology, which reduces the flow of electricity when the attached phone is fully charged. It then increases the current when it detects a drop in battery.

Our favorite feature by far, though, is the lack of an LED indicator. We often find ourselves working late into the night and unnecessary light tends to be frustrating. Fortunately, the Pad doesn’t sport a LED, which is great for dark environments as you don’t constantly see a glimmer of light in the corner of your eye.

Overall, the Wireless Phone Charger Pad by ZENS is a fantastic device that we’d recommend to anyone looking to pick up a wireless charger. Our only qualm is that it’s priced a little on the steep side at $49.99, but for that money you can turn a flurry of wooden surfaces into fully-fledged docking stations.

Buy Now

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Samsung reportedly bags contract from Qualcomm to manufacture 10nm-based Snapdragon 830 chipsets

Samsung has reportedly bagged a contract to manufacture Qualcomm’s upcoming Snapdragon 830 chipset. The next high-end smartphone SoC from Qualcomm will reportedly use Samsung’s 10nm process for a smaller size, improved power efficiency, and greater performance.

According to a report from ETNews, Samsung LSI will manufacture all the Snapdragon 830 chipsets. It is also being reported that half of the Galaxy S8 units will make use of Snapdragon 830 processor while remaining will use Samsung’s upcoming Exynos 8895 chipset. The Exynos 8895 SoC will also use this new 10nm process for better overall performance compared to this year’s 14nm-baed Exynos 8890 chipset.

Samsung and Qualcomm will jointly develop FoPLP (Fan-out Panel Level Package) technology for the Snapdragon 830 and the Exynos 8895 chipsets. This eliminates the need to use printed circuit boards (PCB) for the package substrate, which will, in turn, reduce the cost of production. It will also allow an easier way to increase input and output (I/O) ports and to manufacture thinner packages.

Qualcomm faced a lot of flak due to overheating issues in last year’s Snapdragon 810 and Snapdragon 808 chips, and the company will face a lot of competition this year since LG and Huawei have started manufacturing their in-house solutions. Apple has proved to offer much better performance with its A10 Fusion chipset used in the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus.

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Samsung rolls out September security patch for the Galaxy Note 4 and Galaxy Note Edge in Europe

Samsung has today started rolling out September’s Security Maintenance Release (SMR) to the International variant of the Galaxy Note 4 and Galaxy Note Edge. Not only does the upgrade bring a handful of much-needed patches for both the Android operating system and the individual devices to make them more stable and secure, but it also bundles compatibility for Samsung Cloud.

For those unaware, Samsung Cloud is the South Korean company’s answer to Apple’s iCloud. It provides users with 15GB of free storage (upgrades are available), which can be used to store backups of documents, photographs, music, videos applications and even home screen configurations. They can then be restored at a later date if users happen to lose their phone or wish to restore it.

As you’d expect, the OTA is being pushed out in stages. If you’d like to see if it’s ready for your device simply follow these steps: Settings » About Device » Software Update » Update Now. Alternatively, you can always wait until you receive a push notification prompting you to download the upgrade. It’s worth noting, however, that an alert won’t appear unless you have 50% of battery.

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Samsung Q3 2016 earnings guidance will be announced on October 7

Samsung had a record-breaking Q2 this year aided by the stellar performance of the Galaxy S7 series. The company was hoping to continue that momentum in Q3 with the Galaxy Note 7 but it all went south when battery cell defects in its new flagship were confirmed and Samsung had to halt sales and issue a recall. The financial impact of the Galaxy Note 7 debacle will be truly unveiled when Samsung provides official numbers, the company is going to release its Q3 2016 earnings guidance on October 7.

Analysts believe that the Galaxy Note 7 recall is going to cost Samsung 1.2 trillion won ($1.08 billion). It was unable to sell the flagship throughout the month of September and is only now gradually resuming sales of the Galaxy Note 7 across the globe. The market expects Samsung to post an operating profit of 7.62 trillion won which would be an increase of 3 percent from the same quarter last year. Overall revenue is expected to be down 1.6 percent from the same time last year at 50.85 trillion won.

Prior to the recall analysts had estimated that Samsung would post sales of 8 trillion won or more as the Galaxy Note 7 was predicted to do very well. Not being able to sell its flagship device for an entire month is obviously going to make a dent on its balance sheet. Nevertheless, the conglomerate’s earnings are expected to receive a boost from its display and semiconductor business which have remained strong over the past few quarters.

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Samsung giving away free Gear IconX to customers in Italy who buy a Galaxy S7 or Galaxy S7 edge

Many would expect Samsung to limit promotions to purchase of its latest flagship handset but since it’s still in the process of resuming Galaxy Note 7 sales across the globe, it’s offering a great promotion for the Galaxy S7 and the Galaxy S7 edge. Customers who purchase either handset in Italy will be eligible to receive Samsung’s new wireless activity tracking earbuds for free. The handset has to be purchased between October 3 and October 23 while customers have to register their purchase with Samsung by November 2. The purchase can be registered by going to Samsung’s promotions website and submitting proof of purchase. Once the claim is processed the free Gear Icon X will be sent out to the customer, normally it can take up to a month for the process to be completed.

The Gear Icon X are Samsung’s first truly wireless earphones which also tout activity tracking features. Aside from a water-resistant design, the Gear Icon X features 4GB of onboard storage for music storage, a built-in heart rate monitor and other activity tracking features which track metrics like calories burned, speed, duration and distance all of which is synced with S Health. The Gear Icon X costs $199.99 normally in the United States so this is a pretty good deal for customers in Italy who are in the market for a new flagship smartphone.

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Galaxy S7 running Android 7.0 Nougat surfaces on GFXBench

It would appear that Samsung is in the final stages of testing the long-awaited Nougat update for the Galaxy S7 as a variant of the device running Android 7.0 has surfaced on the official GFXBench online database. Typically, when a unit is benchmarked operating a new version of Android, it indicates that a rollout is imminent.

Seeing as we’ve known that the South Korean company has been testing the Nougat firmware for the Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge in Poland for a little over two weeks now, we wouldn’t be wrong to assume that it shouldn’t be too much longer until it enters distribution for International models of the handsets located in Europe.

 

 

 

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Daily Deal: Original Galaxy Tab S is hard to pass up at this price

If you’re in the market for a new tablet and would like to purchase one from Samsung then you should definitely check out our Daily Deal. The original Galaxy Tab S came out back in 2014 and at that time it was positioned as a bona fide iPad Air competitor. The tablet was very well received and it performed well in the market. As part of our Daily Deals program you can pick one up right now at an 11 percent discount compared to the usual price.

The original Galaxy Tab S from Samsung normally costs $499.99 but for a limited time it’s being sold at an 11 percent discount for $445.48. It’s hard to pass up on this tablet at this price when you look at its specs which include a 1.9GHz quad-core processor, 3GB RAM, 16GB expandable memory, a 10.5-inch Super AMOLED display with 2560×1600 WQXGA Resolution, fingerprint scanner and more. Those who are interested in picking up this tablet can now do so via Amazon, it will only be shipped to customers in the United States.

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Galaxy Note 7 relaunch off to a good start as false reports continue to hound Samsung

Samsung resumed sales of the Galaxy Note 7 over the weekend in its home market of South Korea. There were concerns that perhaps the Galaxy Note 7 won’t do well once the company started selling it again but at least customers in its home market have shown that they still want to buy the company’s new flagship. Samsung says it has sold more than 45,000 new units of the Galaxy Note 7 during the relaunch weekend.

Nevertheless, the company is still having to deal with false reports about problems with replacement units. A woman in Seoul recently claimed that her Galaxy Note 7′s battery exploded after she charged it overnight. Her husband posted a video of the burning device as well as pictures of the box which has  a black square to denote that it’s a replacement unit.

SGS – a global inspection, verification, testing and certification company based in Switzerland – was quickly commissioned by Samsung to look into the matter. After running CT and X-ray on the device, the firm concluded that “external shock” was responsible for the battery exploding. Samsung has reiterated that there are no battery cell defects in the replacement units that it’s handing out. The company said yesterday that it’s going to start selling the Galaxy Note 7 once again in additional markets across the globe in the coming weeks.

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Samsung details contents of October security patch

Samsung has taken to its official Security Blog to share the contents of this month’s maintenance release. The upgrade introduces patches for a total of 68 Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVE) in both the Android OS and company’s latest smartphones. The changelog also reveals that it addresses a security weakness related to recognition and matching algorithm of the Galaxy Note 7‘s iris scanner.

Unfortunately, the majority the contents of the update are listed as “privately disclosed.” However, there’s a good reason for this. The manufacturer can’t reveal all of the patches included in the upgrade as there are fixes for bugs that may not have been discovered yet and, once uncovered, hackers may attempt to manipulate them before the firmware is rolled out.

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