Samsung starts rolling out October security patch for the Galaxy A3 (2016) in Europe

Four months later than expected, Samsung has started pushing out the long-awaited Marshmallow update for the International variant of the Galaxy A3 (2016) in Europe. In addition to transporting Android 6.0.1 to the handset, the upgrade also carries all of the patches baked into this month’s Security Maintenance Release (SMR).

As you’d expect, the update — firmware version XXU2BPJ1 — is making the rounds in the continent in stages — so don’t be alarmed if you haven’t received a notification prompting you to install the upgrade just yet. If you own a Galaxy A3 (2016) and would like to see if the upgrade is ready for your handset, simply head into Settings » About Device » Software Update » Update Now.

Thanks, Keenan!

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Apple CEO Tim Cook welcomes all Samsung users jumping ship after the Galaxy Note 7 fiasco

The Galaxy Note 7 was a very impressive flagship smartphone and it just might have turned out to be one of the best-performing handsets in the upcoming holiday season. It was reported soon after Samsung discontinued the Galaxy Note 7 that many of its rivals were ramping up production of their high-end devices to fill the void left by Samsung’s ill-fated flagship. Apple was said to be doing the same with the iPhone 7, the company’s CEO Tim Cook has said that it’s “hard to estimate” what the opportunity of Samsung’s Galaxy Note 7 debacle is for its biggest rival, “but we obviously welcome all switchers,” he said.

Whether or not that’s really going to be the case remains to be seen. To prevent this eventuality, Samsung is offering monetary incentives to customers who exchange their Galaxy Note 7 for another Samsung flagship like the Galaxy S7 or Galaxy S7 edge. The strategy is working as most Note 7 owners are opting to stay within the Samsung family, Sprint CEO Marcelo Claure recently said that majority of the Galaxy Note 7 owners on his network are just handing in their devices for a Galaxy S7.

So regardless of the fact that the Galaxy Note 7′s demise does present an opportunity for Apple to capitalize on its rival’s misfortune, Apple may not see a significant increase in sales as most Galaxy Note 7 owners are opting to stick with Samsung. Those who need a new flagship immediately are simply picking up the Galaxy S7 or Galaxy S7 edge while those who can wait are most likely going to sit tight until the Galaxy S8 is out early next year.

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First 5G connection through end-to-end 5G networks demonstrated by Samsung and KT

Samsung today announced that it has been able to successfully demonstrate the world’s first 5G connection through end-to-end 5G networks in collaboration with its partner KT. The test was conducted at Samsung’s Digital City Campus in Suwon, South Korea. This latest demonstration of 5G connectivity was different from what has been done in the past using prototype base stations and devices with proprietary specifications because it relies on the PyeongChang 5G Special Interest Group (SIG) common specification which is a joint effort backed by a global group of vendors and carriers. The group is working together to define key technological requirements for 5G mobile services as well as to deliver the world’s first mobile 5G trial service in early 2018.

“We’re very pleased with our success on the world’s first end-to-end 5G connection only a few months after the PyeongChang 5G SIG common specifications were finalized,” said Paul Kyungwhoon Cheun, Executive Vice President and Head of Next Generation Communications Team at Samsung Electronics.

The latest demonstration made use of 28 GHz spectrum, Samsung and KT showcased full synchronization of wireless links, implementation of security protocols, assignment of IP addresses to devices and delivery of internet access through a 5G virtualized core network. This test demonstrates the value of industry collaboration as well as the readiness of these technologies ahead of the deployment of the first commercial 5G networks before 2020.

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Samsung Pay expanding to three new countries, gets additional features

Samsung today announced that its mobile payments service is going to be expanded to three new countries. The company has said that Samsung Pay is going to be launched in Malaysia, Russia, and Thailand by the end of this year. Samsung has also announced some new features for Samsung Pay users in the United States, features such as in-app payments, location-based deals and more. The recent partnership with Mastercard which brings support for Masterpass to Samsung Pay early next year has already been covered.

Starting next month, Samsung Pay users in the United States will be able to access deals at nearby stores. They will be able to do this from the new Deals feature inside the Samsung Pay app, these deals will be redeemable instantly. Users will also be able to opt for Samsung Pay for in-app payments at select merchant apps starting next month as well. All they need to do is select Samsung Pay during checkout and choose from one of the cards loaded within the app to make the in-app payment. In-app payments will initially be available for merchants like Hello Vino, Wish, Raise, Velocity, and more.

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T-Mobile Galaxy Note 4 and Galaxy Note Edge receive October 2016 security patch

The T-Mobile Galaxy Note 4 and Galaxy Note Edge received Marshmallow in June (and the July security patch 3 months ago) which shows Samsung’s commitment to one of its two-year-old veteran high-end smartphones. At the same time, however, while OEMs are busy committing to that 2-year window, they must also commit to an additional year of security patches: in other words, system updates are done for 2 years, but security patches are done for 3 years. This means that smartphone users who choose to hang onto their aging smartphones can have an additional 12 months’ peace of mind before getting a newer model.

In the case of T-Mobile Galaxy Note 4 and Galaxy Note Edge customers, the day has arrived for you to receive the October 2016 security patch. Readers over at tech site TmoNews received the update today. According to the changelog, the new Galaxy Note 4 and Galaxy Note Edge update (versions N910TUVU2EPJ2 and N910T3UVU3EPJ2) weighs 250.67MB in size and brings the October 2016 security patch (the first security patch to grace the device since this summer) with the usual bug fixes and enhancements — though T-Mobile cautions Note 4 and Note Edge users to make sure they’ve installed the current OS update first. Check the T-Mobile versions in the screenshot below.

The October 2016 security patch rolling out to T-Mobile Galaxy Note 4 and Galaxy Note Edge users is ahead of the game in the US with the Note 4, with the new October security patch rolling out to European Galaxy Note 4 units as well. Verizon Galaxy Note Edge users, for example, just received the September 2016 security patch a week and a half ago, so T-Mobile customers can be proud. You can head over to system updates and check for new system update or visit the source link below to get the new security patch on your handset.

Have you gotten the latest security patch yet?

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Sprint CEO says most Galaxy Note 7 users are opting for other Samsung devices

Samsung is trying to limit the fallout from the Galaxy Note 7 tragedy by offering users incentives to exchange the device for another Samsung handset. The strategy appears to be working as several reports suggest that most Galaxy Note 7 owners who are turning in their devices are opting for the company’s other handsets. The CEO of one of the largest mobile carriers in the United States has observed the same. Sprint CEO Marcelo Claure said today that majority of the Galaxy Note 7 users on his network have opted to remain in the Samsung family.

Speaking to reporters in a conference call, Claure said that “Most of them are basically switching to a Galaxy S7.” He believes that Samsung is going to recover from this setback because even though Galaxy Note 7 owners are opting for one of Samsung’s best flagships, “they begrudgingly gave back their Note 7.” No wonder that despite repeated calls by Samsung there are still countless Galaxy Note 7 handsets in use even though the company has now discontinued the flagship. What about you, are you exchanging your unit or are you planning to keep your Galaxy Note 7?

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Samsung opens new Experience Store in Brussels

Samsung has opened a new Experience Store in the Docks Bruxsel shopping centre in Brussels, Belgium. The brick-and-mortar establishment is home to a flurry of mobile devices from the South Korean company, including smartphones, smartwatches, headphones, VR headsets and accessories.

Like all of the other Experience Stores scattered around the world, potential customers visiting the Docks Bruxsel location are given the opportunity to try out the product they’re interested in before purchasing it. However, what’s unique about this particular venue is that it also doubles as an order pick-up centre.

Several after-sales services are also offered in the Experience Store in the Docks Bruxsel shopping centre, such as a smartphone repair program that promises to have devices repaired and ready for collection within less than an hour of receiving them.

 

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Latest Galaxy Note 7 update for Europe will limit battery charge to 60%

Samsung first rolled out a software update for the Galaxy Note 7 about a month ago in Australia to limit the handset’s battery charge to 60 percent. It was a precautionary measure by the company to reduce the odds of the Galaxy Note 7′s battery catching fire. Samsung today announced that it’s now releasing the same update for Galaxy Note 7 in Europe.

The company says that it’s rolling out this update in Europe as part of its “absolute focus on customer safety.” The update is going to be rolled out across Europe from Monday, October 31. It mentions that this is another measure that it’s taking to drive the remaining Galaxy Note 7 owners in Europe to exchange their handsets immediately. Samsung says that two-thirds of all Galaxy Note 7 handsets in Europe have now been replaced.

“Our absolute priority continues to be customer safety. This new battery software update is specifically designed to remind all Galaxy Note7 customers to replace their device at their earliest possible convenience through their local Galaxy Note7 Replacement Programme. We once again would like to apologise for not meeting the standard of product excellence that our customers have come to expect from Samsung and we sincerely thank them for their continued understanding and cooperation,” said Conor Pierce, Vice President of IT & Mobile, Samsung Electronics UK & Ireland

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Samsung shipped just 400,000 smartwatches in the previous quarter

The latest figures from International Data Corporation (IDC) show that the global smartwatch market declined by 51.6 percent in the third quarter of this year. A total of 2.7 million units were shipped in Q3 2016 as opposed to 5.6 million units during the same period last year. The research firm’s report reveals that Samsung is third on the list of top smartwatch vendors having shipped just 400,000 units. Apple is on top with 1.1 million units followed by Garmin in second with 600,000 units.

This doesn’t mean that Samsung is having trouble convincing people to buy its smartwatches. Its brand new smartwatch – the Gear S3 – was only announced in the third quarter of this year and is yet to be released. These figures only include shipments of the aging Gear S2 and it goes without saying that many are just waiting for the Gear S3 to be released. Samsung hasn’t provided a confirmed release date as yet but it did say recently that the Gear S3 is going to be out by mid-November. The Gear S3 is a refinement of the Gear S2 which is already a good smartwatch so it’s very likely that we’ll see a change in fortunes for Samsung in the global smartwatch market when its latest and greatest smartwatch is actually released.

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Daily Deal: You can currently snag yourself a Galaxy Tab A 8.0 for just $129.99

If you’ve been looking to pick up a new tablet for a while now, but have been waiting for the opportunity to save some cash while doing so, you’re in luck. While stock lasts, you can currently pick up a Certified Refurbished Wi-Fi model of the Galaxy Tab A 8.0, complete with a 90 day warranty, for just $129.99. That’s $70 cheaper than if you were to head over to your local Best Buy store and purchase a new unit.

For those in need of a refresher of its specifications, the Galaxy Tab A 8.0 packs an 8-inch TFT display, a 1.2GHz quad-core CPU, 1.5GB of RAM, 16GB of expandable internal storage, a 5MP rear-facing camera, a 2MP selfie shooter and a 4,200mAh Li-Ion battery, which should last for around 11 hours of intermediate usage. The slate ships running Android 5.0.1 Lollipop skinned with Samsung’s TouchWiz custom user interface.

If you like the sound of the Galaxy Tab A 8.0 and want to take advantage of this great promotion, hit the 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

Image: CNET

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Samsung develops second-generation Artik platform for IoT products

After launching its IoT platform Artik last year and then extending its functionality using Artik Cloud, Samsung has now launched the second-generation Artik platform. The company has also added a dedicated application processor developed specifically for its new IoT platform.

Samsung Electronics’ Device Solution arm will soon introduce the new Artik platform. Unlike its first-generation IoT solution where the company directly used the Exynos smartphone SoC, the second-generation Artik platform uses a sophisticated application processor designed for IoT use cases. This improves connectivity and makes it compatible with a variety of interfaces that are needed for IoT products.

The Artik 7 is a new product added to Samsung’s lineup, which already has Artik 1, Artik 5, and Artik 10. The Artik 1 is an IoT solution designed for wearables, while the Artik 5 is made for home hubs and smart cameras. Artik 10 is made specifically for home servers and multimedia players. The Artik 7 offers performance and power efficiency that sits somewhere in the middle of the Artik 5 and the Artik 10. The company is also planning to introduce Artik 0, which suits ultra-low power wearables and biodevices, to its lineup.

An industry representative said, “Samsung Electronics has set a strategy to sell ARTIK platforms to individuals and businesses. If it grabs an upper hand in IoT markets in advance, it will be able to achieve great success in ‘ecosystem business’ that was not done by Samsung Electronics in the past.”

Artik, which is led by SSIC (Samsung Strategy and Innovation Center), is the company’s first product where it started the concept of platforms and ecosystems right from the get go. The company has partnered with operating systems such as Fedora, Nucleus, Tizen, and Snappy Ubuntu for Artik. It has also partnered with Medium One, a specialist in data processing, and Vayyar, a specialist in 3D radar technologies.

Samsung’s Artik platform is also compatible with Microsoft Azure and SAMIIO, a self-data collecting system. It is being reported that Samsung has already received a huge order for Artik 5 from a global IT firm, and this is the first time Samsung is such a huge number of Artik devices. Intel, Qualcomm, and Texas Instruments are strengthening their IoT technologies to compete with Samsung’s Artik platform.

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Samsung rules out early release for the Galaxy S8

Not long after the Galaxy Note 7 was discontinued, rumors about an early release for the Galaxy S8 started surfacing. It was said that Samsung would seek to contain the fallout of the Galaxy Note 7 debacle by releasing the Galaxy S8 earlier than initially planned but now the company is setting the record straight. Samsung has ruled out an early release for the Galaxy S8.

A report out of Korea today cites a high-ranking Samsung official who said that “Currently we do not have any plans to release Galaxy S8 early.” The official also added that Samsung already had a separate plan for the Galaxy S8 even before the Galaxy Note 7 was announced, saying that “Pushing release date forward all of sudden is something that is realistically impossible.”

Samsung normally launches new Galaxy S smartphones at Mobile World Congress so this should put to rest rumors about an early launch. The company is most likely going to unveil the Galaxy S8 at MWC 2017 which takes place in February next year. Word on the street is that the Galaxy S8 is going to bring some major improvements, including but not limited to a 4K display and 6GB of RAM.

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Latest Galaxy S8 specs leak hints at 5.5-inch 4K Display and 6GB RAM

Samsung fans are now looking forward to the Galaxy S8 as the company is expected to bounce back in spectacular fashion after the unfortunate events with the Galaxy Note 7. We’ve already seen a lot of rumors and leaks concerning the Galaxy S8′s specs, the latest out of China suggests that Samsung’s next flagship will feature a 5.5-inch 4K display and 6GB of RAM.

The Galaxy S8 is rumored to feature a 5.5-inch 4K display which is something that VR fans will certainly appreciate. This isn’t the first time we’re hearing about the Galaxy S8 touting a 4K display so the rumor mill still considers it as a possibility. It may be powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 830 processor in some markets and by Samsung’s Exynos 8895 in others, both processors are made on the next-gen 10nm process. The rumor also claims that the Galaxy S8 is going to feature 6GB of RAM, and while Samsung recently launched a handset with 6GB of RAM, it can’t be said for sure whether it will go down this road for the Galaxy S8.

Samsung is expected to unveil the Galaxy S8 at Mobile World Congress 2017 in February next year. According to the rumor, Samsung is going to actually release the handset at some point in March.

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Galaxy J3 (2017) passes through the FCC

Earlier today, an unannounced Galaxy-branded smartphone made a pitstop at the United States of America’s official certification authority, the FCC. Unfortunately, the majority of the information included in the filing is protected by a confidentiality request submitted by Samsung. The only thing the protection detail doesn’t cover is the handset’s model number — SM-J327P.

If you’ve been following SamMobile closely over the course of the past couple of weeks, you’ll likely notice that the model number matches up to the Galaxy J3 (2017) that was imported into India for testing on October 9. Shortly after, the device surfaced on an online benchmark database, shining a much-needed light on its specifications.

The Galaxy J3 (2017) is expected to 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 a 2,600mAh battery. It’s believed to ship running the latest build of Marshmallow, but will likely be eligible for the Nougat update. Although, we doubt that it will receive it in a timely manner.

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Samsung Galaxy J2 Prime listed on Amazon, features a 5-inch display and an 8MP camera

A new entry-level smartphone from Samsung, the Galaxy J2 Prime, has made its way to Amazon. Priced at $139.99, the Galaxy J2 Prime (SM-G532M) features a 5-inch qHD TFT screen, an 8-megapixel rear-facing camera with autofocus and an LED flash, and a 5-megapixel front-facing camera with an LED flash.

Under the hood, the Galaxy J2 Prime uses a 1.4GHz quad-core processor, 1.5GB RAM, 8GB ROM, and a microSD card slot (compatible up to 256GB cards). It runs Android 6.0 Marshmallow and also comes with Samsung’s Knox security suite. It’s an unlocked device and will be compatible with most GSM carriers including AT&T and T-Mobile in the US.

The Galaxy J2 Prime is currently available in two colours: gold and silver. Samsung might launch this smartphone as the Galaxy Grand Prime+ in other markets around the world. It is the same smartphone that surfaced in AnTuTu benchmark’s data base and on Samsung’s website two weeks ago.

 

 

 

 

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Samsung says it’s not acquiring French audio equipment maker Focal

A report out of Korea suggested that Samsung was in advanced talks with French audio equipment manufacturer Focal for an acquisition. The company was said to be considering this acquisition in order to boost its competitiveness in the audio products business. An unnamed Samsung executive mentioned in the report even claimed that Samsung initially wanted to acquire Danish premium audio maker Bang & Olufsen but the price was deemed to be too high. Samsung then decided to buy Focal for as much as 300 billion won ($265.44 million).

The report was published by the Financial News newspaper of South Korea, it claimed that talks between Samsung and Focal were in the final stages and that Samsung was looking to close the deal by the end of this year. Samsung has sent out an official statement refuting the rumors of a possible acquisition of Focal. “The report from Financial news on acquisition of the French audio equipment maker, Focal, is not true,” it said. Focal has not yet commented on this issue but there’s really no need to now that Samsung has taken a strong position on all this.

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