Samsung reportedly looking to source fingerprint scanners from other suppliers

Sweden’s FPC and US-based Synaptics have more or less cornered the fingerprint scanner module market but there are emerging players who seek to challenge their established rivals. According to a new report out of Korea, Samsung is looking to source fingerprint scanner modules for its low-end smartphones from local suppliers in South Korea. The company has reportedly held talks with potential suppliers for a partnership.

It’s believed that if a deal is reached, the two new partners will provide Samsung with up to 2 million fingerprint scanner modules. This report follows one from a couple of weeks ago which suggested that Samsung was thinking about making its own fingerprint scanners. Samsung Electronics’ System LSI division is believed to be working on fingerprint scanner chips since last year and it’s expected that it will be able to commercialize these chips from 2017.

In-house production and diversification of suppliers will help Samsung reduce reliance on existing partners that supply these models. It also means that the company will have ample volume from multiple sources to introduce fingerprint scanners in low-end handsets as well.

None of this has been officially confirmed by Samsung so take it with a grain of salt for now.

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Samsung’s battery affiliate struggles after the Galaxy Note 7′s demise

When Samsung announced the first Galaxy Note 7 recall it said that a battery cell problem had been traced to one of its suppliers and that it was going to replace every single unit shipped with replacement units that had batteries from another supplier. It was later revealed in reports that the issue had been traced to the batteries supplied by Samsung SDI, the conglomerate’s battery-making affiliate, which supplied 70 percent of the battery cells required for the Galaxy Note 7. That assessment wasn’t entirely true because replacement units started catching fire as well which forced Samsung to discontinue the Galaxy Note 7 but the damage had already been done to Samsung SDI.

Reuters reports that Samsung SDI has been quietly reassuring anxious clients that the batteries it makes are safe. Potential new customers are proving harder to convince as Samsung SDI’s reputation has suffered a huge blow because of the Galaxy Note 7. This debacle also threatens the affiliate’s future plans which include developing batteries for electric cars and clean energy storage systems.

“Since the first recall, we’ve had many inquiries from our clients, including Apple, asking whether batteries used in their products are safe,” the report cites a person at SDI who was involved in the development of the Galaxy Note 7′s battery. Samsung SDI has lost nearly a fifth of its market value since the Galaxy Note 7 issue was first identified while the loss it posted in the previous quarter was more than double that of the previous year.

“We are also asking ourselves whether we should have done it (the Note 7 battery) this way, or whether there could have been other ways,” the person adds. The affiliate has now set up teams to improve product safety and has even allowed customers to check batteries which has led to temporary shipment delays for some customers.

Insiders at the affiliate tell the scribe that it had to incorporate new materials and technology to meet Samsung Electronics demand of a bigger battery for the Galaxy Note 7. “We focused on boosting battery capacity, but this could have been disadvantageous to reliability,” said one insider. Samsung is still investigating the cause of the Galaxy Note 7′s battery failures and is yet to offer a proper explanation of what went wrong.

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Samsung sending recall notifications to Galaxy Note 4 units running a Galaxy Note 7 ROM

One of the first steps that Samsung took when it decided to recall the Galaxy Note 7 was sending recall notifications to the new flagship. The notifications urged users to power down and stop using their Galaxy Note 7 and take it back to their point of purchase for an exchange or a full refund. Many Galaxy Note 7 owners have since returned the handset but it appears that the company is also sending out the same notifications to other Note flagships that just happen to be flashed with a Galaxy Note 7 ROM.

A Reddit user has shared a screenshot of the notification he received on his three-year-old Galaxy Note 4. It calls on him to backup the device’s data, power down and “surrender your Galaxy Note7 unit.”

This didn’t happen because there’s something wrong with the Galaxy Note 4, it received this notification because it’s actually flashed with a Galaxy Note 7 ROM. Flashing refers to the act of replacing a handset’s firmware with another version manually. This is something that enthusiasts normally do and in this particular case it involves changing the build.prop name to the Galaxy Note 7 in order to spoof the systems.

Now that recall notifications are being sent to outdated devices running the Galaxy Note 7′s software this goes to show that Samsung’s systems are unable to distinguish between the two. It’s not ideal for Samsung since it’s apparently unable to properly identify legitimate Galaxy Note 7 units that are still being used from outdated handsets masquerading as the ill-fated flagship.

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Samsung granted new flexible display patent focused on display mechanics

Samsung has been awarded patents related to flexible displays for a few years now, but one of the most recent patents put forth an artificial muscle for flexible displays that would allow them to bend without the pressure of a human hand when voltage is applied. A new patent awarded to the Korean giant by the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) provides more information on the role of the artificial muscle in flexible displays as well as the build quality of the flexible panel itself.

There are two electrode layers with elastomer film in-between, and Samsung says that the flexible display panel will include the use of plastic, particularly polycarbonate, to achieve greater screen flexibility and heat resistance. Think of this flexible display structure as something along the lines of the company’s 3D Thermoforming process for the Galaxy S6 edge and Galaxy S7 edge turned up a notch or two.

Many wonder what Samsung will do with flexible displays, but the company doesn’t give any hints in its latest patent. What we can know from the current tech scene is that screens crack and devices break when pressure is applied in unusual ways, and Samsung’s latest patent just may put an end to the current device durability concerns. And, as it’s been said before, Samsung’s flexible display will create the true phone/tablet hybrid and justify the use of the term “phablet” that currently refers to 5-inch and 6-inch smartphones.

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Gear Fit 2 and Gear S3 getting minor firmware updates

The Gear Fit 2 is one of the best fitness trackers going around. Samsung has just sent out a new update for the wearable which brings along some minor features on board. This is not a game-changing update, but one that will enhance user experience to a great extent. The update changes the software version to R360XXU1BPK5/R360OXA1BPK5 and is about 21.44MB in size.

Here’s what’s new with the update:

 

In the meanwhile, Samsung has sent a firmware update for the Gear S3 Classic and the Frontier as well. The updates will carry the firmware versions R770XXU1APK3 (Classic) and R760XXU1APK3 (Frontier). It is being said that the update brings support for speedometer as well, although it cannot be confirmed at the moment.

Be sure to check out our review and initial impressions of the Gear Fit 2 and the Gear S3 Frontier.

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Spotify will launch its dedicated application for the Gear S3 in December

When Samsung took the wraps off the Gear S3 back in August, it revealed that it had been working with Spotify to bring a dedicated application to the wearable that would not only enable users to stream music over 4G or Wi-Fi using a pair of Bluetooth headphones, but also save playlists for offline use.

However, now that both variants of the Gear S3 — the Gear S3 Classic and Gear S3 Frontier — have started making their way into the hands of the public, the official Spotify client remains nowhere to be seen. As you can imagine, this has caused quite a stir amongst customers who purchased the device for its audio streaming capabilities.

Fortunately, it would appear that neither Samsung or Spotify have abandoned the project. In response to a comment on Facebook, the South Korean company revealed that the application is “expected to be available in mid-December.” It’s unclear whether it’ll launch in all regions at the same time, but we expect it to do so.

As a Gear S3 Classic owner, I was hoping to see the Spotify available for download the second I powered on my unit, connected it to the Gear Manager application and delved into the Galaxy Apps Store — and I’m sure there are many other people out there who felt the same way. I’m just glad we don’t have to wait too much longer.

Stay tuned for our full review of the Gear S3 Classic and Gear S3 Frontier.

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Latest update will enable Gear S3 owners to use Samsung Pay with non-Samsung devices

We reported last week when Samsung confirmed that it will be possible to use Samsung Pay on Gear S3 even when the smartwatch is paired with a non-Samsung device. That device just needs to be on Android 4.4 or later firmware for the mobile payments service to function. The official Twitter account for the service has confirmed that Samsung Pay on the Gear S3 can be used with non-Samsung devices starting today.

It has also been confirmed via Twitter that a new update for the Gear Manager app is going to be sent out today which will enable users to make payments on the go with Samsung Pay on Gear S3 even if the smartwatch is paired with a non-Samsung smartphone. Users need to update Gear Manager on their device in order to take advantage of this feature. The Gear S3 has only been out for a couple of weeks but you can find some pretty great deals on it online as part of the Black Friday 2016 festivities. Samsung Pay is just one of the new features that Samsung’s latest smartwatch touts.

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Your guide to Samsung Black Friday 2016 deals

Instead of browsing countless sites and spending valuable time searching for the best deals on Samsung products, why not get it all in one place? Here is a convenient list of all Samsung Black Friday 2016 deals.

Verizon – Big Red has specials throughout the holiday weekend on the Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 Edge. Customers can buy the Galaxy S7 for only $10 a month on device payment, which is normally $28 a month and $672 full retail price. The Galaxy S7 edge can be had for just $24.66 a month on device payment (normally $33 a month and $792 full retail). The deal works as a monthly bill credit every month for 24 months. Verizon will also include a free Gear VR with the purchase.

T-Mobile – This weekend you can grab a free Galaxy S7 when you trade in a select device. With this deal, you will also get a Gear VR and $50 of Oculus content for free.  The deal comes in the form of monthly credits for 24 months. If you’re in the market for a tablet, T-Mobile is also giving away the Galaxy Tab E to customers who are on a 6GB plan or higher. This deal is also in the form of monthly credits.

Sprint – The carrier is offering a buy one get one free deal on the Galaxy S7 however, they require one of the devices to be on a new line of service. For well-qualified customers who purchase a Galaxy S7 or Galaxy S7 edge, they will be entitled to a free Galaxy Tab E. Sprint is also offering a free Galaxy J3 with the purchase of any smartphone. For all deals, credits will be applied over 24 months.

AT&T – If you’re a DirecTV or U-Verse customer, you can pick yourself up a free Galaxy S7 if you port over from another carrier. Additionally, customers will receive a $200 gift card with the purchase of a Galaxy S6.

Target – Perhaps the best Black Friday deal, Target is offering customers, who purchase a Galaxy S7 or Galaxy S7 Edge, a $250 gift card and a Gear VR with $50 worth of Oculus content for free.

Best Buy – $450 in Best Buy gift cards will be given if you purchase a Galaxy S7 or Galaxy S7 edge through Best Buy and activate it on Verizon Device Payment, AT&T Next or Sprint 24-month installment. The retailer is also offering great discounts on a wide variety of Samsung tablets. Score $150 off the Samsung Galaxy View, $100 off the Galaxy Tab A 10.1″, $80 off the Galaxy Tab E 9.6″, $80 off the Galaxy Tab A 8″, $50 off the Galaxy Tab A 7″ ($60 off the 2016 version), and $50 off the Galaxy Tab E Lite (kids model included).

Walmart – Get a $250 Walmart gift card with the purchase of any Samsung phone on Verizon Device Payment or AT&T Next. The retailer is also selling the Galaxy Tab E Lite for $69.99 and will include $10 of Google Play credit for free with the purchase.

Samsung – The tech giant is selling a bunch of pre-owned devices at discounted prices. Customers can buy the Galaxy Note 4 or Galaxy S6 for $399.99, the Galaxy Note 3 for $249.99 and the 16GB Galaxy S5 for $299.99. Those looking for a tablet, Samsung is knocking $50 off of the Galaxy Tab A 7″ and Galaxy Tab E Lite.  If you’re looking for  a cheap VR, the 2015 Gear VR will be sold for $59.99 ($40 off) and they will offer the 2016 Gear VR for free with the purchase of a Galaxy S7 or Galaxy S7 edge. Lastly, Samsung is also discounting some of their wearable devices. Save $30 off the Gear Fit 2 ($149.99 after savings) and save $50 off the brand new Gear S3 ($299.99 after savings).

Click on the links above to be taken to the relevant carrier or retailer to get more information about the deals you’re interested in. If you come across any great deals on Samsung products not mentioned here please do share them with us in the comments section below.

Happy hunting.

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Samsung France apologizes for Note 7 troubles with free 128GB SD card and VR Park experience

The Galaxy Note 7 has caused a lot of trouble not just for Samsung but for the people who purchased the flagship. Samsung initiated the first recall a couple of weeks after the handset was released so pre-order customers had to return their original unit to get a replacement unit. They had to go through the process once again when Samsung confirmed the second recall after the Galaxy Note 7 was discontinued. The company has compensated owners in different ways ever since, Samsung France appears to be putting extra effort in showing its gratitude to those who purchased a Galaxy Note 7.

The exchange and replacement program is already up and running in France but one of our readers has told us that Samsung France has been sending letters in the mail in which it apologizes once again for the Galaxy Note 7 fiasco. The letter comes with a free 128GB microSD card as compensation over and above the 100 euro discount that customers received if they exchanged their Galaxy Note 7 for a Galaxy S7 or Galaxy S7 edge.

It also states that Galaxy Note 7 customers can enter an SMS contest to be among the 1,000 lucky souls who will be awarded a free experience in Samsung Life Changer Park, the company’s virtual reality amusement park in Paris. Customers will be notified via SMS when the contest opens tomorrow, all they have to do is text back Samsung and the first 1,000 customers to text back will win the VR Park experience. Samsung will take care of all the logistics and transportation so the winners won’t have to pay anything, they will also be allowed to bring one guest along with them for the experience.

Samsung France is clearly pulling out all the stops here and that’s not necessarily a bad thing, after all, it does want customers to accept its apology. There’s no better way of doing that by giving way free stuff.

Thanks, Jeans-Axel!

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Samsung launches the Gear S3 in Canada for $469

After launching the Gear S3 in the United States last week Samsung today announced that its new smartwatch is available for purchase in Canada. Both variants – the Gear S3 classic and the Gear S3 frontier – are now available directly from Samsung Experience Stores, the company’s online store as well as from major retailers across the country.

The Gear S3 brings some great new features such as an integrated GPS and speakers, IP68 water resistance and Samsung Pay. The classic and frontier models basically have the same features aside from some minor design differences and the fact that the latter has support for cellular connectivity. Samsung took inspiration from classic watch design to create a truly modern smartwatch.

Samsung’s new smartwatch has been well received, it sold more than 25,000 units in South Korea within just ten days of launch. The company is now gradually releasing it in additional markets across the globe.

Customers in Canada will have to pay CAD $469 for the Gear S3 classic and Gear S3 frontier each. Both are available for purchase starting today. The Gear S2 and Gear S2 Classic will continue to be sold in the country as well for CAD $319 and CAD $369 respectively.

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Samsung offering massive discounts on Tizen products for Black Friday

With Black Friday quickly approaching, Samsung has decided to offer a nice little treat for its customers. The company is offering big discounts on Tizen-based products like the Gear S3, Gear Fit 2, as well as home appliances like televisions and smart refrigerators. The Gear S3 has massive discounts on offer via Samsung.com and it is selling for just $299.99, down from its usual price of $349.

The Gear Fit 2 is available for just $149.99, down from $179.99. The Gear S2 Classic, on the other hand, can be bought for just $249.99, while the Gold and Platinum version of the Gear S2 Classic is selling for $299.99, which is another $50 off on the regular pricing. The standard Gear S2 is priced at $229.99, so you’ll end up paying $20 more for the Classic version and another $50 for the premium variants of the Gear S2 Classic.

You can check the entire list of the deals on offer from the list below:

• Gear S3 Classic – $299.99 ($50 off)
• Gear S3 Frontier - $299.99 ($50 off)
• Gear Fit 2 – $149.99 ($30 off)
• Gear S2 – $229.99 ($20 off)
• Gear S2 Classic – $249.99 ($50 off)
• 28 cu ft. 4-door Flex Refrigerator w/ Family Hub – $3899 ($1900 off)
• KS8500 4K SUHD Quantum Dot Curved TV – $1599.99 ($2200 off)

There are several other deals on offer right now. We have compiled a list of Black Friday deals on the Galaxy S7 edge and the iPhone 7 to help you pick the best ones.

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Grab one of these seven screen protectors for your Samsung Gear S3!

No one likes seeing scratches on their smartphone displays, and screen protectors have always been a cheap and effective way to ensure your phone’s display retains its original scratch-free state. With smartwatches finding more and more buyers these days, the market for smartwatch screen protectors is also seeing considerable uptake. With the Samsung Gear S3 now making its way into consumer hands (or wrists), we thought it would be a good idea to list a few screen protectors that you might want to purchase to keep that beautiful 1.3-inch Super AMOLED display from wear and tear.

Have a look at the screen protectors by hitting the links below! Also check out a few third-party watch band options for your Gear S3 here.

• Skinomi MatteSkin Full Skin Coverage + Screen Protector - $12.95
• OMOTON Tempered Glass Screen Protector for Gear S3 [9H Hardness] - $9.99
• Supershieldz Anti-Scratch, Anti-Fingerprint, Bubble Free Tempered Glass - $7.99
• Dmax Armor [Tempered Glass] 0.3mm 9H Hardness, Anti-Scratch, Anti-Fingerprint, Bubble Free, Ultra-clear - $7.99
• VIFLYKOO 2.5D 0.26MM Ultra-thin 9H Hardness Scratch Proof HD Ultra Clear Protective Screen - $7.99
• Lamshaw 9H Tempered Glass Screen Protector for Samsung Gear S3 Smartwatch (3 Pack) - $8.99
• Mothca Full Coverage Screen Protector, Crystal Clear Anti-scratch Film 9H Hardness - $7.84

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Daily Deal: Get the Samsung Gear IconX for only $159!

Looking for a pair of wireless earphones? How about taking a look at the Gear IconX, Samsung’s wireless earbuds that also let you track your fitness routines while you listen to your favorite tracks? The Gear IconX is going for $159.07 on Amazon today, a discount of $40 on the regular price. We found the Gear IconX to be somewhat lacking in what it offers in its first generation, but at the discounted price it’s one of the most feature-packed wireless earphones you can find on the market.

Grab the Gear IconX from Amazon by hitting the button below, and don’t forget to check out our full review if you need more information!

Buy Now

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Samsung’s Android 7.0 Nougat beta program may be expanded to other countries

It has been over a week since Samsung launched the Galaxy Beta Program in the United States, United Kingdom, South Korea and China. The program enables users to register for an opportunity to try Android 7.0 Nougat beta builds on their Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge. Samsung hasn’t confirmed as yet if this program is going to be expanded to other countries but there’s a possibility that it may be launched in the Philippines next week.

One of our readers has shared a screenshot of a live chat conversation with Samsung Philippines support. He was asking about the possibility of Nougat beta program being launched for users in the Philippines. “You may wait until early next week for its release to your device,” was the support representative’s reply, suggesting that the beta program might be expanded to the Philippines.

It would be great if Samsung decides to expand the reach of this program but I won’t consider this to be a done deal just yet. Samsung’s support representatives have often made contradictory statements when it comes to firmware and even this representative’s reply doesn’t make that much sense. It’s not like Android 7.0 Nougat beta will be released to all Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge users in the country. The program requires interested users to register and it’s up to Samsung to decide how many get in.

Like I said, Samsung’s decision to expand the program will be appreciated, but nothing concrete has come up so far to support the theory. If you’re interested in finding out what improvements Samsung is going to bring with this update, do check out our Whats New With Nougat series.

Thanks, Jared!

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[Download] Android 7.0 Nougat consumer guide for the Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge

Samsung launched the Galaxy Beta Program for Android 7.0 Nougat a couple of weeks ago. This program is live in a handful of countries were Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge owners can register for the opportunity to test Nougat beta builds. We already have a good sense of everything that’s new in the next update but we have now obtained Samsung’s official consumer consultant guide for Nougat on the Galaxy S7 and the Galaxy S7 edge. The guide details all of the new features and improvements included in Nougat and compares them with how things used to be on previous iterations.

The guide reveals how the entire user interface and experience has been enhanced compared to how it currently is on Marshmallow. It highlights some of the new features such as the ability to change display size, direct reply from notifications, improved Always On Display aside from countless user interface tweaks. You can find out more about all of the improvements by checking out our Whats New With Nougat series.

Click here to download the Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge Android 7.0 Nougat consumer consultant guide (PDF).

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Samsung confirms that a new build of its Nougat beta firmware is on the way

It’s been revealed today that Samsung’s preparing to roll out another build of its Android 7.0 Nougat firmware for Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge owners participating in the Galaxy Beta Program. The upgrade will transport a flurry of patches for issues reported by users, including a fix for a bug that results in a notification setting not functioning as intended.

Unfortunately, it’s unclear when the firmware will start making the rounds. However, the South Korean company it’s on the way in a conversation with a beta tester that was shared on the official Samsung Members application. If we were to hazard a guess, we’d say that we expect it to start rolling out sometime over the course of the next couple of weeks.

 

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[Sponsored] Another flagship showdown: Galaxy S7 edge vs iPhone 7 Black Friday deals

Black Friday week is again upon us, and of course, there will be lots of deals to be had. Retailers all across the web and on the high street are rolling out offers due to the huge amount of people shopping over the next week.

In addition to popular staples of the holiday season such as toys and games, some of the hottest competition between retailers this year will be on smartphones. If you’re looking to get a new smartphone either as a Christmas gift for someone or yourself, one of the biggest showdowns this year will again be between the Samsung Galaxy S7 edge and iPhone 7 headsets.

FindTheData | Graphiq

These two phones have battled it out continuously this year and now many retailers are dropping their prices on these two rival flagship handsets in the run up to Christmas, so Black Friday makes it the best time to get one.

Samsung Galaxy S7 edge vs iPhone 7: Black Friday deals

With prices on the two handsets being lowered in some amazing Black Friday deals, figuring out which one is best for you can become a little tricky for some. There is no doubt that the Samsung handsets are the best in their class amongst Android phones and the Galaxy S7 edge is no different, with a brilliant spec-sheet, superb design and display, not to mention its water resistance. So although the iPhone 7 may have the edge in performance, and is ahead in sales, Samsung is still the clear winner.

However, both models also tend to come at the pricey end of the spectrum, which is why events like black Friday and cyber Monday have been growing hugely in popularity in the smartphone industry retail calendar.

Retailers have lowered prices on these two handsets for Black Friday, particularly for pay-monthly options, with the smartphones available with no up-front cost and with low monthly payments in some cases. Leading UK retailer Mobile Phones Direct features the Galaxy S7 edge on carrier 3 as one of its Black Friday deals. Those looking to get the handset can do so with no upfront fees on a £36/ month payment plan, with unlimited call minutes, unlimited text messages, and 8GB of data for browsing the web.

Will shopping season 2016 see the turning point?

There is no doubt that events such as these offer great deals for consumers on top-spec handsets, and because a number of people set to be looking for good deals due to recent economic instability, events such as these have the ability to shape the market.

Despite the on-going popularity of the Apple brand, iPhone sales did decline midway through the year, so it would not be surprising if Samsung begins to dominate the market in 2017 thanks to an influx of new users worldwide.

Disclaimer: This article is a sponsored post from UK retailer Mobile Phones Direct and SamMobile does not take any responsibility for its content.

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You can now download the Gear S3 Classic and Gear S3 Frontier user manual

Samsung has uploaded the final version of its user support manual for the recently-launched Gear S3 Classic (SM-R770) and Gear S3 Frontier (SM-R760) to its online Download Center. The 97-page document is home to a plethora of invaluable information for Gear S3 owners, including instructions on how to get started with their device and details on what to do if they start experiencing technical difficulties.

You can grab the user manual in its PDF form by hitting the source link below.

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First images of the ‘Glossy Black’ Galaxy S7 edge surface online

It was only two days ago that we reported that Samsung’s preparing to launch a gorgeous ‘Glossy Black’ variant of the Galaxy S7 edge to rival the recently-launched Jet Black iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus — and now we’re getting our first proper look at the handset.

Expected to hit the shelves next month, the ‘Glossy Black’ hue is almost identical to the Black Onyx colorway that debuted on board the Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge back in March. However, instead of having a matte finish, it’s coated with a shiny layer of paint.

As I’m sure you’d agree, it looks absolutely fantastic. We’re not entirely sure if it’ll be prone to scratching like the iPhone 7 or if it’ll face a worldwide release, but seeing as the Blue Coral version of the Galaxy S7 edge has been launched in several markets, we expect the Glossy Black unit to follow suit.

These images come courtesy of a Weibo account belonging to a Samsung official operating in China, who — quite obviously — isn’t very good at snapping pictures of technology. Hopefully, we’ll see some high-res renders in the not-too-distant future, but these images are certainly enough to whet your palette.

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