Happy New Year from SamMobile – We have exciting news!

2017 has been a great year for Samsung. The company bounced back from the Galaxy Note 7 debacle in spectacular fashion. It delivered us two of the best Android devices on the market today – the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy Note 8. It retained its position as the leader in the global smartphone market. The company is also on track for a record yearly operating profit.

All of us at SamMobile would like to wish you all a very Happy New Year. We hope that you have a great time celebrating with your friends and family. If you’re headed out to take photos of the amazing fireworks displays, don’t forget to configure the camera’s ISO to as low as possible, adjust the shutter speed for better effects and avoid using HDR, zoom or flash.

We look forward to great things from Samsung in the coming year. Speaking of great things, we have some exciting news. SamMobile will be introducing its new site design in the first quarter of 2018. We’re very excited about it and can’t wait to show it to you. We can only give you a sneak peek right now but will share more about it in the coming months.

Happy New Year once again, and we hope that the coming year brings you all a lot of joy and happiness.

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Amazon India teases new Galaxy On smartphone, possibly a Galaxy J7 Pro variant

Amazon India has started teasing the launch of a new smartphone in Samsung’s Galaxy On lineup of handsets that the company sells solely through online retailers. Galaxy On smartphones have always been rebadged Galaxy J series phones, and judging from the teasers about “new ways to shop” and “superior performance” on Amazon’s landing page, the new device could be a renamed Galaxy J7 Pro.

New Galaxy On smartphone likely to be renamed Galaxy J7 Pro

The Galaxy J7 Pro is the only handset in Samsung’s budget lineup with support for the complete version of Samsung Pay, so the new Galaxy On being teased isn’t likely to be the Galaxy J7+ as some are speculating. There’s no clear hint about a dual camera setup, either, which is the highlight feature of the J7+. Furthermore, it simply makes more sense to rename an existing device and make it a part of the Galaxy On series instead of launching a new phone, especially one that hasn’t been released for offline sale in the country.

Amazon India isn’t telling us when the device will be launched, only saying that it is “coming soon.” As with previous Galaxy On phones, this one should be slightly cheaper than its regular Galaxy J counterpart, possibly with an upgrade in the RAM or storage departments. We’ll know more when the device goes official; you can sign up to be notified once that happens by visiting the source link.

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Samsung doesn’t slow down phones that have older batteries

After many users noticed that old iPhones with low-capacity batteries were slowing down, Apple officially confirmed that it does indeed slow down older iPhones with naturally degraded batteries. The company has been hit with multiple lawsuits over this and has now even issued an apology.

People are naturally wondering if other smartphone manufacturers do this as well. Samsung has confirmed that it doesn’t slow down smartphones with older batteries.

The curious case of throttled iPhones

It had long been a conspiracy theory that Apple intentionally slows down older iPhones to get customers to buy a new one. In light of recent reports that contained sufficient evidence, Apple confirmed that it does do this but offered a different explanation.

Smartphone batteries output less power as they become older due to natural degradation. This can lead to the device shutting down unexpectedly if the processor comes under heavy load and demands more power to ramp up speed.

Apple decided to throttle the processor speed on older devices in order to prevent unexpected shutdowns resulting from the battery’s inability to keep up. Whether or not that was the intention is another matter but it also ended up limiting how fast an iPhone can get without clarifying it to users. Apple introduced this behavior last year for the iPhone 6, 6S and SE.

Apple’s top rival Samsung has confirmed that it doesn’t do this. The company has categorically said that it doesn’t reduce CPU performance through software updates over the lifecycle of a smartphone. It has sent out the following statement:

Product quality has been and will always be Samsung Mobile’s top priority. We ensure extended battery life of Samsung mobile devices through multi-layer safety measures, which include software algorithms that govern the battery charging current and charging duration. We do not reduce CPU performance through software updates over the lifecycles of the phone.

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Samsung releases December security patch for the Galaxy A7 (2017)

The December security update is gradually making its way to more devices. It was released for the 2016 and 2017 models of the Galaxy A3 just yesterday. Samsung has now rolled it out for the top-of-the-line model of its premium mid-range lineup. The Galaxy A7 (2017) is now receiving its December security patch update.

Galaxy A7 (2017) December security patch

Samsung detailed the December security patch earlier this month. It brings fixes for 11 critical vulnerabilities that were discovered in the Android operating system. Fixes for 10 vulnerabilities discovered in Samsung’s own software are included as well.

There’s not much in the way of new features to be expected from this update. It’s a security maintenance release that’s primarily meant to address security issues and that’s pretty much all that it does.

Samsung is now rolling out firmware version A720FXXU2BQL9 for the Galaxy A7 (2017) in Mexico. Owners can check to see if the update is available for them by heading to the Download updates manually option in the Software update menu of the Settings app. It may take a while for the update to become available in all regions, shouldn’t be more than a few days.

The update is also available for download from our firmware section.

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Samsung will unveil Galaxy S9’s Exynos processor on January 4

Qualcomm officially announced the Snapdragon 845 three weeks ago. Its latest flagship mobile processor is based on the same 10nm process as its predecessor. The Snapdragon 845 will likely power the North American, South American and Chinese variants of the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+.

The handsets will be powered by Samsung’s latest Exynos processor in other markets. Samsung is going to officially unveil its latest high-end Exynos processor on January 4. According to previous reports, it’s going to be called the Exynos 9810.

Galaxy S9’s Exynos processor

Samsung is teasing its next Exynos processor through the official Samsung Exynos Twitter account. The tweet mentions that this processor “goes beyond a component.”

It’s possible that this is a subtle hint to the advanced artificial intelligence capabilities of the new chip. Some reports have even suggested that it may have dedicated cores for artificial intelligence tasks but nothing is known for sure right now.

Samsung is going to announce its new flagship Exynos processor on January 4, 2018. The Galaxy S9 is going to be the first device to tout it. Samsung is expected to unveil the Galaxy S9 at the Mobile World Congress 2018 in February. The handset will likely be released at some point in the following month.

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December security patch update arrives on Galaxy A3 (2016) and A3 (2017)

Samsung is pushing out updates to a multitude of devices this week, and the latest devices to receive an update are the 2016 and 2017 models of the Galaxy A3, the smallest of Samsung’s premium mid-range phones that the company didn’t upgrade for the 2018 lineup. The update brings the December security patch to both devices; there’s nothing else of importance on offer, at least not in terms of user-facing features.

Galaxy A3 (2016) and Galaxy A3 (2017) owners can see if the update is available for their device by tapping the Download updates manually option in the Settings » Software update menu. The update will take time to propagate to all regions, so if it isn’t already available in your country, be sure to check again in a few days. It’s possible not every country will see an update with the December patch, as Samsung doesn’t release regular updates for non-flagship devices. In that case, you’ll just have to hold out until the company decides to release an update for your country with the most recent security fixes.

Thanks, Arif!

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What’s New With Android 8.0 Oreo Part 15: Automatically turn Wi-Fi on near known networks

Android 8.0 Oreo makes many significant changes to the operating system, both under the hood and in the user interface. There are also a few minor features that aren’t easy to find, especially ones that are part of stock Oreo and not exclusive to Samsung devices. One of these minor features is a new option in Wi-Fi settings that, when enabled, turns on Wi-Fi whenever the device is near a saved Wi-Fi network.

What’s New With Android 8.0 Oreo: Wi-Fi turns itself on near known networks

This works through location tracking; the device keeps track of where each saved Wi-Fi network is located. It’s a nifty feature, especially if you have ever forgotten to turn the Wi-Fi back on when you reach home after turning it off to avoid connecting to those saved public Wi-Fi networks that you don’t want to log in to. Of course, it’s also useful if you tend to turn Wi-Fi off to save battery juice when away from home or office, although the location tracking involved in making the Wi-Fi detection work is bound to negate any benefits that you’d benefit from disabling Wi-Fi.

But the feature works well, and the OS also notifies you each time it adds a particular Wi-Fi network to the list of saved networks. It’s disabled by default, and to enable it on a Galaxy S8 running the Oreo beta, you need to go into the phone’s settings, tap Connections, tap Wi-Fi, then go into advanced Wi-Fi settings by tapping the three-dot button on the top right. Here, toggle the Toggle on Wi-Fi automatically option. Naturally, keeping Wi-Fi on is recommended until the phone learns the location of your most frequently used networks.

To see more of what Android 8.0 Oreo brings to Samsung devices, check out our What’s New With Android 8.0 Oreo series.

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New Galaxy Note 8 update brings a fix for LTE data interruption

Samsung is pushing out a new update to the Galaxy Note 8 in Taiwan, bringing a fix for the issue of “intermittent interruption of LTE data.” That’s the only highlight in the changelog, and the firmware version (N950FXXU2BQKG) hasn’t changed from the last time, so this looks to be just a followup update. We’re not sure what kind of LTE data interruption Samsung is talking about, although we’re hoping the update fixes the problem with switching between 3G and 4G networks that at least one member of our team has been experiencing on his Note 8.

New Galaxy Note 8 update rolling out

It also remains to be seen if this update will be released for all regions or stay exclusive to a few countries. For now, if you’re using a Galaxy Note 8 in Taiwan, you can see if the update is available for your phone from the Settings » Software update menu. The rollout seems to have begun a couple of days ago, so it should have reached most eligible handsets at this point. We also have the latest firmware available in our database, so you can use a PC to manually install the latest software if the update isn’t available for you over the air.

Seeing the new update on your Galaxy Note 8?

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Samsung’s new 2-in1 Chromebook might come with a stylus

Last month, a new Samsung Chromebook under the codename ‘Nautilus’ was spotted in the Chromium Repository. The details in the commits pointed to a 2-in-1 device with a detachable keyboard.

Today, Chrome Unboxed has unearthed one more interesting titbit about the device. According to new commits, Samsung’s ‘Nautilus’ is expected to come with a stowable stylus just like the Chromebook Pro and Chromebook Plus in 2017.

A Pixelbook Competitor?

In the new commits by Jongpil Jung, who was earlier linked to Samsung by his email address and previous Samsung Chromebook commits, there are multiple references to inserting the pen, ejecting the pen, and the stylus tools menu reacting to these actions. These actions should sound familiar to anyone who has used any Samsung’s stylus-enabled devices in the past.

Samsung’s Chromebook Pro and Chromebook Plus were announced at CES 2017, and have generated a lot of interested in the Chrome OS ecosystem. It looks like Samsung is keen on pushing the envelope even further with this detachable 2-in-1 Chromebook. When launched, Samsung’s ‘Nautilus’ will compete with Google’s PixelBook in terms of form factor and features. Since PixelBook is priced too high for a Chromebook, Samsung’s offering will have better success in the market if it’s priced reasonably.

This year, Google has officially brought Android apps to Chrome OS, thereby effectively paving the way for making Chrome OS a replacement for Android on tablets. Android’s tablet market hasn’t been going anywhere with no interest from Google. Chrome OS with Android apps might very well become the new tablet OS of choice for all the OEMs going forward.

There is a chance that this new 2-in-1 Chromebook by Samsung will make an appearance at the CES 2018, even if it doesn’t go on sale immediately given the early stages of development.

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Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ swing by the FCC

The Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ have just passed an important milestone on their way to retail shelves, or at least an official announcement. Both handsets have been certified by the FCC on December 27th, just in time for New Year’s. As expected, there is no information on the phones’ specs listed in the FCC documents. There’s not even a standard design outline in there, which might be because some of the documents were submitted to the FCC way back in mid-November, at a time when the final design may not have been, well, finalized.

Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ by the FCC

The FCC has certified the international unlocked models carrying model number SM-G960F and SM-G965F (for the S9 and S9+ respectively). Naturally, further certifications will be necessary before Samsung can bring the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ to market, including those by the major carriers in the US. The devices were already being tested by authorities in China, and the FCC is another pit stop on the path to an official launch. It’s one of the more important pit stops, though, and the FCC certification suggests things are proceeding as planned as far as development on the two devices is concerned.

Does the December certification also mean that the Galaxy S9 could be unveiled early, as some rumors have suggested? Not really, especially if we consider the additional time Samsung is taking for making sure the batteries inside its flagships are safe after the Galaxy Note 7 debacle. Not to mention recent rumors have pegged the S9’s launch for MWC 2018, and there’s no logical reason for Samsung to mess with the launch schedule of its mainstream flagship line.

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Samsung launches Samsung Mobile Care insurance service in Spain

Samsung Electronics has announced the launch of Samsung Mobile Care in Spain. Launched in collaboration with the insurer Allianz Global Assistance, Samsung Mobile Care is a paid smartphone insurance scheme aimed at covering accidental damages for Samsung devices.

Samsung Mobile Care covers accidental damages

Under the scheme, customers can make a single payment of €129 (~$154) or €5.99 (~$7) per month during the 2-year coverage period. For that money, Samsung Mobile Care covers your Samsung smartphones from any physical damage during the plan period. Covered accidental damages include damage to the screen, cracks, breakage of glass, liquid damages etc. Theft and cosmetic damages are not covered under the policy. The plans also offer other benefits, like worldwide coverage when you travel abroad.

The website mentions users can claim for accidental damages twice in the 2-year coverage period. For each of those claims, Samsung charges a deductible of €79 (~94) as a service fee. Users can also request for renewal of the plan after the 2-year coverage period.

Currently, the scheme is applicable only for the Galaxy S7, Galaxy S7 edge, Galaxy S8, Galaxy S8+, and the Galaxy Note8. The plan must be purchased and activated within 30 days from the date of your smartphone purchase.

Samsung already offers a similar insurance scheme in the US under the name Samsung Premium Care. The US plan offers a wide variety of benefits not covered under the standard warranty policy. They include home visits for repair, coverage for accidental damages, and extended warranty. Samsung Premium Care is free for the first month. After the first month, the service costs $11.99 per month. In the US, a customer can get a maximum of 3 accidental damage claims per 12-month period with $99 deductible.

While third-party accidental damage insurance plans were always available in many markets, it is always nice to see the device manufacturer offering the same. Considering how expensive replacing damaged screens for high-end Samsung phones can be, it may be a good investment for people who want complete peace of mind while using their expensive Samsung phones.

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New Android 8.0 Oreo now rolling out to the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+

Samsung has just started rolling out a new Android 8.0 Oreo beta firmware for the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+. Samsung is calling the latest release the “2nd beta” on our Indian unit of the S8+ and we don’t see the same update on our European variants, so it’s possible the new beta isn’t going to be released for beta testers from the first phase, at least not immediately. The software version of the latest beta is ZQLE, and like the last beta, this one also seems to be all about bug fixes. Not surprising, as all the new features have no doubt been implemented already and Samsung is likely to focus on ironing out any errors and bugs as we inch closer to the final release of Oreo for the Galaxy S8.

New Galaxy S8 and S8+ Android 8.0 Oreo beta rolling out

To see if the update is available on your Galaxy S8 (if you’re enrolled in the beta program, of course), go into the phone’s settings, tap Software update, then tap the Download updates manually option. It’s a 613 MB update, so make sure you’re using a Wi-Fi connection before you begin the download. As always, since this is a beta release, be sure to backup important data before updating. We’ll be digging into the new beta to see if anything has changed or improved; in the meantime, you can check our What’s New With Android 8.0 Oreo series to see all the major features that the latest version of Android brings to the Galaxy S8 and S8+.

Have you received the latest beta on your Galaxy S8 or Galaxy S8+?

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Some Galaxy Note 8 units may be dying after hitting 0 percent charge

The Galaxy Note 8 may have a safe battery that’s run through many tests to ensure that fire hazard isn’t an issue, but it looks like some Note 8 units are refusing to power on once they reach 0% battery charge. Quite a few Note 8 owners have taken to the Samsung community and forums on sites like Android Central to complain that their Note 8 stopped working after they let the battery drain completely. Samsung has been offering replacements, but like many other issues with its flagships, the company hasn’t officially confirmed or released a statement on why this might be happening.

To make things worse, Samsung seems to be replacing bricked units with refurbished devices, which seems a little strange considering every Note 8 would be covered by warranty just a couple of months after its release. Owners of the device from US carriers seem to be most affected, so it’s possible it’s only the Snapdragon variant of the phone that’s at risk. The problem doesn’t seem to be too widespread, but it’s still interesting to see that a phone can fail to boot just because its owner might have used it until the battery ran out.

It’s also unclear if this is a hardware or software issue. Some users report that their phone does show the charging circle when connected to a power source but refuses to actually charge, while others say the phone gets warm when connected but the screen remains blank. It’s a similar theme with wireless charging: the blue charging light on the charger comes up, but the phone remains unresponsive, suggesting the software might be to blame.

No known fix at this point

If the fault’s in the software, it’s possible it was introduced in a recent software update. There’s no way to tell and no known fix, and the only way to keep the phone in working condition right now is to ensure it’s plugged in before the battery charge reaches 0 percent. If your Note 8 does run out of juice and refuses to power up, be sure to contact Samsung to request a replacement. We’ll try looking into more such reports to see just how widespread the issue is; at this point, it’s looking like one of those problems that can affect any device, especially since there’s at least one Galaxy S8+ owner who seems to have encountered the same phone-bricking bug.

Has your Galaxy Note 8 stopped working in a similar manner? Have you come across someone who might have run into the issue on their phone? Let us know in the comments, along with details on your carrier and/or country of residence!

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Galaxy J2 (2018) price surfaces in retail listing

Last week, press images and specifications of the Galaxy J2 (2018) leaked online. Today, a screenshot of a retail listing for the Galaxy J2 (2018) on a Russian shopping site Becompact has been leaked. The Galaxy J2 (2018) price has surfaced in this retail listing.

Galaxy J2 (2018) price surfaces

The price and specifications in the online listing match with the Galaxy J2 (2018) leak we saw last week. That being said, there’s isn’t a lot to go on right now. The price is listed as 7,990 RUB which translates to ~$138. However, it is unknown at this point in time if the retailer has simply listed the product based on the information already available online. Given that the images in the listing are not watermarked, it is possible that the listing is based on information separate from the leak.

To recap, as per the leak, the Galaxy J2 (2018) is expected to launch with a 5-inch SuperAMOLED screen, Qualcomm Snapdragon 425 chipset, 1.5GB RAM, 16GB internal memory, 8-megapixel rear camera, 5-megapixel front camera, removable 2600mAh battery, and Android 7.1.1 Nougat.

At the time of this writing, the listing is still online with a Buy option. Since Samsung has not officially announced the phone, the retailer will obviously not be able to ship the phone anytime soon. Samsung is expected to officially launch the Galaxy J2 (2018) in the near future.

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Tizen 3.0 update with Gear S3 battery fix now rolling out in Europe

Samsung released Tizen 3.0 for Gear S3 last month. The latest Value Pack Update for the Gear S3 Classic and Gear S3 Frontier brought a handful of new features but also introduced a bug. The bug caused the smartwatch’s battery to drain quickly for no reason.

Samsung suspended the update’s release and took a few days to launch the revised version of the Tizen 3.0 update. The revised update is now rolling out for the Gear S3 in Europe.

Revised Tizen 3.0 update for Gear S3

The company originally released firmware version R760XXU2CQK3 for the Gear S3 last month but most users were stuck on the previous R760XXU2BQC5 firmware version. We then received word from Samsung Netherlands that the Tizen 3.0 release was halted due to battery life issues after the update.

Samsung rolled out the revised update for the Gear S3 in North America last week. It’s now rolling out the same update in markets across Europe. Firmware version R760XXU2CQL1 has been released and it includes the battery life fix for the Gear S3.

The latest firmware update for the Gear S3 is being released in phases so it may be a while before it goes live in all regions across the globe. Some can expect to receive it early next month.

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SamMobile Firmware Update Magazine: December 26, 2017

Welcome to the latest edition of our weekly Firmware Magazine. You can think of it as your go-to resource to find out which of your Samsung devices has received a new update or if it’s going to receive a new firmware update in the near future.

To keep things interesting, we present the Firmware Magazine in new designs every week. It will always include the important details about firmware updates such as the firmware versions, device model numbers, Android OS versions and the country where said update is out already.

Keep in mind, however, that these firmware details are based on the firmware that are available in our database, and in some cases, the latest updates might not show in the same week as the full firmware files take additional time to make it to our database.

The purpose of this magazine is to bring all of that important information about firmware updates to you, the reader, in a manner that’s easy to comprehend—so even if you’re new to the world of firmware, you’ll have no trouble making sense of it all.

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Official Galaxy S9 accessories confirmed by retailer

An online retailer has reached out to us with word that they’ve received confirmation of the official Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ accessories. The list of accessories includes a Hyperknit cover as well as the LED View, Clear View, Alcantara and Protective covers that we’ve seen with previous devices.

The retailer also mentions that there’s going to be a new wireless charging pad for the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ which will replace the current convertible charging pad. Samsung is also said to launch a new DeX Pad.

Galaxy S9 accessories

The Hyperknit cover will be a new addition to Samsung’s accessories lineup. The LED View, Clear View, Alcantara and Protective covers we’ve seen before. The new cases indicate that the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ will be available in the same color options as their predecessors.

There’s a new red color option for the Hyperknit and Alcantara covers which suggest that this new color option might be offered in some markets. We’ve already reported that Samsung is going to bring a purple color option for the Galaxy S9 as well.

Samsung is also expected to introduce a new DeX Pad with its upcoming flagship smartphone. The display of a connected phone can be used as a mouse with Android 8.0 Oreo. Reports about the DeX Pad suggest that it may also receive the option of being used as a keyboard.

This will eliminate the need for users to carry a mouse and keyboard with them to take full advantage of DeX’s capabilities.

There are no images of these official accessories as yet since Samsung hasn’t released any. Samsung will officially announce them the day the Galaxy S9 is unveiled. That’s likely going to be February 26, 2018.

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Samsung’s ARTIK IoT modules gets OCF certification

Back in 2015, Samsung announced ARTIK- an open platform for developing Internet of Things devices. ARTIK IoT platform is a combination of hardware, software and cloud components aimed at faster development of IoT devices. It is an end-to-end solution for companies to effortlessly make, easily link, and safely operate IoT devices. ARTIK platform is flexible and can be used to build anything from simple sensors and controllers, to home appliances and healthcare solutions.

Samsung’s ARTIK is an end-to end IoT platform

On the hardware side, ARTIK offers tiny ARM computers (referred to as ARTIK modules) that can be used in a wide range of smart appliances and IoT devices. On the software side, it offers developer tools. The cloud part of the equation consists of a dedicated cloud platform for connecting a wide range of IoT devices.

Continuing their work on the platform, Samsung has announced today that their Samsung ARTIK 05x series of modules have received 1.3 Certification from the Open Connectivity Foundation (OCF). The certification helps companies to build IoT devices (using ARTIK modules) that can seamlessly work with other OCF-certified IoT devices irrespective of their form factor, operating system or service providers.

Given how fragmented the IoT ecosystem is, standards like OCF certification should help in the faster development of IoT devices that are smarter, secure, and more connected. According to Samsung, ARTIK 05x is the first system-on-module family to receive this certification.

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Revised Tizen 3.0 update for Gear S3 rolling out now

Tizen 3.0 is the most recent major update for the Gear S3. Samsung released the firmware as part of its Value Pack Update for the Gear S3 Classic and Gear S3 Frontier last month. Firmware version R760XXU2CQK3 was originally released for the Gear S3. Samsung has now revealed that it’s rolling out a revised Tizen 3.0 update for the Gear S3 starting today.

Revised Tizen 3.0 update for Gear S3

Even though R760XXU2CQK3 is the firmware version that’s supposed to be rolling out for the Gear S3, we dug around and found that R760XXU2BQC5 is the most recent firmware version for the Gear S3 in Europe. It’s the one that was released before the Tizen 3.0 update.

Samsung Netherlands has confirmed in a statement that while the Tizen 3.0 roll out did start last month, it was halted in December. That’s because many customers in North America had started complaining about battery life issues after updating to Tizen 3.0. Samsung recently released another update for Gear S3 owners in Canada to address the battery life issue.

The company has confirmed that it has revised the Tizen 3.0 update for the Gear S3 which it has started rolling out today. The fix for the battery issue is included in this release. The update will be rolled out in phases so it will only be released to a small group of users initially before being expanded to all users early next month.

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Galaxy J7 Nxt variant with 3GB RAM, 32GB storage now available in India

The Galaxy J7 Nxt, which launched in India earlier this year as a slightly enhanced version of the Galaxy J7 (2016), has been upgraded with 3GB of RAM and 32GB of internal storage, with the new variant now on sale from offline stores. In addition to the increased memory specs, the 3GB/32GB variant comes loaded with “augmented reality stickers” in the camera, which suggests it runs Android 7.1.1, or at least a newer version of Samsung’s user interface.

The upgraded model also comes preloaded with Samsung Pay Mini. Samsung Pay Mini is a stripped down version of Samsung Pay, and it only supports wallets like Paytm and Mobikwik in addition to the country’s UPI payment service. It was also updated with support for bill payments. Samsung Pay Mini was already available for the J7 Nxt and other budget phones, so the only difference here seems to be the fact that it now comes installed out of the box.

No other hardware upgrades

The spec sheet remains the same in other departments. There’s a 5.5-inch HD Super AMOLED display, 1.6GHz octa-core processor, 13-megapixel rear-facing camera, 5-megapixel front camera, 4G LTE support, a 3,300 mAh battery. The phone’s priced at Rs. 12,990, which is only slightly higher than the original Galaxy J7 Nxt.

New Launch #SamsungGalaxyJ7Nxt 32GB
With 3GB RAM – The device is enabled with #SamsungPaymini #ARStickers
Rs.12990/- . http://pic.twitter.com/uVRsqQNQ3m

— Mahesh Telecom (@MAHESHTELECOM) December 21, 2017

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Samsung Galaxy J2 (2018) specifications and pictures leaked

As we draw close to the end of 2017, leaks and rumors about Samsung’s 2018 line up of devices are coming thick and fast. After the A8 (2018) and A8+ (2018) leaks prior to their announcement couple of days back, now it’s the Galaxy J2 (2018) which has been leaked before its official announcement.

German Site winfuture.de has posted official images and specifications of the Galaxy J2 (2018). Looking at the pictures and the specifications, the Galaxy J2 (2018) seems to be a minor upgrade to the current Galaxy J2 (2017)

A minor upgrade

According to the leak, the Galaxy J2 (2018) will launch under the model number SM-J250. The device will have a plastic build and weigh around 153 grams. It will have a 5-inch SuperAMOLED display with an unimpressive resolution of 960 x 540 pixels. Unlike the Galaxy A8 2018 series, the Galaxy J2 (2018) will stick to the old 16:9 display ratio, and will have the usual capacitive buttons on the front.

Under the hood, it will be powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 425 quad-core SoC with four Cortex-A53 cores clocked at 1.4 GHz. It will also feature 1.5GB RAM and 16GB of internal memory along with a dedicated microSD card slot.

On the connectivity front, it will be a dual-sim phone with dedicated sim slots and Cat.4 LTE with speeds up to 150 Mbit/s. It will come with Bluetooth 4.2 and 802.11n WLAN. Imaging needs will be handled by an 8-megapixel rear camera and 5-megapixel front camera with flash on both sides.

The phone will be powered by a removable 2600mAh battery with a microUSB port for charging. It will launch with the “outdated” Android 7.1.1 Nougat. Given the low-end specifications, it would have been better if Samsung opted for Android Oreo Go Edition but that doesn’t seem to be the case here.

The device is expected to launch in the coming weeks and is targeted at the developing countries. The leak says the device will be launched in Russia for under 8,000 Rubles which translates to around $136.

With brands like Xiaomi posting triple-digit growth rates by offering exceptional value for money products in key markets, it remains to be seen if the Samsung Galaxy J series can continue to drive growth with low-end specifications and minor upgrades.

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Samsung launches world’s first LTE-R network for high speed train line in Korea

Samsung is up to it’s pioneering ways again, this time in the form LTE-R. Samsung has partnered with telecom firm KT to launch and enable the world’s first LTE-R network for the new Wonju-Gangneung high-speed train line in Korea which covers a span 120 kilometers and travels up to 250km/hour.

LTE-R is live in Korea

Back in 2015, Samsung was selected as the LTE-R supplier for five projects, and two years later, here we are. Earlier this year in April, we saw the deployment of the network for the Busan Metro line in Korea’s second largest city covering 40 stations.

This next-generation communications technology enables high-speed wireless voice and data communications from inside trains, between trains and from train to ground. It will also power mission-critical communications between train personnel and control centers with improved stability.

Samsung has also developed a rugged smartphone (SM-G888NO) for train personnel as part of this critical communications system. This model number had been previously mistaken for the Galaxy X foldable smartphone Samsung purportedly plans on launching.

All in all, Samsung has now completed two of the five projects it accepted responsibility for, and it’s already working on deploying the network for the line between Incheon International Airport and Seoul Station in the center of the capital.

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Galaxy A8 and Galaxy A8+ (2018) release date confirmed

It has only been a few days since Samsung unveiled the Galaxy A8 and Galaxy A8+ (2018). We’ve already confirmed the price tags for these new premium mid-range handsets. Samsung has now revealed when the devices are going to be released.

Pricing and availability will vary by market. Samsung has only confirmed the Galaxy A8 and Galaxy A8+ (2018) release date for Vietnam at this point in time.

Galaxy A8 and Galaxy A8+ (2018) release date

We’ve previously reported that the Galaxy A8 is going to cost €499 and the Galaxy A8+ (2018) is going to cost €599. These are the price tags for Europe. The handset is going to be similarly priced in other markets across the globe.

At the launch event for these handsets in Vietnam, Samsung confirmed that the Galaxy A8 and Galaxy A8+ (2018) will cost 10,990,000VND ($483) and 13,490,000VND ($593) respectively.

The company has started taking pre-orders for the handset from customers in Vietnam. It confirmed at the event that the Galaxy A8 and Galaxy A8+ (2018) will be released in the country on January 6, 2018.

Samsung’s regional arms should start confirming the pricing and availability information for their respective markets in the near future. We can expect the handset to be out in several markets across the globe in January.

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Samsung releases a short film to showcase their Relúmĭno app

Samsung has released today a short film titled “Two Lights: Relúmĭno”. The film which features Korean actress Han Ji Min. and K-pop star and actor Park Hyungsik as the main characters, is produced by the Korean film director and screenwriter, Hur Jin-ho.

The film is aimed at showcasing Relúmĭno, Samsung’s visual aid application for people with visual impairments. Relúmĭno is an app developed by a team at Samsung’s in-house incubator program named C-Lab. The app uses Gear VR to assist visually-impaired people by enhancing their vision to overcome everyday challenges.

Helping near-blind and visually impaired people to see things better

Relúmĭno uses Vision Assistive Technology which processes images taken by the camera of a smartphone. It then improves viewing conditions by compensating through edge enhancement, text enhancement, contrast enhancement, distorted image correction and blind spot remapping.

It allows for partial vision restoration. Clinical tests performed earlier this year showed a significant improvement of visual acuity and faster reading speed.

The film tells the story of Sooyoung and Insoo, two young visually-impaired people who meet at a photography club. They grow closer to each other as they learn to take their own photos. Relúmĭno helps them in the end bringing closure to a moving story.

According to Samsung, the film “was inspired by the fact that about 86 percent of visually impaired people worldwide have low vision, and that they may experience unnecessary inconveniences as a result”.

Relúmĭno was showcased at the World Mobile Congress in Barcelona this year. Our hands-on time with the app left us impressed with the idea and the implementation.

You can check the short film below.

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Samsung India’s mobile revenue up by 27%

As per a report in Economic Times, Samsung India’s mobile revenues have registered a growth of 27% for the financial year ending March 2017. During the year, Samsung India clocked a total revenue of INR 57,000 crore (~$8.9 billion) – an increase of 20% year-on-year.

Samsung India’s mobile revenues which account for 60% of the total revenue stood at around INR 34,000 crore (~$8.9 billion) – an increase of 27% year-on-year. The total revenue growth is marginally better than the 19% growth rate at INR 47,000 crore (~$8.9 billion) for the financial year ending March 2016.

Revenues up even as the competition increases

What makes the growth rate impressive is the fact that financial year ending March 2017 includes the turbulent period of Galaxy Note 7 which hurt Samsung financially.

The ET report mentions an estimated loss of revenue of up to INR 6,500 crore (~$1 billion) due to the Galaxy Note 7 debacle. The growth in revenues is attributed to local manufacturing, which helps Samsung save on taxes and duties, and expansion of retail presence, which helps Samsung fight the onslaught of online-only brands.

This news comes in the backdrop of Xiaomi’s explosive growth. In October, Counterpoint Research data showed that while Samsung maintained its lead in India in Q3 2017, Xiaomi was at a striking distance to take the top position from Samsung. Later in November, the Q3 2017 data from IDC showed that both Samsung and Xiaomi were tied at 23.5 percent market share each in the Indian smartphone market.

It is worth pointing out that the above revenue growth doesn’t include the last two quarters where Xiaomi has made huge gains in market share. Despite Xiaomi’s impressive growth, Samsung is confident of maintaining the revenue growth in the current financial year.

One factor which might go in Samsung’s favor is that the Indian smartphone market is still growing, and thus might offer enough opportunities for more than one company to grow. It is not necessary that the growth of Xiaomi must come at the expense of Samsung.

To put matters into perspective, during the same period, Xiaomi in India saw sales increase by 700% to INR 8,379.3 crore (~$1.3 billion). For the current financial year, Xiaomi expects to cross $2 billion in revenues which represents an increase of 53.8% in revenue. With Xiaomi making huge inroads into the Indian market, it remains to be seen if Samsung can retain the growth rate both in terms of sales and profits.

Any increase in revenue but loss of market share can also mean that Samsung is able to sell more of its expensive models compared to the mid-range or budget phones – a situation somewhat similar to Apple. It is worth mentioning here that Samsung’s flagship phones might be slightly more expensive in India now as the duty on imported phones has been increased recently by the Indian Government.

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Samsung launches an integrated research organization for future innovation

Samsung today announced that it has reorganized its Software R&D center and Digital Media & Communications R&D center into a new entity called Samsung Research. This new entity is going to function as an integrated research and development organization for Samsung’s IT and Mobile business as well as its Consumer Electronics business.

Samsung Research is a global entity and it’s going to operate 22 research and development centers across the globe with a staff of 20,000. It’s going to lead future innovation efforts for the company. It will also explore and create new business possibilities.

Chasing leadership in future innovation

Samsung says that it’s doing this to ensure that Samsung continues to lead the industry conversation in key areas of future innovation. Samsung Research will prioritize the maturation and advancement of artificial intelligence and Internet of Things technologies.

Hyun-suk Kim, the president and head of Samsung Research, detailed the vision of this new entity at a recent event. He emphasized to the staff that they will play a vital role in ensuring that Samsung Research achieves its goal to “shape the future with innovation and intelligence.”

“Starting now, Samsung Research will drive the most advanced technological leadership and innovation based on AI technologies to realize the future that everyone dreams of, with the most talented people in the world,” he said.

The entity will instill a development culture where the staff encourages one another in creativity as well as participate in the development process.

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Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ receive December patch on T-Mobile

T-Mobile has started rolling out a new firmware update for the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ on its network. The carrier has released the December security patch for both handsets. Samsung detailed the latest security patch a couple of weeks ago and the Galaxy A5 (2016) was the first handset to receive it.

Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ owners on T-Mobile are now receiving the December security patch on their handsets. It won’t be long before it goes live for users in all regions.

December update for the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+

T-Mobile is now rolling out firmware version G950USQS2BQL1 and G955USQS2BQL1 for the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ respectively. The update files weigh in at 130MB.

Users shouldn’t expect much in the way of new features with this update. It’s a minor security maintenance release which just brings the latest patch for these handsets.

The December security patch fixes 11 critical vulnerabilities that were discovered in the Android operating system. It also patches 10 vulnerabilities found in Samsung’s own software.

Samsung has gradually been rolling out the latest security patch to supported devices. The patch has already been released for the Galaxy Note 8, Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S7 series handsets in select markets across the globe.

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Samsung’s fourth-quarter operating profit estimates slashed yet again

Samsung has had a pretty good year despite the legal troubles of its leader. The company posted record profits in the second and third quarters of this year. It’s actually on track for a record full-year profit. However, market analysts are now predicting lower profits for Samsung in the fourth quarter of this year.

Two more analysts have slashed their estimates for Samsung’s fourth-quarter operating profit as concerns about the semiconductor industry’s growth mount.

Samsung’s fourth-quarter operating profit

Samsung’s share price dipped three weeks ago when Morgan Stanley cut its recommendation on Samsung. It justified the move by pointing out that NAND prices have started to reverse this quarter and that the memory chip demand will peak soon.

Samsung’s semiconductor business has been the true cash cow in the past two quarters. Falling revenues for this division will result in an impact on the overall operating profit of the conglomerate.

HI Investment & Securities Co. has cut its Q4 2017 operating profit estimate for Samsung by 4.8 percent to $14.5 billion. Analysts at Korea Investment Holdings Co. have slashed their estimates by 7.8 percent for the same figure.

Data compiled by Bloomberg shows that six investment firms have lowered their estimates for Samsung’s Q4 2017 operating profit in the past four weeks.

Samsung hasn’t responded to any of this as yet. The situation will be clear when it releases the official earnings guidance for this quarter in the coming weeks.

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Samsung brings the world’s biggest curved monitor to India

Samsung has announced the launch of the world’s biggest curved monitor in India. Although the model number seems to be slightly different, this appears to be the same monitor Samsung launched at Gamescom 2017 in August. Aimed at working professionals and gamers, the 49” ultra-wide curved monitor comes with thin bezels and a 32:9 aspect ratio with a resolution of 3840 x 1080 pixels.

Being a QLED monitor, it naturally comes with all the high-end bells and whistles one would expect from it. It comes with High Dynamic Range (HDR) to enhance media consumption, and a fast response time to improve gaming performance.

To enhance eye comfort for users who spend long hours staring at their PCs every day, the monitor comes with an Eye Saver Mode and Flicker Free Technology. The Monitor’s Eye Saver Mode filters Blue light and reduces eye-fatigue. Microsoft has already added a Blue light filter natively into Windows 10. It will be interesting to see if Samsung’s implementation offers any additional advantage over various other Blue light filters.

To help users utilize the screen real-estate more effectively, the monitor comes with an ‘Easy Setting Box’ application which lets the users partition the screen into different sizes with each partition capable of its own settings.

The monitor is currently available for sale on Samsung India eStore for a whopping INR 150,000 (around $2344). The monitor will also be available for sale with all the leading retailers very soon. Given the steep price and the relatively small high-end gaming market in India, it’s doubtful if Samsung will find many buyers for it in India.

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December security patch update now arriving on the Galaxy Note 5

The Galaxy Note 5 is three years old at this point, but thanks to the Galaxy Note 7 meeting an early demise, the Note 5 gets the honor of being the last real Note flagship before the Note 8 came out and won everyone over. So it’s not surprising to see Samsung maintaining its pace of providing software updates to the Note 5, which is now getting an update with the December security patch in a number of markets (including India, where the November security patch was rolled out just two weeks ago).

Only security fixes in this update

The latest update is quite small at around 17 MB (with build number , so it should have nothing but the latest security fixes to offer. To grab the update, go into the Settings » Software update menu on your phone and tap the Download updates manually option. That’s if the update hasn’t already shown up on its own, which can take a few days to happen. We also have the latest firmware available in our database if you wish to update manually (not every country’s firmware might be available right away, but don’t worry, that won’t remain the case for long).

Have you received the new update on your Galaxy Note 5?

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Galaxy Note 8 wins the ‘Flagship Smartphone of the Year’ award

After the Galaxy Note 7 debacle, which cost Samsung a whopping $17 billion, questions were raised about the viability of the Galaxy Note brand. Many believed that the Galaxy Note brand has turned into liability for Samsung, and thus may be killed forever. A year later, it is safe to say all those predictions have turned out to be wrong. Far from being dead, the Galaxy Note 8 has been earning praise from reviewers, customers and various quarters of the industry.

After winning the ‘Gadget of the Year’ award at the India Mobile Congress in September, the Galaxy Note 8 has won the ‘Flagship Smartphone of the Year’ at the Exhibit Tech Awards 2017 today in Gurgaon, India. Samsung also bagged a win in the wearables category with the Gear S3 winning the ‘Wearable Gadget of the Year’. Clearly, a good day for Samsung at the awards ceremony!

Since the launch of Galaxy Note 8 in September, the sales have been strong. In some markets, it was even able to beat the iPhone 8 sales. With robust sales and praise from critics, it is certain that the Galaxy Note series is back and here to stay.

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What’s New With Android 8.0 Oreo Part 14: Permission monitoring for background apps

Android’s method of handling permissions was given a major overhaul with Android 6.0 Marshmallow, with the OS finally allowing users to control what permissions an app could use on a permission-by-permission basis, similar to iOS had been doing for a long time. Quite a few sites have written about the Galaxy S8 receiving the App permission monitor feature from the Galaxy Note 8 with the latest Oreo beta update, and we thought we’d join in on the fun by making it a part of our What’s New With Android 8.0 Oreo series.

What’s New With Android 8.0 Oreo: Permission monitoring for background apps

With App permission monitor, Samsung allows the user to know exactly what permission an app is using when it’s running in the background. It’s not exactly a useful feature if you already trust an app with a few permissions, but its main objective is to let you know if an app accesses some data when it’s not being actively used, so we guess Samsung’s heart was in the right place when implementing the permission monitor. You can modify which apps get monitored, and also select what permissions are monitored within each app. Modifying permissions for apps remains a separate feature, accessible from the Apps section of the device settings.

To access the permission monitor on a Galaxy S8 running the Oreo beta (or a Galaxy Note 8), open the phone’s settings, go into Lock screen and security, then scroll down to find and tap the App permission monitor option. Enable the app permission monitor by using the toggle at the top of the screen. By default, all apps that have been granted a permission are monitored, but you can control which apps and what permissions within an app get monitored.

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Galaxy A8 (2018) and A8+ (2018) home button isn’t pressure sensitive

When Samsung alienated millions of users by replacing its traditional home button with an on-screen one on the Galaxy S8, the company tried to ease the transition for everyone by making the area around the software home key pressure sensitive. The result? The virtual home key on the Galaxy S8 (and the Galaxy Note 8) feels very much like a real button. You can modify the pressure sensitivity, there’s an option to allow unlocking the phone with a hard press of the software home button, and it’s also enabled at all times.

But, it doesn’t look like Samsung will be offering similar functionality on the Galaxy A8 (2018) and Galaxy A8+ (2018), which bring on-screen navigation keys to the company’s mid-range lineup (and a slew of other features). That’s right. The home button on the Galaxy A8 and A8+ isn’t pressure sensitive, which can be confirmed by looking at the user manual for these devices. There’s no mention of the option to hard press the home button anywhere, and the only way of using the home button for waking up the device is by double tapping it when Always On Display (AOD) is enabled.

If you’re not a fan of keeping AOD enabled, this means you’ll have to use the power button to wake the device up. You could also use the fingerprint sensor at the back for directly unlocking and going to the home screen, but the power button would be your only option if you have AOD off and the phone is sitting face up on a surface. Not an ideal solution, and you could say the A8 and A8+ will work like any other Android device with on-screen navigation keys and rear-facing fingerprint sensors.

A disappointing omission

Why is the home button on the A8 and A8+ not pressure sensitive? Well, there’s no way to tell. It could be a cost-saving measure or just a method of separating flagship phones from the mid-range lineup. But it does come off as a disappointing omission, as this means the Infinity Display isn’t accompanied by all of the related functionality that we see on the Galaxy S8 or Galaxy Note 8.

For consumers moving from an existing Samsung phone to either of the A8 siblings, this will result in some inconvenience as they get used to not having a physical home button. We guess it’s a good thing Always On Display comes enabled by default and isn’t as much of a battery guzzler on the Korean giant’s mid-range (and budget) phones as it is on the Galaxy S or Galaxy Note flagships.

What do you think? Should the A8 and A8+ have come with a pressure sensitive home button, especially with the high price tags they carry?

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Samsung Display could make $22 billion supplying iPhone X panels next year

The iPhone X is the first smartphone from Apple to feature an OLED display. Since Samsung has a near monopoly in the mobile OLED panel market, Apple had no choice but to turn to its rival’s display subsidiary to source the panels.

According to a new report out of South Korea, Samsung Display will supply up to 200 million flexible OLED panels for the iPhone in 2018. This will translate into revenues of up to $22 billion.

Making bank

Samsung is expected to supply Apple with 180-200 million flexible OLED panels for the iPhone X in 2018. Industry watchers believe that the supply price is $110 per panel. If that’s accurate, it will result in a revenue of $19.8-$22 billion for Samsung Display.

Samsung Display will be supplying almost four times the number of panels that it supplied for the iPhone X this year. It’s estimated that Apple sourced 50 million panels from Samsung for the iPhone X in 2017.

The yield rates at Samsung’s existing OLED production lines have reportedly improved to over 80 percent in the second half of this year. Samsung was previously believed to be investing in new production lines to meet Apple’s demand but reports now claim that improved yield rates have enabled it to meet demand with its existing production lines.

Apple is certainly going to need a lot more of these OLED panels in the coming year as demand for the iPhone X remains steady. The company will also be expected to launch a successor next year and that’s also going to have an OLED panel supplied by Samsung Display.

As we’ve said previously, the iPhone X is going to make Samsung a lot of money.

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Samsung starts mass producing industry’s first 2nd-generation 10nm DRAM

Samsung’s semiconductor business, which includes SSDs, mobile processors, DRAM, image sensors etc., has been performing exceptionally well both in terms of sales and innovation. It looks like the trend is not going to change anytime soon with Samsung doubling down on its efforts.

After launching its first 10nm-class based DRAM product in February 2016, Samsung has announced today the mass production of the industry’s first 2nd-generation 10-nm class 8 Gb DDR4 DRAM. Samsung says its new 8Gb DDR4 offers the highest performance, energy efficiency and smallest dimensions for an 8Gb DRAM chip. These chips will be used in a wide range of next-generation computing systems.

Performance and efficiency gains up to 15 percent

According to Samsung, the new DRAM offers approximately 30 percent productivity gain, 10 percent improvement in performance, and 15 percent improvement in energy efficiency over the company’s previous 10nm 8Gb DDR4 DRAM. Samsung attributes these improvements to the “use of an advanced, proprietary circuit design technology”.

Samsung says it has finished validating its latest 10nm-class DDR4 modules with CPU manufacturers, and next plans to work with OEMs to bring them to the market. Apart from rapidly increasing the production volume of the 2nd-gen 10nm-class DRAM, Samsung also plans to manufacture more of its mainstream 1st-gen 10nm-class DRAM.

With the advancements in its 10nm process, Samsung is also planning to speed-up the introduction of its next-generation DRAM chips for use in enterprise servers, mobile devices, supercomputers, HPC systems and high-speed graphics cards.

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Samsung’s former head of Bixby has left the company

Some of you might have heard about Rhee In-jong. He was Samsung’s chief technology officer and in charge of developing Bixby. He led the development of both the Korean and English versions of Bixby. Samsung confirmed today that Rhee In-jong has now left the company.

Samsung announced Bixby 2.0 a couple of months back. A new executive is leading the development of the upgraded version. Samsung Research America’s vice chief Chung Eui-suk is leading the service intelligence group now that’s tasked with developing Bixby.

Samsung’s former head of Bixby departs

When it was reported that Samsung Research America’s vice chief Chung Eui-suk would lead Bixby’s development, some speculated that Rhee In-jong had been replaced. Samsung rebutted the speculation and said that the move can’t be seen as his replacement because Rhee continues to be the head of the development division that oversees the service intelligence group.

He joined Samsung Electronics in 2011. Aside from leading the development of Bixby, he also worked on the development of Samsung’s Knox security solution as well as its mobile payments service Samsung Pay.

Apparently, it’s not corporate drama that led to his exit. Samsung revealed that Rhee had expressed his desire to leave the company due to personal reasons back in July.

We wish Rhee In-jong all the best for his future endeavors.

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Galaxy S9+ benchmark shows impressive performance

Samsung is expected to unveil its new flagship smartphones at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona come February 2018. This means that we’ll be seeing a lot of reports and rumors about the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ in the weeks leading up to the launch.

A benchmark listing for what appears to be the Galaxy S9+ has been spotted today and if the scores are accurate, the Galaxy S9+ is going to be impressive in the performance department.

Galaxy S9+ benchmark shows promise

The Geekbench listing for the Galaxy S9+ (SM-G965) shows a single-core benchmark score of 2422. The multi-core score came in at 8351. This particular device was powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 processor. Snapdragon-powered models are released in select markets like the United States. Other markets get the Exynos-powered models.

Data available on Geekbench shows that no other Samsung smartphone has a single-core score of more than 2000 and a multi-core score of 6500. If the numbers for the Galaxy S9+ are accurate, it may offer significantly better performance than any high-end Samsung device available today.

That’s to be expected from a new flagship smartphone with the latest silicon and 6GB RAM. The Geekbench listing also mentions that the device was running Android 8.0 Oreo which will surely be onboard when the handset is eventually released.

We will surely see additional benchmark results of the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ in the coming weeks. They will help us form a better idea of the sort of performance figures we can expect to see. The Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ will likely be unveiled at MWC 2018 in February and will be released by mid-March.

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Samsung will unveil a cool and powerful soundbar at CES 2018

Samsung today announced that it’s going to unveil a wall-mountable lifestyle soundbar at the Consumer Electronics Show 2018 next month. The NW700 Soundbar Sound+ looks really cool when mounted on the wall. It’s packed with powerful audio features which include a built-in woofer that was developed at the Samsung Audio Lab.

The NW700 Soundbar Sound+ succeeds the award-winning MS650 Sound+ model and will now be the flagship premium lifestyle soundbar in Samsung’s lineup.

Raising the bar

The wall-mountable NW700 Soundbar Sound+ comes with many sound-enhancing features like multi-speaker control, distortion-canceling and wide-range tweeters. The distortion-canceling technology works by predicting distortion at the end of the speaker movement and then making the required adjustments before the distortion takes place.

All of the technologies were developed at the Samsung Audio Lab in Valencia, California. The soundbar has a slim and sleek design that’s optimized for wall mounting underneath Samsung’s TVs. It’s 53.5mm wide and is 41 percent narrower than the previous model.

The body has a built-in woofer which eliminates the need for an external subwoofer. This contributes to a clean design for a home entertainment space.

There are three sound modes – Standard Mode, Surround Mode and Smart Mode. The Surround Mode is used to expand surround sound performance while Smart Mode adjusts volume and surround sound effects automatically.

Samsung will showcase the NW700 Soundbar Sound+ at the Consumer Electronics Show 2018 next month. Pricing and availability information will be revealed later.

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Galaxy A8 (2018) and Galaxy A8+ (2018) firmware now available online

It was only yesterday that the Galaxy A8 (2018) and Galaxy A8+ (2018) were officially unveiled, with both handsets set to go on sale in early January. Samsung hasn’t yet told us where and when either of the two phones would be available, but we can take a guess as far as the list of initial launch markets is concerned by the firmware for the A8 and A8+ that are now available in our firmware database. As expected, the Galaxy A8 (2018) will get a wider launch, with firmware for the device available for a number of European countries and a few Asian ones.

Galaxy A8+ (2018) could be limited in availability

Galaxy A8+ (2018) firmware are online for only a handful of countries, so it looks like it will take longer than the A8 to hit the shelves. It’s unclear if the A8+ (2018) will be launched in Europe, as the Galaxy A7 (2017) or even the original A7 never made it to the continent (other than a country here and there). With the new Infinity Display offering a good mix of portability and screen estate, Samsung is probably even less concerned about releasing the A8+ (2018) in the European continent. It is most likely to be exclusive to markets where big-screen phones do particularly well, and while that would make business sense, it does mean prospective consumers in Europe will once again lose out on the option to get the bigger of Samsung’s A series phones.

Don’t Miss: Here are the best Galaxy A8 (2018) and Galaxy A8+ (2018)

In any case, the firmware are available for download from our database (Galaxy A8 | Galaxy A8+). The software version is 7.1.1, and while you won’t find a use for the initial firmware for your country, you’ll be able to download the full firmware for whatever software updates Samsung will release for the A8 (2018) and A8+ (2018) after they go on sale. We already have the wallpapers from these devices in our wallpaper archive, so be sure to check those out!

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What’s New With Android 8.0 Oreo Part 13: App Pair for quick multitasking between apps

In the latest edition of our What’s New With Android 8.0 Oreo series, we’re taking a look at the App Pair feature. App Pair debuted on the Galaxy Note 8 as a way of launching two apps in Multi Window mode with a single tap. As the name suggests, you can have pre-combined pairs of apps, such as a pair for the camera and gallery and any other apps that you regularly use in split-screen multitasking. App Pair is an Edge screen feature, so you can access your App Pair shortcuts from anywhere. However, it does mean the feature is only available on Samsung’s flagship phones with curved screens.

What’s New With Android 8.0 Oreo: App Pair for quick multitasking between apps

How do you create App Pairs? That’s done from the Apps Edge panel. You can take a look at our App Pair how-to for the Galaxy Note 8 for step-by-step instructions on the process of creating one. The same article also lists out a few useful App Pairs that we think everyone should know about. You can create a maximum of 10 App Pair shortcuts, and the only limitation we currently see is the lack of the option to put these shortcuts on the home screen. But we’re guessing that option might not be introduced anytime soon. Not unless Samsung is planning to make App Pair a standard feature available on all of its devices running Android Oreo and not just curved screen-toting flagships.

Have you discovered any new features on Oreo that we may have missed? Have useful App Pair combinations that you think others should know? Get a conversation going in the comments to let us know!

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Galaxy S9 case renders highlight new camera layout

From what we’ve seen so far, the biggest Galaxy S9 design change might be its new camera layout. Samsung is expected to switch to a vertical camera layout for the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+. The fingerprint sensor will be positioned underneath the sensor as we’ve seen in countless leaked renders.

A couple of Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ case renders have surfaced online. They also highlight the new camera layout that we’ll be seeing on these devices.

The curious case of Galaxy S9’s camera layout

Countless rumors and reports about the Galaxy S9 have revealed that the handset is going to have a new camera layout. The vertical layout will have the fingerprint sensor positioned below the sensor. The heart rate sensor will also be repositioned.

The leaked Galaxy S9 renders we’ve seen so far have highlighted these changes. As previously mentioned, these are likely the biggest design changes that we’ll see on the new flagships.

The Galaxy S9+ is said to feature a dual camera system and the handset’s case render reiterates that possibility. The position of the sensors remains the same on the larger handset.

It’s still a bit early for case renders to surface. We’ll surely see a lot more of them in the days to come. Samsung is expected to unveil the Galaxy S9 at MWC 2018 in February.

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Samsung Pay now lets users in India pay their bills

Samsung’s mobile payments service has been doing really well in India. Samsung Pay added more than one million new users in India in just over a month recently. It’s one of the top three markets for Samsung Pay globally. Samsung launched the payments service in the country earlier this year.

The company continues to add more features for users in India. It added support for UPI payments via Bharat QR codes a few weeks back. Samsung Pay now allows users in India to pay their bills via the app. The updated Samsung Pay app is now rolling out to users in India.

Pay bills with Samsung Pay

The latest version of Samsung Pay introduces the Bill Payments feature. It lets users pay their mobile postpaid, electricity, DTH and utility bills using Samsung Pay.

Users can also save bank account and IFSC information of their friends and family in UPI to transfer money to them easily. The update also enables them to add money to their mobile wallet directly from their preferred card.

We’ve tried out the new bill payments feature and can report that it works as advertised. It’s going to be a lifesaver for those to tend to leave paying off their bills to the last minute.

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