Latest Galaxy S8 update reaches India, brings fix for BlueBorne exploit

Samsung has been pushing out an update to the Galaxy S8 and S8+ in various countries in recent days to fix the recently discovered BlueBorne vulnerability, and the same update is now available for Indian users. At around 476 MB, this update is as big as the ones that have come before for Samsung’s 2017 flagships, partly because these updates now target a wide number of markets at the same time. September...

Samsung Pay app getting updated with Android 8.0 Oreo support

It looks like Samsung’s beta program for Android Oreo for the Galaxy S8 (fingers crossed Samsung will also offer the beta for its latest Note flagship this time around) will launch with support for Samsung Pay from the very first day. One of our Galaxy S8 units is receiving a Samsung Pay update that adds support for Oreo. This particular device is located in Sweden, and given the beta program usually...

SamMobile Daily Recap: September 29, 2017 — Galaxy Note 8, Galaxy S8+ and more!

We publish a lot of stories on a daily basis. Unfortunately, the majority of news breaks during our European hours of operation, which makes it difficult for our readers in the US (and other regions) to keep up. However, we think we’ve come up with a fantastic solution — a daily recap. Here’s what we published today. Deals Daily Deal: Bag yourself a pair of Active InEar headphones for 57% off Samsung’s now selling the first-generation...

Watchface Friday: Here are four of this week’s best watchfaces

It’s Friday, so it’s time for another edition of Watchface Friday! For those unaware, every Friday, we highlight a selection of our favorite watchfaces for the Gear S3 classic and Gear S3 frontier. All of the offerings are available to download through the Galaxy Apps Store, so you can rest assured that you won’t have to search all over the Internet to find something we’ve listed. Gear...

Galaxy S9 firmware development begins, two models confirmed

We have obtained some information about Samsung’s next flagship smartphone. The company has started Galaxy S9 firmware development. The version numbers confirm that there will be two models, which means that we can expect a Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ to be released in 2018. Galaxy S9 firmware development begins Two separate Galaxy S9 firmware are being developed, G960FXXU0AQI5 and G965FXXU0AQI5. The model numbers of Samsung’s next flagship smartphones...

Galaxy S8+ Android 8.0 Oreo update appears in Geekbench listing

We reported earlier this month that Samsung has started developing the Android 8.0 Oreo update for the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+. A Geekbench listing has been spotted today which mentions the Galaxy S8+ Android 8.0 Oreo update. It’s likely that tests are being performed on this firmware update as the development progresses. Galaxy S8+ Android 8.0 Oreo update In our report earlier this month, we mentioned that the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ Android 8.0...

Daily Deal: Bag yourself a pair of Active InEar headphones for 57% off

Amazon has slashed the price of Samsung’s InEar headphones by 57%, so you can currently pick up a pair for just $12.92. For those unaware, these are the same earphones that ship in the box of the firm’s smartphones, with the Galaxy Note 8 and Galaxy S8 being the only exceptions. If you want to take advantage of this particular promotion, hit the Buy Now button below. We’d advise you to hurry, though. Like most of the deals we highlight,...

Samsung explains how it optimized the S Pen for Galaxy Note 8

The S Pen has been a permanent fixture on Samsung’s Galaxy Note lineup. It improves the stylus with each iteration to provide more functionality to users. In a new interview with Hyesoon Jeong, the Principal Engineer of Framework R&D Group for Samsung’s Mobile Communications Business Team, Samsung explains how it optimized the S Pen for Galaxy Note 8. Optimizing the S Pen for Galaxy Note 8 Jeong says that when Samsung was refining the design...

Samsung Windows Mixed Reality headset controller spotted at FCC

Recent reports suggest that there’s a Samsung Windows Mixed Reality headset in the pipeline. We first heard rumors about a Samsung VR device codenamed Odyssey last year. The new device is going to complement the entry-level Gear VR headset with more powerful technology. It will also mark the departure of Samsung’s partnership with Oculus. Several official-looking renders of this headset were leaked...

Samsung’s now selling the first-generation Gear IconX for just $49.99

Samsung has kicked off an unmissable deal on the first-generation Gear IconX, which feature 4GB of internal storage for independent music playback. As part of a clearance sale to make way for the Gear IconX (2018), the firm has slashed $150 off the retail price of the wireless earbuds, so you can pick up a pair for just $49.99. Related: New Gear IconX earbuds are more comfortable, can launch Bixby We wouldn’t recommend snagging yourself a pair...

Galaxy Note 8 named ‘Gadget of the Year’ at India Mobile Congress

The Galaxy Note 8 was named ‘Gadget of the Year’ at the inaugural India Mobile Congress (IMC) on Friday. The handset, which launched in the region on September 12, is Samsung’s most powerful—and expensive—smartphone to date, featuring a 6.3-inch Infinity Display, an Exynos 8895/Snapdragon 835 CPU, 6GB of RAM, a dual-camera setup and an S Pen. “At Samsung, we believe in inspiring the world and bringing meaningful innovation to help make lives better....

You can now pre-order Samsung’s SmartThings Link dongle for Nvidia Shield TV

Samsung has been integrating its Internet of Things (IoT) platform SmartThings into various devices and home appliances over the past couple of years. Its latest smart TVs can control SmartThings-compatible home appliances, lights, sensors, and more. The company had showcased a SmartThings Link dongle for the Nvidia Shield TV at CES earlier this year, and it is now available for pre-order. The SmartThings...

Verizon’s Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge update brings bug fixes and August security patch

Verizon has mentioned on its support pages for the Galaxy S7 and the Galaxy S7 edge that it has released a new software update to the phones. The update brings improved voice recognition for OK Google and S Voice, regular bug fixes, improvements to Wi-Fi calling, and August 2017 security patch. There are some improvements for corporate owners as well. The firmware version for the Galaxy S7 is NRD90M.G930VVRU4BQH4 and the firmware version for...

T-Mobile Galaxy S8 Active launch seems like a possibility

According to a new report, the T-Mobile Galaxy S8 Active launch seems like a possibility now. Ever since the first “Active” handset was launched by Samsung back in 2013, all of the rugged Galaxy S handsets that have followed have been exclusive to AT&T in the US. It started with the Galaxy S4 but it looks like AT&T’s exclusivity will end with the Galaxy S8. It was reported previously that AT&T might lose its exclusivity over the latest...

Themes Thursday: Eight new themes worth checking out

Welcome to a new edition of Themes Thursday! We have eight new themes for you today, and we’ve tried to select something for everyone. The first two themes in our list are from designer Binod Kumar Ray, who has published a lot of impressive icon packs, themes, and wallpapers. The RedTailUI theme has Material UI-inspired design and a darker color scheme, while the TrailsUI theme has wavy wallpapers...

SamMobile Daily Recap: September 28, 2017 — Galaxy Tab S3, Gear Fit 2 and more!

We publish a lot of stories on a daily basis. Unfortunately, the majority of news breaks during our European hours of operation, which makes it difficult for our readers in the US (and other regions) to keep up. However, we think we’ve come up with a fantastic solution — a daily recap. Here’s what we covered today. Deals Daily Deal: Take 20% off a SmartThings Hub Firmware News Galaxy Tab E Nougat update released by US Cellular Galaxy...

Galaxy Tab S3 now supports HDR video streaming from Netflix

Samsung has released a long-awaited update—T820XXU1AQI2— for the Galaxy Tab S3 in the Netherlands, which bundles support for HDR video streaming for Netflix, in addition to a handful of bug fixes and security improvements—but unfortunately, there’s no word on what exactly they do. The full changelog can be seen below: A new feature for Samsung Pass Support for Netflix HDR Kids Mode can be reinstalled where it was previously deleted SoundCamp can...

Daily Deal: Take 20% off a SmartThings Hub

You can currently snag yourself a SmartThings Hub for $79.99 (20% off), which is a fantastic price to pay for a device that sits at the centre of the IoT household, allowing users to connect a host of appliances to the internet. If you’d like to take advantage of this promotion, all you need to do is hit the Buy Now button below — but Amazon only has a limited amount of inventory available, so you’re probably going to want to act fast. The...

Samsung reportedly developing an inward-folding smartphone

We’ve heard over the past few years that Samsung is developing a foldable smartphone. It’s believed to be an outward-folding handset. Samsung hasn’t confirmed anything about the device but recent reports suggest that it might be out in a few months. If a new report is to be believed, that’s not the only foldable smartphone that Samsung has in the pipeline. Samsung Electronics and its display affiliate Samsung Display is reportedly working on an inward-folding...

Samsung’s QLED TVs receive positive feedback from US-based industry trackers

While Samsung has been the largest TV maker in the world for the past twelve years, it is struggling to promote its QLED technology for high-end TVs because only a few other brands have adopted the technology. Now, the South Korean consumer electronics giant has announced that its QLED TVs have received positive feedback from US-based industry trackers for delivering satisfactory all-round performance. DisplayMate and Forbes have praised Samsung’s...

myRoundPro golf analytics platform launches on the Gear Fit2 Pro and Gear S3

Samsung has announced that it’s teamed up with TaylorMade, an American golf company, to bring a specially-designed version of its myRoundPro statistical analysis platform to the Gear Fit2 Pro, Gear S3 classic and Gear S3 frontier. The application, which is free to use, is available to download from Galaxy Apps starting today. “In collaboration with Samsung, TaylorMade’s engineers have co-developed...

Gear Fit 2 updated with support for continuous heart rate monitoring

Samsung is in the midst of rolling out a new software update for the Gear Fit 2. The upgrade bundles support for continuous heart rate monitoring, as well as a couple of fresh watchfaces—Fitness Pro and Pedometer—and applications: Schedule and Weather. The newly-introduced continuous heart rate monitoring feature will probably be used most during workouts. That’s why Samsung has created an accompanying Heart Rate Zone (HRZ) tool, which can instantly...

Samsung and SK Telecom link 4G and 5G networks for the first time

Samsung has teamed up with South Korea’s major mobile carrier SK Telecom to demonstrate the communication between 4G and 5G networks for the first time in the industry. Samsung has said that the demonstration went off without any disruptions and that clear streaming was enabled between the two networks. The two companies were successful in linking the long-term evolution network that uses the 2.6 GHz frequency band with the 5G network that uses the...

Samsung takes home seven trophies from the annual Clio Awards

Samsung’s critically-acclaimed “Ostrich” commercial won seven awards at the 58th Clio Awards in New York, one of the world’s largest advertising competitions, on Wednesday. The advert was awarded a gold in the short film category, four silvers for animation, cinematography, directing and visual effects, and two bronzes for editing and music. The commercial is a sub-two-minute film that was produced to highlight Samsung’s slogan, “Do what you can’t.”...

Galaxy Tab E Nougat update released by US Cellular

US Cellular has started rolling out the Galaxy Tab E Nougat update. This tablet is second in Samsung’s lineup to be upgraded straight to Android version 7.1.1. Samsung released a similar update for the Galaxy Tab A 9.7 yesterday, it’s the first device that Samsung has bumped straight to version 7.1.1. US Cellular is now rolling out this update for Galaxy Tab E (SM-T377R4) in the United States. The tablet was previously on Marshmallow and those who...

Wallpaper Wednesday: Hues

Welcome to the latest edition of Wallpaper Wednesday. This week we’re highlighting three backgrounds that feature different hues. All of the images are available in a suitable resolution for the Galaxy S8, Galaxy S8+ and just about any other smartphone on the market. If any of the following images float your boat and you want to download and set one as your wallpaper, simply...

Oculus rolls out worldwide refund policy for digital content on the Gear VR

Oculus has announced that its digital marketplace for the Gear VR now features an automated refund policy. The feature automatically refunds (if requested by a user) the price of any content that is purchased through the store. It is now available worldwide, so everyone can use it if they’re not satisfied by apps or games purchased for Samsung’s virtual reality headset. As per Oculus, customers can request for a refund within three days of purchasing...

Galaxy S7 may get the Samsung Experience UX in an upcoming update

The Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge were launched last year with Android 6.0 and the company’s TouchWiz UX. The phones were updated to Nougat at the beginning of 2017, and the update brought with it a newer version of Samsung’s user interface. Unofficially Grace UX, it was introduced to last year’s Samsung devices through the Nougat update, but the Galaxy S8 came with an even newer version of the interface,...

Blueborne fix for Galaxy Note 4, Galaxy J3 (2017), Galaxy S5 Plus and Galaxy Tab S3 released

Samsung continues to plug a major security vulnerability on its devices. The company today rolled out the Blueborne fix for Galaxy Note 4, Galaxy J3 (2017), Galaxy S5 Plus and the Galaxy Tab S3. Devices like the Galaxy S8, Galaxy Note 8, Galaxy S5, Galaxy A5 (2016) and many others have already received the fix. The Blueborne vulnerability affects countless Android smartphones. It enables hackers to completely take over a target’s device even when...

Samsung opens an AI lab in Canada to focus on better algorithms

Samsung Advanced Institute of Technology has announced that it has opened an artificial intelligence lab in the University of Montreal, Canada, which will focus on developing core algorithms that can be used in various AI-related applications such as self-driving automobiles, language translations, robotics, and visual and voice recognition. The company said that SAIT researchers from Korea, such as Yoshua Bengio who has an authority in deep learning...

SamMobile Daily Recap: September 27, 2017 — Galaxy A5 (2018), Galaxy S8 and more!

We publish a lot of stories on a daily basis. Unfortunately, the majority of news breaks during our European hours of operation, which makes it difficult for our readers in the US (and other regions) to keep up. However, we think we’ve come up with a fantastic solution — a daily recap. Here’s what we published today. Business Samsung heir set to appeal his prison sentence Samsung to form an advisory panel to enhance its foundry business Deals Daily...

Galaxy Tab A 9.7 Nougat update arrives with version 7.1.1

It’s not surprising that the Galaxy Tab A 9.7 Nougat update has been released. What’s surprising is that Samsung has bumped it straight up to Android version 7.1.1. The update has now started rolling out in several markets. It will soon be available in additional markets across the globe as well. It hasn’t been long since it was reported that the 2015 Galaxy Tab A models will receive the Nougat update. That’s why it’s not surprising to see that the...

Samsung heir set to appeal his prison sentence

Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong was arrested earlier this year on charges including bribery and corruption. He denied wrongdoing throughout the proceedings but the court found him guilty and sentenced him to five years in prison. Lee Jae-yong, who is also the heir apparent to the conglomerate, is set to begin his appeal against the prison sentence tomorrow. He was convicted by a lower court last month on charges that included bribing...

Daily Deal: Save 60% on a Gear VR (2016)

Amazon has cut the price of the Gear VR (2016) by 60%, meaning you can currently pick one up for the modest price of $39.99. But there’s a caveat: the promotion is only available in the United States. To purchase the Gear VR (2016), all you need to do is hit the Buy Now button below. You’ll need to hurry though, as Amazon only has a limited amount of inventory available—and once it’s gone, it’s gone. The post Daily Deal: Save 60% on...

Galaxy A5 (2018) fan render envisages design assumptions

Samsung is due to launch the new Galaxy A series in a couple of months. We’ve started hearing more rumors about these handsets and while we’ve yet to see any official renders being leaked, a fan-made render of the Galaxy A5 (2018) has surfaced online from South Korea. The render envisages what the handset might look like based on recent reports. According to reports, the Galaxy A (2018) series will...

Samsung launches Rose Pink Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ in Europe

Samsung has made official the Rose Pink color variant of the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ for Europe. The Rose Pink S8 and S8+ will go on sale in the Netherlands and other European markets in early October with official price tags of €799 and €899 respectively. Samsung isn’t saying which markets will see a launch of the pink variants, but availability will no doubt be limited to just a few regions. Naturally,...

Samsung to form an advisory panel to enhance its foundry business

While Samsung is the largest memory chip maker in the world right now, its system-on-chip business is considered as relatively weaker. After the company spun off its semiconductor manufacturing arm from the System LSI division in May last year, it is striving hard to improve the business by forming an advisory panel. It is currently making chips for brands like AMD and Qualcomm. According to a report from Business Korea, the advisory panel for Samsung’s...

Samsung is working on a Windows Mixed Reality headset with AKG audio

While brands like Facebook, HTC, Oculus, and Samsung are focusing on virtual reality and Apple is focusing on Augmented reality, Microsoft has made Mixed Reality a big part of its Windows 10 operating system. The company is holding a special Mixed Reality event next week where it could launch multiple Windows Mixed Reality headsets, and Samsung appears to be one of its partner brands. Twitter user...

Samsung selected as a partner for the US FDA’s digital health software program

The US Food and Drug Administration has announced the names of nine companies that have been selected as partners for its pilot program that will help in revolutionizing digital health regulation in the country. Samsung is a part of the pilot program, and so are Apple, Fitbit, Johnson & Johnson, Pear Therapeutics, Phosphorus, Roche, Tidepool, and Verily. These brands are considered to be the innovators and leaders in...

SamMobile Daily Recap: September 26, 2017 — Galaxy A5 (2017), Galaxy Note 8 and more!

We publish a lot of stories on a daily basis. Unfortunately, the majority of news breaks during our European hours of operation, which makes it difficult for our readers in the US (and other regions) to keep up. However, we think we’ve come up with a fantastic solution — a daily recap. Here’s what we covered today. APK Samsung Milk Music being shut down for good, streaming to be integrated in Samsung Music Samsung updates Note 8’s...

Samsung Milk Music being shut down for good, streaming to be integrated in Samsung Music

Samsung launched its music streaming service called Milk Music in 2014. It wanted to take on established rivals with the service but Samsung Milk never got the response from users that Samsung would have liked. Milk was limited to users in South Korea, United States, China, Australia, New Zealand and Malaysia. It decided last year that it was no longer feasible to keep the service up and running. Samsung started shutting down Milk in various markets...

Someone created a Samsung DeX laptop and it’s not half bad

You may have heard of the Samsung DeX dock but there has never been a Samsung DeX laptop, at least not officially. A member over at the XDA forums has worked on a very cool DIY project to create his very own Samsung DeX laptop. It’s not half bad, to be honest. Samsung DeX was introduced earlier this year with the Galaxy S8. The dock enables the flagship to power a PC-like experience. It hooks up to an external monitor and peripherals PC-like functionality....

Samsung’s SM-W2018 enters testing, firmware spotted

It has been rumored multiple times over the fast few months that Samsung has a new flagship flip phone in the pipeline. The company hasn’t confirmed anything about this device as yet. Reports suggest that it’s called the W2018 and that it’s going to have flagship-level specifications. The flip phone, bearing model number SM-W2018, is reportedly going to feature a pair of 4.2-inch Full HD displays, a Snapdragon 835 processor, 6GB RAM, 64GB of storage...

[Poll] Would you like to see the iPhone X’s notch on the Galaxy S9?

There’s no denying the fact the Infinity Display that debuted on board the Galaxy S8 is fantastic, but ever since Apple took the wraps off the iPhone X, we’ve noticed a number of readers request that Samsung adopts a similar near-bezel-less notch design for the upcoming Galaxy S9, because they believe it’s more immersive. Until we’ve seen the iPhone X for ourselves, we won’t be able to say whether that’s the case. What we can say, however, is that...

Galaxy A5 (2017) Blueborne fix released

Samsung has recently been sending out firmware updates to fix a major security vulnerability known as Blueborne. The company today rolled out the Galaxy A5 (2017) Blueborne fix. Earlier today, Samsung also released the fix for this vulnerability for the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+. The Blueborne vulnerability is a security exploit that was recently discovered. It affects Android, Windows and even some iOS devices. The vulnerability enables hackers to...

Samsung updates Note 8’s Air Command and Live Message features, other apps

If you head over to Galaxy Apps on your Galaxy Note 8 today, you will see updates to a slew of Samsung’s proprietary apps. Most of these are updates to basic apps like messages, contacts, clock, and the Samsung video player, but for the Note 8, you will also see updates to the Air Command and Live Message features. The Live Message update is a substantial one. On the newest version, you can now...

Samsung Galaxy Note 8 review: More than just a Galaxy S8+ with an S Pen

When designing the successor to the ill-fated Galaxy Note 7, Samsung had two choices: come up with something entirely new that pushes the boundaries, or play it safe by taking something it knows works—cough, cough, the Galaxy S8, cough—and adding to it. The firm took the latter approach. The result is the Galaxy Note 8, a handset that’s been dubbed a “Galaxy S8+ with an S Pen” by various members...