Samsung vice chairman heads to the office early after dodging arrest

Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong dodged arrest on Wednesday when a South Korean court threw out the prosecutors’ request for an arrest warrant. The company and its leadership are being investigated over allegations of corruption, bribery and embezzlement in South Korea’s influence-peddling scandal. After being released from the detention center where he was held until the court handed down its ruling, the vice chairman went back to his office early on January 19 to meet with the top brass of the company.

Local media reports reveal that Lee Jae-yong held discussions with the top brass of Samsung on preparations for the ongoing investigation against him. Important management issues were also discussed in the meetings. A Samsung official told a local newspaper that the vice chairman had a meeting with members of the Future Strategy Office for an hour. The FSO is the de facto control tower of the country’s largest conglomerate.

The prosecutors are not likely to give up now and if they uncover more evidence they could try and push for an arrest once again. Even though Lee Jae-yong has had a slight reprieve, he and the company will remain on edge until this investigation is closed. The threat of a leadership vacuum will continue to loom over Samsung.

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Samsung retains second place in global chip market with 11.8 percent share

Latest data from IT consulting firm Gartner shows that global semiconductor sales increased 1.5 percent year-over-year and totaled $339.7 billion in 2016. The top 25 semiconductor suppliers saw their combined sales increase 7.9 percent from the previous year and they accounted for 75.9 percent of the entire pie. Intel remained in first place for the 25th consecutive year with a market share of 15.9 percent.

Samsung Electronics is holding on to its second place for the 15th consecutive year with a market share of 11.8 percent. Qualcomm and SK Hynix came in third and fourth place respectively.

“The wireless and computing segments, which are the two largest in the final application market, moved in opposite directions last year,” Gartner explained in its report, adding that “The sales increased 9.6% in the former with the exposure to the smartphone and memory markets leading the growth whereas the sales decreased 8.3% in the latter, led by the slump in the PC and tablet PC markets.”

Samsung’s is working hard to capture an even bigger piece of the pie. It’s working with new partners to expand the use of its semiconductors and forge new avenues of growth.

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Samsung makes it official, Galaxy Note 7 investigation report coming January 23rd

We had previously heard that Samsung would be announcing the results of its investigation of the Galaxy Note 7 on January 23rd, and the company has officially confirmed today that the full report will indeed be made public on the aforementioned date.

Samsung says that it will share its findings, along with those of “independent experts organizations”, at a press conference in Seoul, with the conference to be streamed live globally. Samsung will also reveal how it plans to prevent a similar incident from taking place in the future. A Reuters report had said that the battery has been found to be the main culprit, but it won’t be long before we hear the truth from the horse’s mouth.

The press conference

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Samsung’s new initiative aims to eradicate color blindness

Color blindness is a serious issue. Generally known as Color Vision Deficiency or CVD, nearly 300 million people are affected by it. Samsung has collaborated with Hungarian company Colorlite on an app called #SeeColors, which will use its groundbreaking tech used on color correction glasses.

The app is also available for smartphones in addition to Tizen-based Smart TVs, so it can reach a wide range of affected people out there. The app works by first ascertaining the level and extent of CVD a user has. This data is then used to calibrate the television as per the needs of the user.

The mobile app is currently available in the Google Play Store and the Galaxy Apps store in Hungary, Romania, and Bulgaria. It comes preinstalled on Samsung’s 2016 SUHD televisions.

This is part of Samsung’s 2013 campaign known as “Launching People”, which aims to enhance people’s lives.

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Themes Thursday: Here are this week’s three best themes

We’re glad to welcome you to this week’s Themes Thursday! Samsung has released Android 7.0 update for the Galaxy S7 and the Galaxy S7 edge this week, and we wanted to let you know that the update has imposed a new restriction. If you’re running Android 7.0 on your Galaxy device, you can’t capture screenshots of themes anymore due to a new “security policy.” However, we found another way to capture screenshots of themes.

There are three new themes from this week that we found interesting: [Kendi] Material, Aqua UI, and Wall Street. The [Kendi] Material theme gives your Galaxy device a Pixel phone-like UI design, and many people like Pixel’s UI design. The Aqua UI theme looks great too, thanks to its teal background and well-designed icons. The Wall Street theme from Samsung is free, and it looks pretty decent for a free theme. Which new theme did you like this week?

[Kendi] Material | Paid

Aqua UI | Paid

Wall Street | Free

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Daily Deal: Bag yourself a new Gear VR for 47% off

If you’re looking to enter the VR market, we have a fantastic deal for you. While stock lasts, you can pick up the 2016 variant of the Gear VR for just $52.72 (47% off). It’s worth noting that this is the same variant that launched alongside the recalled Galaxy Note 7, so it features a USB Type-C port and microUSB, which means you’ll be able to use it with the Galaxy S6, Galaxy S6 edge, Galaxy S6 edge+, Galaxy S7, Galaxy S7 edge and Galaxy Note 5.

Like the sound of the Oculus-powered Gear VR and want to jump in on the virtual reality action? Great. Simply hit the Buy Now button below. We strongly advise you to hurry, though, as Amazon only has a limited amount of inventory available for this specific deal, and once it’s gone, it’s gone. Oh, yeah — this is an International promotion, so you can snag yourself one for the discounted price even if you don’t reside in the United States.

Buy Now

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Vodafone UK could update the Galaxy S7 and S7 edge to Nougat on January 23rd

Those using an unlocked Galaxy S7 or Galaxy S7 edge in the UK have probably received the official Android 7.0 update by now, but what about those who got their device from one of the carriers in the country? Well, according to a Reddit user, Vodafone could start sending out the update to its users on Monday, January 23rd.

The date comes from a Vodafone customer care agent, but as we have seen in the past, customer care executives aren’t always the most accurate when it comes to providing information on software updates. But given the speed at which Samsung is moving with the Nougat update, don’t be surprised if you wake up next week to see your Vodafone-branded Galaxy S7 or Galaxy S7 edge being treated to the latest version of Android.

Are you on Nougat on your Galaxy S7 or S7 edge already? What do you think about the update? Do let us know in the comments, and check out our list of all the major features introduced by Android 7.0.

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Samsung reveals the names of devices that will receive Android 7.0 updates

After thoroughly testing beta versions of Android 7.0-based firmware, Samsung released the final update for the Galaxy S7 and the S7 edge in a few markets this week. Now, Samsung has announced through its official blog post that it will release Android 7.0 updates for a bunch of smartphones and tablets.

According to Samsung, the Galaxy S6, Galaxy S6 edge, Galaxy S6 edge Plus, Galaxy Note 5, Galaxy Tab A with S Pen, Galaxy Tab S2 (LTE unlocked), Galaxy A3, and the Galaxy A8 would receive Android 7.0 updates before the first half of 2017. The company also showcased new features and UI design that are a part of the new update.

New features in the Android 7.0-based firmware include a new design for notifications and quick setting toggles, improved Multi Window, Performance Mode, Samsung Pass, improved Always On Display, and much more. You can read our comprehensive list of all the new features that are included in the Nougat update.

 

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Samsung Z2 gets a minor Tizen firmware patch with Wi-Fi Calling on board

Samsung is rolling out a new Tizen update to the Z2, bringing the Wi-Fi calling feature along with it. The handset caters to the budget market segment, so it’s good to see that the company is not taking the device lightly. Tizen is still a relatively unpopular concept with Android dominating the budget market space.

As for this particular update, the Z2 doesn’t see any other major features barring Wi-Fi calling. If you haven’t seen the update as of yet, be sure to pull it manually by heading over to Settings » About Device and hitting the Check for updates button.

The update was spotted in India with the Wi-Fi calling specific to the Reliance Jio network (India’s only network that works purely on LTE), but the rest of the markets should see the update reaching the Z2 very soon. The handset made its way to India just a few months ago, with Kenya getting the device shortly before that.

Make sure you share your feedback if you have already received the update on your Z2. If you’re still on the fence about the Z2 or would like to know more about the device, be sure to check out our review.

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Demonetisation in India had little to no effect on Samsung’s mobile phone sales

Demonetization of INR 500 and INR 1,000 bank notes in India affected a lot of business across a wide range of categories. However, according to a new report from The Hindu, Samsung claimed that its mobile phone sales were great even during the demonetization phase as retailers quickly adapted to digital payment channels.

Manu Sharma, vice president of Samsung India’s mobile business, said, “Our Diwali and Puja [festive] sales were very good in October, after which it always cools down (in November). However, after the initial slowdown, it was back to normal in December,” in response to a question. The company recently launched the Galaxy C9 Pro and the Gear S3 in India.

According to Mr Sharma, Samsung currently has a market share of 46.9 percent in the Indian smartphone market and 36.9 percent market share in the feature phone market. It’s the leading mobile phone brand in the country, and by a wide margin. Samsung is banking on a huge demand for large-screen smartphones in the country.

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Exclusive: Bixby can use the Galaxy S8′s camera for visual search, text recognition

With the launch of the Galaxy S8 drawing nearer, we’re uncovering different features of the device’s AI assistant, Bixby. Previously we reported about its ability to conduct payments, and how it can control all native applications. Now, we have information that Bixby will also provide a visual search and OCR tool using the camera of the Galaxy S8.

The standard camera app on the Galaxy S8 will feature its own Bixby button, giving access to a search tool that processes whatever the user is pointing the camera at. Bixby will analyze the image, and identify objects and text. It will help you search for that object, or use optical character recognition to process any text you point the phone at.

This Bixby feature is somewhat reminiscent of Google’s Goggles app, but with extended functionality and a high degree of interconnectedness to other applications. For example, not only will it help you find where you can buy an identified object, but it can make the purchase as well.

Of course, Samsung is still busy developing the software for Bixby and the Galaxy S8, and right until launch decisions can be made to add or remove previously rumored features from the phone. Samsung’s AI assistant will debut on the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8 Plus, but will most likely not stay exclusive to those devices. Later in the year, it could come to a new Note device, and over time trickle down to Samsung’s mid-range devices as well.

The Galaxy S8 is expected to be unveiled on March 29 and will feature a dual edge screen that covers around 90 percent of the device’s front. To make room for such a large display, the traditional physical home key will disappear. Instead, recent case leaks have suggested a new button on the side of the phone, that will give direct access to Bixby and its plethora of functions.

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Android 7.0 firmware for South Korean Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge now available online

Samsung started rolling out Android 7.0 updates for the Galaxy S7 and the Galaxy S7 edge in a few regions earlier this week, and the full firmware files hit our database yesterday. We now have Android 7.0 firmware files for South Korean Galaxy S7 (SM-G930S) and S7 edge (SM-G935L) in our firmware database.

The Android 7.0 firmware for the South Korean Galaxy S7 (for SK Telecom) and Galaxy S7 edge (for LG U+) have build number G935LKLU1DQA1. You can use it to flash your compatible device manually. The new firmware also comes with the latest January 2017 security patch and a build date of January 03, 2017.

If you are still not up-to-date with the new features that the Nougat update brings to the Galaxy S7 and S7 edge, read our comprehensive list of new features here!

Firmware Details

Model	SM-G935L
Model name
Country	Korea (LG Uplus)
Version	Android 7
Changelist	10273110
Build date	Tue, 03 Jan 2017 04:01:38 +0000
Security Patch Level	2017-01-01
Product code	LUC
PDA	G935LKLU1DQA1
CSC	G935LLUC1DQA1

 

Model	SM-G930S
Model name
Country	Korea (SK Telecom)
Version	Android 7
Changelist	10273110
Build date	Thu, 12 Jan 2017 04:42:49 +0000
Security Patch Level	2017-01-01
Product code	SKC
PDA	G930SKSU1DQA5
CSC	G930SSKC1DQA5

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Cheetah Mobile launches ‘Made for Samsung’ version of its News Republic application

Chinese internet provider Cheetah Mobile has launched a ‘Made for Samsung’ version of its News Republic application on the Galaxy Apps Store. Upon installing the app, users are able to enjoy a flurry of features that are exclusive to Galaxy-branded devices, including text-to-speech translation, an Edge Panel briefing screen and a dedicated Gear S3 client.

The full list of new, exclusive features, together with a brief description of what they do, can be seen below:

• Text-to-speech: Article pages now have a speaker icon that users can tap to activate text-to-speech functionality. Playback controls will appear at the bottom of the screen.
• Long-press for more info: Within a news article, Samsung users can now long-press on a topic to view Wikipedia information without leaving the article.
• Edge Panel news: Samsung Galaxy S7 edge owners can get the freshest news, simply by opening their Edge Panel app. A list of Breaking News will appear, and a single tap will open the article of interest.
• Gear S3 widget: News Republic is now compatible with the Gear S3. The new widget displays the Top Stories, and users can click to read the full articles, with the help of a circular scroll bar, directly from their smartwatch.
• Newsstand: Users can select individual news outlets to follow from within the app. News Republic’s learning algorithm will also recommend content providers directly in the article list page.

“We’re thrilled to work closely with Samsung to offer this latest version of the News Republic app,” said Charles Fan, CTO of Cheetah Mobile, in a post on the firm’s blog on Wednesday, January 18. “New features like text-to-speech, long-press for more info, and Gear S3 support, will make News Republic’s personalized AI-powered experience even better for Samsung users.”

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Galaxy J7 (2017) passes through the FCC

Earlier today, an unannounced Galaxy-branded smartphone was spotted at the United States of America’s official certification authority, the FCC. Unfortunately, the documentation accompanying the device doesn’t reveal anything about its internals, other than it carries the model number SM-J727, which leads us to believe that we’re looking at the long-rumored Galaxy J7 (2017).

Recent rumors and speculation point towards the Galaxy J7 (2017) packing a 5.5-inch Full HD display, a 2.2Ghz octa-core Qualcomm processor, 2GB of RAM, a 13MP rear-facing camera, a 5MP front-facing shooter and a 3,000mAh removable battery. It’s also expected to sport a fingerprint scanner, and ship running Android 7.0 Nougat skinned with the latest version of Samsung Experience.

If you’ve been following SamMobile closely for the past few of months, you’re probably aware that the handset has already been imported into India for testing, been granted its Bluetooth and Wi-Fi certification credentials and recently surfaced in a prematurely published case render, which means that it’s now passed all of the tests required before it can launch on the open market.

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