الأربعاء، 8 فبراير 2017

SamMobile Daily Recap: February 8, 2017

We publish a lot of stories on a daily basis. Unfortunately, the bulk of the news breaks during our European hours of operation, which makes it difficult for our readers in the US (and other regions) to follow every post that goes live on SamMobile. But, we think we’ve come up with an ideal solution — a daily recap.

In the list below, you’ll find the stories we’ve published today. Chances are, you’re not going to be interested in all of them. To help you find what’s important to you, we’ve split them into their respective categories — so if you want to see the latest security patch news, locate the Firmware News subheading.

Business

Apple vs Samsung lawsuit sent back to where it all started

Samsung has had to delay key business decisions due to corruption investigation

Samsung SDI’s China factory catches fire

Deals

Daily Deal: Score yourself a SmartThings Home Monitoring Kit for 11% off

Firmware News

Latest Galaxy J7 Prime update brings February security patch

T-Mobile releases January security patch for the Galaxy S6 and the Galaxy S6 edge

Opinion

Roses are red, smartphones are blue: Galaxy Note 7 Blue Coral color option gets a heavily-inspired admirer

Phones

Samsung giving away free 256GB microSD cards to Galaxy S7 customers

Samsung to showcase a prototype foldable smartphone at MWC

Size comparison: Galaxy S6 vs. Galaxy S7 vs. Galaxy S8

Polls

[Poll] How do you feel about voice control on Samsung smartphones?

Samsung Pay

Samsung Pay is now available in Thailand

Tablets

Samsung’s Q4 2016 tablet shipments see double digit decline

Samsung’s upcoming Windows 10 tablet might feature an Intel U-Series processor

Wallpapers

Wallpaper Wednesday: Summer

Watches

Samsung’s smartwatch market share stood at 15% during 2016



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Roses are red, smartphones are blue: Galaxy Note 7 Blue Coral color option gets a heavily-inspired admirer

Xiaomi announced its Mi Note 2 back at the end of October 2016, and the phone bears more than just a coincidental resemblance to the Galaxy Note 7. The Mi Note 2 features a 5.7-inch, curved OLED display (rather identical to the Galaxy Note 7′s 5.7-inch, curved AMOLED panel), quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 (to the Galaxy Note 7′s quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 820), 4GB/6GB of RAM and 64GB/128GB of onboard storage (the now-deceased Note 7 never arrived with the highest variant specs, despite the 6GB RAM, 128GB storage model Samsung considered launching in China due to the country’s never-ending spec race), 8MP front camera, 22.56MP back camera, and 4,070mAh battery.

Sure, not all the specs match (in fact, some surpass, if you evaluate devices based on sheer numbers alone; I don’t recommend this, however), but the curved OLED display and 5.7-inch screen size are not present on the Mi Note 2 by mistake.

The Xiaomi Mi Note 2 has been called a Galaxy Note 7 alternative by some (though not all), and those who call it this overlook the fact that the Mi Note 2 does not have a digital pen/stylus of any kind. I’d compare the Mi Note 2 to more of a Galaxy S6 edge+ than anything else, considering that the S6 edge+ had a 5.7-inch, curved AMOLED panel (though the Mi Note 2 is only slightly wider than the 5.5-inch, Galaxy S7 edge). But, there may be some reasoning, though strange, to justify Xiaomi’s own estimation of its Mi Note 2 as a Galaxy Note 7 alternative. Now, to add further fuel to the imitation claim, Xiaomi is preparing to launch the color to remove all doubt as to the heavily-inspired nature of this device.

Xiaomi Founder Lei Jun announced the device would receive new colors (pink, green, and blue) at CES 2017, but now, to confirm this Galaxy Note 7-inspired device for what it is (a little too inspired), Xiaomi will launch a Blue Coral version of the Mi Note 2. That’s right: “roses are red, smartphones are blue, the Galaxy Note 7 debut color is coming to the Mi Note 2,” to use a rhyme that just fits.

Lei Jun went skiing in Switzerland recently, taking time to pose with the new Blue Coral Mi Note 2. The color does match that of the same color option on the Galaxy Note 7, which debuted the color before Samsung brought it over to the Galaxy S7 edge to appease former Note 7 users who preferred the color over existing color options.

What we can take away from the Blue Coral Mi Note 2 being prepared for the market is that, in addition to Samsung’s dual-curved AMOLED displays, the company’s R&D work into new color options is also leading the way, too. We also think that the retro Black Sapphire and (future) Crimson Red Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus color options will further enhance Samsung’s reputation in phone color and customization.

Samsung’s Blue Coral debut color for the Galaxy Note 7 has become one of the company’s most famous color options, but it is not the first blue color option the Korean giant has launched in its “Galaxy.” Other blue color options consist of Blue Topaz for the Galaxy S6, Blue Iceberg for the Galaxy S4 Mini, Electric Blue for the Galaxy S5, Blue Arctic for the Galaxy S4, Scuba Blue for the Galaxy Alpha, the Pebble Blue Galaxy S3, Blue Galaxy J1, and Blue Topaz Galaxy Note 2, among others.

To check out the upcoming Blue Coral Mi Note 2 following in the footsteps of the original debut phone, the Galaxy Note 7, check out Lei Jun’s phone poses below.

Xiaomi Mi Note 2 Blue Coral 1

Xiaomi Mi Note 2 Blue Coral 2

Xiaomi Mi Note 2 Blue Coral 3

Xiaomi Mi Note 2 Blue Coral 4

Xiaomi Mi Note 2 Blue Coral 5



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Wallpaper Wednesday: Summer

Welcome to the latest edition of Wallpaper Wednesday. This week we’re focusing our attention on five summer-themed backgrounds. All images are available in a FHD resolution, which is a perfect fit for the Galaxy S7Galaxy S7 edgeGalaxy Note 5 and other flagships, but they can, of course, be used on different smartphones too.

If any of the following images float your boat and you want to download and set one as your wallpaper, simply tap on a photo to maximise it, then click and hold to save it. Once the picture is stored locally, open up Settings, locate and select Wallpaper, then just tap the newly-saved image to set it as your background.

Alternatively, you can download a ZIP file containing all of this week’s backdrops by hitting the Download button at the very bottom of this post.


Aloha

Aloha


Lemon Slice

Lemon Slice


Mr. Cone

Mr. Cone


Sunset

Sunset


Watermelon

Watermelon


Download

Note: We’ve tried our best to identify the creators of all of the wallpapers featured in this week’s column. However, the images appear to lack copyright information, artist signatures or any real trace of origin. If you created a wallpaper we’ve posted and would like credit, or would rather we remove the image, kindly contact us.



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Daily Deal: Score yourself a SmartThings Home Monitoring Kit for 11% off

If you’re looking to modernize your home, you’ve come to the right place. While stock lasts, you can bag yourself a SmartThings Home Monitoring Kit for $220.96 (11% off). Using the two multipurpose sensors, motion sensor and outlet adapter included in the bundle, you’ll be able to connect even the most basic appliances — like a lamp — to the Internet and use your smartphone or tablet to control them.

Like the sound of the SmartThings Home Monitoring Kit and want to take advantage of this promotion? Simply hit the Buy Now button below. We 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. It’s worth noting, however, that only US residents will be able to purchase the bundle for the reduced price.

Buy Now



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Samsung’s Q4 2016 tablet shipments see double digit decline

The tablet market has been in a state of constant decline and the final quarter of last year was no different. Global tablet shipments fell 9 percent in Q4 2016 according to a report by Strategy Analytics. Apple and Samsung, the two largest tablet vendors on the market, both contributed to this decline as they saw their tablet shipments post a double digit decline.

Samsung shipped 9 million units in the fourth quarter of 2015 and thus accounted for 12.9 percent of the entire tablet market. The company shipped 8.1 million units during the same quarter last year and thus posted a 10 percent decline in shipments year-over-year. It accounted for 12.8 percent of the overall tablet market in the final quarter of last year. Apple saw an even bigger decline as it went from shipping 16.1 million units in Q4 2015 to 13.1 million units in Q4 2016, registering a 19 percent decline.

Besides these two, Amazon, Lenovo and Huawei all saw their shipments increase considerably in the previous quarter, ranging from 21 percent all the way up to 49 percent. Samsung will breathe new life into its tablet lineup this year by launching the Galaxy Tab S3 and the Windows 10-powered Galaxy TabPro S2 in the coming weeks.

samsung-tablet-shipments



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Samsung to showcase a prototype foldable smartphone at MWC

If a new report is anything to go by, it would appear that Samsung is preparing to showcase a prototype foldable smartphone, alongside a folder panel, at Mobile World Congress later this month. The device and display technology won’t be kept on the show floor, though. They will, instead, be housed in a private exhibition room and it’s thought that only select individuals will be able to enter.

Speaking to ETNews, industry sources allegedly revealed that the firm will also show off a handful of other pieces of display technology at the conference, in order to predict market response. It’s believed that both inward- and outward-folding products will be available for inspection by all attendees, though in terms of product quality it’s the latter that is more likely to be commercialized.

foldable smartphones

Sadly, Samsung is yet to confirm the time frame for its introduction of foldable smartphones. However, it’s rumored to be using its demonstrations at MWC as a platform to pitch the technology to other device makers at the conference who may be interested in placing an order through its display-manufacturing subsidiary, Samsung Display, which leads us to believe that it’s made some pretty big advances.



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Samsung smartwatch market share stood at 15% during 2016

Samsung was one of the first big-name brands to enter the smartwatch market, and it released some great smartwatches over the past few months. However, the company’s efforts still did not land it the first place in the global smartwatch market. According to an estimate from market research firm Canalys, Samsung stood third in the smartwatch market share during 2016.

As per the reports, Apple managed to sell 11.9 million smartwatches last year, resulting in a market share of 49%. Fitbit (with 17% market share) and Samsung (with 15% market share) stood second and third, respectively. We reviewed the Gear S3 classic and the Gear S3 frontier from Samsung and came up pretty impressed. The company is expected to push the sales of its smartwatches this year, which might increase its market share.

Global Smartwatch Market Share Q4 2016 Canalys



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Size comparison: Galaxy S6 vs. Galaxy S7 vs. Galaxy S8

Samsung’s rumored to take the wraps off the much-anticipated Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8 Plus at a dedicated event in New York City on Tuesday, April 18. Renders point towards the former sporting a 5.7/5.8-inch display (up from the 5.5-inch one found on the Galaxy S7 edge), while being roughly the same as the Galaxy S7. The Plus variant, on the other hand, is expected to pack a colossal 6.1/6.2-inch screen. For this reason, it’s believed to be both taller and wider than the curved version of last year’s model.

Unfortunately, when put into words it’s a little difficult to imagine how they all compare. It’s only when you put the dimensions into a table and compare the past three generations of the Galaxy S range that things start to make sense, and you begin to realize how stripping back the bezels and axing the beloved navigation keys has enabled the firm to squeeze giant screens in compact devices. However, before we dive into the figures, we should note that the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8 Plus measurements come from recent leaks, so they’re far from confirmed.

Galaxy S6 Galaxy S6 edge Galaxy S6 edge+ Galaxy S7 Galaxy S7 edge Galaxy S8 Galaxy S8 Plus
Dimensions 143.4 x 70.5 x 6.8 mm 142.1 x 70.1 x 7 mm 154.4 x 75.8 x 6.9 mm 142.4 x 69.6 x 7.9 mm 150.9 x 72.6 x 7.7 mm 140.1 x 72.2 x 7.3 mm 152.4 x 78.5 x 7.9 mm
Screen Size 5.1-inch 5.1-inch 5.7-inch 5.1-inch 5.5-inch 5.7-/5.8-inch 6.1-/6.2-inch
Screen Type Flat Dual-edge curved Dual-edge curved Flat Dual-edge curved Dual-edge curved Dual-edge curved

 
As you can see from the table above, the Galaxy S8 is destined to be Samsung’s smallest flagship to date, despite sporting the largest display a regular variant has shipped with. The most suitable handset to compare it to is the Galaxy S6 edge+. They’re believed to pack identical panels, but Samsung’s managed to bundle it in a smaller package for its next flagship. It is a little thicker and chatter suggests that it’s slightly heavier, too.

It also makes the most sense to pit the Galaxy S8 Plus against the Galaxy S6 edge+. Both devices should be around the same size, but — as I mentioned earlier — as a result of the thin bezels and the omission of the front-facing buttons, Samsung has been able to enclose a larger screen in what’s essentially the same body. Once again, the latest model is a a bit thicker, but we’re putting that down to the beefier internals and slightly bigger battery.

Are you excited for the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8 Plus? Be sure to let us know your thoughts on the comments section.



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Samsung giving away free 256GB microSD cards to Galaxy S7 customers

Samsung is trying to move as many units of the Galaxy S7 as it possibly can ahead of the launch of the Galaxy S8. That’s why we’re seeing the company offer some great promotions to get people to purchase last year’s flagship. The latest promotion promises a Samsung 256GB EVO+ microSD card, a $249.99 value, to those who purchase the Galaxy S7, Galaxy S7 edge or Galaxy S7 Active between now and February 14.

The aforementioned devices can either be purchased outright at full retail or on a device installment plan, lease or 2-year contract plan through the company’s carrier and retail partners. Customers who purchase the handset via Samsung.com or the Shop Samsung app will automatically see the microSD card being added to their cart at checkout.

Those who purchase a qualifying device from a carrier or retailer will have to submit an offer claim form before February 21. They will receive their free 256GB microSD card from Samsung once their offer claim form and all relevant information is verified. Samsung does mention that no more than 75,000 microSD cards will be given out for free in this offer. As you may have guessed by now, this promotion is open only to legal residents of the United States.



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Samsung Pay is now available in Thailand

After launching its mobile payment service in a few markets around the world, Samsung has now launched Samsung Pay in Thailand. The service was officially launched in the country today in the presence of Thai government officials as well as Samsung Pay partners. The South Korean smartphone giant said that Samsung Pay aligns with Thailand’s full transition to a cashless society.

Samsung Pay works with credit cards issued by MasterCard, Visa, KCC, Bangkok Bank, Citibank, KasikornBank, KTC and Siam Commercial Bank in Thailand. Apart from credit cards, Samsung Pay also works with Galaxy Gifts Prepaid card by MasterCard as well as famous loyalty and membership cards in the country. Popular department stores and shops in the country have welcomed the use of Samsung mobile payment service, which works with NFC as well as MST.

We are very excited to be introducing Samsung Pay to the Thai market, as we strive to continue to deliver a robust payment platform and digital wallet to consumers around the world.

More than three months ago, we introduced Samsung Pay early access to the Thai market, giving people a mobile payment solution that is simple, secure and almost anywhere,” said Wichai Pornpratang, Vice President of IT and Mobile Communications at Thai Samsung Electronics. The service was first launched in Thailand in October 2016, albeit in an “early access” phase. The company made worked with key partners in the country over the past few months to make this a successful launch.



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Latest Galaxy J7 Prime update brings February security patch

Samsung is now rolling out a new firmware update for the Galaxy J7 Prime. The update brings the February 2017 security patch for this handset. It’s great timing when you consider the fact that the company officially detailed this security patch just yesterday. The new update is live now and rolling out for the Galaxy J7 Prime in India.

Galaxy J7 Prime owners will soon receive an OTA update notification informing them that firmware version G610FDDU1AQA2 is now available for their handset. It’s a minor update because it doesn’t include any new features to improvements. All it does is bump up the security patch version to the latest one.

This update is rolling out across India right now and should be live for all users in the near future. Those who can’t wait for it to arrive over-the-air can manually flash it on their handsets by downloading the update file. The latest Galaxy J7 Prime update is now available for download via our firmware section.



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Samsung has had to delay key business decisions due to corruption investigation

Samsung Group has been ensnared in South Korea’s corruption and influence-peddling scandal. The conglomerate allegedly paid bribes of more than $35 million to win the government’s backing for a controversial merger that enabled the founding Lee family to cement its grasp on the conglomerate. Samsung heir apparent Lee Jae-yong has been questioned at length and narrowly dodged arrest but as he’s not out of the woods just yet and the investigation is likely to be extended, Samsung Group has had to delay some key business decisions that it normally makes in December every year.

Local media reports say that Samsung is now trying to figure out timing to conduct its annual reshuffle of top executives as well as the restructuring of its business divisions. It normally does this in December every year but has had to postpone it due to the ongoing investigation. Since that hasn’t been done as yet the company will have to delay the annual hiring process which normally takes place in March. Some suggest that Samsung may not conduct the annual hiring drive this year and will just allow subsidiaries and affiliates to hire new talent as and when required.

An anonymous Samsung official cited in the report said that if the investigation is extended, Samsung will have to postpone these key decisions to April, adding that things will only become clear once the investigation is completed. Samsung confirmed yesterday that it’s going to abolish its future strategy office once the investigation is complete, that’s the office which is believed to have been used to doling out money for influence.



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Apple vs Samsung lawsuit sent back to where it all started

The Apple vs Samsung patent infringement lawsuit has made its journey through the entire legal system of the United States over five years and now it has been sent back to square one. Samsung had its day before the Supreme Court which ruled in its favor and said that damages in design patent cases should only apply to individual components of a device and not the entire device. It reached a conclusion that damages related to patent infringement could not be calculated on all sales of the device.

The US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit has now remanded the Apple vs Samsung lawsuit back to its originating venue which is the Northern District Court of California. That’s where it all started five years ago when this lawsuit was first filed against Samsung. The lower court is going to settle the matter so there might even be a new damages trial.

Apple’s position since day one has been that Samsung should be made to pay damages on entire device sales for infringing on its patents. It did have some victories initially. The company won $1 billion in damages as part of the California jury trial back in 2012 but Samsung was able to get a part of that sum vacated in a partial retrial. The amount was brought down to $548 million and Samsung agreed to pay it in 2015.

It will be very interesting now to see how the lower trial court proceeds with this matter that has captivated legal circles for half a decade.



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Samsung SDI’s China factory catches fire

Samsung SDI is the battery-making affiliate of the Samsung Group. Samsung Electronics sources a big chunk of the batteries for its mobile devices from this company, and yes, Samsung SDI was one of the suppliers for the Galaxy Note 7′s battery as well. It’s actually going to be supplying the bulk of the batteries for the Galaxy S8 as well.

Following reports out Weibo, a spokesman for Samsung SDI confirmed that there was a “minor fire” at its factory in northern China. The pictures that circulated online showed plumes of black smoke rising into the air. Samsung SDI spokesman Shin Yong-doo said that the factory at the company’s Tianjin plant didn’t affect production.

Cue the jokes about fires and explosions, since Samsung SDI was squarely blamed for the Galaxy Note 7′s troubles as well. The spokesman did clarify that the fire occurred at a waste depository and the not the production facility so it’s not like everything that Samsung SDI creates has a tendency to catch fire.

samsung-sdi-fire-4
samsung-sdi-fire-3
samsung-sdi-fire-2
samsung-sdi-fire-1



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جميع الحقوق محفوظة لمدونة الغريب 2013