SamMobile Daily Recap: October 23, 2017 — Galaxy S8 Active, Gear Sport 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 Apple and Samsung to return to the courtroom for a patent damages retrial Samsung CEO’s replacement could be...

Seven reasons why Tizen 3.0 is great for Samsung smartwatches

Last Friday, we received the Samsung Gear Sport, which was announced at IFA earlier this year. The Gear Sport runs Tizen 3.0 out of the box, and it is expected that Samsung will bring the upgrade to the Gear S3 Frontier and Gear S3 Classic as well. What does Tizen 3.0 bring to the table? We’ve come across a few notable new features and improvements, and we’ve listed the major ones below. Watch Only...

Android 7.1.1 Nougat update now arriving on the Galaxy J5 (2016) in Europe

The Galaxy J5 (2016) is Samsung’s latest smartphone to receive the Android 7.1.1 update in Europe. The upgrade, which has started making the rounds in Poland, transports all of the features included in Nougat, as well as the tweaks bundled in Experience 8.5, the latest version of the firm’s user interface. So what does Experience 8.5 bring to the table? Well, aside from the integration of Samsung Cloud, a revamped Device Manager application and shutter...

Galaxy Note 8 October security patch released

October is almost over and yet there are still many Samsung handsets out there that haven’t received the latest security update. Samsung has finally started rolling out the Galaxy Note 8 October security patch today. The company detailed the latest security maintenance release for Android device three weeks ago. It has since been released for a handful of devices, including the Galaxy S8. Galaxy Note 8 October Security Patch The Galaxy Note 8 October...

Daily Deal: Grab Samsung’s Fast Charge Dual-Port Car Charger for 63% off

For a limited time only, you can bag yourself Samsung’s Dual-Port Car Fast Charger, which is capable of charging any Fast Charge-enabled handset from 0 to 50 percent in around half an hour, for just $16.99 (63% off). If you like the sound of this promotion and want to take advantage of it, 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. The post...

Galaxy S9 could come with a front-facing fingerprint reader

The upcoming Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ could feature a front-facing fingerprint scanner to combat criticism the Galaxy Note 8 and Galaxy S8 received, suggests a patent Samsung filed for with KIPRIS, South Korea’s trademarking organization. If the information included in the patent documentation is accurate, the firm is planning on building a small recess (think: Essential Phone) into the bottom of...

Samsung ranked as the most valuable brand in South Korea

Valuation and strategy consultant Brand Finance has released its list of the top 50 most valuable brands in South Korea. Samsung has been ranked as the most valuable and powerful brand in the country, unsurprisingly. The firm ranks the brands for its Brand Finance South Korea 50 league table by taking into account a variety of factors. It looks at the marketing investment, sustainability and margins, familiarity, preference and also determines the...

Samsung to announce a three-year buyback plan next week

Samsung is preparing to announce a three-year plan to buy back shares next week, reports The Korea Herald. The initiative can be considered an extension to the $10 billion buyback program it launched in 2015, which had a positive effect on its price per share. Last year, the firm said it would spend 50 percent of its 22.4 trillion won ($19 billion) net profit to increase its share value and return the benefits to its investors—and that’s exactly...

Apple and Samsung to return to the courtroom for a patent damages retrial

Judge Lucy Koh of the United States District Court for the Northern District of California determined on Sunday that Apple and Samsung will return to the courtroom to battle a retrial of their famous design patent damages case, which is exactly what the South Korean company has been fighting for. Samsung had originally, as noted by Foss Patents, asked Judge Koh for a retrial of its previous case against Apple, to which she denied, then went on to...

Samsung CEO’s replacement could be selected this week

Samsung Electronics CEO and Vice Chairman Kwon Oh-hyun announced recently that he was stepping down amid an “unprecedented crisis.” He has been with the company for more than 30 years. He was essentially serving as the de facto head after Samsung heir Lee Jae-yong was imprisoned earlier this year. According to a new report, Samsung might select the successor to the CEO as early as this week. An early selection would mean that the transition would...

Samsung could be working on a Dual Wireless Charging Pad

Samsung has been approved a patent by the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) for a Dual Wireless Charging Pad that will—presumably—work in a similar way to the one Apple announced alongside the iPhone X back in September, allowing users to charge their Galaxy- and Gear-branded products simultaneously. The firm’s Dual Wireless Charging Pad takes advantage of both inductive and resonate modes of wireless charging, which are compliant with the Qi...

T-Mobile Galaxy S8 Active makes its FCC stop

It’s no longer a secret that the Galaxy S8 Active will soon be making its way to T-Mobile. AT&T is going to lose its exclusivity over Samsung’s “Active” lineup this year. Even Samsung hinted as much when it launched the Galaxy S8 Active on T-Mobile. The company said at that time that the device would be exclusive to AT&T for a “limited time.” Much has already been said and written about the Galaxy S8 Active for T-Mobile. Renders of the device...

SamMobile Firmware Update Magazine: October 23, 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...

New Chromebook Pro from Samsung might get a specs bump

Samsung announced the Chromebook Plus and Chromebook Pro back at the 2017 Consumer Electronics Show in January. The company delayed the latter’s release by several months due to issues with Android app compatibility. The Chromebook Pro was finally released on May 28. According to a report, there’s a new Chromebook Pro from Samsung in the pipeline. It’s said to be a “highly-upgraded” version, meaning that it’s likely going to get a specs bump. New...

Samsung TV sales expected to provide earnings boost

Industry sources believe that Samsung TV sales are going to provide the company with an earnings boost. The demand for its high-end TV products remains strong which will enable the company to bring in more revenue from its TV business. The company’s QLED TVs are said to be driving demand for Samsung’s high-end TV products. The company unveiled them earlier this year before releasing the lineup in April. They are estimated to account for almost 10...

Samsung has reportedly invested in Chinese AI developer DeePhi Tech

Artificial intelligence is going to power a lot of features and services on our mobile devices in the years to come. The AI market is certainly heating up and major tech companies are trying to get a leg up on the competition. To this end, Samsung has reportedly made a significant investment in DeePhi Tech, an artificial intelligence technology startup based in China. The Chinese government has recently been focusing on fostering homegrown artificial...