Samsung Smart Switch app updated with Android Oreo support

Here’s another indication that the Android 8.0 Oreo beta program for the Galaxy S8 could start sometime this week: Samsung has updated its Smart Switch app for its phones and tablets with support for Oreo. You know, so anyone moving from an older device to the Galaxy S8 and getting the chance to take part in the beta can transfer their data using the company’s official tool instead of having to start over from scratch.

Smart Switch gets Android Oreo support

Smart Switch isn’t the first Samsung app to get support for Oreo. Samsung Pay had that honor, and it is only a matter of time before all of Samsung’s official apps get updated to work on the latest version of Android. Unfortunately, this still doesn’t tell us an exact date for when the beta test will start. Again, it’s possible it will kick off sometime this week, and we’re waiting with bated breath to be able to start testing it on our Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+.

For those unaware, the Oreo beta program will be offered in North America, South Korea and the United Kingdom at first, followed by China, Spain, Germany, Poland, France and India in the second phase. As for the newest version of Smart Switch, you can grab it from the Play Store or download the APK from our database.

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SamMobile Daily Recap: October 31, 2017 — Android 8.0 Oreo, Galaxy A5 (2018) 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 dividends will double next year to increase shareholder value

Samsung posts record profits in Q3 2017

Samsung shakes up its leadership with three new CEOs

Firmware News

Galaxy S8 Android 8.0 Oreo beta license indicates impending launch

Gear Sport firmware update improves sensor accuracy, adds new features

New Gear IconX (2018) update brings Bluetooth improvements

General

Bixby will now receive its weather data from The Weather Company

Phones

Galaxy A5 and Galaxy A7 (2018) processor gets Bluetooth 5.0 certification

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New Gear IconX (2018) update brings Bluetooth improvements

Samsung is rolling out a new firmware update for the Gear IconX (2018) today. It’s a minor update that brings Bluetooth improvements. The update is now available for download and Gear IconX (2018) owners can get it right away.

The Gear IconX (2018) activity tracking wireless earbuds were launched earlier this year. They’re quite similar to the original Gear IconX but with slight improvements that make the earbuds more ergonomic and lightweight.

Gear IconX (2018) Update

Measuring 18.9 x 21.8 x 22.8 mm, the new Gear IconX (2018) weighs just 8 grams per earbud. They feature 4GB of internal storage. The 82mAh battery promises music playback of up to 7 hours and a talk time of up to 4 hours. That’s a significant improvement over the original Gear IconX.

The new earbuds are also capable of launching Bixby when they’re paired with a supported device like the Galaxy Note 8 and Galaxy S8. They feature an accelerometer and a heart-rate monitor for activity tracking. The data is then synced with Samsung’s S Health platform.

Samsung is rolling out firmware version R140XXUAQJ2 for the Gear IconX (2018) today. The changelog mentions that this update has “improved stabilizing Bluetooth connection.”

Samsung has started selling the Gear IconX (2018) in a handful of markets. It’s available in black, gray and pink colors for 229.99 euro.

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Bixby will now receive its weather data from The Weather Company

The Weather Company has confirmed that it’s now providing weather data for Samsung’s digital personal assistant Bixby. One of the basic commands that you can give to Bixby is to have it pull up weather information. The Bixby weather experience is now going to be powered by The Weather Company.

This is an expansion of the existing global partnership that Samsung and The Weather Company announced earlier this year. That partnership made TWC the default weather data provider on select Samsung devices like the Galaxy S8. TWC provided weather data for Samsung’s weather widget as well.

Bixby Weather Data

Bixby will be able to pull up weather information from TWC that includes real-time current conditions, hourly forecasts for up to 36 hours and 10 day forecasts for 2.2 locations across the globe. Static maps to show satellite radar images are included as well.

Users who have a supported device will receive weather alerts and notifications that will help notify them of impending severe weather that could affect them.

A clickable icon presence has been launched in the Samsung Internet Browser which will enable users to get the latest weather information via the preloaded TWC icon. It will soon be available in all new and existing US devices running Samsung’s browser.

The enhanced integration of The Weather Channel with Bixby is now live in Bixby on Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ in the United States. The Weather Channel confirms that this integration will be rolled out globally soon.

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Galaxy S8 Android 8.0 Oreo beta license indicates impending launch

The Android 8.0 Oreo update for the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ is in the pipeline. Samsung is expected to launch the Galaxy S8 Android 8.0 Oreo beta in the near future. The license agreement for the upcoming Galaxy Beta Program has now gone live which suggests that the launch isn’t that far off.

Samsung is yet to confirm when it’s going to launch the Galaxy S8 beta program, though. Previous reports have suggested that the beta might be launched in the United States on October 31.

Galaxy S8 Android 8.0 Oreo Beta

It was reported yesterday that the Galaxy S8 Android 8.0 Oreo beta is going to be launched in North America, South Korea and the United Kingdom in the first phone. Samsung will later roll out the beta in China, Spain, Germany, Poland, France and India in the second phase.

Those who want to take part in the beta will have to sign up for it through the Samsung Members app. The beta registrations haven’t gone live as yet. However, links to the End User Licensing Agreement and the Galaxy Beta Program FAQ have now been spotted in the app.

The licensing agreement confirms that the upcoming Galaxy Beta Program is meant to distribute pre-release Android 8.0 Oreo firmware for “testing and evaluation purposes” only.

The FAQ reiterates a previous report that the beta will only be offered for T-Mobile, Sprint and unlocked variants of the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ in the United States.

Hit the source links below to read both the FAQ and the EULA. It’s likely that we’ll soon see an official announcement about the Galaxy S8 Android 8.0 Oreo beta from Samsung.

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Galaxy A5 and Galaxy A7 (2018) processor gets Bluetooth 5.0 certification

Bluetooth 5.0 is coming to Samsung’s mid-range lineup. The Galaxy S8 was the first smartphone to feature Bluetooth 5.0 and Samsung is now expanding the new standard to its mid-range handsets. The Galaxy A5 and Galaxy A7 (2018) processor has received Bluetooth 5.0 certification. This confirms that the premium mid-range handsets will have the new standard onboard when they arrive next year.

We’ve previously reported that the Samsung Exynos 7885 processor will be used for the Galaxy A5 and Galaxy A7 (2018). It’s the 10nm version of the Exynos 7880 that’s found in the existing models.

Galaxy A5 And Galaxy A7 (2018) Processor

The Exynos 7885 is said to have two ARM Cortex-A73 CPU cores (clocked at 2.1GHz) and four ARM Cortex-A53 CPU cores. It may also feature an integrated LTE radio and Mali-G71 GPU. No information about the number of GPU cores has been revealed as yet.

The certification confirms that the Exynos 7885 is going to have support for Bluetooth 5.0. The new standard provides improved range and faster data transfer. On devices like the Galaxy Note 8, it even lets users play Bluetooth audio on two different headphones.

Samsung is expected to release the new Galaxy A (2018) series early next year. Recent rumors suggest that the handsets will feature an Infinity Display and dual front-facing cameras.

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Gear Sport firmware update improves sensor accuracy, adds new features

Samsung today released a new firmware update for the Gear Sport smartwatch. The company’s new smartwatch was released recently. Samsung unveiled the Gear Sport at IFA 2017 in Berlin a couple of months back.

The Gear Sport combines minimalist design with military-grade durability. It features a 1.2-inch circular Super AMOLED display, a 1.0GHz dual-core processor with 4GB of storage and 768MB of RAM. The device’s biggest selling points include 5 ATM water resistance, so it’s great for swimmers, and MIL-STD-810G durability.

Gear Sport Firmware Update

Firmware version R600XXU1AQJ5 is now being rolled out for the Gear Sport. The Gear Sport firmware update that Samsung has released today weighs in at 28.70MB. The changelog reveals that it improves sensor accuracy. The accuracy of sensors that detect heart rate and pace during exercise has particularly been improved.

The new features that this update adds include Samsung Health Weight management, Fitness programs, Health Summary widget and more. Security improvements for the device are included as well. This Gear Sport firmware update brings the usual slew of device stability improvements and bug fixes as well.

The Gear Sport is now available for purchase in markets like South Korea and the United States. Samsung is offering it in Blue and Black colors with a wide variety of changeable 20mm straps.

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Samsung dividends will double next year to increase shareholder value

Samsung launched its Shareholder Value Enhancement Program back in 2015 to increase shareholder value. The program saw the company doling out billions in dividends. The company has also spent billions on buying back shares and canceling them. Samsung today outlined its Shareholder Return Program for 2018-2010.

Shareholders will be pleased to find out that Samsung dividends will double next year. The company is going to increase annual dividends by 20 percent in 2017. It promises a 100 percent rise in dividends for 2018. It will allocate 9.6 trillion won or $8.5 billion for this purpose in 2018. Samsung will then maintain that level for 2019 and 2020 dividends.

Samsung Dividends

This is going to translate into approximately 29 trillion won or $25.9 billion of total dividend returns in the 2018-2020 period. Samsung has also confirmed that it’s not going to fund future merger and acquisition investments from its free cash flow. This is going to increase the amount of capital available to return to shareholders.

The portion of free cash flow for shareholder returns will be set at minimum 50 percent over the 2018-2020 period. Once the dividends have been paid out, Samsung may use any remaining portion of the 50 percent free cash flow for additional cash dividends or share buybacks as deemed appropriate.

Samsung’s efforts to boost shareholder value have been well received. The company’s stock price has more than doubled since 2016 and it’s now committed to delivering sustainable shareholder value.

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Samsung shakes up its leadership with three new CEOs

Samsung Electronics CEO Kwon Oh-hyun recently announced that he was going to step down from his position. He said that amid the “unprecedented crisis” that the company faced, it was time for a new leadership to take the reins.

The company today announced his replacement. Samsung Electronics previously had three co-CEOs, the other two being Boon Boo-keun (BK Yoon) and Shin Jong-kyun (JK Shin). Both of them are resigning as well. Samsung Electronics now has three new co-CEOs. All new appointments are effective immediately.

Samsung’s New CEOs

Samsung confirmed today that it’s going to maintain the current co-CEO management structure. Samsung Electronics Presidents Kinam Kim, Hyunsuk (HS) Kim and Dongjin (DJ) Koh will succeed Kwon, Yoon and Shin as heads of the Device Solutions, Consumer Electronics and IT & Mobile Communications divisions respectively.

BK Yoon and JK Shin took a step back from direct control in 2015 and they’re now resigning altogether. This paves the way for an entirely new leadership to take control of Samsung Electronics, the crown jewel of the Samsung empire.

Kim Ki-nam has served as the CEO of Samsung Display. He has also ran the memory division and is already responsible for the semiconductor business. Kim Hyun-suk has been described by Samsung as an expert in display technology, leading the company’s efforts to dominate the global TV market. DJ Koh was the head of mobile R&D before he took over as the boss of the mobile division from JK Shin in 2015.

“The next generation of leaders are well suited to accelerate the pace of innovation and address the demands of the connected world. They have proven track records with extensive experience and outstanding expertise in their fields,” Kwon said.

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Samsung posts record profits in Q3 2017

Samsung recently released its earnings guidance for the third quarter of this year. The guidance predicted that the company was on track for another record quarter. Samsung today released its Q3 2017 earnings results and it has indeed posted its highest ever quarterly profits.

Samsung brought in revenues of 62 trillion won or $55 billion and posted an operating profit of 14.5 trillion won or $12.91 billion. This is the highest ever operating profit that Samsung has posted, overtaking last quarter’s 14 trillion won or $12.1 billion operating profit.

Samsung’s Record Profits

As previously reported, the semiconductor business was the biggest contributor of revenue for the company. Samsung saw strong demand for memory chipsets for mobile devices and servers. The semiconductor division accounted for two-thirds of the operating profit, it registered an increase of 146.7 percent year-over-year.

Samsung pointed out that its display panel business posted an earnings decline even though sales of flexible OLED panels for premium smartphones expanded.

The mobile division saw strong shipments bet earnings declined quarter-over-quarter due to higher sales of mass-market devices. Since there’s a lower profit margin on those devices, the earnings from the mobile division declined in the quarter ending September 2017.

Samsung expects tight supply and demand conditions to continue for the semiconductor business. It expects earnings to grow from this business. Samsung is now on track for a record full-year profit.

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