ESPN and Freeform apps arrive on 2017 Samsung Smart TVs

Good news sports fanatics and TV show binge-watchers alike! Those of you that possess a 2017 Samsung Smart TV will now to have access to both the ESPN and Freeform app. The fact that you must have a cable subscription to access these programs has not changed, but you are now able to stream directly from your TV for more convenience.

ESPN and Freeform apps for Samsung Smart TVs

Samsung has struck a deal with ESPN and Freeform owner Disney to bring streaming apps for these networks to all 2017 Samsung Smart TVs. Having the ESPN app will allow folks in the United States to watch all things sports straight from their television, including the upcoming College Football Playoff National Championship game premiering this weekend.

The Freeform app will allow 24/7 live viewing of the network, enabling Samsung Smart TV owners to catch upcoming series premiers of Alone Together and Grown-ish.

These additions seem to support Samsung’s apparent push to increase app support for its Smart TV platform. Last year, we saw major apps including the music identification app Shazam and the video streaming app Starz land on the platform.

There has been no word as to when Samsung will add support for these applications on its Smart TVs released prior to 2017, but keep your fingers crossed if you have an older model.

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Galaxy S8 Android 8.0 Oreo beta program ends January 15, 2018

Samsung released the first Android 8.0 Oreo beta for the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ on November 2, 2017. It has since released five beta firmware for the handsets with the latest coming out just last week. The company has now confirmed that it’s the end of the road for the Oreo beta program.

Interestingly, Samsung also released five beta Nougat firmware last year for the Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge before shutting down the program. It then released Nougat to the public in January last year.

Galaxy S8 Android 8.0 Oreo beta program

Samsung has confirmed in a notice posted for members of the program in the Samsung Members app that the Galaxy S8 Android 8.0 Oreo beta program is going to end on January 15, 2018.

It’s going to allow registrations for new users until tomorrow, January 5. Those who are able to get in will then be able to try out the beta firmware before its public release.

Samsung hasn’t confirmed as yet when the public release of Android 8.0 Oreo for the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ is going to take place. It may not be long and if reports are believed, it may happen before the end of this month.

We reported earlier today that several Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ models running Oreo have received their Wi-Fi certification. This suggests that the much-awaited update will be out sooner rather than later.

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Android 8.0 Oreo-powered Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ receive Wi-Fi certification

Samsung released a new Android 8.0 Oreo beta for the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ just last week. It’s the fifth beta firmware for these handsets and while the company is yet to confirm when Oreo will be released to the public, reports suggest that it will happen in the near future.

Some circumstantial evidence has surfaced to support that theory. Several Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ models powered by Android 8.0 Oreo have now received their Wi-Fi certification. This is normally viewed as an indicator of an impending release.

Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ Android 8.0 Oreo update

The Wi-Fi Alliance has certified several models of the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ with Android 8.0 Oreo. The certification proves that these devices have successfully passed the Wi-Fi Alliance interoperability testing. The relevant certificates have also been published on its website.

The model numbers that have received certification include SM-G950F, SM-G955F, SM-G950FD, SM-G955FD, SM-G950N, SM-G955N, SM-G950X, SM-G955X, SM-G950XN, SM-G955XN and SM-G950XC. This means that the international unlocked, Korean, European and Asian variants for India and Singapore have now been certified with Android 8.0 Oreo.

No US-bound variants are on this list and that’s likely because the carrier-locked variants will receive this update a bit later than the rest. This is by no means a roadmap that suggests which markets will receive the Oreo update first.

It merely highlights that we’re now one step closer to the public release of Oreo for the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+. Samsung is yet to confirm the official release date.

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Specs comparison: Samsung Exynos 9810 vs. Qualcomm Snapdragon 845

Samsung officially unveiled its new flagship mobile processor today, the Exynos 9810. This is the first proper Exynos 9 series SoC. Samsung classified the Galaxy S8’s Exynos 8895 as a 9 series chip even though its model number was 8895. The Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ will be the first handsets to be powered by this new processor.

We also know that in markets like the United States, Samsung’s new flagship smartphones will be powered by the Qualcomm Snpadragon 845 processor which has already been unveiled. Both chips are quite identical which is why a specs comparison becomes necessary.

Samsung Exynos 9810 vs. Qualcomm Snapdragon 845

The Exynos 9810 and Snapdragon 845 are both built on Samsung’s second-generation 10nm FinFET LPP process. They also feature octa-core CPUs, Gigabit LTE modems, dual-ISPs, Bluetooth 5.0 and support for 4K screens. Aside from improved efficiency for AR and VR applications, the new chips also promise enhanced machine learning and artificial intelligence capabilities.

The comparison table below lists the similarities and differences between these two chipsets in detail. Samsung is yet to reveal the full CPU parameters of the Exynos 9810 so some information is still missing.

	Exynos 9810	Snapdragon 845
Process	2nd Gen 10nm FinFET	2nd Gen 10nm FinFET
CPU Cores	Octa-Core, 64-bit	Octa-Core, 64-bit
CPU	4 x 2.9GHz Exynos M3 + 4 x 1.9GHz Cortex-A55	4 x 2.8GHz Kryo 385 + 4 x 1.7GHz Kryo 385
GPU	ARM Mali-G72 MP18	Adreno 630
Display Resolution	4K UHD (4096 x 2160) or WQUXGA (3840 x 2400) 60FPS	4K UHD (4096 x 2160) 60FPS
Graphics API Support	OpenGL ES 3.2, Vulkan 1.0, OpenCL 2.0, DirectX 11, Renderscript	OpenGL ES 3.2, Vulkan 1.0, OpenCL 2.0, DirectX 12, Renderscript
RAM	LPDDR4X	LPDDR4X Quad-channel 16-bit 1866 MHz
Storage	UFS 2.1, & SD 3.0	UFS 2.1, & SD 3.0
ISP	Dual ISP	Dual ISP
Camera	24MP Single, 16MP+16MP Dual	32MP Single, 16MP Dual
Video Recording	Up to 4K @ 120FPS	Up to 4K @ 60FPS
Video Playback & Codecs	MFC, Up to 4K @ 120FPS; 10-bit HEVC (H.265), H.264, VP9	Up to 4K @ 60FPS; 10bit HDR, H.264 (AVC), H.265 (HEVC), VP9
Audio	Unknown chip with 32bit/384kHz quality	Qualcomm Aqstic, Qualcomm aptX HD with 384kHz/32bit quality
Modem	LTE Cat. 18 6CA 1.2Gbps Download; LTE Cat. 18 2CA 200 Mbps Upload	X20 LTE Cat. 18 1.2Gbps Download; LTE Cat. 13 150Mbps Upload
Wi-Fi	Dual-Band Wi-Fi ac/b/g/n with MU-MIMO	Wi-Fi ad, Multi-gigabit Wi-Fi ac/b/g/n with MU-MIMO
Bluetooth	5.0	5.0
Global Positioning	GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou	GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou, Galileo, QZSS, SBAS
Security	Samsung KNOX, Security Processing Unit, DRAM encryption	Qualcomm Secure Processing Unit, Qualcomm Processor Security, Qualcomm Mobile Security
Charging	Samsung Adaptive Fast Charge, Fast Wireless Charging (Qi & PMA)	Quick Charge 4+ (USB PD Compatible)

It’s difficult to say which chip is going to be better based on specifications alone. The performance that you and I will experience on the Galaxy S9 depends on a variety of factors. Samsung has a habit of optimizing the Exynos variants of Galaxy flagships better than the Snapdragon variants so we hope that the Snapdragon-powered versions of the Galaxy S9 will be equal in terms of performance to their Exynos counterparts.

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T-Mobile rolls out Tizen 3.0 Value Pack update to the Gear S3

The Gear S3 Classic and Gear S3 Frontier on T-Mobile are receiving the Tizen 3.0 Value Pack update. The update weighs 265.88MB and bumps the version number to Tizen 3.0.0.1.

Tizen 3.0 brings major changes

The Tizen 3.0 update for Gear S3 brings major changes to the user interface and functionality. The update brings improved heart rate monitor, nutrition management features, optimized widgets for the circular display, improved navigation through bezel rotation, ability to create contacts and reminders, app sorting options, etc. The Value Pack update also adds the functionality to use the Gear S3 as a remote control for compatible Samsung IoT-enabled devices, PowerPoint presentations, Gear VR, etc.

The Gear Sport was the first device to run Tizen 3.0. Samsung is now bringing the same update to Gear S3 Classic and Gear S3 Frontier. The roll out of the Gear S3 Tizen 3.0 update hasn’t been smooth for Samsung. The update was first released towards the end of November. Battery drain complaints by the users forced Samsung to halt the update. Samsung released a revised update for the Gear S3 owners couple of weeks later. The current T-Mobile update should include all the changes made by Samsung to address the battery drain complaints.

You can read our impressions of the update here and here.

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Samsung brings Rose Pink Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ to the UK

While everyone is eagerly waiting for the launch of the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+, Samsung is still not done with their Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+. The company is trying to gain as much mileage as possible from their current flagship phones before the launch of their 2018 flagship smartphones.

A new color option

After launching the Rose Pink Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ in various markets, Samsung is now bringing it to the UK. The device is listed as ‘coming soon’ on Samsung’s UK site without any info about pricing.

Apart from Rose Pink, Samsung is currently offering the Galaxy S8 and the Galaxy S8+ in Midnight Black, Orchid Gray, Coral Blue and Arctic Silver. While a new color option alone may not be enough to persuade someone to buy the handsets, it is always nice to have more color options when buying an expensive phone.

Last year’s flagship devices are still great options for those looking to buy a high-end phone. Given all the talk about the Galaxy S9 series being a minor upgrade to its predecessor, the Galaxy S8 series may continue to be strong sellers for Samsung even after the launch of their new flagship phones.

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Galaxy Tab A (2016) is the first to receive the January 2018 security patch

Samsung recently detailed the first security maintenance release of the new year. As expected, the gradual rollout of the January 2018 security patch has now begun. However, the company has unexpectedly released it for a low-end tablet first.

Samsung has released a new security patch for mid-range smartphones first in recent months. While that perplexed some who felt that flagship handsets should be given priority, this stretches the unusual rollout pattern even further.

Galaxy Tab A (2016) January 2018 security patch

Samsung is now rolling out firmware version T285DDU0AQL3 for the Galaxy Tab A (2016) model number SM-T285 in Bangladesh. This particular model is the 4G + Wi-Fi variant of the Galaxy Tab A (2016). The firmware update brings the January 2018 security patch even though the device continues to run on Android 5.1.1 Lollipop.

The Galaxy Tab A (2016), not to be confused with the Galaxy Tab A (2016) with S Pen, was released two years ago. It’s a low-end tablet that features a 7-inch LCD display, a 1.3GHz quad-core processor with 1.5GB of RAM and a 4,000mAh battery. It also features a 5-megapixel rear and 2-megapixel front camera as well as 8GB of expandable internal storage.

The latest software update for this device is now available for download from our firmware section. It goes without saying that Samsung will soon rollout the January 2018 security patch to supported handsets in the near future.

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Galaxy S9 camera improvements possibly hinted at by new trademark

Samsung has filed a new trademark in South Korea for the term “The Camera. Reimagined.” It’s clearly not going to use this as a moniker for a new device so what could it possibly be? It’s likely that this trademarked slogan might be used in the promotional materials for the Galaxy S9. It could very well hint at the Galaxy S9 camera improvements that we’ve been hearing about.

Galaxy S9 camera improvements

Even before the Galaxy S8 was officially announced last month it became apparent that while Samsung was pushing the envelope on the design, it wouldn’t make any major changes in the camera department. That turned out to be true when despite all the reports about a dual camera, the Galaxy S8 stuck with a single camera system that was only marginally better than its predecessor.

That’s not how it’s expected to be with the Galaxy S9. Samsung’s new flagship smartphone is expected to be almost identical to its predecessor as far as the design is concerned. This means that significant improvements will be made in other departments and the camera is going to be one of them. At least one model – the Galaxy S9+ – is expected to feature a dual camera system as well.

The trademark filing for “The Camera. Reimagined” mentions a plethora of devices that this trademark applies to and smartphones are on the list. There’s something else as well which suggests that this trademark might be linked to the Galaxy S9 camera improvements.

Samsung unveiled its Exynos 9810 flagship processor today. This is what’s going to power the Exynos-based variants of the Galaxy S9. The press release specifically mentions the improved imaging capabilities of this chip.

The Exynos 9810 has a dual-ISP or Image Signal Processor that supports up to 4 image sensors including a dual camera at the back and a front camera and iris sensor in the front. It also promises improvements in quality, power consumption, auto-focus and more with diverse image processing algorithms.

Granted that this is all circumstantial evidence at this point in time but it does make sense. The camera improvements will likely be a big selling point of the Galaxy S9 and the Galaxy S9+. We’ll know for sure when the handsets are officially unveiled in the near future.

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Samsung basically tells the US government not to shoot itself in the foot

It was reported last year that Samsung was thinking about setting up a new plant in the United States to manufacture appliances. The company was believed to be responding to growing protectionism in the United States after President Donald Trump took office.

Samsung confirmed in June last year that it’s going to invest $380 million in the state of South Carolina for its new plant. The factory will be used to manufacture washing machines and other appliances. Samsung set up shop at a former Caterpillar plant in the town of Newberry.

The company has now expressed concerns and the persistent threat of strong tariffs on washing machines will adversely affect the job-creating potential of its $380 million investment.

Not letting this go without a fight

It was one of President Trump’s campaign promises to impose strict tariffs on products manufactured outside the United States for sale in the country. The move is meant to push manufacturers to set up plants in the country and create new jobs.

Samsung’s investment in South Carolina was going to create almost 1,000 new industrial jobs. An executive recently said that the factory is going to begin operations later this month.

US-based Whirlpool has filed a safeguard petition with the US International Trade Commission and recommended a 50 percent tariff rate on large residential washing machines built by Samsung. Samsung has now categorically said that any tariff is going to harm job creation at its new South Carolina factory.

The company still needs to import some parts for the machines that it will manufacture at the new plant. The tariffs would hinder its supply in the US market which will have an impact on earnings and can subsequently have an adverse impact on the factory.

“We hope that the Administration will recognize Samsung’s commitment to U.S. manufacturing and help us protect the nearly 1,000 additional jobs we are bringing to the U.S.,” Samsung said in a press release. That’s a more polite way of telling the US government not to shoot itself in the foot over these tariffs.

President Donald Trump is expected to make his recommendation on the matter of tariffs early this year. It’s clear that Samsung is not going to let this go without a fight.

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Galaxy A8+ (2018) will be an Amazon exclusive in India

Samsung unveiled its new Galaxy A8 (2018) and Galaxy A8+ (2018) handsets late last month and they will be released across the globe in the coming weeks. Samsung has confirmed the handsets’ release date in Vietnam and it has also started taking pre-orders for them in South Korea. It’s only a matter of time before the Galaxy A8 (2018) and Galaxy A8+ (2018) make their way to more markets.

The company is yet to confirm when it’s going to start taking pre-orders for these handsets in India, a key emerging market. However, Samsung has revealed that the Galaxy A8+ (2018) will be an Amazon exclusive in India.

Galaxy A8+ (2018) in India

A listing page for the Galaxy A8+ (2018) has gone live on Amazon India. The page highlights its salient features like the glass and metal design, Infinity Display and dual front camera with Live Focus. Interested customers can pre-register to be notified when the handset goes on sale.

The handset is powered by an Exynos 7885 processor with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage. It features a 6-inch Full HD+ 18.5:9 aspect ratio Infinity Display. Its powered by an Exynos 7885 processor with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage.

The Galaxy A8+ (2018) features a 6-inch Full HD+ 18.5:9 aspect ratio Infinity Display, IP68 dust and water resistance, Bluetooth 5.0 and a 3,500mAh battery with fast charging.

It’s the first premium mid-range smartphone from Samsung to feature a dual front camera. There’s a 16-megapixel sensor coupled with an 8-megapixel sensor with Live Focus support.

The Amazon listing doesn’t mention the price and release date of the Galaxy A8+ (2018) in India. A recent report suggests that Samsung might launch the handset in the country on January 10.

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