Galaxy S9 battery capacity possibly revealed

A purported retail box of the Galaxy S9 was leaked online recently and while it revealed some information about the handset’s specifications, it didn’t reveal anything about its battery capacity. A filing made with Brazil’s telecommunications regulator ANATEL possibly reveals the Galaxy S9 battery capacity.

The Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ have previously been spotted at the FCC and while those filings only hint at an impending launch, the ANATEL listing actually includes a little nugget of useful information.

Galaxy S9 battery capacity

If the information contained in this filing is accurate, then the Galaxy S9 battery capacity is going to be 3,000mAh which is exactly the same as the Galaxy S8. It was rumored at one point that the Galaxy S9 could have a 3,200mAh battery but we haven’t heard about this possibility since then.

Samsung might also stick to the script for the Galaxy S9+ as well and it might have the same 3,500mAh battery as the Galaxy S8+. These handsets are already going to be quite similar to their predecessors anyway.

The expectation with new flagship handsets is always that they’ll be thinner, lighter, more powerful and have bigger batteries. That’s easier said than done, though. Samsung fans can still keep their fingers crossed for an improvement in battery life due to more power efficient internals and hopefully better software optimization.

Samsung is going to unveil the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ at the Mobile World Congress 2018 in Barcelona next month.

The post Galaxy S9 battery capacity possibly revealed appeared first on SamMobile.

from SamMobile http://ift.tt/2B3mt5X
via IFTTT

Samsung’s ‘Nautilus’ Chromebook will bring native video recording to the Chrome OS

After reports about the detachable 2-in-1 form factor, stylus functionality, and a 13-megapixel camera, a new discovery about the Samsung’s upcoming ‘Nautilus’ has been made. Just like the previous reports, the new one is also based on new commits to the Chromium Repository. This gives credibility to all the details we know about the Samsung’s upcoming Chromebook so far.

Support up to 1080p @ 30fps

According to Chrome Unboxed, Samsung’s ‘Nautilus’ will bring native video recording to the Chrome OS. All these years, Chrome OS users have been relying on third-party apps and websites to gain this functionality. On Chromebooks with capable cameras, the Chrome OS native video recording feature will support up to 1080p @30fps.

Since this is not a device-specific feature,  but a feature addition to the Chrome OS itself, there is a possibility that the new Chrome OS feature might roll out to other devices before the launch of Samsung’s ‘Nautilus’ Chromebook.

Chrome OS will rely on Android camera APIs for native recording. This opens the possibility of the camera tricks found on Android smartphones making their way into Chromebooks someday. Since the Samsung’s ‘Nautilus’ Chromebook uses a high-end camera sensor, it may be one of the first devices to take advantage of this new Chrome OS feature.

It’s as yet unclear when Samsung is going to launch this new Chromebook.

The post Samsung’s ‘Nautilus’ Chromebook will bring native video recording to the Chrome OS appeared first on SamMobile.

from SamMobile http://ift.tt/2EIVIFY
via IFTTT

Samsung Pay looks cleaner with new bottom navigation bar

Samsung is rolling out a new Samsung Pay update which brings some user interface tweaks. It looks like the company wants the Samsung Pay app to have a cleaner look which is why it has done away with the on-screen section menus in favor of a more traditional bottom navigation bar. This makes the app feel less cluttered and that’s something that users will certainly appreciate.

Samsung Pay UI cleaned up

Samsung has rolled out version 2.8.18 of the Samsung Pay app for supported devices. The version number varies by market and this particular update seems to have been released in the United States only so far.

There’s a new bottom navigation bar now in Samsung Pay which gives it a clean and traditional look. The navigation bar can now be used to view the wallet, check up on rewards, visit the Pay store and also to find out new deals.

This minor user interface change should also make it easier for users to navigate the various features that the Samsung Pay app offers.

If you’re based in the United States, you can head over to the Play Store right now and download the latest version of Samsung Pay. It may be a while before this update is rolled out in other markets.

The post Samsung Pay looks cleaner with new bottom navigation bar appeared first on SamMobile.

from SamMobile http://ift.tt/2DzfLY0
via IFTTT

Samsung starts commercial production at its first US home appliance plant

Samsung was thinking about setting up a new home appliance manufacturing plant in the United States last year. The move appeared to be in response to growing protectionism in the country following the ascension of President Donald Trump to the highest office.

Samsung confirmed in June 2017 that it would invest $380 million in the state of South Carolina for its new factory. The company has now announced that commercial production at its first US-based home appliance manufacturing facility has begun merely six months after Samsung took possession of the plant.

Manufacturing appliances in the United States

Samsung took possession of a former Caterpillar plant in the town of Newberry and converted it into its first US-based home appliance manufacturing plant. It was able to complete the job in six months and has now started commercial production.

It completed the job with more than 800 fulltime and contract workers, adding 151,000 square feet and installing two manufacturing and assembly lines with 20 presses and 30 injection molding machines. The two assembly lines are used to combine the components that Samsung makes in-house with supplied modules. The products are then packaged for shipment to customers in the United States.

Samsung employees have started manufacturing ship-ready washing machines at the plant. They’re producing washer cabinets, inner tubs and bases from blank steel. The company plans to produce one million washing machines at its new factory this year.

The $380 million plant is going to create almost 1,000 local jobs by 2020. That’s a fact that Samsung recently reminded the US government as the company awaits its decision to impose strict tariffs on large residential washing machines built by Samsung.

The post Samsung starts commercial production at its first US home appliance plant appeared first on SamMobile.

from SamMobile http://ift.tt/2Dzs0E6
via IFTTT

Samsung launches the Galaxy A8 and Galaxy A8+ (2018) in the UAE

Samsung’s latest premium mid-range handsets are now available in the UAE. The company has launched the Galaxy A8 (2018) and the Galaxy A8+ (2018) officially in the United Arab Emirates today. Interested customers can purchase the handsets from all major retailers in the UAE starting today.

Galaxy A8 (2018) UAE launch

Samsung unveiled the Galaxy A8 and the Galaxy A8+ (2018) late last month. It has gradually been rolling out the handset in more markets across the globe. The new premium mid-range handsets have a metal and glass build with IP68 water and dust resistance.

These are the first mid-range handsets from Samsung to feature an Infinity Display, 5.6-inch for the Galaxy A8 (2018) and 6-inch for the Galaxy A8+ (2018). The 18.5:9 aspect ratio is the same for both handsets.

There’s an Exynos 7885 octa-core processor under the hood with Mali-G71 GPU and support for Bluetooth 5.0, LTE Cat.11 and Wi-Fi 802.11 ac. These are the first premium mid-range handsets from Samsung to have support for the Gear VR headset.

The Android 7.1.1 Nougat-powered handsets are now available for purchase from all major retailers in the United Arab Emirates. Color options include Black, Gold and Orchid Grey. The Galaxy A8 (2018) and Galaxy A8+ (2018) are priced at AED 1799 ($490) and AED 1999 ($544) respectively, excluding VAT.

The post Samsung launches the Galaxy A8 and Galaxy A8+ (2018) in the UAE appeared first on SamMobile.

from SamMobile http://ift.tt/2FElBIg
via IFTTT

Galaxy On7 Prime launching in India on January 17 with Samsung Mall in tow

After rumors and teasers, the Galaxy On7 Prime is finally going on sale in India on January 17. Samsung India is sending invites for the launch event of the Galaxy On7 Prime. The phone was made official on Amazon India last week without any information about pricing or availability.

Galaxy On7 Prime will come with Samsung Mall

Samsung’s invite says the new phone will come preloaded with Samsung Mall. While the invite doesn’t mention what Samsung Mall exactly is, the Galaxy On7 Prime marketing page on Amazon India spills the beans about the Samsung Mall.

Samsung Mall is a shopping app with a Bixby Vision-like tech for shopping based on image recognition. Users can shoot or use existing pictures of any product to initiate a visual search for shopping across multiple shopping sites. The app also comes with an all-in-one shopping and universal cart to compare, review and buy products from multiple sites through a single interface. Furthermore, the app also features an AR tool for trying some of the products virtually before buying.

As for the specifications, the 4G VoLTE-enabled device will come with a 5.5-inch FHD display, Octa-Core Exynos 7870 processor, 13-megapixel front and rear cameras with F1.9 aperture, dual SIM slots, microSD slot, and a fingerprint reader. It sports a metal unibody design and will come in two configurations: 4GB RAM/64GB storage and 3GB RAM/32GB storage.

The Galaxy On7 Prime in India will also come preloaded with Samsung Pay Mini – a stripped down version of the Samsung Pay. It lacks MST and NFC-based payment options and instead relies on UPI (Unified Payments Interface) and mobile wallets like PayTm for making payments.

Like other On series phones, the phone is for online-only sales and will be available as an Amazon-exclusive in India. The phone will be available in Black and Gold color options, and the pricing will be announced at the event.

The post Galaxy On7 Prime launching in India on January 17 with Samsung Mall in tow appeared first on SamMobile.

from SamMobile http://ift.tt/2mymLME
via IFTTT

Samsung expands cooperation with North American retailers

Samsung seems to be in no mood to slow down or rest on its laurels. After being ranked No.1 in the North American home appliance market for six consecutive quarters, the company is further intensifying its efforts to expand its presence and sales.

Increasing presence in the US

Quoting industry watchers, Yonhap News reports that Samsung has expanded cooperation with North American retailers to boost sales in the region. The move follows Samsung’s efforts to increase its presence in the region through partnerships with major retailers.

Last year Samsung established a special display zone at 300 Best Buy outlets to promote its products. It recently set up the “Innovation Wall” at 80 Lowe’s shops with the same objective. The company also recently launched a service on its website in the US whereby users can virtually arrange home appliances before making the purchase.

At CES 2018, Samsung showcased its vision for the future by launching connected home appliances. The company is pushing its SmartThings platform and Bixby to build an ecosystem of connected devices. By 2020, Samsung wants all its devices to be IoT-ready. For a successful IoT platform, winning in the US market is key both in terms of scale and influence. Robust partnerships with retailers will help Samsung in this regard.

The post Samsung expands cooperation with North American retailers appeared first on SamMobile.

from SamMobile http://ift.tt/2FGPlo7
via IFTTT

Samsung Focus updated with Android 8.0 Oreo support

The Android 8.0 Oreo beta program for the Galaxy S8 is almost at an end, with Samsung hoping to release the final build before February. But the company has been updating various proprietary apps with Oreo support since before the beta program kicked off, and it has now added Samsung Focus to the mix. The latest update to Samsung Focus brings “Android O support,” along with fixes for app-crashing bugs.

Samsung Focus gets Oreo support

That’s pretty much it for the changelog, and while the previous version of Samsung Focus also worked on Oreo, the app should now be fully stable. To grab the update, head to the Play Store or the Galaxy Apps store. We will also have the APK file for the new version in our database within the next few hours, so you can sideload it on your device if needed.

Wondering what Samsung Focus has to offer? Check out our review to find out!

The post Samsung Focus updated with Android 8.0 Oreo support appeared first on SamMobile.

from SamMobile http://ift.tt/2DdvCi9
via IFTTT

Samsung may have stopped bundling microUSB to Type-C adapters with its phones

For Samsung, making a move to the USB Type-C standard was no doubt harder than any other Android phone maker, as the Korean giant sells an insane amount of Android smartphones. When the Galaxy Note 7 came out as the first Samsung phone with a Type-C port, the company started bundling a microUSB to USB Type-C adapter with devices so consumers would have backward compatibility with their existing microUSB cables. It’s been a year since the Note 7 was launched (and subsequently taken off the market), and it looks like Samsung is now ready to fully embrace the USB Type-C standard, as the new Galaxy A8 (2018) and Galaxy A8+ don’t come with a Type-C adapter in the box.

No microUSB to Type-C adapter with the Galaxy A8 and A8+

We’re unsure if Samsung has made a similar move in every country, but our Galaxy A8 and Galaxy A8+ – bought in the Netherlands and India respectively – didn’t come bundled with a microUSB to Type-C adapter. But the box contents could vary by market, as our A8 came with a USB OTG adapter (used for connecting two devices for wired data transfer) while the A8+ didn’t. In India, Samsung is offering a free case in the box instead, possibly because phones from competing Chinese manufacturers often come bundled with one. The rest of the contents are the same, including a fast charger, a USB Type-C cable, earphones, and a SIM ejector tool, in addition to the user manual.

As far as the microUSB adapter is concerned, it wouldn’t be surprising if Samsung has decided to stop including one with new devices. Quite a few companies have made the switch to Type-C ports in the last couple of years, so many who will be upgrading from a non-Samsung phone to the A8 or any other 2018 Galaxy device would be expected to have a few Type-C cables lying around. It’s worth pointing out, however, that Samsung is yet to start using Type-C ports on budget handsets. Should the Galaxy J series of phones have Type-C ports this year (it’s high time they did), it’s possible a microUSB adapter would be bundled with those, at least in the beginning.

If not, 2018 may be the year Samsung’s customers have to get on-board with the reversible USB connector. USB Type-C is the future, and the world’s biggest smartphone manufacturer may be close to giving the microUSB port the boot. What do you think? Is it time to adopt USB Type-C wholeheartedly, or should Samsung continue bundling a microUSB adapter with its devices?

Don’t Miss: Samsung Galaxy A8 (2018) initial impressions

The post Samsung may have stopped bundling microUSB to Type-C adapters with its phones appeared first on SamMobile.

from SamMobile http://ift.tt/2mH8H4n
via IFTTT

Galaxy S8 Oreo beta testers could get final update by end of January

Today, Samsung made it official in the Samsung Members community that the Android 8.0 Oreo beta program for the Galaxy S8 and S8+ will be ending on January 17th. Now, the company had earlier said the program would end on January 15, but today’s announcement isn’t going to make a difference unless Samsung is planning on releasing another beta update in the next two days. What is noteworthy here is that the company says that it will do its “best to distribute the official S/W version in January as soon as possible.”

Beta testers could get final Oreo update by month end

The way that statement is worded suggests that at least beta users will be on the final version of Oreo by the end of this month. The Galaxy S7’s official Nougat update for beta testers came just 12 days after the beta program ended, so it would be reasonable to expect a similarly quick turnaround time for Oreo on the Galaxy S8 and S8+. The latest Oreo beta is almost as good as finished software, with nary a bug or performance hiccup on devices here at SamMobile. Yes, some beta users may still be facing problems, but those should be ironed out in the final release.

But, there’s no telling when Oreo will start making its way to regular users. Samsung took considerable time rolling out Android 7.0 Nougat to Galaxy S7 and S7 edge users who weren’t part of the beta program, but fingers crossed that isn’t the case this time around.

Read More: What’s New With Android 8.0 Oreo

The post Galaxy S8 Oreo beta testers could get final update by end of January appeared first on SamMobile.

from SamMobile http://ift.tt/2EKwmrr
via IFTTT