Samsung trademarks Micro QLED in South Korea

It has been known for some time that Samsung is working on alternate TV technologies to compete with OLED TVs from rivals. At CES 2018, Samsung offered first glimpses of it when it announced, ‘The Wall’, its first 146-inch modular MicroLED TV.

Samsung recently announced MicroLED

Samsung’s MicroLED technology does share some traits with OLED. Just like OLED panels, Samsung MicroLED panels are also self-emitting which means each sub-pixel produces its own light and doesn’t need a dedicated backlight. Because of the similarities, Samsung’s MicroLED technology is seen as a worthy rival to the OLED TVs in the market.

Interestingly, even before the MicroLED TVs are released and reviewed, Samsung has filed for a “Micro QLED” trademark in South Korea. On January 11, 2018, Samsung filed two trademark applications with the Korean Intellectual Property Office. While one of them is for the 8K QLED TV which was shown at CES 2018, the other application is for Micro QLED which hasn’t been announced or showcased anywhere so far. The MicroLED tech announced by Samsung at CES 2018 is not part of these applications.

Unsurprisingly, the Micro QLED trademark has resulted in speculation about Samsung developing a new line-up of self-emitting QLED TVs. Of course, a trademark application alone doesn’t guarantee the development or existence of Micro QLED technology as Samsung, like many other companies, occasionally trademarks names to be on the safer side.

When asked to comment, a Samsung official told The Investor “I have never heard about Micro QLED. As you know, filing a trademark doesn’t necessarily mean a product will be launched anytime soon. We’ll see.”

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Samsung releases full feature video tour of the Notebook 7 Spin (2018)

Two weeks ago Samsung announced the launch of a new notebook, and just this past weekend Samsung showcased the new hardware at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. The Notebook 7 Spin (2018) has pretty much everything you’d expect from a mid-range notebook, but Samsung wants to, at the same time, reiterate and enlighten us on its capabilities with today’s release of a full feature tour.

Notebook 7 Spin (2018) full feature tour

The 360-degree hinge allows for the traditional laptop format, a tablet format, as well as a tent/presentation format, thus making the notebook quite versatile. A fingerprint sensor is uniquely placed on the side of the hardware allowing easy access regardless of the format with which it is being used. Some additional functionality is onboard with a 13.3-inch FHD 10-finger multi-touch display, allowing the use of the trackpad or simply your finger.

The notebook is optimized for extended battery life with a 43Wh battery and features an 8th Generation Intel Core i5 quad-core processor. Windows Ink is supported on the device, and a stylus called the Active Pen is sold separately. The keyboard is backlit and it includes curved keycaps for a comfortable typing experience. The device is also equipped with dual far-field microphones to support the Voice Note feature which allows for speech-to-text translation.

Samsung has released a program with the new notebook called Studio Plus which is an iMovie-esque program for video editing and movie creation. Last but not least, Security Folder is Samsung’s iteration of the smartphone Secure Folder feature for the PC.

Watch the full feature tour below and let us know what you think and if you plan on buying by leaving a comment below.

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My long-term experience with Bixby: The sky’s the limit

After seven seemingly long months with Samsung’s coveted personal assistant, Bixby, it is safe to say that I have a pretty solid gauge as to its abilities and disabilities. This post will take a deep dive into my long-term experience integrating Bixby into my everyday life.

When Bixby was first announced and showcased at the first 2017 Galaxy Unpacked Event, I could not wait to get my paws on it. Watching the event live, I knew that Bixby would be monumental, but I also understood that Samsung’s initial entry into the artificial intelligence space would not be without its quirks, just like any other such service or product.

I immediately preordered the Galaxy S8, but before my ship arrived, the rather unfortunate news hit. Bixby Voice, the most important of its features. would not be available in the US by the release date. I was crushed, but I was soon able to get my hands on the beta (which launched first in the US and South Korea), and so began my journey.

Bixby Home

Of all the things that Bixby is capable of, Bixby Home is my least favorite. I have a rather minimal use for it, but that’s not to say that it is useless. Disabling swiping right on the home screen to access Bixby Home was definitely a must for me because there always seemed to be lag when executing the swipe. Mind you, I still allow a press of the button to access Bixby Home when I need it.

The Google Play Music card is very handy, though, reminding me of what music I typically listen to at certain times of the day. Without having to open Google Play Music manually, I can still get my daily jam on. That is the extent to which I use Bixby Home. I can view weather forecasts via the weather widget on my home screen, Google Now to stay up-to-date on daily news, and the calendar Edge Panel to see what events I have scheduled for the day. I would like to get in the habit of taking advantage of the Trending Twitter feed card, but at the moment, I don’t need the other cards that Bixby Home provides.

Bixby Voice

Bixby Voice has worked extremely well for me. It does what I tell it to do, when I tell it to do it. I have registered my voice for voice wake-up and enhanced voice recognition numerous times, but I have noticed hiccups while ambient noise is present. Also, much earlier in Bixby’s lifetime, when summoning Bixby via ‘Hi Bixby’, I could immediately begin talking and Bixby would start registering whatever I am saying. As it currently stands, I must wait for the tone before I begin speaking my command. I am not sure why this was changed, and I most definitely would like it changed back!

As far as my voice character goes, I use Julia as the speaking style, short feedback for feedback style, and the background color is blue-green that fades to black. I have spent time using the full feedback style, but as my excitement wore off with time, I noticed I prefer Bixby to be straight to the point with no unnecessary fluff.

Bixby review: A story of unfulfilled potential

Quick Commands

Quick commands are definitely something that I take advantage of on a regular basis. The convenience of a single phrase executing a chain of commands is second to none. The feature has worked flawlessly for me 95 percent of the time. One instance in which a quick command was not executed was just the other day when the Samsung Pay app was updated in the US. I had to tweak the voice command to achieve the same task of opening Samsung Pay and immediately beginning the iris scan to use a specific bank’s card.

The updates to Bixby have most definitely improved the quick command function. As I recall, previously while executing a series of commands, Bixby would show every single command on screen, whereas now, you have the option of only seeing the final command.

 

Bixby Vision

Bixby Vision has proven useless for me. Early on, I tried giving it a go a few times, and it just seemed gimmicky. I am also not the type of individual to see an item and immediately shop for it. Although I was recently able to help my mother locate a pair of sunglasses via a screenshot, I have not had a scenario where Bixby Vision was useful to me personally. AR Place is also useless to me at the moment, because I simply open Google Maps when trying to locate a store or seeing what establishments are around me.

This is not to say Bixby Vision, in general, is useless. I simply mean that they are of no use to me. If we could see some added functionality to AR Place, it may become useful. For example, it would be handy if I am at a theme park or festival and AR Place could locate a family member or friend, thus leading me to their location.

Dictation

Dictation is an incredible feature, but it most definitely has its quirks. Holding down the Bixby key like a walkie-talkie and speaking is immensely convenient for me. That being said, the only gripe that I have is the functionality. For example, when I am in the Messages app and dictating a message, I must hold down the Bixby key until Bixby has recognized and completely typed out everything I’ve said. This bothers me because, on the other hand, when simply giving Bixby a command, I hold down the key, say what I need to say and release as soon as I am doing speaking, and Bixby catches it all.

Additionally, when I am using dictation, Bixby seems to complicate simple words. For example, speaking the word ‘gym’ while in dictation mode will be picked up as ‘Jim’. But, when giving a quick command I have preset with the word gym, Bixby gets it right every time. There seems to be a miscommunication between speaking to Bixby Voice and Bixby dictation. Now, I am not sure if this is a matter of me simply needing to register my voice a couple more times or if there is an actual issue present within Bixby, but it’s something that stands out like a sore thumb.

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All in all, I want to remind you that this is my personal experience with Bixby, and I am well aware of the fact that your experience may have been better or worse. As Bixby continues to improve, and we see the release of Bixby 2.0, we will continue to give you updates as quickly as possible on our experience. That’s all for now!

Do let us know in the comments what your favorite Bixby features are, in addition to whether you’ve had a similar, better, or worse experience with Bixby.

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Samsung’s AI chips will reportedly be more advanced than Apple’s

Samsung has been working diligently to develop AI chips, formally known as Neural Processing Units, since the second half of last year. Rival companies including Apple and Huawei have already released handsets with NPUs so it’s only a matter of time before Samsung throws its hat in the ring as well.

Improved artificial intelligence is on the way

According to a report out of South Korea, Samsung is keen on developing NPUs capable of surpassing the capabilities that which both Apple and Huawei have already accomplished. There’s no doubt that Samsung is serious about AI, it recently set up an entire artificial intelligence research facility a couple of months ago. This is in addition to working on various AI projects with three prominent South Korean higher education institutes, Seoul National University, Pohang University of Science and Technology and Kaist. Additionally, Samsung reportedly has almost completed development of AI chips for servers as well, which they do hope to commercialize for server firms.

NPUs allow for improved artificial intelligence capabilities. As the process currently stands for Samsung smartphones, AI processing requires a cloud server for data communication and storage. With NPUs onboard the device, cloud servers are not required as data can be processed, analyzed, and stored directly on the device.

The AI chip that Samsung has developed reportedly matches the capabilities of both Apple and Huawei chips. , and Samsung plans on developing more advanced chips during the second half of the year. Apple claims its NPU reaches 600 in giga operations per second, while Huawei touts 4 in tera operations per second. Samsung’s chip is reportedly similar or slightly higher at the moment. The company is also believed to be working on a chip with even better performance that will be unveiled in the second half of this year.

With many rumors swirling, we shall do our best to keep you informed as new and reliable information presents itself regarding Samsung and it’s AI push. Samsung is reportedly going to showcase some of its NPUs capabilities at the Galaxy S9 launch event next month.

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Samsung unveils Exynos 7872 hexa-core processor for mid-range smartphones

Samsung has officially announced the Exynos 7872 hexa-core processor. It will make its first commercial appearance in the just announced Meizu M6s. The company often uses Samsung chips for its handsets, last year’s Meizu Pro 6 Plus used Samsung’s Exynos 8890 chipset.

The processor is a part of the Exynos 5 series chipsets and is a built on the 14nm FinFET process. It packs two high-performance Cortex-A73 cores clocked at 2Ghz for demanding tasks and four Cortex-A53 cores clocked at 1.6Ghz for power efficiency. For gaming needs, it packs a Mali-G71 GPU.

Two-fold increase in single core performance

Samsung claims a two-fold increase in the single core performance compared to its predecessor. If that claim holds true, then the chipset should perform noticeably better in everyday tasks.

The Exynos 7872 features a Cat.7 LTE modem with 2CA (Carrier Aggregation) for speeds of up to 300Mbps. The modem also supports both LTE-FDD and LTE-TDD modes to cover various markets around the world. The chipset comes with dual-band WIFI, Bluetooth 5.0, and FM Radio. On the navigation front, the Exynos 7872 sports GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou, and Galileo.

In the imaging department, Samsung claims an improved ISP (Image Signal Processor) and MFC (Multi-Format Codec). The chip supports up to 21.7-megapixel front and rear cameras as well as support for an iris camera sensor up to 8-megapixel for secure authentication. It boasts 1080p video recording at 120fps with HEVC and H.264 codec support. It does lack support for dual-cameras.

Samsung and its customers like Meizu will be using the Exynos 7872 processor for mid-range smartphones this year.

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Galaxy S6 edge January update released in India

It has only been a couple of weeks since Samsung started rolling out the January 2018 security patch for its handsets. After having released it for mid-range handsets like the Galaxy A5 (2017) and even low-end models like the Galaxy J3 (2017), Samsung is finally releasing this update for a flagship device, albeit one that was released almost three years ago.

The Galaxy S6 edge January update is now being rolled out in India. This is the first flagship device to receive the latest security maintenance release.

Galaxy S6 edge January update

Samsung has made it a habit recently to release new security patches for mid-range handsets first before rolling them out for flagship handsets. It’s sticking to the script for this month’s patch as well.

The latest security maintenance release includes fixes for six critical vulnerabilities in the Android operating system aside from fixes for countless low, moderate and high-risk vulnerabilities. Fixes for 13 Vulnerabilities and Exposures (SVE) items in Samsung’s software are included as well.

Samsung is now rolling out firmware version G925IDVS3FRA1 for the Galaxy S6 edge (SM-G925I) in India, Bangladesh and Nepal. The firmware files are available for download from our firmware section. It may only be a matter of time now before the Galaxy S6 gets this update in these markets as well.

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Samsung showcased its Exynos 5G modem behind closed doors at CES 2018

Samsung has teased and announced a lot of products at CES 2018. While most of the action at CES is consumer-facing, the company also reportedly demonstrated some new technology behind closed doors to various industry partners.

It was reported earlier that Samsung showed its foldable smartphone prototype to its partners at CES 2018, but then again, this is a rumor that we’ve been hearing every year. According to a report in Business Korea, Samsung also reportedly showcased its Exynos 5G modem in a private exhibition room to partners at CES 2018. The report states that Samsung will officially reveal the 5G modem later this year. Samsung plans to carry out 5G network trials with mobile carriers and commercially launch the modem in 2019.

Theoretical speeds of up to 5Gbps

Samsung’s Exynos 5G modem can reach a theoretical speed of up to 5Gbps, up from the 1.2Gbps supported by the modem in its latest Exynos processor. The 5G modem also works with existing 2G, 3G, and 4G LTE technologies.

Samsung’s smartphone business is vertically integrated to a large extent with Samsung manufacturing most of the components used in its smartphones. Processors are a big exception with Samsung relying on Qualcomm’s Snapdragon processors for its flagship smartphones sold in key markets like the US and China. Prevalence of CDMA technology and cost of licensing patents held by Qualcomm are often cited as a reason for Samsung’s decision to use Qualcomm chips in these markets.

This will help Samsung reduce its reliance on Qualcomm for modem chips that it will use in 5G smartphones. Both Qualcomm and Intel have already announced their 5G modems last year. Now, Samsung is joining them in the race to develop and dominate the 5G modem market.

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Samsung Galaxy On7 Prime launched in India for Rs. 12,990

It’s been known for some time that the Galaxy On7 Prime would be launching in India, with Amazon having spilled the beans on the device ahead of Samsung, and the device has now been made official in the country at an event in New Delhi. The On7 Prime is the latest in Samsung’s On series of online-only phones, and as reported earlier, it comes with the Samsung Mall app.

Samsung Galaxy On7 Prime launched in India

Samsung Mall is more or less a custom version of Bixby Vision, with a visual search feature that allows users to take a picture of something they’re interested in and buy related items from major online retailers, right from Samsung Mall. Some products can also be virtually demoed using the augmented reality feature, and we’re guessing this will be used for Samsung’s own products, such as its phones and TVs. Samsung Mall will not be exclusive to the On7 Prime and will be made available to more devices in the future.

As far as the specs are concerned, the On7 Prime is a budget affair, although the value-for-money quotient is higher than any previous Samsung phone in the series. The phone has a 5.5-inch Full HD display, 1.6GHz octa-core Exynos 7870 processor, 3GB/4GB of RAM, 32GB/64GB storage, a 13-megapixel rear-camera, a 13-megapixel front camera, dual SIM slots, 4G LTE connectivity, and a 3,300 mAh battery.

It runs Android 7.1.1 Nougat with the Samsung Experience 8.5 UX and comes preloaded with Samsung Pay Mini, a stripped down version of Samsung Pay that allows payments through e-wallets and India’s Unified Payments Interface (UPI) service. A traditional fingerprint sensor is on-board as well, integrated into the home button.

Pricing is set at Rs. 12,990 for the base model (3GB RAM, 32GB storage) and Rs. 14,990 for the variant with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage. The phone will be exclusively sold on Amazon and Samsung Shop starting January 20th, the same day the Galaxy A8+ is set to go on sale in the country. Amazon will have a few purchase offers available, including 10 percent cashback for HDFC credit card and debit card owners and 20 percent cashback for those who pay for the phone using their Amazon Pay balance.

Look for our full review and hands-on experience with the Galaxy On7 Prime in the coming days.

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Samsung offering free AKG Bluetooth headphones with the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy Note 8

Samsung and its retail partners have long incentivized the purchase of the company’s flagship smartphones with discounts and free accessories. With the holiday season behind us and a new flagship smartphone on the horizon, Samsung is once again offering a freebie to get people to buy the Galaxy S8 and the Galaxy Note 8.

The company is offering a pair of on-ear AKG Bluetooth headphones for free with every purchase of a Galaxy Note 8 and Galaxy S8/S8+ and the S8 Active. As is the case with promotional offers, there’s a caveat.

Free AKG headphones with Galaxy S8 and Galaxy Note 8

AKG is a premium audio brand owned by Harman International which is now a wholly owned subsidiary of Samsung. The company already ships the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy Note 8 with AKG-tuned in-ear headphones in the box.

This limited time offer is only available for customers in the United States who make the purchase via Samsung’s online store or the Shop Samsung app. For some reason, the promotion excludes Sprint carrier devices.

The AKG on-ear Bluetooth headphones model Y50BT promise “legendary AKG sound” with up to 20 hours of battery life. The headphones cost $149.95 on their own so this is a pretty good deal that Samsung is offering to customers.

Customers should read the full terms and conditions of this promotion like any other before they decided to make the purchase. The full details are listed on the product pages for the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy Note 8 on Samsung’s online store.

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Galaxy A8 January 2018 security update released

Samsung is ramping up the rollout of the January 2018 security patch to compatible devices. The latest security maintenance release was rolled out for the Galaxy J3 (2017) and the Galaxy J1 mini just yesterday. It’s out now for the Galaxy A8.

Not to be confused with the Galaxy A8 (2018), the new mid-range smartphone that Samsung launched last month. This particular device is the Galaxy A8 (SM-A800) which was launched in 2015.

Galaxy A8 January 2018 security update

The Galaxy A8 was the largest device in Samsung’s premium mid-range Galaxy A lineup in 2015 with its 5.7-inch Super AMOLED display. It’s powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 615 processor with 2GB of RAM and 16GB of internal storage with support for external expansion up to 128GB via a microSD card.

The handset was first launched in China before it was made available in a couple of other markets. In our review of the Galaxy A8 we found it to be a great mid-range smartphone with a rather high price tag.

Samsung is now rolling out the January 2018 security patch for the Galaxy A8 (SM-A800S) in South Korea, it’s the SK Telecom-branded variant of this device. The latest security maintenance release features fixes for five critical vulnerabilities in Android as well as 13 found in Samsung’s own software.

Users should keep an eye out for firmware version A800SKSU1CRA2M which will be arriving over-the-air and also happens to be available for download from our firmware section.

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Don’t hold your breath for the Galaxy S6 Android 8.0 Oreo update

You may have seen reports recently suggesting that the Galaxy S6 Android 8.0 Oreo update could be released next month. Those who are familiar with how Android platform updates work know better not to hold their breath because it’s highly unlikely that Samsung is even working on Oreo for the Galaxy S6.

Samsung launched its beta program for the Galaxy S8 Android 8.0 Oreo beta update late last year and it’s expected to release the update for all users by the end of this month. The Galaxy Note 8 will likely get Oreo after that before it trickles down to other compatible devices.

Galaxy S6 Android 8.0 Oreo update

The reports about the Galaxy S6 Android 8.0 Oreo update are based on a conversation that a user had with Samsung Support. We’ve pointed out time and again that support reps are notoriously misinformed when it comes to firmware update matters. It’s not like this is the first time we’ve heard about this possibility. Another Samsung rep claimed just two months ago that the Galaxy S6 will be updated to Android 8.0 Oreo.

The Galaxy S6 was announced on March 1, 2015 and it came with Android 5.0.2 Lollipop out of the box. It received the first major platform update – Android 6.0 Marshmallow – on February 15, 2016 and was subsequently updated to Android 7.0 Nougat on March 9, 2017.

Android OEMs generally support their devices for only two major platform updates both of which the Galaxy S6 has already received. Samsung has said nothing to suggest that it’s changing this policy even though it has recently been rolling out security updates for older flagships before the latest ones.

As it stands, there’s no reason to believe that the Galaxy S6 Android 8.0 Oreo update will be out next month or at all for that matter, that is unless Samsung makes this significant policy change official. It’s not entirely impossible but you’d be better off not holding your breath for it.

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