Samsung Pay launched in Mexico

After its successful launch in many parts of the world, Samsung Pay is now coming to Mexico. Mexico is the second Latin American country, after Brazil in July 2016, to get Samsung Pay. Samsung says the service is now available in 20 global markets with this launch.

Samsung Pay is now available in 20 global markets

Samsung has partnered with Mexico’s leading banks and payment providers to launch the service there. Supported banks at launch include Banorte, Banregio, Citibanamex, HSBC, and Santander. American Express, MasterCard, and Visa make up the list of supported payment providers. The service also supports a host of loyalty cards from Avis, Cielito, Comex, Cinépolis, Starbucks, etc. You can find the complete list of the supported cards and services on the Samsung Mexico website and in the Samsung Pay app.

As far as the supported devices are concerned, Samsung Pay is currently compatible with the Galaxy Note8, Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+, Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 Edge, Galaxy S6 Edge+, Galaxy Note5, Galaxy A8 and Galaxy A8+ (2018), Galaxy A5 (2016), Galaxy A5 (2017), Galaxy A7 (2016), Galaxy A7 (2017), Galaxy A9 (2016), Galaxy A3 (2017), Galaxy J5 Pro and Galaxy J7 Pro. Soon to be launched Galaxy S9 and the Galaxy S9+ will also support the service.

The requirement of new PoS terminals with NFC has been the major roadblock to the growth of mobile-payment solutions like Android Pay and Apple Pay. Samsung Pay solves this problem by combining both NFC and proprietary Magnetic Secure Transmission (MST) technology into a single payment solution. This gives the service a major advantage over rivals as it can be used at any PoS terminal which accepts your debit or a credit card.

Since Samsung Pay is widely accepted and simple to use, the service has been growing rapidly in all the markets where it has been launched so far. Reception in Mexico shouldn’t be any different.

The post Samsung Pay launched in Mexico appeared first on SamMobile.

from SamMobile http://ift.tt/2nlZK0E
via IFTTT

Galaxy S9 features and improvements we’re looking forward to

It won’t be long before Samsung takes the stage to unveil the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+, and like every year, we’ve got a pretty good idea of what to expect from the company’s next flagship(s) thanks to numerous leaks and rumors. Samsung says it is “reimagining” the camera with the S9, but there’s likely to be a lot more the Galaxy S8 successor will bring to the table. Much of the discussion here at SamMobile these days revolves around the Galaxy S9, including talk about the features that we’re hoping to see on the device.

In this article, we’ve put together our thoughts on what we’re looking forward to with the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+, and we want you to join in as well! Check out what we think, and get a discussion going in the comments section by telling us what you are hoping to see on the Galaxy S9.

Adnan Farooqui

Given what we know about the Galaxy S9 so far, it’s not going to be a significant upgrade compared to the Galaxy S8 as far as the design is concerned. This means that some of the new software features will be the biggest selling points. Given rumors that the Galaxy S9 may have a dedicated chip for artificial intelligence-related tasks, I’m interested in seeing what sort of innovative AI features the Galaxy S9 might bring to the table.

I’m also interested to see how Samsung improves iris and facial recognition on the new handset. Iris and facial recognition are bound to be compared to the iPhone X’s Face ID regardless of any improvements or lack thereof. Samsung may offer a new “Intelligent Scan” feature that may combine the iris scanner and facial recognition features, and it will be unlike anything we’ve seen on last year’s flagships.

Abhijeet Mishra

Dual rear cameras are at the top of my list of things I’m looking forward to with the Galaxy S9. Or should I say S9+, because the 5.8-inch S9 is expected to have a single rear camera? Until a couple of weeks ago, I was using a Galaxy Note 8 review unit as my primary device, and I realized how much I miss the 2x zoom option on the Note 8 after I switched to the Galaxy S8+ to check out the Oreo beta (followed by a move to the Galaxy A8+). Live Focus isn’t so important for me, but being able to zoom in on a scene with the tap of a button is something I want on all my phones.

I’m also hoping to see improvements to software performance. The Galaxy S8+ irritated me to no end with stutter and lag that developed not long after I started using the phone. Oreo has fixed things to an extent, but the Note 8 on Nougat is still more consistently smooth and fast. For some reason, Samsung is unable to make its primary flagship function as a flagship should after a few months, and it’s a shame that many cheaper devices perform better in day-to-day life.

Martin Reinders

Another year, another Galaxy S flagship, and I’m quite excited for this one. This year would be my first with a phone with dual cameras, and I’m eager to put the Galaxy S9 to the test as I take a lot of pictures of my son and my family. I’m also looking forward to stereo speakers, which look set to debut on Samsung’s flagship lineup with the S9. A lot of my time is spent watching YouTube, and a single loudspeaker (especially a bottom-firing one that can easily be covered by your hand) just isn’t done in this day and age.

Naresh Nekkanti

With the Galaxy S8, Samsung pushed smartphone design to what is currently possible with the available technology. So I understand that the Galaxy S9 won’t be dramatically different from its predecessor in terms of design. I am hoping that Samsung will instead focus on AI and camera features to differentiate the Galaxy S9.

I am particularly interested to see if Samsung can use AI to improve the long-term performance of its new devices. Along with the overall device performance in general, I am hoping that Samsung will improve the performance and functionality of the default launcher. I find it baffling that third-party launchers made by one or two developers often perform better than the default launcher on Samsung devices.

Lastly, I am keen to see what improvements Samsung will bring to its DeX feature. As someone who was eagerly waiting for ‘Windows Continuum for Phones’ to take-off, I am now pinning my hopes on Samsung to make the dream of turning a phone into a PC a reality. If the DeX implementation on the Galaxy S8 is any indication, then Samsung is already off to a good start.

Landon Affo

First and foremost, I am very hopeful of seeing Bixby 2.0 launch with the S9, as I am an avid Bixby user. With the possibility of only having to address Bixby once time, it should make for an enhanced AI experience unseen by the likes of Siri, Alexa, or Cortana. Also, I would like to label the recent comments calling for the death of Bixby on the Galaxy S9 by other publications and experts as asinine.

The second feature that I am looking forward to is the potential addition of “intelligent scan”, as this will more than likely be faster and more secure than just iris scanning. I am also excited because it seems just downright awesome. Of course, the “camera reimagining” will be a very nice addition, as well as the stereo speakers, but those are not the main features behind my surefire preorder of the Galaxy S9+.

The post Galaxy S9 features and improvements we’re looking forward to appeared first on SamMobile.

from SamMobile http://ift.tt/2DMB7V8
via IFTTT

‘Selfie focus’ camera mode may be standard feature for non-flagship Galaxies

Before Live Focus, there was Selective focus. Selective focus is Samsung’s name for a camera mode that lets you take portrait photos – photos that blur everything around the subject in focus – with a single camera. It also allows users to change the area of focus after a picture has been taken. Selective focus debuted on the Galaxy S5 and has since been seen on every Samsung flagship, with flagships in the last couple of years featuring selective focus for both the front and rear camera. While the feature hasn’t made its way to the company’s mid-range and budget phones yet, Samsung has implemented a basic portrait mode for selfies on its non-flagship phones in the last month.

Selfie focus is selective focus for the masses

The first were the 2017 iterations of the Galaxy A series phones, which were updated with a feature called Selfie focus for the front camera ahead of the Galaxy A8 (2018) and Galaxy A8+’ market release. No doubt a gesture to users of the 2017 models that while they would need to upgrade to the A8 or A8+ for true bokeh selfies via the dual front cameras, their current phone could also take a selfie with background blur. But it seems Samsung isn’t just stopping at the A series and is working on making selfie focus a part of budget phones as well.

The Galaxy On7 Prime that was released in India recently also comes with selfie focus for the 13 MP front camera, and it looks like the feature will be a standard part of Samsung’s software for non-flagship phones. Selfie focus doesn’t work as well as selective focus and also doesn’t allow you to change the area of focus after an image is taken. But that might be deliberate as Samsung’s mid-range and budget Exynos SoCs don’t pack a lot of power. The Galaxy On7 Prime certainly struggles with capturing selfie focus pictures quickly enough, resulting in noticeable camera shake unless you hold your hand as steady as a tripod.

Here’s a selfie focus sample from the Galaxy On7 Prime:

Also disappointing is the fact that there’s no such feature for the rear camera on budget and mid-range Galaxies just yet. That’s possibly deliberate as well, as selfies are what sell phones these days and you could argue that the front-facing cameras on Samsung’s cheaper are often better than the rear cameras. But things could change in the future, and for now, it’s good to see the Korean giant thinking about consumers who’ve purchased one of its many Galaxy smartphones with single camera front and rear cameras.

In case you missed it, we recently published our Galaxy A8 (2018) and Galaxy A8+ review. Check it out to see what the dual front-facing cameras on Samsung’s latest mid-range phones are capable of.

The post ‘Selfie focus’ camera mode may be standard feature for non-flagship Galaxies appeared first on SamMobile.

from SamMobile http://ift.tt/2BBs8Aj
via IFTTT

DBrand launches skins for the Galaxy S9 and the Galaxy S9+

Along with the fans, companies that make smartphone accessories are also gearing up for the official announcement of the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ on February 25 in Barcelona. It is to be expected as the Galaxy flagship phones are only next to the iPhones when it comes to generating business opportunities for third-party accessories.

Even before the Galaxy S9 and the Galaxy S9+ are officially announced or available in the market, DBrand has announced today a variety of skins for the upcoming devices. DBrand did the same thing last year as well when they launched skins for the Galaxy S8 and the Galaxy S8+ on March 10, before the Galaxy S8 unveiling on March 29. For those who are not aware of DBrand, it’s a Canadian company which makes skins for a wide variety of electronic devices. It is one of the more popular options out there in the market.

Adds more credibility to the leaked renders

A well-known smartphone accessory brand launching its skins for the Galaxy S9 duo adds more credibility to the recent leaks about the Galaxy S9 design. Dbrand is launching its skins for the same Galaxy S9 design we have seen in the recently leaked renders. From the looks of it, it seems there won’t be any design surprises left for the Galaxy S9 pair, and the leaked renders may well be the real deal.

dbrand: where you pay money to customize a phone that hasn't been announced yet.

Galaxy S9 skins: https://t.co/Eh33WDMsr2
Galaxy S9+ skins: https://t.co/4CGd3gaq9A pic.twitter.com/ojK86Ms1hG

— dbrand (@dbrand) January 29, 2018

As usual, DBrand is offering plenty of colors and textures to choose from. While the company’s claims about these skins adding more protection to devices are questionable, there is no denying that these skins add a bit of character and grip to otherwise slippery slabs of glass, without any of the bulk associated with cases.

The post DBrand launches skins for the Galaxy S9 and the Galaxy S9+ appeared first on SamMobile.

from SamMobile http://ift.tt/2Ek6gwr
via IFTTT

Galaxy S9 pre-orders open March 2 in South Korea, priced higher than Galaxy S8

We already know that Samsung is going to unveil the Galaxy S9 and the Galaxy S9+ on February 25 in Barcelona. The company will reveal the pricing and availability details of its new flagship at the event. A new report out of South Korea possibly reveals when Samsung will open Galaxy S9 pre-orders in its home country. It also mentions that the Galaxy S9 will be priced higher than the Galaxy S8.

Galaxy S9 pre-orders

According to a new report out of South Korea, the Galaxy S9 pre-orders will start on March 2 in Samsung’s home market. All three major carriers in the country are said to offer the device. The Galaxy S9 pre-orders will reportedly be live for one week from March 2-8.

The report also mentions that the Galaxy S9 is going to be slightly more expensive than its predecessor. Samsung sold the 64GB Galaxy S8 for 935,000 won or $875 in South Korea and it’s now expected to charge between 950,000 won and 990,000 won or $890-$930 for the Galaxy S9.

As we know what to expect from the Galaxy S9, it’s not surprising to hear that it’s going to cost a bit more than its predecessor. It was never believed that the new flagship might cost the same as the Galaxy S8.

If the information in this report is accurate then Samsung will open Galaxy S9 pre-orders a week after the handset is unveiled at MWC 2018. It started taking pre-orders for the Galaxy S8 the very next day after unveiling it on March 29. Some reports have suggested that Samsung will stick to the script for the Galaxy S9 as well.

The post Galaxy S9 pre-orders open March 2 in South Korea, priced higher than Galaxy S8 appeared first on SamMobile.

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

Bixby 2.0 may eliminate the need to say ‘Hi Bixby’ for every command

Samsung introduced its personal digital assistant Bixby last year with the Galaxy S8. The voice assistant is yet to receive a major update but as our reviews have shown, it holds a lot of promise for software that’s only in its first iteration.

Samsung introduced Bixby 2.0 three months ago at its developer conference in San Francisco, it said that this will be a “bold reinvention” of the Bixby platform. A new report out of China suggests that Bixby 2.0 will power effortless communication with Galaxy smartphones, enabling users to give one command after the other without having to say the “Hi Bixby” hotword every single time.

Bixby 2.0 may enable effortless communication with Galaxy smartphones

Say you want to ask Bixby what’s the time right now in London. You say Hi Bixby and then follow it up with the relevant voice command. Now you want to ask what’s the weather like there but right now you have to say the hotword again.

A China-based source who has been right on multiple accounts in the past claims that Bixby 2.0 will let users talk to the assistant continuously. This means that they may only have to say Hi Bixby once and will be able to effortlessly give follow-up voice commands to the assistant.

Samsung did say that Bixby 2.0 is going to transform basic digital assistants into an intelligence tool and that it’s going to feature enhanced natural language capabilities. Allowing users to constantly speak to the assistant without requiring the hotword every single time or a tap on the on-screen Bixby button is really going to make life easier for them, particularly in situations where they can’t hold the phone in their hands.

Unfortunately, Samsung is yet to reveal when Bixby 2.0 is going to be released. Today’s report doesn’t mention anything about availability as well. We’ve heard nothing so far to suggest that Samsung might introduce Bixby 2.0 with the Galaxy S9 even though it would make perfect sense for the company to do so.

The post Bixby 2.0 may eliminate the need to say ‘Hi Bixby’ for every command appeared first on SamMobile.

from SamMobile http://ift.tt/2Gt1hu3
via IFTTT

Samsung shutting down one of two production plants in Slovakia

It was reported two weeks ago that Samsung could be the first major company to exit Slovakia due to the tense situation in the country’s labor market. Employers have been concerned about the lack of workers in the country and Samsung was reportedly considering the possibility of shutting down its plants in the country in order to move production elsewhere.

Samsung has decided to close one of its two production plants in Slovakia but instead of moving production to another location, it’s simply consolidating the two plants.

Consolidating production to increase efficiency

Initial reports had suggested that Samsung was thinking about shutting down one of its two plants in the country. However, it was unclear at that time whether this was a threat to put pressure on the government or if Samsung was serious about the move.

Samsung rejected reports about relocation but didn’t rule out limiting production. It employs more than 2,000 workers combined in the two production plants that primarily make LCD TVs. The assembly plants are located at Galanta and Voderady in Slovakia.

Samsung has now said that it’s combining the two plants and that all workers at the Voderady plant will be provided the opportunity to move to Galanta on a voluntary basis with equal working conditions. The company says that it’s consolidating production facilities to “enhance its synergy and efficiency.”

The post Samsung shutting down one of two production plants in Slovakia appeared first on SamMobile.

from SamMobile http://ift.tt/2rLk7Jj
via IFTTT

Galaxy J5 (2017) January 2018 update released

Samsung is now rolling out the Galaxy J5 (2017) January 2018 security update. The company detailed the security maintenance release earlier this month and it brings fixes for several critical vulnerabilities. The latest security patch for this handset is now being rolled out over-the-air.

Galaxy J5 (2017) January 2018 update

Samsung has already released the January 2018 security patch for several devices including but not limited to its flagship handsets like the Galaxy S8 and the Galaxy Note 8. The J series handsets that have received the update so far include the Galaxy J3 (2017), the Galaxy J1 mini and the Galaxy J7 Max.

It’s now the Galaxy J7 (2017)’s turn. Samsung is rolling out the firmware update for model number SM-J530F. The update has only been released in Poland right now but it’s only a matter of time before it goes live elsewhere.

The January 2018 security patch includes fixes for five critical vulnerabilities that were discovered in the Android operating system as well as fixes for several low, moderate and high-risk vulnerabilities. There are patches for 13 Vulnerabilities and Exposures (SVE) items found in Samsung’s software as well.

Samsung is now rolling out firmware version J530FXXU2ARA2 for the Galaxy J5 (2017) in Poland over-the-air. The firmware file is also available for download from our firmware section.

The post Galaxy J5 (2017) January 2018 update released appeared first on SamMobile.

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