Galaxy S9 and Galaxy A8 Enterprise Edition launched in Germany

Samsung has been launching Enterprise Edition variants of its popular smartphones to target business customers for some time now. Last year, the company released the Galaxy Note 8 and Galaxy S8 Enterprise Edition models as part of the strategy.

Continuing its enterprise push, Samsung has announced the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy A8 Enterprise Edition smartphones in Germany. Other than after-sales support and enterprise-deployment software, these devices are in no way different from the consumer edition counterparts. Both the devices will come with three-year Knox Configure (Dynamic Edition) licenses and the Enterprise Firmware Over-The-Air service (E-FOTA on MDM).

Three years of monthly security updates

Samsung Knox Configure allows IT administrators to remotely configure and manage a large number of Samsung mobile devices to their requirements. They can create configuration profiles to restrict features, change settings, set company logos and business apps as an unchangeable default option, etc. IT administrators can also remotely and selectively install firmware updates with the Samsung Enterprise Firmware-Over-The-Air (E-FOTA on MDM) service. The service also allows scheduled updates to reduce service interruptions and downtime.

The Galaxy S9 Enterprise Edition will receive three years of monthly security updates and quarterly updates for the fourth year, while the Galaxy A8 Enterprise Edition is limited to monthly security updates for three years. Both phones will come with two years of manufacturer warranty. If Samsung indeed delivers as promised, these devices might appeal even to the general consumers who care about quick security updates.

The Galaxy S9 Enterprise Edition will be available in Germany from April 2018 at a price of €849 (~$1050). The Galaxy A8 Enterprise Edition is already available for the corporate customers in Germany for €499 (~$550). Samsung is launching the dual SIM variants of these phones to help users manage their private and work life better. Samsung hasn’t launched the Galaxy A8 in Germany to the public and is offering it exclusively to enterprise customers.

The post Galaxy S9 and Galaxy A8 Enterprise Edition launched in Germany appeared first on SamMobile.

from SamMobile http://ift.tt/2HYkpR6
via IFTTT

Samsung reportedly expects to make less money from OLED displays in 2018

Samsung’s semiconductor and display divisions provided a significant chunk of the company’s profits last year but according to a new report, Samsung expects to make less money from OLED panel sales in 2018. Apparently, that’s because the OLED boom that the company was counting on hasn’t really materialized.

It has been reported multiple times over the past few weeks that in light of low demand for the iPhone X, Apple has halved its OLED panel orders from Samsung. This means that Samsung Display will now ship fewer OLED panels to Apple and subsequently make less money.

No smooth sailing for the OLED business

Bloomberg reports that the iPhone X didn’t sell as well as Wall Street had anticipated and that according to people familiar with the matter, Samsung is now going to ship half the units planned to Apple. The report also mentions that Samsung sees its 2018 operating profit from displays coming in short of analysts’ forecasts.

Some market analysts had predicted that Chinese vendors who are rapidly expanding their foothold in the market will switch to OLED panels and that would greatly benefit Samsung since it has a near monopoly in the small to medium-sized OLED panel market. That has yet to happen.

The people mentioned in the report claim that Samsung is committed to OLED and doesn’t feel the pressure yet to cut OLED panel prices. It’s hoping that the successful launch of the Galaxy S9 will keep things moving along in the interim while a planned foldable smartphone could provide growth in the future.

Apple is also going to launch another iPhone this year with an OLED display and while Samsung Display might win some orders, LG Display is also believed to be courting OLED panel orders from Apple.

That being said, most major Chinese vendors aren’t expected to switch to OLED this year. Manufacturers like Huawei, Oppo, Xiaomi, and Vivo appear to be in no rush to ditch LCD in favor of OLED. That’s because they operate on thin margins as it is.

Researcher IHS Market estimates that the 5.5-inch LCD panel in the iPhone 8 Plus costs Apple $52 while the company pays $110 for the iPhone X’s 5.8-inch OLED display. Chinese manufacturers try to price out behemoths like Apple and Samsung by aggressively pricing their handsets and they’re not really in a position to make a switch to more expensive display panels. They don’t have to either, their strategy has been working, with companies like Xiaomi even coming in striking distance of Samsung’s lead in key markets.

Bloomberg Intelligence analyst Simon Chan rightly points out that LCD displays are “fine enough” for many users and that until the price difference between OLED and LCD remains substantial, it’s unlikely that Chinese OEMs will be willing to make a switch.

OLED panel costs will eventually come down in a couple of years but until that happens, Samsung will have to tough it out, and by then it may even have to compete with upstart OLED manufacturers in China who want a piece of the pie as well.

Samsung may have held off further investment in its OLED facilities. It was reported in June last year that the company was going to build a “super OLED factory” in South Korea as it anticipated rising demand. Samsung was going to invest $925 million in this new OLED plant but has reportedly decided against investing in the new facility due to demand uncertainties.

The post Samsung reportedly expects to make less money from OLED displays in 2018 appeared first on SamMobile.

from SamMobile http://ift.tt/2tcE0tE
via IFTTT

Watch the Galaxy S9 camera switch aperture in this short video

One of the major highlights of the Galaxy S9 (and S9+) is a camera with variable aperture. Well, to be more precise, the camera can switch between two fixed apertures, depending on how bright or dark a scene is, which is why Samsung is calling it Dual Aperture. The Galaxy S9 also has the largest/widest aperture – f/1.5 – seen on a phone. A lower value indicates a larger aperture, which means the opening through which light enters the camera is wider. As a result, compared to the f/1.7 cameras seen on Samsung flagships until now, the Galaxy S9 can capture brighter photos in low-light situations.

Dual Aperture system enables great photos in bright and dark scenes

A wider aperture also results in shallower depth of field, enabling the camera to blur out the background to a higher degree than what a narrower aperture would allow. When things are too bright, however, a wider aperture can be detrimental, and since the Galaxy S9’s camera can go as wide as f/1.5, a dual-aperture system becomes necessary. That is why the S9 and S9+ can switch to a narrower aperture of f/2.4 when the occasion calls for it, resulting in sharper photos that aren’t as overexposed as they would be if the aperture was fixed at f/1.5.

Since the Galaxy S9 camera has a physically adjusting aperture, one can see how the lens opening becomes wider or narrower when aperture is switched between f/1.5 and f/2.4. We have had a few requests asking us to post a video showing the changing aperture, and while many of you have probably seen it in action in videos from other publications already, we have also uploaded our own for those who haven’t.

Check it out below, and watch out for our official Galaxy S9 review to see how well the Dual Aperture camera works in practice. Also check out a few super slow-motion videos taken on the Galaxy S9 and read our hands-on experience with both the S9 and S9+.

The post Watch the Galaxy S9 camera switch aperture in this short video appeared first on SamMobile.

from SamMobile http://ift.tt/2FKacY3
via IFTTT

Galaxy S9+ wins ‘Best New Connected Device’ award at MWC 2018

The Galaxy S9 hasn’t even been released yet and the awards are already rolling in. Samsung today announced that the Galaxy S9+ received the “Best New Connected Device” award at the annual Global Mobile Awards (GLOMO Awards). Samsung says that the Galaxy S9+ received this award due to its refined design, advanced camera and outstanding performance. The company received more than 30 awards for various products and services at the Mobile World Congress 2018 in Barcelona.

Apart from the Galaxy S9, several of Samsung’s devices and technologies were also recognized at the 2018 Global Mobile Awards. Its mobile payments service Samsung Pay received the “Best Mobile Innovation for Payment” award in recognition of it being an industry-leading service.

Galaxy S9+ is an award-winning product already

The Gear VR with Controller was recognized as the “Best Mobile VR or AR” device for setting the standard for VR experiences. Samsung launched this headset last year and it’s the first Gear VR that ships with a dedicated controller. The company hasn’t launched a new Gear VR headset with the Galaxy S9 because the flagship is compatible with last year’s headset.

“We are honored to be recognized by the GSMA and many organizations for our mobile technologies,” said Younghee Lee, the Chief Marketing Officer and global marketing boss at Samsung’s mobile business.

DxOMark, a camera reference publication, recently published its full review of the Galaxy S9+’s camera and concluded that Samsung’s new flagship offers the best smartphone camera on the market right now. That’s not all. DisplayMate has concluded that the Galaxy S9 has the best smartphone display.

The Galaxy S9 has already proven to be an award-winning product for Samsung even though it hasn’t been released. That’s going to happen soon, though. The company has already started taking pre-orders for the Galaxy S9 and the Galaxy S9+ in select markets with the handset being scheduled for release on March 16.

If you haven’t pre-ordered one already, don’t forget to check out our Galaxy S9 deals page. We’d also love to know what color you prefer for your new Galaxy S9/S9+.

The post Galaxy S9+ wins ‘Best New Connected Device’ award at MWC 2018 appeared first on SamMobile.

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