Europe-bound Galaxy J8+ (2018) in development

Samsung appears to be working on several new Galaxy J series smartphones due later this year one of which is likely going to be the Galaxy J8 (2018). It appears that there’s going to be a “Plus” variant of this device as well since some circumstantial evidence has surfaced to suggest that Samsung will launch the Galaxy J8+ (2018) in the not too distant future.

Galaxy J8+ (2018)

Recent benchmark results revealed that a device with model number SM-J800FN is being internally tested by Samsung and it might be launched as the Galaxy J8 (2018). Now, a device with model number SM-J805 has been spotted in the benchmark website’s database, suggesting that the Galaxy J8+ (2018) might be launched alongside this device as well.

Reports suggest that the upcoming Galaxy J8 handsets will feature a flat Infinity Display much like the Galaxy A8 and Galaxy A8+ (2018) released earlier this year. Since the 18.5:9 aspect ratio will do away with the physical home button, the fingerprint reader will have to be relocated to the back.

The upcoming J series handsets are believed to be powered by Samsung’s Exynos 7870 processor. It’s the same chip that Samsung has previously used for some other devices in the Galaxy J series such as the Galaxy J7 Prime, Galaxy J7 (2017) and the Galaxy J5 (2017).

While the smaller Galaxy J8 (2018) was expected to tout 3GB of RAM, the Galaxy J8+ (2018) might bump it up to 4GB. Both handsets will likely be launched with Andriod 8.0 Oreo out of the box. Samsung is yet to confirm at this point in time when we can expect the new Galaxy J series handsets to arrive and how much they’ll cost when they’re released.

We’re aware that these handsets are being prepared for markets across Europe. If history is any indication and one goes on Galaxy J series launches in the past, then it appears that the new Galaxy J lineup will be announced by Samsung in the summer this year.

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PSA: Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ can also take regular slow-motion videos

Super slow-mo video recording, or slow-motion videos at 960 frames per second, isn’t something introduced to smartphones by the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+. Sony was the first to offer such a feature. Samsung’s super slow-mo feature on its new flagships works the same way as Sony’s, but given the much higher consumer reach of the company’s Galaxy S line, we can expect other manufacturers to finally jump on the bandwagon (especially with Samsung selling its latest camera sensor to other companies). Samsung has also added a neat trick: The Galaxy S9 and S9+ can automatically record super slow-motion video when they detect movement, allowing you to just set up the phone, tap the record button, and let the camera do the rest.

In fact, Samsung seems to be so proud of super slow-mo that it has hidden away the option to record regular slow-motion videos (240 frames per second). Not everything needs to be stretched from microseconds to multisecond moments, though, and regular slow-motion videos are also recorded in higher resolution (Full HD/1080p vs HD/720p for the super slow variety), making them more suitable for everyday moments. They have no time limit, either, while you can capture a maximum of 20 super slow-motion moments per video in manual mode and just one frame of movement when you enable motion detection.

How to enable regular slow motion videos on the Galaxy S9

So how does one take standard slow-motion videos on the Galaxy S9 and S9+? The process involves enabling the regular Slow motion camera mode from the camera settings. If you have the Galaxy S9 or S9+ or are planning to get one in the future, here’s what you need to do:

Step 1: Open the camera app, then go into the camera settings (by tapping the gear icon).

Step 2: Scroll down to the Common section, and tap the Edit camera modes option.

Step 3: Tap Rear camera.

Step 4: Here, scroll down to the bottom to find the Slow motion option in the list of camera modes and tap it to enable the mode. You can also reposition the different modes to change how they show up in the camera app. Just tap and hold the arrow icon next to a mode and drag it to the desired position.

You can now access the regular slow motion mode from the camera viewfinder by swiping to the left or right, depending on where you placed the slow motion mode in the final step above. Of course, you can always switch back to super slow-motion recording when you feel a moment calls for it, such as some of the moments we shared with our readers here.

We have more Galaxy S9 tips that you can check out to get the most out of your device. Also, take a look at our Galaxy S9 review for our verdict on the camera prowess as well as other aspects of Samsung’s newest flagships.

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Galaxy S9+ vs Galaxy S8+: Side-by-side pictures

The Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ were the most beautiful smartphones on the market when they launched back in early 2017. The Infinity display made for immersive viewing without any notch getting in the way, and nothing came close to the overall design of Samsung’s then-new flagships. With the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+, Samsung took the excellent design of the S8 and S8+ and sat down to refine it in ways both major and minor.

Galaxy S9+ vs Galaxy S8+: What’s different, and what isn’t?

The major changes include a re-positioned fingerprint sensor (which may or may not be placed a tad too low for you) and a dual camera for the Galaxy S9+. Most of the minor ones don’t always stand out, but they include narrower bezels, a darker top bezel, a matte finish for the metal edges, and a speaker grill that is now one big cutout and not multiple small holes. In fact, some of these changes are so hard to spot – or don’t make much of a difference – that you would need to see a Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S8 side by side to notice, so we decided to put the S9+ and S8+ next to each other and take a couple of pictures that you can check out.

Take a look at the pictures below, and let us know your thoughts in the comments. Of course, there are also numerous new features and improvements under the hood, and our Galaxy S9 review will give you a good idea of how well they work together when taken as a whole. Lucky enough to have received your Galaxy S9 or Galaxy S9+ already? Tell us how you’re liking your phone so far, especially if you upgraded from the Galaxy S8 or S8+ instead of an older or less costly smartphone (Samsung or otherwise).

The post Galaxy S9+ vs Galaxy S8+: Side-by-side pictures appeared first on SamMobile.

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No, there’s no ‘Microsoft Edition’ Galaxy S9 available for pre-order

Microsoft has now started taking pre-orders for the Galaxy S9 and the Galaxy S9+. That’s not surprising as the company does sell Android-powered smartphones through its stores. It sold the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy Note 8 last year as well and they were initially perceived as being “Microsoft Edition” units of the flagships until Samsung set the record straight. So while Microsoft is now taking pre-orders for unlocked units of the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+, bear in mind that there’s no Microsoft Edition of this year’s flagship as well.

Microsoft Edition Galaxy S9

There’s nothing different about the units that Microsoft is selling through its stores. They don’t even come with apps like Cortana and Microsoft Launcher pre-loaded. However, when this Microsoft Edition label started being widely reported last year, Samsung issued a statement saying “There is not a ‘Microsoft Edition’ brand of any Samsung Galaxy products.”

It’s not like there’s a need for a Microsoft Edition of Samsung’s flagship smartphones anyway. Some of Microsoft’s Office apps already come preloaded on these handsets and apps like Cortana and Microsoft Launcher are readily available for download from the Google Play Store for any and all Android smartphones.

With the company opening pre-orders for the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ on its website, some outlets have reported that this is the Microsoft Edition Galaxy S9 when it really isn’t. Even Microsoft itself isn’t using the term on the listing page for the device.

Microsoft will ship the pre-orders by March 16 and that’s also when the handset will be available in its stores. It’s charging $719.99 and $839.99 for the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+, the same as Samsung. It’s the Snapdragon 845-powered model that comes unlocked out of the box.

The only difference will be that when customers purchase the Galaxy S9 from a Microsoft store, employees at its brick and mortar locations will then offer assistance on how to get Microsoft apps and make the most out of them on Samsung’s latest flagship.

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SamMobile Firmware Update Magazine: March 12, 2018

Welcome to the latest edition of our weekly Firmware Magazine. You can think of it as your go-to resource to find out which of your Samsung devices has received a new update or if it’s going to receive a new firmware update in the near future.

To keep things interesting, we present the Firmware Magazine in new designs every week. It will always include the important details about firmware updates such as the firmware versions, device model numbers, Android OS versions and the country where said update is out already.

SamMobile Firmware Update Magazine

Keep in mind, however, that these firmware details are based on the firmware that are available in our database, and in some cases, the latest updates might not show in the same week as the full firmware files take additional time to make it to our database.

The purpose of this magazine is to bring all of that important information about firmware updates to you, the reader, in a manner that’s easy to comprehend—so even if you’re new to the world of firmware, you’ll have no trouble making sense of it all.

Click on the image below to grab the latest firmware magazine!

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Surprise (not really): The Galaxy S9+ is very tough to repair

When the Galaxy Note 8 came out and the experts over at iFixit decided to open it up, they gave the phone a poor rating of 4 points out of 10 for repairability. There’s no S Pen on the Galaxy S9+, but it does have much of the same tech inside as the Note 8 along with some new stuff, such as a camera that can switch between two apertures. So it doesn’t come as a surprise that the S9+ is as tough to repair, and iFixit has given it the same score as the Galaxy Note 8 following its usual teardown treatment.

Samsung Galaxy S9+ gets the teardown treatment

Taking apart the front and rear glass panels on the Galaxy S9+ is a dangerous affair, as they can easily break in the process. iFixit knows their way around these limitations, however, and we get to take a look at all the hardware laid inside. The Dual Aperture primary camera uses two rotating ring-like blades for switching between f/1.5 and f/2.4 aperture; the secondary rear camera sits just below, and both form a single unit sitting on a single PCB. Combined with the iris sensor and front-facing camera, the S9+ holds four image sensors in total. The camera assembly also confirms that the Galaxy S9 is codenamed Star, something that was revealed many months before the devices were unveiled.

The teardown reveals that the 3,500 mAh battery is extremely hard to pry out, as it’s held down with tons of glue. Replacing a broken display is also a time-consuming affair, as the entire phone must be disassembled and “tough adhesive” has to be battled to get through. None of this comes as a surprise, though, as Samsung’s flagships phones pack advanced tech inside thin bodies and, since last year, slim bezels around the display, bezels that have become narrower this year and resulted in the Galaxy S9 and S9+ being shorter than their predecessors. Of course, the regular Galaxy S9’s repairability probably hasn’t changed compared to the Galaxy S8, as it misses out on the dual rear camera.

Hit the source link below to go through iFixit’s complete Galaxy S9+ teardown process. Don’t forget to check out our review of the Galaxy S9 and S9+.

The post Surprise (not really): The Galaxy S9+ is very tough to repair appeared first on SamMobile.

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Galaxy S9 sales target reportedly set at 43 million units

Samsung has reportedly set the Galaxy S9 sales target at 43 million units for the year. It’s said to be slightly higher than the 41 million unit target set for the Galaxy S8 and the Galaxy S8+ last year. This suggests that Samsung really does expect its new flagship smartphone to outperform its predecessor in the market.

Galaxy S9 sales

Samsung said a couple of weeks ago that it expects Galaxy S9 sales to outperform that of the Galaxy S8. It has now reportedly told its local suppliers in South Korea to set their production schedules for parts based on the 43 million sales target for the Galaxy S9 and the Galaxy S9+.

Market firms like Counterpoint Research already expect Samsung to sell more than 40 million units of its new flagship smartphone this year, outperforming the predecessor which saw more than 41 million units being shipped across the globe.

It has been over a week since Samsung started taking pre-orders for the Galaxy S9 and some initial reports have suggested that pre-orders for the new flagship haven’t really exceeded expectations. The Galaxy S9 is going to be released in a handful of markets across the globe on March 16. Some lucky pre-order customers have already started receiving their units, though.

It remains to be seen, though, if the Galaxy S9 will actually be able to move more units than its predecessor which was a revolutionary upgrade in its own right. The Galaxy S9 is more of an evolutionary upgrade and many Galaxy S8 owners are questioning the prudence in spending a lot of money again on a device that only comes with a few new features and little to no design changes.

Samsung is yet to officially announce pre-order figures for the Galaxy S9 and the Galaxy S9+ so it’s too soon to say right now just how well its new flagship has been performing in the market so far and if it will be able to outperform the Galaxy S8.

Do check out our detailed Galaxy S9/S9+ review if you’re still on the fence about buying Samsung’s new flagship.

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First Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ firmware now available for download

Samsung will soon begin selling the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ in retail stores around the world. The first software update for the two devices went live over the weekend, around the same time that many who pre-ordered the S9 or S9+ saw it arrive at their doorstep. The first update is an important one as it brings the software up to the final retail version that we were unfortunate not to have on our review units, so Samsung has sent it out at the right time. And, like clockwork, the first firmware files for Samsung’s latest flagships are now available in our firmware database.

Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ firmware now available for download

The firmware version is G960FXXU1ARC5 and G965FXXU1ARC5 for the S9 and S9+ respectively, and the firmware are available for Germany and the United Kingdom. The software version, of course, is Android 8.0.0 Oreo. Not Android 8.1, but as Samsung often points out, the necessary enhancements from such point upgrades are usually implemented even if the user-facing software version doesn’t change. Thanks to Project Treble support, there’s hope that Samsung won’t be delaying software updates as much as it has for last year’s flagships, although the company isn’t promising or even mentioning anything in this regard.

To grab the Galaxy S9 firmware, head to our database. We also have the official Galaxy S9 wallpapers available for download. Still on the fence about the Galaxy S9 or S9+? Read our review to find out if these devices are worth your hard-earned money.

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