Here’s some explosive news: Galaxy Note 7 just got certified with Oreo

Samsung hasn’t yet been able to release the Android 8.0 Oreo update for the one flagship it was able to fall back on when the Galaxy Note 7 met its untimely demise, but someone at the company sure had enough time to test Oreo on the discontinued Note 7 and send it to the Wi-Fi Alliance for certification. That’s right: The Galaxy Note 7 has been certified by the Wi-Fi Alliance with Android Oreo on-board. Did Samsung develop the update for the few who might still be using the Galaxy Note 7 (we all know not everyone turned their units in when the recall took place)? That seems unlikely, as no one is supposed to be using the Galaxy Note 7 officially, so one has to wonder why the device was tested with Oreo.

Software updates for time bombs?

The Galaxy Note 7 Fan Edition has also been certified with Android 8.0 Oreo, and it’s possible the Wi-Fi Alliance requires all variants to be tested with a new version of the OS, even if a particular variant (the original one, in this case) may have turned into a ticking time bomb soon after launch. In any case, it’s good news for owners of the Fan Edition, which Samsung released in a handful of markets with a smaller battery. The Galaxy Note 7 FE was last updated in January this year in some markets, while others saw no update after 2017, and Oreo might be the next and mostly final update (other than a couple of security patch updates) the device will receive before its support period comes to an end.

As for the regular Galaxy Note 7, if you’re still holding on to and using one, don’t expect to actually see the Oreo update arrive on your phone. Not that you would be expecting any software updates on a discontinued smartphone, and it would be best to not get your hopes up just because it has been certified running Oreo. Cases of the Note 7 actually exploding may have been few and far between, but even a phone that can burn up is a pretty huge liability and, therefore, not eligible for any kind of software support other than those that make the device impossible to charge.

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New Galaxy A6+ renders reveal a Galaxy J series-like metal unibody

The Galaxy A6 and A6+ have been the subject of incessant leaks in the last few days. From seemingly official renders to the first firmware, a lot about the yet-to-be-released devices has been leaked online. Adding to the flurry of leaks, winfuture has published what appears to be the official renders of the Galaxy A6 and A6+.

Rebranded Galaxy J8 and J8+?

As per the renders, the Galaxy A6 and A6+ seem to be a mix of the 2018 Galaxy A series and the Galaxy J lineup. The new devices borrow the 18:9 display from the new Galaxy A series while borrowing the metal unibody design from the Galaxy J series. The design language seems to confirm the earlier rumors about the Galaxy A6 and A6+ being merely the rebranded Galaxy J8 and J8+ in some markets. There’s also a neat new blue color option that’s a darker shade than the blue variant of the Galaxy A5/A7 from 2017.

As far as the specifications are concerned, the Galaxy A6 and A6+ are expected to launch with 5.6 and 6.0-inch SuperAMOLED 18:9 displays respectively, with an FHD+ resolution of 2220×1080 pixels. Under the hood, the devices boast an Exynos 7870/Snapdragon 625 SoC, 3/4 GB of RAM, and 32 GB or 64 GB of internal storage along with a microSD slot.

The endless leaks and listing of the official accessories online make it clear the launch of the Galaxy A6 and A6+ is imminent. Samsung is facing a lot of heat in the budget and mid-range segments from Chinese rivals. We will have to wait and see if these new models will help Samsung in battling these competitors.

 

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Samsung patent suggests we could one day do video calls using AR Emoji

Video calls require a lot of bandwidth to offer a smooth and jitter-free experience to the two parties involved, even in this day and age where LTE connectivity has become quite widespread. Even if the internet speed on one end of the call becomes unstable, the person at the other end has to suffer the consequences, which can range from low-quality video to the video stream pausing completely. Samsung seems to have foreseen back in 2013 that bandwidth issues with video chatting may never go away, according to a patent the company was granted by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) earlier this month.

Video calls using 3D likenesses of the users

What’s the patent about? Well, since Samsung applied for the patent almost five years ago, the company most likely didn’t have anything like AR Emoji in mind. The patent does, however, talk about a system that would allow users to video chat with each other using a “3D mesh model” of their face. This 3D model would then be transferred to the other device, but instead of regular video where each frame is a completely different image that needs to be transmitted, the 3D model would simply react to the user’s facial expressions and only these changes in expressions would be transmitted. That, according to Samsung, requires less bandwidth as only particular aspects of the face’s 3D model (the changes in expressions, mostly) would have to be sent over the internet instead of an actual image of the user, as is the case in video calling right now.

In simpler terms, such video calls would transmit a computerized likeness of the users, and while that means you won’t actually see your friends and loved ones as you would in a regular video call, internet bandwidth and speed will be less of a limiting factor. And, well, a computerized likeness is exactly what AR Emoji creates, and while in its current form it’s not too great, things would change with a 3D camera, something that is reportedly a part of the Galaxy S10. The second device wouldn’t have to be a Galaxy S10 with a 3D camera for this to work as any device could display the 3D model, though it would mean that one of the parties involved would have to transmit regular video.

Now, it may be just a coincidence that Samsung’s patent was granted a few months ahead of the Galaxy S10’s launch, but it certainly suggests that AR Emoji is only a starting point for what could be a fun and faster way of interacting with people through a smartphone. Or the system described in this patent could just turn out to be one of many that never see the light of day as a finished product, but the idea is neat and one that Samsung may be seriously exploring at the moment.

Head to the source link for more details on the patent.

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Samsung Pay will launch in South Africa around June this year

Samsung Pay is gradually growing into a major differentiating factor for Samsung. The convenience offered by Samsung’s mobile payment solution is slowly becoming a reason for customers to consider buying Samsung smartphones. Well aware of the potential, Samsung has been aggressively expanding the service to many markets around the world. South Africa seems to be the next destination for Samsung’s popular mobile payment solution.

Was expected to launch last year

Speaking to a media channel, Sung Yoon, the CEO of Samsung Electronics Africa, has announced that Samsung Pay will launch in South Africa around June this year. We first heard about the launch of Samsung Pay in South Africa in September last year. The service was expected to launch along with the Galaxy Note 8 in South Africa, but for reasons known only to Samsung, it’s not yet available in the country.

With a dedicated page online, Samsung’s South Africa website also confirms the imminent launch of Samsung Pay. As usual, users need to have compatible Galaxy smartphones and supported cards to use the service when launched. The service has been receiving a positive response from Samsung users in all the markets where it is launched so far. There is no reason to believe South Africa will be any different.

Samsung Pay has been expanding at a much faster pace than the competing products from Apple and Google. Apart from that the fact that Samsung Pay is available in more markets, it is also more widely accepted than any of the rival mobile payment solutions. While Google Pay and Apple Pay require NFC-enabled terminals to works, Samsung Pay works at almost every PoS terminal which accepts your debit or credit cards. Samsung accomplishes this by combining MST and NFC payment technologies into a single payment solution.

Thanks, Joash!

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Should Samsung also make a gaming phone?

Gaming phones are all the rage these days. Razer, the popular maker of gaming hardware and accessories, entered the smartphone market recently with the Razer Phone, a smartphone with top-notch specs and the world’s first 120Hz smartphone display. When you strip away the fancy marketing and the screen’s faster refresh rate, the Razer Phone is like any other flagship from last year with top-of-the-line specs (including 8GB of RAM like the OnePlus 5).

The Razer Phone also offers features such as Dolby Atmos-enabled stereo speakers, a high-capacity battery, and software tools such as the option to adjust the frame rate and resolution inside games to make for an enhanced gaming experience. The Razer Phone has also prompted other manufacturers, such as Xiaomi and Asus, to jump on the gaming phone bandwagon.

It’s been a topic of debate here at SamMobile as well, and we have been wondering if Samsung stands to gain anything from making a gaming phone. Actually, to us, a dedicated gaming phone from the Korean giant makes no sense, and here are a few reasons why.

Samsung’s flagship hardware is already excellent for gaming

Let’s take into account the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+, Samsung’s latest flagship phones. The S9 and S9+ already offer most of what the Razer Phone is offering. You have brilliant stereo speakers with Dolby Atmos, an HDR-enabled display, and the fastest processors available today. Granted, only the Galaxy S9+ has 6GB of RAM, which is still less than the 8GB of RAM on the Razer Phone, but other than not letting you resume a game where you left it after switching to other apps, is 4GB of RAM a limitation for gaming on a flagship phone?

And while the Galaxy S9 and S9+ displays might not have a refresh rate as high as 120 Hz, they do provide the best viewing experience thanks to top-notch AMOLED panels. The Razer Phone makes do with an LCD display as only LCD technology currently allows a refresh rate of 120 Hz, and Samsung sure wouldn’t want to put an LCD panel on any of its high-end devices. so it will have to wait until it has an OLED panel capable of reaching such high refresh rates ready for the mainstream.

Battery life is one aspect where Samsung flagships can’t match dedicated gaming phones. Rumors suggest that will change with the Galaxy Note 9, but we know better than to take such rumors too seriously until we get solid evidence supporting them. Leave aside battery life and a display with a high refresh rate, though, and Samsung gives you all the necessary ingredients for running the most demanding of gaming titles.

Samsung’s software tools for gaming are second to none

Samsung took an active interest in enhancing the gaming experience much before the Razer Phone and the gaming phone fad came into the picture. The company introduced features like Game Launcher, Game Tools, and Game Tuner to allow the user to customize their gaming experience. Between Game Tools and Game Tuner, you can change a game’s resolution, frame rate, texture quality, and other parameters, record gameplay footage and share it with others, and also lock the navigation keys and disable notification popups to prevent interference when you’re engrossed in a game.

The Razer Phone offers similar features, but it doesn’t get the option to record gameplay videos. Samsung’s gaming tools are also available on a lot of devices in the company’s lineup, so you could pick up any of those from the last couple of years and get access to a similar deal of customization as the company’s latest flagships.

Android doesn’t get many games that take advantage of amazing hardware

The bigger issue with a gaming phone that runs Android is the lack of games that would take advantage of the sort of hardware Razer is providing, like the 120Hz display that allows for smoother frame rates. The iPhone and iPad are the mobile devices that game developers like, often offering slightly better graphics in high-end games compared to the Android counterparts (just look at Modern Combat 5 on iOS, which adds various visual effects not seen on Modern Combat 5 for Android). And developers don’t need any special incentive or push from Apple to make their games look (and perform?) better on iOS. Razer, meanwhile, had to team up with a few game developers to make their titles take advantage of the Razer Phone (many of those titles aren’t yet available for download but will arrive at some point in 2018).

The same will be the case for Samsung, despite its dominance in the Android smartphone market. Sure, game developers will have more incentive to add features exclusive to a Galaxy-branded gaming phone than something from smaller players like Razer, Xiaomi, or Asus, but they probably won’t do it with the kind of eagerness as they do for Apple’s devices.

Samsung won’t make a lot of money from the niche gaming phone segment

Casual gamers form the majority of the user base for mobile games, and casual games don’t usually involve the kind of graphics or gameplay that would benefit from something like a fast display refresh rate or top-notch hardware specs. That makes gaming phones like the Razer Phone a niche segment, and Samsung dipping its toes in such a segment wouldn’t bode well for the company’s finances. In fact, even if the company stopped caring for profits and sales figures, the Samsung of today, one that doesn’t innovate for the sake of innovation, wouldn’t be too interested in wasting time in a niche device that would only attract a small portion of its user base.

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Those are the only reasons we can think of for why a gaming phone from Samsung doesn’t make sense, but do we really need more? It’s clear that the company’s flagship phones are already well equipped to handle gaming for even the most ardent of mobile gamers, and while smaller players in the market can get away with throwing resources on a gaming phone, Samsung doesn’t stand to gain much from going down a similar route.

What’s your take on a gaming phone from Samsung? Should the company make one, or do you agree with our reasons for why it doesn’t need to? Get a discussion going in the comments!

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Galaxy A6 firmware now available, official launch should be imminent

Samsung’s new Galaxy A series phones look set to be officially unveiled in the near future, as the first firmware for at least the Galaxy A6 is now available online. A few third-party retailers in the Netherlands are also listing accessories for the Galaxy A6 and Galaxy A6+, although they all say stock for these accessories will arrive in early May. That might be because the European launch of these phones would be a bit late compared to markets in the Middle East, supported by the fact that the first firmware for the A6 is for the United Arab Emirates. That’s just a guess, however, and until the A6 or A6+ are official, it’s best not to take any signs of an impending launch at face value, especially since we’ve been seeing these signs for nearly a month now.

Galaxy A6 and A6+ won’t stay unofficial for long

Retailers do seem to be stocking up on Galaxy A6 and A6+ related accessories, as renders of both devices in an official Samsung case were leaked earlier today. These renders showcase the Infinity displays on the phones, the single and dual rear cameras on the A6 and A6+ respectively, and a rear-mounted fingerprint sensor. The design looks similar to the Galaxy A8 and Galaxy A8+, although the presence of a microUSB port and the known specs of these handsets paint the picture of mid-range phones similar to last year’s Galaxy A5 (2017) and Galaxy A7 (2017). Only the Infinity display and the A6+’ dual rear cameras are expected to be the upgrades on offer; the microUSB port, meanwhile, will be a downgrade, considering the A5 and A7 from last year had USB Type-C ports.

The Galaxy A6 firmware can be downloaded from our firmware database. As expected, the OS version is Android 8.0 Oreo, and it includes the April 2018 security patch. The build number is A600FJXU1ARD7.

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Fresh Galaxy A6 and Galaxy A6+ renders have surfaced

Samsung is due to expand the Galaxy A series this year with two new handsets: the Galaxy A6 and Galaxy A6+. The new devices will be positioned below the Galaxy A8 and Galaxy A8+, Samsung’s premium mid-range handsets that are borderline flagships. Some renders of the new handsets were leaked online last week and now fresh renders of the Galaxy A6 and the Galaxy A6+ have surfaced. They reiterate the rumors we have heard so far about the design of these devices.

Galaxy A6 and Galaxy A6+ renders

The support page for the Galaxy A6 was recently spotted on Samsung’s official website which suggests that an official launch may not be far off. We also reported exclusively not too long ago that the Galaxy A6 and Galaxy A6+ will be released in Russia, Europe and the Middle East.

The new set of renders appear to be for the official cases that will be offered for these devices. We can see that both new handsets will have a flat Infinity Display which also means that the fingerprint sensor will be positioned at the back below the camera sensor.

Previous reports suggested that the Galaxy A6+ will feature a dual camera and that possibility has been reiterated by these renders. It’s also going to be slightly larger but otherwise, the design will more or less be the same.

These renders also reveal that the device will be sticking with a micro-USB port and won’t be moving up to a USB Type-C port just yet. The standard 3.5mm headphone jack is still present and why wouldn’t it be, Samsung hasn’t even removed it from its flagship smartphones as yet.

The benchmark results that have previously surfaced have revealed that the Galaxy A6 and Galaxy A6+ will be powered by an Exynos 7870 and Snapdragon 625 processor with 3GB and 4GB of RAM respectively. They will come with Android 8.0 Oreo installed right out of the box.

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Galaxy S7 Oreo release now slated for mid-May

The Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge were both recently certified by the Wi-Fi Alliance running Android 8.0 Oreo so it’s only a matter of time before they receive the much-awaited firmware update. All U.S. carrier variants of the handset were also certified with Oreo just last week so things are certainly headed in the right direction. However, if new information on a Samsung-run website is taken at face value then the Galaxy S7 Oreo release may not take place until mid-May.

Galaxy S7 Oreo release

There was a false alarm three days ago when Verizon rolled out a new firmware update for the Galaxy S7 and mentioned in the support page for the handset that Oreo had been rolled out. Those who downloaded the update quickly found out that it didn’t bring Oreo, someone had just jumped the gun on updating the support page for the handset. It’s still on Nougat.

Guncelmiyiz is a website that Samsung Turkey operates to provide firmware update information to customers in the country. The timeframe that’s revealed on this website often helps provide an idea of when other markets will get the update as well.

The website has now been updated with a new schedule which mentions that the Galaxy S7 Oreo release is going to take place on May 18. Samsung is yet to confirm the official Oreo release date for the Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge so perhaps it would be best to not take this information at face value, particularly considering the fact that the schedules on this website often tend to change without notice.

It’s certainly about time that Samsung updated the Galaxy S7 and the Galaxy S7 edge to Oreo since it has even rolled out the firmware update to the Galaxy A5 (2017). Those who own these handsets have been anxiously waiting for the update to arrive and hopefully, the wait will end soon for them.

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