الثلاثاء، 15 مايو 2018

[Poll] Are you still interested in buying a tablet, either from Samsung or other OEMs?

Tablet sales have been on the decline for the last couple of years. Samsung managed to stay in the game in second place (behind Apple) with double-digit market share at the end of 2017, but there’s no denying the fact that consumers are showing much less interest in tablets as smartphone displays grow bigger and devices like the Chromebook offer access to full-fledged laptop form factors at affordable prices. While that may be an incentive for manufacturers to stop putting much effort into regular tablets, especially high-end ones, big companies like Samsung and Apple continue to dedicate resources to the segment.

Samsung is continuing to make tablets

To that end, Samsung is working on the Galaxy Tab S4 for a launch later this year, even though it was the only major OEM to see a decline in its tablet market share last year. The Galaxy Tab S4 is guaranteed to come with a Super AMOLED display, which has been the primary draw of the Galaxy Tab S lineup. It remains to be seen whether it’s focused on those who like to read and browse or those who spend more time watching movies and TV shows, but the Tab S4 is on its way for sure, and it has gotten us thinking just how many of our readers are actually interested in using a tablet or in upgrading to a new one when the right upgrade (which, again, the Tab S4 may or may not be, depending on your current device) comes along.

Going by the comments on our articles about the Galaxy Tab S4, people are certainly looking forward to Samsung’s next high-end AMOLED-equipped, S Pen-toting, Dolby Atmos-powered tablet, but we’re sure there are many who would rather just keep the money in their bank instead of spending it on a tablet. Some of you may also be regretting buying a tablet in the past only to see it lying unused at home, so we have set up a poll so you can tell us which camp you fall in.

Well, go ahead and vote in the poll below, then jump to the comments section to expand on your thoughts and get a discussion going.

Are you still interested in buying a tablet, either from Samsung or other OEMs?
Results

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Samsung has a new competitor in India’s budget segment

Well, it looks like any plans Samsung may have had to take back the budget market in India will have to be sent back to the drawing board. Xiaomi has become a force to reckon with in the Indian budget smartphone scene, with some analysts saying it has beaten Samsung to the top spot thanks to smartphones priced aggressively for the hardware and features they offer. Today, another Chinese OEM has joined the race: Oppo has launched the first smartphone under its Realme sub-brand in India, and it’s got killer specs and a very impressive price tag.

Xiaomi isn’t the only enemy now

Oppo has been a strong player in India in the mid-range segment for some time, mainly thanks to phones that focus on high-resolution front cameras at prices that aren’t as low as Xiaomi’s but aren’t as high as Samsung’s, either. Now, Oppo has decided to take the fight to Xiaomi with the Realme 1, a smartphone that offers hardware such as a MediaTek P60 SoC, 6GB of RAM, 128GB of expandable internal storage, and a Full HD 18:9 display for Rs. 13,990, which translates to around $205 at current conversion rates. Other specs include 13-megapixel and 8-megapixel rear and front cameras, LTE connectivity, a 3,410 mAh battery, and Android 8.1 with Oppo’s custom skin on top.

If we look at Samsung’s Indian lineup in the same price segment, the company does have a similarly specced device called the Galaxy On7 Prime (read our review here). Now, it’s not as good on some fronts. It has a weaker processor (an Exynos 7870), a standard 16:9 display, lesser internal storage, and an older version of Android, but it’s also priced at around $15 (Rs. 1,000) less than the Realme 1. It’s also readily available unlike Oppo’s new phone. While both are exclusive to Amazon India, the Realme 1 will be sold through flash sales, in which a few units of the device will be put up for sale once every few days.

The flash sale model, in fact, the biggest obstacle for the Realme 1. Being much more (financially) resourceful than Xiaomi (Oppo is the parent company of Vivo and OnePlus, which should give you an idea), though, it might not be long before Oppo is able to past that obstacle. The time it takes to be able to do that does give Samsung some breathing space, but it certainly looks like the Korean company’s problems in India’s budget market have intensified with the Chinese OEM’s entry into the heavily crowded segment.

A sub-brand still the best solution for Samsung?

And that brings us to what we think might help Samsung fend off the increasing competition in India: a sub-brand similar to Oppo’s Realme or Huawei’s Honor. Given Samsung’s size and business model, making a profit in the budget segment comes at the expense of a smartphone’s hardware. It’s a business model that cannot help the company survive in lucrative markets such as India, and that’s exactly why a sub-brand would make sense. Sure, Samsung will need to make some money even with a sub-brand, but it will still get more leeway to play with the value-for-money quotient than it ever will for devices sold with the Galaxy moniker.

Will Samsung double down on its efforts now that it’s not just Xiaomi it needs to defend itself against in the Indian market? Or could this be the final straw that makes it either spin off a sub-brand or just quit the budget market altogether? Quitting isn’t really an option it can pursue, but quick action is clearly needed, and we’re interested to hear what you think the Korean giant should be doing at this point, so leave a comment below and get a discussion going!

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Samsung Galaxy Android 9.0 ‘P’ update: A first, cautious preview

Ever since Google detailed Android P at its I/O 2018 developers’ conference earlier this month, we have received a lot of queries about the Samsung Galaxy Android 9.0 update release roadmap. As expected, Samsung hasn’t said anything right now about when we can expect the Android P update for Galaxy smartphones. It hasn’t even responded to calls for an explanation about why the Galaxy S9 hasn’t been included in the Android P public beta program. However, based on our experience of mapping Samsung updates, we can make a preliminary estimate.

The Samsung Galaxy Android 9.0 update release list below mentions all of the handsets that will most certainly receive this update in due course and those that won’t be upgraded to Android P. We say “certainly” based on our opinion and not on official statements from Samsung because there have been none so far with regard to the Android P update for Galaxy smartphones. The list below might change over the next few months if it’s updated based on any new information that comes in by that time.

Possible Samsung Galaxy Android 9.0 update release roadmap

  • Galaxy S9: First in line for the Android P update
  • Galaxy S9+: Idem (as above)
  • Galaxy S8: Second in line
  • Galaxy S8+: Idem
  • Galaxy Note 8: Idem
  • Galaxy A8 (2018): Idem
  • Galaxy A6 (2018): First in line for the Android P update
  • Galaxy A6+ (2018): Idem
  • Galaxy J6 (2018): Idem
  • Galaxy Tab S3: Second in line

Samsung Galaxy handsets that won’t get Android P

  • Galaxy S7: Already received two major Android updates
  • Galaxy S7 Edge: Idem (as above)
  • Galaxy A5 (2017): Idem
  • Galaxy A3 (2017): Idem
  • Galaxy J7 (2017): Already received one major Android update
  • Galaxy J5 (2017): Idem
  • Galaxy Xcover 4: Xcover devices don’t often get major Android updates

Samsung Galaxy Android 9.0 update release timeframe

As it stands in May 2018, it’s still early to speculate precisely when Samsung will release Android P for compatible devices. Some of its devices can run the beta version but Samsung’s handsets aren’t supported in Google’s Android P public beta program. Google will likely release Android P officially this fall and it’s only after that will we get a better idea of how soon Samsung might release Android P for its handsets.

Whether or not the support for Google’s Project Treble on the Galaxy S9 will make a difference remains to be seen. The project is meant to ensure the swift arrival of Android updates so many will be interested to see if that translates into a faster Android P rollout for the Galaxy S9 as well.

New Android P features

Android 9.0 or Android P as it’s referred to right now because Google is yet to confirm the official moniker, brings a few substantial innovations to the Android operating system. It brings a new gesture-based navigation system, leverages machine learning to reduce energy consumption and stricter privacy guidelines for apps. It will be interesting to see how the user interface changes particularly translate to Samsung’s Galaxy handsets when they’re fused with the company’s custom skin known as Samsung Experience.

That will only become clear once Samsung launches the Android P beta program for the Galaxy S9. If history is any indication, that’s probably going to happen towards the end of this year.

Explanation

The estimates that we have made above are in line with what has transpired over the past couple of years. Samsung has traditionally released two major Android updates for its Galaxy S, A and Note series. The Galaxy S9 will be first in line for Android P as it arrives with Android O (Oreo) and is now due to receive at least two major updates. The Galaxy Note 9 will be running Oreo as well but much like the Galaxy Note 8, it will receive Android P only after it has been released for the Galaxy S flagship.

The Galaxy S8 and Note 8 were launched with Android N (Nougat) and both have recently been updated to Android O. Android P will be their second major platform update and most likely the last. The Galaxy A8 is yet to be updated to Android O and that makes Android P its second major update.

Samsung has only released one Android platform update for devices in the J series – except for the Galaxy J3 (2016) which did not even get one. Devices like the Galaxy S7 that are already two generations old will get their final platform update to Oreo in the near future.

This might change if Samsung decides to shake up its update policy between now and next year. For example, if it makes a decision to release platform updates for popular handsets for at least three years after they’re launched. There’s no indication as yet of that happening but if it does, we’ll be the first ones to let you know.

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Samsung will announce a new customer for its Exynos processors next year

Samsung, already the largest chipmaker in the world by revenue, is looking to further extend its lead in this market by supplying its Exynos processors to more external clients. The company recently ended Intel’s 24-year reign as the largest semiconductor-based chipmaker in the world but there’s an important distinction to be made here. Samsung has been able to overtake Intel due to its dominant position in the global memory chip market. Intel doesn’t really compete in that market and its lead was primarily driven by its microprocessors for PCs and servers.

Samsung makes processors as well under the Exynos brand but they don’t power notebooks and desktop PCs. They don’t even power smartphones from a wide variety of OEMs since Samsung itself is the primary customer of these chips. However, the company is in talks with multiple OEMs and expects to announce a new client for its Exynos processors next year.

Samsung might gain from ZTE’s troubles

Samsung has revealed that it’s in talks with several smartphone manufacturers including China-based ZTE to sell them its mobile processors. The company currently has only one external client for its Exynos chips and that’s another Chinese OEM called Meizu.

Samsung System LSI head Inyup Kang has revealed to Reuters that the company is talking to all OEMs and that it expects to announce a new client for its Exynos chips in the first half of 2019. This move will bring Samsung in direct competition with Qualcomm which is the biggest supplier of mobile processors to almost every major smartphone OEM, including Samsung.

Samsung does stand to gain from ZTE’s recent troubles. The Chinese smartphone manufacturer sourced its mobile processors from Qualcomm, a company based in the United States. The country’s Department of Commerce recently banned ZTE from sourcing components from US companies for seven years which means unless a relaxation is granted in the ban, ZTE won’t be able to use Qualcomm chips in its phones for seven years.

ZTE said in a recent exchange filing that its core business operations have ceased after the ban. There’s a sense of urgency at the company to diversify its supply chain and Kang says that Samsung will continue its discussions with ZTE even if the US and China find a way around the ban for the company.

Samsung certainly stands to gain from this US-China trade spat that has caught ZTE in the mix. If it can win that contract, Samsung’s position as a player in the mobile processor market will improve and open more doors for the company. Expect Exynos processors to power a lot more phones from different OEMs in the coming years.

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Samsung’s Android Go handset is being tested for the Indian subcontinent

Samsung didn’t partake in Google’s Android One program, but there have been recent indications that the company is making an Android Go handset. In fact, it’s pretty much confirmed that such a device is in the works. A benchmark listing for the Samsung SM-J260G gave us enough clues that it’s based on Android Go: the device was benchmarked with 1GB of RAM, a processor codenamed Universal7570_Go, and Android 8.1 Oreo. A trademark application also revealed that Samsung’s Android Go smartphone would be called Galaxy J2 Core, and today, we have discovered that the device is being tested for four markets in the Indian subcontinent.

Samsung’s Android Go effort focused on four markets

These countries are India, Nepal, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka, all of which have traditionally been markets where Samsung debuts many of its budget offerings. India, in particular, is a hotbed for Samsung as the company has found it increasingly difficult to go head to head with competitors like Xiaomi. Right now, Samsung uses Tizen for devices with 1GB RAM or less and has managed to do quite well with its Tizen phones in the markets mentioned above. But you can only go so far with smartphones that don’t run Android, so it’s not surprising the Korean giant is focusing its initial Android Go effort in India and its neighboring countries.

Of course, it’s possible the Galaxy J2 Core, or at least future Android Go handsets from Samsung, will launch in other markets as well. Right now, however, development is focused on India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh, so it remains to be seen how widely the device will be available when it goes official. If it goes official, that is, although there’s no reason why Samsung wouldn’t launch an Android Go smartphone. The company’s custom Android software isn’t suitable for running on ultra low-end hardware, so targeting consumers with an Android Go device makes a lot of sense when combined with Samsung’s brand recognition.

The post Samsung’s Android Go handset is being tested for the Indian subcontinent appeared first on SamMobile.



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Galaxy S9 LTE speed is 42% faster than iPhone X but you won’t really feel it

Samsung sent out a press release today boasting that the Galaxy S9 and the Galaxy S9+ are the fastest smartphones on the market today with download speeds that are up to 42 percent faster than its closest competitors. It has based this claim on data compiled by Ookla, a well-regarded data speed analysis company.

The Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ were up against the iPhone X, the Google Pixel 2 and the Galaxy S7 in this test, the two-generation old handset being added to the list to see how data performance on Samsung’s own handsets has improved since they start touting gigabit LTE chips. The Galaxy S8 was actually the first handset on the market last year with a gigabit LTE chip and T-Mobile demonstrated that it could achieve download speeds of over 900Mbps in laboratory conditions.

Galaxy S9 LTE speed

Ookla conducted this study by analyzing Speedtest Intelligence data from 4G LTE networks of major carriers in the United States from February-April 2018. It also compiled the weighted averages in the interest of greater accuracy. Right off the bat, there’s nothing wrong with the way this test was conducted. The tests have yielded legitimate results, revealing that the new flagships are up to 42 percent faster than the competition when comparing mean download speeds weighted averages on nationwide carriers’ 4G LTE network results.

The Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ feature a Cat. 18 LTE modem that can hit network speeds of up to 1.2Gbps. The test also found that different devices can get different download speeds on the same carrier. This revealed that the Galaxy S9 LTE speeds are 37 percent faster than the iPhone X, 17 percent faster than the Google Pixel 2 and 38 percent faster than the Galaxy S7.

The claim itself is accurate but only in a speed test environment. It’s not indicative of real-world performance just like device benchmarks are not the best indicator of how a smartphone will perform in real-world conditions.

Granted that the LTE model in the Galaxy S9 is faster than the competition but that doesn’t mean you’ll be able to experience that 37 percent difference when you put your Galaxy S9 up against an iPhone X for something other than merely measuring download speeds.

LTE speeds will vary considerably on both devices based on a variety of factors including but not limited to the carrier they’re on, the congestion on the network, the coverage in that particular area, the server speed from where data is being downloaded, the type of file being downloaded, etc.

So the Galaxy S9 LTE speeds are certainly 42 percent faster than the iPhone X on paper but you, the user, may not be able to feel the full extent of that lead in the real world. The actual experience will vary significantly but nevertheless, this is a good point to have in your arsenal when you’re comparing specs with an iPhone X owner.

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Galaxy Tab S4 closes in on launch, gets Bluetooth certification

The Galaxy Tab S4 may or may not offer the features some of us would like to see, but it sure looks to be on track for an official launch in July like its predecessors (except the Tab S3, which came out earlier because of the Note 7’s cancellation). The tablet was certified by the Wi-Fi Alliance at the beginning of May, and it has now managed to grab Bluetooth certification as well. The Bluetooth certification lists the name of the device in plain text, so there won’t be any surprises on that front whenever Samsung unveils the Galaxy Tab S4.

Galaxy Tab S4 Bluetooth certification

Also confirmed is the presence of Bluetooth 5.0, which suggests the Tab S4 will be powered by the Snapdragon 835 SoC. We will probably not see an Exynos variant if we go by the Galaxy Tab S3. It’s not impossible given Samsung did release both Snapdragon and Exynos variants of the original Tab S and the Tab S2, but that was a different time and the tablet market has been on a downward spiral for a few years, so making two variants with different chips might be too much work for the company here in 2018.

However, judging by a benchmark listing, Samsung may go back to a 10.5-inch display with 16:10 aspect ratio with the Tab S4. But it’s just one benchmark, so nothing can be said for certain. The benchmark also listed 4GB of RAM, 64GB of storage, 13-megapixel and 8-megapixel rear and front cameras, and Android 8.0 Oreo for the tablet. Both LTE and Wi-Fi variants will be offered, even though the Bluetooth certification is only for the former right now.

As for when the Tab S4 will be released, we can expect sales to commence sometime in September as they have for the Galaxy Tab S and Tab S2, though it will ultimately depend on when Samsung unveils the device.

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Galaxy S9 sales in South Korea cross 1 million units

Samsung maintains that it expects the Galaxy S9 sales to outperform the Galaxy S8 but the market response in its home country of South Korea tells a different story. Not long after the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ were released, we reported that South Koreans weren’t too enthusiastic about the new flagship because it doesn’t bring any major changes compared to the Galaxy S8. The Galaxy A8 (2018) was actually Samsung’s best-selling smartphone in South Korea at that time.

Samsung today revealed that Galaxy S9 sales in South Korea have now crossed one million units ever since the handset was released in March. This is the first time that the company has confirmed sales figures for the Galaxy S9 in South Korea after much speculation about the handset’s performance there.

Galaxy S9 sales

It was reported two weeks ago that the Galaxy S9 sales were at record lows in Samsung’s home country compared to its predecessor. At that time, Samsung had reportedly sold 707,000 units of the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ since launch which was the lowest-ever figure for a flagship Galaxy S series device.

Reports once again pointed to a lack of substantial changes as a major factor behind the sluggish sales of Samsung’s latest flagship handset. Some also pointed towards the high price as another factor why the device isn’t selling well.

The Galaxy S9 was released on March 16 and it has taken the device almost two months to sell 1 million units in Samsung’s home country. The Galaxy S8 was able to achieve this milestone in just 37 days after its launch last year. Evidently, the Galaxy S9 isn’t outperforming the Galaxy S8 in South Korea.

Samsung is yet to reveal global sales figures for the Galaxy S9 and the Galaxy S9+. However, its recent quarterly earnings result did reveal that the company’s decision to launch the Galaxy S9 a month earlier has paid dividends.

Do you think the Galaxy S9 will be able to outperform its predecessor in terms of pure sales figures? Let us know what you think in the comments below.

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Samsung rolling out May 2018 security patch for the Galaxy J7 (2017)

Samsung detailed the May 2018 security patch last week and it’s now gradually rolling out the latest security maintenance release to compatible devices. The Galaxy J5 Prime was the first device to receive the May 2018 security patch four days ago after Samsung confirmed it and now it’s the Galaxy J7 (2017) that’s getting it.

Galaxy J7 (2017) May 2018 security patch

Samsung had actually released this security patch for the Galaxy J2 Pro even before it or Google had revealed anything about the latest security maintenance release. As expected, the rollout is beginning with mid-range devices. It’s going to take a few days before we see this patch arrive for more high-end devices.

The May 2018 security patch brings fixes for six critical vulnerabilities in the Android operating system and the dozens of high and moderate-risk vulnerabilities also discovered in the operating system. Fixes for 7 vulnerabilities discovered in Samsung’s software are included in this release as well.

Samsung has now started rolling out firmware version J730FXWU2ARE1 for the Galaxy J7 (2017) in Turkey. The update is being rolled out over-the-air and it’s also available for download from our firmware section.

It’s going to be a while before Galaxy J7 (2017) owners in other markets get this patch. We’ll update you as soon as the patch is rolled out for more devices. Expect that to happen over the next week or so.

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Exclusive: Here’s the Galaxy J6 with its Infinity display in the flesh

The Galaxy J6 is the next Samsung smartphone that will get the company’s Infinity display, following its introduction to the Galaxy A lineup with the Galaxy A8 (2018) and Galaxy A8+. The Galaxy A6 and Galaxy A6+ were also launched with Infinity displays earlier this month, and while there’s no word on when the Galaxy J6 will go official, we have gotten hold of live images of the device that give us a clear look at Samsung’s first budget phone with an 18:5:9 display.

Infinity display on a (finite) budget

These images show the Infinity display in all its glory. Like the A series devices, the Infinity display on the Galaxy J6 isn’t as “infinite” as it is on Samsung’s flagship phones, so there are plenty of bezels even though the screen-to-body ratio is higher than usual. But the front is all black, so despite all that bezel, the phone should still offer a more immersive viewing experience. As for the back, we’re told it’s all plastic but not removable, so the battery won’t be accessible to the user.

Exclusive: Here's the Galaxy J6 with its Infinity display in the flesh

For those who missed it, we also revealed the complete Galaxy J6 specs (and the J4’s) earlier this week. Its AMOLED display will be 5.6 inches in size (most likely of 720p resolution), and under the hood, an octa-core Exynos 7870 chipset clocked at 1.4GHz will do the heavy lifting. There will be either 2GB, 3GB, or 4GB of RAM depending on the market, along with 32GB or 64GB of internal storage (with a microSD slot for expansion).

The Galaxy J6 also has 13-megapixel and 8-megapixel rear and front cameras (with an LED flash for both), dual SIM slots and LTE support, and a 3,000 mAh battery that charges via a microUSB port. There’s a fingerprint sensor at the back, and like many recent J series devices, facial recognition is available as well. On the software side of things, the phone will run Android 8.0 Oreo with the Samsung Experience 9.0 UX out of the box.

Check out the rest of the Galaxy J6 pictures below, and let us know what you think!

Exclusive: Here's the Galaxy J6 with its Infinity display in the flesh

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