SamMobile Firmware Update Magazine: June 18, 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. 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. 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!

P.S.: We’ve been a bit delayed with this week’s magazine because of our work on SamMobile v5. Our apologies.

The post SamMobile Firmware Update Magazine: June 18, 2018 appeared first on SamMobile.

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New Galaxy S10 rumor says Samsung might ditch the iris scanner

The Galaxy S10 may be far away from launch, but the rumors have already started flooding the internet. What’s surprising is that there are more rumors coming out about the Galaxy S10 than the Galaxy Note 9 which is just a couple of months from hitting the market. Today, we have a few more details about the Galaxy S10 emerging out of Korea, but before we proceed any further, remember, nothing is official until Samsung announces it. So, take all these rumors and leaks with a healthy dose of skepticism.

According to a report in The Bell, the Galaxy S10 will be the first Samsung device to feature an in-display fingerprint reader. The company apparently tried to bring it to the Galaxy Note 9 but failed to do so due to time and technical constraints. Apart from the in-display fingerprint scanner, in collaboration with the Israeli firm Mantis, Samsung is also reportedly working on a 3D face-scanning module of its own, similar to the one found in the Apple iPhone X.

A 3D scanning module will offer many benefits

If Samsung succeeds in equipping the Galaxy S10 with a 3D scanning module, then, the report states, the company would ditch the iris scanner entirely for cost and weight savings. Hinting at the development of the 3D module, Samsung has reportedly ordered sample parts for the Galaxy S10 from all the component suppliers except those who provide it with the iris sensor.

It does make complete sense for Samsung to remove the current facial and Iris scanning authentication systems if it succeeds in putting a 3D scanning module in the Galaxy S10. All the 3D scanning modules we have seen so far are faster and more accurate than Samsung’s current solution. Also, such a module will help Samsung in dramatically improving its AR Emoji feature as well.

Finally, the report also says that Galaxy S10 will come in two screen sizes – a 5.8″ model and a 6.3″ model. Just as expected.

The post New Galaxy S10 rumor says Samsung might ditch the iris scanner appeared first on SamMobile.

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Samsung may not reach its annual smartphone shipments target

Despite the fierce competition, Samsung is still the largest smartphone vendor in the world by a substantial margin. Though the company was able to retain the top spot, growth has mostly stagnated, particularly in the developing markets of Asia. The slowdown seems to be finally having an impact on Samsung’s sales targets and operating profit.

According to a report in The Investor, Samsung is unlikely to reach its annual smartphone shipments target this year. The company reportedly set a target of 350 million smartphone shipments this year, but now believes that it may fall short of the mark. The failure is attributed to the increasing market saturation, less than expected Galaxy S9 sales, weak performance in China, and growing competition.

Samsung’s original target was 320 million shipments

Interestingly, the report states Samsung’s original target for 2018 was 320 million shipments, but the company apparently revised the target after the Galaxy S9’s strong preorder numbers in the first quarter. Also, the 350 million shipments target set by Samsung is higher than what it achieved in the previous years. According to the data from Strategy Analytics, the company shipped 319.7 million, 309.4 million, and 319.8 million units in 2015, 2016, and 2017 respectively.

Samsung shipped around 78 million smartphones in the first quarter of this year. In the second quarter, the shipments are expected to be around 73 million units according to the analysts quoted in the report. Underwhelming sales of the Galaxy S9 series is considered as one of the reasons for the downturn. All of this is bound to impact Samsung’s bottom line. Investment firms are forecasting Samsung will post an operating profit of 2.3 trillion won in the second quarter, down 43.3 percent from Q2 last year.

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Exclusive: First Samsung Android Go handset being tested in dozens of new markets

Recent reports have suggested that Samsung might be willing to take part in Google’s Android Go program. It has a device in the pipeline with model number SM-J260G which has already been benchmarked. The benchmark gave us enough clues to conclude that this is likely the first Samsung Android Go handset.

We reported last month that Samsung had started testing the SM-J260 in four markets on the Indian subcontinent – India, Nepal, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. We can now reveal that Samsung is testing its first Android Go handset in dozens of new markets across the globe.

First Samsung Android Go handset

The markets in the Indian subcontinent where this handset was initially being tested are where the company has traditionally released many of its budget devices. It wouldn’t have surprised anyone if this handset was kept limited to those four countries. It turns out, though, that Samsung is testing the handset for dozens of markets across Europe, Latin America and Asia.

The SM-J260F is being tested in the United Kingdom, Uzbekistan, Caucasus Countries, Germany, Italy, Ukraine, Russia, Kazakhstan, France and Poland. It’s testing model number SM-J260M in Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Trinidad and Tobago, Peru, Panada and Paraguay. The new markets in Asia for the SM-J260G include Cambodia, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia and Vietnam.

It’s quite likely that the company may be testing the waters for a stock Android-powered device from Samsung. Launching its first Android Go device in dozens of markets across the globe will enable Samsung to ascertain if there’s enough demand in the market for its smartphones that offer an unadulterated Android experience.

Many of our readers have said that they would like Samsung to adopt a mix going forward, that it should offer some stock Android devices in its lineup as well. Android Go offers the perfect platform for that since it’s an iteration of Android Oreo that’s meant for devices with 1GB of RAM or less. Samsung can test the waters with a low-end device first to see if there’s interest from customers before deciding how to proceed further.

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