SamMobile Firmware Update Magazine: July 9, 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!

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Samsung overtakes the iPhone in the Dutch workplace

Apple’s iPhone used to have a commanding lead in the Dutch workplace but Samsung has managed to overtake its rival in the Netherlands last year. This, according to a new report from research firm Computer Profile. Its latest survey shows that companies and organizations have increasingly been reducing their reliance on the iPhone and this has played into Samsung’s hand.

Samsung rules the Dutch workplace

Computer Profile interviewed almost five thousand companies in the Netherlands that have at least fifty employees for this report. The data shows that 43 percent of employees had an iPhone back in 2016 while only 34.6 percent had a Samsung smartphone. Over a year later the balance has shifted firmly in Samsung’s favor. More than half of the employees in the Dutch workforce, approximately 48.7 percent, have a Samsung device now. The iPhone has also increased its share but it’s below Samsung at 44.5 percent.

Microsoft’s downfall is said to be one of the reasons why Samsung has surged ahead. One in five business devices in 2015 were from Microsoft which has since given up on its handset business. Redmond’s lost market share has largely been taken up by Samsung, according to Computer Profile analyst Erik van Gurp.

Employers have been moving to bring your own device policies as well since many find equipping all of their employees with iPhones to be a very costly undertaking. This policy lets employees bring their own devices for use on company networks.

Samsung’s Galaxy Note series is particularly aimed at professionals who want to get more done on the go. It will be aiming to extend that lead even further with the launch of the Galaxy Note 9 that’s due next month.

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Galaxy S8 and Note 8 get stickers in the Samsung Calendar app

Samsung is rolling out an update to the Samsung Calendar app via the Galaxy Apps store. The update brings stickers support in Xalendar to the Galaxy S8 and Note 8 users. Until now, Samsung Calendar supported stickers only on the Galaxy S9/S9+ but is now available on older flagship devices as well.

While some might find using stickers in a calendar silly, they can act as easy-to-read visual identifiers to quickly glance at the calendar entries. Using specific stickers for birthdays, anniversaries, meetings, etc. makes it easy to see your upcoming appointments and events without much effort.

Update available in the Galaxy App store

The update is already available in the Galaxy Apps store to eligible devices. If you turned-off automatic app updates on your device, you can go to the Galaxy Apps update section and manually update the app. We don’t know if and when this feature is coming to other Samsung devices with the Samsung Calendar app. Older Samsung devices have long allowed users to set a sticker for a particular day in the same manner as the Samsung Calendar app.

The Samsung Calendar update seems to be part of Samsung’s efforts to bring some of the new features and tweaks from the Galaxy S9/S9+ to the older flagship devices. Samsung also recently updated its Samsung Experience launcher to bring the Galaxy S9’s home screen rotation feature to the Galaxy S8 and Note 8.

These small updates also showcase the advantages of unbundling some of the system apps and servicing them via app updates.

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Rumor: Exynos 9820 SoC could have the Mali-G76 MP18 GPU

The Galaxy S10 will come with a newer version of Samsung’s Exynos chip (and Qualcomm’s equivalent Snapdragon chip in some markets), that much is as certain as the sun rising in the east every day. That chip is expected to be the Exynos 9820, the successor to this year’s Exynos 9810, and a rumor is providing information on one key spec of the new chipset. According to Chinese leakster Ice Universe, the Exynos 9820 will have the Mali-G76 MP18 GPU.

Mali-G76 is ARM’s first 7nm mobile GPU

The Mali-G76 is ARM’s latest top-of-the-line GPU that was announced in May this year. It’s also the first Mali GPU that will be built on the 7nm process. ARM is going with TSMC for production of the Mali-G76, although Samsung will be helping ARM with chips based on its new flagship Cortex-A76 cores. The Exynos 9820 is expected to have Samsung’s in-house Mongoose M4 performance cores instead of the Cortex-A76, but it’s unlikely the company will have its rumored in-house GPU ready in time for next year. That leaves the Mali-G76 as the only option for Samsung, as the Exynos 9810 has the Mali-G72, which is the current flagship GPU in the Mali series and precedes the G76.

The Mali-G76 will reportedly have 18 cores (hence the MP18 in the title), same as the G72 in the Exynos 9810. While the number of cores is the same, the Mali-G76 can offer higher performance and power efficiency than the G72 at the same clock speeds thanks to the 7nm process. Just how much of an improvement it will offer over the Exynos 9810 will only be confirmed once the Galaxy S10 is out.

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We visited Samsung’s first Experience Store in Paris and it was amazing

Samsung has now opened its first Experience Store in France. Located at the iconic Avenue des Champs-Elysées in Paris, the store has been open to the public from July 6. It spans across two floors and showcases Samsung’s wide range of products and services to the visitors. The interior design of the place is influenced by iconic Parisian landmarks.

We visited the location in Paris and were amazed by the gorgeous design and the range of experiences available for visitors. The store offers many activities on-site to keep the visitors engaged while also informing them about Samsung’s products and services. Visitors can try Samsung-exclusive features like AR Emoji and Samsung Pay. The Café Samsung Pay area offers simulated payments to test Samsung’s payment service.

Will repair Samsung smartphones in an hour

Samsung’s Smart Home ecosystem will be on display to showcase the power and potential of connected devices. There is a dedicated Kids Zone and a Fitness Zone – both of which will leverage Samsung’s products to offer a memorable experience. The Fitness Zone will use Samsung’s VR tech to showcase the Gear Sport and Gear Fit2 Pro.

The Customer Service Zone in the store will repair Samsung smartphones in approximately one hour. Customers can spend their time on various activities in the store and will be alerted with a portable vibrating device when the repair work is done.

The Samsung Experience Store at 100 Avenue des Champs-Elysées, Paris, will be open until March 2019. Visitors can go there between 10:00 AM to 09:00 PM from Monday to Saturday and 11:00 AM to 09:00 PM on Sunday.

The pictures we shot really don’t do the place justice. If you find yourself in Paris at any point before March 2019, we highly recommend that you check it out.

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Galaxy J3 launched on Cricket Wireless as the Galaxy Amp Prime 3

The 2018 Galaxy J3 and Galaxy J7 went on sale on all the major US carriers recently. One of the two devices, the Galaxy J3, is now available on Cricket Wireless as the Galaxy Amp Prime 3. Other than the rebranding exercise, there doesn’t seem to be any difference in specifications of this device from other J3 variants in the US.

Same device under a different name

The Galaxy Amp Prime 3 comes with a 5-inch HD TFT display, 8MP rear shooter, 5MP front camera, 2600mAh battery, 2 GB RAM, 16 GB internal storage, and Android 8.0 Oreo. It is powered by an unspecified quad-core processor clocked at 1.4Ghz. This could be the Exynos 7570 SoC found in the AT&T and T-Mobile variants of the Galaxy J3. The Verizon and Sprint versions are powered by a beefier Exynos 7884A octa-core chipset.

Available only in black, the Galaxy Amp Prime 3 is priced at $130. It is already listed for purchase on the Cricket Wireless website.

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Galaxy A6 update released with July 2018 security patch, Secure Wi-Fi feature

Samsung seems to have plenty of updates rolling for its A series devices since late last week. The Galaxy A8 (2018) and A8+ (2018) have finally received the Oreo update, and Samsung has also released an update for the Galaxy A6. This update includes the July 2018 security patch and marks yet another instance of the latest security patch being released for a mid-range smartphone first.

Galaxy A6 update brings July 2018 security patch

The Galaxy A6 update is rolling out in quite a few European markets, including the Netherlands and Spain. In fact, the update may have released in some countries at the beginning of the month, the same day the patch was detailed by Samsung on its security blog. In addition to the July patch, the update also brings improvements for camera performance, a new boot image (you will now see the “Secured by Knox” text when turning the phone on), and the Secure Wi-Fi function.

The build number accompanying the update is A600FNXXU2ARF7. You can download it over the air by tapping the Download updates manually option in the Software update menu in the phone’s Settings app. An alternative is to download the full firmware from our database and install it using a PC. Do let us know if the update is available for you, and if yes, tell us your country of residence as well.

Also Read: Samsung Galaxy A6+ review

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Galaxy A8 (2018) and A8+ (2018) Oreo update rolling out in Russia

Samsung has finally released the Galaxy A8 (2018) Oreo update, bringing an end to months of waiting for owners of the company’s latest premium mid-range phones. The Galaxy A8 (2018) and Galaxy A8+ (2018) are currently being updated to Android 8.0 Oreo in Russia. The rollout seems to have started over the weekend, and since it’s already mentioned on Samsung’s official website that details software updates, it should be available for most (if not all) users in Russia at this point.

Galaxy A8 (2018) Oreo update is out

Samsung’s official changelog suggests it’s an update similar to the one received by devices released before the Galaxy S9. Oddly, Dolby Atmos support isn’t mentioned, despite the devices’ user manual saying it’s included. That could possibly be because the A8 and A8+ only get Dolby Atmos for use over wired and Bluetooth audio, similar to devices like the Galaxy J6 and the Galaxy A6. The update also brings support for VoLTE on both SIM slots, which was recently made available for the Galaxy S9 as well. It’s unclear what security patch is included, but since the May security patch has already been out for these devices, it’s possible Oreo bundles the June patch.

Our What’s New With Android 8.0 Oreo series of articles is the best way to get details on some of the major new features and changes that Oreo brings to Samsung devices (and this official Samsung infographic is also something you should take a look at). To see if Oreo is available for your Galaxy A8 (2018) or A8+ (2018), open the Settings app on your device, tap Software update, then tap Download updates manually. The update is likely to take a few days to start rolling out in other markets; it could also be a few weeks, depending on how quickly Samsung expands the rollout.

Thanks for the tip, gagal182!

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Good Lock 2018 gets an update with new functionality and bug fixes

It’s been less than a month since we were introduced to Good Lock 2018. The latest iteration of Samsung’s powerful customization app has been made available for a number of markets since then, and the company has now released a major update for Good Lock 2018 and its associated apps/features. The update fixes a number of bugs and introduces new functionality.

Good Lock 2018 update released

When you combine all the major Good Lock 2018 features, the changelog for the update is quite a big one. There are interesting new options littered throughout. In Task Changer, you can now enable background blur or make the recent apps screen center on the currently running app. A blur effect option has been introduced for the notification panel in QuickStar as well, along with the ability to disable or enable the data saver or power saving mode icons in the status bar. LockStar, Routines, and the ClockFace features have also received new functions and changes to existing ones, details of which you can see in the long screenshot below.

If you already have Good Lock 2018 and its various apps installed on your phone, you should be able to download the updated versions from the Galaxy Apps store by clicking on the respective apps inside Good Lock 2018. It may not work in countries where Good Lock 2018 isn’t officially available, though you can still try as we have noticed it has begun working in some non-supported countries without requiring any workarounds in recent days. The Good Lock 2018 app itself needs to be updated as well, which you can do by tapping the three-dot button on the top right inside the app and tapping the Update button.

We also have the latest versions of all the Good Lock 2018 apps and features in our APK database, so you can simply download them and install them manually if Good Lock isn’t available via the Galaxy Apps store for you. To get the rundown of everything Good Lock 2018 offers, check out this post. We also have instructions for setting up Good Lock 2018 for those who haven’t yet tried it out.

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Galaxy A8/A8+ Android Oreo update will bring Dolby Atmos and new camera UI

Samsung has already rolled out the Android 8.0 Oreo update to many of its flagship and midrange offerings. Given the breadth of its lineup, there are many eligible Galaxy devices still waiting to receive the Oreo update. The Galaxy A8 and A8+, which were launched earlier this year with Android 7.1.1 Nougat, are part of this waiting list as well.

It appears the Oreo update status of the Galaxy A8 series may change soon. An updated user manual for the Galaxy A8/A8+ indicates that these devices will receive the Android 8.0 Oreo update in the near future. As per the manual, the new OS version will bring, among other things, Dolby Atmos support and a new camera UI to these premium mid-range smartphones.

Galaxy A8 Oreo update may be out soon

Samsung has already brought Dolby Atmos support to some of its devices with the Oreo update and is now bringing the same to the Galaxy A8 lineup. It will provide a better audio experience to Galaxy A8/A8+ users. The new camera UI is similar to the one we have already seen in the Galaxy S9 series. It is nice to see Samsung bringing these features to the Galaxy A8/A8+ via an update, months after their launch.

We still don’t know when Samsung will start rolling out the update. However, the updated manual is a good indication that the rollout will happen very soon. If it is released this month, there is a possibility that the July security patch and the Oreo update will be clubbed together.

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Galaxy S10+ may also feature a dual front camera

Samsung is now expected to ship three models of the Galaxy S10 which is not something that the company has done before. It has been launching two models of its flagship Galaxy S handsets ever since the Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 edge were released back in 2015. Next year’s flagship lineup is expected to feature an entry-level Galaxy S10 model in addition to the successors of the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+.

Galaxy S10+ dual front camera

Reports suggest that not only will the Galaxy S10+ have the largest screen size of the trio but it will also feature a triple camera system at the back. A new report out of South Korea claims that this model will also feature a dual camera at the front bringing the total number of cameras on this model to five.

As far as the triple camera is concerned, it’s said to feature a super wide angle lens. It may retain the 12-megapixel Dual Aperture lens of the Galaxy S9 as the primary rear camera which will be paired with a 16-megapixel f/1.9 aperture 123-degree super wide angle camera. If the reports are accurate then the Galaxy S10+ will be the first Samsung device to feature a triple camera.

The super wide angle lens of the third camera will enable users to capture more of the scene in one photo. It may not appeal to users who prefer the telephoto lens with the ability to zoom in on an object with one tap. It’s also said that the Galaxy S10+ will feature a dual front camera as well. It’s not the first Samsung handset this year to feature two cameras up front, that distinction rests with the Galaxy A8.

The front dual camera allows for better selfies complete with Bokeh effects (check out some selfie samples from the Galaxy A8). The Galaxy A8 features a 16-megapixel primary sensor paired with an 8-megapixel secondary sensor. It is unclear if the same setup will also be used for the Galaxy S10+.

The Galaxy S10 is also expected to have a triple camera at the back but is said to feature a single camera up front. The entry-level may only have a dual camera at the back and a single camera on the front.

None of this has actually been confirmed by Samsung so take the information with a grain of salt. The company isn’t due to launch the Galaxy S10 until early next year.

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Samsung to improve VR experience with ‘Anti SDE AMOLED’

The Gear VR has helped Samsung make significant inroads into the virtual reality market but the headset itself leaves a lot to be desired. The relatively low screen resolution leaves users wanting more even if they’re using a flagship handset like the Galaxy S9 with the headset. This is due to a phenomenon called the “Screen Door Effect (SDE).”

Simply put, the Screen Door Effect is the fine black grid of lines that you will sometimes notice when immersed in a VR experience. That’s actually the space between each individual pixel and it’s called SDR because it basically feels like you’re looking at the VR experience through a mesh screen door.

Anti SDE AMOLED

Samsung appears to be working on a solution for this. The company has filed a trademark application for the “Anti SDE AMOLED” moniker before the European Union Intellectual Property Office. As the name suggests, this brand name will be used for an AMOLED screen that will not suffer from the Screen Door Effect in virtual reality.

No technical details of the Anti SDE AMOLED screen itself have surfaced at this point in time so it’s difficult to ascertain at this point in time whether this will be an AMOLED display with a higher resolution or with a different subpixel layout. The company did show off its most pixel-dense VR display yet at the SID 2018 a month ago, it was a 2.43-inch panel with a resolution of 3840×2160 pixels, that’s 1200 PPI.

It’s also within the realm of possibility that the Anti SDE AMOLED may just be the moniker for this high-resolution virtual reality screen but it’s just speculation at this point in time. Samsung is expected to jump to 4K UHD resolution AMOLED screens at some point in the future but it’s not going to happen with the Galaxy Note 9 so it would be best not to hold out hope that whatever this trademark is hinting at is going to be announced on August 9 alongside the Galaxy Note 9 in New York City.

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