Rollout of the Galaxy S7 Oreo update is yet to be completed

It’s been more than three months since Samsung first released the Android 8.0 Oreo update for the Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge. The Galaxy S7 is no longer the latest flagship, so it wasn’t surprising to see the company had taken a bit too long to start rolling out the second major upgrade for the device to its consumers. But once things kicked off, you would expect three months to be enough for the update to reach every user across the globe. That clearly hasn’t happened, as the Galaxy S7 Oreo update hasn’t been released in quite a few markets yet.

Galaxy S7 Oreo update missing in action for some

The Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge aren’t going to receive any more major Android updates, so Android 8.0 Oreo would be the last big hurrah before Samsung settles into an extended period of support with security updates for the next couple of years. But Samsung is also taking a lot of time with the Oreo update for the S7 and S7 edge. There are more than a handful of markets where Oreo hasn’t been released. We’re talking about unlocked models that aren’t tied to any carrier or network operator and should technically receive such updates without much delay. The unlocked models in the US are sitting on Nougat as well.

Samsung did take until August to bring Nougat to the Galaxy S7 in some countries last year. Since Nougat was the first major upgrade, the fact that it took until August for it to be released for some markets can be a worrying sign of how long it will take for Oreo to reach everyone. It’s already mid-July, and since the number of countries where Oreo isn’t yet available isn’t very small, there may still be a considerable wait for some Galaxy S7 and S7 edge owners before the new version of Android comes knocking.

Have you received Oreo on your Galaxy S7 or Galaxy S7 edge? If not, do leave a comment and tell us your country of residence.

Status report: Samsung’s Galaxy and the Android 8.0 Oreo update

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Samsung CEO spotted using the Galaxy Note 9 in public

We’ve seen many leaks concerning the Galaxy Note 9 so far and it’s evident that the upcoming device doesn’t look all that different from the Galaxy Note 8. However, the placement of the fingerprint sensor at the back has been changed and that’s one of the ways you’ll be quickly able to differentiate between the two devices.

Since there aren’t any major design differences between the two devices, Samsung mobile division CEO DJ Koh feels pretty confident in using the Galaxy Note 9 in public. He was spotted using the new flagship at a media appearance earlier today.

Samsung CEO with the Galaxy Note 9

Samsung hasn’t unveiled the Galaxy Note 9 officially as yet. It’s going to do that on August 9. That’s when everyone will be able to see what the device looks like. We mentioned in our detailed coverage of Galaxy Note 9 leaks and rumors that the device looks almost identical to its predecessor.

The bottom bezel at the front is reportedly going to be slightly thinner than it was on the Galaxy Note 8. Other than that, both devices will look identical. The only noticeable design change will be at the back where the dual camera system gets a new housing. The fingerprint sensor won’t be located alongside the camera sensors but below it.

We can clearly see that Koh was using the Galaxy Note 9 during his media appearance by zooming into the photo. The fingerprint sensor isn’t where one would find it on the Galaxy Note 8 but below the camera sensors as it’s expected to be on the Galaxy Note 9.

He’s doing something on his device with the S Pen but his hand covers most of it so it’s difficult to see what design changes have been made to the new stylus. An earlier leak revealed the Galaxy Note 9’s S Pen in all its glory. The new S Pen will have Bluetooth support which will enable it to perform a whole host of new features.

The Galaxy Note 9 will be announced on August 9 in New York City. Samsung is expected to release it on August 24.

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Galaxy S8 update brings July security patch, camera improvements

Samsung has released a software update for the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ in Brazil, bringing the latest security patch to the device. The Galaxy S8 is the first flagship Galaxy phone to be getting the July security patch, although the debut happened earlier this month with Verizon’s variant in the United States. It remains to be seen when the update will be released in other countries.

Galaxy S8 update released in Brazil

The update for Brazil isn’t only about security fixes. It also brings camera and Bluetooth stability improvements. Well, it’s what the changelog for the last Galaxy S8 update said, so it might just be Samsung repeating the same list of changes instead of actually making additional improvements. In any case, the July 2018 security patch should be enough reason for Galaxy S8 owners to download the update.

The build number of the update is G950FXXS3CRG1 and G955FXXS3CRG1 for the S8 and S8+ respectively. You can download it from the Settings » Software update menu on your Galaxy S8 or Galaxy S8+. It is also available for download from our firmware database, and you should be able to update via Samsung Smart Switch as well. For details on the July 2018 security patch and the various security fixes it includes, check out this post.

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SamMobile Firmware Update Magazine: July 16, 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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Best Amazon Prime Day deals on Samsung devices in the United States

Amazon Prime Day will go live in the United States in a few hours, and plenty of products will be on offer with huge discounts. These products will include those from Samsung, so we have taken the pains to sort out a few deals that shouldn’t be missed.

The deals will be updated as the day goes on, so be sure to check back later on. For those wondering, Prime Day kicks off at 3 PM Eastern Time in the United States and will last for a day and a half. You will need to be a Prime member to take advantage of these deals.

Best Samsung Amazon Prime deals

• Galaxy S8 (Unlocked, 64GB) – $499.99
• Samsung Gear S2 – $159.55
• Samsung Gear S3 Frontier – $327.00
• Galaxy J7 Pro (32GB) – $231.98
• Galaxy J7 Sky Pro (Prepaid, LTE) – $99.99
• Galaxy J3 Luna Pro (Prepaid, LTE) – $49.99

If you’re in the United Kingdom, check out the dedicated list of deals available from Amazon UK.

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Best Amazon UK Prime Day deals on Samsung devices

It’s that day of the year when Amazon lets its Prime subscribers take advantage of some excellent deals on electronic products (and a lot of other stuff in general). As usual, there’s quite a few discounts on various Samsung devices, from smartphones through smartwatches to gaming monitors and TVs.

We have been looking around for some excellent Prime Day deals in the UK so you don’t have to, and we have listed those deals below. We will be updating this page as and when new deals show up, so be sure to check back later! Keep in mind that some deals may not immediately be available, but you will be able to see the time they go live by clicking on their Amazon links. Also remember that you will need to be an Amazon Prime subscriber to truly take advantage of these deals.

Amazon UK Prime Day deals

• Samsung Gear Sport – £199.99
• Galaxy S8 (64GB) with free Samsung Evo Plus 64GB microSD card – £439.99
• Samsung LU32H850UMUXEN 32-Inch UHD 4K Gaming Monitor – £399.99

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Exynos 9820 shows up on Geekbench running on a Galaxy Note 9

So a Galaxy Note 9 just showed up on Geekbench with the Exynos 9820 inside. We know what you’re thinking: Why would Samsung be bringing in its next new Exynos chip with the Galaxy Note 9, and how did the company even get the Exynos 9820 ready in time for use in its upcoming flagship? Well, if the Geekbench listing of a Galaxy Note 9 powered by the Exynos 9820 isn’t outright fake, Samsung may be testing the chip with existing hardware.

The benchmark details don’t match up

Testing of a new SoC with existing hardware is quite normal, and the X in the model number (SM-N960X) means the device tested on Geekbench was a demo device. However, this particular listing of the Note 9 also has only 4GB of RAM and runs Android 8.0 instead of Android 8.1. Most of the details, such as the processor architecture and RAM, match those of the Galaxy S8. But it wouldn’t explain the scores achieved by this particular Note 9, which are higher than anything you would find for even the Galaxy S9 or S9+ running on an Exynos 9810.

They’re not that higher than the scores for the S9 or S9+, though, at least when compared to the highest scores for the S9 family that one can find on Geekbench. And at this point in time, it’s hard to say what’s true and what’s not. The Exynos 9820 is expected to have some performance gains owing to the 7nm process it will be manufactured on, but how much of a lead it has over the Exynos 9810 will only be confirmed next year when the Galaxy S10 is unveiled.

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Galaxy Tab A2 XL may sport a dedicated Bixby button

The various leaks and certifications have already confirmed the impending launch of the Galaxy Tab A2 XL. Considering the codename gta2xl and the model number SM-T590 (SM-T595 for the LTE variant), the Galaxy Tab A2 XL appears to be a successor to the Galaxy Tab A 10.1 (2016) which carried the codename gtaxl and model numbers SM-T580/T585.

XDA Developers, with the help of one of their regular contributers, have uncovered some details about the upcoming tablet by digging into the device’s firmware files. The files apparently mention support for a “wink_key,” which when cross-referenced with the Galaxy S8, S9 and Note 8 firmware, turns out to be a codename for the Bixby button. It means that the Galaxy Tab A2 XL might sport a dedicated Bixby button, similar to the one found in Samsung flagship phones.

Will be powered by a Snapdragon 450 SoC

The firmware files also revealed some of the specifications of the tablet. It comes with a Snapdragon 450 SoC, 5MP rear camera, and Android 8.1 Oreo. There is some confusion on the screen size and type as the firmware files mention a TV101WUM display panel while other reports point to a 10.5″ or a 10.1″ LCD panel. The files also confirm that the device will come with a fingerprint scanner, although we couldn’t see one in the leaked images.

While uncovering specifications through firmware files is a bit more credible than other unverified reports, it is still far from a done deal. Things could always change before the launch, and so it is prudent to not take any of this information as final. With Bixby 2.0 on the horizon, it would be a sensible step for Samsung to start putting the Bixby key on non-flagship devices, but it remains to be seen if that turns out to be the case.

We don’t know when Samsung is planning to launch the Galaxy Tab A2 XL, but the certifications do indicate the date is not too far.

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Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 edge get June 2018 security update

The Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 edge are more than three years old at this point, so one would expect to see fewer security updates for these devices. And while that may be the case in general, Samsung has released an update that brings the June 2018 security patch to the S6 and S6 edge in quite a few European countries. These include the Netherlands, Greece, Poland, Bulgaria, Romania, and Switzerland, among others.

Galaxy S6 security update release in Europe

The update brings with it build number G920FXXU6ERF5 and G925FXXU6ERF5 for the Galaxy S6 and S6 edge respectively. Don’t expect to see anything new or different other than improved security, though. It’s already impressive these phones are being treated to a security update so late in their life cycle. The Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 edge are not in either the monthly or quarterly update schedule anymore, so any updates henceforth are likely to be randomly released in various regions, just like they are for even older phones like the Galaxy S5. 

To download the update, open the Settings app on your phone, tap Software update, then tap Download updates manually. Our firmware database has the complete firmware files (S6 | S6 edge) for all markets where the update has been released, so you can take matters into your own hands if the update isn’t available directly on your Galaxy S6 or S6 edge.

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Galaxy Note 9 pre-orders to open in mid-August

We’re less than a month away from the day when Samsung will unveil its new flagship smartphone, the Galaxy Note 9. The company has only confirmed the date for the launch event so far and it will reveal the information about pricing and availability on August 9. A new report out of South Korea reveals that the Galaxy Note 9 pre-orders will open in mid-August.

Galaxy Note 9 pre-orders

The Galaxy Note 9 will be unveiled a couple of weeks earlier than its predecessor. Samsung launched the Galaxy Note 8 on August 23 last year and the handset was released on September 15. Samsung hasn’t confirmed the release date as yet but we know that it will unveil the new flagship on August 9.

Multiple reports have pegged the Galaxy Note 9 release date on August 24. It has been reiterated in today’s report as well which claims that the Galaxy Note 9 pre-orders will open in mid-August, at least in Samsung’s home country of South Korea.

It’s not difficult to believe that this might be the case. It’s common for pre-orders to open a few days after a new flagship has been announced. Samsung’s carrier and retail partners will accept Galaxy Note 9 pre-orders for a week or so before eventually releasing the handset.

The new handset might arrive a bit later in some markets, though, but we can expect all major markets to receive the Galaxy Note 9 on the release date. The Galaxy Note 8 was officially available in 42 countries across the globe on its release date which included the United States, South Korea, Singapore and major markets in Europe.

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Galaxy A series rumored to get in-display fingerprint sensor in 2019

It has long been rumored that Samsung will introduce an in-display fingerprint sensor to its smartphones. The company was expected to do that with the Galaxy Note 9 this year but that’s not going to happen. The in-display fingerprint sensor will be integrated into multiple Samsung devices starting next year.

A new rumor out of China claims that the Galaxy S10 won’t be the only handset from Samsung to get the in-display fingerprint sensor. The Galaxy A series (2019) is rumored to get it as well while the Galaxy Note 10 will understandably feature it too.

Galaxy A (2019) in-display fingerprint sensor

When the rumor doesn’t mention the specifics, it’s likely that the in-display fingerprint sensor won’t be present on the cheaper Galaxy A series handsets. It’s pertinent to mention here that Samsung launches new Galaxy A series handsets about a month before the new Galaxy S flagship is unveiled at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.

This means that Samsung’s first device with an in-display fingerprint sensor may not be the Galaxy S10 and that title would go to the premium Galaxy A (2019) models instead. There are two possibilities here. Either Samsung could delay the Galaxy A (2019) launch and only announce it after the Galaxy S10 is made official or it just won’t care since most of its premium devices are going to get this feature anyway next year.

It’s certainly not surprising to hear that the Galaxy Note 10 will get the in-display fingerprint sensor as well. We would have all believed that to be the case once this component was finally made official on a Samsung smartphone.

The rumor reiterates that there will be three models of the Galaxy S10 with 5.8-inch, 6.1-inch an 6.4-inch displays. Only the 6.1-inch and 6.4-inch Galaxy S10 models are said to feature this ultrasonic in-display fingerprint sensor supplied by Qualcomm. The 6.4-inch model is also the one that’s expected to tout Samsung’s triple-camera system.

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