Galaxy Watch release pegged for August 24 alongside the Galaxy Note 9

Quite a few reports over the past couple of months have suggested that Samsung will be bringing its smartwatch under the Galaxy umbrella. What was initially believed to be called the Gear S4 may actually be launched as the Galaxy Watch.

What is unknown is when the new smartwatch will be announced. Previous reports suggest it will be unveiled at the IFA 2018 convention in Berlin this September. A new report out of South Korea claims that not only will the new smartwatch be announced on August 9, the Galaxy Watch release has also been pegged for August 24 alongside the Galaxy Note 9.

Galaxy Watch release

Samsung has already confirmed the August 9 event for the Galaxy Note 9. It hasn’t even teased that a new smartwatch may also be on the agenda.

ZDNet Korea reports that the Galaxy Watch will be unveiled alongside the Galaxy Note 9 on August 9. Contrary to rumors, the smartwatch won’t be powered by Wear OS. It’s still a Tizen device which will be available in two versions that differ in size.

The report also adds that the Galaxy Watch will have many healthcare features and Samsung will offer “killer apps” related to the fitness features.

Pre-orders for the Galaxy Watch will reportedly begin on August 14, the same day that pre-orders for the new smartwatch open. Both devices will then be released to the public on August 24. The August 24 release date for the Galaxy Note 9 has been mentioned by multiple reports already.

Since this is the company’s first smartwatch under the Galaxy umbrella, it would make sense from a marketing standpoint to launch it alongside a new Galaxy flagship. The increased focus on its new flagship may also help the company better promote its new smarwatch.

This is the first that we are hearing about the Galaxy Watch possibly being launched and released alongside the Galaxy Note 9. If there’s truth to this we may see other reports reiterate this in the days to come.

The post Galaxy Watch release pegged for August 24 alongside the Galaxy Note 9 appeared first on SamMobile.

from SamMobile https://ift.tt/2L0VTUG
via IFTTT

So, about that Galaxy Note 9 leak: What do you think of the design?

And so it begins. Some of you are probably remembering The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers after reading those words, and they are quite fitting when it comes to Galaxy Note 9 leaks. We have seen plenty of rumors and reports about the Galaxy Note 9, and unofficial renders had also leaked out last month, giving us our first look at what the phone may look like. Samsung CEO DJ Koh offered a tantalizing teaser when he used a test version of the Galaxy Note 9 out in public, and today, the first live shots of the device have been leaked online.

Galaxy Note 9 leak floodgates are truly open

When such a leak comes around, it opens the floodgates for more damaging leaks in the days leading up to a new flagship’s official unveiling, ruining any surprises that the maker of the device may have been planning. We’re sure Samsung also just goes with the flow at this point, as all of its efforts to stem leaks around its flagship phones fail miserably every six months. And, for the Galaxy Note 9, perhaps the reason why DJ Koh let himself be captured using a pre-production Note 9 is because the phone is going to look pretty much the same as its predecessor.

The leaked photos are the first solid proof that other than the repositioned fingerprint sensor at the back, the Note 9 and Note 8 are going to be pretty much indistinguishable as far as the design is concerned. And, frankly, with the Galaxy S10 and the first foldable Galaxy phone due next year, no one should have been expecting Samsung to shake things up. Last but not the least, there probably isn’t anything the company could do, other than bringing a notch into the equation or switching back to plastic and removable batteries, features some Samsung fans are still clinging on to (and hey, we are getting the biggest battery ever seen on a Note).

What’s your take on the Note 9’s design?

But that doesn’t mean everyone is going to be happy about the company keeping the Note 8 design for the Galaxy Note 9. We want to know what you think about the Note 9, now that a proper reveal has arrived. Are you okay with it looking like the Note 8, happy that at least the fingerprint sensor will be easier to reach? Or do you think Samsung could have done something to make the Note 9 stand out? Go ahead and tell us your opinion down in the comments section!

The post So, about that Galaxy Note 9 leak: What do you think of the design? appeared first on SamMobile.

from SamMobile https://ift.tt/2uEksvL
via IFTTT

First Galaxy Note 9 live images leaked online

We saw a leaked press image of the Galaxy Note 9 earlier today which gave us a good look at the upcoming flagship. The first live images of the Galaxy Note 9 have now been leaked online and they show off the front and back of the new device. The images confirm everything that we have heard about the design so far.

Galaxy Note 9 live images

The reports we heard about the Galaxy Note 9 throughout the past few months suggested that the handset would look similar to the Galaxy Note 8. An early hands-on of the Galaxy Note 9 also revealed that the device is almost identical to its predecessor.

This has been reiterated by the multiple renders of the device that we have seen so far. You’d find it difficult to tell both devices apart from a distance. Perhaps that’s what gave Samsung’s CEO to use the Galaxy Note 9 openly during a media appearance yesterday.

The Galaxy Note 9 live images, posted online by Twitter-based leaker @MMDDJ_, show a front that’s identical to the Galaxy Note 9. We can make up the new housing for the dual camera at the back. That’s one noticeable design change. The other is that the fingerprint sensor is now positioned below the camera sensors.

It’s kind of ironic to see that the sticker that reminds whoever was handed this device to “do not leak info” has not been obscured. It also says “no photo allowed” but the person is certainly raging against the machine here.

That being said, these Galaxy Note 9 live images won’t really surprise anyone who has been following all of the reports related to the new flagship. We already know that there’s not much to look forward to in the design department.

Samsung is due to unveil the Galaxy Note 9 on August 9. The event is going to take place in New York City. That’s where it will confirm when the handset will be released. Reports suggest that the Galaxy Note 9 is going to be released on August 24.

The post First Galaxy Note 9 live images leaked online appeared first on SamMobile.

from SamMobile https://ift.tt/2zLWHHN
via IFTTT

Leaked press image shows off the Galaxy Note 9 in all its glory

A seemingly official press image of the Galaxy Note 9 has been leaked online today. It’s the first proper image of its kind which shows off the upcoming Samsung flagship in all its glory. It also highlights the new S Pen that’s going to ship with the handset. We previously got a glimpse of the new S Pen when some promotional material for the Galaxy Note 9 was leaked last week.

Galaxy Note 9 leaked press image

It has been reported multiple times that the Galaxy Note 9 will look somewhat similar to its predecessor. This leaked press image reiterates that. Some might find it difficult to tell the two devices apart from the front. The image has been leaked online by @evleaks who has a solid track record with such leaks.

Some noticeable design changes are present at the back. There’s a new housing for the rear dual camera setup which has retained its horizontal placement. The fingerprint sensor is now placed below the camera sensors and not alongside them. We also pointed this out when Samsung CEO DJ Koh was spotted using the Galaxy Note 9 in public yesterday.

This image also points out that Samsung has gone for a blue and gold color combination and it doesn’t look all that bad to be honest. The S Pen is all gold with the exception of the top which has a hint of blue. The device itself is entirely in blue.

The S Pen is reportedly going to be one of the unique selling points of this handset as it’s going to feature Bluetooth support. This will enable the stylus to offer features that one wouldn’t normally expect from the S Pen.

We’re less than a month away from the official launch of Samsung’s new flagship. The company will unveil the Galaxy Note 9 on August 9. It’s expected to start taking pre-orders from mid-August with a release pegged at August 24. Samsung will confirm the pricing and release information officially at its event on August 9.

The post Leaked press image shows off the Galaxy Note 9 in all its glory appeared first on SamMobile.

from SamMobile https://ift.tt/2JuXaxN
via IFTTT

Tip: Enable Always On Display only when charging with Good Lock 2018

I’ve never been a fan of Always On Display. It’s a neat feature, but the toll it takes on a phone’s battery life makes it less compelling. As a user of Samsung’s wireless charger, though, I had felt the lack of the ability to have AOD enabled only when the phone was being charged was a major oversight. That was nearly three years ago, and such an option still doesn’t exist despite all the other features AOD has picked up. But hey, it seems I’m not the only one who wants such a feature. Perhaps that’s why the new Good Lock 2018 app makes it possible to have AOD enabled only when the device is being charged.

Good Lock 2018’s Routines app holds the key

Good Lock 2018 comes with various individual apps that let you customize the user interface to your heart’s content. One of those apps is Routines. It lets you define custom tasks by combining various functions (those who have used the popular app Tasker will feel instantly at home with Routines). And while Good Lock 2018 leaves it to us to be imaginative, there are a couple of preloaded ‘routines’, one of which is called ‘Always On Display while charging’. You just have to enable this particular routine and, voila, you can start taking advantage of Always On Display when you charge your phone and leave it disabled at other times.

Good Lock 2018 doesn’t work on all devices, but every Samsung flagship is supported since the Galaxy S7 (and let’s face it: flagships are the biggest culprits when it comes to not-so-dependable battery life). So if you want to have AOD enabled only when you are charging your phone, give Good Lock 2018 and its Routines feature a go.

If Good Lock isn’t officially available in your country, follow these instructions to sideload it on to your device. Then, open Good Lock 2018, tap Routines, then enable the Always On Display while charging routine in the My Routines menu.

The post Tip: Enable Always On Display only when charging with Good Lock 2018 appeared first on SamMobile.

from SamMobile https://ift.tt/2NVLnfq
via IFTTT

Best Amazon Canada Prime Day deals on Samsung devices

Amazon Canada is offering attractive discounts on many Samsung devices as part of the Amazon Prime Day sale. The deals include plenty of attractive bundles and individual products, and we have listed below some of our top picks below.

Best Samsung Amazon Prime deals in Canda

• Galaxy S9+ Unlocked Smartphone + Samsung Icon X + Wireless Charging Kit Bundle – CDN$ 1,100
• Galaxy S9 Unlocked Smartphone + Samsung Icon X + Wireless Charging Kit Bundle – CDN$ 960
• Gear S3 Frontier Smartwatch with AFC Convertible Wireless Charger Bundle – CDN$ 400
• Samsung 960 EVO Series – 500GB PCIe NVMe – M.2 Internal SSD – CDN$ 210
• Samsung 960 EVO Series – 1TB PCIe NVMe – M.2 Internal SSD – CDN$ 430

We will continuously update the post with all the Samsung deals we come across on Amazon Canada. You can also go to this Amazon Canada page to access many of the Samsung deals.

If you are in the US, check out our list of deals on Amazon US here. If you are from the UK, you can find the Amazon UK deals here.

The post Best Amazon Canada Prime Day deals on Samsung devices appeared first on SamMobile.

from SamMobile https://ift.tt/2mpfu20
via IFTTT

Deezer’s lossless audio comes to Samsung soundbars and wireless speakers

In a press release, Samsung has announced that Deezer’s HiFi music streaming is now available on select Samsung soundbars and wireless speakers. The addition of Deezer brings superior sound quality and personalized recommendations to Samsung users.

For those who are unaware of Deezer, it’s a music streaming service that emphasizes sound quality over everything else. It is aimed at audiophiles who prefer to listen to music in its original quality. Unlike most other streaming services which compresses music, Deezer HiFi prioritizes quality and offers lossless audio by streaming at 16-Bit/ 44.1 kHz. The service also offers smart recommendations based on usage.

Available in more than 180 countries

Deezer provides ad-free and unlimited access to 36 million HiFi tracks on a wide variety of devices. The paid service is available in more than 180 countries. Unfortunately, the press release doesn’t mention anything about the list of supported soundbars and wireless speakers.

“At Samsung, we prioritize innovation and sound quality when introducing audio products to our consumers. We are driven by our commitment to providing a listening experience that’s unrivaled by our competitors, and our partnership with Deezer speaks directly to our mission to produce the best sound quality in the market, ” said Taeho Park, VP of Visual Display Business, Samsung Electronics.

The post Deezer’s lossless audio comes to Samsung soundbars and wireless speakers appeared first on SamMobile.

from SamMobile https://ift.tt/2zKwBoy
via IFTTT

Galaxy Note 8 July 2018 security patch rolling out

Ever since it detailed the latest security maintenance release earlier this month, Samsung is now gradually rolling out the July 2018 security patch to compatible devices. The update has already been released for the Galaxy J2 Pro, Galaxy J6, Galaxy S8 and the Galaxy A7 (2017). It’s now out for the Galaxy Note 8 (SM-N950F).

Galaxy Note 8 July 2018 security patch

Samsung has started rolling out firmware version N950FXXS4CRG1 for the Galaxy Note 8 in markets like the Netherlands, Italy, Germany and others in addition to the Baltic states. The official changelog mentions that the update brings stability improvements for the device and repairs bugs. Further performance improvements are included as well.

The security patch for the month of July 2018 brings fixes for four critical vulnerabilities. It also fixes dozens of high and moderate-risk vulnerabilities in the Android operating system. Nine Vulnerabilities and Exposures items discovered in Samsung’s own software have been fixed with this maintenance release as well.

The update is now rolling out in the aforementioned markets over-the-air. The relevant firmware files are also available for download from our firmware section. It’s only a matter of time now before the Galaxy Note 8 receives the July 2018 security patch in other markets across the globe as well.

The post Galaxy Note 8 July 2018 security patch rolling out appeared first on SamMobile.

from SamMobile https://ift.tt/2mt6N7f
via IFTTT

Samsung announces first 8GB LPDDR5 DRAM for smartphones

Samsung officially announced its 8GB LPDDR5 DRAM chip for smartphones today. The company says that this is the industry’s first 10nm class 8GB LPDDR5 chip. It’s pertinent to mention here that Samsung was the first to bring the 8GB LPDDR4 chip to mass production back in 2014 as well. This new chip will support Samsung’s objective of transitioning to the LPDDR5 standard for use in upcoming 5G and AI-powered mobile applications.

The latest addition to Samsung’s premium DRAM lineup joins the 10nm class 16GB GDDR6 DRAM which has been in volume production since December 2017. The 16GB DDR5 DRAM which was developed in February is also in the lineup.

8GB LPDDR5 DRAM for smartphones

With a data rate of 6,400 Mb/s, the 8GB LPDDR5 DRAM chip is 1.5 times as fast as the mobile DRAM chips used in current flagship devices. Existing flagships like the Galaxy S9 feature LPDDR4X RAM chips with data rates of 4,266 Mb/s. This increased transfer rate enables the LPDDR5 chip to send 51.2 GB of data, which is equal to 14 full-HD video files, in one second.

Samsung will offer the new chip in two bandwidths – 6,400 Mb/s at a 1.1 operating voltage (V) and 5,500 Mb/s at 1.05V. Samsung thus bills it as the “most versatile mobile memory solution” for next-generation smartphones and automotive systems. The company was able to achieve this performance advancement by doubling the number of memory subdivisions within a DRAM cell from eight to 16. The new memory can thus attain a much higher speed while reducing power consumption.

The new LPDDR5 chip will offer a “deep sleep mode” which will reduce power usage to approximately half the “idle mode” of the current LPDDR4X DRAM. Samsung claims that the new chip can deliver power consumption reductions of up to 30 percent which will go a long way in extending the battery life of smartphones. The chip will be capable of powering artificial intelligence and machine learning applications. It will be UHD-compatible for mobile devices worldwide as well.

Samsung has completed functional testing and validation of a prototype 8GB LPDDR5 DRAM package. It will begin mass production of this chip in the near future. We probably won’t see this chip in the Galaxy Note 9 but we can certainly expect it onboard the Galaxy S10 next year.

The post Samsung announces first 8GB LPDDR5 DRAM for smartphones appeared first on SamMobile.

from SamMobile https://ift.tt/2uNqNoT
via IFTTT

Exclusive: Full Galaxy Tab S4 specifications revealed

The Galaxy Tab S4, Samsung’s next flagship tablet, is going to be out in a couple of months. We’ve already seen a couple of leaked renders of the tablet and it has also picked up its FCC certification recently. Early benchmark listings revealed some specifications of the tablet but we can now exclusively confirm the full Galaxy Tab S4 specifications.

Galaxy Tab S4 specifications

As expected, the Galaxy Tab S4 specifications include the 16:10 aspect ratio 10.5-inch 2560×1600 pixel resolution Super AMOLED display. It’s powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 processor with 4GB LPDDR4X RAM and 64GB of storage. The tablet also features a USB 3.1 port, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS and Wi-Fi 802.11 ac. There’s a 13-megapixel rear and 8-megapixel front camera as well.

The tablet is going to ship with Android 8.1 Oreo out of the box and it’s going to be backed up by a 7,300mAh battery. In addition to AKG tuned audio, the new tablet will also have support for DeX, Samsung’s productivity platform, which will enable the tablet to power a PC-like experience when connected to an external display through the dock.

The Galaxy Tab S4 isn’t going to have a fingerprint sensor. You won’t find it on the front and it’s certainly not on the back. Samsung has decided to do away with the fingerprint sensor on its flagship tablet. The Galaxy Tab S4 will have the iris scanner instead which will be used to control access to the device.

We exclusively reported last month that the Galaxy Tab S4 is going to be available in Black and Gray colors. A recent leak also revealed that Samsung has developed a new S Pen for the Galaxy Tab S4. It’s unclear at this point in time, though, if the tablet’s new S Pen will have Bluetooth support and additional features like the Galaxy Note 9’s S Pen.

Samsung hasn’t confirmed so far when it’s going to launch the Galaxy Tab S4. Chances are we’ll see the company unveil the device at the IFA 2018 convention in Berlin this September.

The post Exclusive: Full Galaxy Tab S4 specifications revealed appeared first on SamMobile.

from SamMobile https://ift.tt/2LhMes4
via IFTTT