Fortnite for Android demoed on a Galaxy S9 ahead of Galaxy Note 9 launch

Fortnite for Android is expected to launch alongside the Galaxy Note 9 as an exclusive for Samsung’s new flagship, with the game’s developer (Epic Games) going to great lengths to make sure the game doesn’t run if it doesn’t pass checks that confirm the device being used is a Galaxy Note 9. The folks over at XDA Developers, however, have been able to get around those checks and have managed to try the game out on a Galaxy S9+.

Fortnite for Android demoed on a Galaxy S9+

The game seems to run without issues at the highest quality settings. That shouldn’t be surprising thanks to the not-so-intensive graphics and the phone’s high-end processor. It was also able to run on a Pixel 2 XL and an Essential Phone, but rooted devices are a no go. That’s also unsurprising because Fortnite is a multiplayer title and cannot allow cheating and other hacks, which rooting makes possible. Word has it that the game could be exclusive to the Galaxy Note 9 for up to three months, with Samsung offering free in-game credits as part of its many pre-order Note 9 promotions.

And while the Note devices are supposed to be all about creativity and productivity, Samsung seems to have taken a lot of effort to gain exclusivity to Fortnite. Once that exclusivity ends, owners of other Android devices will have to download Fortnite for Android for free from its official website to start playing. Because of the 30 percent cut Google commands for all apps and games on the Play Store for in-app purchases, Epic Games will not be putting the game up on Android’s official app store.

Check out the gameplay video and let us know what you think of the Note 9’s exclusive rights over Fortnite.

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Samsung Chile can neither confirm nor deny the Galaxy Note 9 rumors

It is becoming increasingly difficult for smartphone manufacturers to keep their new devices under wraps until the official announcement. Credible online leaks about unannounced smartphones are reaching a point where official announcements are just becoming customary. The state of Galaxy Note 9 leaks is no different as pretty much everything about the device has been leaked online, leaving Samsung with little to surprise at the launch event.

Samsung Chile Newsroom has come up with a “What to expect from the new Galaxy Note 9?” post (in Spanish) that tries to (sort of) address all the leaks and rumors. As the Galaxy Note 9 leaks are so extensive and seemingly accurate, Samsung Chile couldn’t officially deny them. It has instead decided to make a roundup of major leaks and rumors by just saying “Most of these aspects are just rumors, which can hardly be confirmed before the official launch.”

Leakers got it right once again

Samsung has played it safe with the Galaxy battery capacities after the Note 7 debacle, and it seems the company is now finally ready to move forward. All the leaks so far have pointed to a large 4000 mAh battery in the Galaxy Note 9 – something which most Samsung fans have been asking for. Drumming up the hype, Samsung has released a teaser video promising better battery life on its new flagship smartphone. The post refers to these battery ‘rumors’ by saying, “Rumors say……reach the end of the day without the pressure of calculating the remaining time of their battery.”

Next in line are the leaks about the increased phone storage. It is reported widely that the Galaxy Note 9 will have double the base storage and a 512 GB variant, which when combined with the microSD slot can theoretically offer up to a terabyte of phone storage. The blog post comments on this ‘rumor’ by stating, “According to what can be seen in the teaser videos and in the information that has come out in different media, the Note 9 would break that cycle incorporating more storage capacity than its predecessor Note 8.”

Samsung also talks about the leaks surrounding Fortnite for Android’s debut as a timed-exclusive on the Galaxy Note 9. The post doesn’t openly mention the Fortnite game, but comments, “And it seems that Samsung’s new Galaxy Note 9 could exclusively include a recognized and popular zombie video game, thus becoming the first device to allow download in Android format.”

With all these leaks and no official denials, it is safe to say internet leakers have robbed the excitement from one more smartphone launch.

Note: Since the Samsung Chile Newsroom post is in Spanish, parts of the Google translated version used above may sound oddly worded or grammatically poor.

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Where to watch the Galaxy Note 9 event live

The wait will finally be over for Samsung fans tomorrow. The company will take to the stage in New York City to unveil the Galaxy Note 9. Don’t worry if you didn’t get an invite. We’ll tell you where you can watch Galaxy Note 9 event live online.

We’re also on the ground in New York to bring you all of the updates from the launch event. It’s going to be an exciting time as Samsung lifts the veil off of its new flagship phablet.

Where to watch Galaxy Note 9 event live

Much has already been rumored about the Galaxy Note 9. We have also seen countless leaked renders and images of the device itself. This is in addition to the stream of information that has flowed in daily over the past few weeks.

All of the reports so far have suggested that there won’t be many changes in the design department. That’s not exactly a bad thing since the Galaxy Note 8 had an impressive design. As far as the specs are concerned, we can expect it to feature the latest processors, up to 8GB of RAM, the dual camera system from the Galaxy S9+ and more.

The S Pen might receive a big update this year as well. Reports suggest that the stylus will have Bluetooth support which will enable it to double as a remote control for the camera. It may even offer some functionality in games as well.

Samsung will confirm pricing and availability information for the Galaxy Note 9 at the event. The company is taking registrations for the handset in the United States. It mentions on its website that those who register now are guaranteed delivery by August 24.

Do check back in tomorrow to follow our coverage of the Galaxy Note 9 launch event. You will also be able to watch the live stream on Samsung’s website. The event kicks off at 11 AM EST in the United States, 4 PM BST in the United Kingdom, and 8:30 PM IST in India.

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Samsung makes huge investments to rebuild its credibility in South Korea

Samsung’s brand image took a huge hit in Korea when the company’s heir apparent Lee Jae-yong got arrested in 2017 in a high-profile corruption scandal involving, among others, the former South Korean President Park Geun-hye. Though Lee is finally out from jail after an intense legal battle that resulted in the suspension of his sentence, it is not enough for the company to restore its reputation in the country.

According to a report in Yonhap News, Samsung is undertaking a major investment project worth 180 trillion won (US$160 billion) as part of company’s strategy to rebuild its credibility in South Korea. This larger than expected investment includes the hiring of 40,000 new employees by the company.

Hiring more people

Prior to this, Samsung Electronics Services arm had announced in April that it would take 8,000 workers from its subcontractors as employees. The company also entered into an agreement in a long-standing dispute over compensation for its factory workers suffering from diseases. Industry analysts are seeing all of these efforts from Samsung as attempts to repair its tainted image in the country.

Since his release from prison in February, Lee has kept a low profile without making public appearances. He undertook trips to meet with various business leaders and explore opportunities in emerging fields. Lee also apparently met with Korean government officials to improve the working relationship between the two. Making his first major public appearance, he shared the stage with the current South Korean President Moon Jae-in in India when Samsung inaugurated the world’s largest mobile factory last month.

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Samsung Internet Go will come preloaded on Samsung’s Android Go phone

Many leaks have confirmed that Samsung is gearing up to launch its first Android Go smartphone in the near future. The device even underwent many certifications, confirming its imminent launch and possible Galaxy J2 Core branding. Even before the budget smartphone hits the market, its firmware made its way online in our database.

It appears Samsung’s Android Go smartphone will come with a ‘Go’ version of its browser app Samsung Internet. An APK of the same can be found in the firmware files, giving us a glimpse of what it brings to the table. As to be expected, the Go variant lacks many of the features found in the regular Samsung Internet app.

Lacks many useful features

Android Police says the Go version uses Android WebView to display web pages, which doesn’t inspire much confidence in its performance. While the interface looks similar to the regular version, it lacks almost all the features that attract users to Samsung’s browser in the first place. Extensions (such as an blocker), night mode, and even Samsung Cloud Sync are missing from the app. The upside, if you can call it so, of removing all these features is that Samsung was able to bring down the size of the app from around 80 MB to just 17 MB.

You can download the APK from here if you want to give it a try. It fails to install on the Galaxy S8, Galaxy S9 or Galaxy Note 8 for sure, so we are not sure about the minimum compatibility requirements. Our guess is that it probably requires Android 8.1 Oreo, which is not yet available on any Samsung smartphone (we’re currently travelling to New York for the Note 9 launch, so we are unable to test the app on the Galaxy Tab S4, which runs Android 8.1).

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Samsung’s new roadmap delays Oreo update for budget and mid-range phones to 2019

Samsung may delay the release of the Oreo update for some of its budget and mid-range devices till 2019. We had come across the company’s official roadmap for the Oreo update in the Samsung Members app last month, which said the update would arrive for some devices by December this year. Samsung’s new roadmap now says the update for many of those devices is expected to come out in early 2019.

Oreo update for various Galaxy devices further delayed?

The update schedule that Samsung had posted last month was not totally correct, as the company had said that devices like the Galaxy Tab S3 were yet to receive Oreo even though they already had. But the new notice posted in the Samsung Members app has corrected that part, while also posting new dates for the update for devices that are yet to be updated to Oreo. Devices like the Galaxy C9 Pro, Galaxy C7 Pro, Galaxy A9 Pro, Galaxy J2 (2018), Galaxy Tab A (2017) and Galaxy On5 (2016) are now expected to be updated in January next year.

In fact, owners of at least two devices – the Galaxy J7 Max and Galaxy J7 (2016) – might have to wait till March 2019. But what’s interesting is that the Galaxy J7 (2016) is apparently eligible for Android 8.0 Oreo, which would be its second major upgrade. Samsung only offers one major update for its budget phones right now, so it would be a notable change in policy (and a welcome one at that). But Samsung does mention that some devices may not get the update if they are found unsuitable to run the newer version of Android, so it’s best not to get too hopeful in this regard.

The roadmap may change again

Since these update roadmaps vary by country, Oreo could arrive much earlier for some of the devices on the list. And, like Samsung says, the schedules can change based on development and approval processes. One can only hope the next such change in schedule brings it back to 2018 instead of further delaying things, especially with Android 9.0 Pie also expected to take up the company’s time in the coming months.

To see the roadmap for your country, open the Samsung Members app, bring up the hamburger menu by swiping in from the left edge of the display, then tap Notices. Do let us know if the schedule you see is different from the one seen in the image above.

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