Microsoft xCloud will bring console-level gaming to Samsung smartphones

Microsoft xCloud or Project xCloud will have support for Samsung’s smartphones and tablets. This was confirmed during the second session of Samsung’s developers’ conference in San Francisco. Project xCloud is a new game streaming service that Microsoft is working on. It will bring console-quality games to a wide variety of devices including mobile devices from Samsung.

Samsung has diligently been working to expand its gaming ecosystem to make its Galaxy devices more appealing to gamers. There are whispers that it may be working on a full-fledged gaming smartphone as well but Samsung is yet to acknowledge the existence of such a device. Microsoft unveiled its Project xCloud gaming streaming service at E3 2018 earlier this year. It will enable users to play Xbox games across multiple devices.

Microsoft xCloud will deliver a powerful gaming experience on Samsung devices

The service will allow people to play console-level games on devices that are not powerful enough to run them. Project xCloud will be powered by Microsoft’s Azure cloud technology where all of the heavy lifting will be done. The video will then be delivered from the cloud to the devices, enabling smartphone owners to play games like Halo and Red Dead Redemption.

Microsoft is aiming to provide a gaming experience on mobile devices that’s similar to what players get on the Xbox One console and PCs. It’s working to minimize lag since that’s key to a good gaming experience. Microsoft xCloud will enable players to hook up an Xbox Wireless Controller to their smartphone Bluetooth. The company has also been able to translate Xbox controls to mobile for touch-based control.

“We’re going to create a future where the hundreds of millions of people who are holding a Samsung device are also holding a gateway to a high-powered gaming experience,” said Sarah Bond, Head of Global Gaming Partnerships and Development at Microsoft.

Microsoft hasn’t provided a lot of details about Project xCloud. It has previously said that the service will enter public beta next year. The launch and pricing details are as yet unknown. It’s also safe to say that while Microsoft highlighted Project xCloud’s potential for mobile devices at Samsung’s event, the service will also be available on smartphones from other manufacturers.

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Galaxy Note 9 has already picked up one Android Pie certification

Samsung has already confirmed that the official Android Pie update for the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy Note 9 will start rolling out in January 2019. That confirmation came at its developer conference in San Francisco, where we also got a look at Samsung’s new One UI for both its regular smartphones and the upcoming foldable device. And while Galaxy Note 9 owners will not have access to the Android Pie beta program, it looks like Samsung is hard at work to make sure it is able to release Pie in January for its current flagships.

The Chinese variant of the Galaxy Note 9 has been certified by the Wi-Fi Alliance with Android 9.0 on-board, just a day after SDC 2018 kicked off. Now, it’s worth mentioning that the certification categorizes the Note 9 as a router. Smartphones are usually certified under both the phones and routers categories ahead of a market launch and before major Android upgrades. But it’s still a good sign that Samsung will be able to release a major software upgrade for its latest Note smartphone alongside the Galaxy S flagship. You know, instead of making Note owners wait a few weeks longer as usual.

Android Pie for Samsung flagships is still some ways off

This doesn’t mean that Pie will arrive in every country where the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy Note 9 are sold in January. Countries where the beta program will be available are likely to get the update first. The update should then reach other countries over the course of February and possibly March. It’s impressive that Samsung has set a January deadline for an update that will bring a major overhaul for the entire user interface, but it’s best not to hold out hope for a worldwide release of Pie at the same time.

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Samsung’s Linux on DeX beta program starts November 12

Samsung hasn’t mentioned an exact date for the Galaxy S9 Android Pie beta program yet, but the company has revealed that the beta program for Linux on Samsung DeX will kick off next week. Linux on Galaxy was announced earlier this year as a way for developers to code on the move using the DeX dock, and Samsung is now taking registrations for the beta program over on the official Linux on DeX website.

Linux on DeX requires a Galaxy Note 9 or Galaxy Tab S4

Developers attending SDC 2018 can try Linux on DeX at its dedicated booth, and they will be able to access the beta from November 12. The option to register for the program will be available until December 14th. Linux on DeX supports Ubuntu 16.04 LTS, with a customized version for DeX made in partnership with Canonical (the maker of the Ubuntu Linux distribution). Other Linux distributions may work, although Samsung isn’t offering official support for those. Linux on DeX will also require either a Galaxy Note 9 or Galaxy Tab S4. There’s no word on whether last year’s flagships will be supported at some point.

Linux on DeX will work through an app installed on the Note 9/Tab S4, but it remains to be seen if it will be the full Ubuntu experience or a limited one just for coding. Samsung’s intro video suggests it may lean towards the former, and if you’re interested in trying it out, you might want to register for the beta. Once you have registered, you will be sent a link for the app once it goes live next week.

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Galaxy Note 8 is being updated with November 2018 security patch

The November 2018 security patch is finally arriving on a flagship Galaxy. The Galaxy Note 8 looks to be the first flagship in Samsung’s lineup to be getting this month’s security patch, with an update rolling out in quite a few European countries, including Germany, Italy, Switzerland, and Romania. The software version is getting a bump to N950FXXS5CRJ6.

The Galaxy Note 8 November update comes with just the new security patch. The November patch fixes 11 critical Android OS vulnerabilities and 8 Samsung Vulnerabilities and Exposures (SVE) items (which are vulnerabilities that only affect Samsung’s software). Samsung has released the November patch for a number of non-flagship devices already, with some of them getting the latest patch as part of the Android Oreo update. Just how soon other flagship phones will be updated with the November patch remains to be seen.

The latest Galaxy Note 8 update is a 544 MB download over the air (OTA), so make sure to use a Wi-Fi connection if you don’t want to use up too much mobile data. You may alternatively download the relevant firmware from our database if you can’t access the OTA just yet.

Has the November update arrived on your Galaxy Note 8?

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