الجمعة، 16 نوفمبر 2018

First Galaxy A9 (2018) software update is all about the camera

The Galaxy A9 (2018) is all about the camera experience, and it’s no wonder that the first software update for the device brings some improvements to that experience. The changelog simply mentions that camera stability and picture quality has been improved, and we’ll be trying it out to see if it makes some difference between the out-of-the-box software and the updated one.

Galaxy A9 (2018) software update rolling out

The update is rolling out in markets like the Netherlands where the phone is already on sale, but the same is also being released as the initial software for countries like India, where sales will begin in the next few days. The latter are also getting the November 2018 security patch out of the box. Sadly, the update for our unit in the Netherlands comes with the October security patch. Here’s hoping Samsung jumps to the December patch with the next update instead of delaying things regularly in some countries.

The update comes with software version A920FXXU1ARKG. If you have a Galaxy A9 (2018), you can grab the update (a 125 MB download) from the Software update menu in the phone’s settings. Wondering whether the A9 (2018) is a good purchase? Look out for our review in the coming weeks to see what we think and also check out our hands-on experience.

galaxy a9 (2018) software update

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Budget Galaxy phones will now take selfies to make auto brightness work

One of the biggest complaints leveled against Samsung’s budget phones has always been the lack of an ambient light sensor. Eight years after Samsung entered the Android smartphone market with a passion (nine, if you count their first Android phone), the Korean giant is still releasing budget phones that can’t automatically adjust brightness. Clearly, something as basic as an ambient light sensor makes enough of a difference to Samsung’s margins for them to leave it out, so the company is turning to selfies to make auto brightness work.

Auto brightness? ‘Let me take a selfie’

The latest software update for the Galaxy J8 is an interesting one. Its changelog doesn’t mention any new feature by name, but along with AR Emoji and Dual VoLTE support, the update also introduces an auto brightness option to the phone. When the option is enabled, the front camera will “take a picture each time you unlock your phone.” Don’t worry, it won’t be saving those selfies. The photos will be used to give the phone an idea of what brightness setting you use for varying lighting conditions that it will later use to make decisions on its own.

samsung front camera auto brightness

So yes, you will need to continue manually adjust brightness for a few days. You will probably need to do it from time to time even after the phone has learned your brightness patterns using the front camera, but it’s still better than no auto brightness option at all. Of course, it also remains to be seen how well it will work over the long run and whether it hurts battery life.

It’s unclear if Samsung has introduced this feature to other budget phones just yet. We’re guessing recent Galaxy J series devices – like the Galaxy J4 and Galaxy J6 – will get it, and maybe they already have. If you own a J series phone that has received the auto brightness option via a software update, do let us know in the comments.

Thanks, jaison160!

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It’s a shame that Samsung’s support staff has no clue about Android Pie beta

It’s been quite a day here at SamMobile as we try to wrap our heads around the sheer incompetence displayed by Samsung’s support staff in Germany. As many of you are aware, Samsung’s Android Pie beta program was supposed to go live yesterday. The company confirmed at SDC 2018 that it would launch the beta program in November. It didn’t confirm a date but subsequent reports revealed that the first batch of supported markets would get it on November 15.

Samsung’s support staff was the primary source of that information. The representatives gave out November 15 as the launch date on more than one occasion. The beta was to go live in the United States, South Korea and Germany in the first phase. It did indeed go live yesterday, the beta is now available in South Korea as well as for carrier devices in the United States.

Support staff is causing confusion about the Android Pie beta

Germany, the only European market in the first phase, should have received the beta yesterday as well. There hasn’t even been a peep about it from Samsung. Users who have been waiting for it are understandably expressing their frustration on the official forums in Germany. Discussions have reached a fever pitch with some members apparently being banned by moderators for using indecent language. Others contend that even those who used appropriate language to inquire about the beta were banned as well.

To add to this confusion, one moderator is now claiming that it was merely a rumor that the Android Pie beta would go live in Germany yesterday which spread like wildfire. The moderator adds that they do not have information about when the beta would be launched. With this, the fact that this date was being spread by Samsung Germany’s support themselves has been effortlessly swept under the carpet. Not to mention that this expectation was completely justified as Samsung had confirmed on stage at SDC 2018 that Germany would be in the first wave of countries to get the beta.

No rumor was the basis of users’ expectations for the beta yesterday. Samsung Germany’s support reps had repeatedly confirmed the date. It’s evident that this is a miscommunication of epic proportions and all this is doing is confusing users. It’s shameful that Samsung is not being forthcoming with information. It needs to tell users if the German launch for the Android Pie beta has been delayed for whatever reason. If that’s not the case, at least it needs to acknowledge that the support reps were giving out incorrect information. The way this has been handled so far makes it feel like the users are at fault for believing what they were told.

We have long pointed out that Samsung’s support reps often don’t know what they’re talking about. They kept insisting that the Galaxy S6 would be updated to Oreo when it clearly wasn’t compatible and they were also wrong about the unlocked US Galaxy S7 not getting updates. Moreover, the reps are still insisting that the Android Pie beta will be available for the Galaxy Note 9 too. That is incorrect.

We really hope that Samsung HQ in South Korea takes notice. Its users and fans deserve better. Samsung Germany should own up to this episode of incompetence instead of passing the buck to users.

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Galaxy J8 update brings AR Emoji and dual VoLTE support

Samsung debuted the AR Emoji feature with the Galaxy S9 earlier this year. The camera feature has since made its way into most of the company’s existing flagships and mid-range smartphones, as well as some budgets ones, like the Galaxy J7 Duo. Next in Samsung’s budget lineup to get the AR Emoji feature is the Galaxy J8. The company is currently rolling out a new over the air (OTA) update for the J series smartphone.

New Galaxy J8 update also introduces dual VoLTE support

While AR Emoji in Samsung’s latest flagships work great, the feature has an enormous amount of lag when it comes to budget phones. Also, AR Emoji does not work in real time on devices other than the S9 and Note 9, so there’s no support for the Disney AR Emojis. AR Emoji in the Galaxy J8 is also expected to function the same. The new update also brings dual VoLTE support to the Galaxy J8. The update comes with software version J810GDDU2ARJ4.

To update your Galaxy J8, go to the phone’s Settings app, tap Software update, then select the Download updates manually option. You’ll get a prompt to download the update. You can also download the latest firmware from our database and install it on your phone using your desktop computer or laptop.

The post Galaxy J8 update brings AR Emoji and dual VoLTE support appeared first on SamMobile.



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Galaxy S8 getting update with November security patch in Germany

Samsung Germany left everyone hanging yesterday by not releasing the Galaxy S9 Android Pie beta, but it seems to be business as usual as far as security updates are concerned. The Galaxy S8 is being updated with the November 2018 security patch in Germany. The update comes with software version G950FXXU4CRK1.

Galaxy S8 November 2018 patch out in Germany

The update isn’t currently available over the air (OTA), so you will have to use Samsung Smart Switch or our firmware database if you don’t like waiting. We’re not expecting the changelog to include anything other than the new security patch, and neither should you. Samsung is currently busy preparing Android Pie and One UI for the Galaxy S8, so any new features are likely to arrive with the Pie update sometime next year.

The November security update is not here for the Galaxy S8+ yet. That should change soon, and we will update this article when that happens. In the meantime, you can check if the OTA is available from the Software update menu in the Settings app of your S8 or S8+.

  • Model: SM-G950F
  • Dimensions: 148.9 x 68.1 x 8.0mm
  • Display: 5.8” (146.5mm) Super AMOLED
  • CPU: Exynos 8895
  • Camera: 12 MP, Dual Pixel F1.7 OIS

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