Galaxy A5 (2017) and A8 (2018) get November security patch update

More Galaxy phones are being updated with the November 2018 Android security patch this week. An update has been released for the Galaxy A5 (2017) and its successor, the Galaxy A8 (2018), bringing the latest security patch to the devices. The updates come with software versions A520FXXU7CRJG and A530FXXS3BRK6 for the A5 and A8 respectively.

Galaxy A5 (2017), Galaxy A8 (2018) November security update released

Both Galaxy A series phones are picking up the new update in different countries. Only the new security patch seems to be included in the update, which is par for the course for most of these monthly security releases. With the November patch, these devices get fixes for 11 critical Android OS vulnerabilities and 8 Samsung Vulnerabilities and Exposures (SVE) items (critical vulnerabilities that only affect Samsung’s software).

Own either of these devices? To grab the update, open the Settings app, tap Software update, then hit the Download updates manually option. No luck with the over-the-air update? Try updating using the latest firmware from our database.

Galaxy A5 2017

• Model: SM-A520F
• Dimensions: 146.1 x 71.4 x 7.9mm
• Display: 5.2" (132.2mm) Super AMOLED
• CPU: Exynos 7880 Octa
• Camera: 16 MP, CMOS F1.9

More specifications

Galaxy A8

• Model: SM-A530F
• Dimensions: 149.2 x 70.6 x 8.4mm
• Display: 5.6"(142.0mm) Super AMOLED
• CPU: Exynos 7885
• Camera: 16 MP, CMOS PDAF (F1.7)

More specifications

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Galaxy Note 9 Android 9 Pie beta program hinted at by test firmware

Samsung’s customer support staff may be wrong and clueless too many times to count, but they might have been right about the Galaxy Note 9 joining the One UI (Android Pie) beta. Well, Samsung might have, at the very least, pondered starting a Galaxy Note 9 Android Pie beta program even if it won’t actually do it. This is supported by test Pie firmware discovered by GalaxyClub for the Note 9 in Europe and South Korea.

Galaxy Note 9 Android Pie beta still possible?

Samsung is currently testing firmware versions N960FXXU2ZRKE and N960NKSU2ZRKF for the Galaxy Note 9. The interesting part here is the letter ‘Z’ in the build number. It has been used by Samsung for beta firmware since it began having public beta programs with the Galaxy S6. The Galaxy S9’s One UI beta, for example, comes with build number G960FXXU2ZRKA in Germany. And, before Android Pie, no such test firmware were ever spotted for a Galaxy Note flagship while a beta program was going on for that year’s Galaxy S smartphone.

It makes the presence of such firmware for the Galaxy Note 9 quite interesting. And with the Galaxy S9 beta program having started less than a week ago, Samsung does have time to include the Galaxy Note 9 in the program. But, as we said at the beginning, it’s also possible the company has backed out of doing that despite having planned it at some point. We hope that’s not the case, of course, and we will now be spending all our waking hours looking at the Samsung Members app on the Galaxy Note 9 for any sign of the Android Pie/One UI beta.

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Samsung One UI (Android Pie) feature focus: Gallery gets ‘recycle bin’ option

Here’s a neat new feature that Samsung has introduced to its Gallery app with Android Pie. You can now trash your images instead of deleting them permanently. It’s like the recycle bin on Windows or the trash section in an email service or photo storage services like Google Photos. The trash is emptied every 15 days, giving you two weeks time to decide whether some photos are worth keeping on your device or not.

Trashed gallery items can be restored from the Trash section, which is accessed by tapping the three-dot button in the Pictures tab of the Gallery app. It’s not accessible from any of the other tabs of the gallery (Albums, Stories, and Shared), but that is hopefully just the case for now and will be fixed with the official Android Pie release.

How do I enable the trash in Gallery app?

The gallery will suggest you to turn the trash option on the first time you try to delete a picture. You can also enable it by going into the Gallery app’s settings. In addition to being emptied every 15 days, all items in the trash are also deleted if you turn it off from the gallery settings. So make sure you recover any important files that you may have deleted before you decide to disable the feature. Furthermore, if you use a microSD card for storing your photos, images, and videos, you will need to empty the trash manually before the card is removed so that no one can access them on another device.

Android Pie and One UI will bring many more features to the Galaxy S9 and other Samsung devices, and we will keep bringing them to your attention as and when we discover them. Just make sure to bookmark our One UI (Android Pie) feature focus page to stay up-to-date on all those features.

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Galaxy A series in-display fingerprint sensor supplier reportedly finalized

It was rumored earlier this year that the Galaxy A series for 2019 could feature an in-display fingerprint sensor. Samsung was previously expected to adopt this technology in 2019 for its flagship smartphones only.

However, given its new strategy of packing mid-range devices with more tech, it’s quite possible for the Galaxy A (2019) series to feature a display-based fingerprint sensor. According to a new report out of South Korea, Samsung has also locked down the supplier for these sensors.

Galaxy A series to feature optical display-based fingerprint sensors

China’s Aegis Technology will reportedly be supplying the in-display fingerprint sensor for the Galaxy A (2019) series. They’ll be optical sensors, though, not the more advanced Qualcomm ultrasonic sensor that will ship with the Galaxy S10.

Optical sensors work by lighting up the screen and having the light reflect off the finger. This allows the sensor to capture an image and use algorithms to detect patterns that are unique to every fingerprint. Chinese manufacturers that already have devices with display-based fingerprint sensors on the market have largely used the optical sensors.

Ultrasonic sensors are more accurate as they use ultrasound to create a 3D image of the fingerprint. The highly detailed 3D reproduction of the fingerprint allows for improved security as well. The Galaxy S10 will reportedly get Qualcomm’s best ultrasonic sensor.

It’s unclear which models of the Galaxy A series will get the in-display fingerprint sensor next year. Samsung’s recent mid-range push is based on the Galaxy A series. Its first triple and quad camera smartphones are a part of the Galaxy A lineup. It’s entirely within the realm of possibility that this series can get in-display fingerprint sensors.

Samsung normally launches new Galaxy A handsets about a month before its Galaxy S flagship. If it sticks to this timeline then it will be a Galaxy A device and not the Galaxy S10 which becomes Samsung’s first smartphone with an in-display fingerprint sensor. Samsung did say that it’s going to bring new technologies to mid-range smartphones first after all.

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One UI (Android Pie) feature focus: ‘Lift to wake’ gesture arrives on Galaxy phones

The One UI/Android Pie beta for the Galaxy S9 comes with a number of small yet useful features. One of these is the Lift to wake gesture, which does exactly what the name suggests. When enabled, Lift to wake allows you to check your lockscreen for notifications and other information by simply bringing the phone up in front of your face.

‘Lift to wake’ gesture works great with biometric authentication

The Lift to wake gesture is especially useful if you unlock your device via biometric options like Intelligent Scan or the iris sensor. That’s because you can now have the phone start scanning your eyes and/or face by just lifting it up, instead of having the press the power key to turn the screen on. And if you disable the need for swiping on the lock screen for the biometrics to work, Lift to wake makes the unlocking process even faster.

In fact, in our testing, the iris sensor sometimes started scanning even before the screen was turned on. Of course, the fingerprint sensor is still the fastest way to unlock the Galaxy S9 or Galaxy S9+. But the Lift to wake gesture is nice to have, and it’s good to see Samsung finally bringing it to its smartphones. It also works great despite this being the first Android Pie beta release.

You can find the Lift to wake gesture option in the Advanced features » Motions and gestures menu in the phone’s Settings app. Do try it out if you’re running the One UI beta and tell us how it works for you by leaving a comment. And for more on what’s new with Android Pie and One UI, check out our ongoing coverage in the One UI (Android Pie) feature focus series of posts.

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Another Galaxy S10 screen protector leak hints of a nearly bezel-less smartphone

Samsung is expected to unveil four different models of the Galaxy S10 in February next year. And with each passing day, we’re getting more reasons to get excited about the next Samsung flagship. Yesterday, we saw some leaked images of purported Galaxy S10 screen protectors which hinted of extremely tiny bezels at the top and bottom. The same has been further reiterated by another leak, this time a video posted by noted leakster Ice Universe on Twitter.

Galaxy S10 could be a nearly bezel-less smartphone

The Galaxy S10‘s display is expected to occupy almost the entirety of the front of the smartphone. It’s something several other rumors claimed in the past, and something we see represented in this leak. In the video posted on Twitter, a purported Galaxy S10 screen protector can be seen with very slim bezels. The bezels are not symmetrical, with the chin at the bottom being slightly wider than the other three sides.

There’s also a cutout at the very top which should accommodate an earpiece. Earlier at SDC 2018, Samsung revealed four different kinds of Infinity Displays. The Galaxy S10 should be the first to sport any of those, with at least one model possibly getting the Infinity-O display.

However, as much as these leaks are exciting, it’s worth noting that they might be just some renders. And as the season of leaks goes on, more of these Galaxy S10 screen protectors should surface online. Nevertheless, a smartphone with a maximum possible screen-to-body ratio is really exciting, and Samsung indeed seems to be getting closer to deliver one.

Galaxy S10 Screen Protector！ pic.twitter.com/LPn6OSOBAd

— Ice universe (@UniverseIce) November 22, 2018

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SamMobile Live at 12:30 PM CET: Watch us discuss Android Pie, the Galaxy S10 and the flexible display

Our YouTube Live sessions are back! We were off air for a while due to a team member’s minor injury but that’s all good now. As always, we will discuss all of the latest Samsung-related news in the session and also take questions from our viewers.

Our next SamMobile Live session takes place tomorrow at 12:30 PM CET. We have lots to discuss about the Android Pie update, Galaxy S10 and the foldable display that Samsung showed off at SDC 2018. We’ll also be taking questions from viewers as well. We’ll update this page with the YouTube live stream link tomorrow so do join us at 12:30 PM CET (11:30 AM London, 5:00 PM India). While we’re on the subject, don’t forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel for other great videos.

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Samsung working on fix for Galaxy Note 9 camera freezing issue

The earliest reports about the Galaxy Note 9 camera freezing issue surfaced shortly after the handset was released in August. Some users complained on Samsung’s official forums that the camera was freezing while taking pictures. They also reported a lot of lag while taking videos. That’s obviously not the camera experience one would expect from a $1,000 smartphone.

The issue only affects the Snapdragon variant of the Galaxy Note 9. I have personally never experienced it on my Exynos variant and neither have my colleagues. Owners of both carrier and unlocked units in the United States have complained about this issue.

Galaxy Note 9 camera freezing issue fix being developed

Galaxy Note 9 owners in the United States who have been affected by this issue have had to put up with it for a very long time. Some reported that the camera also freezes up in apps that use the camera. It would just throw up a “camera failed” warning.

A short-term solution suggested by some forum members involves clearing the system partition cache. It was just that, though, a short-term solution because the problem resurfaced for many users. The subsequent firmware updates have not fixed it.

Users have had to put up with an issue on a premium device for the past few months. Their frustration is justified. It was no surprise reading on the forums that some owners simply got rid of their phones and bought a non-Samsung device.

There’s finally some good news for those who are still holding on to their units. A moderator on Samsung’s US forums has confirmed that an update is coming out to specifically fix the Galaxy Note 9 camera freezing issue. However, they’re unable to provide a release date for this update. It’s difficult to say at this point how long users will have to wait for this fix.

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