Samsung is rolling out a new software update for the Galaxy Note 9, bringing the latest Android security patch to the device. The update is currently out in Russia, France, and Bulgaria, and it’s actually the second update the Note 9 has received in these countries in May. The last one brought two features that Galaxy S9 owners had already been enjoying for some time: a scheduling option for the Night mode theme and a field-of-view switch in the selfie camera.
May 2019 security patch now rolled out to Galaxy Note 9
The update that’s rolling out now follows a similar one for the Galaxy S9 that rolled out just a few hours ago, so it could have a similar changelog that includes improvements to the camera’s beauty mode and slow-motion video recording. That’s in addition to the May security patch, which fixes seven critical and dozens of high and moderate risk Android OS vulnerabilities, along with 21 vulnerabilities of varying severities that are specific to Galaxy devices.
The procedure to download the new update remains unchanged. Just hop into the Software update menu on your Note 9’s Settings app and tap Download and install to start downloading the update over the air. It may not be available for everyone in the aforementioned countries just yet, and if you fall under that bracket, you can upgrade using the firmware for the new update from our database.
Verizon will start selling the Galaxy S10 5G from tomorrow, May 16, as the carrier had promised. The Galaxy S10 5G is going to be a Verizon exclusive in the US for a limited time and has been on pre-order for a few weeks, and starting tomorrow, the carrier will start delivering pre-orders to customers. The 5G model is only available for purchase online, with the full retail prices set at $1299.99 and $1399.99 ($54.16 or $58.33 per month for 24 months on Verizon Device Payment plans) for the 256GB and 512GB models respectively.
Super fast charging, six cameras, and more on 5G model
The prices may be high, but those interested in lots of storage might want to opt for the 512GB model, as the Galaxy S10 5G doesn’t have expandable storage. Samsung is making up for that by using UFS 3.0 storage on the device, and there are also other features that make the 5G model stand apart from the standard Galaxy S10. Those features include a 6.7-inch screen, a 3D depth camera on the front and back (in addition to the triple and dual front camera setups like the Galaxy S10+), and a 4,500 mAh battery with 25W super fast charging.
Samsung delayed the launch of the Galaxy Fold after some of the review units it handed out last month failed. The device was supposed to be released in the United States on April 26 and a week later in markets across Europe. That didn’t happen and the company still hasn’t confirmed a new release date.
It took back all of the review units and said that the display protection would be improved. A new report out of South Korea details the improvements that Samsung has made to its first foldable smartphone.
New report details Galaxy Fold improvements
According to the report, Samsung has tucked the protective layer on top of the display into the body. This will not allow the user to peel off the layer. The display on some review units had broken for precisely this reason. The users had removed the protective layer on top just because it looked like a screen protector. Samsung did say during its press briefings for the Galaxy Fold that this layer is not to be removed. It would be a good idea to tuck the layer into the body so that customers don’t try to pull on it absentmindedly.
There was also a small gap at the top and bottom parts of the hinge. Substances like dirt or lint could get in and lodge beneath the display, causing lasting damage. The report says that Samsung will reduce this gap to prevent foreign substances from getting in. We had also pointed out that the company needed to place warning statements prominently about the protective layer on the packaging itself. While that wasn’t the case on review units, the consumer units will have more warnings.
These improved units are now reportedly being tested with mobile carriers in South Korea. Samsung is expected to announce a new Galaxy Fold release date this month. The handset is said to arrive in June. Samsung mobile boss DJ Koh has also said that the company will confirm a new release date sooner rather than later.
We have obtained details on the color options Samsung will provide for the Galaxy Note 10 and Galaxy Note 10 Pro and a couple of upcoming Galaxy A series devices. First, let’s start with the Note 10. The Galaxy Note 10 will be the first Galaxy Note flagship to be offered in two sizes, following Samsung’s switch to three variants for the Galaxy S line with the Galaxy S10, and it looks like the smaller model may be offered in a few funky colors like the Galaxy S10e.
Red and pink hues for the standard Galaxy Note 10
Where the Galaxy S10e comes in yellow in some markets, the regular Galaxy Note 10–model number SM-N970F–will launch in red in some countries. It will also have a pink version, but this one will be available worldwide according to our sources, in addition to black, silver, and white. We are also told the Galaxy Note 10 Pro (SM-N975) will come in silver, black, and white. It’s possible Samsung will keep the brighter colors exclusive to the smaller model, but we can’t confirm or deny that at the moment.
Both Galaxy Note 10 models will have a 5G counterpart, and if we go by the Galaxy S10 5G, the 5G Note 10s are likely to be offered only in silver, white, and black, with perhaps gold thrown in for good measure. That’s pure speculation on our part, however. It’s going to be a few months before the Galaxy Note 10 goes official, and with the 5G models not expected to be available as widely as the 4G models, it could be a while before we find out what color options will accompany them.
New mid-range Galaxy A devices in the works
We have also obtained information on four new Galaxy A series phones that Samsung is working on. Models SM-A507F, SM-A707F, and SM-A907F will be released in black and white, with 64GB of onboard storage on the SM-A507F and 128GB on the other two. These should be slightly different variants of the Galaxy A50 and Galaxy A70, which carry model numbers SM-A505F and SM-A705F respectively, but it’s hard to guess what their names could be.
Samsung probably won’t slap an ‘e’ to Galaxy A50 and Galaxy A70 like it did with the Galaxy A20e, and that’s because the Galaxy A20e carries model number SM-A202F while the regular Galaxy A20 is SM-A205F. It’s a similar dilemma with the SM-A907F. Samsung was supposed to release a Galaxy A90 with model number SM-A905F but that hasn’t come out yet, and it remains to be seen if the company will skip that version altogether.
Lastly, an SM-A107F will be launched in red, green, blue, and black with 32GB of storage. Its color options may not be the only aspect that differs considerably from other new Galaxy A series phones. The SM-A107F was spotted on Geekbench with a MediaTek Helio P22 processor (along with 2GB of RAM and Android Pie), which suggests the device could be aimed at developing markets. The Galaxy A10 is already quite affordable in countries like India, and the A10e may further drop the price, offering an even cheaper way to get a Galaxy device running Samsung’s One UI atop Android Pie.
I, quite literally, had a rude awakening this morning. The alarm on my Galaxy S10+ went off and it felt like being woken up by being touched with electric wires. I had forgotten to turn off the vibration so its intensity was on full display when the alarm went off. It just reminded me of the fact that the haptic feedback on Samsung’s devices has always left a lot to be desired. Like other Samsung devices, it’s just too loud and strong.
Leave it on the nightstand and if your apartment has thin walls, your neighbor just might hear it vibrating in the wee hours of the morning. This has always been the problem with the haptic engine on Samsung’s recent devices. It’s just too loud. You can actually hear the engine vibrating so it kind of defeats the purpose of putting your phone on vibrate. Imagine you’re in a meeting and you don’t want to bother everyone with your ringtone and yet everyone can hear your phone vibrating every time a message comes in.
A lot of other people have complained about this as well. Even the vibrations from taps can be heard by everyone in a silent room. Turning the vibration intensity all the way down doesn’t really help either. It can quickly become very annoying for your colleagues at work or the person trying to sleep next to you.
Apple’s Taptic Engine is the gold standard for haptic feedback. Introduced with the iPhone 6S, it’s a complex setup comprising of a linear actuator and springs to provide a variety of tangible feedback. It’s not just intense buzzing. Users also get more control over the duration and intensity of the haptic feedback and that really makes all the difference. Apple also tweaked iOS to provide even the gentlest of haptic feedback in different situations such as a tiny bump when a slider is pushed to its extreme. It just feels much more natural than anything on a Samsung phone.
Even OnePlus appears to have recognized the importance of improving this. The company’s handsets have long been criticized for having weak haptic feedback. The OnePlus 7 Pro it unveiled yesterday has an entirely new haptic engine and the reviews have been good so far. This improvement stood out because Android manufacturers don’t really focus too much on haptic feedback beyond sticking a generic vibration motor in their smartphones. The OS itself doesn’t incentivize that.
This is one of the things that make your life easier in daily use once you’ve got over the initial shock and awe of a massive display or a multi-camera setup. All those things are great but it’s the little things that leave a lasting impression. There’s no difference in the haptic feedback that you get on a budget Samsung phone or a flagship. Would it not be better if at least the high-end devices got a better haptic engine? At least customers would feel that they’re getting more bang for their buck.
I wish that Samsung focuses on improving the haptic engine on future devices. Every other OEM is doing the big ticket stuff now like large displays, punch hole cameras, stereo speakers, etc. It has established its credentials in all of these areas. Hopefully, it will pay attention to this minor yet important functionality, so that we may find it even easier to live with our Samsung smartphones.
We just published our detailed Galaxy Buds review here on SamMobile. Do give it a read if you’re curious about whether or not Samsung’s latest wireless earbuds are worth your money. As some of you have probably noticed by now, we’re also increasingly doing video reviews of the devices that we try out.
That’s the case for the Galaxy Buds as well. Our video team has created a nice video review for the Galaxy Buds. It’s up now on YouTube so you can check it out right away. We’ve embedded it below so that you can view it easily. Don’t forget to like the video and share your views about the device in the comments section.
Samsung introduced its first truly wireless earbuds three years ago. The Gear IconX could do more than just stream music wirelessly. It even had sensors for activity and fitness tracking. It was clear that Samsung was aiming the product at fitness enthusiasts with the device trying to punch above its weight and replace their fitness tracker.
This year, the company has launched new wireless earbuds, and they’re not a successor to the Gear IconX. The Galaxy Buds are primarily for a cord-free music experience. They are smaller and lighter than the IconX. They’re also cheaper. So are the Galaxy Buds worth putting your money on? That’s what you’ll find out in this review. For a short version, you can check out our video review below; for the long version, keep reading after the break.
Galaxy Buds review: Design and fit
The Galaxy Buds come in a pill-like carrying case out of the box. They have been ergonomically designed to ensure a snug fit in the ears. Put them in your ears with a slight twisting motion to securely lock them in place. It’s actually quite easy to get a good and comfortable fit with the Galaxy Buds. At 4.9g per earbud, they’re not among the heaviest earbuds out there. You will find three sets of earbuds tips and fins in the box. Swap them out for the ones that fit you best. This isn’t something that you can do on the Apple AirPods and it certainly elevates your comfort level with the device.
There’s a touchpad in the center of each earbud. There are predetermined actions which will be carried out based on a single, double or triple tap. They can’t be changed but you’re allowed to configure what a long press of the touchpad does. For example, you can set it to launch Bixby. We’ll talk more about that in a second. There’s an LED outside and inside the charging case to show the charging status. The light is amber when it’s charging and green when it’s full.
You do get a really good fit with the Galaxy Buds. They sit nice and snug in the ear canal which allows for better sound insulation. You’ll always be reminded, though, that you’re wearing the earbuds. They don’t just sort of fade into the background. That being said, I never felt uncomfortable wearing them for extended periods of time. I have quite happily worn and used them when out and about the entire day or binging Netflix for hours on the weekend. That snug fit does come in handy when you’re out for a jog or are headbanging at a concert. The Galaxy Buds will, more often than not, stay put.
Galaxy Buds sound quality and performance
Before we dive into this section, it’s best to temper your expectations. Let’s take a brief look at the facts. The Galaxy Buds, like many other cord-free earbuds, are small. The actual source of the audio inside the shell is small. Wireless earbuds are known more for their convenience than their ability, or lack thereof, to deliver studio quality sound. You will not get exceptional sound quality on such products. However, it doesn’t mean that the Galaxy Buds are bad at the one job they’re supposed to do.
Once they’re paired and you pop them into your ears, the Galaxy Buds acknowledge that with a nice futuristic chime. You can use each bud one at a time if you’d like, just leave the other to charge in the case. Right, then, the basics. Volume is good, the Galaxy Buds can get nice and loud. So is clarity. I rarely noticed crackling sounds when the volume was turned all the way up. However, you may or may not like the Galaxy Buds based on your preference of good sound quality. The Galaxy Buds are neutral sounding for the most part with decent bass at full volume. There’s good separation as well with more detail than you might have expected. They’re not bass heavy by any stretch of the imagination.
Samsung allows for some personalization in sound quality. Pop into the Galaxy Wearable app and switch between the five Equaliser presets. It’s set at Dynamic by default which will be good for most users. Other presets include Soft, Clear, Bass boost and Treble boost. Bass boost does pump it up a little bit so if you like yours on the heavy side, utilize the preset. The sound isolation is exceptional, though, and that just makes the overall listening experience so much better.
Since that sound isolation is on point, Samsung offers an Enhanced Ambient Sound mode on the Galaxy Buds. It uses the dual microphones to let ambient sound through the earbuds so that you’re aware of your surroundings. That’s a great feature to have when you’re out for a run or cycling and want to make sure that you’re safe on the road. However, the ambient sound just feels too artificial. I never wanted to keep it enabled because it felt even worse when I had the volume turned all the way up.
I quite prefer the quick ambient sound feature. Just touch and hold your earbud touchpad to enable it. The feature will turn down the media volume and turn up the ambient sound temporarily. That way you can quickly help that person who just asked you for directions and then go back to having a wholesome listening experience again. You do have to configure it from the app, though.
The touchpad is how you control the various functions once you’re wearing the earbuds. A single tap will play or pause a track, double tap will play the next track or answer/end a phone call while a triple tap will play the previous track. These actions can’t be changed. Touch and hold the touchpad to decline a call. This action can also be configured to something more to your liking, such as configuring it to launch Bixby or the quick ambient sound feature.
The dual microphones work well for phone calls. The person on the other end of the call had no problems with call audio as I talked to them while walking around in a busy Seoul market. However, Bixby commands don’t seem to reach the earbuds properly, as there were quite a few instances where Bixby didn’t respond. However, this is probably an issue with the voice assistant and not the earbuds, as phone calls worked perfectly fine.
I did notice that sometimes a tap wouldn’t register if my finger didn’t hit the exact center of the touchpad or that it just wouldn’t register if I was rapidly going through the allowed actions. However, my biggest qualm with the touchpad is that it doesn’t allow swipes to control the media volume. It’s frustrating to not be able to do that. You could try asking Bixby to turn down the volume for you but it will do that in tiny increments and you’d rather just give up and do it manually. The long press action can be configured for volume up and down but it’s just not intuitive.
It was slightly concerning when I experienced my first Bluetooth connection dropout merely ten minutes after using the Galaxy Buds for the first time. I was walking outside and the Galaxy Note 9 was in my jacket pocket. The connection drops out for a split second and while there’s minimal disruption to the media, it’s not difficult to miss. I have noticed dropouts on several occasions, mostly when I’ve been using them outside. They aren’t frequent enough to be a major problem. The video lag was quite noticeable when the Galaxy Buds were paired to my four-year-old MacBook Pro but I faced no such issues using them with a variety of Samsung smartphones and tablets.
The Galaxy Buds can also help you out with notifications. You can go into the Galaxy Wearable app to manage the apps for which you’d want the notifications to come through. You can get a summary of your text messages or emails for example, or hear who’s calling you. There’s a Find My Earbuds feature in the app as well which can help you locate your earbuds if you happen to have misplaced them within range.
Galaxy Buds battery life
Samsung claims that you can get up to six hours of playback when the Buds are fully charged with an additional seven hour charge from the carrying case. And battery life in actual usage is actually quite close to the company’s estimates . The charging case has a USB-C port so you can use your phone’s charger. If you have a Galaxy S10, you can also pop the case on the back and charge it using Wireless PowerShare.
Galaxy Buds verdict
So, the $129.99 question: Should you buy the Galaxy Buds? Given how liberally Samsung handed them out with Galaxy S10 pre-orders and subsequent promotions, those of you who bought the new flagship may already have a pair.
That being said, I was very impressed by the Galaxy Buds. It feels like Samsung knew what it was trying to achieve with this device. It doesn’t try to be something that it’s not with half-baked features that don’t work as well as they should. The sound quality is great for most users. You won’t find any faults with it unless you’re an audiophile who’s particular about the soundstage and very precise about the sound quality.
They look good, are comfortable to wear for extended periods of time, and are even sweat resistant so you can use them in the gym. You’ll be happy with the Galaxy Buds as long as you’re not expecting studio-quality sound because that wouldn’t be possible on earbuds this size. If your expectations are kept in check, the $129.99 price tag is quite reasonable.
According to reports in the Chinese media, Samsung and Huawei have reached a settlement in a series of patent infringement disputes involving standard-essential patents through a litigation mediation of the Higher People’s Court of Guangdong Province. Details of the settlement are not yet available, but the companies have reportedly agreed to a framework for cross-licensing standard-essential patents worldwide.
With the new framework in place, both the companies have started withdrawing other cases related to these patents. When concluded, the settlement marks the end of a long-drawn legal battle that goes as far back as 2011 and involves more than 40 lawsuits.
Get accurate all-day fitness tracking with the Samsung Gear Sport (we’ve reviewed it here). It’s water resistant and comes with a battery that lasts for days. It has an excellent display, an intuitive user interface like every Samsung smartwatch, and can track your swimming performance in addition to a plethora of exercises. Interchangeable watch bands further sweeten the deal. Click the Buy Now link below to claim the Gear Sport at 43% off, saving you $128.28.
For EU residents who might not be able to use this deal, we’ve found these ENACFIRE Wireless Headphones that receive a lot of five-star reviews. You’ll now be able to get these at 68% off; that’s a discount of £86! Get them here before they’re out of stock.
Having confirmed the details of the May 2019 security patch last week, Samsung is now rolling out the latest security maintenance release to compatible devices. It’s already out for a handful of devices like the Galaxy Note 8, Galaxy A70, Galaxy S7 and more.
Samsung has now started rolling it out for the Galaxy S9 and the Galaxy S9+. It’s only going to be a matter of time now before the update is also made available in other countries. This particular firmware update is currently rolling out in Germany.
Galaxy S9+ update brings May 2019 security patch
The latest security maintenance release brings fixes for seven critical vulnerabilities in the Android OS. Fixes for dozens of high and moderate risk vulnerabilities are included as well. The update also has fixes for 21 Samsung Vulnerabilities and Exposures (SVE) items in addition to the Android OS fixes.
Samsung is rolling out firmware version G960FXXU4CSE3 for the Galaxy S9 and G965FXXU4CSE3 for the Galaxy S9+. This update is currently rolling out over-the-air in Germany. You can click on the firmware version to download it from our firmware section. The update weighs in at just under 380MB. The changelog also makes some improvements to features like the camera beauty effect and Bluetooth.
It won’t be long now before Samsung releases the latest firmware update for the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ in other markets as well.
Straight from a South Korean testing agency comes an image of the battery of what we believe to be a 5G variant of the ‘regular-sized’ Galaxy Note 10. However, the battery’s model code does raise a few questions.
Galaxy Note 10 5G battery capacity
Straight from the testing labs of the KTR (Korea Testing and Research Institute) comes a photo of a battery with product number EB-BN972ABU. The battery has a typical capacity of 4300mAh and a rated capacity of 4170mAh. The product number confirms this battery belongs to a device in Samsung’s Galaxy Note 10 product range. Normally, a battery with this code would belong to a phone with model number SM-N972. And this is where the questions pop up.
As we previously revealed, Samsung is developing four Galaxy Note 10 versions. The regular-sized 6.3-inch Note 10 is expected to carry model number SM-N970, while its 5G variant comes as the SM-N971. Then there is the larger, 6.7-inch version, tentatively dubbed the Galaxy Note 10 Pro. This one will carry model number SM-N975, with the SM-N976 being its 5G-ready brother. So far, no SM-N972 had been spotted on the radar.
We can confirm, however, the EB-BN972ABU is not the battery for the SM-N970. So either it is the battery for the SM-N971, or it is the battery for a yet-to-be-revealed additional Galaxy Note 10 variant. Assuming the first scenario is not unheard of in Samsung’s Galaxy, we will, for now, stick to the assumption we are looking at a 5G variant of the regular-sized Note 10.
Still, the official launch of the Galaxy Note 10 line-up is several months away. In this period, more information will surely surface, clarifying any of the questions raised by today’s appearance.
Samsung is showcasing its developments in advanced foundry technology yet again.. At the recently held Samsung Foundry Forum 2019 in Santa Clara, California, the company announced that its 3nm gate-all-around (GAA) process development is on track. It could be one of the largest manufacturing steps in many years, which will speed up innovations in next-gen technologies, such as artificial intelligence and autonomous driving.
3nm Process Design Kit released
Compared to the 7nm process technology, Samsung’s 3nm gate-all-around (GAA) process, 3GAE, reduces the chip size by up to 45%, while consuming 50% less power and increasing efficiency by 35%. The process, which is a Multi-Bridge-Channel FET (MBCFET), Samsung’s patented version of GAA, uses a vertically-stacked nanosheet architecture, enabling greater current per stack compared to a FinFET process.
Samsung had already shared version 0.1 of its process design kit (PDK) with customers in April. Sharing the kit will shorten the time-to-market and improve design competitiveness for clients, the company said. Samsung has also taped out its test vehicle design and will now focus on to improve its performance and power efficiency.
Samsung also shared its process technology roadmap at the Samsung Foundry Forum. It is planning to begin the mass production of 6nm process devices in the second half of this year. The 5nm FinFET process, which was developed in April, is expected to be completed by the end of this year, with mass production scheduled for the first half of 2020. The company also expects to complete the development of its 4nm process by the end of this year. Samsung hasn’t set a time frame for the 3nm GAA process yet.
The new Galaxy A series has been very well received in key markets, particularly India. Some of the handsets were indeed developed with the Indian market in mind. Samsung also priced them very competitively in order to give rivals like Xiaomi and Huawei a run for their money.
The gamble appears to have paid off for the company. Samsung has revealed that it has made $1 billion in revenue from the new Galaxy A series in India. It’s an impressive feat when you consider that it has only been 70 days since this series was launched.
New Galaxy A series sales cross $1 billion in India
Samsung India’s chief marketing officer Ranjivjit Singh told Reuters that the company has sold 5 million units of the new Galaxy A series phones in the country since the devices went on sale in March. They have generated sales of over $1 billion. This goes to show that the sales momentum has been solid as Samsung had sold 2 million new Galaxy A phones some 40 days after launch.
“Just in 70 days of launch this range of six models has delivered $1 billion of revenue,” Singh said. He added that the company expects its new Galaxy A series to bring in sales of around $4 billion this year. At this rate, it may very well be able to achieve that target.
All of these devices focus on providing features that customers really want in an affordable device. The cameras are on par with the opposition while the build quality feels nice and premium as well. How much profit Samsung is actually making on these devices remains a mystery for now. Given how competitively the new Galaxy A series has been priced, it may be operating on the formula of low margin, high volume. It seems to be working so far.
