Galaxy M10, M20, and M30 to get Android Pie update starting June 3

Samsung has announced that it will start rolling out the Android Pie update for the Galaxy M10, Galaxy M20, and Galaxy M30 from June 3. While devices like the Galaxy A30 and Galaxy A50 were released with Android Pie out of the box, the Galaxy M lineup was launched with Android Oreo just a week before the A series devices, which was perhaps the most disappointing aspect of what are otherwise excellent phones. Samsung had initially targeted August as the month in which the M series would get Pie, but the company is releasing the update a lot faster.

In fact, this is perhaps the first time in years when Samsung has actually offered us a concrete date for the rollout of a new version of Android for any device; the company has done that in recent years for flagship devices, but only for the final release of an update after a few months of beta testing. It speaks to the popularity of the Galaxy M series and shows how Samsung is upping its software update game. The company has released the Android Pie update for various Galaxy devices a lot faster than any previous major Android OS upgrade, and it is showing no signs of slowing down anytime soon.

Samsung hasn’t offered details on what features and changes the Android Pie update will bring to the Galaxy M phones, but you can see everything Pie brings to Galaxy phones and tablets in general in our One UI (Android Pie) feature focus series. The Galaxy M10, M20, and M30 should also be eligible for the Android Q update, although it will be a long time before that update comes out even for flagship phones like the Galaxy S10.

Galaxy M10

• Model: SM-M105F
• Dimensions: 160.6 x 76.1 x 7.9mm
• Display: 6.2"(157.48mm) TFT
• CPU: Exynos 7870
• Camera: 13 MP, CMOS F 1.9 & 5 MP, CMOS F2.2 Ultra Wide

More specifications

Galaxy M20

• Model: SM-M205F
• Dimensions: 156.6 x 74.5 x 8.8mm
• Display: 6.3"(160.02mm) TFT
• CPU: Exynos 7904
• Camera: 13 MP, CMOS F 1.9 & 5 MP, CMOS F2.2 Ultra Wide

More specifications

Galaxy M30

• Model: SM-M305F
• Dimensions: 159 x 75.1 x 8.4mm
• Display: 6.38"(162mm) LCD
• CPU: Exynos 7885
• Camera: 13 MP, CMOS

More specifications

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Samsung Video Library app updated with Instant Player, One UI interface

Another proprietary Samsung app has been updated with a One UI interface, and this time, it’s Samsung Video Library, an app that many longtime Galaxy fans probably aren’t aware even exists anymore but is very useful. Where the built-in Gallery app separates videos saved on your Galaxy device by folders, Samsung Video Library puts them all in a single location to give you quicker access. In addition to the updated look, the app is getting official Android Pie support, which will apparently allow it to run on some devices that weren’t supported earlier “due to hardware dependency.

The One UI redesign for Samsung Video Library isn’t all that different from the previous UI, but the app does get support for a dark interface that kicks in when Night mode is enabled. Samsung hasn’t been consistent in this regard – while some apps getting a One UI makeover support Night mode, others don’t. The company is probably doing the former for apps with simple user interfaces, like Samsung Video Library, but it does make for a non-uniform experience that somewhat betrays the philosophy behind One UI.

The app has also picked up a feature called Instant Player. This feature starts playing a video in a small window when you tap on it instead of directly going into full-screen mode, giving you the opportunity to preview the video without moving away from the list of videos. Instant Player works only for devices running Android Pie for reasons best known to Samsung, and it can be switched off if you like.

You can download the new version of Samsung Video Library from the Google Play Store and Samsung’s Galaxy Store.

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Our Samsung Galaxy A40 video review is up!

With the number of smartphones Samsung has launched this year, we’ve had our hands full here at SamMobile thanks to all the reviewing we’ve had to do in just the first five months of 2019, especially now that we’re focusing on our YouTube channel again. But we’re not stopping anytime soon: We’ve published video reviews of quite a few new Samsung devices in recent weeks, and now, so here’s our video review of the Galaxy A40.

The Galaxy A40 is a compact mid-ranger that doesn’t offer any thrills, but anyone looking for a new device that doesn’t break the bank and gets the basics right would want to take a look at this phone. Our video review gives you a quick rundown of what makes the Galaxy A40 tick and what it could have done better, so go ahead and check it out below. Don’t forget to check out our written review, which gives you a deeper look at the device and its pros and cons.

And for more videos on all things Samsung, don’t forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel, where we will be publishing a lot more content in the coming months.

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Samsung’s Android license deal was renewed in February

According to a new report from the Korean media, Samsung renewed its Android license deal with Google back in February this year. Called Mobile Application Distribution Agreements (MADA), the license is necessary for any Android phone maker wanting to load their devices with the Google Play Store and mandates that the Play Store icon be placed “at least on the panel immediately adjacent to the Default Home Screen”, along with other proprietary Google apps such as Google search.

Google was fined by the European Union for forcing manufacturers into signing the MADA agreements, but that has reportedly not stopped Samsung from renewing its license. And it shouldn’t even be surprising that Samsung has renewed its contract with Google, as that’s something the company has to do if Galaxy devices have to offer the complete Android experience. The timing of the report, however, is rather cheeky: Huawei, one of Samsung’s fiercest upcoming competitors, had its Android license revoked recently thanks to an executive order from US President Donald Trump.

Samsung rolled out an improved camera Night mode for the Galaxy S10 lineup today, following the introduction of a dedicated Night mode with a software update earlier this year. That move came after the criticism it has received for not having an answer to the dedicated nighttime photo modes on Google and Huawei devices, and one can hope the company won’t become complacent now that Huawei’s future in the Android smartphone market is looking bleaker by the day.

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Samsung Cloud will only provide 5GB of free storage starting June 1

Starting June 1, the free storage plan on Samsung Cloud will be reduced from 15GB to 5GB. Samsung Cloud is a built-in cloud backup solution for owners of Galaxy smartphone and tablet owners for syncing of contacts, calendar entries, images and videos, and data from various proprietary Samsung apps (like Samsung Notes) to a Samsung account, and it will soon cut down the free storage it provides by more than 50 percent.

Samsung accounts made before May 31 are not affected

It’s worth noting that the new free storage bandwidth doesn’t go into effect immediately and won’t affect those who have made a Samsung account before May 31. That means there’s still a week left for those who create a new Samsung account to get 15GB of storage. Not that having all that storage is that useful, as it is easy to run out quickly if you enable sync for images and videos. In fact, gallery sync comes enabled by default when you login to a Samsung account on a Galaxy device, so the 15GB of storage doesn’t take time to fill up.

The 5GB of storage should be enough for most users once they disable image and video backup on their device (you can do this from the Settings » Accounts and Backup » Samsung Cloud menu); it’s perhaps a good idea to disable app backup as well, as Google already knows what apps one has installed on an Android device with a Google account logged in. Since Google restores those apps from the Play Store (unlike Samsung, which saves the installation files on its own servers), there’s the added benefit of getting the latest version of the apps when you restore them on a new device.

Thanks for the tip, PJAYA!

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Samsung Galaxy A8s gets Android Pie update in China

The Galaxy A8s is receiving the Android Pie update in China. The Galaxy A8s was Samsung’s first phone with a punch-hole design, with the front camera residing in a cutout on the top left corner of the LCD display. Samsung later launched the A8s as the Galaxy A9 Pro in South Korea but hasn’t launched the device in other markets. And for a device with limited availability like the A8s, Samsung has brought out the Android Pie update fairly quickly.

The update should include the usual suspects, including the One UI interface that makes one-handed usage more convenient and puts important information at the forefront. We can expect the software to be similar to what we find on other Galaxy phones that have been updated to Pie from Android Oreo, including flagships like the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S9. That means Samsung probably isn’t offering features like Bixby Routines, although we have no way to be sure without access to the device.

The Galaxy A8s Android Pie update, which bundles the April 2019 security patch, should be available over the air for owners of the device in China. It’s also available for download from our firmware database.

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Galaxy A70s could be Samsung’s first 64-megapixel camera phone

Samsung unveiled its 64-megapixel ISOCELL Bright GW1 image sensor solution two weeks ago. It’s the industry’s highest resolution sensor for mobile cameras which will enter mass production in the second half of 2019. That’s when we can expect Samsung smartphones to come with this new sensor.

While many of you will be keeping your fingers crossed that the Galaxy Note 10 would be one of those phones, Samsung might introduce the sensor with an entirely different device. A new report out of South Korea claims that the Galaxy A70s is going to be Samsung’s first 64-megapixel camera phone.

Galaxy A70s is expected to arrive in the second half of 2019

Citing industry sources, the report mentions that the Galaxy A70s will be out in the second half of this year. It’s unclear whether this phone will arrive before or after the Galaxy Note 10. The report does claim that the Galaxy Note 10 won’t get the 64-megapixel sensor. The Galaxy A70s will have good pedigree. It will be an offshoot of the Galaxy A70 launched this year, a device which we found to be a media consumption powerhouse. It’s also the first device in the new Galaxy A series to feature 25W super fast charging. This feature debuted with the Galaxy S10 5G.

It doesn’t seem impossible. Samsung has recently been packing its Galaxy A series of smartphones full of technology. It has even introduced new technologies with this series before they were chosen for flagship smartphones. The punch-hole Infinity-O display was launched with the Galaxy A8s and Samsung’s first quad-camera phone was the Galaxy A9 (2018).

The Galaxy A series has been overhauled this year. Samsung has released quite a few models already with varying specs and aggressive price tags. The Galaxy A80, for example, features a sliding, rotating 48-megapixel camera. Suffice to say, it wouldn’t surprise anyone if the first 64-megapixel phone is a Galaxy A series device.

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New Apple TV app rolling out for Samsung Smart TVs

The latest Samsung Smart TVs are now receiving a firmware update which brings the new Apple TV app. It was announced at the Consumer Electronics Show earlier this year that the app will be released for Samsung’s TVs.

The firmware update is being rolled out for all 2019 and select 2018 smart TV models. The Apple TV app will be available in more than 100 countries. This update also brings support for AirPlay 2 which will be available in 176 countries.

New Apple TV app now available for Samsung Smart TVs

Samsung has started rolling out this firmware update for its smart TVs in Europe. We have received it in the Netherlands on one of our Q9FN 2018 QLED-TV models. The new Apple TV app allows access to the entire iTunes library of movies and TV shows. Apple TV channels can also be accessed through the app. It will provide access to Apple TV+, the company’s original video subscription service, when it launches later this year.

It’s interesting to note that Samsung is the first TV vendor to support the Apple TV app on a smart TV platform. Apple has similar arrangements with other vendors as well. The app will let users access all of their iTunes purchases, including 4K HDR titles. The app is also compatible with Samsung’s services such as Universal Guide and Bixby for consistent user experience. With AirPlay 2, users can play media content from their iPhones and Macs directly on the big screen, no Apple TV set-top box required.

Those who own compatible smart TV models can now expect to receive this update on their TVs in the near future.

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Samsung’s next foldable smartphone design could be completely different

The launch of Samsung’s first foldable smartphone, the Galaxy Fold, didn’t quite go according to plan. The company was forced to delay its launch after several review units were reported to be faulty. Samsung took back all of the review units and is now preparing for its release after making some improvements.

The in-folding design isn’t the only one Samsung has considered for foldable smartphones. It has also considered the idea of an out-folding device as evidenced by a newly published patent, which was originally filed in the US towards the end of last year and in Korea in December 2015. The Galaxy Fold is an inward folding smartphone which warrants a secondary cover display for use when the device is folded.

Samsung patents an out-folding smartphone

Samsung is already said to be working on two new foldable smartphones. One of them will have a clamshell-like vertically folding design, while the other will fold outwards. Samsung reportedly created outward folding prototypes since it was one of the designs shortlisted for the Galaxy Fold.

The patent describes the device to consist of a flexible display mounted on two separate cases joined by a hinge with a sliding mechanism. On folding, the slide cover slides along a rail groove allowing the display to fold outwards evenly. There’s also a locking unit to keep the display firm when the device is unfolded. It is, however, worth noting that Samsung may well opt for a different folding mechanism for its out-folding smartphone.

We’ve already seen what a foldable smartphone can bring to the table with the first generation Galaxy Fold. And it’s only a matter of time before we see more of them. Samsung may very well expand the lineup to include both in-folding and out-folding designs.

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Galaxy S10 5G UK price revealed as Samsung begins pre-orders

The Galaxy S10 5G is up for pre-order in the UK. The device is initially available on the EE and Vodafone networks in the country. As previously confirmed by Samsung, it will go on general sale on June 7. The Galaxy S10 5G will also be making its way to Germany, France, Italy and several other European countries in the next month.

Galaxy S10 5G UK price revealed

The 5G model of Samsung’s Galaxy S10 lineup not only offers faster connectivity, but also other features that make it stand apart from the regular models. You get four rear cameras and three front cameras, a bigger 6.7-inch screen, and a 4,500 mAh battery with 25W super fast charging. The device comes with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of internal storage space, which could slightly put some folks off as it doesn’t have expandable storage.

The Galaxy S10 5G went on sale in South Korea and the United States earlier this month and is now headed to Europe. It is priced at £1,099 (~$1,390) in the UK. The device comes in Majestic Black and Crown Silver color options. You can pre-order the Galaxy S10 5G via Samsung’s online store and Experience Stores, as well as EE and Vodafone stores. Samsung will begin shipping the device on June 13.

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