Samsung uses the Force to showcase seamless connectivity in latest ad

Do you like Samsung’s ecosystem and the seamless connectivity that comes along with it? We know you do, but do you like Star Wars, Chewbacca, and lightsabers? How about puppies and kittens? If the answer is “yes” to at least some of these questions – as random as they may seem – then Samsung’s latest promotional video is likely to put a smile on your face.

Samsung is once again pushing its connected ecosystem into the spotlight with a new ad designed to highlight the kind of seamless connectivity you can achieve when using Samsung phones, smartwatches, TVs, home appliances, etc. The idea should sound familiar to those of you who remember the dancing baby ad published by Samsung half a year ago.

This time, however, we get the Galaxy Note 10 series and Galaxy Watch Active 2 as the main devices instead of the Galaxy S10+ and the original Galaxy Watch Active. Furthermore, the ad features Star Wars’ The Imperial March as the final musical piece instead of DMX’s Party Up. All in all, the ad follows an entirely different setup but it technically achieves the same goal, and then some. More details below.

The timing of this ad is quite perfect given the ongoing relationship between Samsung and The Walt Disney Company, the latter of which owns the Star Wars franchise. Samsung’s seamless connectivity aside, the latest ad not only acts as an ad for Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker which will be out on December 20, but it also doubles as a reminder that the Disney+ video-on-demand subscription service is rolling out on Samsung smart TVs in the USA, Canada, and the Netherlands as we speak. The service will continue to expand into Australia and New Zealand later this month, and it will be out in the UK, Germany, France, Italy, and Spain next year on March 21.

The post Samsung uses the Force to showcase seamless connectivity in latest ad appeared first on SamMobile.

from SamMobile https://ift.tt/32BxusL
via IFTTT

India’s smartphone market is growing but Samsung loses ground to China

India’s smartphone market is growing, yet Samsung’s share of the market is in decline. According to a recent paper published by IDC, Samsung is the only OEM to have lost significant market share year-on-year since Q3 2018. Xiaomi did too, but not nearly to the same extent, and it managed to maintain its spot as India’s number one smartphone vendor.

Samsung’s smartphones accounted for 22.6% of India’s market a year ago, but now the company is looking at an 18.9% market share. Likewise, the company shipped 8.8 million smartphones this year compared to 9.6 million a year before.

In contrast, Xiaomi dropped only 0.2% from 27.3% market share last year, but still shipped 1 million more smartphones this year. Meanwhile, Samsung’s other rivals from China including Vivo, Realme, and OPPO have all gained market share and increased their shipments over the past twelve months.

Samsung is losing ground in India

Samsung’s year-on-year smartphone shipments dropped from 9.6 to 8.8 million, according to the IDC report which seems to loosely corroborate the shipment data shared by Counterpoint Research only a couple of weeks ago. A fairly large chunk of all the smartphones shipped to India over the last year was actually part of the Galaxy M series, as the company reportedly pushed more than 2 million Galaxy M10, M20, and M30 to the market in just a few months of availability.

The company is now reportedly planning on launching the next Galaxy M (2020) lineup both online and through partner retail stores in India. This change in strategy could help the company recover, especially given the apparent popularity of the Galaxy M series in India.

Realme is showing its teeth

Realme is now the fastest-growing mobile phone manufacturer in India and it represents a new threat for Samsung. Realme registered an impressive 401.3% year-on-year growth rate. The company, which was officially established last year by the ex-VP of OPPO, shipped 1.3 million smartphones by Q3 2018 and a whopping 6.7 million units by Q3 2019.

Realme was only 0.4 million smartphones shy from grabbing the third place from VIVO, and 2.1 million shipments away from matching Samsung’s figure, so this thread should probably not be ignored by the Korean tech giant. Realme bumped its market share up from 3.1% to 14.3% year-on-year.

All in all, Samsung is facing stronger and stronger opposition from Chinese OEMs in India. The company still occupies a decent second place, but its position is threatened and the podium could look different next year.

The post India’s smartphone market is growing but Samsung loses ground to China appeared first on SamMobile.

from SamMobile https://ift.tt/33E3mhL
via IFTTT

Galaxy A50 gets new update with improved fingerprint recognition in tow

The Galaxy A50 is getting a new software update in some European markets. This is the second update for the device in Europe with the November 2019 security patch, with the first one released just a week ago. The new update comes with build number A505FNXXS3ASK9 and, according to the changelog, makes improvements to the fingerprint recognition algorithm.

The optical in-display fingerprint reader on the Galaxy A50 and (other mid-range Galaxies) isn’t great. It is slow and isn’t very accurate, although Samsung has tried to fix both issues with multiple software updates. The latest update for the device looks to be another attempt in that regard, although only those who own a Galaxy A50 will be able to say if it actually makes any tangible improvement.

Samsung recommends registering fingerprints again after the update

Samsung mentions in the changelog that users should delete their fingerprints and register them again after the update, making us wonder if the A50’s optical sensor is also affected by the flaw that enabled the Galaxy S10 and Note 10’s ultrasonic in-display fingerprint reader to be fooled by certain silicone cases that cover the display. There haven’t been any reports of that issue affecting optical fingerprint sensors, so perhaps Samsung is only being cautious here.

In any case, Galaxy A50 owners should grab the update as soon as possible. It can be downloaded over the air from the Software update section of the phone’s Settings app. The update is available in Germany, the Netherlands, France, Greece, Hungary, Slovenia, Romania, Switzerland, Poland, Italy, and quite a few other European countries, the full list of which can be found in our firmware section.

Have you received the update on your Galaxy A50? Do you notice any changes to the fingerprint reader’s performance after the update? Let us know in the comments!

Thanks for the tip, Cristian!

The post Galaxy A50 gets new update with improved fingerprint recognition in tow appeared first on SamMobile.

from SamMobile https://ift.tt/2NCNLJM
via IFTTT

UL gives Samsung Display top award for its waste-recycling efforts

Samsung Display has been making great strides in recycling the waste produced by its factories. Now, according to a report from The Korea Herald, Samsung Display was awarded a Gold certificate for its efforts by the global safety certificate company UL (formerly known as Underwriters Laboratories).

Samsung Display achieves 95-99% material recycling

According to the report, Samsung Display went to great lengths to recycle the waste produced by its factories. The wastewater was filtered out, and waste glass was repurposed as a raw material for cement manufacturing. As a result, Samsung Display’s factory in Asan, South Chungcheong Province, reportedly topped 97% in waste material recycling since last year.

UL reportedly grants a Silver certificate to companies who achieve 90-to-94% waste recycling. A Gold certificate is reserved only for companies that can push beyond 95%.

Samsung keeps fighting the good fight

Samsung’s efforts to reduce waste are visible across the board, not only around its manufacturing plants. Earlier this year the company kicked off a campaign to reduce plastic waste globally. It led to the Galaxy S10 series being wrapped in a more eco-friendly package.

The company also partnered with Wisetek Solutions a few months ago in an effort to reduce e-waste across Washington, DC. At the same time, Samsung Netherlands ran a campaign ensuring that every Galaxy S10e purchased in the country will result in a scrap phone in Ghana and Uganda being recycled properly.

The post UL gives Samsung Display top award for its waste-recycling efforts appeared first on SamMobile.

from SamMobile https://ift.tt/32FeGJ3
via IFTTT

Samsung close to eliminating big durability concern for the Galaxy Fold 2

There has been a lot of concern about the Galaxy Fold’s durability particularly after the company had to delay the release. It made improvements and released its first foldable smartphone in September. The Galaxy Fold has gone on to sell very well since then.

However, Samsung has been working to address a major durability concern for the Galaxy Fold 2. It has now inked a long-term exclusivity contract with a Korean supplier that could result in more durable foldable smartphones.

The Galaxy Fold 2 could be much more durable than its predecessor

The Galaxy Fold has a polyimide film on top of the flexible panel. It’s part and parcel of the display so if someone tries removing this film, they end up wrecking the display. That’s one of the reasons why Samsung delayed the launch. It tucked the film inside the frame so that it didn’t look like a screen protector that could be ripped off.

Samsung has been hedging its bets recently owing to the trade dispute between South Korea and Japan. The polyimide film it needs for the Galaxy Fold is only supplied by Japan’s Sumitomo and the government is now implementing strict export controls for South Korea. So there’s more than one reason for Samsung to look for an alternative.

Korean supplier DoInsys has been working on ultra-thin tempered glass technology, one that can actually fold without breaking. The company has already received a significant amount of money from Samsung’s investment division which shows that the two companies have been working together closely. It has now started mass production of its ultra-thin tempered glass.

It’s capable of producing tempered glass that has a thickness level of less than 100 micrometers (µm) which would make it possible to use it in a foldable smartphone. It reportedly has the technology to bring the thickness down to even 30 µm. A recent report suggested that the Galaxy Fold 2 will use ultra-thin glass instead of polyimide. Samsung has reportedly signed a mid to long-term exclusive contract with the company in order to secure the exclusive supply of this ultra-thin tempered glass. It’s also expected to invest more money in the company which now needs to expand its production facilities in order to meet demand.

At this rate, Samsung should be able to skip the polyimide film for the next Galaxy Fold and opt for this tempered glass instead. It would significantly improve the durability of the foldable display which is the most expensive component on a foldable smartphone. The exclusive supply agreement would enable Samsung to bring this technology to other products as well, such as laptops and tablets. It also helps Samsung stay ahead of the Chinese which are said to be working on their own ultra-thin tempered glass technology for similar uses.

The post Samsung close to eliminating big durability concern for the Galaxy Fold 2 appeared first on SamMobile.

from SamMobile https://ift.tt/2q587Cz
via IFTTT

Galaxy A50s and Galaxy A30s get price cuts in India

Two of Samsung’s mid-range smartphones have received price cuts in India. The Galaxy A30s and Galaxy A50s are now officially available for Rs. 1,000 (~$14) and Rs. 3,000 (~$40) less than their launch prices respectively. The Galaxy A50s can now be purchased for Rs 19,999 for 4GB+64GB configuration and Rs. 21,999 for the 6GB+128GB configuration. The Galaxy A30s is available for Rs 15,999 and comes only in a single variant with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage.

The Galaxy A50s is the same device as the Galaxy A50 for the most part (read our hands-on here). It has a 6.4-inch Full HD+ Super AMOLED Infinity-U display, Exynos 9611 octa-core SoC, 4/6GB of RAM, a triple camera setup that includes 32MP primary, 8MP ultra-wide (123 degrees), and 5MP depth sensors, a 32MP front-facing camera, 64/128GB of storage, and a 4,000 mAh battery with 15W fast charging. It also sports an optical in-display fingerprint sensor. The A50s runs Android Pie with One UI 1.5 and supports Samsung Pay payments of up to Rs. 2,000 via NFC.

The Galaxy A30s shares some Galaxy A50 specs as well, such as the in-display fingerprint reader, 4,000 mAh battery with 15W fast charging, and 25MP primary + 8MP ultra-wide + 5MP depth triple rear camera setup. However, it has the less powerful Exynos 7904 at its heart, a 6.4-inch Super AMOLED Infinity-V display of only HD+ resolution (which makes it a downgrade over the Galaxy A30), and a 16MP front camera. Like the A50s, the A30s gets Samsung’s latest software and support for NFC-based Samsung Pay.

The reduced price tags for the Galaxy A30s and Galaxy A50s are now in effect on Samsung’s official online store (A50s | A30s) and other online retailers, such as Amazon. Offline prices have reportedly been slashed as well, but there is no word on whether these are permanent price cuts. We hope they are, at least for the Galaxy A50s, as the new pricing makes it much more attractive as a potential purchase.

Galaxy A30s

• Model: SM-A307FN
• Dimensions: 158.5 x 74.7 x 7.8mm
• Display: 6.4"(162.1mm) Super AMOLED
• CPU: Exynos 7904
• Camera: 25 MP, CMOS F1.7 & 5MP, CMOS & 8MP, CMOS

More specifications

Galaxy A50s

• Model: SM-A507FN
• Dimensions: 158.5 x 74.7 x 7.7mm
• Display: 6.4"(162.1mm) Super AMOLED
• CPU: Exynos 9611
• Camera: 48 MP, CMOS & 5MP, CMOS Depth & 8MP, CMOS Ultrawide

More specifications

The post Galaxy A50s and Galaxy A30s get price cuts in India appeared first on SamMobile.

from SamMobile https://ift.tt/2pRJZU0
via IFTTT

Daily Deal: 15% off the Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2

The Galaxy Watch Active 2 came out just a few weeks ago and we already declared it Samsung’s best smartwatch yet. As you can read in our elaborate review of the Galaxy Watch Active 2, this smartwatch stands out because of its larger size option, excellent battery life and good activity tracking capabilities.

The technical specs are also top notch with an AMOLED screen, an LTE version, and the dual core Exynos 9110 processor. This recently launched device is already available at a 15% discount but only in very limited supply.

Hit the Buy Now button below and get yours while still available!

The post Daily Deal: 15% off the Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2 appeared first on SamMobile.

from SamMobile https://ift.tt/2Q4VxO7
via IFTTT

Samsung to sell 2020 Galaxy M models in India through retail stores too

Samsung launched its new Galaxy M lineup of affordable devices in India earlier this year. It created these devices with the sole purpose of reclaiming lost market share in the highly competitive entry-level segment.

The devices had respectable specs for the price and were able to stand out against the competition. In a bid to further cut margins, Samsung decided to remove the middleman and sell these devices directly to customers. The entire Galaxy M series was only sold through Samsung’s online store and Amazon. That may change for the 2020 Galaxy M models due in the near future.

2020 Galaxy M models won’t be online exclusive

India is one of the few markets where Samsung has a massive retail network. It works with countless mobile retailers to bring its products to the masses. The retailers obviously get commissions for selling Samsung’s products.

The Galaxy M series has been very well received in India. The Galaxy M10, M20 and M30 sold more than two million units just a few months after being launched. The online-only model worked for the company and it set about making $1 billion in online smartphone sales from India only. This also meant that its retail partners were not able to share in the success of the Galaxy M series. They have apparently expressed this displeasure to Samsung over this.

Offline smartphone retailers have reportedly been pressing smartphone manufacturers to limit online-only models as that takes away business from them. Samsung isn’t the only manufacturer that’s using this model. As more manufacturers launch online-only models, the retailers’ business has taken a hit.

According to local media reports, Samsung India’s mobile phone business team has informed the retail industry that the new Galaxy M models will be sold through offline retailers as well. Rumor has it that the 2020 Galaxy M series will come with significant hardware changes. Samsung announced its first Galaxy M models in January this year so we could be seeing updated models in just a couple of months.

The post Samsung to sell 2020 Galaxy M models in India through retail stores too appeared first on SamMobile.

from SamMobile https://ift.tt/2O0aUot
via IFTTT

Samsung’s Exynos 990 and the Exynos 9830 are the same chip

The Exynos 990, the flagship 5G-enabled mobile chipset Samsung launched a few weeks ago, is the Exynos 9830 that will power the Galaxy S11. The part number for the Exynos 990 is S5E9830, as seen on Samsung’s website, which is how we have learned that the Exynos 990 is what should have been the Exynos 9830.

Some of you might be wondering why there is confusion over what Exynos chip will power the Galaxy S11. The confusion came purely from the fact that Samsung is using Exynos 9830 for the Exynos 990 internally, like in the code for the Android 10 beta for the Galaxy S10. Previously, the part/model numbers for Exynos chips usually matched their consumer-facing names, but Samsung is clearly switching things up for next year. For example, the Exynos 9820 and Exynos 9825, which power the Galaxy S10 and Galaxy Note 10 respectively, have part numbers S5E9820 and S5E9825.

The other SoC that will power the Galaxy S11 lineup will be the Snapdragon 865 from Qualcomm. The Snapdragon 865 is expected to be made official in early December, with many features that are similar to the Exynos 990, such as an integrated 5G modem, support for 100MP+ cameras, and UFS 3.0 storage. It will be built on a 7nm EUV manufacturing process by Samsung, same as the Exynos 990. As usual, only select markets – such as the US, Canada, China, and Brazil – are likely to get the Snapdragon variant of the Galaxy S11.

The post Samsung’s Exynos 990 and the Exynos 9830 are the same chip appeared first on SamMobile.

from SamMobile https://ift.tt/2pRvoId
via IFTTT

New Galaxy Buds incoming: Can we expect active noise cancellation?

As you would expect, Samsung is working on the successor to the Galaxy Buds. We’ve found evidence of a device with model number SM-R175 that Samsung is currently developing. The Galaxy Buds have model number SM-R170; if we put two and two together, we can only surmise that the Galaxy Buds 2 — or Galaxy Buds (2020), or whatever Samsung decides to call them — are on their way.

Four colors, 8GB of onboard storage that may not actually be usable

Color options for the new Galaxy Buds, which we will call Galaxy Buds 2 for the time being, include black, white, blue, and pink. The Galaxy Buds are available in black, white, silver, and yellow, with the silver version having the same paint job as the Aura Glow Galaxy Note 10. Samsung looks to be mixing things up for the second-generation Buds by replacing yellow with pink and silver with blue, although the color options may change at a later time as we move closer to the earbuds’ actual launch.

We can also see that the Galaxy Buds 2 are being developed with 8GB of storage, but we’re not sure the earbuds will actually have any onboard storage. The Galaxy Buds were also in development with 8GB of storage but ultimately didn’t ship with any, suggesting Samsung is not willing to let its wireless earbuds be used in a standalone manner anymore, perhaps because it expects consumers to buy into its ecosystem and use the Buds with either a Galaxy smartphone or a smartwatch, both of which do let you store media locally.

Galaxy Buds 2 features: Can we expect active noise cancellation?

The Galaxy Buds are pretty amazing for the price. They are extremely comfortable to wear, and they have solid sound quality as well. Can we expect active noise cancellation to be one of the highlights of the Galaxy Buds 2? Apple’s latest AirPods (the AirPods Pro) have active noise cancellation built-in, and while they cost twice as much as the Galaxy Buds, active noise cancellation may be one of few new features Samsung could use to market the Galaxy Buds 2 to consumers.

Galaxy Buds 2 will probably launch alongside the Galaxy S11

The Galaxy Buds were launched alongside the Galaxy S10 series in February this year, and we can only assume the Buds 2 will make their official appearance at the Galaxy S11 launch. Of course, that’s assuming Samsung doesn’t follow the same timeline as it did for the Galaxy Watch Active 2, which came out just six months after its predecessor. With development having only recently started on the Galaxy Buds 2, a launch next year is more likely, but nothing can be said for certain at this time.

What kind of features and improvements would you like to see on the Galaxy Buds 2?

The post New Galaxy Buds incoming: Can we expect active noise cancellation? appeared first on SamMobile.

from SamMobile https://ift.tt/2CvMvSj
via IFTTT