Samsung kicks off Android 10 development for the Galaxy Fold

The Galaxy Fold may be the costliest mobile device you can buy from Samsung right now, but it hasn’t been receiving the kind of software support you would expect when you spend $2000. Security updates haven’t been coming to the Fold as quickly as we would like, and in Samsung’s roadmap for the Android 10 update for eligible Galaxy devices, the Galaxy Fold is slated to get Android 10 in April next year.

Now, Samsung’s roadmaps don’t always give you an accurate estimate for when a device might get a major update. The Galaxy S10, for example, is expected to get Android 10 in January according to the roadmap Samsung has published in many countries, but the update is already rolling out in a number of markets worldwide.

That means the Galaxy Fold’s Android 10 update could be released before April, but whether or not that happens, you will be happy to hear that Samsung has finally started Android 10 development for its foldable smartphone. Yes, the development seems to have started pretty late, and it’s only going on for the US version of the Fold for now, with the most current test build featuring software version F900USQU2BSL1.

With the Galaxy Fold featuring some exclusive software features, such as three-app multitasking and App Continuity, Samsung will probably have some additional work to do to port Android 10 to the device. We can only wait and see when the update will be officially released, although considering the speed at which Samsung developed Android 10 for the Galaxy S10, one can hope that the company won’t take too long for the Galaxy Fold.

The post Samsung kicks off Android 10 development for the Galaxy Fold appeared first on SamMobile.

from SamMobile https://ift.tt/2Lkdnd0
via IFTTT

Galaxy S10 Android 10 update public release rolling out more widely

The public release of the Galaxy S10 Android 10 update is now taking place in a number of new markets, including Spain, India, Poland, the UK, Ireland, Vietnam, and the UAE. Galaxy S10 owners in these countries can update to the latest version of Android and One UI 2.0 from Android Pie.

The stable Android 10 update for the Galaxy S10e, Galaxy S10, and Galaxy S10+ is now available in ten markets or so and it should be expanding to more countries in the coming days. Samsung has released the stable update in December itself even though its Android 10 roadmaps continue to say the update will arrive in January, which should tell you how much trust you should put on the information the company puts out officially.

You can download the Android 10 update over the air by going into the Settings » Software update menu on your phone and tapping Download and install. You may have to do this a couple of times before the update starts downloading. You can also download the Android 10 firmware for your country from our firmware archive and update your phone using your computer.

The post Galaxy S10 Android 10 update public release rolling out more widely appeared first on SamMobile.

from SamMobile https://ift.tt/35UdF1W
via IFTTT

New Galaxy Note 9 Android 10 beta update brings a boatload of fixes

Samsung opened up the Android 10 One UI 2.0 beta program to the Galaxy Note 9 two weeks ago. South Korea and the United Kingdom were among the first countries to get it. The beta has since expanded to other markets including India.

The company has rolled out a new Galaxy Note 9 Android 10 beta today. It follows the hotfix update that was released last week. As expected, today’s update brings a boatload of fixes for the device.

Latest Galaxy Note 9 Android 10 beta update rolling out

The entire purpose of the beta program is to weed out any bugs in the firmware before it’s released to the public. Samsung has fixed quite a few of them in the new Galaxy Note 9 Android 10 beta that it’s sending out today in the UK. It has firmware version N960FXXU4ZSKH and weighs in at under 325MB. The update comes with the December 2019 security patch.

Some of the bugs fixed in this update include reboots every time VPN runs, Samsung DeX UI crashing, lookup and reboot after connecting to a mobile hotspot and more. The full changelog can be seen in the screenshot posted below.

It may only be a matter of weeks before the Galaxy Note 9 gets the stable release of Android 10. Samsung has already released the Android 10 update for the Galaxy S10 series. It’s gradually expanding the roll out to more markets across the globe. The Galaxy Note 10 will be next to get the stable version.

The number of bugs fixed in this update suggests that the beta program for the Galaxy Note 9 is progressing very well. Galaxy Note 9 owners who are in on the beta can now download this firmware update over-the-air. It’s out in the United Kingdom right now and will soon be made available in other markets.

The post New Galaxy Note 9 Android 10 beta update brings a boatload of fixes appeared first on SamMobile.

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

Samsung Vietnam reveals Galaxy A (2020) unveil set for December 12

There is a lot of anticipation for the refresh of Samsung’s popular Galaxy A series. We reported four months ago that the branding is going to be slightly changed for the upcoming devices. The Galaxy A10’s successor will be called the Galaxy A11, and so on and so forth right up to the Galaxy A91.

Samsung hasn’t officially confirmed as yet when it’s going to unveil the Galaxy A (2020) series. However, a video has been posted online by Samsung Vietnam which mentions that the series will be unveiled on December 12.

Samsung to possibly unveil Galaxy A (2020) series on December 12

Given that the video has been posted on the official YouTube channel for Samsung Vietnam, there’s little doubting its credibility. Samsung seems to be unveiling the series quite early seeing as how the first models from this year’s series, the Galaxy A50 and Galaxy A30, were unveiled in February 2019.

Rumors suggest that the Galaxy A (2020) series is going to be all about the camera. All models are said to have no fewer than three cameras at the back. The setups will range from a 13MP to 108MP primary camera coupled with an 8MP to 16MP wide and 10MP to 12MP telephoto camera with 2x optical zoom. Some models will also feature a 5MP depth sensor and a ToF sensor. We also exclusively revealed a week ago that the Galaxy A51 is going to feature a 5MP macro camera.

Other rumors have suggested that some Galaxy A (2020) models will have a Galaxy Note 10-like centered punch hole display. There’s also going to be a new L-shaped array at the back to house all of the cameras. That’s the impression we get from this video as well. It walks us through many of the camera advancements that Samsung has made for its mid-range devices over the years.

It also provides a glimpse of a new device with a centered punch hole display and a new camera array at the back. Samsung won’t be unveiling all of the new Galaxy A (2020) handsets at the same time. Seeing as how the Galaxy A51 has jumped through a lot of regulatory hurdles recently, there’s a good chance that it might be among the first models to be unveiled.

Samsung’s video mentions December 12 as the day that the new Galaxy A (2020) handset is unveiled. So there’s more to be excited about from Samsung before the Galaxy S11 arrives in February.

The post Samsung Vietnam reveals Galaxy A (2020) unveil set for December 12 appeared first on SamMobile.

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

Daily Deal: 47% off Samsung BAR Plus 256GB

We continue the Black Friday deal madness with another that you should not miss. The Samsung BAR is a USB-drive that offers 256GB of storage capacity. Besides the massive amount of room to store data, this USB-drive also is waterproof, shockproof, magnet proof, temperature proof and x-ray proof. Look no further if you want a USB-drive that is able to last long in extreme conditions. At 47% off, this is a steal so get a couple of them in while still discounted!

Hit the Buy Now button below to order the Samsung BAR Plus now.

The post Daily Deal: 47% off Samsung BAR Plus 256GB appeared first on SamMobile.

from SamMobile https://ift.tt/2Rcs9pG
via IFTTT

Vietnamese PM asks Samsung to build a chip manufacturing facility there

According to a report in The Korean Herald, Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc asked Lee Jae-yong, Vice Chairman and the de facto chief of Samsung Electronics, to consider building a chip manufacturing facility in the Southeast Asian country. The request reportedly came at a private meeting between the two in Seoul yesterday.

The Vietnamese head of the state offered many incentives to persuade Samsung to make the move, but Lee did make any commitment, says the report. Instead, Lee apparently promised to hire around 3,000 Vietnamese engineers for the Samsung R&D center that is currently under construction in Vietnam’s capital Hanoi.

Vietnam is already a huge manufacturing base for Samsung, where the Korean tech giant makes smartphones, TVs, displays, batteries, etc. and exports them to various markets around the world. Almost 58% of all the Samsung smartphones sold worldwide are manufactured in Vietnam. The Korean company has invested nearly $17 billion and employed 130,000 workers at its manufacturing facilities there since 1995.

Despite Samsung’s strong presence in Vietnam, the chances of it building a chip manufacturing facility there appear slim, according to the industry experts quoted in the report. Many of them believe Vietnam currently neither has the top-notch engineering talent required for high-tech chip manufacturing facility nor is the market as big as China. Samsung currently has an SoC manufacturing facility in Austin, Texas, and a memory plant in Xian, China.

The post Vietnamese PM asks Samsung to build a chip manufacturing facility there appeared first on SamMobile.

from SamMobile https://ift.tt/3808Fum
via IFTTT

[Update: More markets] Stable Galaxy S10 Android 10 update released in Germany!

Samsung has just released the stable Android 10 update for the Galaxy S10 series in Germany! Yes, this is not a drill, the stable update really is rolling out, at least for those who had participated in the One UI 2.0 beta program. The stable update comes with software version G97**XXU3BSKO, includes the December security patch, and is around 140 MB in size.

It remains to be seen when the update will be released in other countries where the beta program was launched. Furthermore, it will be interesting to see if the update will also be released soon for the general public that’s still using Android Pie, as Samsung’s official Android 10 roadmaps are currently pointing at a January rollout for the Galaxy S10’s Android 10 update.

If you’re using the One UI 2.0 beta in Germany, you can download the stable update over the air from the Settings » Software update menu on your S10e, S10, or S10+. Do keep in mind that there still could be a few bugs in the software despite it being a stable build. It could take another update or two before all the bugs are fixed, so you might want to make sure your data is backed up before installing the stable release.

Update: The stable update is also rolling out to beta users in India, Poland, Spain, and the UK. A release for the general public in these markets should happen soon, and you can keep an eye on this page to find out when it has been released in your country.

The post [Update: More markets] Stable Galaxy S10 Android 10 update released in Germany! appeared first on SamMobile.

from SamMobile https://ift.tt/35FefjX
via IFTTT

Samsung’s newest app lets you create your own themes

Samsung has released a new app on the Galaxy Store that lets you make your own themes for your Galaxy smartphone. That’s right, you can make custom themes of your own that you can use to change the look of the user interface. Called Theme Park, the new app is part of the Good Lock family of apps and “extracts dominant colors from wallpaper and creates theme automatically based on user’s style and colors.”

Once you select an existing wallpaper, Theme Park lets you decide the main color for the theme based on the colors it detects in the image, which affects things like the quick toggle icons in the notification shade, and gives you a variety of color combinations to choose from for aspects of the UI such as the text color, menu backgrounds, and more.

You can also select whether app icons have a background or not and choose the color of the text for the names of the apps you see on the home screen and in the apps drawer. Every theme you create is saved on your device and can be accessed at any time from the list of installed themes in the Wallpaper and themes section of the Settings app. However, themes can’t be shared with others, although that functionality could arrive at a later time.

Theme Park is pretty basic, but it’s still a neat little app that you can try out for fun and for making themes based on your favorite wallpapers. Theme Park can be downloaded from the Galaxy Store on all Galaxy devices running Android Pie – Android 10 isn’t supported yet, but that will change soon according to the app’s developers. If you can’t access Theme Park on the Galaxy Store, you can sideload it on to your device by downloading its APK file from our APK section.

Thanks for the tip, Ravi!

The post Samsung’s newest app lets you create your own themes appeared first on SamMobile.

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

Galaxy S10 Lite surfaces on Samsung’s own website, launch not far off

It seems Samsung is gearing up for the launch of the Galaxy S10 Lite. The first support pages of the device have been spotted on the company’s website, hinting at a fast-approaching unveiling. Previous rumors suggest the device could debut in India sometime later this month.

Galaxy S10 Lite support pages surface

Any new phone travels a long path from the lab to the shops. Along that path are several points at which it can be, and usually is, spotted by nerds like us. The Galaxy S10 Lite is no different. After first surfacing, the device had some of its specifications leaked by a benchmark test and recently was even listed as approved by the FCC. Now, finally, the device has made its way onto Samsung’s own website.

In France, Samsung is now listing the support pages for the SM-G770F, the model number of the Galaxy S10 Lite. As usual, those pages offer no new information about the device itself. It is their mere existence that tells us that Samsung is busy with the necessary pre-launch preparations.

All of this does not take away from the fact that the Galaxy S10 Lite is a bit of a weird device. With its Snapdragon 855 SoC and 8GB RAM, it is no less powerful than the regular Galaxy S10. Add to that a battery bigger than that of the Galaxy S10+, and it becomes clear there is nothing light about the S10 Lite.

Now, let’s see if Samsung launches the S10 Lite alongside the Galaxy A51, which is also expected to be revealed before this year is over. After all, Samsung would be wise to not release it too close to the Galaxy S11 so it can avoid muddying its high-end portfolio even further.

The post Galaxy S10 Lite surfaces on Samsung’s own website, launch not far off appeared first on SamMobile.

from SamMobile https://ift.tt/35XkmR1
via IFTTT

Samsung ranks second in 5G patents globally, Huawei tops the list

Samsung has been aggressively pursuing 5G business in the last couple of years by providing end-to-end solutions, ranging from network infrastructure to 5G enabled devices. The company sees 5G as a massive opportunity to sustain and grow an otherwise slowing business and has made massive investments into research and development of next-generation networks and devices.

We have to wait for a few more years to know how successful Samsung will be in its endeavor, but for now, the company is doing an impressive job in amassing 5G -related patents. According to a new report published by the German market research firm IPlytics, Samsung ranks second in 5G patent applications globally while the Chinese giant Huawei tops the list.

Huawei has filed for a total of 3,325 patents worldwide, of which 1,337 are granted in at least one of the patent offices. Samsung, on the other hand, applied for a total of 2,846 patents globally, with 1,746 granted so far. When it comes to patent applications at the USPTO, EPO, or PCT, Samsung leads the pack with 2,542 applications, while Huawei’s number stands at 2,379.

As the data shows, Samsung is not only ahead of others when it comes to the 5G patents granted so far, it is also the market leader in applications to the more stringent and lucrative patents offices globally. Moreover, the Korean tech giant has performed better than the other established network equipment suppliers like Nokia, Ericsson, ZTE, etc. as well.

Given how important patents have become in dominating network equipment and smartphone markets, it is fair to say Samsung is well on the path to emerge as a major player in the 5G space. The political troubles and suspicion Huawei is facing worldwide is also expected to help the Korean company to grow its 5G business.

The post Samsung ranks second in 5G patents globally, Huawei tops the list appeared first on SamMobile.

from SamMobile https://ift.tt/2Ra8ve5
via IFTTT

5G variant of the Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 surfaces once again

The world’s first 5G tablet. That’s a title Samsung will be hoping to pick up as the competition in the 5G mobile market gets more intense, and the company has been working towards that goal for a few months now. A 5G variant of the Galaxy Tab S6 was revealed to be in development when the device picked up Bluetooth certification two months ago. Now, the device has been certified by Korea’s National Radio Agency, providing further proof that a Galaxy Tab S6 5G is on its way.

The RRA mentions only the model number for the device — SM-T866N — and that it supports 5G connectivity, but we already know that the T866N is the Galaxy Tab S6’s 5G variant thanks to its Bluetooth certification. The N in the model number means this particular tablet is destined for Korea (hence the RRA certification), and there’s currently no word on whether the Tab S6 5G will come to other countries. It’s also not known when the 5G variant will hit retail shelves in South Korea, although we will hopefully hear more on that front in the near future.

On the hardware front, we can expect the Galaxy Tab S6 5G to be the same as the Wi-Fi and LTE variants. That’s not a bad thing, as the Tab S6 packs a beautiful AMOLED screen on the outside and flagship internals, such as a Snapdragon 855 SoC, on the inside, making it the best Android tablet of 2019. 5G connectivity will drive the price up, but we probably won’t know just how costlier it will be until it goes official.

The post 5G variant of the Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 surfaces once again appeared first on SamMobile.

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