Galaxy Note 10 Android 10 update out for Verizon users in the USA

The Galaxy Note 10 series is now getting the Android 10 update in the US. Verizon is the first carrier to release the update in the country, and it remains to be seen when other carriers will join the party. Surprisingly, the Note 10+ 5G is being updated as well, despite Samsung having said the 5G variants of the Note 10 duo will not get the update before 2020.

According to owners of the Note 10 phones on Reddit, the Android 10 update won’t show up on its own just yet. You will have to manually trigger the download by going into the Software update menu in the phone’s settings. One user has reported seeing their device reboot constantly just half an hour after updating to Android 10, so it would be a good idea to make a complete backup of your phone’s data before performing the update.

The Galaxy Note 10 and Note 10+/10+ 5G are powered by Snapdragon chips in the US, so you can expect to get the update soon if you reside in another market where the Snapdragon models are sold, such as Brazil, Hong Kong, and Canada. You can keep an eye on this article to find out once the update has been released in your country.

Thanks for the tip, Jabbar!

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The Galaxy S11 could be even more difficult to repair than the S10

The Galaxy S11 might be very difficult to repair, judging by recent reports indicating that Samsung has secured China’s Weldbond as its new supplier for adhesives. The report passed along by The Elec claims that Samsung is going to move away from double-sided adhesive tape for its next flagship, and seal the Galaxy S11 using glue.

Samsung will reportedly stop using double-sided adhesive tape supplied by local companies NDFOS and ANYONE Inc. and will acquire glue from Weldbond as well as US-based H.B. Fuller instead.

The pros and cons of abandoning adhesive tape

Modern smartphones have become more difficult to repair in the quest to minimize bezels, and the Galaxy S10 is a prime example of a device that you would not want to disassemble. However, the Galaxy S11 might be even worse, as it could make extensive use of glue instead of adhesive tape.

This manufacturing method is less costly and allows for even thinner bezels, which is something Samsung seems to be aiming for with the Galaxy S11 series. On the other hand, it’s more difficult to waterproof a smartphone using glue to seal the back panel. This is true not only for Samsung but for DIY customers as well.

The company’s more recent flagships have received a sub-mediocre score for repairability from iFixit, with the Galaxy S10 getting a 3 out of 10, and if the recent report is true then the Galaxy S11 could receive an even lower rating than that.

That is, of course, assuming that the Galaxy S11 will be built this way. There’s no strong evidence to support this aside from Samsung acquiring a new adhesive supplier, and we probably won’t know with certainty until the first disassembly videos go live.

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A look back at Samsung’s most notable mobile products of the decade

We’re closing in on the end of the year, and indeed, the end of the decade. The past 10 years have been very exciting for Samsung fans, as the company went from making its first Android smartphones to become the largest smartphone vendor in the world. The journey has had many ups, a few downs, and Samsung managed to create and release numerous influential and notable devices along the way.

With 2020 just around the corner, we think it’s the perfect time to take a look back at Samsung’s legacy since the launch of the first Galaxy S smartphone and recall some of the company’s mobile products that have left a mark on customers, on Samsung’s own design philosophy, and indeed, the industry as a whole.

Samsung Galaxy S

The Galaxy S is where it all began back in mid-2010. While not the first Android-powered smartphone from Samsung, that title rests with 2009’s GT-I7500, it marked the beginning of what would go on to become one of the most successful and popular Android smartphone series.

The Galaxy S wasn’t perfect and users had complaints that performance greatly decreased over time, but it was successful enough to show that Samsung had what it takes to compete with its rivals.

Samsung Galaxy Note

Similarly, the first Galaxy Note launched in October 2011 as the company’s first S Pen-enabled smartphone. Initial opinions were mixed, with many phone enthusiasts claiming that the phone was a bit too ridiculous due to its ‘huge’ 5.3-inch display. Nowadays a 5.3-inch panel is rather small, but back then – especially when bezels were considerably larger – it was unheard of to have such a large phone.

Despite all of this, the Galaxy Note was very successful. It was ahead of its time given its boldness to adopt such a large display. It sparked the beginning of a great series, and to this day, the Galaxy Note lineup doesn’t have a direct competitor. Samsung exhibited great courage in releasing a stylus-equipped phone at a time when the market was ditching physical keyboards and the stylus altogether. It presented a new idea and has continued to refine it over the decade much to its customers’ delight.

Samsung Galaxy S2

With the original Galaxy handset proving to the world that this series had substance, Samsung improved on the original device with the Galaxy S2. The Galaxy S2 was notable because, at its thinnest point of 8.49mm, it was one of the slimmest smartphones ever released.

Samsung had also begun branding its custom processes as Exynos by that time and the Galaxy S2 was the first smartphone to feature an Exynos-branded processor. The Galaxy S2 was well received, as it improved the formula laid down by its predecessor on every front, from design to internal specifications.

Samsung Galaxy Round

The Galaxy Round was a one-off device that was more of a proof of concept. However, it made our list because of its curved Super Flexible AMOLED display, which was a precursor to the Edge design and foldable screens. Its concave display design wasn’t carried over to newer Galaxy S/Note generations, but the technology itself served as a glimpse of what can be achieved with flexible/foldable displays.

It was sold only in South Korea and it was more of a device meant to highlight Samsung’s advancements in display technology. It did have the world’s first curved flexible display, after all. The Galaxy Round was also released partly because it had to compete with the LG G Flex, which was created by LG for similar reasons: to showcase its display tech. Needless to say, Samsung has won the display race against LG, at least as far as the mobile segment is concerned.

Samsung Galaxy S5

The Galaxy S5 introduced a rather polarizing design in 2014. It had a dimpled back panel which fueled a few memes comparing it with a bandaid, but technically speaking it had a lot to offer. It was the first Galaxy S (non-Active) device to feature dust and water resistance, a fingerprint scanner, and a heart rate sensor. These became core features for years to come.

Despite these advancements, however, the Galaxy S5 had somewhat of a bad reputation. Sales were very strong in the first month of availability, but overall sales were weak and the phone contributed to Samsung recording its lowest profits in over two years. Sales figures and yearly revenues aside, the Galaxy S5 still was a great feature-full device.

Samsung Galaxy Note Edge

The Galaxy Note Edge was introduced along with the Galaxy Note 4 in 2014. It makes our list for one obvious reason, and that this the introduction of the Edge display which has become an iconic design element for Samsung’s modern flagships. Even though it was widely released, the Galaxy Note Edge was described by Samsung itself as a “limited edition concept device.”

Interestingly enough, the Galaxy Note 5 which launched a year later did not have an edge display. However, the Galaxy S6 edge adopted this technology as it came with a dual-edge curved display, that just means the display was curved on both sides instead of just one like the Galaxy Note Edge. Countless other Galaxy devices across different price points have featured an edge display design since.

Samsung Galaxy S6 series

Many existing design cues employed by Samsung’s smartphones hark back to the Galaxy S6 series which was introduced in the first half of 2015. Two variants were launched at the same time, the Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 edge, with flat and curved displays respectively.

The Galaxy S6 and S6 edge were the first to adopt the premium metal and glass build we’re familiar with, and for better or worse, they were Samsung’s first devices to have a sealed, non-user-removable battery. This change was criticized by some fans, but it did lead to advancements in design and wireless charging technology. The series didn’t feature a microSD card slot as well. Win some, lose some.

Samsung Galaxy S8 series

All of Samsung’s smartphones preceding the Galaxy S8 had a front-facing physical Home button which doubled as a fingerprint scanner in some cases. The Galaxy S8 series was unveiled in 2017 and changed this forever, as it was the first model to flaunt the Infinity design which had a bigger focus on minimizing bezels by ditching the home button and moving the fingerprint sensor to the back.

It was a notable series because it introduced a new design language for Samsung’s smartphones, one that eventually filtered down to non-flagship models as well.

Samsung Galaxy Note 8

Launched in 2017 – a year after the disastrous release of the Galaxy Note 7 – the Galaxy Note 8 redeemed the series by becoming Samsung’s first flagship to adopt more than one rear-facing camera. It did ditch the IR blaster, though, which is something that not many fans were thrilled about.

It was also the first Note model to follow the Infinity design language, and as a result, it also became the first Note model to exceed the 6-inch display size with a 6.3-inch panel. When many had written off the Galaxy Note series after the recall, Samsung came back stronger than ever with the Galaxy Note 8 and laid to rest any doubts that people may have had about the Note’s future.

Samsung Galaxy Note 9

The Galaxy Note 9 unveiled last year is a fantastic flagship. It’s packed with technologies including an iris scanner and fingerprint sensor, and it sports both a USB Type-C and 3.5mm headphone jack. It is quite the complete package. It was also the first model to feature a Bluetooth-enabled S Pen, opening up new possibilities and features for the stylus.

Samsung Galaxy S10 series

The Galaxy S10 series was released earlier this year and marks a couple of interesting changes. The Galaxy S10 and Galaxy S10+ are the company’s first smartphones to adopt an in-display ultrasonic fingerprint scanner. The series also expanded to include three models with the introduction of the S10e variant, the first variant in the Galaxy S series to feature a flat display in a few years.

5G was another milestone achieved by the series, or rather the fourth variant in the series, i.e., the Galaxy S10+ 5G. It didn’t make an official appearance next to the original trio and was released a few months after the 4G models. Wireless PowerShare, Samsung’s reverse wireless charging feature, also made its debut with the Galaxy S10 series.

Samsung Galaxy Note 10 series

The pinnacle of the Galaxy Note series as of this writing, the Note 10 marks the introduction of a new design language that forgoes the centered rear camera placement. The centered punch hole for the front camera is a much better implementation of the Infinity-O display. It’s the first generation of Notes to fully embrace the two-flagship-variants strategy, and it launched with a brand new S Pen featuring an internal gyroscope. This allows for gesture control within apps using the S Pen.

Samsung Galaxy Fold

Although the Galaxy Fold has yet to prove its influence on the smartphone market as a whole, it sure represents Samsung’s highest ambitions when it comes to designing smartphones. It’s a completely new take on the concept of a smartphone/tablet, and it’s fueled by cutting edge technologies inside and out.

The Galaxy Fold already is an important part of history and Samsung’s legacy, and it probably will represent the starting point of a whole new generation of foldable devices. It’s also the most expensive consumer-grade smartphone/tablet developed by Samsung, by far.

Samsung Galaxy Gear

The Galaxy Gear was released in the second half of 2013 as the company’s first smartwatch. It was powered by Android OS but, interestingly enough, Samsung ditched the platform roughly six months later through a firmware update that replaced Android with its own Tizen OS. Every other Samsung smartwatch that followed has been running Tizen.

The Galaxy Gear had a robust build and a square 1.63-inch display. It was powered by an in-house Exynos chipset and even had a 1.9MP camera embedded in the wrist strap.

Samsung Gear S2

The Gear S2 series marks the introduction of the circular smartwatch display for Samsung’s lineup. The series consisted of the Gear S2 and Gear S2 Classic, both of which were launched in H2 2015.

The Gear S2 lineup was powered by a more refined and energy-efficient Exynos chipset, but the star of the show was the circular display which became a staple of Samsung’s smartwatch design. It also introduced a rotating bezel to Samsung’s smartwatch line which set it apart from the competition. Samsung ditched the rotating bezel with the Galaxy Watch Active but brought back a digital implementation of the feature with the Galaxy Watch Active 2.

Gear VR

Samsung’s virtual reality headset, the Gear VR, created a lot of buzz when it was first unveiled in September 2014. Samsung launched the headset in December that year and the first version was only compatible with the Galaxy Note 4. There was a lot of excitement surrounding VR at that time, largely due to PC-based solutions like the Oculus Rift. Samsung partnered with Oculus on the Gear VR which handled the software side of things.

This was a notable product as it allowed an untethered VR experience. Just slide the phone in the headset and you’re good to go. The Gear VR allowed Samsung to quickly obtain in the lead in the mobile VR segment. Samsung did release multiple iterations of the headset in the following years. 2017’s Gear VR with Controller was the last model to be released. Samsung ultimately moved away from it to the point that the Galaxy Note 10 series doesn’t even work with the headset.

One UI

Speaking of custom software, One UI must be acknowledged for putting an end to Samsung’s rather convoluted TouchWiz UX. The company’s earlier efforts to create a custom UI for Android OS were met with mixed feelings by smartphone enthusiasts. TouchWiz felt slow and bloated, and although subsequent updates have improved the experience, it still had its problems and it remained disliked by many people.

One UI was unveiled and released last year as Samsung’s new custom UI for Android OS. It was redesigned from the ground up to offer a more streamlined experience fit for modern smartphones and tablets. It achieved this with flying colors and we couldn’t be happier that it exists. Samsung further refined the user experience with One UI 2.0 which was released with the Android 10 update.

Honorable mentions: Nexus S, Galaxy Nexus, Nexus 10

The Nexus S, Galaxy Nexus, and Nexus 10 weren’t exactly a part of Samsung’s product lineup. These devices were manufactured by Samsung for Google to release under the Nexus brand, but they still played an important role in mobile history. They were considered to be great devices by many smartphone enthusiasts, partly because of their competitive prices, and partly because they really were good products.

The Nexus S, Galaxy Nexus, and Nexus 10 were introduced in 2010, 2011, and 2012, respectively. They were quite successful and they offered Samsung fans a way to experience the company’s hardware alongside an unaltered version of Android OS.

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It surely has been an exciting decade for Samsung and fans of the brand, and we’re looking forward to another 10 years of innovation and interesting products. It’s difficult to tell how the next decade will pan out for Samsung, but foldable display technology could play a big role in how the company will continue to grow.

As for the list above, it probably could have contained a lot more other Samsung devices, but we feel like these are the ones that were the most notable or interesting for one reason or another. However, we’d love to know which mobile products made by Samsung over the last decade were your favorite and why, so join us in the comment section below and share your thoughts.

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Aura White Samsung Galaxy Note 10 5G launches in another market

The Galaxy Note 10 5G in Aura White is available for pre-order in South Korea starting today, via Samsung’s website as well as through Naver, Hi-Mart, and E-Land. The pre-order period ends on December 31 and the device is scheduled to ship on January 3.

Customers who pre-order the Galaxy Note 10 5G in Aura White between December 20-31 will receive a Galaxy Fit for free. Samsung has also prepared incentives for those who might miss the pre-order window. Customers who will acquire the Aura White phablet throughout January will receive 10,000 won ($8.62) vouchers which can be used towards the purchase of an exclusive Galaxy Note 10 white cover or a new Galaxy Fit.

Aura White remains one of the more exclusive Galaxy Note 10 flavors

In South Korea, the Aura White treatment seems to be reserved for the standard Galaxy Note 10 5G, as Samsung makes no mention of the Galaxy Note 10+ 5G being available in this flavor.

The device carries a price tag of 1,124,500 won ($969) which is about the same as the Note 10 5G wrapped up in one of the other flavors. Despite this, Aura White is one of the rarer color options for the Galaxy Note 10 series. It was unveiled as early as IFA, but it launched only in select countries including the US, where the Aura White Galaxy Note 10+ is presently available for a discounted price of $839.

Galaxy Note 10 5G

• Model: SM-N971N
• Dimensions: 151.0 x71.8x7.9mm
• Display: 6.3"(160.02mm) Super AMOLED
• CPU: Exynos 9825
• Camera: 12 MP, CMOS F2.2 Telephoto & 12MP F1.5/F2.4 77° & 16MP F2.2 123° Ultra-wide

More specifications

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OneDrive-Gallery integration goes live for the Galaxy Note 10 in Europe

Microsoft’s OneDrive is now being integrated with Samsung’s Gallery app on Galaxy Note 10 devices in Europe. The feature announced a couple of months ago became available to One UI 2.0 beta testers, but Microsoft has now announced that OneDrive integration has gone live for the Galaxy Note 10 series in Europe regardless of their Android OS versions. The service should be launched in the USA next.

OneDrive integration brings the option to sync your Gallery content with your Microsoft OneDrive storage directly from inside the Gallery app. The solution is actually poised to replace Samsung Cloud, so you will have to make the switch eventually if you plan on storing your photos and videos in the cloud.

New OneDrive users get 5GB of free storage

Galaxy Note 10 owners who have yet to use Microsoft OneDrive will be rewarded with 5GB of free cloud storage when they activate the service. Likewise, Galaxy Note 10 owners who already own a Samsung Cloud storage plan should also be eligible for additional storage for one year.

Users who might want more out of their cloud storage can subscribe to OneDrive for $1.99 a month and get 100GB. If that’s still not enough to satisfy your storage needs, you can sign up to an Office 365 subscription and receive 1TB of cloud storage along with access to Microsoft’s Office suite which includes Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook.

If you want to activate OneDrive storage on your Galaxy Note 10, open the Gallery app, tap the three-dot button, access Settings, then Cloud Sync. Review the terms and conditions and tap Get started with OneDrive.

Galaxy Note 10

• Model: SM-N970F
• Dimensions: 151.0 x71.8x7.9mm
• Display: 6.3"(160.02mm) Super AMOLED
• CPU: Exynos 9825
• Camera: 12 MP, CMOS F2.2 Telephoto & 12MP F1.5/F2.4 77° & 16MP F2.2 123° Ultra-wide

More specifications

Galaxy Note 10+

• Model: SM-N975F
• Dimensions: 162.3 x 77,2 x 7.9mm
• Display: 6.8"(172.7mm) Super AMOLED
• CPU: Exynos 9825
• Camera: 12 Ultra Wide: 16MP F2.2 (123°) & Wide-angle: 12MP 2PD AF F1.5/F2.4 OIS (77°) & Telephoto: 12MP F2.1 OIS (45°) & DepthVision Camera: VGA

More specifications

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Daily Deal: 33% off JBL Charge 3

The JBL charge is a portable speaker that’s able to combine excellent sound quality with good battery life and a sturdy design. The rechargeable battery will give you a maximum of 20 hours of playtime which is sufficient for most days. It’s also IPX7 Waterproof so it’s safe to use at the beach or next to the pool.

You can even connect multiple JBL Connect enables speakers to set up a sound system which is able to amplify the listening experience. On top of that, you’re able to take calls using the built-in microphone. As JBL is part of the Harman/Kardon family which is owned by Samsung, you can be sure the sound quality is perfect.

Hit the Buy Now button below to get your JBL Charge 3 while still available. International shipping is possible!

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Samsung no longer EU’s biggest R&D spender, dethroned by Alphabet

Samsung Electronics was no longer Europe‘s top R&D spender in 2018. It held the top spot in 2017 but lost the crown to Alphabet – Google’s parent company – according to a recent report from Yonhap News Agency citing the European Union Industrial R&D Investment Scoreboard.

Samsung didn’t spend any less than it did in 2017

Despite Samsung losing its top spot as the biggest R&D spender in the EU, the company spent 10% more on R&D in 2018 than it did a year before. Samsung isn’t slowing down its spendings, and it poured a total of 14.8 billion EUR into R&D throughout the year. However, Alphabet spent 18.3 billion EUR, representing a 37% increase from a year earlier.

Samsung spent more money on research & development than numerous other corporations including Volkswagen, Apple, Huawei, Microsoft, and Intel. The list of top 50 R&D spenders contained a total of 22 companies based in the United States.

As reported not long ago, Samsung Electronics has remained South Korea’s biggest R&D spender in 2018 and has continued to pour money into research and development throughout 2019 as well. In June, the company was reported to have 132,478 patents under its belt, 20% of which were registered in Europe.

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Galaxy Buds+ make their way through the FCC

Samsung launched the Galaxy Buds alongside the Galaxy S10 and Fold in February this year. For 2020, along with next-generation flagship smartphones, the company also appears to be working on a successor to the Galaxy Buds. These new wireless earbuds, which are reported to launch as Galaxy Buds+, have secured FCC approval, moving one step closer to launch.

Unlike smartphones, the FCC documents for the new Samsung earbuds don’t reveal any specs, although there is not much to reveal in the first place. However, from a report published earlier today, we know these news buds will be called Galaxy Buds+, and they look very similar to the regular Galaxy Buds.

We currently don’t know when Samsung is planning to launch these new earbuds, but we guess it would be alongside the Galaxy S11 in February next year. For what it’s worth, support pages for the Buds+ have already gone online, so there is a chance the launch may happen before the next Galaxy Unpacked event.

There are no leaks yet about Galaxy Buds+ pricing. They would probably cost more than the regular buds given the ‘+’ branding. Samsung offered Galaxy Buds for free or at a discounted price with the Galaxy S10/Note10 pre-orders and purchases this year. Galaxy Fold retail box also comes a pair of Galaxy Buds. We have to wait and see if there will be a repeat of the same strategy next year with the Galaxy Buds+ as well.

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How to Completely Secure Your Samsung Mobile Device

This article is written in partnership with Surfshark VPN

Samsung mobile devices need to be protected against the many cyber security threats that exist today. These Android-based smartphones and tablets can be compromised in several ways, whether through malicious action on the part of hackers or unintentional consequences due to user error. This guide provides a comprehensive list of practices to adopt to completely secure a Samsung mobile device.

Mobile Device Management

Mobile device management solutions offer features such a finding the phone if it’s lost and remotely wiping it. In the event that the device gets lost or stolen, this type of application gives a person control over their data’s exposure. While it can be frustrating to completely wipe a phone, especially if it’s later found, it’s better than having sensitive data falling into someone else’s hands. The average person has a significant portion of their digital life on their mobile devices. Think about the damage that could be done when a criminal can access bank accounts.

Protect Internet Browsing

Trying to maintain privacy when browsing the Internet is a frustrating endeavor. Countless companies are tracking many details about Internet users, from their locations to the webpages that they look at. Over time, these companies build up usage profiles that they use for advertising and other purposes. In some countries, the government or law enforcement agencies will track internet usage to spy on people and censor information. Get a free and open Internet with protected and private browsing through the use of a Virtual Private Network service.

A VPN is a type of technology that encrypts browsing data and makes it difficult for someone to determine the user’s identity. These services accomplish this goal in several ways. The first is that all of the user’s browsing sessions pass through the servers that the VPN service controls. The connection is encrypted so even if a hacker accesses the data somehow, they’re not capable of getting any useful information from it. VPN solutions often have servers all over the world, so this tool is useful for other reasons as well. For example, if a person wants to watch content on Netflix that is region locked to a different country, it’s a simple matter to choose that country’s servers from the list. As far as Netflix knows, the person is located in that country when they access the video and are able to watch it. Take a look at the this good Android VPN and its features list.

Improve Password Complexity

Databases with millions of passwords are available on the Dark Web and other criminal resources. Many people opt to use the same password on multiple websites or only use slight variations of the same password over time. Hackers use automated systems for trying out compromised usernames and passwords, inputting the information to many websites to determine whether it’s a valid combination. Use a strong password that includes varying capitalization, special characters, and numbers to make it much more difficult to figure out. If a person receives a notification that their information is available on the Dark Web, then they need to immediately change their password. Otherwise, changing passwords every month to three months will help maintain security.

Use More Than One Authentication Factor

A username and password combination is one form of authentication that people use to access applications and websites through their Samsung mobile device. However, a single-factor authentication is not sufficient protection in today’s cyber crime-filled world. Two-factor or multi-factor authentication incorporates other ways of verifying that the person is who they say they are. For example, biometric authentication looks at a person’s face, fingerprints, or eyes to determine their identity. Physical authentication hardware is another way of securing smartphones and tablets.

Create a Passcode on the Lock Screen

Your Samsung mobile’s lock screen should never be left unlocked. If someone were to pick up the phone and take it, they would be able to immediately access the data that’s available on the device. The lock screen settings are available under the Security section in the Android operating system settings. There are several ways to secure this screen, such as by setting a password or a numerical code. Users can also control how much information is shown on the lock screen. For example, instant messages from chat software may simply show that a notification has arrived, or it can show the content of the message. For maximum security, limit the amount of information on the lock screen.

Use an Anti-malware App

Samsung mobile devices can get viruses and other malware just like a computer can. Anti-malware software is available for mobile platforms, and they work to protect the device against malicious software. In most cases, this type of application runs in the background and only notifies users if there’s any activity that they need to be aware of. If malware is detected, the software quarantines the files and stops them from damaging the phone’s operation and data.

Avoid Public Wi-Fi Hotspots

Public Wi-Fi hotspots are convenient but they’re also quite hazardous from a security standpoint. Opportunistic hackers can use the shared network to try to break into people’s devices or watch their data as they browse. Avoiding this type of connection is the best way to limit the risk, but VPN users do enjoy protection against this type of attack as well. Since all of their data is encrypted, the cyber criminal can’t get access to any of that information.

Keep on top of Updates

The Android operating system and the applications running on it have frequent updates that need to be applied. For applications, the Google Play store typically pushes out the latest updates so all apps are kept on the latest version. However, if someone sets their phone to only update apps on Wi-Fi and then never connects to a Wi-Fi network, then they may be missing out on these updates. Double-check that they’re getting put on the phone. For operating system updates, check in the About section of the Android system settings frequently if the phone’s carrier doesn’t push out the updates over the air.

Scrutinize App Downloads

Applications are not always what they appear to be, especially if they’re downloaded from sources other than the Google Play app store. Double-check user reviews and other sources to determine whether an application is on the up and up. In some cases, they are malware in disguise and can create many problems for the Samsung mobile device. If an application is doing something odd and unexpected, it’s a good idea to uninstall the application and do some research about it online. Sometimes it’s an innocent bug that’s causing a problem, but in other cases, it’s malware that is putting the entire Samsung device at risk.

Learn More About Cyber Security

One of the best ways to stop cyber criminals from ruining one’s day is to learn as much as possible about the potential cyber threats that exist today. Many of the attacks rely on some form of social engineering, which means that they manipulate people into taking the actions the attackers want. Phishing emails are a prime example of social engineering that most people encounter in a personal or professional capacity. By improving cyber security literacy, mobile devices owners take concrete steps against the hackers. Local community colleges often have this type of training available, and countless online resources also have the information. Some businesses will bring in cyber security trainers for their employees and take them through workshops to better understand what’s going on with their devices and systems.

Make Frequent Backups

The possibility of wiping a phone remotely in the event that it gets lost or stolen, or needing to factory reset a device that’s been the victim of malware, means that a robust set of backups are needed to avoid disruption of a person’s day. With the right backup solution, it’s not a big deal to delete the data off of the phone. In a few minutes, they can be back up and running like nothing happened. When choosing a backup solution, make sure to test the generated backups to ensure that it restores properly before trying to do so in an emergency.

Customize App Permissions

Later versions of the Android operating system provide users with the ability to fine-tune the permissions that each application uses. During the installation process, users get prompted for the base application permissions requested. They can choose whether to allow the app to have these permissions only when the application is opened, or opt to allow the app to always have access in the background. Once the user opens up the application, they get prompted for additional permissions required as the app needs them. These permissions can be controlled at any time, making it possible to immediately revoke access to sensitive system resources such as the microphone and the camera.

Avoid Getting Access to Mobile System Files

Rooting Android phones is a method for gaining access to the operating system’s files. Power users root their phones to put custom versions of operating systems on the device, use root-required applications, and to have full access to the device’s files and folders. While this level of access is useful for advanced users, it also represents a serious security risk, as hackers have a much easier time getting to sensitive file locations on these systems. Unless it’s absolutely necessary to root a Samsung mobile device, avoid this process for security’s sake.

The number of threats facing Samsung smartphones and tablets will only rise as hackers learn new ways to break into mobile devices. By incorporating all of these practices into one’s digital life, the risk of being targeted by a cyberattack is much lower than it otherwise would be.

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Stable Android 10 update for Galaxy Note 10/10+ 5G coming in 2020

Samsung launched 5G variants of all three of its 2019 flagships, but the Galaxy Note 10/10+ 5G have had an important advantage over the 5G variants of the Galaxy S10 and Galaxy Fold. Where the Galaxy S10 5G and Galaxy Fold 5G get new software updates days and even weeks after their LTE variants, Samsung has usually released updates for both the LTE and 5G Galaxy Note 10 models at the same time.

One would have imagined that would also be true for the Android 10 and One UI 2.0 update, but it doesn’t look like that is going to be the case. Samsung has revealed in its Korean community forums that the Android 10 update for the Galaxy Note 10 5G and Galaxy Note 10+ 5G will not be arriving before 2020. The Galaxy S10 5G was updated to Android 10 two weeks after the Galaxy S10 trio, but it seems there will be a greater time difference between the LTE and 5G variants of the Galaxy Note 10/10+.

The upcoming Christmas and New Year holidays are probably to blame, although Samsung is promising to release the update for the 5G models as soon as possible next year. However, it should be noted that the update may initially be released in only South Korea. Those who own the Galaxy Note 10+ 5G in other markets (the Note 10 5G is exclusive to Korea) might have to wait slightly longer.

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Galaxy Xcover Pro inches closer to launch with FCC certification

Samsung may soon release a new rugged smartphone, going by the latest FCC filings. A new device with SM-G715F model number has bagged FCC certification this week, just days after it was spotted on the Wi-Fi Alliance portal. The same model is also listed on the Bluetooth SIG website with the Galaxy Xcover Pro branding, confirming earlier rumors about the device.

According to the FCC documents, the Galaxy Xcover Pro measures 160x77mm with a 6.3-inch display-diagonal. It comes with a removable battery and supports 15W charging. The Wi-Fi Alliance certification, meanwhile, revealed it runs Android 10 out of the box. While nowhere as reliable as these official documents, a Geekbench result for the same device showed Exynos 9611 chipset and 4GB of RAM onboard.

The above specs show that the Galaxy Xcover Pro will be a mid-range device. It has weaker internals and possibly comes with a lower price tag when compared to the Galaxy Xcover FieldPro. Announced towards the end of October, the FieldPro boasts flagship-level specs that are on par with the Galaxy S9.

Though there is no communication from Samsung yet, the flurry of certifications suggests the Galaxy Xcover Pro launch is imminent. Samsung Poland already has a support page for the device on its website. We haven’t heard anything about the pricing so far, but it should be cheaper than the FieldPro going by the specs.

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Samsung Galaxy Fold 2 rumors, specs, price, release date and more

Samsung’s ambitions to create a new device category came to fruition earlier this year when it released the Galaxy Fold. It’s not a perfect device, but it is one of a kind even among flexible devices. It is the beginning of a new legacy.

Samsung is now working on its second foldable phone. It doesn’t have an official name yet but most people have silently agreed on calling it the Galaxy Fold 2 for the sake of continuity.

However, even as the so-called Galaxy Fold 2 boasts a flexible display much like the original model does, it will be very different from the ongoing Galaxy Fold in nearly every other aspect. For starters, it’s expected to have a clamshell form factor which was all but confirmed by Samsung a couple of months ago at IFA.

It’s also expected to have a much lower price tag compared to the original smartphone-tablet hybrid, mostly because it’s poised to have less powerful – and even fewer – components.

Today, we’ll wrap up all of the information we have on the Galaxy Fold 2 as of this writing, so let’s have a closer look at what we can expect from this model. Bear in mind that none of these details are officially confirmed and there’s always a chance that the real product will be different.

Design

As mentioned previously, the Galaxy Fold 2 will have a clamshell design harking back to the popular form factor of the 2000s. In other words, the phone will unfold vertically as opposed to flipping open like a book.

Judging by the recently-leaked live photos showcasing the alleged Galaxy Fold 2, the phone will have a flexible primary screen with an Infinity-O cutout, surrounded by fairly thick bezels that make the whole device look a bit cheap.

Unlike the Galaxy Fold, the clamshell sequel has a very small cover display design to show key bits of information such as the time of day and notifications. A dual-camera setup resides right next to the small screen.

Samsung appears to use the same hinge design employed by the original model but it’s unclear if any aspects were changed to favor durability. The hinge seems to share its color with the rest of the case, and the phone could launch in black, white, and purple.

All in all, the Galaxy Fold 2 aims to be a compact phone that can unfold to become twice as large. It doesn’t quite follow the same philosophy as the original model, which was more focused on combining the phone and tablet form factors into a single device.

Display

The Galaxy Fold 2’s internal flexible screen is expected to measure anywhere between 6.7 and 6.9 inches. The exact pixel count is unknown, but the aspect ratio appears to be taller than usual.

Samsung is making efforts in eliminating the durability concerns marring the original Galaxy Fold, and the company is said to be working on a more resilient flexible screen protector based on ultra-thin tempered glass rather than polyimide.

However, it’s unclear whether these newer technologies will debut with the clamshell Galaxy Fold 2 or the actual direct sequel to the original Fold, which is said to be planned for release in the second half of 2020.

As for the cover display, there’s simply not a lot of information to go by, but it’s clear that this element is not going to be the main selling point, as you can tell from the image above. It’s bound to have some practical uses and possibly even notification animations, but it’s nothing to write home about.

Cameras and other specifications

There’s little information available right now about the full specs of this device. However, by now it should be obvious that the clamshell Galaxy Fold 2 has very little in common with the original model. The camera setup is just another area that couldn’t be more different from one device to the other.

While the Galaxy Fold comes with no fewer than 6 cameras, the clamshell Galaxy Fold 2 seems to be equipped with only three shooters, one of which is a selfie camera embedded in the Infinity-O display cutout. The other two rear-facing sensors seem rather underwhelming, particularly because most of Samsung’s smartphones now have at least two main cameras. The Galaxy Fold 2 simply makes do with just a couple of sensors, which means that it should be missing either a telephoto or ultra-wide lens.

The exact specifications for these sensors are unknown, but one could have a 108MP resolution, while the other could be a telephoto unit providing 5x optical zoom, leaving the ultra-wide sensor out of the equation.

We’re also fairly confident that the Galaxy Fold 2 will have a secondary 900mAh battery (shown in the image below) residing in one of its halves. It will likely be used to power the small cover display, while a larger secondary battery should power the more demanding flexible panel and other internal components.

Other specs remain unknown, but assuming that the information we have right now is correct then it would be fair to say that Samsung is cutting some corners. The Motorola Razr with which the clamshell Galaxy Fold 2 will likely compete is underwhelming in terms of raw specifications, and Samsung’s alternative could be similar in this respect.

Software features

The clamshell Galaxy Fold 2 throws App Continuity right out the window. Samsung’s custom software designed to seamlessly transition apps from the cover display to the larger flexible panel and vice-versa is no longer required by the clamshell design as the cover display isn’t capable of running apps.

Judging by what we know so far, there’s little in terms of custom software that the clamshell Galaxy Fold 2 will deliver. There’s simply no need for anything too fancy, and One UI 2.0 coupled with Android 10 should be enough to offer a complete experience. The clamshell form factor will present a different software challenge to Samsung, in that how apps would resize when the device is half-folded and if additional functionality can be enabled in that position.

Availability and price

As to when we can expect the clamshell Galaxy Fold 2 to be released, the first half of 2020 is a fairly good bet. The device is rumored to make an appearance at the Galaxy S11 launch event likely taking place on February 18. It could hit the market for around $850-$1,000 which would put it in an odd position.

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What’s your take on the clamshell Galaxy Fold 2 based on the existing rumors and leaks? Is this going to be your first – or maybe even second – foldable device? Are you ready to make the jump to this new form factor? Do you think Samsung is approaching this segment the right way with a less-expensive model, or should the company keep honing the luxurious Galaxy Fold formula until manufacturing prices go down with the passage of time? Join us in the comment section below and share your thoughts.

The post Samsung Galaxy Fold 2 rumors, specs, price, release date and more appeared first on SamMobile.

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Yet another leak hints at the Samsung Galaxy S11’s tiny bezels

The Galaxy Note 10 features the tiniest bezels yet of any Galaxy flagship, and it will come as no surprise when the same will be seen on Samsung’s next flagship, the Galaxy S11. Just how tiny those bezels will be was hinted at by leaked images of Galaxy S11 screen protectors a few weeks ago, and the same source has now released new images that show a reference screen protector that is supposedly closer to the final design of the phone.

It’s worth noting that protective films do not cover the entire length and breath of the display, so the Galaxy S11’s bezels will be slightly bigger than what we see in these images. They should be equal in size to the bezels on the Galaxy Note 10, which should allow Samsung to keep the overall dimensions of the Galaxy S11e, S11, and S11+ relatively compact despite the large screens all three Galaxy S11 models are rumored to have (between 6.2 to 6.9 inches).

While the bezel size may remain the same between the Galaxy S11 and Galaxy Note 10, the former is shaping up to be a substantial upgrade over anything that’s come before. 108MP and 48MP rear cameras, massive batteries, improvements to fingerprint recognition performance and more is expected from Samsung’s upcoming flagship. The Galaxy S11 is likely to be announced sometime in the third week of February alongside the company’s next foldable phone, which was revealed to us in all its glory earlier this week.

The post Yet another leak hints at the Samsung Galaxy S11’s tiny bezels appeared first on SamMobile.

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Galaxy A80, Galaxy S7, and more get December security update

Samsung continues to expand the list of devices updated with the December 2019 Android patch with both recent and not-so-recent phones and tablets. The December security update is now rolling out to the Galaxy A80, Galaxy S7, Galaxy S7 edge, and the Galaxy Tab A 10.5 (2018). The Tab A 10.5 is getting the update in Turkey, the Galaxy A80 in Peru, Ecuador, Brazil, Chile, and a couple of other countries, and the Galaxy S7 and S7 edge in Spain and France.

None of the updates released bring anything in the way of new features or functionality, only the latest security patch. The December patch fixes six critical vulnerabilities in the Android OS, in addition to over two dozen high and moderate-risk vulnerabilities. It also fixes 13 vulnerabilities that were discovered in the company’s own software, including one that could allow connections to new Bluetooth devices on locked devices.

If you own any of the devices mentioned above and reside in the countries where the update is available, you can try downloading it over the air by opening the Settings app and tapping the Download and install option (or Download updates manually) under the Software update menu. Alternatively, you can perform the update by downloading the latest firmware for your device from our firmware archive and installing it using a Windows PC.

The post Galaxy A80, Galaxy S7, and more get December security update appeared first on SamMobile.

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Samsung’s new Galaxy Buds+ will look like the regular Galaxy Buds

Samsung’s focus may be on launching as many new smartphones as possible at the moment, but the company is also busy preparing at least one new wearable device. That would be the Galaxy Buds+, an upgraded version of the rather excellent and popular Galaxy Buds. Not a lot has been revealed about the new wireless earbuds through leaks and rumors ever since they were confirmed to be in development, but Samsung itself has accidentally shown us what the Buds+ will look like.

The APK file for the latest version of Samsung’s SmartThings app was stripped down by the folks over at XDA Developers and found to contain references to the Galaxy Buds+. Also included in the app are animations showing the charging case and the buds, revealing that the design for both will be the same as that of the Galaxy Buds and its charging case. The color pink has been confirmed as well – the Buds+ are likely to be available in black, white and blue as well, as we had previously learned from our sources.

Unfortunately, there is still no information on what features the Buds+ will offer. Active noise cancellation to challenge Apple’s AirPods Pro seems likely, but that is simply speculation for now. However, the features of the Galaxy Buds+ probably won’t stay under wraps for long. Support pages for the Galaxy Buds+ are already online on Samsung’s website, so an official launch could happen at any time.

The post Samsung’s new Galaxy Buds+ will look like the regular Galaxy Buds appeared first on SamMobile.

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