Samsung’s smartphone market share rises in Europe during Q4 of 2019

Samsung’s smartphone market share rose slightly in Europe during the last quarter of 2019. As per the new data, the South Korean smartphone giant seems to have benefited from the trade ban that the US imposed on Huawei. However, the company’s market share has taken a hit in other markets.

According to the latest data from analytics firm Counterpoint Research, Samsung captured a 27 percent share of the European smartphone market during Q4 2019, which is a rise of 2 percent compared to last year. The US barred Huawei from installing Google’s mobile services on its phones, which resulted in lower sales in markets outside of China. Samsung took advantage of Huawei’s situation and increased its market share.

Samsung’s market share fell slightly during the last quarter of 2019 in other markets due to aggressive marketing and pricing from mid-tier brands like OPPO, Realme, and Xiaomi. In the Middle East and Africa regions, the South Korean firm’s market share took a dip from 22 percent to 20 percent. Its market share in Central and South American markets slipped from 36 percent to 34 percent. In the North American market, Samsung’s smartphone market share fell from 22 percent and 20 percent.

In countries like Chile, Italy, Peru, Portugal, and Ukraine, Samsung had the highest market share. In Ukraine, it captured 49 percent of the market during Q4 of 2019, which is a rise of 23.2 percent from a year ago.

Counterpoint Research said, “Even though the competition from Chinese brands appears to be fierce in the Middle East, Africa, and Southeast Asia regions, Samsung is able to supply differentiated products with its technology, so the company will stay competitive.“

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Galaxy A21 with quad-camera, punch-hole screen could come to the US

The first render images of the Galaxy A21 that hit the internet three months ago turned out to be inaccurate. A new leaked image of the upcoming smartphone shows some features that weren’t portrayed in the earlier leak. It is also being reported that the phone will be launched in the US very soon.

According to a press render of the Galaxy A21 published by Android Headlines, the smartphone will feature an Infinity-O display. However, we still don’t know whether the South Korean smartphone giant will use an AMOLED or an LCD panel on the phone. Although the bezels on the sides are thin, the bottom bezel seems relatively chunky. The device also appears to feature a quad-camera setup on the rear.

One of those four cameras on the rear could be an ultrawide-angle camera. Apart from a wide-angle primary sensor, the phone could also feature a macro camera and a depth sensor. There’s also a dual-LED flash at the rear, along with a capacitive fingerprint reader. The phone has its power and volume buttons on the right side, while the USB Type-C port and a 3.5mm headphone jack are at the bottom.

It is being reported that the phone will feature an HD+ AMOLED screen, an Exynos 7904 octa-core processor, 4GB RAM, 64GB internal storage, a microSD card slot, and a 4000mAh battery. However, you should take this information with a pinch of salt and wait for more official information to break cover.

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Galaxy Chromebook is the first Chrome OS laptop to get Ambient EQ feature

The Galaxy Chromebook will be the first laptop running Chrome OS to get the new Ambient EQ feature. Samsung’s first Galaxy-branded Chromebook, which was announced two months ago, will also receive the ability to play Netflix videos in the PIP (Picture-in-Picture) mode with the latest version software.

Google took to its official blog earlier today to announce that Chromebooks will receive the Ambient EQ and Netflix PiP features. Unlike the picture-in-picture mode for Netflix, which will be available for almost all Chromebooks running the latest version of Chrome OS, the Ambient EQ feature will only be available on the Galaxy Chromebook for the time being. It will appear on more Chromebooks in the future that come with an ambient color temperature sensor.

The Ambient EQ feature, which is already available on the Pixel 4, Pixel 4 XL, and the Nest Hub, adjusts the white balance and color temperature of the screen based on ambient lighting conditions so that the content looks natural. The Netflix PiP feature is available right now and requires users to install the Android app from the Play Store on their Chromebooks. You will be able to use both these features on the Galaxy Chromebook when it goes on sale in the US next month.

Galaxy Chromebook specifications

The Galaxy Chromebook is one of the most premium Chrome OS laptops ever. It is a 2-in-1 convertible laptop featuring a 13.3-inch 4K Super AMOLED touchscreen and an S Pen. It is equipped with Intel’s 10th Gen. Core i5 (10210U) processor, 8GB/16GB RAM, 256GB/512GB/1TB PCIe NVMe SSD, and a microSD/UFS combo card slot for storage expansion.

The laptop weighs a little over 1kg and comes powered by a 49.2Wh battery that can last up to 9 hours on a single charge. Other features of the Galaxy Chromebook include Wi-Fi 6, two USB Type-C ports, 2W stereo speakers, a 3.5mm headphone jack, 1MP front-facing camera, 8MP rear-facing camera (in the flip mode), backlit keyboard, and a fingerprint reader.

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Sprint rolling out Android 10 update to Galaxy Note 9 in the US

The last of the four major cellular carriers in the US is now rolling out the Android 10 update to the Galaxy Note 9. Users on Sprint’s network in the country can now download the One UI 2.0 update on their Galaxy Note 9 phones via the OTA method. Carrier-locked versions of Samsung’s smartphones are always a little late to the party when it comes to software updates.

The Galaxy Note 9 (SM-N960U) units sold via Sprint in the US are now receiving a 2GB (2050.35MB, to be exact) OTA (over-the-air) update that brings Android 10 with One UI 2.0 as well as February 2020 security patch. The firmware version of the new update could be either N960USQU3DTAA or N960UOYN3DTAA. The One UI 2.0 update brings better UI navigation gestures, slightly redesigned UI, better Dark mode, Digital Wellbeing, smart replies, newer emojis, better camera app, more detailed location and privacy controls, built-in screen recorder, and more features to the Galaxy Note 9.

If your phone is not showing the update notification yet, you can check for it manually by going to Settings » Software update menu of the phone and tapping the Download and install option. It is mentioned above the changelog that you can postpone the update installation up to three times, after which the phone will restart once the software update is installed.

The update comes one month after the unlocked variants of the Galaxy Note 9 started receiving the Android 10 update in the US. Over the past month, AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon have released the One UI 2.0 update to the Galaxy Note 9 in the US.

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Samsung intros updated Galaxy Book Ion with LPDDR4X memory in China

It hasn’t been too long since Samsung unveiled the Galaxy Book Ion as one of its first two notebooks based on Intel’s Project Athena program, but now the company has introduced a slightly reworked variant in China; one that boasts LPDDR4X memory instead of DDR4.

The Galaxy Book Ion 2020 is still based on the same 10th Generation Intel architecture, however, it boasts the Comet Lake K1 stepping processor which fully supports LPDDR4X memory, unlike the original Comet Lake which was limited to DDR4. In essence, this brings the Galaxy Book Ion closer to the Galaxy Book Flex, the latter of which was unveiled with an Ice Lake-based Intel chipset and LPDDR4X RAM on-board from day-one.

Compared to DDR4, LPDDR4X delivers higher energy efficiency and transfer rates. As for the user experience, if the Galaxy Book Flex 2020 won’t offer any palpable performance benefits compared to the 2019 model then it should, at least, deliver better battery life on a single charge.

It’s unclear if or when the Galaxy Book Ion 2020 powered by Intel’s Comet Lake K1 stepping processor will be introduced outside of China. The 2019 model is still nowhere to be found in most markets outside of South Korea, so perhaps Samsung will skip the release of the original Galaxy Book Ion with DDR4 in some regions and, instead, push the LPDDR4X variant onto the market in the coming weeks.

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Samsung Russia releases Galaxy Buds+ today, will launch red flavor later

Samsung is launching the Galaxy Buds+ in Russia today for 10,990 rubles ($163) through its official stores and retail partners. Customers can pick the Buds+ in black, white, or blue, at least for the time being. Samsung Russia also confirmed that it will release the Galaxy Buds+ in red, but availability details for this color option will be unveiled at a later, unspecified date. And just in case you were wondering, yes, the Galaxy Buds+ are offered for free in Russia as a pre-order incentive for the Galaxy S20 series.

As we’ve detailed in our Galaxy Buds+ review, Samsung focused on improving a few key areas with the latest earbuds model, and battery life is definitely one of those aspects. The Galaxy Buds+ can deliver up to 11 hours of music playback on a single charge, while the charging case itself stores an additional 11 hours, bringing the total playback time at up to 22 hours. That should be enough even for people who follow the most active lifestyle, especially since the Buds+ can gain enough juice for one hour of music playback in just 3 minutes of wired charging.

The Galaxy Buds+ are a great value proposition

The Galaxy Buds+ are compatible with a variety of Android and even iOS devices. In essence, this means that prospective buyers in Russia don’t have to own a Galaxy smartphone to be able to use these earbuds, but they will get some extra benefits by pairing them with a Samsung device. More specifically, the newly-added Bluetooth multi-device connection feature works only with Galaxy smartphones and tablets running Android 7.1.1 or later.

Other features that characterize Samsung’s latest TWS include IPX2 water resistance, Ambient Aware, Wireless PowerShare, and an additional third microphone compared to the previous model, which contributes to better call quality. The Galaxy Buds+ offer a comfortable fit and deliver great value for money if you’re in the market for a wireless earbuds solution.

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Malaysians can bag 1 of 500 free TVs along with the Galaxy S20

Samsung Malaysia is preparing a nationwide Roadshow for the Galaxy S20 launch in the country and has revealed pricing and availability details of the latest flagship series. The Galaxy S20 Roadshow will expand through five locations and will take place from March 6 to March 8. Visitors who will purchase one of the Galaxy S20 models at the Roadshow will be eligible for free exclusive gifts.

The Galaxy S20, Galaxy S20+, and Galaxy S20 Ultra will be available for RM 3,599 ($856), RM 3,999 ($951), and RM 4,999 ($1,189), respectively. They will be available for purchase at these Roadshow locations between March 6-8 according to the following schedule:

Customers will be able to acquire the smaller model in Cosmic Gray, Cosmic Blue, or Cloud Pink. The Galaxy S20+ will launch in Cosmic Gray, Cloud Blue, and Cosmic Black, while the Galaxy S20 Ultra can have either a Cosmic Gray or Cosmic Black finish.

Samsung will offer lots of freebies at the Galaxy S20 Roadshow

Customers who will purchase one of the company’s latest flagship variants at the Roadshow can receive a 128GB microSD card and a Wireless Charging Pad for free. All of the Galaxy S20 models have retained their microSD slot and they all boast 15W fast wireless charging.

Samsung Malaysia will also offer more valuable gifts in limited quantities only. The first 500 customers to acquire a Galaxy S20/S20+/S20 Ultra at the Roadshow will receive a 50-inch 4K Smart UHD TV for free, or they can choose to trade-in an old digital camera in exchange for a RM 400 ($95) instant rebate on their Galaxy S20 purchase. The 500 TV/rebate rewards are shared between the five Roadshow locations as follows:

Are you going to buy the Galaxy S20 in Malaysia at the Roadshow or through other means? Which one of the three models tempt you more, and why? Feel free to leave a comment below.

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Galaxy S10 Lite in India bags new firmware update with camera features

The February 2020 security patch for the Galaxy S10 Lite is expanding its reach into more markets, with India being the latest. The recent firmware update identified by software version G770FXXU2ATB2 weighs around 416MB and it brings along not only the February patch but a handful of new features and improvements as well.

One of the biggest additions is a new 16:9 UHD 60fps video recording mode. The stability of the Camera app has also been improved, and picture quality should be better following the update. The smartphone’s overall stability is better as well, and the fingerprint recognition sensor should have higher accuracy.

Of course, the latest firmware update for the Galaxy S10 Lite also brings the February 2020 security patch along with it. The package fixes 30 Samsung Vulnerabilities and Exposures and a couple of critical vulnerabilities in Android OS.

To download the latest firmware version for the Galaxy S10 Lite, tap the update notification when it arrives on your phone, or go to the Settings app and tap Settings » Software update. The OTA is presently taking place in countries including Thailand, Spain, and now India, but availability will continue to expand to additional markets over the following weeks. You can always refer to our firmware archive to check if the latest firmware is available for manual download in your region.

Galaxy S10 Lite

• Model: SM-G770F
• Dimensions: 75.6 x 162.5 x 8.1mm
• Display: 6.7" (170.1mm) Infinity-O Super AMOLED
• CPU: Qualcomm Snapdragon 855
• Camera: 48 MP F2.0, 12MP Ultra-wide F2.2, 5MP Macro F2.4

More specifications

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Galaxy S20+ and S20 Ultra get performance improving update on Verizon

Samsung is shipping Galaxy S20 orders early in the US, and it seems carriers in the country are making sure their customers have the best experience even if they get their device earlier than the general release date. Verizon has released a software update for the Galaxy S20+ and Galaxy S20 Ultra that improves performance on the two phones.

It’s not clear if this update also brings the camera improvements that the Galaxy S20 Ultra received in South Korea a few days back. However, even general performance improvements are welcome. We’ve noticed that audio from apps like YouTube and Amazon Prime Video when viewed in picture-in-picture mode tends to stutter/skip on our Galaxy S20+ when we open other apps at the same time, and we hope that is something Samsung will fix with updates before these handsets become available for purchase from retail stores.

The Galaxy S20+ and S20 Ultra also get the March security patch in the update that Verizon is rolling out. The Galaxy S20 isn’t getting the update because, well, Verizon isn’t selling the device just yet owing to its limited support for 5G networks. The update will be waiting for you when you get the S20+ or S20 Ultra and check for it from the Software update menu of the phone’s Settings app, and it will also be available from our firmware archive in due course.

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Daily Deal: 24% off Samsung Chromebook 4+

The Samsung Chromebook 4+ has a large and immersive 15.6 inch display. It’s built into a compact frame and it’s light, just over 2kg. The included 6GB RAM makes sure you’ll be able to open your (cloud) applications fast and you’ll have no lag. The Gigabit Wi-Fi receiver makes sure you’ll have a lighting fast internet connection so you can work without interruption. If you’re looking for a cost-effective laptop to use for work or study, this Chromebook by Samsung is the perfect option.

Hit the Buy Now button below to get the Samsung Chromebook 4+ at a massive 24% off!

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Galaxy A31 Wi-Fi certification hints at impending launch

Samsung has plenty of Galaxy A smartphones in the pipeline for 2020, and one of those could soon go official. The Galaxy A31 has been certified by the Wi-Fi Alliance, suggesting it could launch in the near future. The Galaxy A30 was launched in February and went on sale in March last year, so the fact that the A31 hasn’t been announced yet suggests that Samsung is no longer interested in following a yearly cycle for the launch of its A series phones.

For example, the Galaxy A51 arrived ten months after the Galaxy A50, while the Galaxy A71 went official nine months after the Galaxy A70 (and three months after the Galaxy A70s). Devices on the lower-end of the mid-range spectrum, like the Galaxy A31, A11, and A41, will be coming out more than a year after their predecessors, so it’s all pretty random at this point. It’s worth noting that Wi-Fi certification doesn’t necessarily mean a phone’s launch is around the corner, but it represents an important step in a smartphone’s path from Samsung’s R&D labs to retail stores.

The Galaxy A31 will run Android 10 out of the box, as confirmed by the certification. It will bring a substantial upgrade over the Galaxy A30: The A31 will have a 5,000 mA battery under the hood, a full 1000 mAh more than the Galaxy A30. It is also expected to feature a 48MP rear camera and a 5MP macro camera like the Galaxy A51, and storage options for the phone will include 64GB and 128GB.

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