Samsung smartphones must feature seamless updates with Android 11

Google had introduced the seamless updates feature with Android 7.0 in 2016, but the company hadn’t made it mandatory for Android smartphone vendors to use it. As a result, smartphones and tablets from most brands, including Samsung, lacked support for seamless updates, but that will change next year.

According to a change that Google recently made to the Vendor Test Suite (VTS), all smartphone brands will be required to support seamless updates starting with Android 11. Starting with the next major version of Android, the VTS will check if the device has virtual A/B partition structures to enable seamless updates. The VTS will fail if a device running Android 11 lacks virtual A/B partition structures, and VTS must be passed for devices to come preloaded with Google Mobile Services (GMS). So, brands will have no option other than enabling virtual A/B partitions.

Android’s seamless updates feature is quite beneficial to users. It not only enables convenient background operating system updates but also saves devices from getting bricked if anything goes wrong in the update process. If something goes wrong while installing the update, an additional partition is always available as a backup to boot the OS.

The seamless updates feature essentially creates two virtual partitions (A and B) in the device’s storage. The operating system boots from one of the identical partitions, leaving the other available to install OS updates. Whenever the device receives a software update, it is installed in the other partition, allowing the user to use the phone even as the update is being installed in the background. Whenever the device is rebooted, the partition with the newest software version is used.

Although many smartphone OEMs, including ASUS, Google, HTC, LG, Motorola, OnePlus, and Sony, already use virtual A/B partitions in their Android devices, big names like Huawei, OPPO, Samsung, Vivo, and Xiaomi still don’t use the feature. However, they will be forced to use seamless updates starting with Android 11. The next-generation Galaxy S flagship smartphones could be the first devices from Samsung to support seamless updates.

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Samsung closes washing machine plant in the US once again

South Korean home appliances giant Samsung has announced that it has temporarily shut down its washing machine plant in Newberry County, South Carolina, once again. Samsung’s Newberry plant in the US produces one million washing machines, including the Energy Star-certified models, every year and employs around 1,000 people.

Operations at the company’s plant were closed last week after two employees had tested positive for COVID-19. However, the company reopened the plant yesterday even as one more employee had tested positive for the virus. The company announced a few hours ago that it intends to keep the operations at its $380 million washing machine plant suspended until April 19 to save its employees from contracting the novel virus, which has killed close to 13,000 people in the US alone.

Samsung is also considering closing its TV plant in Tijuana, Mexico, next week due to the lockdown situation in the country. The South Korean smartphone giant was forced to close its factories in Brazil, India, Slovakia, South Korea, Vietnam, and the US.

The pandemic also hit the sales of the Galaxy S20 series and the company’s revenue for the first quarter of 2020. Samsung is bracing for an even bigger dent in sales for the next quarter as consumers are saving themselves from spending on high-price products such as smartphones and TVs.

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Galaxy A51 5G edges closer to launch in South Korea, bags necessary certification

After Samsung launched the LTE variant of the Galaxy A51 in December last year, we had exclusively reported the company’s plans to launch a 5G variant of the phone in South Korea. Now, Samsung has received the necessary certification to launch the Galaxy A51 5G in its home market.

The Galaxy A51 5G (SM-A516N) received the certification from the South Korean agency NRRA (National Radio Research Agency) yesterday. The supporting document shows the phone’s model number along with the existence of 5G NR support on the phone. It also reveals that the phone is being manufactured in Samsung’s factories in Vietnam. The phone had also received Wi-Fi Alliance’s certification earlier this week.

Galaxy A51 expected specifications

Going by the previous leaks, the Galaxy A51 5G will feature a slightly different design compared to the LTE variant. The upcoming phone will have a metal body and a different pattern on the back. The Galaxy A51 5G will run Android 10 with One UI 2.0. The phone will come equipped with the Exynos 980 processor, which has a fully integrated Shannon 5G modem with sub-6GHz support. Expect 4GB/6GB LPDDR4X RAM, 64GB/128GB UFS 2.1 storage, and a microSD card slot on the Galaxy A51 5G.

The Galaxy A51 5G is expected to feature a quad-camera setup (48MP+12MP+5MP+5MP) on the rear and a 32MP front-facing camera. The phone will reportedly feature a 6.5-inch Super AMOLED Infinity-O display with Full HD+ resolution and an under-display fingerprint reader. It will feature 5G, 4G, GPS, Wi-Fi ac, Bluetooth 5.0, NFC, USB Type-C port, and a 3.5mm headphone jack. Samsung is powering the Galaxy A51 5G with a 4000mAh battery that supports 15W fast wired charging.

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Galaxy J6 starts receiving Android 10 update with March security patch

The Galaxy J6 was launched in May 2018 alongside the Galaxy A6, Galaxy A6+, and the Galaxy J8 with Android 8.0 on board. Now, the phone has started receiving the Android 10 update. The update is available only in Panama as of now, but we expect it to roll out in other markets across the globe in the coming weeks.

The software update with firmware version J600GUBU6CTC8 is available for the Galaxy J6 (SM-J600G), and it brings Android 10 to the phone with One UI 2.0. The March 2020 security patch is also a part of the new update. The phone had received the Android 9 update with One UI 1.0 last year.

While we don’t have the official changelog, the Android 10 update with One UI 2.0 should bring a refreshed UI design with tweaked icons, Google’s UI navigation gestures, and improved stock apps to the phone. Digital Wellbeing, improved dark mode, smoother animations, better permission management, and enhanced text over wallpapers should be a part of the update as well.

If you are a Galaxy J6 user living in Panama, you should be able to see the update notification on your device. If you haven’t received the update yet, you can check for it manually by heading to Settings » Software update and tapping Download and install. Alternatively, you can also download the latest firmware file from our firmware section and flash it manually on the Galaxy J6.

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Samsung discontinues Galaxy M10, Galaxy M10s, Galaxy M20 in India

Samsung made a successful comeback in the entry-level and mid-range smartphone segments with the launch of the Galaxy M series last year, selling millions of units within months. The Galaxy M10 and the Galaxy M20 were among the first smartphones in the Galaxy M series. One year after their launch, the South Korean firm is no longer them.

The Galaxy M10, Galaxy M10s, and the Galaxy M20 are no longer listed on the company’s website for the Indian market. They are also missing from the revised price list that was circulated among retailers last week, which points towards the discontinuation of the phones, at least in the Indian market. We expect the same to happen in other markets as well.

The Galaxy M10 and the Galaxy M20 were launched in February 2019 with Android 8.1, while the Galaxy M10s debuted in September 2019 with Android 9. The Galaxy M10 received the Android 9 update in May 2019, while the Galaxy M20 received the Android 10 update in December last year. The Galaxy M10s is expected to get the Android 10 update sometime in the future.

After the launch of the Galaxy M11 and the Galaxy M21 last month, it was only logical for the company to discontinue the older phones sooner than later.

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Netflix has finally rolled out support for Bixby Voice

Samsung announced a partnership with Netflix at the Galaxy S20 launch in February this year. It was also confirmed at the Unpacked event that the popular video streaming service will add support for Bixby Voice, Samsung’s digital assistant.

Two months after the announcement was made, Netflix has finally added support for Bixby Voice to its Android app. The app was updated today and the changelog clearly mentions that Netflix now supports Bixby Voice.

Netflix app updated with Bixby Voice support

This is part of the collaboration with Netflix that was mentioned on stage at Unpacked. It was also announced that Galaxy smartphone owners will get access to exclusive content for Netflix originals like Narcos. The exclusive video content will be created by directors using the Galaxy S20 lineup’s excellent camera capabilities.

With Netflix now supporting Bixby Voice, Galaxy smartphone owners will be able to start streaming content by giving voice commands to the assistant. They can give commands to Bixby like “Ask Netflix to show me comedy movies,” or “In Netflix, play Narcos.”

The feature works as advertised but it’s really nothing new. It has long been possible to stream content from Netflix by giving voice commands to Google Assistant. Given that not a lot of people seem to be using Bixby Voice religiously, many of them may have already been using this functionality, just through a different voice assistant. Nevertheless, it’s good to see that a promised feature has made its way to Samsung’s smartphones.

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Evidence hints at a Galaxy Chromebook with 16GB RAM being developed

Samsung is seemingly working on a Galaxy Chromebook variant equipped with 16GB of RAM. A commit from the Chromium Repositories discovered by Chrome Unboxed suggests that the 16GB model is in the works, but there’s no information to go by regarding a potential release date.

Samsung announced the Galaxy Chromebook (code name Kohaku) a couple of months ago in one configuration. It packs 8GB of RAM, 256GB of storage, and a Core i5-10210U processor. The same configuration was released in the United States yesterday for $999.

More storage options would also be welcomed

8GB of RAM for a Chromebook should be enough for a lot of users. Some models are equipped with half of that, and they can handle light work. But for a Chromebook equipped with a beautiful 4K AMOLED display, a 16GB RAM option would probably be welcomed by some prospective Galaxy Chromebook buyers who may want to push the hardware further. Should you skip the 8GB model and wait for the 16GB variant to be announced? It’s hard to tell.

As yet, there’s no official information regarding the release of a Galaxy Chromebook with 16GB of RAM, so you might be waiting a long time before it will be unveiled. Or not. That’s the problem and, in a way, it must be frustrating for buyers to learn about the possibility of a more powerful model being developed, one day after the Galaxy Chromebook was released.

Chrome Unboxed speculates that the model with 16GB of RAM might also pack twice the storage (512GB) of the ongoing model, but there’s no hard evidence to support this theory as of this writing. Either way, more storage options would probably make the Galaxy Chromebook even more appealing. We’ll keep you posted if we find out more.

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Galaxy Note 9 March 2020 security update may have broken the screen

According to a few user complaints posted on Samsung US community forums, the March 2020 security update released for the Galaxy Note 9 series may have broken the screen. It’s causing a lot of issues, ranging from screen discoloration (yellow screen tint) to decreased resolution and overheating.

Affected users have begun experiencing these issues after applying the March 2020 security patch to the Galaxy Note 9. They’ve reportedly attempted to fix the problems by clearing the cache, rebooting, and factory resetting the Galaxy Note 9, but none of these steps seem to have provided a permanent solution to the broken screen post-update.

Product experts on Samsung’s community forums haven’t been very helpful either, directing users to a Samsung service center to try and solve these problems. But given that physical service centers are shut down due to the coronavirus pandemic, that’s not going to be an option. Some users rightly believe that this is a software issue since these problems cropped up after they’ve applied the March 2020 security patch, and hope that Samsung will provide a fix over the air.

It’s also unclear if these issues exist after the April 2020 security patch, which began rolling out to the Galaxy Note 9 last week. The changelog mentioned camera improvements but not much else.

Have you experienced any similar problems with your Galaxy Note 9 after the March 2020 security patch? Let us know in the comment section.

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Galaxy A71 5G leaked renders shed light on all the color options

A set of leaked renders depicting the Galaxy A71 5G has popped up on Twitter. The images reveal the device in three color options, black, blue, and white, and the design’s validity is corroborated by previous live photos spotted at TENAA.

The smartphone will have a two-tone finish with fine vertical lines running across the back panel. The latter accommodates a rectangular camera bump with the sensors residing in an ‘L’ pattern, not unlike the 4G Galaxy A71. In fact, aside from the different paint finish, you’d be hard-pressed to find any design differences between the 4G and 5G variants.

The phone carries an Infinity-O display with a centered selfie camera cutout and has the volume and power buttons on the right edge. The Galaxy A71 5G’s loudspeaker may have a slightly different shape, according to these renders, but that remains to be seen.

The story is different under the hood

Unlike the 4G variant powered by the Snapdragon 730, which we’ve reviewed last month, the upcoming Galaxy A71 5G will have an Exynos 980 chipset. Other than that, the SoC should be paired with 8GB of RAM, and the on-board 128GB of storage will be expandable via microSD.

The smartphone could debut in China for the price of 3,500 Yuan ($496), but according to our sources, the Galaxy A71 5G could also launch in the USA as well as other European countries.

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Samsung introduces celebrity voices for Bixby in South Korea

Bixby users in South Korea don’t have to wait for NEON to become a reality before they can have a celebrity’s voice act as their virtual assistant. Samsung has updated Bixby Voice in South Korea to include the voices of three celebrities, namely Kang So-ra, Kim So-hyun, and Kim Ye-won.

The three actresses are well known for their voiceover work, as well as their radio DJ performances, and Samsung used recordings for training its AI to sound like them. Kang So-ra revealed that It was a mysterious and exciting experience to listen to Bixby service in my voice.

The feature is limited to South Korea, at least for now

The update is rolling out in South Korea, where Bixby users can choose between the three new voice packs by opening Bixby Voice, tapping the cogwheel icon in the upper-right corner, and accessing Language and voice style.

The company is also holding a special event until April 24 to promote the launch of the new feature and intends to release more celebrity voices in the future. According to voicebot.ai, Samsung also plans to add male celebrity voices to Bixby, however, there’s no official news on whether the company will introduce celebrity voices for Bixby in other markets outside of South Korea.

Would you like to have a celebrity’s voice as your virtual assistant? Who would be your first pick? Let us know in the comment section below.

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Galaxy S20 Ultra seems to be surpassing sales expectations

The Galaxy S20 line’s slow start is hardly a secret at this point, but things aren’t all that grim for Samsung’s latest Android flagships.

Namely, it appears one member of the new product range is actually exceeding sales expectations. Making matters even more intriguing, that feat was managed by the most expensive model, the Galaxy S20 Ultra.

Are Samsung’s customers concerned with value?

Sources close to one of Samsung’s imaging hardware suppliers, MCNEX, are now claiming the South Korean company is ramping up production of the 40-megapixel (front) and 12-megapixel camera (ultra-wide) modules used by the Galaxy S20 Ultra. Naturally, the main implication of the development is that the move was prompted by higher-than-expected sales of the device.

Further illustrating that dominant performance is the claim that the Galaxy S20 Ultra is responsible for over half of all series sales Samsung made so far. That’s a pretty significant achievement given the current global market instability, not to mention the $1,400 price tag attached to the base variant of the Galaxy S20 Ultra.

While all of that could suggest Samsung’s customers aren’t nearly as concerned with value as some industry watchers believe, it could also mean the exact opposite. Let’s not forget Samsung introduced some uncharacteristically aggressive promotions in response to the Galaxy S20 series’ slow start, including an unprecedented 50% buyback guarantee.

Combined with a variety of financing options, as well as the ongoing Samsung Upgrade program, there are plenty of ways to get your hands on the Galaxy S20 Ultra right now without breaking the bank. And while the same goes for the Galaxy S20 and Galaxy S20+, at least some prospective buyers surely decide to go for the very best option given how they aren’t to required to pay the full price upfront.

Be that as it may, the Galaxy S20 range still isn’t expected to outsell its direct predecessors, given the current state of the world.

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Think outside the box and win $10,000 in this Dezeen x Samsung contest

Samsung’s Eco-Packaging used by The Serif, The Frame, and The Sero TVs can be turned into pieces of furniture by following Samsung’s guidelines, but Dezeen along with the South Korean company have created a global contest that encourages contestants to come up with new designs and ideas on how the corrugated cardboard can be repurposed.

Anyone can enter the Dezeen x Samsung contest as long as they are at least 18 years of age. Participants can be from any country, and they are not required to use Samsung’s Eco-Packaging for their designs as long as they follow the company’s packaging specifications. The contest has a prize pool of $20,000.

You can reinterpret Samsung’s vision or tackle new concepts

Cardboard boxes used by electronics companies to ship their products contribute to roughly 90 billion tons of cardboard/paper waste in the United States every year. In another effort to reduce waste, Samsung’s Eco-Packaging (awarded at CES 2020) used by The Serif, The Frame, and The Sero TVs can be repurposed into storage boxes, magazine racks, TV consoles, and cat houses. Samsung provides printed guidelines that can be followed when the box is open flat to create these pieces of furniture, as seen in the gallery below.

Dezeen and Samsung are now challenging people around the world to create new and interesting ideas for furniture made from repurposed corrugated cardboard. Contestants can use Samsung’s Eco-Packaging from The Serif, The Frame, and The Sero, or they can use their own corrugated cardboard as long as Samsung’s dimensions and specifications are met. Cardboard that contains company logos isn’t allowed either, for obvious reasons.

Contestants can also come up with new ideas for storage boxes, magazine racks, TV consoles, and cat houses, as long as they are different enough from Samsung’s built-in Eco-Packaging designs. Each contestant has to send at least one, and up to ten photos of their creation. Some photos can include sketches, drawings, or renders, but at least one of them must show the idea materialized into a real physical object.

Stuck at home in lockdown? Connect with your creative side and win $10,000

Dezeen and Samsung have prepared a $20,000 prize pool for this contest. The top prize consists of $10,000, while the 2nd and 3rd places will be rewarded with $5,000 and $3,000, respectively. The 4th and 5th places will receive $1,000 each.

If you want to participate in the contest, you must visit Dezeen’s competition page to read all of the rules, terms, and conditions. Dezeen provides important guidelines that must be followed by participants in order for their ideas to be considered. The shortlist will be revealed in June, and finalists will be announced in July. The winners of the Dezeen x Samsung contest will be revealed in September at IFA.

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Daily Deal: 25% off JBL T205 in-Ear Headphone

When you’re commuting (or working from home) you want to listen to media without being distracted or disturbing others. In-ear headphones are the perfect way to achieve that. These headphones by JBL offer crisp sound with pure bass. They also have a one-button remote with microphone so you can take calls as well. They’re built with a tangle-free flat cable, so no more frustration with tangled cables. On top of that, they come in a soft pouch so they don’t get dusty when you’re carrying them in your pocket. Now discounted with a massive 25% off, this is the perfect opportunity to get them in!

Hit the Buy Now button below to get them while still available!

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Amid coronavirus, Samsung empowers business customers free of charge

As more businesses are being forced by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic to keep their employees working from home, Samsung UK decided to offer its Remote Management Solution free of charge for the next six months. The platform allows Samsung’s digital signage customers to manage and monitor their displays remotely.

Samsung Remote Management consists of MagicINFO. It’s essentially a platform that works with a company’s CRM (Customer Relationship Management) and lets digital signage customers manage hardware and software remotely. With MagicINFO, Samsung’s digital signage clients can update ads and messages without having to send employees on-site.

The platform can detect over 40 hardware errors within a network and offers monitoring capabilities through an intuitive dashboard. It also lets administrators power hardware ON or OFF, control volume, push media including video files and company logos, and update the firmware remotely. Device statistics and diagnosing tools are par for the course. You can get an overview of this powerful tool in the video below.

In this bid to fight against the spread of coronavirus and support its clients, Samsung UK now offers the Remote Management platform free of charge to customers until October 1, 2020.

Samsung Electronics is also empowering clients in the foundry sector

Aside from supporting digital signage businesses amid the coronavirus pandemic, Samsung Electronics is also helping customers in the foundry sector. Last month, Synopsys announced DSO.ai (Design Space Optimization AI) as the industry’s first autonomous artificial intelligence application for chip design. According to Synopsys, DSO.ai is an artificial intelligence and reasoning engine capable of searching for optimization targets in very large solution spaces of chip design. Synopsys is also helping Samsung on its journey to achieve 3nm mobile chip manufacturing.

DSO.ai will be used by Samsung to enable its foundry customers to push the limits of their SoC designs. More impressive is the fact that DSO.ai was able to yield results in 3 days, whereas more conventional solutions would require multiple experts to do experimental work for more than a month. Once again, the tool effectively allows businesses to maintain operations without having to put employees at risk.

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Exclusive: Samsung’s next flagship tablets have 12.4 and 11-inch displays

We first reported three weeks ago that Samsung’s next flagship tablet has entered development. This tablet will succeed the Galaxy Tab S6 so it just might be called the Galaxy Tab S7. However, seeing as how Samsung has changed the branding for its flagship devices this year, there’s also a good chance that it may end up being called the Galaxy Tab S20.

The name doesn’t really matter that much. What matters are the improvements that Samsung makes. Many of its customers want its flagship tablet to have a larger display. We hear that this wish just might turn out to be true.

Samsung is increasing the display size for its flagship tablet

Samsung’s next flagship tablet is being developed under the SM-T97x and SM-T87x model numbers. We hear that two different sizes are going to be offered in addition to the Wi-Fi and cellular variants. The tablets will feature 12.4-inch and 11-inch displays.

We already know that the Galaxy Tab S20 is in the pipeline with SM-T970 and SM-T975 model numbers. We also pointed out that it wasn’t in the same SM-T8xx series like the Galaxy Tab S6 but this latest development shows that a model is indeed being developed in that same series. Launching two models in separate sizes necessitate the additional model series.

It’s great to see that Samsung has finally thought about increasing the display size on its flagship tablet. As exceptional as the Galaxy Tab S6’s 10.5-inch display was, it wasn’t big enough as the one on the iPad Pro. Customers have long been asking for Samsung to increase the display size and they would certainly appreciate the jump to a 12.4-inch panel. The second model will also get a slightly larger 11-inch display.

As far as the specs are concerned, expect Samsung to ship the tablet with the latest processor and RAM combo, improved cameras, a larger battery, 5G and Android 10. Hopefully, it will also include 25W fast charging. Samsung’s new tablets will arrive later this year. They will be available in grey, blue and brown colors alongside a keyboard cover accessory.

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Galaxy S20 April update out for unlocked units in the US

The Galaxy S20, S20+, and S20 Ultra were the first Galaxy smartphones to receive the April 2020 security update. But, as always, the rollout of the update was limited to a few markets initially and has only recently started expanding to more countries. Today, the April security update — featuring software version G98xU1UEU1ATCT — for the Galaxy S20 series has reached unlocked units in the United States.

To be clear, the update that’s rolling out in the US isn’t the latest available for the Galaxy S20 lineup. That’s because Samsung rolled out yet another update for its new flagships yesterday, but that update is yet to be released anywhere outside China. Unlocked units in the US are receiving the initial April security update, which also includes a slew of camera improvements, such as a fix for an autofocus issue with the zoom camera on the Galaxy S20 Ultra.

As far as carrier models are concerned, Sprint recently rolled out the April security update for its Galaxy S20 variants, and other carriers will likely follow soon. If you’re using an unlocked version of the S20, S20+, or S20 Ultra, you can download the update right away from the phone’s Settings » Software update screen. If the update doesn’t show up, you can also download the latest firmware from our archive and install it manually on your phone using a Windows PC.

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White Galaxy S20 Ultra could launch soon, but don’t get too excited just yet

For almost every flagship Galaxy smartphone, Samsung tends to launch new color options a few months down the line in some markets, and that’s what the company is set to do for the Galaxy S20 lineup — or at least the Galaxy S20 Ultra — as well. Samsung was recently rumored to be preparing to launch a new color option for the Galaxy S20 Ultra in China, but the exact color hadn’t been revealed at the time. That is changing today.

Twitter tipster Ice Universe has tweeted that Samsung will be launching a white Galaxy S20 Ultra in China. Right now, the Galaxy S20 Ultra only comes in two color options: Cosmic Grey and Cosmic Black. Neither of the two colors is very exciting, and in many markets, Samsung has only made one of the two color options available. Both Cosmic Grey and Cosmic Black are available in China, and it seems customers in the country will have yet another paint job to choose from if they are looking to purchase the top-end Galaxy S20 model.

Will Samsung bring the white version to other markets? It might, it might not – only time will tell. It also remains to be seen what the white Galaxy S20 Ultra will look like. Could it be similar to the Prism White Galaxy S10, or will it be a simpler implementation without the gradient effect? We’ll let you know once the new color option goes official and/or someone leaks a picture of it in the coming days.

Would you be interested in getting the white Galaxy S20 Ultra, or have you already purchased the device in one of the two available colors?

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Exclusive: 5G Galaxy Z Flip could be coming later this year

Samsung has made a big deal about being the biggest vendor of 5G smartphones. It shipped 74 percent of all 5G smartphones in the US last year. The company certainly wants to maintain that lead and extend it in other markets as well. That’s why it was surprising to see that the Galaxy Z Flip, its latest and greatest foldable smartphone, didn’t support 5G.

However, it appears that Samsung may have decided not to offer the 5G Galaxy Z Flip initially. We hear that the company does indeed have a 5G-variant of the Galaxy Z Flip and that it could be launched later this year.

5G Galaxy Z Flip is in the pipeline

Samsung has made no secret of the fact that it wants to release more 5G phones in 2020. Support for the next-gen network isn’t just limited to its flagship phones anymore as it has already trickled down to more affordable models. Samsung is even working on a 5G variant of the Galaxy A51. The company wants to bring its 5G devices to more than 40 countries this year.

The Galaxy Z Flip’s 3,300mAh battery is certainly small in comparison to the chunky batteries you get in Samsung’s Galaxy S20 lineup but as we pointed out in our Galaxy Z Flip review, it’s more than capable of getting you through the day. Perhaps Samsung initially wanted to hold off on the 5G variant as a way to manage expectations for the device’s battery life. Offering the LTE variant only would have also enabled the company to make the starting price for this device as low as possible.

This meant that customers who were drawn to the device because of its striking design and unique form factor would have been more compelled to purchase it without having to worry about the battery life and a higher price tag. When it ultimately releases a 5G variant now, it will most likely be looking for customers who didn’t purchase the Galaxy Z Flip just because it didn’t have 5G.

It also goes without saying that the 5G variant will only be made available in limited markets where public 5G networks are live. No word as yet on when Samsung is planning on launching the 5G Galaxy Z Flip and how much it’s going to cost, but we’ll let you know as soon as we find out.

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Exclusive: Galaxy Fold 2 will get a 256GB model for a lower starting price

Samsung has already launched a foldable smartphone this year but the Galaxy Z Flip is not the successor to the Galaxy Fold. The company is due to launch the latest iteration of its original foldable smartphone later this year. While it’s not known for sure what Samsung will end up calling the device, we can call it the Galaxy Fold 2 for now.

We have received some information about the Galaxy Fold 2 which suggests that it’s going to have a lower barrier of entry compared to its predecessor. Samsung will offer a model with 256GB of base storage at a lower price point.

Galaxy Fold 2 will have a lower starting price

At $1,980, the Galaxy Fold was the most expensive smartphone that Samsung ever offered. It had the latest tech specs and there was only one model available with 512GB storage. There wasn’t an option to go for less storage to save a couple of hundred dollars.

We hear that the Galaxy Fold 2, model number SM-F916 in particular, is going to feature 256GB of internal storage. There will be two models of the SM-F91x, the other with 512GB storage. This split will enable Samsung to lower the cost of entry to the Galaxy Fold lineup. With the exceptional response that Samsung has seen for the $1,400 Galaxy Z Flip, the company knows that bringing the price down a bit for the Galaxy Fold 2 will certainly help mainstream the device.

The Galaxy Fold 2 is expected to feature a larger cover display than the 4.6-inch one on its predecessor. The foldable display may also see an increase in size to 7.7-inch compared to 7.3-inch. It’s expected to be an Infinity-O panel with a punch hole for the selfie camera instead of the unusual notch that Samsung went with for the Galaxy Fold.

There has been some speculation about S Pen support for the Galaxy Fold 2 as well but it hasn’t been backed up with much evidence. Samsung will also ship a robust camera setup with the Galaxy Fold 2. Reports suggest that it may get the same camera setup as the Galaxy S20+. Aside from its flagship processor, RAM specs and 5G support, there’s also a good chance that the Galaxy Fold 2 may have a 4G variant as well (SM-F910).

We hear that the Galaxy Fold 2 is expected to arrive in Q3 this year. Many believe that it may be launched alongside the Galaxy Note 20 in August. We’ll let you know as soon as more information comes in about Samsung’s next foldable smartphone.

The post Exclusive: Galaxy Fold 2 will get a 256GB model for a lower starting price appeared first on SamMobile.

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Samsung monthly updates: April 2020 security patch detailed

Almost every month, we see Samsung release a new security patch for some of its devices before the patch has been detailed by the company, and it was no different this time around. Quite a few Galaxy phones have already been updated with the April 2020 security patch, and Samsung has now published information on the vulnerabilities that are fixed in the latest patch.

Samsung details the April 2020 security patch

The April 2020 security patch fixes 14 critical vulnerabilities in the Android operating system, along with a bunch of high and moderate-risk vulnerabilities. The patch also brings fixes for 34 Samsung Vulnerabilities and Exposures (SVE) items, which are vulnerabilities that only affect the Korean giant’s software. One of the critical SVE items could allow arbitrary code execution through multiple vulnerabilities related to fingerprint recognition, while another could allow unauthorized access to Secure Folder apps.

As mentioned above, Samsung has already pushed out the April security patch to a few devices. That includes the Galaxy S10, Galaxy Note 10, and Galaxy S20 lineups, the Galaxy Note 9, Galaxy Note 8, Galaxy S8, and the Galaxy A50. Many more will join the list as the month goes by, and you can be sure we will inform you when it’s out for some of the most important devices. As always, you can check for yourself by heading to our firmware section, where you can also download the latest firmware for manually installing it on your device.

The post Samsung monthly updates: April 2020 security patch detailed appeared first on SamMobile.

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