3 things I like about the Galaxy S20 Ultra, and 3 I don’t

It would be an understatement to say that it’s been a bumpy ride for the largest model of Samsung’s Galaxy S20 series, the Galaxy S20 Ultra. For a $1,400 smartphone (or around $1300 if you buy the LTE variant), the Galaxy S20 Ultra suffered from some camera autofocus issues out of the box. Samsung has done a good job of improving autofocus performance with updates (to the extent that is possible), but the company also managed to break some existing – and excellent – features.

The most notable of those was the green tint issue that affected the display when it was set to 120Hz refresh rate, and Samsung also ended up slowing down the initially impressive super fast charging speed on the device. The former has been fixed in a recent update, but the latter hasn’t, and it probably won’t ever be fixed. I say that because after the update that reduced the charging speed, Samsung has pushed out two more updates for the Galaxy S20 lineup, and neither of those have done anything about the slower charging, suggesting that it was a deliberate change.

It’s been almost two months since the Galaxy S20 lineup went on sale worldwide, and I have been using it for a month and a half at this point. Now that Samsung has had enough time to iron out all the kinks, here are three things I like about the Galaxy S20 Ultra and three things I don’t.

Three things I like about the Galaxy S20 Ultra

1. The display is phenomenal

Samsung’s flagship phone displays have been the industry standard for some time now, and the company knocked it further out of the park by finally introducing high refresh rate panels with the Galaxy S20 series. The Galaxy S20 Ultra has a 6.9-inch display, the biggest yet on a Galaxy flagship, and it’s simply phenomenal. The size of the display makes it great for browsing, gaming, and watching videos, and the 120Hz refresh rate makes navigating through the user interface and scrolling inside apps smoother than what was possible on previous Galaxy flagships with their 60Hz displays.

I don’t mind having to use the display at Full HD+ resolution for the high refresh rate, though I can see why the limitation is criticized: You don’t want Samsung to not let you use the display to its full potential when you’re paying upwards of $1000. Unfortunately, Samsung hasn’t yet introduced the ability to use both the maximum screen resolution and 120Hz refresh rate. And it seems like a hardware limitation that could cause considerably higher power draw at QHD resolution and 120Hz refresh rate means Samsung won’t budge on its initial decision, despite rumors to the contrary.

2. Battery life is great, even with 120Hz mode enabled

The 5,000 mAh battery on the Galaxy S20 Ultra gives it the highest endurance of all three Galaxy S20 models, and the high capacity battery makes the Galaxy S20 Ultra the best choice especially for those who wish to use the high refresh rate at all times. With 120Hz mode enabled, battery life takes a substantial hit, and only the Galaxy S20 Ultra is equipped with a big enough power cell that can get you through the day even with the high refresh rate active. And I love that – I have never gone back to 60Hz in these few weeks of using the S20 Ultra, and I don’t plan on doing so in the future.

3. The zoom camera is very useful

Samsung touts 100x zoom capability on the Galaxy S20 Ultra, but as we detailed in our review, the usable zoom level is considerably lower. But it’s still much higher than what we’ve been used to with previous Galaxy flagships. You get excellent photos at 5x zoom and pretty good photos at 10x, and 30x photos can also be quite usable even if they are far from sharp. The optical zoom only goes up to 4x, but the camera is able to produce quality images even past 4x zoom thanks to the high megapixel count (48 megapixels) of the sensor.

Three things I don’t like about the Galaxy S20 Ultra

1. Switching between main camera and zoom camera is slow

The autofocus on the Galaxy S20 Ultra’s main camera isn’t as fast as reliable as the main camera on the Galaxy S20 and S20+ or any of the other flagships Samsung has launched since the Galaxy S7. That’s not a good thing, but what frustrates me more is how slow the phone can be at switching between the main and zoom cameras. Whenever you hit the zoom button in the viewfinder, you initially get a soft, digitally zoomed output from the main camera. It takes up to 3 seconds for the phone to switch to an output from the zoom camera, making you wait before you can take a picture.

The video below shows you what I mean (notice how the image suddenly gets sharper at around the 3-second mark as the zoom camera kicks in). This slow switching between the two camera lenses is even worse when you’re taking photos indoors and in tough lighting conditions. It’s not something you expect given all the power under the hood in flagship phones these days and can often mean you miss out on capturing an important moment.

2. It heats up easily

The Galaxy S20 Ultra keeps its cool when I’m doing not-so-demanding things like using the browser, using social media apps like Facebook and WhatsApp, and watching YouTube videos. Take a few pictures with the camera or play a game, and the phone’s temperature climbs rapidly in just a few minutes. And when the temperature crosses a certain threshold, the refresh rate drops back to 60Hz, and you can’t do anything about it until the phone cools down, which can also take a frustratingly long time to happen.

3. Please, Samsung, do something about this horrible fingerprint sensor

The made-by-Qualcomm ultrasonic in-display fingerprint sensor Samsung has been using for flagships since last year needs to go. I don’t think it’s horrible in a vacuum, but compared to the physical fingerprint sensors of old and the faster optical in-display sensors on Samsung’s mid-range phones and on competing flagships (just look at how fast the OnePlus 8’s fingerprint sensor is), the ultrasonic tech is plain unworthy of being on a top-of-the-line smartphone.

The fingerprint reader is not reliably accurate all of the time and it’s not ultra-quick (no pun intended), two disadvantages that I just don’t want to see on a fingerprint sensor here in 2020. No one else is using the ultrasonic fingerprint sensor from Qualcomm, so why can’t Samsung switch to those optical sensors like the rest of the industry instead of forcing an inferior solution on us?

P.S.: I know the same fingerprint sensor is used on the Galaxy S20 and S20+, but when you pay nearly $1400 for a phone, the not-so-awesome fingerprint recognition is even worse to have. 

---

Are you using a Galaxy S20 Ultra? What do you like about the phone? What don’t you like about the phone? Let me know down in the comments!

The post 3 things I like about the Galaxy S20 Ultra, and 3 I don’t appeared first on SamMobile.

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

Samsung leads India’s premium segment in Q1 thanks to these phones

Samsung managed to recapture India’s premium smartphone segment by shipment market share in Q1 2020 even if zero shipments were recorded in the last week of March due to the COVID-19 lockdown, according to fresh data from Counterpoint Research. This was the first time in the last four quarters when Samsung led the premium market segment in India.

To be precise, Counterpoint Research defines the premium segment at a price point above INR 30,000, or roughly $400. In other words, the data covers more than just flagship phones.

‘Lite’ phones and the Galaxy S20 were the key to regaining the top spot

The source claims that affordable premium phones like the Galaxy S10 Lite and Galaxy Note 10 Lite, along with the ultra-premium Galaxy S20 series were the main drivers for the company’s success in India throughout Q1. Incentives and Galaxy S20 cashbacks have also contributed to boosting the company’s share.

Samsung’s premium smartphone shipments in the first quarter helped the company secure 34% of the market. But despite this newfound success, Samsung is unlikely to carry forward this momentum, according to the research firm. This is due to the shutdown of all retail activities in the first half of the second quarter.

On one hand, Samsung is already bringing 20,000 retailers online to increase sales, so it remains to be seen how the company will perform throughout Q2. On the other hand, the company recently lost second place in India to Vivo, so even though Samsung is winning some key battles, it seems to be losing ground in the bigger war. Things could still turn around, especially since the marks left on the economy by COVID-19 might be reshuffling the cards to a degree.

The post Samsung leads India’s premium segment in Q1 thanks to these phones appeared first on SamMobile.

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

Samsung gives away $5 worth of Pokemon GO consumables for free

Pokemon GO players are in for a treat, as Samsung is now giving away in-game items worth $5 for free. This is likely to make up for any issues Galaxy S20 owners may have had with the game not working on their brand new flagships, but the giveaway is not limited to Galaxy S20 owners. Any fan with a Samsung account can redeem a code for the Pokemon GO freebies.

The giveaway lasts for a month and will end on June 7. Until then, Pokemon GO players can visit the company’s website, scroll down to the Gaming section where they’ll find an AR image of Meowth. Click/tap View Details to read more about the giveaway, click/tap Continue and sign in with your Samsung account to get your code via email.

You can redeem the giveaway code at any time before June 7 and you’ll receive $5 worth of items in Pokemon GO for free, including 35 Poke Balls, 3 Incense, and 1 Poffin. These consumables are useful to Pokemon GO players new and old. Poffins were added to the game last December as a new consumable item that can be given to a Pokemon as a treat. Feeding a Pokemon a Poffin will boost its mood and make it stay with you on the map for 6 hours.

The post Samsung gives away $5 worth of Pokemon GO consumables for free appeared first on SamMobile.

from SamMobile https://ift.tt/2yDX2N1
via IFTTT

Galaxy A51 One UI 2.1 update adds screen recorder, but it doesn’t work

One UI 2.0, like One UI 1.0, introduced many new features to Galaxy smartphones and tablets. Unfortunately, not all of those features are available on non-flagship devices. The built-in screen recorder is one such feature Samsung is keeping exclusive to its upper mid-range and flagship smartphones.

The Galaxy A51 doesn’t come with screen recording functionality out of the box, but did Samsung plan on changing that with One UI 2.1? It would seem so, as the One UI 2.1 update that rolled out recently to the company’s bestselling phone adds a Screen recorder toggle in the notification shade. You can even customize the recorder’s settings, such as video resolution and whether sounds are recorded, from the Advanced features menu in the phone’s settings.

However, the feature doesn’t actually work – tapping the quick toggle does nothing, as you can see in the GIF animation below (tap/click it if the GIF doesn’t automatically play). And for at least one of our users, the toggle also disappeared after some time. Considering that screen recorder is a part of One UI 2.0, we’re assuming Samsung deliberately hides the feature on its affordable devices but forgot to do that properly when developing the One UI 2.1 update for the Galaxy A51.

It could also be that the One UI 2.1 update was supposed to include the feature but is buggy, which wouldn’t be surprising given how we’ve seen buggy updates for other Galaxy devices as well in recent weeks. Either way, if you own a Galaxy A51, you will have to stick to third-party apps (such as this excellent free app) for recording the screen unless a future update adds a working version of Samsung’s own solution to the device.

The post Galaxy A51 One UI 2.1 update adds screen recorder, but it doesn’t work appeared first on SamMobile.

from SamMobile https://ift.tt/2Lb94A3
via IFTTT

Galaxy A11 should join the Galaxy M11 on the market soon

Samsung stealthily unveiled the Galaxy A11 a couple of months ago without making a formal announcement, and the budget phone might be nearing an actual market launch, seeing how it’s been certified by Bluetooth SIG earlier today.

Prior to its quiet addition to Samsung’s website, the Galaxy A11 was also certified by the Wi-Fi Alliance roughly four months ago, so there aren’t many formalities left before the device can be released to the public. Evidently, since the phone’s specs have already been revealed by Samsung a couple of months back, the recent Bluetooth approvals don’t reveal anything new about what makes the Galaxy A11 tick.

Waiting for the Galaxy A11? You might want to consider the Galaxy M11

The Galaxy A11 is technically in the same class as the Galaxy M11, the latter of which is available for purchase in various markets. Much like the Galaxy M11, Samsung’s budget phone from the Galaxy A series has a 6.4-inch TFT LCD display with an Infinity-O design and an HD+ resolution, a rear-mounted fingerprint scanner, three rear-facing cameras including a 13MP main, 5MP ultra-wide, and 2MP depth sensor, as well as an 8MP selfie shooter.

Samsung could be preparing to release the Galaxy A11 soon, but for now, the Galaxy M11 is filling the spot in the budget segment and will continue to do so in many markets even after the A11’s launch.

The post Galaxy A11 should join the Galaxy M11 on the market soon appeared first on SamMobile.

from SamMobile https://ift.tt/3b9bolO
via IFTTT

Jimmy Fallon and Samsung gift healthcare workers on Mother’s Day

Samsung teamed up with popular late-night talk show host Jimmy Fallon in order to make Mother’s Day 2020 a little bit more special for moms working on the front lines of the ongoing coronavirus crisis in the United States. Half a dozen unsuspecting healthcare workers were each surprised with $25,000 and a slew of Galaxy devices as Fallon himself informed them of the gifts via a video call. The results of the wholesome undertaking can be seen below, having first aired in yesterday’s episode of The Tonight Show on NBC.

The elaborate surprise was organized as part of Samsung’s #WithGalaxy campaign that recently refocused its efforts toward celebrating mothers all over the world. The initiative extends beyond celebrity collaborations, with Samsung now calling for users all over the world to “put mom in the picture” and join its celebrations on social media.

From Galaxy S20 Ultra 5G to $150,000 in cash

Samsung’s Mother’s Day bundles that Fallon gave out included the Galaxy S20 Ultra 5G, Galaxy Tab S6, Galaxy Watch Active 2, and the Galaxy Buds+. That’s in addition to a cheque for $25,000 each, totaling out to $150,000 for all six lucky moms.

Additionally, Samsung is currently running a number of Mother’s Day promotions encompassing various deals spanning from India to Brazil. Many of those include discounts on the aforementioned Galaxy gadgets, with some being available all the way through early June.

Samsung is likely to continue pushing similar promotional activities in the coming weeks, so long as the global coronavirus fight remains in full swing. The company already started feeling the effects of the crisis, acknowledging that the worst is yet to come as part of its first-quarter financials.

The post Jimmy Fallon and Samsung gift healthcare workers on Mother’s Day appeared first on SamMobile.

from SamMobile https://ift.tt/3dwHQQJ
via IFTTT

Samsung Germany covers VAT for customers to cut prices of top products

Samsung Germany is running a weekend promotion whereby the company is covering the VAT payment on a number of promotional products including earbuds, smartphones, notebooks, and more. While it’s not a refund of the 19% VAT per se, the promotion essentially boils down to a 15.966% discount on the gross purchase price.

As a result, customers can buy the Galaxy S20 Ultra 5G for €1,133 instead of the usual €1,349 price. Buyers can save €175 on the Galaxy S20+ 5G, or €159 on the Galaxy S20 5G. The Galaxy Z Flip, sans the Thom Browne Edition, is also included in the promotion, meaning that buyers can save €236 on the foldable phone.

The newly-released Galaxy Tab S6 Lite is not included in the promotion, but the high-end Galaxy Tab S6 counterpart is. Therefore, customers can save €143 on the LTE model with 256GB of built-in storage.

A wide range of wearables are covered, including AKG headphones

Prospective buyers looking for a more productivity-oriented device can save €175 on the Galaxy Book S. At the other end of the device spectrum, wearables like the Galaxy Watch Active 2, the Galaxy Fit, Galaxy Fit e, and the Galaxy Buds+ are covered by this promotion as well. Or if you’re not looking for a new pair of earbuds or you prefer on-ear solutions, Samsung Germany will cover the VAT on a wide variety of AKG headphones.

Samsung Germany’s VAT promotional offer lasts until May 11 and while stocks last so you might want to hurry up to take advantage of this deal over the weekend. Check out the promotion’s landing page for more details.

The post Samsung Germany covers VAT for customers to cut prices of top products appeared first on SamMobile.

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

Daily Deal: 47% off PureVPN

PureVPN is one of the best-rated VPN services. Using their VPN services allows you to access content that would be hidden from you due to geo-restrictions. This means you can watch shows on Netflix and other streaming services that would otherwise not be available to you! They also offer excellent security measures so you can browse with an anonymous VPN IP using a global network of VPN Servers. PureVPN is now temporarily available at 47% off! You can also get their 7-day trial for just $0,99 if you need to try their services first.

Hit the Buy Now button below to get your PureVPN subscription while this deal lasts.

The post Daily Deal: 47% off PureVPN appeared first on SamMobile.

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

Samsung Bangladesh debuts new online shop amid lockdown

Samsung Bangladesh is revamping its sales strategy with the launch of a new e-commerce outlet – GalaxyShopBD.com. The platform’s debut comes shortly after Dhaka extended many social distancing measures aimed at slowing the spread of COVID-19 until May 16th, further threatening offline sales. Samsung is now hoping to recoup some of those losses with a comprehensive online shop which attaches express shipping and other benefits to the convenience of shopping from the comfort of one’s home.

The key advantage of the newly introduced storefront is free nationwide shipping. More specifically, Samsung’s promising to fulfill most orders within 72 hours. The service accepts on-delivery payments via cards, bKash, and actual cash. Additional promotions are part of the package, as well, led by cashbacks as high as 50%, depending on the product and payment option.

Samsung continues to support local distributors

As for the product selection on offer, GalaxyShopBD already offers a decent variety of devices, ranging from the latest Galaxy S20 flagships to budget-conscious smartphones such as the Galaxy M31. This has all been made possible in such a short timeframe due to the new storefront’s reliance on Samsung’s existing network of local distributors across Bangladesh. In other words, all GalaxyShopBD orders will be fulfilled by the closest partnering businesses, Samsung confirmed.

This structure is extremely beneficial to smaller electronics resellers across Bangladesh whose livelihoods came into question the moment Dhaka started implementing lockdown measures. Samsung India launched a similar initiative earlier this week, with more of the company’s regional offices being likely to follow suit in the near future.

The post Samsung Bangladesh debuts new online shop amid lockdown appeared first on SamMobile.

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

Stuck at home? Experience Earth’s wonders on your Samsung TV for free

Samsung smart TV owners in Spain can now explore the Earth’s natural wonders through their TVs from the comfort of their homes in 4K and 8K HDR quality free of charge. Until June 30, The Explorers – the French documentary platform self-described as The Earth Inventory – is available on Samsung smart TVs for free without requiring an account or subscription.

The Explorers is fundamentally a subscription-based platform that broadcasts documentaries focused on the planet’s natural and cultural wonders. The platform is not a part of Samsung TV Plus, but instead, it’s available for download as a separate app from the Galaxy store. To enjoy it for free until June 30, all that Samsung smart TV owners in Spain need to do is to download the app. You don’t have to create an account or sign up for a subscription. The content is delivered in 4K HDR and 8K HDR quality, and the app is compatible with Samsung smart TV models released in 2018 or later, with the exception of the T5300 or lower models.

Keep in mind that even if you don’t have access to The Explorers for free in your country, Samsung smart TV owners around the world can always take advantage of the ad-based TV Plus platform for free, without even having to download the app. It’s part of the Samsung smart TV experience, and it delivers a wide variety of free content ranging from nature documentaries to news and motorsports programs.

The post Stuck at home? Experience Earth’s wonders on your Samsung TV for free appeared first on SamMobile.

from SamMobile https://ift.tt/2WJ9e7o
via IFTTT

New Samsung promo stars moms and Google Duo

Moms and Google Duo are the stars of the latest promo video from Samsung, released in the run-up to this year’s Mother’s Day. With most of the world still being on lockdown, the company opted to highlight how many of its staffers turned to its Galaxy smartphones to get in touch with their mothers during quarantine. Besides the wholesome video that can be viewed below, Samsung is also commemorating Mother’s Day 2020 as part of its #withGalaxy campaign which encourages social media users to “put mom in the picture”.

Native Google Duo support first made its way to Samsung’s portfolio with the Galaxy S20 series earlier this year. However, it’s now steadily rolling out to many more smartphones from the company as part of One UI 2.1, Samsung’s proprietary implementation of Android 10.

Samsung launches new Mother’s Day deals

Over the course of this week, a number of Samsung outlets around the world debuted various Mother’s Day deals attaching discounts and other benefits to various Galaxy products. Some of those offers even extend beyond the May 10th celebrations, running all the way to June.

Samsung overhauled a large part of its marketing efforts since early March so as to adapt to the new reality wherein many of its customers are spending much more time at home. The company has yet to feel the worst effects of the crisis which already started affecting both its sales and production output. Regardless, Samsung’s Q1 financials show the company’s in a decent position to overcome the current crisis in the near future.

The post New Samsung promo stars moms and Google Duo appeared first on SamMobile.

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

How Samsung kept its supply chain intact even during the pandemic

At one point, South Korea had the second highest number of COVID 19 (coronavirus) infections outside China. It became a full-blown pandemic in the weeks that followed, with the virus wreaking havoc across the globe, particularly in Europe and North America.

Businesses have taken a substantial hit because of the pandemic with revenues drying up and widespread supply chain disruption. Samsung, one of the largest companies in South Korea, had much to lose as well yet, the company was quick to realize the threat and made adjustments accordingly to keep its supply chain intact.

Samsung’s quick response enabled it to avoid disruptions

The Financial Times provides some insight into Samsung’s response to the virus. Even though the threat appears to have subsided in South Korea with life gradually returning to normal, a team of senior executives at its headquarters in Suwon continues to work hard to react to the changing global dynamics. Kim Seog-gi, the head of Samsung’s coronavirus response task force, points out that the virus is still spreading across the globe and that “it is imperative not to be complacent.”

Samsung’s early and decisive action is a major reason why it hasn’t faced any substantial disruptions to its supply chain. It formed the task force and started preparations soon after the first case was reported in South Korea on January 20. Even the government at that time had said that the threat was low and that businesses should remain focused on growth.

Kim points out that Samsung’s biggest worry was that secondary infections could happen within its factories and if that happened, it would have been a big problem. The task force was quick to take stock of its capacity to provide employees with basic protective equipment. Realizing that global supplies of these items would become constrained, the task force launched an urgent global effort to secure supplies. Samsung even sent its own engineers to suppliers’ factories in order to help them increase production.

Samsung also leveraged experiences with the SARS and MERS epidemics. It wasted no time in installing thermometers and infrared cameras to monitor people’s temperatures at site entrances. It also issued new guidelines for distancing, isolation and hygiene across its entire global network. Kim said four to eight weeks before the massive outbreak in Europe and the United States, Samsung’s factories abroad were prepared to tackle the situation. “We had difficulties sourcing PPE, but we did not have shortages,” he added.

The company had to scramble to contain infections at its sites after several of its employees tested positive. It quickly shut down its Gumi plant where devices like the Galaxy Fold and Galaxy Z Flip are made for disinfection. Samsung also used its internal security system in addition to the government’s contact tracing system to trace where the infected workers had been and who they came into contact with in order to quickly identify and isolate potential carriers of the virus.

By mid-February, sudden border closures across the globe had restricted the movement of goods. To ensure that its production wasn’t affected, Samsung took the radical step of flying components for its smartphones to Vietnam instead of trucking them from China like it normally does. Samsung has also worked with the South Korean government to obtain special exemptions from foreign embassies so that it can send engineers to factories across the globe on chartered flights.

Samsung hasn’t had to make any sweeping changes to its business plans because having multiple manufacturing sites gave it enough flexibility to keep production going even as the pandemic raged on. With the situation largely under control in South Korea now, Samsung has abandoned the plan to shift some smartphone production from its Gumi plant to Vietnam and is actually considering shifting more production to the Gumi factory.

It was in a unique position because it’s not reliant on factories in China for production. Most of the assembly for Samsung’s smartphones is done in Vietnam and other countries, that gave Samsung enough time to take measures at a time when the world hadn’t come to terms with the scale of disruption the pandemic would cause.

Samsung will inevitably see the impact of this on its balance sheet as demand for consumer products in particular is projected to slide, but at least the company has been able to maintain its operations, which is not a small feat these days.

The post How Samsung kept its supply chain intact even during the pandemic appeared first on SamMobile.

from SamMobile https://ift.tt/35LydL9
via IFTTT

Galaxy A5 (2017) and Galaxy A8 (2018) get May security update

The latest Android security patch has been released for two more Galaxy devices. A new update that includes the May security patch is rolling out to the Galaxy A5 (2017) and the Galaxy A8 (2018) in various countries. The A5 (2017) update features firmware version A520FXXSECTD7 and the A8 (2018) update is identified by firmware version A530FXXSCCTE1. The updates for both devices include only security fixes.

The May security patch, as detailed by Samsung earlier this week, brings fixes for nine critical vulnerabilities and dozens of moderate and high-risk vulnerabilities in the Android OS. Also included are fixes for 19 vulnerabilities in Samsung’s own software, including one that could allow an unauthorized change of the preferred SIM card when the device was locked and a bug that had been plaguing Galaxy devices since 2014.

Galaxy A8 (2018) and Galaxy A5 (2018) owners will find a notification waiting for them if the May security update is available in their region. If you own either device, you can also manually download the update over the air from the Settings » Software update menu. If that doesn’t work, you can download the latest firmware from our archive and install it on your phone using a Windows computer.

The post Galaxy A5 (2017) and Galaxy A8 (2018) get May security update appeared first on SamMobile.

from SamMobile https://ift.tt/2Ab1hA7
via IFTTT

Here’s what’s new on Samsung TV Plus video streaming service

Samsung TV Plus is Samsung’s free linear TV service that comes pre-installed on its smart TVs. The video streaming service has a collection of over 518 channels around the world and over 120 channels in the US. It has channels across various genres, including documentaries, entertainment, health, lifestyle, sports, and more.

If you didn’t know what Samsung TV Plus is, the company has published a detailed infographic that explains the video streaming service in an easy way. The South Korean tech giant launched its own video streaming service in 2015 in South Korea, and it has been growing ever since. Samsung TV Plus is now available in 11 countries, and it is entirely free of charge. Users don’t even need to register themselves. It just works out of the box.

Close to 50 million TVs in the world now have access to Samsung TV Plus. The number of channels varies in each country, as it depends on the company’s partnerships with media brands and TV channels in the region. The company’s new TVs also feature Apple Music, where you can listen to over 60 million songs.

In the US, some of the popular channels available on Samsung TV Plus include Bon Appetite, CBS News, Kitchen Nightmares, The Movie Hub, and Vevo Pop. In Europe, people have access to Deluxe Lounge HD, Euronews, Fashion TV, Insight TV, Masters Of Food, and various movie channels from Rakuten.

What’s new on Samsung TV Plus in the US?

If you are in the US and thinking of watching something interesting amid this COVID-19 lockdown, Samsung is listing some new and noteworthy videos. You can tune into CoronavirusNOW, which shows up to date news around the pandemic and interviews with health officials. PlayersTV lets you access to unique videos that are a fusion of sports and lifestyle.

If you are a motorsports enthusiast, you should watch MAVTV Select, which has content from Late Model Dirt, NASCAR’s ARCA Racing Series, Pro Motocross, Pro Pulling, and much more. It also features shows around custom cars and garage build shows. The Movie Hub channel has a vast collection of movies from Hollywood and more.

There are reality TV shows channels like Deal or No Deal, crime/detective shows channels like ION Plus, and pop culture channels like The Bob Ross Channel that offer a lot of binge-worthy content. For kids, there are channels like Cocoro, Moonbug, Qubo, TG Junior, Toon Goggles, TV, Watch, and ZooMoo.

The post Here’s what’s new on Samsung TV Plus video streaming service appeared first on SamMobile.

from SamMobile https://ift.tt/2T2755J
via IFTTT