Samsung turns down offer from Netflix to include dedicated button on smart TVs

Samsung Electronics has reportedly turned down an offer from Netflix to include a dedicated button on all its upcoming smart TVs. It’s believed that the button, once pressed, would instantly open the Netflix application, which is home to over 20,000 instantly accessible movies and shows.

It’s unclear why Samsung rejected the offer. However, Business Korea’s sources suggest that it’s because the South Korean firm wanted to maintain a partnership with the streaming giant without changing the design of its TV products.

An industry official writes:

Netflix is to imprint its logo on TVs just like Intel did in the PC market in the past. But, Samsung thinks that it is not desirable for a manufacturer to directly choose the priority list of various contents, such as cable, TV, Internet, YouTube and game, for consumers.

It’s also quite feasible that Samsung turned down the partnership opportunity because it’s working on its own platform that will be exclusive to its devices.

from SamMobile http://ift.tt/1Rw8Y02
via IFTTT

Samsung SM-C5000 spotted, upcoming C series to target Chinese market

Samsung is working on a new C series of smartphones. An SM-C5000 is undergoing testing in India, and thanks to our insiders we can confirm that a C7000 is also in the works. Both phones will target the Chinese market, though we’re told that it won’t necessarily be exclusive to China. The C5000 has a 5.2-inch display according to its import listing, but no other details are currently available.

The Galaxy A5 (2016) also has a 5.2-inch screen and is accompanied by a 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch Galaxy A3 (2016) and Galaxy A7 (2016), and if we were to hazard a guess the C series might also feature the same screen sizes, at least on the C5000 and C7000. A C3000 with a sub-5-inch display probably won’t be on offer, given Chinese consumers’ affinity with large smartphones. In terms of other specs, the C series could be positioned just a bit lower than the A series – perhaps as a cheaper alternative in the mid-range segment?

It’s all speculation until more information on the new lineup crops up. Yet another smartphone series is certainly in the works over in Samsung’s R&D centers, and we can only hope that it will be different enough to warrant a place in the company’s galaxy of mobile devices.

Samsung SM-C5000 in India w/ 5.2 inch screen: either they're starting a Galaxy C Series or it's a new Galaxy Cam http://pic.twitter.com/AlpCz7X7P5

— Roland Quandt (@rquandt) March 28, 2016

from SamMobile http://ift.tt/1qaJgYh
via IFTTT

Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge to double upload and download speeds using next-gen LTE

According to a new report published by Business Korea, the Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge are set to be the first smartphones to support the next-generation of LTE connectivity. Samsung will start implementing category 12 LTE on the Galaxy S7 and category 11 LTE on the Galaxy S7 edge later today in South Korea.

The report states that both the Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge have optimized upload speeds for social networking services, and it should only take around 15 seconds to download a 1GB file from a stable Internet server, whilst other LTE-enabled smartphone take approximately 20 seconds. When compared to the Galaxy S6, Samsung’s latest flagship’s download speed has increased by a whopping 33%, whilst upload speed is up 50%.

from SamMobile http://ift.tt/25rYh8o
via IFTTT

Samsung India teases new smartphone that will ‘change the way you ride’

Samsung India is teasing the launch of a new smartphone, one focused on motorcycle riders, in the country. Bollywood actor Shahid Kapoor is part of the teaser, suggesting the new device will be the Galaxy J3 as the actor was involved with advertisements of the Galaxy J2 on Indian television.

The Galaxy J3 is expected to be launched in several markets in Europe in the near future, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see it make its way to India at the same time as the J series has been rather popular in the world’s second most populous country. According to Sammy Hub, the phone will come preloaded with a “Bike Mode” feature that will let motorcyclists keep their focus on the road by muting notifications and calls and providing automatic replies for incoming calls and messages.

Given the low-end nature of the Galaxy J2, Bike Mode on the J3 is unlikely to offer any advanced functionality, though at this point there isn’t a hundred percent guarantee that it is the Galaxy J3 that will be going official. Indian retailer Snapdeal is expected to be the exclusive seller of the new handset (the Galaxy J2 was exclusive to Amazon at launch). We’ll let you know as more details come our way and Samsung makes an official announcement.

from SamMobile http://ift.tt/25rYh8k
via IFTTT

Samsung app confirms the presence of the Galaxy S7 Active

The Galaxy S6 and the Galaxy S6 edge are not resistant to water or dust particles, so the company later released the Galaxy S6 Active for those who wanted a high-end smartphone suited for their active lifestyle. This year, Samsung made the Galaxy S7 and the Galaxy S7 edge water- and dust-resistant, but that is not stopping the company from making the Galaxy S7 Active.

We had reported last week that Samsung could be working on the Galaxy S7 Active (SM-G891A), and it looks like someone from the company has jumped the gun to confirm the presence of the device. The latest version of the Samsung Level app lists the Galaxy S7 Active in the changelog, thereby confirming that the company has a more rugged version of the Galaxy S7 in the works.

We think that the Galaxy S7 Active could come with all the features of the Galaxy S7, but with a different design and military-grade protection (MIL-STD-810G) from liquids, particles, drops, and other things. If the Galaxy S6 Active was anything to go by, its successor could feature a larger capacity battery than the Galaxy S7, but the smartphone could be limited to AT&T’s consumers in the US.

Thanks for the tip, @Nico792000 (Nicolas B)!

from SamMobile http://ift.tt/1REMOYJ
via IFTTT

One-in-three customers who purchase a Galaxy S7 in South Korea also sign up for Galaxy Club

Seoul-based technology journalist Vincent Lee stated earlier today that one-in-three customers who purchase a Galaxy S7 in South Korea also sign up to Samsung’s Galaxy Club upgrade program.

For those unaware of what Galaxy Club is, it’s a premium scheme which enables its members to trade in their Samsung smartphone after just 12-months of ownership in order to receive one of the company’s latest handsets. It also offers many exclusive benefits, such as fast track customer service and reduced repair rates.

from SamMobile http://ift.tt/1pETyPX
via IFTTT

Samsung to face threat from a Chinese firm in the memory chip segment

Samsung is one of the largest chip makers in the world. The company already holds big-name clients like Qualcomm and Apple, and many firms use memory and storage chips made by Samsung. However, the company is set to face a strong threat from Tsinghua Unigroup Ltd., a Chinese government-affiliated firm that is aspiring to become the countries largest chipmaker.

Zhao Weiguo, the billionaire president of Tsinghua Unigroup Ltd., told Bloomberg in an interview that the company plans to invest a whopping $30 billion in the coming years to grow its semiconductor business. This figure is more than twice as large as Samsung’s investment budget of $11.5 billion for the current year. Experts believe this investment to fuel an already stiff competition in the chip industry.

Tsinghua Unigroup has already purchased chipmakers Spreadtrum and TRA Microelectronics. It has also been eyeing to take over Western Digital and Micron Technology. It was reported last quarter that several Chinese display and chip manufacturing brands were trying to acquire Samsung’s partner firms, which could negatively affect the South Korean smartphone giant.

Samsung’s operating profit is expected to fall to KRW 4.9 trillion ($4.9 billion) in the first quarter due to stiff competition in the DRAM market. The estimated profit would be a record low for Samsung since Q3 2014. Tsinghua Unigroup, which is funded by Tsinghua University, attempted to invest in SK Hynix but failed.

China’s aggressive move to increase its foothold in the global chip business may become a threat to Korean firms like Samsung and SK Hynix. These companies jointly have a market share of 74 percent and 43.7 percent in the memory (DRAM) and storage (NAND flash) markets, respectively.

from SamMobile http://ift.tt/1qaCIc6
via IFTTT