SamMobile Firmware Update Magazine: April 30, 2018

Welcome to the latest edition of our weekly Firmware Magazine. You can think of it as your go-to resource to find out which of your Samsung devices has received a new update or if it’s going to receive a new firmware update in the near future.

To keep things interesting, we present the Firmware Magazine in new designs every week. It will always include the important details about firmware updates such as the firmware versions, device model numbers, Android OS versions and the country where said update is out already.

SamMobile Firmware Update Magazine

Keep in mind, however, that these firmware details are based on the firmware that are available in our database, and in some cases, the latest updates might not show in the same week as the full firmware files take additional time to make it to our database.

The purpose of this magazine is to bring all of that important information about firmware updates to you, the reader, in a manner that’s easy to comprehend—so even if you’re new to the world of firmware, you’ll have no trouble making sense of it all.

Click on the image below to grab the latest firmware magazine!

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Oreo for the Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge should be out in a couple of weeks

It’s unclear as yet precisely when Oreo for Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge is going to be rolled out. Samsung hasn’t provided a precise date so far but recent reports suggest that the update could be out by mid-May. A notice posted by the company in the Samsung Members app for Korean users reiterates the possibility that Oreo for Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge should be out by mid-May.

Oreo for Galaxy S7

It won’t be long before the Galaxy S7 and the Galaxy S7 edge are updated to Android 8.0 Oreo. Both handsets were recently certified by the Wi-Fi Alliance running the new firmware so it’s only a matter of time. All U.S. carrier variants have also been certified on Oreo.

Guncelmiyiz, a website run by Samsung Turkey, provides timeframes for firmware updates and the website was recently updated with a new schedule which stated that Oreo for Galaxy S7 will be out by May 18.

However, the schedules on this website tend to change often without notice so many might not have taken the information at face value. It’s a good sign, though, that the notice on the Korean Samsung Members app tells a similar story.

A machine translation of the notice reveals that the company is “doing its best” to have Oreo for Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge out by mid-May. That’s the plan now and hopefully, Samsung will stick to it if no issues are discovered in the update prior to release.

Updates for some other Samsung devices are in the pipeline as well and they’re slated to receive Oreo in the first half of this year. These devices include the Galaxy A5 and Galaxy A7 (2017) as well as both Wi-Fi and LTE variants of the Galaxy Tab S3.

We’ll surely let you know as soon as Oreo for Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge starts rolling out. It can reasonably be expected that the release timeframe won’t extend beyond mid-May now.

Thanks, Razvan!

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Full Galaxy A6 and Galaxy A6+ specs revealed in new leak

A new Galaxy A6 and Galaxy A6+ leak has surfaced online which leaves nothing to the imagination. While we have seen countless leaks already which have revealed some specs of the upcoming mid-range handsets, the latest gives us a pretty good look at the specs sheet and also brings official images of the devices.

The Galaxy A6 and Galaxy A6+ are two new mid-range smartphones that Samsung has in the pipeline. They’re going to slot in below the Galaxy A8 and Galaxy A8+ (2018). Much like their more expensive siblings, they also feature a flat Infinity Display panel.

Galaxy A6 specs

The Galaxy A6 has a 5.6-inch 18.5:9 aspect ratio Infinity Display with 1480×720 pixel resolution. The bezels are fairly narrow on this HD+ panel but it’s still not quite as “bezel-less” as other Samsung handsets with the Infinity Display.

The handset is going to be powered by the Exynos 7870 processor coupled with a Mali T830 GPU and 3GB of RAM with 32GB storage. However, in some markets the handset will also be offered with 4GB RAM and 64GB of storage. External expansion up to 256GBs with a microSD card will be possible.

The Galaxy A6 features a 16-megapixel rear camera with f/1.7 aperture and a similar camera up front with f/1.9 aperture. The front camera gets its own LED flash. There’s support for Bluetooth 4.2, NFC and Samsung Pay. All of this is powered by a 3,000mAh battery. The Galaxy A6 is expected to cost between 300 and 340 euro.

Galaxy A6+ specs

Both new mid-range handsets look quite the same but the Galaxy A6+ has a larger 6-inch 18.5:9 aspect ratio Infinity Display with 2220×1080 pixel resolution. The fingerprint sensor on both handsets is placed at the back below the camera sensor.

Samsung has opted for the Qualcomm Snapdragon 450 chip for this handset and it’s also going to ship with 3/4GB RAM and 32/64GB of storage depending on the market. External expansion up to 400GB is supported as well.

The dual camera system also sets this handset apart. It has 16-megapixel and 5-megapixel sensors at the back with f/1.7 and f/1.9 aperture respectively. The second camera is used to achieve depth of field effects also known as bokeh. There’s a 24-megapixel camera on the front with f/1.9 aperture and its own LED flash.

The Galaxy A6+ also has support for Bluetooth 5.0 and comes with a 3,500mAh battery. Both devices will ship with Android 8.1 out of the box. It’s expected to cost between 360 and 400 euro. The new handsets also have support for Bixby Vision, Home and Reminder but not Bixby Voice.

Samsung is yet to confirm when the Galaxy A6 and Galaxy A6+ will be officially released but this report claims that the handsets will be out in May.

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Additional Galaxy A6+ specs revealed in TENAA listing

It appears that the Galaxy A6+ is going to be launched in China as well. The handset has been certified by TENAA, which is China’s version of the FCC, and the listing has revealed additional Galaxy A6+ specifications. The leaks concerning Samsung’s new mid-range handsets keep coming in and that can be taken as an indication that it’s only a matter of time before the Galaxy A6 and Galaxy A6+ are officially announced.

The TENAA listing reveals some Galaxy A6+ specs which include the display size and resolution. It’s known already that the handset has a flat 18.5:9 aspect ratio infinity display. The listing reveals that it’s a 6-inch panel with 2220×1080 pixel resolution.

Galaxy A6+ specs

The images included in the listing also confirm that the Galaxy A6+ is going to feature a dual camera system. This is something that has been rumored a few times already and the possibility has been previously reiterated by leaked renders of the Galaxy A6+.

Recent benchmark listings have revealed that the Galaxy A6+ will be powered by a Snapdragon 625 processor with 4GB of RAM. The dimensions of the handset are said to be 160.1×75.7×7.9mm with a 3,500mAH battery under the hood. The handset itself appears to have a metal body which will add a premium look and feel to this mid-range device.

We can expect more leaks to surface in the coming days as Samsung gears up to launch the Galaxy A6 and Galaxy A6+ in these markets across the globe. A Galaxy A6 video leak has already surfaced which revealed the device in all its glory and it’s within the realm of possibility for a similar leak for the Galaxy A6+ to surface as well in the near future.

No word as yet on the pricing and availability of these handsets but we can expect Samsung to come through with this crucial bit of information sooner rather than later. It shouldn’t be too long now before these devices are officially launched.

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Lawsuit claims Samsung colluded with DRAM suppliers to raise prices

Samsung has earned a significant chunk of its profits from its semiconductor division over the past couple of years. The company’s leading position in the DRAM market has allowed it to reap the benefits of high demand and rising prices. Samsung said in its recent earnings release that it expects this momentum to continue in the current quarter as well.

However, Hagens Berman, a Washington-based law firm, believes that it may not have been pure luck for Samsung and the other top DRAM manufacturers. It has filed a lawsuit seeking class-action status in the US District Court for the Northern District of California against Samsung, Hynix and Micron on behalf of US consumers of smartphones and computing products during 2016 and 2017. The lawsuit claims that these three major DRAM manufacturers colluded on limiting the supply of several DRAM products to drive an increase in prices.

Investigation reveals possible signs of collusion

Hagens Berman antitrust attorneys conducted an independent investigation and claim to have discovered that Samsung, Hynix and Micron colluded to limit the supply of DRAM products in order to drive up prices. DRAM is an essential component in modern devices and can be found in smartphones, tablets, computers, cameras and other gadgets.

The three DRAM manufacturers that have been sued collectively account for over 96 percent of the global DRAM market. Prices for their DRAM products surged by more than 100 percent during the period mentioned in the lawsuit and revenues at Samsung, Hynix and Micron from DRAM sales reportedly more than doubled during the same period. The lawsuit claims that these companies made “supply decisions in unison” to limit the supply of DRAM products thus causing the price to inflate considerably over 2016 and 2017.

“What we’ve uncovered in the DRAM market is a classic antitrust, price-fixing scheme in which a small number of kingpin corporations hold the lion’s share of the market,” said Steve Berman, managing partner of Hagens Berman, adding that “Instead of playing by the rules, Samsung, Micron and Hynix chose to put consumers in a chokehold, wringing the market for more profit.”

Samsung is yet to comment on the matter.

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Galaxy A6 video leak shows off the device in all its glory

A Galaxy A6 video leak gives us our best look yet at Samsung’s upcoming mid-range smartphone. The company will soon expand its mid-range Galaxy A lineup with the Galaxy A6 and the Galaxy A6+. These devices will slot in the lineup below the Galaxy A8 and the Galaxy A8+ which are premium flagship smartphones that offer great value for money.

While we have seen countless leaked renders of the Galaxy A6 and Galaxy A6+, the Galaxy A6 video leak offers a detailed look at the upcoming mid-range device with the presenter walking us through some of the features of the Galaxy A6 as well.

Galaxy A6 video leak

If benchmark results are to be believed, the Galaxy A6 is going to be powered by an Exynos 7870 processor with 3GB of RAM. The Galaxy A6+ will feature a Snapdragon 625 chip with 4GB of RAM and both will run Android 8.0 Oreo out of the box. Both will also feature flat Infinity Display panels with 18.5:9 aspect ratio.

This Galaxy A6 video leak reveals that the Galaxy A6 is going to feature a 16-megapixel rear camera with f/1.7 aperture as well as a 16-megapixel front camera with f/1.9 aperture. There’s a small LED flash on the front to improve selfies in low-light conditions. The Galaxy A6+ is said to have a dual camera at the back and that possibility has been reiterated by multiple leaked renders of the device.

The leaked video is in Vietnamese so you’ll be able to better understand the presenter if you know the language. The gist of it is that the Galaxy A6 is going to be a bonafide mid-range smartphone with some cool camera features, a flat Infinity Display, and Android Oreo.

Samsung is yet to confirm when the Galaxy A6 and Galaxy A6+ will be officially launched but given the pact of leaks now it’s only a matter of time before they’re officially announced. We’ve already reported exclusively that the Galaxy A6 and Galaxy A6+ will be launched in these markets.

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Both Galaxy Note 9 variants for China have now been certified

Samsung is going to launch another flagship smartphone in the second half of this year and we’re already hearing rumors and reports about the Galaxy Note 9. We’ll also be seeing a lot more of the new flagship on benchmark and certification websites in the near future. Speaking of certification, The China Ministry of Industry and Information Technology has certified both Galaxy Note 9 variants that are destined for the People’s Republic.

Galaxy Note 9 variants for China

We already know that the Galaxy Note 9 carriers model number SM-N960. The China Ministry of Industry and Information Technology first certified the SM-N9600 last month and it has now certified the variant with model number SM-N9608 which means that both variants of the Galaxy Note 9 that Samsung will officially launch in China have now been certified.

The listings for both handsets don’t include any information about the specifications of the Galaxy Note 9. No images or renders were found either so it may be a while before some of that surfaces online.

The Galaxy Note 9 was recently spotted on the Geekbench website where it was revealed that this handset will likely ship with Android 8.1.0 Oreo out of the box. As far as the specs are concerned, expect the same Snapdragon 845/Exynos 9810 processor pairing as the Galaxy S9 with possibly 6GB of RAM. It may also feature the dual camera system from the Galaxy S9+ which means it will offer features such as variable aperture and super slow-motion video recording.

There’s no conclusive evidence as yet to support rumors that the Galaxy Note 9 is going to be Samsung’s first device with an in-display fingerprint sensor. Samsung has long been rumored to be working on this technology but it remains to be seen whether or not it debuts with the Galaxy Note 9.

Some recent reports have also suggested that the Galaxy Note 9 might be launched ahead of schedule just like the Galaxy S9 was earlier this year. The decision to launch the Galaxy S9 earlier paid dividends for Samsung so an early launch for the Galaxy Note 9 is certainly within the realm of possibility.

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