BREAKING: Stable Galaxy S9 Android Pie update now rolling out!

Now here’s a nice little Christmas gift from Samsung for Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ owners. The stable Android Pie update is apparently rolling out to the Galaxy S9 and S9+ in Germany. Yes, Samsung had said the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy Note 9 Android Pie release would be in January, but there’s no reason the update couldn’t come out earlier. And, surprisingly, the update has been released for both beta testers and those on Android Oreo.

Fastest rollout of a major Android upgrade from Samsung

The software version for the final update is G960FXXU2CRLI and G965FXXU2CRLI for the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ respectively. We don’t currently have screenshots for the update and we have confirmation from just one of our forum members that the update is available, but the new software version can be seen on Samsung servers for both the S9 and S9+. We’re doing our best to get more details and to find out whether the Galaxy Note 9 is receiving the update as well.

In the meantime, if you’re a Galaxy S9 or S9+ user in Germany, do check for the update from the Settings » Software update menu by tapping the Download updates manually option (Download and install for those on the Android Pie beta). Do tell us if the update is available for you by leaving a comment.

Galaxy S9

• Model: SM-G960F
• Dimensions: 147.7 x 68.7 x 8.5mm
• Display: 5.8” (146.5mm) Super AMOLED
• CPU: Exynos 9810
• Camera: 12 MP, CMOS OIS (F1.5/F2.4)

More specifications

Galaxy S9+

• Model: SM-G965F
• Dimensions: 157.7 x 73.8 x 8.5 mm
• Display: 6.2” (158.1mm) Super AMOLED
• CPU: Exynos 9810
• Camera: 12 MP, CMOS Dual OIS (F1.5/F2.4) & Telephoto: 12MP AF F2.4)

More specifications

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Neat touch in Android Pie: Battery tips in device maintenance section

The Device maintenance feature on Galaxy smartphones allows users to handle their device storage, memory, battery life, and security. There are plenty of simple and advanced maintenance options in there, with new options introduced with Android Pie. Device maintenance has been renamed to Device care on Android Pie, and it looks like Samsung has also added a few battery tips that show up from time to time when you go into the Device care section in the phone’s settings.

Did you know both high and low temperatures affect battery life?

These are tips that many of you have probably known for some time and have likely been telling them to your friends and family. From telling you how the device’s battery life can be reduced in very hot or cold environments to telling you that your device’s battery can last anywhere from 1 to 3 years, these tips are a nice addition. It’s mostly battery-related tips, though, and whether Samsung will add tips on storage and memory with the final Android Pie update remains to be seen.

Of course, this is far from the biggest feature that Android Pie and One UI will bring to the Galaxy S9, Galaxy Note 9, and other Galaxy devices down the line. But it’s a neat touch nonetheless, showing how Samsung makes so many minor changes with each new version of Android that go unnoticed or unpraised.

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Exclusive: Samsung working on new smartwatch, codenamed Pulse

The Galaxy Watch went official in August this alongside the Galaxy Note 9, bringing Samsung’s smartwatch lineup under the Galaxy umbrella. That makes the Gear Sport the last Gear-branded smartwatch, and Samsung is now working on the Gear Sport’s successor. We have obtained information on a new watch with model number SM-R500 and codename Pulse. Development on the watch started this month, with R500XXE0ARL5 the initial software version.

Could be called Galaxy Sport

We aren’t sure of the official name, but this new watch will possibly be called Galaxy Sport. However, the Gear Sport came with model number SM-R600, so it remains to be seen if the SM-R500 will be a proper upgrade. Samsung may have gone backwards on the model number simply because it has now changed branding for its watches, but that can’t be said for certain since the the company followed usual tradition for the Galaxy Watch (which carries model number SM-R8xx while the Gear S3 was SM-R7xx).

In terms of specs, we know the Galaxy Sport has 4GB of internal storage and runs Tizen, like previous Samsung smartwatches. Being a Gear Sport successor, this one should be all about fitness, which makes a variant with LTE connectivity unlikely. One can hope Samsung will offer it in different sizes, though. The Gear Sport came in only one size (1.2 inches), which considerably limited its appeal.

Will bring Bixby Reminder support

The Galaxy Sport will come with Bixby on-board, and we have learned that it will have support for Bixby Reminder. That is missing on the Galaxy Watch, but those Bixby notifications you see on your phone will also show up on the new watch. A software update should bring this to the Galaxy Watch later down the line, although it remains to be seen if Samsung will do that before or after the Galaxy Sport is announced.

But when will the new watch go official? We can’t say for sure, but a launch alongside the Galaxy S10 is possible. We will do our best to get more information on this watch in the coming weeks to get a clearer picture of Samsung’s next smartwatch.

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Galaxy S10 could bring higher fast charging speeds to Galaxy lineup

Many have wondered why Samsung has been using the same fast charging technology for years while the competition has moved on to newer implementations. Qualcomm’s Quick Charge technology (branded as Adaptive Fast Charging by Samsung) is currently in its fourth iteration. Samsung is still using Quick Charge 2.0 technology, though. And even its Quick Charge 2.0 implementation does not supply the maximum power possible. Quick Charge 2.0 can go up to 18 watts of power, while Samsung’s phones charge at 15W.

However, that might change with the Galaxy S10. Twitter leakster Ice universe has sent out a tweet saying “Samsung smartphone 15w charging will become history,” saying that Samsung is working on a faster solution. If true, it will be interesting to see if Samsung will use the standard Quick Charge specs or offer something similar to the custom solutions that various Chinese manufacturers – including Huawei and Oppo – offer.

Custom fast charging solutions are better

Quick Charge 4.0+, the latest version of the tech, can offer up to 27 watts of power. Huawei’s custom solution, meanwhile, can go up to 40 watts, allowing the 4,000 mAh battery on the P20 Pro to charge up to 80 percent in 45 minutes. And since Huawei is the primary competitor Samsung currently has in the Android market, the Korean giant may want to go above and beyond standard Qualcomm’s Quick Charge capabilities.

After all, Samsung is already expected to bring reverse wireless charging, a feature found on Huawei’s latest phones, to the Galaxy S10, so why not add comparable fast charging to the mix as well? Of course, it’s only a rumor, but it’s about time Samsung moved to newer fast charging technology. And the tenth anniversary of the Galaxy S lineup would be the perfect occasion to do so.

Would faster charging speeds be a feature that draws you towards Samsung’s next flagships?

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SamMobile Daily Recap, December 21, 2018: Note 8 Android Pie, Galaxy S10, and more

We publish a lot of stories on a daily basis. Unfortunately, the majority of news breaks during our European hours of operation, which makes it difficult for our readers in the US (and other regions) to keep up. However, we think we’ve come up with a fantastic solution — a daily recap.

Here’s what we covered today.

Phones

Samsung Galaxy A8s price confirmed, launches December 31 in China

T-Mobile will also offer the 5G Galaxy S10

Stable Samsung Internet 8.2 released with improved Bixby integration

Firmware News

New Galaxy Watch LTE update brings battery life improvements

New Android Pie beta adds quick toggle for full-screen navigation gestures

Android Pie builds leaked for the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy Note 8 Snapdragon models

TV

2019 Samsung smart TVs may come with Google Assistant

General

Recap: What we discussed in our YouTube live stream this week

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Recap: What we discussed in our YouTube live stream this week

We just concluded our latest YouTube live stream. It was the Christmas Special and we were in full holiday spirits! In addition to talking about news, we also gave away a free Galaxy Watch to three lucky viewers.

The Galaxy S10 was obviously among the topics that we discussed during today’s stream. We particularly focused on the possibility that Samsung might bring back the “Edge” branding for at least one Galaxy S10 model. We also discussed how the past has shaped Samsung’s strategy for the future and the strategies that we think it may adopt going forward.

The upcoming Android Pie update for Samsung devices came under discussion as well. Samsung will be releasing it next month for the Galaxy Note 9 and Galaxy S9. It’s also internally testing Pie for the Galaxy S8 and the Galaxy Note 8 as we reported earlier today.

We have embedded the video below so that you can easily catch up on the discussion. Do take a moment to subscribe to our YouTube channel. We’ll have plenty more to discuss and give away in the future. Merry Christmas!

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Stable Samsung Internet 8.2 released with improved Bixby integration

Samsung has been testing the 8.2 release of its web browser since September. The company announced today that it has released the stable version of Samsung Internet 8.2. The update brings several new features in addition to improved Bixby integration.

The stable version also includes a Chromium engine update (to M63) that features JavaScript (ES6) modules, font-display CSS property and Web Assembly. There are additional tools for developers to run automated testing in the browser as well.

Samsung Internet version 8.2 goes stable

The Do-Not-Track preference is a major privacy-focused feature in the 8.x versions of the browser. It allows users to avoid sites from tracking them. It’s a preference that users can set in a browser to notify websites that they don’t want to be tracked.

It arrived with Samsung Internet 8.0 alongside the updated download manager. That feature allows the browser to download files faster by using multiple parallel connections. It works in a fashion similar to download accelerator programs for desktop operating systems like Windows. The company says that files larger than 13MB will download in chunks. It estimates a 15-40 percent improvement in download speed.

Samsung Internet 8.2 gets further Bixby integration. It’s now possible to use the browser with just voice commands. You can give commands like “Open Internet and search for photos of dogs” and Samsung Internet will happily comply.

News in Quick Access is another new feature in version 8.2. The feature essentially allows quicker access to news articles from the browser’s main page. Samsung will provide more information about it soon. News in Quick Access is only available in the United States and India right now.

The latest version of Samsung Internet is now available for download from the Google Play Store. Remember, Samsung Internet works on all Android devices, not just those made by Samsung.

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