Android 10 for the Galaxy S8 spotted on Geekbench, but hold your horses

There are definitely a lot of people out there who would be interesting in getting Android 10 for the Galaxy S8. That’s highly unlikely, though. Samsung doesn’t do more than two major OS upgrades for its smartphones, even the flagships.

Android 9 Pie was the second major OS upgrade for the Galaxy S8. There’s no question of the device receiving Android 10. Yet there’s a Geekbench listing that’s going to be used to give false hope to people. So let’s just nip this in the bud.

No official Android 10 for Galaxy S8 firmware is in development

We’ve spotted a Geekbench listing for the Galaxy S8 which is shown as running Android 10. This listing is from October 9, three days before the first Android 10 beta build was released for the Galaxy S10 on October 12. So, evidently, whatever ROM this device was running wasn’t based on the first beta build that the company sent out.

There’s not much custom Android 10 ROM activity for the Galaxy S8 at this point in time as well. That’s something else entirely, though, since people will only be looking forward to an official upgrade. It’s highly unlikely that Samsung will release one.

The point we’re making here is that it doesn’t matter why this listing says Android 10. It’s not that difficult to hoodwink Geekbench in the first place. This is far from a confirmation that an official Android 10 for Galaxy S8 firmware is a possibility. We see no signs of one being developed for this device.

Whether or not Samsung should release three major OS upgrades for flagship devices is a debate for another day. For now, hold your horses whenever someone suggests to you that Android 10 for Galaxy S8 is in development.

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Galaxy Fold gets Galaxy Note 10 camera features in new update

The Galaxy Fold is getting a new software update that brings its camera experience on par with the Galaxy S10 and Galaxy Note 10. The Galaxy Fold would have hit retail shelves before the Galaxy Note 10 if Samsung had tested its foldable smartphone out in the real world, but that didn’t happen. The Fold was delayed to September, and while Samsung addressed the durability concerns, it didn’t really upgrade much on the software front, meaning the $2000 Galaxy Fold went on sale with camera software that was outdated compared to the Galaxy Note 10 and Note 10+.

Night mode for selfies, AR Doodle, and more

Samsung is fixing that today with an update that’s rolling out to the Galaxy Fold in France and the UAE and should make its way to other countries soon. The update, sporting software version F900FXXU1ASJ4, adds a Night mode for selfies, the Live focus video mode, AR Doodle, and, if the translation from the French changelog we have received is correct, the option to enable Super steady recording in Hyperlapse mode. It also brings a new video editor, which gets you the ability to stitch multiple videos together and add captions to videos.

It’s unclear if the update also adds a Hyperlapse mode for selfies, Night mode for the telephoto camera, and the new Glitz Live focus effect. The Galaxy S10 did get all that functionality along with the other Galaxy Note 10 camera features, and we are assuming the Galaxy Fold has received them as well. The same goes for the ability to run Samsung DeX on PC. The Galaxy S10 and Galaxy Note 10 both support it, but whether support has now been added for the Galaxy Fold is unknown.

We can’t currently check since all of our Galaxy Folds are the 5G variants, but if you have received the update on your LTE Galaxy Fold in France or the UAE (or another country), do let us know down in the comments if you see all of those features on the device after it has been upgraded to the new software. You can download the update over the air by going into the Settings app on your Galaxy Fold, selecting Software update, then selecting the Download and install option.

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Galaxy Note 10+ 5G gets another monthly patch, likely fixes fingerprint flaw

Samsung is rolling out a second monthly patch for the Galaxy Note 10+ 5G. The device had previously been updated with the security maintenance release for the month of October 2019. It likely fixes the fingerprint flaw that has recently been discovered.

The flaw affects both the Galaxy S10 and the Galaxy Note 10 series. That’s because Samsung’s flagship lineup uses an ultrasonic in-display fingerprint sensor. The flaw enables anyone to access the phone if it has a certain kind of silicone gel case installed, even if their fingerprint isn’t registered with the device.

Second Galaxy Note 10+ 5G monthly update now rolling out

The flaw is due to the way ultrasonic fingerprint sensors work. They transmit high-frequency ultrasonic sound waves when the user’s finger is pressed up against the glass. They’re reflected back to match the fingerprint with the one that’s stored on the device. However, if the fingerprint is stored on a device that has the silicone case, the sensor doesn’t pick up the finger’s ridges and pores as much as it picks up the case’s dotted pattern.

So anyone can unlock the device by simply pressing down on the fingerprint reader when the case is on. It picks up the dotted pattern and confirms it as a match. Samsung confirmed yesterday that it will fix the fingerprint flaw with a software update.

The company is now rolling out firmware version N976BXXU1ASJ2 for the Galaxy Note 10+ 5G in the United Kingdom. It’s a minor update that weighs under 18MB. The changelog mentions that “the performance of Fingerprint recognition has been improved.” There’s no explicit mention of the flaw being fixed, but that’s likely what it is.

Samsung should begin rolling out the firmware fix for other variants of the Galaxy S10 and the Galaxy Note 10 in the near future. This particular update is now available for download from our firmware section.

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Check out this infographic chronicling Samsung’s journey in India so far

Samsung will be entering its 25^th year in India very soon, and to mark the occasion, the company has published an infographic chronicling its journey in the country so far. The infographic notes all the major milestones in Samsung’s impressive growth in the country. (Unfortunately, the image is blurry and requires you to zoom to read. We will update it if we come across a better version online).

Samsung’s journey in India started way back in 1995 when it established Samsung India Electronics Ltd. (SEL). Today, it’s a $10 billion corporation and a household name in the country. It currently has 70,000 employees, two manufacturing plants, five R&D Centres, and a Design Centre in India. It also boasts 3,000 service points and 180,000 stores, which the company claims is the largest footprint for any brand in the region.

In more ways than one, India is becoming an increasingly important piece of the puzzle in Samsung’s growth story. Initiatives like ‘Make in India,’ ‘Make for India,’ and ‘Make for the World’ are a testament to this. Part of this is probably an outcome of the company’s declining fortunes in China. Samsung has been very cautious so far to not let the same happen to its business in India.

Samsung’s smartphone business has been decimated in China, which eventually forced the company to close down its manufacturing operations in the country. It has gradually moved its manufacturing to India and Vietnam over the years, with the latter becoming its biggest manufacturing base in the world.

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[Update: Galaxy Fold] Galaxy Note 10, Galaxy A90 5G and Galaxy Tab S6 get ARCore support

Google continues to add support for new Samsung devices to ARCore, its software-based augmented reality platform. The most recent devices to pick up support for the platform included the Galaxy Tab S5e and a handful of new Galaxy A phones. Samsung’s newest devices have now been added to the list as well. The Galaxy Note 10 and Galaxy Note 10+, Galaxy A90 5G and the Galaxy Tab S6 have all received ARCore support.

Google has made a slight change to the app’s listing in the Play Store as well. It has decided to rebrand the app from ARCore to “Google Play Service for AR.” Perhaps the name change is meant to highlight that the app is quite like the regular Play Services in that it isn’t a usable app itself instead it brings SDKs which allow other apps to provide AR experiences.

ARCore support live for Samsung’s latest devices

Apps based on this platform are able to superimpose computer-generated objects and shapes on the real world as they’re viewed through the device’s camera. Users can then move these objects and shapes around either by walking with the device or relying on the sensors to detect movement.

The ARCore platform was developed by Google to enable augmented reality experiences on smartphones without requiring any special hardware. So bringing support to these new devices is just a matter of rolling out an app update. Many developers have since used the platform to create different apps and games that offer AR experiences. Now, users with a Galaxy Note 10, Galaxy A90 5G or a Galaxy Tab S6 will be able to enjoy them as well.

Update: Google has now added support for the Galaxy Fold as well.

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Samsung now teasing One UI 2.0 beta program in France

Samsung France has joined Samsung India in teasing Galaxy S10 owners about the upcoming One UI 2.0 beta, although it’s not revealing a date for when the beta program will start. India will get the beta on October 21st, and it’s possible it will also go live in France on the same day. Again, Samsung France hasn’t mentioned a date, so this is just speculation on our part.

In addition to India and France, Samsung will be holding the One UI 2.0 beta program for the Galaxy S10e, Galaxy S10, and Galaxy S10+ in Poland, Spain, the UK, and China. The beta program is currently ongoing in South Korea, Germany, and the US, and a Galaxy Note 10 beta program is also expected in all of these markets. October 21st has been provided by Samsung’s customer representatives as the launch date for the Galaxy Note 10 beta, so it certainly looks like next week will start on an exciting note for owners of the Galaxy S10 and Galaxy Note 10 devices.

Are you looking forward to testing Android 10 and the first major One UI upgrade on your Galaxy S10 or Galaxy Note 10? Would you prefer waiting for the stable release instead? Let us know down in the comments!

Thanks for the tip, Ata Kenan!

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Daily Deal: 24% off the OtterBox COMMUTER SERIES case for Galaxy S10

The Galaxy S10 is not a cheap device. And while it’s protected from dust and water and has strong Gorilla Glass on both sides, nothing can truly protect it from scratches, day-to-day wear and tear, and major damage if it falls down. Well, except a case, and while cases come in many forms and shapes, some are more protective than others. Some offer protection while being slim, and that’s the category the OtterBox COMMUTER SERIES case falls in. The case is light yet sturdy and is made of material that makes it easy to slide in and out of your pocket. And right now, it can be yours for 24% off its regular price, so if you’re looking for a case to protect your precious Galaxy S10, this is a good time to pick one up.

Hit the Buy Now button below to grab one while they’re still discounted!

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