Galaxy J5 and Galaxy J5 Pro receive ARCore support

ARCore, Google’s software-based augmented reality platform, is already supported by several Samsung handsets. The company has now added two more to the list. Galaxy J5 and Galaxy J5 Pro (SM-J530 models) owners will be able to use ARcore apps on their handsets now.

Quite a few Samsung devices have received ARCore support over the past year. This includes the current flagships, Galaxy Note 8, Galaxy S8 and S7 series, in addition to Galaxy A series devices. The Galaxy Note 9 came with ARCore support right out of the box.

ARCore support arrives for the Galaxy J5 and Galaxy J5 Pro

ARCore apps can superimpose computer-generated objects and shapes on the real world when viewed using the handset’s camera. These objects and shapes can be moved around by simply walking with the device or using the sensors to detect movement.

Google developed the ARCore platform so essentially democratize augmented reality without requiring specialized hardware. ARCore support can thus be rolled out for devices that have long been out in the market. The software-based augmented reality platform only required Android 7.0 or later on devices that ship with the Google Play Store.

The ARCore platform has been used by developers to create a wide variety of augmented reality apps and games. In order to experience them on your Galaxy J5 or Galaxy J5 Pro, first install the ARCore app from the Play Store.

Galaxy J5 Pro

• Model: SM-J530GM
• Dimensions: 146.3 x 71.3 x 7.9mm
• Display: 5.2" (131.8mm) Super AMOLED
• CPU: Exynos 7870
• Camera: 13 MP, CMOS F1.7

More specifications

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January security patch rolling out for the Galaxy Note 8

Samsung has been rolling out the January security patch over the past few weeks. The latest security maintenance release has since arrived on a handful of its devices. Today, it’s the Galaxy Note 8’s turn. Last year’s flagship phablet is now receiving the security patch for the month of January 2019.

This update brings the latest patch to units running on Android Oreo. Samsung opened up the Galaxy Note 8 to its One UI (Android Pie) beta program this month. The beta firmware comes with the January patch.

Galaxy Note 8 gets January security patch

Samsung is rolling out firmware version N950FXXU5CSA5 for the Galaxy Note 8 in Brazil. It’s available for download from our firmware section. Verizon is also releasing the same patch in the United States. Its firmware version N950USQS5CRL1 is also available from our database. There are also reports of AT&T rolling out the same for its variant.

Three critical Android OS vulnerabilities have been fixed with this security patch in addition to several high-risk vulnerabilities in addition to four found in Samsung’s own software. One notable vulnerability fixed in the update opened the possibility of a user’s access to data over Wi-Fi being interrupted.

Other carriers in the United States should follow suit soon. This handset is eligible for the Android Pie update but may not get it for at least over a month. The beta program is underway currently with the second test firmware being rolled out just a few days ago.

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Samsung says foldable and 5G phones will improve its fortunes this year

Samsung released its financial results for Q4 2018 today and they’re in line with expectations. Its operating profit is down 29 percent compared to a year ago. It blames that on declining demand for memory, display and mobile products.

The company has already warned investors that it will see an annual earnings decline in 2019. However, it will try to launch new and innovative products that help prop up the bottom line. Samsung is particularly relying on the upcoming foldable and 5G phones to do that for the mobile division.

Foldable and 5G phones to help improve mobile division’s fortunes

Samsung’s IT & Mobile Communications Division posted 23.32 trillion won in consolidated revenue for Q4 2018 with 1.51 trillion won in operating profit. It thus saw a decline in both revenue and profit compared to Q4 2017. The operating profit is also down compared to Q3 2018 which Samsung says is due to a sluggish smartphone market overall even though there tends to be strong seasonal demand over the holiday season.

The company projects demand for smartphones and tablets to further decline in the first quarter of this year. It does expect that the Galaxy S10 will “prop up sales and business performance in the coming months.” The new flagship will be unveiled on February 20 in San Francisco.

It also points out that overall smartphone shipments will likely remain at a similar level as Q3 2018. Samsung is also reorganizing its mass-market models. It says this is being done to better respond to rapidly changing market trends and meet the needs of target customers. The new Galaxy M series has been launched as a part of this effort.

It mentions towards the end that the company aims to lead trends in the market by launching foldable and 5G phones for sustainable growth. The company hopes that this will boost smartphone sales and improve the business performance. It also predicts demand for smartphones to maintain at the same level seen last year.

Samsung is also going to secure optimized content and expand into new markets. It will improve connectivity between devices to increase user retention. This plans also includes expanding Bixby to other devices and connected services while also improving its AI capabilities.

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Samsung Q4 2018 profit declines by 29 percent due to weak demand

The Korean conglomerate reported its earnings result for the previous quarter today. Samsung Q4 2018 profit has declined by 29 percent compared to the same period last year. The company says that it’s due to weak demand for its memory products and more headwinds for its mobile and display business.

Overall, the results are in line with the earnings guidance that Samsung released earlier this month. That’s almost always the case. Samsung’s overall revenue for the entire quarter did come a bit on the higher side than expected

Samsung Q4 2018 profit hit by multiple factors

Samsung declared 59.27 trillion won ($53.3 billion) in consolidated quarterly revenue for Q4 2018, download 10 percent from Q4 2017. It reported an operating profit of 10.8 trillion won ($9.7 billion), down 29 percent. Samsung made 243.77 trillion ($219 billion) in revenue for the entire year with 58.89 trillion won ($52.9 billion) in operating profit. It points out that this marked the second straight year of setting record financial results despite the challenges in the final quarter.

The company says that its fourth quarter earnings were affected by lower demand for memory chips. This particular division has long been a cash cow for the company and the slowdown in sales is certainly hitting the bottom line hard. Samsung’s display business also saw increased competition much like the mobile division which also saw prices falling in Q4. The consumer electronics division reported higher earnings on the back of strong premium TV sales.

Samsung is warning investors that things won’t look up any time soon. It expects demand for its memory products to remain weak in the first quarter. It also expects profitability for OLED panels to decline as premium smartphone sales contract and competition from LTPS LCD products rise.

Large scale capacity expansions in the industry will also limit its LCD earnings. However, Samsung does expect improved earnings from the mobile business in the first quarter due to the new product launches. Nevertheless, it expects overall annual earnings to decline in 2019, even while predicting that demand for memory chips and OLED panels will improve in the second half.

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Samsung’s new Celeb Alarm app could wake you up with celebrity voices

“I will look for you, I will find you and I will wake you up.” That’s the line you may be waking up to on your Galaxy phone in the future if Samsung’s newest trademark for a mobile app is anything to go by. Samsung has been granted a trademark approval by the European patent office for an app called Celeb Alarm.

The name pretty much gives away what the app is about, and so does its description in the patent filing. Samsung describes the app as “software for use in providing alarm services with voices of entertainers”, but it remains to be seen if it would be a separate app downloadable from the Play Store and an additional alert sound option in the stock clock app on Galaxy smartphones.

Perhaps it could be built into the Galaxy Home as well. After all, with the kind of premium pricing we’re expecting from Samsung’s first Bixby-enabled smart speaker, it wouldn’t go amiss if we can choose to wake up to Liam Neeson’s calm yet threatening voice from the movie Taken or The Rock asking us if we can smell what he’s cooking (it’s pancakes, if you’re still wondering after all these years).

What do you think? Would you like an alarm clock that can wake you up with voices of various celebrities after a good night’s sleep?

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Galaxy M10 and Galaxy M20 get their first software updates

Samsung has released the first software update for its new notched phones, the Galaxy M10 and Galaxy M20. The Galaxy M10 and Galaxy M20 were made official on January 28th and will go on sale in India on February 5 as Samsung’s most competitively priced budget phones yet. We published our Galaxy M20 review earlier today and believe it’s a masterstroke from Samsung in the company’s fight against the Chinese competition. Our M10 review will come shortly, but you can read our hands-on experience with the device in the meantime.

The software updates for these devices don’t seem to bring anything new. The update includes the January 2019 security patch for both, but that was also a part of the first firmware that had gone live for the phones earlier this month, so these are likely generic updates with under the hood improvements for a better user experience. There’s no performance improvement, though, at least on the Galaxy M20, which we found to be lacking in overall performance despite the fairly capable Exynos 7904 chipset inside.

The software version accompanying the updates is M105FDDU1ASA7 and M205FDDU1ASA9 for the M10 and M20 respectively. These updates should be available for buyers right out of the box when the phones go on sale next month. The Android Pie update for both is expected to come in August this year, something Samsung had confirmed even before making the devices official.

Galaxy M10

• Model: SM-M105F
• Dimensions: 160.6 x 76.1 x 7.9mm
• Display: 6.2"(157.48mm) LCD
• CPU: Exynos 7870
• Camera: 13 MP, CMOS F 1.9 & 5 MP, CMOS F2.2 Ultra Wide

More specifications

Galaxy M20

• Model: SM-M205F
• Dimensions: 156.6 x 74.5 x 8.8mm
• Display: 6.3"(160.02mm) LCD
• CPU: Exynos 7904
• Camera: 13 MP, CMOS F 1.9 & 5 MP, CMOS F2.2 Ultra Wide

More specifications

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Verizon Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ Android Pie update rolling out

The Verizon Galaxy S9 Android Pie update is finally rolling out today. Big Red is sending out Android 9 for both the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ over the air. It’s the first major carrier in the United States to do so.

We reported just yesterday that the first carrier-locked Galaxy S9 Android Pie update was rolling out. The update was released for a small carrier called Xfinity, which happens to be a Verizon MVNO. Nevertheless, it meant that carrier-locked units would soon get the latest iteration of Android.

Verizon Galaxy S9 Android Pie update is out

They most certainly have now. Verizon is rolling out firmware version G960USQU3CSAB and G965USQU3CSAB for the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ respectively. It’s the first major carrier in the country to do so. This should give hope to AT&T, T-Mobile and Sprint subscribers. They should follow suit in the not too distant future.

It has been a relatively long wait for users in the United States with locked models. The Android Pie update for the Galaxy S9 has already made its way in most major markets by now. Carriers in the United States are just now getting down to business. Verizon subscribers should get an update notification in a few hours if they haven’t already.

Unfortunately, there’s no good news yet for those with factory unlocked units. Samsung’s track record with updates for the unlocked models hasn’t really been stellar in the US to begin with. So they will have to continue being patient because there’s no saying when the unlocked models will get it.

This update brings all of the latest features that are part and parcel of Android Pie. It also brings Samsung’s new One UI interface which you can find out more about in our One UI feature focus series.

Galaxy S9 (US)

• Model: SM-G960U
• Dimensions: 147.7 x 68.7 x 8.5mm
• Display: 5.8” (146.5mm) Super AMOLED
• CPU: Qualcomm Snapdragon 845
• Camera: 12 MP, CMOS OIS (F1.5/F2.4)

More specifications

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