Tech News

Less than a month after it was spotted on the Wi-Fi Alliance’s online database, the Nougat-powered Galaxy Xcover 4 has made a pitstop at the FCC in the United States, which is typically one of the last testing facilities a new device is sent to before it launches on the open market.

A recent Geekbench listing points towards the Galaxy Xcover 4 sporting an Exynos 7570 processor and 2GB of RAM. Unfortunately for us, Samsung’s done a good job at keeping the rest of its internals under lock and key (it’s probably frustrated it couldn’t do the same for the Galaxy S8), so we don’t have anything else to go on.

We suspect that a release is right around the corner, though — so be sure to stay tuned for all the latest details.

A new Android One phone has been announced. Coming from Turkish manufacturer General Mobile, the GM6 is powered by MediaTek MT6737T SoC with quad-core 1.5GHz processor, and sports a 5-inch HD display. RAM is 3GB, while internal memory is 32GB. The camera department is handled by a 13MP rear unit and an 8MP front shooter with selfie flash. Measuring 144 x 71.3 x 8.6mm and weighing in at 150g, the phone runs Android 7.0 Nougat and packs in a 3,000mAh battery. It features a home button-embedded fingerprint sensor as well. There's currently no information on the pricing as well as...

Samsung's upcoming Galaxy S8 smartphone has leaked yet again. The leak comes courtesy of the usually reliable leakster Evan Blass (@evleaks on Twitter), and shows the front of the device in what seems to be a press image. I think this is what you've been waiting for. http://pic.twitter.com/FvYfsLOy0R— Evan Blass (@evleaks) March 1, 2017 There's no information on whether the device shown in the image is the standard Galaxy S8 or the Galaxy S8+. Anyway, the image reveals a dual-curved bezel-less screen, an iris scanner on the top, and volume rocker and power button on the left and right,...

Huawei has announced Nougat beta program for Honor 6X units in the US. In a tweet sent out by Honor USA, the company revealed that it's currently looking for Honor 6X owners in the country who would want to test the beta firmware. Wanna be the first to test out EMUI 5.0 on your #Honor6X? Sign up to be a beta tester now. Email your IMEI to huaweifut@huawei.com now. http://pic.twitter.com/dbquir7yey— Honor USA (@Honor_USA) February 28, 2017 Those interested will have to share their device's IMEI number (or numbers, in case of dual-card model) with the company through email. The final...

Samsung confirmed the March 29th date of its upcoming Galaxy S8 announcement at MWC 2017 where it showcased its newest devices, the Galaxy Tab S3 and Galaxy Book. Now, however, the market is headed into the final month of teases and leaks, with a press shot released by none other than the VentureBeat reporter and renown leakster, Evan Blass himself.

The Galaxy S8 press shot shows the confirmed announcement date, along with a wallpaper that looks rather similar to that of the Galaxy Note 7. A Pearl Black color is also seen here (appearing similar to the newest Galaxy S7 edge color), not to mention the sleek form factor that Samsung teased earlier with the Galaxy S8 signup page and “Unbox Your Phone” mantra. A closer look at the Galaxy S8 (it’s hard to tell if the 5.8-inch Galaxy S8 or the 6.2-inch Galaxy S8+ is shown here) shows the iris scanner/camera, along with the volume rocker on the left, the dedicated Bixby AI button, and the power/standby button on the right side. The little white screen “slither” you see on the phone’s right near the power button teases the dual-edge functionality that yields the Edge Panels when swiped from right to left.

Apart from the iris scanner, Bixby button, and dual-edge design (along with the ultra-thin bezels), little else is seen here. This press release shot continues to drill home the point that Samsung will announce the next Galaxy on March 29th (presumably around 12:23PM, since that is the time listed on the device).

Alongside of the 5.8-inch and 6.2-inch curved Super AMOLED panels, 8MP front/12MP Dual Pixel back camera combo, octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 835/Exynos 8895 SoC, Samsung has said that it intends to bundle a pair of Harman AKG headphones into every Galaxy S8 box – which means that AKG audio is expanding beyond just the newly-announced Galaxy Tab S3.

The past few years, we have seen the birth of some of the first cord-cutting TV services like DirecTV Now or PlayStation Vue. Today, Google has announced its own TV service that incorporates about 40 live channels for cord-cutters who want more from their lives after cable. YouTube TV will offer live streaming from ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, ESPN, along with some local channels and dozens of popular cable networks. You also get a DVR system that works totally on the cloud which you can stream, so you'll never have to worry about running out of storage space. YouTube Red is also included so you...

All the buzz regarding BlackBerry has mostly been about the company's newest BlackBerry KEYone, which was officially announced over the weekend at the MWC. Just today, a couple of new photos emerge from the internet showing off a lower-end BlackBerry device targeted for the Indonesian smartphone market. The one you see in the pictures below is not actually built by TCL. Given that BlackBerry has continued to carry momentum in this market through the past several years, BlackBerry device hardware has recently been licensed to PT BB Merah Putih for the manufacturing and design of these...

Under Armour, the popular American sports brand, has released three new apps and a watchface for the Gear S2 and the Gear S3. These new apps offer users a way to calculate and keep track of calorie intake, physical activities, and workouts.

Endomondo and Map My Run apps can accurately track runs, walks, rides, and more using GPS data from Samsung’s smartwatches (or smartphones connected to them). The MapMyFitness app can calculate calorie intake and help you achieve the perfect weight. The ‘Under Armour – Own The Day’ watchface keeps on changing colors throughout the day.

You can now install these apps and watchfaces on your Gear S2 or Gear S3 through the Galaxy Apps store. The app catalog for Samsung’s Tizen-based smartwatches is slowly improving, thereby offering a better ecosystem to users.

The BlackBerry KEYone is only one (rolling eyes emoji) of a number of BlackBerry models expected to roll off TCL production lines this year. Nicolas Zibell of TCL Communications has disclosed to Cnet that the brand's portfolio will likely be expanded to three handsets. BlackBerry KEYone Another source has intimated that the company's plans include a model destined to succeed the DTEK50 and DTEK60 all-touchscreen models (as opposed to the mechanical QWERTY-equipped KEYone). The DTEK branding itself will likely be abandoned - never too early if you ask us. We did get a chance to...

The long-awaited Nokia Android smartphones are here and we got to spend some time with the Nokia 6, 5, and 3 at MWC. We also handled the new Nokia 3310, and you bet it sent us on a trip down memory lane. Firmly grounded in reality as we are, though, we proceeded to take a few samples with its magnificent camera - the 3310 (2017) has a lone 2MP shooter on its back. That gives you 1,600x1,200px images - sure would have looked great on the original 3310's specsheet, but even today its plenty for a feature phone. Check out a couple of samples. Nokia 3310 (2017) samples The...

Xiaomi's latest flagships - the Mi Mix and the Mi Note 2 - are now getting a stable ROM version of MIUI 8.2. The new software update was announced a couple of days ago, and it's already available on quite a few devices. MIUI 8.2 improves on various areas of the popular MIUI launcher. While there is nothing major, all the improvements do matter and will make for an even better MIUI experience. Here is the complete MIUI 8.2 changelog, though you should know we've left out all those fixed bugs - these are just the new features. Swipe to delete Lockscreen notifications UI...

We publish a lot of stories on a daily basis. Unfortunately, most of the news breaks during our European hours of operation, which makes it difficult for our readers in the US (and other regions) to follow every post that goes live. But, we think we’ve come up with an ideal solution — a daily recap.

In the list below, you’ll find the stories we’ve published today. Chances are, you’re not going to be interested in all of them. To help you find what’s important to you, we’ve split them into their respective categories — so if you want to see the latest Galaxy S8 news, locate the Phones subheading.

Business

Samsung’s Harman acquisition approved by Fair Trade Commission

Samsung heir Lee Jae-yong will be indicted on bribery and other charges

Samsung’s infamous battery affiliate gets a new leader

Deals

Daily Deal: Save 50% on an S-View Flip Cover for the Galaxy S7 edge

Firmware News

Galaxy Note 5 receives February security patch

Samsung rolling out February security patch for the Galaxy A5 (2016) in Europe

General

Samsung Family Hub app available now [APK]

Phones

Best Buy offering a $100 gift card, 256GB microSD card and wireless charger with Galaxy S7 purchase

Galaxy S8 on-screen buttons may be customizable

Samsung is expanding its Rich Communication Services messaging service

Samsung trademarks Galaxy X in South Korea

Virtual Reality

The Samsung Galaxy Studio makes Samsung’s MWC visitors move

Pocket is one of the first apps I download with every new smartphone I get. What started as a browser add-on and then transitioned to a platform named Pocket on its own, helped me filter the quality content of articles without other hyperlinks, advertisements, bright colors and big headlines. It gave freedom to the users who wanted to read with their minds, not with their eyes. So naturally, it was a big surprise for me to learn from Mozilla today that the company will acquire Pocket. The interface of Pocket Pocket is a platform that lets you store articles and other content for...

SteamVR is Valve's world, HTC is just playing in it. LG is about reveal a headset based on Valve's VR platform as soon as this week. The venue for the reveal is the GDC 2017, which is already underway in San Francisco. For now, all that Valve will say about the headset is that it is "designed to deliver a high fidelity, next generation VR experience". The unit to be shown at the GDC is a prototype, final details like launch date and price will be revealed later. LG's earlier mobile VR headset wasn't particularly impressive, but this new one will target the desktop and feature the...

Google is largely responsible for the rise of super affordable VR headsets - they literally made one out of cardboard! While they are the simplest form of VR you can get, they have become a hit with consumers. Google announced that it has shipped 10 million units while the app boasts 160 million downloads. No, there's no error. The 10 million is only for official Google Cardboard viewers, there have been many, many copies and alternatives. If the app download numbers are anything to go by, more people have a Cardboard at home than either a PlayStation 4 or Xbox One. VR apps have also...

The battle between Amazon Echo and Google Home will spread across the United Kingdom this summer. The smart assistant by Google will be available for shipping in the second quarter of the year, a spokesperson from the company confirmed. Rick Osterloh, Google Hardware SVP told BBC reporter Rory Cellan-Jones that Google Home would come to the UK in Q2. He also claimed the AI skills and access to the search engine would help beat Amazon Echo over the Atlantic. The Echo, voiced by Alexa is already on sale in the UK since September 2016 which gives Amazon a slight head start when the...

The fingerprint reader issue is one of those long-standing problems that can make any Sony fan shrug. If you are only hearing about it now, it basically boils down to this - ever since the Xperia Z5 family, a number of Sony devices have featured a fingerprint reader, embedded in the power button on the side. However, those same devices ended up with a disabled reader on the US market. Now the brand new XZ Premium and XZs are also joining the same group and are said to omit the biometric security measure in the US as well. When previously asked to comment on the matter, the Japanese...

China will be getting an upgraded version of the Redmi 4 - Redmi 4X - with Snapdragon 435 chip and faster LTE speeds. Today Xiaomi's may have focused the spotlight on its first homebrew chipset - the Surge S1 - and the Mi 5C, but the manufacturer had one more announcement before calling it a day. Xiaomi used its official Weibo account to introduce the Xiaomi Redmi 4X for the Chinese market. The Redmi 4X looks identical to the Redmi 4, has the same 5" 720p display, but comes with a newer Snapdragon 435 chipset (Redmi 4 has S430). There is the same octa-core 1.4GHz A53 processor...

Did you score a Fossil Q Founder for $132? If you did, you'll be pleased to know that the company will release the Android Wear 2.0 update for all of its smartwatches in mid-March. That's great to hear when certain manufacturers (cough) have decided to skip on the update. Anyway, the Valentine's day promo is over, a Gen 1 Q Founder will set you back $190 with a leather band and $205 with a steel band. The Gen 2 model is $300, same as a Gen 2 Fossil Q Wanderer or Q Marshal. Here's a list of smartwatches on the Wear 2.0 update list. Source | Via

Along with the traditional design showcase, we get to experience at MWC, this year the Barcelona venue also offered a few intriguing tours of device internals. We already saw the LG G6 get disassembled on camera and now Sony has decided it wants to show off as well. Sony Xperia XZ Premium Frankly, it was high time all the hard-working hardware engineers got some appreciation for the work they've done under the hood on stage. There is an amazing amount of effort that goes into component design, especially for modern flagships. But even if you are not the type to really...

A new Raspberry Pi has been served - a Pi Zero W. It expands the original Pi Zero capabilities by adding Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. More specifically, Wi-Fi a/b/g/n and Bluetooth 4.0. This led the price to double, but since the original was so cheap, we're still talking $10/£9.60 . It's all good, though. Like the original Zero, you can score a free Raspberry Pi Zero W if you subscribe for The MagPi magazine (in print for 12 months). The wireless tech is based on the same Cypress CYW43438 chip as the Pi 3 B, which should make it easier for developers. Besides its new-found wireless...

Many 2017 flagships were introduced in the past few days but one of the devices that keep getting our attention is the one Apple will launch in September. There are a lot of rumors about the phone often dubbed "iPhone 8" or "the 10th Anniversary iPhone" even though the name is not clear yet. This time The Wall Street Journal quotes its sources and claims that the next iPhone will have a USB-C port for charging and connectivity instead of Lightning. Top: iPhone 5 with Lightning • Bottom: iPhone 4S with 30-pin slot Reports claim Apple will ditch its propriety connector for the industry...

We are at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona which officially launched on Monday. The Chinese smartphone company Meizu didn't have a new device to showcase at their booth but instead introduced Super mCharge - a technology that will top up your phone's battery from 0 to 60 percent in mere 10 minutes and will charge it fully in 20 minutes. Super mCharge is the fourth generation charging technology of Meizu and this time it uses a high-voltage, direct current (HVDC) electric power transmission system. According to the company, the charger is rated at 11V/5A so it can...

Less than a month after ZTE pushed out the Android 7.0 Nougat update to its Axon 7 smartphone, the device has started getting the Android 7.1 update. Rolling out over the air, and arriving as software version ZTE_A2017V1.1.0B09, the update is currently hitting units in China. The update also bumps the MiFavor UI version to 4.2. Given that the roll out has started in the company's home country, it'd be reasonable to expect that other regions will also get it sooner than later. ZTE has brought the Daydream-ready Axon 7 at the MWC and anyone there can enjoy some high-quality VR...

OnePlus has started pushing out the Android 7.1.1 beta update to participating OnePlus 3 and 3T units. Weighing in at around 1.32GB, the update is currently hitting units in China (meaning it's the v7.1-based HydrogenOS build that's rolling out). The update brings along several changes, including those related to wallpaper, cloud sync, gallery, and picture editor. Also included are the Android security fixes for the month of March. Aside from being rolled out OTA, the update is also available for download from H2OS official website. Source 1 2 | Via

YouTube is undoubtedly one of the most popular online video services available today. But just how popular is it? Well, here's a number that should give you an idea: we are consuming a whopping billion hours of YouTube content each day. To put that figure into perspective, "If you were to sit and watch a billion hours of YouTube, it would take you over 100,000 years," the company said in a blog post. "If you spent 100,000 years traveling at the speed of light, you could travel from one end of the Milky Way to the other." YouTube was recently in the headlines after Google announced that...

Just as teased and teased, right on the date, Xiaomi unveiled the Surge S1 - its first in-house chipset. This is the lower-tier of the two Pinecone CPUs Xiaomi has planned and is built on a 28nm process. In comparison, the higher-end Pinecone V970 we're waiting on will be built around the efficient 10nm process. The Surge S1 has eight Cortex-A53 processing cores, four clocked at 2.2GHz and the other four - at a more battery-conscious 1.4GHz. The graphics chip inside the Surge S1 is a quad-core Mali-T860 which makes an appearance in a lot of midrangers out there although in its...

Looking to add a layer of protection to your Galaxy S7 edge? You’ve come to the right place. For a limited time, you can snag yourself a S-View Flip Cover for a mere $24.99 (50% off). By far, the best thing about this case is that it sports an interactive window, which provides quick access to key phone features, including the option to answer incoming calls and peruse notifications without having to open the cover.

If you like the sound of this promotion and want to place an order, simply hit the Buy Now button below. We advise you to hurry, though, as Amazon only has a low amount of inventory available. It’s also worth noting that this is an international deal and the S-View Flip Cover for the regular Galaxy S7 is on sale, too. It can currently be had for $24.12 (52% off).

Buy Now – Galaxy S7 Buy Now – Galaxy S7 edge

Many companies and start-ups are at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, but Xiaomi decided to go against the flow and had its own event today at the National Convention Center in Beijing. It had two major announcement - its first in-house chipset named Surge S1 and a Xiaomi Mi 5C smartphone, powered by the new processor. Xiaomi Mi 5C has 5.15" display, a 12 MP main camera and a 8 MP snapper on the front for all the selfies on Weibo. There is a fingerprint scanner on the front and you have 3 GB RAM and 64 GB internal storage. The battery of Mi 5C is 2860 mAh and the device comes...

Apple has already begun rolling out the fourth build for three different firmwares. The first is iOS 10.3, which can be downloaded by both registered developers, as well as public beta testers. The new beta build brings a few new features the Find My AirPods option within the Find My iPhone app, Wi-Fi Calling for iCloud connected devices on Verizon, and a new notification that alerts users that 32-bit apps can't run properly (suggesting they may not run at all as of iOS 11. WatchOS beta 3.2 also has a few new features like a proper theater mode, something that the Apple watch had...

Samsung has announced today that it’s going to expand its Rich Communication Services (RCS) messaging services using the NewNet Communication Technologies solution that it recently acquired. Samsung’s RCS is a complete end-to-end solution which features RCS-enabled devices, native and downloadable device clients, RCS application servers based in the cloud, a third-party monetization platform and an interconnectivity hub among operators.

RCS enables users to enjoy rich messaging features in simple texting messaging, features that would otherwise only be available in services like WhatsApp and Viber. They will be able to participate in group chats, video calls and large file transfers while using their phone numbers without needing an additional app for this purpose.

The company’s RCS cloud will let carriers quickly launch the service while avoiding costly and time-consuming efforts of setting up their own network infrastructure. Samsung’s RCS hub is also going to support and simplify the RCS interconnectivity between other RCS-enabled operators. This will enable true messaging evolution post SMS/MMS and will make it possible to achieve a global footprint quickly.

Samsung is now working with several carriers to expand the availability of RCS messaging, the carriers include Deutsche Telekom, KT, SK Telecom, T-Mobile and Vodafone. The RCS solution will be supported by Samsung smartphones running Android 6.0 Marshmallow and up.

You may not have heard of Samsung SDI prior to the Galaxy Note 7 debacle last year. It’s the conglomerate’s battery affiliate and it supplies Samsung Electronics with battery cells for its smartphones. Samsung SDI was supplying the bulk of the batteries for the Galaxy Note 7 and as the company’s thorough investigation later revealed, there was a problem with the battery which caused the Galaxy Note 7 to combust spontaneously.

Samsung SDI’s reputation has suffered a great deal of damage but the company has done a lot of soul-searching since the entire Galaxy Note 7 debacle and is committed to ensuring that something like that doesn’t happen again. Cho Nam-seong was the previous CEO of Samsung SDI who recently tendered his resignation due to personal reasons.

He’s now going to be replaced by Jun Young-hyun who is currently the president of Samsung’s memory chip division, according to a statement issued by Samsung SDI. Jun’s nomination as the new leader of Samsung’s now infamous battery affiliate is subject to approval at the company’s annual shareholder meeting which takes place on March 24.

Samsung Electronics announced late last year that it was going to acquire Harman International for $8 billion. Even though there was some pushback from minority investors initially who thought that the price was too low, Harman’s shareholders eventually approved the acquisition during the shareholders’ meeting earlier this month. The relevant regulatory approvals are now required before Samsung can close this deal once and for all.

The company has cleared one such hurdle. South Korea’s Fair Trade Commission has given its final approval to Samsung for the acquisition of Harman International. The decision is similar to the European Commission which also sees no harm in allowing the acquisition to go through. South Korea’s Fair Trade Commission is of the view that this acquisition is not likely to cause a problem with regard to the Fair Trade Act and restriction of competition.

With this regulatory hurdle taken care of, Samsung is well on its way to closing the Harman acquisition within the timeframe it specified when it announced that it was going to buy this company for $8 billion.

Samsung is now distributing this month’s security patch for the Galaxy A5 (2016) in Europe. As you’re probably well aware, the upgrade transport fixes for a total of 50 bugs present in the Android OS, in addition to a handful of patches that are exclusive to the firm’s latest devices.

Like usual, the OTA is being pushed out in stages. If you’re feeling impatient and would like to manually scan for it on your Galaxy A5 (2016), open up the Settings menu, then select the relevant option from the Software Update section under the About Device subheading.

Samsung came out with its Family Hub refrigerators a couple of years ago. The fridge has a giant touchscreen on the door which lets users do a variety of tasks such as look at recipes, stream music, shop for groceries and much more. Samsung continues to improve on that idea with new models and it has now also come out with a Samsung Family Hub app which makes it easy to manage the smart fridge. It’s a free app that will help you plan and communicate with your family.

The Samsung Family Hub app can manage to-do lists, shopping lists, schedules, memos and even upload photos. It lets you peek inside the fridge without having to open it and shop for groceries while you’re on the go.

Bear in mind that the app doesn’t appear to have support for Samsung’s smartphones so it’s most likely meant only for the company’s smart fridge. The benefit for Samsung here is that it can easily update all of the features offered in this app by sending out an app update instead of a full software update for the Family Hub.

Samsung’s Family Hub app is now available for download via the Google Play Store, the APK is also from our APK page.

Last year, we reported that Samsung is working on a foldable, 4K-resolution smartphone that’ll hit the shelves in Q3-Q4 of 2017, though a more recent report states that it’s been delayed until the first half of 2018, and now the purported branding for the handset — Galaxy X — has been trademarked by the firm in its home country, South Korea.

Unfortunately, information surrounding the Galaxy X is a little sparse. Recent rumors point towards it featuring a 5-inch display that can fold out, transforming the device into a 7-inch tablet. The company is expected to initially roll out 100,000 units of the unit to gauge market reaction, and there’s a possibility that it’s already been shown to some attendees behind closed doors at MWC.

There’s good news today for Galaxy Note 5 owners in some regions because on the last day of February, Samsung has decided to send out the February security patch for their device. A new software update is now rolling out for the Galaxy Note 5 (SM-N920G) in a handful of markets across the globe including but not limited to India, Brazil, Panama, Argentina, Uruguay and more.

Since this is a minor update which only brings the February security patch it weighs in at under 40MB. Don’t expect much in the way of new features with this update. The February security patch brings fixes for a couple of dozen vulnerabilities in Android OS as well as some that Samsung found in its own software.

Firmware version N920GUBS3BQB1 is now being rolled out in several markets for the Galaxy Note 5. Those who haven’t received the over-the-air update on their devices just yet can head over to our firmware section and download this update manually.

Thanks, Yogesh!

Samsung Electronics vice chairman and heir to the conglomerate Lee Jae-yong has had a tough few weeks. He was recently arrested on charges of bribery as part of South Korea’s influence-peddling scandal. He’s accused of doling out millions of dollars in bribes to win the government’s support for a 2015 merger between two Samsung affiliates. South Korea’s special prosecutor has confirmed today that Lee Jae-yong will be indicted on bribery and other charges which include embezzlement and concealing of assets abroad.

An indictment is a formal charge against someone who is accused of doing something that’s against the law. There’s no assumption of guilt associated with an indictment because a trial will follow in order to ascertain the truth but it goes to show that the special prosecutor’s office is convinced that it has a strong enough case against the Samsung leader.

This causes a few problems for Samsung, to say the least. Lee Jae-yong has already been behind bars for a couple of weeks and his absence has left a leadership vacuum at South Korea’s most powerful conglomerate. An indictment means that there will be a trial which could take several years to wrap up and all the while Lee Jae-yong will remain behind bars, unable to enjoy the comforts that his position in life afford him or lead Samsung’s day-to-day operations from headquarters in Seoul.

Jolla has announced that it now supports Sony's Open Devices Program. This means that the company will be releasing its Sailfish OS for a range of Sony's Xperia branded devices. The announcement was made by Jolla in a press release where-in the company also revealed that the first project under this partnership is Sailfish OS-powered Xperia X, which is being showcased at the ongoing Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona. "The target is to offer the first release to Jolla's customers and community members by the end of Q2/2017," the press release said. Source | Via

BlackBerry's debut Android phone, the Priv, is currently going for less than $280 in the US. eBay seller mobilepros1 is selling the device at this price, with the listing currently revealing that nearly 600 units have already been sold. A quick look at BlackBerry's official website reveals a $499 price tag for the device, meaning availing this eBay deal will save you around $220. The seller doesn't say when the sale ends, so those planning to avail the deal may have to act fast. Source | Via

Seems like the Samsung Galaxy S6 edge+ is all set to get the Nougat update soon as an Android 7.0-powered model has been granted WiFi certification by the WiFi Alliance (WFA). Samsung Turkey last week shared a detailed Nougat release roadmap revealing that the Galaxy S6 edge+ will get the update around mid-March. If that information is correct, other regions should also get the update around the same time. And given that it has started collecting necessary certifications, looks like the update is on track. Via

GSMA has recognized the Samsung Galaxy S7 edge as the "Best Smartphone of 2016" in the "Best Mobile Handsets and Devices" category at MWC's yearly "Global Mobile Awards". The Samsung Galaxy S7 edge was (and still is) a wonderful device, and it got even better after the company updated the handset to Android Nougat. In fact, it really held its own, thanks in part to the Galaxy Note7 fiasco. When Note7 users needed to turn their defective devices back in, many opted to swap it out for the Samsung Galaxy S7 edge. After all, it had a large-enough screen, dual edge display, and the...

If you are in the US and are planning to purchase a Samsung Galaxy S7 or S7 edge, here's a deal for you: retailer Best Buy is offering free Samsung Fast Charge wireless charger (worth $59.99) and 256GB memory card (worth $249.99), as well as a $100 gift card with each purchase. To avail the deal, the phone you purchase should be activated on Verizon Device Payment, AT&T Next, or Sprint 24-Month Installment plan. The promo isn't valid on 2-year activations. There's currently no information on when the deal ends, so those interested in availing it may have to act fast. Source | Via

A new rumor comes from Korea that claims OnePlus' next smartphone flagship will be named the OnePlus 5. Why would the company skip the OnePlus 4, you might ask? Well there are a couple of possibilities: the number 4 is considered unlucky in China, and given that there was a OnePlus 3T, the next OnePlus flagship (excluding the OnePlus X) would technically be the fifth flagship that the company makes. OnePlus 3T The same report suggests the OnePlus 5 would borrow some looks from the Galaxy S7 edge, featuring a dual-edged display. There is also talk of a 16MP selfie shooter, 23MP...

Just a week ago, we got something of a first look at the new on-screen buttons that have been rumored to arrive on the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+. Well, now, we’re getting word that the Galaxy S8 on-screen buttons may be customizable, allowing users to change them to fit their liking.

Android Police, a credible site regarding leaks of Google’s Nexus (and now Pixel) line, among other things, says that a new photo making the rounds is showing that the on-screen navigation buttons on a phone presumed to be the Galaxy S8 have different arrangements on two different models. One Galaxy S8 photo shows the back key on the left, while another photo shows the back key on the right in its usual location (the back capacitive key is on the right on recent devices such as the Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge).

Now, we want to make it clear: nothing has been confirmed as of yet. The most we have to go on are the photos showing the different software key configurations; that’s it. As for customizable navigation buttons, though, Samsung won’t be the first Android OEM to do it. LG, for example, offers the same functionality on recent devices such as the LG G5 and LG V20 (LG even provides a notification drop-down key so that you don’t have to manually pull down the notification shade yourself).

We’ll see where this rumor goes, but for now, as with everything else that isn’t confirmed from the company’s mouth, take it all with a grain of salt.

If you’ve been on the fence about purchasing a Galaxy S7 or Galaxy S7 edge and you’re based in the United States, you might want to take advantage of this new promotion that Best Buy is offering. The retailer is currently offering a $100 gift card, a 256GB microSD card and a Samsung wireless charger with every purchase of a Galaxy S7 or Galaxy S7 edge. Customers don’t have to choose one from these three gifts because they will get all three.

Customers have to purchase a Galaxy S7 or Galaxy S7 edge from Best Buy and activate on Verizon Device Payment, AT&T Next or Sprint 24-Month Installment to be eligible for this promotion. Once that’s done, they will receive a $100 Best Buy gift card that can be used to purchase anything available at the retailer while the Samsung Fast Charge wireless charger which costs $59.99 and the 256GB Samsung Evo+ microSD card which costs $249.99 will be automatically added to the cart.

This is a pretty good deal as the incentives on offer here are well worth the money. Bear in mind that Best Buy says that quantities are limited so be sure to get your order in quick if this interests you.

After a seemingly successful episode at CES2017, Samsung decided to take the Samsung Galaxy Studio with them to Barcelona for the Mobile World Congress 2017. This technological playground is outfitted with five types of 4D simulators to prove to the visitors from all over the world that the future Virtual Reality (VR) is now. SamMobile managed to capture the different experiences in the videos below. For more details on what the simulators are simulating, make sure to read Samsung’s own blog about the episode at CES2017.

Space Wheel

Skeleton

Astro Ship

VR Theater

Robot Wars

The Motorola family grew by a couple of mid-rangers - the Moto G5 and Moto G5 Plus. Those two run pure Android (with the Pixel launcher, in fact) and the Plus model at least promises stellar photography.

Earlier today, Oppo introduced a new camera technology named Dual Camera Zoom at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. It is dedicated for mobile use and has an industry first "5x lossless zoom". 'Lossless zoom' seems to be a bit of marketing talk, hiding the fact that the telelens actually has only 3x optical magnification compared to the normal lens in the setup. However, according to the company, "the 3x optical zoom, matched with a proprietary image fusion technology for digital zoom, gives users the industry's first-ever lossless 5x dual camera zoom." While there are no specific...

Gionee used this year's MWC venue to expand its smartphone lineup with a brand new "A" series of devices. The A1 and A1 Plus are the ambassadors for this new endeavor, which seem to represent the company's best effort to stay relevant and cater to modern demands, while still preserving its traditional strong suits.

Verizon and T-Mobile restarted offering unlimited plans after several years of intentionally avoiding them and now AT&T also jumped the bandwagon of the "Unlimited Data Plan". The latter introduced an offer for its consumers that provides 10GB tethering/line, HD video streaming and various incentives such as monthly credit towards DirecTV and zero-rating when watching DirecTV Now on your smartphone. The Unlimited Plus plan offers unlimited data on the AT&T's 4G LTE network for $90 for one phone line. Adding other devices costs extra, but the carrier gives various incentives if you...

HMD announced three Nokia Android smartphones yesterday (plus the 3310 (2017) homage of a feature phone), and we got to spend a few minutes of hands-on time with them. The folks over at fonearena have spoken with Ajey Mehta, India VP at HMD Global, revealing some details on the manufacturing and logistics. The Nokia 6, 5, and 3 will be manufactured in Foxconn's Indian facilities from the very beginning. A launch date has been planned for June this year, and distribution will take place both online and offline through a network of partnering stores. After-sales support will be...

ZTE introduced two midrange smartphones at the MWC - the Blade V8 Lite with focus on the design, and the Blade V8 Mini with a dual-camera setup for advanced photography experience.