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Nokia completes Digital Health business sale

Nokia announced today that the deal for the Digital Health business was closed with Withings. The Finnish company sold the division back to its previous owners for an undisclosed sum. The licensing business of Nokia Technologies will not be affected, the current devices will keep selling, but new gadgets will sold under the Withings brand. Back in 2016 Nokia bought the French startup for €170/$192 million, but after the unimpressive performance and switching its internal focus, it decided to sell it. Instead of developing gadgets for the user market, Nokia will focus on medical...

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Samsung seems to have quietly launched the Galaxy J4 in India

We have known for a few months now that Samsung has a couple of new affordable devices up its sleeve and the Galaxy J4 happens to be one of them. Samsung was expected to launch it in India during a press event last week and while the event marked the official launch of the Galaxy J8, Galaxy J6, A6 and Galaxy A6+ in the country, Samsung didn’t say anything about the Galaxy J4.

It appears that the company won’t be making much of a fuss about the launch of this device. Samsung seems to have quietly launched the Galaxy J4 in India through its offline retail partners.

Galaxy J4 quietly launched in India

It’s not like Samsung hadn’t already made this device official. Samsung Pakistan’s website listed it officially last week and revealed all of the details about its specifications and features. Moreover, an online retailer in Ukraine started taking pre-orders for the device a few days ago.

Mahesh Telecom, a local smartphone retailer in India, tweeted today that the Galaxy J4 is now available for purchase in the country. The retailer also tweeted photos of the smartphone’s box which has all of the details about its specifications.

As we had exclusively reported, the Galaxy J4 features a 16:9 5.5-inch HD Super AMOLED display with an Exynos 7570 processor with 2GB of RAM and 16GB of internal storage. It also features a 13-megapixel f/1.9 rear and 5-megapixel f/1.9 front camera with flash. There’s a 3,000mAh battery and the handset comes with Android 8.0 Oreo out of the box.

The retailer has also confirmed the price for this device. Customers in India will be able to purchase the Galaxy J4 for Rs. 9,990 or $148. It’s not listed for sale at online retailers like Flipkart or Amazon just yet, though.


The post Samsung seems to have quietly launched the Galaxy J4 in India appeared first on SamMobile.

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Posters reveal design and price of Samsung Galaxy A9 Star and A9 Star Lite

Well, that clears it up - leaked posters clarify which phone is the Galaxy A9 Star and which is the A9 Star Lite. And the posters provide launch info, including date and price. The Samsung Galaxy A9 Star is the SM-G8850, the one with the dual camera in the corner. It will cost CNY 3,500 ($545/€465) and pre-orders will run from June 7 to 14, sales start on the 15th. And there's going to be a promo until July 10 (which seems to involve 10,000 limited edition JBL headphones and 15,000 Samsung microSD cards of 64 GB capacity). Samsung Galaxy A9 Star and A9 Star Lite posters offer...

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Samsung’s Cinema LED screens will land in India soon

Samsung has been making Cinema LED screens for theatres for some time now. Last month, along with bringing the first Cinema LED screen to the US, Samsung also launched the Onyx brand to sell these theatre screens. Since the initial launch of these screens in July last year, Samsung has already installed these screens in a few theatres around the world. It appears select theatres in India will soon join the list.

A top company executive told IANS that the Onyx Cinema LED screens will launch in India later this year. Samsung has partnered with PVR Cinemas and INOX Group to install the Onyx Cinema LED screens in the country. At first, they will be installed at the PVR multiplexes in Delhi and Mumbai, but Samsung has aggressive plans to expand the availability. The Korean company is hoping to convert at least 20 percent of the total 10,000 cinema screens in India to Onyx Cinema Screens by 2020.

Offers better picture quality

“We first launched the screen in Korea, then we installed it in China, Europe, Thailand and the US. Once users watch content on ‘Onyx’ screen, it would be very difficult for them to switch to conventional projectors in theatres,” Puneet Sethi, VP, Consumer Electronics Enterprise Business, Samsung India, told IANS.

Samsung’s Onyx Cinema screens offer a host of advantages over the current theatre display solutions. They offer better picture quality with deeper blacks and more accurate colors. The screens are versatile as well and can display 2K, 4K, 3D, and HDR images. Samsung also clubs sound solutions from JBL, a brand owned by Samsung subsidiary Harman International, to offer an immersive experience to the viewer irrespective of where he/she is seated.

A report in Business Today mentions that installing an Onyx screen requires an investment of around $600,000 to $800,000 and takes up to 16 weeks from “receiving purchase order to installation.” These screens will reportedly last for 17 years with a screen life of 100,000 hours. The report, however, quotes no source for this information.

The post Samsung’s Cinema LED screens will land in India soon appeared first on SamMobile.

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Samsung adds 18 new AR Emoji stickers

Samsung introduced AR Emoji with the Galaxy S9 earlier this year. The feature enables users to create a digital likeness of their face that’s capable of mapping their voice and facial movements. Once the likeness is created, AR Emoji also makes a set of animated stickers that can be used in third-party messaging apps like WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger.

AR Emoji was capable of making a set of 18 animated stickers from the user’s likeness at launch and Samsung has now announced that it’s expanding this ability by adding 18 new animated expressive stickers to AR Emoji.

New AR Emoji stickers

The AR Emoji feature not only allows users to map their face to their digital likeness, it also offers popular characters from the Disney universe for users to map their faces to. Mickey and Minnie Mouse were initially available and Samsung later added Donald Duck as well. Samsung added the cast of The Incredibles to its library of AR Emoji avatars just a few days ago.

Samsung has doubled the number of animated stickers that are generated automatically whenever an AR Emoji is created. To access the new set of stickers, just update the camera app on your Galaxy S9 or Galaxy S9+ from the My apps section of the Galaxy Apps store.

AR Emoji’s library of pre-set expressions is now up to 36 from 18 and Samsung says that it’s going add 18 more expressions in the coming months which will bring the total number of these animated stickers to 54.

These new AR Emoji stickers will be readily available once you download and install the update. They can then be shared directly from the keyboard and can also be copied and pasted from the Gallery app to messaging apps. The GIF posted below shows some of these 18 new AR Emoji stickers in action.

The post Samsung adds 18 new AR Emoji stickers appeared first on SamMobile.

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Russian pre-orders for Nokia 3.1 are now live

Three new Nokia phone were unveiled in Moscow earlier this week - the Nokia 5.1, 3.1, and 2.1. While the first and the last will go on sale in July, the Nokia 3.1 will be released next month in June. And now, it's coming to light that pre-orders for the device are live in Russia. The phone costs RUB 11,990, which currently translates to $195. The model on offer comes with 2GB RAM and 16GB storage. Color options include black, white, and blue. Meanwhile the company has confirmed the addition of Nokia 5.1 and 3.1 to the Android Enterprise Recommended program. The newly announced...

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Galaxy Note 9 release reportedly delayed due to design change

We’ve been hearing reports over the past few weeks that the Galaxy Note 9 release will take place earlier than its predecessor due to Samsung’s accelerated schedule. It was expected that the next flagship phablet may be out by late July or early August.

That may not be the case, though, if a new report out of South Korea is believed. A last minute design change ordered by Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong will reportedly result in the Galaxy Note 9 release being delayed by two weeks.

Galaxy Note 9 release

It was reported earlier this month that Samsung Display has started mass production of the 6.38-inch display panel for the Galaxy Note 9 in April. This meant that it had started mass production a full two months before it did for the Galaxy Note 8 in 2017.

That report lined up with the expectation that the Galaxy Note 9 release will take place ahead of schedule, not to mention the fact that Samsung already set a precedent this year by releasing the Galaxy S9 a month before the Galaxy S8.

A report out of South Korea now claims that Samsung is reducing the thickness of the display glass by 0.5mm at the last minute on the directions of its Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong. The display glass is the layer on top of the OLED panel which protects it and also serves as the users’ input source.

The change is believed to be a result of the vice chairman’s recent trip to a smartphone distribution center in China where he played around with Oppo and Vivo handsets that also use Samsung Display’s OLED panels. He found that those handsets felt much better to grip in the hand compared to the Galaxy Note series.

Samsung rarely adjusts the specifications of an upcoming flagship device this close to launch but it’s believed to have made this change for the Galaxy Note 9 on the directions of its vice chairman who wants the display glass on the new flagship to be a bit thinner.

It seems that the Galaxy Note 9’s display glass won’t be as thick as the Galaxy S9. Perhaps Samsung previously opted for the same thickness for the Galaxy Note 9 as well but when the vice chairman looked at some of the competitors’ devices, he felt that Samsung could opt for a thinner display glass to make the device feel more comfortable in the handset.

Given that the Galaxy Note 9 is expected to feature the largest-ever panel size of 6.38-inch, any improvement that makes the handset more comfortable to use will certainly be appreciated by fans.

The Galaxy Note 9 release is now said to be delayed by up to two weeks as the relevant part is modified and tested before mass production. Samsung hasn’t confirmed any of this so far, though.

The post Galaxy Note 9 release reportedly delayed due to design change appeared first on SamMobile.

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Sony USB Type-C 2-in-1 cable now officially available from company's estore

Sony's 2-in-1 USB Type-C cable (EC270) is now available from the company's estore in Europe. For those who aren't aware, the accessory lets you charge your phone and listen to music at the same time. The dongle carries a price tag of £17.99 in the UK and €19.99 in other European countries. Keep in mind that the cable doesn't support quick charging. For additional information as well as to make a purchase, head to the Source link below. Source | Via

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Galaxy S7 Oreo update rolling out in various European countries

We have received a number of tips from Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge owners saying that the Oreo update for the device is available in a number of European countries. The update was released for Nordic countries earlier this week following its debut in the UK and then South Korea, and it is now available in at least Germany, Belgium, and Spain. In Spain, the update seems to be rolling out to only Vodafone-branded models, but it shouldn’t take long before the unlocked versions are updated as well.

Galaxy S7 Oreo update rolling out in more countries

The firmware version for the update is G930FXXU2ERE8, so it is the fixed version of Oreo for the Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge that Samsung had released after discovering a serious bug in the original version. Hopefully, this also means Samsung will soon be releasing the update globally to Galaxy S7 and S7 edge owners. It’s been a fairly long wait, although that’s not totally surprising as the pace of updates is expected to be slower two years after a flagship has been released. So until the update actually starts rolling out in your country, it’s best not to get too excited.

If you own a Galaxy S7 or Galaxy S7 edge, you can see if Oreo is available for your device by tapping Download updates manually in the Settings » Software update menu. You will also be able to download the complete firmware from our database once the update releases in your country so you can use a PC for the upgrade instead of downloading the update on the phone.

Got the Galaxy S7 Oreo update already? Let us know which country you’re from and how your phone works after installing the update by leaving a comment.

The post Galaxy S7 Oreo update rolling out in various European countries appeared first on SamMobile.

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Samsung Gear S3 update lets you answer calls by rotating bezel

A new update has started rolling out to the Samsung Gear S3. Weighing in at around 13.6MB, the update arrives as version R770XXU2CRE3 and R760XXU2CRE3 for the frontier and classic variants, respectively. The main new feature is the option to answer calls by rotating the bezel. The feature is enabled by default, and you need to rotate (clockwise) the bezel twice in order to accept a call. Also, early adopters say it has been already available in some regions for a while now. Via

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Samsung Galaxy S9 gets dual VoLTE support in India

Samsung Galaxy S9 arrived in India just a week after the official announcement at MWC. The flagship duo keeps receiving its monthly updates and the latest one brought dual VoLTE support. The software patch also brings some fixes and performance tweaks. According to the screenshot we got, the update for the Galaxy S9 is 426 MB in size and its version is G965FXXU1BRE5/G965FOXM1BRE3/G965FXXU1BRE3. It enables usage of VoLTE and VoWiFi over both SIM cards for the devices with dual SIM slots. If you haven't received a notification about the update of your dual-SIM Galaxy S9, head to...

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Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017) may jump straight to Oreo 8.1

Up until now, Samsung has released Oreo for many of its smartphones. The updates bumped the Android version to 8.0. However, now it looks like there may be some devices that will directly jump to Android 8.1. Case in point: a GFXBench listing for the Galaxy J5 (2017) that shows Android 8.1 on board. Previously, the Galaxy J5 (2016) also jumped straight to Android 7.1.1 after being spotted running the OS in benchmarks. So, a precedent is clearly there. And it's likely that other J series devices in the series will also make the same jump. Sadly, there's currently no info on...

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DxOMark: Xiaomi Mi 8 beats the Samsung Galaxy S9+ in still shots

DxOMark released its extensive camera review of the fresh Xiaomi Mi 8 flagship. The device has gone through the test gauntlet scoring an outstanding 105 points in photo category and a very good 88 points in video recording. The overall score is 99, meaning that the Mi 8 shares the 4th place with the Galaxy S9+, which did better in video recording but fell a point short in still photography compared to the Mi 8. The guys over at DxOMark had almost nothing bad to say about the camera. In fact, according to the score, the Mi 8 is probably one of the best value smartphones if you are...

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Google launches Neighbourly app exclusively in Mumbai

Google has launched Neighbourly, a beta app being exclusively launched first in Mumbai, India. Neighbourly is meant for asking hyper local queries to people in your locality. You can ask about a certain type of doctor, or a place to get a haircut or a place to purchase a certain item. Once your query is posted, people around you will see it in their feed and can choose to reply. Apart from typing out the query, the app also supports transcribing, so you can use voice to speak your query and the app will automatically convert it into text in another supported language. The app...

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Huawei Watch 2 (2018) unveiled: eSIM, nano-SIM and no SIM versions now available

The Huawei Watch 2 (2018) is official and not much has changed since the Watch 2 Pro. This model is available with nanoSIM or eSIM that connect the smart timepiece to 4G networks, plus a cheaper Bluetooth-only version. The screen is a 1.2" OLED with 390 x 390 px resolution, which is protected by Gorilla Glass. The watch weighs 57g and measures 45 x 48.9 x 12.6 mm, the wrist bands are not easily changed. The casing is IP58 waterproof. Huawei Watch 2 (2018) The Watch 2 (2018) is powered by a Snapdragon 2100 chipset, no surprises here. It has 768 MB of RAM and 4 GB of built-in...

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MIUI 10 announced - focus on gestures, camera enhancements and AI

Xiaomi just announced the next version of its Android launcher - MIUI 10. It's a long-anticipated version of Xiaomi's user interface as it is promised to reach a broad range of Xiaomi smartphones - not necessarily limited to new devices only. The first thing Xiaomi's representative stressed is the new UI being optimized for devices with high screen to body ratio and minimal bezels. The interface transition started with MIUI 9.5, which introduced the navigation gestures replacing the software buttons. Small tweaks to the UI here and there help you make the most of the full-screen...

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Google in discussion with iPhone manufacturer for its Pixel 3 series, says report

According to a new report from Bloomberg, Google is in talks with iPhone manufacturer Foxconn for its upcoming Pixel 3 series of smartphones. Hardware designing and software is being done in-house by the HTC team of engineers it acquired earlier this year. The report also offers some details on the Pixel 3 series, saying there'll be at least two models Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL. The larger variant will feature edge-to-edge display, except for a chin at the bottom and a notch on the top. Talking about the notch, the report says it won't be as wide as it is on the iPhone X, but would be...

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Xiaomi Mi 8 SE unveiled - the first Snapdragon 710-powered smartphone

As expected, Xiaomi unveiled more than one smartphone on its event today but no one saw three devices coming at once - after the Mi 8 and Mi 8 Explorer Edition the company introduced the Mi 8 SE (Special Edition). Despite the name, it's actually a toned-down Mi 8 with a mid-range price and slightly downgraded hardware. On the positive side, the chassis still features high-quality materials like an aluminum side frame and glass back, so it offers the best value of all three. The Xiaomi Mi 8 SE features a 5.88" Super AMOLED display with FHD+ (1080x2244) resolution. The aspect ratio is...

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Xiaomi Mi Band 3 arrives for $26

After the massive success of the ultra-affordable Xiaomi Mi Band 2, today the company introduced its successor, predictably called Mi Band 3. It keeps all key features like counting steps and measuring heart rate, and will also offer the ability to answer calls. Xiaomi Mi Band 3 official slides The Mi Band 3 has a 0.78" OLED panel with 128 x 80 pixel resolution. It connects to devices through Bluetooth 4.2 and sports a 110 mAh battery, which is 50% increase over the Mi Band 2. The fitness tracker has a version with NFC chip, meaning you'll be able to pay...

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Xiaomi Mi 8 is official with 3D Face Unlock, dual GPS

The Xiaomi Mi 8 is official, confirming most of the rumors. The phone, celebrating the 8th anniversary of the Chinese company, comes with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 845, dual cameras and dual GPS. It is also the first official Xiaomi phone with a notch on the display that can be hidden with a toggle. The cutout is used for an in-house infrared solution for 3D Face Unlock that works in a dark environment. There is also a more exclusive version of the Mi 8, called Explore Edition. It has an underscreen fingerprint scanner and a see-through back panel that gives a peek to the internals of...

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Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 Oreo update arrives in US

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 started receiving Oreo earlier this month, with the UK becoming the first market to get the update. Now, a couple of weeks later, units in the US have started getting the update as well. Weighing in at around 1.2GB, the update bumps the Android version to 8.0, and also includes Samsung Experience 9.0. In addition to the usual Oreo goodies, the update also features a new home screen, new SmartThings app, and updated keyboard. Via

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Galaxy A9 Star Lite could be the Galaxy A6 for the Chinese market

Samsung is gearing up to launch the Galaxy A9 Star in China as its latest premium mid-range offering, one with impressive camera specs on both the front and back and an unusual-for-Samsung rear camera design. We have seen plenty of leaks in recent weeks that have given us the lowdown on the Galaxy A9 Star, and now, a leaked poster for the device has made its way online. But what’s interesting here is not the Galaxy A9 Star, but another device in the bottom left corner of the poster, revealing that Samsung may be preparing to launch the Galaxy A6 as the Galaxy A9 Star Lite in China.

Galaxy A6 headed to China as the Galaxy A9 Star Lite

The image isn’t too clear, but the metal body on the device is a dead giveaway that the A9 Star Lite is just a rebadged Galaxy A6. It may have a few changes – most likely upgrades in RAM and storage for a better chance to do well in the competitive Chinese market – but it’s also possible it will retain the exact specifications of the Galaxy A6. That would put it below the Galaxy A9 Star by some margin, what with its regular 16-megapixel front and rear cameras and a smaller display with a lower screen resolution. There won’t be a dedicated Bixby button, either, which would make the virtual assistant much less useful on the Galaxy A6.

The poster also confirms the 24-megapixel front camera on the Galaxy A9 Star, while suggesting that an official reveal is right around the corner. The Galaxy A9 Star should also be launching in a few other South Asian markets, probably those where the Galaxy A6+ wasn’t released given its similarities with the Plus-sized A6.

The post Galaxy A9 Star Lite could be the Galaxy A6 for the Chinese market appeared first on SamMobile.

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Gear S3 update adds ability to answer calls by rotating the bezel

Samsung is rolling out a minor update to the Gear S3 today, adding a nice little use case for the rotating bezel on the watch. The update adds a new accessibility feature that will allow Gear S3 users to accept incoming calls by rotating the bezel. It’s surprising the company never thought of this option before, but it has now, and we are sure Gear S3 owners will welcome the latest update with open arms.

The bezel is even more useful with the update

We haven’t received the update on any of our watches yet, so we’re not exactly sure where the option to answer calls using the bezel would be found. Probably in the Accessibility menu of the watch’s Settings app, under the Vision submenu, since Samsung is calling it a “visual accessibility” feature. It does make sense that the option would have to be manually enabled, as otherwise you might end up accepting a call you don’t want to answer if you manage to move the bezel by mistake (which would be fairly easy if your watch’s bezel ring has lost some of its friction, something that can happen after a few months of regular use).

The update is going out to both the frontier and classic versions of the Gear S3, with firmware versions R770XXU2CRE3 and R760XXU2CRE3 respectively. It’s a 13.65 MB update, and you should be able to download it from the Samsung Gear app on your connected phone or tablet, via the About Gear » Update Gear software menu under the app’s Settings tab. If the app says you’re on the latest version, try again after a little while as the update may take a while to reach all regions.

The post Gear S3 update adds ability to answer calls by rotating the bezel appeared first on SamMobile.

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Nintendo launches cubist Pokemon Quest

Today, Nintendo announced the new Pokemon Quest game. Initially launched for Switch and currently available at the eShop, it will have a mobile version for smartphones that will appear on the Google Play Store and the App Store next month. Screenshots of the Pokemon Quest gameplay The aesthetics of the game are very similar to Minecraft. It allows you to explore Tumblecube Island, battle and set up camps via touch control. The Pokemon available are mostly from Red and Blue franchise, meaning the action takes place in Kanto. Pikachu, is that you? Pokemon Quest...

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OnePlus may bring back the always-on display feature in Android P

After the backlash OnePlus received due to the removal of the always-on display feature on its OnePlus 6, the company has said that it will be bringing it back with Android P beta, sort of. As you can see, the OnePlus employee didn't say that the feature will be included in the next major update for sure. Probably the company will be carrying out some tests in the Android P beta and then optimize it for less battery drain once the full release comes out. OnePlus 6 always-on display feature before removed In the meantime, the developers' team is working on another short-term OS...

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[Poll] How happy are you with Samsung?

Samsung’s behavior can sometimes be polarizing for its fans. The company’s loyalists have stuck by it through thick and thin, unfazed by exploding devices and software update regimes that leave a lot to be desired. Others continue to stick by it but begrudgingly and they’re quick to voice their displeasure with Samsung should the opportunity present itself. Some had enough and decided to switch to another brand altogether.

Our readers form the biggest online community of Samsung loyalists and fans. We also have people among our ranks that take issue with the way Samsung does things, be it the company’s haphazard update schedule or its desire to no longer be the first in the world to introduce innovative new technologies.

Vote below in the poll and let us know how happy you are with Samsung and why. If you’re not happy with the company anymore, do let us know in the comments below why that is and what Samsung can do to make you a believer again.

How happy are you with Samsung?

The post [Poll] How happy are you with Samsung? appeared first on SamMobile.

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Xiaomi Mi Band 3 supports raise to wake

The Xiaomi Mi Band 3 is the fourth Mi Band - there was the Mi Band 1, the Mi Band 1S that introduced a heart rate sensor, the Mi Band 2 that brought the display and now the Mi Band 3. And just like its predecessor, the Mi Band 3 will support raise to wake. It's a simple but powerful feature - raise your wrist towards your face and the screen will light up and show you the time and whatever else you'd like to see. Xiaomi will announce the Mi Band 3 tomorrow alongside the Mi 8, Mi 8 SE and it will probably cost CNY 149 (€23). Source | Via

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Galaxy J5 (2017) Oreo update may bump it straight to Android 8.1

Samsung has released Android Oreo for many of its smartphones, flagship and mid-range alike, but they have only been upgraded to version 8.0. It’s yet to upgrade any device to version 8.1 and it appears that Samsung might do that with the Galaxy J5 (2017). This particular mid-range device is yet to receive its Oreo update and there’s some evidence to suggest that when the update does arrive, it will bump up the device straight to Android 8.1 Oreo.

It’s already known that Samsung is going to update its 2017 Galaxy J series to Android Oreo over the summer. The handsets should start receiving the update over the next couple of months in the relevant markets across the globe.

Galaxy J5 (2017) Oreo update might bring version 8.1

There’s some evidence to suggest that when the update finally arrives for the Galaxy J5 (2017), it will upgrade the device straight to Android 8.1 Oreo. A benchmark listing has surfaced on GFXBench revealing that a Galaxy J5 (2017) running Android 8.1 Oreo has been tested. The firmware is identified as “Samsung Android Edition” which can be taken as yet another indication that Samsung wants to bump up this device straight to version 8.1.

History is on the handset’s side as well. Some of you might remember that when the Galaxy J5 and Galaxy J7 (2016) were finally updated to Nougat last year, they got version 7.1.1 even though all of the other Samsung Galaxy smartphones got Android 7.0. Moreover, a GFXBench listing was also our first indication last year that these devices may be bumped up straight to version 7.1.1 of Nougat.

This is why it’s completely within the realm of possibility for the Galaxy J5 (2017) to receive a direct update to Android 8.1 in the coming months. The same will likely be true for the Galaxy J3 (2017) and the Galaxy J7 (2017) as well.

Even though more recent devices like the Galaxy A8 (2018) exist and while they will receive Oreo, certifications suggest that the Galaxy A8 (2018) will also be upgraded to version 8.0.

What’s unclear at this point in time is precisely when Oreo is going to be released for the Galaxy J (2017) handsets. We’ll be the first ones to let you know when Samsung starts rolling it out.

The post Galaxy J5 (2017) Oreo update may bump it straight to Android 8.1 appeared first on SamMobile.

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Galaxy S10 in-display fingerprint sensor has been ‘confirmed’

We have been hearing about Samsung potentially adopting an in-display fingerprint sensor for its flagship smartphones since the past couple of years but the company has yet to do that. Recent reports suggest that Samsung is going to introduce its in-display fingerprint sensor with the Galaxy S10 next year. It’s going to be the company’s 10th anniversary Galaxy S flagship so it’s expected to pull out all the stops for the device.

According to a new report out of South Korea, the in-display fingerprint sensor for the Galaxy S10 is now more or less “confirmed.” The update adds that the ultrasonic display-based fingerprint sensor for the Galaxy S10 will be supplied by Qualcomm.

Qualcomm may supply the in-display fingerprint sensor

It was reported two months ago that Samsung is going to make a final decision on whether or not it will introduce this technology with the Galaxy S10 soon. The impression we get from recent reports is that the company has made a final decision on the matter.

The latest report claims that Samsung has “confirmed” to its industry partners that it has decided to adopt the in-display fingerprint sensor for the Galaxy S10. The display panel will be supplied by Samsung Display whereas Qualcomm is said to be supplying the ultrasonic fingerprint sensor.

This is the first we’re hearing of Qualcomm being a potential supplier of the sensor as previous reports have claimed that Samsung is developing the ultrasonic in-display fingerprint sensor itself and that it’s going to use the same sensor in devices other than smartphones as well, such as smart home devices, home appliances and even automobiles.

The ultrasonic sensor will be more accurate compared to the optical in-display fingerprint sensor that Chinese manufacturers are using for their smartphones. It works by transmitting an ultrasonic pulse against the finger to map the pores and ridges that are unique to each fingerprint. This lets the sensor collect additional depth data for accurate 3D reproduction of the fingerprint to ensure higher accuracy.

The Galaxy S10 is obviously not going to be out before 2019. It’s believed that the company is going to unveil the device at the Consumer Electronics Show 2019 in January because it wants to unveil its foldable smartphone at MWC 2019 the following month.

The post Galaxy S10 in-display fingerprint sensor has been ‘confirmed’ appeared first on SamMobile.

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Asus chooses OK Go's front man for its cool ZenFone 5 commercial

If you are not living in a rural area without an Internet connection, the chances are you've stumbled upon Youtube's sensation OK Go - a music formation with creative music videos that took over the video sharing platform by storm. Well, Asus has teamed up with the group's lead singer, Damian Kulash to deliver an awesome promo video called "1 Man, 1 Dance, and 89 ZenFone 5". The Asus ZenFone 5 and ZenFone 5Z are the obviously the highlight of the clip with a special focus on the AI and the impressive 90% screen-to-body ratio. For those who are tired of all the AI cameras and the...

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Samsung Galaxy A6+ initial impressions: An interesting proposition

The Galaxy A6 and Galaxy A6+ are rather odd concoctions, created by Samsung by mixing elements of its mid-range and budget smartphones. The Galaxy A6 and A6+ are also different from each other in more than just battery capacity and screen size. Like the Galaxy S9+, the Galaxy A6+ also has better camera specs. It’s not just a dual camera that the A6+ gets over the A6; it also has a higher megapixel count for the front camera.

At 24 megapixels, it’s the highest-resolution front camera seen on a Samsung phone, but then the company has gone ahead and equipped the A6+ (and the A6) with a microUSB port. That’s just one example of the things the new A series phones have in common with their J series brethren. The other is that metallic unibody, which is exactly the same as seen on last year’s Galaxy J5 and Galaxy J7. The chipsets powering these handsets are also not very powerful, with the Galaxy A6 using the Exynos 7870 SoC and the A6+ getting the Snapdragon 450, both of which make do with eight Cortex-A53 cores.

Of course, the fact that the A6 and A6+ are different from any other smartphone in Samsung’s galaxy of phones is what makes them so interesting. And, today, we’re going to be talking about our initial impressions of the Galaxy A6+, which I was able to use for a day or so before making the switch to the Galaxy J6 (read my J6 hands-on experience here).

Samsung Galaxy A6+ initial impressions

Samsung Galaxy A6+ initial impressions: An interesting proposition

The first thought I had on taking the Galaxy A6+ in my hand was that it’s rather big. It’s pretty much the same overall size as the Galaxy A8+, but it’s also a tad taller than the Galaxy S9+. That’s despite the A6+ having a 6-inch display, 0.2 inches smaller than the S9+’. It’s just another reminder that Samsung’s non-flagship phones with Infinity displays have much more bezel than the flagship devices.

It’s one of the reasons why we like the curved edges of the Galaxy S and Galaxy Note devices, as they at least allow the side bezels to practically disappear. Not so on the mid-range and budget devices. The phone is also slippery because of the metal on the back, though I’ll need a few more days with it to say if it’s a problem in day-to-day usage. As for the fingerprint sensor, it is fairly easy to reach thanks to the vertically aligned cameras, a benefit you may not have on the regular Galaxy A6.

Samsung Galaxy A6+ initial impressions: An interesting proposition

The Full HD+ (2220×1080 pixels) Super AMOLED Infinity display, meanwhile, is pretty good. The colors don’t look too vivid, but that’s probably because everyone here at SamMobile is used to having Samsung’s Super AMOLED displays on most of their phones, making it all look alike after a point. Like the Galaxy J6, the A6+ has the display customization options that we see on flagship Galaxies with Infinity displays, so you should be able to tune the viewing experience to your liking.

Now, about those cameras. While I can’t say how the dual camera on the back performs right now, I did take a couple of selfies and compare them with selfies taken on the Galaxy A8+. The 24-megapixel sensor seems to capture just a tad more detail than the 16 MP camera on the A8+, but the difference isn’t easy to notice unless you zoom in on pictures. Color reproduction seems to be better as well, and the A6+ also produces brighter selfies without notably increasing noise. I’m yet to take selfies in natural light, though, so you will need to wait for our review for a proper verdict on the cameras.

Samsung Galaxy A6+ initial impressions: An interesting proposition

One thing I didn’t like is that the A6+ comes with the camera interface from before the Galaxy S9. The Galaxy J6, for some reason, gets the newer UI. While the changes introduced in the camera app with the Galaxy S9 aren’t all for the better, it does result in software inconsistency that we thought Samsung had done away with. These devices launched around the same time, so there’s no reason one of them – the costlier one at that – should have to make do with older versions of some proprietary apps.

Our review is coming soon

There’s not much else I can say about the Galaxy A6+ at this point. On paper, it’s somewhat overpriced for what it offers. Missing features like fast charging and a USB Type-C port also make it clear Samsung’s aiming for the lower rung of the mid-range segment. It would be up to the high-resolution cameras, then, to make up for areas in which the A6+ is lacking. Whether that’s the case remains to be seen, so keep an eye out for our full review of the Galaxy A6+ in the coming weeks to see if it provides a real-life experience worthy of its price tag.

The post Samsung Galaxy A6+ initial impressions: An interesting proposition appeared first on SamMobile.

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Samsung wins lawsuit on updates against the Dutch Consumers’ Association

A summary lawsuit was filed by the Dutch Consumers’ Association back in 2016 demanding that Samsung provide regular software updates and ensure transparency in the update schedule. The issue was too complex or the legal process adopted then so no judgment was passed in the case. A more comprehensive lawsuit was filed by the association in November 2016 and the matter was taken up for hearing in the District Court of The Hague two months ago.

Samsung told us in a statement that it wasn’t worried about the lawsuit filed by the Dutch Consumers’ Association and that it was looking forward to the verdict of the proceedings on merits. Its confidence was well placed as Samsung has won the lawsuit on updates against the Dutch Consumers’ Association.

Samsung emerges victorious

The Dutch Consumers’ Association prayed to the court that Samsung be compelled to provide timely updates for a device four years after it’s launched or at least for two years from the date it’s purchased by a customer. The association had failed to demonstrate in earlier interlocutory proceedings that concrete security breaches existed in Android which had put Samsung users at risk because the company didn’t send out updates in a timely fashion. All of the association’s claims were previously rejected by the court.

The District Court of The Hague has ruled in Samsung’s favor today and said that it’s not possible to determine a reasonable deadline for releasing software updates. It acknowledged that software updates often go through multiple parties such as carriers and chip manufacturers which is what makes it difficult to determine a fixed time period.

Samsung also explained during the proceedings that it was not possible to put all smartphones through the update process regularly at the same time due to technical considerations and that it sets priorities on the basis of actual threat level instead.

Samsung is obviously happing with the ruling, saying that the verdict underlines that its approach to keeping its smartphones safe works. The Dutch Consumers’ Association isn’t happy about how this has turned out but hasn’t confirmed as yet if it plans on appealing the verdict.

The post Samsung wins lawsuit on updates against the Dutch Consumers’ Association appeared first on SamMobile.

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OnePlus 6's face unlock gets fooled by a photo

Ever since Apple did it, everyone jumped on the "Face Unlock" bandwagon. Except, unlike Apple, most just rely on the selfie camera and no additional hardware for a proper biometric authentication. And that just doesn't offer the same level of security. @rik demonstrated that a OnePlus 6 will happily unlock with just a photograph of a face. Even a black & white photo worked! The phone was trained on Rik's face. I printed my face to unlock my OnePlus 6 for the lulz... it worked ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ pic.twitter.com/rAVMq8JKBr— rik (@rikvduijn) May 29, 2018 Well, there's a reason that...

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LG V35 ThinQ quietly unveiled: a V30S with Snapdragon 845

The LG V35 ThinQ was just unveiled without much fanfare. It switches to the latest Snapdragon 845 chipset, but other than that it is largely identical to the LG V30S ThinQ, which itself was mostly identical to the original LG V30 save for the upgrade to 6 GB of RAM. The V35 keeps the 6" FullVision OLED display with HDR10 support. The camera department saw some improvements, mostly by borrowing the dual 16 MP camera from the LG G7 ThinQ (the V30 had a 16 MP + 13 MP setup). Same for the selfie camera, which moves up from 5 MP to 8 MP. The main camera also borrows the Super Bright Camera mode...

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Xiaomi Mi 8 launch markets announced, as new teaser video appears

Xiaomi is launching its anniversary flagship Mi 8 tomorrow and teasers and leaks keep flooding the internet. Two short clips, merged in a single video about the precise location capabilities of the phone appeared on YouTube. The new device will probably have even better navigation thanks to the rumored dual GPS receiver, because the overall topic of the short adverts is one is getting lost in directions, while the other is getting lost in translation, explaining where to go exactly. A promo poster with a window in the shape of the number 8 also arrived. Out of it, you can see the...

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Galaxy A9 Star certification pictures show off its accessories, Bixby button

Samsung may finally be putting the Bixby button on devices that aren’t flagships. The recently launched Galaxy S Light Luxury has one, and while it’s a Lite version of the Galaxy S8, it still does mark the first time Samsung has put a Bixby button on a non-flagship phone. And, as pictures of the Galaxy A9 Star published by Taiwan’s wireless certification authority (NCC) confirm, the Bixby key will be seen on yet another not-so-high-end Galaxy device. The pictures also give us a nice look at the phone from all sides, in addition to the charger, USB cable, and earphones that will accompany it in the retail box.

Galaxy A9 Star closes in on launch

Samsung seems to have chosen budget earphones for the Galaxy A9 Star instead of the high-quality ones that it used to sell with pre-Galaxy S8 flagships and its mainstream mid-range Galaxy A series phones. Maybe the inclusion of Dolby Atmos is why Samsung thinks the cheaper earphones should suffice, though it could just be a move to keep costs low. The charger is thankfully Fast Charge-enabled, so you get quick charging for that sizable 3,700 mAh battery inside. Last but not the least, there’s a USB Type-C port on this phone, unlike the Galaxy A6 and Galaxy A6+.

Of course, we are also getting to see that new iPhone-style dual camera placement at the back of the A9 Star once again. The phone’s display isn’t on in these pictures, but we have already seen the screen lit up in the hands-on video that leaked yesterday. Also, the A9 Star certified by the NCC has the model number SM-G885Y/DS. That suggests it could make its way to markets other than the ones where we exclusively revealed the device would launch. Not to mention a certification in Taiwan already hints at a wider launch than we currently know about.

In case you missed previous Galaxy A9 Star coverage, the device is expected to feature a Full HD+ 6.28-inch Super AMOLED Infinity display, 4GB for RAM, 64GB of internal storage, a 24-megapixel + 16-megapixel dual camera setup, a 16-megapixel front camera, and Android 8.0 Oreo. Release date and pricing details are unknown right now, but all the leaks suggest it will be unveiled sooner rather than later.

Take a look at all the Galaxy A9 Star pictures below, and tell us what you think of the device down in the comment section.

The post Galaxy A9 Star certification pictures show off its accessories, Bixby button appeared first on SamMobile.

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Samsung Galaxy S10 might have a piezoelectric speaker, like the Mi Mix

Samsung is reportedly working on its own under the display speaker technology, called Sound on Display. This is the tech Xiaomi used in the original Mi Mix and it uses piezoelectric vibrations to emit sound through the screen to your ear. Maybe Samsung is working towards having an all-screen front on the Galaxy S10? However that speaker proved inferior to its conventional competition and Xiaomi dropped it for a regular speaker. Samsung is a huge company - it wouldn't be surprising if this is just another technology it's researching and later drops. We'll see. Source

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Check out the official Nokia promo videos

HMD Global unveiled three new devices, upgrading its entry-level and mid-range portfolio. The Nokia 2.1 is the company's first phone with Android Oreo Go Edition, the Nokia 3.1 comes as a follow-up of the most successful HMD smartphone in 2017, while the Nokia 5.1 delivers some premium features on the cheap. The devices are priced between €99 and €189 and should be arriving in the following month or two. And now we have a few videos of the trio to kill some time while we wait. Nokia 2.1 is aimed at developing markets with its trimmed Go Android. Since the apps do not waste memory, the...

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Samsung Galaxy A9 Star photographed by Taiwan's wireless authority

If the credibility of Samsung Galaxy A9 Star leaks was under question, here are some photos from the Taiwanese wireless authority NCC. Unlike its US counterpart, it publishes a lot of photos of the device. Unlike TENAA, it doesn't give away much in terms of specs. Samsung Galaxy A9 Star (photos by NCC) Still, a photo is worth a thousand words, right? We can see the Infinity Display on the front (6.28" Super AMOLED with 1080p+ resolution, according to rumors). And we can see the dual cameras on the back. Samsung Galaxy A9 Star (photos by NCC) Plus, there's a USB-C...

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OnePlus makes own blind camera test, OP6 wins one of four categories

The beginning of this month, OnePlus organized a blind camera test on its own website to promote the OnePlus 6's improved camera capabilities. They've put the new OnePlus against the top flagships of 2018 - the iPhone X, Samsung Galaxy S9 (strangely not the S9+) and Google's Pixel 2/Pixel 2 XL. The blind test included a series of photos in various conditions. According to OnePlus, these scenes are the most common ones an average user would snap. We've got a low-light portrait, outdoor portrait, low-light scenery and daylight architecture. The OnePlus 6 comes out on top in only one of...

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Motorola One Power pictured with slim bezels and a notch

Motorola might be about to add a new line to its portfolio as a photo of handset called One Power just leaked. It has no specs or any supporting info to go with it, but it does give a pretty good idea about the design. The One Power will be the first Motorola phone to feature a notch on its screen and it will have pretty skinny bezels. As the name suggests, the device will also be powered by the Android One platform, following in the footsteps of the Moto X4. Another thing the One Power will share with the X4 is a debut to the US, or at least that's what the source says. As far...

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Qualcomm announced its first AR and VR-centric chip but not for smartphones

Even though Qualcomm chips have been widely used for VR and AR devices over the past couple of years, none of its hardware is exclusively designed for augmented and virtual reality headsets. With their latest XR1 chipset, the company is looking to diversify and explore an opportunity in the niche. But the XR1 chip itself isn't as impressive as it might sound. In fact, the company says that the XR1 chip aims to deliver good AR and VR experience to low-cost devices while the Snapdragon 845 is still the best possible choice for VR and AR. The XR1 is still capable of driving 4K displays...

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Xiaomi Mi 8, Mi 8 SE and Mi Band 3 appear in the latest renders and photos

Xiaomi's latest devices just cannot keep still and keep leaking ahead of their official launch tomorrow. We just got a clearer view of the Mi 8, Mi 8 SE and the Mi Band 3 and we got to learn a few new specs. The render shows the Mi 8 and Mi 8 SE next to each other, confirming the existence of the latter and the front design of both phones. Remember, though, the notch of the Mi 8 SE won't be supporting the 3D face of the standard Mi 8. Still, we remain impressed by the screen-to-body ratio of the Mi 8 SE will offer - just as great as its bigger sibling's. Thanks to the leaked poster,...

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Samsung shows off its latest flexible and rollable OLED displays

Samsung is showcasing its OLED technological dominance at the SID DisplayWeek by showing off its latest flexible and rollable OLED displays. A big part of the company’s booth at the trade event is dedicated to its automotive OLED technologies which feature a variety of flexible and rollable OLED displays. The products on display include flexible, transparent, rollable and a lightfield display.

A new range of flexible and rollable OLED displays

Perhaps the most impressive installation at Samsung’s booth was its 14-inch 960×540 rollable OLED panel that has a bending radius of 10R. The impression Samsung seems to be giving off here is that it’s mulling commercializing rollable OLED displays in the not too distant future.

The company also demonstrated its 4.94-inch 360×112 transparent AMOLED panel with a transparency of 44 percent and a 7-inch 1280×800 lightfield display with support for 18 view points through Samsung Display’s binocular disparity vergence motion parallax technology.

For potential automotive customers, Samsung is showcasing its “unbreakable” 6.22-inch 1440×2960 display with an all-plastic design that promises additional durability for an automotive environment.

Samsung also revealed an OLED display that doubles as a speaker for the first time. The technology is similar to LG’s crystal-sound OLEDs. Samsung calls the 6.22-inch 1440×2960 panel its “Sound on display” prototype which was configured as a telephony receiver. That wasn’t the only unorthodox product Samsung Display has at its booth. There’s also one with a force sensor that can work underwater and Samsung is calling it the “Aqua-force” OLED panel. The prototype was a 5.77-inch 1440×2960 panel that can work underwater.

We’ve already reported that Samsung showcased a new 1200 ppi AMOLED display for virtual reality yesterday. It lines up with recent reports that Samsung may be working on a standalone Gear VR headset.



The post Samsung shows off its latest flexible and rollable OLED displays appeared first on SamMobile.

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Hello, my name is Kiran Neupane

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