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Some Huawei Mate 10 Pro units start receiving Android Pie

Huawei teased the new EMUI 9.0 last month, and we expected the user interface, based on Android Pie, to arrive with the Huawei Mate 20 in two weeks. Looks like the company can't wait anymore and is already pushing the update to some Huawei Mate 10 Pro units with a stable version of Oreo and model numbers BLA-L09 and BLA-L29 which are sold mostly in Europe. According to our source, EMUI 9.0 brings new gesture setup for multi-task switching between apps and a new improved 2.0 version of GPU Turbo. Since Android Pie promotes digital health and wellbeing with a new feature, available in...

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AT&T launches the Galaxy A6 (2018) in the US

Samsung launched the Galaxy A6 about five months ago. The company said back then that it would release this handset in select markets across Asia, Europe and Latin America. A North America release was not mentioned at that point in time. Subsequent reports suggested that a US launch was possible for this handset.

The reports had also mentioned that AT&T could be the carrier partner for this device in the country. That’s precisely what has happened as the country’s second largest mobile carrier has now launched the Galaxy A6 (2018) in the United States.

Galaxy A6 (2018) in the US

It was first reported about four months ago that the Galaxy A6 is headed Stateside and that it would be released by AT&T with the model number SM-A600A. The carrier has now listed this device as being available for purchase. AT&T will deliver it to customers in a couple of days. It’s also possible to pick up the device at AT&T retail stores across the country.

The Galaxy A6 is a proper mid-range device complete with a sleek design. It has a 5.6-inch 720×1480 pixel resolution 18.5:9 aspect ratio flat Infinity Display, a 1.6GHz quadcore processor, 3GB of RAM and 32GB of storage. It supports microSD cards of up to 256GB. There’s a fingerprint sensor at the back in addition to the 16-megapixel camera with f/1.7 aperture. A 16-megapixel camera is present upfront with f/1.9 aperture and an adjustable LED flash.

Interested customers can purchase the Galaxy A6 (2018) from AT&T in the United States for $419.99 at full retail. Customers will also have the option to split the cost over a 30 month installment agreement and pay $14 per month for the device.

The post AT&T launches the Galaxy A6 (2018) in the US appeared first on SamMobile.

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Galaxy P30 pictures show no in-display fingerprint sensor

Some Galaxy P30 pictures have surfaced online and they don’t show the rumored in-display fingerprint sensor. Samsung is expected to release a separate handset this year with a display-based fingerprint sensor. Recent reports have suggested that this device will get an optical fingerprint sensor. That’s because Samsung is saving the more advanced ultrasonic sensor for the Galaxy S10 that’s due next year.

The Galaxy P30 was thus expected to be that device. Multiple rumors had claimed that this device, bearing model number SM-G6200, will be Samsung’s first smartphone with an in-display fingerprint sensor.

Galaxy P30 pictures

The Galaxy P30 pictures have now surfaced from China where the device has been submitted to TENAA for certification. It’s the Chinese certification body that has to approve devices before they can be sold in the country.

The TENAA listing includes images of the SM-G6200 which clearly show a rear fingerprint sensor alongside the dual camera system. This puts to rest the rumors of the Galaxy P30 being Samsung’s first smartphone with an in-display fingerprint sensor. We had reported on this possibility a few days back as well.

The 5.9-inch display doesn’t appear to have a notch. There’s no word as yet on the specs of this device but it would most likely be a bonafide mid-ranger. The listing does mention a 3,300mAh battery which isn’t really anything to write home about.

There’s a possibility that the SM-G6200 may not be launched as the Galaxy P30 and the rumors about this moniker have been wrong all along. It’s also possible that there could be two variants of this device and one may have the in-display fingerprint sensor.

Samsung is yet to confirm when it’s going to launch this device. It’s possible that it may first be made available in China only before being released in other markets across the globe.


The post Galaxy P30 pictures show no in-display fingerprint sensor appeared first on SamMobile.

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Sunday debate: Are phones getting too big?

Ro: Smartphones are getting out of hand. Literally. It almost feels like makers these days are shoving the new trends down our throats these days. First, it was the headphone jack. Apple started it and users rioted. That didn't stop the rest of the OEMs from following suit without giving any real excuse. Then it was the notch. Once again Apple started it, people hated it, but Android manufacturers were fast to jump on the bandwagon. The same goes for the custom launchers and the compact flagships - the results from our polls speak for themselves. All of these aren't...

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Week 39 in review: Realme 2 Pro and Xiaomi Redmi Note 6 Pro debut

A couple of phones debuted this week, but you don't have to look further than our top 10 trending chart to know which one was more interesting - the Realme 2 Pro debut is easily the event of week 39. Meanwhile Xiaomi unveiled the Redmi Note 6 Pro, which is hardly a great improvement over its predecessor. It does bring the notch trend to the Xiaomi Note lineup, so it has that going for it, we guess. Meanwhile as an announcement-filled October is on our doorstep we are getting all sorts of teasers and leaks. OnePlus 6T, Google Pixel 3 and 3 XL as well as Nokia 7.1 all made headlines. We...

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Top 10 trending phones of week 39

These are turbulent times in our top 10 trending chart as we see our fourth leader in as many weeks - the newly announced Realme 2 immediately shooting to the top. Funnily enough the leaders of the past three weeks complete the top four. The Galaxy A7 (2018) steps down to second, ahead of the Xiaomi Pocophone F1. The iPhone XS Max, in fourth, is the only remaining Apple smartphone in the top 10 after the company got a clean sweep of the podium just two weeks ago. The yet to be announced Huawei Mate 20 Pro is already capturing your interest and you made it the fifth most popular...

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Counterclockwise: Huawei bets on Android early and grows big quickly

Huawei is currently the largest manufacturer of telecommunications equipment, but it is a very young company - it was only founded in 1987. And it didn't start making phones until 2003, but it already has ambitions to be the largest smartphone maker in the world, just like in conquered the networking hardware field. The first phone to come out of Huawei's handset division was the C300 in 2004. It was a simple feature phone for CDMA networks. Then came the U626, the company's first 3G-enabled phone (the history of China's mobile networks is quite interesting, but here's not the...

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Weekly poll: Realme 2 Pro, love it or hate it?

Realme is going in for the kill - the 2 Pro targets Xiaomi, Huawei, OnePlus and even Oppo's own phones with what could be described as great specs at an insanely low price. It starts at INR 14,000 ($192/€165) for the 4/64GB model. That buys you a capable Snapdragon 660, 6.3" 1080p+ screen with teardrop notch, a 16+2MP dual rear camera and 16MP selfie cam. The 3,500mAh battery sounds good too. Let's compare that to the Xiaomi Redmi Note 6 Pro. The screen is similar (though with a chunkier notch), the chipset is the lower-end S636, the camera story is better (larger pixels on the rear...

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LG TONE Platinum SE review

Introduction Headsets and audio equipment reviews are hardly a daily occurrence here at GSMArena, but most of us have deep personal interest in the area. That's why the TONE Platinum SE caused quite a lot of excitement here at HQ and I was nominated to share some of that with it. Heads-up this is going to be more of a personal experience review than a benchmark-filled test. First things first, then. We have used and even reviewed LG Tone headsets in the past, like the LG Tone Infinim HBS-900 and the HSB-730 Tone+. And the basic design concept and form factor are pretty much...

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Weekly poll results: Galaxy A7 (2018) and its triple camera get the thumbs up

It seems that Samsung has brought in a winning mid-fielder - the Galaxy A7 (2018) got a 74% approval rating. This is a phone built around its Infinity Display and triple camera and the early response to them is a positive one. As expected, some people wished for more features - a tele camera and a faster chipset were the most commonly requested. We suspect those will be present on the Galaxy S10 instead, so there won't be any in fighting in Samsung's lineup. Plus, this A7 is a €350 phone, so it can get away with those. Samsung Galaxy A7 (2018) One warranted criticism was...

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Never mind the ugly notch, the Pixel 3 XL is going to be a big deal

In less than three weeks, on October 9, Google will unveil the Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL to the world. I've marked that day on my calendar and I can't wait. Here's why I think the Pixel 3 XL, in particular, will be a big deal (and likely my next phone). Before we start, a few introductory words. I'm an avid Google Pixel fan and former Pixel 2 XL owner. I like the camera, the software experience, the feel and the stereo speakers (in that order) of the Pixel phones. And I've always found they have that special X factor that most other phones lack. The Google Pixel 3 XL will almost certainly...

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Best Buy accidentally sold a 3rd generation Chromecast to a customer

We all know Reddit is a source of pretty strange stuff. This one we came across isn't exactly strange, but it's a rare one indeed. A customer walked into Best Buy with the intention of buying a second-gen Chromecast but walked out with a still unreleased third generation. The OP (original poster) as redditors like to call it, clarifies that Best Buy must have put out the new device by mistake. When the cashier tried to scan the item, the Chromecast didn't appear in the database, but since the customer already had it in his hand and the price was identical to the second generation...

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Some iPhone XS and XS Max units refuse to charge until woken up

With iPhone XS and XS Max units making their way to more and more people, an unpleasant charging issue has come to light(ning?). Numerous users have reported on the Apple discussion boards that their phones wouldn't automatically start charging when the Lightning cable is connected - in some cases a tap on the screen was needed to wake up the phone and start charging, others required an unplug-and-plug-back-in type of procedure. Y U no charge? We did try ourselves with the units we have at the office, but for better or worse ours charge just fine, both with the bundled charger and...

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Oppo is launching a new series of smartphones and we think we know how it looks

Remember the three Oppo devices that got certified two weeks ago? Well, according to the latest report, they could be part of a whole new lineup and have nothing to do with the Oppo R17 as previously thought. A teaser poster has popped up on Oppo's official website inviting us to join the unveiling of a new lineup of smartphones on October 10. Looking at the poster, we can't stop thinking of an in-display fingerprint and a full-screen notch-less design. The shape of the handset appears to be quite similar to the Oppo smartphone listed on TENAA. The PBCM30, PBCM10 and PBCT10...

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Samsung Galaxy P30 gets certified at TENAA

The supposedly China-only smartphone from Samsung just got certified by TENAA and we finally get to see what it looks like. However, the listing is still incomplete so we will have to wait a little bit longer for the full specs to be revealed and for now, we only have some tiny bits and the photos to work with. The listing shows a 5.99-inch device with an LCD panel and a 3,300mAh battery powering it all. The photos also reveal the rear-mounted fingerprint reader, the notch-less screen and a dual camera setup on the back. Apparently, this is not the phone that was previously thought to...

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Still no Pie in the Android distribution chart

There's a huge segmentation in the Android OS versions distribution and updates never come soon enough - there's little to dabate here. Every now and then, however, a new distribution chart comes out so we can muse on the trends and numbers. The latest edition puts Oreo at just under 1/5 of the market (19.2% total between v8.0 and 8.1), a 4.6 percentage points increase from the last time we checked. Nougat's piece of the pie is still the largest, but there's a slight drop (29.3% vs. 30.8%) so a bit of the Oreo gains have probably come from updates, not just new releases. Speaking of...

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Alleged Nokia 7.1 Plus visits TENAA for certification

Finally some solid info on how the upcoming Nokia 7.1 Plus would look like as well as some juicy details about the specs. This one comes from TENAA and confirms the back design we saw a few days ago. It's hard to tell whether the handset has a notch or not from the TENAA photos so yesterday's mystery remains largely unsolved. Then again, according to the specs sheet, the Nokia X7 (7.1 Plus) comes with a 6.1-inch panel featuring 1080 x 2246 pixels resolution hinting at a wide notch on the top of the display. Further down, the table reads an octa-core CPU clocked at 2.2 GHz, which...

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New iPhone XS Max ad doubles down on its size

Apple has released a new video ad today, and this one's all about the iPhone XS Max. The biggest iPhone ever made is already outselling its smaller sibling, so it looks like people do prefer larger handsets. And Apple isn't at all apologetic about how big the iPhone XS Max is. In fact, this ad is all about the company unashamedly pushing the phone's size, doubling down on this trait that may not be to everyone's liking. Then again, people who do love big phones will probably enjoy the iPhone XS Max very much. It helps that it has the best display on any smartphone ever (at least...

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Google opens its own repair center in the US for mail-in service

Google doesn't have physical locations to perform service on its devices like Apple has Apple Stores all over the US. Google's warranty service website has recently been updated with referenced to an in-house Repair Center where Google will officially be performing repairs. After all, Google should be taking care of its own MadeByGoogle hardware. Mail-in repairs could take anywhere from 7-10 business days after shipping your device to the Repair Center. Currently, the Pixel, Pixel XL, Pixel 2, or Pixel 2 XL are all supported. If you have a Pixel Book, you'll have to take it into a...

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Apple releases watchOS 5.0.1 with bug fixes

Apple has issued a new update to watchOS shortly after the major 5.0 release last week. Version 5.0.1 is a bug fix release and fixes some of the minor issues in 5.0. Of the three mentioned fixes, two relate to fitness tracking. The third issue has to do with charging. These problems may not be affecting everyone (we didn't notice anything) but if you did then you'd be glad to know they are fixed. At 37.3MB, it's a quick download although as usual, the watch will take its own sweet time installing it and will require you place it on the charger.

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Facebook security breach affects 50 million accounts

Today Facebook has announced that earlier this week it discovered a security issue that affected almost 50 million accounts. This was tied to a vulnerability in the code that impacted "View As", a feature that lets people see what their own profile looks like to someone else. Attackers exploited that vulnerability, and that allowed them to steal Facebook access tokens which they could use to take over people's accounts - 50 million of them. Access tokens are the equivalent of digital keys that keep people logged into the social network so they don't need to re-enter their password every...

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The redesigned Wear OS 2.1 by Google is finally rolling out to smartwatches today

It's been a month since Google announced the newest redesign of Wear OS (previously known as Android Wear). And today Wear OS 2.1 is finally starting to roll out to a smartwatch near you. It's currently being pushed to all compatible wearables. If you're wondering what those are, the list is huge - any device that was released after the announcement of Android Wear 2.0, and even those that got updated to Android Wear 2.0. It's easier to list the wearables that won't be getting the new update, and those are the LG G Watch, Samsung Gear Live, Moto 360 (1st gen), Sony Smartwatch 3, and the...

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Non-plus Nokia 7.1 colors and price revealed

A renown tipster on Twitter just offered a plausible explanation about the confusion surrounding the upcoming Nokia 7.1 Plus smartphone. A tweet from Roland Quandt popped up that can be interpreted in two ways - that the phone is going to be launched as the Nokia 7.1 without the Plus version or that there are actually going to be two smartphones coming to the 7-series. Nokia 7.1 (4/64GB) Blue or Steel, 399 Euro. No Plus in that name.— Roland Quandt (@rquandt) September 28, 2018 Given the contradicting rumors about the Nokia 7.1 Plus' front panel lately, our bet is on the second one....

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Huawei quietly launches MediaPad M5 lite tablet with four speakers, 10.1-inch display

Without any fuss, Huawei added a mid-range tablet on its website - the MediaPad M5 lite. It boasts an aluminum unibody and a quartet of speakers. The MediaPad M5 lite is built around a 10.1-inch 16:10 display with 1920 x 1200 pixel resolution and it's driven by a rather outdated Kirin 659 SoC. The memory variants are two - 3GB + 32GB and 4GB + 64GB. The iconic feature, however, appears to be the quad Harman/Kardon-tuned loudspeakers that work with Huawei's Histen 5.0 sound system to mimic 3D surround sound. An ample 7,500 mAh battery ensures long multimedia and gaming sessions,...

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Samsung’s new Odyssey+ WMR headset receives 3C certification

Microsoft added a Mixed Reality platform to the Windows 10 as part of the Fall Creators Update released in October last year. Responding to Microsoft’s mainstream push into AR and VR, many PC OEMs launched Windows Mixed Reality (WMR) headsets towards the end of last year. Samsung also joined the party with its Odyssey headset and motion controllers.

Though not a major PC maker, Samsung’s WMR headset was the best of the available lot last year and received praise from many reviewers. Unfortunately, the Windows Mixed Reality platform hasn’t really taken off and all the MR headsets, including Samsung’s Odyssey, remained mostly a niche offering in the market. Nevertheless, Samsung seems to be interested in giving the platform another try by launching a successor to the last year’s Odyssey headset.

Samsung Odyssey+ inches closer to launch

The new model was first spotted last month on the FCC website, where the Odyssey+ name and specifications were revealed. The same headset has now received 3C certification (Chinese approval) as well, indicating an imminent launch. It carries the model number XE800ZBA, which lines up as a successor to the last year’s XE800ZAA model.

The 3C certification doesn’t reveal any other significant information about the headset, but that shouldn’t be an issue as the FCC filing disclosed almost everything about the new device. The FCC documents showed that the Odyssey+ would be mostly similar to the previous version, barring few minor design changes to make it more comfortable to wear. The only significant change in the spec sheet seems to be the mentioning of AMOLED+SFS as the display type.

We don’t know when Samsung is planning to launch the new WMR headset, but it would be a safe bet to say the company will probably target the holiday quarter. Microsoft has an event scheduled for October 2 where the company might offer some information about its latest Windows Mixed Reality efforts and new partner devices.

The post Samsung’s new Odyssey+ WMR headset receives 3C certification appeared first on SamMobile.

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OnePlus 6T teases the in-display fingerprint reader

The OnePlus twitter account has been focused on the 6 until now, but the first teaser tweet for the OnePlus 6T just came out. It features the hexagonal "T" logo of the upgraded model and almost certainly hints at the in-display fingerprint reader (which was already officially confirmed). You can see "Unlock The Future" flash quickly, almost as a subliminal message. This isn't the first teaser, an ad even showed a glimpse of the phone. OnePlus 6T. It's coming. pic.twitter.com/Wrdt9sCdIs— OnePlus (@oneplus) September 28, 2018 The reply tweets below the teaser are about what you...

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Samsung announces the Galaxy Watch Golf Edition

Samsung just announced a new version of its recently released Galaxy Watch called Galaxy Watch Golf Edition. As you've probably guessed by its name, it's directly aimed at golf fans. Galaxy Watch Golf Edition The Galaxy Watch Golf Edition is a follow-up to last year's Gear S3 Golf Edition and is only available in South Korea initially. The watch itself is essentially the same as the vanilla Galaxy Watch plus the smart Caddie app that makes navigating through golf courses a lot easier. Additionally, the app can do record and shot tracking so you can track your progress. The...

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New Huawei Mate 20 teasers focus on the Kirin 980 chipset

"A higher Intelligence is coming." No, this isn't a sci-fi movie, it's the tagline of the latest Huawei Mate 20 Pro teaser. It extols the performance of the Kirin 980 chipset (like this teaser) and LTE speed (world's first to support Cat. 21). The second new teaser is... bizarre. Even more bizarre than the piano and typewriter one. We'd say it's something about Qmoji, but the text at the end reads "master the past and control the future". As the October 16 event draws near, we guess we will see more teasers that focus on the camera. The Kirin 980 is cool and all, but Huawei P20...

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Nokia 7 plus now receiving Android Pie

Last month HMD Global executives promised Nokia 7 plus would be the first smartphone in the company portfolio to receive Android Pie by the end of September. After a false start on Wednesday, today the update has finally begun its rollout. Android Pie arrives "fresh out of the oven" with "a plate of new features", including Do Not Disturb Mode and Digital Wellbeing Dashboard. The Nokia 7 plus will also have Adaptive Battery, Adaptive Brightness and the new navigation button/tic-tac settings. The package is over 1400 MB in size and should be hitting Nokia 7 plus phones all over the...

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Samsung Galaxy Note9's update improves camera quality

Since its launch, the Galaxy Note9 already received two updates - the most recent one addressed the Bixby button and the first one delivered extra control over the Super Slow-mo video mode. Now a third one is being seeded and it's the most significant one yet as it promises to improve the camera experience substantially. Users in Germany have spotted the OTA update that has build number N960FXXU2ARI9 and weighs in at 302MB. The changelog is all about the camera improvements - ironed out HDR issues where some parts of the image were underexposed and also changes to the low-light...

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The iPhone XS sets the benchmark for drop survivability

Apple claims that the iPhone XS and XS Max have the "most durable glass ever in a smartphone". The filling in the metal and glass sandwich is "surgical-grade stainless steel". Those are some lofty claims, but can the real life hardware back them up? While there are no definitive answers, dropping the XS seven times onto asphalt should give a good indication. Especially when the last several drops are from head height. We won't spoil the results, but here are the stakes. If the front breaks, it's $280 to replace it. If it's the back, then you're staring down a $550 repair bill. Seen...

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

We just concluded this week’s YouTube live stream. These live streams give us a great opportunity to interact with you, our loyal readers, live and discuss all of the latest Samsung-related news.

We had a full agenda in this live stream as well. The new Galaxy A7 was the star of the show. It’s Samsung’s first smartphone with three rear cameras and we had it with us in the live stream. We also talked about Samsung’s bold new marketing stunt involving a community in the Netherlands that’s called Apple.

Other Samsung news that was discussed included the possibility of the Galaxy J series being discontinued, the big camera update released today for the Galaxy Note 9 and the free Samsung smartphone covers that our premium members can claim. General discussion on the state of Android was on the agenda as well.

The live stream is embedded below so do check it out. Don’t forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel as well for more videos.

The post Recap: What we discussed in our YouTube live stream this week appeared first on SamMobile.

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LG Watch W7 with Android Wear may launch alongside the LG V40 ThinQ

The LG V40 ThinQ event on October 3 may also bring a new Android Wear smartwatch - tentatively called the LG Watch W7. That's the same watch we heard about way back in April. Things move slowly in the world of Android Wear. That watch promised a 1.2" 360x360px screen, similar to the LG Watch Style (though perhaps an LCD instead of P-OLED). And it will use the same old Snapdragon Wear 2100, at least that's what the old rumor said. Qualcomm has since unveiled the Wear 3100 and Wear 2500, so there might have been an upgrade along the way. LG Watch Style • LG Watch Sport Those old...

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Samsung gave the Galaxy S9 for free to an Apple community

Apple is Samsung’s main competitor in the premium smartphone segment. The Cupertino company, however, enjoys a much loyal fanbase when compared to Samsung, or for that matter any other brand on the planet. This makes Samsung go to great extent to convince Apple fans users to switch to its products through various marketing campaigns.

The Korean company has often mocked devoted Apple fans with its ads, but the company has taken a slightly different approach for its new marketing campaign in the Netherlands. A team from Samsung went to a village named Appel, which literally means Apple (the fruit) in Dutch, in the Gelderland province and handed over free Galaxy S9 smartphones to 50 of the village’s 312 inhabitants.

Galaxy S9 takes over Appel

Samsung took help from an 18-year old Apple fan in the village named Manouk to carry out the campaign. You can watch the video below to see how people reacted after receiving a brand-new Galaxy S9.

“With our innovative products and services, we have been off the beaten track for years to make everyday life more fun and easy. With this marketing campaign we do exactly the same. We are off the beaten track to get our message across. Our goal is to introduce as many people as possible to the possibilities of the Samsung Galaxy S9,” said (translated) Gerben van Walt Meijer, Marketing Manager, Samsung Mobiles, Netherland.

It’s a bold marketing stunt that Samsung has employed, seizing on the similarity between the names of this village and its biggest rival. It has helped the company get the message across about the Galaxy S9 which it would rather have customers buying over the new iPhones.

The post Samsung gave the Galaxy S9 for free to an Apple community appeared first on SamMobile.

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SwiftKey for Android is getting two-way translation

SwiftKey has become a powerful Android keyboard alternative, offering a plethora of cool features. And it might be getting even better as the developers announced a real-time built-in translator is coming with one of the following updates. The keyboard will rely on Microsoft's Translator - hardly a surprise since the latter acquired SwiftKey at the beginning of this year. The good news is that you can still use the feature online as long as you have Microsoft Translator installed. According to the announcement, the keyboard will be able to work with 60 different languages, but it...

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Galaxy Note 9 camera improvements arrive in new update

Samsung is rolling out a new firmware update which brings improvements for the Galaxy Note 9 camera. The handset has one of the best cameras you can find on a flagship smartphone today but there’s always room for improvement on the software front. Those who found the camera software a bit lacking in terms of further enhancing the imaging experience will be happy with this update.

The company has started rolling out this update in Germany. It’s obviously going to take a while before this firmware update for the Galaxy Note 9 becomes available in other markets across the globe.

Galaxy Note 9 camera improvements

The company has focused on software features to enhance the Galaxy Note 9’s imaging chops from the get-go. The Galaxy Note 9 is Samsung’s first smartphone with Scene Optimizer. This artificial intelligence-based feature can study the subject and scene before matching them to 20 presents automatically. The presets include landscapes, food, portrait, animals and more. Flaw Detection is another feature that informs users with a pop-up notification if they take a blurry photo or if someone in the photo blinked.

Samsung is rolling out firmware version N960FXXU2ARI9 for the Galaxy Note 9. The update weighs in at around 302MB. The changelog mentions that the camera picture quality has been improved with this update. It also improves the brightness of faces in backlit conditions. Day/Night HDR control accuracy, low light brightness and SNR or Signal Noise Ratio has been improved too.

This firmware update for the Galaxy Note 9 is now rolling out over-the-air. It brings substantial improvements for the camera which device owners will certainly appreciate. It’s good to see that Samsung is working diligently to ensure that its camera remains competitive. That too in a market which has no shortage of handsets with powerful camera hardware and software.

Galaxy Note 9 camera

The post Galaxy Note 9 camera improvements arrive in new update appeared first on SamMobile.

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Xiaomi Mi Mix 3 to have dedicated Xiao AI button

Xiaomi Mi Mix 3 is poised to be a part of the next wave of slider smartphones, right along with the Honor Magic 2 and the Lenovo Z5 Pro. Now a new leak adds a previously unknown detail about it - an AI-dedicated button on the side. The service will be called Xiao AI and will also arrive on the Xiaomi LEX, whatever that is. Having a dedicated key for the AI assistant is not a first - LG has one for the Google Assistant and Samsung does it for Bixby, while Google and HTC have squeeze gestures. Xiao AI (also seen as Xiaoai) came preloaded on the Mi Mix 2S and is widely...

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Galaxy Watch Golf Edition launched with Smart Caddie app

Samsung today announced the launch of the Galaxy Watch Golf Edition. This variant of its new smartwatch comes with the Smart Caddie app. If you have ever played golf you know just how important a caddy is on the course. They know the geographical features well and are a good resource on courses that you’re not familiar with.

There are plenty of watches available on the market that are geared towards golfers. Samsung is joining the list with the Galaxy Watch Golf Edition. The only difference between this variant and the regular Galaxy Watch are the software features otherwise it’s the same smartwatch.

Galaxy Watch Golf Edition

This isn’t the first time that Samsung is launching a variant of its smartwatch for golfers. The company also launched the Gear S3 Golf Edition last year. It also had the Smart Caddie app which has information about 60,000 golf courses across the globe.

The app is present on the Galaxy Watch Golf Edition as well. Developed in collaboration with Golfzon Deca, it offers other features such as Shot Tracking and record keeping. It’s even possible to get information on the height of the green from the app.

Since the Galaxy Watch has a bigger battery than its predecessor, its battery life is good enough for three rounds of golf, or 54 holes. The Galaxy Watch Golf Edition is now available in South Korea. The 46mm and 42mm models are priced at 409,700 won (US$367) and 389,900 won ($351) respectively. No word as yet on when it will be available outside South Korea.

Galaxy Watch Golf Edition

The post Galaxy Watch Golf Edition launched with Smart Caddie app appeared first on SamMobile.

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Razer Phone 2 press image reveals design identical to the original

The Razer Phone 2 just appeared in another press image further confirming that the design will remain largely unchanged. We saw a frontal shot of the handset a few weeks back showing off identical appearance to the original Razer Phone. Enough politics for today. pic.twitter.com/5nUc3xdden— Evan Blass (@evleaks) September 28, 2018 Of course, we weren't sure if the render was legit at first but this new image confirms its accuracy. The first thing we've noticed is the new dual camera alignment as of now, the LED flash is in the middle and so is the whole setup. We can't tell if the...

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Apple iPhone XR finally authorized by FCC

When Apple announced the budget variant of its new smartphone series, the iPhone XR, the device appeared on the company website with a disclaimer at the end of the page, saying the device might not be available for sale, per FCC rules. Not anymore. The phone with model number BCG-E3220A was approved by FCC just in time for the pre-orders that will begin in three weeks with actual shipments to start on October 26. Being approved by FCC was never really an issue with Apple. The company usually waits to the last available moment to certify its devices to prevent leaks. In this...

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Nokia officially unlocks Nokia 8 bootloader for developers

As a smartphone enthusiast, there aren't too many reasons to unlock a bootloader anymore. In the past, people used to unlock the phone's firmware so they could flash software that had more to offer than factory ROMs. In many cases they were quicker, leaner, and offered more functionality and customization than bloatware-laden carrier firmware of the time. Those days are long gone as all Android phones nowadays are well-optimized, have plenty of customization, and offer most features we need in a device. However, for those who would like to develop custom firmware or apps on Nokia...

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Red promises free aluminum Hydrogen One for those who ordered titanium version over a year ago

Red opened pre-orders for a smartphone built by the high-end camera manufacturer over a year ago and those who plopped down $1,600 for the highest-tier Titanium version have been patiently waiting for the phone to be shipped. Red was supposed to begin shipping Titanium devices to backers on October 9 but an update from the Red's founder, James Jannard, has posted an update on Red's forums titled "The post I don't want to make". Jannard starts by saying that the first batch of Titanium units "is a disaster" and continues to explain that the suppliers and vendors were so sure that they...

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Facebook Messenger's new UI has started rolling out to a few users

Back in May, Facebook announced that it was going to simplify the interface on its Messenger app to fewer tabs so you can simply stay connected. This redesign included a new streamlined interface, a proper dark mode, and remove some of the shortcuts and features that people don't use. Earlier today, Android Police reported of a reader who sent in screenshots of the update installed on their mobile. According to this reader, the update came as a server-side change since their Messenger app had not been updated via the Play Store prior to noticing the change. Source:...

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Google Pixel 3 XL shown in full hands-on video, reportedly has improved haptic feedback

The Google Pixel 3 XL has already leaked in many ways over the past month or so in various renders and hands-on photos ever since someone got their hands on a few and began selling them illegitimately. One of those devices is on the loose and made it all the way to Russia where YouTuber Rozetked uploaded a full high-res hands-on video explaining a couple of the differences and improvements that the 3 XL has over the Pixel 2 XL. Of course, we've already known what the darn thing looks like for a while now. However, Rozetked's video briefly compares the Pixel 3 XL next to the Pixel 2...

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Caviar decks the iPhone XS Max in diamonds, carbon, titanium and gold

If you're familiar with Caviar then you know it was only a matter of time before it applied its Midas touch to the Apple iPhone XS Max and transformed it into a ostentatious luxury device. With its new Maximum line the Russian company has decked out the new 512GB iPhone XS Max in carbon, titanium, diamonds, pure gold and a special edition with a 150g gold panel. There's the Maximum Invincible, which mates the XS Max to a 1mm plate of hardened titanium. It makes the iPhone XS Max into more of an armor than a phone, capable of stopping a bullet (though hopefully you wouldn't need it...

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Geekbench listing shows the LG V40 ThinQ with Android 8.1 Oreo

If you are looking to launch a flagship towards the end of the year, the Android community would expect the latest OS to be running the show. However, it appears that LG didn't get the memo so the V40 ThinQ will run Android 8.1 Oreo out of the box instead of 9.0 Pie. The Geekbench score sheet confirms the rumored Snapdragon 845 chipset and the 6GB of RAM but surprises with an older version of Android. Of course, there's a chance that the benchmarked handset is a pre-production unit so things may change until it's released but given the date (September 26) of the run our bet is on 8.1...

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Apple Watch Series 4's ECG could potentially take years to approve in other countries

Undoubtedly, the coolest feature of the new Apple Watch Series 4 is its ECG monitor. However, the function will be available only for US customers later this year and maybe Canada in the future. But what about the rest of the world? It's pretty disappointing to own such high-end and expensive piece of tech and being unable to use it to the fullest, so Apple fans around the world would be eager to know when the feature would be approved by their local authority. Unfortunately, things look grim as 9To5Mac talked to UK's Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) about...

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Google Pixel 3 promo materials leak, showing it off one more time

It's almost like the upcoming Google Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL are competing with each other now, for the dubious title of 'most leaked smartphone in recent years'. The 3 XL had a huge lead in that department a few weeks ago, but its smaller sibling is slowly starting to pick up the pace - and maybe it still has a chance of catching up. Today a trove of marketing materials regarding the Pixel 3 has been outed. Alongside the assortment of images above and below this paragraph, we even get a leaked video explainer about how to use some of the phone's most important...

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Samsung Galaxy Note9 gets a new color version: Cloud Silver

The Samsung Galaxy Note9 launched in only two colors in the US: Ocean Blue and Lavender Purple. As compensation, US fans will be the first to get a brand new color option, Cloud Silver. A neutral gray with a matching S Pen, the new paint job will be available exclusively on Samsung (online) and Best Buy (online and in stores) staring October 5. Pricing is the same as all the other paint jobs. Samsung Galaxy Note9 in the new Cloud Silver color A week later one of the missing colors will join in - the Galaxy Note9 in Midnight Black will be widely available in the US from...

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Deals: eBay offers site-wide 15% discount in the Americas

There's another site-wide deal on eBay - 15% off with the PICKSOON coupon code. This code isn't an accident, the deal is valid until 8pm Pacific Time, so you have less than 11 hours. The code is valid for ebay.com and ebay.ca users in the US, Canada, Latin America and the Caribbean. The minimum purchase is $25, the maximum discount is $100. You can use the code only once, but you can have multiple items in your cart There are a few other rules, read the terms & conditions for more details. So, what will it be? There's a Samsung Galaxy Note8 (new condition, Exynos, dual SIM,...

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We’ll be live on YouTube tomorrow – tune in to see the triple camera Galaxy A7!

We cover a lot of interesting news about Samsung products every week so there’s always plenty to discuss with our readers. We have started conducting live streams on YouTube for this purpose so that our readers can join in and engage with us live. We’ll be going live on our official YouTube channel tomorrow, Friday, at 12:00 Amsterdam time (3:30 pm Delhi, 11 am London).

There’s a lot that we will be talking about, such as Samsung’s renewed commitment to its mid-range lineup and the serious steps it’s taking to challenge its Chinese rivals. The new Galaxy A7 is the first product based on this strategy and we’ll have it with us in the live stream so do tune in to hear our thoughts about Samsung’s first smartphone with three rear cameras.

Head over to our YouTube channel and subscribe. We’ll send you a little reminder when we go live tomorrow.

The post We’ll be live on YouTube tomorrow – tune in to see the triple camera Galaxy A7! appeared first on SamMobile.

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Xiaomi launches new Mi Band 3 and Mi Air Purifier 2S in India

Along with the new televisions, Xiaomi also announced a whole host of other devices in India. Mi Band 3 The first of the bunch is the new Mi Band 3, an update to the extremely popular Mi Band 2, which is currently the most popular wearable in India. The new band has a large OLED touchscreen that can show many more notifications from your phone, along with 50m water resistance. The new Mi Band 3 will be available starting September 28 for INR 1999 ($27) on Amazon India and Mi.com. Mi Air Purifier 2S The new Mi Air Purifier 2S also gets an OLED display that displays the air...

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Cloud Silver is officially the latest Galaxy Note 9 color option

A render surfaced a couple of weeks ago suggesting that Samsung might offer the Galaxy Note 9 in a new color option. The render revealed that it would be a shade of silver and that’s exactly what the company has announced today. Samsung’s latest color option for its flagship is called Cloud Silver.

Initial reports had suggested that this color option may only be launched in the United States. We dug around and found that once it’s out in the United States, this new color option will also be launched in dozens of other markets as well.

Cloud Silver Galaxy Note 9

Cloud Silver has been officially confirmed as the latest color option for the Galaxy Note 9. It will be available in the United States before anywhere else. It has a silver S Pen to match the device. Samsung had originally launched its new flagship with the Lavender Purple and Ocean Blue color options in the United States.

Midnight Black, a popular color for this device, wasn’t available in the US at launch. That’s changing now too. Samsung has confirmed that in addition to Cloud Silver, it’s also making the Galaxy Note 9 available in Midnight Black for customers in the US.

The Cloud Silver Galaxy Note 9 will be available starting October 5 exclusively from Best Buy stores, it’s website and Samsung.com. The 128GB Midnight Black Galaxy Note 9 will be available through all retail channels starting October 12. Its 512GB model will be available from October 26.

Samsung hasn’t said when the Cloud Silver Galaxy Note 9 will be made available in other markets. It may take a few weeks to arrive elsewhere.

Cloud Silver

The post Cloud Silver is officially the latest Galaxy Note 9 color option appeared first on SamMobile.

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Lenovo Z5 Pro all-screen slider to arrive on October 1

Remember that video of a slider-smartphone with almost 100% screen-to-body ratio called Lenovo Z5 Pro? It appears the device is real after Liu Jun, Lenovo VP, showcased it in his hands during a press conference in Beijing. Chang Cheng, another VP at the company, took it to Weibo and announced more official info will arrive on National Day in China, which is October 1. Lenovo Z5 Pro The new Lenovo Z5 Pro might be the phone Lenovo Z5 wanted to be, but failed to deliver - a phone with a massive screen and minuscule bezels. Although Jun did not actually slide the phone open in...

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Xiaomi Redmi Note 6 Pro unveiled: adding a notch and a dual selfie cam to the old recipe

Again? The Xiaomi Redmi Note 6 Pro has been officially unveiled in the Thai forum at Mi.com, but it still doesn't feel like a proper launch (there's no mention of the phone outside of the forums yet). Anyway, this is advertised as Xiaomi's first phone with 4 AI cameras. It's the company's first phone with two dual cameras of any variety, but where would we be without buzzwords like "AI dynamic bokeh" and "AI portrait 2.0". The rear dual camera uses 12MP main module plus a 5MP depth sensor. That may sound similar to what the Redmi Note 5 Pro had, but the new features here are larger...

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Xiaomi announces new range of Mi LED Pro TVs India

Xiaomi today announced a small update to its range of televisions in India. The three new models called Mi LED TV 4C Pro, Mi LED TV 4A Pro and Mi LED TV 4 Pro largely bring new software improvements to the previous 32-inch and 55-inch models and bump up the 43-inch model to 49-inch. The Mi LED TV 4C Pro is the cheapest model. It has a 32-inch, 1368x768 resolution panel, likely a VA panel as with previous Mi LED TV models. For audio you get 20W stereo speaker system with DTS-HD surround sound. Inside is an Amlogic chipset with quad-core Cortex-A53 CPU and Mali-450 GPU, along with 1GB RAM...

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Scene Optimizer on the Galaxy A7 is a dedicated (separate) camera mode

With the Galaxy Note 9, Samsung introduced a new camera feature called Scene Optimizer. Scene Optimizer’s task is simple: Try and detect the kind of scene and subject that the user is trying to take a photo of and then optimize the photo’s colors to make it pop. On the Note 9, you can either turn Scene Optimizer on or off and then take photos in Auto mode. On the Galaxy A7, that’s not the case. The Galaxy A7’s camera app has Scene Optimizer as a dedicated shooting mode.

Galaxy A7 Scene Optimizer a separate camera mode

Galaxy A7 Scene Optimizer

It’s not entirely surprising that Samsung has separated the feature into a mode of its own on a mid-range phone, especially one that takes 24MP photos with the primary rear camera. The Galaxy A7 probably doesn’t have enough power to take photos and then modify its colors quickly enough in real-time mode. On the flip side, it’s now easier to switch between regular automatic mode and Scene Optimizer, as you don’t have to go into the camera settings to turn the latter on or off. In fact, maybe that’s the sole reason for this change compared to the Galaxy Note 9 and not the lower processing power under the hood.

Of course, it also helps in seeing the kind of difference Scene Optimizer makes to the photo. It’s not a huge difference, but we’ll have to take a few photos in both modes to give a proper verdict. That verdict will come as part of our Galaxy A7 review in the coming weeks and will also tell you how those triple rear cameras work. In the meantime, check out how a picture differs when taken with and without Scene Optimizer on the A7 below (swipe right for regular picture, left for optimized picture).

← SLIDE →

The post Scene Optimizer on the Galaxy A7 is a dedicated (separate) camera mode appeared first on SamMobile.

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Oculus announces a standalone VR headset named Quest

Facebook's VR company, Oculus, just announced a new standalone all-in-one VR headset, called Oculus Quest. That means no cables, external tracking modules or even a PC to run it and has all that you'd need to experience VR to the fullest. The headset uses the Oculus Insight inside-out tracking system and additional Touch controllers. The Insight relies on four ultra-wide-angle sensors and computer vision algorithms to determine your exact position. The Quest comes with two Oculus Go displays for each eye with 1600 x 1440 pixel resolution. Lens spacing adjustments for optimal comfort...

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