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Huawei India announces VIP service for Huawei P30 Pro customers

Following the Huawei P30 Pro's overwhelming response to its launch in India, Huawei is announcing a new VIP-level service for these customers across India. These VIP perks will also be available to customers of the Huawei Mate 20 Pro. Huawei P30 Pro and Huawei Mate 20 Pro Those with either device can take advantage of priority service whether they contact a service center or a Huawei repair location. There is even a dedicated toll-free number for VIP customers to reach the Huawei Contact Center. Those who require service will also be offered free pick and drop service across...

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5G smartphones from Huawei, Xiaomi, and Oppo all launch in Switzerland this week

For Swiss carrier Sunrise, 5G is quickly becoming a reality. On Tuesday, Sunrise announces that it will begin offering three 5G smartphones from three different Chinese phone makers starting this week. Sales of the Oppo Reno 5G will start tomorrow, May 1 while the Mate 20 X 5G and the Xiaomi Mi Mix 3 5G will both go on sale starting Thursday May 2. Oppo recently announced the Reno 10X zoom and Reno this month in Zurich as part of the Swisscom partnership. Sunrise is the first operator to launch the 5G variant which comes with 256GB of on-board storage, the 10X zoom camera, and 8GB of RAM....

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Garmin introduces 5 new Forerunner smartwatches, starting at $199

Garmin makes some of the best smartwatches for runners and today the company announced its updated Forerunner range is growing with five new models. Ranging from the entry-level Forerunner 45/45S through the mid-range 245/245 Music and top of the line Forerunner 945, Garmin believes it has a smartwatch for every type of runner. The Forerunner 45 and 45S are targeted for novice runners who don't necessarily need the most advanced tracking tech. The only difference between the two models is the watch size with the regular Forerunner 45 coming in a 42mm casing while the 45S is only...

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OnePlus teases the ultra-wide and zoom cameras of the 7 Pro

OnePlus has really cranked up the volume on its teaser campaign for the 7 Pro. The latest promo for the upcoming phone is a three-part camera teaser of a bird on a seaside log. The three samples have naturally been stripped of their EXIF data but they are nonetheless quite clear. We're likely looking at an ultra-wide, regular and telephoto lenses here. We won't get into a technical discussion about the quality - that's what full-res samples and reviews are for. We only hope that the OnePlus 7 won't be a lackluster sidekick overshadowed by the 7 Pro. Get closer to the...

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Counterpoint: iPhone X is the best-selling phone in the world for 2018

Counterpoint Research released its analysis of the best-selling smartphones in the world and specifically in China. The winner of 2018 is the iPhone X, followed by three more Apple smartphones, with the Xiaomi Redmi 5A wrapping up the Top 5 . In China, the results are quite different - the best-seller is the Oppo R15, iPhone X is second, but Oppo has two more phones in the Top 4 - the mid-range Oppo A5 and the ultra-affordable Oppo A83. The Counterpoint report appeared on the Weibo account of the company without detailed info. We only know the Top three iPhones totaled nearly...

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Sprint rolling out Android 9.0 Pie for the Galaxy Tab S4

Keen not to be left out, Sprint has started rolling out Android 9.0 Pie for the Galaxy Tab S4 in the US. The move comes a mere matter of hours after a near-identical release began arriving on the T-Mobile-branded model of the slate, and a week after it was released for the standard Wi-Fi variant.

To be more specific, the Android 9.0 Pie release that’s making the rounds is skinned with Samsung’s One UI interface and bundles a slew of new features, including a Night mode that’s easier on the eyes in the evening and can be triggered to extend battery life when you’re running low on juice.

The update also bundles improvements for Bixby and support for HEIF images, as well as a new Adaptive Battery optimization tool and improved notification management. For a more detailed overview of what One UI brings to the table, be sure to check out our One UI Feature Focus series.

Sprint, like T-Mobile, is pushing out the update, in stages. To see if it’s available for your device, head into Settings, navigate to Software update, then hit Download updates manually. Alternatively, you can always download the firmware from our database to flash it on to your unit manually.

The post Sprint rolling out Android 9.0 Pie for the Galaxy Tab S4 appeared first on SamMobile.

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LG posts operating loss in Q1, smartphone division still struggles

LG Electronics published its financial report for Q1 2019 and the mobile division numbers make for a grim reading. Revenue keeps falling with only KRW1.51 trillion ($1.34 billion) generated between January and March. This is 30% less on an yearly basis and 11% quarter over quarter. According to the official press release, the LG Mobile Communications Company managed to narrow its operational loss to KRW203.5 billion ($181 million) while in a process of rebuilding its smartphone business. Expectations are the launch of LG V50 ThinQ 5G will create a positive momentum in the second...

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Samsung Galaxy Fit and Fit-e appear for pre-booking in Portugal, reveal full spec sheet

Samsung's Galaxy Fit trackers are aimed at users who don't need the full smartwatch experience but still want the basic convenience of tracking their workouts and heart rate. Last week we saw the Galaxy Fit-e on Samsung Albania's site and today we get more details as well as pricing on both the Gear Fit and Gear Fit-e. The Gear Fit-e will come with a 0.74-inch monochrome PMOLED display. It will run on the Cortex M0 processor with just 128KB of RAM and 4MB of storage. The fitness tracker only supports incoming notifications without the option to respond. The Gear Fit-e features...

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Xiaomi Redmi Note 7 Pro gets Fortnite support with latest update

After being taunted by the Realme CEO, Xiaomi announced couple of weeks back that it is considering adding support for Fortnite on its mid-range flagship, the Redmi Note 7 Pro. True to its word, Xiaomi has now released v10.2.10.0 update for the Redmi Note 7 Pro, which among other things, promises support for Fortnite. We decided to install the update and see how the game performs. The first thing we noticed was that you did not require the update to install and run Fortnite, both of which went through just fine. The other thing we noticed that performance was remarkably poor...

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OnePlus 7 Pro New York Times ad promises no bezel and no notch

OnePlus is running an ad in the New York Times newspaper, promoting its upcoming OnePlus 7 Pro. It teases a phone with No bells & whistles, no bezel, no notch, no app lag, no bloatware, no $2,000 price tag and oddly, no random music. The ad also features a blueprint of a phone that more or less confirms a few of its key selling points - the new triple camera, the new pop-up selfie camera, the in-display fingerprint scanner and a heat pipe for heat dispersion. Yes Virginia, if it's in The New York Times, it's got to be true. Welcome to the world, One Plus! pic.twitter.com/leKjS801dN—...

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Realme is celebrating its first birthday with flash sales, price cuts and phone giveaways

Realme is celebrating its first anniversary in India with a number of deals and giveaways that total INR 10,000,000. Participants could win 10 Realme 3 Pro units or buy one with a discount from its flash sale at noon on May 3 for INR 13,999. The regular Realme 3 now comes with double the storage at 3GB + 64GB for INR 9,999. Its flash sale will happen on May 2 at midnight. The Realme 2 Pro and Realme U1 will get a INR 1,000 discount on May 2 and will be priced INR 10,990 and INR 8,999, respectively. Buyers are eligible for 15% SuperCash when paying with MobiKwik while...

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Latest Samsung Galaxy Note9 update improves the camera and brings April security patch

Samsung is seeding a software update for the Galaxy Note9, which includes the Android security patch for April 1, 2019. More importantly, however, this firmware also adds an option in the Settings menu that lets you schedule the Night Mode to turn on and off automatically. Additionally, the new build comes with camera improvements that let you switch the FOV of the selfie camera between 68 degrees and 80 degrees with the help of a toggle located above the camera shutter button. This update, carrying version number N960FXXU2CSDE, weighs around 520MB in size and is currently rolled...

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Meizu 17 will likely be the company's first 5G phone, might bring portless design

Meizu's recently released 16s is the company's flagship device for 2019 but according to new speculations, Meizu is hard at work on its successor which will also bring 5G capabilities for the first time in the manufacturer's lineup. An image from the recent China Unicom Partner Conference revealed the slogan for the upcoming device reading "meet the new 5G era, Meizu 17 is coming". We've also got some leaked hands-on images courtesy of a Weibo user. According to speculations, the new phone will adopt the portless design from the Meizu Zero concept phone, which failed to make its way to...

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Motorola Moto E6 specs leak, 5.45-inch display and Snapdragon 430 SoC in tow

Motorola unveiled the Moto G7 lineup back in February this year, and while there's no word from the company yet regarding the Moto E6 series, specifications of the vanilla E6 have surfaced online which tell us what to expect from this smartphone. According to the report the Moto E6 is codenamed "surfna" and is powered by Snapdragon 430 SoC which is mated to 2GB RAM. The smartphone has a 5.45-inch 1440 x 720-pixel display on the front which is accompanied by a 5MP Samsung ISOCELL S5K5E9 sensor having f/2.0 aperture. Motorola Moto E5 Round the back, the E6 sports a 13MP Samsung...

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Energizer Max Power 18K Pop funding campaign fails spectacularly

MWC 2019 saw plenty of new gadgets announced, but one of the phones that surprised us was the Energizer Max Power 18K Pop with 18,000 mAh battery. Initially, pricing and availability weren't revealed, but the device eventually appeared on IndieGoGo in an attempt to gather funding and gauge public interest. The manufacturer Avenir Telecom set a $1.2 million goal, but a total of 11 backers pledged just $15,005 before the campaign came to its end. Avenir Telecom said it will keep working on improving design and thickness, as the company believes "there is a rising interest for...

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Samsung Galaxy S10 sales are solid, but chip business brings profits down

Samsung announced its financial results for Q1 2019 and they look as grim as predicted back in late March. The company reported consolidated sales of KRW52.4 trillion, which is 13% lower on a yearly basis. The decline of profit is even sharper - just KRW6.23 trillion, down 60% compared to the same period a year ago. Samsung Q1 2019 financial results Samsung stated in its press release the main reason for the poor performance is the weak memory chip demand. However, the Samsung Galaxy S10 sales are "solid", reporting a quarterly rise in revenue, despite a decrease in overall...

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‘Burnt’ Galaxy S10 5G not a cause of device malfunction, says Samsung

After the Galaxy Note 7 went off the market because of malfunctioning batteries, Samsung implemented advanced battery checks for its smartphones to make sure no such issues would arise in the future. And it worked, too: There have been no reports about any Galaxy flagship launched after the Galaxy Note 7 burning or catching fire. There may have been a stray case or two, but Samsung had denied that any of those cases were because of problems with the devices themselves. And that’s what it’s doing for a Galaxy S10 5G that reportedly decided to spontaneously combust.

No details on why and how it happened

A South Korean consumer released pictures of his Galaxy S10 5G burnt beyond repair, saying that the phone was simply sitting on the table “when it started smelling burnt” and was engulfed by smoke. The Galaxy S10 5G comes with faster charging technology than any previous Galaxy smartphone, but it’s impossible to say if that was the reason here. There aren’t any details available about whether the burnt device was being charged or if a third-party charger was used, and Samsung has denied that there is any problem with the phone and refused to reimburse the customer.

Considering all the money Samsung lost by recalling the Galaxy Note 7 and the bad press it received over the matter, it’s not surprising the company is denying the Galaxy S10 5G has any underlying issue. And we’re inclined to believe Samsung, as there’s been practically nothing about any of its flagships burning up in the last two years. It may not have properly tested the Galaxy Fold for real-world usage, but to correlate that with battery problems on Samsung’s phones would be an incorrect thing to do unless we actually see more widespread reports.

The post ‘Burnt’ Galaxy S10 5G not a cause of device malfunction, says Samsung appeared first on SamMobile.

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Realme 3 3GB RAM variant coming with double storage on May 2

The Realme 3 debuted in two variants - 3GB RAM + 32GB storage and 4GB RAM + 64GB storage, but it's getting a third one now. Today, the company has announced that a new flavor is coming to India on May 2. This new model will come with 3GB RAM and 64GB storage and will be likely sold through Flipkart as well as the company's online store. The price of this new variant is currently unknown, but if we consider the prices of 3GB/32GB and 4GB/64GB models, this one will likely cost around INR10,000 ($143). That said, the Realme 3 isn't the only smartphone from the company that's got a new...

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Samsung could be hinting that it’s fixed the Galaxy Fold

Samsung has reiterated that it will announce the revised release date for the Galaxy Fold in a few weeks, after it was left with no choice but to delay the handset earlier this month. This is the second time the firm has stressed that it will cast a new launch date into the wild in the near future — first in the statement it issued when it postponed the handset, and now in its latest earnings call.

To us, that sounds like Samsung is confident it has identified the source of the issue(s) that resulted in a number of reviewers running into a roadblock while using the Galaxy Fold. More often than not, that was because they toyed with the protective film affixed to the delicate 7.3-inch folding screen, thus rendering it unusable.

There’s a simple fix for that, however. All Samsung has to do is find a way to notify customers that the layer must be left in place. As it stands, there’s a small notice on the cellophane film covering the unit in the box, but that’s not enough. At the very minimum, there should be a pop-up notification the first time you power on the device.

What’s more concerning is the small number of reports from reviewers claiming that their Galaxy Fold broke after foreign matter managed to seep into the device itself, obliterating the screen from the inside. A teardown later confirmed that there are a number of openings around the hinge that could allow debris to enter.

As we noted in our teardown coverage, that could be another somewhat simple fix. Apple had a similar issue with the keyboard on the MacBook Pro and introduced a silicone layer to act as a buffer between the inside and outside — and that’s something Samsung could do with the Fold to stop debris from making its way inside.

Despite Samsung’s silence, US carrier AT&T has announced that Samsung will launch the Galaxy Fold in the region on June 13. We wouldn’t advise taking that as gospel, though; that could be the temporary date Samsung told the operator. But until Samsung speaks out itself, it’s unconfirmed.

The post Samsung could be hinting that it’s fixed the Galaxy Fold appeared first on SamMobile.

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Galaxy Home Mini picks up Bluetooth and Wi-Fi certifications

Samsung has long been working on a premium Bixby-powered smart speaker, the Galaxy Home. The device was showed off at the Galaxy Note 9 launch event last year. However, it’s still a “coming soon” product, with Samsung keeping mum about any semblance of a release date. In the meantime, the Galaxy Home Mini, which we exclusively revealed last December, seems to be nearing launch. The “AI speaker” has just been certified by the Bluetooth SIG and the Wi-Fi Alliance.

Galaxy Home Mini nearing its launch?

Samsung’s Galaxy Home Mini, bearing the model number SM-V310, has just passed the Bluetooth SIG certification process. While the listing does not reveal anything about the upcoming Bixby speaker, it does confirm that the speaker will work on Bluetooth v4.2. The Bluetooth certification comes a week after the device was certified by the Wi-Fi Alliance, revealing Tizen 4.0 and support for 2.4GHz Wi-Fi on-board. Of course, with the Galaxy Home still not released, the Galaxy Home Mini may not come out anytime soon, either, despite picking up two important certifications.

When Samsung’s smart speakers do get released, they will be competing against the likes of the Google Home and Amazon Echo. These devices have been in the market for quite a long time now and come with far more refined digital assistants — Google Assistant in the former and Amazon Alexa in the latter. While Bixby has grown a lot over the last year or so, Samsung clearly needs to offer a compelling reason for buyers to switch to its digital assistant. It also needs to bring back some of the functionality Bixby lost in its first major update, and we hope that’s what the company is working on.

Galaxy Home Mini launch

The post Galaxy Home Mini picks up Bluetooth and Wi-Fi certifications appeared first on SamMobile.

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Google Pixel 3a and 3a XL pass Bluetooth certification

Google's latest Pixel 3a and 3a XL are expected to be officially announced at the company's 2019 I/O event on May 7. We've seen pretty much everything there is about these new devices ranging from cases, to pricing and recently saw both phones pop up on Geekbench detailing the internals. Today, the 3a and 3a XL got their Bluetooth certifications as we inch closer to the launch date. A total of eight variants passed through SIG - four for the Pixel 3a and another four for its larger brother the Pixel 3a XL. Along with the model numbers we also learned that both phones will feature...

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Kirin 985 to be mass-produced with 5G modems

Last month we heard rumors that the Huawei Mate 30 could be the first smartphone with a chipset built on the EUV process, and now media representatives in Taiwan confirm the information. Not only that, but Huawei's chip manufacturer HiSilicon will implement 5G modem in all the chips, effectively making all future Huawei flagships 5G-compatible. The new processor will be manufactured using the FC-PoP method (FlipChip Package-on-Package), which allows vertical stacking of transistors. Combined with the Extreme UltraViolet process, the transistor density will be increased by 20% -...

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New Galaxy Note 9 update brings camera improvements and more

Samsung is pushing out a second Galaxy Note 9 update with the April 2019 security patch in Germany. There are a couple of new features that this update brings to the device — the Note 9 finally has the option to set a schedule for Night mode, and it is also getting the ability to switch between a narrow and wider field of view when taking selfies.

The field of view on the selfie camera is now set at 68 degrees by default and can be changed to the full 80-degree field of view with a tap on the toggle switch that resides above the shutter button. This is something Samsung introduced on the Galaxy S10 lineup and then later brought to the Galaxy S9 with a software update in March. It has now come to the Note 9, and it’s possible the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy Note 8 will also get the field of view switch at some point.

galaxy s9 camera update

The new update does not bring a Night mode for the camera app, in case you were wondering. It was the first thing we checked after installing the update on one of our Note 9s, and while Samsung has constantly been bringing camera features from new flagships to older devices, the company is likely to keep some of the Galaxy S10 camera functionality exclusive to the S10 trio for some time.

You can download the new Note 9 update over the air from the Settings » Software update menu by tapping Download and install. The update is currently available in Germany with software version N960FXXU2CSDE; Samsung might bundle this update with the May security patch for some countries, so it may be a while before these changes come to Galaxy Note 9 users outside Germany.

Have you received this update on your Galaxy Note 9? Noticed anything new or different other than the things we’ve mentioned above? Let us know in the comments!

The post New Galaxy Note 9 update brings camera improvements and more appeared first on SamMobile.

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T-Mobile releases Android 9.0 Pie for the Galaxy Tab S4

A week after it started making the rounds for the Wi-Fi model in the US, T-Mobile has started rolling out the much-anticipated Android 9.0 Pie update for its LTE variant of the Galaxy Tab S4 — bundling all of the new features baked into Pie, as well as Samsung’s revamped One UI user interface.

As for what’s built into Pie for the Galaxy Tab S4, we’re looking at a Night mode that can extend battery life when you’re running low on juice, especially when coupled with a new Adaptive Battery optimization tool that comes enabled out of the box; improved notification management and more.

Elsewhere, the LTE model of the Galaxy Tab S4 was treated to a similar update at the beginning of April in France. That same release started cropping up in Brazil, Chile, India, Malaysia, Peru, Taiwan, and the United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom soon thereafter — and now it’s in the US.

T-Mobile is pushing out the update, which also bundles improvements for Samsung’s Bixby assistant and well as support for HEIF images, in stages. To check to see if it’s available for your Galaxy Tab S4, head into Settings, navigate to Software Update, then hit Download Updates Manually.

The post T-Mobile releases Android 9.0 Pie for the Galaxy Tab S4 appeared first on SamMobile.

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Realme's RMX1901 will be called the Realme X

Last week, a Realme device passed through the TENAA with a large bezel-less display and a pop-up camera. The device was explicitly named RMX1901 on the filing, but we are now learning this Realme smartphone is going to be called the ‘Realme X'. This according to Chief Marketing Officer of Realme: Xu Qi Chase. The CMO made a Weibo post that revealed the phone's name. A promotional video for Realme was posted to the phone maker's Weibo account with a new Realme song. The video also showed the unreleased smartphone in a few quick shots. Stills from Realme video This looks...

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Q1 2019 earnings report: Samsung posts its lowest profits in three years

A few weeks ago, Samsung released its earnings guidance for the first quarter of 2019, estimating a 60% decline in operating profits. The company has now published a detailed report confirming that projection with an operating profit of 6.23 trillion won (about $5.35 billion), a drop of 60.2% from 15.64 trillion won a year ago. This is Samsung’s worst performance since the Galaxy Note 7 debacle in 2016.

Display Panel business running in loss

Samsung’s Q1 2019 profits were hit by multiple factors. The ever plummeting semiconductor business generated 30.4% less revenues as compared to Q1 2018. The company’s chip business, however, is still its largest contributor in operating profits, owing to improvements at the System LSI and Foundry businesses. Samsung expects the business to improve slightly in the second quarter, as demand for image sensors and 5G chipsets rises.

Samsung’s mobile business also saw a drop in profits, despite the solid sales of the Galaxy S10 series. The new Galaxy M and Galaxy A series smartphones are also selling well, but increased expenses from the lineup revamp means they aren’t contributing much to the profits. Sales of premium TVs, however, contributed to the earnings growth in the Consumer Electronics division. Going ahead, Samsung aims to secure profitability by improving cost efficiency with its mid-range and low-end smartphones. The company also sees the potential in 5G and foldable smartphones to strengthen its leadership in the smartphone market.

It is the display business that hurt Samsung badly in the previous quarter. The company suffered from lower than expected demand for its OLED panels, as well as weaker prices of LCD panels, resulting in operating losses of 560 billion won. Samsung expects the display business to recover going forward with launch of flagship phones from its clients. The South Korean tech giant also has hopes on large-sized display panels to bring limited improvements in the next quarter. The demand for flexible displays and LCD panels is likely to remain weak.

Overall, Samsung expects slight improvements in profits over the next two quarters. However, the company may find it tough to reach the levels of the last two years, when it recorded its highest ever profits.

The post Q1 2019 earnings report: Samsung posts its lowest profits in three years appeared first on SamMobile.

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Google admits smartphone sales declined with the Pixel 3

As we approach May, Google is gearing up for its upcoming announcement of its entry into the mid-range smartphone segment with the Google Pixel 3a and 3a XL. We can understand why Google would want to do this. It needs to diversify to better compete in the smartphone market. During Google's earnings call on Monday, Google's CFO Ruth Porat admits that the company sold fewer Google Pixel devices in Q1 compared to Q1 of last year. Porat named "some of the recent pressures in the premium smartphone market" as the determining factor of the weaker sales. Maybe making $1000+ phones isn't such...

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Redmi Y3 goes on sale in India

The Redmi Y3 that was unveiled last week goes on sale today in India through Mi.com, Amazon.in, and Mi Home stores starting at noon local time. It's priced at INR9,999 ($143) for the 3GB/32GB variant and INR11,999 ($172) for the 4GB/64GB model. Both these versions are offered in Prime Black, Bold Red, and Elegant Blue colors. The Redmi Y3 comes with Snapdragon 632 SoC under the hood and runs Android Pie with MIUI 10 atop. It sports a 6.26-inch HD+ notched display and ships with a 4,000 mAh battery that fuels the entire package. Redmi Y3 in Prime Black, Bold Red, and Elegant Blue...

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OnePlus 7 Pro camera samples outed

The OnePlus 7 Pro will become official on May 14 as by far the most expensive OnePlus phone ever. This year the company's strategy is to split its flagship line into two - the OnePlus 7 that will be the 6T's successor and arrive with some improvements, as usual. But then there's the Pro, which is going to have an award-winning display and a triple rear camera setup. One of those three shooters is a 3x zoom telephoto lens, and the folks over at Wired have somehow (cough, PR stunt, cough) gotten their hands on a "near final" pre-production model, and proceeded to capture a few snaps to let...

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Stock Android won't have a native scrollable screenshot feature

Over the past few years, Google has done a great deal of work to implement useful features into stock Android. Specifically, we're referring to features that existed in skinned versions of Android, for example EMUI or TouchWiz. Such features like the blue-light filter, dual-windowed apps, and always-on display were all implemented on manufacturer skins before making it to Google's vision of Android. One feature that we might not see on the Google Pixel for the foreseeable future is the "scrolling screenshot". Implemented in many other Android skins, the scrollable screenshot lets you take...

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iOS 12.3 beta 4 released, public beta now available

Apple is rolling out the fourth beta for iOS 12.3 and along with it, the public beta is also available to download. iOS beta builds are generally prioritized for registered developers (who do so for a fee) until the operating system is deemed stable enough for the general public to try out before its public release. The fourth iOS 12.3 beta brings the new version of the Apple TV app, update with a new look and UI. With it, a new algorithm-based curator will suggest which movies and TV shows you should watch based on watch history and interests. Image source: Mac Rumors Under...

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Sprint and T-Mobile extend merger deadline by another month

Monday, April 29 marks the one-year anniversary that both T-Mobile and Sprint announced their plans to merge into a single carrier. As this day rolls around, the carriers are still seeing both support and opposition for the merger from different parties. According to a report from Reuters, T-Mobile filed an extension with the US Securities and Exchange Commission to a new July 29 deadline for the merger. Makan Delrahim is the head of the US Justice Department's Antitrust Division and told CNBC "I have not made up my mind," he continues with "We've requested some data from the companies...

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Google Pixel 3a shows up on Geekbench days before its unveiling

Google's Pixel 3a and Pixel 3a XL are finally going to be made official at the company's annual developer conference, I/O, on May 7. As we get closer to that date they're leaking even more than before, hard as that may be to believe. We've recently seen the Pixel 3a in press renders in white and purple, and today a prototype has made a visit to the Geekbench online database. The phone unsurprisingly runs Android 9 Pie, it has 4GB of RAM, and is powered by a Qualcomm chipset, though oddly enough the board for that is missing in the details. Past rumors said the bigger Pixel 3a XL would have...

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[Poll] How do you like the new Night mode on your Galaxy S10 camera?

Samsung’s supposed answer to the impressive night photography skills of Google and Huawei phones on the Galaxy S10 turned out to be a disappointment. Bright Night, as it was called when the Galaxy S10 trio were launched, worked like a very basic night mode that brightened up the final picture a bit. And whether Bright Night was actually needed for a scene was decided by the phone, which severely limited its usefulness as it didn’t really kick in unless you were shooting in really dark situations.

Thankfully, Samsung decided to turn Bright Night into a dedicated Night mode with the latest software update. The quality of images produced hasn’t changed much — you do get brighter pictures, but there’s also plenty of noise and a lack of detail apparent in shots taken in Night mode. But being able to manually take shots in Night mode is very useful indeed, especially since you can now take advantage of it even for scenes that are bright enough for the automatic Photo mode.

And so we pose a question to our readers who own a Galaxy S10e, Galaxy S10, or Galaxy S10+: How are you liking the Night mode on the phone’s camera? Go ahead and vote in the poll below, and if you have some thoughts you’d like to share on the matter, be sure to tell us down in the comments.

How do you like the new Night mode on your Galaxy S10 camera?
  • Model: SM-G970F
  • Dimensions: 69.9 x 142.2 x 7.9mm
  • Display: 5.8” (146.5mm) Super AMOLED
  • CPU: Exynos 9820 Octa
  • Camera: 12 MP, CMOS F1.5/F2.4 (77°) & 16MP, CMOS F2.2 (123°)Ultra Wide
  • Model: SM-G973F
  • Dimensions: 70.4 x 149.9 x 7.8mm
  • Display: 6.1"(157.5mm) Super AMOLED
  • CPU: Exynos 9820 Octa
  • Camera: 12 MP.CMOS F2.4 45° Telephoto & 12MP F1.5 77° & 16MP F2.2 123° Ultra-wide
  • Model: SM-G975F
  • Dimensions: 74.1 x 157.6 x 7.8mm
  • Display: 6.4"(162.5mm) Super AMOLED
  • CPU: Exynos 9820 Octa
  • Camera: 12 MP.CMOS F2.4 45° Telephoto & 12MP F1.5/F2.4 77° & 16MP F2.2 123° Ultra-wide

The post [Poll] How do you like the new Night mode on your Galaxy S10 camera? appeared first on SamMobile.

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Realme 3 Pro gets an important update

Shortly after its announcement, the Realme 3 Pro is getting its first OTA update, which is a pretty important one too. It adds super slo-mo video recording and improves overall system stability. The firmware update weighs only 182MB and it carries a build number RMX1851EX_11_A.12, but April's security patch is nowhere to be found. However, there are plenty of changes that can keep you warm at night. For starters, Realme claims that the new update improves the overall clarity of captured photos while the super slo-mo video recording lets you shoot in 960fps. Improved system stability...

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Huawei P30 Pro gets another software update, enables dual-view camera mode

Huawei just won't stop updating the P30 Pro and we are not complaining. While the last update that rolled out in India was mainly focused on improving the user experience, this one revolves around a cool camera feature - the so-called dual-view mode. The feature was advertised during the announcement of the phone but it's only now that we are seeing it reach users. It comes with the EMUI 9.1.0.153 update and as for now, it's only available in China. It will surely make its way outside the country, though. You can see what the dual-view camera mode is all about in the video below, but it...

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Spotify reaches 100 million Premium subscribers

Spotify just announced that it reached a big milestone - 100 million paid users. That's almost half of the service's total users. Those listening on the free tier are 117 million. The official launch in India helped a lot last quarter as about million users signed up the first week and that number doubled in the next month or so. Unfortunately, though, even that's not enough to propel Spotify into profiting. The company lost about €142 million in Q1 2019, which is in contrast to December's €442 million in profit. At least it's less than last year's Q1 when Spotify lost €169...

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Spotify isn’t playing nice with Galaxy smartphones

The Internet is rife with reports from Spotify customers claiming they’re unable to control audio playback from the lockscreen on their Galaxy smartphone, leaving them with no choice but to dive into the application whenever they want to skip or pause a track, which is frustrating to say the least.

It seems the bug is baked into the latest version of Spotify for Android; the controls were working fine for us until we installed the most recent build so we could research the reports, and now they’re not working at all — be it from the lockscreen or notification shade, even when the handset is unlocked.

Keen to find out whether it’s a more widespread issue, we tested out the lockscreen controls on a Huawei P30 Pro and they worked just fine — though there are some reports from owners of devices from other manufacturers, like LG and Huawei, claiming the feature isn’t quite working as intended.

Still, the bulk of the reports we uncovered originate from Galaxy owners, including those with a Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S10. And that makes sense seeing as Samsung bundles Spotify on the Galaxy S10, Galaxy S10e and Galaxy S10+ and offers customers a free six-month Premium subscription.

Here’s how to (temporarily) fix the issue

Now here’s the good news. After tinkering with our Galaxy S10 for an hour or so, we found a way to restore lockscreen control for Spotify:

  1. Open Settings.
  2. Search and select Optimize battery usage.
  3. Tap the drop-down menu in the upper-left corner, then change the option from Apps not optimized to All.
  4. Scroll down to Spotify, then disable battery optimization by swiping the toggle to Off.
  5. Restart your handset.

Spotify told SamMobile that it’s aware of the bug and is working on an update that will restore control, without requiring users to take the aforementioned steps. Until then, be sure to let us know whether the workaround fixed the issue on your device by leaving a comment down below.

  • Model: SM-G973F
  • Dimensions: 70.4 x 149.9 x 7.8mm
  • Display: 6.1"(157.5mm) Super AMOLED
  • CPU: Exynos 9820 Octa
  • Camera: 12 MP.CMOS F2.4 45° Telephoto & 12MP F1.5 77° & 16MP F2.2 123° Ultra-wide
  • Model: SM-G970F
  • Dimensions: 69.9 x 142.2 x 7.9mm
  • Display: 5.8” (146.5mm) Super AMOLED
  • CPU: Exynos 9820 Octa
  • Camera: 12 MP, CMOS F1.5/F2.4 (77°) & 16MP, CMOS F2.2 (123°)Ultra Wide
  • Model: SM-G975F
  • Dimensions: 74.1 x 157.6 x 7.8mm
  • Display: 6.4"(162.5mm) Super AMOLED
  • CPU: Exynos 9820 Octa
  • Camera: 12 MP.CMOS F2.4 45° Telephoto & 12MP F1.5/F2.4 77° & 16MP F2.2 123° Ultra-wide

The post Spotify isn’t playing nice with Galaxy smartphones appeared first on SamMobile.

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vivo Z3x announced - it is the vivo Z1 with a new selfie camera

Last week another vivo smartphone was spotted on TENAA, and today the device is official. Although it looks a lot like the vivo V9 or the vivo Z1, it is actually called vivo Z3x, despite having almost identical specs. The phone has a Snapdragon 660 chipset, coupled with 4 GB RAM and 64 GB storage. The screen is 6.26" LCD panel with Full HD+ resolution and a notch that some would call retro. The cutout houses the earpiece and the 16 MP selfie shooter, sitting behind an f/2.0 aperture. The front-facing camera is the only hardware difference from the vivo Z1 that has been official for...

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First Realme 3 Pro flash sale moved 170,000 units in 8 minutes

The Realme 3 Pro was introduced last Monday and today, as promised, the phone appeared for its first online flash sale. The company posted on Twitter that over 170,000 units were sold in just 8 minutes, with the amount expected to increase even more with a second and flash sales, all scheduled for today. The biggest fans of Realme could purchase the most powerful smartphone of the company in a blind order three days before the official announcement. The Oppo sub-brand also opened its first pop-up store on Saturday, where hardcore enthusiasts could purchase physically the device, as...

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Xiaomi Mi 9 enters the UK tomorrow

Xiaomi's mainstream flagship, the Mi 9, has been selling like a hot cake in and outside of China. And no wonder - you are getting top-notch hardware at a reasonable price. Tomorrow, UK fans can get one too. The phone has been launched in other countries in Europe such as Spain and Italy, so it comes a bit late in the UK. Starting tomorrow, you can find the handset at Vodafone, Xiaomi's online Mi.com store and at the offline Mi store in London. The device will be available in two flavors - 64GB and 128GB. The first one will set you back £499 while the beefier version will cost £549....

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Samsung Galaxy A50 update adds a couple of new features

Samsung's Galaxy A50 is gaining a lot of traction lately and owners can now benefit from the latest OTA update that just arrived in India. It focuses on the camera, fingerprint reader and Bixby. The new software version is A505FDDU1ASD6 and it's 666MB big. It brings a couple of new camera features like narrow 68-degree field of view for the front-facing camera, more background effects for the Live Focus mode and beauty video mode for the front and back cameras. More importantly, the firmware update addresses the under-display fingerprint scanner issues that some users are...

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Best 5 fitness bands to help you achieve your fitness goals

Fitness bands are all the rage these days, with more and more people looking for a device that can track their exercises and help them reach their fitness goals. There are plenty of fitness trackers out there, and here, we have picked out the five best options available on the market.

Samsung Gear Fit 2 Pro

Samsung Gear Fit2 Pro

If you want the perfect fitness band, one with a display, GPS, and some storage for playing music, then the Samsung Gear Fit 2 Pro is for you. It has a minimalistic and sleek look and is very comfortable to wear. This fitness band is for those struggling to choose between a smartwatch and a fitness band.

The Gear Fit 2 Pro some smartwatch-like functionality. It includes the ability to save and stream songs as a standalone music player, is water resistant with built-in GPS, and has a 1.2 inch Super AMOLED display with a resolution of 320×320 pixels. It is also able to send notifications for social media, messages and phone calls by syncing up with your phone.

Overall, the Gear Fit 2 Pro’s comfortable and minimal design, along with all the necessary activity tracking features, makes it one of the best fitness bands.

Get it at Samsung Store | Get it at Amazon | Get it at eBay

Fitbit Inspire HR

 Fitbit Inspire HR

This fitness tracker is best if you have a tight budget but want the basic features of a fitness tracker. The Fitbit Inspire HR has features such as tracking stress, sleep, and steps. Even though it costs less than other options, it is high on performance and features.

The Fitbit Inspire HR aims to deliver you the core experience of a modern fitness tracker at an attractive price. It can track your sleep, steps, workouts, water, stress, and weight. It’s one of the best when it comes to affordable fitness brands.

The tracker is very lightweight and compact featuring a rounded and clean look that improves upon the old Fitbit design. It has a changeable band with options available in a variety of colors. Finally, it has a wrist-based heart rate monitor which can provide heart rate metrics alongside stress management. Overall, it is a stylish and affordable band which gets you lots of features with minimal investment.

Get it at Amazon | Get it at eBay

Garmin Vivosport

  Garmin vívosport

Garmin Vivosport is an attractive option for athletes who dabble in multiple sports and prefer their activity tracker to be light and comfortable to wear. It has sleep tracking, automatic workout tracking, and a heart rate monitor. The Garmin Vivosport is water resistant, which makes it great for swimming and running in the rain. Runners are more likely to enjoy the dedicated running features of this device. It also includes features such as Auto Lap, Auto Pause, personal records, a walk/run mode, and a virtual pacer. The band can be synced to the Garmin Connect app which will show you well-detailed metrics and also keep track of your progress.

Get it at Amazon | Get it at eBay

Withings Steel HR Sport

 Withings Steel HR Sport

For those still seeking the traditional analog watch design, the Withings Steel HR Sport is equipped quite well. It embeds a very powerful fitness tracker into the design of a classic analog watch.

It is an elegant blend between the design of an analog watch and a fitness tracker containing various smart features. It is one of the most comfortable watches to wear, being very soft to the touch and nicely ventilated. It uses subtle vibrations to track and send an alert to you every time a notification comes through and also has a small LCD display.

The Steel HR Sport does not slouch at intense fitness tracking. It can monitor your heart rate for 24 hours a day, count your steps, and track your sleeping patterns. It can also profile various outdoor and indoor sports and has a GPS tracker to measure distance covered. The company’s official app for the watch allows customization of notifications and can show you the analysis of your fitness data.

Get it at Amazon | Get it at eBay

Fitbit Charge 3

fitbit charge 3

The Fitbit Charge 3 is a stylish fitness tracker with all the features you need to achieve your fitness goals. Fitbit has steadily improved the quality of its designs over time while adding some smartwatch features here and there. The Charge 3 is one of the most recent trackers released by Fitbit.

The Fitbit Charge 3 boasts a sleek look and a buttonless design. It has a concave shape which gently hugs your wrist. It has a grayscale display containing a button with haptic feedback. It can monitor your heart rate all day, count your steps, and recognize your workouts. It even allows women to track their period and menstrual cycle. All of the device’s analysis can be viewed in the Fitbit app, which is recognized as one of the best fitness tracking apps.

Get it at Amazon | Get it at eBay

The post Best 5 fitness bands to help you achieve your fitness goals appeared first on SamMobile.

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Samsung offering attractive discounts on Galaxy S10 lineup in India

Samsung has introduced multiple discounts and offers for the Galaxy S10 series in India. The devices, which went on sale on March 8 in the country, are now available with discounts of up to ₹14,000. The new prices are live on the official Samsung India website as well as offline retail stores.

New prices start at ₹46,900 for HDFC bank cardholders

Samsung launched the Galaxy S10 series in India at a starting price of ₹55,900 for the Galaxy S10e (review). However, the company is now offering an instant discount of ₹5,000 on the device, bringing the price down to ₹50,900. And with a cashback of ₹4,000 for HDFC bank cardholders, the device is available at an effective price of just ₹46,900.

The 128GB variant of the Galaxy 10 also gets an instant discount of ₹5,000 from Samsung, bringing the price down to ₹61,900 from the regular price of ₹66,900. Furthermore, you can get an additional cashback of ₹6,000 if you purchase the device using an HDFC debit or credit card. The 512GB variant of the device is getting an even bigger discount. Launched at ₹84,900, the phone is currently available with an ₹8,000 instant discount from Samsung and an additional cashback of ₹6,000 on HDFC debit or credit cards.

The ₹6,000 cashback on HDFC debit or credit cards is available for the Galaxy S10+ (review) as well, but there is no additional discount for the largest S10 model. Instead, Samsung is offering a ₹9,000 exchange bonus on the device.

  • Model: SM-G970F
  • Dimensions: 69.9 x 142.2 x 7.9mm
  • Display: 5.8” (146.5mm) Super AMOLED
  • CPU: Exynos 9820 Octa
  • Camera: 12 MP, CMOS F1.5/F2.4 (77°) & 16MP, CMOS F2.2 (123°)Ultra Wide
  • Model: SM-G973F
  • Dimensions: 70.4 x 149.9 x 7.8mm
  • Display: 6.1"(157.5mm) Super AMOLED
  • CPU: Exynos 9820 Octa
  • Camera: 12 MP.CMOS F2.4 45° Telephoto & 12MP F1.5 77° & 16MP F2.2 123° Ultra-wide
  • Model: SM-G975F
  • Dimensions: 74.1 x 157.6 x 7.8mm
  • Display: 6.4"(162.5mm) Super AMOLED
  • CPU: Exynos 9820 Octa
  • Camera: 12 MP.CMOS F2.4 45° Telephoto & 12MP F1.5/F2.4 77° & 16MP F2.2 123° Ultra-wide

The post Samsung offering attractive discounts on Galaxy S10 lineup in India appeared first on SamMobile.

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Samsung introduces a 43-inch ‘vertical’ TV for millennials

Samsung’s TV division has been quite innovative and experimental in recent times. From the modular Wall TV to the artsy Frame TV, the company has been pumping out new designs and form factors to stay ahead of the competition in the premium TV market. Continuing its creative streak, it has now introduced a “vertical” TV for smartphone-addicted millennials in its home market.

Can be used in portrait and landscape orientation

Named “The Sero,” which literally means vertical in Korean, it’s a 43-inch QLED TV with 60-watt 4.1 channel speakers and all the standard Samsung Smart TV features like Bixby and screen mirroring. The company says the vertical design is suitable for displaying content from smartphones, which may be true but doesn’t sound like a big enough reason to warrant a new design. Thankfully, the Sero TV can be turned horizontally to be used as a normal TV. Essentially, this is a TV that can be used both vertically and horizontally, so customers are not losing anything by buying this new design.

The Sero will be available in South Korea by the end of next month. It is priced at 189,000 won. Samsung has not announced if and when this will be available outside its home country. Along with the vertical TV, Samsung also introduced The Serif and Frame TVs in more sizes to target a wider customer base.

“Samsung will continue introducing screens that respect personal consumer tastes. We will think outside the box to bring different types of screens and different user experiences,” said Han Jong-hee, President of Visual Display Business at Samsung.

The post Samsung introduces a 43-inch ‘vertical’ TV for millennials appeared first on SamMobile.

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OnePlus 7 Pro's OLED aces DisplayMate tests

Rumors about the OnePlus 7 Pro's display sound promising and today's tweet from DisplayMate finally gives us some reassurance. It appears that the phone sports an excellent OLED panel, earning the highest test scores. The phone received A+, putting it side by side with flagships by Samsung and Apple. That's a big achievement for a phone that will cost considerably less than the competition, if the rumors are correct. DisplayMate's in-depth Lab Tests of the OnePlus 7 Pro OLED Display have just been completed, earning our Highest A+ Display Rating. Our in-depth Display Shoot-Out will be...

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Motorola Razr V4 appears in press renders along with all the accessories

Motorola's take on foldable phones is arguably one of the most interesting of the bunch. The vertical fold, if done properly, could spark the renaissance of clamshell phones. And today's renders give us a pretty good look at the handset itself. The images appear to be in line with what we've heard so far and the retail box looks pretty cool. It could be a special edition package, though, judging by the number of accessories that it contains. We've got what appears to be a wireless charger, earbuds, USB-A to USB-C charging cable, a power adapter and a USB-C to 3.5mm audio port...

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Our video review of the Galaxy Fold is live!

Less than a week after our written review of the Galaxy Fold went live, and after a long hiatus from the world of video, we’ve shared our video review of the handset. We intended for the video to be viewed alongside our on-site review, so it’s more of a visual aid, with many of the points we touched on in the written version being discussed in the clip — so be sure to check that out as well.

Anyway, we’d like to stress that this is our first video in a while. Our video department recently fell under new management and the team are working around the clock to improve the quality of future content. Our aim is to deliver the best Samsung coverage on YouTube, under our SamMobile TV brand. With that in mind, expect to see a new video, or two, in the not-too-distant future.

Until then, sit back, relax and enjoy our video review of the Galaxy Fold.

The post Our video review of the Galaxy Fold is live! appeared first on SamMobile.

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Redmi confirms flagship smartphone with elevating selfie camera

We've been hearing about a Redmi flagship for quite some time, and today the company confirmed such a device is arriving. We also expected the phone to have an elevating selfie shooter, and a video, posted by the Xiaomi sub-brand revealed it, ending all speculations and confirming previous spy shots. Redmi posted a short teaser on Weibo, showcasing a partnership with the latest Avengers: Endgame movie, meaning we might see a special version. However, this would clash with the already announced variant of Oppo F11 Pro, so we are eager to see what Redmi has in store for us. The...

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Galaxy A50 April update brings Bixby Routines and new camera features

Samsung has started rolling out a new update to the Galaxy A50 in India. The update introduces a number of new features to the device, and also bundles the April 2019 security patch. Samsung also promises improved fingerprint recognition on the Galaxy A50 with the latest update.

The update is available over the air and can be expected to reach all Galaxy A50 units over the next few days. It carriers software version A505FDDU1ASD6 and weighs just over 666 MB.

Bixby Routines comes to the Galaxy A50

Samsung launched Bixby Routines, a feature that works on the If This Then That (IFTTT) principle, with the Galaxy S10 series earlier this year. The feature is also available in Samsung’s newer devices, such as the Galaxy A80. And with the latest software update, Bixby Routines has arrived on the Galaxy A50 as well.

The update also brings a number of new features to the Galaxy A50’s camera. The device gets a “Beauty Video Mode” for both front and rear cameras and supports more background effects for Live Focus images. The new update also adds a narrower 68-degree field of view for the front camera. Earlier, the front camera only offered a wider field of view.

Lastly, the Galaxy A50 now supports call and message continuity. You can make and answer calls and text messages from other compatible devices signed into your Samsung account.

As always, Samsung is rolling out the update in stages. To check if it’s available for your Galaxy A50, head into Settings, navigate to Software update, then select Download and install. Drop a comment below and let us know if you’ve received the update.

The post Galaxy A50 April update brings Bixby Routines and new camera features appeared first on SamMobile.

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Hello, my name is Kiran Neupane

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