Galaxy Note 9 AT&T Android Pie update has been released

Good news for those who subscribe to the second largest network in the United States. The Galaxy Note 9 AT&T Android Pie update has now started rolling out. This is the first stable release of Android Pie for the carrier-locked Galaxy Note 9.

Verizon and Sprint are the only two carriers who have released Pie for the Galaxy S9/S9+ so far. AT&T might not have joined that list yet but it’s taking the lead for the Galaxy Note 9. No other major carrier has released Pie for this device as yet.

Galaxy Note 9 AT&T Android Pie update rolling out

AT&T is now rolling out firmware version N960USQU1CSAA for Galaxy Note 9 users on its network. The update weighs in at just under 1.9GB so you’ll definitely require a good Wi-Fi network to download it.

All of the features that are part and parcel of Android Pie are included in this update. That’s in addition to One UI which is Samsung’s latest custom skin for its devices. One UI has several new features which we have already discussed in detail. You can also check out our One UI video demo to learn more about it.

With the Galaxy Note 9 AT&T Android Pie now out, it’s only going to be a matter of time before other carriers also release the said update. AT&T should also be sending out the update for the Galaxy S9 and the Galaxy S9+ in the not too distant future.

Unfortunately, there’s no good news yet for those who own an unlocked Galaxy Note 9 in the United States. It can’t be said for sure right now when Samsung will release the update for those variants. Even the unlocked Galaxy S9 has not yet received Pie in the United States.

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Did Samsung just give a glimpse of the foldable smartphone in this video?

Samsung has already shown off the Infinity Flex display which it will use for the foldable smartphone. It hasn’t shown off the actual device as yet. The one we saw at SDC in November last year had a black case around it to hide the actual design. As you can imagine, there’s a lot of curiosity about the final design of Samsung’s much-awaited foldable smartphone.

The company hasn’t officially unveiled the device so far but it appears that the folks at Samsung Vietnam might have offered a glimpse at it. They put up a teaser video for the upcoming Galaxy Unpacked event on their YouTube channel but later deleted it.

The video shows a plausible foldable smartphone concept

The teaser showcases several concepts of what might be possible with Samsung technology in the future. We get to see a man drawing on a pretty cool looking tablet with an edge-to-edge display. It may not be long before such a product becomes reality. The video then cuts to a woman opening up her foldable phone. The folding mechanism seen here is similar to the one that will be on the actual device.

You fold out the device from the middle to access the larger display inside. There will also be a secondary display on the outside so that one doesn’t have to unfold the device for every minor thing. The dimensions of that display might not be accurately represented here, it seems to be a concept after all, but it provides a good idea of what the foldable phone might look like.

Samsung is expected to unveil the foldable phone on February 20 in San Francisco alongside the Galaxy S10. It has already confirmed that the device will have a 4.58-inch cover display and a 7.3-inch main foldable display.

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Redmi Note 7 to arrive in India on February 12

Last week Redmi India teased a photo of Lei Jun and Manu Kumar Jain, both senior Xiaomi executives, with the new Redmi Note 7. The tweet said the "48 MP head-turner is arriving soon", and according to sources, we have a launch date. It will be February 12, and the event will take place in New Delhi, India. The source does not reveal much aside from an invite that says "The time has come". It also mentions "Redmi Smartphone Launch", and we would be fools to expect anything but the latest smartphone. Lu Weibing, Redmi CEO, is already teasing the Redmi Note 7 Pro, so it would be...

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Nintendo announces Dr. Mario World for mobile, Mario Kart Tour delayed

Today, Nintendo of America tweeted about a new game headed to smartphones. The company will be bringing a new Dr. Mario game titled "Dr. Mario World". The Dr. Mario franchise was always known for its puzzle games. The purpose of the game is to eliminate viruses by completing the puzzles. The doctor is in! Mario puts on the white coat once again in the mobile game Dr. Mario World, targeting an early summer 2019 global release. #DrMario https://t.co/DTRBympHj0 pic.twitter.com/RfMZbbs3Mp— Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) January 31, 2019 This is the kind of game that could do...

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Alleged official render of Galaxy S10+ leaks

The latest Samsung Galaxy S10 leak is reportedly an official render of the Galaxy S10+ (the largest variant). The render comes from 91Mobiles and OnLeaks so we could very well be looking at the real deal. This render is in line with other CAD renders we've previously seen down to the placement of the front camera and a triple camera system in the back - that is, if you count the first render, the one that had three cameras and not four. The calendar date on a render is normally something significant and seeing how the event is going to take place on February 20, we might speculate that...

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Apple abruptly revokes Google's enterprise certificate

Apple offers enterprise certificates to large companies like Google and Facebook for the purpose of distributing apps internally, amongst the companys' employees that facilitate their jobs. One of the rules of this certificate is that enterprises should not use it to distribute apps to consumers. Both Google and Facebook were identified as companies doing this and while Facebook's certificate was revoked yesterday (and has very recently been reinstated), Apple pulled the rug under Google today when it did the same thing. Regardless of whether Apple intended to act on Google so abruptly,...

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Sprint's Galaxy S9 and S9+ are now receiving the Android 9 Pie update

Another day, another US carrier pushes out the update to Android 9 Pie to its Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9+ units. A couple of days ago it was Comcast's Xfinity Mobile, yesterday it was Verizon, and today it's Sprint's turn. The update is unsurprisingly rolling out in phases, so you'll see the notification at some point within the next few days. Once you install the new software, which comes in as a 2GB download, you'll be on build number G960UOYN3CSAB for the S9, and G965UOYN3CSAB for the S9+. If you're impatient you can manually check for the update through settings. The January 2019...

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vivo V15 Pro promo poster leaks showing the phone in all its glory

vivo is going to take the wraps off the V15 Pro at an event in India on February 20. We've already seen a teaser image shared by the company, as well as a case for the upcoming phone. But how about some official-looking promotional material? Well, that's exactly what got outed today. The promo poster you can see below shows us the V15 Pro's front and back for the first time. As you can see, it will employ a periscope front-facing camera, in order to forgo a notch completely. Its bezels look very thin (although the chin is slightly more pronounced), and on the back there's a triple...

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Official Galaxy S10 and Galaxy S10+ renders leaked!

February is just kicking off (and already has in some parts of the world), and the start of the month has brought us what could be the first official press renders of the Galaxy S10 and Galaxy S10+. The usually reliable folks over at WinFuture.de have published renders of the Galaxy S10 and S10+ in white, black, and green. These are said to be the launch colors for European markets, with blue possibly following at a later date.

White and green are two colors that will be making a comeback with the Galaxy S10, and these renders show us how the gradient paint job will look. The white one seems to have a slight hue of blue and green mixed in, but the green variant simply goes from a lighter shade to a darker one from top to bottom. Of course, it’s possible we’re not getting a 100 percent accurate look here, but since these are said to be official renders, it’s possible these are what the actual devices will look like.

The renders also confirm that both the 6.1-inch S10 and 6.4-inch S10+ will have a triple rear camera setup; the S10+ gets dual front cameras while the S10 gets only one. They also show that the bottom bezel will be larger than the top bezels, and the lack of a fingerprint sensor in these images is more evidence that there’s an in-display fingerprint sensor on these phones. The entry-level Galaxy S10 Lite will get a side-mounted fingerprint sensor. The S10 Lite is also going to get a yellow color option in some markets, but renders of that device aren’t included in this particular leak.

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Energizer unveils Ultimate series with two phones with dual pop-up cameras

There will be 26 new Energizer phones at the MWC and Avenir (the company that's building them) just gave us a detailed look at arguably the most interesting new product line - the Ultimate series. Note: the specs are not final and may change. Energizer Ultimate U620S Pop and U630S Pop Both phones feature dual selfie pop-up cameras - the first of their kind. They combine a 16MP main camera with a 2MP depth sensor. The Energizer Ultimate U620S Pop is the more premium offering with a 6.2" 1080p+ screen and a MediaTek Helio P70 chipset. It comes with 6GB of RAM and 128GB storage and...

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[Poll] That Galaxy S10+’ dual front camera cutout: Yay or nay?

It’s a certainty at this point that the Galaxy S10 will come with Samsung’s Infinity-O display, with a cutout at the top-right of the screen for the front camera. The Galaxy S10+, thanks to a dual front camera setup, will have a wider cutout than the 5.8-inch and 6.1-inch Galaxy S10s. The Plus models of Samsung’s flagship phones have always been the one to get, and the S10+ will certainly make a case for itself with features like a 4,000 mAh battery and the aforementioned dual front camera setup.

But while the S10+ will have the most to offer, that wider screen cutout is probably going to turn off a lot of prospective buyers, especially if the real thing is like what we see in the plethora of leaked renders. Most of us at SamMobile have taken issue with the S10+’ cutout, as there’s just something wrong about how the status bar icons next to the cutout have been pushed so much to the left. It just looks a bit off, and we’re sure many of our readers will agree with us on that front. Others, of course, will probably think it looks fine.

And we want to know exactly which camp our readers fall in. Is that dual cutout okay in your eyes, or is it something that sticks out like the proverbial sore thumb? Go ahead and vote in the poll, then take to the comments section to tell us more of your thoughts!

What do you think about that Galaxy S10+ dual front camera cutout?

• I think it looks okay
• I don't like it
• I wouldn't comment before seeing the phone in person
• Better to just have a center notch like the iPhone X
• I couldn't care either way
• Skipping the S10 if it has any sort of notch

Results

• I think it looks okay 40%, 12 votes
  12 votes 40%

  12 votes - 40% of all votes
• I don't like it 23%, 7 votes
  7 votes 23%

  7 votes - 23% of all votes
• I wouldn't comment before seeing the phone in person 17%, 5 votes
  5 votes 17%

  5 votes - 17% of all votes
• Better to just have a center notch like the iPhone X 10%, 3 votes
  3 votes 10%

  3 votes - 10% of all votes
• I couldn't care either way 7%, 2 votes
  2 votes 7%

  2 votes - 7% of all votes
• Skipping the S10 if it has any sort of notch 3%, 1 vote
  1 vote 3%

  1 vote - 3% of all votes

Total Votes: 30

31 January 2019 - 8 February 2019

×

You or your IP had already vote.

• I think it looks okay
• I don't like it
• I wouldn't comment before seeing the phone in person
• Better to just have a center notch like the iPhone X
• I couldn't care either way
• Skipping the S10 if it has any sort of notch

×

You or your IP had already vote.

Results

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My Galaxy discontinuation on Tizen phones the final nail in the coffin?

Samsung is discontinuing the My Galaxy app on the entire range of its Tizen based smartphones from February 26. The company recently sent out text messages informing users about the development. Samsung Z4 was the last Tizen based smartphone from the company, and it launched in May 2017.

End of Tizen smartphones?

My Galaxy was an important app for Tizen phones despite its Android origins, offering access to discounts on apps and other services. For Samsung to be discontinuing it without offering details on an alternative is a worrying sign that Tizen phones may indeed be meeting their demise soon.

Despite Tizen smartphones doing good in markets like India, low-end hardware, coupled with poor third-party app support, means Tizen never reached its full potential in the smartphone segment. Samsung itself never seemed serious about it either. The company failed to bring many of its own smartphone apps to the Tizen app store.

It’s been nearly two years since Samsung launched a Tizen smartphone, leaving us to speculate if the company has put a stop to its. And now, discontinuing of My Galaxy could be further confirmation on that front. My Galaxy currently works fine on all Tizen smartphones and is still available to download from the Tizen store. However, it will not be available after February 26.

Samsung has just launched the new Galaxy M series with hopes to resurrect its declining smartphone business and continuous loss of market share to manufacturers like Xiaomi. Therefore, it’s highly unlikely that the company will invest resources on new Tizen devices any longer.

What do you think?

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HMD partners with Pixelworks to bring more HDR displays to future Nokia phones

HMD has extended its partnership with Pixelworks - the company behind the Nokia 7.1's HDR-enabled PureDisplay - to bring its visual processing solutions to future Nokia smartphones. Pixelworks makes HDR tone mapping, support for HDR 10 content and real-time SDR to HDR converting possible. We were impressed with the Nokia 7.1 screen in our review so that's great news. It's not clear which future Nokia smartphones Pixelworks will work on but we sure hope the upcoming penta-cam Nokia 9 PureView is among them. Source

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Deal: Huawei Mate 20 Pro is cheaper than P20 Pro in the UK right now

The Huawei Mate 20 Pro is currently on a great deal in the UK through O2. You can get the flagship for £650 on a Pay As You Go plan (without a contract), which is both cheaper than the Mate 20 Pro's regular £899 price and even the P20 Pro's £799 with the same deal. We made the rounds at other UK retailers and didn't find a better deal. In all other places the Mate 20 Pro starts at £779 and balloons all the way to its full retail price of £899. Both the Black and Twilight Mate 20 Pro's are in stock and eligible for free next day delivery with O2 UK and the deal doesn't seem to have a...

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Seemingly accurate Galaxy S10+ render leaked online

We have already seen quite a few leaked images and case renders of Samsung’s upcoming flagships. Now, a seemingly accurate Galaxy S10+ render has been leaked online. It doesn’t reveal anything new as far as the design of the flagship is concerned.

What we see in this render is in line with all of the rumors and reports so far about the Galaxy S10+. It will be the top-tier variant among the three that Samsung will be releasing as part of its new flagship lineup.

New Galaxy S10+ render looks accurate

It has been known for quite some time now that the Galaxy S10+ will have a dual front camera. We can see that in this render as well. There’s also a triple camera system at the back, as expected.

The bezels aren’t as slim as some case renders have made them out to be. Even though promotional materials often tend to have unrealistically slim bezels, this appears to be a more realistic representation of the bezel situation on this handset.

We already know what to expect from the Galaxy S10 series. This particular model will have a 6.4-inch display and the latest Samsung Exynos processor under the hood. It will also feature an in-display fingerprint sensor. There may also be a variant of the Galaxy S10+ with 1 terabyte of onboard storage. Samsung has already announced the memory chip which will allow for this eventuality.

Expect more leaks concerning the Galaxy S10 series in the days to come. Samsung is going to officially unveil the device on February 20 in San Francisco. The lock screen in this render mentions March 8. That date has previously been rumored as the release day for the Galaxy S10. Whether or not that’s true will only be confirmed by Samsung on February 20.

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LG posts record profits for 2018, mobile division still losing money

LG is doing great - it just announced a record yearly revenue of $54.4 billion and record profit of $2.4 billion, 10% higher than in 2017. The mobile division is weighing it down, however. LG Mobile had a revenue of $7.08 billion and posted an operating loss of $700 million. The company claims that the division is showing signs of improvement thanks to better control on spending and inefficiencies. This year LG will rely on operator-driven markets (North America and Korea) for stable sales and will push 5G phones and devices with "different form factors" to try and go back in the...

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SamMobile Daily Recap, January 31, 2019: Samsung earnings, US Galaxy S9 Pie update, and more

We publish a lot of stories on a daily basis. Unfortunately, the majority of news breaks during our European hours of operation, which makes it difficult for our readers in the US (and other regions) to keep up. However, we think we’ve come up with a fantastic solution — a daily recap.

Here’s what we covered today.

Phones

Galaxy J5 and Galaxy J5 Pro receive ARCore support

Samsung was the top global smartphone vendor in 2018

Firmware News

January security patch rolling out for the Galaxy Note 8

Sprint Galaxy S9 Android Pie update has started rolling out

Business

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

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

Samsung to focus more on non-memory chip and foundry business

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OnePlus reveals Valentine's Day promo bundles featuring the 6T, Bullets Wireless

Valentine's Day is in a couple of weeks and now's a good time to buy a gift. If your loved one is a OnePlus fan, the company is offering some discounts on bundles so you can put a few more bucks towards a fancy dinner. The You Complete Me bundle pairs a OnePlus 6T with a carbon fiber protective case and Bullets Wireless headphones. That's €630/$628 total (saving you €20/$20). OnePlus' Valentine's Day bundles: You Complete Me • The Perfect Pair If you both have a phone already, the Perfect Pair bundle offers two Bullets Wireless for €124.20/$124 (that's €14/$14 off the retail...

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Redmi CEO polls fans on the most-desired Redmi Note 7 Pro upgrades

CEO of the Redmi brand, Lu Weibing, has posted a poll on Weibo asking fans what are the two most important upgrades that the Redmi Note 7 Pro should bring. The poll ends in two days or so, but the winners already seem clear. By far the most popular option (with nearly 35%) is faster chipset. And if rumors are true, people will get what they asked for - the Pro is said to be among the first phones with the Snapdragon 675. The runner up asks for improvements to the 48MP camera. The Pro will use the IMX586 sensor, rather than the Samsung one of the regular, but it's unclear if that...

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Xiaomi Redmi Go is on pre-order in the Philippines for $75

Xiaomi introduced its first Android Go smartphone called Redmi Go. Early reports suggested it is coming to Europe and the Philippines, and while the Old Continent still has to wait a little more, the Asia-Pacific country finally got the device for pre-order. The Redmi Go is available for booking on Lazada and costs only PHP3,990, or about $76/€66. Shipping is scheduled for February 3. The Redmi Go has a basic 5" HD screen, coupled with three capacitive keys underneath. It runs on Snapdragon 425 and has Android 8.1 Oreo (Go Edition) OS that comes with plenty of lite apps from the...

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Realme 2 Pro stops by Geekbench running Android 9.0 Pie

Realme promised to update its smartphones within the first half of 2019 and it looks like it's trying to keep up with the tight schedule. As expected, the Realme 2 Pro will be the first handset to get the Pie update as it's the company's most expensive device. A Geekbench scorecard lists the phone rocking a Snapdragon 660 chipset with 4GB of RAM and Android 9.0 Pie. We know it's the Realme 2 Pro because their software build numbers start with RMX and the it's the only Realme smartphone featuring that chipset. Perhaps the update is closer than we anticipated - let's hope the testing...

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Nokia featurephone TA-1139 spotted at TENAA

HMD is preparing a new Nokia featurephone, a Series 30+ handset rather than Kai OS or other. It has a nice ergonomic shape (plus, it's feather light at 83.6g) and with a 1,020mAh battery should last forever on a charge (compared to smartphones). Don't expect much out of the phone TA-1139, it has a 2.4" display (240 x 320px), a 3MP camera on the back with an LED flash, optional dual SIM, a microSD slot for up to 32GB memory expansion, MP3 player and an FM radio. You know, it's a phone. A 2G dual-band phone at that, so you can't use it on a growing number of operators (Wikipedia has a...

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Images of the OppoF11 with periscope selfie camera surface

A bunch of live images of an Oppo smartphone appeared online but unfortunately, even the source doesn't know the exact model of the handset. The anonymous tipster himself isn't sure if this is the upcoming R19 or the F11. What's for sure is that the phone has a pop-up selfie camera similar to the vivo NEX, which lets it do without a notch or a punch hole camera. Oppo's mysterious phone from the front and back We assume this is the F11 we are seeing here given the thick bezels. After all, the R-series are flagship phones so we would expect slimmer bezels or at least just as...

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Oppo launches SuperVOOC car charger for $30

Have you ever been frustrated that your SuperVOOC-compatible phone is attached to a charger for a whole 36 minutes until it reaches 100% charge? Worry no more, because you can take the SuperVOOC with you in your car with the charger Oppo has just released. The gadget has a carbon finish around its upper part and orange ring with LED lights that glow when a device is plugged. Aside from the SuperVOOC capabilities, it is pretty much a regular car charger with a USB port. But since it supports 50W charging, you can use it for your Oppo Find X Flash Edition, Find X Lamborghini Editon,...

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Samsung reports bleak smartphone sales in Q4 and FY 2018

Samsung has just released its financial results for the fourth quarter of 2018 and the complete fiscal year. The final three months saw a decline in both sales and operating profit, but the full year results were still record-setting. Despite weak sales of mobile devices, the IT & Mobile Communications division reported gains on the back of 5G equipment installations and expansion of LTE networks. Earnings are likely to improve after the introduction of commercial 5G services in South Korea and the planned launch of the Galaxy S10 on February 20 at the Unpacked event in San Francisco,...

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IDC and Counterpoint: 2018 saw first ever smartphone sales decline globally

Last year ended on a down note that smartphone sales were in decline and there is no light in the end of the tunnel. With January ending, two top analyst companies - IDC and Counterpoint, introduced their reports about sales in 2018 and the numbers do not look good. Both reports show a total decline of 4%, with IDC calling it "the worst year ever". IDC numbers • Counterpoint numbers IDC and Counterpoint have a different way of calculating sales, but the numbers more or less align - Samsung and Apple posted a yearly decline in units pushed, while the four biggest Chinese...

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Sprint Galaxy S9 Android Pie update has started rolling out

The wait is over for those waiting for the Sprint Galaxy S9 Android Pie update. Carrier-locked units in the United States have finally started receiving the latest iteration of Android. Verizon got the ball rolling first for the major carriers just yesterday. It has already released Pie for both the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+.

Sprint has jumped on the bandwagon as well, leaving behind AT&T and T-Mobile. Multiple users have confirmed receiving the update notification from the carrier early this morning.

Sprint Galaxy S9 Android Pie released

Verizon’s Xfinity MVNO was the first to release Android Pie for locked units on its network. Big Red followed suit the very next day. This goes to show that it may not be long before AT&T and T-Mobile also roll out the update.

The carrier is rolling out firmware version G960USQU3CSAB for the Galaxy S9 on its network. Don’t think it’s going to be a 238MB update for you if you’re on Oreo. You’ll get one that’s almost 1.5GB. The smaller updates are for those who are already on the One UI (Android Pie) beta.

Users will get all of the new features that are included in Android Pie. This update includes One UI which is Samsung’s latest custom skin for its devices. Check out our video demo of One UI for more and the feature focus series to learn what it’s capable of.

With the Sprint Galaxy S9 Android Pie update now out, it’s only a matter of time before the carrier follows through for the Galaxy S9+ as well. Those who haven’t received an update notification yet need not worry. One should land on their device in a few hours.

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Sony Xperia XZ4 to have 52MP sensor

Yesterday, we heard about some specs for the Sony Xperia XZ4 leak ahead of an official announcement. Just a few hours later, a wonky report surfaced claiming that the Xperia XZ4 will have a 52MP sensor, the highest of any smartphone right now. The current record is held by the Honor View 20, which has a 48MP sensor. The camera system in question is comprised of three cameras. The first is a 16MP telephoto camera with an f/2.6 aperture lens. The middle camera is the 52MP camera with f/1.6.The last camera at the bottom is a 0.3MP ToF sensor with an f/1.4. Source: Sumahoinfo This...

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Samsung to focus more on non-memory chip and foundry business

Samsung’s memory chip business has proven to be a veritable cash cow for the company. It’s what brought in record profits for Samsung over the last two years straight. However, overall demand for memory chips has fallen and that has significantly dented Samsung’s balance sheet.

The company reported its Q4 2018 earnings today. Its operating profit is down 29 percent on the back of lower demand for memory chips, smartphones and OLED panels. It also expects the demand for memory products to remain weak throughout the first half of 2019. The company is now looking to offset that by focusing on areas other than memory chips.

Focusing on non-memory chip products for future growth

Samsung has traditionally made heavy investments in memory semiconductors. Its exceptional DRAM and NAND flash chips have made it a dominant force in the industry. Just yesterday, it announced the industry’s first 1TB eUFS 2.1 solution for smartphones. This means that we’ll be getting a Galaxy S10 model with 1 terabyte of internal storage. Let that sink in for a moment.

The company does need to offset the earnings loss from the decline in demand for memory products. Samsung heir Lee Jae-yong has said that the company will now focus more on non-memory chip and foundry business to fuel further growth. This means Samsung will try to win more customers to make chips for and will bring other innovative semiconductor solutions to market for the Internet of Things, 5G, automobiles and more.

Lee’s remarks came following his meeting with the floor leader of Korea’s ruling Democratic Party, Hong Young-pyo, at Samsung’s Hwaseong production facility. “There have been always crises, but we will overcome them through consistent innovation,” he said. Korean chipmakers like Samsung tend to be weaker in the non-memory chip segment compared to their US and European rivals. It seems like Samsung wants to address that in order to offset the decline in its memory chip business.

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Samsung was the top global smartphone vendor in 2018

Samsung held on to its crown of the top global smartphone vendor last year amid intense competition from its rivals. It still stands tall above the rest when you look at the sheer numbers that it’s shipping out. The contraction in the overall smartphone market has hit its biggest rival Apple as well. Both companies saw a decline in shipments for the complete year.

It’s a different story for Huawei which now expects to become the top vendor either by the end of this year or 2020. Its shipments surged a whopping 34.5 percent compared to just a year ago. Huawei shipped 206 million units in 2018 and came third on the list of top vendors.

Samsung holds on to top global smartphone vendor crown

The latest data from Canalys shows that Samsung shipped 70.3 million units in Q4 2018, a decline of 5.3 percent compared to the same period last year. Apple was on top with 71.7 million units despite a 7.3 percent decline. Huawei posted an impressive 47.3 percent year-over-year growth to ship 60.5 million units.

Apple did overtake Samsung to become the largest vendor this past quarter. The Korean giant reported its Q4 2018 earnings today and mentioned that its numbers are down due to the overall sluggish smartphone market. Not to mention the fact that iPhones tend to do better in the holiday season compared to Samsung’s devices.

IDC, another research firm, has reached a different conclusion. It puts Samsung at number one in Q4 2018 shipments with 70.4 million units and Apple in second with 68.4 million. Huawei comes in third with 60.5 million units. Such discrepancies are common as different firms have their own method of tabulating the numbers.

Samsung remained the top global smartphone vendor for the whole year, according to Canalys. It shipped 293.7 million units in 2018, registering a decline of 7.2 percent year-over-year. Apple remained in second place with 212.1 million units and a 1.7 percent decline. Xiaomi also exhibited strong performance in fourth place with 120.3 million units shipped and annual growth of 31.6 percent.

The company is now hoping that the Galaxy S10 will improve the fortunes of its mobile division in the first quarter. It’s also relying on foldable and 5G phones due this year to increase shipments and revenue.

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ZTE Blade V10 spotted on TENAA with 32MP selfie camera and waterdrop notch

ZTE's latest smartphone has just been certified with China's TENAA. The filing reveals some of the phone's specifications including battery size, camera resolutions, and screen size. According to the TENAA filing, the device in question is a ZTE V1000, which is likely the successor to last year's ZTE Blade V9. The V9 was announced last year during the MWC so we might expect ZTE to announce the Blade V10 at the same show towards the end of February. Source: TENAA We brightened the photos a little bit and were able to see a bit more on the rear view. There's a...

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Galaxy J5 and Galaxy J5 Pro receive ARCore support

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

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

ARCore support arrives for the Galaxy J5 and Galaxy J5 Pro

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

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

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

Galaxy J5 Pro

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

More specifications

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January security patch rolling out for the Galaxy Note 8

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

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

Galaxy Note 8 gets January security patch

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Google + will sunset personal accounts on April 2

Back in December, Google announced that it would shut down Google + sometime in April due to low usage and Google's wish to shift its resources towards something else. In a blog post, Google outlines its phasing out of the social network. Google + will begin to shut down personal (consumer) accounts beginning on April 2 and users will have until then to download all their Google + data. Pictures on Google Photos won't be deleted. Starting February 4, you won't be able to create new Google + profiles, pages, communities, or events. In the coming weeks, you will not be able to sign...

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

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

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

Samsung Q4 2018 profit hit by multiple factors

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

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

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

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

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iPhone XS Max successor to look the same, have three rear cameras

Apple is planning to keep the successors to the iPhone XS and XS Max looking pretty much the same. However, the bigger model will ship with three rear cameras, according to a new report from "people familiar with the plans". The third shooter is likely to be a wide-angle camera, complementing the normal one and the telephoto lens nicely, allowing for a higher range of zoom. There will be some assorted software magic too, with one possible feature being automatic repairing of videos or photos to fit in a subject that may have been accidentally cut off from the initial shot. An enhanced...

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Verizon's Galaxy S9 and S9+ are now getting the Android 9 Pie update too

Well, that didn't take long. Yesterday the Android 9 Pie update for the Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9+ finally reached the US, going out to the units sold by Comcast's Xfinity Mobile MVNO. And today Verizon has started the rollout for the same updates as well. If you bought your S9 or S9+ from Big Red, expect to see an update notification pop up in the next few days. Once you install the new release, you'll be on build number G960USQU3CSAB for the S9, and G965USQU3CSAB for the S9+. If you haven't gotten the notification yet and are impatient, perhaps it won't hurt to manually check for the...

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Report: iPhone hacking tool used by UAE to spy on targets in 2016

A report from Reuters Investigation claims that there is an powerful iPhone hacking tool called "Karma" that has been used by the UAE government for the purpose of remotely hacking those iPhones of people in key interest. Former US Intelligence members working for the UAE were said to have developed the tool to monitor targets starting in 2016. This is the first time a report has been released about the tool's existence. According to the report, Karma could remotely access iPhones by entering a phone number or email address into a system. In 2016 and 2017, the tool could access photos,...

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

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

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

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

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

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Samsung has started Galaxy S10 mass production

An insider speaking to The Investor says that Samsung kicked off mass production of the Galaxy S10 flagship last week - January 25. These are the three 4G models, which will primarily be manufactured overseas, work on the 5G model will start later on. The source says that all three Galaxy S10 models will feature in-display fingerprint readers. The 6.1" and 6.4" phones will go with a Qualcomm-developed ultrasonic reader (with better accuracy and reliability) while the 5.8" one will use an optical reader. The mid-sized and large Galaxy S10 will have curved screens and Samsung will ship...

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Galaxy M10 and Galaxy M20 get their first software updates

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

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

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

Galaxy M10

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

More specifications

Galaxy M20

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

More specifications

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The Huawei P30 Lite will have a 1080p+ screen, 20MP triple camera

Huawei's P30 phones have fashion-themed names - Elle, Vogue and Marie Claire. The latter seems to be the Huawei P30 Lite as info of the MAR-LX1M has been trickling out. UA Profile: 1080p+ resolution • Android 9 Pie • Code name certifications from the EEC The User Agent profile of the phones browser confirms a screen with 1,080 x 2,312px resolution - that's 1080p+ with 19.3:9 aspect ratio. This entails a teardrop notch as you can see in this render of the MAR-AL00 (the Chinese model, which may go under the nova 4e name). The screen will likely measure 6" and the fingerprint...

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

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

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

Verizon Galaxy S9 Android Pie update is out

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

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

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

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

Galaxy S9 (US)

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

More specifications

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Xiaomi Mi Mix 3 teardown shows the magnets of its unique sliding mechanism

The Xiaomi Mi Mix 3 uses a unique sliding mechanism that relies on two pairs of strong neodymium magnets to hold the phone in the up and down positions and also provide the "springy" feeling in between. If you're curious about how that works, you can watch Zack from JerryRigEverything take the phone apart. You can see two magnets at 2:35, but that's only half of them. The other half are behind the screen - they line up perfectly when the Mi Mix 3 is closed and push each other away when it is open. There's a ribbon cable that hooks through a hole in the motherboard to connect the two...

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