Android News

The Galaxy S8 and S8+ come with a 12-megapixel rear-facing camera that’s broadly similar to that of the Galaxy S7 and S7 edge . However, Samsung has done some work on the software side to things improve image quality (using Multi Frame Processing ) and ease of use (through a newer camera UI). The new camera app also comes with a handful of new features including fun stickers and Snapchat-esque filters. However, one feature that’s easy to miss is the ability to zoom in or out using the on-screen shutter button. You can hold the shutter button and drag it up or down to zoom in or out, respectively. You can read more such Galaxy S8 tips and tricks here .

Even though most Android smartphone makers moved on to on-screen navigation buttons, Samsung was reluctant in doing so because a physical home button was a part of its smartphone design philosophy for years. Now that the company has finally moved to on-screen buttons with the Galaxy S8 and S8+ , it did so better than its competitors. The on-screen home button on the Galaxy S8 and S8+ is pressure sensitive, and it’s always active. No matter what you’re doing on these smartphones, the home button is always active (unless the phones are switched off, of course). You can hard press the home button from any screen to go back to the home screen (or to wake up the phone if it’s locked). Samsung certainly didn’t want to put off its long-time loyal users by switching to a run-of-the-mill on-screen button, and making it pressure sensitive that’s always active was a great way to make sure that Galaxy S8 users don’t miss the good old physical home button. Would other brands switch...

The Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ are yet to go on sale in the Indian market, but Samsung is taking a preemptive measure and is already rolling out an update in the country for fixing the display’s red tint issue . The update is surprisingly large in size for one that only optimizes the display’s color tone, and one can only hope that there are performance enhancements and other improvements hidden in the update. The red tint hasn’t completely gone away on our review units, but setting the display’s color balance to cool takes away the reddish hue (it’s still there compared to our S7 edge, but not as bad). The new firmware version is XXU1AQDG and the update is available over the air for both the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+. This is the second update for the devices in India; the first became available right after we fired up our review units. You’ll see these updates available on your S8 or S8+ once you’ve set it up. Also Read :  Samsung starts rolling out update in Europe to ...

The Galaxy S8 and the Galaxy S8+ feature large Infinity Displays with curved corners and edges. Samsung had to ditch its traditional physical home buttons to bring us such a beautiful smartphone design. The company has now shifted to on-screen navigation buttons (the on-screen home button is also pressure sensitive). There are multiple ways to wake up the Galaxy S8 and S8+ from sleep. You can use either the physical power/lock button or double tap the on-screen AOD home button to wake up the smartphone. Moreover, you can also jump to a notification directly from the AOD screen by double tapping on the app icon. Note: This method to wake up the Galaxy S8′s display works only when the Always On Display mode is active.

Samsung has barely addressed the reddish display tint issue of the Galaxy S8 and we’re now hearing of a new issue that many Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ owners are facing. Apparently, some units are restarting on their own for no reason at all. Users who are facing this issue report that the handset restarts of its own volition several times a day. Countless Galaxy S8 owners are expressing their displeasure over the matter on Samsung’s official community page for the US as well as the XDA Developers forums. Samsung has not officially acknowledged this as an issue yet. Some have deduced that perhaps microSD cards are causing the handset to reboot several times a day on its own. A temporary fix being suggested involves removing the microSD card. Others are of the view that it has something to do with a bug in the lock or Always-On Display screen and possibly the power save feature as well. There’s no clarity on the matter yet so it’s not known what’s causing this issue and when Samsu...

It’s Friday, so it’s time for another edition of Watchface Friday! For those unaware, every Friday, we highlight a selection of our favorite watchfaces for the  Gear S3 classic  and  Gear S3 frontier . All of the offerings are available to download through the Galaxy Apps Store, so you can rest assured that you won’t have to search all over the Internet to find something we’ve listed. Gear S3 classic Mr. Time: Backlight Vakta SB01 Gear S3 frontier DQS006 Lime Sports Watch SMZ ‘Master’

We publish a decent amount 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 with every post. But, we think we’ve come up with an ideal solution — a  daily recap . So, without further ado, here’s what went live today: Deals Daily Deal: Save 36% on a Gear VR (2016) Samsung is offering 50% discount on new Gear VR and Gear 360 (2017) if you purchase Galaxy S8 Firmware News Samsung releases kernel sources for the Exynos-powered Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ Samsung starts rolling out update in Europe to fix the Galaxy S8′s display issue Opinion Forgive us if we’ve been extra critical of the Galaxy S8 and S8+ Phones Galaxy J3 Prime now available from T-Mobile How great does this Galaxy S8 with a clear back look? Samsung posts Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ video overview Tips & Tricks How to move all of your data...

Samsung has started distributing an update in Germany for the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ to patch a bug that resulted in some users noticing a “reddish tint” on their handset’s display. The upgrade itself weighs in at 426MB and appears to be identical to the release  the firm rolled out in Korea yesterday, transporting a couple of new settings for the Adaptive Display screen mode, which lets users adjust the color balance of the panel and the appearance of white tones on the edges.   Model SM-G955F Model name Galaxy S8+ Country Germany Version Android 7 Changelist 11168760 Build date Tue, 25 Apr 2017 23:45:34 +0000 Security Patch Level 2017-04-01 Product code DBT PDA G955FXXU1AQDG CSC G955FOXM1AQDG   If you reside in Germany and own a Galaxy S8 or Galaxy S8+, you should be able to install the over-the-air update right away by heading into Settings , followed by Software Update , then tap the Download Updates Manually b...

It’s something I’ve meant to write about for a few days, and I finally got around to penning down my thoughts on why we here at SamMobile might be more skeptical and critical of the new Galaxy S8 and S8+, and of Samsung devices in general. Well, to be honest, the reason is simple: We’re a Samsung fan site, and spend a majority of our time with Samsung devices. Many Samsung fans likely upgrade to a new Galaxy phone every two years (or sooner, depending on how much they like to change their phones), but here at SamMobile, most of us use almost every new Samsung flagship before the next one comes out. I started my journey with the Galaxy Note 3 and fell so much in love with the device that I decided I would only use Galaxy Note devices in the future. But that was until the Galaxy Note 4, which I felt was so poorly optimized that it put me off Samsung devices . People told us we were wrong and that there was nothing wrong with the performance on Samsung’s phones, but the company itse...

Amazon has slashed the price of the 2016 variant of the Gear VR –so while stock lasts, you can pick one up for just $64 (36% off). This is the same model that was released alongside the Galaxy Note 7 last year, and features both a USB Type-C and microUSB; meaning it’s compatible with the Galaxy S6, Galaxy S6 edge, Galaxy S6 edge+, Galaxy S7, Galaxy S7 edge, Galaxy S8, Galaxy S8+ and Galaxy Note 5. If you want to take advantage of this deal, simply click the Buy Now button below. You’ll probably want to hurry though, as Amazon only has a limited amount of inventory available for this specific deal and once it’s gone, it’s gone. We should state, however, this isn’t International promotion, so you’ll only be able to snag yourself one for the discounted price if you reside in the United States.

The Galaxy S8 and S8+ redefine the smartphone and the role it plays in our lives with its neutral, harmonious design that balances form, function and feel.     Hyoungshin Park, Hyoksu Choi, Yunjin Kim (top row), Hyejin Bang, and Hwanju Jeon (bottom row) of the Design Team at Samsung Electronics’ Mobile Communications Business discuss how the design of the Galaxy S8 was brought to life.     Q. Is there an overarching design philosophy that defines Samsung’s smartphones?   Hyoungshin Park : The very foundation of Samsung’s smartphone design is built on neutrality. Through the pursuit of neutrality, we are able to create designs that blend naturally into the environment, seamlessly integrating with the lives of all users, regardless of their age, gender or geographic location.       Q. How has neutrality influenced the design of the Galaxy S8 specifically?   Hyoungshin Park: It’s often said that the whole is greater than the sum...

What’s the first thing you look for when buying a television?   Recent surveys conducted by Samsung Electronics on the determinants of consumers’ purchasing decisions when buying a new television show that consumers’ priorities have changed noticeably over the past few years.     Smart Function – A Significant Factor in Choosing a Television In the past, picture quality, price and screen size were the foremost factors considered by consumers when buying a television. According to a survey on the usage and attitude (U&A) of American consumers conducted by Samsung Electronics in 2014 and 2016, the significance of the aforementioned factors decreased whereas the importance of smart function doubled from 15.1 percent to 29.6 percent within the two years.   On a separate survey* conducted in June 2015, American consumers were asked the question “Why do you want to upgrade your television?” The options ‘picture quality’ and ‘smart function’ tied at 46 percent, ...

The Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ have made their way to a handful of markets across the globe. As Samsung continues to expand the availability of its new flagship smartphone, the company has done a commendable job by releasing kernel sources for the Exynos-powered Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+. As more and more people get their hands on the new flagship, there will be many who want to customize their devices. Providing developers with kernel sources enables them to start working on custom kernels for the device. Custom kernels will give users significantly more control over their device and countless modification options. You can visit Open Source Release Center (OSRC) to download the kernel sources for the Exynos-powered Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ . This is certainly going to benefit a lot of people as most markets are going to receive the Exynos variant. You should expect custom kernels for the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ to start popping up in a couple of weeks.

  From May 16–17, San Francisco’s Hilton Union Square Hotel will welcome developers from around the world for the Tizen Developer Conference (TDC) 2017.   Attendees of the event can look forward to illuminating presentations delivered by tech industry leaders, as well as a wide range of hands-on sessions that emphasize Tizen’s ability to advance the development of IoT devices.   The conference’s keynote will include discussions on Tizen’s ecosystem and latest update, as well as IoT partnerships and a newly developed module for the SAMSUNG ARTIK™ platform.   Keynote speakers include:   Hyogun Lee , Executive Vice President of Samsung Electronics and Chair of the Tizen Technical Steering Group, who will address what developers can expect to see in Tizen 4.0. Adam Tom , Senior Vice President and Chief Technical Officer, Samsung Electronics, who will discuss how Samsung’s Smart TVs leverage the Tizen ecosystem. Chris Park , Vice President, Partner ...

Samsung usually offers incentives to those who preorder its flagship smartphones, including freebies or discounts. These incentives vary by market, and the company is being quite generous to its Galaxy S8 and S8+ customers in Malaysia . Apart from a free Limited Edition Starter Kit (Clear Cover, Screen Protector, Wireless Charging Stand, USB Type-C cable) and a 5,100 mAh Battery Pack, Samsung is also offering additional freebies during their 3-day roadshow for the Galaxy S8 and S8+. Customers in the country can get a 50% discount on the new Gear VR with Controller and the Gear 360 (2017) if they purchase the Galaxy S8 (priced at RM 3,299) or S8+  (priced at RM 3,699) during Samsung’s roadshow in Malaysia. Interested customers can also trade in their existing smartphones for the Galaxy S8 or S8+ during the roadshow. For its ‘Trade Up’ program, the company has specified trade-in values for popular smartphone models (including other brands) in the table below. Samsung will launch...

If you’ve made the switch from an iPhone to a Galaxy S8 , there’s a good chance you’re going to want to transfer all of your content from iOS to Android. The good news is: it’s possible. However, if you don’t have an adapter handy to connect the two devices, it’s going to take a little bit of time. Here’s how you do it: You will need A Galaxy S8 or Galaxy S8+ An iPhone running iOS 9 or newer A Lightning cable A Mac/Windows computer with Samsung’s Smart Switch software installed A USB-C cable Preparation Before we go any further, connect your iPhone to your computer and create a backup using iTunes. Instructions on how to do so can be found here . Once you’ve done that, open up Smart Switch and install any software updates that are available. Let’s get started Step 1:  Ensure Smart Switch is running on your computer, then connect your Galaxy S8 using a USB-C cable. Step 2:  After Smart Switch recognises your handset (it may take a few minutes), hit the...

T-Mobile and its prepaid subsidiary MetroPCS have now started selling the Galaxy J3 Prime . It’s an entry-level smartphone with specs to match but it does come with Android 7.0 Nougat out of the box. T-Mobile postpaid customers can purchase the Galaxy J3 Prime for $6 down and $6 per month for 24 months. This works out to a full price of $150. The carrier’s prepaid customers can buy it for $150 upfront. However, for a limited time, the carrier is providing a $75 instant discount on the handset. After all of the offers have been redeemed, the handset can be picked up for as low as $69. You get what you pay for, so the specs won’t be something worth writing home about. It has a 5-inch 1280×720 pixel resolution display, an Exynos 7570 processor with 1.5GB RAM, 16GB storage, 5-megapixel rear and 2-megapixel front camera and a 2,600mAh battery. Head over to the T-Mobile or MetroPCS website right now if you’re interested in picking up this smartphone.

Remember the time when someone found a way to peel the color film from the Galaxy Note 5′s back so that the internals could be on full display at all times? Well, someone just did that with the Galaxy S8 but the procedure is a bit harder on the new flagship than it was on the Galaxy Note 5. The Galaxy S8 doesn’t have a color film. The color is actually more of a coating that can’t be peeled off. It has to be removed using a paint remover. Once the coating is removed, the lamination layer can easily be peeled off thus leaving you with a clear piece of glass. Bear in mind that this procedure requires disassembly of some parts of the handset and absolutely voids any and all official warranties. You lose wireless charging as well if you opt for maximum transparency. It’s also pertinent to mention here that the Galaxy S8 won’t be water resistant once you’re done. If you’re curious about this, check out the video by the YouTuber JerryRigEverything embedded down below in which he details ...

If you’ve been using Samsung smartphones for a while now then you won’t really find it that hard to get familiar with the company’s new flagship smartphone. However, if the Galaxy S8 has enticed you to switch over from another manufacturer, Samsung has posted an overview video for you which will help you understand some important bits about your new smartphone. The video walks you through the design of the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+, all of the contents inside the box, the display sizes, key placements, swipe gestures, software buttons and more. It also details the edge lighting feature that’s activated by notifications, the Always-On Display and its features, navigation bar settings and then circles back to the Infinity Display again. It’s a short video that provides a quick overview of Samsung’s new flagship smartphone. If you’re intrigued, you’ll find the video embedded below. VIDEO

Welcome back to Themes Thursday ! This is where we showcase some of the best new themes released each week for Galaxy smartphones. A whopping 242 new theme packs have been released by Samsung over the past one week. We’ve gone through each and every one of them, and shortlisted a few theme packs that you might find worth having a look at. [Anup] Night Window (AOD), [NR] Sierra, and Raining Love (AOD) have pretty good AOD designs. [Kendi] Glow UI and [IMG] Material Pixel have a Material UI design theme, if you like that sort of thing. Which theme did you like the most? [Anup] Night Window (AOD) [IMG] Material Pixel [Kendi] Glow UI [LINEDECO] Street Life [NR] Sierra [PIXOME] Calm Flight (LIVE!) [Soni] Flair UI AURORA Raining Love (AOD) Rose Day Page 9 – THENEW Spring [Inah]

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 went live today. Business Samsung Electronics decides to cancel treasury shares worth $43 billion Samsung Electronics rejects holding company structure Samsung posts highest-ever Q1 operating profit on revenue of $44.7 billion Samsung retains top spot in US home appliance market Deals Daily Deal: Save 65% on a pair of Level U Pro headphones Phones Hong Kong to get unlocked Galaxy S8+ with 6GB RAM Samsung confirms new flagship smartphone launch for the second half of 2017 Samsung rolls out an update in Korea for Galaxy S8′s red tint problem Samsung Z4 user manual reveals dual LED flash Samsung Pay Samsung Pay expands to Hong Kon...

It has been three weeks since the much-rumored Galaxy S8+ with 6GB RAM and 128GB storage was officially confirmed . It’s only being sold in select markets like South Korea and mainland China. Samsung is selling locked units of this handset so it’s not going to be that easy for people who reside in other markets to get their hands on this variant. That’s going to change soon, though. Samsung conducted an event in Hong Kong today to announce the launch of Samsung Pay . It also confirmed that the Galaxy S8+ with 6GB RAM will soon be released in Hong Kong. The company added that all Samsung smartphones sold in Hong Kong are not locked to carriers which means one can easily buy a 6GB Galaxy S8+ in Hong Kong and use it elsewhere. If that really is the case, you can expect many 6GB Galaxy S8+ variants to show up on eBay in the near future. Samsung has said that the handset will be released in Hong Kong on May 25, but it hasn’t confirmed pricing for it yet. Thanks, Justin!

Some Galaxy S8 and S8+ owners were complaining about a “reddish” tint on their smartphone’s display, and Samsung had said that it would fix the problem with a software update . It now appears that the company has rolled out a software update that offers users with options to adjust the screen’s color temperature. Samsung has started rolling out a software update for the Galaxy S8 ( SM-G950N ) and S8+ in Korea ( SM-G955N ). The update (with firmware version G950NKSU1AQDG or G950NKSU1AQDG) provides an additional setting in the Adaptive Display screen mode where users can adjust the ‘full screen color balance’ as per their personal preferences. Note: The company might release this update to other markets in the coming days, but we currently don’t know an accurate time frame. Thanks for the tip, Henk!