Samsung Galaxy Tab 4 10.1 gets Android Lollipop update

Both the Wi-Fi-only as well as LTE-capable versions of the Samsung Galaxy Tab 4 10.1 are now in the process of receiving the update to Android 5.0.2 Lollipop. This comes after the much higher-end Galaxy Tab S line has been running Lollipop for a while now.

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Samsung will launch the Gear A round smartwatch alongside the Galaxy Note 5

Samsung has been working on its next smartwatch for quite a while now, even confirming itself that the device will come with a round screen. The Korean company has said it wants to take its time with this one, hoping to get it just right, but now it seems the wearable has seen a delay of sorts.

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Samsung Launches Portable SSD T1 Starting at Rs. 12,000

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Samsung on Tuesday launched the Samsung Portable SSD T1 portable drive in India. Available via popular e-commerce websites, the Samsung Portable SSD T1 comes in three storage capacities. While the 250GB variant is priced at Rs. 12,000, the 500GB and 1TB variants are priced at Rs. 18,000 and 35,000 respectively.

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Samsung Gear 2 spotted running Android Wear

Even though the smartwatch niche is still pretty much in its infancy, Samsung has managed to already go through quite a few wearable gadgets. Some of you might remember the Gear 2. It came out back when the craze for curved displays was only beginning and is essentially a souped-up version of the original Galaxy gear, complete with camera and more number-crunching power. It was also one of the company’s first ambassadors for the Tizen OS.

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Samsung Galaxy S6 edge has the best smartphone camera ever tested by DxOMark

Move over, iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, and even Samsung Galaxy Note 4. The new king of DxOMark is the Samsung Galaxy S6 edge – and, by extension, the Galaxy S6, since these two handsets share the same camera and internals (except the screen).

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Galaxy S4 mini won't get Android Lollipop update

UK carrier Three has revealed that Samsung's Galaxy S4 mini will not be getting the Android Lollipop update. The revelation was made by the carrier in response to a user's question on Twitter.

The reason, according to the carrier is the memory limitation on the S4 mini. When pressed further, Three also revealed they've received an official confirmation for the same from Samsung.
For those who aren't aware, released back in 2013, Galaxy S4 mini is a more compact, but also less capable variant of that year's Samsung flagship - Galaxy S4.
Update: One of our readers has pointed out that Ireland's branch of Three will indeed release a Lollipop update for the Galaxy S4 mini. In fact, it has already started rolling out, so it's apparently a region/carrier dependent update. Thanks for the tip.

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Samsung opens new plant to meet Galaxy S6 edge demand

Apparently there can be too much of a good thing, and in Samsung's case the unanticipated high demand for the Galaxy S6 edge lead to shortages in the smartphone's supply. The limiting factor was quoted to be the dual-edge display, but Samsung was quick to address the issue.

Industry insiders report that a new manufacturing line has already gone operational, which should bring the production volume to 5 million curved displays a month. That's a substantial increase compared to the previous 2 million units monthly output and should help the company reach the latest forecast of 70 million Galaxy S6/S6 edge device sales. The new plant's planned launch date was set for the month of June, but with the explosion of market demand Samsung managed to pull it off two months ahead of schedule.
Owing in no small part to the special screen, the Galaxy S6 edge was reported to be the company's most expensive smartphone to produce. The 64GB Verizon version cost Samsung a whopping $290 for materials and assembly alone.

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Samsung to Invest $9 Billion More in South Korea Chip Plant: Report

Samsung Electronics Co Ltd is set to spend at least another 10 trillion won ($9.2 billion) to boost capacity at a new South Korean chip plant, a 64 percent increase over announced investment plans, domestic online news service MoneyToday reported.

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Samsung patented an ultra slim, Jawbone-like fitness band

It looks like Samsung has a Jawbone-rivaling fitness band coming our way. The Korean giant received a patent for such device from the Patent and Trademark Office in the United States.

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Samsung Galaxy E7 hands-on

The Samsung Galaxy E7 has been a regular entrant in our weekly trending chart, and despite the fact it didn’t quite make it this week, it’s clearly receiving a lot of attention. And rightly so, judging by our first impressions after we just picked one up for review.

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Expansys now selling Samsung Gear S for £275

UK e-retailer Expansys has dropped the price of Samsung's Gear S smartwatch, which was unveiled back in September last year at IFA and went on sale a couple of months later, from the usual £330 ($494) to £275 ($412).

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Samsung Galaxy S6 edge camera ring suffers chafing issue

amsung has been beating its chest over the strong Corning Gorilla Glass 4 panels used in the Galaxy S6 edge flagship smartphone. The metal frame around those panels appears strong too but there still appear to be some weak spots in the design.

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Samsung employs a kitty to promote the Clear View Cover for Galaxy S6 & S6 edge

The latest Samsung Galaxy S6 and S6 edge promo video is focused on the official Clear View Cover for the duo of devices. In order to showcase the sleek accessory, the Korean giant employed a rather fluffy looking Persian kitty.

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Samsung Opens Galaxy Theme Store to Contributors

Samsung, as expected, has finally announced third-party support for its Themes tool, first partially introduced with the Galaxy A-series (only changed icons) and finally launched with the Samsung Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge (icons, wallpapers, keyboard, native apps, keyboard apps, and more).
The company has now a dedicated website for its Galaxy Theme Store, and is calling for designers to create themes for Galaxy smartphones.An earlier report had tipped that the company was looking on ways to add customised themes for its Galaxy smartphones.The website says, "We welcome any designer, character, brand or others. We like you for your interest and we are looking forward to receive your great ideas."
Samsung is requesting interested designers to send their ideas about new themes to the company after which it will shortlist candidates and contact them. "After reviewing your content, the person in charge will contact you as soon as possible," notes the site. Unfortunately, the website just has a landing page with no further details about when a proper Theme Store will be unveiled.
Samsung last month confirmed to a Reddit user that the Themes tool that will enable users to create and share customised themes would be rolling out to the new flagship Samsung Galaxy S6 smartphone in April.
It's worth noting that lately big smartphone brands such as HTC, which also introduced the Theme app support with Sense 7 UI (also available with Sense Home), and Samsung have been focusing giving users the ability to customise the interface of their handsets. It will be interesting to see how brands evolve their UI or skins that run on top of Google's Android OS.
The South Korean company recently claimed that demand for both the flagship Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge with dual-edge display has been "much higher" than initially planned for. In fact, in a more recent statement, Samsung said it expects to sell more than 70 million Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge handsets.
Both the Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge smartphones recently received a firmware update that brought several changes, including stability and performance improvements, and new features.

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Samsung Reportedly Making Two New Tizen Phones; Z1 Gets a Price Cut in India

Samsung is rumoured to be working on two more Tizen-based smartphones - an entry level and a mid-range smartphone - after the reported success of the Samsung Z1.

In February, Samsung 's first Tizen-based smartphone, the Z1 reportedly recorded "higher-than-expected sales volume" in India since the launch in January. The report noted that the company sold over 100,000 Samsung Z1 smartphones in India since its launch on January 14.Now a report from Tizenexperts blog on Monday claims that the South Korean company is developing the Tizen-based successor to the Z1 - the Samsung Z2 - and another 'unnamed' Tizen smartphone for the global market.While the Samsung Z2 is claimed to be set for launch sometime in the first half of 2015, there is no time-frame for the 'unnamed' global Tizen smartphone, though it is said to be targeted for markets like China, Europe, France, Korea, India, Malaysia, Russia, South Asia, and the US.According to the report, Samsung Z2 will include an unknown 32-bit quad-core processor coupled with 1GB of RAM, a 540x960 pixel resolution TFT-LCD display, a 2000mAh battery, and Tizen 3.0 UI.The new Tizen 3.0 user interface bySamsung is said to come with similarities to the Samsung SUHD TV UI, which is also based on Tizen. It is said to have a greater flexibility for various platforms such as C++, HTML5, CSS3, Javascript, jQuery mobile, and EPL, notes the report.The unnamed global Tizen smartphone is speculated to be a mid-range smartphone instead of an entry-level smartphone. The rumoured specifications for the smartphone include a 4.8-inch HD (720x1280 pixels) Super Amoled S-Stripe RGB display, 2GB of RAM, an 8-megapixel primary camera, and a 2600mAh battery.In the meanwhile, the Samsung Z1 has received a price cut in India. The smartphone is now available at Rs. 4,990 on the company's official online store for India, down from the Rs. 5,700 launch price.

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Samsung Galaxy A8 Rumored To Be In The Works

Samsung may have one more premium handset to show off in the coming days. According to the latest leaks, the tech giant from South Korea is readying a powerful addition to its Galaxy A series that will pack a 5.7-inch FHD display and a Snapdragon 615 processor under the hood. The latest report comes from SamMobile, who has served up credible tips in the past. If these specs are true, the new Samsung Galaxy A8 handset would carry a large 5.7-inch Full HD display ( 1920 x 1080), a Qualcomm Snapdragon 615 chip, 2GB of RAM, 16GB of native storage space, a 3050mAh battery and more.

Samsung Galaxy A8 Rumored To Be In The Works The purported handset will pack a 16MP primary sensor and a 5MP front-facing shooter; although it is unknown if the 16MP camera sensor would be identical to the one featured by the Galaxy S6. The Galaxy A8 will run Android 5.0 Lollipop with Samsung's TouchWiz software overlay. Samsung Galaxy A8 Rumored To Be In The Works The report further said that the Galaxy A8 will measure just 5.9mm in terms of thickness, making it the slimmest handset from Samsung. In comparison the Galaxy A7 currently enjoys the title, with a thickness of 6.3mm. Samsung Galaxy A8 Rumored To Be In The Works According to sources close to SamMobile, the Galaxy A8 could be launched in China in the near future. Either way take this reports with a grain of salt for now, but check back with us later for the more details on the Galaxy A series .

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Samsung Gear A is going to ruin Apple Watch and Moto 360 [REPORT]

Samsung seems to have made up its mind to launch a smartwatch and the round faced device will be called Gear A.

Samsung Gear A is going to ruin Apple Watch and Moto 360 [REPORT] As we all say, the leader leads and the followers follow. Samsung is doing just the same in the tech business and the company now wants to launch a smartwatch. But they are not only following a trend in the tech biz but also improving. Samsung's watch will allow for health monitoring, messaging features, email notifications, etc. The best part is that the watch will also allow yo to make calls and will support 3G. No wonder the OEM seems to have felt the competitive heat in the wearables market and thus want to enter it. We've seen an array of smart watches in the recent past, starting from Pebble's Time to LG's Urbane smartwatch and Apple's own Watch, there is no dearth of choices for consumers. The South Korean OEM is expected to soon come out with a smartwatch, with specifications and features that will make it the most premium quality smartwatch from the company ever. Samsung says that the watch will come in two versions. One with standard Bluetooth connectivity and the other with 3G and calling support. The smartwatch line will be named as SM-R7XX. The arrival and pricing of the devices are yet to be announced by the company.

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Samsung Galaxy S6 & S6 edge get 24K gold treatment

Gold-plated smartphones have existed since the last decade and used to be in possession of select few. But now, anyone with a taste of extra bling and lots of cash to burn can get their latest Samsung smartphone gold plated. Karalux, the Vietnamese gold-plating shop, offers such versions of the Korean's company two latest flagships.

The Galaxy S6 and S6 edge join the company’s collection of 24K gold plated smartphones. Do note that both smartphones feature Corning Gorilla Glass 4 glass panels in the front and at the back. It’s the metallic frame hugging the two panels that gets the gold treatment along with the metal rim around the camera module.

The Karalux shop claims that it takes 3 hours for the engineers to pass the Galaxy S6 through 10 different stages to have it finally 24K gold layered. Not only that, the phone also gets an additional nano layer to prevent the gold plaint from being corroded.

Getting a Galaxy S6 a layer of 24K gold will cost you $400 (VND 8 million) on the top of the regular price starting $685.

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Samsung Needs More Outside Customers for its Chips and Panels Amid Mobile Slump

As Samsung Electronics Co Ltd sells fewer of its own smartphones, the South Korean group's components businesses are under pressure to pick up the slack and secure external customers for chips and display panels, including putting these in rival mobile devices.Samsung Display has begun supplying organic light-emitting diode (OLED) panels to Chinese smartphone makers Lenovo, Coolpad, Oppo Electronics and Vivo Electronics. And the subsidiary says it's on the lookout for more clients, aiming to have half its total revenue by 2017 from sales to outside customers, up from just over a third in 2013.

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Samsung Q1 Profit Signals Recovery Ahead of Galaxy S6, S6 Edge Launch

Samsung Electronics Co Ltd expects January-March profit to be its highest in three quarters, beating expectations and suggesting that the tech giant is on track for an earnings recovery ahead of the launch of new flagship smartphones.Operating profit likely reached KRW 5.9 trillion ($5.44 billion, roughly Rs. 33,893 crores) in the first quarter, the South Korean manufacturer said on Tuesday, versus the 5.3 trillion won average estimate of 41 analysts in a Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S survey.
This was also better than KRW 5.3 trillion reported for October-December even though the first quarter tends to be a seasonally weaker period as the industry comes off the year-end peak. Samsung typically releases final first-quarter figures towards the end of April.
"These results are meaningful and will lead to very strong earnings expectations for the second quarter," HMC Investment analyst Greg Roh said.
Shares of Samsung were up 0.4 percent as of 0100 GMT Tuesday, following the earnings guidance, versus a 0.3 percent gain in the broader market.
Investors and analysts expect the Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge models - on sale from Friday - to revive handset sales and propel profits in coming quarters. Researcher Counterpoint expects Samsung to sell more than 50 million units of the new devices to consumers this year - a new record for the company.
The mean estimate from a Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S survey of 40 analysts tips a KRW 6.7 trillion April-June profit, improving sequentially for the third consecutive quarter. The contribution from Samsung's chip-making division is also tipped to be just as significant as smartphone-related income.
Chips likely out-earned phones for a third straight quarter in January-March, analysts said, as Samsung dominates in memory and grew market share for system chips. Samsung opted to use more of its own chips for its Galaxy S6 models and added chip maker Nvidia Corp as a new contract manufacturing client.
The smartphone business likely also saw sequential shipments growth in the first quarter as new mid-tier handsets such as the Galaxy A and E models went on sale in major markets, analysts said.
For all of 2015, profit is likely to rise 6 percent to 26.5 trillion won, according to a Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S survey of 51 analysts. Improving sales particularly in system chips and favourable pre-sale reviews for the S6 have helped reverse the estimate from a profit decline forecast earlier this year.

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