Samsung reportedly working on a Galaxy S5 Neo, Exynos processor in tow

Samsung is no stranger to releasing new smartphone variants just about every month, oftentimes recycling its familiar design language and just changing around the internals. Last year we saw the release of the Galaxy S3 Neo, a repurposed Galaxy S3 proper with slightly different specifications. It looks like the company is looking to continue that trend with last year’s flagship, according to a new rumor from the folks at SamMobile.

Samsung is reportedly gearing up to launch the Galaxy S5 Neo, which will feature mostly identical specifications to the S5 proper, with only a few notable changes. The device will feature a 5.1-inch Full HD Super AMOLED display, 16GB of internal storage, 2GB of RAM, a 16MP rear-facing camera and a 2800mAh battery. Even the dimensions will be the exact same as the S5 – 142×72.5×8.1mm and 145 grams. Instead of Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 801 processor, though, the S5 Neo will feature a 1.6GHz 64-bit octa-core Exynos 7580 processor, a Mali-T720 GPU, and an upgraded 5MP front-facing camera. Both camera sensors will reportedly be provided by Samsung.

The new device will come in both single-SIM (SM-G903F) and dual-SIM (SM-G903FD) variants. The report states that the dual-SIM model may be released in markets such as India, China and Russia, and will feature LTE-A connectivity. Both variants will run Android 5.1 Lollipop out of the box, though the author wasn’t sure whether or not the newest version of Samsung’s TouchWiz UI would make it to the new handset. No pricing or availability information was given in the report.

Seeing as how the company probably has a few extra Galaxy S5 units hanging around due to the handset’s poor sales, rebranding the device as the S5 Neo might be a good way to get rid of some extra units. We’ll let you know if we hear anything more about this handset.

Samsung’s Galaxy S5 ranks higher than the Galaxy S6 in Consumer Reports’ ratings

Samsung’s Galaxy S6 is a stark departure from last year’s Galaxy S5, when talking of both build quality and software. The move to include more premium materials this time around has been nothing short of controversial among Samsung fans, seeing as how the company ditched the removable battery and microSD card slot that’s been present on most other Samsung devices. Because of these changes, Consumer Reports has given the Galaxy S6 a lower rating than the Galaxy S5, which currently sits at the top of the publication’s smartphone ratings.

Read more: Samsung Galaxy S6 vs Galaxy S5 quick look

Consumer Reports has long been known as a significantly unbiased publication, so how could it choose last year’s more cluttered, plastic model over the shiny newness that was just launched a few weeks ago? In terms of being practical, the Galaxy S6 definitely doesn’t offer as many features as the S5 did. The new model has done away with the microSD card slot and removable battery, as well as the IP 67 dust and water resistance rating. What’s more, the Galaxy S6 offers up an overall smaller battery capacity than its predecessor, despite having a more power-hungry Quad HD display. 

From the report:

Also missing: memory-expansion slots. That means Galaxy S6 owners will have to bring their phone to a service center to replace the battery, or buy a more expensive version of the phone if more onboard storage is needed—just as you do with an iPhone.

The majority of the report wasn’t all negative for the GS6, though. Maria Rerecich, head of electronics testing at C.R., noted that the addition of rapid charging technology and support for both wireless charging standards were a welcome change this time around.

Most of the report was focused on hardware-only features, and barely touched on the software of the devices. Samsung toned down the software features in the Galaxy S6, making the overall experience much more pleasant for the end user. But unfortunately, the publication barely touched on that aspect, allowing the overly feature-filled plastic Galaxy S5 to score higher than the more reserved, sleek Galaxy S6. Be sure to take a look at the video below to see the full report.

What are your thoughts on the report? Do you think you’d recommend the Galaxy S5 over the Galaxy S6? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.

Bug found in the Galaxy S5 allows hackers to clone fingerprints, researchers declare

We should all be well-aware that biometric data is among the most personal and important information we don’t want getting into the wrong hands. That’s why at this week’s RSA Conference, researchers from security firm FireEye will discuss the state of biometric security to the public. Specifically, these researchers found that, after performing a series of tests on the Samsung Galaxy S5 (among other Android devices), hackers have the opportunity to easily access biometric data before it reaches the “secure zone”, and create copies for future attacks.

Instead of focusing on breaking into the secure zone (where the biometric info is stored) to steal the information, hackers could instead steal the information straight from the fingerprint scanner. To do so, the hacker only needs to acquire user-level access and run a program through root to duplicate the information. The researchers from FireEye say that on the Galaxy S5, the malware only needs system-level access, so hackers wouldn’t need to go as deep.

Yulong Zhang, a representative from FireEye, told Forbes:

If the attacker can break the kernel, although he cannot access the fingerprint data stored in the trusted zone, he can directly read the fingerprint sensor at any time. Every time you touch the fingerprint sensor, the attacker can steal your fingerprint. You can get the data and from the data you can generate the image of your fingerprint. After that you can do whatever you want.

According to the representatives, this vulnerability does not reside in devices running Android 5.0 Lollipop and above, so they urge you to upgrade your device as soon as you can.

A Samsung representative told Forbes:

Samsung takes consumer privacy and data security very seriously. We are currently investigating FireEye’s claims.

Although the researchers claim they have only tested a limited number of Android devices, they expect the issue is more widespread than just residing on Samsung smartphones.

Odds are, your biometric information will be just fine. But as an added precaution, if you own a device with a fingerprint scanner, you might want to upgrade to Lollipop if it’s available for your device.

Bug found in the Galaxy S5 allows hackers to clone fingerprints, researchers declare

We should all be well-aware that biometric data is among the most personal and important information we don’t want getting into the wrong hands. That’s why at this week’s RSA Conference, researchers from security firm FireEye will discuss the state of biometric security to the public. Specifically, these researchers found that, after performing a series of tests on the Samsung Galaxy S5 (among other Android devices), hackers have the opportunity to easily access biometric data before it reaches the “secure zone”, and create copies for future attacks.

Instead of focusing on breaking into the secure zone (where the biometric info is stored) to steal the information, hackers could instead steal the information straight from the fingerprint scanner. To do so, the hacker only needs to acquire user-level access and run a program through root to duplicate the information. The researchers from FireEye say that on the Galaxy S5, the malware only needs system-level access, so hackers wouldn’t need to go as deep.

Yulong Zhang, a representative from FireEye, told Forbes:

If the attacker can break the kernel, although he cannot access the fingerprint data stored in the trusted zone, he can directly read the fingerprint sensor at any time. Every time you touch the fingerprint sensor, the attacker can steal your fingerprint. You can get the data and from the data you can generate the image of your fingerprint. After that you can do whatever you want.

According to the representatives, this vulnerability does not reside in devices running Android 5.0 Lollipop and above, so they urge you to upgrade your device as soon as you can.

A Samsung representative told Forbes:

Samsung takes consumer privacy and data security very seriously. We are currently investigating FireEye’s claims.

Although the researchers claim they have only tested a limited number of Android devices, they expect the issue is more widespread than just residing on Samsung smartphones.

Odds are, your biometric information will be just fine. But as an added precaution, if you own a device with a fingerprint scanner, you might want to upgrade to Lollipop if it’s available for your device.

Deal: New, unlocked Samsung Galaxy S5 for just $350

While the Samsung Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge are what’s “it” right now, the Samsung Galaxy S5 is still very much a capable handset with a few extra perks that aren’t offered on the S6 series, like microSD and a removable battery. For those that mind the more bloated TouchWiz implementation or the plastic-is-fantastic design, the Galaxy S5 can be had right now for an exceptionally low price of just $349.99 from well-known eBay seller Qualitycellz. The phone is a brand new AT&T model, though it has been unlocked for use outside of the AT&T network.

For a price that’s on par with devices like the Nexus 5 (if you can find one) or the OnePlus One, you get a Snapdragon 801-powered device with 2GB RAM, a 5.1-inch 1080p display, a solid 16MP ISOCELL camera and much more. For even more details on what to expect, be sure to check out our full review.

As is the case with most of QualityCellz deals, we don’t expect this one to last long, so we’d move quickly if you are at all interested. Shipping is free for US customers, though international shipping to Canada, Japan, Australia, New Zealand and Europe is available at an additional cost. So how about it, anyone planning on picking this one up?

Get this deal now!

Deal: Refurbished unlocked Samsung Galaxy S5 for just $300 from eBay

If you’re looking for a quality off-contract smartphone that doesn’t break the bank, this deal may be what you’re looking for. Right now, you can pick up a refurbished 16GB unlocked Samsung Galaxy S5 in Charcoal Black, Shimmery White or Copper Gold from eBay for just $299.99. This Galaxy S5 is a GSM variant, so you can activate it on either AT&T or T-Mobile’s networks. Normally these devices sell for upwards of $500, so this is quite the steal.

Even though this isn’t the newest device on the market, it’s still a solid smartphone. The Galaxy S5 has a 5.1-inch 1080p Super AMOLED display, a 2.5GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 processor, 2GB of RAM and a powerful 16MP rear-facing camera. Many Samsung fans have been up in arms as of late, thanks to the company’s exclusion of the removable battery and MicroSD card slot on the new Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge. But rest assured, if these two features are what you’re looking for in a smartphone, you’ll be happy to know that the Galaxy S5 offers both. It has a removable 2800mAh battery and MicroSD expansion up to 128GB. It’s also running Android 5.0 Lollipop, so you’ll get to experience the one of the most recent versions of Android if you decide to pick up this handset.

To sweeten the deal, the device also comes with free shipping to the United States and to multiple other countries. Head to the link below if you’re interested!

Buy now from eBay

Samsung claims it will sell 70 million Samsung Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge handsets

Not long after Samsung‘s duo of flagship devices was announced, analysts predicted Samsung would sell 50 million handsets. Now, after a full week of global sales, Samsung is claiming that at least 70 million Samsung Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge handsets is an achievable target. Whether this is just a yearly target, or lifetime sales, isn’t known, but The Korea Times quotes Samsung Vice Chairman Kwon Oh-hyun as simply saying “The S6 should do well. The first week looks impressive.”

It’s all possible thanks to an incredible global interest in both the vanilla Galaxy S6 and curved S6 Edge – if there needs to be just one example of the intense fervour, the extreme popularity of these devices in Samsung’s native Korea should be it. The success of the Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge is especially crucial for Samsung who lost substantial ground to Apple and its fellow Android competitors due to the poor performance of its Galaxy S5, but it appears their fortunes have turned around.

What do you think about Samsung staking their claim of at least 70 million Samsung Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge handsets sold? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

Source: The Korea Times via Phone Arena

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