Samsung’s Wallet service folds shut on June 30th
Now that Samsung Pay is nearly here, the company is riding its two-year-old Wallet service into the sunset. Samsung is now telling users that Wallet will stop taking purchases on June 30th. Any reservations and tickets you score before then will still be valid, but you’ll otherwise be left out of the loop. The move isn’t all that surprising given how much more advanced Samsung Pay should be, but it’s a blunt reminder of just how quickly the mobile payment world is evolving — technology that was promising in 2013 is already old hat.
Filed under: Cellphones, Internet, Mobile, Samsung
Source: SamMobile
Engadget’s new buyer’s guide picks: the GS6, Spectre x360 and more!
Another month, another handful of reviews. Which means another round of new additions to Engadget’s various buyer’s guides. For the fifth month of the year, we’ve got five new products to induct, including Samsung’s excellent Galaxy S6 and the HP Spectre x360, one of our new favorite laptops. As you’d expect, our other recommendations are solid too, but they each fall squarely in the “not for everybody” category. That includes the Apple Watch, currently the best smartwatch on the market, along with the low-powered Surface 3 and the 12-inch, mostly port-less MacBook. Whatever your tastes, chances are we’ve got something that makes sense for you. Check out the full guide here, and stay tuned for even more picks — because who knows what we’ll be buzzing about next month?
Filed under: Cellphones, Laptops, Tablets, Wearables, Mobile, Apple, Samsung, Microsoft, HP
Source: Engadget Buyer’s Guide
Samsung Wallet shutting down from June 30
Samsung has decided to terminate its Wallet service with the imminent arrival of Samsung Pay in mind. The company has sent out an email to users of the service that it will no longer be functional after June 30.
The service doesn’t enjoy a large user base, so that could have been another reason behind the closure of Samsung Wallet. As of now, the company hasn’t mentioned the exact reason reason behind the closure of the service.
Samsung mentions that tickets and other information will not disappear, but you will lose your coupons and other promotional items that is attached to your Samsung Wallet account.
Have you been a user of Samsung Wallet? What do you make of this news?
Via: Sam Mobile
Come comment on this article: Samsung Wallet shutting down from June 30
Samsung invests $250 million for LoopPay
Sources have revealed that Samsung spent approximately $250 million to acquire LoopPay and gain access to their mobile payment technology. LoopPay technology is unique amongst mobile payment solutions because it can take advantage of existing credit card readers that use the magnetic stripes on the back of cards. Most other solutions rely on NFC to make the connection, meaning retailers need special equipment installed. By making use of hardware that is already widely deployed, Samsung hopes their solution using the LoopPay technology will help them compete against Apple, Google and PayPal.
Prior to Samsung’s acquisition, LoopPay had raised a little more than $10 million from investors. Thus, the payout from Samsung is several orders of magnitude larger than their previous efforts. Although details are not available, sources also indicate the Samsung investment could increase even more based on performance resulting in additional earnouts.
LoopPay’s technology will eventually be rolled in with the forthcoming Samsung Pay mobile payments solution. Samsung Pay is scheduled to be deployed in some markets, including the U.S., later this year. Initially the solution will be available on the Samsung Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 edge, including full support for the LoopPay technology. Samsung has not revealed whether or how they may make Samsung Pay available on older devices that will not have the magnetic card reader support.
source: Re/code
Come comment on this article: Samsung invests $250 million for LoopPay
Shipments of ‘white box’ tablets overtake iPads
The hottest-selling tablets aren’t likely to be iPads or Galaxy Tabs these days — if anything, they’re the cut-rate slabs you see in the back of the drug store. Strategy Analytics estimates that shipments of generic “white box” tablets (which typically run Android) overtook iPads in the first quarter of this year, claiming 28.4 percent of the market versus Apple’s 24.3. The analysts largely chalk this up to consistently tepid iPad sales, but they also suggest that small, budget-minded tablet makers are having a field day. That’s not totally surprising. Low-cost Android gear also dominates the smartphone market, and a lot of these tiny outfits operate in China, where price is more of a concern. You don’t need a $500 slate just to watch video in bed, after all.
That shift is partly borne out by what’s happening with other big-name competitors. Cost-conscious Chinese brands like Huawei and Lenovo are thriving, while higher-end rivals that don’t do so well in China (such as ASUS and Samsung) are struggling. If these relative outsiders are going to come back, they may need to either compete more on price or give buyers a reason to pony up. There are signs that this is happening (see Samsung’s Galaxy Tab A and rumors of a giant iPad), but you may not see the results of these efforts until later in the year.
[Image credit: AP Photo/Koji Sasahara]
Filed under: Tablets, Apple, Samsung, ASUS, Lenovo
Source: Strategy Analytics
Samsung rolling out Android 5.0.2 Lollipop update for the Galaxy S6 in France, Malaysia, the UAE & Vietnam
If you own a Galaxy S6 and live in France, Malaysia, the UAE or Vietnam, you may want to listen up as Samsung has just started pushing out the long-awaited Android 5.0.2 update. In terms of added functionality, this upgrade transports the latest build of Lollipop to the handset, in addition to a truckload of bug fixes and stability improvements.
All the changes you’d expect to find are bundled into this upgrade, including support for multiple accounts, improved notifications, a smoother multitasking experience and the recently-announced Material Design guidelines.
As is customary with all manufacturer updates, the upgrade is being rolled out in stages, but if you don’t feel like waiting for a notification confirming that it’s ready for your device, you could always search for the update manually. To do so simply follow the four steps below:
- Open the Settings app
- Scroll to the bottom and tap on “About Device”
- Hit “System Updates”
- Tap on “Check for update”
Come comment on this article: Samsung rolling out Android 5.0.2 Lollipop update for the Galaxy S6 in France, Malaysia, the UAE & Vietnam
Wait What? Consumer Reports thinks you should buy the Galaxy S5 instead of the Galaxy S6 or Galaxy S6 Edge
While just about every reviewer has been praising the Galaxy S6 (including myself) and Galaxy S6 Edge, Consumer Reports isn’t in love with either phone. They do admit that both phones rank as among the best that you can buy today, but their overall scores rank them lower than the Galaxy S5.
They feel the loss of the removable battery, microSD slot, water resistance, and overall battery life on the Galaxy S6 and Edge makes the Galaxy S5 the better buy if you’re looking for a smartphone right now. They do praise the rapid charging capabilities, the ability to wirelessly charge it via Qi and Powermat, and the gorgeous display, but they don’t feel they are enough to capture your hard earned dollars.
Interestingly enough, they didn’t mention the superb camera that both the Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge sport. Cameras are becoming increasingly more important, and I for one rank that as pretty high. I agree that the battery life is sub par, but I am willing to make that sacrifice for the quality of images both phones produce. As to the microSD slot and removable battery, I believe they were big marketing features for past Galaxy S phones, but the mainstream consumer never utilized them. Apple has already proved that the average Joe doesn’t care about either feature. Samsung is at least offering the phones with up to 128 GB of internal storage for those that feel they need it, but it doesn’t come cheap. Water resistance is certainly a loss, but most people end up buying the monthly insurance on the device so they will be covered. It’s not like they would be able to cancel the insurance if the S6 were to be water resistant since it covers loss of the phone and any other damage as well.
The bottom line is that you can save some money buying a Galaxy S5 right now, but if you’re buying on contract, I am not sure $100 over 2 years is worth it. Unless you are on a very tight budget, I strongly disagree with Consumer Reports here.
source: Consumer Reports
Come comment on this article: Wait What? Consumer Reports thinks you should buy the Galaxy S5 instead of the Galaxy S6 or Galaxy S6 Edge
Press image of the Galaxy S6 Active leaks
Yesterday we got our first look at the Galaxy S6 Active via a leaked photo of the device. Now just in case you’re thinking it was fake, check out this press image that leaked earlier today.
What’s interesting is that both the leaked image and press render are both AT&T devices. Samsung has been making “Active” devices of their Galaxy S phones ever since the Galaxy S4. They are reserved for those that need something a little more durable so you can expect it to be waterproof and dustproof. Unfortunately it won’t be as elegant as the Galaxy S6 or the Galaxy S6 Edge, but that’s the price you pay for that extra durability.
Is the Galaxy S6 Active in your future?
source: @evleaks
Come comment on this article: Press image of the Galaxy S6 Active leaks
Samsung bought LoopPay for around $250 million, sources say
Back in February, Samsung acquired LoopPay, a start-up based in Massachusetts, to bolster its presence in the mobile payment game and help it better compete with the likes of Google’s Wallet, PayPal and the relatively new Apple Pay system. At the time, it wasn’t known how much the transaction had cost Samsung, but now various sources suggest that the price tag was approximately $250 million. This number could rise further based on any performance related earnouts, although such terms are unknown.
A Samsung spokeswoman and LoopPay CEO Will Graylin both declined to comment on the figure.
LoopPay’s technology is important for Samsung as it allows its new phones, like the Galaxy S6, to mimic a regular card swipe, meaning that Samsung Pay should work everywhere that currently accepts card payments. This gives it an advantage over Apple Pay or Google Wallet, which requires the retailer to accommodate NFC transactions. Samsung has also said that its payment platform will be compatible with NFC, which is gradually gaining presence in retails stores.
In related news, Samsung has announced that it will be closing down its Samsung Wallet service on June 30th. Tickets and reservations will still be available after this date, but no new transactions will be accepted after the end of June.
LoopPay is an important part of the upcoming Samsung Pay system.
The company didn’t give a reason for the closure, but it’s probably safe to say that the launch build-up to Samsung Pay might have something to do with it. All we know so far is that Samsung is planning to launch its new payment system sometime in H2 2015. September is seen as a likely candidate, given that the IFA trade show and the launch of the Galaxy Note 5 will take place that month.
LoopPay also previously announced they would make mobile payment-enabled cases for Samsung’s Galaxy Note 4 and Galaxy S5 handsets that would release sometime in 2015, which should help Samsung expand its mobile payment ecosystem.
Whether or not LoopPay will help Samsung become the dominant force in mobile payments remains to be seen. But mobile companies seem convinced that their products and systems will replace our debit and credit cards in the not too distant future.
5 tips to improve the Galaxy S6 Edge’s battery life
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One of the biggest changes in the Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge is the lack of a removable battery, and this means you’re stuck with the 2600-mAh battery that comes built into the handset. As we covered in our Galaxy S6 Edge battery life review, my usage means that I get on average 14 to 18 hours battery life. However, like with most Android smartphones, there are a few simple tips to make the most of your S6 Edge battery.
Display Brightness
The first tip is about display brightness and this makes a huge difference to your battery life. It’s a common fact that the brighter your display, the worse your battery life gets and this definitely applies to the Galaxy S6 Edge.
For me personally, keeping brightness on auto and between 40 and 60 percent is the perfect balance between battery life and display quality, but this is a personal decision. You can also try reducing screen time-out and changing other display settings by heading over to Settings > Display.
Smart Network Switch
Smart Network Switch is a Samsung feature that’s been present on the past few generations of Galaxy handsets and it is both good and bad. The good is that it monitors your mobile and Wi-Fi networks and uses whichever is strongest when you access data. The downside is the effect on your battery life from all that scanning.
I personally keep this disabled as I mostly use my handset on 4G – EE’s 4G network is often faster than my home Wi-Fi network – but even when it’s turned on, I’ve found it to be more hindrance than help.
To switch this off, head over to Wi-Fi Setting, tap on More and then select Smart Network Switch. From here, you can turn it on or off based on your personal preference.
Android Location
One of the biggest issues with all Android smartphones is the platform’s inability to manage location efficiently without negatively affecting battery life. Thankfully, there’s a plethora of options to help preserve your battery life, so from the notifications menu, press and hold the Location button to bring up location settings.
From here, change the Location Method:
- GPS, Wi-Fi and mobile networks – this lets Google use any of these to find your location even if Wi-Fi or location is turned off. When this is switched on, you’ll often find Google Play Services is one of the biggest issues.
- Wi-Fi and mobile networks – this disables the GPS chip inside your Galaxy S6 Edge and is probably the least useful of the three options. Relying on just mobile networks and Wi-Fi will allow you to find your location quickly but will then use a lot of data and battery as it relies on your Wi-Fi and mobile networks to keep track of your location.
- GPS only – this is actually the mode I use as it prevents Google scanning in the background (more on that below). It has its pitfalls in that it can take a while to find your location but the battery savings from not having Google scanning are plentiful.
When you attempt to turn on either the first or the second option, you’re greeted with a prompt from Google to “Improve location accuracy”. The option means that anonymous location data can sporadically be sent to Google even when no apps are running, and as a result, this can have a large impact on your battery life, especially when using Google Now or widgets that depend on location.
Google Sync Services
Another of the issues that affects all Android smartphones is Google’s Sync Services; the beauty of Android is that you can add a Google account and it syncs all your services, but the pitfalls come in when you have multiple Google accounts set up.
When you do add a second, third, or more Google account, the handset automatically turns on sync for all of Google’s own apps and services. For me personally, I have one account that has everything syncing and the rest are for email so once I add an account, I go into that account and turn off all the services.
To turn off sync services, head over to Settings and then tap on Accounts. On the next menu select Google and then tap on your Google account. You’ll now be presented with a list of services; to disable any of them, just tap the toggle to the right of the name.
Bloatware
The last tip is an interesting one as the Galaxy S6 Edge is the least bloated Samsung smartphone ever made. Alongside the new build, camera and aesthetics, the Galaxy S6 Edge comes with a redefined TouchWiz interface that includes a handful of preloaded apps and the ability to disable most of these.
I personally disable preloaded apps that I don’t use mainly to prevent it from running in the background and in the case of the Galaxy S6 Edge, the few apps that I have disabled are S Voice (which you should disable on every Samsung smartphone), OneNote and OneDrive.
To disable an app, head over to your App Drawer and then tap on the Edit button in the top right corner. Now the appearance will change and any app that you can disable will have a small line in the top left corner. To disable a preloaded app, find that app in your app drawer and then tap on the line; the next screen will prompt you to disable the app and if the app has been updated, you might also need to uninstall all updates (follow on screen prompts).
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Wrap up
There you have it; five simple tips to getting the most out of your Galaxy S6 Edge battery. Most of the tips apply to any Android smartphone and in the case of location and bloat, these are things I do on every Android phone I use.
These tips won’t add drastic amounts to your battery life but especially in the case of the display brightness, it can mean a few extra hours battery life. If you’re someone who uses your phone a lot – and we mean 5 hours screen on time – chances are you’ll need to charge it more than once a day but actually, this isn’t a problem.
I use Quick Charging all the time as it can add up to 50 percent to the battery with just 30 minutes of charging, which means charging more than once per day really isn’t an issue (at least for me).
I personally think the trade-off between features and battery life is worth it, but what do you think? Have any of these tips helped you or is there something we’ve missed? Let us know your thoughts, guys!
AIVAnet 