Samsung takes back the lead in worldwide smartphone shipments
Samsung has had a rough past few months with declining marketshare, thanks to some serious competition from Apple and cheaper smartphone vendors. 2015 looks like the year they turn it around, though, as the company has reclaimed the top spot for smartphone manufacturer in the first quarter of 2015.
Global smartphone shipments grew about 21 percent, up to 345 million devices shipped in the first three months of the year. Samsung accounted for 24% of that, or about 83.2 million of those devices. Apple held onto second place, shipping 61.2 million devices with 18% of the market.
Lenovo managed to snag third place with a little over 5% of the market, partly thanks to their Motorola acquisition, and Huawei accounted for almost exactly 5% of the market. The remaining 40% of shipments from other OEMs like HTC, LG, and the smaller vendors.
Samsung can probably expect a strong second quarter as well, with their Galaxy S6 gaining popularity early on. And since Apple won’t be releasing anything new until later this year, it gives Samsung a few months to breathe a little easier.
source: Strategy Analytics
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Via Voice by Treycent, Inc. The nifty app with loads of promise
One of the most appealing features of android now days is voice controls. Google has been at the forefront of voice commands by being simple and intuitive. One of the drawbacks to voice commands is lack of custom voice commands. Treycent has come up with a solution with an application called Via Voice. the application allows the user to set up custom voice commands to access pictures. This alleviates an issue that plagues many users by having quick access to pictures without having to search the gallery. The interface is simple allowing you to type in a command or speak the command and attach a photo with very little effort. Via Voice also works with your android wear device allowing you to show pictures without reaching for you phone. The application has had a fair share of updates adding capabilities such as posting to Twitter. Just say you command followed by post to Twitter.
Via Voice has a straight forward setup asking to create an account attached to your email. Once you are signed you are ready to set up you custom voice commands. Commands are created using spoken word or manually typing in the command. The photo you choose is attached to a web link allowing the app to pull the photo online with your command. The user can also type the command in loud settings where voice is not recognized. You can also share your voice command with friends through several avenues allowing them to access the photo with voice. The application on the phone works every time. On both the Galaxy S5 and Moto X (2014) I had to choose a photo from Google Photos, Dropbox, or Facebook. So in simple terms the photos must have a link to them somewhere, any photo not synced would not work with the app. This makes sense considering the voice control is attached to a URL. The program also has a website that works in much the same way as on the phone. I was able to type or say a command and the picture was shown in a new tab. The voice control is accurate and I had very little issues as far as operations. On the off chance the voice recognition failed I was able to type the command to perform the action. The issue was mainly in places with an abundant amount of sound which is to be expected with any voice control.
The android wear capabilities with this app show promise but come up short in real world settings. The concept is very intriguing and makes showing a photo to you friends effortless when it works. The watch aspect is a work in process. I have tested this out in various situations with several failures. This could be a flaw in android wear or the app. Android wear is by all accounts not perfect and has had its fair share of issues so to pin this on the app is unfair. One of the most agitating aspects is accessing the app on the watch when it is not active. Having to scroll down to start and select the app is painful and pretty much defeats the purpose of convenience. I would suggest wear mini launcher for this app or any others on your watch. Once the program is open the access is much more convenient with a simple tap. Another noticeable shortfall is that on my Moto 360 the voice search seemed to activate at random. With the LG g watch I did not have that issue but the process itself suffered a considerable lag. I stress these issues could be because of android wear itself or the hardware.
To sum my long experience with Via Voice up it is a very neat feature to have. What would make this a go to app for me is the watch features. To have my watch pull photos to show on the go would be a very valuable tool. As of now though the app is regulated to my phone and is more a novelty than a must have. The concept has promise to make wear devices even more useful and shaves some time off searching your phone in this fast paced mobile world. The execution is lost with the watch by being unreliable and defeats the purpose of a wearable by having to use my phone in many instances. The promise is that even when the watch side was finicky the app was always up showing the correct picture on the phone. The developer has put a lot of time and effort in creating this application and I encourage anyone to give it a try. Custom commands for easy access of photos you want to share with friends and family is really convenient and hopefully the wear side can be ironed out. Via Voice is free on Google Play as well as web access at Treycent.com.
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Deal: Samsung Galaxy S6 unlocked on Ebay for $629.99
Samsung’s latest and greatest, the Galaxy S6, is currently being sold unlocked on eBay for $629.99 (32GB storage version). This is great for those who want to purchase a Galaxy S6 unlocked in the US, because due to the restrictions placed on Samsung by phone carriers, they aren’t allowed to directly sell unlocked phones to customers. In fact, if you travel to their website and attempt to purchase a device, it will redirect you to the carriers’ website.
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This eBay deal will also save you money as buying it from eBay gives you free shipping, and at $629.99, the price is better than buying it outright from a carrier. Currently, only the Black and White variants are still in stock, and they will likely sell quickly. Note that this device will only be compatible with GSM carriers and not CDMA carriers, namely Verizon and Sprint. The Galaxy S6 will arrive in its original packaging with all the accessories included.
Not sure if the Samsung Galaxy S6 is right for you? Be sure to check out our full review.
Details of Samsung’s Project Zen and Project Noble leak along with next-gen Galaxy Note model numbers
Over the past couple of months, we’ve seen the HTC One M9, Galaxy S6, S6 Edge, as well as the LG G4 announced. Sony has released something in Japan and now we are left with the question: What’s next? Well as we should well know with Samsung, once they release the Galaxy S flagship, they move straight along to prepping the next version of the Galaxy Note series. Details of which have been discovered in an IMEI database.
While the Galaxy S6 is known internally as Project Zen, the next-gen Galaxy Note is known as Project Noble. SamMobile’s sources also gave them the following list of model numbers:
Project Noble (Next-generation Galaxy Note)
- SM-N920F EUR XX
- SM-N920S KOR SKC
- SM-N920K NA ATT
- SM-N920V NA VZW
As you can probably tell from the model numbers, the EUR is headed to Europe, the KOR version will be sold in Samsung’s home market, Korea. While the NA ATT is probably AT&T’s variant and the NA VZW will be headed to Verizon.
A new model number relating to Project Zen was also leaked, the SM-G928S, which is almost certainly just a new derivative of the Galaxy S6 and not an entirely new model. I’m sure that by the time the Galaxy Note 5 is officially announced, most likely at the IFA in Berlin in September, the hype machine will be in full swing. Just a few more months to wait.
Source: SamMobile
Come comment on this article: Details of Samsung’s Project Zen and Project Noble leak along with next-gen Galaxy Note model numbers
Samsung reports another mediocre quarter, raising the stakes for the Galaxy S6
Samsung released its results for Q1 2015, and while they are in line with the company’s own estimates, they are below what analysts have expected.
For the quarter ending March 31, Samsung reported a net profit of 4.63 trillion Korean won ($4.3 billion), which is a 39 percent drop compared to the same quarter last year. The result is worse than what analysts polled by WSJ and Bloomberg have estimated. This is the fourth straight quarter of declining net profit for Samsung.
But there’s some good news that suggests the worst has passed: operating profit increased from Q4 2014 by 13.1 percent to 5.9 billion won ($5.5 billion).
Samsung’s quarter was buoyed by the good performance of its component division, which makes memory modules and other chips, for Samsung and other customers. The semiconductor business rose 50 percent compared to Q1 2014 and 8.5 percent compared to Q4 2014.
The crucial mobile division didn’t do as well. Even if Samsung managed to ship 99 million handsets, out of which “over 80 percent” were smartphones, operating profit fell 57 percent year on year.
The silver lining is Samsung managed to sell more phones than last quarter (enough to put it back on the first place globally, according to Strategy Analytics) and increase its profit margin to 10.6 percent, compared to 7.5 percent. That’s because Samsung sold more mid-range devices and decreased marketing costs.
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For the next period, Samsung foresees strong sales for the Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge, though the company expects the total amount of devices it sells to remain the same in Q2 2015. That’s because “increased competition in the middle- to low-end market and a possible decrease in demand due to the impact of foreign exchange rates in specific regions.” In other words, Samsung will likely cede some market share to rivals at the lower end, but high-end sales will make up for it.
Samsung is in an interesting place right now: after dominating the smartphone market in all ranges, the Korean giant is now focusing on the mid to upper ranges, with devices like the Galaxy A series and the Galaxy S6. Samsung can’t (or won’t) compete with priced-focused players like Xiaomi or Huawei, so a lot more is hanging on the success of the Galaxy S6. For now, the outlook for the Galaxy S6 is great, and Samsung said it expects record sales. But it remains to be seen how this strategy will turn out for Samsung in the long term.
Samsung’s Galaxy Tab A with S Pen goes on sale in Korea
In recent weeks, we’ve seen confirmations of Samsung’s Galaxy Tab A becoming available soon in both Europe and the US, and now the S Pen equipped version of the 9.7-inch tablet has gone on sale in Korea. We have the pricing and specifications after the break.
The Galaxy Tab A with S Pen is available in two variants, with the WiFi version priced at 399,000 Korean Won ($370) and the LTE-equipped version selling for 484,000 Won ($450). Let’s have a look at what you will get for your money.
Specifications:
- 1.2GHz Quad Core processor
- 9.7-Inch TFT display with 1024 x 768 (XGA) resolution 4:3 aspect ratio
- 2GB RAM (Galaxy Tab A variant without S Pen has 1.5GB RAM)
- 32GB Internal storage
- MicroSD support (up to 128GB)
- 5MP Rear camera/ 2MP Front camera
- Dimensions: 242.5 x 166.8 x 7.5mm
- Battery: 6,000mAh
- Weight: WiFi – 487g/ LTE – 490g
- Available in Sandy White or Smokey Titanium
As you can see from the specifications, the Galaxy Tab A with S Pen is a decidedly mid-range tablet. What do you think? Does Samsung have a winner on its hands here? Or are you more interested in the upcoming Galaxy Tab S2?
Source: SammyHub
Come comment on this article: Samsung’s Galaxy Tab A with S Pen goes on sale in Korea
Samsung is again the world’s top smartphone seller
Samsung has recovered the top position in the global smartphone market, according to a Strategy Analytics report covering Q1 2015.
Samsung has lost the sales leadership to Apple in Q4 2014, according to some research firms, while in Strategy Analytics’ estimation the two companies tied for the first place with a 19.6 percent market share. Blowout iPhone 6 sales have helped Apple interrupt Samsung’s years-long run at the top, but it didn’t take long for Samsung to recover.
Samsung has shipped an estimate 83.2 million smartphones in Q1 2015, compared to 74.5 million in the previous quarter. Combined with Apple’s slowdown (61.2 million, compared to 74.5 million in the previous quarter), that gave Samsung a market share of 24.1 percent, a significant lead over Apple’s 17.7 percent.
Samsung’s jump comes despite the fact that Q1 is typically slower than Q4, and despite of strong competition from Apple at the high-end, and Chinese brands in the mid- and low-end.
Coming in third in Strategy Analytics’ ranking is Lenovo–Motorola with 5.4 percent, while Huawei ranked fourth, with 5 percent. All other players are lumped in the “others” group (47.7 percent).
Looking at the shifts in market shares quarter over quarter, Samsung is the only top player that has gained share, seemingly at the expense of everyone else. That’s good news for the embattled company, though Samsung also needs the average selling price of its phones to increase in order to return to growth. Samsung just announced its Q1 2015 results today, and ASP has actually decreased, which took its toll on revenue.
All eyes are now on the performance of the Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge. Signs are very positive so far, so Samsung will likely preserve its dominance in the quarters to come. But while profits may recover as well, it’s safe to say that the days of explosive growth are over for Samsung.
Samsung’s profits are down, but it believes the S6 will change that
Samsung’s latest earnings numbers reveal that the company did better in the first quarter of 2015 than at the end of 2014, but its overall profits are still down while the competition’s are rising. The company earned an operating profit* of 6 trillion won ($5.6 billion) for January to March 2015, eclipsing the 5.3 trillion ($5 billion) won it earned last quarter. However, that’s not enough to match its performance from the same period last year, when it boasted an $8 billion operating profit. Samsung’s mobile division, for one, has shifted dramatically this past year. The company recaptured the top spot from Apple in the list of manufacturers with the biggest smartphone shipments for the first quarter, according to Strategy Analytics. Unfortunately, tablet and feature phone sales decreased, resulting in an overall loss in revenue.
In fact, the division’s operating profit slid down from a healthy 6.43 trillion won ($6 billion) for Q1 2014 to only 2.74 trillion won ($2.6 billion) for Q1 2015. Samsung clearly needs a compelling product to compete with Cupertino’s iPhone sales, and the South Korean corporation believes the new Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge are the answer. The company expects an increase in global earnings by selling 23 million S6 and 23 million S6 Edge units this year. It seems to be struggling to keep up with the demand for the wraparound screen version of its new flagship, but it did promise to “resolve the difficulty in supply.”
Outside the mobile division, Samsung’s semiconductor business continues to flourish, with an operating profit of 2.93 trillion won ($2.7 billion), up from last year’s 1.95 trillion won ($1.8 billion). The Display Panel division’s also doing well thanks to an increasing demand for UHD TVs, earning a 520 billion won ($490 million) profit that’s much larger than last year’s 80 billion ($75 million).
*Operating profit = revenues – cost of sales – operating expenses
Source: Reuters, Samsung Tomorrow, Samsung (PDF)
Exclusive Galaxy Gifts Package for Samsung Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge
Owners of Samsung’s Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge will receive premium mobile content and services through Galaxy Gifts. The package has a combined value of USD $500, and users will be able to choose what content they want to download through the offer.
Galaxy Gifts was updated with a new dynamic widget and Galaxy apps interface to allow for easier downloading and redemption of benefits.
The offer includes: a three-month Audible membership, three months of Evernote premium, three months of premium for U.S. and six months of premium for international customers of Lastpass, and a six-month subscription of Pocket Premium. You can view the entire list of Galaxy Gifts offers below.
| Galaxy Gift | Details |
| Audible | Three months of Audible membership |
| Dragons of Atlantis: Heirs of the Dragon | “Samsung Resource Pack” valued at 5,000 gold |
| The Economist | Six months of digital subscription |
| Endomondo | Six months of Endomondo Premium |
| Evernote | Three months of Evernote Premium |
| Fleksy Keyboard | Fleksy Keyboard and Modern premium themes |
| Hancom Office 2014 | Office editor download for an unlimited period from Galaxy Apps |
| The Hobbit: Kingdoms of Middle Earth | “Samsung Resource Pack” valued at 100 Mithril |
| Keepy | Six month Keepy Unlimited to save your kids art, school work and mementos |
| Kindle for Samsung | One eBook every month |
| LastPass | Three months of Premium for U.S. customers and six monthsPremium for international |
| Life360 | Six months premium service subscription |
| Magisto | Three months of Magisto Pro HD |
| NY Times Breaking News | Three months with a subscription |
| OneDrive | An extra 100 GB of OneDrive storage for two years* Offer valid only on devices where OneDrive is preloaded |
| PAC-MAN Friends | Samsung customers receive 30 cherries (plays) |
| Parallels Access | Six month subscription |
| Six month subscription to Pocket Premium | |
| Shazam Encore | Special ad-free version |
| VSCO Cam | Download The Minimalist Collection, which includes 10 VSCOCam® presets |
| Workout Trainer | Six months of Workout Trainer Pro+ |
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Verizon Samsung Galaxy S4 updated to Android Lollipop
It has been known for a while now that the Samsung Galaxy S4 would eventually be updated to Lollipop. Since the announcement, the Galaxy S4 has seen slow progress with the update first landing in Russia and India, then seeing a few European countries, and now the US is finally starting to receive Lollipop as well. AT&T and T-Mobile’s variants have already received the update and this week customers who own the Galaxy S4 on Verizon will also see the latest sweet treat.
The update pushes the Galaxy S4 to Android 5.0.1, and like most of Samsung’s other devices to receive Lollipop, the update includes a slightly tweaked Touchwiz UI that better matches Google’s Material Design, though the aesthetic changes aren’t nearly as noticeable as what you’d find in a stock Android device. The Samsung apps have gotten lighter with a white background and colours to match those seen in the latest Galaxy handsets. This update is also supposed to bring performance enhancements and possibly longer battery life.
If you have received this update, feel free to leave your impressions down in the comments.
AIVAnet 