Android 5.0 Lollipop update for Samsung Galaxy S5 arrives in the UK
Towards the end of December, Samsung started a wider roll out of Android 5.0 Lollipop for the Samsung Galaxy S5 (SM-G900F) in Europe. A limited roll out actually started in Poland at the beginning of December, and then moved to Spain. Now the firmware update has arrived in the UK.
Since the initial deployment in Poland, Samsung has tweaked the firmware a couple of times to squash some last minute bugs. It now seems that the upgrade is ready for mass consumption.
Samsung’s new firmware does more than just upgrade the underlying operating system. The fingerprint sensor has also been improved because of a new driver, and the Note 4’s lock screen has also been brought over to the Galaxy S5.
An upgrade to Android 5.0 for Galaxy S5 devices in Europe was expected, however it seems that Samsung is a little behind schedule. Data gleaned from France’s second largest carrier, SFR, indicated that the S5 would get Android 5.0 during December. However it looks like a January general roll out is well under way.
Once the roll out is underway, it is expected that Samsung will turn its attentions to the Galaxy Note 4. Have you received Android 5.0 Lollipop for your Galaxy S5? If so, please let us know.
USPTO stays busy in 2014, Samsung awarded 4925 patents for the year
IBM, Samsung, and even Google made it onto the top 10 list for patents awarded by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). While IBM and Samsung take the top two spots (IBM dominated Samsung with 7534 patents awarded), Google comes in on the leader board at number 8, which is the first time the Mountain View search giant has appeared in the top 10.
The past few years have been a total pain for Samsung when it’s come to patents. In a near-constant state of being bogged down by infringement lawsuits, Samsung may be attempting to prevent such legal actions in the future by dutifully applying for as many patents as it can. Compared to 2013, Samsung’s patent awards increased 5.9% in 2014.
Google’s increase from 2013 to 2014 was 38.6%. One of the reasons behind this increase may have to do with all of the robotics and smart home technologies Google gobbled up in recent years. Not to mention, Google’s brief acquisition of Motorola was a way for them to get their hands on Project Ara. The company’s work on developing Project Ara, a prototype smartphone that utilizes a modular design similar to your home computer, probably comes with a slew of technology that Google needed to get patents for.
As has been the case for the past couple of years, Apple and Facebook did not appear on the list; however, Facebook did have a 120% increase in patents awarded compared to 2013.
Source: IFI CLAIMS
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Accessories supporting LoopPay mobile payments coming for Samsung devices
Later this year, owners of select Samsung devices will be able to use LoopPay when unique cases are released. LoopPay has partnered with XPAL Power and Trident Case to develop cases for Samsung devices that have its mobile payments technology built-in. The two devices to receive accessories first are the Galaxy S 5 and Galaxy Note 4. A back cover will be available for the Galaxy S 5 and an entire case for the Galaxy Note 4. The latter will allow for protection in addition to LoopPay functionality. Samsung has been said to be eyeing the mobile payments space like Apple, but nothing has materialized just yet.
Source: LoopPay (PDF)
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Entry-level Samsung Galaxy J1 specs and images surface
Samsung could soon introduce a new line of devices, says oft-reliable SamMobile. The SM-J100 “Galaxy J1″ figures to be the first of what we presume to be a series of low-cost devices.
Specifications are definitely on the lower end of the spectrum and include a 4.3-inch 480×800 display and 5-megapixel rear camera. Said to get its power from a 64-bit 1.2GHz quad-core Marvell processor, the Galaxy J1 is alleged to pack 1GB RAM with 4GB internal storage.Rounding things out, we should look for a 2-megapixel front-facing camera, an 1850mAh battery, and a host of custom Samsung apps.
Running Android 4.4 KitKat, the Samsung handset is said to come with single-SIM and dual-SIM variants of both 3G and LTE connectivity.
There’s only a few weeks to go until Mobile World Congress takes place; that venue is as good as any to introduce a new line. We’ll be on guard for anything else that pops up relating to the Galaxy J1.
Based on what you know of the device, does this seem like the sort of thing you’d be willing to purchase? What about recommending to a friend or family member?
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New report says Samsung Galaxy S6 will come in two versions
Samsung will reveal two variations of the next flagship Samsung Galaxy S6 device at Mobile World Congress in March according to new sources as a different approach is taken by the company.
The first Galaxy S6 model will be a premium metal-made device, which ties in to the leaks we’ve seen to date. The second S6 model will feature a curved screen, much like the Galaxy Note Edge that was launched last year.
With Samsung profits falling, it seems that the company are trying anything and everything for their next flagship device to turn the company back to a dominant force.
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Samsung makes the Galaxy A7 official, brings a all-metal 5.5-inch device to the mid-range tier
After a semi lackluster press conference at CES 2015, Samsung comes out of the mess with an announcement of a new mid-ranged Samsung Galaxy A7 phone. The device in question hasn’t been a tight-lipped device and has been leaked a number of times with fairly good accuracy. Today Samsung has made the all-metal 5.5-inch screen […]
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Samsung introduces 5.5-inch Galaxy A7
Samsung on Monday introduced its Galaxy A7, the largest of now three A Series smartphones. Featuring a 5.5-inch HD Super AMOLED display, the handset will be sold in two variants: one with a Qualcomm Snapdragon processor, the other with Samsung’s Exynos chipset.
Additional specifications include 1GB RAM, 16GB internal storage (with microSD expansion up to 64GB), and a 2600mAh battery. In terms of camera’s the Galaxy A7 packs a 13-megapixel rear and 5-megapixel wide-angle front-facing camera. As for the version of Android, this one runs 4.4 KitKat.
We strive to develop devices that appeal to a broad range of consumers and are ahead of the next big social trend,” said JK Shin, CEO and Head of IT & Mobile Communication at Samsung Electronics. “Combining both a stunning metallic design and a powerful performance, the Galaxy A7 is stylish while delivering the superior user experience.
Slated to ship in white, black, and gold, the Samsung Galaxy A7 comes with Bluetooth, NFC, and LTE Cat 4 connectivity. It’s not clear what Samsung has planned for pricing or exact availability but we’ll likely hear more in the coming weeks.
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Not one but two Galaxy S 6 phones to be announced in March along with a circular smartwatch
The Galaxy S phone usually gets announced around February or March, so it’s no surprise that the plan remains the same this year. Reports indicate a March release at Mobile World Congress, but what might be different this time is that we could see two variants of the Galaxy S 6 get announced this year.
It’s been rumored before, but it looks like Samsung will release a curved edge display version of the Galaxy S 6 along with the “regular” version. Whether it will be one curved edge, like the Galaxy Note Edge or be a double curved edge remains to be seen, but I suspect with LG showing off a dual curved edge prototype at CES, Samsung is likely going to try their best at being the first to market.
The Galaxy S 6 is expected to sport a similar metal / plastic design as the Note 4 and A series. It’s possible Samsung could adopt an all metal build, but I wouldn’t bet on that one. I would also expect a quad HD (2560 x 1440) display, a 64-bit octa-core Snapdragon 810, an OIS rear camera, and a bumped up 5 MP front-facing camera.
We also heard last week that Samsung was prepping a round smartwatch and it looks like we will see it alongside the Galaxy S 6 announcement. The bad news is that it will more than likely be running Tizen, not Android Wear.
Are you excited for the Galaxy S 6 and/or a round smartwatch running Tizen?
source: Business Insider
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Samsung’s newest metal phone is the Galaxy A7
Samsung has already unleashed the Galaxy A3 and the Galaxy A5, so it’s no surprise that they just announced the Galaxy A7. Just like its predecessors, it sports a partial metal build, but it’s more powerful and has a larger screen.
The A7 sports a 5.5-inch 720p (1280 x 720) AMOLED display, a 64-bit octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 615 processor featuring both 1.8 GHz quad-core and 1.3 GHz quad-core processors (1.5 GHz and 1.0 GHz for the dual-SIM version), 2 GB of RAM, 16 GB of internal storage, microSD slot for expandable storage, 13 MP rear camera, 5 MP front-facing camera, 2,600 mAh battery. To top it off, it comes in a 6.3 mm body.
Pricing is expected to be around $420 and will launch later this quarter. You will have your choice of dark blue, white or gold for colors.
source: Samsung Tomorrow
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Samsung officially launches 6.5mm thin, 5.5 inch, octa-core Galaxy A7
The Samsung Galaxy A series of phones has been slowly growing. Samsung launched the Galaxy A3 and the Galaxy A5 at the end of October, and the A5 went on sale in China at the end of November. The A3 and A5 became available in the USA at the end of December. Now just a couple of weeks into 2015 and Samsung has added another model to the A series, the Samsung Galaxy A7. It is a 5.5 inch device, with a HD Super AMOLED display, that measures just 6.5mm thick. Samsung is calling it “one of the slimmest Galaxy smartphones equipped with premium hardware.”
If you have been following the news and rumors of the new A series, then the A7 won’t be much of a surprise to you. The phone had been expected to appear soon, and there have been various signs that it would be launching in Asia around now. Most of the leaked details where right about the A7. The only real surprise is the choice of processor package. All the models will use an octa-core processor, coupled with 2GB of RAM, however depending on your region you will either get a 64-bit Qualcomm Snapdragon 615 SoC or a 32-bit Exynos 5430 SoC. The Qualcomm Snapdragon 615 SoC uses four Cortex-A53 cores clocked at 1.5GHz and four Cortex-A53 cores clocked at 1.0GHz. This technically makes the CPU a big.LITTLE processor as the cores are heterogeneous, in that they don’t all offer the same performance, however they are all in fact Cortex-A53 cores. The Samsung Exynos 5430 uses four 32-bit Cortex-A15 cores, clocked at 1.8GHz, coupled with four Cortex-A7 cores clocked at 1.3GHz.
The single SIM versions of the phone offer full 4G LTE support, whereas the dual-SIM version only offers 3G. The latter will use the Samsung Exynos 5430, while the processor found in the 4G models will depend on where you are in the world.
Besides the octa-core processor and 2GB of RAM, the Galaxy A7 has 16GB of memory and a 2600mAh battery. As for optics, the A7 offers some of the same features from the A3 and A7. There is a 13MP rear facing camera and a 5MP front-facing camera with advanced selfie features such as ‘Ultra Wide Shot’ and ‘Auto Selfie’ modes. The latter allows you to take a photograph using only a voice command or a wave of the hand.
The A7 runs Android 4.4 KitKat and includes all the normal bells and whistles like Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and GPS. The LTE versions also include NFC. There is no current information about a possible upgrade of the Galaxy A7 to Android 5.0 Lollipop.
The Galaxy A7 will become available globally during the next two months, but there is no official word on pricing. The A3 costs around $330 in the US, while the A5 costs around $410. It is likely that the A7 will cost around $500 (+/- $25).
Samsung’s A series covers several different size and performance points. The A3 is a 4.5 inch quad core device with 1GB of RAM and a 1900MAh battery, the A5 is a 5 inch quad-core device with 2GB of RAM and a 2300mAh battery, and the A7 is a 5.5 inch octa-core handset with 2GB of RAM and a 2600mAH. All three models in the A series come with 16GB of internal storage and a micro SD slot.
So what do you think of Samsung’s A series? Impressed?
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