A Sprint firmware update to the Samsung Galaxy S8, S8 Plus and HTC U11 has brought about a stark data speed improvement, according to a report from PC Mag.

The new firmware is supposed to have provided a “20% speed boost to downloads” on the Galaxy S8 ( 21.9 Mbps to 26.4 Mbps) while a 45% increase (19.2 Mbps to 27.9 Mbps) was observed on the U11.

The tech site sourced information from internet testing and analysis company Ookla, as well as Sprint executives, to produce its finding, but let’s unpack what exactly they mean.

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3 weeks ago

Firstly, these speed increases do not pertain to all mobile internet use cases, but specifically to “average LTE download speeds”. Thus, you would only receive these benefits in an area with LTE coverage: a space in which Sprint is generally regarded to be the least successful carrier.

OpenSignal, a reputable source of mobile network insights, says the only place Sprint really excels on mobile data is in latency, and that download speeds and coverage trail the other major carries. Ookla and WhistleOut agree on the latter points.

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Speed up my phone – what can I do to make that happen?

Speed up my phone – what can I do to make that happen?

2 weeks ago

What’s more, the S8 speeds were apparently only achieved as the result of a bug fix: the download rates have now been brought up to what they should have been at launch, rather than improved beyond what was expected. Upload speeds, meanwhile, were unaffected by the update.

This is only to provide some context to the news rather than put a damper on it: an average speed increase is always welcome, and Sprint appears to be making good (and necessary) strides in LTE performance. This is good news, it’s just good news only for Galaxy S8 and U11 owners in LTE areas, on the network which currently has the poorest LTE infrastructure.

The Galaxy Note series, viewed by many as the royal family of phablets, is preparing to welcome a new heir to the throne. The last King was killed by a fire of his own house’s making, his tenure tragically cut short after a grand reception from the public. He was well-liked and continues to be missed.

With the coronation of the next in line said to be but a month away (Samsung hasn’t confirmed when exactly), we’re getting restless. Will the Galaxy Note 8 be able to carry on the Note name with honor? Or will it fade into obscurity?

In anticipation of the handset’s arrival, here’s a list of things we hope the Samsung flagship will deliver.

1. Broader, more useful S Pen functionality

We’re going to start with what is one of the main reasons one might invest in the Galaxy Note 8: the S Pen. This is the Samsung stylus that comes with the Note devices, a product that, like the software it makes use of, sees yearly refinements.

But the refinements to the S Pen between the Note 5 and Note 7 (there was no Note 6) weren’t quite as numerous or useful as we might have hoped.

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Samsung refutes reports of lackluster Galaxy S8 sales

Samsung refutes reports of lackluster Galaxy S8 sales

2 days ago

I sympathize with Samsung here because, once you get past efficient note taking, coming up with impressive new uses for the stylus each year can’t be easy. The aforementioned GIF creator, which let you select up to 15 seconds of video — from any source — to export as a GIF was a success because it was both inventive and useful.

We’d love to see Samsung achieve something like that again, not just a better handwriting experience, but features that would compel us to use the Note 8 rather than a phone without a stylus. It shouldn’t be too much to ask: it’s the phone’s crown jewel, after all.

2. Stereo speakers/Quad DAC support

Some (awful) people like playing their phone out loud on a bus, and others just want the most from their headphones: pursuing excellence in either area would add cost to the Note 8. But what’s a premium phone without premium sound? When you’re one of the most expensive phones on the platform, which the Note 8 no doubt will be, your audio quality should, erm, sing…

Stereo speakers would transform the Note’s sound experience when played aloud, while Quad DAC, which you can read more about here, would mean that music pumped through your (wired) headphones sounds more impressive.

3. Dual rear cameras (and a better sensor up front)

It looks pretty likely that the Note 8 is going to get the dual rear camera treatment. Samsung included this on the Galaxy S8 and current rumors and leaked images suggest the same setup will be in place on the Note 8. Still, it’s definitely something we want.

Dual cameras are popping up and more handsets thanks to the potential benefits for shooting in low light (ever a sticking point on smartphones), when zoomed, and at wider angles than traditional single lens camera configurations. You can check out some dual-lens camera photo examples in the video below from around the five and a half-minute mark, along with some more details on its advantages.

In addition, Samsung should up its front-facing camera game. We know megapixels aren’t everything, but if Samsung wants to deliver something with a lower MP count — the Note 5’s front-facing sensor came in at 5 MP, which was relatively small even in 2016 — it needs to also deliver on processing.

4. Better Bixby

There’s a reason that developers are currently trying to change what the dedicated Bixby button does on the Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus: the service simply isn’t very good. Bixby is Samsung’s proprietary digital assistant that arrived with the Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus. Or, arrived in a partial form: Bixby wasn’t completely finished when it launched and was lacking the voice control part of the software.

It’s meant to be an alternative to the likes of Google Assistant and Apple Siri, but, right now, we’re not convinced (many people aren’t). The problem is that it doesn’t provide much you can’t get with Google Assistant — and certainly nothing of real value. Like the S Pen software, Bixby needs a killer feature or two to make it not just an additional, optional, service but one that has clear advantages.

There's a reason that developers are currently trying to change what the dedicated Bixby button does...

And, as it happens, Samsung might just have access to the resources that could help it deliver something outstanding in artificial intelligence: it snapped up Viv Labs last year, an AI startup founded by the creators of Siri, and only yesterday news broke that it had purchased Greek startup Innoetics, which specializes in text-to-speech and voice-to-speech tech.

Viv Labs hadn’t been on board long enough to really start digging into Bixby when it launched, but by the Note 8’s launch, Samsung’s AI will hopefully have made some more strides.

5. More diverse color options

This year we’ve seen an HTC U11 that sways between red and gold and a green and gold Essential Phone — if Samsung gives us the Note 8 in two versions of black, like OnePlus ultimately did with the OnePlus 5 (and after teasing us with that freaking awesome unicorn color), it’s going to be a great disappointment.

Give me a Note 8 in an auburn body, with ivory accents, that changes color in warm water like a Hot Wheels Color Shifter.

I want a Note 8 in an auburn body, with ivory accents, that changes color in warm water like a Hot Wheels Color Shifter, and nothing less. Are you listening, Samsung?

6. A microSD card slot

Like the dual camera, this is also a facet of the Note 8 that seems likely: Samsung would be crazy to drop the microSD card from its flagship series as it did a couple of years ago with the Galaxy S6. But it’s possible: some manufacturers have stopped including them in their phones, like Google, which has its cloud storage services to push. And on phones which come with at least 64 GB of internal storage space anyway — as may be the case with the Note 8 — you can see why they may be deemed unnecessary.

But they can be useful. People are filling up devices with high-resolution audio from streaming apps (for offline playback) and gigabytes of games. Offline video services, like YouTube GO, stand to chew through even more room.

Cloud services are still limited in what they can hold, and not everybody has access to unlimited data for streaming. There’s nothing worse than having to play storage Tetris every couple of weeks to free up space when a cheap SD could remove the hassle.

7. Comparatively solid battery life

Here’s the thing: the first Note 8 that overheats is going to make headlines. So, Samsung will do its 4,000-point security check and err on the side of caution with a Note 8 battery that’s probably smaller than what it could reasonably fit into the space (like it has done with the Note 7 FE), to ensure that the chances of this happening are tiny.

See also:

Samsung’s botched Bixby rollout stopped me from buying the Galaxy S8

Samsung’s botched Bixby rollout stopped me from buying the Galaxy S8

6 days ago

But here’s the other thing: Samsung doesn’t really need a bigger battery to deliver good battery life — the difference that a couple of hundred milliamperes would make is relatively meager when compared to the power of efficient software.

There's nothing worse than having to play storage Tetris every couple of weeks to free up space.

What I mean is, stock Android devices tend to perform better with the same size battery as those which are running heavily customized skins. When manufacturers add extra layers to the software it adds further ways in which the battery life may be drained. If Samsung works hard to make Grace UI efficient, the reward would be more standby times than a slightly larger battery ever could provide.

8. A below-$1000 price tag

The Galaxy Note 7 was expensive when it launched for $849.99, and rumors suggest the Galaxy Note 8 could cost as much as 999 euros — around $1150. Some people may be willing to pay that for potentially the “best phone ever”, but not many. Especially when there are world class phones available for half that price. If the Galaxy Note 8 is going to demand an upwards of $800 fee, it had better make sure it can kick some ass. Otherwise, sit tight for a second-month price drop a la Sony.

For more on the current Galaxy Note 8 rumors, hit the link, and let us know in the comments what’s on your Note 8 wishlist.

A Samsung executive told Korean media that the Galaxy Note 8 would be unveiled in the second half of August in New York.

The report, published by the Investor, comes after a string of contradictory rumors regarding the release date of Samsung’s Next Big Thing. While some early stories suggested Samsung would release the Galaxy Note 8 in the second half of August, the respected Evan Blass reported that the Note 8 would launch in the second part of September. Meanwhile, SamMobile claimed the Note 8 would make its debut at IFA.

Whether Samsung changed its plans or older reports were just inaccurate, it now looks like a launch in the second half of August is more likely.

Financial publication The Bell reported that the Note 8 would be unpacked on August 23. The Investor picked up the report and added a confirmation from a Samsung executive, though the unnamed executive stopped short from confirming the precise date of the event.

The first generations of the Note series launched at IFA in early September, but for the past couple releases Samsung preferred staging standalone Unpacked events in New York.

Read: Galaxy Note 8 – All the rumors in one place

The report comes in the context of rumors of lackluster Galaxy S8 sales. Samsung refuted the reports, which claimed the Galaxy S8 is falling behind the sales of the Galaxy S7.

Thanks to its unique S Pen, the Galaxy Note series is in a class of its own, but that doesn’t mean the phone is immune to competition. The LG V30 will launch at IFA in the final days of August, but Samsung is probably more worried about the OLED, bezel-less iPhone that Apple is rumored to be preparing. As we pointed out here, this iPhone shapes up to be very similar to the Note 8, in appearance (curved display, glass back) and features (facial recognition, dual camera). More than that, Apple will benefit from the novelty of this brand-new device, while the Galaxy Note 8 is expected to offer a largely familiar experience.

Even Google, with its so-called “Pixel XL,” could take on the new Note, though given Google’s abysmal record when it comes to actually marketing its smartphones, we won’t hold our breath.

Back in January, Samsung took the wraps off the Galaxy A7 (2017). The company has now released the smartphone in its home country, which has a new feature on board.

Unlike the version released in other markets across the globe, the South Korean variant of the Galaxy A7 has Bixby on board. This makes it the first smartphone from the mid-range A series to come with Samsung’s digital assistant. However, it doesn’t sport the full version of Bixby, as the voice control functionality is missing. It also doesn’t have a dedicated button to launch it, like the one found on the Galaxy S8 series.

See also:

Samsung’s new acquisition could help improve Bixby

Samsung’s new acquisition could help improve Bixby

2 days ago

In terms of specs, nothing has changed. As a refresher, the Galaxy A7 sports a 5.7-inch Full HD display and is powered by the Exynos 7880 chipset. It has 3 GB and 32 GB of storage, which you can expand for an additional 256 GB with the help of a microSD card. The Galaxy A7 comes equipped with two 16 MP cameras – rear and front – and packs a 3,600 mAh battery.

It has a metal frame, a 3D glass back, and is IP68 rated. This means that it’s dust as well as water resistant and will survive in up to one and a half meters of water for a period of 30 minutes.

The device is exclusively available at SK Telecom and comes in three color options: Black Sky, Gold Sand, and Peach Cloud. It’s already up for pre-order for 588,500 won, which is around $515.

LG has recently taken the wraps off its Q6 series of smartphones: the Q6, Q6 Plus, and Q6a. Although each of them has a different RAM/storage combo, all are considered to be mid-range handsets. They will go head to head with other mid-rangers on the market including the Galaxy A5 (2017), among others.

In this post, we’ll take a closer look at the differences as well as similarities between the LG Q6 smartphones and Samsung’s Galaxy A5 in terms of specs. This should give you a better idea of which one is better and more suitable for your needs. Let’s dive in.

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Specs comparison

The LG Q6 smartphones all sport 5.5-inch Full HD+ FullVison displays with an 18:9 aspect ratio. Just like the G6, they have thin bezels that make them a lot more compact than other devices with the same screen size. They are powered by the Snapdragon 435 chipset and pack non-removable 3,000 mAh batteries.

All three devices are identical in terms of specs — as well as looks — aside from the already mentioned RAM/storage combo. The Q6a features 2 GB of RAM and 16 GB of storage, the Q6 has 3 GB of RAM and 32 of storage, while the most high-end model — the LG Q6 Plus — offers 4 GB of RAM along with 64 GB of space.

LG has decided to equip its Q6 series with a primary 13 MP standard angle sensor, as well as a wide-angle 5 MP selfie snapper. The devices are made from metal, run Android 7.1.1 Nougat with LG’s custom UI on top and, unfortunately, don’t have a fingerprint scanner.

The Samsung Galaxy A5, on the other hand, comes equipped with 5.2-inch Super AMOLED display with Full HD resolution. Unlike the Q6 series, it has the standard 16:9 aspect ratio. What’s interesting is that even though it has a smaller display, it actually has a larger footprint than its competitors. Although the difference isn’t that big, as it’s only around 4 mm taller and 2 mm wider.

The smartphone is powered by the Exynos 7880 chipset and features a non-removable battery that has the same capacity as the one found in the Q6 series — 3,000 mAh. Only one variant of the device is available with 3 GB of RAM and 32 GB of storage, which is the same combination offered as the LG Q6.

The Galaxy A5 sports a metal frame, a 3D glass back, and is IP68 rated. This means that it’s dust and water-resistant and will survive in up to one and a half meters of water for a period of 30 minutes. It features a primary 16 MP camera with an f/1.9 aperture and as well as a fingerprint scanner located on the front, below the display. There’s also a selfie snapper on board that has a 16 MP sensor.

When it comes to software, it ships with Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow on board with Samsung’s skin on top, but you’ll be able to upgrade it to Nougat.

Which one is better?

The LG Q6 series and Samsung Galaxy A5 are quite different in a lot of ways, which means it’s hard to proclaim one as the winner. The Q6 smartphones have a larger screen than the Galaxy A5 but are still smaller thanks to the bezel-less design. The screen also has a different aspect ratio, which is the same as the one you’ll find on the G6 flagship. This makes them a little bit thinner as well as taller.

The phones feature a metal body and come in three different variants, while the Galaxy A5 is available in only one version and has a glass back that’s quite the fingerprint magnet.

The Samsung Galaxy A5 also offers a few things you won’t find on LG’s smartphones. The first one is the fingerprint scanner that’s embedded in the Home button up front. It’s almost a standard feature on mid-range devices these days, which is why it’s quite weird that LG didn’t include it. The other big difference is the IP68 rating that we’re normally used to seeing on high-end devices. Accidents do happen, so it’s nice to know that the device won’t die on you if you spill something on it, for example.

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Of course, when you’re making a purchasing decision, specs and features aren’t the only things you should compare. As most people, you’ll probably take the design into consideration as well. Which one comes out on top in this category is impossible to say, as design is a very subjective topic.

The Q6 series looks a lot like the G6, which is probably considered a good thing by most users, as LG’s flagship has been well received so far. It stands out from the crowd thanks to the thin bezels, which will certainly help with one-handed use. The Q6 Plus comes in Astro Black, Ice Platinum, and Marine Blue, while the other two models are also available in Terra Gold.

The Galaxy A5 looks quite similar to a lot of other Galaxy devices, which have always been extremely popular among consumers. It doesn’t really stand out from the crowd as much as the Q6 devices, although that’s not necessarily a bad thing. It really depends on what you’re after. The smartphone is also available in quite a few different color options which are Black Sky, Gold Sand, Blue Mist, and Peach Cloud.

Of course, price is also a major factor that influences consumers’ purchasing decisions. However, as LG hasn’t officially announced how much its smartphones will retail for, but rumors say it will be around 420,000 won ($365) in South Korea. That’s a little lower than the Galaxy A5 (2017), depending on the market, so Samsung’s popular device has a fight on its hands.

Which one would you rather get? One of the LG Q6 smartphones or the Samsung Galaxy A5? Let us know in the comments below.

Samsung has acquired a Greek startup called Innoetics, whose text-to-speech and voice-to-speech technology could bring much-needed improvements to its voice assistant.

See also:

Samsung’s botched Bixby rollout stopped me from buying the Galaxy S8

Samsung’s botched Bixby rollout stopped me from buying the Galaxy S8

6 days ago

Innoetics is a relatively small startup out of Greece specializing in text-to-speech and voice-to-speech services. Its award-winning work includes technologies that can not only listen to a person speaking but also read out other unrelated texts in that very same voice. Indeed, it sounds like the sort of technology that Samsung’s struggling voice assistant could benefit from. Well, Samsung seems to agree, and that’s why the South Korean conglomerate has decided to buy Innoetics.

According to Tech Crunch, the deal officially closed last Friday, and although details are unknown for now, Samsung is said to have paid a little under $50 million for the acquisition. Samsung has since released a vague statement on this deal:

Samsung has agreed to acquire Innoetics. Samsung is always exploring ways to deepen our relationships with companies like Innoetics whose technologies present an opportunity to strengthen Samsung’s capabilities.

Of course, we will simply have to wait and see what Samsung does with Innoetics’ services, but it wouldn’t be a stretch to say that Bixby might be the biggest beneficiary. The struggling voice assistant was announced (prematurely) with the Galaxy S8 duo, and even after months, Korean remains the only available language for Bixby Voice. Rumors claim that Samsung is having trouble perfecting the English-speaking version of its AI assistant due to a lack of necessary data and miscommunication between its engineering teams in the US and Korean headquarters.

Innoetics’ technology – combined with the Viv Labs acquisition from last year – could lend a helping hand to Bixby, something that is increasingly being criticized as the worst feature of the Galaxy S8. The good news is that the South Korean electronics company seems to have big plans for Bixby, unlike S-Voice, and will probably dedicate a significant amount of resources to make it better. After all, its future smartphones will reportedly come with a dedicated Bixby button much like the one found on the Galaxy S8, and the company is said to be building a Bixby-powered speaker to compete with the likes of Amazon Echo and Google Home.

I, for one, would be interested in seeing what kind of improvements this acquisition will bring to Bixby and whether they will be enough to change its fate.

I, for one, would be interested in seeing what kind of improvements this acquisition will bring to Bixby and whether they will be enough to change its fate. What about you? Do you think Bixby has room in the world of AI assistants? Let us know!

Reports out of Korea suggest the Galaxy S8 has failed to outsell its predecessor in the first months of availability.

Financial publication The Bell, via The Investor, cited reports from industry analysts that put Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus sales at around 9.8 million units in the first two months. That’s 20 percent lower than the 12 million Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge’s that Samsung is estimated to have moved in the same period last year. According to the unnamed analysts, Samsung has reduced component orders, a sign of lackluster sales.

A Samsung official refuted the reports, pointing that the Galaxy S8 initially launched in a smaller number of markets compared to the wide global launch that the Galaxy S7 enjoyed. “We estimate S8’s sales volume to be similar to that of S7 for now,” the Samsung representative added.

If the analyst reports would be accurate, it would be a major reversal for the well-reviewed Galaxy S8. On May 16, Samsung announced it sold 5 million Galaxy S8 units in the first three weeks of availability, 20 to 30 percent higher than the Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge. To go from 20 percent higher to 20 percent lower, sales in the second month of availability must have been extremely poor, which is unlikely.

As always, the truth is probably somewhere in the middle. The Galaxy S8 is clearly a popular device, but the days of unbridled growth in the smartphone market are long over, even for Samsung.

In any case, it’s not like Samsung is suffering, at least financially. The company just estimated record profits for the second quarter. At $12.1 billion, Samsung is poised to beat Apple as the most profitable technology company in the world.

Welcome to the Samsung Galaxy S7 and Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge Android update tracker page. This page covers all major U.S. carriers with a quick reference table for each and a log with links to further details. It will be regularly updated with the latest Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge update information.

The Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge tend to receive their updates simultaneously – or at least very close together. For this reason, they both appear here on this update page. Also, note that we won’t be covering general security patches in our list.

We recommend you bookmark this page so you can stay up to date with the very latest updates.

• Android Marshmallow update tracker
• Android 7.0 Nougat update tracker

Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge Android Nougat update

Following a soak test in early January, on January 12 Samsung officially rolled out Nougat for unlocked international Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge devices that were enrolled in the beta program. A few days later on January 17, the update became available for all users (at least internationally). It then slowly creeped its way across Europe and India before making it to U.S. carriers in mid-February.

It wasn’t until a few months later in May that Samsung started rolling out Android Nougat to unlocked Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 Edge owners in the US, concluding the rollout to the devices in that region. We’ll be tracking these updates once more when Android O arrives in its final form.

Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge Update US

Verizon Galaxy S7 (SM-G930V) and Galaxy S7 Edge (SM-G935V) update:

• March 6, 2017, Verizon became the last of the four major US carriers to roll out Nougat to the S7 and S7 Edge.
• September 1, 2016, improved voice calls, FM Radio, Barcode Beaming functionality and NextRadio app added.
• May 9, 2016, DT Ignite added. Helps Verizon package and install apps on devices. Can’t be removed without root.

Number of days it took Verizon to update to Nougat: 196

AT&T Galaxy S7 (SM-G930A) and Galaxy S7 Edge (SM-G935A) update:

• February 18, 2017, AT&T began the Nougat update roll out for the Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge.
• July 27, 2016, Wi-Fi calling arrives.
• April 21, 2016, DTV Widget added, better Wi-Fi performance when using BTLE, home and volume key responsiveness improved, other performance enhancements arrive.

Number of days it took T-Mobile to update to Nougat: 181

T-Mobile Galaxy S7 (SM-G930T) and Galaxy S7 Edge (SM-G935T) update:

• February 17, 2017, T-Mobile became the first U.S. carrier to roll out Nougat for the S7 and S7 Edge.
• November 5, 2016, enabled 256/64 QAM, domestic data roaming improvements, system crash fix.
• May 4, 2016, FM Radio, power and volume key fix, system improvements.

Number of days it took T-Mobile to update to Nougat: 180

Sprint Galaxy S7 (SM-G930P) and Galaxy S7 Edge (SM-G935P) update:

• February 21, 2017, Sprint started rolling out the final Nougat build to its S7 and S7 Edge beta testers. The OTA rollout to non-beta users is expected soon after and to conclude on February 27.
• May 26, 2016, battery life improvements, Wi-Fi calling added.

Number of days it took Sprint to update to Nougat: 184

International Galaxy S7 (SM-G930F) and Galaxy S7 Edge (SM-G935P) update:

• March 20, 2017: Nougat arrived to Rogers and Telus in Canada.
• January 17, 2017: Nougat became available for all international unlocked Galaxy S7 and S7 Edges.
• January 12, 2017: Samsung rolled out Nougat for international unlocked devices enrolled in the beta program.
• January 4, 2017: Samsung began a limited soak test for the unlocked S7 and S7 Edge.
• December 21: Vodafone Australia confirmed that the Nougat version they’re testing for the Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge is Android 7.0, not Android 7.1.
• December 20: The fourth major beta update has rolled out to the Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge for those enrolled in the Galaxy Beta Program. The update removes the Samsung Notes app and a previous mention of the Samsung Experience interface.
• December 16, 2016, Vodafone Australia lists the Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge in its weekly software update wrap-up. States “testing in progress”, but doesn’t provide an ETA.

If you’ve received an update we’ve missed, hit the comments below or Tip Us!

Original (7/10): Samsung launched its Bixby digital assistant software in an unfinished state. That’s not just our opinion — Samsung confirmed that the voice portion of the software wouldn’t be ready in time for its US launch. Naturally, some in the Android community thought Bixby’s dedicated launcher button, located on the side of the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8 Edge, could be put to better use, so they found a way to remap it.

For a while, this meant the Bixby button could be assigned to a much more useful function, like accessing your favorite wallpaper app, for example. Samsung since but the kibosh on that in an OTA update, restricting that app to the Bixby function that many didn’t want.

Devs responded again to bring remapping back to the device for some weeks before news landed yesterday that an update for T-Mobile customers in the US had once again restricted it. This means anyone with the latest T-Mobile OTA can’t make use of previous workarounds for the Bixby software, such as utilizing the bxActions app, though non-T-Mobile subscribers with the June security updates reportedly still can.

See also:

Samsung’s botched Bixby rollout stopped me from buying the Galaxy S8

Samsung’s botched Bixby rollout stopped me from buying the Galaxy S8

6 days ago

But it’s not all bad news, as the bxActions developer Jawomo, who informed us of this news, said that it’s already investigating the matter and seeking a new solution.

Same old story

These kinds of stories aren’t uncommon in the world of technology, whether it’s publishers shutting down third-party mod development for games, or software companies restricting the use of certain apps or services on competing platforms. The problem is, this doesn’t address the underlying issue — Bixby isn’t very good.

I can see why Samsung would be keen to force us to use Bixby in the hope we’ll fall in love with it and forever be tied to its platform, or mine it for data that they can use to improve its services (I don’t know what Bixby data Samsung collects, but it would potentially be valuable). But those users who are seeking ways to avoid Bixby are not going to want to use it just because Samsung has prevented remapping — they can still use Bixby via voice activation even if they remap the button anyway. If a person has searched for an alternative, it’s because they’re unimpressed with what it does in its default state, and limiting the scope for customization doesn’t change that.

The whole ordeal underscores how out of touch Samsung is: community development for its products is a good thing even if it snipes Samsung features. If devs can improve what the device can offer, the Galaxy S8 will look good by proxy, and it could lead to more device sales. There have been many modifications in the video game world that have lead to people picking up a copy of a particular title, like the original Dota, which began as a Warcraft 3 mod, or DayZ, which began as an ARMA 2 mod.

See also:

Samsung Bixby: Reports point to big data setbacks, smart speaker ambitions

Samsung Bixby: Reports point to big data setbacks, smart speaker ambitions

1 week ago

Meanwhile, smart Android manufacturers are already embracing great ideas from third-party devs for new phones/software each year, while Samsung quashes its own phone’s potential to spearhead a breakthrough new feature.

Samsung’s take

We reached out to Samsung for this piece asking why it had restricted users from remapping the Bixby button and received the following statement:

The dedicated Bixby button gives consumers an easy, and convenient way to launch Bixby – just like using a walkie talkie. We think it’s important to consumers this option in case they prefer it to using a wakeup word. Bixby has been designed to seamlessly work with our hardware so that you can easily switch from physical to voice control whenever you wish. To provide this ideal experience, the Bixby button will only work with Bixby, so Samsung does not support remapping the Bixby button.

So then, Samsung wishes to stop people changing the Bixby button’s function to ensure they receive the “ideal” Bixby experience — something which would only make sense if people weren’t working so hard to repeatedly find ways around that.

Wrap up

Of course, Samsung isn’t under any obligation to allow people to manipulate its hardware/software, but if it was concerned with getting more people using Bixby — as I suspect it is — this is the worst way to do it. Either come up with a reason for users to want to use Bixby naturally or let people change the friggin button: otherwise, you’re just going to frustrate them.

What’s your take on Samsung’s approach to Bixby? Should S8 owners be allowed to remap the button? Give us your thoughts in the comments.

Thanks for the tip, Jawomo!

The Note FE is reportedly flying off the shelves in South Korea.

Roughly 400,000 Galaxy Note FE units were made available in South Korea, and, according to local retailers, customers flocked to buy the refurbished device. The Note FE is believed to have increased daily device activations by 60 percent since it launched last week.

The Black Onyx and Blue Coral versions of the refurbished Note 7 are particularly popular, having sold out in some stores. At ~$610, the phone is roughly 20 percent cheaper than the Note 7’s launch price. That said, it’s definitely more expensive than other year-old phones, as my colleague Rob pointed out here.

Samsung is marketing the FE as a “limited edition,” a chance for Note fans to own a piece of mobile industry history. A company official told The Investor that the current stock will not be renewed once it sells out in South Korea. The fact that Samsung is creating artificial scarcity for a phone that caused it so many problems is deeply ironic, if not inexcusable.

 

Read moreNote Fan Edition: Just for fans?

Meanwhile, the Galaxy Note FE could launch globally by the end of this month, according to an “insider” interviewed by The Investor. Samsung did not specify which countries will be getting the FE, but it’s likely that the international release will be limited to a smaller number of markets.

Analysts estimated that Samsung manufactured around 2.5 million Galaxy Note 7 units before a string of highly-publicized incidents forced it to recall the device. Not all Note 7’s will be refurbished. Some will be torn down to pieces and recycled or used for testing purposes. The decision to launch the Note FE earned Samsung the praise of Greenpeace and other environmentalist groups, though the company was probably more interested in recouping a part of the billions in losses it suffered due to the recall.

Will you buy a Note FE if it launches in your country?