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Samsung offers in-person service for Galaxy phones in the US
Ask iPhone owners why they remain loyal and they'll likely cite convenient support as one reason: they can walk into an Apple Store and get a prompt fix that's rarely available for other devices. Samsung is taking steps to level the playing field, however. From March 15th onward, you can visit one of 300-plus uBreakiFix service locations in the US and get officially sanctioned in-person repairs on recent high-end Galaxy phones, ranging from the S6 and Note 5 through to the S9 and Note 8. The two companies are promising same-day repairs, often in less than 2 hours for "most" problems.
Unlock your PC with your Samsung phone's fingerprint reader
Have a recent Samsung phone and a Windows 10 PC? Life's about to get a bit easier. Samsung has updated its Flow app to let you use the fingerprint reader on Galaxy devices running Android Marshmallow or newer (such as the S6, S7 and S8) to log into any Windows 10 PC using Hello, not just Samsung's own Galaxy TabPro S. If you regularly keep your phone on-hand, you won't have to enter your password every time you sit down at your computer.
Samsung's Galaxy S8 hits sales records despite the Note 7's flameout
As Samsung was readying the Galaxy S8, everyone wondered if the company would be able to recover from the disastrous, exploding Note 7. From a pure quality of hardware perspective, the S8 appears to be a home run -- as long as nothing unexpected happens. The other question is whether customers would reject Samsung after the hit it took last year, but it sounds like that hasn't happened: Samsung says that pre-orders for the S8 and S8+ were the best it has ever seen.
Samsung promises monthly security updates for unlocked Galaxy devices
While stock Android users are going to get monthly security updates through their respective carriers, owners of unlocked Galaxy headsets have had to settle for less frequent fixes. Thankfully, this won't be the case much longer. ZDNet reports that Samsung has figured out a way to make monthly security updates a reality.
Samsung expects a rise in profit thanks to chips and OLED
Samsung's mobile division might have tanked in 2016, but things are looking up. According to the Korean chaebol's earnings forecast for October to December last year, its operating income for the fourth quarter was 9.2 trillion won ($7.8 billion). That's 50 percent larger than the income posted for the same period in 2015 and the highest since the third quarter of 2013, thanks mostly to its its strong chip and OLED sales.
The Galaxy S7 Edge gets doomed Note 7's Coral Blue outfit
Samsung's Galaxy S7 series is benefiting yet again from the death of its Galaxy Note cousin. After that always-on display update, this time around the S7 Edge gets a new color scheme: Coral Blue. This was the flagship color in most of Samsung's media releases and ads -- and it's pretty darn nice in person. The company is looking to make the most of all that leftover blue casing, we assume, after halting Note 7 production. It joins the existing color options of Black Onyx, Gold Platinum, White Pearl, Silver Titanium and Pink Gold; all of which sound like Pokémon games.
Note 7 debacle forces Samsung to offer next-gen discounts in Korea
In an effort to retain Galaxy Note 7 customers in South Korea, Samsung is offering a big discount on the upcoming Galaxy S8 and Galaxy Note 8 models. The company will effectively offer 50 percent off the next-gen phone, provided that Note 7 customers upgrade to the current Galaxy S7 or Galaxy S7 Edge models. Samsung recently killed its Galaxy Note 7 smartphone because of fire and explosion problems. It initially misdiagnosed the problem as being battery-related, and issued replacement phones that were still defective.
Watch Samsung VR's latest scripted series this weekend
Assuming you still have a phone to slot into your Gear VR, you'll have something new to watch this weekend. Invisible is the latest scripted series on the Samsung VR platform, and is helmed by Edge of Tomorrow and The Bourne Identity director, Doug Liman. The way Wired describes it, Invisible sounds pretty cool. The five-episode series follows the lives of an ultra-rich, but reclusive family with its hands in just about everything. The reason for living in secrecy? Well, as you might be able to guess from the show's name, certain family members can disappear in plain sight.
Samsung gives the Galaxy S7 a taste of the Note 7's software
Like it or not, the Galaxy Note 7 is gone for good. However, you're getting a small treat if you switched from the Note 7 to another Samsung phone. Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge owners report that they're receiving an update which brings many of the Note's always-on display features to the slightly older devices, such as its customization. It's not a wholesale port of the discontinued phone's software (you'd need pen support for that), and some users are reporting broken features in the initial release. Notifications from Samsung's own email app may not work, for instance.
The Google Pixel vs. the competition: Ready to rumble
We may be saying goodbye to the Nexus name, but we're not saying goodbye to the things we've come to expect from Google's premiere phones. The new Pixel still offers everything you'd expect in a flagship, including a highly-rated camera, a fingerprint sensor and the traditional 3.5mm headphone jack. But, with so many current phones offering similar chipsets, features like Google Assistant could make all the difference. We'll take a closer look at some of the bells and whistles in our eventual review, but for now there are specs to chew over. Check out the table below to see how the Pixel measures up on paper to some of its leading competition.
The iPhone 7 vs. the competition: Win some, lose some
The new 4.7-inch iPhone is here and, just like the rumors predicted, the headphone jack is no more. If you're not thrilled with having to shop for a new pair of earbuds, it might be worth looking to see how the new water-resistant handset stacks up against its Android competition. We've taken a few recent flagships and laid out their specs for your perusal, including Sony's new Xperia XZ. With most top-tier Android devices running Snapdragon 820, these phones end up having a lot in common. However, there's a few key differences to keep things interesting.
Samsung explains how the US Galaxy Note 7 recall will work
It's been less than 24 hours since Samsung announced its worldwide recall of the Galaxy Note 7, and owners are probably wondering exactly what's next. The major US carriers have already provided information on what they will do for customers (AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, Verizon), and now Samsung is laying out its plans for direct support. If owners want to exchange for another Galaxy Note 7, they can do that as early as next week. Their other option is to exchange the device for a Galaxy S7 or Galaxy S7 edge, plus replacement of any Note accessories and a refund of the price difference.
Reuters: Samsung to sell refurbished high-end phones
Samsung is preparing an official refurbished phone program, according to Reuters, which could launch "as early as next year." The scheme would offer premium handsets -- think the Galaxy S and Galaxy Note line -- at a discount for customers that can't afford them at full price. Most of the phones would be sourced from its one-year upgrade program, available in places like the US and South Korea, which gives super-fans an easier way to trade-in and acquire the latest handsets. It's not clear, however, how much the new discounts will come to, or where the scheme will be offered.
Samsung's mobile division is the company's top earner
Samsung's operating profits really did reach 8.14 trillion won ($7.2) like it expected, marking the second quarter of 2016 as its strongest in two years. The Korean corporation has released its detailed earnings report for Q2, where it also revealed a 50.94 trillion KRW ($45 billion) revenue, up by 2.40 trillion from same period last year. Samsung credits its increase in earnings to the strong sales of both the Samsung S7 and S7 edge, as well as to its profitable mid- to low-end models, including the Galaxy A and J series. According to Strategy Analytics, the company shipped 78 million smartphones this quarter.
New in our buyer's guide: All the phones (just the good ones)
It took us a while, but now that we've reviewed the Moto Z, we think we're done testing flagship phones until the iPhone 7 or next Galaxy Note come out (whichever arrives first). With that in mind, we can now confidently say that the following phones belong in our buyer's guide: the Samsung Galaxy S7, the HTC 10 and the iPhone SE. (Sorry, LG, maybe next year.) While we were at it, we also inducted the Oculus Rift and HTC Vive VR headsets, since we likely them more or less equally. And, in the less-expensive realm, we added the Roku Streaming Stick in the A/V category. Head over to our buyer's guide hub for all the details on these and many more. That's it for now, but stay tuned -- who knows what we'll add after the next gadget-reviewing frenzy.
New Galaxy S7 Active smartphones won't leak, says Samsung
It's official: the Samsung Galaxy S7 Active isn't quite as rugged as it was originally advertised. Well, it wasn't, but it is now. Following failed underwater tests from both Consumer Reports and CNET, Samsung looked into the phone's production process and found manufacturing problems that were compromising its water-resistance. Fortunately, the issue has been resolved. From here on out, the Galaxy S7 Active is expected to be sufficiently water-tight.
Samsung's highest profit in two years comes thanks to the S7
Samsung just had a great quarter, and it's all because people are snapping up Galaxy S7s. The Korean chaebol has revealed that it's expecting its second quarter operating profit to reach 8.1 trillion won ($7 billion), thanks to its smartphone business. That might be far from the 8.84 trillion won ($7.6 billion) operating profit it posted in January 2013, but it's still around 17 percent higher than last year's. It's also the highest in two years since it notched a profit of 8.5 trillion won ($7.4 billion) back in the first quarter of 2014. The company expects its revenue to be up by three percent, from 48.5 trillion won ($42 billion) to 50 trillion ($43 billion), as well.
Samsung brings back its free Gear VR promo
Miss out on your chance to get a free Gear VR headset by pre-ordering a Galaxy S7? You can rest easy. Samsung is launching a US Father's Day promo that gives you a gratis Gear VR when you buy one of the company's higher-end phones from the past year, including most Galaxy S6 and S7 variants (sorry, no S6 Active) and the Galaxy Note 5. The deal also gives you an Oculus bundle with "hit games and experiences." You'll have to buy the phone between now and June 19th to qualify, but that's no big deal if you were already thinking about an upgrade and just needed a nudge to get moving.
The best mobile phone on the UK market for 2016
Picking the right smartphone can be tough. With Apple, Samsung, LG, HTC and plenty of other manufacturers releasing handsets at a steady clip, it can be difficult to keep up with each and every launch. We use our smartphones for work, play and everything in between, so it's important to settle on the right blend of hardware, operating system and price tag that makes sense for you. After all, you're likely going to be spending anywhere from 18 months to two years of your life with your new handset, unless your budget allows you to upgrade on whim. Deciding between so many candidates can be a bit of a struggle, but we're here to help with our guide to the best smartphones around. Article prices are based on the RRP, but more up-to-date listings can be found in the buyers guide widget below.
Republic Wireless gets serious about its phone selection
Republic Wireless' promise of extra-affordable cellular service has usually come with a big catch: the phone selection. Outside of the occasional gem, you've had to settle for browsing a tiny collection of so-so budget devices. That won't be a problem after this summer, though. Republic has announced that it's adding seven more phones to its roster this July, and most of them are reasonably up to date, high-end models you'd likely be happy to have. The Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge are in the mix, as is Google's current Nexus line and the Moto X Pure Edition -- you can even get last year's Galaxy S6 if you're striking a balance between cost and cutting-edge. The prices are generally on par with what you find elsewhere, such as $699 for the Galaxy S7.
