Category: Samsung

Samsung Following LG WebOS’ Footsteps to Make Tizen the Next Big Thing for TVs

LG’s WebOS inclusion in TVs brought out revolutionary products. It marked the beginning of the era of smart TVs. The WebOS was well received by the tech community, and the reason is it’s snappy, engaging and a simple operating system. It seems like Samsung has understood the popularity of the WebOS and is going the LG way.

Meanwhile, Tizen OS on TV is the mini version of WebOS. Just like WebOS, Samsung’s Tizen-based TVs feature a panel at the bottom of the screen that depicts apps. The LG’s WebOS is advanced and highlights the screen shot of the ongoing programme. The Smart Hub on Tizen OS allows for seamless navigation and throws recent apps on one screen. The content can be shared from the TV to different devices, enabling users to have a multi-screen integrated experience. It provides easy and seamless navigation across videos, games and the web. Whereas on WebOS, there’s a Launcher Bar to optimize the menu and everything is right in front of you. Through the Magic Motion remote control, users can point, click, and scroll your way through the interface.

At the Samsung Thailand Forum 2015 in Bangkok, Thailand

WebOS is the heart of the TV’s user interface and with Tizen entering the game, it will take some time to make a concrete ground for itself. Samsung is leaving no stone unturned and is embedding electronic equipments with the Tizen OS. The company has announced that all forthcoming smart TVs will pack its own OS. Samsung Z1 is already running on Tizen OS, and the Korean producer has confirmed to launch Tizen-powered electronic products like refrigerators, air conditioners and washing machine in the coming future.

We will see the Tizen OS on the new SCurve TV by Samsung. If Samsung does the significant alterations, it can draw a considerable audience to its Smart Tizen TV; becoming the second favorite OS after WebOS. Samsung is, presently, showcasing its newest innovations at the Samsung Forum 2015 in Bangkok.

February 16, 2015
New Additions to Samsung’s 4G Portfolio, Galaxy Grand Prime and Galaxy Core Prime

Today, at the Samsung forum 2015, held in Bangkok, Thailand India Head Asim Warsi announced that Samsung is now focusing on releasing 4G-friendly smartphones. He also mentioned 4G internet in India is expected at the same price bands as of 3G today.

Keeping in line with its promise, Samsung introduced three 4G enabled smartphones; swelling the spectrum to nine 4G devices in total. Apart from Galaxy J1 4G and Galaxy A7 announced earlier today, the company added Galaxy Grand Prime 4G and Galaxy Core Prime 4G in its 4G smartphone portfolio. Both the handsets encompass a comparatively larger screen and pack a decent set of specs.

The Galaxy Grand Prime 4G boasts a 5-inch TFT (960x540p) display and is infused with 1.2GHz quad-core processor. The device runs on Android 4.4 KitKat and is dual SIM. Holding an 8 GB ROM and 1 GB RAM, the memory of the Galaxy Grand Prime 4G is expandable up to 64 GB. It comes with a 8MP rear camera and 5MP front snapper. With 2,600mAh battery, the Galaxy Grand Prime 4G has connectivity options like Bluetooth, USB 2.0, Wi-Fi Direct, Wi-Fi and NFC.

On the other hand, the Galaxy Core Prime 4G features a 4.5-inch WVGA TFT (480x800p) screen. The gadget is powered by 1.2GHz quad-core processor paired with 1 GB RAM. Running on Android 4.4 KitKat, the device has 8 GB internal memory which can be expanded up to 64 GB. The camera is restricted to 5MP rear and 2MP front. The dual-SIM handset gets its juice from the 2,000mAh battery.

The company hasn’t given a word about the price of both the devices, and how they are planning to retail them.

Stay tuned, hands-on coming up soon!

February 16, 2015
Samsung’s New Galaxy Tab Active is Designed to Boost Business Productivity

At its 2015 Forum in Thailand, the South Korean electronics giant, Samsung, is carefully and slowly taking the veil off its latest innovations. After introducing the Galaxy J1 for Rs. 9,900, the company has now showcased a tablet primarily manufactured for business-oriented customers. The Galaxy Tab Active is designed to boost business productivity.

The Senior Vice President, Enterprise Business, Samsung India Electronics, Mr. Anuj Jain commented about the gadget saying –

Samsung’s latest innovation, Galaxy Tab Active is the first tablet built for enterprise use. The device has been created basis the valuable feedback from top companies across industry verticals and Samsung’s own market insights. Galaxy Tab Active features business enhancing functionality and powerful technological capabilities allowing professionals to work without limitations in and out of the office.

The Galaxy Tab Active is 9.75mm thick and sports a sufficient 8-inch LCD screen. It is infused with 1.2GHz quad-core processor with 1.5 GB RAM, which is powerful enough to carry out routine tasks. The tablet is supported by Samsung KNOX for comprehensive mobile security. The security feature keeps the data safe without the need for a third-party platform and gives the freedom to customize the device with personal apps.

The tablet features a 3.1 MP rear snapper with Auto Focus and LED Flash, and a tough 4,450mAh battery, which can go for 10 hours on a single charge. Connectivity options include Micro USB 2.0, NFC and AllShare Cast. The company has added a built-in C-Pen, a stylus for easy access and note-talking.

There is no detail about the price and availability of the tablet. Keep checking our website for more updates.

February 16, 2015
Samsung Forum 2015 : Super-Slim Galaxy A7 Goes on Sale, Priced at Rs. 30,499

You’ll be hearing a lot of news about Samsung today. The reason is the Samsung Forum 2015 which kicked off today in Bangkok Thailand. The company, today, unveiled the new Galaxy A7, the slimmest Galaxy smartphone, measuring only 6.3 mm. It has been packaged with premium hardware for a superior social experience, claims the company. It aims to provide powerful multi-tasking performance with classy design, the Galaxy A7 vies to expand the popular services provided by the Galaxy A5 and A3.

[quote text_size=”small” author=”Mr. Asim Warsi” author_title=”Vice President, Marketing, Mobile and IT at Samsung India.”]

Galaxy A7 is a combination of stylish metallic unibody design with powerful performance and premium user experience. Keeping the modern design philosophy in mind, we have designed Galaxy A7 to empower consumers to enjoy the iconic design and flagship features with an assortment of appealing colors. This is another step towards our efforts to offer premium devices to a broad range of consumers which will further drive our market leadership.

[/quote]

The finely crafted metal handset is equipped with a 5.5 inch, Full HD Super AMOLED display to deliver better viewing experience while watching videos or browsing the internet. The Adaptive Display Technology intelligently optimizes the screen brightness and the color saturation. It is also equipped with a 13 MP primary camera and a 5 MP front camera, along with Advanced Selfie features like Ultra Wide Shot, GIF shooting modes and Auto Selfie modes (Palm and Voice Selfie.) The handset offers Private Mode, which adds extra security for important files and documents. In addition, the A7 also has Multi Screen app function capability.

It runs on Android 4.4 KitKat and comes packed with 2GB of RAM. It is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon Octa-core processor which allows users to easily perform data intensive tasks. It is backed by a 2,600mAh battery.

The handset is priced at Rs. 30,499 and is available online at the company’s official India e-Store in black, white and gold colors.

February 16, 2015
Samsung Forum 2015: Samsung Brings Out Galaxy J1 4G, Priced at Rs. 9900

Samsung launched the Galaxy J1 at the ongoing Samsung Forum 2015 in Thailand. We’re currently on the ground covering the event, bringing the latest news. The new version is LTE and is different from the one released a few days back. The model will come at Rs. 9,900 and will be available in India from the second week of March 2015.

The Galaxy J1 has a conventional specs sheet. It sports a 4.3-inch WVGA TFT display with 480×800 pixel density. It is equipped with 1.2GHz quad core processor and runs on Android 4.4 KitKat. The inbuilt memory specifications include 768 MB RAM and 4 GB ROM, which can be upgraded up to 128 GB via microSD slot.

Considering the camera, the Galaxy J1 features a 5MP rear shooter with Flash along with 2 MP front snapper. Connectivity options include MicroUSB, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi Direct, NFC and USB 2.0. The Dual SIM handset gets pepped up from the 1,850mAh battery. The device is available in blue, black and white colour variants.

Hands on coming up soon. Keep checking iGyaan for updates.

February 16, 2015
Samsung Kicks off its 2015 Forum in Thailand

Only a few weeks after CES, and a few before MWC, Samsung is hosting its Samsung Forum 2015 in Bangkok, Thailand. Last year, at the same event which was held in Bali, Indonesia, Samsung had introduced to the world the Neo Series.

To kick off the event, Mr HC Hong, the President and CEO, took the stage to talk about the company – its past, present and most importantly – its future.

“By 2017, All Samsung Devices Will be a Part of the Internet of Things”

He explained that South-East Asia is a big part of Samsung’s future plans with India, Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka as the key holders. The company currently employees 45,000 people in South Asia. He also claimed that by 2017, all Samsung devices will be a part of the Internet of Things.

Meanwhile, Asim Warsi, Samsung Mobile India Head got on stage to announce that Samsung will be focusing on 4G and that 4g internet in India is expected at the same price bands as of 3G today.

Seems like this is just the beginning, watch this space space for more details. We’ll keep you updated.

February 16, 2015
Here is Samsung’s First Trailer Teasing the Galaxy S6

Samsung’s next in Galaxy S series has already been a subject of a lot of speculation and hype. The prospects of a full metal based device have enticed the audience. Samsung has also said that they have worked from scratch on the device, and the market is looking forward to seeing how Samsung takes on this challenge. The Korean electronic giant has just unveiled the first teaser for this new flagship from its stable.

Samsung will be holding an unpacked event on the 1st of March. The company has posted a brief 17 second teaser video on Twitter with the hashtag The Next Galaxy. The video talks about a great vision and unique view and ends with a graphic of the main camera along with the line I am #thenextgalaxy.

I am #TheNextGalaxy. Be inspired by my vision at #Unpacked. https://t.co/Qu3e4L2DEg

— SamsungMobile (@SamsungMobile) February 13, 2015

The Galaxy S6 is reported to sport a Quad HD(2K) display and will most probably be powered by Samsung’s own 64 bit Exynos processor. It will run Android Lollipop and might have up to 128 GB internal storage options. Samsung is supposedly including a 20 MP, intelligent main camera that might address the focus on the camera in the teaser. There are also talks of payment system called Samsung Pay to be launched along with the device.

Samsung has managed to answer its design critics over the last year with the launch of the Galaxy Alpha and the Note 4. It is yet to be seen if Samsung manages to launch a new cutting edge design that could reach the lower segment of its devices or just a simple rehash with minimal tweaks and bumped up specs. A lot is riding on Samsung, and it needs to get it right this time.

February 14, 2015
Samsung’s Galaxy S6 Camera Will Be Super Intelligent, Claims Senior VP

The countdown to the MWC is already in full swing, with prominent manufacturers sending out teasers as to what we can expect from one of the biggest mobile conferences of the year.

Much has already been leaked about Samsung’s upcoming 2015 flagship model. Now, in a blog post on Wednesday, Samsung’s Senior VP and Head of Camera R&D Group talked about how they have been constantly working on improving the cameras used on the Galaxy Series. While talking about the camera on Galaxy smartphones, Senior VP DongHoon Jang admitted that a lot of passion and effort has been put for the release of the 2015 flagship model.

[quote text_size=”small” author=” DongHoon Jang” author_title=” Senior VP and Head of Camera R&D Group, Samsung”]

It will be intelligent and do all the thinking for users, allowing them to take amazing pictures under any conditions, without having to worry about anything more than just pressing the shutter button. It will demonstrate just how far Samsung has advanced smartphone cameras, and once again will open the creative side of our users for new ideas and new possibilities.

[/quote]

In the blog, there’s also a chart that shows camera progress over the years on the flagship Galaxy smartphones including the Galaxy S, Galaxy S II, Galaxy S III, Galaxy S4, and Galaxy S5.

In addition, Jang also stressed on the importance of the selfie cam, and duly noted that it forms an essential part of the whole eco-system. Meanwhile, a recent report suggested a 20 MP camera sensor along with OIS and a 5 MP front facing shooter on the Galaxy S6 prototype. Both cameras are likely to include sensors from Samsung.

The Korean giant is expected to launch the Samsung Galaxy S6 flagship along with the anticipated curved-display variant, rumoured to be called Galaxy S6 Edge at the Galaxy Unpacked 2015 event scheduled for March 1 in Barcelona.

February 12, 2015
Samsung Might be Working on a Three-Sided Display Smartphone

Samsung in the recent past has been unanimously berated for the dull design elements of its smartphones. The company responded to complaints by introducing a new line of metal frame based designs that began with the Galaxy Alpha and the Note 4. Samsung also brought an innovative device called the Galaxy Edge with a secondary display on the right side of the main display. Now Bloomberg is reporting that Samsung might be working on a device with three displays.

According to the report the Korean company is expected to release two top tier smartphones soon, one of which most probably is the Galaxy S6. The second device is expected to have a display on three sides. Both these devices will have all-metal bodies as reported by many rumor reports and will be powered by Samsung’s most powerful Exynos chipset.

The devices are being developed under Samsung’s “Project Zero” initiative that intends to recreate the Galaxy S6 from ground up. With these new launches, Samsung would try to take on its biggest adversary, Apple, which is a market leader in terms of designs. Apple’s designs have “inspired” multiple clones in the Android market.

The new device sounds interesting, but we would have to wait and see if it’s an innovative new display or just two-sided edge screen, which could be pretty impractical. Samsung also needs to bring a major design upgrade to its products in the lower segment of the market. Other phone brands are fast capturing Samsung’s share in this segment, and the company needs to buck up its efforts in this arena.

February 11, 2015
Samsung Galaxy J1 Arrives in India Tomorrow Priced at Rs. 7,199

Not long ago Samsung launched the Tizen-based Z1 in India, which failed to impress the Indian customers. Now, the South Korean manufacturer is giving another shot to influence the budget segment and is set to launch Galaxy J1 in India. The device will debut tomorrow, i.e. 11^th February, and will cost Rs. 7,199.

#LaunchingTomorrow on Amazon.in! Sign up for updates at: http://t.co/cC217W91Dn pic.twitter.com/AXk3iVawPJ

— Amazon.in (@amazonIN) February 10, 2015

Getting to the specifications of the handset, the Galaxy J1 sports a 4.3-inch WVGA (800×480) display. It packs a 1.2GHz dual-core Cortex A7 CPU and a Mali-400 GPU paired with 512 MB RAM. The handset features 4 GB of internal space which is expandable. The Galaxy J1 will run on Android 4.4 KitKat.

The phone encompasses a 5MP primary camera and 2MP secondary shooter at the top. The device gets its juice from the 1,580mAh battery and the connectivity options include Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. The dual-SIM phone will come bundled some exciting offers, as informed by Amazon India.

The phone is not exceptional, and at this price point, Xiaomi and Asus are offering much better specifications. Samsung has to throw some free deal to lure more audience and stay in the competition.

February 10, 2015

Unboxing | Samsung Galaxy A3 | Hands On

Samsung has been expanding the new metal frame design in its product portfolio. They recently unveiled low-cost Tizen based Z1 also flaunted the new design element. The company has launched two new mid-range devices called the Galaxy A3 and A5 that take the classy metal-based design forward.

On the looks front, the device looks classy and has a pocket-friendly size. The 6.9 mm thickness of the device coupled with metal frame makes it feel robust, slim and outdoorsy. The placement of the headphone jack and the microUSB port on the lower end might feel troublesome to a few users. The main camera has a prominent bulge on the back. The design features do seem reminiscent of iPhone 5S kind of styling.

The display of the device is quite a disappointment for its price. It has a resolution of 540 x 960 pixels with a pixel density of 245 PPI. At a time when sub-Rs.10,000 devices are featuring 720p HD displays, the A3’s display is definitely a downer.

In the box you get:

The Galaxy A3
Earphones
Charger + Cable
SIM Removal Tool
Information Booklet

In terms of performance, you get almost the same output as the Galaxy A5. The TouchWiz UI running on the device is a simplified version so you won’t get the Flipboard application on the left of the home screen. Samsung has also kept away bloatwares from the device which is a plus for the device.

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At the price of Rs.20,500 the low resolution display and low specs does make this device feel overpriced. We’ll delve in deeper into the Galaxy A3 and its bigger sibling the Galaxy A5 in our upcoming full review, keep checking iGyaan for more.

Specs	Samsung Galaxy A3
Operating System	Android 4.4.4
Screen Size	4.5 inches Super AMOLED 540 x 960 pixels
RAM	1.5 GB
Battery	1990 mAh
Processor	Qualcomm Snapdragon 410
CPU	Quad-core 1.2 GHz
GPU	Adreno 306
Front camera	5 MP
Rear Camera	8 MP
Price	Rs. 20,500

At 4.5 inches the Galaxy A3 is pocket friendly.

February 5, 2015

Unboxing | Samsung Galaxy A5 | Hands On

With the launch of the Galaxy Alpha last year, Samsung attempted a new metal frame based design philosophy that also influenced their last major flagship, the Note 4. Samsung recently launched the A3 and A5, which are based on the same design elements, but come with a mid-range price tag. We unbox and take a look at the new Galaxy A5 from Samsung.

Except for their display sizes, both the A3 and A5 look identical. There is nothing on the top as both the microUSB slot and 3.5 mm jack are placed on the lower end. On the right, you have the power button along with two SIM slots out of which the bigger slot can be used as a microSD card slot. On the left, you have the volume rockers and staying true its, ‘Samsungness’, the main button sits at the center below the display along with the capacitive touch buttons. The pearl white color of the device is fantastic.

In the box you get:

The Galaxy A3
Earphones
Charger + Cable
SIM Removal Tool
Information Booklet

The devices are marketed as selfie and camera friendly and hence provide instant access to the camera from the lock screen. The touch felt responsive, and there were minimal lags in the time of use. The Galaxy A5 has a 1280×720 display which is a dissapointment as Samsung could have easily provided a Full HD display at the price.

The Galaxy A5 comes for a price of Rs. 25,500 and has more to offer than its younger sibling; the Galaxy A3. Stay tuned for the full review of the devices only on iGyaan.in.

Specs	Samsung Galaxy A5
Operating System	Android 4.4.4
Screen Size	5.0 inch HD Super AMOLED 1280×720 pixels
RAM	2 GB
Battery	2300 mAh
Processor	Qualcomm Snapdragon 410
CPU	Quad-core 1.2 GHz
GPU	Adreno 306
Front camera	5 MP
Rear Camera	13 MP
Price	Rs. 25,500

Samsung Galaxy A3 and A5 1 — The A3 and the A5 Compared : The A5 being the larger variant

February 5, 2015

Samsung Hits Back at Canalys Report, Says it is Still on Top

Today began with a news that could have been the cause of jubilation at Micromax’s office but would bring gloom to Samsung’s. Research firm Canalys had reported that Samsung was pushed off from the top spot by Micromax in the fourth quarter of 2014. But Samsung has now hit back at the report quoting data from market research organisation Gfk group.

Samsung has said that according to the Gfk data, its volume market share in the October-December 2014 quarter was 34.3% whereas the value market share was 35.8%.

[quote text_size=”small” author=”Asim Warsi” author_title=”Vice President, Marketing, Mobile business, Samsung India Electronics Pvt. Ltd.”]

In the entire year 2014, we continued to lead the market with innovative and exciting offerings. Our volume market share in the smartphone market in the year was 35.7%, which is more than double than that of the next player, while our value share was 40.2%, which is more than four times the next player. The GfK data is based on actual retail sales in 50,000-plus population cities.

[/quote]

But all of this doesn’t depart from the fact that the company has been losing ground to brands that are offering a lot more features to the consumers. Samsung has to find a silver bullet to return back to the prominent spot it used to at during the start of the smartphone race.

February 4, 2015
Samsung to Introduce Apple Pay-Like Payment System With Galaxy S6

Samsung wants its next flagship Galaxy S6 to overtake all existing records and attain the top spot among the users. The South Korean firm is taking every possible measure to ensure this and according to a Korean media report, the company is geared to launch a new payment system, Samsung Pay, with the Galaxy S6.

The Korean Times stated –

Samsung Electronics’ new smartphone Galaxy S6, set to make its debut at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona in Spain next month, will look a lot like Apple’s iPhone 6, sources said Monday

As per the report, the producer has already partnered with VISA as one of the payment partners in the system. The Samsung Payment System will be based on LoopPay technology. Through the new fingerprint sensor embedded on Galaxy S6, users can pay by just touching LoopPay-enabled cards. The rumour going around is that the device will sport a non-swipe fingerprint sensor that requires you to place your finger and hold it for a minute like the iPhone.

Meanwhile, talks have surfaced that LoopPay is working on cases for Galaxy S5 and Galaxy Note 4. These cases would be touch-enabled and will allow making payments through phones like the upcoming Galaxy S6. As of now, there is no information about Samsung Pay coming to Note Edge, but we expect the company will extend support to this device as well.

There are a lot of speculations about the forthcoming flagship by Samsung; as many wait anxiously for its upcoming launch at the MWC. Samsung has used many tactics to market this phone, but only time will tell whether it will live up to its expectation.

February 4, 2015
Micromax Pushes Samsung Off the Pole Position in India

Indian smartphone market saw a lot of action last year. A lot of companies made India a priority market and launched their top flagships in the country. Indians now had a wider choice in smartphones than ever before. All these choices have also led to a major reshuffle in the points tally of top selling companies. Indian smartphone brand, Micromax seems to have kicked global market leader Samsung from the first position on the table.

The report comes from research firm Canalys. According to the report, Micromax accounted for 22 percent sales in the fourth quarter of the year between October and December. Samsung on the other hand managed to score 20 percent of device sales during that period.

The industry, in total, sold over 21.6 million smartphones during the period; a 90 percent increase over the previous year. It is estimated that the Micromax’s lead was fueled by increase in the purchase of devices with a lower price tag as the users actively shift from feature phones to smartphones in that segment.

This dip in standing should be a major concern for Samsung as it has already lost the first position in China to Xiaomi. The company has been on the receiving end of complaints about its lackluster devices with monotonous designs and lack of specs. Apart from some tiny tweaks the company hasn’t really offered anything substantial to the consumers. Samsung has to reconsider its smartphone strategy seriously as it is the company’s most visible product portfolio at the moment or else it wouldn’t be long before it follows in the steps of Blackberry and Nokia.

February 4, 2015

Category: Samsung

Specs

Samsung Galaxy A3

Specs

Samsung Galaxy A5