Android 5.0 Lollipop for Samsung Galaxy Note 3 LTE is Now Available for Download

Yesterday, we told you that Samsung Poland confirmed that the Galaxy Note 2 will get updated to Lollipop. Today we bring you news of another member of the Galaxy Note that’s getting updated to Android 5.0. According to the folks at Sammobile, the Android 5.0 Lollipop update for Samsung Galaxy Note 3 LTE is now being pushed to users.

It’s the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 N9005 that’s getting updated with Lollipop. Yes, you are right, it’s the Note 3 variant powered by a Snapdragon 800 chipset. For the time being, the Galaxy Note 3 Android 5.0 Lollipop update is being rolled out in several European countries. As usual, the update is being rolled out in phases, meaning that not all users will get it in the same time. When your device will get the OTA update, you should be able to see a system update notifications. All you need to do is tap on the notification and follow the on-screen instructions. It’s also recommended to manually check for the update under Settings > About phone > Software update > Check for software updates, or via Samsung KIES after you connect your Note 3 to the PC using the USB cable.

Because you are dealing with a major update, expect the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 Android 5.0 Lollipop update file to have a size of over 600 MB. We are recommending you to download using a Wi-Fi network in order to avoid unwanted data charges.

Android 5.0 is the most important update Google’s software platform has received in a while. The update arrives with multi-user support for phones, Screen Pinning, Android Runtime, security improvements, performance boosts, Smart Lock, better battery statistics, lock screen notifications, dynamic status bar, redesigned notifications bar, card-based interface for the recent screen, and more. The Note 3 Android 5.0 Lollipop update also brings TouchWiz UI tweaks, bug fixes, and improved system stability.

Samsung Galaxy S6 Dual-Edged Display Variant Seemingly Confirmed, Could Include 4GB RAM

The Samsung Galaxy S6 is no doubt going to be one of the biggest smartphone launches of the year. While we know a lot about the Galaxy S6 by now, confusion still remains regarding the Galaxy S6 Edge variant. Some rumors have claimed that the S6 Edge will be launched alongside the Galaxy S6, while others claim the product has been scrapped by Samsung. Now a new report has surfaced courtesy of SamMobile that claims Samsung will indeed launch a Galaxy S6 variant with a curved edge display. What’s interesting is that the Galaxy S6 Edge is said to feature a dual-edged display, instead of the curved edge on just the right side like on the Galaxy Note Edge.

According to SamMobile, the Galaxy S6 double-edged display variant will carry the model number SM-G925. While the model number has been confirmed, it is still unknown if the device will be called the Galaxy S6 Edge like the Note Edge or something else entirely different. The Galaxy S6 Edge is said to feature all the panels that we have seen on the Galaxy Note Edge. These include Finance, News, Pedometer, Sports, Contacts and other panels. These panels will be available for download on the Samsung App Store for the owners of the dual-edge display variant of the Galaxy S6, just like the Galaxy Note Edge. While for the most part the software on the Galaxy S6 Edge is said to be similar to the Galaxy Note Edge, a few notable differences will be seen too. As the Galaxy S6 Edge will have the edge panel on both the right and left curve of the display, you will be able to choose which panel you want to activate, depending on whether you are right-handed or left-handed. The Galaxy S6 Edge is also said to include the Glance Lighting feature that uses the Edge panels as notification lights by lighting up whenever you have any new notifications or an incoming calls and your device is turned over. This feature will include customization options as well, allowing you to choose the color of the light for specific contacts as per your choice.

Yet another report out of Korea also seems to confirm the existence of the Galaxy S6 Edge and claims that the Galaxy S6 may come with 4GB of RAM. The report claims that Samsung may include 4GB of RAM on the curved edge display variant while the main Galaxy S6 variant may include 3GB of RAM. However, since the SM-G925 specifications were leaked on Antutu a few weeks back and we know that it will come with 3GB of RAM, it doesn’t look like the S6 Edge will be the one with 4GB of RAM. Instead, we could see the main Galaxy S6 variant with higher 4GB RAM. Or it could be that the SM-G925 that was leaked on Antutu was an early prototype and both the main variant and the Edge variant of the Samsung Galaxy S6 could launch with 4GB RAM on-board. We will need to wait a few more weeks until Mobile World Congress to find out everything about the Galaxy S6 and its dual-edged display variant.

Samsung Galaxy S6 to Arrive with Touch Based Fingerprint Sensor, Says Report

The Samsung Galaxy S6 release date is fast approaching and, as we are getting closer to the launch of the highly-anticipated smartphone, more details about it are starting to hit the web. According to a new report, Sammy’s next-gen flagship might integrate a different fingerprint sensor.

Back in 2013, Apple introduced the iPhone 5S which featured a fingerprint sensor embedded in the home button. Even though the iPhone 5S was not the first smartphone to come with a fingerprint scanner (Motorola’s Atrix had one back in 2011), this feature has become mainstream after Apple launched their iOS 7-powered handset. Customers have begun to wish for fingerprint sensors in their smartphones and Android phone makers didn’t hesitate to include such sensors in their devices.

The Galaxy S5 was the first Samsung smartphone to sport a fingerprint scanner early 2014 and since then, Samsung has equipped devices like Galaxy S5 Mini, Galaxy Alpha, Galaxy Tab S, Galaxy Note 4, or Galaxy Note Edge with similar sensors. Anyway, unlike iPhone 5S’ scanner, the one mounted on Samsung’s smartphones requires you to swipe your finger over it in order to work.

According to a report from trustworthy publication Sammobile, Samsung’s yet-unannounced Galaxy S6 could arrive with a different fingerprint scanner. “Highly-credible sources” have told Sammobile that the South Korean phone maker will no longer use the swipe-based fingerprint scanner, as it will be replaced with a touch-based sensor which would work in a similar way to iPhone 5S’.

Just like its predecessor, the Galaxy S6 will have the touch-based sensor embedded into the Home button. Anyway, it seems that Samsung had to make the home button bigger than the one of Galaxy S5 or Note 4.

I remind you that Samsung Galaxy S6 is expected to arrive with a powerful hardware platform. According to the reports, the terminal could feature a 5.5-inch Super AMOLED display with Quad HD (1440 x 2560) resolution, 64-bit Exynos 7420 / Snapdragon 810 processor (market depended), 3 GB of RAM, and a main camera with optical image stabilization and 16 or 20 MP resolution.

Samsung to Skip Android 5.0 Update For Galaxy Note 4 & Galaxy Note Edge; Direct Update to Android 5.0.1 Lollipop

Samsung is reportedly going to skip the Android 5.0 Lollipop update for the Galaxy Note 4 and Galaxy Note Edge smartphones and directly update the devices to Android 5.0.1, much like the Galaxy S5. The report comes courtesy of SamMobile. They claim that Samsung is readying the Android 5.0.1 update for the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 and the Galaxy Note Edge and could roll out the update for these devices soon.

Samsung started seeding the Android 5.0.1 Lollipop update for the Galaxy S5 in Poland earlier this month and has recently rolled out a second update based on Android 5.0.1 to Polish users. The second update is expected to be the final Android 5.0.1 build for the Galaxy S5 LTE-A (SM-G906S) model and should be rolling out for Galaxy S5 devices across Europe soon. The Galaxy S5 was also updated directly to Android 5.0.1, skipping Android 5.0. Android 5.0.1 builds for the Galaxy Note 4 and Galaxy Note Edge are being tested already, and an Android 5.0.1 Lollipop build for the Galaxy Note 4 was recently demoed by SamMobile. In case you missed that video overview, you can view the video by clicking on this link.

The Galaxy S5 Android 5.0.1 update for Europe and other regions could be expected to arrive by the end of this month, and then we can expect the Android 5.0.1 rollout for the Galaxy Note 4 and Galaxy Note Edge smartphones to begin. Earlier leaked roadmap of Samsung’s Android Lollipop update plans did indicate that Samsung will be updating the Galaxy Note 4 and Galaxy Note Edge devices beginning January. The Galaxy Note 3 Android Lollipop update is expected to arrive next month as well, although it isn’t clear if the Galaxy Note 3 will also be updated directly to Android 5.0.1 or will be updated to Android 5.0 Lollipop first.

The Samsung Galaxy S5 Android 5.0.1 update doesn’t include any new features from Samsung’s side but does come with the updated TouchWiz UI designed with Material Design guidelines from Google. Since the Galaxy Note 4 is the newer flagship and includes a slightly different version of TouchWiz than the Galaxy S5 with additional features, Samsung might include a few new software goodies along with the Lollipop update. The Galaxy Note 4 & Galaxy Note Edge TouchWiz version is also lighter than earlier versions on other Galaxy devices, so we hope Samsung will optimize TouchWiz further for these devices and introduce a lighter TouchWiz version with Android 5.0.1.

Samsung Galaxy S6 Rumor Roundup: Specs, Release Date and Other Details

The Samsung Galaxy S6 is getting closer as we near the beginning of 2015, and with an approaching release date comes more rumors and more information to be released regarding the device. There are quite a few rumors going around already, which means it’s time to do another Samsung Galaxy S6 rumor roundup.

Rumors crop up about Samsung’s “Project Zero” aka Galaxy S6

Samsung has supposedly given the Galaxy S6 project a nickname already, and it has been going by “Project Zero”. This will be Samsung’s next flagship Galaxy S device, replacing the Galaxy S5. You can expect quite a few changes to come in this smartphone compared to the Galaxy S5, due to the fact that Samsung didn’t gain too many sales from the latest device, and the S range is clearly in need of some shaking up.

Previously, it was difficult to find any information that was even slighlty tenable, but as previously stated, we’re drawing closer to release, so more reliable sources are beginning to come forward with information. Here’s everything that you need to know about the Samsung Galaxy S6, from the design to the internal specs.

Release Date

Samsung has previously unveiled new additions to the Galaxy S line at some point around the Mobile World Conference, which takes place in early March. However, the Galaxy S5 was announced back in February and had an April release, whereas the Galaxy S4 was unveiled in March and released in April. Either way, you can definitely expect to see the device unveiled and in stores ready for purchase by April 2015.

Design

SamMobile has previously stated that the Samsung Galaxy S6 will likely be unlike any Galaxy S device ever seen before, due to the poor Galaxy S5 sales and the fact that Samsung has recently replaced the head of its mobile division, which means that changes are in store for the Galaxy S line.

You can definitely expect the Galaxy S6 to follow in the Galaxy Note 4 and the Galaxy Alpha’s footsteps, using an actual metal mid-frame instead of a metallic plastic one, as well as a new rear that will still be removable. It may be the leather material that’s featured on the back of the Galaxy Note 4, but sadly, design rumors have been few and far between, so much of the device’s design is still unknown.

Supposedly, another Galaxy S6 model is currently being developed as well, but we’re not sure exactly what it could be, as it will definitely not be an “Edge” model. Many have speculated that this second development may be for a device with a curved or flexible display, but the technology may not be there currently, so we’ll likely have to wait a few more weeks until we know more.

Display

Many have begun to speculate that the Samsung Galaxy S6 will feature a display with a quad-HD resolution, much like that of the Galaxy Note 4. Plenty of devices currently feature the high resolution display, which allows you to have crisper images and more high quality videos.

The greatest part is that there’s a clear difference in devices with Full HD versus devices with Quad HD, so if you’re upgrading from a Galaxy S4 or a Galaxy S5, you’ll really notice the difference in a device such as the upcoming Galaxy S6. This combined with the Super AMOLED display-type that the Samsung Galaxy S6 will likely use, will create beautiful images on the display that are crisp and vibrant.

Some have also suggested that the Galaxy S6 will have a 5.5-inch display, the same size as the one on the iPhone 6 Plus, or just 0.2 inches smaller than the Galaxy Note 4. Considering the fact that previous Galaxy devices haven’t increased all that much past 5 inches, this would be interesting to see if it does end up being true.

Camera

In terms of the rear camera, many have rumored that the Galaxy S6 will feature a 20MP camera, but recently, rumors coming from AnTuTu’s benchmark testing have suggested that the Galaxy S6 may possibly sport a 16MP camera, like the Galaxy S5. At this point in time, it could go either way, so we’ll have to wait and see.

On top of a possible increase in megapixels, we can also expect to see the Galaxy S6 come with optical image stabilization, phase auto detection, and possibly even a 5MP camera on the front of the device.

Tech Specs

On top of everything else, you can expect to see an upgrade in processors, RAM, and storage sizes. Qualcomm recently unveiled their latest processor, the Snapdragon 810, and this is the processor we’re likely to see thrown inside the Galaxy S6 in certain regions. For other regions, we’ll likely see the newly released 64-bit Octa-core Exynos 7 processor. Both of these models will also probably feature 3GB of RAM.

Storage-wise, you can expect to see the Samsung Galaxy S6 bump up its storage options, much like Apple recently did with the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus. We’ll likely see a 32GB model, a 64GB model, and a 128GB model offered, as well as a microSD slot for further expansion of storage that will likely allow you to insert a microSD card of at least 128GB in size.

Samsung Galaxy A7 Specs Leaked, High-end Hardware Inside

After Samsung introduced the Galaxy Alpha earlier this year, the South Korean phone maker started to focus more on using premium materials for their smartphones. The Galaxy Note 4 arrived with a metallic frame, and then Sammy introduced the mid-range Galaxy A3 and Galaxy A5, both sporting metallic bodies.

Early rumors have suggested that the Galaxy A family will actually have three members, but, for the time being, only two have been announced. A new report coming from the folks at Sammobile reveals more details about the yet-unannounced Samsung Galaxy A7. Even though everyone expected the A7 to be a mid-range device, the leaked technical specifications are suggesting otherwise.

According to the aforementioned source, Samsung Galaxy A7 will be equipped with a 5.5-inch display with Full HD resolution, while being underpinned by an Octa-core Exynos 5430 SoC. The chipset will be based on four high-power 1.8 GHz Cortex A57 cores paired with four low-energy 1.3 GHz Cortex A53 cores. Besides that, it will also integrate an LTE modem.

The other Samsung Galaxy A7 technical specifications include 2 GB of RAM, 16 GB of internal storage, 2,600 mAh battery, and a 5 MP Selfie camera. The smartphone should also integrate a 13 MP primary shooter, which is most likely based on the same camera sensor used for the Galaxy S4.

Sammobile also reports that Galaxy A7 will be 150 mm tall, 75 mm wide, and 6.3 mm thin which would make it the thinnest Samsung smartphone yet. A7 will weigh in at 150 grams.

It’s not clear yet when the Samsung Galaxy A7 will be released on the market, but you should expect it to become available for purchase before early 2015. The latest leak also revealed that Galaxy A7 would run Android 4.4 KitKat out of the box, but we are sure that it will get updated to Android 5.0 Lollipop soon after its launch.

Samsung Galaxy S5: Lollipop Update Android 5.0 Release Date Timeframe

The Galaxy S5 Android 5.0 Lollipop update might not have been officially detailed by Samsung, but that doesn’t mean we’re completely clueless about it. According to some of the latest rumors, the tech giant might be planning to update its flagship phone to Lollipop as soon as this December.

Android 5.0 Lollipop updates to hit the Galaxy S5 in December

The rumored update release time frame does seem quite plausible, especially considering how almost all the other major OEMs will be rolling out the 5.0 Lollipop update around the same time. Recently, the LG G3 was also confirmed to be receiving its Lollipop update in December, according to an LG Netherlands representative. The December time frame is only for the beginning of the rollout though, so not all markets will receive the Android 5.0 update by December. It usually takes over a month for a major software update to be rolled out globally. The unlocked variants of the Galaxy S5 should be the first to receive the update, as is usually the case. Carrier-locked versions like AT&T and Verizon’s Galaxy S5 might need to wait until January for the update at the very least.

SamMobile published a report soon after the release of the Nexus 6 and Nexus 9, claiming Samsung is planning to roll out the Lollipop update for its flagship devices around the end of November or December. They even previewed a beta Lollipop firmware for the Galaxy S5 three weeks back, showing the new updated TouchWiz UI built around the new Material Design guidelines set by Google. We also saw Samsung tease the image of the Galaxy Note 4 Lollipop update a few days ago.

So the December rollout does seem pretty accurate at this point. There’s a chance the Galaxy Note 4 and Galaxy Note Lollipop update could arrive a little earlier, perhaps even by the end of November. The Galaxy S5, Galaxy Note 3 and a few other top Galaxy devices could start receiving their 5.0 update from December.