Samsung

Flight to Seattle evacuated after passenger’s Samsung Galaxy phone ignites

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Seattle Times [H/T Rob Devlin]:

A passenger’s cellphone caught on fire inside the cabin of an Alaska Airlines flight from New Orleans to Seattle that had landed at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport Monday evening.

It was a Samsung Galaxy A21, according to Perry Cooper, a spokesman for the Port of Seattle.

And:

“After much digging, I can tell you that the phone was burned beyond recognition”

How does this sort of thing happen?

From this How-To Geek explainer:

Lithium-ion batteries contain a ton of Li-ion cells. Each of these cells has a critical temperature—think of it as a boiling point. When the critical temperature of a cell is reached (due to external heat, overcharging, damage, or poor manufacturing), it enters an exothermic breakdown. Basically, the cell itself starts to release a ton of heat.

One sign of a potential problem is a swollen battery. If you spot signs of a swollen battery, follow up. If it’s an old, Mac, for example, back it up, then take it to the Apple Store.

Samsung activates TV Block to brick stolen TVs

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Thinus Ferreira, TeeVeeTee (via the excellent Overspill blog):

Samsung South Africa has announced that it has activated a TV Block Function on all Samsung TV sets stolen during the looting, violence and unrest in parts of KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng during July that saw TV sets stolen from Samsung warehouses.

And:

Samsung’s television block technology is already pre-loaded on all Samsung TV products and the company says that all sets taken unlawfully and stolen from Samsung warehouses are being blocked, rendering them useless.

And:

A TV blocking system has been activated on Samsung television sets stolen from its warehouse and the blocking comes into effect when the user of a stolen television connects to the internet, in order to operate the television.

Once connected, the serial number of the television is identified on the Samsung server and the blocking system is implemented, disabling all the television functions.

Similar to what Apple does with gear stolen from Apple Stores, though users of Apple gear have the ability to shut down their iPhones themselves.

Interesting that there appears to be a shift to require internet connection to verify the TVs, as opposed to purely if you want to access the app infrastructure (think the Apple TV or Roku apps). I have not given my TV my household WiFi password. Wondering if my next TV will require it.

Samsung’s clever Trojan horse

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Yup. I said Samsung and clever in the same sentence. Cause it’s true (Don’t tell Jim). Watch the video, click this link on your iPhone if you want to take it for a spin on your own device.

Oh Samsung

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Samsung’s official US mobile Twitter account uses an iPhone to promote today’s Galaxy S21 Unpacked event:

https://twitter.com/MacRumors/status/1349497194190045189

Other folks using Apple gear to promote non-Apple products seems to happen a lot. Reminds me of the year Microsoft sponsored the NFL and gave Surface tablets to all the teams. Then, when the games played out, there were lots of shots of teams using iPads instead.

Any examples of Apple events being promoted on, say, Samsung phones?

Oh Samsung

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Ben Schoon, 9to5Google, on Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy Buds Pro:

Perhaps most notably, though, is a copy of Apple’s “Spatial Audio” feature for the Galaxy Buds Pro. That feature, which is available on AirPods Pro and AirPods Max, can creature a faux surround sound system that changes the direction of the audio based on the direction of your head and the position of the phone.

Oh Samsung, you just couldn’t resist, could you. You did skip a step, though. You forgot to mock the feature when Apple shipped it before you started your copiers.

Oh Samsung

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Filipe Espósito, 9to5Mac:

Right after the Apple event in October, Samsung mocked the company for not including the power adapter in the iPhone 12 box and also removing it from the older models. Now, as some rumors have predicted, the Galaxy S21’s documentation suggests that it will also not come with a charger included in the box.

It’s uncanny how quickly this happened.

Samsung went from big ads with pics of a charging brick and the tagline, “Included with your Galaxy” to removing the brick from the box. So quickly, that I can’t help but think they knew they were removing the brick while they were designing the “we’ve still got a brick” ad campaign.

Yeesh.

Oh Samsung

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[VIDEO] This feels like a bit of sacrilege, Samsung clearly messing with an important element of Steve Jobs’ legacy. Video embedded in main Loop post.

Galaxy S20 Ultra vs iPhone 11 Pro Max speed test

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[VIDEO] The first time through the race, the iPhone is the clear winner. The second time through, the Galaxy S20 takes over.

What changed? RAM.

The Galaxy S20 has 12 GB of DDR5 RAM, the iPhone 11 Pro Max, only 4 GB of DDR4x RAM. Watch the speed test (video embedded in main Loop post), keep that more/faster RAM in mind.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip durability test

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[VIDEO] First things first, I appreciate this video (embedded in main Loop post) bringing me up close and personal with the new Z Flip foldable phone.

But jump to 2:16 into the video and check out the scratch resistance test. Fascinating.

From the looks of things, the cost of foldability is screen durability. The reviewer casts doubt on Samsung’s claims that the screen is a glass screen, showing that it scratches like a plastic screen. Watch, judge for yourself.

Our Motorola Razr’s display is already breaking and peeling at the fold

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This reminds me of the rollout of Samsung’s Galaxy Fold.

Early days still, but I’ll go out on a limb and say Samsung has learned some hard lessons from that release and, I suspect, the Galaxy Z Flip will fare better than the Fold. Making a foldable phone is no easy thing, and Samsung is mastering (presumably) a technology that will give them an edge on newcomers to the market.

Two things:

  • Are foldable phones necessary? Is this an important evolution in smartphone technology?
  • Does this mean Apple is falling behind?

If the answer to the first question is yes, then I’d wager that Apple knows this and is quietly developing foldable expertise in a lab somewhere, choosing not to reveal their mistakes and strategy in public.

Gruber: Let’s get real about how important our phones are

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First things first, this from Geoffrey Fowler, writing for The Washington Post, commenting on Samsung’s new phones, announced yesterday:

With prices ranging from $1,000 to $1,400, either one is hard to justify as much more than a luxury.

Gruber:

There are way more people on the planet who’d rather have a $1,400 phone and a $400 laptop than the other way around. But you’ll never see a tech reviewer claim that $1,000-1,400 is “hard to justify” for a laptop.

Read Gruber’s piece, headline-linked.

Obviously, current, state-of-the-art smartphones have indeed become much more expensive, beyond the budgets of many. But Gruber’s point is spot on. Smartphones have become the new laptops, the main computer for many people.

Samsung teases Galaxy Z Flip in Oscars ad

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[VIDEO] Samsung hasn’t officially posted the ad on YouTube yet, but that hasn’t stopped any number of people from capturing and reposting the ad themselves. One such capture is embedded in the main Loop post.

A pretty good ad, though two things stick out in the fine (tiny and blurry) print, there at the bottom of the screen:

  • You may notice a small crease in the center of the main screen, which is a natural characteristic of the screen.

And:

  • Screen images simulated.

The ad ends with, “Unpacked 02.11.20”. That’s tomorrow.

Makes me wonder if Apple will release a foldable that requires a public caveat about a crease in the screen.

Oh Samsung

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The headline of the linked iMore article says it all:

“Samsung’s at it again and this time it stole Apple’s Face ID icon”

I can’t even. Why, Samsung, why?

Oh Samsung

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Samsung:

According to Samsung Electronics President Sohn Young, who participated at the TechCrunch Disrupt event in Berlin yesterday, there are over one million Galaxy Fold smartphones out there in the wild — double the initial sales estimate made in October of 500,000 units. Despite costing nearly $2,000 and requiring extreme care during use, a sizable number of people have embraced the 7.3-inch folding screen device, making Samsung quite happy and getting it closer to realizing its foldable goals for 2020.

Wow, that’s amazing. Astonishing success. I can’t believe Samsung sold more than one million Galaxy Fold, especially since I’ve not seen a single one in the wild. But live and learn.

Oh, wait.

Also Samsung:

Samsung has clarified that it has not, in fact, sold 1 million Galaxy Folds, in a statement given to Korea’s Yonhap News Agency. Samsung declined to comment on the actual number of units sold, only to say it was not over a million.

Samsung would not even state if estimates of 500,000 units were closer to an accurate figure, perhaps suggesting the real number could even be below analyst expectations.

Um. That’s a pretty big oopsie, Samsung. If one were prone to cynicism, on might think this was some sort of ploy.

What do you think the odds are that Jim will be talking about this on this week’s Dalrymple Report?

Samsung’s “space contraption”

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[VIDEO] This is a crazy story. Samsung created the SpaceSelfie mission:

Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd today announced a bold, out-of-this-world mission as it launches the Galaxy S10 5G 65,000 feet above the earth to give consumers the chance to get their face in space.

But what made the news is not the mission, but the mysterious blinking object that fell from space and landed in a Michigan couple’s yard.

Read the article (headline link) and watch the video embedded in the main Loop post. I love the references to the “space contraption”.

[H/T Robert Walter]

Oh Samsung

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In today’s edition of “Oh Samsung”:

A flaw that means any fingerprint can unlock a Galaxy S10 phone has been acknowledged by Samsung.

And:

After buying a £2.70 gel screen protector on eBay, Lisa Neilson found her left thumbprint, which was not registered, could unlock the phone.

She then asked her husband to try and both his thumbs also unlocked it.

And when the screen protector was added to another relative’s phone, the same thing happened.

Yikes.

Samsung cancels Galaxy Fold pre-orders in the U.S., offers $250 credit as compensation

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To be clear, they canceled the pre-orders in preparation for taking new pre-orders.

From Samsung:

Ensuring that you have the best possible experience with this revolutionary new technology is our top priority. We are taking the time to rethink the entire customer experience – from purchase to unboxing, to post-purchase service – so in the meantime, we have, regrettably, decided to cancel your existing pre-order. While not an easy decision to make, we believe this is the right thing to do.

Gotta say, this was not the smoothest of new product introductions.

Samsung spamming Galaxy phones with multiple Note 10 ads

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Android Police:

That’s right, Samsung is once again spamming Galaxy phones with advertisements, this time for the Note10.

This time around, push notifications advertising the Note10 are being sent out by at least three pre-installed applications — Samsung Pay, Bixby, and the Samsung Push Service. Bixby wants you to ask it about the Note10, Samsung Pay is offering points when you look at the phone’s product page, and Samsung Push Service just gives you a banner ad with no indication of where it came from. I received the Bixby ad on my international Galaxy S10e, but I haven’t personally seen the others.

Does Apple push unasked-for ads like this? I can’t ever recall getting an ad of any kind from Siri.

Oh Samsung

Written by

Jake Kanter, Business Insider:

Samsung has a long and illustrious history of trolling Apple in its smartphone commercials. But now the South Korean firm is cloning one of the iPhone features it once mocked, and has quietly deleted records of the ads.

I kind of like the sequencing of this tweet from Sam Henri Gold.

Oh Samsung.

Samsung: Galaxy Fold coming in September. No really.

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Samsung:

At Samsung, we’ve always focused on pioneering the next generation of mobile innovation: new products and technologies that push the entire industry forward and help users do what they can’t. Earlier this year, we announced Galaxy Fold—Samsung’s first foldable device, and the beginning of an entirely new mobile category. Since then, we’ve made improvements to Galaxy Fold to ensure consumers have the best possible experience.

And:

All of us at Samsung appreciate the support and patience we’ve received from Galaxy fans all over the world. Galaxy Fold is a device long in the making, and we’re proud to share it with the world and look forward to bringing it to consumers.

I wasn’t convinced that the Galaxy Fold had a huge market in the first go round, purely based on the price tag (I believe it started at about $2K). I can only imagine if the pricing model stays the same, the pool of buyers will be smaller, based simply on the debacle of the original release.

Samsung partners with Microsoft to introduce an Apple Messages-like service

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Patently Apple:

Korean news sites are reporting today that Samsung Electronics is preparing to launch a text messaging service that can be used on the new Galaxy Note 10, PCs and laptops during the Galaxy Note 10 event early in August. The feature is noted in the reports as being similar to Apple’s iMessage.

To enable users to use text messaging services across different devices, Samsung will join forces with Microsoft to integrate their phone mirroring service Your Phone into the upcoming Galaxy Note 10, according to business newspaper the Korean Economic Daily.

OK, so far so good. But:

The app, which was first launched in March as a beta service, enables multiple cross-device experience by mirroring what appears on the smartphone screen to PCs with Bluetooth connectivity.

Wait, what? This is both confusing and seems a poor substitute for cloud syncing so all devices get all info. This strikes me as a hack.

Am I misunderstanding the description? Or is this a limitation driven by the Samsung/Android/Microsoft architecture?

Samsung Cloud drops 15GB free tier, will soon only give 5GB of free storage to new users

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Android Police:

Samsung has started notifying device owners that starting June 1st, new Samsung accounts will be limited to 5GB of online storage. The company’s phones sync photos to Samsung Cloud by default, which caused the free 15GB to fill up rather quickly, so 5GB will surely go much faster. Existing accounts will stay at 15GB, and since the change is still a week away, you can create a Samsung account right now and lock in the current storage.

You’re going the wrong way.

This a lesson learned from Apple?

Samsung Galaxy Fold: “A plethora of unforeseen hiccups”

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Best Buy sent out this email to cancel its Samsung Galaxy Fold preorders.

My absolute favorite part:

However, with breakthrough designs and technology come many hurdles and the possibility to face a plethora of unforeseen hiccups. These hurdles have led Samsung to postpone the release of the Galaxy Fold, and Samsung has not provided a new release date. Because we put our customers first and want to ensure they are taken care of in the best possible manner, Best Buy has decided to cancel all current pre-orders for the Samsung Galaxy Fold.

A plethora of unforeseen hiccups.

[Via The Verge]

iFixit pulls Galaxy Fold teardown

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iFixit blog:

After two days of intense public interest, iFixit has removed our teardown of Samsung’s Galaxy Fold. That analysis supported our suspicions that the device provided insufficient protection from debris damaging the screen.

We were provided our Galaxy Fold unit by a trusted partner. Samsung has requested, through that partner, that iFixit remove its teardown. We are under no obligation to remove our analysis, legal or otherwise. But out of respect for this partner, whom we consider an ally in making devices more repairable, we are choosing to withdraw our story until we can purchase a Galaxy Fold at retail.

Our team appreciated the chance to look inside this ambitious device. All new products face challenges—this one perhaps more than most. We’re grateful to have shared a glimpse of how Samsung’s engineers addressed some of those challenges, and we look forward to sharing more as soon as possible.

You can head over to our post on the teardown for some of the “disappeared” highlights.

Samsung’s Galaxy Fold review units breaking, peeling, a bit of a PR nightmare

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Yesterday, my Twitter feed was littered with complaints about Samsung’s new foldable phone. Here’s but one example (WARNING: Strobe effect in the video):

https://twitter.com/stevekovach/status/1118571414934753280

This is not simply one unit gone bad. One after another, from Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman to Marques Brownlee to the Verge’s Dieter Bohn (the author of the linked article), reports of faulty review units kept rolling in.

Samsung’s response:

A limited number of early Galaxy Fold samples were provided to media for review. We have received a few reports regarding the main display on the samples provided. We will thoroughly inspect these units in person to determine the cause of the matter.

Might be that they were poorly made, rushed to market. Just a thought.

To add to the mess, the protective film that covered the units was so poorly applied, it appeared as if it was designed to be removed. And remove it they did. Here’s Joanna Stern’s Fold. Seem’s pretty ripe for peeling to me.

Samsung’s response continues:

Separately, a few reviewers reported having removed the top layer of the display causing damage to the screen. The main display on the Galaxy Fold features a top protective layer, which is part of the display structure designed to protect the screen from unintended scratches. Removing the protective layer or adding adhesives to the main display may cause damage. We will ensure this information is clearly delivered to our customers.

Oh, Samsung.

This Samsung flower vase is also a throwable fire extinguisher

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[VIDEO] I specifically waited for today to post this. But it really is a product.

Watch the video (embedded in main Loop post), then consider: If you pull the pin on a fire extinguisher and you aim badly, you adjust your aim to point the stream at the fire. But if you throw this vase badly, you’ve got nothing but continued fire.

And don’t get me started on cats knocking things off tables.

Watch the Galaxy Fold folding test – Mesmerizing

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[VIDEO] Repetitive stress tests are part of physical product testing. Just like slamming butts in chairs or opening and closing car doors, the tests are designed to simulate years of wear in a day or so.

This Galaxy Fold test just opens and closes the Galaxy Fold, over and over. It gives you a nice up close view of the outside of the hinge, as well as a slightly backed out view of the screen seam.

As you watch this (embedded in main Loop post), think about this question: Would Apple ever ship this product? If not, why?

Watch Samsung’s brand new Galaxy S10 face unlock get defeated by a video on another phone

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[VIDEO] Lewis Hilsenteger, of Unbox Therapy, holds a video of himself up to the Galaxy S10. The video unlocks the phone.

I immediate thought of this scenario:

  • Bad actor takes video of victim’s face
  • Bad actor steals victim’s Galaxy S10
  • Bad actor unlocks the Galaxy S10

I can think of many more, but what’s the point of face unlock if it is so easily defeated?

The video is embedded in the main Loop post. Jump to about 2 minutes in to see this for yourself. Oh Samsung.