Samsung is probably the only Android OEM known for offering longer software support. The recent devices from the company are not only confirmed to get at least four years of security patches but some of them are even guaranteed to receive three years of Android updates. But unfortunately, the new policy is not applicable to some very old handsets. Samsung cuts off the software support of two such phones.

According to a report by SamMobile, Samsung has ended software support for Galaxy Note Fan Edition and Galaxy S Light Luxury. These two devices are no longer listed on Samsung’s Security Updates Scope page. At the same time, the Galaxy Note9 has been now dropped to quarterly updates instead of monthly.

The Galaxy Note FE was the first-ever ‘Fan Edition’ device from Samsung. It was nothing but a refurbished Galaxy Note7 with a safer and smaller battery. The handset was released a month ahead of the launch of the Galaxy Note8 in 2017.

It debuted with Android 7.1.1 Nougat and was updated up to One UI based on Android 9.0 Pie. Being an older flagship from Samsung, it only received two OS updates but four years of security updates.

On the other hand, the Galaxy S Light Luxury (aka Galaxy S8 Lite) was a China-exclusive smartphone. It was a toned-down version of the  Galaxy S8. This phone was released in 2018 with Android 8.0 Oreo. It also got two OS updates up to Android 10-based One UI 2.x but only three years of security updates.

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Samsung is rolling out the Android 9.0 Pie update on Galaxy Note FE ( Galaxy Note 7 sequel). It’s the same device featuring same specs, came into origin after Galaxy Note 7 disaster in 2017. Starting today, Samsung Note FE users are receiving the update notifications in some countries. It was spotted running Android Pie on WiFi Alliance last year.

The new update carries various improvements including Android P features such as refined permission control, gesture navigation, notch support, smarter notification channels, and better security. Moreover, upgraded OneUI brings an exciting new look and feel based on feedback from users.

Samsung recommends to backup important data before proceeding for the update weighing 1588 MB. The March security patch is also bundled with the update.

After updating make sure to upgrade Calculator, Samsung Internet, Samsung Health, Notes and other apps for a better experience.

It proves that Samsung still supports its high-end devices for more than two years. The update is available in Saudi Arabia and is likely to hit more devices in other countries soon. Make sure to charge your device for at least upto 70%, and also switch to a WiFi connection to save additional charges on carrier network before updating.

• Read More: Galaxy Note 10 will come with 5G support, obviously

Additionally, Samsung Galaxy Note 7 FE features a 5.7-inch QHD AMOLED display, 12 MP OIS sensor and Exynos 8890 chipset.

(via)

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Samsung’s recent Galaxy S flagship phones have gained huge popularity in the recent years. The company is now working on the launch of Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+. Fresh information coming from a South Korean publication has revealed that the firm is working on improving the performance of iris scanner on Galaxy S9 duo.

Iris scanner can identify the user by detecting the complex patterns of each iris. The Galaxy S8, Galaxy S8+ and Galaxy Note 8 smartphones are equipped with a dedicated 2-megapixel lens for iris scanning. After the launch of Galaxy S8 duo, hackers from Germany had revealed that the iris scanner available on both phones could be easily spoofed by using a photograph of the eyes or contact lens of the user. At that time, Samsung had retorted by saying that the hack is unrealistic as it requires hackers to steal the smartphone and snap a photo of the owner’s iris.

According to The Korea Herald, Samsung will be adding 3-megapixel iris scanning lens on Galaxy S9 and S9+ that will be able to identify users instantly even if they are wearing glasses or when they are in very bright or dim light conditions. A spokesperson from Samsung has said that compared to other biometric recognition feature such as fingerprint and facial authentication, iris scanning is the safest one when it comes to carrying out banking transactions on smartphone.

Read More: Samsung Galaxy S9, S9+ May Get Unveiled at Mobile World Congress 2018

As of this writing, fingerprint and iris scanning are the only biometric recognition technologies that are available on Samsung Pay for authenticating payments. The South Korean company is reportedly working to bring more mobile banking apps to support the iris scanner feature. The company is also aiming to bring iris recognition feature on budget phones by late 2018 or early 2019.

In related news, Synaptics has recently announced the world’s first in-display fingerprint scanner called Clear ID. It is speculated that the company is mass producing Clear ID in collaboration with Samsung. Since then the rumor mill has been claiming that the new fingerprint scanning technology may be made available on the Galaxy Note 9 that is rumored to debut in the latter half of 2018. There is no confirmation on whether the in-display fingerprint scanner would be arriving on Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+.

(source)

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Smartphone manufacturers such as Sony, HTC and Nokia have already started rolling out Android 8.0 Oreo update. Samsung smartphones users are also eagerly waiting for the company to release the latest version of Android. A leaked image showing the list of Samsung phones that will be upgraded to Android 8.0 Oreo has been leaked on Weibo by a well-known tipster.

The above image shows that the Galaxy S6, Galaxy S6 Edge and S6 Edge+ flagship smartphones from 2015 will be receiving the Android Oreo update. It is likely that the Oreo would be the last major Android upgrade for Galaxy S6 models that were launched with Android Marshmallow OS.

Around a month ago, Samsung had begun the Android 8.0 Oreo beta program for Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ smartphone users in the U.S., the U.K and South Korea. The second beta firmware was released around two weeks ago. There is a possibility that the Galaxy S8 duo may receive the Android 8.0 Oreo update by early 2018. The Galaxy Note 8, Galaxy Note FE, and Galaxy Note 5 will be also receiving the latest Android version.

Read More: Samsung Galaxy A8 (2018)’s Front Panel Leaked; Reveals Dual Selfie Cameras, Infinity Display

The leaked image suggests that the 2015 versions of Galaxy A3, A5 and A7 won’t be receiving the Android Oreo update. As far as Galaxy On series are concerned, only the Galaxy On Max is expected to receive Android 8.0 Oreo update. The South Korean company also seems to be keen on releasing on rolling out Oreo update for a handful of Samsung tablets.

Samsung has been always slow in releasing major Android versions for its devices. Hence, it seems that the company will be gradually rolling out the Oreo update in a bid to release stable builds.

(source|via)

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After launching the smartphone in South Korea and Malaysia, Samsung has now launched the Galaxy Note FE smartphone in the Philippines. For the uninitiated, the Galaxy Note Fan Edition (FE) is the recycled Samsung Galaxy Note 7 smartphone.

It appears that the device is MemoXpress exclusive in the Philippines and will only be available for a limited time. While the phone has not yet been listed on the store’s website, it was revealed through a Facebook post.

The Samsung Galaxy Note FE retains most of the specifications of the original Galaxy Note 7. However, the company has replaced the battery on the handset with a smaller 3,200mAh battery compared to the 3,500mAh battery on Note 7.

The Galaxy Note FE comes with a 5.7-inch Super AMOLED QHD display with a screen resolution of 2,560 x 1,440 pixels. It is driven by the company’s own Exynos 8890 octa-core processor, coupled with Mali-T880 MP12 graphics. It packs 4GB of RAM and an internal storage capacity of 64GB.

It has an IP68 certified chassis, and the smartphone comes with additional security features like a front-mounted fingerprint scanner and an iris scanner. Samsung has made a few other minor changes to the handset, including Bixby voice assistant and a dedicated Bixby button.

The device is available in a range of different color options — Black Onyx, Blue Coral, Gold Platinum and Silver Titanium. In the Philippines, the Galaxy Note Fan Edition is reportedly priced at PHO 32,990 (~ $640).

Read More: Samsung Galaxy S9 Reportedly Coming with a Revamped Rear Design

As reported earlier, Samsung has no plans to launch the Galaxy Note FE outside of Asia. Even in the regions where it has launched the Galaxy Note FE smartphone, the company is selling the handsets in limited quantities.

Samsung discontinued the Galaxy Note 7 smartphone that was launched last year after a manufacturing defect was found in the smartphone’s battery that generated excessive heat in the device, with a few devices catching fire.

(Source)

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Following the recall of the ill-fated Galaxy Note7, Samsung relaunched the phone in July with a smaller battery and under a new name – the Galaxy Note FE. The Galaxy Note FE’s release has been limited to Samsung’s home country but report says it could be making its way to Malaysia soon.

Proof of a possible launch is an image that lists the supported 4G LTE devices of Malaysian network operator, YES. Underneath the section that has Samsung devices is the Galaxy Note8 and the Galaxy Note FE with a “NEW” text bubble on both devices indicating that they were just added. It is also important to note that YES only lists devices sold in the country.

Samsung has not yet announced when the launch will be, but it should be around the corner. Prospective buyers may also want to take note of stock being limited seeing as how quickly it went out of stock in its home country.

The main difference between the Galaxy Note FE and the Galaxy Note7 is the battery, since that was what caused it to be recalled in the first place. The 3,500mAh battery has been replaced with a smaller 3,200mAh battery.

READ MORE: Samsung Galaxy A5 (2018) Likely to Launch in SD 660 and Exynos 7885 Variants?

There are some other small changes too like the branding on the back, the software, and the new Bixby AI assistant. Asides those, every other thing is the same as that of the Note7. For those that can’t afford the Galaxy Note8, the Note FE is a more than capable replacement. It does not have the dual cameras of its successor or its Infinity Display but you will be saving a few $100.

The Galaxy Note FE sold for KW 699,600 (~$620) in South Korea. That’s about MR 2,610. Add import duties and tax and price may be close to MR 3,000.

(Via)

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Samsung had relaunched the refurbished edition of the Galaxy Note 7 as Galaxy Note Fan Edition in the first week of July. The smartphone was exclusively available for purchase in the home country of South Korea. Fresh information suggest that the Galaxy Note FE units are completely sold out and the South Korean company has no plans to replenish its stocks.

Reports had revealed that Samsung had released only 400,000 units of the Galaxy Note FE in South Korea. The Note FE was sold around $265 cheaper than the original Galaxy Note 7 phablet that was discontinued because of its battery related issues. It was sold for $620 in South Korea.

In order to ensure that the Note FE does not meet the same fate as the Note 7, Samsung added a smaller battery of 3,200mAh capacity instead of the original 3,500mAh battery. The rest of the specs of the Note FE were same as the original Note 7. The company had also included Bixby AI on the Note FE.

Samsung had timed the launch and sales of the Galaxy Note FE in such a way that its stocks would get sold out before the arrival of the Galaxy Note 8 flagship smartphone. The pre-orders of Note 8 are already going on in the home turf and it is expected to be available in the market from Sept. 15. Even though Samsung is unlikely to sell the Note FE again in the home country, it is reviewing overseas releases.

Samsung’s mobile chief, DJ Koh had recently told the media that he did not want to cover the mistake that was committed by the company. After thoroughly investigating the issue, Samsung was able to find the fix for the issue. For 100 days, the company had tested 200,000 phones and 30,000 batteries. It was found that the Galaxy Note 7 explosions were caused by its batteries. He added that the Galaxy Note Fan Edition was launched not to make money, but to prove that the recall decision was carried out because of the batteries and not due to other defects.

Read More: Galaxy Note 8 Awarded with A+ Grade for the Most Innovative & High-Performance Smartphone Display

As far as Samsung Galaxy Note 8, the company is quite sure users will not encounter battery related risks. The Galaxy Note 8 that features a huge display of 6.3-inch has a larger and wider chassis than the Note FE (or Note 7). Also, it features a smaller battery of 3,300mAh capacity. Koh also said that despite the fact that the Note 8 features a smaller battery, it can deliver better battery performance because of the power-efficient chipset present inside it.

(source 1, 2)

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It was recently reported that the arrival of the English version of the Bixby AI was delayed in the U.S. because of insufficient language resources. However, the English Bixby has been officially released in the U.S. The rumor mill had predicted Samsung would be launching a smart speaker equipped with Bixby AI. Newer information suggests that Samsung is not working on such a device.

The beta version of Bixby was made available to the users in the U.S. in June. It was the found that beta testers did not enjoy using the Bixby assistant as it could not respond to questions and requests in English. Now that the English edition has finally arrived, Samsung seems to have resolved the major issues. So, the Bixby AI is available on the Galaxy S8 duo in the U.S. and South Korea. The Galaxy Note FE and Galaxy A7 (2017) are the two smartphones that support Bixby AI in South Korea even though these smartphones do not feature a dedicated launcher button for Bixby

To use Bixby in English, users need to update to the latest version of the software. And then, users can use the dedicated Bixby button to launch it. Users can say “Hi Bixby” to launch it. Bixby can learn and understand the preferences and behavior of the user. Switching between voice, touch and text commands is a seamless experience on Bixby and this is something that sets it apart from other digital assistants. It is well-integrated with core apps from Samsung, but its support for third-party apps is not that efficient. However, Bixby Labs is working on integrating Bixby with more apps.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vWXIDwHTg-8

Read More: Samsung Says It Will Recover 157 Tons of Minerals from Note 7 Recycling

Earlier in this month, the Wall Street Journal had reported that Samsung is working on a Bixby enabled smart speaker and the device is codenamed as Vega. All the major brands like Amazon, Google, Apple and Microsoft have their smart speaker system and Samsung was also expected to join the bandwagon. The official stated by the South Korean company puts to rest all the rumors surrounding the Bixby powered smart speaker.

Here is the official statement from the company:  “Samsung currently does not view Al speakers as marketable, as the global market is already dominated by unbeatable Amazon and the Korean market is too small to make profits.”

Speculations claimed that once the English version of Bixby is made official, Samsung may work on the smart speaker. It was expected to be equipped with Harman Kardon speaker and support other smart home products from Samsung.

(source 1,2)

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Samsung relaunched refurbished units of the Galaxy Note 7 as the Galaxy Note FE earlier this month. Availability is still only in its home country for now (and in limited quantities) and there has been no official confirmation of it being available in other countries.

In spite of the recent launch of the refurbished version, Samsung still has hundreds of thousands if not more than a million units in stock that it didn’t relaunch with a smaller battery.

Those units will be recycled, and according to Samsung, it plans to recover over 157 tons in minerals including gold, silver, copper and cobalt from the process.

For those of you who don’t know, a ton is different from a tonne. 157 tons is equivalent to 142.42 tonnes. That is a lot of minerals if you ask me.

Other parts of the Note 7 such as displays, camera modules, processors and memories will be reused in other products. Some will also be used as replacement parts for damaged Note FE units.

READ MORE: Snapdragon 845-Powered Galaxy S9 Appears on Geekbench As Samsung SM-G9650

Samsung says it will carry out the recycling process in an eco-friendly way that meets environmental standards. The recycling process will be carried out in conjunction with foreign and local companies.

(Source, via)

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When the Samsung Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ were launched, initial reports had revealed that these flagship that come with full-screen design have met with overwhelming response all over the world. However, recent reports have claimed that the sales of Galaxy S8 duo are lagging behind the Galaxy S7 even though South Korean company did not reveal the official numbers. During a recent press meeting in Taipei, Samsung CEO DJ Koh debunked these reports by giving out some information on the sales of Galaxy S8 and S8+.

According to Koh, the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ sales are 15 percent than the sales of their predecessors when compared to the same period in 2016. He added that the company is of the view that the sales of Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ will grow even more in the upcoming third and fourth quarters of this year. Koh has not given out any particular details on how many units of Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ were sold.

In the recent weeks, the Galaxy S8 and S8+ have been spotted with big discounts. Such price cuts could also help the sales number of the Galaxy S8 duo to increased significantly.

Read More: Samsung Galaxy Note 8 Renders & Details Surface

It was during this meeting that Koh gave out new information on Galaxy Note 8’s arrival. He revealed that the Note 8 would be launching at the end of the next month. The South Korean media have revealed in the past week that the Note 8 would be launching on Aug. 23.

Koh stated that Samsung would be using two-phase release strategy for the Galaxy Note 8. In the first phase that will start in early September, the Note 8 would be hitting markets like the South Korea, the U.S. and the U.K. The second phase would begin October during which the Note 8 will be released in other markets.

Samsung has recently released the Galaxy Note Fan Edition and it has too met with an overwhelming reception. Before the release of Note FE, the daily device activations in South Korea was 15,000. However, after the release of Note 8, the daily device activations have increased to 24,000 in the country. Samsung has planned to sell the Galaxy Note FE only in South Korea. However, an insider has revealed that the Note FE would be also releasing in some other regions in this month.

(source|via)

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Samsung had begun the sales of Galaxy Note Fan Edition (refurbish Galaxy Note 7) in the home country of South Korea on July 7. Since the phablet has received amazing reception, reports are claiming that the Galaxy Note FE will be debut in other regions later this month.

The South Korean company had previously confirmed that it will be only selling 400,000 units of Galaxy Note FE in South Korea. Information coming from local carriers have revealed that the number of mobile subscribers have reached 24,000 since July 7. Before the Galaxy Note FE’s release, the average rate of daily device activations was 15,000. The 60 percent spike indicates that the Galaxy Note FE is selling well in South Korea. The telecom operators are silent on the number of Galaxy Note 7 units that have been sold so far.

Black Onyx and Blue Coral color variants of the Galaxy Note FE are quite popular compared to other options such as Gold Titanium and Silver Platinum. An official from the South Korean company had said that the limited edition Galaxy Note FE’s stock will not be replenished once it gets sold out.

Read More: Samsung Galaxy J7 (2017) Chinese Edition Showing Its Dual Rear Cameras Surfaces in Leaked Photos

An insider has confirmed to The Investor that the Samsung may debut the Galaxy Note FE in other markets by the end of this month. However, he has not revealed which markets will be receiving the Note FE. It appears that the Note FE would be made available in limited markets.

Just like the South Korean Galaxy Note FE, the international edition is expected to be priced considerably less than the discontinued Galaxy Note 7 and it is expected to feature 3,200 mAh battery, Android Nougat OS, and partial support for Bixby AI. Rumors claim that the international edition of Note FE will be driven by Snapdragon 821 chipset instead of the Snapdragon 820 that came with the Galaxy Note 7. The Galaxy Note FE is selling for KRW 699,000 (~$608) in South Korea.

The Galaxy Note FE is made from recalled Galaxy Note 7 units. However, Samsung will not be refurbishing all the Galaxy Note 7 units as some of them will be recycled or used for internal testing purposes. Samsung is expected to unleash the Galaxy Note 8 by the end of August and make it available for buying at some point in September.

(source|via)

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Various major tech brands such as Apple, Google, Amazon and Microsoft have released their own smart speaker devices. It all started with the launch of Amazon Echo smart speaker in 2016. Speculations have it that Samsung is also working on a smart speaker that will be driven by its own Bixby AI.

A smart speaker consists of a speaker and a digital AI assistant. Amazon Echo is driven by its Alexa AI virtual assistant. Apple’s Siri voice assistant is available on its HomePod smart speaker. The Google Home smart speaker has Google Assistant and a speaker. Microsoft and Samsung collaborated to release Invoke speaker system featuring Harman Kardon speaker and Cortana voice assistant. According to the Wall Street Journal, Samsung is working on a smart speaker that is codenamed as Vega that will be coupled with Bixby AI.

The Bixby AI assistant was first made available on Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ flagship phones. Samsung has even included a dedicated Bixby button on these smartphones. The recently launched Galaxy Note Fan Edition that is exclusively available in South Korea is also equipped with Bixby AI. Currently, Bixby AI only supports Korean language. Its seems that Samsung Vega smart speaker may not arrive soon because the English edition of Bixby is still unavailable.

Its English edition is still in open beta phase and is currently available for testing for registered users in the U.S. Bixby AI is likely to be available for public use by the end of this or by the coming month. Once the Bixby AI is made official for U.S. audience, there is a possibility that Samsung Vega may also release soon. Samsung Vega is likely to support its other smart products such as Smart Home and IoT enabled TVs.. It is expected to feature Harman Kardon speaker as the well-known audio system brand has been acquired by Samsung.

Compared to 2016, smart speaker users have almost doubled this year. A recent survey has revealed that 36 million users in the U.S. use a smart speaker at least one time in a month. When Samsung had launched S Voice couple of years ago, there was no major competition for it.  However, Samsung Vega will face stiff competition from rivals like Amazon Echo, Apple HomePod, Google Home and Microsoft Invoke

What do you think about the Samsung Vega? Will it be able to find success among rival smart speakers?

(source|via)

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Samsung has finally relaunched the ill-fated Galaxy Note 7 as the Galaxy Note FE (Fan Edition) in South Korea. As the rumor mill had revealed, the Galaxy Note FE has similar specs as the original Note 7, but it sports the user interface of Galaxy S8 along with the Bixby AI.

LG Uplus is already receiving pre-orders of the Galaxy Note FE with a pricing of 700,000 KRW (~$611). The South Korean company will be selling only limited units of Galaxy Note FE. Samsung will be selling only 400,000 units in the home country. There is still no information on the availability of Galaxy Note FE in other markets.

In South Korea, the phablet is available in four colors like Black Onyx, Blue Coral, Gold Platinum and Silver Titanium. The original Note 7 was also made available in same color options. With every order of Note FE, Samsung is also providing a cover case that matches with the color of the handset. It features a distinctive logo of Samsung Galaxy Note Fan Edition on its rear panel.

Is Galaxy Note FE Safe to Use?

Samsung states that the Galaxy Note FE is made from unused Galaxy Note 7 and unused components. Because of the faulty battery issue that caused the Note FE to explode, Samsung recalled 3 million units of the phablet and met with big financial loss. Since disposing so many Note 7 units could lead to environmental hazard, Samsung decided on selling refurbished Galaxy Note 7 which could also help in softening its financial loss.

In January, after investigating on multiple instances of Galaxy Note 7 explosions, Samsung confirmed that the faulty battery was the cause of the problem. Hence, it laid down an 8-point safety check procedure to ensure that the battery used in its phone is completely safe. The original Galaxy Note 7 came with 3,500mAh battery, but the newly launched Galaxy Note FE has a reduced battery of 3,200mAh capacity.

Read More: Samsung Galaxy Note 8 Coming in 64 GB, 128 GB Storages; Would be the Most Expensive Galaxy Note

Samsung Galaxy Note FE Specifications

The Galaxy Note FE comes with a 5.7-inch S-AMOLED screen that produces a QHD resolution of 2,560 x 1,440 pixels. It is driven by Snapdragon 821 chipset that includes a quad-core CPU and Adreno 530 graphics. The SoC is coupled with 4 GB of RAM and a native storage of 64 GB.

It sports a IP68 certified chassis that features that is fitted with security features like front-mounted fingerprint scanner and an iris scanner. It also comes with an S-Pen. It sports the same software that is available on the Galaxy S8 which includes features like “Always On” function and Bixby AI without a dedicated button for it. It includes a 3,200mAh battery.

(source)

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Rumors have revealed that the Samsung Galaxy Note FE (Fandom Edition), the refurbished Galaxy Note 7, would be launching in the next week on July 7. It seems that the arrival of the refurbished phablet seems to be close at hand as the smartphone has already appeared on GFXBench benchmarking platform.

On GFXBench, a smartphone with Samsung Galaxy Note 7R has appeared. It has a model number of SM-N935. In April, the SM-M935 refurbished Galaxy Note 7 was spotted receiving certification from Wi-Fi Alliance. The original Galaxy Note 7 that has been discontinued has a model number of SM-N930. Initial rumors have suggested that the refurbished Note 7 would be launching as Galaxy Note 7R. However, newer reports have suggested that Samsung would be launching it as Galaxy Note FE in order to prevent the consumers from remembering the ill-fated Galaxy Note 7.

Rumors have revealed that Samsung would be releasing the refurbished Galaxy Note 7 with the same specs as the original Note 7. However, one of the most striking changes that can be noticed on the GFXBench listing of Note 7R is that its 5.7-inch screen carries support for full HD resolution of 1,920 x 1,080 pixels. The original Note 7 featured the same-sized display but it carried support for Quad HD resolution of 2,560x 1,440 pixels.

Read More: Samsung Galaxy Note 8’s Horizontal Dual Rear Cameras Revealed Again in Real-Life Image & Render

The probable reason why Note 7R is listed with FHD screen is that the South Korean firm allows users to adjust the resolution of the screen on its premium flagships. By default, the resolution of the screen is set to full HD. The Galaxy Note 7R is powered by Exynos 8 chipset octa-core processor that clocks at 2.6GHz. It indicates that it could be driven by the same Exynos 8890 chipset that powered the original Note 7.

The GFXBench listing of Galaxy Note 7R reveals that it is equipped with 4 GB of RAM and has an internal storage of 64 GB. Its main camera of the phone is of 12-megapixel and its front-facing camera is of 5-megapixel. As it was revealed before in the rumors, the benchmarking listing also indicates that the Note 7R will be loaded with Android 7.0 Nougat.

Like the original Note 7, the Galaxy Note FE is expected to feature an iris scanner, a fingerprint reader, a microSD card slot, IP68 certified waterproof and dust resistant chassis. It is also expected to carry support for wireless charging. The Galaxy Note 7 had featured a 3,500mAh battery, but the Galaxy Note FE is pegged to arrive with a smaller 3,200mAh battery.

(source|via)

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Samsung is yet to officially confirmed on the Samsung Galaxy Note FE (Fandom Edition) launch date. However, a report from the Wall Street Journal states that Samsung may debut the Galaxy Note FE in South Korea on July 7.

Even a previous report had hinted that the Galaxy Note FE would be launching on July 7. However, another report that surfaced after it stated that the Note FE’s arrival has been delayed and it will be debuting at the end of July. However, the fresh report from WSJ seems to confirm that the Note FE will finally debut in the next week.

Samsung will be introducing the Note FE in South Korea initially. The phablet will not be landing in the U.S., but it will be also releasing in some other countries. However, there is no information on the countries that will be getting the Note FE. In South Korea, Samsung will be selling 400,000 units of Galaxy Note FE that will be made available through the three leading carriers of the country. The company was initially rumored to sell 3 million units of the Galaxy Note FE, but it seems that considering the strong demand for the phablet, the company may have increased Note FE units for the native market. It will be selling with a price tag of 700,000 KRW (~$613) in South Korea.

Read More: Samsung Galaxy Note 8 360-Degree Video, Renders Have Surfaced to Reveal its Impressive Design

The Galaxy Note FE is the refurbished edition of the Galaxy Note 7. It will be featuring the same internal changes albeit some changes like a smaller 3,200mAh compared to the 3,500mAh battery of the discontinued Galaxy Note 7. The Galaxy Note FE is also speculated to come loaded with Android Nougat OS and carry some support for Bixby AI.

The Galaxy Note FE will be hitting the South Korean markets few months after the release of Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ in the country. However, the South Korean company is of the view that the Galaxy Note FE’s sales will not disturb the sales of the Galaxy S8 duo. It is speculated that Samsung will not be manufacturing more units of Galaxy Note FE because it is already working on the launch of Galaxy Note 8 that is expected to get unleashed in August or September this year. It rumored to be debut with a costlier pricing of around $900.

(source)

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Samsung is releasing two Galaxy Note series smartphones this year. The Galaxy Note 8 flagship smartphone of 2017 is expected to debut in August or September. Before the Note 8 arrives, Samsung would be launching the refurbished Galaxy Note 7 with Galaxy Note FE (Fandom Edition) moniker. Previous rumors have suggested that the Note FE would be unveiled at the end of this month. However, newer information available on ET News, a South Korean publication, claims that the Galaxy Note FE may get official on July 7.

According to the publication, the Galaxy Note FE was expected to launch in the South Korean market by June 30. However, the company has decided to delay its launch by one week. One of main reasons why Samsung has delayed the launch of the refurbished phablet is that it wants to increase the number of Galaxy Note FE units available from 150,000 to 450,000.

The Note FE is expected to be available with a pricing of about $620 in the home country of Samsung. It is rumored to be available in colors like Blue Coral, Gold Platinum, Silver Titanium and Black Onyx. The original Note 7 was also available in the same four colors.

Raed More: Samsung Galaxy Note 8 Will Be World’s First SD836 Phone: Rumor

In order to attract more buyers, the South Korean company is also rumored to include Bixby AI assistant. an official from a cellular operator company revealed. However, a representative from Samsung has said that it cannot be confirmed whether the Note FE will feature Bixby AI. He further stated that the firm will work in various ways to ensure that the expectations of consumers are set. The Galaxy Note FE would be arriving first in South Korea. It won’t be coming to the U.S., but the phablet will be arriving in other markets soon.

Previous leaks have revealed that the Galaxy Note FE has a distinctive ‘R’ letter mentioned on its rear side to let the buyers easily understand that it is refurbished edition of Note 7. One of the major changes that is arriving on the Galaxy Note FE is that it features a smaller battery of 3,2000mAh capacity. This seems to be a sensible move as the faulty 3,500mAh battery caused the original Samsung Galaxy Note 7 to explode. Rest of the specs of Note FE are rumored to be as that of the original Note 7.

(source|via)

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The month of June has started and Samsung is expected to launch the refurbished edition of Galaxy Note 7 at the end of this month. Earlier rumors have claimed that it will be arriving with Galaxy Note 7R moniker, but fresher information has revealed that the refurbished phablet will be called Galaxy Note FE (Fandom Edition). One of the first rumors of Galaxy Note 7R rumors have claimed that it will be priced at 700,000 KRW (~$625). The Galaxy Note FE has been spotted on a Korean retailer site with a pricing of 699,600 KRW ($625).

The listing of Galaxy Note FE suggests that the Galaxy Note FE will be available through South Korean’s telecom operators like SKT, KT and LG U+. It not only reveals its pricing but also its entire specifications. The phablet features a 5.7-inch quad HD dual-edge curved display that supports a resolution of 2,560 x 1,440 pixels and it is powered by Exynos 8890 chipset. The SoC is accompanied by 4 GB of RAM and it includes a native storage of 64 GB along with a microSD card slot.

Read More: Samsung Galaxy Note 8 Front Panel Appears in a Leaked Video; Reveals Huge Infinity Display

It has a 12-megapixel rear camera and a front-facing selfie snapper of 5-megapixel. Other specs include USB Type-C port, iris scanner, fingerprint reader, IP68 certified body, Android 6.0 Marshmallow OS and 3,200mAH battery.

Previous rumors have revealed that the refurbished Galaxy Note 7 would be sporting identical specs as the original model. The only major changes that will be seen in the refurbished model is the presence of the latest Android Nougat OS and a smaller 3,200mAh battery instead of 3,500mAh that belonged to the original phablet. However, the listing of Galaxy Note FE on the Korean retailer site shows Marshmallow OS instead of Nougat. Since Note FE is listed with a 3,200mAh battery on the Korean retailer site, it confirms the rumored information on smaller battery.

The Galaxy Note FE leaked photos had surfaced in the previous week to show that there is distinctive letter R mentioned at the rear side of the device to make buyers know that it is a refurbished Galaxy Note 7. The South Korean company has confirmed that it will be disclosing white paper report which will contain transparent details on what went wrong with Note 7. The phablet has already received certification from various bodies like FCC, Wi-Fi Alliance and Bluetooth SIG.

(source|via)

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Samsung is prepping up to launch the refurbished version of Galaxy Note 7. A South Korean publication has claimed that the reincarnated edition of Galaxy Note 7 will be arriving at the end of the next month. And it will be launching as Galaxy Note FE and not as Galaxy Note 7R as recent rumors have revealed.

Why does Samsung want to call the refurbished Galaxy Note 7 as Galaxy Note FE? The “FE” is an abbreviation for “Fandom Edition” that will be targeted towards the loyal fans of Galaxy Note 7. Naming it as Fandom Edition seems to be a better approach rather than launching it as Note 7R as it would remind users about the ill-fated Galaxy Note 7.

The original Note 7 had to be discontinued in October 2016 within 3 months of launching it because its faulty battery caused it to explode suddenly. Even though the news about the explosion of Galaxy Note 7 started coming from various parts of the world, it was reported that many loyal fans refused to participate in the global recall of Galaxy Note 7. Hence, Samsung had to finally release mandatory firmware updates which rendered the Note 7 useless by turn it off completely.

Read More: Samsung Galaxy Note 8 To Feature 6.3-inch Display, Dual Rear Cameras

The Samsung Galaxy Note FE has received approval from Wi-Fi Alliance, FCC and Bluetooth SIG. These certifications indicate that the arrival of the Galaxy Note FE is close at hand. Even though the phablet is speculated to launch in June end, a recent report has revealed that its launch may get delayed as the refurbished Note 7 is yet to receive certifications two more South Korean agencies in the country.

Samsung is reportedly preparing 300,000 units of Galaxy Note FE that will be sold through leading carriers of South Korea. The Note FE is also expected to launch in China. It is poised to come in color options like Blue Coral, Black, White and Silver. In South Korea, it is pegged to cost around 700,000 won ($625) whereas in China, it may cost around $520.

The Galaxy Note FE is rumored to come with the same specs of the original Note 7. Instead of the 3,500 mAh battery present on the original model, the Note FE is speculated to feature 3,200mAh battery. It will be also running on the latest Android 7.0 Nougat OS.

(source)

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