Samsung Galaxy SmartTag 3 introduces broader Android support. The company’s new tracker tag goes on sale in Korea tomorrow, with the US sales scheduled for November. Meanwhile, Samsung has just confirmed a big usability upgrade.

Galaxy SmartTag 3 is compatible with a broad range of Android devices. On a product page, Samsung itself confirmed that the new tracker tags are compatible with Android devices running version 12 or later.

Previous Galaxy SmartTag versions offer limited compatibility. Samsung used to support Galaxy devices, including flagship and Galaxy A models through SmartThings.

However, the newer generation of trackers is compatible with Android phones and tablets outside Samsung’s Galaxy umbrella. This move is aimed at two big targets:

• Expanding the sales appeal of Galaxy SmartTag.
• Supporting even more devices with SmartTag.

Samsung’s product page for South Korea revealed (via AndroidAuthority) general Android support for devices running Android 12 and later (translated):

Additionally, Samsung shared its official stance on the SmartTag’s Android compatibility with Android Police, which confirms Galaxy SmartTag 3 works across Android devices, even without Samsung’s Galaxy product branding.

Yes, SmartTag3 is compatible with other Android devices that have access to the Google Play Store to download the SmartThings and Samsung Find app.

Well, support for some specific SmartTag 3 features is still restricted. Samsung notes:

Compass View is available on Galaxy devices running Android 12 or higher that support Ultra-Wideband (UWB) or Bluetooth Channel Sounding.

Bluetooth Channel Sounding is currently supported only on the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra, Galaxy Z Fold 8, Galaxy S26 Ultra, and Galaxy S26+, with additional supported devices expected in the future.

Samsung SDI is moving another step closer to its 2027 all-solid-state battery goal, with EcoPro BM joining the effort to secure the materials needed for commercial production.

According to DDaily, Samsung SDI and EcoPro BM signed an MOU on October 6 to collaborate on sulfide-based all-solid-state battery materials.

The collaboration will cover joint R&D, quality evaluation, and preparations for mass production, including cathode materials and solid electrolytes used around the cathode and separator.

Samsung SDI will remain responsible for developing the battery cells and refining mass-production technology, while EcoPro BM will focus on core materials.

This matters because Samsung SDI has been working toward all-solid-state battery mass production for years. Its 6,500-square-meter S-Line pilot facility in Suwon began producing prototype samples for customers.

The company has repeatedly maintained its 2027 production target. Samsung SDI now says mass production is planned for the second half of 2027.

Replacing the conventional liquid electrolyte with a solid one can improve safety while enabling higher energy density.

That combination could make the technology particularly valuable for premium electric vehicles, while Samsung also sees applications in humanoid and other physical AI robots.

The EcoPro BM deal is less about introducing a new battery concept and more about filling one of the final gaps between Samsung SDI’s laboratory progress and a scalable supply chain.

The next big test will be whether that ecosystem can move from pilot production to reliable commercial volumes in 2027.

Samsung has now announced the Galaxy Tab S12 series tablets and Galaxy SmartTag 3 in South Korea, with sales starting tomorrow.

Galaxy Tab S12 series brings two tablet models, including the Tab S12 Plus and Tab S12 Ultra. Galaxy SmartTag 3 is the next-generation smart tracker device, which comes with up to 800 days of battery life.

Galaxy Tab S12 series:

• Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra: KRW 1,899,700 to KRW 3,018,400
• Galaxy Tab S12+: KRW 1,549,900 to KRW 2,069,100

Samsung is offering various benefits through October 31:

• Customers who purchase the Galaxy Tab S12 series through the Samsung AI Subscription will receive support equivalent to 6 months of subscription fees in Samsung Membership points (limited to a 4-year subscription plan).
• Meeting subscription conditions can provide additional support of up to 20% off subscription fees.
• 16 content benefits are provided, including a 6-month subscription to Google AI Pro (valued at KRW 170,000), a 3-month pass for an OTT service of choice (Disney+, Wavve, or Tving), a 3-month Willa membership, a 1-year Hancom Docs subscription, and a 90-day Yes24 Crema Club pass.
• Accessories & Discounts: An AR Screen Protector designed for convenient use of the Galaxy Tab S12 series is included, along with a choice of either a 50% discount on the Slim Keyboard Book Cover or a 30% discount on the Pro Keyboard or Book Cover.

Galaxy SmartTag 3

• One piece: KRW 44,000
• 4-piece bundle: KRW 149,600

Dedicated accessories to use the Galaxy SmartTag 3 as a key ring or stand will also be released, including:

• Silicone Case: Available in 5 colors (Black, Lavender, Blue, Mint, White)
• Loop Case: Designed to attach to luggage or carriers
• Pet Name Tag Case: Attachable to pet collars and harnesses
• Bicycle Case: Secures to bicycles to prevent theft

Samsung is offering a 30% discount on the Galaxy SmartTag 3 and Tag 3 Case Package through October 31 to customers who purchase the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra, Fold 8, Flip 8, Galaxy S26 series, or Galaxy S26 FE.

Image via Samsung

Earlier, Samsung also revealed the Galaxy Buds On, its first clip-on earphones in South Korea. The new kind of wearable product is set to go on sale in late October.

The rumor mill rarely sleeps, and with the Galaxy S27 Ultra just a few months out, we are finally getting a credible look at Samsung’s next special Violet color.

Tipster Ice Universe just dropped the expected color palette for the upcoming flagship. If you were holding out for a massive departure from the norm, you might be slightly underwhelmed by the standard roster.

Samsung is apparently sticking to a familiar foundation with Black, Blue, Light Pink, and White. But the standard lineup only tells half the story.

The leaker explicitly pointed to a “special” Violet color option for the Galaxy S27 Ultra. Apple is heavily rumored to be prepping a deep Burgundy for the iPhone 18 Pro lineup this year, aiming for an ultra-luxurious, mature aesthetic.

Samsung pushing a specialized Violet feels like a deliberate, direct counter-punch. Historically, the company has treated purple hues with a lot of respect. A rich, heavily saturated Violet paired with a refined titanium frame could easily steal the spotlight.

I find the inclusion of Light Pink as a standard base option just as fascinating. The Ultra series typically leans hard into stark yet elegant aesthetics.

Meanwhile, Black and White remain the safe harbors for traditionalists, while Blue likely steps in to replace the muted gray variants we saw on the previous generation.

We still do not know if this special Violet will be locked behind a Samsung store exclusivity wall or widely available on carrier shelves.

My bet is on an online exclusive to drive direct sales, a strategy the mobile division has leaned heavily into over the last few product cycles. The premium smartphone space has been desperately starved for actual, vibrant color lately.

If Samsung manages to nail a frosted, matte finish on this special shade, Violet might just end up being the boldest design choice the company makes all year.

Samsung is expanding its semiconductor footprint in Vietnam with a new large-scale memory test facility in Thai Nguyen, adding another overseas node to its increasingly diversified chip supply chain.

Established in March, Samsung Vietnam Semiconductor (SVS) is building the facility inside Yen Binh Industrial Park, close to Samsung’s existing smartphone manufacturing operations. The site covers roughly 265,895 square meters, with the project planned in two phases.

The first production line is scheduled to receive equipment from July 2027 and start operations in the fourth quarter of that year. A second line is expected to begin equipment installation in May 2028 before entering operation in October.

Unlike a wafer fabrication plant, the facility will handle backend testing of packaged DRAM and NAND. Samsung uses this stage to verify memory performance, reliability, and error rates before products are shipped to customers.

Samsung plans to fund much of the expansion through profits generated locally rather than relying heavily on external borrowing.

The Korean tech giant is also training 103 Vietnamese engineers at its Cheonan and Onyang semiconductor facilities, suggesting the company is preparing the workforce well ahead of mass production.

This signals a broader shift in Samsung’s Vietnam strategy. The country is moving beyond being primarily a smartphone assembly hub and becoming a more meaningful part of Samsung’s semiconductor supply chain.