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What is Samsung Account?




Samsung Account is an account service that brings together more than 60 services and applications in 256 countries with over 1.7 billion user accounts. It is used for Samsung Electronics services including Samsung Pay, SmartThings, and Samsung Health, as well as for authentication on various devices such as mobile, wearable, TV, PC, etc. Samsung Account helps deliver a secure and reliable customer experience with one account on a variety of contact points from online stores (such as samsung.com) and offline stores to our customer services.
Evolution of Current Samsung Account Architecture




As the number of user accounts and connected services has grown, the infrastructure and service of Samsung Account has also evolved. It switched to the AWS-based cloud for service stability and efficiency in 2019, and is currently servicing 4 regions: 3 global regions (EU, US, AP) and China.
Currently, Samsung Account consists of more than 70 microservices. In 2022, Samsung Account switched to the Kubernetes base in order to reliably support Microservices Architecture (MSA). Kubernetes is an open-source orchestration platform that supports the easy deployment, scaling, and management of containerized applications. In 2023, Samsung Account reinforced disaster recovery (DR) to be able to provide failover across global regions, and expanded the AP region to improve user experience.
In other words, Samsung Account has repeatedly evolved its infrastructure and services, and is currently running stably with traffic over 2.7 million requests per second (RPS) and over 200K DB transactions per second (TPS).




Each AWS-based Samsung Account region, with its own virtual private cloud, (VPC) is accessible through user devices, server-to-server, or the web. In particular, the web access provides a variety of features such as samsung.com and TV QR login on AWS CloudFront, a Content Delivery Network (CDN).
Samsung Account microservices are being serviced on containers within Elastic Kubernetes Service (EKS) clusters, and internal communication between regions uses VPC peering.
Samsung Account is using several managed services from AWS to deliver various features. It is using Aurora, DynamoDB, and Managed Streaming for Apache Kafka (MSK) as storage to build data sync between regions, and it provides account services based on different managed services including ElastiCache, Pinpoint, and Simple Queue Service (SQS).
Let's elaborate on the AWS Managed Services that Samsung Account uses. The first is EKS, which is a Kubernetes service for running over 70 microservices on MSA. Next, Aurora is used to save and query data as an RDB and DynamoDB does the same but as a NoSQL database. Along with them, ElastiCache (Redis OSS) is used to manage cache and sessions and MSK handles delivering events from integrated services and data sync. If you’re building an AWS-based service yourself, you would probably use these managed services as well.
Frustrating Upgrades Contrasting the Convenience of Managed Services
There is a major challenge to consider when you use these managed services, though. End of support comes, on average, after 1.5 years for EKS and 2 years for Aurora. Various other services like ElastiCache and MSK face the same problem. Such service support termination is natural for AWS, but upgrading these services when support ceases is often a painful task for those running them. Because operation resources are often reduced upon switching to the cloud, large-scale upgrades that come around every 1 or 2 years have to be performed without enough resources for emergency response.




These managed service upgrades put a major burden on Samsung Account. More than 60 integrated services have to be upgraded without causing interruptions, and the upgrades must be rolled out across a total of 4 regions. On top of that, Samsung Account is developing and running more than 70 microservices, so a significant amount of support and cooperation from development teams is required. The most challenging of all is that the upgrades need to be performed while dealing with traffic of over 2.7M RPS and DB traffic of 200K TPS.
EKS Upgrade Sequence and Restrictions
You might think upgrading EKS on AWS is easy. In general, when upgrading EKS, you start with the control plane including etcd and the APIs that manage EKS. Afterwards, you move to the data plane where the actual service pods are on, and finally to EKS add-ons. In theory, it is possible to upgrade EKS following this sequence without any impact to the service operation.




However, there are restrictions to general EKS upgrades. If an upgrade fails in any of the 3 steps above due to missing EKS API specs or incompatibility issues, a rollback is not available at all. In addition, it is difficult to do a compatibility check for the services and add-ons in advance.
Multi-cluster Architecture for Non-disruptive EKS Upgrades
After much thought, Samsung Account decided to go with a simple but reliable option to perform EKS upgrades. It's possible that many other services are using a similar way to upgrade EKS or run actual services.




Samsung Account chose to upgrade EKS based on a multi-cluster architecture with 2 EKS clusters. The architecture is built to enable an existing EKS version to continue providing the service, while a new EKS version on a separate cluster performs a compatibility validation with various microservices and add-ons before receiving traffic.
The advantage of this method is that you can implement a rollback plan where the old EKS version takes over the traffic if any issues occur when switching to the new EKS version. A lesson we have learned from providing the Samsung Account service under high traffic is that there will be issues when you actually start processing traffic, no matter how perfectly you've built your infrastructure or service. For these reasons, it is essential to have a rollback plan in place whenever you deploy a service or upgrade your infrastructure.
When you perform a multi-cluster upgrade, traffic must be switched between the old and new EKS clusters. Simply put, there are 2 main approaches. One approach is to switch traffic by placing a proxy server between the 2 clusters. The other approach is to switch the target IP using DNS. Needless to say, there may be a variety of other ways to accomplish this.




In the first option, using a proxy server, you may encounter overload issues when handling high-volume traffic, such as with Samsung Account. Additionally, there are too many Application Load Balancers (ALBs) used for approximately 70 microservices, making it impractical to create a proxy server for each ALB.
In the second option, using DNS, the actual user, client, and server replace the service IP of the old EKS with that of the new EKS during a DNS lookup, redirecting requests to a different target at the user level. The DNS option does not require a proxy server, and switching traffic is easy by simply editing the DNS record. However, there is a risk that the traffic switch might not happen immediately due to propagation-related delays with DNS.
The DNS-based traffic switch architecture was applied to achieve a non-disruptive EKS upgrade for Samsung Account.




Let us describe the DNS layers of Samsung Account with a hypothetical example. The top domain is account.samsung.com, and there are 3 global region domains under it, classified based on latency or geolocation. For us.account.samsung.com, the layers are split into service.us-old-eks.a.s.com and service.us-new-eks.a.s.com, representing the old and new domains. This is a simple, hypothetical example. In reality, Samsung Account uses more DNS layers. During the recent EKS upgrade, we switched traffic between the internal domains of the 2 EKS clusters based on weighted records while adjusting the ratio, rather than switching all at once. For instance, when a user sends a request to account.samsung.com, it goes through us.account.samsung.com, and the actual EKS service IP is applied at the end based on the specified weight.
Retrospective of the Non-disruptive EKS Upgrade
In summary, I would say "it's a successful upgrade if the connected services haven't noticed." With this EKS upgrade, we deployed and switched traffic for a total of 3 regions, 6 EKS clusters, and more than 210 microservices over the course of one month. The traffic switch was conducted with ratios set based on each service's load and characteristics, and no issues with connected services were reported during this one month EKS upgrade.
Of course, as they say, "it's not over until it's over." We did have a minor incident where there were insufficient internal IPs in the internal subnet due to many EKS nodes and service pods becoming active simultaneously, which scared us for a moment. We secured the IP resources by reducing the number of pods for Kubelet and add-ons by about a thousand and quickly scaling up the EKS nodes. One thing we realized while switching traffic with DNS is that 99.9% of the entire traffic can be switched within 5 minutes when the DNS weight is adjusted.
Closing Note
Richard Branson, co-founder of Virgin Group, once said, "You don't learn to walk by following rules. You learn by doing, and by falling over." Samsung Account has been growing and evolving, addressing many bumps along the way. We continue to resolve various challenges with the stability of our service as the priority, keeping this "learning while falling over" spirit in mind. Thank you.
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The Galaxy S23 is still a ways out, with Samsung getting ready to unveil the Galaxy Z Fold 4 and Flip 4 in a few weeks. But the 2023 flagship has started appearing in leaks. The newest rumor claims that the Galaxy S23 Ultra will feature the same zoom camera as its predecessor. According to a new report, it will have a 10-megapixel shooter, just like in previous years.
Samsung might be looking to cut costs by sticking with a tried and true sensor for the telephoto lens. But that’s not necessarily bad considering the grim outlook for Android handset sales in the coming months. Moreover, the Galaxy S22 Ultra’s zoom performance is spectacular already. Why fix what isn’t broken?
The Galaxy S Ultra introduced Samsung’s first periscope zoom cameras. The Galaxy S20 Ultra was the first Samsung phone to support 100x zoom, which was more of a marketing gimmick than a feature you could reliably use. The internet was filled at the time with camera samples at different zoom levels, but anything over 30x showed that Samsung’s Super Resolution Zoom wasn’t something most people needed.
Fast forward to the Galaxy S22 Ultra’s periscope camera, and the zoom experience has improved significantly. Those samples showing 100x zoom photos are a lot cleaner. And they’re finally usable.
Galaxy S23 Ultra’s zoom camera
That’s not to say that Samsung can’t continue to improve the zoom experience on future phones like the Galaxy S23 Ultra. But it might do it with the help of software rather than radical hardware changes. The folks at GalaxyClub have learned that the Galaxy S23 Ultra will feature the same 10-megapixel telephoto camera as its predecessor. As a reminder, Ultra phones actually feature two zoom cameras.
The Galaxy S22 Ultra features two 10-megapixel zoom cameras with similar specs. Only one of them is a periscope lens.
If the Galaxy S23 Ultra camera rumor is accurate, then the phone might also feature two 10-megapixel zoom cameras.
Well-known leaker Ice Universe is already accusing Samsung of cutting costs. The Korean giant faced similar allegations earlier this year when the Galaxy S22’s throttling mess came to light. At the time, Samsung had to apologize to shareholders and customers. Among other things, Samsung said it didn’t cut costs making the Galaxy S22 series. But those discussions focused on the Galaxy S22’s chip tech and cooling abilities.
The camera upgrade that really matters
Getting back to the Galaxy S23 Ultra, the same Ice has praised the zoom experience of the S22 Ultra in the past. Maybe cutting costs on the zoom camera isn’t bad considering the state of the economy. The S22 Ultra zoom experience is already amazing. And we’re still looking at zoom features that users might not need in most cases.
What’s really important in a flagship phone is the primary camera experience. And Samsung is already rumored to include a 200-megapixel sensor in the Galaxy S23 Ultra’s rear camera setup. That’s the kind of camera upgrade that will matter more than the zoom camera hardware.
We’ll have plenty of time to discover the Galaxy S23 Ultra’s camera secrets. The new Samsung flagship series won’t launch until early 2023, and everything will leak by then.
The post Galaxy S23 Ultra zoom camera might not get an upgrade appeared first on BGR.
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The Galaxy Z Fold 4 is Samsung’s next flagship phone, and the foldable will introduce several significant improvements over its predecessor. And, if new leaks are accurate, the Galaxy Z Fold 4 will start at double the storage compared to its predecessor, or 512GB of built-in memory. The flash upgrade is welcome on a flagship device that will most certainly lack support for microSD storage expansion. That also means the most expensive Fold 4 model will go up to 1TB in storage space.
But it’s not all good news, as storage upgrades don’t come cheap.
Galaxy Z Fold 4 storage leaks
If you thought the Galaxy Z Fold 4 series will not deliver a major product update, the wave of Fold 4 leaks should have made you change your mind by now. According to reports from trusted sources, the new foldable will be lighter and thinner than its predecessor.
Not only that, but the handset will get an update to the aspect ratio, which will make it easier to use when folded. Moreover, the hinge crease might be milder than before.
More importantly, the Galaxy Z Fold 4 will deliver a big camera update that should address criticisms regarding the Fold 3’s camera. Also important are the Fold 4 specs, with a recent report indicating that the new Samsung handset will feature the latest Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 processor. That’s good news to anyone familiar with the Galaxy S22 performance debacle.
Galaxy Z Fold 4 storage options leaked in Korea. Image source: handphone.or.kr But that recently leaked specs sheet indicated the Fold 4 will come in two storage configurations: 256GB and 512GB. That’s in line with the previous model and a logical move for Samsung. That 256GB entry-level tier is double what you get on most smartphones. And that tier would let Samsung keep in place last year’s price, but that’s just speculation.
A new finding from Korea indicates that Samsung will make 512GB and 1TB versions of the Galaxy Z Fold 4. That’s according to a website that seems to be run by the Korea Association for ICT Promotion.
According to Redditors, that’s a website that manages information about lost cellphones in Korea. But the database also includes a hidden search service for smartphone model numbers, including unreleased devices.
What about the price?
The listings on the website only show two storage tiers for the Galaxy Z Fold 4: 512GB and 1TB. While some of the Fold 4 models in the list do not have storage designators, there is no entry for a 256GB model.
We’re just speculating for the time being, but if the information in this database is accurate, then Samsung might double the storage on its next-gen foldable flagship.
On the other hand, the 256GB storage tier is critical. That’s the kind of storage space you should expect from the cheapest Fold 4 model. Put differently, a bump to 512GB might also help Samsung justify a price increase for the new Fold 4.
Galaxy Z Fold 4 design render: Foldable screen (top), cover screen and camera details (bottom). Image source: @OnLeaks and Smartprix One of the best things about the Galaxy Z Fold 3 is that the entry price dropped. The phone starts at $1,799, and that’s before all the crazy deals come in. Samsung did its best to lower the cost, offering buyers plenty of sales and the ability to trade in multiple gadgets.
Nobody could blame Samsung for keeping that entry price in place or raising it, given the larger economic context. But it’ll be interesting to see if Samsung is ready to sell a 512GB Galaxy Z Fold 4 for $1,799. This would essentially give buyers a free storage upgrade.
Again, we’re assuming there’s no 256GB version of the Fold 4. But there’s no proof that Samsung dropped the 256GB tier for the Fold line.
Samsung will unveil the Fold 4 on August 10th, according to a leaker. We should learn more details about the new foldable’s storage options well before then.
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The Galaxy Z Fold 3 fixed several problems that affected the previous two generations. The 2021 handset is more durable than its predecessors, including the foldable screen. And it’s more affordable than Samsung’s previous Fold versions. But the Fold 3 still had some issues that customers complained about. One example is the camera, which Samsung might fix with the next-gen Galaxy Z Fold 4 phone.
After revealing Galaxy Z Fold 4 design details that tease some big improvements, a leaker is back with camera specs for the upcoming foldable.
Don't Miss: Today’s deals: $8 LifeStraw rival, $100 Vizio soundbar, 1800 thread count sheets for $20, more The Galaxy Z Fold 3 is thicker and heavier than other phones. And it has an unusual aspect ratio when the phone is folded, compared to traditional devices. The new Fold 4 design aims to fix that. The phone will be significantly lighter than the Fold 3, according to reliable Samsung leaker Ice Universe. Moreover, the phone will be slightly shorter and slightly wider.
As a result, the handset will be easier to use when folded. But the phone will still be thicker than traditional devices. That’s a compromise we expect from all foldables that use this type of design.
Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 3 phones in various colors. Image source: Samsung The same leaker also has knowledge of the Fold 4’s camera system. Ice suggested on Twitter that Samsung is looking to improve the camera experience, although some compromises are also expected.
Galaxy Z Fold 4 camera specs
Some Galaxy Z Fold 3 buyers complained that the camera experience isn’t on par with the Galaxy S21 series, despite the flagship phones having launched in the same year
The leaker posted the camera specs for the new foldable phone on Twitter. If the information above is accurate, the Galaxy Z Fold 4 will feature a 50-megapixel wide camera, 12-megapixel ultra-wide camera, and a 12-megapixel telephoto camera capable of 3x zoom.
Increasing the pixel count alone does not guarantee a better camera experience. Nonetheless, Samsung used three 12-megapixel sensors on the Fold 3. The Z Fold 4 is in for a significant upgrade for the primary camera.
Ice also indicated that the zoom sensor might outperform the one on the Galaxy S22 Ultra.
But the leaker also warned that the Fold 4 camera upgrade might not satisfy all needs. He said the phone won’t offer “dramatic” camera hardware changes becasuse Samsung wants the handset to weigh less than 260 grams.
As a result, Samsung has to make some compromises when it comes to the overall Galaxy Z Fold 4 camera experience.
That means you won’t get the same zoom as a traditional phone. And the phone’s overall thickness might impact the camera module’s “bump.”
Galaxy phones don’t stay secret, but none of this will be confirmed until Samsung announces it. The Korean giant is expected to hold its Galaxy Z Fold 4 Unpacked press conference in August. This gives us about three months to learn more details about Samsung’s new foldables for 2022.
The post Galaxy Z Fold 4 camera leak teases another big upgrade appeared first on BGR.
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