Galaxy Store

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This article is about the app distribution platform run by Samsung. For the company's retail chain, see Samsung Experience Store.

Galaxy Store
DeveloperSamsung Electronics
Initial release14 September 2009; 16 years ago (2009-09-14) (as Samsung Apps)
Operating systemAndroid
PlatformAndroid
Formerly: Samsung Gear (Tizen), Bada, Samsung feature phones, Windows Mobile, Omnia HD (Symbian)
Available inmultiple languages
TypeDigital distribution
Websitegalaxystore.samsung.com

The Galaxy Store (Korean: 갤럭시 스토어) is an app store offering apps, games and exclusive themes and other customizations for mobile devices manufactured by Samsung Electronics.[1] The service is primarily supplied pre-installed on Samsung Galaxy smartphones and tablets, and Galaxy Watch wearables. It requires a Samsung account to be used.[2]

History

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The Galaxy Store has its origins in a mobile developer program launched in 2008, Samsung Mobile Innovator.[3] Samsung Mobile Applications, an app store powered by Handango launched at Mobile World Congress 2009 providing software for Windows Mobile, Symbian, and (from August) Java ME.[4] The services had been established in China and several European countries by the third quarter of 2009.[5]

On 14 September 2009, Samsung Apps launched initially in western Europe, providing software for the Samsung Omnia (i900) and Samsung Omnia HD (i8910) smartphones with more devices added later.[6] In 2010 it started offering apps for the Bada platform, which the Samsung Wave runs on.[7] There were 10 million app downloads by September 2010 in Europe, made up of Java, Windows Mobile and Bada apps.[8]

There was also a Samsung Apps TV for smart TVs, which had gotten 10 million downloads by October 2011. Samsung also held a developer challenge called Free the TV Challenge, which was won by WeDraw in 2010, an application that could draw on mobile and display on the TV screen.[9] In March 2011 Samsung Apps was launched for the Galaxy line, running Android. Samsung Apps had 40,000 applications by its second anniversary in 2011.[7] The store was also offered on Samsung Gear wearables and Samsung REX feature phones. A feature called S Suggest (app and www.ssuggest.com) was launched in 2013 that would suggest apps from the store to users.[10] This service was closed in 2014.[citation needed] In July 2014, with the Galaxy line mostly consolidating Samsung's mobile offerings, Samsung Apps was rebranded to Galaxy Apps.[11][12] In 2018, Samsung began an annual award for the best developers, called Best of Galaxy Store Awards. At the inaugural award at the Samsung Developer Ceremony, Booking.com was awarded 'Best App' and Wrist Camera the 'Best Watch App', amongst others.[13]

Former app icon

In early 2019, soon after the introduction of One UI, Galaxy Apps was rebranded to Galaxy Store.[14] The store was redesigned in October 2020 with an increased focus on games.[15]

Games rewards

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The Galaxy Store features reward points given to users who purchase games.[15]

Best of Galaxy Store Awards

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The awards of the latest edition of 2022 were given to:[16]

  • Best Theme Collection: Pengtai Interactive Advertising Co.
  • Best Wallpaper Collection: Bergen
  • Best Icon Pack Collection: Cogul Planet
  • Best Music App: Sirius XM Streaming by Sirius XM Radio Inc.
  • Best Entertainment App: Vudu by Fandango Media
  • Best Podcast: SOLAR by CurtCo Media
  • Game of the Year: Catalyst Black by Super Evil Megacorp

2018:[17]

  • Best Overall App: Booking.com for Samsung
  • Best Gaming App: Disney Heroes by PerBlue
  • Best Gear App: Wrist Camera by Kema Studio
  • Best Gear Watch Face Designer: Bergen
  • Best Theme Designer: Guangxu Zhu

Samsung apps provided

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The following is a list of Samsung's own apps and components provided on the Galaxy Store (as of One UI 7.0). Not all of them come preinstalled or are compatible on every device, and availability may vary by region.

Software Description
AR Doodle Augmented reality camera for creating doodles
Bixby Voice assistant
Bixby Vision Augmented reality camera tools: Translate, Text copy, Discover, Wine (formerly)
Calculator Basic calculator with scientific mode, tips calculator, and unit converters
Calendar Calendar app
Camera Photo and video camera (including integrated additions)
Clock Clock, alarms, timers and countdowns app.
Contacts Contacts manager
Daily Board Photo frame emulator for Galaxy tablets[18]
Deco Pic Decorating personal photos and videos
Device Care Optimization tool for monitoring battery, storage, memory, and device security
Device Control & Media Output Control home connected devices or switch media output to different devices (integrated in quick panel)
Digital Wellbeing Screen time monitor tool
Email Email client
Expert RAW Image editor capable of editing raw image files
Galaxy Avatar Augmented reality avatar and emoji creation tool, includes Avatar Camera, Stickers and Editor
Galaxy Enhance-X AI-powered tool to automatically improve photos[19]
Galaxy Themes Customization platform for downloading and applying themes, wallpapers, icons, and always-on display styles
Galaxy Wearable Manager for Galaxy Watch, Galaxy Fit, Galaxy Buds, and Galaxy Ring wearable devices
Gallery Photo and video gallery, includes stories and OneDrive backup
Gaming Hub All installed games and Samsung instant plays
Good Guardians Privileged utilities for Galaxy for device battery, temperature, and more
Good Lock UI customization and productivity tools for Galaxy
Group Sharing Share content with other Samsung accounts[20] (integrated)
Health Platform An aggregator bringing together data from various health apps
Interpreter Real-time translation tool for face-to-face conversations using voice and text
Messages SMS, MMS and RCS text messaging client[a]
Modes and Routines Conditional automation tool
Multi control Service for controlling multiple Samsung devices and dragging-and-dropping files
Music Share Multi-device connect to Bluetooth speakers
My Files File manager including FTP/SFTP client and SMB network client and integration with OneDrive and Google Drive
PENUP Social network for drawings, preinstalled on phones and tablets with S Pen
Phone Cellular and VoIP calling client
Quick Measure Augmented reality measuring tool
Quick Share[21] File transfer tool with nearby Galaxy or Android devices and other devices using link, QR code, or installing Windows App.[22]
Radio FM radio client (available on Samsung devices with 3.5mm headphone jack)
Reminder Reminder app with support for syncing with Microsoft To Do
Samsung Blockchain Wallet Cryptocurrency management
Samsung Cloud Cloud storage and backup with support for end-to-end encryption
Samsung DeX Desktop-like interface for using Galaxy devices on an external display
Samsung Find Asset tracking service for tracing, finding, locking and wiping lost or stolen devices, including smart tags, as well as sharing location with people
Samsung Flow Text, screen, and file share between phone, tablet, and PC
Samsung Food Personalized recipe discovery, meal planning, and cooking assistant platform
Samsung Global Goals Advertising to support donation for the UN's Sustainable Development Goals
Samsung Health Personal health tracking tool
Samsung Health Monitor Health monitoring app for ECG and blood pressure measurements on supported devices
Samsung Internet Chromium-based web browser
Samsung Highlights Curated content hub showcasing selected articles, media, and recommendations
Samsung Kids Restricted environment for kids with parental controls
Samsung Members Community support and exclusive content, including device diagnostics
Samsung Music Music player of formats including MP3, WMA, AAC and FLAC, with support for Spotify integration[b][23]
Samsung News News aggregator from various sources depending by region (provided by Upday in parts of Europe).[24] Can be integrated (media page) into the One UI home screen.[25] Replaced Samsung Free/Samsung O's Read tab.[26][27][c]
Samsung Notes Note-taking, sketching and PDF reader and editor
Samsung Shop Storefront for Samsung Electronics products
Samsung TTS (Text-to-speech) Speech synthesis
Samsung TV Plus Free ad-supported television streaming service (available in selected markets)
Samsung Visit In Provides location-based notifications for nearby Samsung store offers
Samsung Wallet Digital wallet (Samsung Pay payment system, Samsung Pass password manager) (available in 32 markets)
Smart Switch Data transfer tool to move content to a new Galaxy device from any phone including iPhones, also serves as service for Smart Switch PC and backup for Galaxy Watches
SmartThings Smart home management platform
Secure Folder Private and encrypted sandboxed workspace using Knox[30]
Secure Wi-Fi VPN network service,[31] available in select countries and regions
Smart View Screen mirroring and casting using Miracast[32] (integrated in quick panel) (formerly Samsung Link and AllShare Play[33][34])
Studio Create a project using pictures and/or videos
Tips Device information, manual and remote support; not available on low-end models
Voice Recorder Voice recording in M4A format (3gp4 codec) up to 256 kbit/s/48 kHz
Weather Weather information provided by The Weather Channel[35]

Third-parties

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Some third-party apps are also available on the Galaxy Store, despite Galaxy devices running on the Google Mobile Services platform which features the Play Store. These apps include the likes of Firefox, Microsoft 365, Wikipedia, and Clip Studio Paint. Some Android games have been exclusive on the Galaxy Store, such as Fortnite for users in the US.[36]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ (no longer included in US devices sold in 2024 or later, available to download on Galaxy Store)
  2. ^ (Spotify available in 184 markets)
  3. ^ Samsung Free, also called Samsung O in some territories, was a media and entertainment app integrating Samsung TV Plus, Podcasts (region dependent), Samsung News news aggregator and instant casual games,[28][24][29] from 2020-2023 or 2020-2025 depending on territory.
  1. ^ "Make It Your Galaxy: Customize Your Favorite Galaxy Devices with the Galaxy Store". samsungmobilepress.com. Retrieved 4 October 2023.
  2. ^ "Do I need a Samsung account to download an app?". Samsung uk. Retrieved 29 September 2023.
  3. ^ "Samsung gets touchy-feely, but no Android". www.telecoms.com. Retrieved 7 July 2025.
  4. ^ Stănescu, Alexandru (4 February 2009). "Samsung Launches Its Own App Store for WM and Symbian Devices". GSMDome.com. Retrieved 4 October 2023.
  5. ^ Dennis, Tony. "Samsung goes the Symbian route with mobile application warehouse". www.gomonews.com. Archived from the original on 8 March 2016. Retrieved 7 July 2025.
  6. ^ Geary, Leigh (1 September 2009). "Samsung Apps store to launch in two weeks". Coolsmartphone. Retrieved 29 September 2023.
  7. ^ a b "Samsung Apps Celebrates 2nd Anniversary with New Version of Apps Store". news.samsung.com. Retrieved 29 September 2023.
  8. ^ O'Hear, Steve (22 September 2010). "Anything Apple can do... Samsung's European app store reaches 10m downloads in year one". TechCrunch. Retrieved 29 September 2023.
  9. ^ "Samsung TV apps downloads near 10 million". CNET. Archived from the original on 7 October 2011. Retrieved 7 July 2025.
  10. ^ "Samsung's S Suggest Helps You Find the Apps You Need". www.informit.com. Retrieved 7 July 2025.
  11. ^ Sissoko, Moussa (18 February 2023). "Happy Phone". happyphone.vn. Retrieved 7 July 2025.
  12. ^ "Samsung rebrands store as Galaxy Apps, eyes up Google Play customers". Archived from the original on 8 November 2024. Retrieved 7 July 2025.
  13. ^ "Best of Galaxy Store Awards Winners". Samsung Developer. Retrieved 7 July 2025.
  14. ^ SamMobile; Farooqui, Adnan (20 February 2019). "Galaxy Apps gets rebranded to Galaxy Store with a new One UI design". SamMobile. Retrieved 29 September 2023.
  15. ^ a b "Samsung redesigns its Galaxy Store to focus on games". Engadget. 30 October 2020. Retrieved 7 July 2025.
  16. ^ SamMobile; Naresh, Sagar (8 December 2022). "Samsung announces winners of fifth annual Best of Galaxy Store Awards". SamMobile. Retrieved 4 October 2023.
  17. ^ "Samsung Unveils Winners of the "Best of 2018" Galaxy Apps Awards".
  18. ^ "What is Daily Board and how do I use it?". Samsung UK. Retrieved 4 October 2023.
  19. ^ Iyer, Karthik (8 June 2023). "How to use the Samsung Galaxy Enhance-X app to improve your photos in seconds with AI". XDA Developers. Retrieved 4 October 2023.
  20. ^ "Samsung Account". account.samsung.com. Archived from the original on 2 June 2012. Retrieved 29 September 2023.
  21. ^ Vlad. "Google announces unified Quick Share system for Android in partnership with Samsung". GSMArena.com. Archived from the original on 4 March 2025. Retrieved 4 March 2025.
  22. ^ "What is Samsung Quick Share and how to use it". Android Authority. 21 July 2023. Retrieved 29 September 2023.
  23. ^ "Is there an music app on my Galaxy Phone? | Samsung Singapore". Samsung sg.
  24. ^ a b "Samsung Daily Feed got replaced by a new Samsung Free service for more users". TestingCatalog. 25 February 2021. Archived from the original on 4 October 2023. Retrieved 5 October 2023.
  25. ^ Gilbert, Jon (28 December 2023). "What is Samsung One UI Home?". Android Police. Retrieved 5 November 2025.
  26. ^ Rao, Chethan (19 April 2023). "Samsung News replaces the virtually unknown Samsung Free app, now rolling out in the US". Android Police. Archived from the original on 20 September 2023. Retrieved 5 October 2023.
  27. ^ "Samsung News will replace Samsung Free". 14 August 2025.
  28. ^ "Samsung Free | Apps & Services". Samsung uk. Archived from the original on 2 October 2023. Retrieved 29 September 2023.
  29. ^ "Samsung adds a podcast section to its free-entertainment app". Engadget. 25 March 2021. Archived from the original on 10 October 2023. Retrieved 5 October 2023.
  30. ^ Gray-Traverso, Zach (25 July 2023). "Samsung Secure Folder: A brief guide to the encrypted folder application every Galaxy smartphone owner should use". Android Police. Retrieved 29 September 2023.
  31. ^ Aleksandersen, Daniel (30 December 2019). "What is Samsung Secure Wi-Fi for Android?". www.ctrl.blog. Archived from the original on 30 October 2023. Retrieved 18 October 2023.
  32. ^ Ro. "You can now enable Samsung screen mirroring on Chromecast and Android TVs". GSMArena.com. Archived from the original on 2 October 2023. Retrieved 29 September 2023.
  33. ^ "Samsung Link content sharing app get shuts down with no warning". Android Authority. 4 November 2016. Archived from the original on 5 October 2023. Retrieved 4 October 2023.
  34. ^ "How Samsung AllShare and SmartView Make TV More Awesome". Lifewire. Archived from the original on 5 October 2023. Retrieved 4 October 2023.
  35. ^ Bunton, Cam (22 April 2016). "The Weather Channel and Samsung join forces to create a new app, here's what it looks like". 9to5Google. Archived from the original on 28 May 2022. Retrieved 29 September 2023.
  36. ^ Russell, Brandon (30 October 2020). "Samsung Galaxy Store gets a big redesign with an emphasis on games". XDA Developers. Retrieved 4 October 2023.

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