Samsung Fails to Launch its Tizen-based Smartphone in Moscow, Unsure of New Launch Date

Samsung once again gets cold feet when launching a Tizen smartphone

General consumers haven’t had much experience with Samsung’s Tizen mobile operating system. Tizen is currently shipping on Samsung’s Gear 2 and Gear 2 Neo smartwatches (the company also offered a Tizen OS upgrade for the original Galaxy Gear). However, most are awaiting the release of Tizen on the high-profile smartphone stage.

That moment was supposed to happen yesterday at a launch event held in Moscow for Tizen developers. However, Samsung backed out of its plans for launching the Samsung Z in Russia. Instead, Samsung issued a statement, which read in part, “the smartphone will appear on the Russian market later, when we can offer our users a fullest portfolio of applications.”

For developers that are actually trying to embrace the Tizen platform, this was definitely a setback, and likely not very encouraging. After all, this is the second time that Samsung has botched the launch of a Tizen-backed smartphone. Earlier this year, Samsung cancelled plans to launch a Tizen smartphone in Japan just days before it was supposed to go on sale.

But while the Samsung Z didn’t launch at the Moscow event, Samsung execs were on hand to extol the virtues of using Tizen. However, even company execs weren’t exactly brimming with optimism, with Samsung’s Dmitry Anosov stating, “The most obvious advantage [of developing for the Tizen phone] is that you’ll be at the top in a half empty store on a decent premium device.”

^{Samsung Z}

That “decent premium device” is powered by a 2.3GHz quad-core Intel processor (paired with 2GB of RAM) and includes a 4.8” 720p display. Other features include 16GB of storage space, a microSD slot for storage expansion, an 8MP rear camera, front-facing 2MP camera, and a fingerprint sensor. When Samsung first announced the smartphone in early June, marketing chief DJ Lee said that the Samsung Z would allow the company to “[Enhance] the mobile experience of consumers with innovation that is both personal and unique to their needs.” However, it now looks as though consumers will have to wait for an undetermined length of time to get their hands on Tizen. With no concrete date set for the Samsung Z’s launch, developers are still trying to stay optimistic. “Think of the potential Samsung can give you in a new store and the profit you could be making, while in the iOS and Android stores, your app would be drowning,” said Denis Khitrov, who is the COO for MedM. “If this train starts moving, there may be no stopping it.” Well, it’s time for Samsung to release the parking brake. 

Read More

With Galaxy S5, Samsung Proves Less Can Be More

Samsung Electronics Co. has produced the most formidable rival yet to the iPhone 5s: the Galaxy S5. The device [is] the fifth edition of the company's successful line of Galaxy S smartphones. Its predecessor, the Galaxy S4, sold more than 10 million units worldwide just one month after being launched last year.

The GS5 may be more of an incremental step forward from its predecessor and will face more competition from capable, lower-cost devices. But the new Galaxy is expected to be one of the highest-selling phones in the U.S. this year.
"At the end of the day, it's the Galaxy brand, and with the push it will have in marketing, I'm sure the phone will sell well," said Carolina Milanesi, chief of research at consumer research firm Kantar World Panel. "Is it going to do more than the S4? I think the market is tougher this time around."
With the Galaxy S5, Samsung is showing that less can be more.
A year ago, Samsung tried to blow away consumers -- as well as its chief rival, Apple Inc.'s iPhone -- by packing seemingly every feature known to man into one device. The Galaxy S4 was a success, but consumers struggled to grasp the full capabilities of the device.
To improve user experience, Samsung has gone the opposite way with the GS5.
It consolidated many features into more understandable groups and eliminated other features altogether. The deleted features are still available to users through downloads so that customers can add features one by one, introducing themselves to each element over time.
This makes the GS5 a smartphone that is a lot easier to get to know than its predecessor.
Rather than trying to explain hundreds of features, Samsung instead focused on a few that make this device stand out from its peers. The phone has a top-notch screen, great durability, an improved camera, a long-lasting battery and useful health tracking capabilities.
With the GS5's 5.1-inch 1080p HD screen, Samsung knocks it out of the park in screen quality, delivering a display with sharp colors that are perfect for viewing videos and photographs.
The GS5's screen is slightly larger than the GS4's 5-inch screen, so the phone is a little longer. But it's easier to hold thanks to a grippable back cover with faux leather.
But when it comes to design, Samsung is still outflanked by Apple and HTC, which just released the highly stylish One (M8). If looks are important, buy an attractive case or pick another smartphone.

What the GS5 lacks in aesthetics it makes up for in durability.The phone is now rated for Ingress Protection 67, which means it is dust and water resistant. Samsung says the phone can be kept under as much as 3 feet of water for 30 minutes. In practical terms, IP 67 ensures that the phone won't be damaged by rain or an accidental drop in a toilet.I tested the feature by rinsing it under a faucet and dipping it in a glass of water. It kept working just fine.Samsung also improved the phone's camera, upping the rear lens to 16 megapixels from 13. The device takes some of the best photos of any camera phone, delivering images with vibrant colors.Its Phase Detection Autofocus software enables the camera to focus three times faster than other smartphones, according to Samsung. I'm not sure whether it lives up to those stats, but the GS5 did focus pretty quickly.The phone also can shoot photos in burst mode using high-dynamic range, or HDR, imaging, which combines multiple images into one with high-quality lighting throughout. Previously, users could shoot photos in HDR mode, but not in rapid sequence.The camera also includes a new Shot & More mode, which lets customers use one of five nifty effects. On the GS4, one effect had to be picked before taking a photo. The process is now reversed so customers can shoot first and pick the effect later.The battery on the GS5 lasts longer than its predecessor. And a new Ultra Power Saving Mode helps extend each charge by shutting off nearly everything on the phone except messages, calls and the ability to surf the Web.The new power-saving feature also conserves energy with a black-and-white mode that uses only some pixels on the screen. That provides about 24 hours of battery life even after the phone has fallen to the last 10% of its charge.Samsung has given the GS5 a healthy dose of fitness help. Like the GS4, the phone includes a pedometer and the S Health fitness app, which enables users to input what they eat. The GS5 also includes a heart-rate monitor so users can check their heart rate by launching the app and placing their index finger on the monitor.The new smartphone also has caught up with the iPhone 5s by adding fingerprint technology that lets users unlock their phones by scanning a finger over the home button.The nation's four major cellphone carriers are offering the GS5 for $200 to $250 with two-year contracts or up to $660 to buy the phone without a contract.

Read More

Google to release Samsung Galaxy S5 Google Play Edition alongside HTC One M8 GPE?

 Google has officially announced the HTC One M8 Google Play Edition, many are wondering if the Samsung Galaxy S5 will also join the ranks.At Google I/O last year, Google surprised smartphone fans when the company announced that it would be adding the Samsung Galaxy S4 to a new range of devices called Google Play Edition. This version of the Galaxy S4 would be stripped from any Samsung customizations, like TouchWiz and various gesture controls. Instead, the $649 unlocked Galaxy S4 would ship with a stock version of Android and like Google's Nexus devices would be guaranteed to receive Android updates in a timely fashion.Google followed up by adding last year's HTC One, Motorola's Moto G, and Sony's Z Ultra to its Google Play Edition smartphone lineup and also offers LG's G Pad 8.3 as the only Google Play Edition tablet.Minutes after HTC officially announced its 2014 flagship smartphone, the HTC One M8, Google announced that it would be adding the smartphone to its Google Play Edition smartphone lineup. The unlocked smartphone strips away HTC Sense 6 for a pure Android experience. The question on many smartphone fan's minds is will Google also announce the Samsung Galaxy S5 Google Play Edition on April 11, the official release date for Samsung's latest and greatest smartphone?It's pretty safe to assume that Google will repeat the same play it made last year by adding the Samsung Galaxy S4 to its Google Play Edition by adding the Galaxy S5. The new HTC One M8 and Samsung Galaxy S5 are two of the most highly anticipated Android smartphones to be released this year and just like last year, Google will want to have two of the best flagship smartphones showcasing the latest version of Android. The Samsung Galaxy S5 and HTC One M8 both have similar high-end specs, and cutting out TouchWiz and HTC Sense 6 on the devices in place of stock Android will certainly speed things up and please Android fans that want one of those smartphones running stock Android without the hassle of hacking, rooting, and using custom ROMs on the handset.There have been rumblings that Google will announce the Samsung Galaxy S5 Google Play Edition on April 11, but for now we'll have to wait to see if those rumblings turn into reality.

Read More

Apple and Samsung to renew patent battle in US court

Apple and Samsung will return to federal court in the heart

 of Silicon Valley tomorrow for a new round in their

 seemingly perpetual patent war.

The case concerns smartphone and tablet patents and is just

 the latest in a long-running feud between the two tech

 giants, who are battling for supremacy in a multi-billion-

dollar market.

“The parties tried hard to accuse each other’s latest and

 greatest products, but US patent litigation is slow, which is

 why this 2014 trial will be about 2012 and pre-2012

 products,” intellectual property analyst Florian Mueller said

 in a post at website fosspatents.com.

The rivals will face off once again before District Court Judge

 Lucy Koh in the California city of San Jose.

Koh presided over a trial last year that ended with a jury

 declaring Samsung owed Apple more that a billion dollars in

 damages for infringing patents with some older model

 Android-powered devices.

The damages award was later trimmed to $929 million and

 is being appealed.

If this new trial goes in Apple’s favor, it could result in an

 even bigger award since it involves better-selling Samsung

 devices built with Google-backed Android software.

This time California-based Apple is taking aim at Samsung’s

 flagship Galaxy line crafted to challenge the iPhone in the

 high-performance end of the market.

“Both in the United States and globally, Apple and Samsung

 have established themselves as fierce competitors in the

 smartphone market and fierce adversaries in the

 courtroom,” Koh said during rulings on injunctions,

 testimony and other matters ahead of trial.

Under pressure from Koh, the chiefs of Apple and Samsung

 engaged in mediation to see if the dispute could be settled 

out of court, but the talks failed.

However, the companies expressed willingness to keep

 talking, raising the slim possibility trial could be avoided.

Jury selection is to commence tomorrow. Koh is allowing

 each side 25 hours to present evidence to make its case to

 jurors.

Apple had filed the suit against the South Korean consumer

 electronics behemoth in February 2012 as “one action in a

 worldwide constellation of litigation between the two

 companies,” the judge said in a ruling.

Patents at issue in the case involve unlocking touch-screens

 with gestures; automatically correcting words being typed;

 retrieving data sought by users, and performing actions on

 found data such as making a call after coming up with a 

phone number.

Read More

Samsung vs. Apple: Android More Popular Than iPhone, But iTunes Beats Google Play

When it comes to smartphones sales, Android has been taking a very big lead as of late. It has a staggering 81 percent of the total user base in the smartphone market. This leaves Apple with only roughly 12 percent of the market share in terms of units sold. Why is this news not alarming for Apple?
The truth is that despite the fact that Apple has a smaller percentage in terms of smartphones sold in the market, they are still the ones raking all the profits. How is this possible? That is because of the disparity in terms of the price. A new iPhone unit is sold for at least $635. Android phones produced by Samsung can be bought at $235 these days. In China, where there are cheaper versions available, it is even possible to get one at just $50. Also, the 81 percent market share of Android mostly made up of "junk phones." Samsung takes up over 30 percent of those statistics, which is why it has become Apple's biggest competitor. However, the rest of the companies are not really a huge threat to Apple.
In terms of revenue via app downloads, iPhone leads the market again. Despite the fact that there are more Android devices, iPhone rakes in most of the overwhelming app sales. However, the volume of apps available from the Google play app store is now catching up with Apple. They reportedly increased the percentage of app downloads available in Google play by up to 75 percent. However, in terms of income, Apple is still far in the lead. At the end of the day, this goes to show that the number of devices or apps sold in a market does not necessarily translate to bigger revenues.
Apple's strategy works: market yourself as selling premium and high quality products, then never place a low price on them. Now that it has an established following, Samsung will offer higher end products to its consumer base.

Read More

Samsung Follows LG With Its Own 105-Inch Curved 4K HDTV

Several hours after LG announced a 105-inch curved 4K (or Ultra HD) HDTV, Samsung revealed that it too will have a massive, curved TV on display at January's CES. This is starting to look like a trend.Samsung will demonstrate its 105-inch Curved UHD TV (the tentative official name of the screen) in Las Vegas at the Consumer Electronics Show, the company said in a blog post. The screen will go beyond the relatively standard 3,840-by-2,160 resolution found on most 4K HDTVs to a 5,120-by-2,160 resolution. This gives the screen a 21:9 aspect ratio comparesd to the typical 16:9 aspect ratios found on 1080p and most 4K HDTVs, and increases the number of pixels from 8 million to 11 million.Boldly, considering LG's earlier announcement, Samsung is calling the 105-inch Curved UHD TV the first, largest, and most curved UHD TV. "Most curved" is a difficult claim to contest, but first and largest are outright questionable since it will be facing down LG's 105UB9 4K HDTV at the very same show.LG's 105UB9 is also a 105-inch screen with a 5,120-by-2,160 resolution and 21:9 aspect ratio, and since both are effectively proofs of concept for LG and Samsung, it will be hard to declare either screen a winner over the other.If you want to buy a 105-inch curved 4K HDTV next year, you're probably going to be out of luck. Neither LG nor Samsung have announced whether the screens will be available commercially. Even if they will be, you can expect a price tag of at least $20,000 for either model. For now, both big, curved screens will be just showpieces at CES unless either company announces availability at the show.
Keep an eye on PCMag.com for our coverage of CES 2014 and a closer look at these big screens. Until then, check out our roundup of The 10 Best HDTVs, as well as How to Buy an HDTV and LED vs. Plasma: Which HDTV Type Is Best?

Read More

Samsung Galaxy J with 5-inch full-HD display launched in Taiwan

Samsung has finally launched the Galaxy J smartphone, a Galaxy S4 smartphone variant, in Taiwan. The Galaxy J will be available at 21,900 Taiwanese dollars, which roughly translates to Rs. 45,356 without contract. The Samsung Galaxy J will be available in Red and White colours in Taiwan, while the Blue variant will be exclusive to Japan. As per VR Zone China, the Samsung Galaxy J can be expected to be available in Taiwan in mid-December or early January.

Samsung has been rumoured to unveil the Galaxy J in more markets to reach its sales target for this year, as the flagship smartphone, Galaxy S4 sales have reportedly been disappointing. However, there is no official word on the possible availability and release of the Galaxy J in markets outside Japan and now Taiwan.

The Samsung Galaxy J was first announced in October this year under NTT DoCoMo's winter smartphone line-up. The smartphone has been seen as a Samsung Galaxy S4 smartphone variant for Japan; however the device comes with upgraded specifications and software similar to the Galaxy Note 3 phablet.
The Samsung Galaxy J runs Android 4.3 Jelly Bean out-of-the-box and is powered by a 2.3GHz quad-core Snapdragon 800 (MSM8974) processor, much like the Galaxy Note 3 phablet. It features a 5-inch full-HD Super AMOLED display. There is a 13.2-megapixel rear camera with BSI CMOS sensor and LED flash, while it also houses a 2.1-megapixel front-facing camera.The Galaxy J comes with 3GB of RAM and includes 32GB inbuilt storage expandable up to additional 64GB with the help of microSD card. It packs a 2600mAh battery and comes with connectivity options like 3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS/A-GPS, and NFC.

Samsung Galaxy J key specifications

• 5-inch full-HD Super AMOLED display

• 2.3GHz quad-core Snapdragon MSM8974 processor

• 3GB of RAM

• Android 4.3 Jelly Bean

• 13.2-megapixel rear camera with BSI CMOS sensor and LED flash

• 2.1-megapixel front-facing camera

• 32GB inbuilt storage, expandable up to 64GB via microSD card

• 2600mAh battery

Samsung Galaxy J

• KEY SPECS
• NEWS

Display

5.00-inch

Processor

2.3GHz

Front Camera

2.1-megapixel

Resolution

1080x1920 pixels

RAM

3GB

OS

Android 4.3

Storage

32GB

Rear Camera

13.2-megapixel

Battery capacity

2600mAh

See full Samsung Galaxy J specifications

Read More

Samsung Reveals Rose Gold, Merlot Red Galaxy Note 3

Samsung today revealed new color options for the Galaxy Note 3, which launched in September alongside the Galaxy Gear smartwatch.

The phablet now comes with Rose Gold White or Rose Gold Black accents, as well as a Merlot Red option, in addition to the Jet Black, Classic White, and Blush Pink already available.

At first glance, the new devices look no different than their less colorful siblings. But take a closer look, and you'll see the outer rim of the white and black models coated in a light golden tint — a simple accentuation on an otherwise ordinary-looking phone.

"We understand that consumers view their mobile devices as an extension of their personal style, and Samsung is committed to delivering fresh ways for consumers to express themselves," Younghee Lee, executive vice president of global marketing, said in a statement.

 "By introducing these new editions of Galaxy Note 3, we want to provide our fashion-forward consumers with more ways to express their personality and tastes through our technology."

Not quite the customization options of the Motorola Moto X smartphone, Samsung's new color selections could entice some hesitant customers looking for a little handset bling.

The Rose Gold White edition will be available only in the Chinese market starting in December; other color options will be launched based on market preference. There is no word on when, or if, these models will reach U.S. consumers.

The Galaxy Note 3 smartphone sports a 5.7-inch, 1,920-by-1,080 display — a boost from the Note 2's 5.5-inch screen. The LTE model also comes with a 2.3GHz, quad-core processor, or a 1.9GHz Octa Core processor on the 3G device. The 13-megapixel camera is the highest-resolution shooter Samsung has developed, though recent reports tip a 20-megapixel cam is in the works.

For more, see PCMag's review of the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 and the slideshow above.

Read More

The KitKat upgrade schedule for the Samsung Galaxy lineup leaks

Some good news for customers of Samsung flagships, the details are finally out, the first Samsung devices to get Android 4.4 KitKat are the flagships – Galaxy S4, Galaxy Note 3, Galaxy S III and Galaxy Note II.
HTC, Sony and Motorola had already announced their rollout plan for Android 4.4 update to its flagship devices and now Samsung has decided to join the gang as well.
According to leaked information which shows Samsung’s release schedule for Kitkat, we can safely state that Galaxy S4 and Galaxy Note 3 handsets will get updates in January. A lot more devices are likely to get an update but there is no official confirmation from Samsung yet, so we can’t comment further. The leak also states that Galaxy Note II and Galaxy S III will be getting KitKat in March or April 2014- around the same as their Galaxy 5 launch.

Leaks about updates are never really up to the mark so we can’t count on it. Until the OTA update starts flowing in we wouldn’t advise you to rely on leaks as a lot also depends on carrier specific versions which generally delay the release.
When Android 4.4 Kitkat arrives with full force we expect Samsung to fully integrate TouchWiz UI to latest Android 4.4 which would benefit Galaxy owner’s greatly in terms of a smoother and stable UI, faster performance, improved RAM management and better multitasking than before.
Recently we saw Samsung update Android 4.3 Jelly Bean to Galaxy Note 2 and S3 which got into an issue due to operational bugs. Samsung has since pulled the 4.3 update and kept it on hold till the issues are sorted out.
We also expect smartphones with low end hardware to get Android 4.4 support, as KitKat is built to make it accessible to as many users as possible.
Samsung is likely to make an official announcement for Android 4.4 Kitkat update by December, till then Galaxy owners will have to be content with the timelines provided through leaks.
Are you a Samsung flagship device owner? What are you expecting from the update once it reaches you? Do write into us with you views in the section provided below.

Read More

Samsung Galaxy S5 will probably include an Eye-Scanning module

The next flagship smartphone device from the stables of Samsung has been doing the rounds recently. We had received information a few days back about the probable launch date of the Galaxy S5. Today, we have a new juicy piece of news about the Galaxy S5. Read on to know more details about it.
The latest piece of information going about the next generation Galaxy S5 smartphone is that Samsung is working on an eye-scanning sensor that will be built-in to the device.
The Apple iPhone 5S is the latest device that has popularized the trend of including biometric sensors into smartphones. The iPhone 5S includes a fingerprint sensor on the home button, which allows you to unlock the phone or perform other specific actions based on the correct identification of your thumbprint. Naturally, other smartphone manufacturers were not one to be left behind.
The HTC One Max phablet was recently officially announced with a fingerprint scanner built-in too, however at the back of the device below the camera module.  However initial reports suggest that it has not been integrated as seamlessly as the fingerprint scanner on the iPhone 5S.
Samsung might really be the game changer with an in-built eye-scanner module if this bit of news really holds true. How the technology will be utilized, is still unclear at this point though. Whichever way it will be integrated, Samsung will prove that it is not just a copycat in the industry.
We still do not have detailed specifications about the Galaxy S5 at this moment but we do have some scarce details at this point. Those include Android 4.4 KitKat, 3 GB RAM, 64 Bit processor and a 16MP camera module. It might probably be built in a metal chassis this time.
As per our earlier reports, the Samsung Galaxy S5 might probably be announced around the months of January or February 2014. The Mobile World Congress (MWC) happens during 24-27 February in Barcelona, Spain and could be an ideal moment for the announcement of the Samsung Galaxy S5.
Do note that all of this information is mere speculation at this point in time. Samsung has neither denied nor confirmed these rumors yet

Read More

Samsung Calls on Judge to Halt Apple Retrial

 

The trial of the century has hit a new, fairly interesting snag. Samsung has called the whole thing into question based on the testimony from the Patent Office which suggests that the pinch-to-zoom feature Apple has been eager to defend may not even be legitimate. The Patent Office's statement regarding patent no. 7,844,915 doesn't invalidate Apple's claim; it is just that the company will need to provide more evidence to support their claims.
Samsung, in response said, "This PTO decision calls into question the entire jury verdict in this trial. During its presentation, Apple made a deliberate decision not to separate the damages between the different asserted patents. Therefore, it will be impossible to determine what allocation of damages belong to the invalid '915 patent versus the other patents. It would be unjust to have damages evaluated and awarded on a patent found to be invalid by the PTO."
The retrial picked up last Tuesday to decide specifically how much Samsung owed Apple, given that a previous jury had already declared that infringement had, in fact, taken place. Regardless of how the jury is swayed this time, next year a new patent trial between the electronics manufacturers will kick off – starting the slap fight all over again.

Read More

Android 4.3 Update for the AT&T Samsung Galaxy S4 Has Been Pulled, Temporarily

Just last week, we reported that AT&T was beginning the rollout of the Android 4.3 update for their variant of the Galaxy S4. This update also included a slightly updated version of Touchwiz and Bluetooth 4.0 Low Energy support, which is needed for Galaxy Gear. It appears that now AT&T has pulled the update for some investigation. So those that are waiting on the update, can stop spamming that Check for Updates button.
Currently, there’s no word about when the update will continue its rollout, or even what the issue was that caused the rollout to pulled. Hopefully we’ll learn soon what the deal is. At this point, Samsung and AT&T have said that the update is on hold so both companies can look into “potential improvements”.
We’ve already seen a near final build of Android 4.3 for the Galaxy Note 2. Which is the next device to get the Android 4.3 update along with the Galaxy S4 Active and the Galaxy S3, all before Christmas. We also haven’t seen the Android 4.3 update hit any other Galaxy S4 yet besides the Verizon one, which was first, surprisingly. As far as this update goes, this really isn’t about Android 4.3 as much as it is Bluetooth 4.0 LE support, which makes the device work with Samsung’s smartwatch, the Galaxy Gear.
Samsung was still pretty fast at updating their devices to Android 4.3, in fact they were the first to release a device with Android 4.3 out of the box. Well, first device that wasn’t a Nexus. Android 4.3 was announced in late July, and to see devices getting the update before the end of this year is actually kinda surprising. But it’s a good thing. Hopefully AT&T and Samsung can get the kinks worked out and get this update back on track for all the AT&T Galaxy S4 owners out there. If any of you have recieved the update, let us know if you’re having any issues with it.

Read More

Samsung Galaxy Note 4 Specs Rumors: Three-Sided Display Could Come to the Phablet in 2014

It's still 2013, and there's still plenty of shiny new gadgets to indulge in this holiday season, but that hasn't stopped the technosphere from starting to talk about 2014. If a new report is correct, then it's quite possible the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 might sport a three-sided display.

According to Bloomberg, "Samsung Electronics Co. (005930) plans to release a Galaxy smartphone next year with a three-sided display that wraps around the edges so messages can be read from an angle."

The information comes via unnamed "people familiar with plans." The new three-sided display feature could make its debut in a Galaxy S or Galaxy Note device, or be the first in an entirely new line. According to the sources cited by Bloomberg, the feature will most likely make its debut during the second half of 2014, hinting it could be part of the Galaxy Note 4's new features. Samsung typically releases a new Galaxy Note device in the second half of the year. Galaxy S smartphones are launched during the first of the year 

While it's hard to see the three-sided display as a game changer, it does make some sense in terms of branding. The Galaxy Note smartphone has gotten progressively bigger to the point where it now threatens to enter tablet territory and become too big to be a useful daily phone. Making more of the phone a screen would allow Samsung to tack on more display real estate (and thus new features) without having to make the phablet much bigger.

What do you think? Would a three-sided display pique your interest in a Galaxy Note 4? Let us know in the comments section below.

Read More

Samsung Said to Plan Galaxy Phone Using Three-Sided Display

Samsung Electronics Co. (005930) plans to release a Galaxy smartphone next year with a three-sided display that wraps around the edges so messages can be read from an angle, two people familiar with the plans said yesterday.
The phone will use an upgraded version of Samsung’s technology called Youm, currently featured in the curved Galaxy Round handset, the people said, asking not to be identified because the plans haven’t been released. The display may be used in the S or Note series of premium handsets or may be the first in a new line, the people said. Samsung plans to have each side of the display operate independently.
The world’s largest maker of handsets is fighting with Apple Inc. (AAPL) to introduce innovative devices as they brace for a slowdown in the high-end smartphone segment, where Samsung sells about one of every three devices. Apple is developing new iPhone designs including bigger screens with curved glass and enhanced sensors that can detect different levels of pressure, a person familiar with the plans said Nov. 10.

Related News:

• Apple Sticks to Winning Script in Samsung Damages Retrial
• Motorola Unveils Lower-Priced Moto G Amid Sluggish Sales
• Apple Starts Shipping IPad Mini With High-Definition Display

“We’ll see curved displays coming into the market, but it’s just a question of whether they will gain any significant traction with customers,” said Van Baker, director of research at Gartner Inc.
Samsung climbed 2.7 percent, the most in more than two months, to close at 1,462,000 won in Seoul trading today. That pared the stock’s loss this year to 3.9 percent.

Smartphone Saturation

Samsung doesn’t have a specific release date for the new device, the people said, with one person saying the handset is more likely to come out during the second half of next year. The Youm technology was shown at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas in January. Chenny Kim, a spokeswoman for Suwon, South Korea-based Samsung, declined to comment yesterday.
The company is diversifying its product portfolio by expanding its use of flexible displays, unveiling the Galaxy Gear smartwatch and registering a design patent for eyeglasses that can answer phone calls while the user exercises.
Samsung filed a U.S. trademark application last year for Youm, saying it could be used in televisions, mobile phones, computers, cars and Christmas tree lights.
“Samsung is the dominant player,” Lee Do Hoon, an analyst at CIMB Group Holdings Bhd (CIMB) in Seoul, said by phone yesterday. “That gives it a competitive advantage over Apple in the race to make phones with bendable displays.”
Curved screens may be a technology in search of a problem to solve, said Gartner’s Baker. Samsung may provide a test case because they have shown a willingness to release products into the market to see if they gain favor with customers, he said.

Consumer Tastes

“There are enough companies out there that are very fond of throwing whatever hardware they can out into the market, just to see if anybody will bite,” he said.
Shares of Samsung face their first annual decline in five years as the company becomes more dependent on smartphones amid mounting worries over slower growth and intensifying market competition. The company, which holds $39 billion in net cash, said it will pursue more acquisitions as it seeks to grow amid fears its core businesses are nearing saturation.
Samsung also is waging a global legal battle with Apple over patents used in mobile devices. The companies have spent hundreds of millions of dollars in legal fees on claims of copying each other’s features.
Apple, which initiated the legal fight in 2011, seeks to limit the Galaxy maker’s growing share of the U.S. market, where the Cupertino, California-based iPhone maker is No. 1 and Samsung No. 2.

Battling Apple

Even with slowing sales of the Galaxy S4 released in April, Samsung last month posted record third-quarter earnings after extending its lead in the smartphone market and benefiting from a rally in chip prices. The company is the world’s largest maker of memory chips.
The mobile unit, responsible for more than 60 percent of profit, posted record operating profit of 6.7 trillion won in the third quarter as the company tapped demand in emerging markets, including China and India. It sold about 120 million handsets in the third quarter for a 28.7 percent market share, researcher Strategy Analytics said Oct. 29.

Read More

Apple v. Samsung – Enemies or “Frenemies”

 

It’s a rather busy week for mobile’s two biggest competitors.  Apple and Samsung have been battling since April 2011, when Apple accused Samsung of infringing on several of its mobile device patents.  Those patents covered thirteen products and included features such as the “bounce back” effect when scrolling to the bottom of a page, the physical design of the phone, and the different one-finger and two-finger touch features.  In August 2012 a jury awarded Apple $1 billion in damages, but Judge Lucy Koh of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California found that the number had been miscalculated and reduced the amount to $600 million.

Based on Koh’s discretion, a six-day trial began this past Tuesday to determine if $600 million damage figure is a fair.  During opening statements Apple determined $380 million was appropriate, while Samsung asserted that $52 million would be sufficient since the infringed patents didn’t affect consumer mobile device selection.  Apple’s calculation could be based on their lost profits resulting from Samsung’s sales.  On the other hand, Samsung may be required to pay royalties on each patent infringing device it has sold.  The jury’s decision should come by next week.
Despite Apple having emerged victorious this time, its legal battle with Samsung is set to continue in March 2014, with Judge Koh determining whether Samsung infringed on eight Apple patents in their Galaxy S III design.   Though it may appear that these lawsuits are Apple’s response to Samsung having taken the lead in market share, it could be that the two companies aren’t actually enemies after all.  Perhaps, the more these two keep their names in the news, the more they are able to remain leaders in the smartphone industry and beat out smaller competitors like Blackberry and Lenovo.  Apple and Samsung may relish the competitive edge that sparks innovation and motivates each company to develop the latest piece of technology to win over consumers.  Indeed, its the perfect case of friends who are enemies – “frenemies.”

Read More

Many millions at stake at 2nd Apple-Samsung trial

SAN FRANCISCO – The latest round in Apple and Samsung’s bitter global battle for supremacy in the more than $300 billion smartphone market begins Tuesday in a courtroom a few miles from Apple’s Silicon Valley headquarters.
In courts, government tribunals and regulatory agencies around the world, Apple Inc. has argued that Samsung’s Android-based phones copy vital iPhone features. Samsung Electronics Co. is fighting back with its own complaints that some key Apple patents are invalid and Apple has also copied Samsung’s technology.
The two have each won and lost legal skirmishes over the last couple of years, and the companies appear oceans apart in settling their differences. Analysts predict continued litigation for months to come.
On Tuesday, the latest chapter opens in a federal courtroom in San Jose, California, where lawyers from the two companies and U.S. District Judge Lucy Koh will begin picking a jury to calculate how much South Korea-based Samsung owes Apple for infringing Apple’s patents on 13 older Samsung smartphones and computer tablets.
Representatives of both companies declined to comment.
With Apple’s Cupertino headquarters about a 10-minute drive from the courthouse, potential jurors will be asked if any family members work for Apple and whether the company’s proximity will have any effect on their views of the case.
A different jury in August found that Samsung infringed six Apple patents to create and market 26 smartphones and computer tablets. The panel ordered Samsung to pay Apple $1.05 billion.
Koh then tossed out $450 million of that amount after deciding the jury wrongly calculated damages for 14 products. Amid an avalanche of legal filings afterward, Koh reduced the damages at issue to $400 million and the products to 13, then ordered a new jury to recalculate damages for those products.
Some four dozen people are listed on the trial’s witness list, many of them experts hired by Apple and Samsung to deliver damage estimates, which range from zero to more than the original $400 million.

Despite the amount of money involved, the current proceedings are somewhat of a warm-up for a much larger trial scheduled for March. That trial will focus on newer products still on the market, while the current trial is a battle over products that are several years old and no longer sold in the U.S. More money is at stake, and Apple is asking that Samsung be barred from selling some of its current devices in the U.S.
In both cases, jurors will hear from experts opining on the global market and offering dramatically differing views on damages. In the current case, the jury will determine damages by deciding — among other issues — whether Samsung’s behavior actually cost Apple sales.
Whatever the outcome, appeals are expected.
“This trial is just about money. Though several hundred million dollars are at stake, that isn’t going to make or break either of the companies involved,” said Mark Lemley a Stanford University law school professor who specializes in technology issues. “But the trial is also the last step in getting this case ready for the inevitable appeal. … That appeal will have broader ramifications.”
Apple transformed the mobile phone industry when it started selling the iPhone in 2007, but its success was quickly imitated and Samsung’s smartphone shipments surpassed Apple’s iPhone sales in 2011.
According to research group IDC, Samsung shipped 81 million devices in the July-to-September quarter for a market share of 31 percent, making it the world’s top seller. Apple is a distant second, having shipped 34 million iPhones, for a market share of 13 percent over the same period.

Read More