Samsung

Samsung to unveil Galaxy Note 4 and other new gizmos at September 3 ‘Unpacked’ event

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 27, 2016

Apple's arch-rival Samsung just made it known it'll be holding a major media event on Wednesday, September 3, 2014. The invites for the new 'Unpacked' event, something of an annual tradition for the South Korean conglomerate, have now gone out to select members of the press, hinting at a possible unveiling of the Note 4 phablet.

Although the Galaxy S5 smartphone is already there, the firm is rumored to be also unveiling a premium all-metal edition of the smartphone to help improve its market standing in the wake of the expected massive iPhone 6 launch, which is also expected to be unveiled at a media event some time in September...

Samsung’s troubles prove Apple knows exactly what it’s doing with its iPhone business

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 14, 2018

Samsung's co-CEO and mobile chief J.K. Shin is in the hot seat as the company posts its third straight quarter of operating-profit declines.

It's fascinating to watch how quickly things are turning for the conglomerate responsible for nearly one-fifth of South Korea's Gross domestic product.

Operating profits were down sharply, decreasing a whopping 25 percent year over year. More importantly, Samsung's favorite business metric - the market share - is under pressure, too: its worldwide share of smartphones slipped to 25 percent in the second quarter from 32 percent a year earlier.

This is bad news considering that 76 percent of the firm's profit comes from smartphones. What gives?

Apple drops permanent injunction quest in Samsung lawsuit

Cody Lee ∙ July 29, 2014

Apple filed a motion with the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit in California yesterday, dropping its cross-appeal of Judge Lucy Koh's final judgement in its lawsuit against Samsung. The motion officially ends the company's pursuit of a product ban.

Now, this is just for the 2012 trial, not the one that ended in May. Apple had been looking to win a permanent injunction against all of Samsung's infringing devices in that case, and filed multiple appeals, but it appears to have given up on this particular battle...

Samsung posts new ‘Screen Envy’ ad in response to iPhone 6 rumors

Cody Lee ∙ July 21, 2014

Samsung has posted a new ad to its YouTube channel this afternoon entitled 'Screen Envy.' The spot addresses rumors that the iPhone 6 will come with a larger display, saying that Samsung's Galaxy smartphones have had 5-inch screens for years.

The commercial literally opens with an iPhone user telling his friend that Apple is working on a larger-screened smartphone. The friend, who is of course using a Galaxy S5, is clearly unimpressed by the speculation, saying "that hasn't happened yet?"

Apple to move from TSMC to Samsung for next-gen chip production

Cody Lee ∙ July 17, 2014

Last year, Apple reached an agreement with Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) to make processors for its iOS devices. The deal was part of a larger effort by the iPad-maker to reduce its reliance on Samsung.

But the move may not last long. Citing supply chain sources and KGI Securities analyst Michael Liu, Reuters is reporting that Apple is looking to shift production of its 14-nanometer next-generation chips from TSMC to Samsung...

New Samsung Galaxy Tab S ad pans iPad for lack of multitasking

Cody Lee ∙ Updated January 27, 2016

The iPad is no stranger to getting bashed in TV commercials—both Amazon and Microsoft have attacked the tablet over price, display quality, and productivity capabilities. And today, Samsung joins the party with its new Galaxy Tab S ad.

The spot, which went up on the Samsung Mobile YouTube channel this afternoon, is titled: 'Do more with Samsung GALAXY Tab S - Multitasking.' And unsurprisingly, it pans the iPad for its inability to run multiple applications at once...

Samsung blames sluggish tablet sales, increased competition for Q2 earnings miss

Cody Lee ∙ July 8, 2014

Samsung today issued its earnings guidance for the second quarter of 2014, and in somewhat of an odd move, it attached a note to the document explaining why it will fall short of estimates. The company expects to see its profits drop for the third consecutive quarter.

The note details a number of factors, including the improving strength of the Korean won making exports more expensive, and exceedingly sluggish tablet sales. It also explains that it is running into greater competition in China from low-end device makers like Xiaomi...

Samsung’s latest ‘Wall Huggers’ Galaxy ad attacks iPhone’s battery performance

Christian Zibreg ∙ July 3, 2014

Samsung's marketing department is no stranger to Apple-bashing and its most recent advertisement for the Galaxy S5 flagship proves the point.

Titled 'Wall Huggers', it depicts iPhone users in a series of everyday situations with a recurring theme being them chained to a wall socket. "There they are," the voiceover opens the 60-second commercial.

"Clustered around power outlets, recycling bins and bathrooms, tethered to the wall." The ad is embedded for your viewing pleasure right after the break...

iPhone captures 42% market share in the United States for May

Joe Rossignol ∙ Updated April 17, 2018

The latest numbers reveal that the iPhone remains the most popular smartphone in the United States, with 41.9% market share for a three-month period ending May 2014. Samsung was the second most popular smartphone maker with a 27.8% share, attributed to its Galaxy-branded devices. LG (6.5%), Motorola (6.3%) and HTC (5.1%) round off the top five.

While the iPhone was the most popular smartphone, Android held a commanding 52.1% share among mobile platforms. iOS followed not too far behind at 41.9%, while Windows Phone (3.4%), BlackBerry (2.3%) and Symbian (0.1%) all trailed by quite a distance. Android also had 52.1% market share for the three-month period ending February, while iOS gained 0.6 percentage points…

iPhone 5c outsold Galaxy S5 in the UK

Christian Zibreg ∙ July 2, 2014

I'm sick and tired of hearing armchair analysts repeatedly proclaiming Apple's unapologetically plastic iPhone 5c a failure just because sales numbers don't meet their wet dream targets.

I bought an iPhone 5c for my Mom's birthday. My friend owns one. Yes, I even see it used in public.

To this date, not a single iPhone 5c owner exhibited a case of buyer's remorse.

I mean, you never hear anyone complaining about Apple's practice of keeping past two iPhone generations on the market at reduced prices whenever a new model comes along. The strategy has served the company well and that's exactly what the iPhone 5c is - a previous-gen iPhone repackaged inside a plastic chassis, sold at a discount.

A lot of ink has been spilled to paint the iPhone 5c a dud, but time and again real world numbers simply don't corroborate this notion. A good example is a new Kantar survey proving that Apple's mid-tier handset beat Samsung’s flagship Galaxy S5 in terms of sales in the United Kingdom...

DigiTimes: Samsung receives orders for 14nm Apple A9 chip

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 27, 2016

Kicking Samsung out of the supply chain for Apple-designed iPhone and iPad processors may be easier said than done.

For years now Apple's attempted to kickstart mass production of these chips at Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), the world's largest independent semiconductor foundry, to no avail.

As TSMC continues to cope with yield issues, technological hurdles and scale, rival Samsung is said to have landed orders for Apple's A9 processor set to appear inside next year's iPhone and iPad devices.

According to a new report by DigiTimes, the somewhat accurate Taiwanese trade publication, the sophisticated microprocessor will be fabbed on Samsung's advanced 14-nanometer process technology, albeit not exclusively...

Samsung rolling out 21-day trial program for smart devices

Joe Rossignol ∙ June 26, 2014

Apple and Samsung continue to fight for supremacy as the top consumer electronics maker in the United States, and the latter has a new move up its sleeves to help thwart its competitor. Beginning in July, the South Korean handset maker will be kicking off a 21-day trial program that allows customers to test drive select smartphones, tablets and smart watches from its product lineup.

After quietly launching the trial program in Manhattan last month, Samsung will be extending the offer to Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles and Santa Clara. The devices available to test drive are the Galaxy S5 and Note III smartphones, the Gear smart watch and the Gear Fit fitness tracker. Prospective buyers can test the devices on different carriers, with Samsung compensating the wireless costs. A refundable deposit of $350 must be made beforehand…