Samsung

Latest Apple appeals court win may require Samsung to change its devices

Cody Lee ∙ September 17, 2015

The U.S. Court of Appeals ruled on Thursday that Apple is entitled to an injunction that would bar Samsung from using its patented technology in its devices. The decision could force the Korean manufacturer to change certain features on its smartphones and tablets.

At the heart of the matter is 3 software features that Apple has patented: slide-to-unlock on a device's touchscreen, the automatic correction of spelling errors, and quick-linking, which allows a user to do things like tap on a phone number within a body of text to place a call.

Samsung and Sony take swipes at Apple’s ‘Hey Siri’ event announcements

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated March 19, 2019

Following Apple's action-packed media event yesterday which saw introductions of the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus smartphones with 3D Display technology, the new iPad Pro with Apple Pencil, the much improved Apple TV and more, both Sony and Samsung took to social media to poke fun of Apple's latest innovation.

As you may have guessed, Samsung especially took swipes at Apple's stylus, which isn't surprising given Steve Jobs' famous “If you see a stylus, they blew it” quote and the fact the Galaxy maker pioneered stylus-enhanced phablets with its Note lineup.

The iPhone effect: Samsung laying off 10 percent of workforce at its headquarters

Christian Zibreg ∙ September 8, 2015

According to a report by Korean newspaper which was relayed Tuesday by Bloomberg, Samsung Electronics is about to lay off ten percent of workers at its headquarters in South Korea “as the world’s biggest smartphone maker loses sales to Apple and Chinese vendors.”

It is no secret that things have been tough for Samsung ever since Apple released its larger-screened iPhones. In addition, strong competition from China's vendors like Huawei and Xiaomi, which build comparable phones that cost half as much as Samsung's high-end devices, has contributed to Samsung's diminishing sales in China.

Rotating bezel on Samsung’s new Gear S2 smartwatch shown on video

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated October 5, 2016

Two days ago, Samsung officially unveiled its new smartwatch lineup: the Gear S2, Gear S2 classic and the Gear S2 with 3G connectivity.

The new lineup from Samsung appears to stack up surprisingly well against the Apple Watch: both smartwatches are premium built and feature easily changeable bands, sleek software, fitness and heart rate tracking and more.

But whereas the Apple Watch uses the Digital Crown for navigating its user interface, Samsung has opted for a rotating bezel that “gets better with every turn,” a feature seen on some traditional watches.

Coupled with “the revolutionary circular user interface,” as they're calling the Gear S2's Tizen operating system, the rotating bezel appears to be just as precise, novel and interesting as the Apple Watch's rotating crown.

Samsung unveils CarMode for Galaxy, new SmartThings hub, sleep-tracking device and more

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 28, 2016

IFA, the world's leading trade show for consumer electronics and home appliances, is running from September 4 to 9 in Berlin. Ahead of the big event, Samsung Electronics has unveiled some rather interesting gadgets, including its own version of CarPlay, a sleep analysis accessory, its first 4K Blu-ray player and more.

More than anything, the company is betting big on so-called Internet of Things, a common moniker denoting software platforms powering smart devices that tap into the power of the cloud to achieve interoperability and rich data sharing.

To this extent, the South Korean giant last year purchased an open-platform smart home company, called SmartThings. Following the acquisition, SmartThings today unveiled its very first new product, a hub for the connected home that connects to cameras to monitor and protect your home.

Samsung unveils Gear S2 smartwatch lineup with up to 3 days of battery life

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated October 16, 2018

After teasing its new Gear smartwatch ahead of Apple's upcoming media event, South Korea-based Samsung last evening formally announced a second-generation Gear S family. The Galaxy Gear S2, as it's called, augments the round display of its predecessor with a rotating bezel for navigating the user interface.

The internals have been refreshed, too, so the Gear S2 has NFC. While it has less storage space than the Apple Watch's 8GB, the Gear S2 uses a stronger battery that Samsung claims runs up to three days on a single charge.

Samsung now paying iPhone users $200 to switch

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated April 18, 2016

Samsung is offering some extra goodies to people interested in participating in its Ultimate Test Drive program which seeks to persuade iPhone users to test-drive the Galaxy S6 edge, Galaxy Note5 or Galaxy S6 edge+ for 30 days in exchange for just one dollar.

Now the South Korean company is tempting would-be switchers with $100 of Google Play credit for buying apps, media and other content and an additional cheque for $100 if they traded in their iPhone to their carrier or retailer, as per AndroidCentral.

Official: Samsung stole trade secrets from TSMC

Christian Zibreg ∙ August 26, 2015

Samsung lifted trade secrets from rival Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited (TSMC), the world's #1 independent semiconductor foundry, Taiwan's top court has ruled.

According to a report published Wednesday by Taiwanese trade publication DigiTimes, the court has determined that Liang Mong-song, a former senior director of research and development at TSMC, revealed TSMC's trade secrets and patents related to its advanced FinFET process technology to Samsung Electronics.

The report makes no mention of Apple, but the connection couldn't be clearer: Samsung might have been able to leverage the stolen secrets to win orders for Apple's next-generation 'A9' processor. Prior reports have posited that both Samsung and TSMC got to build Apple's A9 chips on the advanced 14-nanometer FinFET process technology which uses entirely new three-dimensional transistors.

Samsung: you’re inserting it wrong

Jeff Benjamin ∙ Updated April 30, 2018

When a flagship device launches, it's usually only a matter of time before some sort of controversy arises. There was #antennagate for the iPhone 4, #scratchgate for the iPhone 5, and last year's #bendgate for the iPhone 6. Now it's Samsung's turn to join the party.

The problem stems from inserting the Galaxy Note5's S-Pen in the wrong way, head first, instead of tip first like normal. Doing so makes the S-Pen catch on to a lever deep inside the pen cavity, causing it to get stuck.

Samsung has been no stranger to controversy before, but this new one, some have called it #pengate, or #penghazi, is more egregious than any so-called "-gate" we've seen before.

Samsung to iPhone users: come test drive our newest phones for just a dollar

Jeff Benjamin ∙ Updated April 30, 2018

As first noted by Engadget, Samsung is so confident that iPhone users will find its newest smartphones compelling enough to switch, that it's letting iPhone users test drive them for 30 days for just a buck.

Coined "The Ultimate Test Drive", Samsung, doing its very best T-Mobile impression, is letting current iPhone owners take the Galaxy S6 edge, Galaxy Note5, or Galaxy S6 edge+ for a 30-day spin.

All you need to do is visit Samsung's The Ultimate Test Drive website via the Safari browser running on your iPhone, select your current carrier, the Galaxy model you wish to test, register with Samsung, and provide delivery and credit card information.

By registering, you're more than likely opening yourself up to all sorts of future marketing strategies, but if you really want to test drive one of Samsung's new phones, this is probably one of the easiest ways to do so.

Samsung to appeal to Supreme Court in Apple patent case

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 18, 2018

As expected, Samsung is taking its patent battle with Apple to the United States Supreme Court. The San Jose Mercury News points to a new court filing from the company, which voices its intent to ask the Supreme Court to hear its case.

In 2012, Samsung was found guilty of infringing on multiple Apple patents and was ordered to pay Apple more than $1 billion in damages. That amount has since been cut in half, but Samsung is hoping to get the sum further reduced.

Samsung posts teaser for upcoming ‘Gear S2’ Apple Watch competitor

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 18, 2018

During its big Galaxy Note 5/S6 Edge+ event last week, Samsung showed off a video teaser of its upcoming Apple Watch competitor, the Gear S2. For folks who missed the keynote, the clip is now available on the company's Mobile YouTube channel.

We can glean quite a bit from the video. The Gear S2 will have a round watch face, similar to the Moto 360 and the LG G Watch R, with round icons and other UI elements to match. It also looks like it will feature heart rate and fitness tracking capabilities.