Samsung

Samsung unveils Galaxy S6 edge+ and Galaxy Note5 as new iPhones loom on the horizon

Christian Zibreg ∙ August 13, 2015

Samsung held its Unpacked 2015 media event this morning, a few weeks earlier than usual as the firm looks to steal Apple's thunder. Predictably, they unveiled two new devices: an even larger-screened Galaxy S6 with a curved screen, officially called Galaxy S6 edge+, and a fifth-generation Note phablet marketed as the Galaxy Note5.

Both devices run Android 5.1.

In addition, the South Korean conglomerate said Samsung Pay, its own mobile payment service, will go head-to-head with Apple Pay this September.

Struggling to return strong profits, Samsung slashes price of Galaxy S6 phones

Christian Zibreg ∙ August 3, 2015

After posting another disappointing quarterly earnings, a fifth straight profit drop, Apple's chief rival Samsung has now slashed the retail price of Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge flagship smartphones by a hundred euro, or about $110, BetaNews learned.

The consumer electronics giant's mobile division suffered a 37.6 percent drop in operating income during the April-June period after badly miscalculating demand for the higher-priced Galaxy S6 Edge, leaving it with unsold inventory of the regular Galaxy S6 devices.

Samsung’s woes continue with yet another disappointing quarterly earnings

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated March 8, 2017

Surging iPhone demand on the high-end and plummeting sales of its feature phones that are getting squeezed out of the market by Chinese upstarts like Xiaomi are largely blamed for yet another disappointing quarterly earnings that Samsung posted Thursday.

The South Korean conglomerate reported an eight percent annual decline as profits decreased to 5.75 trillion Korean won, or approximately $4.9 billion, from 6.3 trillion won a year earlier. Analysts predicted 5.6 trillion won of net income. The results mark a fifth straight drop in quarterly earnings for the consumer electronics giant.

The bad news gets worse as Samsung's mobile division, its bread and butter, reported a huge 37.6 percent drop in mobile operating income which fell from 4.42 trillion won in 2014 to 2.76 trillion won during the April-June period.

Samsung takes on Apple’s iPad Air 2 with ultra-slim Galaxy Tab S2

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated October 14, 2018

Samsung on Monday announced a next-generation Galaxy tablet to take on Apple's iPad Air 2. The Galaxy Tab S2, driven by Android 5.0 Lollipop, is even thinner than Apple's device: it measures an impressive 5.6mm thin and includes Samsung's exceptionally bright and vivid Super AMOLED display in 7.9 and eight-inch flavors.

Regardless of the screen size, the new Tab S matches the resolution of full-size iPads at 2,048-by-1,536 pixels though last year's Tab S came outfitted with a sharper 2,560-by-1,600 pixel resolution displays.

Volume production of Apple’s next-generation ‘A9’ processor for new iPhones has kicked off

Christian Zibreg ∙ July 16, 2015

Volume production of an Apple-designed next-generation “A9” chip, the engine that will power the next iPhone and iPad, has begun at facilities operated by Samsung and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), the world's largest independent semiconductor foundry.

According to a report published Friday by DigiTimes, a semi-accurate Taiwanese trade publication, the two rivals get to share orders and both have now started volume production of the chips.

Supply chain sources interviewed by The Wall Street Journal estimate Apple's ordered a record 80 million units of the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus units by the end of 2015.

Samsung’s latest Galaxy ad paints iPhone owners as ‘a nation of checkers’

Christian Zibreg ∙ July 10, 2015

Samsung's marketing department has admittedly become very skilled at the craft of Apple-bashing, always eager to find an interesting new angle to discredit the iPhone.

Forget about wall-huggers—Samsung's latest television commercial for the Galaxy S6 Edge flagship attempts to diss those who would use an iPhone, likening them to “a nation of checkers.”

You know the type.

Those rude people that destroy your moviegoing experience by checking out their email and ruin your dinner by constantly glancing at their iPhone screen under the table.

WSJ: Samsung moving up Galaxy Note 5 launch to August to beat iPhone hype

Cody Lee ∙ July 10, 2015

Samsung is moving up its Galaxy Note 5 launch to August this year in hopes of beating the new iPhone hype in September, reports The Wall Street Journal. Until now, the South Korean company has leveraged the annual IFA Berlin conference to debut the big-screened handset.

Citing a source familiar with the matter, The Journal says the move is part of a bid to give the Note some breathing room before mid-September, when Apple typically unveils its new iPhones—a product that often dominates both the news cycle and consumer attention for weeks.

Samsung bracing itself for another profit drop after miscalculated Galaxy S6/Edge demand

Christian Zibreg ∙ July 7, 2015

Samsung just can't catch a break.

Although Korean investors thought the flagship Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge smartphones would turn Samsung's fortunes around, the financial freefall continued when the South Korean conglomerate said Tuesday it expected to report a decline in revenue and profits when its second-quarter results go public later this month.

As the Wall Street Journal noted today, the unfortunate development marks Samsung's seventh straight quarterly profit decline. A source attributed worse than expected results to seemingly lackluster sales of Samsung's latest flagship handsets and a gross miscalculation in demand for the Galaxy S6 versus the Galaxy S6 Edge.

5 Galaxy S6 features that iPhone users will like

Jeff Benjamin ∙ Updated April 18, 2018

I've been testing out the Samsung Galaxy S6 for some time now, and I've used it for long enough to be able to confidently compile some of my thoughts on what is Apple's main iPhone competitor.

Obviously, the most stand-out feature with this device is the build quality. Samsung, after many Galaxy iterations, has finally stepped up its game when it comes to design materials. The Galaxy S6 is made out of metal instead of plastic, and it's a huge improvement over the cheap-feeling Galaxy phones of yesteryear.

But not only is build quality vastly improved, this phone packs quite a punch with regard to features. In fact, there are even some features that I, as someone who unequivocally prefers the iPhone, can't deny are pretty great. Inside, I'll cover 5 features from the Galaxy S6 that many iPhone users will enjoy.

Samsung allegedly taking on iPhone 6 Plus with giant-sized Galaxy S6 Edge Plus

Christian Zibreg ∙ June 19, 2015

It is no secret that Samsung has taken quite a beating on the high-end since last fall's release of the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus. According to the latest in the rumor-mill, which comes from the blog Sam Mobile and serial tech leaker @OnLeaks, an unreleased jumbo-sized Galaxy phone is about to increase pressure on Apple's 5.5-inch iPhone 6 Plus.

According to a purported render that leaked earlier this morning, the tentatively named 'Galaxy S6 Edge Plus' will keep the industrial design largely unchanged but have a screen measuring between 5.5 and 5.7 inches diagonally.

It's hard to tell from the renders as anyone can scale up the official press shots, but the device appears to be both taller and wider than the original S6 Edge, measuring approximately 155mm wide, 76mm tall and 6.85mm deep.

Samsung asks appeals court to reconsider infringement ruling

Cody Lee ∙ June 17, 2015

Samsung on Wednesday asked the US Federal Circuit Court of Appeals to reconsider its decision to uphold a ruling that will cost it $400 million in damages for infringing on Apple's design patents, reports San Jose Mercury News. In a recent court filing, the company asks for a rehearing with a full 12-judge roster, rather than the 3-judge panel the court used last month.

In 2012, a jury ruled that several of Samsung's products infringed on Apple patents, and awarded the iPhone-maker $1 billion in damages. That number has been reduced down to $548 million in various post-trial proceedings, and Samsung is trying to eliminate another big chunk—some $400 million—by getting the verdicts regarding design patent infringement tossed out.

Samsung takes jabs at iPhone 6 in latest ad salvo

Christian Zibreg ∙ June 4, 2015

In a pair of new television commercials, Samsung is back at what it does best: bashing Apple's iPhone. Promoted under the tagline “six is greater than six,” the 30-second videos highlight three features of Samsung's Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge: wireless charging, a wider-angle lens on the selfie camera out the front and a curved screen which displays tidbits of information across the edges of Samsung phones.

I've included both ads for your viewing pleasure.