The Korea Times

Samsung trails Google in M&As

By Kim Yoo-chulSamsung is following in Google’s footsteps with its mergers and acquisitions (M&A) strategy in a bid to develop new technologies and diverse new growth engines.Simply put, the company has shifted its sights to buying small, technology-oriented firms for organic growth by copying from Google’s know-how on small deals. The U.S. firm’s M&A success rate is estimated at around 70 percent.``Google’s M&A strategy is ideal as Samsung is now pursuing organic growth by acquiring small firms with patented technologies in select areas, not seeking just external growth by expanding its business size,’’ a Samsung official identified only as Park told The Korea Times.Google signed 47 deals in 2010 and 79 in 2011. The largest acquisition was Motorola Mobility for $12.5 billion in August 2011. ``As expansion is no longer the key word for Samsung’s M&A strategy, we are focusing on smaller deals in strategic areas such as mobile, video, bio and even chip sectors. We need more patents in business areas that we’re already invo

Feb 4, 2013By Kim Yoo-chul

Tech & Science

Optimus G turns LG fortunes around

LG Optimus GBy Kim Yoo-chulKoo Bon-mooLG Group ChairmanOver the last three years, LG Electronics had fallen behind because of its late start in smartphone development.Some even worried that it would go the way of Nokia in an industry that has been dominated by Samsung Electronics and Apple.Then came the “LG Optimus G.”It is probably the best-ever LG smartphone and features very advanced hardware specifications. This has turned LG around, although there is still a long way to go to catch up with Samsung and Apple.“This smartphone is loaded with a plethora of features that will surely entice anyone who is remotely interested in smartphone technology,” said company spokesman G.W. Kim.The Optimus G is a result of collaboration with LG’s leading technology affiliates — LG Display, the group’s display-making unit, supplies screens; LG Chem provides advanced batteries; while LG Electronics produces the finished sets. It is very rare for LG affiliates to collaborate on a single project.“That’s because the Optimus G was initiated by LG Gro

Jan 31, 2013By Kim Yoo-chul

Tech & Science

More penalties on carriers mulled

Pedestrians pass by an unidentified phone outlet near Oksu Station, downtown Seoul, Thursday. The local telecom regulator plans to impose additional penalties on all three mobile carriers as they continue to offer heavy illegal handset subsidies despite previous punishments.By Kim Yoo-chulThe Korea Communications Commissions (KCC) confirmed Thursday it will impose additional punishments on the country’s three mobile phone operators for continuing to provide higher-than-legal handset subsidies despite being hit by suspensions for previous violations.``Despite previous warnings, the carriers are continuing to break the law with subsidies. There will be more penalties after we complete the investigation,’’ said a senior KCC official, who hinted at more business suspensions. SK Telecom, KT and LG Uplus were given suspensions late last year for providing customers with excessive subsidies to help them purchase pricey smartphones and tablets.SK Telecom, the largest carrier with a 50 percent-plus market share, entered a 22-day period on Thursday during which it will be pre

Jan 31, 2013By Kim Yoo-chul

Tech & Science

SK hynix swings into black in Q4

SK hynix’s NAND flash memory chip-producing plant in Cheongju, North Chungcheong ProvinceChipmaker sees turnaround on solid chip demandBy Kim Yoo-chulSK hynix said Wednesday that it shifted to profit in the fourth quarter of last year on the back of growing demand for smartphones and tablets, raising hopes that the world’s No. 2 supplier of computer memory chips will see a turnaround this year.In a regulatory filing to the Korea Exchange, the company posted operating profit of 55 billion won between October and December from a deficit the previous year of 106.5 billion won. Its net profit reached 163.7 billion won compared with a 239.9 billion won loss a year earlier.Sales rose 6.5 percent year-on-year to 2.72 trillion won during the same period. The firm remains upbeat about its performance in coming quarters, saying that demand for its chips will be solid thanks to the rise of Chinese smartphone makers.``Mobile chips, which are one of the essentials to power smartphones and tablets, took up as much as 40 percent of our production in the fourth quarter compared with arou

Jan 30, 2013By Kim Yoo-chul

Tech & Science

Smarthphones put LG back on track

By Kim Yoo-chulLG Electronics bounced back last year with its operating profit jumping over 25 percent in the fourth quarter on the back of strong smartphone and television sales.The firm’s operating profit for 2012 nearly tripled to 1.13 trillion won.On Wednesday, the company reported operating profit of 107 billion won between October and December, up 25.2 percent from a year before. However, revenue fell by 2.3 percent to 13.5 trillion won in that period.The company made 50.96 trillion won in revenue last year, a decline of 6 percent from the previous year. Its home entertainment division, which includes its television unit, reported 6.44 trillion won in revenue for the last quarter. Its handset-making division saw 2.81 trillion won in revenue for the October-December period.Fourth-quarter profit for the home entertainment unit was 19 billion won and that of the handset division, 56 billion won. LG said its TV business fared well despite increased marketing costs amid heated competition between rivals.LG has announced its fourth quarter earnings based on a consolidated basis

Jan 30, 2013By Kim Yoo-chul

Tech & Science

Ruling to cut Samsung's damages payment

'Samsung did not willfully infringe Apple patents'By Kim Yoo-chul Samsung Electronics is expected to see the compensation it must pay Apple reduced by up to 70 percent after a U.S. federal court ruled that the Korean firm did not “willfully” infringe patents.U.S. Federal Court Judge Lucy Koh handed down some of her first post-trial rulings from the historical patent case between Samsung and Apple late Tuesday.Koh, who is presiding over the Samsung-Apple dispute, said that she disagreed with one of the jury’s key decisions that Samsung "willfully" infringed on Apple's patents.She also denied Apple’s demands for a new trial over “trade dress” and damages enhancements for willful infringement.Trade dress is “the design and appearance of a product together with the elements making up the overall image that serves to identify the product presented to the consumer,” and is the biggest issue in the Apple-Samsung legal battle.Referring to the judge’s decision on trade dress, a noted patent scholar in Korea claimed the damages that Sa

Jan 30, 2013By Kim Yoo-chul

Tech & Science

LG Chem to invest W2.12 tril. in facilities

By Kim Yoo-chulLG Chem said Tuesday that it plans to invest a record 2.12 trillion won on manufacturing facilities this year, up 2.2 percent from a year ago.The nation’s biggest chemical firm is aiming for 24.86 trillion won in revenue, up 6.9 percent from last year, it said in a statement.Its information and electronic materials division will receive the biggest portion of the investment budget at 740 billion won, followed by its petrochemical unit with 550 billion won.The firm’s project in Kazakhstan to build a petrochemical complex will continue as scheduled this year. The firm plans to invest 716 billion won in the complex, which is scheduled to go online in 2016.LG Chem will expand its annual capacity for synthetic rubbers to continue its market leadership and find new clients by capitalizing on emerging markets.The information and electronic materials division will put more focus on boosting films for use in three-dimensional (3D) flat screens, LCD glasses and OLED lighting, while its battery division will have more authority to drive its rechargeable batteries for

Jan 29, 2013By Kim Yoo-chul

Tech & Science

Samsung to open US lobby office

By Kim Yoo-chulSamsung Electronics said Tuesday that it will open an office exclusively designed for lobbying activities in the U.S. this year to support its business in the world’s largest smartphone market. It is now recruiting experienced lobbyists ahead of the full operation of the office in Washington, D.C.The move comes as the Korean electronics giant has expanded spending on lobbying activities in the U.S. in the midst of a deepening patent dispute with Apple.``Considering Samsung’s increased brand awareness in the United States and business expansion, selling products isn’t enough. With accelerating efforts on lobbying that’s within the law, we will be able to defend our corporate interests in a better way,’’ said an Samsung executive by telephone, Tuesday.The executive said the company’s increased presence in the U.S. capital will help it better deal with important pending issues.``Samsung is being challenged by many American companies over market share and interests in the United States as we’ve grown and will further grow. Du

Jan 29, 2013By Kim Yoo-chul

Tech & Science

Pantech bullish about new device

Models pose with Pantech’s latest Vega No. 6 handset during a photo session at its headquarters in Sangam-dong, northernSeoul, Monday.                       / Courtesy of PantechBy Kim Yoo-chulPantech unveiled a new phablet Monday with a price that could arguably be its biggest attraction. The handset vendor hopes the Vega No. 6 will generate enough of a buzz to help it further shed its old reputation of offering low-grade phones, thereby building a new reputation as a serious smartphone player. It will cost 850,000 won, cheaper than phones with similar features like Samsung’s Galaxy S III and LG’s Optimus G, both priced at over 1 million won. That is before subsidies from telecommunications operators kick in and mobile users will probably pay around 500,000 won when the country’s three wireless carriers release the device next month.The Vega No. 6 runs on long-term evolution (LTE) networks and is powered by Jelly Bean, the latest version of Google’s Android mobile operating system wit

Jan 28, 2013By Kim Yoo-chul

Tech & Science

AMD focuses on value-based service

David Kwon, corporate vice president of AMDUS technology giant strengthening ties with Samsung ElectronicsBy Kim Yoo-chulAMD, the world’s second-largest supplier of computer processors, is expected to bounce back after a tough 2012 by strengthening value-based services for major clients, including Samsung, according to a senior company official.In a recent interview with The Korea Times, AMD Corporate Vice President David Kwon said that the firm is focusing on boosting creative input for clients and making a visible difference in its relationship with customers through three key methods _ alignment, communication and collaboration.``Everything starts and ends by ensuring our customers are successful. We work with our global accounts to ensure that we’re bringing the right platforms to the market,’’ he said.``We have a true proposition in place offering true differentiation. Our clients are well-positioned to win and we have alignment on selling out these platforms with our customers’ headquarters and our customers’ regional sales teams,&r

Jan 27, 2013By Kim Yoo-chul

Kim Yoo-chul

Read more

Samsung trails Google in M&As

Optimus G turns LG fortunes around

More penalties on carriers mulled

SK hynix swings into black in Q4

Smarthphones put LG back on track

Ruling to cut Samsung's damages payment

LG Chem to invest W2.12 tril. in facilities

Samsung to open US lobby office

Pantech bullish about new device

AMD focuses on value-based service

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