The Korea Times

Samsung vows to beat Apple

By Kim Yoo-chul Samsung Electronics has confirmed its plan to become the biggest handset manufacturer this year, vowing to beat Nokia of Finland and Apple of the United States. This is the first time that the Suwon, Gyeonggi Province-based consumer electronics giant has publicized its key strategy to crush Samsung’s long-time rivals. The plausible scheme could be a milestone in Samsung’s mobile phone business. Nokia is one of Samsung’s top clients and the South Korean firm, is also a long-time supplier for Apple. It is becoming a major rival for Apple in the mobile business on the back of its Android-backed smartphone and tablet lines. The ambitious plan comes after Apple has sought legal action to block Samsung over patent infringement in the United States and other international markets. Samsung aims to sell more than 330 million handsets including 100 million smartphones by the end of this year, which is seemingly enough to write a new chapter in its handset history, according to Samsung officials. Apple and Samsung emerged as the world’s No. 1 and No. 2 sma

Aug 24, 2011By Kim Yoo-chul

Tech & Science

Samsung wins OLED licensing deal

By Kim Yoo-chul Korea's industrial powerhouse Samsung has secured a good springboard for faster growth and development of next-gen displays after its flat-screen affiliate was entering a licensing period over some patents with a U.S.-based company. On Tuesday, Samsung Mobile Display (SMD) said it has inked a comprehensive patent-licensing deal with Universal Display Corp (UDC). SMD is a joint venture with Samsung Electronics and Samsung SDI. The agreement is more than crucial for Samsung Mobile Display because the Nasdaq-listed UDC was holding more than 1,000 patents in phosphorescent materials, which are vital for organic LED or OLED screens. Because the materials could boost the brightness and energy efficiency for OLED screens, which are expected to increasingly supplant LCD displays, Samsung has no choice but to pay royalties to the American company. "With the technology support from UDC, SMD will develop advanced and quality-improved OLED products further, and it's also been expected for a cost-saving thanks to the deal," said senior SMD spokesman Kim Ho-jeong.

Aug 23, 2011By Kim Yoo-chul

Tech & Science

LG denies deal with Apple for OLED TV

By Kim Yoo-chul With a firm belief in its domination of the smartphone and tablet markets, Apple, the U.S.-based consumer electronics firm, has shifted its sights to the tentatively named "Apple TV." But possibilities are currently very low that the iPhone maker will use an advanced and brighter display that could eventually replace the current liquid crystal display (LCD) screens on its upcoming televisions, sources directly involved with the matter said, Monday. “It’s true that Apple has keen interest in TV, allowing users to stream music, videos and TV shows via iTunes, though that needs some iPhone and iPad integration, however, Apple is still pessimistic about using OLED displays,” said one source. “Because Apple is worried over higher costs and technology-related issues linking to large-sized OLED displays, it is groundless that Apple has asked LG Display to supply its OLED screens for its upcoming televisions,” added the source. OLED allows display manufacturers to produce exceptionally thin TVs without hurting picture quality. But the screen is still not suitab

Aug 22, 2011By Kim Yoo-chul

Tech & Science

’US auto share understated’

By Kim Yoo-chul The growing popularity of Korean vehicles among American motorists has emerged as a verbal rallying point for U.S. President Barack Obama as he works to get the American public behind the country’s yet-to-be-ratified free trade pact with Korea. However, the Hyundai-Kia Automotives Group, Korea’s largest carmaker which enjoys a rapidly-growing market share in the U.S., appears to be apprehensive about being a frequent topic in political talk. ``We've got folks in America driving Kias and Hyundais. I want to see folks in Korea driving Fords and Chryslers and Chevys,’’ Obama said last week in an event in Iowa. It wouldn’t have been his intention to produce a news release from Hyundai-Kia, which expressed concerns that the comments may stoke American complaints about a supposed trade imbalance in automobiles between the two countries. Government officials and auto industry people in the U.S. are basing their judgment on data from the Korea Automobile Importers’ and Distributors’ Association (KAIDA), which shows the share of Korean cars in America to be 9

Aug 21, 2011By Kim Yoo-chul

Tech & Science

LG provokes Samsung, Sony with 3D TV ads

By Kim Yoo-chul LG Electronics, the world's second-biggest television maker, is desperate to establish itself as a leading brand in 3D sets and appears to be growing bolder in criticizing competing products from archrival Samsung Electronics. Although the demand for high-end electronic goods seems to have taken a hit with the worsening debt problems in Western economies, LG is looking to exploit the softened competition to strengthen its position in 3D TVs, which the electronics industry still insists is the natural successor to today’s conventional LCD flat screens. The company is looking to increase its advertising budget for its patented film patterned retarder (FPR) technology, which the firm claims provides sharper quality than rival products while allowing viewers to wear less-clunky glasses. Sony and Samsung, which have been the biggest-names in the nascent 3D TV market, have been employing a different system. LG hasn't been shy in expressing which company it believes has the superior products. In an advertisement published in the latest edition of USA Today,

Aug 21, 2011By Kim Yoo-chul

Tech & Science

Vonage to pioneer unlimited calling in Korea

By Kim Yoo-chul If you've been putting off calling your sister or brother in Canada or your European cousins due to fears of the higher cost of calling from your smartphone, a promotion from Vonage may pique your interest. The U.S.-based Voice-over-Internet Protocol (VoIP) provider is giving away one free international phone call, at a maximum of 15 minutes, to anyone who downloads its new iPhone mobile application Time to Call, which is also free. Not surprisingly, the promotion will cost the provider, however it seems evident that Vonage doesn’t care because it believes the market for international calls in Korea is a highly lucrative one considering explosive local demand for smartphones. ``South Korea is important for Vonage. It has a large, sophisticated user base with high smartphone penetration and significant outbound international calling needs,’’ said Marc Lefar, a chief executive from Vonage, in a recent interview with The Korea Times. Time to Call, a stand-alone mobile application for the iPhone has so far been released in 87 countries. The chief executi

Aug 15, 2011By Kim Yoo-chul

Tech & Science

Patent feuds taking different paths

By Kim Yoo-chul Korean technology giants Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics have found themselves entangled in messy patent disputes with their rivals in past months. While LG appears to be coming away from its fight with Sony unscathed, Samsung continues to struggle to cope with Apple’s legal onslaught. According to industry insiders, the Samsung-Apple conflict could lengthen should the companies fail to reach a cross-licensing arrangement, which LG has been pursuing with Sony. Apple took legal action against Samsung earlier this year, accusing the Korean electronics maker of “slavishly” copying the look and feel of iPhones and iPads in its own smartphones and touch-screen tablets. However, there is a possibility that the legal battle could be affected by the complicated relationship between the two companies. Samsung’s dual strength in both finished products and parts makes it a chief rival of Apple in mobile devices but a partner in components like memory chips and liquid crystal displays (LCDs). Samsung’s solid supply-chain management and advanced te

Aug 12, 2011By Kim Yoo-chul

Tech & Science

Is it Samsung bashing or Apple fetish?

By Kim Yoo-chul Samsung Electronics said Thursday it would take “all necessary measures” to fight the temporary injunction granted to Apple preventing the Korean firm selling its Galaxy Tab 10.1 in Europe. Samsung has vowed to defend its intellectual property (IP) rights. Apple, Samsung’s top client and biggest competitor in smartphones, said it has won the injunction and contends that the Galaxy phones and tablet computers ``slavishly copy’’ its iPhone and iPad. Samsung, which released its updated Galaxy 10.1 in Europe in June, is also facing similar suits in Australia and the United States. But the South Korean technology heavyweight has countersued Apple here, in Japan and in the United States. ``We will make an imminent appeal on the verdict,’’ said a high-ranking Samsung executive directly involved in the matter. A German court ordered Samsung to temporarily stop selling its tablets in the eurozone as the design of the Galaxy Tab closely resembles that of Apple’s iPad 2. Europe is a critical market along with North America, and court hearings on the issu

Aug 11, 2011By Kim Yoo-chul

Tech & Science

KT follows SKT in lowering rates

By Kim Yoo-chul KT, the nation’s second-biggest teleco has announced a much-awaited new mobile rate plan in a response to government pressure to cut prices to try and help ease inflation. Under the new plan, KT said it will shave 1,000 ($0.9) off the monthly fee for its customers from October, the firm said in a statement, Thursday. The average basic monthly charge is currently some 11,000 won. KT will also provide 50 free text messages a month and introduce a broader range of smartphone billing plans. KT could help its customers save some 484 billion won on a yearly basis with each one saving some 28,500 won per, said company spokeswoman Kim Yoon-jeong. ``The cut is massive. The free text message plan will start from November, while our new smartphone plans have been set from December, this year,’’ said Kim. KT customers who have fixed-mobile convergence (FMC) smartphones will use unlimited data calls between those users for just 19,000 won per month, according to the statement. FMC is a move towards seamless connectivity between fixed and wireless telecommunica

Aug 11, 2011By Kim Yoo-chul

Tech & Science

LG Electronics fighting knockoff products

By Kim Yoo-chul LG Electronics, the world’s second-biggest television maker, has announced a war on fake goods as its brand image has been tarnished in some of its key markets. LG has sued an Iraq-based KAWA in a regional court to halt the sale of what LG officials say are counterfeit products produced by the Iraqi company because KAWA didn’t pay for royalties to use the LG brand. ``We are seeking 16 billion won in compensation,’’ said senior LG spokesman Yoon Won-il, Wednesday, adding his firm is ideally positioned due to its enhanced traceability and it will drive up anti-counterfeit efforts. LG said KAWA has been selling goods that use ``Super LG’’ without any prior agreement. Yoon said LG is planning a complete ban on the product exports as part of its initiatives to secure its intellectual property (IP) rights. ``Trademark infringement-related troubles are increasingly common in emerging markets because LG’s brand awareness has improved. And we need to root out such illegal activities,’’ said Yoon. China is the source of some 70 percent of the fake goods, with

Aug 10, 2011By Kim Yoo-chul

Kim Yoo-chul

Read more

Samsung vows to beat Apple

Samsung wins OLED licensing deal

LG denies deal with Apple for OLED TV

’US auto share understated’

LG provokes Samsung, Sony with 3D TV ads

Vonage to pioneer unlimited calling in Korea

Patent feuds taking different paths

Is it Samsung bashing or Apple fetish?

KT follows SKT in lowering rates

LG Electronics fighting knockoff products

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