Samsung mobile chief not confident about foldable phones this year

Samsung’s mobile chief Koh Dong-jin stepped back from his earlier remarks on foldable phones during a press briefing in Las Vegas prior to the Consumer Electronics Show. Asked whether foldable phones would be launched this year, he said the firm is working hard to develop such phones. “It is difficult to talk about the date of the launch now. We want to unveil the products properly but now seems a bit early,” he added. In September last year, Koh said the firm was targeting to launch foldable ph

Jan. 9, 2018

[CES 2018] Sony presents new products, robot, car image sensors

Sony is set to present its lineup of new products for 2018 at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, as well as initiatives that use new technology, such as the entertainment robot aibo and automotive image sensors designed for self-driving cars, the company said.On display will be the new 4K organic light-emitting diode Bravia A8F series, which features the 4K HDR image processor X1 Extreme and brings a new design to the Bravia lineup. The prototype of the next-generation picture processor

Jan. 9, 2018

Nexon eyes global success with new mobile release ‘Durango: Wild Lands’

South Korea’s video gaming giant Nexon is eyeing global success with its new open world mobile role-playing game “Durango: Wild Lands” as it pioneers a new genre in mobile gaming with hopes of enticing mobile gamers in both Asia and the West.　 “Durango: Wild Lands” is slated to officially open for play in Korea from Jan. 25 via Google Play and the Apple App Store, and arrive in global markets including North America within this year, according to Nexon. The upcoming mobile game was developed for

Jan. 9, 2018

[Newsmaker] Intel chief says chip flaw damage contained by industry

Intel chief Brian Krzanich said Monday the impact of a recently discovered vulnerability in computer chips has been limited due to "remarkable" collaboration by the tech industry.Krzanich took the unusual step of addressing the security issue as he delivered a keynote ahead of the opening of the huge Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, an industry event expected to draw some 180,000 people from the sector. Intel chief Brian Krzanich (AFP)As yet, Krzanich said, there is no information to sugg

Jan. 9, 2018

[CES 2018] Competition heats up for Micro-LED, commercialization debated

LAS VEGAS -- LG Display on Monday announced that it is also developing Micro-LED technologies, a day after the surprise unveiling of its rival Samsung Electronics’ 146-inch Micro-LED TV, signaling intensified competition for the next-generation display panel also eyed by Apple.Micro-LED panels, which feature miniature light-emitting diode arrays with smaller, brighter modules and improved response speed, has been rising as the next-generation display in recent years following news of Apple worki

Jan. 9, 2018

Intel’s flaws expose first cloud-based PyeongChang Olympics to hacking threats: expert

The latest revelation by Google’s security team Project Zero about flaws in Intel’s central processor units exposes the upcoming PyeongChang 2018 Winter Games to new hacking threats, according to a South Korean expert on Monday. Kim Seung-joo, an information security professor at Korea University, told The Korea Herald that it was urgent for the organizing committee of the PyeongChang Games to examine possible threats to the sports event that is being prepared as the world’s first cloud-based Ol

Jan. 8, 2018

Rumors abound over Samsung, LG’s imminent flagship launches

Speculations continue to swirl over the release dates of the 2018 flagship phones from Samsung and LG, with Samsung expected to reveal its Galaxy S9 ahead of LG’s newest model.The Galaxy S9’s launch is widely expected to come at or just before this year’s Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, set to take place from Feb. 26 to March 1. The launch date would indicate a return to the S series’ original pattern of releases that was broken by the S8, which came at the end of March 2017 following a cris

Jan. 8, 2018

KT acquires first large self-driving bus permit

KT has acquired South Korea’s first permit to operate a large self-driving bus, according to the company Monday.The permit allows KT to operate a 45-seater self-driving bus on expressways and ordinary roads, following a permit to operate a 25-seater bus acquired last September.  KT’s self-driving 45-seater bus (KT)KT said that the permit will give the firm an edge in future businesses involving the Cooperative Intelligent Transport System currently being developed for urban areas. KT’s 45-seater

Jan. 8, 2018

Naver under fire for deleting certain ‘relevant search words’

Naver, which operates South Korea’s most widely used portal website, has come under fire for removing certain “relevant search words” on its search engine, in what experts see is a value judgment between privacy protection and citizens’ “right to know.”　The news comes just months after Naver admitted to removing a negative article about a local sports organization from its main news tab upon the body’s request, sparking concerns over the internet giant’s transparency.Naver`s headquarters in Pang

Jan. 8, 2018

Korean researchers find nanostructure that combats cancer

A local research team has discovered a form of nanostructure that has potential for later applications in cancer treatment.A joint research team of Yonsei University College of Medicine and Ewha Womans University assembled a phthalocyanine photosensitizer (PcS) with an anticancer drug mitoxantrone (MA) to form uniform nanostructures (PcS-MA). When the nanostructures were injected into a laboratory rat with breast cancer, more than 80 percent of the cancer cells were destroyed, the team said Mond

Jan. 8, 2018

[CES 2018] What to expect from CES this year

The world’s leading tech and automobile companies will come together to showcase their latest products and technologies at the Consumer Electronics Show, one of the year’s most highly anticipated tech events and which opens Tuesday in Las Vegas, Nevada. CES 2018 is set to kick off with the key concept of smart cities that can cover smartphones, home appliances, automobiles and transportation based on the 5th generation network, Internet of Things and artificial intelligence technologies. The pre

Jan. 7, 2018

Samsung, Panasonic, 20th Century Fox to tap deeper into HDR tech

Samsung Electronics Co. said Saturday it agreed with Japanese tech giant Panasonic Corp. and US entertainment behemoth 20th Century Fox to expand ties over High Dynamic Range (HDR) technology.Under the agreement, the three players will roll out a certification and logo program to promote the latest technology in the global industry."The accompanying certification program will ensure that HDR10+ compliant products meet good picture quality and deliver the creative intent of movie directors and ci

Jan. 6, 2018

Stem cell injections do not raise cancer risks: Nature Cell

　South Korean biotechnology firm Nature Cell said Friday that it has published clinical research showing that receiving multiple injections of the firm’s fat tissue-derived stem cells does not affect a person’s likelihood of getting cancer.　It is the first time that scientists have officially published a long-term clinical study showing that there is no meaningful correlation between fat tissue-derived stem cell injections and the onset of cancer, according to the company.　The research paper, ti

Jan. 5, 2018

Korean students apply new business ideas to nanotechnology

From steering wheels with built-in alcohol-detecting breathalyzers to a smart pillow that automatically adjusts itself to help mold a newborn’s head into the right shape, South Korean college students have been recognized for coming up with ideas for several new nanotechnology-based innovations that have yet to hit the market.South Korea’s Ministry of Science and ICT on Thursday awarded 10 student teams from local universities for winning a competition to present viable ways to apply Korea’s cur

Jan. 5, 2018

Nexon Korea to tap Lee Jung-hun as new CEO

South Korean video game giant Nexon Korea said Friday that it has tapped Lee Jung-hun, its Vice President of Business, to lead the company as its new CEO.Lee is slated to assume his new position this month, following board approval and related procedures. He will replace the outgoing CEO Park Ji-won, who will oversee Nexon’s global operations as its new Chief Operating Officer. Lee Jung-hun, who is set to become the new CEO of Nexon Korea this month (Nexon)Lee Jung-hun joined Nexon Korea in 2003

Jan. 5, 2018

[Newsmaker] WHO’s labeling of gaming addiction as a disorder sparks concern in Korea

The World Health Organization’s latest decision to classify gaming addiction as an official mental health disorder this year has ignited an international controversy. 　The issue is gaining particular attention in South Korea -- home to a strong gaming industry and an avid gaming population -- which has long been caught between the responsibility to fight adolescent game addiction and the need to promote the country’s thriving gaming sector.　Last week, the WHO revealed plans to recognize “gaming

Jan. 3, 2018

[Herald Interview] Line Pay eyes world connected by ‘seamless payment experience’

Since dominating the mobile messaging space in Asia’s major markets, Tokyo-based Line has been looking to transform itself into an all-around “smart portal” that links users in both their offline and online worlds.　Central to Line’s O2O vision is Line Pay, the mobile payment service created by Line and operated by its subsidiary Line Pay.　Three years in, Line Pay is on track to creating a new ecosystem where users can make payments with the touch of a smartphone anywhere and at any time, accordi

Jan. 2, 2018

Samsung’s semiconductor business braces for fiercer competition in 2018

Kim Ki-nam, chief executive officer of Samsung Electronics’ semiconductor business, is bracing for fiercer competition in the global market for chips this year -- a critical time for the industry’s growth. Cautiously forecasting the chip industry for the next 12 months, Kim has said in a short New Year’s message to local media that the industry is in a grave situation, hinting at difficulty in innovating the technologies and concerns about a looming oversupply.  Kim Ki-nam, chief executive offic

Jan. 2, 2018

Hit by battery woes, Apple belatedly begins replacement discount

Bombarded by unprecedented criticism and multiple lawsuits, Apple Korea on Tuesday said it would also begin offering a battery replacement discount for the controversial devices designed to slow down in time.The measure for Korea -- which came a week after lawsuits were filed against the company in US -- appeared without an official notification and too late to calm local consumers who have been demanding free battery replacements.“Consumers can change their battery at Apple service centers from

Jan. 2, 2018

Samsung to launch Galaxy A8 this week

Samsung Electronics Co. plans to start sales of the mid-end Galaxy A8 smartphone this week, with the country's No. 2 mobile carrier KT Corp. beginning preorders Tuesday.The mobile carrier said the factory price of the Galaxy A8 smartphone stands at 599,500 won ($561), although discounts will be provided depending on subscription plans. The colors available are black, blue and gold. A model poses with Samsung Electronics Co.`s Galaxy A8 smartphone in this photo released by South Korea`s No. 1 mob

Jan. 2, 2018