[Newsmaker] Samsung bets big on IoT

LAS VEGAS ― Samsung Electronics, the world’s largest electronics firm, said that its entire range of products would be connected through the Internet of Things technology by 2020. “Samsung will have all TVs connected through the IoT by 2017, and all other products by 2020,” said Yoon Boo-keun, head of the company’s consumer electronics business unit, in his opening keynote speech for the International CES on Tuesday. “Samsung will unlock infinite possibilities of the IoT by developing technology

Jan. 6, 2015

LG Display pledges to focus on OLED

LAS VEGAS ― LG Display, the world’s largest display-maker by sales, said Tuesday that it was committed to developing the organic light-emitting diode business this year despite challenges posed by rival products with cost efficiency and high-definition displays.“If the year 2014 was a time when we prepared the ground for the growth of the OLED market, this year will be a time when the OLED TV business will take off,” said Han Sang-beom, the chief executive of LG Group’s display business unit, at

Jan. 6, 2015

LG Electronics seeks tech to improve customers’ lives

LAS VEGAS ― South Korean electronics powerhouse LG Electronics vowed to exert its utmost efforts to make consumers’ lives easier and smarter with its open technologies.“The Internet of Things is what connects everything we value with the innovations that are centered around our lives,” said Skott Ahn, LG Electronics chief technology officer, at a news conference at the 2015 International CES on Tuesday. “At LG, we’re taking an open approach to maximize the value offered to our customers through

Jan. 6, 2015

LG affiliates aim to wow partners, customers at CES

The International CES, the world’s largest consumer electronics festival, offers home appliance makers the chance to introduce their trendsetting products.For other tech companies, the trade show is a venue to show off their technological prowess and seek global partnerships.Lee Sang-chul, chief of LG Uplus, the third-largest mobile carrier in Korea, is one of the leading businesses that does not make consumer electronics businesses that are flocking to Las Vegas for 2015 International CES to op

Jan. 4, 2015

[Weekender] Daum Kakao finds new growth engine in digital wallet business

Digital wallets such as Apple Pay and Alipay are gradually replacing cash and credit cards with more and more people browsing and purchasing goods by tapping and swiping on their smartphones.Kakao Pay, codeveloped by Internet giant Daum Kakao and ICT solutions developer LG CNS, is one of the services spearheading the mobile payment industry in South Korea.After launching its mobile payment service Kakao Pay in October, Daum Kakao was able to attract 2 million subscribers in less than three month

Jan. 2, 2015

KT CEO calls for unity amid market uncertainties

KT Corp. CEO Hwang Chang-gyu (center) and union officials pledge to promote peaceful labor-management relations this year on Friday. (KT Corp.)KT Corp. CEO Hwang Chang-gyu urged his employees to work effortlessly to gain the trust of consumers and lead the market.In his New Year speech at the company on Friday, Hwang said KT had faced a series of problems last year, and that the group and its units should work together to overcome the economic uncertainties ahead. The company faced further unpre

Jan. 2, 2015

Samsung eyes opportunities in IoT, smart health care

Kwon Oh-hyun, chief executive and vice chairman of Samsung Electronics, called on his executives and employees to develop new growth models for the Internet of Things as part of efforts to boost the company’s global competitiveness.In his New Year speech to some 400 employees at the company’s office in Seoul on Friday, Kwon said Samsung should establish a creative corporate culture in order to face new challenges in times of economic uncertainty.Samsung Electronics vice chairman Kwon Oh-hyun spe

Jan. 2, 2015

Samsung to introduce Tizen TVs at CES

Samsung Electronics said Thursday that it would unveil a lineup of smart televisions running on the Tizen operating system at the International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas next week.The company said Tizen would offer a simple user-friendly interface, allowing consumers to rapidly find popular content via Samsung’s Smart Hub function, which will also recommend shows to viewers based on their viewing histories.South Korea’s biggest household appliance-maker has partnered with game devel

Jan. 1, 2015

Samsung Electronics beats Apple in consumer satisfaction in U.S.

Samsung Electronics, the world’s largest smartphone maker by sales volume, took the top spot on a customer satisfaction index in 2014, beating its archrival Apple, the American Consumer Satisfaction Index, a U.S.-based private research firm, said Wednesday.Samsung scored 81 in the ACSI’s annual report for consumer satisfaction, a 6.6 percent increase from 76 last year. Its competitor Apple saw its score slide by 2.5 points on-year to 79, yielding the top spot to the Seoul-based tech giant.  Shin

Jan. 1, 2015

2015 to see dawn of Internet of Things

Take a moment and imagine a world where every information and object is customized to your needs through the power of big data solutions, sensor and cloud computing technology.Even before you step out of the office and head home on a cold winter night, your automobile will not only know your final destination, but it will warm up your seat in advance, your thermostat will raise the temperature to heat up your house and your refrigerator will recommend what food to eat for dinner.Although this ma

Dec. 31, 2014

Smartphone industry eyes technological leap

The world’s smartphone industry will likely achieve a quantum leap in 2015 with a slew of cutting-edge technologies adopted in handsets, including a curved 4K display, a 64-bit processor and faster telecommunications chips.Local manufacturers are expected to ride the wave, with Samsung Electronics, the world’s largest smartphone-maker by sales volume, expected to unveil its flagship Galaxy S6 smartphone at the Mobile World Congress, the world’s largest mobile trade show, which will be held in Ma

Dec. 31, 2014

Korean tech giants gear up for CES

South Korean tech giants Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics are gearing up to display their prowess at the International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Nevada, in the U.S. on Jan. 6-9.Samsung Electronics, Korea’s biggest electronics appliance maker, said Monday that it would showcase new concepts and innovative products targeting the North American market at the global exhibition.Its CES product lineup includes the ACTIVWash washing machine with space above the drum, enabling consum

Dec. 29, 2014

SK Telecom launches world’s first tri-band LTE-A service

SK Telecom said Sunday that it had commercialized a tri-band Long Term Evolution-Advanced service for the first time ever, as part of efforts to develop fifth-generation telecommunications networks.The tri-band LTE-A service will enable users to download a 1-gigabyte movie in 28 seconds at a speed of 300 megabits per second, which is four times faster than existing fourth-generation LTE, and 21 times faster than the third-generation service, South Korea’s largest mobile carrier noted.This follow

Dec. 28, 2014