Samsung Pay could include crypto currency wallet on Galaxy S10

Samsung Electronics appears to be expanding its mobile payment strategy to include blockchain technology as it reportedly is planning launch a crypto currency wallet system on the 10th anniversary phones of Galaxy S, according to industry sources Tuesday. Some leaks of alleged images of Galaxy S10 phones showed that the new gadgets offer Samsung Blockchain Keystore that is a crypto currency wallet application. Samsung had filed for related patents overseas last year.If the Galaxy S10 phones are

Jan. 29, 2019

Seoul runs ‘Korean version of CES’ with Samsung, LG, SKT, Naver

An event that the South Korean government dubbed “the Korean version of the Consumer Electronics Show” kicked off Tuesday for its inaugural three-day run with the participation of 35 domestic IT companies, including Samsung Electronics, LG Electronics, SK Telecom, Naver Labs and a number of small and midsize enterprises. The event was conceived about 10 days ago by the Ministry of Science and ICT, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and the Ministry of SMEs and Startups with the purpose o

Jan. 29, 2019

LG already moving toward 6G network technologies

LG Electronics announced Monday it is embarking on a research and development plan for the sixth generation of the telecommunications network beyond the upcoming fifth generation in order to lead the future market. LG opened a 6G research center within KAIST Institute, a research organization for technologies for the country’s economic development run by the Korea Advanced Institute of Technology in Daejeon Metropolitan City, which will be headed by Cho Dong-ho, professor of electrical engineeri

Jan. 28, 2019

[News Focus] Going walletless: Korea’s mobile payment market diversifies as competition grows

South Korea is increasingly going walletless, as more people are opting to use services that allow payments to be made easily with just smartphones both offline and online. With growing opportunities, smartphone-based payments have drawn interest from multiple players including information and technology companies, credit card companies and the government.It is still unclear which mobile payment service will eventually dominate Korea, where smartphones are ubiquitous. Amid rising competition, Ko

Jan. 27, 2019

[Tech Brunch] ‘SK hynix’s DDR5 more reliable for automotive memory’

ICHEON, Gyeonggi Province -- The fifth generation of double data rate DRAM that SK hynix developed as the world’s first last year could be a more reliable solution for automotive memory not only because of its speed but also because of its ability to correct errors. The error correction code, known as ECC, self-detects and retrieves errors in data transfer, now embedded in the chip, said Kim Dong-kyun, research fellow for DRAM design at SK hynix, the world’s second-largest memory chipmaker. Such

Jan. 27, 2019

SK hynix to slash investment amid worsened outlook for chip demand

Amid negative forecasts for memory chip prices and demand for the first half of the year, SK hynix, the second-largest memory provider, said Thursday it will slash capital expenditures on production facilities including equipment. During a conference call held after announcing its earnings results for the fourth quarter of 2018 and for the entire year, the company’s officials hinted at a significant reduction in total investment this year due to weakening macroeconomic conditions and a subsequen

Jan. 24, 2019

Korea hosts Drone Show Korea 2019

The South Korean government on Thursday kicked off Drone Show Korea 2019 in the southern port city of Busan, with some 100 firms showcasing their latest drones and related technologies.The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy said the annual event, which marks the fourth of its kind, is the largest drone-related convention in Asia. It will run for three days through Saturday. (Yonhap)South Korea's top mobile carrier SK Telecom Co. took part in the event, unveiling a new communication service t

Jan. 24, 2019

[Photo News] Kakao meets Starbucks

Starbucks Korea announced Wednesday it will accept mobile payment service Kakao Pay from Thursday.  (Yonhap)In a special promotion until Feb. 7, those who spend 10,000 won ($8.90) or more via Kakao Pay at the coffee chain will be rewarded with special emojis for KakaoTalk. The promotion is available at Starbucks stores nationwide except at Incheon Airport and military garrisons of US Forces. (khnews@heraldcorp.com)

Jan. 23, 2019

Phone makers to battle for attention next month

Excitement is building ahead of the Mobile World Congress 2019 next month, when up-to-date technologies from leading phone makers are expected to change the way we use our smartphones.Ranging from flexible display screens and in-display fingerprint scanning to gesture control, Samsung Electronics, LG Electronics, Huawei, Xiaomi, Sony and Motorola are planning to debut their new models ahead of the MWC 2019 that kicks off Feb. 25 in Barcelona, Spain. LG on Wednesday sent an invitation to global p

Jan. 23, 2019

Don’t date, network: Tinder tries to woo Korean users indifferent to online dating

　Finding one’s love interest via a dating app is still largely taboo in South Korea, and faced with such cultural challenges, the world’s most popular dating app is trying a different marketing approach by highlighting its social networking role for millennials.　In a press conference held in Seoul, Tinder CEO Elie Seidman branded the company as a “social discovery app,” saying it would offer users more opportunities to expand their networks. 　Tinder has been promoting a localized campaign for Ko

Jan. 22, 2019

At Lee Jae-yong’s order, Samsung Galaxy S10 series to feature powerful camera specs

In less than a month, Samsung Electronics’ 10th anniversary Galaxy phones will be unwrapped with breakthrough camera technology ordered by the firm’s leader Lee Jae-yong, who has shown a specific interest in the camera features, according to industry sources on Tuesday. According to rumors from tech fans around the world, the upcoming Galaxy S10 series is expected to feature three rear cameras that deliver 12-megapixel, 16-megapixel and 13-megapixel resolution, respectively, and dual front-facin

Jan. 22, 2019

Lithium-ion batteries rising as new pillar of Korea’s exports

Amid concerns about an anticipated slowdown in South Korea’s semiconductor exports this year, lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles are emerging as a new pillar that will prop up the export-driven economy, said industry officials Monday. According to forecasts by industry insiders and stock brokerages, the country’s three battery manufacturers -- LG Chem, Samsung SDI and SK Innovation -- last year won a total of around 110 trillion won ($97.6 billion) worth of orders for electric vehicle b

Jan. 21, 2019

8K TVs to see slow growth in 2019 amid lack of content: observers

The global market for 8K TVs is expected to post weaker-than-expected growth this year amid a lack of available high-resolution content, market watchers said Monday. South Korean tech giants Samsung Electronics Co. and LG Electronics Inc. boasted their 8K TVs with quadruple the pixels of Ultra HD models in the Consumer Electronics Show earlier this month, promoting them as new growth drivers in the premium segment.  (Yonhap)Despite the technological advances, industry watchers point out that the

Jan. 21, 2019

LG Electronics to unveil foldable smartphone for VIPs at MWC: source

Amid rumors about whether LG Electronics intends to join the upcoming foldable smartphone competition, a source confirmed to The Korea Herald on Sunday that the company will showcase a foldable smartphone exclusively to its business-to-business customers at Mobile World Congress 2019 in Barcelona next month. “LG will showcase the foldable smartphone under development to its VIP customers at a private booth to be set up the MWC,” said the source, who is familiar with the company’s mobile communic

Jan. 20, 2019

Samsung, LG introduce AI-based air conditioners

South Korean home appliance makers have showcased their latest lineup of air conditioners with artificial intelligence capabilities and advanced air purification features to target the premium market, industry sources said Thursday.Industry leader Samsung Electronics Co. unveiled its latest wind-free air conditioners that gently disperse cold air through micro air holes and saves energy with advanced inverters. (Yonhap)The new cooling system features Samsung's Bixby digital assistance to better

Jan. 17, 2019

Samsung to launch Galaxy A8s in Korea this month

Samsung Electronics Co. plans to launch its first smartphone with a camera hole in the display itself in South Korea later this month, industry sources said Wednesday. The world's largest phone maker plans to release Galaxy A8s in the domestic market in the coming weeks, following its unveiling in China last month, according to a Samsung official.  (Yonhap)The Galaxy A8s comes with a 6.4-inch screen with a 24-megapixel selfie camera. It also has three cameras on the back. The battery capacity st

Jan. 16, 2019

SKT introduces new messaging service in challenge to Kakao Talk

　South Korean mobile carrier SK Telecom on Tuesday unveiled a new text-message service designed to more efficiently deliver videos and pictures -- a move that industry watchers said signaled an intention to compete against the country’s top mobile messenger service, Kakao Talk. 　SK Telecom said the new system, based on technology called Rich Communication Services, allows users to send high-resolution pictures and short video clips without consuming massive data and incurring high fees. 　Accordi

Jan. 15, 2019

Kakao suspends carpooling service over protests from taxi drivers

South Korean tech giant Kakao said Tuesday it will suspend the test run of its carpooling service, following a monthslong standoff with taxi drivers who claim the business will threaten their operations.   　In a statement, Kakao said the company will no longer provide the trial carpooling service to users until it reaches a consensus with the taxi industry. The company said it would even consider scrapping the carpooling service altogether. 　“There are no conditions attached to the dialogue. … W

Jan. 15, 2019

‘Feminist’ tops list of most searched words on Naver dictionary

　South Korea’s biggest internet portal Naver said Tuesday that “feminist” was the most searched word in the company’s online Korean dictionary last year, reflecting heated debate over gender equality amid the #MeToo movement that had swept the country.　Citing data for the period between Jan. 1 and Dec. 27 last year, Naver said “feminist” ranked the highest in the number of queries on the website’s Korean dictionary. The word took second place in 2017. 　The second most searched word last year was

Jan. 15, 2019