Feature phone users in Korea less than 10m

Less than one-fifth of Koreans were using feature phones in 2015, according to government data on Monday.The number of feature phone users came to 9.99 million as of the end of December 2015, compared to the 12.1 million posted a year earlier, said the Ministry of Science, ICT and Future Planning. That was less than one-fifth of Korea’s 50 million-plus population. (Yonhap)At the same time, the number of smartphone users jumped 3 million over the cited period to reach 43.6 million A feature phone

Feb. 1, 2016

[Photo News] Samsung to unveil Galaxy S7 this month

SAMSUNG’S NEW GALAXY -- Samsung Electronics sent out an invitation to the media Wednesday for the unveiling event of its new flagship smartphone Galaxy S7 to be held in Barcelona, Spain on Feb. 21. (Samsung Electronics)

Feb. 1, 2016

Korea moves to keep space dream alive

GOHEUNG, South Jeolla Province ― Exactly three years ago on Sunday, Korea launched a rocket dubbed the Korea Space Launch Vehicle-I, or Naro, to put a satellite into orbit and become the 13th country to do so from its own soil.Since then, the Korea Aerospace Research Institute, Korea’s own version of the U.S.’ NASA, which led the Naro project, has been trying to move on to the next phase ― the development of the Korea Space Launch Vehicle-II.Engineers from the state-run Korea Aerospace Research

Jan. 31, 2016

Search for 4th telecom carrier faces doubts

After another failed attempt last week, doubts are growing over the Korean government’s search for a fourth telecom carrier in Korea. Aiming to spur competition and lower service fees, the government has sought to pick a fourth player in the telecom market that has long been dominated by three big companies -- SK Telecom, KT and LG Uplus -- since 2010.  But the latest seventh attempt ended in vain again Friday as the three bidders -- Sejong Telecom, K Mobile and Quantum Mobile -- failed to come

Jan. 31, 2016

Global tablet PC sales plunge 12.2% in 2015 on weak demand

Global sales of tablet PCs tumbled more than 12 percent in 2015 from a year earlier as a slumping world economy crimped demand for information technology products, industry data showed Sunday.A total of 168.5 million tablet PCs were sold across the world last year, down 12.2 percent from the previous year, according to data by market tracker TrendForce.It is the first time that global shipments of tablet PCs have fallen at a double-digit rate.Apple led the world‘s tablet PC market last year, but

Jan. 29, 2016

[Weekender] Even better than the real thing?

Virtual reality is a technology that creates the illusion of being fully immerged in the simulated worlds. But the profit potential from the burgeoning industry is becoming less and less of an illusion. Goldman Sachs recently predicted virtual reality, coupled with augmented reality, would become an $80 billion industry by 2025, possibly overtaking the TV market by 2026.“As the technology advances, price points decline, and an entire new marketplace of applications hit the market, we believe vir

Jan. 29, 2016

[Weekender] Tech giants dive into virtual reality race

Odds are you may think that virtual reality was developed in recent years. But it has long existed in different forms, arguably stretching back to the 360-degree murals of the 19th century and the stereoscope View-Master made in 1939. The term virtual reality is said to have been coined in the mid-1900s and augmented reality, which overlays 3-D images over the real world, came along in the 1950s. Visitors wear Samsung Electronics' Gear VR headsets at the company's 4-D theater at the CES trade sh

Jan. 29, 2016

[Herald Review] Google Cardboard vs. Samsung Gear VR

When I first tried Google Cardboard, a virtual reality pair of goggles made out of a few pieces of cardboard and two lenses, at The Korea Herald office in Seoul one afternoon, my coworkers giggled, watching me holding the small brown box up to my eyes and struggling to turn around properly in my chair. But their attention was divided between me and the trendy cardboard goggles, making me feel both embarrassed and flattered. Google CardboardTo be honest, I could have done a review on the Cardboar

Jan. 29, 2016

LG chairman stresses innovation for growth

LG Group chairman Koo Bon-moo has urged the chief executives of the conglomerate’s affiliates to push the envelope for change and innovation in order to overcome difficulties in the coming years.  Participating in the Global CEO Strategy Meeting, an annual meeting of the group’s chief executives, held for two days from Wednesday in Icheon, Gyeonggi Province, Koo told the top management to “renovate the existing profit structures and improve the business models, reflecting the changing market tre

Jan. 29, 2016

Korea fails to pick 4th mobile carrier

Years-long efforts by the Korean government to license the nation’s fourth mobile carrier went down to the drain again on Friday as the Ministry of Science, ICT and Future Planning failed to find an eligible candidate.　“All the three bidders did not meet the criteria for the license,” said the ministry, adding that the companies overall were incapable of raising funds and presented no detailed plans to run the business. (From left) Logos of mobile carriers KT, SK Telecom, and LG Uplus. (Yonhap)　

Jan. 29, 2016

[Weekender] K-pop stars bet big on hologram to expand global reach

Hologram concert of G-Dragon in Play K-pop (D'strict)Korea’s record label giants SM Entertainment and YG Entertainment are betting big on hologram technologies to better satisfy their global fans’ needs and create new cash cows. They are hoping virtual reality technology can be a substitute for K-pop stars, who are not able to cater to all the needs of fans globally. The nation’s largest record label, SM Entertainment, took the lead in going virtual. The firm launched a hologram concert of its h

Jan. 29, 2016

KT swings to profit in 2015

Telecommunications firm KT saw its operating profit surpass the 1 trillion won mark last year for the first time since 2012.The Korean telecom firm reported Friday that its operating income swung to a profit of 1.29 trillion won ($1.1 billion) in 2015 from a loss of 406.6 billion won the previous year. KT CEO Hwang Chang-gyu delivers a speech at the opening ceremony of the mobile carrier’s new headquarters in January in Gwanghwamun, Seoul. KTWhile revenue was down 0.1 percent to 22.28 trillion w

Jan. 29, 2016

[Photo News] The New DS5 debuts

NEW DS5 DEBUTS -- Hanbul Motors, the Korean importer of Peugeot Citroen brands, started selling its premium brand DS’ crossover sedan, the New DS5, in Korea on Jan. 29. Equipped with a 2.0L BlueHDi 180 horsepower engine, the vehicle boasts a glass roof and a rear camera, as well as a luxurious interior inspired by an airplane cockpit. Prices start from 45.9 million won ($38,000). (Hanbul Motors)

Jan. 29, 2016

[Newsmaker] Samsung warns of tough year on weaker smartphone sales

Samsung Electronics on Thursday warned of weaker earnings this year amid slowing demand for consumer electronics, especially its mainstay smartphones.In a regulatory filing, the Korean tech giant said its fourth-quarter net profit fell 40 percent to 3.2 trillion won ($2.7 billion) from a year ago despite a 16 percent gain in operating profit to 6.14 trillion won. A Samsung Electronics sign stands at the company’s Seoul headquarters. YonhapFor the whole year, the company posted 200.6 trillion won

Jan. 28, 2016

Samsung mobile business to offer high bonus for employees

The members of Samsung Electronics’ mobile business and chip business units will likely enjoy a bonus party this week as they will receive the highest amount of incentives for 2015 at the firm, according to news reports on Wednesday.The company has reportedly informed its executives and employees about the detailed plan for annual incentives, dubbed the overall performance incentive, on the day. Samsung Electronics’ head office in Seoul. (Yonhap)The tech giant rewards its executives and employee

Jan. 27, 2016

Korea aims for top start-up accelerator nation

The Korean government on Wednesday announced a set of new plans to support start-ups and encourage entrepreneurship overall with aims to become one of the top seven start-up accelerating nations by the end of this year. 　The Ministry of Science, ICT and Future Planning unveiled its 2016 work plans that, among other things, aim to vitalize the start-up sector and support research and development projects for ICT, science and biotechnology. 　The ministry did not specify the budget for the plans bu

Jan. 27, 2016

Samsung Electronics’ foreign ownership falls to 27-month low

Stocks held by foreign investors in Samsung Electronics dropped to the lowest level in 27 months amid growing concerns about the global economy, data showed Wednesday. Offshore investors owned 48.97 percent of Samsung Electronics shares as of Monday, marking the lowest since Oct. 2, 2013, when the figure came to 48.94 percent, according to data by the Korea Exchange. Foreign stock ownership of the country’s top-cap company has been on the decline since July, when it reached a yearly peak of 51.8

Jan. 27, 2016

LG Chem's operating profit jumps 40% on-year in 2015

Despite global economic woes last year, LG Chem saw its operating profit increase by 39.1 percent to 1.82 trillion won, compared to the preceding year, according to the firm’s annual earnings report released Tuesday.　　The company’s annual revenue, however, decreased to 20.21 trillion won, down 10.5 percent from the year before.　The chemical and battery business affiliate of LG Group said in the earnings report that “Overall sales have decreased due to slow recovery of the global economy and oil

Jan. 26, 2016

SK Broadband unveils new mobile media platform

In response to the launch of video-streaming service Netflix in the Korean market earlier this month, SK Broadband, an Internet and pay TV services provider, has introduced a new mobile media platform. Called Oksusu, which is the Korean word for corn, it combines the firm’s on-demand mobile TV service Btv and video-streaming service Hoppin.　The wholly owned subsidiary of SK Telecom said it would focus on making a wide range of video content available on the new platform.　Oksusu will feature the

Jan. 26, 2016