[THE INVESTOR] Korea’s market for Internet of Things services is expected to surge from the current 3.3 trillion won (US$ 3 billion) to 17.1 trillion won by 2020, a think tank predicted on July 12. The forecast means the nation’s IoT market will grow at an annual average of 38.5 percent in the next five years, outpacing 28.8 percent of the global market. Samsung ElectronicsHyundai Research Institute pinpointed smart home, smart city and smart car as top three promising industries in an era of th

July 12, 2016

[THE INVESTOR] US tech firm Oculus has filed an application to receive a mandatory radio wave certification for its virtual reality headset in South Korea, an apparent move to release the VR device here soon. Oculus, owned by Facebook, excluded South Korea from the list of the global markets where its VR device went on sale in January. Oculus’ virtual reality headsetThe Gear VR, developed together by Samsung Electronics and Oculus, has been ruling the domestic market so far.The US VR firm has al

July 12, 2016

[THE INVESTOR] Concerns are growing over brain drain within technology-intensive industries such as display and semiconductor as talented workers are leaving the country for new opportunities, mostly for China. A significant portion of highly trained tech talents are finding jobs at Chinese runner-ups that are willing to spend big to attract them. According to industry sources, Chines chipmakers are offering almost tenfold increase in current salary. One of the most high-profile moves is Kim Woo

July 12, 2016

[THE INVESTOR] LG Display’s initiative to grow the organic light-emitting diode display market is gaining steam as more television manufacturers are joining the fray for the high-end TVs featuring self-illuminating OLED panels.Companies like Skyworths, Changhong, Konga, Hisense, Vestel, Panasonic, and LG Electronics are reportedly global TV companies that employ LGD’s OLED panels. More will jump on the bandwagon, according to the Seoul-headquartered display firm.LG Display’s OLED display“The com

July 12, 2016

[THE INVESTOR] Korean mobile game publisher Gamevil announced on July 12 that its popular role-playing game “Kingdom of War” has made its global debut on the day. It is a strategy game based on a medieval fantasy world in which the mercenary characters of 52 species appear.Gamevil expects a positive market response as it has gained recognition after releasing a teaser trailer and pre-booking events. It said it has heavily invested on a robust development and global live service. By Yun Jeong-hye

July 12, 2016

[THE INVESTOR] Tech giant Samsung Electronics saw its NAND flash memory sales hit an all-time high in the January-March period, according to a market report.The Korean company earned US$2.62 billion in revenue in the first quarter, up 3.1 percent from the fourth quarter last year, according to a recent report released by IHS, a market research firm. Samsung Electronics’ 3-D NAND flash memory chip.  Samsung ElectronicsIts market share in the global NAND flash memory sector came in at 42.6 percent

July 12, 2016

[THE INVESTOR] Cable TV network operator CJ HelloVision and IPTV firm SK Broadband submitted follow-up reports to the antitrust watchdog after its recent rejection of their merger and acquisition deal.The two companies refused to provide any details of the report, but they are said to have claimed the feasibility of the planned M&A deal.The Fair Trade Commission had opposed the proposed M&A plan on the grounds that the combined business entity will become a dominant player in the pay TV market a

July 11, 2016

[THE INVESTOR] Samsung Electronics, the sole producer of cadmium-free quantum-dot TVs, is expected to benefit from European Union’s planned ban on TVs containing the carcinogen metal. According to Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency on July 10, EU is mulling to ban sales of quantum-dot TVs containing cadmium from early next year. The final decision will be made later this month after a public hearing. Samsung’s SUHD quantum-dot TVQuantum dots are tiny particles that emit a different color of

July 11, 2016

[THE INVESTOR] Korean firms Samsung SDI and LG Chem are unlikely to supply batteries for US-based Telsa’s electric cars any time soon, as Panasonic will continue being the exclusive supplier, according to an executive at the Japanese firm.Kenji Tamura, the head of Panasonic’s energy business, said in a recent interview with Japanese reporters that he is “confident,” that Panasonic would keep the exclusive contract with the US partner.Tesla Model 3This is because as Panasonic, the sole battery su

July 11, 2016