AMOLED display to become cheaper than LCD next year

[THE INVESTOR] The price of active-matrix organic light-emitting diodes, or AMOLED, for mobile devices is expected to drop below that of a liquid crystal display, according to market research firm IHS on June 15.A 5.5-inch AMOLED display, currently priced at $34, is expected to become cheaper at $25 to $28. But liquid cystal display, or LCD, prices will remain flat at around $26 to $29 in the first quarter next year, IHS said.Samsung Display’s improved production capacity is one of the biggest c

June 15, 2016

Samsung to launch cheapest smartphone Galaxy On7 in Korea

[THE INVESTOR] Samsung Electronics is expected to launch another budget smartphone Galaxy On7 in Korea in the coming weeks via SK Telecom, sources said on June 15. 　The model is the Korean tech giant’s cheapest smartphone that is sold at 10,190 rupees ($153) exclusively in India currently. 　Launched in November, the phone features a 5.5-inch HD Display, a 13 million pixel rear camera, a 5 million pixel front camera and a 3000mAh battery. Samsung's cheapest smartphone Galaxy On7Sources said the K

June 15, 2016

Samsung lures game aficionados with VR tech

[THE INVESTOR] Samsung Electronics is showcasing its Galaxy S7 smartphone and virtual reality headset Gear VR at the E2 2016, the world’s largest game trade show, held in Los Angeles from June 14 to 16.The Galaxy S7 and its curved-display variant Galaxy S7 edge are the first smartphones that support the Vulkan, a cross-platform application programming interface which can improve the graphics of mobile games by fully utilizing multi-core mobile processors.At the trade show, Samsung also showcased

June 15, 2016

Samsung’s flagship Galaxy Note to finally have iris scanner

 [THE INVESTOR] Korean camera module maker Patron will reportedly be supplying its iris camera modules for Samsung Electronics’ next premium smartphone model, presumably the Galaxy Note 7, according to news reports on June 15.The Korean camera module firm reportedly won a bid months ago to supply the entire volume of biometric modules needed for the upcoming smartphone, which is expected to be unveiled on Aug. 2 in New York City.   Samsung’s flagship Galaxy Note 5Some of renderings of the smartp

June 15, 2016

Samsung denies rumors of investment plan for 3D NAND memory

[THE INVESTOR] Tech giant Samsung Electronics on Wednesday officially denied news reports on its investment plans for high-end memory chip production lines.The announcement comes after Korean news media reported that the semiconductor company is planning to invest around 25 trillion won ($21.2 billion)--some claimed 2.5 trillion won-- to beef up its production lines for 3D NAND flash memory in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province. “The company has not set detailed plans for the investment as the 3D NAND

June 15, 2016

Samsung SDS exec hints at share repurchase

[THE INVESTOR] Samsung SDS chief financial officer Park Sung-tae said on June 14 that the company is considering buying back shares and offering dividends in a bid to bolster the firm’s sagging stock prices.“We are considering repurchasing 1.8 trillion won ($1.5 billion) worth of Samsung SDS stocks,” Park told the company’s minority shareholders who gathered at the firm’s Southern Seoul headquarters.YonhapShare prices of the information and technology arm of Samsung Group have been falling since

June 14, 2016

Samsung to inject 2.5 trillion won into memory chip plant

[THE INVESTOR] Samsung Electronics plans to inject an additional up to 2.5 trillion won ($2.1 billion) to beef up memory chip productions at its plant in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province, the Electronic Times reported on June 14. 　With the new investment plan, the Korean tech giant aims to strengthen its leadership in the soaring memory chip market. According to the newspaper, the funding will be used to produce a monthly 40,000 3D NAND Flash memory chip wafers. The plant is expected to start operati

June 14, 2016

Shareholder actions affect Samsung SDS’ asset divest plan

[THE INVESTOR] Samsung SDS, a key information and technology arm of Samsung Group, is likely to choose a split-off rather than a spin-off to reorganize its lucrative business process outsourcing business unit, which is aimed at easing opposition of minority shareholders, according to market watchers on Monday. “Facing a growing number of activist shareholders, the Samsung unit is likely to choose a split-off to minimize the impact of its asset divest plan on its share price,” HI Investment & Sec

June 14, 2016

Samsung apologizes for online glitch

[THE INVESTOR] Samsung Electronics has apologized to customers for technical glitches during the online sales of its Galaxy S7 edge Injustice Edition, or as it is often dubbed -- the Batman phone. Soon after the phone went on sale online at 10 a.m. on June 13, around 1,300 orders -- 300 more than the number of smartphones available for sale -- were allowed to be made, due to systemic errors on the website.Samsung Electronics` Galaxy S7 edge Injustice Edition.“If the additional 300 consumers stil

June 14, 2016

Samsung SDI to improve profitability in Q2 on EV batteries

[THE INVESTOR] Samsung SDI, which saw a whopping 700 billion won ($600 million) in operating losses in the first quarter, is expected to improve profitability in the second quarter, largely buoyed by growing demand for automotive batteries. On June 14, Kiwoom Securities estimated that the company’s operating loss could be reduced to stand at about 33.9 billion won for the April-June period. “As marketability is improving in the electric vehicle market, Samsung SDI’s battery business is also expe

June 14, 2016

Samsung Electronics one of top 10 advertisers in 2015

[THE INVESTOR] South Korean tech giant Samsung Electronics was the largest advertiser in the country, a report showed on June 14.Samsung, along with Hyundai Motor, LG Electronics and the top three mobile carriers -- SK Telecom, KT and LG Uplus, were among the top 10 advertisers last year, according to Korea Advertisers Association. The main building of Samsung Electronics in Seoul.The country was also the sixth-largest spender among Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development countries

June 14, 2016

Samsung seeks to attract global investments

[THE INVESTOR] The fourth week of June will probably be one of the busiest weeks this year for tech giant Samsung Electronics as it is slated to hold, as well as participate in, a series of meetings and events to entice global investors.The Korean tech giant will be holding a global strategic meeting with the top executives of its global offices from June 21 to 22 at the firm’s head office in Suwon. Lee Jae-yong, vice chairman of Samsung Electronics. Around 400 to 500 chiefs and executives of Sa

June 14, 2016

[EXECUTIVE REVIEW] Merck Korea CEO flies DJI’s Phantom 4 drone

[THE INVESTOR] The Phantom 4 is the newest drone model by Chinese tech firm DJI. It is based on the DJI’s classic Quadro-Copter design of the Phantom series, with an X-shaped body, four propellers and a high-end camera mounted in a gimbal within a robust landing gear below the main body. Compared to the previous model Phantom 3, the body is streamlined. It has no edges or openings and the base plate of the gimbal with the SD card slot is integrated into the main body. The downward-looking sensor

June 14, 2016

Samsung Galaxy S8 likely to come with 4K UHD display

[THE INVESTOR] Samsung Electronics’ next flagship smartphone, tentatively dubbed Galaxy S8, is likely to come with a 5.5-inch, 4K UHD display, a market research firm said Wednesday. 　The Korean tech giant would become the first smartphone-maker to pack 4K resolution into its flagship smartphone, even though Sony last year released the Z5 Premium with such a panel. “Samsung Display showcased a 5.5 ultra-high definition 4K display with a pixel density of 806 ppi for virtual reality devices at the

June 13, 2016

[Exclusive] Samsung Display doubles OLED shipments in Q1

[THE INVESTOR] Samsung Display’s shipments of organic-light emitting diode panels have more than doubled over the past year, as global smartphone manufacturers, including those in China, are increasingly adopting OLED displays. UBI Research, a local market research firm that specializes in OLED, estimates that Samsung’s OLED shipments have soared to about 86.7 million units in the first three months of this year. The research results were obtained exclusively by The Investor. Over the same perio

June 13, 2016

Samsung Electro-Mechanics to launch IC packaging business

[THE INVESTOR] Samsung Electro-Mechanics, an electronic parts affiliate of Samsung Group, is preparing to dive into the integrated circuit packaging industry, according to news reports on Monday.Joining hands with Samsung Electronics, a chip maker, the electronic components firm will likely plan to win new supply contracts of chips for smartphone makers, including U.S.-based Apple. Workers at Samsung Electronics’ chip assembly line in Xian, China, pose with the firm’s NAND flash memory wafer. (S

June 13, 2016

Samsung SDS faces fierce opposition over split-off plan

A group of small investors intend to pay another visit to the head office of Samsung SDS, an information solutions business arm of Samsung Group, to protest the company’s planned split-off of its logistics solution business.Samsung SDS Small Investors’ Group said Monday that it would visit the firm on Tuesday afternoon to express its objection toward the proposed split-off plan.A man passes by Samsung SDS’ head office in Seoul. (Yonhap)“During the previous visit to the company, a Samsung SDS exe

June 13, 2016

'Samsung Display's automotive push late but in right direction'

SHENZHEN, China -- Samsung Display’s latest automotive push may have come late but it is the right direction for its future profitability, a top analyst told The Korea Herald. “Car is becoming an electronic, smartphone-based device. And you need displays to go with it,” said Paul Gray, principal analyst of market research firm IHS.“Those applications are also far more valuable. You are working with companies where you can secure businesses for three to five years as opposed to consumer electroni

June 11, 2016

OLED iPhone renews competition among display makers

[THE INVESTOR] Apple’s adoption of an organic-light emitting diode screen is renewing competition among display makers. According to recent news reports, Samsung has signed a deal with Apple to supply an annual 100 million OLED panels from the second quarter of next year for three years. Apple iPhone 6s Plus (Yonhap)“For now, Samsung is the only company that meets Apple’s strict product criteria. But considering its strategy of having multiple suppliers, LG and other display makers could share a

June 10, 2016

Samsung, de Grisogono to debut 'super-luxury' Gear S3

Samsung Electronics and Swiss luxury jeweler de Grisogono have agreed to jointly launch a so-called “super-luxury” limited edition of the Samsung Gear S3, a next-generation smartwatch that is set for official release later this year. “We are currently collaborating with Samsung to develop its next-generation smartwatch,” a de Grisogono official told The Korea Herald. The Samsung Gear S2 by de Grisogono (de Grisigono official website)The official added that the jeweler was approached by Samsung,

June 10, 2016