05/13, 8:36am
Ruggedized Galaxy S4 variant heads to Bluetooth SIG for certification
The anticipated ruggedized version of the Samsung Galaxy S4 has appeared for certification at the Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG). The device had previously been alluded to by a Samsung executive who said that it would be releasing a device with water and dust resistance along the lines of the Sony Xperia Z and ZR. Its appearance on the Bluetooth SIG site is indicative that it is set to join the ever expanding range of Samsung Galaxy products in the next couple of months.
more
05/13, 6:45am
Speed of 1GHz reached in 2-kilometer test, could rise by 2020
While carriers around the world are still working on their 4G LTE network deployment plans, the next generation of cellular networks is being worked on by Samsung. The manufacturer has announced it has developed an adaptive array transceiver technology, which will apparently form the core of 5G networks by 2020.
more
05/13, 4:53am
Images show slight size difference between full-size Galaxy S4 and Mini
The Samsung Galaxy S4 will be available in an extra shade of blue, according to a Japanese carrier's promotional material. The images from DoCoMo arrive at the same time as other photographs that claim to show the Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini, something which has been suggested as launching at some point this month.
more
05/10, 4:48pm
Could affect outcome of Apple v. Samsung battles
The US Patent and Trademark Office has issued a preliminary rejection of some claims in an Apple patent, Method and apparatus for providing translucent images on a computer display, says FOSS Patents. Claims 29-30 and 33-35 have been rejected. The USPTO says that aspects of the patent were obvious or anticipated in light of another patent, Method and apparatus for displaying simulated keyboards on touch-sensitive displays, as well as prior art.
more
05/10, 7:35am
Samsung Galaxy S4 Zoom camera phone inbound
Samsung has submitted a Galaxy S4 Zoom to the Bluetooth SIG group for Bluetooth 4.0 certification. The device is set to join the fresh battle for the rejuvenated camera phone segment with a 10x optical zoom built-in for users looking for better camera shots as their first priority in a smartphone. Listed on the Bluetooth SIG site as a “Samsung Mobile Phone” the device also carries the model designation SM-C101.
more
05/09, 5:26pm
Google called itself a neutral third party, judge questions impartiality
Magistrage Judge Paul S. Grewal, the judge in charge of pre-trial discovery issues in the second Apple vs. Samsung patent trial, has ruled that Google must provide Apple search terms used in the unearthing of documents related to the case. Google is now compelled to "produce search terms and a list of custodians that Google used in response to requests for production Apple served on it." The seven-page ruling makes a point clear -- Apple wasn't seeking further discovery, it just expressed concern on the information Google pulled for discovery.
more
05/09, 4:02pm
Samsung still overwhelmingly in control
Apple retook fifth place in the Chinese smartphone market during the first quarter of the year with an 8 percent share, according to Canalys data obtained by IDG News. Previously, during the third and fourth quarters of 2012, Apple had been relegated to sixth place. Samsung remained in control during Q1 2013, managing a 20 percent share. Local firms Yulong, Huawei, and Lenovo completed the top five.
more
05/08, 7:49pm
Most of the components inside the phone are Samsung-produced
A teardown of the 32GB US Samsung Galaxy S4 by research firm IHS iSuppli shows the device costs the Korean manufacturer just above $237 to build per unit. Many of the components are sourced within Samsung itself and is not far below the Bill of Materials (BOM) cost of the Galaxy Note tablet, which runs the company $270 per unit.
more
05/08, 11:50am
Files statement opposing Google amicus curiae in first case
As a part of one of its lawsuits against Samsung, Apple is asking US Magistrate Judge Paul Grewal for access to Google's Android source code records, Bloomberg reports. The documents are being demanded as part of pretrial information sharing; Apple argues in a court filing that Android is used in all of the Samsung devices accused of infringing Apple patents, and "provides much of the accused functionality."
more
05/08, 6:33am
Rollercoaster ride used to demonstrate low-light capabilities
Nokia is continuing to tease its impending launch of the Lumia 928, by comparing its camera against that of the iPhone 5 and Samsung Galaxy S III. A video on the Nokia website using footage from the three phones claims to show how the 8.7-megapixel PureView camera stands up to those found in competing handsets in low-light conditions.
more
05/07, 9:36am
Claims new Minis in Q3 2013, Q1 2014
Production of Retina displays for a new iPad mini should start in June or July, says NPD DisplaySearch analyst Richard Shim. Elaborating, Shim claims that LG Display will be the parts' major producer, and that Samsung will continue to be omitted from the Mini display chain. "Samsung is currently not in the iPad mini and they won't be in the next generation. LGD is becoming a much bigger supplier than before," he says.
more
05/06, 6:30pm
Giants take 100 percent of all smartphone profits between them
Samsung is steadily improving its profitability in the smartphone area, but Apple continues to be the dominant player when it comes to making money on smartphones sales according to the latest report from Canaccord Genuity. Apple's lower profit margin on smartphones in the first calendar quarter of the year led to a significant drop in its share of smartphone profits but was enough to allow the iPhone maker to claim 57 percent of the entire industry's profits, with Samsung taking the remaining 43 percent.
more
05/06, 6:42am
Samsung Galaxy Core aimed at mid-range segment
Samsung has launched the Galaxy Core, a new mid-range smartphone that is also available in a dual-SIM variant. The new device continues with Samsung’s current Galaxy styling with rounded corners and an arched back, while also retaining the plastic body. It also carries Samsung’s S-Voice and Smart Stay function that allows tracks a user’s eyes recognizing when to keep the display on or turn it off.
more
05/03, 7:00pm
Android, BlackBerry losing share months after iPhone 5 debut
Though the combined sales of Android smartphones continues to best Apple as a platform, Google's mobile OS continued to lose marketshare in the US in the latest quarterly comScore survey, as Apple solidified its position as market leader despite the lack of any new iPhone model in since before the holidays. Apple's share of the US smartphone market is now 39 percent, up 2.7 percent since December. Though Samsung was able to increase its US share slightly, the other three major Android vendors all lost ground in the most recent quarter.
more
05/02, 9:35pm
Samsung not forthcoming with user-available space on 16GB model
Early purchasers of the Samsung Galaxy S4 have discovered that approximately 45 percent of the storage on the 16GB model is occupied by Samsung's Android implementation, and unusable by the owner. Upon inspection of the device, the base Galaxy S4 model has only 8.82GB available to the user -- with the rest filled by Samsung with new features like the TouchWiz UI, Samsung Hub, and ChatON.
more
05/02, 6:12am
Hydrofluoric acid incident re-occurs in hazardous processor factory
An incident at a Samsung production facility has seen another set of employees injured. The leak of hydrofluoric acid gas at the processor plant in Hwaseong, Korea is the second incident of its kind in a four-month period, with the previous incident taking place at the same factory with the same leaked gas causing injury.
more
05/01, 4:16pm
Platforms getting separate approval
The US Department of Defense should grant two separate security approvals to iOS 6 devices and Samsung Galaxy phones in the coming weeks, according to sources for the Wall Street Journal. Apple's iOS 6 is expected to be vetted as safe for non-classified data uses, namely email and web browsing. Galaxy phones, meanwhile, will allegedly be judged as conforming to the DoD's Security's Technology Implementation Guide, allowing use by some military agencies for sending and receiving internal email.
more
05/01, 7:19am
Compact system camera replaces most controls with touchscreen options
Samsung has unveiled a new compact system camera with a large 3.7-inch, 1,152k-dot touchscreen on the back. The NX2000 Smart Camera, using the same 20.3-megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor as the NX300 shown earlier this year, uses the WVGA-resolution screen for navigation, replacing most of the buttons and controls usually seen on the back of a camera.
more
04/30, 9:57am
Will be restricted to 13 Samsung devices
US District Court Judge Lucy Koh has set a November 12th date for a trial to recalculate damages vacated from last year's initial, $1.05 billion Apple v. Samsung ruling, reports say. On March 1st, Koh issued an order vacating $450.5 million from the original judgment, owing to a questionable jury outcome which set only one damage figure per device despite multiple patents being involved in each instance. The $450.5 million figure did come down on Monday though, since Koh reversed a ruling on the AT&T edition of the Galaxy S II, returning $40.5 million back to Apple.
more
04/30, 7:59am
New Samsung mobile DRAM doubles speed of previous generation
Samsung Semiconductor is ramping production of new 20nm 4 gigabit LPDDR3 mobile DRAM, the company has announced. The company says that it is the first to produce the ultra high speed low power double data rate 3 DRAM claiming that its performance is comparable to that which can be achieved from desktop computer RAM. According to Samsung, the bandwidth of the new chips is up to double that of previous designs.
more
04/30, 6:11am
Next Galaxy Note 3 may have 5.99-inch display, 4+4 CPU
A new rumor has the forthcoming Samsung Galaxy Note 3 packing a 5.99-inch 1080p display. As with many of Samsung’s mobile product iterations, the new display will be larger than the displays on the original Galaxy Note (5.3-inches) and the Galaxy Note 2 (5.5-inches). Each of the earlier versions of the device carried Super AMOLED displays, although the new rumor doesn’t specify whether it will follow suit, or carry an LCD panel.
more
04/29, 5:56am
Galaxy Tab 3 boosts processor, storage, may be budget tablet
Samsung has unveiled an update to one of its successful lines of tablets, though it appears to be a mild upgrade rather than a complete product overhaul. The Galaxy Tab 3 houses an upgraded dual-core 1.2GHz processor, up from the 1GHz version used in the Galaxy Tab 2, along with options for 16GB of internal storage with extra microSD expansion.
more
04/28, 2:21pm
Samsung's design stumble is HTC's gain
A large number of tech press reviews of Samsung's Galaxy S4 have noted that it's design is inferior to HTC's premium-feeling One, and that would appear to be paying off for HTC. The manufacturer's North American president recently told Business Insider that the knocks on Samsung's design ethic are drawing the right kind of attention to HTC just when the company needs it most.
more
04/28, 7:58am
Galaxy S4 shipments in Australia experience surprise delays
Samsung’s Australian Galaxy S4 launch has been hit by shipping delays. The Korean tech giant put on a glitzy launch in Sydney on Wednesday, even lighting up the Opera House to celebrate the occasion. Although the launch event was held just a few days before its promised arrival in stores on April 27, the company made no indication that customers may have to endure any shipment issues.
more
04/27, 7:32pm
iPad beats out Kindle Fire, others in J.D. Power rankings
Apple's iPad is the best tablet on the market in terms of consumer satisfaction, according to J.D. Power and Associates' new 2013 U.S. Tablet Satisfaction Study. The survey looked at the opinions of 1,857 tablet owners who've had their devices for less than a year, and Apple's bestselling tablets came out on top for the second time in a row. Apple devices hold the top spots in J.D. Power rankings for both tablets and smartphones.
more
04/27, 6:02pm
GS4 debuts in UK to long lines of fans
Samsung's Galaxy S4 has finally launched in the United Kingdom and Netherlands, with considerable crowds attending the release in at least one location. The new Samsung flagship handset has received positive reviews, and its launch comes at the end of months of hype. Samsung fans in Amsterdam appear to have gathered by the dozens, and possibly hundreds, in anticipation of the device's release.
more
04/26, 2:51pm
Galaxy S4 Active to be dust and waterproof, rugged yet retains S4 appearance
Samsung is planning to introduce a ruggedized version of the Galaxy S4 this summer, according to a report. The Korean electronics producer is also plotting to put out a smaller version called the Galaxy S4 Mini, mimicking the product strategy of the Galaxy S III, as well as a new eight-inch Galaxy-ranged tablet sometime in June.
more
04/26, 8:35am
Samsung has made significant improvements to the GS4 AMOLED display
DisplayMate has run an in depth analysis on the new Super AMOLED 5-inch 1080p display in the Samsung Galaxy S4 giving its seal of approval. According to the site, the quality of AMOLED displays is starting to “challenge the best performance of the best LCDs.” Compared to the display in the superseded Galaxy S III, the new Galaxy S4 display is said to be better calibrated and brighter.
more
04/25, 8:59pm
Next quarter expected to be bolstered by Galaxy S 4, tablet sales
Samsung Electronics today announced quarterly revenues of 52.87 trillion won ($47.6 billion) for the first quarter ended March 31 -- a six percent decrease from the previous quarter. Consolidated operating profit for the quarter reached 8.78 trillion won ($7.9 billion), representing a one percent decline quarter-over-quarter. Samsung estimates revenues would hit 52 trillion won ($46.8 billion) with operating profit of 8.7 trillion won ($7.8 billion) in this last quarter.
more
04/25, 7:30pm
Koh again forcing the two companies to focus, summarize
As she did in the first Apple vs. Samsung patent trial, Judge Lucy Koh is again requiring the companies to narrow their claims and limit the scope of their arguments against each other as both firms prepare for a second patent trial on different patent infringement arguments than those in the first trial, which Apple won handily but is currently on appeal. The order, which was issued late on Wednesday, comes ahead of some possible summary judgement rulings that could leave either Apple or Samsung with fewer patents to argue over.
more
04/24, 12:25pm
Reviews complain about build-quality, feature failures
The Samsung Galaxy S4 has seen mostly positive comments from technology publications, in reviews published today. The general tone across the board seems to be that the new Samsung flagship device is a nice step-up from its predecessor, the Galaxy S III, consumers will be forced to choose between the extra features the S4 provides with the design of the similar-in-specification HTC One.
more
04/24, 11:00am
New features for Galaxy flagship
Samsung's first batch of Galaxy S 4 smartphones is set to arrive at US carriers this week. Electronista checked out the flagship Android phone at the company's New York launch event, when the software bugs were still being worked out, but now we've taken a closer look at the production model that will be headed to Sprint on April 27.
more
04/22, 3:07pm
Small portion of what may be needed
Apple has pledged $8 million towards earthquake relief in Ya'an, according to an official statement on its Chinese website. The company has also offered its "deepest condolences" in the wake of the disaster, which hit Ya'an on Saturday. The quake measured 6.6 on the Richter scale, and has killed at least 186 people, injuring over 11,000, according to state media.
more
04/20, 5:36pm
Some users seeing April 23 ship dates for GS4
Samsung's Galaxy S4 smartphone is one of the most anticipated handsets of the year, and some AT&T customers may be able to get their hands on the device a week earlier than expected. Reports have emerged of some customers ordering the Galaxy S4 on AT&T only to see that the device will ship on April 23, not the April 30 date that was previously given. A recent look at AT&T's site showed that some users still only have the April 30 option, but Engadget captured a screenshot showing it is at least possible that some will see their S4s shipping a week earlier.
more
04/20, 5:25pm
EEG caps could help disabled users to control tablets
Samsung engineers are working with researchers at the University of Texas to make brainwave-controlled tablets a reality. MIT Technology Review carried a story on Friday that the South Korean tech giant is working to develop electroencephalograph caps that would let users control mobile devices like the Galaxy Note 10.1 without touching it. The research is still very much in its early stages, but it may hold the promise of giving disabled users much greater control over devices.
more
04/19, 6:09pm
Little actual agreement on anything, Samsung on the defensive
Apple and Samsung have submitted a joint case management document to the Northern District of California court for the second omnibus smartphone patent trial, scheduled for 2014. Besides making clear that there has been no progress towards a settlement since December, the parties have narrowed the scope of the trial to 16 patents, with further winnowing expected at some point before the trial.
more
04/19, 7:26am
Samsung preparing for 30 million shipments in first quarter on sale
Samsung is expecting to ship 10 million Galaxy S 4 units in its first month on sale, reports Digitimes. Citing supply chain sources familiar with Samsung’s component orders, it is also thought that Samsung could ship as many as 30 million Galaxy S 4 smartphones in the second quarter. Samsung has ramped for Galaxy S4 launches in 50 countries on 327 carries helping it to ship in high quantities on its launch at the end of the month.
more
04/18, 5:54am
Phablet said to be more powerful than Samsung's offering
Nokia is planning to make a phablet in order to compete with other similar devices and to suppliment a relatively slow growth in Lumia sales, according to a report. The new device is suggested to be similar in size to the Samsung Galaxy Note, but with a higher specification, and will also run Windows Phone as its operating system.
more
04/17, 9:44pm
Apple decries quality of documents returned by search engine
As part of the 2014 Apple versus Samsung smartphone patent trial motions, Apple has filed a request to compel discovery from Google. In support of the motion, Apple filed a reply brief saying that the response from the search engine was poor, and that it "wants to work cooperatively with Google to correct these flaws," implying that Google has a broken automated search process, or that it is purposely using poor search terms to seek internal copyright documents which could be relevant to the upcoming trial.
more
04/17, 4:50pm
Taiwanese Fair Trade Commission investigating, HTC likely to respond
The Taiwan Fair Trade Commission is reportedly investigating astroturfing attacks launched by Samsung denigrating HTC devices through the use of paid posters who did not disclose their connection to Samsung. The investigation was launched after a website accused the manufacturing giant of "evil marketing" when it was discovered to have used anonymous Internet users to criticize the devices by the rival company.
more
04/17, 10:27am
Sprint promises discount for new customers
Several carriers have announced release dates for Samsung's Galaxy S 4, which will land at T-Mobile on April 24 before arriving at Sprint on April 27. Sprint has chosen $250 as the standard subsidized price for the Android flagship, though a $100 instant credit is offered for new customers who switch from another carrier. Keeping to its new "un-carrier" branding, T-Mobile is advertising $150 as its up-front cost ahead of monthly device payments.
more
04/15, 8:48am
Training document shows Staples opening pre-orders tomorrow
The Samsung Galaxy S4 may hit retail stores in the US late next week, according to a leaked document from Staples. An in-store training sheet shows the smartphone reaching AT&T well before T-Mobile and Verizon, based on “tentative launch dates,” as well as details concerning Staple's handling of handset pre-orders.
more
04/15, 1:48am
Software giant's move into hardware may continue
Microsoft is the latest tech giant said to be working on designs for a smartwatch. Sources tell The Wall Street Journal that the Redmond-based company has been working with suppliers in Asia to acquire components for a wearable computing device, though the likelihood of such a device's release is uncertain. Should a Microsoft smartwatch emerge, it might find competition from similarly rumored devices from Apple and Google, as well as a confirmed device from Samsung.
more
04/14, 6:04pm
Future Galaxy devices could have different designs
Even as it prepares for the release of its next flagship handset, Samsung may be worried that its competitors have an edge on it. A new rumor has the South Korean conglomerate pondering a change in the build quality of its devices in light of the release of premium-quality devices like HTC's new One handset. Future Galaxy devices could therefore see a big boost in build quality, starting perhaps as early as this year.
more
04/14, 5:10pm
Android camera gets 180MB update, effect unclear
Owners of Samsung's Android-powered Galaxy Camera should be receiving a software update today if their devices run on Verizon's network. The new update, picked up by Droid Life, looks to be considerable, as it measures 180MB in size. What exactly the software update contains, though, is as yet unknown.
more
04/13, 3:07pm
New NAND memory chips produced using 10nm process
Samsung announced this week that it had begun mass production of 128-gigabit (Gb), 3-bit multi-level-cell (MLC) NAND memory chips. The South Korean electronics conglomerate is producing the new chips using a 10nm-class process technology. The chips will help Samsung produce its highest-density, single layer memory to date and will likely soon find its way into embedded NAND storage and solid state drives.
more
04/11, 6:43pm
Apple prevails in six constructions, loses one SEP term buildout
In pre-trial claim construction court filings for the 2014 Apple vs. Samsung trial, Apple has emerged victorious in all but one patent claim. Late Wednesday, Judge Lucy Koh of the United States District Court for the Northern District of California issued a claim construction order relating to seven of the patents involved in the next omnibus smartphone patent trial. While the order addresses how terms are used and little else, the background information provided by the claim construction can color how the rest of the trial proceeds.
more
04/11, 11:23am
Google Map Maker extended to United Kingdom
Google has added the United Kingdom to the list of countries able to contribute improvements to its mapping data. Enabled in North Korea earlier this year, Google Map Maker allows users to submit adjustments to the main Google Maps database, including new roads not picked up from Street View cars, changes in coastlines, and areas not usually covered by Google's normal cartography efforts. The changes are then periodically reviewed and rolled into Google Maps itself.
more
04/11, 9:35am
Comes shortly after invalidation of Apple patent
Germany's Federal Patent Court has ruled in favor of Apple, and invalidated the entirety of the German part of a Samsung patent on a "turbo encoding/decoding device and method for processing frame data according to QoS," says FOSS Patents. Samsung had declared the patent essential to the UMTS 3G standard. The ruling was handed down late Wednesday, and also discards any of Samsung's proposed amendments to the patent. Samsung still has the option of appealing the decision to the Federal Court of Justice.
more
04/11, 7:16am
Samsung Galaxy Mega 5.8, 6.3 extends 'phablet' range
Samsung has made the Galaxy Mega 5.8 and 6.3 official. The new ‘phablets’ sit above the Galaxy Note 2 in screen size, although neither offers a stylus input. Further, the new Mega range omit quad-core CPUs for dual-core chips and forgo high-resolution OLED displays for lower resolution TFT LCD displays. However, each also incorporates the ‘Air View’ feature that will debut on the new Galaxy S 4, and will run a number of software tweaks also featured on the new flagship handset.
more
