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WION Wallet: Lee's bribery case sent back to the lower court

Samsung's plan to&nbsp;outsource a fifth of its smartphone production to&nbsp;China&nbsp;next year may help it compete with low-cost&nbsp;rivals&nbsp;such as Huawei and Xiaomi but it's a strategy fraught with risks, people with familiar with the move said.

Samsung&nbsp;Electronics, which shut its last in-house Chinese smartphone factory in October, is quietly moving production of some Galaxy A models to contractors such as Wingtech, which are little known&nbsp;outside&nbsp;China.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/samsung-says-to-shut-down-united-states-cpu-research-division-260078">Samsung&nbsp;</a>has been coy about&nbsp;the volumes involved but sources said the South Korean tech giant plans to ship some 60 million&nbsp;phones&nbsp;made&nbsp;in&nbsp;China&nbsp;by so-called original design manufacturers (ODMs) next year&nbsp;out&nbsp;of a total of about&nbsp;300 million devices.

Wingtech and other ODMs make&nbsp;phones&nbsp;for multiple brands - including Huawei, Xiaomi and Oppo - giving them the economies of scale to keep costs down, and the nimble contractors can develop and produce new budget&nbsp;phones&nbsp;quickly.

Critics of&nbsp;Samsung's strategy say it risks losing control of quality and undermining its manufacturing expertise by&nbsp;outsourcing, and may even help&nbsp;rivals&nbsp;by giving contractors the extra volume they need to lowers costs further for all.

Samsung&nbsp;can ill afford another quality crisis. It scrapped its flagship Galaxy Note 7 in 2016 after reports the expensive&nbsp;phones&nbsp;were catching fire and delayed the launch of its folding phone this year after screen defects were identified.

But with margins razor-thin for budget smartphones, people familiar with&nbsp;Samsung's strategy say it has little choice but to follow&nbsp;rivals&nbsp;and use Chinese ODMs to shave costs.

"This is an inevitable strategy rather than a good strategy," a source with knowledge of&nbsp;Samsung's Chinese operations said.

Samsung&nbsp;said in a statement to Reuters that it has been making limited lines of smartphones&nbsp;outside its own plants to broaden its existing portfolio and "ensure efficient management in the market". It declined to say how many&nbsp;Samsung&nbsp;phones&nbsp;are&nbsp;made&nbsp;by ODMs and said future volumes had yet to be determined.

Wingtech did not respond to a request for comment.

Research firm Counterpoint says ODMs can procure all the components needed for $100-$250 smartphones&nbsp;for 10 per cent&nbsp;to 15&nbsp;per cent less than major brands with their own factories in&nbsp;China.

One supply chain source said Wingtech can get some parts for up to 30 per cent less than&nbsp;Samsung&nbsp;Electronics pays in Vietnam, where it has three factories churning&nbsp;out&nbsp;smartphones, TVs and home appliances.

Wingtech started making tablets and&nbsp;phones&nbsp;for&nbsp;Samsung&nbsp;in 2017, accounting for 3&nbsp;per cent&nbsp;of its smartphones. That's expected to hit 8 per cent, or 24 million units, this year, according to IHS Markit.

Samsung's&nbsp;outsourcing plans involve its lower and mid-range Galaxy A series, with Wingtech having a hand in both design and production, sources said. The A6S, one of the models to be&nbsp;outsourced, costs from 1,299 yuan ($185) in&nbsp;China.

The Wingtech&nbsp;phones&nbsp;will mainly go to Southeast Asia and South America, one source said.&nbsp;Samsung&nbsp;is gaining share in both at the expense of Huawei, which is suffering from U.S. sanctions that bar it from putting all Google's services on new&nbsp;phones.

While&nbsp;Samsung&nbsp;is anxious to remain global smartphone market leader, some analysts worry it might not be worth the risk is given that profits in the budget phone business are scarce for all.

"Low-end&nbsp;phones&nbsp;are a headache for&nbsp;Samsung," said CW Chung, head of research at Nomura in Korea.

Chung said they were now commodity products and it was "nonsense" to make them in-house. But he and other experts said if&nbsp;Samsung&nbsp;gave ODMs&nbsp;more&nbsp;volume, that could cut contractors' costs further and boost their experience and knowledge.

"If ODM firms become&nbsp;more&nbsp;competitive,&nbsp;rivals&nbsp;will be&nbsp;more&nbsp;competitive," Tom Kang, an analyst at Counterpoint said, adding that once a company loses its expertise in making low-end&nbsp;phones&nbsp;by&nbsp;outsourcing, it is difficult to regain the know-how.

Chung said&nbsp;Samsung's strategic shift signalled the declining manufacturing prowess of the company, once a low-cost Asian manufacturer and now the world's top producer of high-end electrical consumer goods.

US rival Apple&nbsp;outsources production to Taiwan's Foxconn Technology, which has factories in&nbsp;China, but Apple still designs its&nbsp;phones&nbsp;in California.

Samsung&nbsp;said in an emailed response to Reuters that it will be involved in the oversight of the design and development of smartphones&nbsp;produced by ODMs.

One person familiar with&nbsp;Samsung&nbsp;and Chinese ODMs said contractors save money by cutting some steps&nbsp;out&nbsp;of the manufacturing process, potentially raising quality issues. He declined to go into details.

With that in mind,&nbsp;Samsung&nbsp;has been pairing South Korean component suppliers with Chinese contractors to keep closer tabs on quality control, the person said.

"We understand the logic of increasing the production volume with Chinese contractors is a strategic business decision but that doesn't mean all of us are happy about&nbsp;it," an executive at a Korean component supplier said.

Samsung&nbsp;told Reuters it has applied the same quality checks and standards it does with all its devices, adding that it was committed to delivering high-quality products.

Historically,&nbsp;Samsung&nbsp;has designed and produced almost all its&nbsp;phones&nbsp;in-house in vast factories in Vietnam and,&nbsp;more&nbsp;recently, India while winding down production in South Korea and&nbsp;China&nbsp;where labour costs&nbsp;more.

But Roh Tae-moon, the youngest executive to become a president at&nbsp;Samsung&nbsp;Electronics, is championing the new ODM strategy in his role as number two at the mobile division, two people familiar with the matter said.

"It is crucial to cut costs to maintain competitiveness with Huawei and other Chinese handset makers," said a&nbsp;Samsung&nbsp;insider who declined to be named.

Other Korean firms have also embraced&nbsp;outsourcing. LG Electronics, whose smartphones&nbsp;have been losing money for several years, has said it plans to expand its ODM&nbsp;output from budget models to mid-priced&nbsp;phones.

"Smartphones&nbsp;have come down to a battle over costs.&nbsp;It's a game of survival now," said Kim Yong-serk, a former&nbsp;Samsung&nbsp;mobile executive who is a professor at South Korea's Sungkyunkwan University.

Samsung's plan to outsource a fifth of its smartphone production to China next year may help it compete with low-cost rivals such as Huawei and Xiaomi but it's a strategy fraught with risks, people with familiar with the move said.

Samsung's plan to outsource a fifth of its smartphone production to China next year may help it compete with low-cost rivals such as Huawei and Xiaomi but it's a strategy fraught with risks, people with familiar with the move said. Samsung Electronics, which shut its last in-house Chinese smartphone factory in October, is quietly moving production of some Galaxy A models to contractors such as Wingtech, which are little known outside China. Samsung has been coy about the volumes involved but sources said the South Korean tech giant plans to ship some 60 million phones made in China by so-called original design manufacturers (ODMs) next year out of a total of about 300 million devices. Wingtech and other ODMs make phones for multiple brands - including Huawei, Xiaomi and Oppo - giving them the economies of scale to keep costs down, and the nimble contractors can develop and produce new budget phones quickly. Critics of Samsung's strategy say it risks losing control of quality and undermining its manufacturing expertise by outsourcing, and may even help rivals by giving contractors the extra volume they need to lowers costs further for all. Samsung can ill afford another quality crisis. It scrapped its flagship Galaxy Note 7 in 2016 after reports the expensive phones were catching fire and delayed the launch of its folding phone this year after screen defects were identified. But with margins razor-thin for budget smartphones, people familiar with Samsung's strategy say it has little choice but to follow rivals and use Chinese ODMs to shave costs. "This is an inevitable strategy rather than a good strategy," a source with knowledge of Samsung's Chinese operations said. Samsung said in a statement to Reuters that it has been making limited lines of smartphones outside its own plants to broaden its existing portfolio and "ensure efficient management in the market". It declined to say how many Samsung phones are made by ODMs and said future volumes had yet to be determined. Wingtech did not respond to a request for comment. Research firm Counterpoint says ODMs can procure all the components needed for $100-$250 smartphones for 10 per cent to 15 per cent less than major brands with their own factories in China. One supply chain source said Wingtech can get some parts for up to 30 per cent less than Samsung Electronics pays in Vietnam, where it has three factories churning out smartphones, TVs and home appliances. Wingtech started making tablets and phones for Samsung in 2017, accounting for 3 per cent of its smartphones. That's expected to hit 8 per cent, or 24 million units, this year, according to IHS Markit. Samsung's outsourcing plans involve its lower and mid-range Galaxy A series, with Wingtech having a hand in both design and production, sources said. The A6S, one of the models to be outsourced, costs from 1,299 yuan ($185) in China. The Wingtech phones will mainly go to Southeast Asia and South America, one source said. Samsung is gaining share in both at the expense of Huawei, which is suffering from U.S. sanctions that bar it from putting all Google's services on new phones. While Samsung is anxious to remain global smartphone market leader, some analysts worry it might not be worth the risk is given that profits in the budget phone business are scarce for all. "Low-end phones are a headache for Samsung," said CW Chung, head of research at Nomura in Korea. Chung said they were now commodity products and it was "nonsense" to make them in-house. But he and other experts said if Samsung gave ODMs more volume, that could cut contractors' costs further and boost their experience and knowledge. "If ODM firms become more competitive, rivals will be more competitive," Tom Kang, an analyst at Counterpoint said, adding that once a company loses its expertise in making low-end phones by outsourcing, it is difficult to regain the know-how. Chung said Samsung's strategic shift signalled the declining manufacturing prowess of the company, once a low-cost Asian manufacturer and now the world's top producer of high-end electrical consumer goods. US rival Apple outsources production to Taiwan's Foxconn Technology, which has factories in China, but Apple still designs its phones in California. Samsung said in an emailed response to Reuters that it will be involved in the oversight of the design and development of smartphones produced by ODMs. One person familiar with Samsung and Chinese ODMs said contractors save money by cutting some steps out of the manufacturing process, potentially raising quality issues. He declined to go into details. With that in mind, Samsung has been pairing South Korean component suppliers with Chinese contractors to keep closer tabs on quality control, the person said. "We understand the logic of increasing the production volume with Chinese contractors is a strategic business decision but that doesn't mean all of us are happy about it," an executive at a Korean component supplier said. Samsung told Reuters it has applied the same quality checks and standards it does with all its devices, adding that it was committed to delivering high-quality products. Historically, Samsung has designed and produced almost all its phones in-house in vast factories in Vietnam and, more recently, India while winding down production in South Korea and China where labour costs more. But Roh Tae-moon, the youngest executive to become a president at Samsung Electronics, is championing the new ODM strategy in his role as number two at the mobile division, two people familiar with the matter said. "It is crucial to cut costs to maintain competitiveness with Huawei and other Chinese handset makers," said a Samsung insider who declined to be named. Other Korean firms have also embraced outsourcing. LG Electronics, whose smartphones have been losing money for several years, has said it plans to expand its ODM output from budget models to mid-priced phones. "Smartphones have come down to a battle over costs. It's a game of survival now," said Kim Yong-serk, a former Samsung mobile executive who is a professor at South Korea's Sungkyunkwan University.

Samsung to outsource production to China to fend off rivals

Samsung Electronics Co Ltd&nbsp;said on Tuesday it will shut down a CPU research division at one of its United States&nbsp;facilities, a move that analysts said dimmed prospects for the tech giant's Exynos-branded mobile chips.

Exynos mobile processor chips are considered a hallmark of the South Korean firm's attempts to reduce its reliance on memory chips and increase sales of logic chips that are used to power mobile devices and autonomous vehicles.

But the proprietary chips, which are found in Samsung's flagship Galaxy series smartphones and compete against Qualcomm Inc's&nbsp;marquee mobile processors, have struggled to find external customers.

The decision to shut down the division, which will make some 300 jobs redundant, point to challenges Samsung faces in promoting Exynos chips, analysts said.

"(Exynos) chips are not really used anywhere else and continue to lose ground in the mobile processor market, raising concerns about the company's competitiveness," said Park Sung-soon, an analyst at Cape Investment &amp; Securities.

The move has led to speculation that Samsung will use core designs from ARM or semi-custom designs. Park added that Samsung is not likely to give up the Exynos business entirely.

Samsung said it will continue to develop and produce Exynos chips regardless of the termination of CPU (central processing unit) core projects, and some of 300 affected employees could be relocated to different projects.

"Based upon a thorough assessment of our System LSI business and the need to stay competitive in the global market, Samsung has decided to transition part of our U.S.-based R&amp;D teams," it said in a statement, referring to its logic chip business.

Affected employees will mostly come from its Austin R&amp;D Center, which had been researching CPU core since 2010, while a small number of employees at its CPU project team at Advanced Computing Lab in San Jose will be let go or relocated to other divisions, a company spokeswoman said.

"Core research brought less value than expected to Samsung's entire logic chip business," said source with direct knowledge of the matter who was not authorised to speak to media on the matter and declined to be identified.

The termination of its CPU core projects comes after Samsung, the world's largest memory chipmaker, said in April that it plans to invest $116 billion in logic chips through 2030.

Samsung Electronics Co Ltd said on Tuesday it will shut down a CPU research division at one of its United States facilities, a move that analysts said dimmed prospects for the tech giant's Exynos-branded mobile chips.

Samsung Electronics Co Ltd said on Tuesday it will shut down a CPU research division at one of its United States facilities, a move that analysts said dimmed prospects for the tech giant's Exynos-branded mobile chips. Exynos mobile processor chips are considered a hallmark of the South Korean firm's attempts to reduce its reliance on memory chips and increase sales of logic chips that are used to power mobile devices and autonomous vehicles. But the proprietary chips, which are found in Samsung's flagship Galaxy series smartphones and compete against Qualcomm Inc's marquee mobile processors, have struggled to find external customers. The decision to shut down the division, which will make some 300 jobs redundant, point to challenges Samsung faces in promoting Exynos chips, analysts said. "(Exynos) chips are not really used anywhere else and continue to lose ground in the mobile processor market, raising concerns about the company's competitiveness," said Park Sung-soon, an analyst at Cape Investment & Securities. The move has led to speculation that Samsung will use core designs from ARM or semi-custom designs. Park added that Samsung is not likely to give up the Exynos business entirely. Samsung said it will continue to develop and produce Exynos chips regardless of the termination of CPU (central processing unit) core projects, and some of 300 affected employees could be relocated to different projects. "Based upon a thorough assessment of our System LSI business and the need to stay competitive in the global market, Samsung has decided to transition part of our U.S.-based R&D teams," it said in a statement, referring to its logic chip business. Affected employees will mostly come from its Austin R&D Center, which had been researching CPU core since 2010, while a small number of employees at its CPU project team at Advanced Computing Lab in San Jose will be let go or relocated to other divisions, a company spokeswoman said. "Core research brought less value than expected to Samsung's entire logic chip business," said source with direct knowledge of the matter who was not authorised to speak to media on the matter and declined to be identified. The termination of its CPU core projects comes after Samsung, the world's largest memory chipmaker, said in April that it plans to invest $116 billion in logic chips through 2030.

Samsung to shut down United States CPU research division

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/samsung-electronics-ends-mobile-phone-production-in-china-253273">Samsung&nbsp;Electronics</a>, the world's largest smartphone and memory chip maker, saw&nbsp;net&nbsp;profits slump by more than half in the&nbsp;third quarter, it said Thursday, hit by an enduring downturn in the global chip market.

Net&nbsp;profits in the three months to September were $5.40 billion, it said in a statement,&nbsp;down&nbsp;52 per cent year-on-year.

"Earnings from the memory business slumped significantly year-on-year as memory chip prices continued its downward trend," the company said.

The firm is the flagship subsidiary of the giant&nbsp;Samsung&nbsp;Group, by far the largest of the family-controlled conglomerates known as "chaebols" that dominate business in the world's 11th-largest economy.

But in recent months it has been battered by falling chip prices as global supply increases.

Samsung&nbsp;also faces challenges from the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/united-states-wants-china-trade-deal-in-same-time-frame-despite-apec-summit-cancellation-258895">US-China trade war </a>and tough export restrictions imposed by Tokyo on key supplies as part of a dispute with Seoul over wartime forced labour.

The South Korean tech titan leads the global smartphone market with a 23 per cent share, trailed by Chinese competitors Huawei and Oppo, with Apple in fourth place, according to sales tracker IHS Markit.

The premium smartphone market has grown fiercely competitive and overall sales have cooled as a lack of major innovation has seen buyers waiting longer before upgrading to new models.

But&nbsp;Samsung&nbsp;said profits in its mobile division had been boosted by strong sales of the Galaxy Note 10 and its A series devices, along with bigger margins for mass-market models.&nbsp;

"The business also expanded its 5G product offerings and launched the Galaxy Fold, demonstrating&nbsp;Samsung's technology leadership," it added.

Samsung&nbsp;released its top-end S10 5G smartphone earlier this year after South Korea won the global race to commercially launch the world's first nationwide 5G network.

But in April it was embarrassingly forced to delay the release of the hotly anticipated Galaxy Fold after reviewers provided with early devices reported screen problems within days of use.

In another setback, earlier this month it also acknowledged a major flaw with its fingerprint system allowing non-users to open other people's top-end smartphones.

But Tom Kang, research director at Counterpoint Research, noted&nbsp;Samsung's flagship Note 10 device had sold far better than&nbsp;previous models,&nbsp;and that the firm would benefit from restrictions imposed by Washington on its key Chinese competitor.&nbsp;

"From September, Huawei's devices have been unable to have Google mobile services," he told AFP.&nbsp;

"This is&nbsp;also likely to continue giving&nbsp;Samsung's mobile phones a significant advantage.&nbsp;Samsung&nbsp;phones will appeal to high-end users."

Operating&nbsp;profit&nbsp;plunged 55.7 per cent to 7.8 trillion won in the&nbsp;third quarter, the firm said, while sales fell 5.3 per cent to 62 trillion won.&nbsp;

But analysts voiced optimism for the coming months, noting that falling inventory levels for semiconductors,&nbsp;which account for more than half of&nbsp;Samsung's&nbsp;profit,&nbsp;will help stabilise chip prices after double-digit drops this year.

Adding to the firm's difficulties, the retrial of its vice chairman Lee Jae-yong began last week over a sprawling corruption scandal that could see him return to prison.

He is not being held in custody during the trial, but it is expected to last for months and a guilty verdict could deprive the firm of its top decision-maker.

Samsung&nbsp;shares were up 1.79 per cent in morning trade.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Samsung Electronics, the world's largest smartphone and memory chip maker, saw net profits slump by more than half in the third quarter, it said Thursday, hit by an enduring downturn in the global chip market.

Samsung Electronics, the world's largest smartphone and memory chip maker, saw net profits slump by more than half in the third quarter, it said Thursday, hit by an enduring downturn in the global chip market. Net profits in the three months to September were $5.40 billion, it said in a statement, down 52 per cent year-on-year. "Earnings from the memory business slumped significantly year-on-year as memory chip prices continued its downward trend," the company said. The firm is the flagship subsidiary of the giant Samsung Group, by far the largest of the family-controlled conglomerates known as "chaebols" that dominate business in the world's 11th-largest economy. But in recent months it has been battered by falling chip prices as global supply increases. Samsung also faces challenges from the US-China trade war and tough export restrictions imposed by Tokyo on key supplies as part of a dispute with Seoul over wartime forced labour. The South Korean tech titan leads the global smartphone market with a 23 per cent share, trailed by Chinese competitors Huawei and Oppo, with Apple in fourth place, according to sales tracker IHS Markit. The premium smartphone market has grown fiercely competitive and overall sales have cooled as a lack of major innovation has seen buyers waiting longer before upgrading to new models. But Samsung said profits in its mobile division had been boosted by strong sales of the Galaxy Note 10 and its A series devices, along with bigger margins for mass-market models. "The business also expanded its 5G product offerings and launched the Galaxy Fold, demonstrating Samsung's technology leadership," it added. Samsung released its top-end S10 5G smartphone earlier this year after South Korea won the global race to commercially launch the world's first nationwide 5G network. But in April it was embarrassingly forced to delay the release of the hotly anticipated Galaxy Fold after reviewers provided with early devices reported screen problems within days of use. In another setback, earlier this month it also acknowledged a major flaw with its fingerprint system allowing non-users to open other people's top-end smartphones. But Tom Kang, research director at Counterpoint Research, noted Samsung's flagship Note 10 device had sold far better than previous models, and that the firm would benefit from restrictions imposed by Washington on its key Chinese competitor. "From September, Huawei's devices have been unable to have Google mobile services," he told AFP. "This is also likely to continue giving Samsung's mobile phones a significant advantage. Samsung phones will appeal to high-end users." Operating profit plunged 55.7 per cent to 7.8 trillion won in the third quarter, the firm said, while sales fell 5.3 per cent to 62 trillion won. But analysts voiced optimism for the coming months, noting that falling inventory levels for semiconductors, which account for more than half of Samsung's profit, will help stabilise chip prices after double-digit drops this year. Adding to the firm's difficulties, the retrial of its vice chairman Lee Jae-yong began last week over a sprawling corruption scandal that could see him return to prison. He is not being held in custody during the trial, but it is expected to last for months and a guilty verdict could deprive the firm of its top decision-maker. Samsung shares were up 1.79 per cent in morning trade.

Samsung Electronics third-quarter net profit slumps 52%

Strong sales of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/samsung-electronics-ends-mobile-phone-production-in-china-253273">Samsung Electronics</a>'&nbsp;Galaxy Note 10 smartphone series are limiting forecast profit falls at the South Korean tech giant, raising hopes it is getting back on a growth track after years of moribund sales.

Samsung, the world's largest smartphone maker, is powering ahead with the launch of 5G phones and $2,000 foldable handsets as it heats up the competition with rivals US&nbsp;Apple and China's Huawei following a battery explosion scandal in 2017 that hurt sales.

Analysts said the strategy may be paying off as the company on Tuesday flagged a smaller-than-expected fall in third-quarter operating profit, saying at the same time that sales of the Note 10 both at home and in Europe had been strong since the August&nbsp;23 launch.

There are also early signs that the global memory chip business, a key driver of Samsung's profit, will stabilise next year after prices were eroded by a weak global economy and slower spending by key data centre customers.

"With its foldable smartphone that no other competitors have yet launched, Samsung will likely lead the high-end smartphone market as it would mass-produce foldable smartphones next year," said Song Myung-sup, an analyst at HI Investment &amp; Securities.

"Also, a growing number of data centre customers are ordering more memory chips ... possibly slowing down the drop in prices," Song added.

Samsung said it has sold more than one million of the 5G Note 10 handsets in South Korea, making it the company's fastest-selling flagship model at home, and sales in Europe were also strong.

Analysts credit Samsung with receiving a boost from US&nbsp;sanctions on Huawei that effectively bar US&nbsp;firms from supplying the Chinese competitor.

Huawei's new high-end Mate 30 smartphones are being shipped to Europe this month, but the sanctions mean the product lacks access to a licensed version of US&nbsp;Google’s Android operating system, as well as mobile services that include its Play Store and popular apps like Gmail, Youtube or Maps.

Jene Park, a senior analyst at market tracker Counterpoint Research, said Samsung was also moving in on Huawei at the lower end of the market in Europe and Latin America.

Sales of Huawei's Honor smartphones, which are mainly in the $180-$249 price band and accounted for a large portion of sales outside of China, had dropped significantly since March, allowing Samsung to boost sales volumes of its new A-series, according to Counterpoint.

Chip recovery?

But Huawei's woes also present problems for Samsung as the&nbsp;world's biggest semiconductor firm by revenue, with the Chinese firm a major buyer of its memory chips.

Some analysts are more cautious about the outlook for the global memory chip business, which remains clouded by US-Sino trade conflict and provides two-thirds of Samsung's profit.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/priced-at-2000-samsung-to-launch-galaxy-fold-in-south-korea-on-september-6-247663">Samsung's profit has been slumping every quarter</a> since the year-end holiday quarter last year and is expected to fall again in the current quarter year-on-year.

In a limited trading update ahead of full earnings later this month, Samsung on Tuesday said operating profit for the July to September quarter would likely tumble 56 per cent&nbsp;to&nbsp;$6.44 billion.

"The strong smartphone sales has limited ability to fix all Samsung's issues," said Park Sung-soon, an analyst at Cape Investment &amp; Securities. "Data centre customers, a major driver for memory chip business, are pursuing conservative investment for the time being, not particularly uplifting news for Samsung."

Shares in Samsung were up about 1.5 per cent, just slightly ahead of an 0.8 per cent&nbsp;rise in the wider market in afternoon trade.

Strong sales of Samsung Electronics' Galaxy Note 10 smartphone series are limiting forecast profit falls at the South Korean tech giant, raising hopes it is getting back on a growth track after years of moribund sales.

Strong sales of Samsung Electronics' Galaxy Note 10 smartphone series are limiting forecast profit falls at the South Korean tech giant, raising hopes it is getting back on a growth track after years of moribund sales. Samsung, the world's largest smartphone maker, is powering ahead with the launch of 5G phones and $2,000 foldable handsets as it heats up the competition with rivals US Apple and China's Huawei following a battery explosion scandal in 2017 that hurt sales. Analysts said the strategy may be paying off as the company on Tuesday flagged a smaller-than-expected fall in third-quarter operating profit, saying at the same time that sales of the Note 10 both at home and in Europe had been strong since the August 23 launch. There are also early signs that the global memory chip business, a key driver of Samsung's profit, will stabilise next year after prices were eroded by a weak global economy and slower spending by key data centre customers. "With its foldable smartphone that no other competitors have yet launched, Samsung will likely lead the high-end smartphone market as it would mass-produce foldable smartphones next year," said Song Myung-sup, an analyst at HI Investment & Securities. "Also, a growing number of data centre customers are ordering more memory chips ... possibly slowing down the drop in prices," Song added. Samsung said it has sold more than one million of the 5G Note 10 handsets in South Korea, making it the company's fastest-selling flagship model at home, and sales in Europe were also strong. Analysts credit Samsung with receiving a boost from US sanctions on Huawei that effectively bar US firms from supplying the Chinese competitor. Huawei's new high-end Mate 30 smartphones are being shipped to Europe this month, but the sanctions mean the product lacks access to a licensed version of US Google’s Android operating system, as well as mobile services that include its Play Store and popular apps like Gmail, Youtube or Maps. Jene Park, a senior analyst at market tracker Counterpoint Research, said Samsung was also moving in on Huawei at the lower end of the market in Europe and Latin America. Sales of Huawei's Honor smartphones, which are mainly in the $180-$249 price band and accounted for a large portion of sales outside of China, had dropped significantly since March, allowing Samsung to boost sales volumes of its new A-series, according to Counterpoint. Chip recovery? But Huawei's woes also present problems for Samsung as the world's biggest semiconductor firm by revenue, with the Chinese firm a major buyer of its memory chips. Some analysts are more cautious about the outlook for the global memory chip business, which remains clouded by US-Sino trade conflict and provides two-thirds of Samsung's profit. Samsung's profit has been slumping every quarter since the year-end holiday quarter last year and is expected to fall again in the current quarter year-on-year. In a limited trading update ahead of full earnings later this month, Samsung on Tuesday said operating profit for the July to September quarter would likely tumble 56 per cent to $6.44 billion. "The strong smartphone sales has limited ability to fix all Samsung's issues," said Park Sung-soon, an analyst at Cape Investment & Securities. "Data centre customers, a major driver for memory chip business, are pursuing conservative investment for the time being, not particularly uplifting news for Samsung." Shares in Samsung were up about 1.5 per cent, just slightly ahead of an 0.8 per cent rise in the wider market in afternoon trade.

Strong smartphone sales raise hopes of Samsung turnaround

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/wion-wallet-samsung-relaunches-folding-smartphone-after-screen-problems-248049">Samsung</a>&nbsp;Electronics&nbsp;Co Ltd&nbsp;has ended&nbsp;mobile&nbsp;telephone&nbsp;production&nbsp;in&nbsp;China, it said on Wednesday, hurt by intensifying competition from domestic rivals in the world's biggest smartphone&nbsp;market.

The shutdown of&nbsp;Samsung's last&nbsp;China&nbsp;phone&nbsp;factory comes months after it cut&nbsp;production&nbsp;at the plant in the southern city of Huizhou in June and suspended another factory late last year, underscoring gruelling competition in the country.

The South Korean firm's share of the Chinese market shrunk to 1 per cent&nbsp;in the first quarter from around 15 per cent&nbsp;in mid-2013, as it lost out to fast-growing homegrown brands such as <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/huaweis-new-phone-lacks-google-access-after-us-ban-250639">Huawei</a> Technologies and Xiaomi Corp, according to market research firm Counterpoint.

Samsung, the world's top smartphone&nbsp;maker, said it made a difficult decision in a bid to boost efficiency.

"The&nbsp;production&nbsp;equipment will be re-allocated to other global manufacturing sites, depending on our global&nbsp;production&nbsp;strategy based on market needs," it said in a statement, without elaborating.

Samsung&nbsp;declined to specify the plant's capacity and numbers of staff. The company has been expanding smartphone&nbsp;production&nbsp;in lower-cost countries, such as India and <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/china-intrudes-into-vietnams-exclusive-economic-zone-for-the-third-time-this-year-250047">Vietnam</a>, in recent years.

&nbsp;

Samsung Electronics Co Ltd has ended mobile telephone production in China, it said on Wednesday, hurt by intensifying competition from domestic rivals in the world's biggest smartphone market.

Samsung Electronics Co Ltd has ended mobile telephone production in China, it said on Wednesday, hurt by intensifying competition from domestic rivals in the world's biggest smartphone market. The shutdown of Samsung's last China phone factory comes months after it cut production at the plant in the southern city of Huizhou in June and suspended another factory late last year, underscoring gruelling competition in the country. The South Korean firm's share of the Chinese market shrunk to 1 per cent in the first quarter from around 15 per cent in mid-2013, as it lost out to fast-growing homegrown brands such as Huawei Technologies and Xiaomi Corp, according to market research firm Counterpoint. Samsung, the world's top smartphone maker, said it made a difficult decision in a bid to boost efficiency. "The production equipment will be re-allocated to other global manufacturing sites, depending on our global production strategy based on market needs," it said in a statement, without elaborating. Samsung declined to specify the plant's capacity and numbers of staff. The company has been expanding smartphone production in lower-cost countries, such as India and Vietnam, in recent years.

Samsung Electronics ends mobile phone production in China

WION Wallet: Samsung relaunches folding smartphone after screen problems.

WION Wallet: Samsung relaunches folding smartphone after screen problems

Samsung Electronics Co Ltd on Thursday said its first foldable smartphone, the Galaxy Fold, will be available in South Korea from September 6 with fifth-generation (5G) mobile connectivity.

The world's largest smartphone vendor said the device would be priced 2.398 million won ($1,977.47).

The highly anticipated handset was originally due to hit the US market in April but the launch was delayed by screen defects detected in samples.

The firm said it would offer 5G and LTE-enabled versions of the Galaxy Fold in select countries including Britain, France, Germany and the United States. It did not provide release dates.

Samsung has promised to usher in a new age of foldables as part of its effort to showcase innovation in a saturated smartphone market.

The company announced in July it would be ready to sell the Galaxy Fold in September after making changes including strengthening hinges, which early reviewers had found to be problematic.

Samsung will provide a program for Fold users in which the company covers 70% of the cost of a display screen repair once within a year, according to its statement.

"Consumers have responded positively to larger screens, and the Galaxy Fold's revolutionary form factor offers a bigger, more immersive screen without sacrificing portability," said DJ Koh, chief executive of IT &amp; Mobile Communications Division at Samsung Electronics.

Last month, Chinese rival Huawei Technologies Co Ltd delayed the planned September launch of its own first foldable phone, its second postponement this year, as it battles a US trade blacklist that threatens the tech giant's access to crucial US technologies such as Alphabet Inc's Android operating system.

SK Telecom Co Ltd, South Korea's biggest mobile carrier by subscribers, also on Thursday said it expected Galax

Samsung Electronics Co Ltd on Thursday said its first foldable smartphone, the Galaxy Fold, will be available in South Korea from September 6 with fifth-generation (5G) mobile connectivity.

Samsung Electronics Co Ltd on Thursday said its first foldable smartphone, the Galaxy Fold, will be available in South Korea from September 6 with fifth-generation (5G) mobile connectivity. The world's largest smartphone vendor said the device would be priced 2.398 million won ($1,977.47). The highly anticipated handset was originally due to hit the US market in April but the launch was delayed by screen defects detected in samples. The firm said it would offer 5G and LTE-enabled versions of the Galaxy Fold in select countries including Britain, France, Germany and the United States. It did not provide release dates. Samsung has promised to usher in a new age of foldables as part of its effort to showcase innovation in a saturated smartphone market. The company announced in July it would be ready to sell the Galaxy Fold in September after making changes including strengthening hinges, which early reviewers had found to be problematic. Samsung will provide a program for Fold users in which the company covers 70% of the cost of a display screen repair once within a year, according to its statement. "Consumers have responded positively to larger screens, and the Galaxy Fold's revolutionary form factor offers a bigger, more immersive screen without sacrificing portability," said DJ Koh, chief executive of IT & Mobile Communications Division at Samsung Electronics. Last month, Chinese rival Huawei Technologies Co Ltd delayed the planned September launch of its own first foldable phone, its second postponement this year, as it battles a US trade blacklist that threatens the tech giant's access to crucial US technologies such as Alphabet Inc's Android operating system. SK Telecom Co Ltd, South Korea's biggest mobile carrier by subscribers, also on Thursday said it expected Galax

Priced at $2,000, Samsung to launch Galaxy Fold in South Korea on September 6

WION Wallet: South Korea SC orders bribery retrial for Samsung’s Lee Jae-yong. Watch video to know more

WION Wallet: South Korea SC orders bribery retrial for Samsung’s Lee Jae-yong

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/south-koreas-moon-open-to-dialogue-with-japan-amid-trade-row-243077">South Korean President Moon Jae-in</a> has put more than 50 million won (around $41,000) of his own money into a fund investing in firms looking to replace Japanese suppliers, his office said Monday, as the Asian neighbours remain locked in a bitter trade dispute.

It was the first-ever stock market investment by Moon, a former human rights lawyer whose economic policies critics blame for slowing growth in the once-booming South.

Seoul and Tokyo are embroiled in a tit-for-tat row that has seen them remove each other from their lists of trusted trade partners, raising concerns in Washington, which has security treaties with both.

Tokyo imposed restrictions on exports crucial to tech giants such as Samsung following a series of South Korean court rulings ordering Japanese firms to pay for forced labour during World War II.

Japan dominates the global market for some vital materials, but Moon has announced measures he hopes will help develop domestic supply chains.

The Victory Korea Fund was launched by Nonghyup Bank earlier this month to invest in listed South Korean firms that manufacture materials, components and equipment.

"It has become a very important time to raise the competitiveness of our materials, components and equipment industry," he said, according to his office.

Japan's new export restrictions last month caught South Korean firms off guard and sent tech giants such as Samsung and SK Hynix scrambling.

Both Japan and South Korea are market economies and major US allies faced with an overbearing China and nuclear-armed North Korea.

But their relationship continues to be heavily affected by Japan's 35-year colonial rule of the Korean peninsula in the early 20th century.

Japan says a 1965 treaty that normalised relations with a significant financial contribution effectively settled all reparation claims. 
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South Korean President Moon Jae-in has put more than 50 million won (around $41,000) of his own money into a fund investing in firms looking to replace Japanese suppliers, his office said Monday, as the Asian neighbours remain locked in a bitter trade dispute.

South Korean President Moon Jae-in has put more than 50 million won (around $41,000) of his own money into a fund investing in firms looking to replace Japanese suppliers, his office said Monday, as the Asian neighbours remain locked in a bitter trade dispute. It was the first-ever stock market investment by Moon, a former human rights lawyer whose economic policies critics blame for slowing growth in the once-booming South. Seoul and Tokyo are embroiled in a tit-for-tat row that has seen them remove each other from their lists of trusted trade partners, raising concerns in Washington, which has security treaties with both. Tokyo imposed restrictions on exports crucial to tech giants such as Samsung following a series of South Korean court rulings ordering Japanese firms to pay for forced labour during World War II. Japan dominates the global market for some vital materials, but Moon has announced measures he hopes will help develop domestic supply chains. The Victory Korea Fund was launched by Nonghyup Bank earlier this month to invest in listed South Korean firms that manufacture materials, components and equipment. "It has become a very important time to raise the competitiveness of our materials, components and equipment industry," he said, according to his office. Japan's new export restrictions last month caught South Korean firms off guard and sent tech giants such as Samsung and SK Hynix scrambling. Both Japan and South Korea are market economies and major US allies faced with an overbearing China and nuclear-armed North Korea. But their relationship continues to be heavily affected by Japan's 35-year colonial rule of the Korean peninsula in the early 20th century. Japan says a 1965 treaty that normalised relations with a significant financial contribution effectively settled all reparation claims.

South Korean president invests in local firms fund amid Japan row

President Donald Trump said on Sunday that he had spoken with Apple Inc's Chief Executive Tim Cook about the impact of US tariffs on Chinese imports as well as competition from South Korean company Samsung Electronics Co Ltd.

Trump said Cook "made a good case" that tariffs could hurt Apple, given that Samsung`s products would not be subject to those same tariffs.&nbsp;

Tariffs on an additional $300 billion worth of Chinese goods, including consumer electronics, are scheduled to go into effect in two stages on September 1 and December 15.

By contrast, the United States and South Korea struck a trade agreement last September.

"I thought he made a very compelling argument, so I`m thinking about it," Trump said of Cook, speaking with reporters at a New Jersey airport.

US stock futures rose upon opening on Sunday after Trump's comments.&nbsp;

In addition to his comments on Apple, Trump said on Twitter earlier in the day that his administration was "doing very well with China."

Apple's MacBook laptops and iPhones would not face the additional tariffs until December 15, but some of the company's other products, including its AirPods, Apple Watch and HomePod, would be subject to the levies on September 1.

Apple was not immediately available for comment outside normal business hours.

President Donald Trump said on Sunday that he had spoken with Apple Inc's Chief Executive Tim Cook about the impact of US tariffs on Chinese imports as well as competition from South Korean company Samsung Electronics Co Ltd.

President Donald Trump said on Sunday that he had spoken with Apple Inc's Chief Executive Tim Cook about the impact of US tariffs on Chinese imports as well as competition from South Korean company Samsung Electronics Co Ltd. Trump said Cook "made a good case" that tariffs could hurt Apple, given that Samsung`s products would not be subject to those same tariffs. Tariffs on an additional $300 billion worth of Chinese goods, including consumer electronics, are scheduled to go into effect in two stages on September 1 and December 15. By contrast, the United States and South Korea struck a trade agreement last September. "I thought he made a very compelling argument, so I`m thinking about it," Trump said of Cook, speaking with reporters at a New Jersey airport. US stock futures rose upon opening on Sunday after Trump's comments. In addition to his comments on Apple, Trump said on Twitter earlier in the day that his administration was "doing very well with China." Apple's MacBook laptops and iPhones would not face the additional tariffs until December 15, but some of the company's other products, including its AirPods, Apple Watch and HomePod, would be subject to the levies on September 1. Apple was not immediately available for comment outside normal business hours.

Apple CEO warns Trump about China tariffs, Samsung competition

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/samsung-electronics-delayed-galaxy-fold-now-ready-for-september-launch-238315">South&nbsp;Korean&nbsp;panel maker&nbsp;Samsung</a>&nbsp;Display&nbsp;said on Friday it is considering&nbsp;suspending&nbsp;one of its liquid crystal&nbsp;display&nbsp;(LCD) production lines at home due to a supply glut.

Samsung&nbsp;Display, a unit of&nbsp;Samsung&nbsp;Electronics Co Ltd, currently operates two&nbsp;LCD&nbsp;production sites in&nbsp;South&nbsp;Korea and one in China.

"Samsung&nbsp;Display&nbsp;has been adjusting the production&nbsp;output&nbsp;and facility operation due to oversupply and worsening profitability, and we are still considering the suspension of the line, but nothing has been decided," the company said in a statement.

Rising competition from Chinese rivals, a shift to more advanced OLED (organic light-emitting diode) panels and slowing demand for smartphones and televisions have led to falling offtake and weak prices of&nbsp;LCD&nbsp;panels for&nbsp;South&nbsp;Korean&nbsp;display&nbsp;makers.

Samsung&nbsp;Display's cross-town rival LG&nbsp;Display&nbsp;Co Ltd converted one of its&nbsp;LCD&nbsp;production lines to an OLED production line.

That's a path that&nbsp;Samsung&nbsp;Display&nbsp;may also take, said Park Sung-soon, the analyst at Cape Investment &amp; Securities.

LG&nbsp;Display&nbsp;is also considering various scenarios for its remaining&nbsp;LCD&nbsp;production line in&nbsp;South&nbsp;Korea, said Chief Financial Officer Suh Dong-hee at an earnings briefing last month.

Prices for LG&nbsp;Display's main product, 50-inch TV&nbsp;LCDs, slid as much as 7.5 per cent in April-June versus the same period last year, data from WitsView, which is part of research provider TrendForce, showed.

Market researcher IHS Markit said TV panel prices continued their "free fall" in July, even after some Chinese panel makers started to adjust their production due to the high inventories.

The researcher said panel makers were reacting to the lacklustre demand forecast by their TV customers ahead of the year-end shopping season.

South Korean panel maker Samsung Display said on Friday it is considering suspending one of its liquid crystal display (LCD) production lines at home due to a supply glut.

South Korean panel maker Samsung Display said on Friday it is considering suspending one of its liquid crystal display (LCD) production lines at home due to a supply glut. Samsung Display, a unit of Samsung Electronics Co Ltd, currently operates two LCD production sites in South Korea and one in China. "Samsung Display has been adjusting the production output and facility operation due to oversupply and worsening profitability, and we are still considering the suspension of the line, but nothing has been decided," the company said in a statement. Rising competition from Chinese rivals, a shift to more advanced OLED (organic light-emitting diode) panels and slowing demand for smartphones and televisions have led to falling offtake and weak prices of LCD panels for South Korean display makers. Samsung Display's cross-town rival LG Display Co Ltd converted one of its LCD production lines to an OLED production line. That's a path that Samsung Display may also take, said Park Sung-soon, the analyst at Cape Investment & Securities. LG Display is also considering various scenarios for its remaining LCD production line in South Korea, said Chief Financial Officer Suh Dong-hee at an earnings briefing last month. Prices for LG Display's main product, 50-inch TV LCDs, slid as much as 7.5 per cent in April-June versus the same period last year, data from WitsView, which is part of research provider TrendForce, showed. Market researcher IHS Markit said TV panel prices continued their "free fall" in July, even after some Chinese panel makers started to adjust their production due to the high inventories. The researcher said panel makers were reacting to the lacklustre demand forecast by their TV customers ahead of the year-end shopping season.

Samsung Display considers suspending output at South Korean LCD plant

Apple lost more ground in the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/apple-offers-record-bounty-to-researchers-who-find-iphone-security-flaws-241605">shrinking smartphone market</a> last quarter, with a sales tracker saying the tech giant was pushed off the top-three seller list by a Chinese rival.

Apple fell to fourth place in global smartphone sales, shipping 35.3 million iPhones in the second quarter compared to the 36.2 million units shipped by Oppo, according to a report from IHS Markit this week.

South Korean consumer electronics titan Samsung remained in first place with 23 per cent of the market, having shipped 75.1 million smartphones, China's Huawei shipped 58.7 million smartphones to claim 18 per cent of the market, IHS Markit calculated.

"Apple continues to face challenges in terms of unit shipments -- a trend that is unlikely to be fixed soon," IHS smartphone research and analysis director Jusy Hong said in an online post.

While California-based Apple has been aggressively promoting iPhones, current-generation smartphones have "super-premium" prices while models a few years old are still costly compared to bargain Android-powered handsets, the analyst reasoned.

Other smartphone market trackers such as Counterpoint Research and International Data Corporation concluded that while iPhone shipments sank in the second quarter, Apple remained in third place what it came to global shipments.

Huawei, meanwhile, saw smartphone shipments rise despite the overall market contracting and US-China trade tensions, market trackers reported.

Chinese rivals rising

Huawei -- considered the world leader in superfast fifth-generation, or 5G, equipment and the world's number two smartphone producer -- has been blacklisted by US President Donald Trump amid suspicions it provides a backdoor for Chinese intelligence services. The company denies those charges.

"The effect of the ban did not translate into falling shipments during this quarter, which will not be the case in the future," Counterpoint associate research director Tarun Pathak said in the firm's market report.

"In the coming quarters, Huawei is likely to be aggressive in its home market and register some growth there, but it will not be enough to offset for the decline in its overseas shipments."

The combined global smartphone market share of Chinese firms Huawei, Oppo, Vivo, Xiaomi and Realme reached a new high of 42 per cent in the second quarter, according to Counterpoint.

"These brands have been aggressively expanding outside China and achieving growth offsetting the saturation in their home market," said Counterpoint research analyst Varun Mishra.

"Their strategies and product portfolios are more aligned to the local needs and preferences, which is one of their key strengths."

Apple has been striving to wean itself off its reliance on iPhone sales with a focus on services, digital content and related gadgets.

In the just-ended quarter, Apple for the first time took in less than half its revenue from the iPhone, the longtime cash and profit driver for the company.

Apple managed to grow its overall revenues, albeit by a modest one per cent, to $53.8 billion, even as iPhone revenues plunged nearly 12 per cent in the April-June period.

The company delivered strong growth from digital content and services including Apply Pay and Apple Music, along with wearables and accessories like the Apple Watch and Air Pods.

Apple has stopped reporting iPhone unit sales, but chief executive Tim Cook said during an earnings call that there was a "strong customer response" to iPhone promotions and financing programs.

Apple saw its sales improve in the crucial China market, which included a double-digit increase in services revenue driven by strong growth in the App Store there, according to the company.

The sale of iPhones in that country was boosted by factors including pricing moves by Apple, and trade-in and financing programs, Cook said.

Apple lost more ground in the shrinking smartphone market last quarter, with a sales tracker saying the tech giant was pushed off the top-three seller list by a Chinese rival.

Apple lost more ground in the shrinking smartphone market last quarter, with a sales tracker saying the tech giant was pushed off the top-three seller list by a Chinese rival. Apple fell to fourth place in global smartphone sales, shipping 35.3 million iPhones in the second quarter compared to the 36.2 million units shipped by Oppo, according to a report from IHS Markit this week. South Korean consumer electronics titan Samsung remained in first place with 23 per cent of the market, having shipped 75.1 million smartphones, China's Huawei shipped 58.7 million smartphones to claim 18 per cent of the market, IHS Markit calculated. "Apple continues to face challenges in terms of unit shipments -- a trend that is unlikely to be fixed soon," IHS smartphone research and analysis director Jusy Hong said in an online post. While California-based Apple has been aggressively promoting iPhones, current-generation smartphones have "super-premium" prices while models a few years old are still costly compared to bargain Android-powered handsets, the analyst reasoned. Other smartphone market trackers such as Counterpoint Research and International Data Corporation concluded that while iPhone shipments sank in the second quarter, Apple remained in third place what it came to global shipments. Huawei, meanwhile, saw smartphone shipments rise despite the overall market contracting and US-China trade tensions, market trackers reported. Chinese rivals rising Huawei -- considered the world leader in superfast fifth-generation, or 5G, equipment and the world's number two smartphone producer -- has been blacklisted by US President Donald Trump amid suspicions it provides a backdoor for Chinese intelligence services. The company denies those charges. "The effect of the ban did not translate into falling shipments during this quarter, which will not be the case in the future," Counterpoint associate research director Tarun Pathak said in the firm's market report. "In the coming quarters, Huawei is likely to be aggressive in its home market and register some growth there, but it will not be enough to offset for the decline in its overseas shipments." The combined global smartphone market share of Chinese firms Huawei, Oppo, Vivo, Xiaomi and Realme reached a new high of 42 per cent in the second quarter, according to Counterpoint. "These brands have been aggressively expanding outside China and achieving growth offsetting the saturation in their home market," said Counterpoint research analyst Varun Mishra. "Their strategies and product portfolios are more aligned to the local needs and preferences, which is one of their key strengths." Apple has been striving to wean itself off its reliance on iPhone sales with a focus on services, digital content and related gadgets. In the just-ended quarter, Apple for the first time took in less than half its revenue from the iPhone, the longtime cash and profit driver for the company. Apple managed to grow its overall revenues, albeit by a modest one per cent, to $53.8 billion, even as iPhone revenues plunged nearly 12 per cent in the April-June period. The company delivered strong growth from digital content and services including Apply Pay and Apple Music, along with wearables and accessories like the Apple Watch and Air Pods. Apple has stopped reporting iPhone unit sales, but chief executive Tim Cook said during an earnings call that there was a "strong customer response" to iPhone promotions and financing programs. Apple saw its sales improve in the crucial China market, which included a double-digit increase in services revenue driven by strong growth in the App Store there, according to the company. The sale of iPhones in that country was boosted by factors including pricing moves by Apple, and trade-in and financing programs, Cook said.

Apple loses more ground in smartphone market; falls to fourth place in global sales

Chinese telecom giant Huawei unveiled its<a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/huawei-still-number-two-smartphone-seller-despite-us-sanctions-239773"> own operating system</a> on Friday, as it faces the threat of losing access to Android systems and US sanctions.

Richard Yu, the head of Huawei's consumer business, told a press conference in the southern city of Dongguan that the new system, called HarmonyOS, would "bring more harmony to the world".

On Thursday, Beijing had said US rules banning technology giant <a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/huawei-rolls-out-5g-phone-and-flags-first-hongmeng-device-238641">Huawei and other Chinese firms</a> from government contracts amounted to &nbsp;"abuse of state power" amid an escalating China-US trade war.

Huawei's new operating system comes amid US moves to blacklist it, citing national security concerns, cutting it off from American-made components it needs for products - though it was issued a 90-day reprieve in May.

That ban could prevent the Chinese tech firm from getting hold of key hardware and software including smartphone chips and elements of the Google Android operating system even as Huawei said it would challenge the move in federal court.&nbsp;

Huawei was the world's number two smartphone producer last year, ahead of Apple and behind South Korea's Samsung, as well as the largest provider of telecom networking equipment, but the firm has emerged as a key bone of contention in the wider China-US trade war.

Washington accuses Huawei of working directly with the Chinese government, a claim the company denies.

The US fears that systems built by Huawei could be used by Beijing for espionage via secret "backdoors" built into telecom networking equipment.

Fears have also heightened over the coming rollout of super-fast 5G networks expected to power the next wave of technological development.&nbsp;

The latest US restrictions unveiled on Wednesday also bar contracts to Chinese firms ZTE, Hytera Communications Corporation, Hangzhou Hikvision Digital Technology Company and Dahua Technology Company. 
&nbsp;

Chinese telecom giant Huawei unveiled its own operating system on Friday, as it faces the threat of losing access to Android systems and US sanctions. Richard Yu, the head of Huawei's consumer business, told a press conference in the southern city of Dongguan that the new system, called HarmonyOS, would "bring more harmony to the world".

Chinese telecom giant Huawei unveiled its own operating system on Friday, as it faces the threat of losing access to Android systems and US sanctions. Richard Yu, the head of Huawei's consumer business, told a press conference in the southern city of Dongguan that the new system, called HarmonyOS, would "bring more harmony to the world". On Thursday, Beijing had said US rules banning technology giant Huawei and other Chinese firms from government contracts amounted to "abuse of state power" amid an escalating China-US trade war. Huawei's new operating system comes amid US moves to blacklist it, citing national security concerns, cutting it off from American-made components it needs for products - though it was issued a 90-day reprieve in May. That ban could prevent the Chinese tech firm from getting hold of key hardware and software including smartphone chips and elements of the Google Android operating system even as Huawei said it would challenge the move in federal court. Huawei was the world's number two smartphone producer last year, ahead of Apple and behind South Korea's Samsung, as well as the largest provider of telecom networking equipment, but the firm has emerged as a key bone of contention in the wider China-US trade war. Washington accuses Huawei of working directly with the Chinese government, a claim the company denies. The US fears that systems built by Huawei could be used by Beijing for espionage via secret "backdoors" built into telecom networking equipment. Fears have also heightened over the coming rollout of super-fast 5G networks expected to power the next wave of technological development. The latest US restrictions unveiled on Wednesday also bar contracts to Chinese firms ZTE, Hytera Communications Corporation, Hangzhou Hikvision Digital Technology Company and Dahua Technology Company.

Huawei unveils own operating system HarmonyOS to compete with Android

Japan has approved the shipment of a high-tech material to South Korea for the first time since imposing export curbs last month, but doubled down on political pressure and warned it could broaden restrictions on deliveries to its Asian neighbour.

Japan has approved the shipment of a high-tech material to South Korea for the first time since imposing export curbs last month, but doubled down on political pressure and warned it could broaden restrictions on deliveries to its Asian neighbour. The approval and subsequent warning illustrate how Tokyo is ready to up the ante in the diplomatic row and yet unwilling to fully cut off exports to South Korea. The dispute, rooted in their wartime past and exacerbated by the recent tightening of curbs on shipments of three high-tech components, has stoked nationalism and raised trade concerns. Relations between the two US allies worsened late last year as part of a decades-old dispute over compensation for forced labourers during Japan's occupation. South Korea has invoked its difficult history with Japan, which colonised the Korean peninsula during World War Two. "Usually, we don't announce each time we give export permission. However, the South Korean government has referred to our moves as an embargo on exports, which is unfair criticism," Japanese Industry Minister Hiroshige Seko told a briefing. It is the first time since the export curbs were introduced last month that Japan has allowed shipment of one of the three high-tech materials, he said. He was quick to add Tokyo would expand the curbs beyond the three specialised chemicals - fluorinated polyimides, photoresists and hydrogen fluoride - if there were any cases of "improper" use. Some of the chemicals, which are used to make smartphone displays and chips, can also be used in weapons. Japanese officials have cited unspecified security reasons for their export curbs. But they have pointed to an erosion of trust after South Korean court rulings last year ordered Japanese firms to compensate wartime forced labourers. Tokyo says the matter was settled by a 1965 treaty normalising bilateral ties. South Korea's president, Moon Jae-in, said on Thursday that tighter curbs would undermine Japan's international credibility and accused Tokyo of using its industrial advantage as a weapon against another country. "Even if there are any gains, it will be short-lived. In the end, it is a game without winners, where everyone, including Japan itself, becomes a victim," Moon said. White list The high-tech material that has been just cleared by Japan for export is EUV photoresists, South Korean Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon said. The chemical is crucial for Samsung's advanced contract chipmaking production. Samsung declined to comment. But it remains unclear if this approval from Tokyo signals a breakthrough in trade relations. "They approved only one out of a number of items," a South Korean senior trade ministry official pointed out. A presidential official said: "It doesn't mean that uncertainties have been completely removed for the other items." Japan has removed South Korea from the "white list" of countries with fast-track trade status, meaning some exporters may have to go through a lengthy permit application process to ship restricted items to South Korea. That covers a broad range of items, including those applicable to weapons production and machine tools. South Korea, which was scheduled to take a call on a plan to drop Japan from its "white list" on Thursday, has, however, put off the decision until further discussions. But the country has said it plans to tighten regulations on imported coal ashes, mostly from Japan, used to produce cement, and has proposed tax benefits for local firms in case they need to buy foreign chemical makers as Seoul tries to cut reliance on Japan. The curbs have also prompted concern among corporate Japan. "This situation benefits neither Japan nor South Korea," Masashi Oka, senior executive vice president at Nikon, told a recent briefing. "We strongly hope that both countries can return to normal economic activity as soon as possible." Given the curbs in place, Japan's approval to export the three materials could take up to 90 days, slowing shipments. Vital link The export curbs highlight how Japan controls a vital link in the global supply chain. It remains a major player in specialised chip components, even though it was overtaken as a chipmaker years ago by South Korea. At a New York event for a new flagship phone launch, the head of Samsung's mobile division told reporters he could not rule out a potential impact on the supply chain for smartphone production if the curbs dragged on for more than four months. Shares of Tokyo Ohka Kogyo rose 3.9% and Stella Chemifa surged 10.1% after the latest export approval. Tokyo Ohka Kogyo makes photoresists and Stella Chemifa produces hydrogen fluoride, both materials affected by the export curbs. South Korean chipmakers are hitting a dead-end in their quest to find alternatives for key Japanese materials that have been slapped with restrictions, raising the prospect of major disruption to their operations in coming months.

Japan greenlights first South Korea export since July curbs, but with a warning

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/samsung-electronics-to-cut-china-phone-output-as-market-share-sinks-224670">Samsung Electronics Co Ltd's</a> first foldable smartphone, the Galaxy Fold, will go on sale from September in selected markets after the launch was delayed by screen problems earlier this year, the company said on Thursday.

Samsung is hoping its highly anticipated foldable phone will revive flagging smartphone sales but its rollout has been hampered by defects in samples reported in April when it was originally due to hit the US market.

The delays cost the South Korean tech giant sales that could have provided a decent bump in revenue during the slow summer season.

Samsung said in a statement it had made improvements to the nearly $2,000 phone and was conducting final tests. Changes included strengthening hinges which early reviewers had found to be problematic.

Analysts said headlines about glitches with sample Folds would dampen consumer excitement around the launch.

"Consumer confidence in Galaxy Fold has significantly deteriorated. If Samsung manages to sell 300,000 devices this year, that can be a decent performance given the delay," said Kim Young-woo, an analyst at SK Securities.

Samsung said earlier that it planned to make at least 1 million Fold handsets in the first year, versus the total 300 million phones it produces annually on average.

The world's top smartphone maker has hailed the folding design as the future in a segment that has seen few surprises since Apple Inc's groundbreaking iPhone was released in 2007.

Chinese rival Huawei Technologies Co Ltd has also announced a folding handset, the Mate X, which is expected to go on sale in September.

Samsung is still in talks with mobile carriers around the world to decide on details of the Fold's sale, a source with knowledge of the matter said.

Samsung Electronics Co Ltd's first foldable smartphone, the Galaxy Fold, will go on sale from September in selected markets after the launch was delayed by screen problems earlier this year, the company said on Thursday.

Samsung Electronics Co Ltd's first foldable smartphone, the Galaxy Fold, will go on sale from September in selected markets after the launch was delayed by screen problems earlier this year, the company said on Thursday. Samsung is hoping its highly anticipated foldable phone will revive flagging smartphone sales but its rollout has been hampered by defects in samples reported in April when it was originally due to hit the US market. The delays cost the South Korean tech giant sales that could have provided a decent bump in revenue during the slow summer season. Samsung said in a statement it had made improvements to the nearly $2,000 phone and was conducting final tests. Changes included strengthening hinges which early reviewers had found to be problematic. Analysts said headlines about glitches with sample Folds would dampen consumer excitement around the launch. "Consumer confidence in Galaxy Fold has significantly deteriorated. If Samsung manages to sell 300,000 devices this year, that can be a decent performance given the delay," said Kim Young-woo, an analyst at SK Securities. Samsung said earlier that it planned to make at least 1 million Fold handsets in the first year, versus the total 300 million phones it produces annually on average. The world's top smartphone maker has hailed the folding design as the future in a segment that has seen few surprises since Apple Inc's groundbreaking iPhone was released in 2007. Chinese rival Huawei Technologies Co Ltd has also announced a folding handset, the Mate X, which is expected to go on sale in September. Samsung is still in talks with mobile carriers around the world to decide on details of the Fold's sale, a source with knowledge of the matter said.

Samsung Electronics' delayed Galaxy Fold now ready for September launch

Chinese equipment provider Huawei has proposed to sign an agreement, including "no back door", with the Indian government to allay any security concerns it may have regarding its network equipment. The company is facing heat in the Indian market following the ban of Huawei in the US market, which has been followed by Australia and Japan. However, some countries are yet to take a decision.

Huawei ready for 'no back door' pact

Priced At 28,990 Rupees, The Phone Is Claimed To Offer A Great Experience, But Does It Deliver In The Real World? Tech It Out Finds That Out For You.

Samsung Galaxy A70 Review: Hit Or Miss?

Samsung is postponing its China launch event for its foldable smartphone just days after incidents with defective screens on the nearly $2,000 device and has pushed back the release of the device globally.

WION Wallet: Samsung delays dual screen smartphone's release

Chief Executive Elon Musk said <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/tesla-probes-car-fire-in-shanghai-212533">Tesla Inc</a> robotaxis with no human drivers would be available in some US markets next year, continuing a habit of bold pronouncements that have excited many investors while often missing deadlines.

"Probably two years from now we'll make a car with no steering wheels or pedals," Musk predicted, while acknowledging he is often late to meet aggressive targets.

Central to this promise is a new microchip for self-driving vehicles unveiled by Musk on Monday during a webcast presentation. Made by Samsung Electronics Co Ltd in Texas, the chip now in all vehicles is hoped to give Tesla an edge over rivals and show its massive investment in autonomous driving - described by Musk as "basically our entire expense structure" - will pay off.

The webcast presentation came two days before Tesla is expected to announce a quarterly loss on fewer deliveries of its Model 3 sedan, which represents Tesla's attempt to become a volume car maker.

After launching the event with detailed technical descriptions of Tesla's progress on hardware and software by top executives, Musk began hawking the Model 3 and its potential.

"The fundamental message consumers should be taking away today is it's financially insane to buy something other than a Tesla. It's like buying a horse," saying Tesla was the only company to have a full self-driving suite of hardware.

Tesla's use of the term "full self-driving" garners criticism, as it sells such an option today that is not yet "Level 4," or fully autonomous by industry standards, in which the car can handle all aspects of driving in most circumstances with no human intervention. Musk has said that with the hardware complete, improvements in software will allow vehicles to fully drive themselves in future.

The technology faces many regulatory hurdles both in Washington and from local governments.

Global carmakers, large technology companies and startups are developing self-driving - including Alphabet Inc's Waymo and Uber Technologies Inc - but experts say it will be years before the systems are ready for prime time.

"A year from now we'll have over a million cars with full self-driving, software, everything," Musk predicted.

Tesla has been working on a self-driving chip since 2016 and Musk had previously forecast that cars would be fully self-driving by 2018, a target Tesla has missed.

Investors appeared unmoved by the chip announcement but shares rose slightly in after-hour trading following the announcement of the robotaxis.

Wedbush analyst Daniel Ives said Tesla's robotaxi ambition was "impressive," but added that investors will be concerned by "the practicality and financial implications of this endeavour especially with Waymo miles ahead of the autonomous competition."

More pressing for analysts, he said, were concerns about demand for the Model 3 and whether Tesla may seek new financing.

"Doomed'' rivals

Musk took a swipe at competitors relying on Lidar, light-based sensors that are a key element in most other self-driving systems.

"Lidar is a fools' errand. And anyone relying on Lidar is doomed," said Musk, who has been vocal about the technology's limitations. Tesla vehicles rely on cameras and radars as their vision system for self-driving.

Competitors will eventually "dump" Lidar, he said: "It's expensive and unnecessary and once you solved vision it's worthless."

More than $1 billion in corporate and private investment has been plowed into some 50 Lidar startups over the past three years, including a record $420 million in 2018, according to a Reuters analysis of publicly available investment data in March.

Musk called Tesla's new chip the industry's best because it was dedicated for autonomous driving, while others, like Nvidia Corp, developed chips for multiple uses.

Tesla's chip was capable of seven times as many frames as Nvidia's Xavier system, said Pete Bannon, Tesla's head of Autopilot hardware. Nvidia said the comparison was inaccurate.

US magazine Consumer Reports cautioned against Tesla's "bold claims about self-driving capabilities that overpromise and underdeliver."

"Claims about (Tesla's) driving automation systems and safety are not backed up by the data, and it seems today's presentations had more to do with investors than consumers' safety," wrote the publication. 
&nbsp;

Chief Executive Elon Musk said Tesla Inc robotaxis with no human drivers would be available in some US markets next year, continuing a habit of bold pronouncements that have excited many investors while often missing deadlines.

Chief Executive Elon Musk said Tesla Inc robotaxis with no human drivers would be available in some US markets next year, continuing a habit of bold pronouncements that have excited many investors while often missing deadlines. "Probably two years from now we'll make a car with no steering wheels or pedals," Musk predicted, while acknowledging he is often late to meet aggressive targets. Central to this promise is a new microchip for self-driving vehicles unveiled by Musk on Monday during a webcast presentation. Made by Samsung Electronics Co Ltd in Texas, the chip now in all vehicles is hoped to give Tesla an edge over rivals and show its massive investment in autonomous driving - described by Musk as "basically our entire expense structure" - will pay off. The webcast presentation came two days before Tesla is expected to announce a quarterly loss on fewer deliveries of its Model 3 sedan, which represents Tesla's attempt to become a volume car maker. After launching the event with detailed technical descriptions of Tesla's progress on hardware and software by top executives, Musk began hawking the Model 3 and its potential. "The fundamental message consumers should be taking away today is it's financially insane to buy something other than a Tesla. It's like buying a horse," saying Tesla was the only company to have a full self-driving suite of hardware. Tesla's use of the term "full self-driving" garners criticism, as it sells such an option today that is not yet "Level 4," or fully autonomous by industry standards, in which the car can handle all aspects of driving in most circumstances with no human intervention. Musk has said that with the hardware complete, improvements in software will allow vehicles to fully drive themselves in future. The technology faces many regulatory hurdles both in Washington and from local governments. Global carmakers, large technology companies and startups are developing self-driving - including Alphabet Inc's Waymo and Uber Technologies Inc - but experts say it will be years before the systems are ready for prime time. "A year from now we'll have over a million cars with full self-driving, software, everything," Musk predicted. Tesla has been working on a self-driving chip since 2016 and Musk had previously forecast that cars would be fully self-driving by 2018, a target Tesla has missed. Investors appeared unmoved by the chip announcement but shares rose slightly in after-hour trading following the announcement of the robotaxis. Wedbush analyst Daniel Ives said Tesla's robotaxi ambition was "impressive," but added that investors will be concerned by "the practicality and financial implications of this endeavour especially with Waymo miles ahead of the autonomous competition." More pressing for analysts, he said, were concerns about demand for the Model 3 and whether Tesla may seek new financing. "Doomed'' rivals Musk took a swipe at competitors relying on Lidar, light-based sensors that are a key element in most other self-driving systems. "Lidar is a fools' errand. And anyone relying on Lidar is doomed," said Musk, who has been vocal about the technology's limitations. Tesla vehicles rely on cameras and radars as their vision system for self-driving. Competitors will eventually "dump" Lidar, he said: "It's expensive and unnecessary and once you solved vision it's worthless." More than $1 billion in corporate and private investment has been plowed into some 50 Lidar startups over the past three years, including a record $420 million in 2018, according to a Reuters analysis of publicly available investment data in March. Musk called Tesla's new chip the industry's best because it was dedicated for autonomous driving, while others, like Nvidia Corp, developed chips for multiple uses. Tesla's chip was capable of seven times as many frames as Nvidia's Xavier system, said Pete Bannon, Tesla's head of Autopilot hardware. Nvidia said the comparison was inaccurate. US magazine Consumer Reports cautioned against Tesla's "bold claims about self-driving capabilities that overpromise and underdeliver." "Claims about (Tesla's) driving automation systems and safety are not backed up by the data, and it seems today's presentations had more to do with investors than consumers' safety," wrote the publication.

Tesla says robotaxis with no human drivers coming to US roads next year 

Samsung Electronics Co Ltd said it has received "a few" reports of damage to the displays of samples of its upcoming foldable smartphone, raising the prospect of a less-then-smooth entry for the splashy $1,980 handset.

The Galaxy Fold, on sale from April 26 in the United States, resembles a conventional smartphone but opens like a book to reveal a second display the size of a small tablet at 7.3 inches (18.5 cm). The design, matched by Huawei Technologies Co Ltd's Mate X, was hailed as the future in a field that has seen few surprises since Apple Inc's iPhone in 2007.

Yet ahead of the launch, journalists supplied with review samples reported malfunctions after only a day or two of use.

"We will thoroughly inspect these units... to determine the cause of the matter," Samsung said in a statement.

The malfunctions raised the specter of Samsung's doomed Galaxy Note 7 phone three years ago. Battery and design flaws in the Note 7 resulted in some units catching fire or exploding, forcing Samsung to recall and cancel sales of the model.

The recall wiped out nearly all profit of Samsung's mobile division in the third quarter of 2016.

With the Fold, analysts said malfunctions from the first batch of a test model were of little surprise. Moreover, the handset's in-folding design is likely to be less durable than Huawei's out-folding approach, they said.

"In-folding is more difficult to make than out-folding, as it adds higher pressure to screens, which people have worried about," said analyst Park Sung-soon at BNK Securities.

DO NOT REMOVE

Technology journalists took to Twitter on Wednesday to report instances of the screen either cracking or flickering.

Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman tweeted, "The screen on my Galaxy Fold review unit is completely broken and unusable just two days in. Hard to know if this is widespread or not."

Gurman removed a plastic layer on the screen that was not meant to be removed and the phone malfunctioned afterwards, according to his tweets.

A wrapper around the device featured "ATTENTION" in uppercase and warned not remove the layer, showed a tweet from another sample recipient.

Samsung on Thursday said removing the protective layer might result in damage, and that it would clearly inform customers of the issue.

Dieter Bohn, executive editor of The Verge, said a "small bulge" appeared on the crease of the phone screen, which appeared to be something pressing from underneath the screen. Bohn said Samsung replaced his test phone but did not offer an explanation for the problem.

"It is very troubling," Bohn said, adding that he did not remove the protective layer.

CNBC.com tech editor Steve Kovach tweeted a video of half of his phone's screen flickering after using it for just a day.

HIGH DEMAND

Samsung has said it plans to make at least 1 million Fold handsets, versus the total 300 million phones it produces annually. It has closed Fold pre-orders due to "high demand".

On Thursday, the firm said there was no change to its release schedule following the malfunction reports.

"I think as time goes on its yield rate will improve, and foldables that customers have in hand will be much better," said analyst Lee Kyu-ha at NH Investment &amp; Securities. "But I don't know if Samsung can completely fix the problem about screens."

Samsung Electronics Co Ltd said it has received "a few" reports of damage to the displays of samples of its upcoming foldable smartphone, raising the prospect of a less-then-smooth entry for the splashy $1,980 handset.

Samsung Electronics Co Ltd said it has received "a few" reports of damage to the displays of samples of its upcoming foldable smartphone, raising the prospect of a less-then-smooth entry for the splashy $1,980 handset. The Galaxy Fold, on sale from April 26 in the United States, resembles a conventional smartphone but opens like a book to reveal a second display the size of a small tablet at 7.3 inches (18.5 cm). The design, matched by Huawei Technologies Co Ltd's Mate X, was hailed as the future in a field that has seen few surprises since Apple Inc's iPhone in 2007. Yet ahead of the launch, journalists supplied with review samples reported malfunctions after only a day or two of use. "We will thoroughly inspect these units... to determine the cause of the matter," Samsung said in a statement. The malfunctions raised the specter of Samsung's doomed Galaxy Note 7 phone three years ago. Battery and design flaws in the Note 7 resulted in some units catching fire or exploding, forcing Samsung to recall and cancel sales of the model. The recall wiped out nearly all profit of Samsung's mobile division in the third quarter of 2016. With the Fold, analysts said malfunctions from the first batch of a test model were of little surprise. Moreover, the handset's in-folding design is likely to be less durable than Huawei's out-folding approach, they said. "In-folding is more difficult to make than out-folding, as it adds higher pressure to screens, which people have worried about," said analyst Park Sung-soon at BNK Securities. DO NOT REMOVE Technology journalists took to Twitter on Wednesday to report instances of the screen either cracking or flickering. Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman tweeted, "The screen on my Galaxy Fold review unit is completely broken and unusable just two days in. Hard to know if this is widespread or not." Gurman removed a plastic layer on the screen that was not meant to be removed and the phone malfunctioned afterwards, according to his tweets. A wrapper around the device featured "ATTENTION" in uppercase and warned not remove the layer, showed a tweet from another sample recipient. Samsung on Thursday said removing the protective layer might result in damage, and that it would clearly inform customers of the issue. Dieter Bohn, executive editor of The Verge, said a "small bulge" appeared on the crease of the phone screen, which appeared to be something pressing from underneath the screen. Bohn said Samsung replaced his test phone but did not offer an explanation for the problem. "It is very troubling," Bohn said, adding that he did not remove the protective layer. CNBC.com tech editor Steve Kovach tweeted a video of half of his phone's screen flickering after using it for just a day. HIGH DEMAND Samsung has said it plans to make at least 1 million Fold handsets, versus the total 300 million phones it produces annually. It has closed Fold pre-orders due to "high demand". On Thursday, the firm said there was no change to its release schedule following the malfunction reports. "I think as time goes on its yield rate will improve, and foldables that customers have in hand will be much better," said analyst Lee Kyu-ha at NH Investment & Securities. "But I don't know if Samsung can completely fix the problem about screens."

Samsung gets reports of Galaxy Fold screen problems, raising specter of Note 7 fiasco

Yoon Chang-Hyun's parents told him to get his sanity checked when he quit his secure job as a researcher at Samsung Electronics Co in 2015 to start his own YouTube channel.

The 65 million won ($57,619) a year salary - triple South Korea's average entry level wage - plus top-notch healthcare and other benefits offered by the world's biggest smartphone and memory chip maker was the envy of many college graduates.

But burned out and disillusioned by repeated night shifts, narrowing opportunities for promotion and skyrocketing property prices that have pushed home ownership out of reach, the then 32-year old Yoon gave it all up in favour of an uncertain career as an internet content provider.

Yoon is among a growing wave of South Korean millennials ditching stable white collar jobs, even as unemployment spikes and millions of others still fight to get into the powerful, family-controlled conglomerates known as chaebol.

Some young Koreans are also moving out of the city for farming or taking blue collar jobs abroad, shunning their society's traditional measures of success - well-paid office work, raising a family and buying an apartment.

"I got asked a lot if I had gone crazy," Yoon said. "But I'd quit again if I go back. My bosses didn't look happy. They were overworked, lonely..."

Yoon now runs a YouTube channel about pursuing dream jobs and is supporting himself from his savings.

Samsung Electronics declined to comment for this article.

Chaebols such as Samsung and Hyundai powered South Korea's dramatic rise from the ashes of the 1950-53 war into Asia's fourth-largest economy in less than a generation. Well-paid, secure jobs provided a gateway to the middle-class for many baby boomers.

But with economic growth stagnating and competition from lower cost producers weighing on wages, even milliennials who graduated from top universities and secured chaebol jobs say they are less inclined to try to fulfill society's expectations.

Similar issues among younger workers are being seen globally. However, South Korea's strict hierarchical corporate culture and oversupply of college graduates with homogeneous skills make the problem worse, says Ban Ga-woon, a labour market researcher at state-run Korea Research Institute for Vocational Education &amp; Training.

South Koreans had the shortest job tenure among member countries in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) as of 2012, just 6.6 years compared to the average of 9.4 years and 11.5 years in neighbouring Japan.

The same survey also showed barely 55 per cent of South Koreans were satisfied with their jobs, the lowest rate in the OECD.

This January, 'quitting jobs' appeared on the nation's top 10 new year resolution list on major social media sites.

'Don't tell the boss'

Some workers are even going back to school to learn how to do just that.

A small three-classroom campus in southern Seoul, named "School of Quitting Jobs", has attracted over 7,000 attendees since opening in 2016, founder Jang Su-han told Reuters.

The 34-year-old Jang, who himself quit Samsung Electronics in 2015 to launch the school, said it now offers about 50 courses, including classes on how-to-YouTube, manage an identity crisis, and how to brainstorm a Plan B.

The school's rules are displayed at its entrance: "Don't tell your bosses, say nothing even if you run into a colleague, and never get caught until your graduation."

"There is strong demand for identity-related courses, as so many of us were too busy with cram schools to seriously think about what we want to do when were teenagers," he said.

To be sure, the lure of a prestigious chaebol job remains strong, especially with the country mired in its worst job slump since 2009 and youth joblessness near a record high.

Samsung Electronics is still the most desired workplace for graduates as of 2019, a survey of 1,040 job seekers by Saramin, a job portal, showed in February.

However, many entering the workforce are much less willing to accept the long hours or mandatory drinking sessions synonymous with the country's hierarchical, cutthroat corporate life, says Duncan Harrison, country head of London-based recruitment agency Robert Walters Plc.

"The mindset of people entering the workforce is very different from past generations," Harrison said.

Youtube, sports star, cleaner

Among elementary school students, YouTube creator is now the fifth-ranked dream job, behind being a sports star, school teacher, doctor or a chef, a 2018 government poll showed.

Some are choosing a simpler life in the country.

Between 2013 and 2017, South Korea saw a 24 per cent increase in the number of households who ditched city life for farming - more than 12,000 in total.

And in the face of dwindling opportunities at home, nearly 5,800 people also went abroad for jobs last year using government-subsidized programmes, more than tripling from 2013, according to government data.

Others left without support or new jobs lined up.

Plant engineer Cho Seung-duk bought one-way tickets to Australia in December with his wife and two kids.

"I don't think my son could get jobs like mine in South Korea," said 37-year-old Cho, who moved from Hyundai Engineering &amp; Construction to another top construction firm in 2015 before he emigrated.

"I will probably clean offices in Brisbane, but that's ok."

Yoon Chang-Hyun's parents told him to get his sanity checked when he quit his secure job as a researcher at Samsung Electronics Co in 2015 to start his own YouTube channel.

Yoon Chang-Hyun's parents told him to get his sanity checked when he quit his secure job as a researcher at Samsung Electronics Co in 2015 to start his own YouTube channel. The 65 million won ($57,619) a year salary - triple South Korea's average entry level wage - plus top-notch healthcare and other benefits offered by the world's biggest smartphone and memory chip maker was the envy of many college graduates. But burned out and disillusioned by repeated night shifts, narrowing opportunities for promotion and skyrocketing property prices that have pushed home ownership out of reach, the then 32-year old Yoon gave it all up in favour of an uncertain career as an internet content provider. Yoon is among a growing wave of South Korean millennials ditching stable white collar jobs, even as unemployment spikes and millions of others still fight to get into the powerful, family-controlled conglomerates known as chaebol. Some young Koreans are also moving out of the city for farming or taking blue collar jobs abroad, shunning their society's traditional measures of success - well-paid office work, raising a family and buying an apartment. "I got asked a lot if I had gone crazy," Yoon said. "But I'd quit again if I go back. My bosses didn't look happy. They were overworked, lonely..." Yoon now runs a YouTube channel about pursuing dream jobs and is supporting himself from his savings. Samsung Electronics declined to comment for this article. Chaebols such as Samsung and Hyundai powered South Korea's dramatic rise from the ashes of the 1950-53 war into Asia's fourth-largest economy in less than a generation. Well-paid, secure jobs provided a gateway to the middle-class for many baby boomers. But with economic growth stagnating and competition from lower cost producers weighing on wages, even milliennials who graduated from top universities and secured chaebol jobs say they are less inclined to try to fulfill society's expectations. Similar issues among younger workers are being seen globally. However, South Korea's strict hierarchical corporate culture and oversupply of college graduates with homogeneous skills make the problem worse, says Ban Ga-woon, a labour market researcher at state-run Korea Research Institute for Vocational Education & Training. South Koreans had the shortest job tenure among member countries in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) as of 2012, just 6.6 years compared to the average of 9.4 years and 11.5 years in neighbouring Japan. The same survey also showed barely 55 per cent of South Koreans were satisfied with their jobs, the lowest rate in the OECD. This January, 'quitting jobs' appeared on the nation's top 10 new year resolution list on major social media sites. 'Don't tell the boss' Some workers are even going back to school to learn how to do just that. A small three-classroom campus in southern Seoul, named "School of Quitting Jobs", has attracted over 7,000 attendees since opening in 2016, founder Jang Su-han told Reuters. The 34-year-old Jang, who himself quit Samsung Electronics in 2015 to launch the school, said it now offers about 50 courses, including classes on how-to-YouTube, manage an identity crisis, and how to brainstorm a Plan B. The school's rules are displayed at its entrance: "Don't tell your bosses, say nothing even if you run into a colleague, and never get caught until your graduation." "There is strong demand for identity-related courses, as so many of us were too busy with cram schools to seriously think about what we want to do when were teenagers," he said. To be sure, the lure of a prestigious chaebol job remains strong, especially with the country mired in its worst job slump since 2009 and youth joblessness near a record high. Samsung Electronics is still the most desired workplace for graduates as of 2019, a survey of 1,040 job seekers by Saramin, a job portal, showed in February. However, many entering the workforce are much less willing to accept the long hours or mandatory drinking sessions synonymous with the country's hierarchical, cutthroat corporate life, says Duncan Harrison, country head of London-based recruitment agency Robert Walters Plc. "The mindset of people entering the workforce is very different from past generations," Harrison said. Youtube, sports star, cleaner Among elementary school students, YouTube creator is now the fifth-ranked dream job, behind being a sports star, school teacher, doctor or a chef, a 2018 government poll showed. Some are choosing a simpler life in the country. Between 2013 and 2017, South Korea saw a 24 per cent increase in the number of households who ditched city life for farming - more than 12,000 in total. And in the face of dwindling opportunities at home, nearly 5,800 people also went abroad for jobs last year using government-subsidized programmes, more than tripling from 2013, according to government data. Others left without support or new jobs lined up. Plant engineer Cho Seung-duk bought one-way tickets to Australia in December with his wife and two kids. "I don't think my son could get jobs like mine in South Korea," said 37-year-old Cho, who moved from Hyundai Engineering & Construction to another top construction firm in 2015 before he emigrated. "I will probably clean offices in Brisbane, but that's ok."

South Korea's burned out millennials choose YouTube over Samsung

Global smartphone giant and appliance-maker Samsung, on Wednesday at a grand event, unveiled its latest flagship phone Galaxy S10 in New Delhi.&nbsp;

DJ Koh, President and CEO of Samsung's IT and Mobile Communications Division, graced the launch event and emphasised the 'Make in India' quality of Samsung phones.

"We are the only device maker that is truly ‘Made in India’. We have been making phones here locally since 2007 at the World’s Largest Mobile Factory in Noida," Koh told a packed audience comprising media, partners and Samsung fans, at the event which was also live-streamed around the world.

"Samsung is partnering India to fulfil its promise of ‘Make in India’ and ‘Make for India’,"&nbsp;Koh said. "With the inauguration of the Noida factory, the World’s Largest Mobile Factory, Samsung has set its eyes to ‘Make for the World’," he added.&nbsp;

“In India, we are excited by the opportunities, as more and more consumers are embracing the age of digital transformation,” he said.

Koh was thrilled to share that this year marks the tenth year of the Galaxy S series.&nbsp;

With prices starting at Rs 55,900, Samsung S10 comes in three versions -- S10, S10+ and S10e -- and is slated to lock horns with the likes of Apple's iPhone and Google's Pixel in the premium smartphone market in India. These devices were unveiled in San Francisco on February 20.

Here's taking a quick look at some of the salient features of the flagship device:

- Galaxy S10+ will be available in 1 TB, 512GB and 128 GB storage variants and will be priced at Rs 1,17,900, Rs 91,900 and Rs 73,900, respectively.

- The Galaxy S10, on the other hand, will retail for Rs 84,900 (512 GB variant) and Rs 66,900 (128 GB). S10e would be available in only 128 GB storage variant and will be priced at Rs 55,900.

- Galaxy S10+ will be available in 1 TB, 512GB and 128 GB storage variants and will be priced at Rs 1,17,900, Rs 91,900 and Rs 73,900, respectively.

- The Galaxy S10, on the other hand, will retail for Rs 84,900 (512 GB variant) and Rs 66,900 (128 GB). S10e would be available in only 128 GB storage variant and will be priced at Rs 55,900.

- Galaxy S10e comes with only 128GB storage variant for Rs 55,900.

- Galaxy S10e comes with a&nbsp;5.8-inch display whereas S10 boasts of a 6.1-inch display and Galaxy S10+ bears a 6.4-inch display.

- The devices&nbsp;feature the world's first "Dynamic AMOLED" display.

- The new phones include features like cinematic Infinity-O display, enhanced camera capabilities and in-display fingerprint scanner among others, news agency PTI reported.&nbsp;

(With inputs from PTI)&nbsp;

 
&nbsp;

&nbsp; &nbsp;

Global smartphone giant and appliance-maker Samsung, on Wednesday at a grand event, unveiled its latest flagship phone Galaxy S10 in New Delhi. DJ Koh, President and CEO of Samsung's IT and Mobile Communications Division, graced the launch event and emphasised the 'Make in India' quality of Samsung phones.

Global smartphone giant and appliance-maker Samsung, on Wednesday at a grand event, unveiled its latest flagship phone Galaxy S10 in New Delhi. DJ Koh, President and CEO of Samsung's IT and Mobile Communications Division, graced the launch event and emphasised the 'Make in India' quality of Samsung phones. "We are the only device maker that is truly ‘Made in India’. We have been making phones here locally since 2007 at the World’s Largest Mobile Factory in Noida," Koh told a packed audience comprising media, partners and Samsung fans, at the event which was also live-streamed around the world. "Samsung is partnering India to fulfil its promise of ‘Make in India’ and ‘Make for India’," Koh said. "With the inauguration of the Noida factory, the World’s Largest Mobile Factory, Samsung has set its eyes to ‘Make for the World’," he added. “In India, we are excited by the opportunities, as more and more consumers are embracing the age of digital transformation,” he said. Koh was thrilled to share that this year marks the tenth year of the Galaxy S series. With prices starting at Rs 55,900, Samsung S10 comes in three versions -- S10, S10+ and S10e -- and is slated to lock horns with the likes of Apple's iPhone and Google's Pixel in the premium smartphone market in India. These devices were unveiled in San Francisco on February 20. Here's taking a quick look at some of the salient features of the flagship device: - Galaxy S10+ will be available in 1 TB, 512GB and 128 GB storage variants and will be priced at Rs 1,17,900, Rs 91,900 and Rs 73,900, respectively. - The Galaxy S10, on the other hand, will retail for Rs 84,900 (512 GB variant) and Rs 66,900 (128 GB). S10e would be available in only 128 GB storage variant and will be priced at Rs 55,900. - Galaxy S10+ will be available in 1 TB, 512GB and 128 GB storage variants and will be priced at Rs 1,17,900, Rs 91,900 and Rs 73,900, respectively. - The Galaxy S10, on the other hand, will retail for Rs 84,900 (512 GB variant) and Rs 66,900 (128 GB). S10e would be available in only 128 GB storage variant and will be priced at Rs 55,900. - Galaxy S10e comes with only 128GB storage variant for Rs 55,900. - Galaxy S10e comes with a 5.8-inch display whereas S10 boasts of a 6.1-inch display and Galaxy S10+ bears a 6.4-inch display. - The devices feature the world's first "Dynamic AMOLED" display. - The new phones include features like cinematic Infinity-O display, enhanced camera capabilities and in-display fingerprint scanner among others, news agency PTI reported. (With inputs from PTI)

Samsung launches next-generation flagship Galaxy S10 smartphones in India starting at Rs 55,990

Samsung, Huawei unveil future of technology with foldable phones

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/business-economy/apple-facebook-propel-wall-street-to-three-week-peak-189115">Apple Inc, which slashed its quarterly sales</a> forecast last week, has reduced planned production for its three new iPhone models by about 10 per cent for the January-March quarter, the Nikkei Asian Review reported on Wednesday.

That rare forecast cut exposed weakening iPhone demand in China, the world's biggest smartphone market, where a slowing economy has also been buffeted by a trade war with the United States.

Many analysts and consumers have said the new iPhones are overpriced.

Apple asked its suppliers late last month to produce fewer-than-planned units of its XS, XS Max and XR models, the Nikkei reported, citing sources with knowledge of the request.

The request was made before Apple announced its forecast cut, the Nikkei said. The bleaker sales outlook, which Apple attributed to weak China demand, triggered a broad sell-off in global stock markets.

Market research firm Canalys estimates shipments fell 12 per cent in China last year and expects smartphone shipments in 2019 to dip another 3 per cent, to below 400 million for the first time since 2014.

Overall planned production volume of both old and new iPhones is likely to be cut to a range of 40 million to 43 million units for January-March, from an earlier projection of 47 million to 48 million units, the Nikkei reported, citing one source familiar with the situation.

Apple did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.

The report comes after <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/samsung-electronics-flags-near-30-slump-in-q4-operating-profit-188930">chip suppliers Samsung Electronics Co Ltd</a> and Skyworks Solutions Inc flagged weak first-quarter chip demand for smartphones.

Apple's iPhone suppliers include Taiwanese assemblers Hon Hai Precision Industry Co Ltd (Foxconn) and Pegatron Corp. Pegatron declined to comment on the report when contacted by Reuters, while Foxconn did not immediately reply to a request for comment.

There was little reaction to the report among shares of major Apple suppliers, as the market has already digested production cuts after the iPhone maker's forecast cut, analysts said.

Shares of Foxconn, the world's biggest electronics contract manufacturer, were up 1.6 per cent while Pegatron was up 1.3 per cent.

Among iPhone component suppliers in Asia, South Korea's LG Display Co Ltd was up 0.5 per cent, while Japan Display Inc was flat.

As Chinese demand has faltered, Apple has increased focus on India, which recently overtook the United States as the world's second-largest smartphone market.

Chief Executive Tim Cook reiterated in an interview with CNBC on Tuesday that India was a major focus for Apple.

Reuters reported last month that Apple will begin assembling its top-end iPhones in India through the local unit of Foxconn this year, citing a person familiar with the matter.

Apple asked its suppliers late last month to produce fewer-than-planned units of its XS, XS Max and XR models, the Nikkei reported, citing sources with knowledge of the request.

Apple Inc, which slashed its quarterly sales forecast last week, has reduced planned production for its three new iPhone models by about 10 per cent for the January-March quarter, the Nikkei Asian Review reported on Wednesday. That rare forecast cut exposed weakening iPhone demand in China, the world's biggest smartphone market, where a slowing economy has also been buffeted by a trade war with the United States. Many analysts and consumers have said the new iPhones are overpriced. Apple asked its suppliers late last month to produce fewer-than-planned units of its XS, XS Max and XR models, the Nikkei reported, citing sources with knowledge of the request. The request was made before Apple announced its forecast cut, the Nikkei said. The bleaker sales outlook, which Apple attributed to weak China demand, triggered a broad sell-off in global stock markets. Market research firm Canalys estimates shipments fell 12 per cent in China last year and expects smartphone shipments in 2019 to dip another 3 per cent, to below 400 million for the first time since 2014. Overall planned production volume of both old and new iPhones is likely to be cut to a range of 40 million to 43 million units for January-March, from an earlier projection of 47 million to 48 million units, the Nikkei reported, citing one source familiar with the situation. Apple did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment. The report comes after chip suppliers Samsung Electronics Co Ltd and Skyworks Solutions Inc flagged weak first-quarter chip demand for smartphones. Apple's iPhone suppliers include Taiwanese assemblers Hon Hai Precision Industry Co Ltd (Foxconn) and Pegatron Corp. Pegatron declined to comment on the report when contacted by Reuters, while Foxconn did not immediately reply to a request for comment. There was little reaction to the report among shares of major Apple suppliers, as the market has already digested production cuts after the iPhone maker's forecast cut, analysts said. Shares of Foxconn, the world's biggest electronics contract manufacturer, were up 1.6 per cent while Pegatron was up 1.3 per cent. Among iPhone component suppliers in Asia, South Korea's LG Display Co Ltd was up 0.5 per cent, while Japan Display Inc was flat. As Chinese demand has faltered, Apple has increased focus on India, which recently overtook the United States as the world's second-largest smartphone market. Chief Executive Tim Cook reiterated in an interview with CNBC on Tuesday that India was a major focus for Apple. Reuters reported last month that Apple will begin assembling its top-end iPhones in India through the local unit of Foxconn this year, citing a person familiar with the matter.

Apple cuts first quarter production plan for new iPhones: Report

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/samsung-electronics-apologises-to-workers-over-cancer-cases-in-semiconductor-factories-178875">Samsung Electronics </a>on Tuesday flagged its first quarterly profit drop in two years and painted a grim outlook owing to mounting competition from Chinese smartphone makers and declining chip prices.

The shock warning added to concerns about the broader tech sector after <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/apple-inks-deal-with-samsung-to-distribute-itunes-shows-on-tvs-188696">Apple sent shudders</a> through world markets last week by slashing its revenue forecast blaming weak sales in China and citing the trade war.

Samsung — the world's top maker of smartphones and memory chips — has enjoyed record profits in recent years despite a series of setbacks, including a humiliating recall and the jailing of its de facto chief.

But operating profit during the October to December period was expected to be around 10.8 trillion won ($9.8 billion), down 28.7 per cent from a year earlier, Samsung said in an earnings estimate.

The figure was below market consensus of about 13.5 trillion won, according to market researcher FnGuide.

Sales dropped more than 10 per cent to 59 trillion won in the period, Samsung said.

It cited "lacklustre demand in the memory business and intensifying competition in the smartphone business" for the dismal outlook.

"Memory earnings fell significantly... due to weaker-than-expected demand amid inventory adjustments at data-centre customers," which led to a "greater-than-expected" drop in chip prices, it said.

"We expect earnings to remain subdued in the first quarter of 2019 due to difficult conditions for the memory business but strengthen in the second half."

But analyst Kim Sun-woo of Meritz Securities said worsening supply and demand for semiconductors and the structural challenges facing Samsung's smartphone business will hit profits throughout 2019.

Demand for DRAM memory chips "will hit a low in the fourth quarter of 2019", he added.

Samsung withholds net profit and sector-by-sector business performance data until it releases its final earnings report, which is expected later this month.

For 2018, the firm expects operating profit of 58.9 trillion won, up nearly 10 per cent on-year, and sales to inch up 1.6 per cent to 243.5 trillion won.

Shares in Samsung Electronics, the flagship subsidiary of the Samsung Group that dominates South Korea's economy, were down 0.5 per cent in afternoon trading.

Last week Apple said it expected to earn $84 billion in October-December, well down from the $89-$93 billion previously forecast as it blamed a steeper-than-expected "economic deceleration" in China and emerging markets.

The news battered world equities, with observers saying problems at the usually reliable US titan could point to broader demand weakness and the China-US trade war cited as a key factor.

"When Apple sounded the alarm bells for last quarter results, there was some thought the drops in China sales was an anti-Apple backlash due to escalating US-China tensions," said Stephen Innes, head of Asia-Pacific trade at OANDA. "But these Samsung results are quite damning suggesting there... (is) a broader-based retail and manufacturer slowdown afoot."

While Samsung leads the global smartphone market with a 20 per cent share, it faces mounting competition from Chinese rivals like Huawei — which surpassed Apple to take second place last year — offering quality devices at cheaper prices.

"Samsung is losing ground to Huawei, Xiaomi and other Chinese rivals in the huge China and India markets," Neil Mawston, executive director at market researcher Strategy Analytics, said in a report.

Samsung once also had a 20 per cent market share in China but has seen its sales tumble to less than one per cent of the world's largest smartphone market in the third quarter, and last month announced the closure of its factory in Tianjin.

It will reportedly roll out a new line-up of its flagship Galaxy handsets at next month's World Mobile Congress in Barcelona as it seeks to regain a competitive edge in a market segment it once dominated.

Samsung is also set to introduce the world's first bendable smartphone in the first half.

Its reputation suffered a major blow after a damaging worldwide recall of its Galaxy Note 7 devices over exploding batteries in 2016, which cost the firm billions of dollars and shattered its global brand image.

It also took another hit after the bribery conviction of Lee Jae-Yong — the son and heir of the group's ailing current chairman Lee Kun-hee.

The 50-year-old scion was a key figure in the scandal that ousted former South Korean president Park Geun-Hye following massive nationwide protests and was sentenced to five years in jail last year.

But he was released from jail in February last year after several of his convictions were quashed on appeal.

Samsung has enjoyed record profits in recent years despite a series of setbacks, including a humiliating recall and the jailing of its de facto chief.

Samsung Electronics on Tuesday flagged its first quarterly profit drop in two years and painted a grim outlook owing to mounting competition from Chinese smartphone makers and declining chip prices. The shock warning added to concerns about the broader tech sector after Apple sent shudders through world markets last week by slashing its revenue forecast blaming weak sales in China and citing the trade war. Samsung — the world's top maker of smartphones and memory chips — has enjoyed record profits in recent years despite a series of setbacks, including a humiliating recall and the jailing of its de facto chief. But operating profit during the October to December period was expected to be around 10.8 trillion won ($9.8 billion), down 28.7 per cent from a year earlier, Samsung said in an earnings estimate. The figure was below market consensus of about 13.5 trillion won, according to market researcher FnGuide. Sales dropped more than 10 per cent to 59 trillion won in the period, Samsung said. It cited "lacklustre demand in the memory business and intensifying competition in the smartphone business" for the dismal outlook. "Memory earnings fell significantly... due to weaker-than-expected demand amid inventory adjustments at data-centre customers," which led to a "greater-than-expected" drop in chip prices, it said. "We expect earnings to remain subdued in the first quarter of 2019 due to difficult conditions for the memory business but strengthen in the second half." But analyst Kim Sun-woo of Meritz Securities said worsening supply and demand for semiconductors and the structural challenges facing Samsung's smartphone business will hit profits throughout 2019. Demand for DRAM memory chips "will hit a low in the fourth quarter of 2019", he added. Samsung withholds net profit and sector-by-sector business performance data until it releases its final earnings report, which is expected later this month. For 2018, the firm expects operating profit of 58.9 trillion won, up nearly 10 per cent on-year, and sales to inch up 1.6 per cent to 243.5 trillion won. Shares in Samsung Electronics, the flagship subsidiary of the Samsung Group that dominates South Korea's economy, were down 0.5 per cent in afternoon trading. Last week Apple said it expected to earn $84 billion in October-December, well down from the $89-$93 billion previously forecast as it blamed a steeper-than-expected "economic deceleration" in China and emerging markets. The news battered world equities, with observers saying problems at the usually reliable US titan could point to broader demand weakness and the China-US trade war cited as a key factor. "When Apple sounded the alarm bells for last quarter results, there was some thought the drops in China sales was an anti-Apple backlash due to escalating US-China tensions," said Stephen Innes, head of Asia-Pacific trade at OANDA. "But these Samsung results are quite damning suggesting there... (is) a broader-based retail and manufacturer slowdown afoot." While Samsung leads the global smartphone market with a 20 per cent share, it faces mounting competition from Chinese rivals like Huawei — which surpassed Apple to take second place last year — offering quality devices at cheaper prices. "Samsung is losing ground to Huawei, Xiaomi and other Chinese rivals in the huge China and India markets," Neil Mawston, executive director at market researcher Strategy Analytics, said in a report. Samsung once also had a 20 per cent market share in China but has seen its sales tumble to less than one per cent of the world's largest smartphone market in the third quarter, and last month announced the closure of its factory in Tianjin. It will reportedly roll out a new line-up of its flagship Galaxy handsets at next month's World Mobile Congress in Barcelona as it seeks to regain a competitive edge in a market segment it once dominated. Samsung is also set to introduce the world's first bendable smartphone in the first half. Its reputation suffered a major blow after a damaging worldwide recall of its Galaxy Note 7 devices over exploding batteries in 2016, which cost the firm billions of dollars and shattered its global brand image. It also took another hit after the bribery conviction of Lee Jae-Yong — the son and heir of the group's ailing current chairman Lee Kun-hee. The 50-year-old scion was a key figure in the scandal that ousted former South Korean president Park Geun-Hye following massive nationwide protests and was sentenced to five years in jail last year. But he was released from jail in February last year after several of his convictions were quashed on appeal.

Samsung Electronics flags near 30% slump in Q4 operating profit

Samsung Electronics Co Ltd said Sunday that it will add an app to its smart televisions in the coming months to let owners watch content bought on Apple Inc's iTunes service, a possible first sign Apple is looking to distribute its forthcoming television service on devices made by others.

The deal is part of an ongoing strategy shift for Apple, which is facing weak hardware sales in China and a saturated global smartphone market where users are hanging on to their old iPhones longer than ever, hammering its biggest business.

Also read: <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/us-supreme-court-rules-in-favour-of-samsung-in-apple-design-patent-case-9843">US Supreme Court rules in favour of Samsung in Apple design patent case</a>

As a result, Apple is increasingly leaning on its services segment, which includes businesses such as iCloud storage in addition to its music, television and movie content businesses.

It has announced several high-profile deals for original television content, including a forthcoming show with Oprah Winfrey, but has not yet said how it plans to distribute that content or when its service will launch.

Also read: <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/apple-samsung-fined-millions-for-slowing-phones-173208">Apple, Samsung fined millions for slowing phones</a>

The Samsung deal could be a step toward Apple distributing content to devices made by others. Apple makes a device called Apple TV that connects to a full television set, but has never produced a full set itself.

Under the deal unveiled on Sunday, Samsung will add an app to its televisions that lets users browse and play their existing iTunes movies and television shows as well as purchase or rent new content. Samsung also said it would add Apple's AirPlay 2 software that will allow iPhone owners to stream content from their device to Samsung televisions.

Many existing deals between content companies and smart television makers involve the content companies paying television makers for the right to appear on their devices. Apple and Samsung both declined to comment on whether Apple is paying any fees or a percentage of sales made on the televisions under the new deal.

The impact of iTunes landing on Samsung movies will be muted for now. Since late 2017, consumers who purchased movies through iTunes have been able to watch them on any device, including Samsung televisions, that supported the Movies Anywhere consortium.

Films from Warner Bros, Walt Disney, Universal, Sony and Fox purchased through iTunes, Amazon, Google Play and Vudu could be viewed on the respective apps and devices and TVs that support the apps.

The Samsung deal is the second time in recent months in which Apple has made a pact with another technology company to land its services on their devices. In November, it said its Apple Music streaming service would be made available on Amazon's Echo smart speakers, despite Apple selling its own line of HomePod speakers that compete directly with Echo speakers.

Samsung Electronics Co Ltd said Sunday that it will add an app to its smart televisions in the coming months to let owners watch content bought on Apple Inc's iTunes service, a possible first sign Apple is looking to distribute its forthcoming television service on devices made by others.

Samsung Electronics Co Ltd said Sunday that it will add an app to its smart televisions in the coming months to let owners watch content bought on Apple Inc's iTunes service, a possible first sign Apple is looking to distribute its forthcoming television service on devices made by others. The deal is part of an ongoing strategy shift for Apple, which is facing weak hardware sales in China and a saturated global smartphone market where users are hanging on to their old iPhones longer than ever, hammering its biggest business. Also read: US Supreme Court rules in favour of Samsung in Apple design patent case As a result, Apple is increasingly leaning on its services segment, which includes businesses such as iCloud storage in addition to its music, television and movie content businesses. It has announced several high-profile deals for original television content, including a forthcoming show with Oprah Winfrey, but has not yet said how it plans to distribute that content or when its service will launch. Also read: Apple, Samsung fined millions for slowing phones The Samsung deal could be a step toward Apple distributing content to devices made by others. Apple makes a device called Apple TV that connects to a full television set, but has never produced a full set itself. Under the deal unveiled on Sunday, Samsung will add an app to its televisions that lets users browse and play their existing iTunes movies and television shows as well as purchase or rent new content. Samsung also said it would add Apple's AirPlay 2 software that will allow iPhone owners to stream content from their device to Samsung televisions. Many existing deals between content companies and smart television makers involve the content companies paying television makers for the right to appear on their devices. Apple and Samsung both declined to comment on whether Apple is paying any fees or a percentage of sales made on the televisions under the new deal. The impact of iTunes landing on Samsung movies will be muted for now. Since late 2017, consumers who purchased movies through iTunes have been able to watch them on any device, including Samsung televisions, that supported the Movies Anywhere consortium. Films from Warner Bros, Walt Disney, Universal, Sony and Fox purchased through iTunes, Amazon, Google Play and Vudu could be viewed on the respective apps and devices and TVs that support the apps. The Samsung deal is the second time in recent months in which Apple has made a pact with another technology company to land its services on their devices. In November, it said its Apple Music streaming service would be made available on Amazon's Echo smart speakers, despite Apple selling its own line of HomePod speakers that compete directly with Echo speakers.

Apple inks deal with Samsung to distribute iTunes shows on TVs

Switzerland's competition commission (WEKO) on Tuesday said Apple Inc has agreed to make a technical fix to prevent the automatic launch of its Apple Pay from disrupting rival Swiss payment app TWINT.

"Apple has committed to provide TWINT with the technical capability to suppress the automatic launch of Apple Pay during the payment process with the TWINT app," WEKO said, adding it was ending a preliminary probe against Apple following the pact.

In a separate case, WEKO is investigating Swiss financial companies including Credit Suisse and UBS over a suspected boycott of mobile payment solutions such as Apple Pay and Samsung Pay.

Switzerland's competition commission (WEKO) on Tuesday said Apple Inc has agreed to make a technical fix to prevent the automatic launch of its Apple Pay from disrupting rival Swiss payment app TWINT.

Switzerland's competition commission (WEKO) on Tuesday said Apple Inc has agreed to make a technical fix to prevent the automatic launch of its Apple Pay from disrupting rival Swiss payment app TWINT. "Apple has committed to provide TWINT with the technical capability to suppress the automatic launch of Apple Pay during the payment process with the TWINT app," WEKO said, adding it was ending a preliminary probe against Apple following the pact. In a separate case, WEKO is investigating Swiss financial companies including Credit Suisse and UBS over a suspected boycott of mobile payment solutions such as Apple Pay and Samsung Pay.

Apple pledges to fix disruptions to rival payment app TWINT: Switzerland

Photographer exposes Samsung's unfair practice

Grabbing the opportunity by both hands, American telecommunications company, Verizon announced on Monday it would releasing&nbsp;5g smartphones in partnership with Samsung in the first half of 2019 in the United States.

"The companies will unveil a proof of concept, powered by the upcoming flagship Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ Mobile Platform with the Snapdragon X50 5G NR modem and antenna modules with integrated RF transceiver, RF front-end and antenna elements, at the annual Qualcomm Snapdragon Technology Summit in Maui this week," Verizon said in its official announcement. &nbsp;

The announcement comes after Apple reportedly announced its users to wait until at least 2020 to release 5g iPhones.

Apple's delay makes it easier for Samsung and Verizon to win customers who are eager to connect to 5G networks, which will provide a leap forward in mobile data speeds when they are introduced in 2019.

"5G mobility service will provide massive bandwidth, greater opportunities for connectivity and improved network reliability. When fully implemented, it will offer capacity and download speed many times faster than today’s 4G LTE network. Along with network latency that is faster than the blink of an eye," the company claimed in its announcement.

5G or the fifth generation is the latest wireless networking technology. It can offer data speeds up to 50 or 100 times faster than current 4G networks.

Grabbing the opportunity by both hands, American telecommunications company, Verizon announced on Monday it would releasing 5g smartphones in partnership with Samsung in the first half of 2019 in the United States.

Grabbing the opportunity by both hands, American telecommunications company, Verizon announced on Monday it would releasing 5g smartphones in partnership with Samsung in the first half of 2019 in the United States. "The companies will unveil a proof of concept, powered by the upcoming flagship Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ Mobile Platform with the Snapdragon X50 5G NR modem and antenna modules with integrated RF transceiver, RF front-end and antenna elements, at the annual Qualcomm Snapdragon Technology Summit in Maui this week," Verizon said in its official announcement. The announcement comes after Apple reportedly announced its users to wait until at least 2020 to release 5g iPhones. Apple's delay makes it easier for Samsung and Verizon to win customers who are eager to connect to 5G networks, which will provide a leap forward in mobile data speeds when they are introduced in 2019. "5G mobility service will provide massive bandwidth, greater opportunities for connectivity and improved network reliability. When fully implemented, it will offer capacity and download speed many times faster than today’s 4G LTE network. Along with network latency that is faster than the blink of an eye," the company claimed in its announcement. 5G or the fifth generation is the latest wireless networking technology. It can offer data speeds up to 50 or 100 times faster than current 4G networks.

Verizon and Samsung to launch 5g smartphone by first half of 2019

Samsung apologises to workers; pays compensation for factory cancer cases

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