Samsung Electronics apologised Friday to workers who developed cancer after working at its semiconductor factories, ending a decade-long dispute at the world's top chipmaker.&nbsp;

"We sincerely apologise to the workers who suffered from illness and their families," said Samsung co-president Kim Ki-nam.&nbsp;

"We have failed to properly manage health risks at our semiconductor and LCD factories."

Campaign groups say that 320 people have suffered from work-related illnesses after being employed by Samsung, with 118 of them dying.

Under a deal announced earlier this month, the firm will pay compensation of up to $133,000&nbsp;per case.

It covers 16 types of cancer, some other rare illnesses, miscarriages and congenital diseases suffered by the workers' children.

The scandal emerged in 2007 when former workers at its semiconductor and display factories in Suwon, south of Seoul, and their families said that staff had been diagnosed or died of various forms of cancer.&nbsp;

A series of rulings and decisions by courts, Seoul's state labour welfare agency and a mediation committee followed over more than 10 years, culminating in Friday's announcement.

Relatives' leader Hwang Sang-gi, whose 22-year-old son died of leukaemia, said Friday: "The apology honestly was not enough for the families of the victims but we will accept it."

Samsung Electronics apologised Friday to workers who developed cancer after working at its semiconductor factories, ending a decade-long dispute at the world's top chipmaker.

Samsung Electronics apologised Friday to workers who developed cancer after working at its semiconductor factories, ending a decade-long dispute at the world's top chipmaker. "We sincerely apologise to the workers who suffered from illness and their families," said Samsung co-president Kim Ki-nam. "We have failed to properly manage health risks at our semiconductor and LCD factories." Campaign groups say that 320 people have suffered from work-related illnesses after being employed by Samsung, with 118 of them dying. Under a deal announced earlier this month, the firm will pay compensation of up to $133,000 per case. It covers 16 types of cancer, some other rare illnesses, miscarriages and congenital diseases suffered by the workers' children. The scandal emerged in 2007 when former workers at its semiconductor and display factories in Suwon, south of Seoul, and their families said that staff had been diagnosed or died of various forms of cancer. A series of rulings and decisions by courts, Seoul's state labour welfare agency and a mediation committee followed over more than 10 years, culminating in Friday's announcement. Relatives' leader Hwang Sang-gi, whose 22-year-old son died of leukaemia, said Friday: "The apology honestly was not enough for the families of the victims but we will accept it."

Samsung electronics apologises to workers over cancer cases in semiconductor factories

Italy's competition authority on Wednesday said it was fining Apple and Samsung 10 and five million euros ($11.5 and $5.7 million) respectively for the "planned obsolescence" of their smartphones.

The ruling is believed to be the first against the manufacturers following accusations worldwide that they encourage operating system updates for older phones <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/apple-faces-lawsuits-after-admitting-it-slows-down-old-iphones-27817?amp">which slow them down</a>, thereby encouraging the purchase of new phones.

An investigation by the anti-trust authority revealed that "Apple and Samsung implemented dishonest commercial practices", a statement said.

Operating system updates "caused serious malfunctions and significantly reduced performance, thus accelerating phones' substitution."

Samsung told owners of its Note 4 phone to install a new version of Google's Android operating system intended for the more recent Note 7 but which rendered the old model sluggish.

Likewise, Apple told iPhone 6 owners to install an operating system designed for the iPhone 7, leading to problems for owners of the older model.

Apple was also found to have failed to tell customers about "essential" characteristics of its phones' lithium batteries, including their average life and how to prolong that life, resulting in a bigger fine than for Samsung.

The Italian anti-trust authority opened its investigation in January following customer complaints.

Italy's competition authority on Wednesday said it was fining Apple and Samsung 10 and five million euros ($11.5 and $5.7 million) respectively for the "planned obsolescence" of their smartphones.

Italy's competition authority on Wednesday said it was fining Apple and Samsung 10 and five million euros ($11.5 and $5.7 million) respectively for the "planned obsolescence" of their smartphones. The ruling is believed to be the first against the manufacturers following accusations worldwide that they encourage operating system updates for older phones which slow them down, thereby encouraging the purchase of new phones. An investigation by the anti-trust authority revealed that "Apple and Samsung implemented dishonest commercial practices", a statement said. Operating system updates "caused serious malfunctions and significantly reduced performance, thus accelerating phones' substitution." Samsung told owners of its Note 4 phone to install a new version of Google's Android operating system intended for the more recent Note 7 but which rendered the old model sluggish. Likewise, Apple told iPhone 6 owners to install an operating system designed for the iPhone 7, leading to problems for owners of the older model. Apple was also found to have failed to tell customers about "essential" characteristics of its phones' lithium batteries, including their average life and how to prolong that life, resulting in a bigger fine than for Samsung. The Italian anti-trust authority opened its investigation in January following customer complaints.

Apple, Samsung fined millions for slowing phones

Apple has come out with its latest offering - the iPhone Xs, iPhone X Max and the Apple Watch Series 4 - and the powerful iOS 12. All these gadgets are beautiful, sleek and powerful. They can do many day-to-day things in a jiffy and are still left with a lot of juice.

The same is the scene with smartphone makers who have chosen to go with Android. One such company Samsung has introduced its most powerful gadget, the Note 9, with a stylus and a hardware configuration which can easily give today's desktops and laptops a run for the money. The Gigabytes and Terabytes these gadgets offer, and the processing speed which their CPUs are capable of, are mind-boggling! Forget market leaders, even newcomers like OnePlus and other Chinese smartphone makers are breaking the barriers every day and giving the flagship makers a tough competition.

So much has happened in the last decade that it is becoming impossible to keep up with technological advancements. How much of the hardware is of actual use to an ordinary person, is still debatable. What's amazing is, despite all this power, these 'Bruce Almighties of technology' still primarily make calls!

When you run with technology, trying to understand what's on offer, marvelling at the newly-introduced feature and comprehending the power of computing in the palm of your hand, fatigue is bound to set in.

I had a similar experience when I read about the latest developments in the tech world on my computer. With face between my palms, elevated breathing and a deep sigh, I sank in the chair at home. Peeking through fingers, I saw a box. It suddenly struck me that this is where I've kept most of my old tech stuff. I opened it and found an iPod. The first generation.

Yes, it looks ancient, doesn't even have a display (screen), resembles a pen drive but it has a nostalgic feeling attached to it. This is my first Apple gadget. With only 512 MB onboard storage, it once had songs which are my all-time favourite. I bought it in 2006 but it is still intact. And before you pop THE question: Yes, it is working. I plugged it in my laptop, charged it and transferred some songs through iTunes. It has just one round button - a minimalistic design hallmark of Apple. I pressed the button and voila! The gadget began transmitting the sound waves to my ear through the earphones. It felt like using a Gramophone in today's advanced world but delighted me to the core.

My interest further arose and I began sifting through my cupboard. I stumbled upon the N81, the Symbian OS-based phone launched by Nokia in 2007. It was a gaming device and came pre-loaded with N-Gage 2.0. I remember playing Asphalt 3 on this tiny screen. It was fun back then. And I communicated through calls and SMS-es back then. Yes, SMS-es - the feature that is present in today's phones too but is rarely used. People only get spam SMS-es from banking, real estate and other sectors. Reading those old SMS-es where I used funny abbreviations to keep it within the 160 character limit (to avoid paying for two SMS-es) brought a smile on my face. There were long threads but mostly goofy stuff.

The feelgood factor compelled me to take out the CD player I proudly brought home years ago. Right next to it was a box of CDs which I collected after a lot of struggle and spending money. The music CD of a movie released 20 years ago looked like a Gramophone record today. The player also has the functionality to play cassettes, but unfortunately, I don't have any. It did not have a USB port or Bluetooth to stream music, but it gave comfort.

I took out the CD of Bollywood movie 'Taal' which released in 1999 and played it in the music system. As Alka Yagnik and Udit Narayan crooned 'Dil Ye Bechain Hai', I felt a sense of calmness in my nerves. The beats were exhilarating and Rahman's music brought back old memories - and smile. All this comforted me, the very purpose a technology is introduced, and which I feel is missing in today's time.

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

&nbsp;

Apple has come out with its latest offering - the iPhone Xs, iPhone X Max and the Apple Watch Series 4 - and the powerful iOS 12. All these gadgets are beautiful, sleek and powerful.

Apple has come out with its latest offering - the iPhone Xs, iPhone X Max and the Apple Watch Series 4 - and the powerful iOS 12. All these gadgets are beautiful, sleek and powerful. They can do many day-to-day things in a jiffy and are still left with a lot of juice. The same is the scene with smartphone makers who have chosen to go with Android. One such company Samsung has introduced its most powerful gadget, the Note 9, with a stylus and a hardware configuration which can easily give today's desktops and laptops a run for the money. The Gigabytes and Terabytes these gadgets offer, and the processing speed which their CPUs are capable of, are mind-boggling! Forget market leaders, even newcomers like OnePlus and other Chinese smartphone makers are breaking the barriers every day and giving the flagship makers a tough competition. So much has happened in the last decade that it is becoming impossible to keep up with technological advancements. How much of the hardware is of actual use to an ordinary person, is still debatable. What's amazing is, despite all this power, these 'Bruce Almighties of technology' still primarily make calls! When you run with technology, trying to understand what's on offer, marvelling at the newly-introduced feature and comprehending the power of computing in the palm of your hand, fatigue is bound to set in. I had a similar experience when I read about the latest developments in the tech world on my computer. With face between my palms, elevated breathing and a deep sigh, I sank in the chair at home. Peeking through fingers, I saw a box. It suddenly struck me that this is where I've kept most of my old tech stuff. I opened it and found an iPod. The first generation. Yes, it looks ancient, doesn't even have a display (screen), resembles a pen drive but it has a nostalgic feeling attached to it. This is my first Apple gadget. With only 512 MB onboard storage, it once had songs which are my all-time favourite. I bought it in 2006 but it is still intact. And before you pop THE question: Yes, it is working. I plugged it in my laptop, charged it and transferred some songs through iTunes. It has just one round button - a minimalistic design hallmark of Apple. I pressed the button and voila! The gadget began transmitting the sound waves to my ear through the earphones. It felt like using a Gramophone in today's advanced world but delighted me to the core. My interest further arose and I began sifting through my cupboard. I stumbled upon the N81, the Symbian OS-based phone launched by Nokia in 2007. It was a gaming device and came pre-loaded with N-Gage 2.0. I remember playing Asphalt 3 on this tiny screen. It was fun back then. And I communicated through calls and SMS-es back then. Yes, SMS-es - the feature that is present in today's phones too but is rarely used. People only get spam SMS-es from banking, real estate and other sectors. Reading those old SMS-es where I used funny abbreviations to keep it within the 160 character limit (to avoid paying for two SMS-es) brought a smile on my face. There were long threads but mostly goofy stuff. The feelgood factor compelled me to take out the CD player I proudly brought home years ago. Right next to it was a box of CDs which I collected after a lot of struggle and spending money. The music CD of a movie released 20 years ago looked like a Gramophone record today. The player also has the functionality to play cassettes, but unfortunately, I don't have any. It did not have a USB port or Bluetooth to stream music, but it gave comfort. I took out the CD of Bollywood movie 'Taal' which released in 1999 and played it in the music system. As Alka Yagnik and Udit Narayan crooned 'Dil Ye Bechain Hai', I felt a sense of calmness in my nerves. The beats were exhilarating and Rahman's music brought back old memories - and smile. All this comforted me, the very purpose a technology is introduced, and which I feel is missing in today's time. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Blog: Breakneck innovation and comforting nostalgia

Facebook has formed data-sharing partnerships with 60 device makers, including Apple and Microsoft, giving them access to information of users and even their friends, a media report has claimed, weeks after the social media faced massive backlash for improperly sharing personal data of up to 87 million people.

The New York Times yesterday revealed the partnerships, shedding new light on the social media giant's behaviour related to customer data in the wake of a scandal involving the British political consulting firm Cambridge Analytica.

Facebook, which was founded in 2004, has reached data-sharing partnerships with at least 60 device makers including Apple, Amazon, BlackBerry, Microsoft and Samsung over the last decade, starting before Facebook apps were widely available on smartphones, company officials were quoted as saying by the report.

The deals allowed Facebook to expand its reach and let device makers offer customers popular features of the social network, such as messaging, "like" buttons and address books. The agreements that Facebook entered raise "concerns about the company's privacy protections and compliance with a 2011 consent decree" with the Federal Trade Commission, the report said.

"Facebook allowed the device companies access to the data of users' friends without their explicit consent, even after declaring that it would no longer share such information with outsiders," the daily said reporting the results of its investigation.

Some device makers could retrieve personal information even from users' friends who believed they had barred any sharing, The New York Times found.

In interviews to The New York Times, Facebook however defended its data sharing agreement and asserted that these are consistent with its privacy policies, the FTC agreement and pledges to users.

"These partnerships work very differently from the way in which app developers use our platform," Ime Archibong, Facebook vice president told the daily.

Unlike developers that provide games and services to Facebook users, the device partners can use Facebook data only to provide versions of "the Facebook experience," the officials were quoted as saying.

"You might think that Facebook or the device manufacturer is trustworthy. But the problem is that as more and more data is collected on the device and if it can be accessed by apps on the device it creates serious privacy and security risks," Serge Egelman, a privacy researcher at the University of California, Berkeley, who studies the security of mobile apps, told the daily.

The report comes as Facebook has come under scrutiny for its handling of private data after it was revealed that Cambridge Analytica accessed millions of users' private information.

In April, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg had admitted making a "huge mistake" as personal data of up to 87 million users may have been improperly shared with Cambridge Analytica.&nbsp;

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The deals allowed Facebook to expand its reach and let the device makers offer customers popular features of the social network, such as 'like' buttons and address books

Facebook has formed data-sharing partnerships with 60 device makers, including Apple and Microsoft, giving them access to information of users and even their friends, a media report has claimed, weeks after the social media faced massive backlash for improperly sharing personal data of up to 87 million people. The New York Times yesterday revealed the partnerships, shedding new light on the social media giant's behaviour related to customer data in the wake of a scandal involving the British political consulting firm Cambridge Analytica. Facebook, which was founded in 2004, has reached data-sharing partnerships with at least 60 device makers including Apple, Amazon, BlackBerry, Microsoft and Samsung over the last decade, starting before Facebook apps were widely available on smartphones, company officials were quoted as saying by the report. The deals allowed Facebook to expand its reach and let device makers offer customers popular features of the social network, such as messaging, "like" buttons and address books. The agreements that Facebook entered raise "concerns about the company's privacy protections and compliance with a 2011 consent decree" with the Federal Trade Commission, the report said. "Facebook allowed the device companies access to the data of users' friends without their explicit consent, even after declaring that it would no longer share such information with outsiders," the daily said reporting the results of its investigation. Some device makers could retrieve personal information even from users' friends who believed they had barred any sharing, The New York Times found. In interviews to The New York Times, Facebook however defended its data sharing agreement and asserted that these are consistent with its privacy policies, the FTC agreement and pledges to users. "These partnerships work very differently from the way in which app developers use our platform," Ime Archibong, Facebook vice president told the daily. Unlike developers that provide games and services to Facebook users, the device partners can use Facebook data only to provide versions of "the Facebook experience," the officials were quoted as saying. "You might think that Facebook or the device manufacturer is trustworthy. But the problem is that as more and more data is collected on the device and if it can be accessed by apps on the device it creates serious privacy and security risks," Serge Egelman, a privacy researcher at the University of California, Berkeley, who studies the security of mobile apps, told the daily. The report comes as Facebook has come under scrutiny for its handling of private data after it was revealed that Cambridge Analytica accessed millions of users' private information. In April, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg had admitted making a "huge mistake" as personal data of up to 87 million users may have been improperly shared with Cambridge Analytica. ×

Facebook shared user data with over 60 device makers including Apple, Samsung: Report

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/facebook-shared-user-data-with-over-60-device-makers-including-apple-samsung-report-142133">Facebook shared user data with over 60 device makers including Apple, Samsung: Report</a>

Facebook has formed data-sharing partnerships with 60 device makers, including Apple and Microsoft, giving them access to information of users and even their friends, a media report has claimed, weeks after the social media faced massive backlash for improperly sharing personal data of up to 87 million people.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/bjp-lost-bypolls-because-keshav-prasad-maurya-was-not-made-cm-up-minister-142152">BJP lost </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/bjp-lost-bypolls-because-keshav-prasad-maurya-was-not-made-cm-up-minister-142152">bypolls</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/bjp-lost-bypolls-because-keshav-prasad-maurya-was-not-made-cm-up-minister-142152"> because Keshav Prasad Maurya was not made CM: UP Minister</a>

UP Minister OP Rajbhar has said the BJP lost the recent Uttar Pradesh bypolls because Yogi Aditynath, and not Keshav Prasad Maurya, was made chief minister.&nbsp;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/watch-good-pm-modi-doesnt-take-real-questions-says-rahul-gandhi-142113">Watch: PM Modi 'doesn't take real questions', says Rahul Gandhi</a>

In a latest dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Congress president Rahul Gandhi called him out saying that the interviews he gives are pre-scripted.&nbsp;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/denied-entry-into-examination-centre-upsc-aspirant-kills-himself-142134">Denied entry into examination </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/denied-entry-into-examination-centre-upsc-aspirant-kills-himself-142134">centre</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/denied-entry-into-examination-centre-upsc-aspirant-kills-himself-142134">, UPSC aspirant kills himself</a>

Varun, a 28-year-old student from Karnataka, allegedly committed suicide in Delhi after he was denied entry to sit for the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) or civil services exam.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/keys-of-jagannath-temples-treasury-go-missing-odisha-cm-orders-judicial-probe-142148">Keys of Jagannath Temple treasury go missing, Odisha CM orders </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/keys-of-jagannath-temples-treasury-go-missing-odisha-cm-orders-judicial-probe-142148">judicial</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/keys-of-jagannath-temples-treasury-go-missing-odisha-cm-orders-judicial-probe-142148"> probe</a>

The keys of the 12th century Jagannath Temple's treasury chamber Ratna Bhandar in Odisha have reportedly gone missing.

Read the five big stories of the day here

Facebook shared user data with over 60 device makers including Apple, Samsung: Report Facebook has formed data-sharing partnerships with 60 device makers, including Apple and Microsoft, giving them access to information of users and even their friends, a media report has claimed, weeks after the social media faced massive backlash for improperly sharing personal data of up to 87 million people. BJP lost bypolls because Keshav Prasad Maurya was not made CM: UP Minister UP Minister OP Rajbhar has said the BJP lost the recent Uttar Pradesh bypolls because Yogi Aditynath, and not Keshav Prasad Maurya, was made chief minister. Watch: PM Modi 'doesn't take real questions', says Rahul Gandhi In a latest dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Congress president Rahul Gandhi called him out saying that the interviews he gives are pre-scripted. Denied entry into examination centre, UPSC aspirant kills himself Varun, a 28-year-old student from Karnataka, allegedly committed suicide in Delhi after he was denied entry to sit for the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) or civil services exam. Keys of Jagannath Temple treasury go missing, Odisha CM orders judicial probe The keys of the 12th century Jagannath Temple's treasury chamber Ratna Bhandar in Odisha have reportedly gone missing.

News brief: Big stories of the day

The US jury on Thursday directed Samsung to pay US $539 million to Apple Inc for copying patented smartphone designs and features, bringing a years-long feud between the technology companies into its final stages.

The award appeared to be a bit of a victory for Apple, which had argued in court that design was essential to the iPhone. The case was keenly watched as a precedent for whether design is so important that it could actually be considered the "article of design" even in a product as complex as a smartphone.&nbsp;

"We don't think it is supported by the evidence," Samsung attorney John Quinn told US District Court Judge Lucy Koh after the verdict was read in her courtroom in Silicon Valley.

"We have every concern about the determinations about the article of manufacture."

Quinn declined an offer by the judge to send jurors back for further deliberation, saying Samsung would pursue post-trial motions to address its concerns about the verdict.

Juror Christine Calderon said the panel agreed that one of the design patents - the grid of coloured icons - did represent the whole phone, while the other two at issue in the trial were seen as the display assembly that gave the iPhone its look.

The world’s top smartphone rivals have been in court over patents since 2011, when Apple filed a lawsuit alleging Samsung’s smartphones and tablets “slavishly” copied its products. Samsung was found liable in a 2012 trial, but a disagreement over the amount to be paid led to the current retrial over damages where arguments ended on May 18.

Samsung previously paid Apple $399 million to compensate Apple for infringement of some of the patents at issue in the case. The jury has been deliberating the case since last week.

In a statement, Apple said it was pleased that the members of the jury "agree that Samsung should pay for copying our products."

"We believe deeply in the value of design," Apple said in its statement. "This case has always been about more than money."

The new jury verdict followed a trial in San Jose, California, before Judge Lucy Koh that focused on how much Samsung should pay for infringing Apple patents covering aspects of the iPhone's design. The jury awarded Apple $533.3 million for Samsung's violation of so-called design patents and $5.3 million for the violation of so-called utility patents.

Apple this year told jurors it was entitled to $1 billion in profits Samsung made from selling infringing phones, saying the iPhone's design was crucial to their success.

Samsung sought to limit damages to about $28 million, saying it should only pay for profits attributable to the components of its phones that infringed Apple patents.

The case was keenly watched as a precedent for whether design is so important that it could actually be considered the "article of design" even in a product as complex as a smartphone

The US jury on Thursday directed Samsung to pay US $539 million to Apple Inc for copying patented smartphone designs and features, bringing a years-long feud between the technology companies into its final stages. The award appeared to be a bit of a victory for Apple, which had argued in court that design was essential to the iPhone. The case was keenly watched as a precedent for whether design is so important that it could actually be considered the "article of design" even in a product as complex as a smartphone. "We don't think it is supported by the evidence," Samsung attorney John Quinn told US District Court Judge Lucy Koh after the verdict was read in her courtroom in Silicon Valley. "We have every concern about the determinations about the article of manufacture." Quinn declined an offer by the judge to send jurors back for further deliberation, saying Samsung would pursue post-trial motions to address its concerns about the verdict. Juror Christine Calderon said the panel agreed that one of the design patents - the grid of coloured icons - did represent the whole phone, while the other two at issue in the trial were seen as the display assembly that gave the iPhone its look. The world’s top smartphone rivals have been in court over patents since 2011, when Apple filed a lawsuit alleging Samsung’s smartphones and tablets “slavishly” copied its products. Samsung was found liable in a 2012 trial, but a disagreement over the amount to be paid led to the current retrial over damages where arguments ended on May 18. Samsung previously paid Apple $399 million to compensate Apple for infringement of some of the patents at issue in the case. The jury has been deliberating the case since last week. In a statement, Apple said it was pleased that the members of the jury "agree that Samsung should pay for copying our products." "We believe deeply in the value of design," Apple said in its statement. "This case has always been about more than money." The new jury verdict followed a trial in San Jose, California, before Judge Lucy Koh that focused on how much Samsung should pay for infringing Apple patents covering aspects of the iPhone's design. The jury awarded Apple $533.3 million for Samsung's violation of so-called design patents and $5.3 million for the violation of so-called utility patents. Apple this year told jurors it was entitled to $1 billion in profits Samsung made from selling infringing phones, saying the iPhone's design was crucial to their success. Samsung sought to limit damages to about $28 million, saying it should only pay for profits attributable to the components of its phones that infringed Apple patents.

Samsung to pay $539 million to Apple for copying patented smartphone designs, features

The chairman of LG Group, Koo Bon-moo, who helped transform South Korea's fourth-largest conglomerate into a global brand, passed away on Sunday after a battle with a brain disease.

Koo, 73, had been ill for a year, LG Group said in a statement.

Koo had been fighting a brain disease and had undergone surgery, said a group official who declined to be identified.

"Becoming the third chairman of LG at the age of 50 in 1995, Koo established three key businesses - electronics, chemicals and telecommunications - led a global company LG, and contributed to driving (South Korea`s) industrial competitiveness and national economic development," LG said.

LG Group also established a holding company in order to streamline ownership structure and to begin the process of succession.

The country's powerful family-run conglomerates are implementing generational succession amid growing calls from the government and public to improve transparency and corporate governance.

LG Corp, a holding company of the conglomerate, had said on Thursday its longtime chairman was unwell and it planned to nominate his son to its board of directors in preparation for a leadership succession.

Hier apparent

Heir apparent Koo Kwang-mo is from the fourth generation of LG Group`s controlling family. He owns 6 percent of LG Corp and currently heads LG Electronics' information display unit.&nbsp

He joined the finance division of LG Electronics in 2006 and has been involved in several businesses such as appliances, home entertainment and group strategy, LG said.

The late chairman adopted Koo in 2004 from his younger brother Koo Bon-neung after his only son died in a car accident.&nbsp

The change at the helm is not expected to be disruptive to the group`s business, one analyst told Reuters.

"Although Koo passed away at a relatively early age, his son has already been in a senior position and I don`t think there will be a big change in governance structure or strategic decisions," said Park Ju-gun, head of corporate analysis firm CEO Score.

Under Koo's leadership, the conglomerate changed its corporate brand to LG from Lucky Goldstar and sold LG's semiconductor business to Hyundai, now SK Hynix Inc, under government-led restructuring in the wake of the Asia financial crisis in the late 1990s.&nbsp

Major affiliates are LG Electronics Inc, display maker LG Display and electric car battery maker LG Chem.&nbsp

South Korean prosecutors said this month they raided LG Group`s head office as part of a probe into alleged tax evasion by family members controlling the conglomerate.

The company said Koo`s funeral would be held privately with family members. Visitors including Samsung Group heir Jay Y Lee have paid their condolences at his altar.

Koo, 73, had been ill for a year, LG Group said in a statement

The chairman of LG Group, Koo Bon-moo, who helped transform South Korea's fourth-largest conglomerate into a global brand, passed away on Sunday after a battle with a brain disease. Koo, 73, had been ill for a year, LG Group said in a statement. Koo had been fighting a brain disease and had undergone surgery, said a group official who declined to be identified. "Becoming the third chairman of LG at the age of 50 in 1995, Koo established three key businesses - electronics, chemicals and telecommunications - led a global company LG, and contributed to driving (South Korea`s) industrial competitiveness and national economic development," LG said. LG Group also established a holding company in order to streamline ownership structure and to begin the process of succession. The country's powerful family-run conglomerates are implementing generational succession amid growing calls from the government and public to improve transparency and corporate governance. LG Corp, a holding company of the conglomerate, had said on Thursday its longtime chairman was unwell and it planned to nominate his son to its board of directors in preparation for a leadership succession. Hier apparent Heir apparent Koo Kwang-mo is from the fourth generation of LG Group`s controlling family. He owns 6 percent of LG Corp and currently heads LG Electronics' information display unit. He joined the finance division of LG Electronics in 2006 and has been involved in several businesses such as appliances, home entertainment and group strategy, LG said. The late chairman adopted Koo in 2004 from his younger brother Koo Bon-neung after his only son died in a car accident. The change at the helm is not expected to be disruptive to the group`s business, one analyst told Reuters. "Although Koo passed away at a relatively early age, his son has already been in a senior position and I don`t think there will be a big change in governance structure or strategic decisions," said Park Ju-gun, head of corporate analysis firm CEO Score. Under Koo's leadership, the conglomerate changed its corporate brand to LG from Lucky Goldstar and sold LG's semiconductor business to Hyundai, now SK Hynix Inc, under government-led restructuring in the wake of the Asia financial crisis in the late 1990s. Major affiliates are LG Electronics Inc, display maker LG Display and electric car battery maker LG Chem. South Korean prosecutors said this month they raided LG Group`s head office as part of a probe into alleged tax evasion by family members controlling the conglomerate. The company said Koo`s funeral would be held privately with family members. Visitors including Samsung Group heir Jay Y Lee have paid their condolences at his altar.

LG Group chairman Koo Bon-moo dies from illness at 73

Samsung launched its flagship Galaxy S9 smartphone on Sunday and people are already talking about its comparison with Apple&#39;s iPhone X.&nbsp;

Although Samsung has similar appearances, it comes with several new exclusive features and upgrades including the latest Exynos 9810 SoC (Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 SoC in some regions), improved cameras, and new AR emojis. Apart from that, the Galaxy S9 series bears full-screen displays with an 18.5:9 aspect ratio.

Also read: &nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/samsung-galaxy-s9-galaxy-s9-will-be-available-in-india-in-march-34073">Samsung Galaxy S9, Galaxy S9+ will be available in India in March</a>

Samsung&#39;s biggest focus has been on visual applications with its introduction of AR Emoji which rivals Apple&#39;s iPhone X feature called Animoji&nbsp;which allows a user to take a selfie and turn it into their own custom emoji. The camera can track a person&#39;s face and mimic their facial expression on the digital version of themselves too. Samsung is introducing a similar feature with the S9, but rather than using existing emojis&nbsp;it will let you create an avatar of yourself and animate that instead. These can be shared as videos of animated GIFs via email or text message.

Samsung has included the S9 Plus with two cameras - a wide-angle, and a telephoto, similar to the iPhone X and both capture at a resolution of 12 megapixels which is als. Samsung even mounts the two lenses of the S9 Plus vertically something Apple also does with its flagship.&nbsp;

The difference is in the low-light performance. While taking a picture with S9 and S9+, one can capture 12 images at the same time and then compares all exposures to build a single picture that includes all the right specifications required but with little grain and noise as possible. The iPhone X, on the other hand, processes high-dynamic range photos, taking three images at different levels of light exposure to combine them to produce a richer, more balanced image.

Another significant difference between the two phones is the price. While the Samsung Galaxy S9 starts at a price of $720 and the Galaxy S9+ starts at a price of $840, which is $250 less than the arch-rival iPhone X which costs $999.&nbsp;

Also, Apple comes with built-in storage of upto 256GB but does not offer any expansion with a removable SD memory. But Samsung does with the S9. It&rsquo;ll have 64GB built in, but it supports Micro SD cards with up to 400GB of additional capacity.

&nbsp;

Samsung launched its flagship Galaxy S9 smartphone on Sunday and people are already talking about its comparison with Apple's iPhone X.

Samsung launched its flagship Galaxy S9 smartphone on Sunday and people are already talking about its comparison with Apple's iPhone X. Although Samsung has similar appearances, it comes with several new exclusive features and upgrades including the latest Exynos 9810 SoC (Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 SoC in some regions), improved cameras, and new AR emojis. Apart from that, the Galaxy S9 series bears full-screen displays with an 18.5:9 aspect ratio. Also read: Samsung Galaxy S9, Galaxy S9+ will be available in India in March Samsung's biggest focus has been on visual applications with its introduction of AR Emoji which rivals Apple's iPhone X feature called Animoji which allows a user to take a selfie and turn it into their own custom emoji. The camera can track a person's face and mimic their facial expression on the digital version of themselves too. Samsung is introducing a similar feature with the S9, but rather than using existing emojis it will let you create an avatar of yourself and animate that instead. These can be shared as videos of animated GIFs via email or text message. Samsung has included the S9 Plus with two cameras - a wide-angle, and a telephoto, similar to the iPhone X and both capture at a resolution of 12 megapixels which is als. Samsung even mounts the two lenses of the S9 Plus vertically something Apple also does with its flagship. The difference is in the low-light performance. While taking a picture with S9 and S9+, one can capture 12 images at the same time and then compares all exposures to build a single picture that includes all the right specifications required but with little grain and noise as possible. The iPhone X, on the other hand, processes high-dynamic range photos, taking three images at different levels of light exposure to combine them to produce a richer, more balanced image. Another significant difference between the two phones is the price. While the Samsung Galaxy S9 starts at a price of $720 and the Galaxy S9+ starts at a price of $840, which is $250 less than the arch-rival iPhone X which costs $999. Also, Apple comes with built-in storage of upto 256GB but does not offer any expansion with a removable SD memory. But Samsung does with the S9. It’ll have 64GB built in, but it supports Micro SD cards with up to 400GB of additional capacity.

Is Samsung Galaxy S9 better than iPhone X?

Samsung&#39;s highly anticipated Galaxy S9 and S9+ were officially unveiled at a crowded press gathering in Barcelona&nbsp;ahead of Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2018, on Sunday.

The phones will come in different colors such as - &nbsp;Midnight Black, Coral Blue, Lilac Purple, and Titanium Grey colours.

Samsung Galaxy S9 is launched at a price of US $ 799 (Rs&nbsp;51,700) and the Galaxy S9+ is priced at US $ 949 (Rs&nbsp;61,400). The pre-orders for the Samsung Galaxy S9 start from March 2 and it will be available in the markets starting March 16.

The biggest change expected in the S9+ model is a vertically-oriented dual camera setup with the fingerprint reader positioned directly underneath which is capable of shooting at f/2.4 when there&#39;s ample light but can switch to f/1.5 when the phone detects low-light conditions. Samsung says this enables the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ to capture 28 percent more light compared to the Galaxy S8, adding that a new multi-frame noise reduction feature results in up to 30 percent less noise compared to the previous flagship.

Another new feature of the phone includes a super slow-mo camera which is capable of recording 960 frames per second, which means 0.2 seconds of footage is stretched out to 6 seconds.

Samsung has also introduced Bixby Vision in the camera app that will now offer live translation features, the ability to recognise the buildings and other places in a frame, and even look at the food in your frame and provide information like the amount of calories in the item, a feature that will be available only in select regions.

It has also introducing AR Emoji -&nbsp;a virtual avatar that allows you to click a 3D picture of yourself and turn it into customised emoji. It comes with 18 different emojis that can then be used through the keyboard app on the Galaxy S9/ Galaxy S9+ in any app and be shared with other users irrespective of the phone they are using.

Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ will also be powered by the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 processor, though the international variant, which is the one that India also gets, will have Samsung&#39;s own Exynos 9810 processor.

The Samsung Galaxy S9 features a 5.8-inch QHD+ Curved Super AMOLED 18:5.9 display Infinity displays with an 18:9 aspect ratio.&nbsp;The standard S9 would pack 4GB RAM, a 3000mAh battery, and a single 12-megapixel camera on the back.

The Galaxy S9+ would offer 6GB RAM, a 6.2-inch QHD+ Curved Super AMOLED 18:5.9 display, a dual camera setup on the back, and a 3500mAh battery pack.

Both the phones will have an 8MP shooter on the front.

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

The phones will come in different colors such as - Midnight Black, Coral Blue, Lilac Purple, and Titanium Grey colours

Samsung's highly anticipated Galaxy S9 and S9+ were officially unveiled at a crowded press gathering in Barcelona ahead of Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2018, on Sunday. The phones will come in different colors such as - Midnight Black, Coral Blue, Lilac Purple, and Titanium Grey colours. Samsung Galaxy S9 is launched at a price of US $ 799 (Rs 51,700) and the Galaxy S9+ is priced at US $ 949 (Rs 61,400). The pre-orders for the Samsung Galaxy S9 start from March 2 and it will be available in the markets starting March 16. The biggest change expected in the S9+ model is a vertically-oriented dual camera setup with the fingerprint reader positioned directly underneath which is capable of shooting at f/2.4 when there's ample light but can switch to f/1.5 when the phone detects low-light conditions. Samsung says this enables the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ to capture 28 percent more light compared to the Galaxy S8, adding that a new multi-frame noise reduction feature results in up to 30 percent less noise compared to the previous flagship. Another new feature of the phone includes a super slow-mo camera which is capable of recording 960 frames per second, which means 0.2 seconds of footage is stretched out to 6 seconds. Samsung has also introduced Bixby Vision in the camera app that will now offer live translation features, the ability to recognise the buildings and other places in a frame, and even look at the food in your frame and provide information like the amount of calories in the item, a feature that will be available only in select regions. It has also introducing AR Emoji - a virtual avatar that allows you to click a 3D picture of yourself and turn it into customised emoji. It comes with 18 different emojis that can then be used through the keyboard app on the Galaxy S9/ Galaxy S9+ in any app and be shared with other users irrespective of the phone they are using. Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ will also be powered by the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 processor, though the international variant, which is the one that India also gets, will have Samsung's own Exynos 9810 processor. The Samsung Galaxy S9 features a 5.8-inch QHD+ Curved Super AMOLED 18:5.9 display Infinity displays with an 18:9 aspect ratio. The standard S9 would pack 4GB RAM, a 3000mAh battery, and a single 12-megapixel camera on the back. The Galaxy S9+ would offer 6GB RAM, a 6.2-inch QHD+ Curved Super AMOLED 18:5.9 display, a dual camera setup on the back, and a 3500mAh battery pack. Both the phones will have an 8MP shooter on the front.

Samsung unveils Galaxy S9, Galaxy S9+, here's what's new

A South Korean court <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/south-korean-prosecutors-seek-12-year-jail-term-for-samsung-heir-lee-27847">has freed Samsung heir Lee Jae-Yong</a>, 49, over bribery allegation after cutting his jail term to a suspending term and ordering his release.

South Korean prosecutors had sought a 12-year jail term for Lee Jae-Yong. A &nbsp;lower court had earlier sentenced him to five years in August as the scandal rocked the country.

Lee Jae-Yong was convicted of five charges including bribery, embezzlement and hiding assets overseas.

He was found guilty of providing $8.19 million in bribes to Choi Soon-sil, a long-time friend and confidante of former President Park Geun-hye.

The South Korean president &nbsp;Park Geun-Hye had resigned after the news became public.

Four former top Samsung executives -- Choi Gee-sung, former head of Samsung`s now-disbanded control tower Future Strategy Office; his former deputy Chang Choong-ki; Park Sang-jin, a former president of Samsung Electronics; and another former President Hwang Sung-soo -&nbsp;were also convicted of similar charges and sentenced to four years in prison or suspended terms.

Lee Jae-Yong was found guilty of providing $8.19 million in bribes to Choi Soon-sil, a long-time friend and confidante of former President Park Geun-hye

A South Korean court has freed Samsung heir Lee Jae-Yong, 49, over bribery allegation after cutting his jail term to a suspending term and ordering his release. South Korean prosecutors had sought a 12-year jail term for Lee Jae-Yong. A lower court had earlier sentenced him to five years in August as the scandal rocked the country. Lee Jae-Yong was convicted of five charges including bribery, embezzlement and hiding assets overseas. He was found guilty of providing $8.19 million in bribes to Choi Soon-sil, a long-time friend and confidante of former President Park Geun-hye. The South Korean president Park Geun-Hye had resigned after the news became public. Four former top Samsung executives -- Choi Gee-sung, former head of Samsung`s now-disbanded control tower Future Strategy Office; his former deputy Chang Choong-ki; Park Sang-jin, a former president of Samsung Electronics; and another former President Hwang Sung-soo - were also convicted of similar charges and sentenced to four years in prison or suspended terms.

South Korea court frees Samsung heir in bribery case

Italy&#39;s antitrust authority today said it had launched a probe into tech giants Apple and Samsung for allegedly shortening the lives of their products so clients would buy newer models.

The watchdog accused the companies of a &quot;commercial policy aimed at exploiting the shortcomings of some (tech) components to reduce the performance of their products over time and persuade consumers to purchase new versions&quot;.

It said it was also looking into complaints the pair failed to provide information on what consequences software updates pushed by the companies would have on products.

The Italian probe follows an investigation launched this month into Apple in France over suspected &quot;planned obsolescence&quot; in some of its iPhone models.

The US company was forced to admit in December that it intentionally slowed down older models of its iPhones over time, sparking concerns it was unfairly nudging consumers to upgrade.

At the time, Apple denied it intentionally shortened the life on any of its products. It said it slowed models to extend the performance of the phone, which uses less power when running at slower speeds, and prevent unexpected shutdowns.

The California-based group also faces a class-action suit in the United States.

It has been a bad start to the year for Samsung too: the electronics giant faces a legal case in France over the alleged use of child labour and other abuses in Chinese manufacturing plants producing its products.

The watchdog accused the companies of a 'commercial policy aimed at exploiting the shortcomings of some (tech) components to reduce the performance of their products over time and persuade consumers to purchase new versions'

Italy's antitrust authority today said it had launched a probe into tech giants Apple and Samsung for allegedly shortening the lives of their products so clients would buy newer models. The watchdog accused the companies of a "commercial policy aimed at exploiting the shortcomings of some (tech) components to reduce the performance of their products over time and persuade consumers to purchase new versions". It said it was also looking into complaints the pair failed to provide information on what consequences software updates pushed by the companies would have on products. The Italian probe follows an investigation launched this month into Apple in France over suspected "planned obsolescence" in some of its iPhone models. The US company was forced to admit in December that it intentionally slowed down older models of its iPhones over time, sparking concerns it was unfairly nudging consumers to upgrade. At the time, Apple denied it intentionally shortened the life on any of its products. It said it slowed models to extend the performance of the phone, which uses less power when running at slower speeds, and prevent unexpected shutdowns. The California-based group also faces a class-action suit in the United States. It has been a bad start to the year for Samsung too: the electronics giant faces a legal case in France over the alleged use of child labour and other abuses in Chinese manufacturing plants producing its products.

Italy probes Apple, Samsung over cuts to product life

Samsung is expected to unveil Galaxy S9 and S9+, the successors to Galaxy S8 and S8+ early next year. The South Korean smartphone maker is expected to retain the same design like its predecessor but bring improvements in terms of performance and battery life.

Samsung was initially tipped to showcase the next-generation Galaxy smartphone to its retail partners at CES next month. However, it has now confirmed to The Korea Herald that it is unlikely to stick to that timeframe. The smartphone is expected to be showcased during the Mobile World Congress in February or at company&rsquo;s own event in March. Samsung had launched the Galaxy S5, S6 and S7 at MWC while Galaxy S8 was launched at a special event in New York and London.

Samsung&rsquo;s confirmation comes amidst several media reports suggesting the company will launch S9 at Consumer Electronics in January to better compete with Apple&rsquo;s flagship iPhone X. Samsung emerged as a formidable challenger to Apple&rsquo;s latest flagship due to delayed launch and supply constraints with iPhone X. Apple has lost market share in key markets and Samsung wants to maintain the growth momentum.

With Galaxy S9, Samsung is expected to offer the same Infinity Display design but with even thinner bezels. The Galaxy S9 series is expected to reach 90 percent screen-to-body ratio, suggesting the front could be almost entirely made of glass.

Samsung was initially planning to introduce an in-display fingerprint sensor with Galaxy S9 but has now pushed it to Galaxy Note 9 due to technical limitation. The smartphone is said to feature a rear-mounted fingerprint sensor placed underneath the dual camera system, addressing criticism of Galaxy S8 users who found the existing fingerprint sensor hard to reach.

The Galaxy S9 and S9+ will likely be the first smartphones to feature <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/qualcomm-snapdragon-845-soc-with-kryo-385-cpu-x20-lte-modem-ai-capabilities-launched-26089">Qualcomm&rsquo;s Snapdragon 845 chipset</a> and feature optically stabilised dual camera setup. It will run Android 8.0 Oreo with Samsung&rsquo;s own customisation but the company is not providing any information about the product.

Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9+ are now expected to launch at MWC in February or early March. The smartphones will be the first to get Snapdragon 845 chipset.

Samsung is expected to unveil Galaxy S9 and S9+, the successors to Galaxy S8 and S8+ early next year. The South Korean smartphone maker is expected to retain the same design like its predecessor but bring improvements in terms of performance and battery life. Samsung was initially tipped to showcase the next-generation Galaxy smartphone to its retail partners at CES next month. However, it has now confirmed to The Korea Herald that it is unlikely to stick to that timeframe. The smartphone is expected to be showcased during the Mobile World Congress in February or at company’s own event in March. Samsung had launched the Galaxy S5, S6 and S7 at MWC while Galaxy S8 was launched at a special event in New York and London. Samsung’s confirmation comes amidst several media reports suggesting the company will launch S9 at Consumer Electronics in January to better compete with Apple’s flagship iPhone X. Samsung emerged as a formidable challenger to Apple’s latest flagship due to delayed launch and supply constraints with iPhone X. Apple has lost market share in key markets and Samsung wants to maintain the growth momentum. With Galaxy S9, Samsung is expected to offer the same Infinity Display design but with even thinner bezels. The Galaxy S9 series is expected to reach 90 percent screen-to-body ratio, suggesting the front could be almost entirely made of glass. Samsung was initially planning to introduce an in-display fingerprint sensor with Galaxy S9 but has now pushed it to Galaxy Note 9 due to technical limitation. The smartphone is said to feature a rear-mounted fingerprint sensor placed underneath the dual camera system, addressing criticism of Galaxy S8 users who found the existing fingerprint sensor hard to reach. The Galaxy S9 and S9+ will likely be the first smartphones to feature Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 845 chipset and feature optically stabilised dual camera setup. It will run Android 8.0 Oreo with Samsung’s own customisation but the company is not providing any information about the product.

Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9+ unlikely to launch at CES: Report

The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday refused to step back into the years-long feud over patents between the world&#39;s top smartphone makers, declining to hear Samsung&#39;s appeal of a lower court ruling that reinstated a jury award of about $120 million in favor of Apple.

The justices left in place a 2016 ruling by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit that upheld a verdict that found South Korea&#39;s Samsung Electronics Co Ltd had infringed Apple Inc&#39;s patents on several popular features of the California-based company&#39;s iPhone. Those included slide-to-unlock, autocorrect and quick links, which automatically turn information like addresses and phone numbers into links.

The Supreme Court in December 2016 sided with Samsung in a separate case over its fight with Apple. In that one, the justices threw out a $399 million damages award against Samsung to its American rival for copying key iPhone designs.

A judge in California in October ordered a new trial over damages in that case.

The current appeal stems from a May 2014 verdict by a jury in federal court in San Jose, California ordering Samsung to pay $119.6 million for using the Apple features without permission. Infringement of the quick links feature accounted for nearly $99 million of the damages.

A three-judge panel of the Federal Circuit, a Washington-based court that specializes in patent matters, had originally overturned the verdict, but it was reinstated in an October 2016 ruling by a full slate of 11 judges on that court.

Appealing to the Supreme Court, Samsung said that the patent court&#39;s judges did not follow proper procedure in reviving the verdict because they made the decision without considering additional legal papers or hearing oral arguments. The judges also wrongly changed the law related to invalidating patents and awarding injunctions, Samsung added.

In a dig at the patent court, Samsung told the justices in legal papers that they have &quot;long served as the bulwark when the Federal Circuit tips the balance too far in favor of patent-holders&#39; rights at the expense of innovation and competition.&quot;

Apple urged the justices to leave the jury award in place, saying there was nothing &quot;novel or important&quot; to review in its rival&#39;s appeal. The Trump administration backed Apple&#39;s view.

The justices left in place a 2016 ruling by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit that upheld a verdict that found South Korea's Samsung Electronics Co Ltd had infringed Apple Inc's patents on several popular features of the California-based company's iPhone.

The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday refused to step back into the years-long feud over patents between the world's top smartphone makers, declining to hear Samsung's appeal of a lower court ruling that reinstated a jury award of about $120 million in favor of Apple. The justices left in place a 2016 ruling by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit that upheld a verdict that found South Korea's Samsung Electronics Co Ltd had infringed Apple Inc's patents on several popular features of the California-based company's iPhone. Those included slide-to-unlock, autocorrect and quick links, which automatically turn information like addresses and phone numbers into links. The Supreme Court in December 2016 sided with Samsung in a separate case over its fight with Apple. In that one, the justices threw out a $399 million damages award against Samsung to its American rival for copying key iPhone designs. A judge in California in October ordered a new trial over damages in that case. The current appeal stems from a May 2014 verdict by a jury in federal court in San Jose, California ordering Samsung to pay $119.6 million for using the Apple features without permission. Infringement of the quick links feature accounted for nearly $99 million of the damages. A three-judge panel of the Federal Circuit, a Washington-based court that specializes in patent matters, had originally overturned the verdict, but it was reinstated in an October 2016 ruling by a full slate of 11 judges on that court. Appealing to the Supreme Court, Samsung said that the patent court's judges did not follow proper procedure in reviving the verdict because they made the decision without considering additional legal papers or hearing oral arguments. The judges also wrongly changed the law related to invalidating patents and awarding injunctions, Samsung added. In a dig at the patent court, Samsung told the justices in legal papers that they have "long served as the bulwark when the Federal Circuit tips the balance too far in favor of patent-holders' rights at the expense of innovation and competition." Apple urged the justices to leave the jury award in place, saying there was nothing "novel or important" to review in its rival's appeal. The Trump administration backed Apple's view.

Top US court rejects Samsung's appeal on patent loss to Apple

The CEO of Samsung Electronics Kwon Oh-Hyun resigned Friday, saying the South Korean tech giant was facing an &quot;unprecedented crisis&quot;, even as it expected profits to hit an all-time high in the third quarter.

Kwon&#39;s resignation comes as the company struggles to overcome a bribery scandal that sent Lee Jae-Yong, its de-facto head and heir to the Samsung empire, to jail.

But in a sign of good news for the company, its estimated operating profits for the July-September period of 14.5 trillion won ($12.8 billion) marked a record for quarterly profit, nearly tripling the 5.2 trillion won earned a year earlier.

Sales are expected to have surged 29.65 percent on-year to 62 trillion won, with the booming semiconductor business boosting the company&#39;s bottomline.

Despite the spectacular performance, CEO Kwon said the company was in the throes of an &quot;unprecedented crisis&quot; as he announced his intention to step down.

&quot;Fortunately, the company is now producing best-ever results but this is merely a fruit of decisions and investment made in the past&quot;, he said in a statement.

&quot;As we are confronted with unprecedented crisis inside out, I believe that time has now come for the company (to) start anew, with a new spirit and young leadership to better respond to challenges arising from the rapidly changing IT industry&quot;, Kwon said.

Samsung did not announce the performance estimates of each business division but its semiconductor business is widely believed to have contributed greatly to the record-beating report.

The company is set to release its final earnings report later this month.

Samsung has been seeking to move past a bribery scandal that saw the company&#39;s de-facto head Lee Jae-Yong thrown into jail, and to overcome a damaging recall last year of its flagship Galaxy Note 7 smartphone over exploding batteries.

Lee, who was found guilty in August of bribery, perjury and other charges relating to payments made by Samsung to ousted president Park Geun-Hye&#39;s secret confidante Choi Soon-Sil, is appealing his five-year sentence and says he is innocent.

Profits up

&quot;The results are good ones that largely meet market expectations&quot;, Kwon Sung-Ryul of Dongbu Securities told AFP.

&quot;The company has been riding a global semiconductor boom,&quot; he said, adding the semiconductor business alone is believed to have contributed 10 trillion won to the operating profit.

The company&#39;s main products -- DRAM and NAND memory chips used in smartphones -- have also seen an increase in shipments and prices.

Rising sales of its flagship Galaxy S8 and Galaxy Note 8 smartphones were also believed to have bolstered the profitability of the mobile division, analysts said.

Yonhap Infomax data, based on research from 21 securities firms, also showed Samsung is expected to post an operating profit of 16 trillion won in the fourth quarter, up 74 percent from a year earlier.

Doh Hyun-woo, analyst at Mirae Asset Daewoo Securities Co. said in a report that the release of new models, including the iPhone X by rival Apple Inc. could weigh on Samsung&#39;s mobile sales, but will also help its smartphones parts business.

The consumer electronics division will also benefit from strong seasonal demand, he added.

Shares in Samsung Electronics were trading down 0.55 percent on heavy profit taking in mid-day trade.

Kwon Oh-Hyun's resignation comes as the company struggles to overcome a bribery scandal that sent Lee Jae-Yong, its de-facto head and heir to the Samsung empire, to jail

The CEO of Samsung Electronics Kwon Oh-Hyun resigned Friday, saying the South Korean tech giant was facing an "unprecedented crisis", even as it expected profits to hit an all-time high in the third quarter. Kwon's resignation comes as the company struggles to overcome a bribery scandal that sent Lee Jae-Yong, its de-facto head and heir to the Samsung empire, to jail. But in a sign of good news for the company, its estimated operating profits for the July-September period of 14.5 trillion won ($12.8 billion) marked a record for quarterly profit, nearly tripling the 5.2 trillion won earned a year earlier. Sales are expected to have surged 29.65 percent on-year to 62 trillion won, with the booming semiconductor business boosting the company's bottomline. Despite the spectacular performance, CEO Kwon said the company was in the throes of an "unprecedented crisis" as he announced his intention to step down. "Fortunately, the company is now producing best-ever results but this is merely a fruit of decisions and investment made in the past", he said in a statement. "As we are confronted with unprecedented crisis inside out, I believe that time has now come for the company (to) start anew, with a new spirit and young leadership to better respond to challenges arising from the rapidly changing IT industry", Kwon said. Samsung did not announce the performance estimates of each business division but its semiconductor business is widely believed to have contributed greatly to the record-beating report. The company is set to release its final earnings report later this month. Samsung has been seeking to move past a bribery scandal that saw the company's de-facto head Lee Jae-Yong thrown into jail, and to overcome a damaging recall last year of its flagship Galaxy Note 7 smartphone over exploding batteries. Lee, who was found guilty in August of bribery, perjury and other charges relating to payments made by Samsung to ousted president Park Geun-Hye's secret confidante Choi Soon-Sil, is appealing his five-year sentence and says he is innocent. Profits up "The results are good ones that largely meet market expectations", Kwon Sung-Ryul of Dongbu Securities told AFP. "The company has been riding a global semiconductor boom," he said, adding the semiconductor business alone is believed to have contributed 10 trillion won to the operating profit. The company's main products -- DRAM and NAND memory chips used in smartphones -- have also seen an increase in shipments and prices. Rising sales of its flagship Galaxy S8 and Galaxy Note 8 smartphones were also believed to have bolstered the profitability of the mobile division, analysts said. Yonhap Infomax data, based on research from 21 securities firms, also showed Samsung is expected to post an operating profit of 16 trillion won in the fourth quarter, up 74 percent from a year earlier. Doh Hyun-woo, analyst at Mirae Asset Daewoo Securities Co. said in a report that the release of new models, including the iPhone X by rival Apple Inc. could weigh on Samsung's mobile sales, but will also help its smartphones parts business. The consumer electronics division will also benefit from strong seasonal demand, he added. Shares in Samsung Electronics were trading down 0.55 percent on heavy profit taking in mid-day trade.

Samsung CEO steps down, says 'unprecedented crisis'

Samsung has launched the Galaxy Note 8 in India for Rs 67,900.&nbsp;

Samsung has a lot riding on the 8, with Samsung having withdrawn its predecessor after a number of batteries of the Note 7 combusted.&nbsp;

Zee Business reported that the Note 8 has already received over 2.5 lakh pre-bookings in India.

Similar to the Galaxy S8 and the Galaxy S8+, the Note 8 also sports an &quot;Infinity Display&quot; with an aspect ratio of 18.5:9.

Its 6.3-inch screen is Super AMOLED with a resolution of 1440 x 2960 pixels.

The Note 8 sports other features such as a 64-bit Exynos 8895 octa-core processor chipset with 6GB RAM and 64GB internal storage.

The two cameras have OIS and are designed to obtain different photos from a single click data.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/business-economy/samsung-galaxy-note-8-to-be-launched-in-india-on-september-12-19966">Similar to the iPhone X, the Note 8 can be charged wirelessly</a>.&nbsp;

The handset also supports Samsung Gear VR and Google Daydream VR.

The Note 8 was launched in New York in August.

&nbsp;

The latest launch comes with a new feature, a dual camera setup

Samsung has launched the Galaxy Note 8 in India for Rs 67,900. Samsung has a lot riding on the 8, with Samsung having withdrawn its predecessor after a number of batteries of the Note 7 combusted. Zee Business reported that the Note 8 has already received over 2.5 lakh pre-bookings in India. Similar to the Galaxy S8 and the Galaxy S8+, the Note 8 also sports an "Infinity Display" with an aspect ratio of 18.5:9. Its 6.3-inch screen is Super AMOLED with a resolution of 1440 x 2960 pixels. The Note 8 sports other features such as a 64-bit Exynos 8895 octa-core processor chipset with 6GB RAM and 64GB internal storage. The two cameras have OIS and are designed to obtain different photos from a single click data. Similar to the iPhone X, the Note 8 can be charged wirelessly. The handset also supports Samsung Gear VR and Google Daydream VR. The Note 8 was launched in New York in August.

Samsung launches Galaxy Note 8 in India at Rs 67,900

Samsung is expected to launch the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/science-tech/samsung-to-recover-gold-from-galaxy-note-7-18121">new phone under its flagship on September 12 </a>in India at an event scheduled to be held in New Delhi.

The company was forced <a href="http://www.wionews.com/science-tech/samsung-to-start-selling-refurbished-galaxy-note-7-smartphones-13886">to shut down Samsung Note 7 after reports</a> of handset explosion due to self-combusting batteries of the phone. Galaxy Note 8 will be the successor to Samsung&#39;s Note 7.

The phone is expected to be priced at Rs 60,000 in India.&nbsp;Samsung has created a special website for its new launch Samsung Galaxy Note 8.&nbsp;

The website is for people interested in the phone to register themselves.&nbsp;Early registration will give an early opportunity to buy the phone.&nbsp;

The handset&#39;s launch in India will be coinciding with the Apple event in the US.&nbsp;

The much awaited<a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/iphone-8-to-be-out-on-september-12-19841"> Apple&#39;s 10th-anniversary edition- iPhone 8 </a>will be revealed in the US on September 12.

iPhone 8 is expected to enter the Indian markets around the first week of October.&nbsp;

However, the Apple&#39;s 10th-anniversary edition will be available at a price higher than that of Galaxy Note 8. The Apple iPhone is said to be priced at Rs 1 lakh.&nbsp;

Besides the two new launches, several other new phones are making their way for the Indian audience.&nbsp;

Google is expected to hit the market with Pixel 2 and the Pixel XL 2 in October. Also, Nokia is ready to bring Nokia 8 to the market this year.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

The handset's launch in India will be coinciding with the Apple event in the US

Samsung is expected to launch the new phone under its flagship on September 12 in India at an event scheduled to be held in New Delhi. The company was forced to shut down Samsung Note 7 after reports of handset explosion due to self-combusting batteries of the phone. Galaxy Note 8 will be the successor to Samsung's Note 7. The phone is expected to be priced at Rs 60,000 in India. Samsung has created a special website for its new launch Samsung Galaxy Note 8. The website is for people interested in the phone to register themselves. Early registration will give an early opportunity to buy the phone. The handset's launch in India will be coinciding with the Apple event in the US. The much awaited Apple's 10th-anniversary edition- iPhone 8 will be revealed in the US on September 12. iPhone 8 is expected to enter the Indian markets around the first week of October. However, the Apple's 10th-anniversary edition will be available at a price higher than that of Galaxy Note 8. The Apple iPhone is said to be priced at Rs 1 lakh. Besides the two new launches, several other new phones are making their way for the Indian audience. Google is expected to hit the market with Pixel 2 and the Pixel XL 2 in October. Also, Nokia is ready to bring Nokia 8 to the market this year.

Apple v Samsung: Galaxy Note 8 to be launched in India on September 12

Samsung&nbsp;Electronics Co Ltd expects to invest $7 billion over the next three years to expand its NAND memory chip production in China&#39;s northwestern city of Xi&#39;an, the South Korean tech giant said on Monday.

In a regulatory filing, Samsung&nbsp;said it approved $2.3 billion of the expected investment of $7 billion on Monday.

In early July, when&nbsp;Samsung&nbsp;announced an investment of $18.6 billion in South Korea, it said it would add a production line at its NAND plant in Xi&#39;an, but did not set an investment amount.

A&nbsp;Samsung&nbsp;Electronics spokesman declined to comment on the amount of capacity to be added by the approved or planned investment.

The firm accounted for 38.3 percent of global NAND flash memory chip revenue in April-June, the latest data from researcher IHS showed.

China is trying to develop its own memory chip producers but it is likely to be several years before they can compete with existing makers, analysts said.

Samsung&nbsp;Electronics said a memory chip boom that propelled it to record profit in the second quarter was likely to continue in the July-to-September quarter.

Samsung said it approved $2.3 billion of the expected investment of $7 billion on Monday

Samsung Electronics Co Ltd expects to invest $7 billion over the next three years to expand its NAND memory chip production in China's northwestern city of Xi'an, the South Korean tech giant said on Monday. In a regulatory filing, Samsung said it approved $2.3 billion of the expected investment of $7 billion on Monday. In early July, when Samsung announced an investment of $18.6 billion in South Korea, it said it would add a production line at its NAND plant in Xi'an, but did not set an investment amount. A Samsung Electronics spokesman declined to comment on the amount of capacity to be added by the approved or planned investment. The firm accounted for 38.3 percent of global NAND flash memory chip revenue in April-June, the latest data from researcher IHS showed. China is trying to develop its own memory chip producers but it is likely to be several years before they can compete with existing makers, analysts said. Samsung Electronics said a memory chip boom that propelled it to record profit in the second quarter was likely to continue in the July-to-September quarter.

Samsung Elec to invest $7 billion to boost China NAND chip output

The heir to the Samsung business empire, which includes the world&#39;s biggest smartphone maker, was sentenced Friday to five years in prison for bribery and other offences in connection with the scandal that brought down South Korean president Park Geun-Hye.

Lee Jae-Yong&#39;s penalty could leave the giant firm rudderless for years and hamper its ability to make key investment decisions.

The vice-chairman of Samsung Electronics, 49, arrived at Seoul Central District Court on a justice ministry bus handcuffed, bound with white rope around his dark jacket, and carrying an envelope of documents.

Lee was found guilty of bribery, embezzlement, perjury and other charges centred on payments and promises by Samsung totalling 43.3 billion won (around $40 million) to Park&#39;s secret confidante Choi Soon-Sil.

The court found the money was in return for policy favours including government support for Lee&#39;s hereditary succession at the group, after his father was left bedridden by a heart attack in 2014.

The defence had denied the charges, saying Samsung was pressured by Park to make the donations under duress -- and that Lee was not aware of them and did not approve them. Four other top Samsung executives were also convicted and received sentences of up to four years.

Lee&#39;s lawyers said he would appeal.

The demonstrators who mounted giant candlelit protests against Park last year also targeted Lee and other chiefs of the chaebols, as the family-controlled conglomerates that dominate Asia&#39;s fourth-largest economy are known.

South Korea&#39;s GDP is still growing but social and economic frustrations have mounted over the benefits not being equally shared.

Around 800 riot police were deployed around the court to prevent possible clashes between rival sets of demonstrators, Yonhap said.

It was deluged with hundreds of applications for the 30 seats in courtroom 417 available to members of the public, which were allocated by lottery.

Park&#39;s own trial began in the same room in May, and it also saw Lee&#39;s father Lee Kun-Hee convicted of tax and other offences in 2008, receiving a suspended sentence.

The verdict could add impetus to new President Moon Jae-In&#39;s campaign pledges to reform the chaebols.

The firms have long had murky connections with political authorities in South Korea, and past trials of their leaders have often ended with light or suspended sentences, with courts citing their contributions to the economy.

The Lee clan directly owns about five percent of Samsung Electronics shares, but maintains its grip on the wider group through a byzantine web of cross-ownership stakes involving dozens of companies.&nbsp;

The court said Park was aware that Lee wanted state approval for a controversial merger of two Samsung units in 2015, seen as a key step to ensuring his accession.

The deal was opposed by shareholders who said it wilfully undervalued shares of one of the firms. But it eventually went through after the national pension fund -- a major Samsung shareholder -- approved it.

Analysts differ on the potential impact of the verdict and sentence on Samsung.

Lee has been Samsung&#39;s de facto leader since his father fell ill, but his lawyers and ex-members of the former elite Future Strategy Office (FSO), which dictated the vast group&#39;s overall direction and major business decisions, sought to portray him as naive and inexperienced.

&quot;Samsung will not be doomed without Jay Lee,&quot; said Geoffrey Cain, the author of a forthcoming book on the group. &quot;It&#39;s up to the specialists to make their own decisions.&quot;

Samsung appears to have been unaffected by Lee&#39;s absence so far -- he was detained in custody in February -- with flagship subsidiary Samsung Electronics making record profits on the back of strong demand for its memory chips.

But Chung Sun-Sup, the head of corporate analysis firm chaebul.com, said major chaebol decisions on large-scale acquisitions or investments &quot;are often endorsed by the patriarch of a ruling family&quot;, and with Lee in prison the firm &quot;may move more slowly than before&quot;.

Its shares have soared in recent months, but were down 1.05 percent on Friday afternoon after the verdict.

The ruling is seen as a strong indicator of the likely outcome in Park&#39;s trial, as some of the charges against the ousted head of state her are inextricably linked to the accusations Lee faced.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

Jae-Yong was sentenced to five years in prison Friday for bribery, perjury and other crimes

The heir to the Samsung business empire, which includes the world's biggest smartphone maker, was sentenced Friday to five years in prison for bribery and other offences in connection with the scandal that brought down South Korean president Park Geun-Hye. Lee Jae-Yong's penalty could leave the giant firm rudderless for years and hamper its ability to make key investment decisions. The vice-chairman of Samsung Electronics, 49, arrived at Seoul Central District Court on a justice ministry bus handcuffed, bound with white rope around his dark jacket, and carrying an envelope of documents. Lee was found guilty of bribery, embezzlement, perjury and other charges centred on payments and promises by Samsung totalling 43.3 billion won (around $40 million) to Park's secret confidante Choi Soon-Sil. The court found the money was in return for policy favours including government support for Lee's hereditary succession at the group, after his father was left bedridden by a heart attack in 2014. The defence had denied the charges, saying Samsung was pressured by Park to make the donations under duress -- and that Lee was not aware of them and did not approve them. Four other top Samsung executives were also convicted and received sentences of up to four years. Lee's lawyers said he would appeal. The demonstrators who mounted giant candlelit protests against Park last year also targeted Lee and other chiefs of the chaebols, as the family-controlled conglomerates that dominate Asia's fourth-largest economy are known. South Korea's GDP is still growing but social and economic frustrations have mounted over the benefits not being equally shared. Around 800 riot police were deployed around the court to prevent possible clashes between rival sets of demonstrators, Yonhap said. It was deluged with hundreds of applications for the 30 seats in courtroom 417 available to members of the public, which were allocated by lottery. Park's own trial began in the same room in May, and it also saw Lee's father Lee Kun-Hee convicted of tax and other offences in 2008, receiving a suspended sentence. The verdict could add impetus to new President Moon Jae-In's campaign pledges to reform the chaebols. The firms have long had murky connections with political authorities in South Korea, and past trials of their leaders have often ended with light or suspended sentences, with courts citing their contributions to the economy. The Lee clan directly owns about five percent of Samsung Electronics shares, but maintains its grip on the wider group through a byzantine web of cross-ownership stakes involving dozens of companies. The court said Park was aware that Lee wanted state approval for a controversial merger of two Samsung units in 2015, seen as a key step to ensuring his accession. The deal was opposed by shareholders who said it wilfully undervalued shares of one of the firms. But it eventually went through after the national pension fund -- a major Samsung shareholder -- approved it. Analysts differ on the potential impact of the verdict and sentence on Samsung. Lee has been Samsung's de facto leader since his father fell ill, but his lawyers and ex-members of the former elite Future Strategy Office (FSO), which dictated the vast group's overall direction and major business decisions, sought to portray him as naive and inexperienced. "Samsung will not be doomed without Jay Lee," said Geoffrey Cain, the author of a forthcoming book on the group. "It's up to the specialists to make their own decisions." Samsung appears to have been unaffected by Lee's absence so far -- he was detained in custody in February -- with flagship subsidiary Samsung Electronics making record profits on the back of strong demand for its memory chips. But Chung Sun-Sup, the head of corporate analysis firm chaebul.com, said major chaebol decisions on large-scale acquisitions or investments "are often endorsed by the patriarch of a ruling family", and with Lee in prison the firm "may move more slowly than before". Its shares have soared in recent months, but were down 1.05 percent on Friday afternoon after the verdict. The ruling is seen as a strong indicator of the likely outcome in Park's trial, as some of the charges against the ousted head of state her are inextricably linked to the accusations Lee faced.

Samsung heir sentenced to 5 years in jail for bribery

If convicted and given a jail sentence, home for Jay Y. Lee, the billionaire de facto head of South Korean conglomerate Samsung, could be a crowded prison set in wooded hills just to the north of Seoul, where disgraced politicians and business leaders have previously served time.

Lee, who has been tried on charges ranging from bribery to perjury in a scandal that triggered the dismissal from office of the country`s ex-president Park Geun-hye, will hear the verdict of a lower court on Friday. Prosecutors are seeking a 12-year jail term.

The 49-year-old Samsung scion denies wrongdoing, and would almost certainly appeal any conviction, with his case likely to be fast-tracked to the Supreme Court for a final ruling, probably next year.

In the event, then, of an upheld conviction, Lee would likely follow a route to Uijeongbu Prison taken previously by a former prime minister and the heads of the SK and Daesang conglomerates, among others.

If sent to Uijeongbu, Lee would likely be held in a single cell, equipped with a TV, shelving, coat rack and electric fan.

Prisoners are expected to work - tending the flower garden is seen as a popular choice, said a prison official, who didn`t want to be named as he is not authorised to speak to the media - and he would be allowed to exercise outdoors for an hour a day.

They can also take up study courses in English or Japanese, and attend religious services. Chey Tae-won, the convicted SK chairman, dedicated a book he published while at the prison &quot;to the Lord&quot;.

Lawyers said white-collar crime inmates often reduce their manual work time by having &quot;special meetings&quot; with visitors, which can be granted at the discretion of the prison warden.

Directing operations at Samsung Electronics, the world`s leading smartphone and memory chip maker, from prison, though, would be a challenge as most visits are restricted. Previous conglomerate, or chaebol, heads relied on leadership committees to mind the shop while they served their sentences.

For now, pending this week`s lower court verdict, Lee remains in the Seoul Detention Centre where, since February, home has been a 6.56 square meter (71 square foot) cell, with a partitioned toilet. Meals are simple, normally rice and side-dishes, and cheap, costing 1,443 won ($1.26).

The centre, in a Seoul suburb near apartments built by Samsung C&amp;T &lt;028260.KS&gt; and stores advertising Samsung Electronics` &lt;005930.KS&gt; smartphones is the country`s third-most crowded correctional facility.

A justice ministry official told Reuters that Lee could ask to be transferred - possibly to the newer 12-floor Seoul Eastern Detention Centre, which local media say has basketball courts, elevators and wall-mounted flat-screen TVs. A former top aide to ex-president Park, on trial for corruption, recently moved to the new Seoul facility.

While preparing the lengthy appeal process, previous high-profile inmates have hired so-called `butler lawyers`, who stay with detained clients for hours a day to get them out of their cells and into the more comfortable visitors` rooms.

Justice ministry data show SK chairman Chey had more than 1,600 meetings with his lawyers during his 17-month detention in 2013-14 - more than three meetings every day.

The crowded prison is set in wooded hills just to the north of Seoul, where disgraced politicians and business leaders have previously served time

If convicted and given a jail sentence, home for Jay Y. Lee, the billionaire de facto head of South Korean conglomerate Samsung, could be a crowded prison set in wooded hills just to the north of Seoul, where disgraced politicians and business leaders have previously served time. Lee, who has been tried on charges ranging from bribery to perjury in a scandal that triggered the dismissal from office of the country`s ex-president Park Geun-hye, will hear the verdict of a lower court on Friday. Prosecutors are seeking a 12-year jail term. The 49-year-old Samsung scion denies wrongdoing, and would almost certainly appeal any conviction, with his case likely to be fast-tracked to the Supreme Court for a final ruling, probably next year. In the event, then, of an upheld conviction, Lee would likely follow a route to Uijeongbu Prison taken previously by a former prime minister and the heads of the SK and Daesang conglomerates, among others. If sent to Uijeongbu, Lee would likely be held in a single cell, equipped with a TV, shelving, coat rack and electric fan. Prisoners are expected to work - tending the flower garden is seen as a popular choice, said a prison official, who didn`t want to be named as he is not authorised to speak to the media - and he would be allowed to exercise outdoors for an hour a day. They can also take up study courses in English or Japanese, and attend religious services. Chey Tae-won, the convicted SK chairman, dedicated a book he published while at the prison "to the Lord". Lawyers said white-collar crime inmates often reduce their manual work time by having "special meetings" with visitors, which can be granted at the discretion of the prison warden. Directing operations at Samsung Electronics, the world`s leading smartphone and memory chip maker, from prison, though, would be a challenge as most visits are restricted. Previous conglomerate, or chaebol, heads relied on leadership committees to mind the shop while they served their sentences. For now, pending this week`s lower court verdict, Lee remains in the Seoul Detention Centre where, since February, home has been a 6.56 square meter (71 square foot) cell, with a partitioned toilet. Meals are simple, normally rice and side-dishes, and cheap, costing 1,443 won ($1.26). The centre, in a Seoul suburb near apartments built by Samsung C&T <028260.KS> and stores advertising Samsung Electronics` <005930.KS> smartphones is the country`s third-most crowded correctional facility. A justice ministry official told Reuters that Lee could ask to be transferred - possibly to the newer 12-floor Seoul Eastern Detention Centre, which local media say has basketball courts, elevators and wall-mounted flat-screen TVs. A former top aide to ex-president Park, on trial for corruption, recently moved to the new Seoul facility. While preparing the lengthy appeal process, previous high-profile inmates have hired so-called `butler lawyers`, who stay with detained clients for hours a day to get them out of their cells and into the more comfortable visitors` rooms. Justice ministry data show SK chairman Chey had more than 1,600 meetings with his lawyers during his 17-month detention in 2013-14 - more than three meetings every day.

If convicted, Samsung's Lee could be c/o Uijeongbu Prison

Samsung Electronics Co Ltd&nbsp;set out to wipe the slate clean in New York on Wednesday with its new Galaxy Note 8 &quot;phablet,&quot; hoping features like dual rear cameras and its biggest-ever screen will extinguish memories of the device&#39;s fire-prone predecessor. 
 
The world&#39;s largest smartphone maker by market share debuted the phone-cum-tablet as it gears up to compete for pre-holiday season sales with a widely expected 10th anniversary iPhone from US&nbsp;rival Apple Inc , set to be unveiled next month. 
 
Priced at $930 to $960 from network carriers, including a dialling and data plan, the Note 8 kicks off a new era of premium-priced handsets, which analysts expect to be joined by $1,000-plus iPhones next month. 
 
The unveiling came five months after the release of the Galaxy S8 smartphone. Analysts said brisk sales of that device indicate recovery in Samsung`s standing after battery fires prompted the October withdrawal of the Galaxy Note 7 just two months into sales, which cost the company billions of dollars.&nbsp;

The recall and related safety concerns briefly cost Samsung its number one spot in the global smartphone rankings, according to researcher Counterpoint. It has since regained ground, with Strategy Analytics putting its second-quarter market share at 22 percent, more than Apple and China`s Huawei Technologies Co Ltd&nbsp;combined. 
 
&quot;Of course no one will forget what happened last year, but we also won&#39;t forget the millions that stuck with us,&quot;&nbsp;DJ Koh, the company&#39;s mobile chief, said at the launch event.&nbsp; 
 
The Note 8 will be sold from September&nbsp;15, Samsung said, without elaborating on place or price. Verizon Communications , the largest US&nbsp;wireless carrier, said it will begin taking pre-orders on Thursday for the phone at a price of $960. Rival T-Mobile will offer it for $930. 
 
&quot;I hate to say it, but $1,000 is becoming the new mark&quot; for premium devices, said Bob O&#39;Donnell of Technalysis Research.&nbsp; 
 
Samsung&#39;s Note models usually sport bigger screens than the S series and come with a removable stylus. The trademark curved screen of the latest incarnation measures 6.3 inches (16 cm)corner to corner, just 0.1 inch bigger than the S8+. 
 
All of Samsung&#39;s Galaxy line phones now have edge-to-edge displays. Apple`s new premium phone is expected to feature a similar display, but its update to the iPhone 7 might not, which could be a disadvantage for Apple, O`Donnell said. 
 
&quot;The bar gets raised in terms of what people view as standard, and if you`re not meeting the bar, it`s going to have an impact,&quot; he said. 
 
The South Korean company has been a main driver of growth in handsets with 6 inch-plus screens, a category Strategy Analytics expects to grow 10 times faster than the overall market next year. 
 
Samsung has also installed dual rear cameras on a handset for the first time, which promises improved photographic control and picture quality. But Samsung made no mention of so-called augmented reality features, in which digital images float over real-life objects on screen. Apple in June made that technology a major focal point of its next operating system. 
 
Other features include security technology, such as facial recognition and fingerprint and iris scanning, and artificial intelligence in the form of Samsung&#39;s&nbsp;Bixby voice-command assistant. 
 
Samsung also took a jab at Apple at the launch event, mentioning its new phone will have a standard headphone jack, unlike the iPhone 7 with a single jack, a feature that has been criticized by some users.

 
&nbsp;

Samsung launched its new Galaxy Note 8 'phablet,' Wednesday hoping features like dual rear cameras and its biggest-ever screen will extinguish memories of the device's fire-prone predecessor

Samsung Electronics Co Ltd set out to wipe the slate clean in New York on Wednesday with its new Galaxy Note 8 "phablet," hoping features like dual rear cameras and its biggest-ever screen will extinguish memories of the device's fire-prone predecessor. The world's largest smartphone maker by market share debuted the phone-cum-tablet as it gears up to compete for pre-holiday season sales with a widely expected 10th anniversary iPhone from US rival Apple Inc , set to be unveiled next month. Priced at $930 to $960 from network carriers, including a dialling and data plan, the Note 8 kicks off a new era of premium-priced handsets, which analysts expect to be joined by $1,000-plus iPhones next month. The unveiling came five months after the release of the Galaxy S8 smartphone. Analysts said brisk sales of that device indicate recovery in Samsung`s standing after battery fires prompted the October withdrawal of the Galaxy Note 7 just two months into sales, which cost the company billions of dollars. The recall and related safety concerns briefly cost Samsung its number one spot in the global smartphone rankings, according to researcher Counterpoint. It has since regained ground, with Strategy Analytics putting its second-quarter market share at 22 percent, more than Apple and China`s Huawei Technologies Co Ltd combined. "Of course no one will forget what happened last year, but we also won't forget the millions that stuck with us," DJ Koh, the company's mobile chief, said at the launch event. The Note 8 will be sold from September 15, Samsung said, without elaborating on place or price. Verizon Communications , the largest US wireless carrier, said it will begin taking pre-orders on Thursday for the phone at a price of $960. Rival T-Mobile will offer it for $930. "I hate to say it, but $1,000 is becoming the new mark" for premium devices, said Bob O'Donnell of Technalysis Research. Samsung's Note models usually sport bigger screens than the S series and come with a removable stylus. The trademark curved screen of the latest incarnation measures 6.3 inches (16 cm)corner to corner, just 0.1 inch bigger than the S8+. All of Samsung's Galaxy line phones now have edge-to-edge displays. Apple`s new premium phone is expected to feature a similar display, but its update to the iPhone 7 might not, which could be a disadvantage for Apple, O`Donnell said. "The bar gets raised in terms of what people view as standard, and if you`re not meeting the bar, it`s going to have an impact," he said. The South Korean company has been a main driver of growth in handsets with 6 inch-plus screens, a category Strategy Analytics expects to grow 10 times faster than the overall market next year. Samsung has also installed dual rear cameras on a handset for the first time, which promises improved photographic control and picture quality. But Samsung made no mention of so-called augmented reality features, in which digital images float over real-life objects on screen. Apple in June made that technology a major focal point of its next operating system. Other features include security technology, such as facial recognition and fingerprint and iris scanning, and artificial intelligence in the form of Samsung's Bixby voice-command assistant. Samsung also took a jab at Apple at the launch event, mentioning its new phone will have a standard headphone jack, unlike the iPhone 7 with a single jack, a feature that has been criticized by some users.

Samsung seeks to bury fiery past with Galaxy Note 8 launch

After the infamous reports of self-combusting batteries of Samsung Note 7 leading to several handset explosion, Samsung is all set to launch its successor, Galaxy Note 8.&nbsp;

The handset, launched in New York will enter the markets on 15 september.&nbsp;

Samsung 8 Note pre-orders will be available with either a free 256GB microSD card and wireless charger or a 360-degree camera.&nbsp;

The phone is expected to come within the range $1000.

The official teasers of the new launch show a phone with a powerful camera and a stylus called S Pen under the tag line &quot;do bigger things&quot;.

The new launch measuring 162.5mmx74.6mmx8.5mm will have 6.3in 3840x2160 Super AMOLED curved Infinity Display with 18.5:9 ratio. The screen will be embedded with fingerprint scanner.&nbsp;

The phone will have 12MP dual rear-facing&nbsp;camera with 8MP front-facing camera.&nbsp;

With Snapdragon 835 in the US and Android 7.0 Nougat ,64GB build-in storage the memory can be expanded with microSD.&nbsp;

The 3,000mAh battery phone is designed with the wireless charging support and fast charging.

The handset will be released in Midnight Black, Maple Gold, Orchid Grey and Deep Sea Blue colour.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

The phone is expected to come within the range $1000

After the infamous reports of self-combusting batteries of Samsung Note 7 leading to several handset explosion, Samsung is all set to launch its successor, Galaxy Note 8. The handset, launched in New York will enter the markets on 15 september. Samsung 8 Note pre-orders will be available with either a free 256GB microSD card and wireless charger or a 360-degree camera. The phone is expected to come within the range $1000. The official teasers of the new launch show a phone with a powerful camera and a stylus called S Pen under the tag line "do bigger things". The new launch measuring 162.5mmx74.6mmx8.5mm will have 6.3in 3840x2160 Super AMOLED curved Infinity Display with 18.5:9 ratio. The screen will be embedded with fingerprint scanner. The phone will have 12MP dual rear-facing camera with 8MP front-facing camera. With Snapdragon 835 in the US and Android 7.0 Nougat ,64GB build-in storage the memory can be expanded with microSD. The 3,000mAh battery phone is designed with the wireless charging support and fast charging. The handset will be released in Midnight Black, Maple Gold, Orchid Grey and Deep Sea Blue colour.

Samsung to launch Galaxy Note 8

With the release of the second quarterly earnings call of this year, Intel has slid to the second position after Samsung. Intel had been leading the chipsets since 1993. It entered the chip industry with Pentium CPU.&nbsp;

Though the revenue figures do not indicate any loss for the company, it does affect its two decades of leading position.&nbsp; 
 
Intel&#39;s revenue accounted for $14.8 billion whereas Samsung revenue escalated to $16 billion.&nbsp;

Speculations were made since May that Samsung might take over Intel. These speculations were based on the current market consumption.

Intel supplies chips to PCs and data centres whereas Samsung is a chip provider for the smartphone market. The Current boom in the smartphone industry has resulted in a revenue rise of Samsung. And the declining demand for PCs and data centres has brought Intel down.&nbsp;

Samsung memory chips are not only used by Samsung smartphones but other company as well.&nbsp;

With the ever increasing demand for smartphones, Samsung is expected to rule the chip maker platform for the entire year.&nbsp;

However Intel may be restored to the leading position as the company is exploring different sectors of the market such as artificial intelligence, Internet of Things(IoT) and autonomous driving technology. Intel is also planning to step into the autonomous vehicle segment with Israel- based company, Mobileye. &nbsp;It is expected to sign a deal with the company by the end of the year for $15.3 billion.

&nbsp;

Intel's revenue accounted for $14.8 billion whereas Samsung revenue escalated to $16 billion

With the release of the second quarterly earnings call of this year, Intel has slid to the second position after Samsung. Intel had been leading the chipsets since 1993. It entered the chip industry with Pentium CPU. Though the revenue figures do not indicate any loss for the company, it does affect its two decades of leading position. Intel's revenue accounted for $14.8 billion whereas Samsung revenue escalated to $16 billion. Speculations were made since May that Samsung might take over Intel. These speculations were based on the current market consumption. Intel supplies chips to PCs and data centres whereas Samsung is a chip provider for the smartphone market. The Current boom in the smartphone industry has resulted in a revenue rise of Samsung. And the declining demand for PCs and data centres has brought Intel down. Samsung memory chips are not only used by Samsung smartphones but other company as well. With the ever increasing demand for smartphones, Samsung is expected to rule the chip maker platform for the entire year. However Intel may be restored to the leading position as the company is exploring different sectors of the market such as artificial intelligence, Internet of Things(IoT) and autonomous driving technology. Intel is also planning to step into the autonomous vehicle segment with Israel- based company, Mobileye. It is expected to sign a deal with the company by the end of the year for $15.3 billion.

Samsung takes over chip market, pushing aside the 24-year leader-Intel

Samsung is all set to add Galaxy Note 8 in its series. The company has already introduced the phone on Twitter.&nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
The all-new <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GalaxyS8?src=hash">#GalaxyS8</a> takes you beyond the limits of any phone you&#39;ve known before. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/UnboxYourPhone?src=hash">#UnboxYourPhone</a> <a href="https://t.co/pHVmdc8ZNj">https://t.co/pHVmdc8ZNj</a> <a href="https://t.co/hyzX4xBAf3">pic.twitter.com/hyzX4xBAf3</a>
&mdash; Samsung Mobile (@SamsungMobile) <a href="https://twitter.com/SamsungMobile/status/847105819388841987">March 29, 2017</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

&nbsp;

Reports also indicate that the South Korean company may launch wireless earplugs along with the new phone.

These earplugs will be powered by Samsung&#39;s artificial intelligence assistant &#39;Bixby&#39;. The earphones will feature noise canceling technology.

Competing with Apple&#39;s wireless AirPods, Samsung&#39;s wireless earplugs is said&nbsp;to work alongside the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8 +.

This is not the first attempt by the Korean company at wireless earphones. Samsung before this, launched Gear Icon X, its first truly wireless headphones.

&nbsp;

the South Korean company may launch wireless earplugs along with the new Samsung 8

Samsung is all set to add Galaxy Note 8 in its series. The company has already introduced the phone on Twitter. The all-new #GalaxyS8 takes you beyond the limits of any phone you've known before. #UnboxYourPhone https://t.co/pHVmdc8ZNj pic.twitter.com/hyzX4xBAf3 — Samsung Mobile (@SamsungMobile) March 29, 2017 × Reports also indicate that the South Korean company may launch wireless earplugs along with the new phone. These earplugs will be powered by Samsung's artificial intelligence assistant 'Bixby'. The earphones will feature noise canceling technology. Competing with Apple's wireless AirPods, Samsung's wireless earplugs is said to work alongside the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8 +. This is not the first attempt by the Korean company at wireless earphones. Samsung before this, launched Gear Icon X, its first truly wireless headphones.

Samsung earphones to compete with iPhones' AirPods

Samsung will recover gold, silver, and other metals from its Galaxy Note 7 which was discontinued last year.&nbsp;

The South Korean electronics giant said that the company will retrieve more than 150 tonnes of metal from the smartphones.&nbsp;

The company had to recall its flagship smartphone and stop its production after reports emerged of incidents where the&nbsp;phone exploded. The battery of the phone was vulnerable to catching fire.

A number of <a href="http://www.wionews.com/business-economy/samsung-note-7-phones-banned-from-us-airplanes-7489">airlines had barred passengers from carrying the phone</a> with them.&nbsp;

Samsung said it will also recycle OLED display modules, memory chips, camera modules and other components.

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Samsung will recover over 150 tonnes of metal from the discontinued smartphones?

Samsung will recover gold, silver, and other metals from its Galaxy Note 7 which was discontinued last year. The South Korean electronics giant said that the company will retrieve more than 150 tonnes of metal from the smartphones. The company had to recall its flagship smartphone and stop its production after reports emerged of incidents where the phone exploded. The battery of the phone was vulnerable to catching fire. A number of airlines had barred passengers from carrying the phone with them. Samsung said it will also recycle OLED display modules, memory chips, camera modules and other components.

Samsung to recover metals including gold, silver from Galaxy Note 7

Tech giant Samsung Electronics estimated a record quarterly operating profit for April-June, propelled by a memory chip boom that analysts say will continue to pad margins for the rest of 2017.

The Apple smartphone rival and global memory chip leader said second-quarter operating profit was likely 14 trillion won ($12.11 billion), compared with the 13.1 trillion won average of 19 analyst estimates in a Thomson Reuters poll.

Revenue likely rose 18 per cent from a year earlier to 60 trillion won, also a quarterly record, versus analysts&#39; forecast of 59 trillion won. The South Korean firm did not elaborate and will release detailed earnings in late July.

The robust estimates reinforce expectations for best-ever earnings for Samsung this year, fuelled by a so-called memory chip supercycle. Analysts predict shortages for both DRAM and NAND chips to persist for the rest of this year due to limited supply growth and demand for more computing power on smartphones and servers, padding margins for memory makers.

Another profit driver has also emerged in the form of organic light-emitting diode (OLED) displays. Samsung has a stranglehold on the market for the bendy, next-generation screens which are widely expected to be used for Apple&#39;s latest iPhones, due out by October.

&quot;In July DRAM prices will go up again, while from mid-August on, OLED panels go out for Apple,&quot; HMC Investment analyst Greg Roh said. He expects Samsung&#39;s third-quarter operating profit to exceed 15 trillion won.

Samsung shares were down 0.3 per cent in early Friday trade, compared with a 0.2 per cent fall for the broader market, as the strong earnings outlook was already priced in. The stock is up more than 30 per cent this year and hovering near all-time highs.

While analysts say the memory chip industry will ride a super-cycle for several years on the back of consolidation and new demand from services such as cloud computing and artificial intelligence, its growth rate may slow from the massive jump expected this year.

Samsung would invest $18.6 billion to extend its lead in memory chips and next-generation displays, a move likely to ease shareholder fears that major decisions were on the backburner while Vice Chairman Jay Y. Lee fights bribery charges in court.

On the mobile front, sales prospects for the Galaxy Note 8 will be closely watched in the third quarter, after its predecessor was pulled from the market last year due to fire-prone batteries.

Samsung is preparing to unveil the handset in August underscoring the firm&#39;s desire to continue the Note brand.

Samsung has a stranglehold on the market for the bendy, next-generation screens

Tech giant Samsung Electronics estimated a record quarterly operating profit for April-June, propelled by a memory chip boom that analysts say will continue to pad margins for the rest of 2017. The Apple smartphone rival and global memory chip leader said second-quarter operating profit was likely 14 trillion won ($12.11 billion), compared with the 13.1 trillion won average of 19 analyst estimates in a Thomson Reuters poll. Revenue likely rose 18 per cent from a year earlier to 60 trillion won, also a quarterly record, versus analysts' forecast of 59 trillion won. The South Korean firm did not elaborate and will release detailed earnings in late July. The robust estimates reinforce expectations for best-ever earnings for Samsung this year, fuelled by a so-called memory chip supercycle. Analysts predict shortages for both DRAM and NAND chips to persist for the rest of this year due to limited supply growth and demand for more computing power on smartphones and servers, padding margins for memory makers. Another profit driver has also emerged in the form of organic light-emitting diode (OLED) displays. Samsung has a stranglehold on the market for the bendy, next-generation screens which are widely expected to be used for Apple's latest iPhones, due out by October. "In July DRAM prices will go up again, while from mid-August on, OLED panels go out for Apple," HMC Investment analyst Greg Roh said. He expects Samsung's third-quarter operating profit to exceed 15 trillion won. Samsung shares were down 0.3 per cent in early Friday trade, compared with a 0.2 per cent fall for the broader market, as the strong earnings outlook was already priced in. The stock is up more than 30 per cent this year and hovering near all-time highs. While analysts say the memory chip industry will ride a super-cycle for several years on the back of consolidation and new demand from services such as cloud computing and artificial intelligence, its growth rate may slow from the massive jump expected this year. Samsung would invest $18.6 billion to extend its lead in memory chips and next-generation displays, a move likely to ease shareholder fears that major decisions were on the backburner while Vice Chairman Jay Y. Lee fights bribery charges in court. On the mobile front, sales prospects for the Galaxy Note 8 will be closely watched in the third quarter, after its predecessor was pulled from the market last year due to fire-prone batteries. Samsung is preparing to unveil the handset in August underscoring the firm's desire to continue the Note brand.

Samsung Electronics tips record second-quarter profit as memory prices surge

Samsung Electronics plans to invest at least $18.6&nbsp;billion&nbsp;in South Korea as it seeks to extend its lead in memory chips and next-generation displays for smartphones.

The world&#39;s biggest memory chip maker by revenue said the spending includes $12.5 billion&nbsp;by 2021 on its new NAND factory in Pyeongtaek. It will invest $5 billion&nbsp;in a new semiconductor production line in Hwaseong, but did not elaborate on timing or product.

The firm will also add a production line to its NAND plant in Xi&#39;an, China, in response to booming demand for long-term data storage chips. It has not set an investment amount or time frame.

Samsung and other memory makers are widely expected to post record profit in 2017 as a persistent shortage and demand for more capability in smartphones and servers lift prices. Industry sources and analysts said the shortage is more acute for NAND chips due to increasing adoption of high-end storage products.

Some analysts said Samsung&#39;s production technologies are at least a year ahead of rivals such as Toshiba and SK Hynix. Samsung routinely invests more than $10 billion in semiconductors annually, helping build its lead, and analysts said the latest investment seeks to widen the gap.

Samsung, Toshiba and SK Hynix have committed tens of billions of dollars to boost NAND output in recent years, yet analysts and industry sources said shortages are likely to persist at least through 2017 as new facilities will not make meaningful supply contributions until next year.

Some analysts said the additional capacity could cause slight oversupply in early 2018, but that price crashes are unlikely as smartphone makers opt for greater internal storage. Demand for high-end server storage for cloud computing and virtual reality applications will also continue to grow.

&#39;I believe NAND market conditions will continue to favour suppliers until 2020,&#39;said HMC Investment analyst Greg Roh. &#39;Any oversupply issues will be temporary and limited to seasonally weaker periods.&#39;

Samsung&#39;s investment plan comes as new South Korean President Moon Jae-in calls on local businesses to create more jobs and help reinvigorate the economy.

Samsung said its South Korea investment could create up to 440,000 jobs through 2021 and will help boost the economy.

In China, some South Korean firms have suffered from sales decline or have been forced to scale down operations after retaliatory measures from Beijing over the deployment of a US anti-missile defence system outside Seoul, but component makers such as Samsung have not yet been affected. Chinese smartphone makers are among the biggest buyers of memory chips and displays.

The South Korean firm accounted for 40.4 per cent of global memory chip revenue in January-March, showed data from researcher TrendForce, making it difficult for electronics makers to entirely avoid buying its chips.

China is trying to grow its own memory chip producers but it may take several years before Chinese companies can compete with existing makers.

Samsung on Tuesday also said unit Samsung Display plans to invest around 1 trillion won on a new organic light-emitting diode display complex in South Korea.

Samsung seeks to extend its lead in memory chips and next-generation displays for smartphones

Samsung Electronics plans to invest at least $18.6 billion in South Korea as it seeks to extend its lead in memory chips and next-generation displays for smartphones. The world's biggest memory chip maker by revenue said the spending includes $12.5 billion by 2021 on its new NAND factory in Pyeongtaek. It will invest $5 billion in a new semiconductor production line in Hwaseong, but did not elaborate on timing or product. The firm will also add a production line to its NAND plant in Xi'an, China, in response to booming demand for long-term data storage chips. It has not set an investment amount or time frame. Samsung and other memory makers are widely expected to post record profit in 2017 as a persistent shortage and demand for more capability in smartphones and servers lift prices. Industry sources and analysts said the shortage is more acute for NAND chips due to increasing adoption of high-end storage products. Some analysts said Samsung's production technologies are at least a year ahead of rivals such as Toshiba and SK Hynix. Samsung routinely invests more than $10 billion in semiconductors annually, helping build its lead, and analysts said the latest investment seeks to widen the gap. Samsung, Toshiba and SK Hynix have committed tens of billions of dollars to boost NAND output in recent years, yet analysts and industry sources said shortages are likely to persist at least through 2017 as new facilities will not make meaningful supply contributions until next year. Some analysts said the additional capacity could cause slight oversupply in early 2018, but that price crashes are unlikely as smartphone makers opt for greater internal storage. Demand for high-end server storage for cloud computing and virtual reality applications will also continue to grow. 'I believe NAND market conditions will continue to favour suppliers until 2020,'said HMC Investment analyst Greg Roh. 'Any oversupply issues will be temporary and limited to seasonally weaker periods.' Samsung's investment plan comes as new South Korean President Moon Jae-in calls on local businesses to create more jobs and help reinvigorate the economy. Samsung said its South Korea investment could create up to 440,000 jobs through 2021 and will help boost the economy. In China, some South Korean firms have suffered from sales decline or have been forced to scale down operations after retaliatory measures from Beijing over the deployment of a US anti-missile defence system outside Seoul, but component makers such as Samsung have not yet been affected. Chinese smartphone makers are among the biggest buyers of memory chips and displays. The South Korean firm accounted for 40.4 per cent of global memory chip revenue in January-March, showed data from researcher TrendForce, making it difficult for electronics makers to entirely avoid buying its chips. China is trying to grow its own memory chip producers but it may take several years before Chinese companies can compete with existing makers. Samsung on Tuesday also said unit Samsung Display plans to invest around 1 trillion won on a new organic light-emitting diode display complex in South Korea.

Samsung plans $18.6 billion South Korea investment amid chip boom

Intense fighting in the Central African Republic killed at least 40 people Tuesday and injured dozens more, dashing hopes for stability in the strife-torn country the day after the signing of a ceasefire deal.

The violence in the central town of Bria was between members of Christian &#39;anti-balaka&#39; militias and fighters formerly belonging to a coalition of Muslim-majority rebel groups called the Seleka, aid and security sources said.

The clashes erupted after the CAR government and rebel groups agreed to an immediate ceasefire Monday, a deal brokered by the Catholic community Sant&#39;Egidio in five days of negotiations in Rome.

It was hailed as a precious chance to stabilise one of the world&#39;s most volatile and poorest countries.

Under the agreement, armed groups were granted political representation in exchange for an end to attacks and blockades.

However, intense shooting began in the early hours of Tuesday morning, with dozens taken to hospital suffering from bullet wounds, Mumuza Muhindo Musubaho, project coordinator for Doctors Without Borders (MSF) in the CAR town of Bria, said in a statement.

As of 2100 GMT, 43 people were injured, according to the charity.

&quot;We counted at least one dead and 20 wounded among our troops, who were taken care of by the NGOs&quot;, said Djamil Babanani, spokesman for the Popular Front for the Rebirth of the Central African Republic (FPRC), an armed rebel group formerly belonging to the Muslim Seleka coalition, which had signed Monday&#39;s peace accord.&nbsp;

&quot;We signed the agreement, but we have to defend ourselves, we can&#39;t allow an attack to happen without reacting,&quot; added Babanani.

&quot;People are at home since (early Tuesday morning), shooting was still going on this morning, there is no activity going on today,&quot; said Father Gildas of the Catholic mission Saint-Louis de Bria, by telephone.

Sporadic fighting has continued since Saturday between Christian &#39;anti-balaka&#39; militias and the FPRC after its leader Hamad Issa was killed in the town, according to several sources.&nbsp;

&quot;We know that much remains to be done. It is vital that the ceasefire agreed to by the parties is carried out immediately,&quot; said UN special representative on CAR, Parfait Onanga-Anyanga.

Battling between armed groups in the Bria area from May 15 to 18 left five people dead, 29 wounded and more than 40,000 others displaced, according to the UN.

Clashes in Bria, Alindao, Bangassou and Mobaye, east of the capital Bangui, resulted in a total of around 300 dead and 200 wounded, according to the UN&#39;s humanitarian coordination agency OCHA.

(AFP)

Gregory Lee is joining Nokia after a 13-year career at Samsung Electronics

Intense fighting in the Central African Republic killed at least 40 people Tuesday and injured dozens more, dashing hopes for stability in the strife-torn country the day after the signing of a ceasefire deal. The violence in the central town of Bria was between members of Christian 'anti-balaka' militias and fighters formerly belonging to a coalition of Muslim-majority rebel groups called the Seleka, aid and security sources said. The clashes erupted after the CAR government and rebel groups agreed to an immediate ceasefire Monday, a deal brokered by the Catholic community Sant'Egidio in five days of negotiations in Rome. It was hailed as a precious chance to stabilise one of the world's most volatile and poorest countries. Under the agreement, armed groups were granted political representation in exchange for an end to attacks and blockades. However, intense shooting began in the early hours of Tuesday morning, with dozens taken to hospital suffering from bullet wounds, Mumuza Muhindo Musubaho, project coordinator for Doctors Without Borders (MSF) in the CAR town of Bria, said in a statement. As of 2100 GMT, 43 people were injured, according to the charity. "We counted at least one dead and 20 wounded among our troops, who were taken care of by the NGOs", said Djamil Babanani, spokesman for the Popular Front for the Rebirth of the Central African Republic (FPRC), an armed rebel group formerly belonging to the Muslim Seleka coalition, which had signed Monday's peace accord. "We signed the agreement, but we have to defend ourselves, we can't allow an attack to happen without reacting," added Babanani. "People are at home since (early Tuesday morning), shooting was still going on this morning, there is no activity going on today," said Father Gildas of the Catholic mission Saint-Louis de Bria, by telephone. Sporadic fighting has continued since Saturday between Christian 'anti-balaka' militias and the FPRC after its leader Hamad Issa was killed in the town, according to several sources. "We know that much remains to be done. It is vital that the ceasefire agreed to by the parties is carried out immediately," said UN special representative on CAR, Parfait Onanga-Anyanga. Battling between armed groups in the Bria area from May 15 to 18 left five people dead, 29 wounded and more than 40,000 others displaced, according to the UN. Clashes in Bria, Alindao, Bangassou and Mobaye, east of the capital Bangui, resulted in a total of around 300 dead and 200 wounded, according to the UN's humanitarian coordination agency OCHA. (AFP)

Nokia appoints Samsung executive as head of Technologies

Samsung Electronics will start selling a refurbished version of the recalled Galaxy Note 7 smartphone in South Korea on July 7, using batteries different from those that caused some handsets to catch fire last year.

Samsung will offer 4,00,000 phones, dubbed the Galaxy Note 7 Fan Edition, in its home country priced at 699,600 won ($611) - which is about 30 per cent lower than the Note 7&#39;s original launch price. The devices will be made from recalled, unsealed Note 7 handsets and unused Note 7 components.

Batteries for the refurbished devices will have a lower capacity than those of the original Note 7s, but have passed new safety measures implemented following the recall, Samsung said.

The world&#39;s biggest smartphone maker by volume was forced to halt sales of the Note 7 in October, roughly 2 months after its launch, due to fire-prone batteries from two different suppliers.

The incident cost Samsung over $5 billion in operating profit and damaged its reputation, though the firm has since recovered with the successful launch of the Galaxy S8.

The firm said earlier this year it planned to sell refurbished Note 7s after investigations by Samsung and independent firms concluded the batteries were solely responsible for the fires.

Samsung also plans to hold a launch event for the Note 8 in the second half of August.

The firm said it will decide whether to sell the refurbished Note 7s in other markets at a later date. It has said it does not plan to offer the device in the United States or India.

The refurbished Galaxy Note 7 is priced about 30 per cent lower than the Note 7's original launch price

Samsung Electronics will start selling a refurbished version of the recalled Galaxy Note 7 smartphone in South Korea on July 7, using batteries different from those that caused some handsets to catch fire last year. Samsung will offer 4,00,000 phones, dubbed the Galaxy Note 7 Fan Edition, in its home country priced at 699,600 won ($611) - which is about 30 per cent lower than the Note 7's original launch price. The devices will be made from recalled, unsealed Note 7 handsets and unused Note 7 components. Batteries for the refurbished devices will have a lower capacity than those of the original Note 7s, but have passed new safety measures implemented following the recall, Samsung said. The world's biggest smartphone maker by volume was forced to halt sales of the Note 7 in October, roughly 2 months after its launch, due to fire-prone batteries from two different suppliers. The incident cost Samsung over $5 billion in operating profit and damaged its reputation, though the firm has since recovered with the successful launch of the Galaxy S8. The firm said earlier this year it planned to sell refurbished Note 7s after investigations by Samsung and independent firms concluded the batteries were solely responsible for the fires. Samsung also plans to hold a launch event for the Note 8 in the second half of August. The firm said it will decide whether to sell the refurbished Note 7s in other markets at a later date. It has said it does not plan to offer the device in the United States or India.

Samsung Galaxy Note 7 to go back on sale from July 7

Global electronics makers are scrambling to stock up on memory chips to keep production lines running as Apple&#39;s new iPhone 8 launch later this year threatens to worsen a global squeeze on supply.

While heavyweights such as Apple and Samsung Electronics, which is also the world&#39;s top memory chipmaker, will not be seriously hit, industry sources and analysts say some electronics makers are paying a premium to lock into longer-term contracts. Others are placing orders earlier than before to ensure their perilously low inventories do no dry up completely.

&quot;After the supply shortages emerged we brought forward our procurement decisions ... to ensure a stable supply,&quot; smartphone and personal computer maker LG Electronics&nbsp;said in a statement, adding it had pushed up quarterly purchase decisions by about a month.

Chip manufacturing technologies are growing increasingly complex, raising investment costs yet providing less output growth as some suppliers struggle to improve yields. This has caused some chip prices to double or triple from a year earlier.

Some analysts say device makers could be forced to cut down on the amount of DRAM chips, which help devices perform multiple tasks at once, or NAND chips that are used for long-term data storage, on new products if the cannot get enough chips.

According to a chip supplier source, a handful of clients have moved to 6-month supply agreements, accepting higher prices than the customary quarterly or monthly deals, to make sure they get enough memory chips for their products. He added that the problem will be more acute for the NAND market, where the iPhone remains a critical source of demand given the huge sales volumes and recent moves to increase storage capacity on the device.

Inventory squeeze

Signs of stress have already emerged after Huawei Technologies&nbsp;was criticised by consumers. It was discovered that the Chinese firm used a mix of less advanced and powerful chips in its flagship P10 model that led to significant variations in performance. Huawei did not respond to requests for comment on its memory procurement plans.

According to analysts, about 18 per cent of the global annual supply of NAND chips is bought by Apple. In recent years, electronics makers have typically built up inventory during the first half to avoid being squeezed by Apple, which generally unveils its latest iPhone model in September. But the shortage of chips in the first half of the year has left many scrambling.

Should the US giant opt to push out more iPhones than usual or further increase the portion of high-storage models, that could further squeeze out other companies. Some analysts estimate Apple could ship as many as 100 million new iPhone 8s this year, compared to the 82.3 million iPhone 7s that Cowen &amp; Co. estimates for 2016.

&quot;For the iPhone 8 launch there have been specific references to this by customers and distributors as a reason for longer delivery times and shortages,&quot; said Tobey Gonnerman, executive vice president at US-based component distributor Fusion Worldwide. &quot;Buying buffer stock and holding the product in hubs to protect against anticipated delivery interruptions has certainly become more common in recent months.&quot;

Apple declined to comment on its memory chip purchasing plans.

No relief in sight

Chipmakers have been allocating more capital in recent years to boost production of NAND chips, where the shortage has been acute due to strong demand for high-end data storage products. Samsung Electronics will start NAND production at a $14 billion South Korea plant in the second half, while SK Hynix&nbsp;will start making its new high-end NAND products in coming months. But analysts say meaningful new supply is unlikely to materialise until 2018.

SK Hynix stated it has been meeting delivery dates but acknowledged supply conditions were tight, noting its inventory levels were at an all-time low and unlikely to increase in the near-term given continued demand.

Samsung declined to comment on chip procurement for its electronic devices or inventory levels for its memory business.

Smartphone makers in China are also locked in an arms race to provide the most memory, which could further exacerbate the squeeze as they seek to counter the iPhone.

Some investors and analysts have voiced concerns about potential &quot;de-speccing,&quot; where product makers cut back on memory to cope with the shortages or margin pressures. IHS analyst Walter Coon said some firms were starting to prepare to offer products with lower memory content if market conditions remain tight.

But analysts also say manufacturers will be loath to cut back on memory as such a move would be deeply unpopular, saying the firms are more likely to just not upgrade memory on new models.

Industry sources and analysts say some electronics makers are paying a premium to lock into longer-term contracts

Global electronics makers are scrambling to stock up on memory chips to keep production lines running as Apple's new iPhone 8 launch later this year threatens to worsen a global squeeze on supply. While heavyweights such as Apple and Samsung Electronics, which is also the world's top memory chipmaker, will not be seriously hit, industry sources and analysts say some electronics makers are paying a premium to lock into longer-term contracts. Others are placing orders earlier than before to ensure their perilously low inventories do no dry up completely. "After the supply shortages emerged we brought forward our procurement decisions ... to ensure a stable supply," smartphone and personal computer maker LG Electronics said in a statement, adding it had pushed up quarterly purchase decisions by about a month. Chip manufacturing technologies are growing increasingly complex, raising investment costs yet providing less output growth as some suppliers struggle to improve yields. This has caused some chip prices to double or triple from a year earlier. Some analysts say device makers could be forced to cut down on the amount of DRAM chips, which help devices perform multiple tasks at once, or NAND chips that are used for long-term data storage, on new products if the cannot get enough chips. According to a chip supplier source, a handful of clients have moved to 6-month supply agreements, accepting higher prices than the customary quarterly or monthly deals, to make sure they get enough memory chips for their products. He added that the problem will be more acute for the NAND market, where the iPhone remains a critical source of demand given the huge sales volumes and recent moves to increase storage capacity on the device. Inventory squeeze Signs of stress have already emerged after Huawei Technologies was criticised by consumers. It was discovered that the Chinese firm used a mix of less advanced and powerful chips in its flagship P10 model that led to significant variations in performance. Huawei did not respond to requests for comment on its memory procurement plans. According to analysts, about 18 per cent of the global annual supply of NAND chips is bought by Apple. In recent years, electronics makers have typically built up inventory during the first half to avoid being squeezed by Apple, which generally unveils its latest iPhone model in September. But the shortage of chips in the first half of the year has left many scrambling. Should the US giant opt to push out more iPhones than usual or further increase the portion of high-storage models, that could further squeeze out other companies. Some analysts estimate Apple could ship as many as 100 million new iPhone 8s this year, compared to the 82.3 million iPhone 7s that Cowen & Co. estimates for 2016. "For the iPhone 8 launch there have been specific references to this by customers and distributors as a reason for longer delivery times and shortages," said Tobey Gonnerman, executive vice president at US-based component distributor Fusion Worldwide. "Buying buffer stock and holding the product in hubs to protect against anticipated delivery interruptions has certainly become more common in recent months." Apple declined to comment on its memory chip purchasing plans. No relief in sight Chipmakers have been allocating more capital in recent years to boost production of NAND chips, where the shortage has been acute due to strong demand for high-end data storage products. Samsung Electronics will start NAND production at a $14 billion South Korea plant in the second half, while SK Hynix will start making its new high-end NAND products in coming months. But analysts say meaningful new supply is unlikely to materialise until 2018. SK Hynix stated it has been meeting delivery dates but acknowledged supply conditions were tight, noting its inventory levels were at an all-time low and unlikely to increase in the near-term given continued demand. Samsung declined to comment on chip procurement for its electronic devices or inventory levels for its memory business. Smartphone makers in China are also locked in an arms race to provide the most memory, which could further exacerbate the squeeze as they seek to counter the iPhone. Some investors and analysts have voiced concerns about potential "de-speccing," where product makers cut back on memory to cope with the shortages or margin pressures. IHS analyst Walter Coon said some firms were starting to prepare to offer products with lower memory content if market conditions remain tight. But analysts also say manufacturers will be loath to cut back on memory as such a move would be deeply unpopular, saying the firms are more likely to just not upgrade memory on new models.

As iPhone 8 looms, firms scramble to lock up memory chip supply

Expanding its tablet PC range, Samsung has launched the Galaxy Tab S3 in India. The tablet will be available in black and silver colours at Rs 47,990 from June 20. 

Under a special launch offer that runs till July 31, the Galaxy Tab S3 will be offered with one-time screen replacement at Rs 990, which holds valid for a period of 12 months from purchase. Besides, the company is also offering Reliance Jio&rsquo;s double data offer of 28+28 GB a month plan at Rs 309. It will be valid till December 31.

Weighing 434 grams, the new tablet features a 9.7-inch&nbsp;Super AMOLED display and a 6mm thin metal frame. It comes with an advanced S Pen, which includes features such as Screen-off Memos, Samsung Notes, and Air Command. Users can also utilise S Pen&rsquo;s handy PDF Annotation function to get work done on-the-go.

Powered by a Qualcomm&nbsp;Snapdragon&nbsp;820 processor coupled with 4 GB of RAM, the Galaxy Tab S3 includes&nbsp;32GB of internal memory. Users can expand the memory up to 256GB using a microSD card. 

Running Android 7.0 Nougat, the Galaxy Tab S3 has a 6,000mAh battery, which is claimed to have 12 hours of video playback.&nbsp;The tablet sports a&nbsp;13 megapixel autofocus rear camera with flash and a 5 megapixel front camera.&nbsp;

Samsung Flow on the tablet&nbsp;uses biometric authentication to log-in and can wirelessly tether compatible devices to transfer documents from a mobile device to a tablet. It also syncs message notifications. 

Galaxy Tab S3 is touted to be the first Samsung tablet to feature a four stereo setup tuned by AKG, owned by Harman International.

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The tablet will be available in two colours - Black and Silver

Expanding its tablet PC range, Samsung has launched the Galaxy Tab S3 in India. The tablet will be available in black and silver colours at Rs 47,990 from June 20. Under a special launch offer that runs till July 31, the Galaxy Tab S3 will be offered with one-time screen replacement at Rs 990, which holds valid for a period of 12 months from purchase. Besides, the company is also offering Reliance Jio’s double data offer of 28+28 GB a month plan at Rs 309. It will be valid till December 31. Weighing 434 grams, the new tablet features a 9.7-inch Super AMOLED display and a 6mm thin metal frame. It comes with an advanced S Pen, which includes features such as Screen-off Memos, Samsung Notes, and Air Command. Users can also utilise S Pen’s handy PDF Annotation function to get work done on-the-go. Powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 processor coupled with 4 GB of RAM, the Galaxy Tab S3 includes 32GB of internal memory. Users can expand the memory up to 256GB using a microSD card. Running Android 7.0 Nougat, the Galaxy Tab S3 has a 6,000mAh battery, which is claimed to have 12 hours of video playback. The tablet sports a 13 megapixel autofocus rear camera with flash and a 5 megapixel front camera. Samsung Flow on the tablet uses biometric authentication to log-in and can wirelessly tether compatible devices to transfer documents from a mobile device to a tablet. It also syncs message notifications. Galaxy Tab S3 is touted to be the first Samsung tablet to feature a four stereo setup tuned by AKG, owned by Harman International.

Samsung launches Galaxy Tab S3 in India at Rs 47,990

Tech giant Samsung Electronics plans to hold a media event in New York City to unveil its next Galaxy Note smartphone sometime in the second half of August, a person familiar with the matter told Reuters on Tuesday.

The person, who was not authorised to speak publicly on the matter and so declined to be identified, said the Galaxy Note 8 phone will sport a curved screen that is marginally larger than the 6.2-inch version of the Galaxy S8 smartphone and feature two rear cameras.

The person did not elaborate further on the phone including the pricing.

Samsung Electronics declined to comment on the report.

&nbsp;

The phone is expected to come with a curved screen - marginally larger than the 6.2-inch version of the Galaxy S8 smartphone

Tech giant Samsung Electronics plans to hold a media event in New York City to unveil its next Galaxy Note smartphone sometime in the second half of August, a person familiar with the matter told Reuters on Tuesday. The person, who was not authorised to speak publicly on the matter and so declined to be identified, said the Galaxy Note 8 phone will sport a curved screen that is marginally larger than the 6.2-inch version of the Galaxy S8 smartphone and feature two rear cameras. The person did not elaborate further on the phone including the pricing. Samsung Electronics declined to comment on the report.

Is the Samsung Galaxy Note 8 coming in August?

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