Strong smartphone sales boost Samsung to $7.9 billion profit in Q1 2013

via theverge.com

Samsung Electronics made an operating profit of 8.78 trillion won ($7.9 billion) in the first quarter of 2013, matching its guidance and representing a more than 50 percent improvement on its performance last year. Revenues were 52.87 trillion won ($47.6 billion), and net profit was 7.15 trillion won ($6.45 billion). The company said strong smartphone sales coupled with reduced marketing expenses helped boost its IT & Mobile Communications division to revenues of 32.82 trillion alone. However, Samsung's revenues were hit by seasonality — the company took in 6 percent less cash than in the previous quarter — and what it describes as a sluggish economy that meant lower TV and home appliance sales.

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Samsung Galaxy S4 Review: The S Stands For Super, Not Simple

via techcrunch.com

The Galaxy S4 has an easy mode, and more importantly, the Galaxy S4 needs an easy mode. This necessity is a double-edged sword. It means that the technology built into Samsung’s latest generation smartphone does things you’ve never seen before, and maybe couldn’t even imagine. However, really using that technology isn’t as simple as you might think, and could be downright overwhelming to a novice smartphone user.

This is the theme I kept running into with the GS4. If you’re technologically advanced enough to be excited for hovering gestures and optical readers and two cameras working at the same time, then yes, you should absolutely jump on the Galaxy S bandwagon. But for those of you who want a phone that works well, keeps you connected, and not much else, be forewarned that the S in Galaxy S4 certainly doesn’t stand for simple...

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Samsung's Galaxy S4 coming to 7 U.S. carriers, Pre-orders begin

via digitaltrends.com

Today Samsung confirmed some of the details about the Galaxy S4‘s carrier footprint that leaked out earlier this week. Just as with the Galaxy S3, the S4 will be available on all of the major carriers – AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, Verizon Wireless – plus three of the next biggest networks. U. S. Cellular, Cricket, and C Spire also get the phone at launch. The Samsung press release didn’t offer all the pricing and availability details, but it was quickly followed up by announcements from the carriers themselves.

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Samsung estimates $7.75 billion in Q1 profits, up 45 percent over last year

via theverge.com

Samsung is announcing its earnings estimate for Q1 2012, and everything seems to be on the upswing. The company thinks its operating profit will land between 8.5 and 8.9 trillion won ($7.56 - $7.92 billion) for the quarter — that’s a big increase over the 5.85 trillion won the company pulled in during the same quarter last year. Revenues are also up, from 45.27 trillion won a year ago to somewhere between 51 and 53 trillion ($45.39 - $47.17 billion) this time around.

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Samsung Galaxy S4 preorders start at AT&T on April 16th for $249.99

via theverge.com

AT&T has announced availability and pricing for the new Samsung Galaxy S4 smartphone. Customers will be able to preorder the Galaxy S4 starting on April 16th for $249.99 with a new two-year agreement. The carrier claims to be the first to offer the GS4 in the US, though Sprint, Verizon, T-Mobile, and other regional carriers have committed to carrying it. T-Mobile recently revealed that it plans to offer the Galaxy S 4 starting on May 1st, though it is not clear if that means preorders will be available then or it will be in stores on that date...

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Leaked images point to Galaxy S4 mini with 4.3-inch screen and mid-range specs

via theverge.com

With the Galaxy S4's launch on the horizon, Samsung may be prepping another phone — this one a successor to the Galaxy S III mini. Leaked images posted at SamMobile appear to show a phone with the same design language as the Galaxy S4 but a smaller form factor, just as the original mini was a copy of the Galaxy S III. Its model number is shown as GT-I9190, compared to the S III mini's GT-I8190. SamMobile says the device has a 4.3-inch screen, compared to the 5-inch screen of the Galaxy S4 or the 4-inch screen of the S III mini. 4.3 inches was once enough for Samsung's flagship Galaxy S II, and there's still obviously demand for phones with smaller screens than the S4.

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Samsung's S9 Ultra HD 4K HDTV looks like a bargain at $40,000

via digitaltrends.com

If nothing else, you have to give Samsung credit for the gutsy PR move it pulled off yesterday in lower Manhattan. The Internet has been abuzz since the company decided to preview its $40,000 85-inch Ultra HDTV to members of the press who were probably just happy to be inside where it was warm and they could gawk at swimsuit model, Kate Upton. $40,000 is an incredibly huge sum of money to plunk down on a TV, especially when one could build a complete, high-performance home theater system for that amount. Perhaps we’ve become more frugal after the past four years of recession, or maybe we just have our priorities ordered a little differently. Regardless, for all the uproar surrounding the S9′s pricing, it is not the most expensive TV ever marketed; not by a long shot.

At first glance, the pricing on the Samsung S9 Ultra HDTV understandably seems more than just a little steep. Even for a first-generation panel that admittedly would be right at home at the Museum of Modern Art due to its sheer sense of modernism and style. Unfortunately, Samsung’s new toy is getting a lot of attention right now because of its price and, sadly, not because it looks absolutely amazing with native 4K content. In many ways, the S9 launch and post-event hysteria that would have made CNBC’s Rick Santelli proud is burying more important stories like Samsung’s new line-up of plasma HDTVs, which not only looked amazing, but very well may be the final nails in Panasonic’s coffin...

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Lock Screen Security Hole Found On Some Android-Powered Samsung Galaxy Phones

via techcrunch.com

Remember that nasty little iOS 6 lockscreen bug that let hackers access apps on any iPhone with a few smooth moves? Well, fresh on the heels of yesterday’s iOS update that squashed the problem, another security researcher has found a similar issue on Samsung’s Android smartphones.

Terence Eden claims to have found a flaw that lets hackers access a phone’s apps, dialer and widgets even if it’s been locked with a password, PIN, or other security measure.

Just like the iOS flaw, the Samsung security hole seems to involve the emergency dialer. For a brief moment after the emergency dialer is closed, there is a window of opportunity for a hacker to launch apps or place calls. Eden says that he discovered the flaw and contacted Samsung about it in February, but the company declined his offer to hold off publication until they had a fix.

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Samsung Galaxy S4 vs. iPhone 5: Which phone should you buy?

via extremetech.com

How do you choose between the iPhone 5 and Galaxy S4? On the one hand, the iPhone 5 is an entirely known entity that just works. You might not be getting the most exciting or feature-rich smartphone, but at least you know exactly what you’re getting. Samsung’s Galaxy S4, on the other hand, is world’s apart from the iPhone 5: It’s huge, and massively powerful, and it has a ton of features that might be awesome or gimmicky, depending on your point of view.

The best bet, if you need help choosing between the iPhone 5 and Galaxy S4, is for us to start at the beginning: the hardware. We’ll then work our way up through the software, first- and third-party support, and other features that might break the tie.

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Samsung to jump into wearable tech segment with a watch of their own

via techi.com

Rumors have been spreading about the mythical iWatch from Apple. It will be worn on the risk and is supposed to have similar functionality to the iPhone.

Samsung is doing it, too. You’re probably thinking, “Of course they are.”

“We’ve been preparing the watch product for so long,” Lee Young Hee, executive vice president of Samsung’s mobile business, said during an interview in Seoul. “We are working very hard to get ready for it. We are preparing products for the future, and the watch is definitely one of them.”

The bitter rivalry for mobile domination in the gadget department has been one of the most contentious in recent years between tech companies. Apple sues Samsung, Samsung sues Apple, and both claim leadership in the smartphone arena. Expect it to get even hotter as Bloomberg is reporting that Samsung is following Apple once again.

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Here's Samsung's Brilliantly Bizarre S4 Event That Had The Tech World Freaking Out

via businessinsider.com

Samsung is often accused of copying Apple. Last night, no one was saying that.

Its event to announce the Galaxy S4 was one of a kind. It was the sort of over-the-top ridiculous event that only Samsung would, or could, deliver. It must have cost millions of dollars.

In Radio City Music Hall, with Broadway actors, Samsung set up a bunch of scenes to act out all the new features of its phone.

For the most part it was panned by the techno snoots.

Personally, I thought it was pretty good. It took less than 50 minutes, so it didn't drag on. It wasn't yet another boring phone presentation where one guy stands on stage and drones on about specs that even I don't fully understand before another guy gets on stage and does a boring demo of a new app.

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Samsung Galaxy S 4: Everything You Need To Know

via mashable.com

At a packed event in New York’s Radio City Music Hall Thursday, Samsung revealed its newest flagship smartphone, the Galaxy S 4. Following in the footsteps of the bestselling Android phone on the market, the Galaxy S III, the S 4 sports a number of unique new features, while keeping some favorite options from its predecessor.

A far from ordinary event, the announcement was full of song and dance numbers, some bizarre theater moments, and a few surprises.

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Galaxy S4 vs. Galaxy S3: Spec comparison

via digitaltrends.com

Samsung just announced the slimmer, lighter, and stronger Galaxy S4 and it looks about the same as the Galaxy S3, aside from some new software additions. There’s no denying the Galaxy S3 was the breakout star of Android in 2012 and it is clear Samsung wants to duplicate that success with the Galaxy S4 by playing it safe with the design. Despite including a larger screen at 5 inches, the S4 is actually smaller and feels smaller than the previous iteration thanks to a slimmer profile and a greatly reduced bezel. The question is whether the same-old design can compete with a more aggressive design like we’ve seen from the HTC One. Let’s look at the numbers, shall we?

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Samsung Galaxy S IV: the rumor roundup

via engadget.com

Compared to the sheer deluge of rumors surrounding last year's Galaxy S III, talk about the Galaxy S IV has been relatively hushed. That's partly owing to the contracted launch schedule -- despite Samsung's initial denials, the company is unveiling its next Android flagship almost two months before the GS3's first birthday. There's still been a fair share of rumormongering, however, and a picture is emerging of just what Samsung could unveil for yet another encore. Will the smartphone giant make a sharp break from tradition? Read past the break for a roundup of what to expect when Samsung hits the stage at Radio City Music Hall.

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Samsung: No One Is Buying Microsoft's Surface, Windows 8 Isn't Very Good

via businessinsider.com

More bad news for Microsoft and its new operating system, Windows 8.

The president of Samsung's memory chip division, Jun Dong-soo, had a lot of negative comments about Microsoft in a meeting with reporters. The Korea Times transcribed his quotes.

First, he said the obvious: "The global PC industry is steadily shrinking despite the launch of Windows 8."

Then he added this: "I think the Windows 8 system is no better than the previous Windows Vista platform."

Vista is considered to be one of the biggest disasters for Microsoft. It's not good for a partner to compare the new Windows to Vista.

He then added even more: "MS’s rollout of its Windows Surface tablet is seeing lackluster demand ... Meanwhile, previous vigorous pitches by Intel and MS for thinner ultra-books simply failed and I believe that’s mostly because of the less-competitive Windows platform."

This wouldn't be so bad if it were just one guy talking. But, he's just the latest to pile on. Executives at Asus, Acer, and Fujitsu have all had bad things to say about the state of Windows.

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Why the Galaxy S4 won't be shedding its plastic roots

via news.cnet.com

There's one complaint that often crops up with the Galaxy S III: it feels "plastic-y."

At a time when competitors are using glass, aluminum, and even higher quality plastics such as polycarbonate, Samsung has stuck to its guns with a thin, bendable plastic body.

Which is why the Galaxy S4 won't stray too far from that design philosophy.

CNET sat down with Y.H. Lee, executive vice president of Samsung's mobile business, to discuss the company's thoughts on design. When Samsung looks at what materials to use, it isn't just taking into consideration the aesthetic quality of the device, Lee said. The company also assesses how quickly and efficiently it can manufacture the product, knowing that it will have to ship a high volume.

Lee said that because Samsung will ship large units, it must consider the smartphone's manufacturability and durability.

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Samsung Galaxy S IV May Scroll Using Eye-Tracking

via www.gadgetell.com">technologytell.com

Samsung’s Galaxy S IV will feature software that uses eye tracking to scroll content on the screen, according to a report from the New York Times on Monday. When the phone senses that readers’ eyes have reached the bottom of the screen, it will page up the content on the screen so that users don’t have to swipe, the report says.

NYT points out that Samsung filed a trademark in Europe this past January for the term “Eye Scroll,” and it trademarked “Samsung Eye Scroll” in the US in February. The US application describes the service as “software having a feature of sensing eye movements and scrolling displays of mobile devices, namely, mobile phones, smart phones, and tablet computers according to eye movements.” The term “Eye Pause” was also trademarked in the US, but the application states only that the service is “software for smart phones and tablet computers.”

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Samsung Galaxy S4 Rumors Begin With A Video And An Eye Scroll

via readwrite.com

For a smartphone with as much hype and anticipation as Samsung’s Galaxy S4, we know surprisingly little about it. We know that it is likely to launch on March 14th at Radio City Music Hall in New York City. We know that Samsung will have a huge marketing plan around it and worldwide distribution on a mammoth scale.

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'Next generation' Samsung smartphones to ship with Visa NFC payment system

via theverge.com

At an event today at MWC, Visa announced a partnership with Samsung that will result in its payWave mobile wallet app getting installed on the "next generation" of Samsung smartphones. PayWave will work with the NFC chip on those devices to enable mobile payments, but Visa says it's agnostic about exactly which credit cards get used with the app. It's part of the "Visa Ready Program," which lets all sorts of companies connect to Visa's network of payment systems — not just banks, but manufacturers and carriers as well. In that vein, Visa says that it's offering future Samsung customers the ability to hook up any Visa card to the secure NFC element in their smartphones for mobile payments.

PayWave is actually able to accomodate cards other than Visa cards, a technology that the company had actually licensed to both Google for Wallet and ISIS, even though had Visa suggested that the other major credit card companies would be on their own when it comes to getting their payment solutions on to Samsung's phones. Google Wallet, by comparison, currently allows users to use any card with its app.

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Samsung takes on Apple TV with the HomeSync media streamer

via theverge.com

The news from MWC is already starting to break: along with the Galaxy Note 8.0, Samsung has also introduced a new living room device called the HomeSync. On one hand, it's a media streamer that hooks up to your television and lets users stream photos, videos, and apps from their Galaxy devices to their television — at 1080p resolution. However, it's also a storage device unto itself with a 1TB drive for storing content.

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