Galaxy S II

Business
February 6, 2012
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IDC: Smartphone sales hit all-time high in Q4 led by Apple, Samsung

By on February 6, 2012 at 1:16 PM.

IDC: Smartphone sales hit all-time high in Q4 led by Apple, Samsung

The record sales managed by both Apple and Samsung during the holiday quarter last year sent smartphone market growth soaring in late 2011. Market research firm IDC on Monday released data from a new report that suggests smartphone shipments grew 54.7% in the fourth quarter last year. Driven by Apple’s iPhone 4S and Samsung’s Galaxy S II handsets, vendors shipped 157.8 million smartphones globally last quarter according to IDC. ”By the end of the quarter, one out of every three mobiles phones shipped worldwide was a smartphone,” IDC analyst Ramon Llamas said in a statement. “The launch of Apple’s iPhone 4S played a key role in smartphone growth to capture pent-up demand, and smartphone launches from other vendors also provided a broad selection to meet varying preferences and budgets.” The firm notes that full-year smartphone shipments totaled 491.4 million units in 2011, up 61.3% over the prior year. IDC’s full press release follows below. More →

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Business
February 6, 2012
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NPD: iPhone dominated in Q4, Android popularity grows among first-time buyers

By on February 6, 2012 at 9:15 AM.

NPD: iPhone dominated in Q4, Android popularity grows among first-time buyers

Apple was the top smartphone vendor in the United States last quarter according to new data released on Monday. A new report from market research firm The NPD Group suggests that the three best-selling smartphones in America last quarter were all iPhones. Apple’s new iPhone 4S was deemed the top-selling smartphone this past holiday quarter, followed by the iPhone 4 and the iPhone 3GS, which is now free on contract from AT&T. Two versions of Samsung’s Galaxy S II smartphone rounded out the top-5. Read on for more. More →

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mobile
February 3, 2012
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Samsung Galaxy S Advance receives early hands-on preview

By on February 3, 2012 at 6:00 PM.

Samsung Galaxy S Advance receives early hands-on preview


The Samsung Galaxy S Advance was announced on Monday, and not even a week later the device has shown up in Vietnam and received a hands-on from Mai Nguyen. The handset reportedly features a design that is a combination of the Galaxy S II and Galaxy Nexus, complete with a curved display. The Advance’s specs fall between the Galaxy S II and original Galaxy S, however, featuring a 4-inch Super AMOLED display, a 1GHz dual-core processor, a 5-megapixel camera, 768MB of RAM and 2GB of internal storage. The handset reportedly had a “solid feel,” with a thickness of 9.7mm and a weight of 120 grams. The Galaxy S Advance is expected to be released in Vietnam at the end of February for roughly 9.5 million VND, or $450 USD before subsidies. Another image of the new phone follows below. More →

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Business
February 3, 2012
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Apple and Samsung to pull in 90% of smartphone profits in 2012, UBS says

By on February 3, 2012 at 2:00 PM.

Apple and Samsung to pull in 90% of smartphone profits in 2012, UBS says

Industry watchers agree that smartphone sales will continue to balloon in 2012, but much of the projected growth will seemingly be enjoyed by just two companies. In a report to clients earlier this week, UBS analyst Maynard Um lowered his full-year unit sales projections for cell phones to 1.69 billion from his earlier estimate of 1.7 billion units. At the same time, however, he raised his industry revenue estimates to $242.8 billion from $238.8 billion thanks in large part to a huge year projected for both Apple and Samsung. Read on for more. More →

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mobile
February 2, 2012
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New Samsung smartphone running Android 4.0 revealed ahead of MWC announcement

By on February 2, 2012 at 10:30 AM.

New Samsung smartphone running Android 4.0 revealed ahead of MWC announcement

Samsung has plans to announce a new Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich-powered smartphone at the annual Mobile World Congress trade show in Barcelona later this month. An image of the unknown device was published on Thursday by industry insider Eldar Murtazin, though no additional details were provided. The handset looks very similar to Samsung’s Galaxy S II handset, but the buttons beneath the display have clearly been updated to support Android 4.0. The phone is likely not the upcoming flagship Galaxy S III, however, as Samsung recently stated that its Galaxy S II successor would not be announced at MWC. The phone is also likely not the rumored Galaxy S II Plus according to benchmark test results that surfaced recently, as it is believed to be running an older version of Android — though that certainly may have changed. Whatever the device may be, we’ll be reporting live when Samsung finally unveils the sleek smartphone during its press conference in Barcelona later this month. More →

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Business
January 30, 2012
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Samsung marketing boss: Consumers should be obsessed with Samsung, not Apple

By on January 30, 2012 at 12:00 PM.

Samsung marketing boss: Consumers should be obsessed with Samsung, not Apple

Samsung’s new run of television commercials is the start of a wider effort to make the company’s products the apple of the U.S. consumer’s eye. The ads, which mock iPhone users for their obsession with Apple products, attempt to present Samsung as the smarter, cooler alternative. On a larger scale however, Samsung is hoping to create a fundamental shift in the way its products are viewed by consumers. ”Especially in U.S., people are obsessed with Apple,” head of Samsung marketing Younghee Lee told AllThingsD in a recent interview. “It’s time to change people’s attention.” Lee is looking to shift consumers’ obsession to the East, and to figure out ”how I can engage with consumers from the bottom of their heart, and not just be a big and functional and rational and reasonable brand.” While mocking consumers’ unhealthy love of one brand in an effort to create an obsession with another is a curious strategy, Samsung’s attempt to reinvent itself as a global smartphone leader is having a clear impact — the company reported a record holiday quarter during which it shipped an estimated 36.5 million smartphones worldwide. Three of Samsung’s recent commercials can be viewed after the break. More →

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Business
January 27, 2012
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Apple reclaims No.1 smartphone spot in Q4

By on January 27, 2012 at 9:05 AM.

Apple reclaims No.1 smartphone spot in Q4

Apple is once again the top smartphone vendor in the world by shipment volume according to a report released late Thursday. Market research firm Strategy Analytics noted that total fourth-quarter smartphone shipments grew 54% year-over-year in 2011 to hit 155 million units. After losing the No.1 spot to Samsung in the third quarter last year, Apple once again shipped more smartphones than any other company in the December quarter, earning it 24% of the global market. Read on for more. More →

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mobile
January 25, 2012
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Samsung Galaxy S III’s MWC debut reportedly canceled

By on January 25, 2012 at 5:40 PM.

Samsung Galaxy S III’s MWC debut reportedly canceled

The highly anticipated follow up to Samsung’s Galaxy S II will not be unveiled at next month’s Mobile World Congress, according to The Verge. The Galaxy S III was rumored to be debuting in Barcelona next month, however it has reportedly now been delayed. The reason for delay was not disclosed, although it is still slated to be released “before summer” according to the report. The Galaxy S II was announced at last year’s Mobile Wold Congress, but Samsung is said to have been uncomfortable with the long delay between the global launch and availability in the U.S., where it is the most popular Android vendor. The company will still feature “interesting stuff” in place of the Galaxy S III, perhaps an updated Galaxy Tab or even a new Windows Phone handset. More →

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mobile
January 24, 2012
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Baristas get ‘Samsunged’ in new Galaxy S II ad [video]

By on January 24, 2012 at 10:00 AM.

Baristas get ‘Samsunged’ in new Galaxy S II ad [video]

While smartphone users in general may eventually be caught in the crossfire brought about by Apple and Samsung’s patent battles, a very specific group of smartphone users has become collateral damage in Samsung’s new anti-iPhone advertising campaign: baristas. Samsung’s first run in its new campaign included a quick poke at a creative barista, but now the men and women who serve up hot coffee on a daily basis are the focus of Samsung’s playful attack. Dubbed “Urban Camping,” the company’s new ad kicks off with a pair of Galaxy S II users mockingly admiring an iPhone-toting barista’s latte art. When the barista’s friends enter the coffee shop excited to go camping, one Galaxy S II user harnesses the phone’s 4G speed to instantly reserve a camp site for everyone to use. The simple-minded iPhone owners become disheartened, clarifying that they’re simply camping out on line while waiting for the new iPhone to be released. Hipsters in general were addressed in Samsung’s earlier ads, but the company appears to now be “Samsunging” more specific groups of consumers it deems likely to own iPhones. With Super Bowl XLVI coming up on February 5th and Samsung having lined up a pricey ad spot, baristas may want to avert their eyes and hide their coffees during commercial breaks this year. The new Galaxy S II ad can be watched in full below.

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mobile
January 20, 2012
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Android share doubles iPhone in U.S., Samsung most popular vendor

By on January 20, 2012 at 4:25 PM.

Android share doubles iPhone in U.S., Samsung most popular vendor

Google’s share of the smartphone market in the United States is now nearly double that of Apple’s iPhone according to new data published Friday. A new report from market research firm iGR states that 47% of U.S. smartphone owners have Android devices while 24% own Apple’s iPhone. The company also found that Samsung is the most popular brand among Android users in the U.S. followed by Motorola, HTC and LG. Less than half of Android users researched the mobile OS before purchasing their smartphones according to the study, and 27% said Google’s reputation was a key factor when they made the decision to purchase an Android phone. ”Understanding why consumers select specific brands and certain smartphones is critical to the success of OEMs in the highly competitive U.S. handset market,” iGR Research Analyst Sarah Thoman said in a statement. “While a user’s current handset brand influences the selection of a new Android smartphone, many other factors also come into play. For example, handset display quality and functionality also highly influenced the smartphone purchase decision.” IGR’s press release follows below. More →

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mobile
January 20, 2012
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iPhone owners get ‘Samsunged’ in new Galaxy S II ad [video]

By on January 20, 2012 at 1:10 PM.

iPhone owners get ‘Samsunged’ in new Galaxy S II ad [video]

Following Samsung’s recent run of television advertisements depicting iPhone users as mindless hipster sheep, the company’s ad firm is back with another spot that again takes aim at Apple fans. The new ad shows iPhone 4 owners camped outside an Apple Store waiting for the latest iPhone model to finally go on sale. As people in line watch the first iPhone 4S unboxing video from London, they’re disappointed to learn that the phone “looks like last year’s phone.” Then when a Galaxy S II user comes by to bring his roommate a charger, two iPhone users admire the voice-guided navigation the man used to find his way to the Apple Store. When they find out that the navigation service is free on the Galaxy S II and not part of a paid app, they apparently get “Samsunged.” The full ad can be viewed after the break. More →

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mobile
January 20, 2012
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Samsung Galaxy S II sales surpass 5 million units in South Korea

By on January 20, 2012 at 1:15 AM.

Samsung Galaxy S II sales surpass 5 million units in South Korea

Samsung has sold more than 5 million units of its popular Galaxy S II smartphone in South Korea. The milestone was hit just five months after the phone’s launch. In October, Samsung announced that it had sold more than 30 million Galaxy S and Galaxy S II devices. Variants of the phone are currently available on AT&T, Sprint and T-Mobile in the U.S., although Samsung has not yet revealed sales figures for the device here. Samsung also said its South Korea market share was 53% for 2011, according to SammyHub. The phone maker is expected to unveil its Galaxy S III smartphone during the Mobile World Congress trade show in Barcelona next month, and we’ll be bringing you all the news live as it breaks.  More →

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Legal
January 17, 2012
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Apple files new design lawsuit against Samsung in Germany

By on January 17, 2012 at 10:15 AM.

Apple files new design lawsuit against Samsung in Germany

Apple has filed a new complaint targeting 10 Samsung smartphones that allegedly infringe the Cupertino-based company’s design patents. The suit was filed in the Dusseldorf Regional Court, with Apple also filing a separate suit citing five Samsung tablet models. Last month, Samsung introduced the Galaxy Tab 10.1N that featured a new bezel and a slightly modified design. Apple filed a new complaint seeking to ban sales of the tweaked model, but the Dusseldorf court said it was unlikely to grant an injunction against the redesigned tablet. An appeals court also voiced doubts about the reach of Apple’s European Union design right, which was the driving force behind the original Galaxy Tab 10.1 injunction. The new suits aren’t filed under emergency proceedings, allowing Apple a new procedure against both models. A spokesman for Samsung, who declined to be identified, confirmed to Bloomberg that the company had received formal notice of both suits. More →

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