OLED
Samsung’s new 55-inch OLED Mirror and Transparent displays are straight out of the future
Samsung’s new 55-inch OLED Mirror and Transparent displays are straight out of the future
Samsung yesterday introduced two new eye popping 55-inch OLED displays, one being a mirror and the other a transparent display (seen above).
Seemingly straight out of the future, the displays will initially be positioned for retail use, with Samsung boasting that the displays will help transform personalized shopping with a more visually engaging experience.
LG Display employees charged with stealing trade secrets from Samsung
LG Display employees charged with stealing trade secrets from Samsung
LG Display on Tuesday announced that 11 people, including six of its own employees, have been charged with stealing advanced OLED TV display technology from Samsung, the Associated Press reported. Three of those charged were employees of Samsung Display at the time, and the alleged theft of OLED technology took place between 2010 and 2011. While LG has publicly denied that the company or any of its employees were involved in the theft, Samsung maintains that the firm “systematically stole its display technology and poached Samsung employees.” Both firms are vying for dominance in the display market and are moving toward thinner and lighter OLED technology. More →
Samsung braces for a tough year, says it will step up patent defense against Apple
Samsung braces for a tough year, says it will step up patent defense against Apple
After numerous mobile lawsuits from Apple, Samsung CEO Choi Gee Sung explained that the company plans to be more aggressive in securing patents that can be used to defend itself, Bloomberg reported on Thursday. During the company’s annual shareholders meeting, Sung said that due to slow industry-wide growth and strong competition, the company was bracing for a tough year. “The electronics industry will enter a low-growth period,” he said. “Reorganization of the industry will gain speed and competition among global players will intensify.” Shareholders also approved the company’s plan to spin off its LCD division on April 1st. Samsung posted record revenue last year — thanks largely to its Galaxy smartphones — and looks to enhance its competitiveness in hardware, while strengthening new businesses including medical equipment in 2012. BGR exclusively reported last month that Samsung will launch its flagship Galaxy S III smartphone later this year with a 1080p high-definition display, a ceramic case and a quad-core 1.5GHz Exynos processor. More →
Samsung spins off struggling LCD business
Samsung spins off struggling LCD business
Samsung on Monday announced that it will spin off its LCD display panel manufacturing business. Tentatively named Samsung Display Co., Ltd., the new company will be a wholly owned subsidiary of Samsung Electronics and it will launch with approximately $6.6 billion in initial capital when it officially breaks off from Samsung-proper on April 1st, 2012. “This split LCD business is the speed of your business can be secured to the diverse needs of Customers.Therefore were able to respond quickly,” said Donggun Park, EVP of Samsung’s LCD business, in a statement. “Business competitiveness to our customers advanced products and a step I will try to provide technology and services.” More →
Corning and Samsung form joint venture to combine ‘Lotus Glass’ with OLED displays
Corning and Samsung form joint venture to combine ‘Lotus Glass’ with OLED displays
Samsung and Corning — best known for its Gorilla Glass products — announced a new joint venture this week that will manufacture specialty glass substrates for OLED displays. The joint venture will be based in South Korea and will combine Samsung’s OLED display technology with Corning’s ultra tough Lotus Glass substrate. The new displays will be utilized in mobile devices as well as larger products, such as televisions, and will be used in Samsung products and sold to other South Korean manufacturers. “Corning and Samsung have a long and successful partnership in the display industry, dating back nearly 40 years to the early days of television,” Corning chairman, President and CEO Wendell P. Weeks said. “The strength of our business relationship is built on Corning’s ability to develop and make high-technology glass with the key attributes that enable Samsung’s next-generation displays.” Samsung’s full press release follows after the break. More →
Samsung Group to boost investments to $41 billion this year
Samsung Group to boost investments to $41 billion this year
Samsung Group, the parent company that owns Samsung Electronics and several other subsidiaries, said it plans to spend $41.1 billion investing in new technology this year. Reuters said most analysts expect the company to spend a large chunk of that money on OLED and mobile technologies in an effort to continue to stay on target with its rivals. The South Korea-based company uses its OLED displays on mobile phones and on televisions. “Samsung’s got strong cash flow to make bold bets in new technologies,” NH Investment & Securities analyst Lee Sun-tae told Reuters. “No other IT company can beat it in terms of investment and that’s how Samsung finds new revenue sources ahead of rivals and widens its gap.” Samsung’s spending on its mobile processors and other mobile technologies is expected to exceed the amount it spends on its memory business for the first time ever, Reuters said. The firm currently employs about 350,000 people around the globe and expects to hire 26,000 additional employees this year. More →
LG CES 2012 booth tour
LG CES 2012 booth tour
Samsung and Sony each brought their A-game to the Consumer Electronics Show this year when it comes to high-end HDTVs. If there was one other brand that could easily give these tech giants a run for their money though, it was LG. The South Korea-based company had a handfull of other devices to show off at CES 2012, but televisions took center stage in the firm’s booth and sets on display ranged from entry-level offerings to high-end stunners that were absolutely beautiful. Of all the TVs LG had on display at CES, our clear favorite — it’s not even close, really — was the company’s new 55-inch OLED model. The gorgeous panel on this HDTV gives Samsung’s Super OLED displays a run for their money, and we would be hard pressed to say which screen produces deeper blacks and more vivid colors. No pricing has been announced and we’re sure this set will cost a pretty penny, but it could very well find its way to BGR headquarters once it hits the market. Pictures can hardly do LG’s new OLED HDTV justice, but several photos can be found in our LG booth tour, which follows below.
Live from LG’s CES 2012 press conference
Live from LG’s CES 2012 press conference
The Consumer Electronics show is always a massive event for the home entertainment industry, and 2012 is shaping up to be the biggest year yet. Hundreds of companies will showcase thousands of products, but among the companies that managed to generate some real buzz ahead of the show, LG really looks like it has some gems on its hands this year. The company previewed its new nearly borderless 55-inch OLED HDTV last week and it has a few Cinema Screen 3D models with just a 1-millimeter bezel surrounding its gorgeous display panels. LG surely has plenty more gear in store for us — including at least one smartphone and next-generation Google TV devices — so hit the break to watch all the action unfold in our live coverage. More →
Samsung to provide Apple with quad-core A6 chip for next iPhone
Samsung to provide Apple with quad-core A6 chip for next iPhone
Samsung will provide Apple with quad-core A6 chips to power the next iPhone, The Korea Times reported on Monday. “Apple has been in talks with Samsung over shipment of its A6 quad-core mobile processor chips to be used in the next iPhone,” an anonymous parts supplier executive told The Korea Times. “It appears that Apple clearly has concluded that Samsung remains a critical business partner.” The two have been locked in legal battles around the globe, and both firms have accused the other of patent infringement. Samsung’s vice chairman and CEO Gee-Sung Choi said his company’s legal battles will be handled separately from its business partnership with the iPhone maker. Reportedly, the next iPhone may also be equipped with a 4-inch 960 x 640-pixel OLED display. More →
Samsung to combine display, semiconductor businesses
Samsung to combine display, semiconductor businesses
Samsung will combine both its flat-panel display and semiconductor businesses into one unit, The Wall Street Journal reported on Friday. Samsung’s display business wasn’t profitable during the first quarter and it’s on track for the same lackluster performance during the second quarter. Combined, however, the display and semiconductor businesses made up 70% of Samsung’s operating profits and 44% of the South Korean company’s revenue, The Wall Street Journal said. In other words, the move looks like an attempt to shroud the poor display performance inside the company’s more successful semiconductor unit. The display unit could see more trouble ahead as well, since Samsung is currently locked in a number of legal battles with Apple, the largest buyer of Samsung’s LCD products. Kwon Oh-hyun, Samsung’s semiconductor president, will oversee the new joint businesses.
Nokia unveils MeeGo-based N9 smartphone [video]
Nokia unveils MeeGo-based N9 smartphone [video]
Nokia took the wraps off its first MeeGo-based smartphone early Tuesday morning in Singapore. The Nokia N9 features gorgeous, elegant hardware and software that Nokia has already announced it will dump in favor of Microsoft’s Windows Phone platform. The decision to move forward with the N9’s release is an interesting one, though we have a feeling this sleek smartphone will see limited distribution once it finally reaches market. Pricing and availability are still a mystery, but the N9 features MeeGo 1.2, a 3.9-inch OLED display, an 8-megapixel camera with Carl Zeiss optics, NFC support and either 16GB or 64GB of internal storage. The phone is beautiful and the software looks intuitive and modern, but it’s not easy to get behind a phone running an OS that Nokia deemed not suitable for its devices moving forward. Nokia’s full press release and a video can be found below. More →
