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855 'Samsung' stories September 2010 - October 2015
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iPhone 6s goes on sale in Samsung’s home market to long queues after earlier online pre-order sellout

Avatar for Ben Lovejoy Oct 23 2015 - 4:55 am PT
18 Comments

The iPhone 6s/Plus seems pretty popular already in Samsung’s home market of Korea, despite only going on sale today. All three major carriers earlier reported that they quickly sold out when the new iPhones were made available for pre-order on Monday. Now Patently Apple notes queues of hundreds of people at retail stores, with some having waited in line for 24 hours … 
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Samsung’s pink gold Note 5 & price drops don’t stop iPhone 6s from selling out in S. Korea

Avatar for Jordan Kahn Oct 19 2015 - 2:43 pm PT
34 Comments

Korea might be home base for Samsung (and LG), Apple’s biggest competitor in the smartphone world, but the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus have been well received in the country as local reports indicate all major carriers have sold out of both models after officially launching in the country earlier today..
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iPhone 6s Plus vs Galaxy Note 5: Camera Comparison [Video]

Avatar for Dom Esposito Oct 14 2015 - 1:40 pm PT
32 Comments

Today we’re getting into the ultimate camera battle between Samsung’s Galaxy Note 5 and Apple’s iPhone 6s Plus. These are without a doubt packing the best camera sensors in mobile right now, but which one will take the throne as 2015’s best smartphone camera? We’ll be taking a look at pictures and video from both devices to find out…


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Two key Apple suppliers fighting for control of Taiwanese chip company – billions at stake, say analysts

Avatar for Ben Lovejoy Oct 14 2015 - 6:32 am PT
3 Comments

The WSJ reports that Foxconn and the world’s largest chip assembler, Advanced Semiconductor Engineering (ASE), are fighting for control of the number three company in the chip assembly business, SPIL. ASE assembles chips used in the Apple Watch, while SPIL last year started supplying chips for iPhones.

ASE had planned to take a controlling interest in SPIL in order to protect its market-leading position and remain one jump ahead of competitors. Key iPhone assembly company Foxconn, however, persuaded the company that it would do better by collaborating with the Chinese firm in order to win more of Apple’s business.

SPIL shareholders will vote on the proposed deal with Foxconn tomorrow. Although ASE had already bought some shares in the company, it did so too late to qualify for vote, so has instead sent a letter to other SPIL shareholders urging them to vote against the motion.

All three companies are competing for system-in-package (SiP) orders from Apple, which analysts say will be worth billions of dollars.

There is huge competition for Apple’s business among chip manufacturers and assemblers, with Apple reportedly playing off Samsung and TSMC against each other in order to squeeze out last-minute price cuts for the A9 chip. Samsung’s recent return to profit was attributed to the chips it supplies to Apple.

Samsung rumored to bring ‘3D Touch’ pressure-sensitive features to its next Galaxy phones

Avatar for Benjamin Mayo Oct 13 2015 - 5:07 am PT
37 Comments

Samsung is already eying the iPhone 6s’s most significant new feature, 3D Touch, for its next-generation Galaxy phones. A report on Weibo suggests that the Korean company will be adding pressure-sensitive screens next year following Apple’s lead.

Samsung will apparently be using screen technology from Synaptic, called ClearForce, which we reported on last week. Although right now pressure-sensitive screens are effectively exclusive to iPhone, the availability of Synaptic hardware to OEMs is seemingly allowing Samsung (as well as other manufacturers, not yet disclosed) to jump on board in the near future.


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New data shows TSMC A9 chip slightly outpaces Samsung version in most battery tests

Avatar for Mike Beasley Oct 12 2015 - 11:57 am PT
14 Comments

With the recent revelation that Apple had (not unexpectedly) sourced the A9 processor in the iPhone 6s from two different suppliers came the discovery that the model manufactured by Samsung is 10% smaller than the one built by TSMC.

Along with the size difference comes a difference in the power efficiency of each model, with many reports indicating—and Apple eventually confirming—that phones with the Samsung chip will likely see 2-3% lower battery life.

Today Ars Technica has published its own findings based on the results of a set of battery tests on each processor, showing that the TSMC hardware outpaces Samsung’s in most test categories, but not all.


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Apple says iPhone 6s and 6s Plus battery life may vary 2-3% regardless of Samsung or TSMC chip

Avatar for Zac Hall Oct 8 2015 - 1:42 pm PT
26 Comments

iPhone 6s <a href="http://9to5mac.com/2015/09/24/iphone-6s-teardown/" target="_blank">iFixit</a> teardown

After some debate over whether the difference between iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus models made with Samsung or TSMC chips may impact battery life, Apple has offered its own take on the matter:

Our testing and customer data show the actual battery life of the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus, even taking into account variable component differences, vary within just 2-3% of each other.”

That 2-3% difference may be greater than some suspected, myself included, considering how tight battery life on iPhones can be with moderate to heavy usage. Apple’s full statement (via Ars Technica) actually addresses the type of battery tests many testers reference when measuring performance as being unrealistic:
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iPhone 6s with TSMC chip shown to run cooler, offer better battery performance than Samsung A9 processor models [Videos]

Avatar for Cam Bunton Oct 8 2015 - 3:49 am PT
37 Comments

We’ve heard and read a lot about Apple going with two different manufacturers for the A9 chip in its iPhone 6s. Some models ship with a processor made by TSMC while others come with a Samsung-made component. While you’d expect that Apple would ensure both are built to offer comparable performance, it appears that may not be the case. It’s already been revealed by Chipworks that the Sammy model is 10% smaller, but if a couple of videos recently published are anything to go by, you might be better off with a TSMC model…


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Samsung sees first profit growth in two years – but thanks to Apple, not to phone sales

Avatar for Ben Lovejoy Oct 7 2015 - 4:39 am PT
9 Comments

Samsung has today forecast a reversal of its seven-quarter decline in profits, suggesting an impressive year-on-year hike of almost 80%. But while the company itself hasn’t released any details on where the profit is coming from, analysts cited by the WSJ and elsewhere put it down to strong growth in sales of chips and displays – not phone sales.

This suggests that Samsung is making its money by helping other manufacturers sell their phones – with Apple’s record-breaking iPhone 6s sales doubtless playing a significant role. Apple split its A9 chip orders between Samsung and TSMC.

While the mobile-phone business isn’t likely to see a significant rebound as growth in global demand for smartphones cool amid saturated markets, Samsung’s earnings are being powered by strong growth in its chip business due to tight supply and firm pricing, analysts say. Samsung’s chip unit likely accounted for about half of the company’s profit in the third quarter, analysts said, while strong sales of displays to Chinese smartphone makers also contributed to its bottom line.

Samsung is estimating that its Q3 profits rose to 7.3 trillion Korean won ($6.3B), its first year-on-year growth since the same quarter in 2013.

Apple’s iPhone 6s has two different sized A9 processors, Samsung version 10% smaller

Avatar for Seth Weintraub Sep 28 2015 - 1:06 pm PT
23 Comments


According to Chipworks, there are actually two different sized A9 processors floating around in the iPhone 6s and 6s plus released last week. That’s not really a surprise because Apple likes to have redundancy, especially when one of the manufacturers is Samsung. We’d heard that both Samsung and TSMC would be producing A9 processors destined for the iPhone 6s.

However, there appears to be a difference in size of the two A9s which might play a role in how the iPhone performs…


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Samsung tries to sell its phones to … people in an Apple Store queue for an iPhone 6s

Avatar for Ben Lovejoy Sep 25 2015 - 4:08 am PT
57 Comments

So, you’re Samsung. You want to try to sell some phones. You need to find some potential customers. You draw up lists of potential targets, and right at the bottom, in billionth place, are Apple fans so dedicated that they’ve queued up outside an Apple Store to buy the shiny new iPhone 6s. So where does Samsung go? Yep, to the Apple Store in London’s Regent Street, complete with backpack-mounted banners, reports The Enquirer. And it gets worse … 
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Samsung reportedly planning to copy Apple’s iPhone Upgrade Program

Avatar for Ben Lovejoy Sep 21 2015 - 4:48 am PT
14 Comments

Shortly after Apple launched its iPhone Upgrade Program, Forbes reports that Samsung is planning to launch a similar finance plan for its Galaxy smartphones.

Samsung may be launching this leasing program in the next several months, although that timeline may accelerate, the executive said.

Carriers have been moving away from so-called subsidized contracts, where the cost of a new smartphone is hidden in the monthly service plan fee and the cost of a new device appeared to be anything from free to $200. With true purchase costs now much more visible, manufacturers have a strong incentive to offer attractive financing in order to encourage regular upgrades.

Samsung, though, has a stronger motivation than Apple. While Apple has been enjoying record iPhone sales, Samsung has been struggling to compete with both Apple and Chinese Android handsets – its smartphone business seeing a 37.5% drop in operating income in Q2 and the company reportedly planning to lay off 10% of its workforce.

While the terms of Samsung’s financing are not known, it’s likely the company will adopt a similar approach to Apple, where you pay off the cost of the phone over two years but can upgrade to a new model every year. Apple’s plans start at $32/month.

9to5Toys Last Call: Free App of the Week, Brother inkjet w/ AirPrint $45, Samsung 50″ smart HDTV $500, more

Avatar for Justin Kahn Sep 18 2015 - 9:00 am PT
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Keep up with the best gear and deals on the web by signing up for the 9to5Toys Newsletter. Also, be sure to check us out on: Twitter, RSS Feed, Facebook, Google+ and Safari push notifications.

Today’s can’t miss deals:

Last Call Updates:

GoPro HERO3+ Silver Action Camera: $219 shipped (Reg. $300)

 

App Store Free App of the Week: Shadowmatic puzzle game goes free for the first time ($3 value)

AirPrint All-in-One Inkjet Printers: Brother $45 shipped (Reg. $90), HP $70 shipped (Reg. $100)

Samsung 1080p Smart LED HDTV 50-inch $500 (Orig. $750)

Save $100 on Apple’s all-new 12-inch MacBook + extra $50 for students/faculty: 256GB model $1,150 w/ .edu (Reg. $1,299)

13″ Retina MacBook Pro $1,280 (Reg. $1,499)

Save $100 on Apple iPad: Air 2 Wi-Fi 16GB $399, 64GB $499, 128GB $599, mini 3 Wi-Fi 16GB $299

Review: Tile’s 2nd-gen Bluetooth tracker makes finding lost keys, dog, or iPhone easier than ever

The Mega Mac 2015 Bundle: 15 solid Apps including MacBooster 2, Disk Drill Pro & More $25 (Orig. $564)

MacUpdate Bundle: 10 apps including Toast 14, DevonThink, ExpanDrive, Boom, iMazing and more for $50

Giveaway: Schoolhouse Electric makes the clock cool again, $290 value

More new gear from today:

Games/Apps: Splashtop 2 Remote Desktop for iPhone free, Worms titles up to 80% off, iOS freebies, more

More deals still alive:

OtterBox iPhone 6 Defender Case (gray or black) from $24 shipped (Orig. $50)

Portable USB 3.0 Hard Drives: WD My Passport Ultra 3TB $125 (Orig. $200), Samsung 2TB $70 (Reg. $80)

New products & more:

iRobot takes its new Roomba 980 vacuum to the cloud with Wi-Fi connectivity and remote management

Timex combines its analog heritage with fitness tracking on the new Metropolitan+

Rdio adds support for more connected speaker systems & smart TVs

Avatar for Jordan Kahn Sep 8 2015 - 9:08 am PT
0 Comments

Popular music streaming service Rdio is today announcing an expansion of its support for connected speaker systems and smart TVs, including Google’s new Google Cast for Audio platform introduced earlier this year. 

In addition to supporting speakers that integrate Google’s Cast for audio platform, the music service is now available on Harman/Kardon, Denon, and the DTS Play-Fi Whole-Home Wireless ecosystem featuring leading brands such as Definitive Technology, Phorus, Polk Audio and Wren. The company also noted that it’s now available on Samsung smart TVs and arriving soon on smart TVs from LG and Hisense.

Previously Rdio was only available on Sonos speakers and setup boxes like the Apple TV and Google Chromecast.

Rdio is available free with ads or as an ad-free service for $9.99/month unlimited or on certain devices for $3.99/month with a limited number of on demand songs per day.

Samsung launches next-gen SmartThings Hub with 10-hour backup battery, new iPhone app

Avatar for Cam Bunton Sep 3 2015 - 4:38 am PT
3 Comments

SmartThings, Samsung’s answer to Apple’s HomeKit, got some valuable stage time at IFA in Berlin this morning, with the announcement of a brand new SmartThings Hub.

The hardware has been revamped, and no longer needs a connection to the cloud in order to work. What’s more, it’s got a built in backup battery capable of giving you 10 hours use in the event that you have a power cut.  The new Hub is available to order today and was launched alongside a handful of complimentary sensors for tracking water leaks and motion among other things.

Whether you have two smart devices or 200, all you need is one Hub to create a smart home. Like a live-in translator, the Hub communicates with all of your different connected products—regardless of their wireless protocol—so that you can easily monitor and control them from the SmartThings app.

Samsung’s new SmartThings hub has a more powerful processor enabling it to handle video streaming and sensor monitoring tasks without the cloud. With this feature in mind, Sammy also introduced its new Smart Home Monitor which lets users access a continuous vide live-stream and can trigger video recording when something unexpected happens. Only important video is saved for viewing, and early detection enables it to capture the footage before the event.

[vimeo 138101882 w=500 h=281]

As well as new hardware, Samsung has released a new app for iPhone today, with an Apple Watch app expected in the near future. You can organize and control your connected devices by room, view live streaming from cameras and manage the routines right from the app. It’s probably worth noting that although the hub itself has a built-in battery capable of keeping it active during power outages, there’s little point to that feature if all the connected products also require power from the mains.

SmartThings is compatible with nearly 200 products, including the Amazon Echo, and devices from manufacturers like Bose, D-Link and Honeywell. It’s unlikely that many Apple owners will be tempted, but just in case there are, the SmartThings hub is available to buy from today for $99 from SmartThings.com or Amazon, with sensors priced between $30-$55.

Xiaomi MacBook Air lookalike rumors resurface as Bloomberg reports Samsung talks

Avatar for Ben Lovejoy Sep 2 2015 - 6:13 am PT
4 Comments

Xiaomi – a Chinese company noted for cloning Apple’s product designs, iOS look-and-feel and even keynotes – is once more rumored to be going after the MacBook Air with its own premium-look laptop.

Rumors first surfaced at the end of last year, with an apparently Photoshopped image very reminiscent of the MBA design. Xiaomi at the time denied that the image was its work, and said that it was actually a clone known as the Kaka i5. But Bloomberg reports that the company is indeed considering launching an ultra-light laptop in the first quarter of 2016.

Xiaomi Corp. is considering the introduction of its first laptop early next year, people with direct knowledge of the matter said, opening a new front in its battle against Apple Inc. and Lenovo Group Ltd. Xiaomi’s notebook may go on sale in the first quarter.

The company is said to have held talks with Samsung to discuss the supply of memory chips and displays for the un-named laptop. Both Xiaomi and Samsung declined to comment.

Rough date set for round five of Apple v. Samsung patent trial, to (maybe) finalize damages

Avatar for Ben Lovejoy Sep 2 2015 - 4:19 am PT
2 Comments

A rough date has been set for round five of the battle over Samsung’s infringements of Apple patents in five of its products. The Recorder reports that U.S. District Judge Lucy Koh has said that the revised damages will be determined by a jury trial in March or April 2016.

In case you need a refresher, the story so far is this. In round 1, the first jury trial, Apple was awarded $1B in damages. In round 2, Judge Koh vacated $450M of that award and ordered a retrial to determine a revised sum. Round 3 was that jury trial, with Apple awarded a lower sum of $290M – making a revised total of $930M. In round 4, the US appeals court ruled that while Samsung did indeed copy iOS features, it should not have been penalised for copying the general look of the iPhone, and therefore the damages should be reduced. The new trial, to revise those damages, will be round 5.

Unless, that is, the Supreme Court intervenes … 
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Samsung adds a $100-200 bribe to its test-drive program aimed at converting iPhone users

Avatar for Ben Lovejoy Aug 28 2015 - 5:16 am PT
10 Comments

Samsung has upped the ante on its ‘ultimate test drive‘ program, intended to persuade iPhone owners to switch by offering them a free one-month trial of an Android-powered Galaxy smartphone. For those who end up purchasing the phone, Samsung will give them $100 of Google Play credit which can be used to buy apps and other content.

If you end up trading in your iPhone, Samsung will additionally send you a check for $100 – on top of whatever trade-in deal you were offered by the retailer.

Of course, switching to Android is not without its health risks …

Via Android Central

Trade secrets stolen from TSMC helped Samsung win Apple’s A9 chip business, rules Taiwanese court

Avatar for Ben Lovejoy Aug 26 2015 - 7:37 am PT
6 Comments

Taiwan’s top court has ruled that former TSMC R&D director Liang Mong-song revealed to Samsung trade secrets that enabled it to copy the chipmaker’s FinFET manufacturing processes, reports DigiTimes. The processes are used by both companies to produce the A9 chips used in the upcoming new iPhones.

It was recently suggested that Apple was playing off the two companies against each other, with Samsung reportedly offering discounted prices in order to “grab the majority of A9 chip orders.”

The ruling of the second-instance court was according to an analysis conducted by third-party experts regarding key manufacturing processes of TSMC and Samsung […]

“The 16nm and 14nm FinFET products that both companies will mass produce this year were even more alike,” the report indicated. “It could be hard to tell (if the product) came from Samsung or TSMC if only structural analysis is used.”

Liang resigned from TSMC to take up a position at a Samsung sponsored university where all the students were said to be Samsung employees.

As Patently Apple notes, the penalty for passing on the trade secrets hardly acts as a deterrent: Liang has merely been banned from working for Samsung for a period of four months.

Gartner: Worldwide iPhone sales grew 36% YOY, while Samsung sales fell 5.3%

Avatar for Ben Lovejoy Aug 20 2015 - 5:07 am PT
7 Comments
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New data from Gartner suggests that iPhone sales grew 36% year-on-year, while Samsung’s sales fell 5.3% in the same period. Apple’s market share climbed from 12.2% in Q2 2014 to 14.6% in the same quarter this year. Other winners were Chinese brands Huawei and Xiaomi.

Gartner said that while overall smartphone growth was sluggish, Apple continued to dominate the premium end of the market, with other vendors struggling to compete.

Apple’s double-digit growth in the high-end segment continued to negatively impact its rivals’ premium phone sales and profit margins. Many vendors had to realign their portfolios to remain competitive in the midrange and low-end smartphone segments. This realignment resulted in price wars and discounting to clear up inventory for new devices planned for the second half of 2015 … 


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Samsung plans appeal to U.S. Supreme Court in never-ending patent war with Apple

Avatar for Chance Miller Aug 19 2015 - 4:35 pm PT
8 Comments

Following a request for a rehearing of its battle with Apple earlier this summer, Samsung last week had its plea denied by the U.S. Federal Circuit Court of Appeals, putting the case on its last leg. Samsung was hoping that the federal appeals court would reconsider the U.S Federal Circuit Court’s decision to uphold damages from a 2012 ruling. Following last week’s rejections, Samsung’s final option would be to appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court, and now it appears that the company is doing just that.


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