KOREA: Samsung is set to start making its own smartphone chips in a bid to move ahead of Apple in the smartphone wars.
The firm will not use Qualcomm Inc’s processors for the next version of the South Korean technology giant’s flagship Galaxy S smartphone, Bloomberg claims, citing unidentified sources.
Samsung, the world’s No.1 smartphone maker, has been one of the U.S. company’s top customers.
Previous leaks from BGR say the SM-G925F, the codename believed to be assigned to the Galaxy S6, will feature a Quad HD (2560 x 1440 resolution) 5.5inch display.
It will also have an octa-core processor, Mali-T768 graphics processing unit, and a 16-megapixel rear-facing camera.
The handset is expected to be unveiled at Mobile World Congress, a trade show in Barcelona, which takes place from 2-5 March.
However, Qualcomm’s new Snapdragon 810 chip overheated during Samsung’s testing, Bloomberg reported.
The South Korean company will use its own processors instead, Bloomberg said.
Such an outcome would be a blow for Qualcomm’s prospects for 2015, with the company already having guided for weaker-than-usual annual revenue growth in a five-year outlook issued in November.
Analysts have said the Snapdragon 810 chip has been dealing with a variety of performance issues that may not be corrected in time for the launch of Samsung’s next Galaxy S smartphone.
The South Korean firm is widely expected to unveil the device on the sidelines of the Mobile World Congress trade show in early March, and according to GSM Arena it will be unveiled on March 2nd.
Samsung will need to ensure that the phone does not disappoint in order to keep its global market share from slipping further, analysts said.
Samsung has already used its own Exynos processors in flagship devices such as the Galaxy S5 to some extent, though analysts said Qualcomm’s Snapdragon chips were more widely used.
Greater adoption of Exynos chips in Samsung smartphones would help boost sales for the struggling foundry business.
‘Samsung will likely show off the new Galaxy S phone in about a month and a half, so one would have to assume that the chips have been tested a fair amount in order for them to be used,’ said HMC Investment analyst Greg Roh.
Successful deployment of Exynos chips in flagship Samsung smartphones will help burnish the company’s credentials as a chip designer and manufacturer, Roh said.
This could help its foundry business attract more orders from the likes of Apple Inc, he said.
Earlier this week it was claimed Samsung’s next generation Galaxy handset could have a curved screen that covers both its sides.
The handset, which is expected to have a 5.5inch screen, will come in a ‘special edition’ version with the curved technology, according to Sammobile.
The Korean giant believes its curved technology could give it an edge over arch rival Apple.
A Samsung Galaxy Note E, the first to use Samsung’s curved screen. It is claimed the Galaxy S6 could come in a special edition with both sides featuring the technology.
A Samsung Galaxy Note E, the first to use Samsung’s curved screen. It is claimed the Galaxy S6 could come in a special edition with both sides featuring the technology.
The handset is expected to be unveiled at Mobile World Congress, a trade show in Barcelona, which takes place from 2-5 March.
‘Today, we can confirm that Samsung is indeed developing a Galaxy S6 with two-edge displays, one on each side, reports our source,’ said the Sammobile site.
The curved screen has already been used in Samsung’s Note Edge.
However, S6 Edge will have the ability to work in a left or right handed mode
‘You will have an option to choose favourite contacts and an ability to assign specific colours to them,’ explained Sammobile.
‘So, calls and notifications from important people will show the designated color lighting on the edge area.’
Previous leaks from BGR say the SM-G925F — the codename believed to be assigned to the Galaxy S6 — will feature a Quad HD (2560 x 1440 resolution) display, octa-core processor, Mali-T768 graphics processing unit, and a 16-megapixel rear-facing camera.
Earlier this month, in the face of stiff competition, and following a consecutive drop in profits, Samsung announced plans to curb the number of phones it makes each year.
Instead of releasing handset after handset and saturating the market with Samsung devices, the firm has decided it needs to concentrate on making fewer handsets, better.
The South Korean manufacturer is also expected to ramp up production of its remaining models so they can be sold more cheaply.
In the face of stiff competition, and following a consecutive drop in profits, Samsung has announced plans to curb the number of phones it makes each year by between a quarter and a third. Instead of saturating the market with Samsung devices, the firm has decided it needs to concentrate on making fewer handsets, better
In the face of stiff competition, and following a consecutive drop in profits, Samsung has announced plans to curb the number of phones it makes each year by between a quarter and a third. Instead of saturating the market with Samsung devices, the firm has decided it needs to concentrate on making fewer handsets, better
The strategy was unveiled during a presentation in New York by Samsung’s head of investor relations, Robert Yi.
He said the company would reduce the number of smartphone models in 2015 by between a quarter and a third.
In a rare acknowledgement, Mr Yi added that Samsung had lagged behind changing market conditions.
Analysts claim the bigger iPhones (shown) will likely take away customers who favoured Samsung Galaxy’s larger screens. In emerging markets, such as India and China, Samsung’s smartphone sales have been overtaken by local rivals
Analysts claim the bigger iPhones (shown) will likely take away customers who favoured Samsung Galaxy’s larger screens. In emerging markets, such as India and China, Samsung’s smartphone sales have been overtaken by local rivals
The company’s response ‘was not quick enough,’ said Mr Yi.
In emerging markets, such as India and China, Samsung’s smartphone sales were overtaken by local rivals.
‘Rather than seeking stability, Samsung should seek to distinguish [its phones] with Galaxy’s design policies,’ Lee Seung-woo, an analyst at IBK Securities said.
The company moved the launch of the Galaxy Note 4, a large smartphone with a stylus, to late September from October after Apple unveiled the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus.
It also began sales of the Galaxy Note 4 in China last month, getting an early start in the world’s most populous country before Apple.