Samsung plans to launch low-end TVs

12:20 PM launch, lowend, plans, Samsung No Comments

SEOUL — Samsung Electronics Co, the world's top television manufacturer, has seen TV sales firming up so far this year and plans to introduce cheaper TVs, as demand for lower-end models increase, the head of its TV business said on Wednesday.

Demand for lower-end TVs has been on the rise in recent months as major South Korean retailers such as E-Mart Co introduced flat-screen models that are as much as 40 percent cheaper through alliances with small local manufacturers.

"As long as there's demand, we're open to get into that segment," Kim Hyun-suk, executive vice president of Samsung's visual display division, told reporters.

"We've been preparing to introduce cheap models and have been studying to optimize production costs and retail prices. Those (cheap) models will be ready for sale in one or two months."

Samsung, the most profitable TV maker, also introduced on Wednesday its highest-end premium set that it hopes will help boost profitability, as a fragile global economy threatens to sap demand growth this year after no growth in 2010.

The ES8000 model has voice, motion and face recognition functions, as well as 3D and Internet-enabled capabilities. The models, available in sizes of between 46 and 65 inches, will go on sale from this weekend in South Korea before a global launch in March.

Kim said Samsung's TV sales so far this year have been stronger than a year ago and demand from China remained solid.

Grappling with slowing demand and cut-throat competition, global TV manufacturers are hoping again that premium products with slimmer designs, powerful chipsets and crisp displays will revive growth this year.

Samsung has gained market share in recent years from the traditional TV majors such as Sony Corp, Panasonic Corp and Sharp Corp which have struggled with a soaring Japanese yen and less competitive product line-ups.

Together, Panasonic, Sony and Sharp expect to lose $17 billion this year, highlighting the saving of Japan's electronics industry by foreign rivals like Samsung, weak demand and a strong yen.

Still Japan remains the sole market where Samsung has failed to gain traction in TVs and Samsung said on Wednesday it will further review business feasibility before deciding to get into the market.

Samsung, which sold around 43 million flat-screen TVs last year, aims to sell 50 million TVs this year with half the shipments Internet-enabled.

Copyright 2012 Thomson Reuters.

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Apple wins Samsung tablet ban in Australian court

12:56 AM Apple, Australian, court, Samsung, tablet No Comments

SYDNEY — An Australian court slapped a temporary ban on the sale of Samsung Electronics' latest computer tablet in Australia on Thursday, handing rival Apple another legal victory in the two firms' global patent war.

A final resolution of the case could take months and ruin the viability in the Australian market of the new Galaxy tablet — the hottest competitor for Apple's iPad, which dominates global tablet sales.

The two technology firms have been locked in an acrimonious battle in 10 countries involving smartphone and tablet patents since April, with the Australian dispute centring on touch-screen technology used in Samsung's new Galaxy tablet.

The Federal Court, in granting the temporary ban, ruled Samsung had a case to answer on at least two of Apple's patents. The ban applies on sales of Samsung's Galaxy 10.1 tablet until the same court rules on the core patent issue.

"I am satisfied that it is appropriate to grant an interim injunction, however I propose again the opportunity of an early final hearing on the issues presented in this application," judge Annabelle Bennett told the court.

The Australian ruling follows Apple's successful legal move to block Samsung from selling its tablets in Germany and some smartphone models in the Netherlands. It comes ahead of important hearings in the United States and South Korea.

"The ruling could further extend Apple's dominance in the tablet market as it widens a sales ban of Samsung's latest product," said Lee Seung-woo, an analyst at Shinyoung Securities in Seoul.

"But it's difficult to predict that other jurisdictions all take similarly negative rulings on Samsung and the firm does have the capacity to make a resilient rebound as it showed in the smartphone market with its Galaxy S model."

Appeal option
Samsung left open the option of appealing against the ruling and pointed out that it would continue to pursue its own patent claim against Apple involving Samsung's wireless technology.

"We are disappointed with this ruling and Samsung will be seeking legal advice on its options," it said in a statement.

"Samsung will continue its legal proceeding against Apple's claim in order to ensure our innovative products remain available to consumers," it added.

The Australian court's hearing of the patent issue could take months and force Samsung to miss the Christmas gift-giving season there.

In her ruling, judge Bennett offered Samsung the opportunity of a quick final ruling on the patent dispute.

But Samsung has so far been reluctant to agree to an expedited Australian hearing, despite the risk of missing out on Christmas sales, because it says it needs time to prepare a proper defence against Apple's case.

In short, Samsung has indicated that missing Christmas in Australia could be less of a problem for the company than rushing its defence and risking defeat on a key patent ruling.

Samsung can appeal against the decision on the temporary ban within 14 days of the release of the written judgment, due on Friday.

Additional reporting was done by Miyoung Kim in Seoul.

Copyright 2011 Thomson Reuters.

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Samsung seeks Dutch iPhone, iPad sale ban

4:14 PM Dutch, iPhone, Samsung, seeks No Comments

THE HAGUE, Netherlands — Samsung asked a Dutch court Monday to slap an injunction on Apple Inc. to prevent it from selling iPhones and iPad tablets in the Netherlands, saying Apple does not have licenses to use 3G mobile technology in the devices.

The legal battle is the latest round in a series of claims and counterclaims of patent breaches by the rival technology heavyweights playing out in courtrooms around the world.

Samsung Electronics Co. lawyer Bas Berghuis told a civil judge at The Hague District Court that Apple "never bothered to ask about licenses" before it started selling 3G-enabled iPhones.

Apple lawyer Rutger Kleemans hit back by accusing Samsung of using the patent dispute to "hold Apple hostage" because of Apple's legal battles accusing Samsung of copying its iPhone and iPad designs.

"It's a holdup," Kleemans said. "Because Apple dared to take action against Samsung's copycat tactics."

Kleemans urged the court to reject the injunction request, saying the patents involved "are not designed to be used as a weapon against Apple."

No date was immediately given for a ruling.

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Earlier this month, a court in Duesseldorf, Germany, ruled that Samsung cannot sell its Galaxy Tab 10.1 in Germany because its design too closely resembled the iPad2. The ruling only applied to direct sales from the Samsung, meaning distributors who acquire the Tab 10.1 from abroad could resell them in Germany. Samsung said it would appeal that judgment.

Other court battles are taking place in the U.S., South Korea and Australia.

A Samsung executive told The Associated Press last week in Seoul that the South Korean company would be taking a bolder stance in battling Apple in courts.

"We'll be pursuing our rights for this in a more aggressive way from now on," said Lee Younghee, head of global marketing for mobile communications.

Lee said that Samsung holds numerous patents covering wireless telecommunications technology.

"We believe Apple is free riding" on such Samsung patents, Lee said.

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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Apple keeps sales of Samsung tablets in EU

5:47 AM Apple, keeps, sales, Samsung, tablets No Comments

SAN FRANCISCO - Apple Inc. a victory in its multi-country patent infringement battle against Samsung Electronics achieved after a German Court excluded the Korean company from the sale of his Galaxy tab 10.1 throughout the European Union with the exception of the Netherlands.

Apple spokeswoman Kristin Huguet confirmed that a District Court in Dusseldorf, the injunction is granted.

This is the second major setback for Samsung, which has been locked in a battle with Apple about smartphones and tablets patents since April, and it happens because of similar complaints the Australian introduction of its latest Galaxy Tablet delayed.

A spokesman for Samsung US seeks comment no call back.

Apple said that Samsung Galaxy line of mobile phones and tablets "slavishly" copied the iPhone and the iPad. It has sued in the United States, Australia and elsewhere. Samsung has Apple universal.

"This is a right of intellectual property by an agency of the European Union granted" Florian Muller, a specialist and blogger on patent battles, said in his blog FOSS patents. "they can be enforced so EU wide, while the European patent law is still fragmented, require an other action in each country, looking to enforce them."

Mueller said that Apple has a separate process in the Netherlands as well as.

The Galaxy-tab 10.1 only recently was in Europe and in the early stages will be rolled out.

Samsung is one of the fastest-growing smartphone makers and has proven to be Apple's strongest competitor in the booming Tablet market with models in three sizes, but it remains a distant second in the region.

Patents battle has the potential to Samsung cripple, said Brian White, analyst at Ticonderoga, in a note to clients.

"Samsung is one of the few OEMs in the world with ability successfully in the Smartphone and tablet," he said. "However, if Samsung Apple's IP rights violated, believe we, Apple in the coming years still can enjoy continued success in these markets."

You use Galaxy products Google Android operating system, which competes directly with Apple mobile software.

Copyright 2011 Thomson Reuters.

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