Retail News CRM

Tag: Korea

  • Emart’s 2nd-gen Pepper is chattier than before

    Emart’s 2nd-gen Pepper is chattier than before

    An upgraded version of Emart’s humanoid Pepper robot will start roaming the aisles of the retailer’s Seongsu branch in eastern Seoul starting tomorrow.

    Pepper is a humanoid robot developed by Japan’s SoftBank Robotics. Its main function is emotional perception and communication with humans at stores or at home. Emart developed programs tailored to using Pepper as an assistant to customers.

    The company said Monday the robot will serve as a guide for customers at the Seongsu branch’s imported food section three times a day between tomorrow and Sept. 12.

    This is the second test run for Pepper. Emart first sent the robot to its Seongsu store in May. The difference from three months ago is that Pepper can now move by itself.

    Pepper’s conversation skills have also received an upgrade. In May, Pepper was able to respond to simple questions on promotion events and offer product information after recognizing products with its camera.

    The new Pepper is smarter. It now has an artificial intelligence-based chat function that helps it engage in longer conversations. The robot also has access to data from SSG.com, the ecommerce website of Emart’s parent company Shinsegae, so it can make suggestions from various product categories. “For example, Pepper can spot a consumer lingering around the imported food corner, step up to them to ask which dish they plan to cook and propose a sauce that would best suit their needs,” said Emart in a statement.

    Many retailers are finding ways to use technology to downsize their workforce. The most common form of automated retail is electronic kiosks. Many eateries, from chains like McDonald’s to local non-franchise eateries, have machines for taking orders.

    Service robots like Pepper are becoming increasingly popular. Delivery app Baedal Minjok launched the robot server Dilly at a Pizza Hut branch earlier this month to transfer pizza from the kitchen to tables. In January, local coffee franchise Dal.komm Coffee launched b;eat, an automated coffee-making robot, which it installed at 10 of its coffee shops across Korea.

    “The primary purpose for the service robots that are coming out nowadays is to offer an entertaining point to enhance the consumer experience at their stores,” said Ryu Han-seok, an IT columnist. “Brick-and-mortar retailers haven’t had anything attractive and differentiating to show to consumers recently.”

  • Naver to pump 258.9 billion won into French affiliate

    Naver to pump 258.9 billion won into French affiliate

    Naver, Korea’s dominant internet portal and search engine, said Thursday it will invest 258.9 billion won ($230.8 million) in its wholly-owned affiliate in France to strengthen its presence in Europe.

    Naver will acquire 2 million new shares issued by Naver France to help the Paris-based affiliate secure operating capital, a company spokesman said.

    The company didn’t give a time frame for the investment.

    Naver set up the affiliate in France in June 2017 in a bid to make an investment in local internet startups and proceed with research and development activities to make a foray into European internet markets, the spokesman said.

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

  • S. Korea’s overseas direct purchases up sharply in H1

    S. Korea’s overseas direct purchases up sharply in H1

    South Korea’s direct purchases from foreign countries continued to increase at a sharp pace in the first half of this year on rising consumer demand for cheaper and quality products, customs data showed.

    A total of US$1.32 billion worth of foreign goods was directly bought by South Korean shoppers via overseas Internet shopping malls in the January-June period, up 35 percent from US$974.1 million tallied a year earlier, according to the data compiled by the Korean Customs Service (KTS).

    The number of overseas direct purchases jumped 36 percent on-year to a record 14.94 million cases over the same period, the data showed.

    The value and the number of direct purchases have been on a steep rise in recent years, with the half-yearly amount nearly doubling from two years ago.

    The customs office said booming demand for cheaper Chinese electronic goods, U.S.-made dietary supplements and Japanese toys led the sharp increase, with foreign foodstuffs, clothes and cosmetics still popular among South Korean shoppers.

    Purchases of dietary supplements jumped 34 percent on-year to 3.09 million cases in January through June, while 1.92 million purchases of garments and 1.68 million picks of electronic goods were reported, up 60 percent and 91 percent, respectively, from a year earlier.

    By country, the United States was the biggest seller with US$730.1 million in the six-month period, surging 55 percent from a year earlier, while some US$204.8 million worth of Chinese goods were shipped, up 16 percent from a year earlier. Purchases from Europe and Japan rose 19 percent and 6 percent to US$253.3 million and US$85.2 million, respectively.

    Lees ook:

  • LG’s wearable robot does the heavy lifting

    LG’s wearable robot does the heavy lifting

    LG Electronics said Thursday it will showcase a wearable robot that can help workers lift and move heavy objects easier at an upcoming tech exhibition in Germany.

    The electronics company said the CLOi SuitBot will be unveiled to the public at the Internationale Funkausstellung (IFA) Berlin, which kicks off next week.

    LG Electronics said the wearable robot, which strengthens the legs and lower body, will help users enhance their physical strength at construction sites and factories, along with other everyday activities. The device can also assist those with physical impairments.

    The company applied artificial intelligence technology to the robot to analyze the surrounding environment and alert users of potential threats.

    The CLOi SuitBot also stands out from other wearable robots as it is more comfortable and can be worn easily.

    LG said it will continue to expand its research into robotics to help people overcome their physical limitations. Last year, the company bought shares in SG Robotics, a South Korean developer of wearable robots.

    The SuitBot adds to LG’s portfolio of CLOi machines. The company earlier introduced various products for different purposes, including navigation, cleaning, mowing lawns, serving and shopping.

    LG said its CLOi brand aims to provide users with clever robots that run on what it calls “operating intelligence.”

    The company has not yet announced the detailed date for the release of the CLOi SuitBot.

    The Korean tech giant has been forging ties with various partners around the globe to bolster its robot business, including robot developer Robotis, AI start-up Acryl, U.S. robot maker Robostar and Bossa Nova Robotics.

    LG said it will continue to develop more robots for household and commercial purposes.

    Lees ook:

  • iPrice to get investment from Naver Korea

    iPrice to get investment from Naver Korea

    South Korean internet service company Naver has invested in Malaysian retail aggregator iPrice.

    The firm intends to invest an undisclosed amount to fund iPrice’s expansion into the Indonesian market and to improve its platform towards a better user experience. It currently operates in seven Asian countries, serving to compare prices between similar products on different e-commerce platforms. It aims to become the primary gateway to online shopping in Southeast Asia.

    The firm recently acquired capital investments from Line Ventures, a Japanese subsidiary also owned by Naver.

    iPrice Group co-founder and CEO David Chmelar said: “Naver not only operates the leading search engine in Korea but has also been able to build an impressive shopping and price comparison engine in the country. Given the wealth of experience and strategic value that Naver brings to the table, we couldn’t pass the opportunity to welcome them as our latest investor.”

    Peter Na of Naver added: “The tremendous traction which iPrice has continued to display throughout its latest fundraising is a testament to the impressive execution of the team and the explosive growth of Southeast Asia’s e-commerce market.”

  • Samsung Electronics No. 3 globally for R&D spending

    Samsung Electronics No. 3 globally for R&D spending

    Samsung Electronics ranked third globally in terms of research and development (R&D) expenditures last year, data showed Thursday.

    According to the report compiled by Ernst & Young, a global accounting firm, Samsung Electronics spent 13.1 billion euros ($15 billion) on various R&D projects in 2017.

    U.S. online commerce giant Amazon topped the list with 20.1 billion euros, trailed by Alphabet, the parent company of Google, with 14.8 billion euro. Samsung’s semiconductor rival Intel came in fourth with 11.6 billion euros.

    The Korean tech company said in its business report that it spent 8.7 trillion won ($7.77 billion) on R&D projects over the January-June period of 2018.

    The report said the world’s top 500 players in terms of R&D expenditures spent a combined 532 billion euros for the whole of last year, up 6 percent on-year.

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

  • Kia Motors unveils KX1 entry-level SUV in China

    Kia Motors unveils KX1 entry-level SUV in China

    Kia Motors, Korea’s second-largest automaker, said Thursday that it has unveiled its KX1 entry-level SUV in China in its latest move to meet the demands of young customers.

    The KX1 SUV comes with a 1.4-liter MPI gasoline engine mated to a five-speed manual gearbox or a six-speed automatic transmission, the carmaker said.

    Chen Bingzhen, a senior executive at Dongfeng Yueda Kia, said the KX1 is a trendy SUV that has been tailored specifically to young people.

    Dongfeng Yueda Kia is a joint venture between Kia Motors and China’s Dongfeng Motor.

    Kia has three plants in China, which have a combined capacity of 890,000 units.

    The carmaker sold 191,328 cars in China in the January-July period, up 27.8 percent from the same period a year earlier.

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

  • Korea’s Income gap widened again in 2nd quarter

    Korea’s Income gap widened again in 2nd quarter

    The income gap in Korea widened again in the second quarter, a serious blow to the so-called income-led growth policy of the Moon Jae-in government, which vowed to narrow the inequality in earnings between the rich and poor.

    According to data released by Statistics Korea on Thursday, earnings for households in the first quintile of income brackets, the bottom 20 percent of the population, retreated 7.6 percent in the second quarter compared to a year earlier.

    Households in the second and third quintile also saw their incomes fall by 2.1 and 0.1 percent – whereas the rich folk kept getting richer.

    The average income for people in the fourth quintile went up by 4.9 percent and for the fifth quintile by 10.3 percent.

    A similar trend was spotted from January to March this year, when people in the first and second quintile experienced 8.0 and 4.0 percent drops in their incomes while people in the fourth and fifth quintiles saw gains of 3.9 and 9.3 percent compared to the previous year.

    The total distribution ratio for disposable income – a barometer of earnings equality – was 5.23, which means the earnings of those in the fifth quintile were 5.23 times higher than those in the first quintile.

    That figure indicates that the Korean economy is facing the worst level of income inequality since 2008 when the ratio for the period of April to June came to 5.24.

    Officials from the Finance Ministry blamed the aging of Korea’s society and other long-term problems such as ongoing slumps in certain sectors like shipbuilding.

    “The Korean economy is suffering from a lack of domestic demand [for goods and services], a result of massive restructuring we have seen in the manufacturing sector since 2015,” said Park Sang-young, a director at Statistics Korea. “It seems like this situation is taking a toll on those in the first quintile of the income group.” Statistics Korea is run by the Finance Ministry.

    The statistics agency explained that the number of employed in households in the first quintile has shrunk from 0.83 per household last year to 0.68 per household this year, an 18 percent fall.

    For households in the fifth quintile, on the other hand, the number of workers rose from 1.99 per household last year to 2.09 this year, a five percent increase.

    But the data released on Thursday coupled with a jobs report from last week – which showed only 5,000 jobs being added to the economy in July – has deeply troubled some analysts.

    Some economists are blaming the Moon administration’s relentless push to raise the minimum wage for the worsening situation.

    For the Moon government, the minimum wage hike is a key pillar of its “income-led growth” policy.

    Its logic is that by pushing up the minimum wage, workers in the first and second quintiles would see their income go up, which was supposed to make workers wealthier, willing to spend more and meant to translate into greater hiring by businesses.

    But the effect has been much less hiring of workers than in the past, particularly in minimum wage jobs, and a measurable widening of the income gap.

    “The drastic hike in the minimum wage has little impact on those in the upper group of the income bracket,” said Yun Chang-hyun, a professor of business at the University of Seoul. “But for those in a more vulnerable position, it robs them of their jobs.”

    Despite such concerns by some analysts, the Korean government is adamant about its policies.

    Kim Dong-yeon, Korea’s finance minister and deputy prime minister for the economy, said on Thursday during a budget meeting at the National Assembly that the government will propose a budget plan next year that contains “the biggest budget allocated for jobs in history.”

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

  • Amorepacific opens outdoor public exhibition on Jeju

    Amorepacific opens outdoor public exhibition on Jeju

    South Korea’s leading cosmetics company Amorepacific is holding an outdoor public exhibition on Jeju Island until October 14, featuring natural aspects of Jeju, like its volcanic topography.

    Titled “apmap 2018 jeju — volcanic island,” the exhibition is part of the company’s “amorepacific museum of art project (apmap),” which portrays the natural vitality of Jeju through contemporary artworks.

    A total of 15 young artists and architects have participated in the exhibition, displaying artworks ranging from sculptures to media art inside the Osulloc Tea Museum on Jeju and outside in the museum’s garden.

    Participating artists and art pieces include Lee Yong-ju and his work titled “Foldable House,” ADHD’s “Ply” and Hong Buhm’s “Veiled Grains and Layers.”

    Lee’s “Foldable House” was inspired by the Jusangjeolli cliff, and “Ply” was inspired by lava, while “Veiled Grains and Layers” was inspired by the forests Saryeoni and Gotjawal.

    The company said the exhibition would help visitors understand Jeju’s scenery in a new way and presents a special experience of art in one’s routine life.

    Through art, visitors will rediscover Jeju’s picturesque landscape and scenery as depicted in the artists’ figurative language, and find moments of contemplation and rest, it added.

    Osulloc Tea Museum on Jeju, opened in 2001 and features a cultural space where 1.8 million people visit each year.

    The company has been running the art project apmap since 2013, to discover rising and unknown artists and support their experimental art creation. Exhibitions take place every four years in parts I and II. Each project aims to introduce new themes and artists.

    From 2013 to 2016, apmap part I was held at Amorepacific venues including its product distribution center Beauty Campus located in Osan, Gyeonggi Province, in 2013, Jeju Island’s Seogwang Tea Garden in 2014, the research center Mizium in Yonging in 2015 and the new headquarters in 2016, which was designed by renowned artist David Chipperfield.
    Part II, which kicked off last year, will be hosted until 2020 on Jeju Island, the company said.

    Jeju Island was selected as a venue considering that contemporary artworks blend well with Jeju’s nature and landscape, the company said.

    The latest exhibition, which is a section of part II, began on August 11 and runs until October. Anyone who visits the Osulloc Tea Museum on Jeju can see the exhibition free of charge. More information about the company’s art project and the exhibition can be found at apma.amorepacific.com.

    Lees ook:

  • U.S.-China trade war doesn’t rattle Korea yet

    U.S.-China trade war doesn’t rattle Korea yet

    The United States on Wednesday levied 25 percent tariffs on $16 billion worth of Chinese imports. China immediately retaliated by putting the same level of tariffs on $16 billion of American goods.

    Since July 6, each country levied 25 percent tariffs on $34 billion worth of goods, bringing the total of exports slapped with new tariffs to $50 billion on each side.

    And although low level talks are going on between the two countries, the U.S. government is looking into levying 25 percent tariffs on $200 billion worth of Chinese goods. Beijing has warned that it will levy 5 to 25 percent tariffs on $60 billion worth of American goods if the Trump administration actually goes through with its threat.

    While the escalating trade conflict between the world’s two largest economies has cause global concern, the Korean stock market wasn’t heavily affected, closing 0.41 percent or 9.27 points higher on Thursday than the previous day.

    One major reason is that the new tariffs were telegraphed in advance and some analysts believe the two sides will eventually reached an agreement. If they do, that could help the Kospi rise around the third quarter.

    At the beginning of the year, the Kospi enjoyed a bullish rally that even pushed it to beyond 2,600 in inter-day trading. But lately, it has been hovering around the 2,200 mark.

    The trade war between the United States and China is considered one of the biggest factors keeping the Kospi down, along with the recent fear of an emerging markets crisis after Turkey’s currency and debt woes.

    However, there is growing speculation that the Chinese government is under pressure to strike a deal with the United States as its economic indicators have been sagging lately.

    China’s 6.7 percent economic growth in the second quarter was 0.2 percentage points lower than in the first three months of the year. There’s already consensus that, in the second half, China’s growth will slow to 6.5 percent.

    The Chinese stock market has been bearish. Last week alone the index fell every day, closing the week at its weakest level since January 2016. The close on Aug. 17 was a 25 percent drop compared to Jan. 29, when it hit a high for the year of 3,587.03.

    Market analysts are projecting that once the trade conflict is resolved, the Kospi could rise to around 2,580 and 2,650 within this year. Korea Investment & Securities is even more optimistic as it projected the Kospi to reach as high as 2,800.

    “While the conflict between the United States and China is getting worse, it seems the United States has no intention or reason to expand the situation to the point of driving the global economy into the ground,” said Shin Dong-suk, head of Samsung Securities’ research center. “In reality, Donald Trump, who is facing a mid-term election in November, will look for ways to resolve the situation and make the Chinese yield.”

    He said Korea’s stock market will likely see a mild recovery in the third quarter.

    Yoon Hee-do, head of Korea Investment & Securities’ research center, said while the conflict between the United States and China is still worrying, the depreciation of the Korean won against the U.S. greenback will likely improve the performances of listed companies in the third quarter by raising the price competitiveness of their exported goods.

    But some believe the Kospi might not see a significant increase.

    “It’s likely that the market could be moving within a limited range,” said Lee Kyung-soo, head of Meritz Securities’ research center.

    Some raised concerns about Korea’s semiconductor companies, with demand for mobile DRAM chips reaching saturation and Chinese memory chip manufacturers overproducing.

    But Lee Chang-mok, head of the NH Investment & Securities Research Center, said there are still hopes for favorable news such as improvement in South and North Korea relations.

    Lees ook:

  • Hyundai teamed up with Amazon to plan new retail model

    Hyundai teamed up with Amazon to plan new retail model

    Hyundai and Amazon plan to develop a “next-generation” retail model amid South Korean retailers’ push to adopt the latest technology to their online and offline platforms.

    Under the strategic collaboration agreement with Amazon Web Service (AWS) Korea signed on Friday, Hyundai Department Store Group said it will also establish a system to analyse customer activity and expand the partnership between its information technology arm and AWS, the US retail giant’s cloud-computing platform.

    Their joint research will focus on developing the Korean version of Amazon Go – the US e-commerce firm’s checkout-free offline mall – as well as using drones to deliver food and beverages, and applying artificial intelligence technology for automated concierge service, according to Hyundai.

    The Korean retailer’s aim is to implement Amazon’s cutting-edge technologies to its department store set to open in Yeouido, Seoul’s financial district, in 2020.

    “We will partner with Amazon to find a medium- and long-term roadmap to provide a new shopping experience to our customers,” a company official said.

    The deal was made as South Korean retailers are moving to secure competitiveness through the use of new technologies.

    Last Friday, E-Mart Everyday, another major South Korean retailer and Shinsegae’s supermarket-chain operator, opened a “cashier-less” store in Seoul where customers can pay via the firm’s mobile payment service app without going through a checkout counter.

    The 212sqm Gangnam store is expected to increase the company’s competitiveness in the market, allowing customers to use Shinsegae’s SSG Pay mobile payment system to make their purchases. It is the latest in a series of technological advances made by the company, including electronic price labeling and the use of robotic concierges and autonomous shopping carts.

    The new store will include a self-checkout counter as an alternative to using the app, and a cashier for age-verification sales of alcohol and tobacco products.

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

  • Tax office probes Jin Air over possible evasion

    Tax office probes Jin Air over possible evasion

    Korea’s tax office is investigating Jin Air over potential tax evasion, the latest in a series of investigations into Hanjin Group’s founding family members over alleged wrongdoings, industry sources said Monday.

    The tax probe came days after the transportation ministry last week said it has decided not to revoke Jin Air’s business license, ending weeks of uncertainty for the low-cost affiliate of Korean Air. The company appointed a foreign national to its board of directors, a violation of Korean aviation law.

    In the interest of national security, only Koreans are permitted to serve as directors of commercial airlines.

    The company, however, appointed Cho Hyun-min, an American citizen and the younger daughter of Hanjin Group Chairman Cho Yang-ho, to serve as a board member of Jin Air between 2010 and 2016.

    The tax probe centers on whether a severance payment to Hyun-min was acceptable and whether the airline gave undue favor to the Cho family through its in-flight duty-free goods operation.

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

  • Cadillac House Korea aims for the trendy

    Cadillac House Korea aims for the trendy

    Cadillac hopes to shake off its stodgy image and attract younger, trendier drivers in Korea, and it has opened a flashy brand experience center to win them over.

    The American luxury brand opened Cadillac House Seoul in southern Seoul on Monday. Visitors can check out photo exhibitions and souvenir shops related to the brand, and many of the carmaker’s models are also on display.

    Cadillac House operated as a pop-up store last year, but the company decided to make it permanent after receiving positive feedback.

    “Our objective this year is to diversify marketing strategy to increase point of contact both online and offline,” Cadillac Korea President Kim Young-sik said in a press conference held Monday at Cadillac House Seoul.

    Cadillac Korea unveiled the Escala Concept sedan in Korea for the first time. It was first revealed in the United States in 2016. Cadillac, which is known for its bulky and classic designs, added futuristic features to the concept car, including a curvy sideline and vertical headlight lamp in the front. The carmaker said that this design identity will be implemented in the company’s production lineup from 2021. The Escala will be on display at the Cadillac House for the next three weeks.

    Cadillac Korea also unveiled a limited-edition version of its ATS sedan called the ATS Supreme Black. The all-black limited edition vehicle also has some of the performance features, such as a rear spoiler, that are only found on Cadillac’s premium vehicles. Fifty of the cars will be sold in Korea.

    The photo exhibition on the second floor showcases Cadillac Korea’s collaboration with camera brand Leica. Three renowned figures in art and culture took photos of Cadillacs in different cities with Leica cameras. Donghae from K-pop group Super Junior is one of the photographers.

    The souvenir shop on the first floor sells diverse lifestyle and fashion products Cadillac developed with New York-based designer Jamie Lee.

    Kim said that Cadillac House showed the carmaker’s ambition to renew its image and become more attractive to younger buyers. It said the latest change of the company’s name from GM Korea to Cadillac Korea will contribute to improving the brand’s image.

    “The fact is that Korea is the only country among Cadillac’s 52 global market that uses the car’s brand [Cadillac] as the company’s name, whereas other countries still use just GM,” Kim said. “It shows that the New York headquarters is showing that there is much interest in the Korean market and a willingness to invest here.”

    Lees ook:

  • China is now the largest market for Samsung

    China is now the largest market for Samsung

    China accounted for more than 30 percent of Samsung Electronics’ overall sales over the January-June period, industry data showed Monday, emerging as the company’s largest market and outpacing the American continents for the first time.

    The South Korean tech giant, which posted sales of 83.9 trillion won ($74.6 billion) over the first six months of 2018, raked in 27.4 trillion won, or 32.7 percent, from China, the corporate data showed. It marked a sharp rise from 18.5 percent tallied in 2013.

    Asia’s top economy accounted for 20.6 percent of Samsung’s sales in 2014, with the number rising to 28.3 percent for the whole of 2017.

    In contrast to its rising dependency on the Chinese market, Samsung’s latest data sales to the Americas was equal to 26 percent of the total in the first six months of this year, falling from 31.8 percent posted for all of 2016.

    Industry watchers said the increase apparently came as Chinese tech giants’ demand for Samsung’s chips increased sharply. The U.S. government’s protectionism policies also weighed down on Samsung’s sales in the key North American market, they added.

    Samsung’s business report showed Chinese tech giant Huawei Technologies was included as one of the South Korean firm’s top five clients. Other major buyers of Samsung products were Apple, Verizon Wireless, Germany’s Deutsche Telekom AG and Hong Kong’s Techtronics.

    The company said five firms accounted for 11 percent of its first-half sales, without providing further details. The latest list is significant as Chinese and Hong Kong firms joined the top five.

    In 2017, Samsung’s five major buyers were Apple, Best Buy, Sprint, Verizon and Deutsche Telekom.

    Experts said Samsung Electronics should take a careful approach to the Chinese market at the same time, as Beijing’s latest push to foster its own semiconductor industry may adversely impact the company.
    China accounted for more than 30 percent of Samsung Electronics’ overall sales over the January-June period, industry data showed Monday, emerging as the company’s largest market and outpacing the American continents for the first time.

    The South Korean tech giant, which posted sales of 83.9 trillion won ($74.6 billion) over the first six months of 2018, raked in 27.4 trillion won, or 32.7 percent, from China, the corporate data showed. It marked a sharp rise from 18.5 percent tallied in 2013.

    Asia’s top economy accounted for 20.6 percent of Samsung’s sales in 2014, with the number rising to 28.3 percent for the whole of 2017.

    In contrast to its rising dependency on the Chinese market, Samsung’s latest data sales to the Americas was equal to 26 percent of the total in the first six months of this year, falling from 31.8 percent posted for all of 2016.

    Industry watchers said the increase apparently came as Chinese tech giants’ demand for Samsung’s chips increased sharply. The U.S. government’s protectionism policies also weighed down on Samsung’s sales in the key North American market, they added.

    Samsung’s business report showed Chinese tech giant Huawei Technologies was included as one of the South Korean firm’s top five clients. Other major buyers of Samsung products were Apple, Verizon Wireless, Germany’s Deutsche Telekom AG and Hong Kong’s Techtronics.

    The company said five firms accounted for 11 percent of its first-half sales, without providing further details. The latest list is significant as Chinese and Hong Kong firms joined the top five.

    In 2017, Samsung’s five major buyers were Apple, Best Buy, Sprint, Verizon and Deutsche Telekom.

    Experts said Samsung Electronics should take a careful approach to the Chinese market at the same time, as Beijing’s latest push to foster its own semiconductor industry may adversely impact the company.

    “Samsung Electronics, whose dependency on China has significantly increased, may become the victim of the irrational trade dispute between Washington and Beijing, which is ignoring the existing international system,” an industry watcher said.
    “Samsung Electronics, whose dependency on China has significantly increased, may become the victim of the irrational trade dispute between Washington and Beijing, which is ignoring the existing international system,” an industry watcher said.

  • Galaxy Note9 does better than S9 on preorder sales

    Galaxy Note9 does better than S9 on preorder sales

    Samsung Electronics latest smartphone, the Galaxy Note9, attracted more preorder sales than the Galaxy S9, released in March, mobile carriers here said Monday.

    “The number of preorders for the Galaxy Note9 is roughly 30 to 50 percent higher than the Galaxy S9,” a source from a local mobile carrier said.

    The representative added that despite the stronger numbers it is still some 80 percent of the preorder numbers for last year’s Galaxy Note8.

    The overall figure for the Note9 is viewed as being solid considering demand for the Note8 shot up due to the battery debacle of the Note7 that was released in 2016.

    Local mobile carriers will end preorders for the new smartphone on Monday, and start handing out the devices to customers on Tuesday. The official release is slated for Friday.

    The Galaxy S9, which failed to grab the market’s attention due to a lack of features compared with predecessors, has been cited as one of major hurdles that has weighed down Samsung’s mobile business.

    The Note9 is currently seeking to revitalize the IT and mobile business through its 4,000 mAh battery along with a top-notch stylus equipped with Bluetooth technology.

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook: