Samsung is investing 2.25 trillion Korean won (£1.2 billion) to expand its mobile processor manufacturing capabilities.
The company announced this morning the money will mainly go towards producing advanced mobile application processors on 300mm wafers using 20nm and 14nm production processes. The expansion will break ground in Hwaseong, South Korea this month and be completed by the end of 2013, if everything goes according to plan, Samsung said.
Moving to 20nm and 14nm processes will likely result in a big performance jump for Samsung, as transistors become smaller and less power-hungry. Samsung's Exynos 4 Quad processor, used in its Galaxy S III smartphone, is built using a 32nm process.
Also, earlier this week ARM said that 20nm processors could appear in smartphones and tablets by the end of 2013. Samsung's processors are based on ARM technology.
Samsung is stepping up its chipset push in both technology and manufacturing.
Besides the investment at Hwaseong, the company is also planning to build a new NAND Flash plant in Xi'an, China. Last week, Samsung also acquired Nanoradio, a Swedish company that develops energy-efficient chipsets for Wi-Fi.
The overall market for mobile processors - used in e-readers, handheld game consoles, mobile PCs, portable media players, smartphones and tablets - will reach 1.9 billion units annually by 2016, growing by an average of 22% per year, according to market research company In-Stat.
Smartphones and tablets represent the greatest opportunity for growth with a combined 75% growth in 2011 and an annual growth of about 29% through 2016, it said.
The overall market value for smartphone and tablet semiconductor chips is forecast to be $59.4 billion by 2016, compared to $23.4 billion in 2011, according to market research company Gartner.
O2 and Vodafone join forces for money saving mast mash-up - Broadband Genie
Two of the UK’s largest mobile operators have announced they are teaming up to extend the coverage of their networks with the aim of improving signal strength and ultimately preparing for a fast roll-out of upcoming 4G technologies.
Under the agreement O2 and Vodafone will together manage a network of over 18,500 masts throughout the country, which it claims will provide vastly improved 2G and 3G reception and eventually ensure 98% of the population is covered.
Unlike T-mobile and Orange’s partnership as Everything Everywhere, O2 and Vodafone customers will remain separate with no ability to roam, however by sharing their masts and using them more effectively coverage will improve for both, and they’ll save millions in the process by cutting down the total of number of masts.
O2 and Vodafone also hope it will enable them to provide 4G service much faster and meet Ofcom’s targets for the next gen network. The regulator is asking for 97% 4G coverage by 2017.
Speaking to The Independent, O2 CEO Ronan Dunne denied it had anything to do with the recent activities of certain other networks, saying "[the] timing is relevant to 4G but not relevant to other operators”. However it’s hard not to see this as a response to Everything Everywhere, which offers improved signal for both T-mobile and Orange customers and has been pursuing an aggressive 4G strategy, pushing Ofcom to allow it to begin a 4G rollout before the end of 2012.
Competing operators have spoken out against EE’s plans but if Ofcom does allow it to go ahead O2 and Vodafone must be hoping that by joining forces they’ll be able to respond that much faster.
This move leaves Three in a tricky position however. The company was already complaining that an auction of 4G spectrum could leave it with nothing, forcing it to either submit to a takeover or walk away from the UK entirely. If it can’t persuade Ofcom to allocate space for its own 4G network the company will have a tough time standing up to Everything Everywhere and an O2/Vodafone alliance.
Out of all of this though there’s one big question still to be answered: what is O2 and Vodafone’s celebrity nickname. Vo2? Odafone? Answers on a postcard.
Samsung Galaxy S3 Blue Model to Arrive in the UK on 22 June? - ibtimes.co.uk
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According to YouMobile, the Pebble Blue Galaxy S3 is back in stock and has started to ship in Europe. Customers who wished to buy the Pebble Blue variant were disappointed because of the delay since 600,000 back covers of the device had to be destroyed since they were unable to match up to the company's high standards, resulting in shortage of the particular model. Covers that had been destroyed showed up white blotches which were seen while viewing the device from a specific angle, according to The Christian
Staff at Samsung's flagship store in Stratford have told The Inquirer, that its first batch of pebble blue Galaxy S3 handsets will be arriving in just over two weeks, on 22 June, although they were unable to quote exact numbers. The device will be available to purchase from the store priced at £499.99 SIM-free, the same as the Marble White version.
In addition, Carphone Warehouse and Phones 4U have started shipping the pre-ordered smartphones to customers, according to USwitch. According to a thread on the XDA forum, a buyer of the Galaxy S3 has received an e-mail from Carphone Warehouse that his/her Galaxy S3 has been dispatched from its warehouse.
Three UK, on other hand has tweeted customers enquiring about the Pebble Blue model of the Galaxy S3, saying it was as much in the dark as everyone else.
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Samsung Galaxy S3 blue 16GB version out today on Vodafone - Crave
Vodafone has managed to get hold of the elusive pebble blue Samsung Galaxy S3, sending the ocean-hued blower out to customers who pre-ordered the phone today.
A Vodafone quote spotted by Eurodroid that originated on the network's forum relays the jolly news, which I've since confirmed with Vodafone. The network says, "Pre-orders for white 16GB and 32GB and blue 16GB S3 handsets are either delivered or being delivered to customers from today."
Unfortunately there's no word on when the blue 32GB blue version -- which is exclusive to Vodafone -- is going to be ready. Vodafone says it's "working with Samsung to secure stock of the blue 32GB as soon as possible for pre-order customers".
By the sounds of it, if you didn't pre-order your blue Galaxy S3, you might have longer to wait. This is good news for those who did throw down their cash early, however.
The launch of Samsung's hotly anticipated 4.8-inch mobile has been marred by news that there's a shortage of blue models in the UK, thanks to severe manufacturing problems.
An insider told CNET UK that less than 5 per cent of total Galaxy S3 stock arriving for sale would be the blue option. Samsung later confirmed that the blue version would be delayed by 2-3 weeks.
It looks like the wait may be over for Vodafone customers, however. If you're on Vodafone and pre-ordered the blue Galaxy S3 before the date stated above, let me know if it's arrived yet in the comments, or on our Facebook wall.
Early indicators point to the Galaxy S3 being another success for Samsung, following on from the hugely popular Galaxy S2. Carphone Warehouse pegged the Android-powered phone as the fastest selling pre-order phone so far this year.
Samsung sues Australia's patent commissioner over Apple row - BBC News
Samsung is suing the Australian patent commissioner in the latest twist in its intellectual property clash with Apple.
The South Korean firm is seeking to invalidate four patents which Apple claimed had been infringed by Samsung's Galaxy Tab 10.1 tablet computer.
Samsung alleges that the patents should never have been granted as they duplicated earlier intellectual property filings.
A judge will hold a hearing into the matter on 25 June.
Samsung made the claim in May, but the details only emerged after a report by ITnews.
Secure vs innovationThe Australian news site said the four patents involved slide-to-unlock, photo management, scaling and rotation features found on the iPhone and iPad.
Australia has two types of patents: standard and innovation. The standard-type is tougher to secure, and offers 20 years of protection. It is designed to cover ideas that require longer development and will be on the market for a prolonged time.
The innovation-type is easier and quicker to obtain, but only offers eight years of protection. It is designed for products that are only small advances over existing technology and may have a short commercial life.
Australian rules say innovation patents can only be converted to standard patents in the period before they have been accepted.
Samsung claims the commissioner was at fault because he granted Apple's inventions standard patents after they had already secured innovation ones.
If the Asian firm prevails, it will undermine part of its American competitor's efforts to ban its tablet.
"Although the lawsuit is directed against the commissioner, Samsung's ire is really directed against Apple," said Andrew Alton, a patent lawyer at Urquhart-Dykes & Lord.
"It just shows these tech companies are using every single mechanism available in their fight against each other."
Apple has already managed to force its rival's tablet off Australia's shop shelves once last year, although the move was later overruled.
A full hearing into Apple's case versus Samsung is scheduled to run between July and October.
Apple may seek US ban of Samsung Galaxy - Calgary Herald
An Apple Inc lawyer said the iPhone and iPad maker may seek a legal order stopping the launch of Samsung Electronics Co Ltd's Galaxy S III phone in the United States later this month.
At a hearing on Thursday in a San Jose, California federal court, Apple attorney Josh Krevitt said the company could file for a temporary restraining order against Samsung as early as Friday.
"Once sales are made, the harm is irreparable," Krevitt said.
However, U.S. District Judge Lucy Koh said she has many other cases. If Apple decides to seek a restraining order, it would likely delay a July trial date over different Samsung phones, as well as the Galaxy Tab 10.1.
"I cannot be an Apple v. Samsung judge," Koh said.
Apple sued Samsung for patent infringement last year, accusing the South Korean electronics maker of "slavishly" copying the iPhone and iPad. Samsung denies the claims and countersued.
Apple's comments on Thursday came a day after Samsung Electronics, the world's largest smartphone vendor, expanded its CEO's role to include oversight of corporate strategy across the entire Samsung Group - a conglomerate of more than 80 companies.
Choi Gee-sung, 61, spearheaded Samsung's ascension to smartphone and TV leadership and his elevation signals that the storied South Korean conglomerate is grooming its next leader.
Apple filed papers this week seeking to ban Samsung's new Galaxy S III, along with the Galaxy Nexus. Samsung has already booked over 9 million preorders of the Galaxy S III, which is set to be sold by carriers in the United States on June 21, Apple said in its court filing.
Samsung, however, argued that Apple should not be allowed to seek such a fast injunction against the Galaxy S III.
Samsung attorney William Price also said the technology covered by Apple's patents - such as auto-correcting typed text - are not responsible for sales of Galaxy phones.
"There is no advertising or marketing on these features at all" by Apple, Price said.
Samsung's Galaxy products run on the Android operating system, developed by Google. In addition to Samsung's legal team, several Google attorneys attended the hearing before Koh on Thursday.
Apple has also accused Google's Motorola Mobility unit of infringing its iPhone patents. However, a Chicago-based federal judge on Thursday tentatively scrapped a trial between those two that had been scheduled to begin next week.
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