[THE INVESTOR] Tech giant Samsung Electronics saw its NAND flash memory sales hit an all-time high in the January-March period, according to a market report.The Korean company earned US$2.62 billion in revenue in the first quarter, up 3.1 percent from the fourth quarter last year, according to a recent report released by IHS, a market research firm. Samsung Electronics’ 3-D NAND flash memory chip.  Samsung ElectronicsIts market share in the global NAND flash memory sector came in at 42.6 percent

[THE INVESTOR] Cable TV network operator CJ HelloVision and IPTV firm SK Broadband submitted follow-up reports to the antitrust watchdog after its recent rejection of their merger and acquisition deal.The two companies refused to provide any details of the report, but they are said to have claimed the feasibility of the planned M&A deal.The Fair Trade Commission had opposed the proposed M&A plan on the grounds that the combined business entity will become a dominant player in the pay TV market a

[THE INVESTOR] Korean firms Samsung SDI and LG Chem are unlikely to supply batteries for US-based Telsa’s electric cars any time soon, as Panasonic will continue being the exclusive supplier, according to an executive at the Japanese firm.Kenji Tamura, the head of Panasonic’s energy business, said in a recent interview with Japanese reporters that he is “confident,” that Panasonic would keep the exclusive contract with the US partner.Tesla Model 3This is because as Panasonic, the sole battery su

[THE INVESTOR] Although Samsung Electronics has touted its mobile payment solution Samsung Pay as a universal payment platform available both online and offline, it had a major setback as it was unavailable at the stores run by South Korea’s largest retail firm Shinsegae.Things will likely change soon as the two have reportedly reach an agreement.Samsung Electronics’ mobile payment solution Samsung Pay. Samsung Electronics“After lengthy negotiations, the two companies have been able to find midd

The state antitrust watchdog Fair Trade Commission’s preliminary decision to oppose the proposed merger and acquisition plan between IPTV operator SK Broadband and cable TV operator CJ HelloVision has left the two companies as well as the cable TV and media content sectors in trouble.The 50 billion-won ($43 million) investment plan of the merged business entity in nurturing media content businesses, promised by network operator SK Telecom, the parent firm of SKB, has now seemingly hit the buffer

 [THE INVESTOR] Mobile carrier LG Uplus and its executives have been fined with a total of 225 million won (US$194,175) for obstructing a probe conducted by the Korea Communications Commission into the firm’s alleged violation of local telecom laws.The telecom regulator said on July 8 that it decided to impose the fine after LG Uplus refused to submit necessary business documents during its June investigation. KCC was looking into allegations that the mobile carrier had handed subsidies to new c

 [THE INVESTOR] Seoul-based display maker LG Display will likely see its operating profit jump 26 percent to 419 billion won (US$361.6 million) in the July-September period this year thanks to a price increase of liquid-crystal display, according to an investment report.“The price of liquid-crystal displays will continue to be on an upward trend,” said Jeong Won-seok, an analyst from HI Investment & Securities, in his recent investment report, adding the operating income in the latter half would

[THE INVESTOR] LG Electronics said in its earnings guidance released on July 8 that it posted 584.6 billion won (US$503.9 million) in operating profit and 14 trillion won in revenue in the April-June period.By Kim Young-won (wone0102@heraldcrop.com)

[THE INVESTOR] The operating-margin gap between South Korean tech giant Samsung Electronics and California-based Apple is likely to reduce to a record low level in the April-June period. Samsung Electronics said in its earnings guidance for the three-month period that it posted 8.1 trillion won (US$7 billion) of operating income and 50 trillion won of revenue during the three months. Based on the estimated figures, the operating margin of the Korean firm will come in at 16.2 percent, the second

[THE INVESTOR] Cable TV operator CJ HelloVision has sought the antitrust regulator’s permission to delay a meeting for deciding on its planned merger and acquisition deal with SK Broadband, a local IPTV firm.To that end, it also said it would like to delay submitting a report on the matter. “We have asked the Fair Trade Commission to postpone its July 15 standing committee meeting by a month, and the report deadline to Aug. 4,” CJ HelloVision said in a statement, stressing that the schedule is t

[THE INVESTOR] Tech giant Samsung Electronics unveiled the Galaxy S7 Edge Olympic Games Limited Edition in Sao Paulo, Brazil, ahead of the Rio Olympic Games to be held from Aug. 5 to 21.The latest handset features Olympics-inspired designs -- the colors of the Olympic Rings are featured in the phone’s home and lock screens as well as the message, dial and contact screens and notification bar. Wallpapers themed with the Rio 2016 Olympic Games are also featured.Working with the International Olymp

[THE INVESTOR] Chinese tech firm Huawei has filed a complaint at Chinese district courts against South Korean rival Samsung Electronics for breaching its patent for mobile icon and widget designs. The Chinese firm reportedly argued in its complaint filed at the courts in Shenzhen and Quanzhou on July 6 that Samsung used without permission Hauwei’s patent on how to display mobile application icons in a folder and widgets on the smartphone screen.Huawei demanded 80 million Chinese yuan (US$12 mill

[THE INVESTOR] LG Electronics said July 7 that it would join forces with German carmaker Volkswagen to develop a platform for connected cars. The South tech firm recently signed a partnership deal with VW to develop a smart car platform allowing drivers to directly connect their cars over cloud systems with other connected devices at home. Smart car solution on a screen. LG Electronics“LG’s expertise in smart technology and VW’s leading automotive tech will pave new ways for drivers to communica

[THE INVESTOR] With DRAM prices hitting rock bottom, the global DRAM market has been in the doldrums over the past couple years. According to a market report on July 7, however, the DRAM market will likely pick up steam in the July-September period thanks to increasing demand in the mobile and server markets.“The downward trend in DRAM prices over the past two years has reversed in June,” said DRAMeXchange in its recent report, forecasting the price increase rate would be in the range of between

[THE INVESTOR] South Korean display-makers such as Samsung Display and LG Display will maintain their lead in the organic light-emitting diode sector for the next decade, according to a market research firm.“Samsung Display and LG Display will be leading the OLED market for up to 10 years,” said Ricky Park, director of IHS at the OLED Frontier Forum held in Seoul on July 5. “Unlike liquid-crystal displays, OLED requires years of investment and high production expertise, so Chinese displays compa

[THE INVESTOR] Samsung Display has long gauged the marketability of large-size organic light-emitting diode displays due to their low production yields and high prices. The display-making unit of Samsung Electronics, however, is said to be speeding up preparations to jump into the sector in earnest, testing a series of technologies to improve production capability. Kateeva’s OLED inkjet printer / The Investor“Kateeva will supply the prototypes of its inkjet printers to its global customers in Ko

[THE INVESTOR] Samsung Display, the display business arm of Samsung Electronics, is ramping up its efforts to outpace its rivals in the organic light-emitting diode display sector. As a part of this strategy, the firm is planning a quick transition from liquid-crystal display to OLED at its L7 plant in South Chungcheong Province. The plant currently runs two LCD assembly lines. “Samsung Display will cease the operation of both lines at the L7 plant by the end of this year and replace LCD equipme

[THE INVESTOR] Japanese tech firm Toshiba and US hard-disk maker Western Digital will jointly invest 1.5 trillion yen (US$14.6 billion) over the next three years to beef up their flash memory production. The partnership is expected to help Toshiba catch up with Samsung Electronics in the 3-D NAND flash memory sector. Under the latest deal, Toshiba and Western Digital will add a new chip fabrication facility in their existing joint chip-manufacturing plant in Japan’s Yokkaichi complex of Mie Pref

[THE INVESTOR] Chemical firm Kolon Industries has reportedly developed colorless, transparent polyimide -- a material that can be used for flexible and transparent displays.The development of the material, the first of its kind according to the company, is hailed as a big leap forward in the display sector as it can speed up the commercialization of next-generation displays, such as those that can be rolled up or folded. Kolon’s headquarters in Gwachoen, Gyeonggi Province. Kolon“We plan to soon

[THE INVESTOR] A group of employees at Samsung Electronics’ US office formed a political action committee in 2015 to engage in activities such as fund-raising and providing support for politicians. Called Samsung Electronics America Inc. Political Action Committee, or Samsung America PAC, the group was formed late last year, and since then has raised around $17,000. Samsung Electronics’ Device Solutions America headquarters. SamsungSteve Merlis, a senior director of Samsung’s government relation