WorkMobile Blog

Posts Tagged ‘Samsung’

A few days at Mobile World Congress…

February each year, for one week, the entire mobile phone industry camps out in the tapas bars of Barcelona.

Occasionally, some people might stray into the Mobile World Congress, a magnificent event in which the likes of Microsoft, Nokia and Research in Motion try to convince us that the products they showed us last year are somehow newer and shinier this year.

Those sober enough to make it to RIM’s developer event on Monday were treated to a free PlayBook each. Meanwhile, Nokia had a beach party. The Far Eastern companies, like Samsung and LG, were less imaginative. Rather than trying to disguise their lack of innovation with cunning free gadgets and liquor, they actually had some new products. “Phablets” are all the rage. Not quite a phone and not quite a tablet, a phablet is, essentially, a very, very big phone. Samsung’s Galaxy Note has a 5.3 inch screen (compare to 3.5 inches on the iPhone). Some of you will be glad to know that the stylus is back. Sorry, I mean “S-Pen”.

Here at eSAY, we’re dedicated followers of fashion, so expect to see WorkMobile® on the PlayBook real soon, and optimized for tablet and phablet Android devices later this year. Now, if you’ll excuse me, these patatas bravas won’t eat themselves…

Graham (Senior Developer)

Apple sues Samsung for “copying” its tablets and phones

Apple has sued Samsung for “slavishly” copying its handset and tablet designs. Apple said that Samsung’s Galaxy S handset and Galaxy Tab violated ten of its patents around the look and design of its iPhone and iPad.

“Instead of pursuing independent product development, Samsung has chosen to slavishly copy Apple’s innovative technology, distinctive user interfaces, and elegant and distinctive product and packaging design,” the suit argues, according to the Financial Times.

The suit notes says the Samsung devices too closely mimic the rounded corners of Apple’s devices, as well as the design of its app icons.

The suit is the latest in a string of patent arguments between mobile leaders, and Samsung has already suggested it plans a counter suit. “Samsung will respond actively to this legal action taken against us through appropriate legal measures to protect our intellectual property,” a spokesperson said.

The move didn’t come as a surprise to some analysts. “There has already been criticism that Samsung copied too much from Apple [in its Galaxy phones],” Bae Sung-young, a market analyst at Hyundai Securities, told Reuters.

However, as Samsung is a major supplier of chips to Apple, he doesn’t expect the suit to be too damaging. “Whether they like it or not, [Apple and Samsung] have to work together.”

Windows Phone 7 delays down to manufacturers

Microsoft claims handset manufacturers are partly to blame for Windows Phone 7 update delays. Microsoft explained the delay in updating its new phone software yesterday, partly blaming handset manufacturers for the problem.

Windows Phone 7, launched last October as Microsoft’s attempted to catch up with Apple and Google in the smartphone market, was well received but criticised for lack of some basic functions – such as cut and paste.

Microsoft initially said an update to the software would be available early in 2011, but many users are still without it. “We had expected it to be earlier than now,” Joe Belfiore, head of Microsoft’s Windows phone program, said at a software developer conference in Las Vegas on yesterday.

Belfiore said the company had started the update, but ran into problems on some newly manufactured phones that would not function properly afterwards. He did not name any manufacturers involved. Samsung, HTC and LG are the main handset makers of Windows phones.

Once the company found the problems, it overhauled its update procedure, said Belfiore. “We felt it would be better to be a little bit patient, make sure that when we get updates out that they would happen reliably, and unfortunately that caused a delay in getting things out,” he said.

Belfiore said he was now “optimistic” that there will not be similar problems with future updates. A more comprehensive update, code-named Mango, will be available later this year, he said.

Microsoft still has only a four per cent share of the worldwide smartphone software market, according to research firm Gartner, but it is expected to be a major player once its deal to provide the operating system for leading handset maker Nokia takes effect.

A Nokia developer onstage at the Las Vegas conference said there was still no date for when the new Microsoft-powered phones will hit the market.

Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 definitely coming soon…

Despite reports that Apple’s iPad 2 reveal had given the company pause for thought, Samsung says the Galaxy Tab 10.1 launch will go ahead as planned.

Translated comments attributed to Samsung’s Lee Don-joo suggested that the company had been taken aback by the iPad 2‘s slim chassis and aggressive pricing, prompting a resolve to “improve the parts that are inadequate” on the forthcoming Android 3.0 tablet. Many took this to mean that the launch of the device would be delayed to allow for modifications.

However, the South Korean manufacturer has moved to reject these suggestions, confirming that the Galaxy Tab 10.1 would be launched on the planned (though as yet unspecified) date.

Samsung’s executive vice president Lee Don-Joo confirmed that the company would “continue to make every effort to provide the most powerful, well-designed and productive mobile device to customers,” though this will not involve a dramatic reshaping of the Galaxy Tab 10.1.

Now we just need to know when the device will arrive.