Smartphone News & Views

October.09.2013

Samsung releases Curved Phone  (Galaxy Round)

Not to be outdone by Apple's recent launch of the iPhone 5S and 5C, Samsung has released the Galaxy Round, an extension in the Galaxy family of smart phones that boasts of a curved shape, touchscreen and all. The phone is suppose to be slightly more ergonomic and will enter the Korean market first.

September.15.2013

Apple releases iPhone 5S/5C  

Apple fans have something to cheer about this September as Apple released the iPhone 5S and 5C models of its once game changing smartphone on the 10th of September. For the 5S model there as been no real change in the form factor however there is a new upgraded 64bit chip and a slightly larger screen.




To non techy folks like me this 64bit processing means very little, however in the tech world this seems to be an achievement as the phone can now (allegedly) process desktop standard software. This puts Apple out front in the processing power race, but Samsung has already said they will build the 64bit processor into future generations of their phones and tablets thought no date was given.

The iPhone 5C is a low cost model with a less robust, molded plastic exterior which come in a few colour options. Apple's 5C model seems to be a line extension to penetrate the market. 

However, without a wide array apps built to harness the 64bit architecuture, it will be a little while before purpose built apps make it to market for consumers begin to experience the difference.

Here is a light hearted evaluation of the new iPhone 5S/C by Jimmy Fallon



July.9.2013

Apple patents an in-car entertainment and information system

Apple was reported to have been granted a patent today for an in-car touch screen system. If indeed the direction of the company it would mean staking a claim on the car industry in a way that Blackberry has with their QNX operating system which is used in cars today. Perhaps this is the start of the process of smartphone technologies filtering into less typical consumer electronics applications. 



Samsung setting up US headquarters in Silicon Valley 

Perhaps a true indication of their global ascendancy, Samsung is reportedly breaking ground on their new $300m US headquarters in San Jose which was designed by architects NBBJ. They are expected to be complete in 2015 and shows their intention to bring the fight to competitors Apple and Google, this time on their home turf.


July.4.2013

Did Samsung's Jay-Z strategy backfire? 

Probably too early to say definitively, but it looks like a brand nightmare is brewing for Samsung as the servers crashed in the middle of the downloads for the highly publicised free download of Jay-Z's latest album titled Magna Carta Holy Grail. This was meant to be exclusive to Samsung users but it seems as though it was even more exclusive than Samsung planned.



July.3.2013

Samsung acquires Boxee

Boxee, an entertainment start-up with Streaming digital content was acquired by samsung. This can be seen as part of a strategy to increase media content within the samsung ecosystem as a means to keep pace with it main rival Apple who have integrated content into their smartphone and tablet ecosystem with its native iTunes platform. Samsung seems to moving away from its hardware based strategy to get closer to Apple's content strategy. Read more here









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