Kakao, the operator of South Korea’s dominant mobile messenger KakaoTalk, will introduce this summer a new video streaming app in Japan that will leverage the content and “free-if-you-wait” business model behind its popular manga comics platform Piccoma.The launch of Piccoma TV was announced by Kakao Japan during a press conference held in Tokyo Tuesday to mark the two-year anniversary of Piccoma’s introduction in Japan.The upcoming service, dubbed Piccoma TV, will be launched as early as this A

Melon, the music streaming app operated by South Korean mobile business giant Kakao, dominates the country’s music streaming service market, leaving little room for foreign players like Apple Music to join the competition, new analytics data released Tuesday showed.According to Seoul-based app analytics firm WiseApp, Melon was, by a large margin, the top-used music streaming service here in March this year. Melon saw 5.69 million users as of March 2018, up 7.6 percent from 5.29 million users in

Bayer Korea and the Korea Trade-Investment and Promotion Agency on Tuesday announced three South Korean digital health startups selected to join its venture acceleration program designed to help promising startups pursuing new businesses in the health technology space.　The three finalists include Is It Fresh, which has developed a disposable Internet of a Things sensor designed to be discarded after one-time use, Nuri Bio, an analysis reagent developer for early cancer diagnosis, and Deep Medi,

Samsung Electronics Co. on Tuesday showcased its latest premium QLED TV models in South Korea that boast various artificial intelligence features.The South Korean tech giant said it will release 11 models with "intelligent displays," ranging from 55 to 82 inches throughout June, along with six more, including an 85-inch TV, by the end of this year. Samsung said it is especially focused on expanding its 2018 edition models that are sized 75 inches and above in line with market demand.The company

South Korea’s Fair Trade Commission has reportedly begun investigating Google Play over allegations that the US tech giant’s mobile app marketplace abused its market position by pressuring local game publishers to initially launch new mobile games through Google Play only.　According to industry sources on Monday, Korea’s FTC has begun surveying local mobile game companies to review whether they were pressured or asked by Google to either “launch their games only through specific app marketplaces

SK Holdings Co. on Monday showcased a new human resources solution that utilizes artificial intelligence technology, allowing clients to simplify the process of reviewing resumes.The company said the program, "Aibril HR," will be utilized by the local recruitment service provider Scout.Under the cooperation, the two companies will carry out research to develop optimized solutions for clients. (123rf)SK said the solution will help employers save time in reviewing applicants' documents, and also b

LG Electronics Inc. said Sunday it will start global sales of the 2018 editions of organic light-emitting diode TVs, which are equipped with its artificial-intelligence platform DeepThinQ this week.The South Korean tech giant said the new OLED TVs will hit the US market on Monday, and gradually expand to countries in Europe, South America and Asia down the road.LG Electronics said it will display the OLED TVs at some 500 branches of US retailer Best Buy, showcasing the company's latest Alpha 9 p

South Korea's state radio agency has approved Google's artificial-intelligence (AI) speakers, paving the way for the speakers to be released as early as the first half of this year, industry sources said Sunday.The National Radio Research Agency approved the Google Home and the Google Home Mini AI speakers earlier this month, according to the sources. The Google Home accounted for 31 percent of the US market for AI speakers last year, trailing Amazon.com's Echo, which holds 69 percent, according

LG Electronics said Friday it will exhibit a smart home filled with the company’s Signature premium appliances harmonizing with Italy’s luxury furniture by Natuzzi during Milano Design Week on Tuesday.At Natuzzi’s exhibition booth, LG will decorate a living room with its Signature organic light-emitting diode TV, air purifier, ThinQ speaker and smart lights surrounding the brand’s famous Colosseo sofa, and showcase how visitors can operate the appliances by issuing verbal commands while they sit

Samsung holds over 100,000 patents worldwide

DETROIT, US (AP) -- Uber will start doing annual criminal background checks on U.S. drivers and hire a company that constantly monitors criminal arrests as it tries to do a better job of keeping riders safe. Uber (AP-Yonhap)The move announced Thursday is one of several actions taken by the ride-hailing company under new CEO Dara Khosrowshahi, who said that the changes aren't just being done to polish the company's image, which has been tarnished by driver misbehavior and a long string of other e

South Korean smartphone giant Samsung Electronics has been sued by US-based data security company PACid Technologies for infringing the American firm’s patents on biometric solutions, according to a US legal resources website and news reports on Thursday. On Justia, a US legal resources website, brief information of the case filed on Friday by PACid Technologies with the Texas Eastern District Court was posted, revealing that the Korean tech titan is involved in another major patent infringement

Google has made it clear through its “AI first” initiative that technological progress will not stop in the mobile age but take a new leap forward with artificial intelligence, as AI engines will allow people to do much more with their smartphones or electronic devices than is possible now.　Though the common perception is that AI will mostly impact developed countries in the West where its roots lie, Google’s Asia-Pacific President Karim Temsamani said that on the contrary, much of the growth fr

Samsung to introduce US-based Dacor as new premium built-in brand this year

The Seoul Metropolitan Government is seeking to solve urban problems by turning to new and existing Internet of Things technologies, a Seoul city official said Wednesday. In efforts to improve the safety and quality-of-life of Seoulites, the city government has made an aggressive investment of 2.7 billion won ($2.54 million) into 12 sites across the city from its yearly budget. A carbon monoxide sensor will be attached inside all tents at the city-owned camping grounds in order to prevent fire s