Global smartphone giant Samsung Electronics Co. is anticipated to post better-than-expected earnings for the first quarter following the better-than-expected performance of the Galaxy S7 series, industry analysts forecast Wednesday.South Korean analysts and industry watchers expect the first-quarter operating profit of the tech giant to reach 6 trillion won (US$5.14 billion), in line with 5.98 trillion won posted a year earlier. Samsung Electronics headquarters in Seoul (Yonhap)Analysts earlier

Chinese electronics firm Xiaomi is ramping up efforts to infiltrate the Korean market, the home turf of tech giants Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics.Xiaomi’s budget air purifiers and ultra-high definition TVs are poised to hit the domestic market this week. The Chinese company has also filed a patent for its mobile payment service Xiaomi Pay -- also known as Mi Pay -- in Korea. Lei Jun, the chief executive of Chinese electronics firm Xiaomi. (Yonhap)There is speculation that Xiaomi’s upcom

LG G5 HITS KOREAN MARKET -- LG Electronics said Wednesday that its flagship smartphone G5 will soon hit 200 global markets, starting from Korea on Thursday. LG’s first modular phone, priced the same as Samsung Electronics’ 32-gigabyte Galaxy S7 at 836,000 won ($723), is compatible with the LG Friends lineup that includes a 360-degree camera and a portable audio system. (LGE)

SAMSUNG PAY HITS CHINESE MARKET -- Samsung Electronics said Tuesday that it has rolled out mobile payment solution Samsung Pay, currently available on premium Galaxy handsets including Galaxy S6 and Note 5, in the Chinese market. The mobile payment solution supports credit and debit cards issued by nine Chinese banks including China CITIC Bank, China Construction Bank, and China Everbright Bank. (Samsung Electronics)

LG TEAMS UP WITH STATHAM FOR TV AD - LG Electronics has joined hands with movie actor Jason Statham and filmmaker Fredrik Bond to roll out a TV commercial for its latest flagship smartphone G5 and its accompanying device lineup “Friends.” (LGE)

Network operator KT said on Wednesday it has started offering long-term evolution-machine -- or LTE-M -- services, which allow cost-effective communication among small sensors and devices.The machine-to-machine communication services can be deployed in a range of industries and have various applications, according to the firm. Models pose with a bicycle equipped with a GPS sensor running on KT’s networks. (KT)At a press event to showcase the LTE-M services in Seoul, the company displayed a bicyc

‘The primary target of NHN Entertainment’s latest push for game IPs is to take on Facebook, which has infringed on the firm’s patent’

LG Group said Tuesday it has decided to honor Lee Jae-deok, a 34-year-old man who recently rescued an 8-year-old child from a burning apartment last week.On Friday, a fire broke out at an apartment complex in Gwangju. While other residents evacuated safely, the boy at home alone was trapped in the flames. LG Group chairman Koo Bon-mooLee saw the boy and climbed onto the balcony to rescue him with other two neighbors helping him out.In order to honor such heroic behavior, LG said it will offer hi

SAMSUNG TV IN STYLE -- Samsung Electronics on Tuesday launched a stylish I-shaped TV, called Serif TV that was designed by renowned French designer brothers Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec. The Korean launch comes after the TV debuted in Europe last year. (Samsung Electronics)

ICT firms to establish infrastructure for electric self-driving cars, mobile health care solutions

Sony Korea on Saturday held a filming class for young students as part of its ongoing social responsibility activities here. The Korean unit of the Japanese tech giant has carried out diverse science education programs under the name of “Sony Korea Eco Science School.”This year’s program, the 10th of its kind, taught basic filming skills for young students to create their own video contents using Sony’s broadcast cameras. A group of 20 students from underprivileged families in Incheon were invit

LG Electronics on Monday launched its ultra-luxury appliance brand, LG Signature, in Korea before its planned debut in the U.S. and Europe. Combining the best design and functions, the Korean tech giant showed confidence in raising the standards in the soaring premium home appliance market.  (From left) LG Electronics’ home appliance chief Cho Seong-jin, TV chief Kwon Bong-suk, domestic sales chief Cho Sang-kyu and chief technology officer Ahn Seong-kwon pose with the company’s LG Signature line

KAKAO RUNS GLOBAL CSR PROGRAM -- Mobile messenger operator Kakao ran a volunteer program for nine days in Hanoi, Vietnam, from March 18. A group of Kakao employees took part in a range of activities, including painting walls and watching 3-D movies with students there. (Kakao)

Tsinghua Unigroup takes on Samsung Electronics, SK hynix in memory chip sector

Medical device firm accused of causing financial damage to local distributors