South Korea’s largest mobile carrier SK Telecom said Wednesday that the sales of its portable projector for smartphones, Smart Beam, reached 200,000, a record high in the global market for pico projectors. Launched in February 2013, the cubical projector measuring at 4.5 centimeters has been released in 12 countries including China and Brazil and around 100,000 units were sold annually, according to the Korean telecom firm. “The Smart Beam, which is also being sold at in-flight duty-free shops o

Telecom equipment supplier Ericsson-LG said Wednesday that it would make all-out efforts to lead the next-generation network market, often called 5G, with its improved services and hardware.“Ericsson-LG’s efforts to complete the establishment of a networked society will produce meaningful results from this year,” said Martin Wiktorin, chief executive of Ericsson-LG, at a press meeting in Seoul, adding the company would transform itself into a leading software and services provider, contributing

Apora Ventures, an Amsterdam-based start-up investment firm, is kicking off its operations in Seoul next month with a program inviting global-minded Korean start-ups to immerse their business in the European innovation and technology hotspot of Berlin.The program, Accelerate Korea-Berlin, will nurture five start-ups younger than 3 years old for a four-month acceleration program starting June 1, including spending three months in the German capital, where they will have opportunities to form part

Global tech giant Samsung Electronics plans to unveil its new tablet PC lineup ― Galaxy Tab S2 8.0 and S2 9.7 ― next month, according to news reports.With powerful specifications for the new tablet PC models, including a 64-bit Exynos processor, 3 GB RAM and a Super AMOLED display, Samsung reportedly aims to outpace its arch rival Apple, the leader of the world’s tablet market. Analysts forecast, however, Samsung’s attempt to outgun Apple in the tablet PC market may be a long shot.“It is doubtfu

Olympus, the Japanese maker of medical and surgical solutions, said Tuesday it will build a new medical training center in Songdo, Incheon, due for completion in February 2017. The Olympus Korea Training and Education Center aims to offer diverse training programs for health care professionals on the safe and effective use of the company’s innovative medical and surgical products, including its market No. 1 endoscopy equipment. With a budget of 36.3 billion won ($33.2 million), the new center is

Naver Corp., South Korea’s No. 1 search engine, on Monday opened the nation’s 10th creative economy center in Gangwon Province with aims to create a big data hub for maximum use of digital information. The Gangwon Center for Creative Economy, located on a 1,267-square-meter site in the provincial capital of Chuncheon, is the latest in a series of government-supported regional offices helping to nurture start-ups and venture companies across industries.  “Big data is a new form of capital in the

Electronics CEOs to travel to Silicon Valley, New York to research cutting-edge trends

Since the chairman’s hospitalization, his son, Samsung Electronics vice chairman Lee Jay-yong, has worked hard to prove himself worthy successor

Korean conglomerate puts focus on M&As, converging businesses

Rumors of Samsung setting up holding firm continue to swirl

U.S. search giant Google launched its start-up incubator, dubbed Campus Seoul, in Korea on Friday, with aims to cultivate tech entrepreneurs in Asia and support their global success. The Seoul unit is the first of its kind in Asia and the third globally after London and Tel Aviv spaces. Google plans to open three more campuses in three cities ― Madrid, Sao Paulo and Warsaw ― in the second half of this year. “I appreciate Google has paid attention to the potential of Korean developers and venture

Tech giant seeks to expand clout in global semiconductor market

Global mindsets needed for shift to software, experts say