South Korea’s tech giant Samsung Electronics Co. filed for an arbitration with a Hong Kong-based international court for a patent fee dispute with U.S. Microsoft Corp., industry sources said Wednesday. Samsung is seeking the settlement at the International Court of Arbitration under the International Chamber of Commerce to resolve discord surrounding royalty payments under the two’s cross-licensing agreement, the source said.Microsoft responded that the most suitable place to settle the dispute

Daum Kakao, the operator of South Korea’s most popular mobile messenger Kakao Talk, said Wednesday it plans to adopt a “privacy mode” in an apparent bid to allay users’ concerns about security.“The new privacy mode on Kakao Talk will encrypt chat records and erase received messages,” Daum Kakao said, adding that the service will be launched this year. The new feature will be available for users from all countries, it added.Under the new feature, which uses end-to-end encryption, chat records wil

SK Telecom said Wednesday that together with Samsung Electronics it has developed a technology enabling real-time mobile broadcast streaming, and has successfully demonstrated it on Long Term Evolution networks for the first time ever. South Korea’s largest mobile carrier and the tech giant applied the next-generation MPEG media transport, which has emerged as the standard video data transfer technology, to develop the so-called True Real Time Mobile Streaming.“The True Real Time Mobile Streamin

South Korea’s No. 2 tech giant LG Electronics has applied for trademarks for its G smartphone lineup at patent offices at home and in the United States, industry sources said Tuesday, suggesting a possible launch of metal-framed handsets.According to the sources, LG filed to register the trademarks “G Flex Frame,” “G Frame” and “F Frame” with the Korean Intellectual Property Office and the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, raising the likelihood that LG’s next handset will focus on developments

LG Electronics, South Korea’s No. 2 tech giant, said Monday it would start sales of its first round smart watch at home next week.The LG G Watch R, which was showcased at the IFA trade show last month, comes with a 1.3-inch full circle polymer-organic light-emitting diode screen. Powered by Android Wear, it comes with a heart-rate sensor, like flagship wearable devices by Samsung Electronics Co.The 410 mAh-battery model weighs 62 grams and comes only in black. The domestic factory price is fixed

South Korea's tech giant Samsung Electronics Co. said Monday it plans to invest some 15.6 trillion won (US$14.7 billion) to set up a new chipmaking facility in the northwestern part of the country to better meet the soaring global demands for chips.Samsung said it will break the ground on the new plant in Pyeongtaek, some 70 kilometers south of Seoul, in the first half of next year, with the aim of starting its commercial production in 2017. "The semiconductor industrial zone set to be establish

South Korean tech giant Samsung Electronics Co. will spend $1.4 billion to build a consumer electronics production plant in Vietnam to meet global demand for home appliances, the company said Thursday.The tech giant confirmed its investment in the complex would cover production of TVs, air conditioners, washing machines, refrigerators and other home electronics as well as working capital.Formal written approval for the plant from the Vietnamese government, delivered to company vice chairman Lee