South Korea's two tech pillars, Samsung Electronics Co. and LG Electronics Inc., showcased their Android Wear-powered devices, starting another battle in the global tech industry where firms are in search of new opportunities amid slowed growth in the smartphone market.   Samsung, the world's top maker of smartphones, debuted the Samsung Gear Live, the first member of this year's wearable lineup that works under U.S.-based Google Inc.'s Android Wear platform, in San Francisco on Wednesday (local

Samsung Electronics and LG Corp. were the only two Korean firms that appeared on a list of the top 100 reputable companies around the world released by research firm Reputation Institute. Samsung Electronics, one of the world’s largest electronics makers, shared the 10th spot with software giant Microsoft with 75 points out of 100. LG Corp., outpacing other global firms including General Electric, ranked 64th with 68.8 points. LG, however, was in eighth place among the 11 electronics firms that

South Korea's top mobile carrier SK Telecom Co. said Wednesday it has forged ties with Finland-based Nokia Corp. to exchange technologies and know-how to develop the fifth-generation (5G) network.Under a memorandum of understanding, the two firms will also make efforts to establish grounds for the standardization of 5G base stations, and test-run various solutions and applications that work under the latest network, SK Telecom said.  SK Telecom said the two parties will be able to take the lead

Taiwan-based ASUSTeK Computer Inc., also known as Asus, said Tuesday it plans to tap deeper into the South Korean smart device market with its latest model, expanding its presence in the local market for tablet PCs and laptops. “Through the third quarter of 2014, Asus will continue to focus on its tablet lineup,” said Shin Woo-yeol, a marketing official from Asus. “However, the firm will also focus more on laptops and smartphones later in the second half.”Earlier this month, Asus showcased the 7

LG Uplus, the third-largest mobile carrier in Korea, announced that it would start offering new services based on the broadband Long Term Evolution advanced networks on Monday.The new services, which will be available from July, include Netflix-like movie streaming service Uflix Movie, high definition TV streaming service U+HDTV New, and U+Navi Real, a navigation system featuring live video of traffic conditions.The firm said those services would herald the beginning of the era of “video LTE.”“L

Chinese President Xi Jinping is expected to tour a main Samsung Electronics facility when he visits South Korea early next month, industry sources said Sunday.Xi will be guided by the company's vice chairman Lee Jay-yong, the heir-apparent of Samsung Group, and they will also hold talks, the sources said. The tour was arranged at Samsung's request, they said.Xi is expected in South Korea in the first week of July.Japanese media reports said he will visit on July 3-4. The Chinese president will t

Underperforming smartphone business seen as cause of fall

Samsung Display Co., a panel manufacturing arm of South Korea’s Samsung Group, said Friday it will sell equipment from a production line to a Chinese firm as a step to update its facilities. The firm said it is currently in talks with China-based Truly to ship its outdated equipment from its production line in Cheonan, about 90 kilometers south of Seoul, which had been manufacturing liquid crystal displays (LCD).“The move aims to offload outdated equipment and install new ones,” Kim Ho-jung, a c

Samsung Electronics Co., the world’s top maker of smartphones, launched Thursday the world’s first smartphone that runs on a broadband long-term evolution advanced network, starting another round of competition among local mobile carriers over speed.The device, the Galaxy S5 Broadband LTE-A, will first be launched through SK Telecom Co., South Korea’s top mobile carrier, and gradually add other players, namely KT Corp. and LG Uplus Corp. The broadband LTE-A, three times faster than the current L