samsung

Samsung’s Windows Phone 8 strategy: take on Nokia – with recycled Android devices?

May 6, 2012 | By Liwen Guo

Samsung is apparently looking to switch up their Windows Phone game later this year by introducing several Windows Phone 8-based smartphones and Windows 8-based tablets, reports Australian website Smarthouse, adding to previous rumors that have indicated a Samsung Windows Phone 8 device based on the Galaxy S III.

The new report, which quotes a senior executive from Samsung, suggests that the company is specifically aiming at Nokia with a “very clear” strategy that includes two Windows 8 tablets with screen sizes of 11″ and 14″, and, alongside the aforementioned Galaxy S III variant, a Galaxy Note equivalent as well. At 5.3 inches and with support for a custom stylus, it’s not known yet inhowfar Windows Phone 8 is going to support these features natively or being opened for customization by OEMs.

The new Samsung Windows smartphone offering will be branded Focus and will sit alongside the Samsung Galaxy offering.

SmartHouse has been told the Company will also launch two Windows tablets and a Windows based Note offering.

Even though the report is quite bullish about Samsung’s strategy, we can’t see how recycled Galaxy Android devices, as good as they may be, can compete with Nokia’s arguably higher-quality offerings. Just looking at the current Windows Phone landscape, the Focus S, which is based on the Galaxy S II, has been virtually forgotten with all the buzz surrounding the Lumia 800, 900 and even HTC’s Titan and Radar devices.

If Samsung is really trying to make a splash with Windows Phone, they’ll have to do better than that – at least getting the “Focus” brand out of the US, as the rest-of-the-world is still stuck with the Omnia brand name. What do our readers think?

Source: Smarthouse

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Samsung SGH-i667 White Windows Phone Device Photos Surface

May 3, 2012 | By Pradeep

Few months ago, we posted information on this mystery Samsung SGH-i667. The device passed FCC certification and by that we came to know that its a LTE device. The device was expected to launch along with other two LTE devices Nokia Lumia 900 and HTC Titan II, but it never happened. WPXAP forums posted an image of this device as seen above.

Even though it sports LTE band, the device only had 8GB memory which hints that it was just a mid-range smartphone like Focus Flash. I think Samsung would have cancelled the device to focus on next generation Windows Phone devices. What do you think ?

Source: WPXAP via: WPCentral

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Samsung expecting to deliver Windows Phone 8 handsets in October 2012

April 13, 2012 | By Surur

Samsung Taiwan has told reporters that they will be skipping introducing Mango devices into Taiwan, but will be delivering Windows Phone 8 handsets in October.

They noted that Mango was not really suitable for high end break through devices, and that they were ready to deliver Windows Phone 8 handsets, which were more suitable, in the second half of the year, pending availability of the software from Microsoft.

In February Matt Brum, head of product management at Samsung, was on record as saying the company was looking forward to delivering Windows Phone 8 handsets at the end of the year.

"We’re very much still focusing on Windows, and still have products in that area. We’re committed to delivering their products going forward,” he said.

"There will be more products, and the key thing for us is making sure we hit the right price points and segments for our customers.

"[Windows Phone 8] is coming at the end of the year, and will increase the capability of the platform, and Samsung is looking to optimise its devices on that.”

Recent rumours has suggested besides a Tango handset Samsung was looking to deliver 2 Windows Phone 8 handsets at the end of the year.

In recent days it has become clear that Samsung is not just the biggest smartphone vendor in the world, having overtaken Apple recently, but also the biggest mobile phone vendor period, having shipped around 92 million phones, overtaking Nokia, who only managed 83 million.

Ironically Nokia’s work at increasing consumer acceptance for Windows Phone may benefit Microsoft’s relationship with Samsung, given that the company, like many other OEMs, are waiting for evidence of consumer demand before seriously committing to the market.

Via ePrice.com.tw and Unwiredview.com

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Is another Windows Phone 7 handset on the way from Samsung after all?

February 29, 2012 | By Surur

We posted earlier that Samsung was intending to release Windows Phone 8 handsets at the end of the year, but that it was unclear whether Samsung would release further Windows Phone 7.5 handsets this year.

Samsung has previously been rumoured to be working on the release of a “wonderful” Windows Phone with an original design in Europe to make up for the lack of a high end handset such as the Samsung Focus S in Europe.

This handset may still be on the way, with Samsung’s Kristof Vanhuffel telling Datanews.knack.be that “…later this year there is a new device with Windows Phone and we will certainly also later release devices with Windows Phone 8 when available. "

The phrasing appears to suggest a Windows Phone 7 handset followed by Windows Phone 8 handsets when the OS launches.

I guess we can keep on hoping for something “wonderful” after all.

Thanks Christophe for the tip.

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Samsung- Windows Phone 8 at the end of the year, confirms WP8 runs Windows 8

February 28, 2012 | By Surur

Matt Brum, head of product management at Samsung, has told Techradar they are looking forward to delivering Windows Phone 8 handsets at the end of the year.

"We’re very much still focusing on Windows, and still have products in that area. We’re committed to delivering their products going forward,” he said.

"There will be more products, and the key thing for us is making sure we hit the right price points and segments for our customers.

"[Windows Phone 8] is coming at the end of the year, and will increase the capability of the platform, and Samsung is looking to optimise its devices on that.”

He hinted that Samsung will be delivering tablets running Windows 8, and along the way confirmed that Windows Phone 8 will run elements of the desktop OS.

"We’re very excited about [Windows Phone 8], as we’re one of very few manufacturers that can do the convergence story that we can – so the fact that Windows 8 covers everything from tablets to laptops to phones is very cool."

It is not clear if Samsung will release any more products prior to Windows Phone 8’s release, but, much like HTC, the suspicion is that we will have to wait another 6-9 months before we see any new Samsung Windows Phone handsets.

Via BGR India.

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Samsung not having a press conference at MWC 2012: Its exciting products not to be very exciting?

February 8, 2012 | By Surur

Samsung has confirmed to PCMag that while they will have a presence at Mobile World Congress 2012 they will not be hosting a press conference there.

In a statement last week however they still said:

"Samsung is looking forward to introducing and demonstrating exciting new mobile products at Mobile World Congress 2012."

The company has confirmed it will not be announcing its new Galaxy S III handset there, and there has been a rumour that they may announce a high end Windows Phone for Europe there.

Without a press conference this seems somewhat unlikely, but still not impossible.

Are our readers still holding out for a high end Samsung Windows Phone for Europe? Let us know below.

Thanks Arun for the tip.

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Samsung may concentrate on Windows Phone at MWC 2012

January 26, 2012 | By Surur

There is a rumour that Samsung will not unveil the successor to their flagship range, the Samsung Galaxy III, at Mobile World Congress 2012, out of deference for the US market, which tend to get handsets much later than Europe.

The Verge notes it is possible then will spend more time on tablets and also Windows Phones at the conference, possibly in conjunction with a Microsoft announcement.

There have been rumours of a high end Samsung Windows Phone coming to the European market, which so far has had to make do with the mid-range Samsung Omnia W. MWC 2012 would of course be the perfect place to announce this.

Either way it looks to be an interesting few days in Barcelona in a month or so.

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Something “wonderful” coming from Samsung to Europe, and it will not be the Samsung Focus S

January 14, 2012 | By Surur

starchild Professeur Thibault has tapped his sources in France and confirmed that the Samsung Focus S will never come to Europe.

Apparently this is due to carriers feeling the handsets bears too close a resemblance to the incredibly popular Samsung Galaxy S 2, and they did not need the same handset running Windows Phone 7 (heaven forbid they give us a choice of operating system).

All hope is however not lost. The same source said Samsung had other Windows Phones at it’s roadmap, with original design, and that these “should be wonderful".

I can hardly wait.

So it begins! Samsung SMART WIFI camera range will upload directly to SkyDrive

January 12, 2012 | By Surur

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Samsung has announced a new range of super-zoom cameras which come equipped with sensors such as GPS, digital compasses and connectivity via WIFI which enables a range of features, including automatic back-up of pictures taken.

The WB850F, WB150F and ST200F allows users from any Wi-Fi hotspot, to email photos or share them on social networks such as Facebook and Picasa or post videos to YouTube in a few simple steps.

The camera’s Digital Compass can also give users their location and tell them how far they are from certain locations, while the MapView function allows users to download maps and use their camera to help explore new cities.

To us the most interesting feature is the ability to upload pictures directly to SkyDrive. With Windows 8 featuring heavy SkyDrive integration, especially in the picture gallery, and of course similar with Windows Phone 7, any pictures taken will automatically show up on devices.

Bring along SkyDrive enabled electronic picture frames and the whole photo taking circle is complete. Hopefully we will see many more devices with such SkyDrive-based connectivity enabled.

Will this be a feature our readers will be looking for in their next camera? Let us know below.

Read Samsung’s press release here.

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Samsung adds Windows Phone 7 MOVL Smart TV support

January 9, 2012 | By Surur

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Samsung has its own Smart Connected TV platform for creating apps which work across mobile devices and TVs also.

The MOVL Connect Platform allows developers to build multi-screen, multi-user, cross-platform apps with tools like HTML, JavaScript, Java (Android), ObjectiveC (iOS), Flash (AS2, AS3). The Platform establishes the infrastructure between the TV and the mobile device controllers and enables one to easily transfer data between both the host and the controllers.

Until very recently the service only supported iOS, Android and web Apps, but it appears the company has recently added Windows Phone 7 support, if the icon on their page is anything to go by.

Hopefully we will soon see some Windows Phone 7 apps which communicate accross both the big and small screen which do not rely on Microsoft for its 3 screen functionality. I expect we will hear more at CES soon.

Read more about the technology at connect.movl.com.

Thanks Ahmad for the tip.

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Samsung’s ChatON app coming to Windows Phone 7 also. Update: Or maybe not

January 7, 2012 | By Surur

mzl.qqakdfnr It should never really have been a question, given that Samsung also manufactures Windows Phone 7 handsets, but at the time of its announcement Windows Phone 7 was conspicuous in its absence from the list of supported operating systems for Samsung’s proprietary cross-platform chat client.

According the TNW however Samsung, who has just released their iOS client for the service, will also soon release a version of Windows Phone 7 and Blackberry, and that the software is already in development.

The software already has between 100,000 and 500,000 installs on Android, and given the success Samsung has been having recently in the smartphone arena, selling around 35 million handsets in the last quarter, this number will likely just increase, which makes it important for Windows Phone 7 users not to be excluded from another growing network.

Update: or maybe not. Contrary to TNW’s report, ChatON on Facebook says they currently have no plans to develop for WP7.

ChatON’s FB team does not know what’s going on in the labs, but it seems we should not hold our breath.

Thanks Michael for the tip.

Via TNW.com

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Samsung Trying To Copy Nokia Lumia Taxi Marketing Program In India

December 28, 2011 | By Pradeep

Nokia is promoting its Lumia Windows Phone devices heavily in India. Starting from newspapers, magazines, Internet, shopping malls and some innovative marketing practices such as offering Lumia Taxi drives, Copter rides, etc,. The Nokia Lumia Taxis offer free ride for people to their destinations or they can choose to any other Nokia planned surprise places such as Helicopter rides, etc,. Now Samsung is following Nokia’s footsteps by introducing Samsung Omnia W Taxi’s in competition to Lumia Taxis. Let the marketing war between Nokia and Samsung begin ! !

FYI, Nokia Lumia 710 and Samsung Omnia W competes directly in their class of devices with both of them offered around Rs.17,000-Rs.20000.

Source: Fonearena

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Samsung mocks iPhone buyers

November 23, 2011 | By Surur

There is a very real war going on between Samsung and Apple; in the market, where Samsung recently overtook Apple as biggest smartphone shipper, and the courts, where Samsung is uniformly being hammered.

Samsung has now taken it to the airwaves, with a commercial mocking dedicated iPhone buyers who actually queue for each new iteration of the device, even if its only marginal, like the iPhone 4S.

While Samsung is not promoting anything Windows Phone in the ad, I think our readers can appreciate running into both Android and iPhone users who would never dream of trying a Windows Phone, despite the better experience, simply because of their allegiance to their current OS.

Do our readers think Microsoft should be running a similar campaign, or would it make Microsoft look bad? Let us know below.

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