Tuesday, April 30, 2024

Galaxy S23 series getting a new April 2024 update outside Europe

Galaxy S23 series getting a new April 2024 update outside Europe

Samsung is rolling out a second April 2024 software update for the Galaxy S23 series in some markets. This update is different from the second April update that was released to the Galaxy S23 and other Galaxy smartphones in Europe a few days back and included 4G-related changes applicable only to devices bought in the region.

For Galaxy S23, S23+, and S23 Ultra users in other regions, the newer April update seems to be focused on security enhancements. However, it comes with the same security patch version as the previous update, so it's unclear if it actually brings something new to the 2023 flagship.

The UAE appears to be the first market to get this new update–sporting a build number ending in CXD8–for the Galaxy S23 series, though we can assume that it will eventually be released in other markets as well. Once that happens, you can be sure you will hear about it here on SamMobile.

You will be able to download this new update on your Galaxy S23, S23+, or S23 Ultra over the air by going to the phone's Settings » Software update menu and selecting Download and install. We will also have the complete firmware files for the update, which can be used to manually update a device using a Windows PC, available in our firmware archive.

Own a Galaxy S22, S22+, or S22 Ultra, the predecessors to the fantastic Galaxy S23 series phones? Look forward to the massive One UI 6.1 update that's expected to go live for all of Samsung's 2022 flagships in early May and will bring many of the Galaxy S24's fancy AI features with it. Flagship Galaxy devices from 2021 will also get the update in the same month.

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Wear OS smartwatch market share grows, thanks to Samsung

Wear OS smartwatch market share grows, thanks to Samsung

There's some good news for Samsung and the Wear OS segment overall. A new report indicates that sales of Wear OS-based smartwatches will improve considerably this year. This will come at the expense of Apple's WatchOS, which is quite interesting.

Wear OS smartwatches sales to increase in 2024

According to a new report from Counterpoint Research, Wear OS's market share will increase by 6 percentage points to 27% in 2024. Last year, Wear OS's market share was 21%, while watchOS's was 53%. This year, Wear OS seems to be attracting more users as more Android users find premium smartwatch experiences.

Wear OS Smartwatch Market Share 2023 2024 Counterpoint Research

Wear OS sales are estimated to improve by 37% compared to 2023, which is a great sign for the whole Wear OS market. After years of bad performance and glitchy software, Fossil was forced to leave the Wear OS (and the whole smartwatch) market. Samsung worked with Google to launch Wear OS 3, which brought new life to the operating system and gave it the much-needed stability and marketing. Had Samsung not decided to come back to the Android-based smartwatch market, Wear OS would have been in extremely bad shape. Google has also been actively adding more features to Wear OS and managing to bring more apps.

Google also launched its own smartwatch, the Pixel Watch. Recently, OnePlus, OPPO, and Xiaomi started making smartwatches based on the Wear OS platform. They, along with Samsung, will help grow the Wear OS market. This could help improve the overall experience for Android users and the quality of the Android ecosystem. However, wear OS still needs some improvements, especially in terms of battery life and integration with Android smartphones, Google TV devices, and wireless earbuds.

Anshika Jain, Senior Research Analyst at Counterpoint Research, said, “Just as in the case of smartphones, where there is a shift toward premium devices in consumer buying patterns, we are witnessing that first-time smartwatch users or upgraders in the Android camp are now looking for a much better user experience and are willing to spend more when going for their next purchase. Due to this, we expect greater adoption of Google’s Android Wear (Wear OS) since these devices provide a robust third-party app experience, Google AI assistant, and precise health tracking, customization, and battery optimization.

You can watch our review of the best Samsung smartwatch right now, the Galaxy Watch 6 Classic, in the video below.

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Samsung to fix NavStar’s nasty bug with One UI 6.1

Samsung to fix NavStar’s nasty bug with One UI 6.1

Samsung’s NavStar app, a module for the company’s Good Lock app, provides you with additional options to customize the navigation bar on top of the ones that One UI offers. Unfortunately, there’s a bug in NavStar on One UI 6.0 that has been annoying people quite a lot lately. According to them, when NavStar is activated, the buttons in the navigation bar sometimes change their positions as soon as they open the keyboard, causing them to press the wrong button. Well, Samsung has responded to the issue.

On Samsung’s Community forum for Korea, a person complained that when NavStar is activated, the buttons in the navigation bar change position as soon as they open the keyboard, as you can see in the images below (via SammyFans). In response to that complaint, a moderator for Good Lock said that the company is aware of the problem and that they will fix the issue with One UI 6.1.

We haven’t faced this issue on our Galaxy S23 and Galaxy S24+ running on One UI 6.1. So, Samsung seems to have fixed the problem with the new software customization. Unfortunately, One UI 6.1 is currently available for only a handful of Galaxy smartphones and tablets. The company will slowly make it available to the remaining devices over the next couple of months. So, if you are on One UI 6.0 and facing the issue mentioned above in NavStar, you will have to wait a little for the fix to arrive on your device.

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Apple Pencil for upcoming iPad Pro could be better than Samsung’s S Pen

Apple Pencil for upcoming iPad Pro could be better than Samsung’s S Pen

Apple and Samsung have been neck and neck with their respective styli offerings, with both featuring comfortable grip, tilt sensitivity, pressure sensitivity, and magnetic charging. It appears that Apple has set its sights on taking the Apple Pencil a couple of notches higher by adding a few additional features.

Next-generation iPad Pro to be compatible with Apple Pencil 3 with haptic feedback

A new report from Bloomberg claims that Apple will unveil its new iPad Pro lineup on May 7. It will reportedly feature a new type of OLED panel, the M4 chip, and a new Apple Pencil stylus. The company's new stylus could be named the Apple Pencil 3, and it will reportedly feature haptic feedback, squeeze detection, and Find My support.

Haptic feedback (vibration) will help offer a more realistic drawing and writing experience. It could also offer a different feel using different pencil models, like a digital paintbrush, pen, and crayon. This feature isn't available on the S Pen yet. The squeeze detection feature could open up many possibilities, including changing pen modes or other drawing and writing-related settings without having to open a separate menu on the screen. Moreover, Find My support will make finding a lost Apple Pencil easier.

Some rumors also claim that the upcoming Apple Pencil could have interchangeable tips, with different tips for specific use cases. Hopefully, this will force Samsung to up its game, as the company hasn't added any major features to the S Pen and Samsung Notes over the past few years.

The Galaxy Tab S10 series could debut later this year or early next year. Some rumors claim it will improve S Pen features and performance, including improved latency. It could also bring Gorilla Glass Armor for higher reflection resistance and

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7 fixes I hope to see with the One UI 6.1.1 update

7 fixes I hope to see with the One UI 6.1.1 update

We're a little over two months away from Samsung unveiling its latest Galaxy foldable phones, and with the Galaxy Z6 series should come a new One UI update.

Although Samsung hasn't made any official announcements on the matter, the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Z Flip 6 should ship with the One UI 6.1.1 update, which will bring incremental fixes over One UI 6.1 and polish existing features.

With that in mind, One UI 6.1.1 might not be a major release, but it has the potential to address some of One UI 6.1's issues and improve the user experience in many ways.

Many of us have been using One UI 6.1 on our Galaxy S24 devices for months, and we're looking forward to the day we get the next One UI update — whether it be One UI 6.1.1 or One UI 7. Either way, here are the seven fixes we hope One UI 6.1.1 brings.

Option to move Quick Toggle sections around

One UI 6 redesigned the quick toggle area and divided things into a few extra sections, which almost look like widgets.

This new design brings dedicated Wi-Fi and Bluetooth buttons at the top, screen options at the bottom, a smaller yet customizable quick toggle section, and two new “Smart View” and “Device Control” buttons.

The more traditional quick toggle segment remains customizable, but the rest of these new quick toggle sections in One UI 6.x are set in stone.

Needless to say, we hope that One UI 6.1.1 will include an option to allow users to move these different sections / quick toggle widgets around the quick toggle area.

More Generative Edit options

The Galaxy AI-powered Generative Edit tool is pretty magical when it works. It enables users to manipulate photos in new ways and in no time, but I wish it had a few extra features.

Back in January, I described Generative Edit as “brilliant, faulty, intuitive, and lacking all at once.” And my opinion hasn't changed.

But even though the underlying AI could use some improvements, that's not what I hope for the most. Instead, we're hoping One UI 6.1.1 would bring more tools to Generative Edit, such as: mirroring tools (an option to flip cropped objects), perspective tools, and ways to manipulate the brightness and contrast of cropped objects.

Notification Categories reinstated

One of the concerning changes introduced by One UI 6.1 has to do with Notification Categories. The latter is a fantastic feature that lets Galaxy device users quickly customize which types of notifications they can receive or block.

Although Notification Categories still exist in One UI 6.1, Samsung hid this feature and made it so that it first has to be turned on before it can be used.

Part of me fears this is a sign that Samsung intends to remove this feature altogether in the future, which I think would be a real shame, given that it is believed by many to be one of the best things about One UI.

With that in mind, I hope Samsung does a 180 and turns Notification Categories ON by default in One UI 6.1.1.

An easier way to switch between Voice Recorder modes

For reasons unknown, the One UI 6.1 update that Samsung rolled out earlier this year made it more difficult for Voice Recorder app users to switch between recording modes.

Instead of having the “Standard” and “Interview” recording options readily available, as they used to be, the newer versions of Voice Recorder tuck these two modes away inside a Settings screen that can be accessed through a Hamburger menu button.

It's far from intuitive, and it's hard to conceive why Samsung hid these options as it did, seeing how they can drastically change the quality of your voice recordings.

We're hoping that One UI 6.1.1 will bring the Standard and Interview Voice Recorder modes back into the forefront.

A way to save and manage Generative Wallpapers

One of the funner tools Samsung introduced with the Galaxy AI suite is Generative Wallpapers. It allows Galaxy device users to generate AI wallpapers based on keywords.

There are different styles, keywords, materials, colors, and themes users can choose from. On the one hand, the beauty of this system is that each AI-generated wallpaper is more or less unique. It's a one-of-a-kind.

On the other hand, the issue is that there's no way to save your favorite Generative Wallpapers, share, or manipulate them in any way. One UI 6.1 stores the most recent 15 Generative Wallpapers the user created and used, and then it starts overwriting them to make room for new creations.

Samsung's upcoming One UI 6.1.1 will hopefully address this shortcoming and allow users to manage and favor AI wallpapers for safekeeping.

A universal Galaxy AI ON/OFF toggle

Speaking of Galaxy AI, even though this tool can be a game-changer in specific use cases, not everyone wants to use AI-based systems on their mobile devices, whether because they haven't warmed up to the idea or they don't like having their voices and data being processed by some algorithm, especially somewhere in the cloud.

The “Advanced Intelligence” menu inside the Settings app in One UI 6.1 offers the option to turn off most Galaxy AI features individually or use on-device AI for a higher level of privacy.

However, it would be nice for One UI 6.1.1 to simplify this and introduce a universal Galaxy AI quick toggle that turns every Galaxy AI feature ON or OFF. Personally, I probably wouldn't find a lot of use for it, but I can see how it can potentially be valued by others. It could encourage people who don't like the idea of AI to keep using newer Galaxy phones and One UI versions without worry.

Other Galaxy AI improvements

Conversely, for people who enjoy Galaxy AI, we're all hoping that One UI 6.1.1 will improve this concept even further. Not just through bettering existing Galaxy AI features but by harnessing the power of AI in more ways.

As we detailed earlier today, some interesting ways in which Galaxy AI could become more useful would be through mail, prices, and package tracking, travel tips, mindfulness and wellbeing, as well as time and route management.

We're also hoping that Circle to Search could be assigned to the side key on Galaxy devices. Hopefully, One UI 6.1.1 will address some of these things.

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Samsung’s battery sales decline despite higher EV business

Samsung’s battery sales decline despite higher EV business

Samsung has a battery manufacturing division called Samsung SDI, which makes batteries for products ranging from smartphones to EVs. Earlier today, Samsung SDI announced its financial results for Q1 2024. The company's sales have fallen despite higher EV business, but the company vows to become a “global top-tier company by 2030.

Samsung SDI profits fall 38% in Q1 2024 due to higher competition

Samsung SDI announced its revenue was KRW 5.13 trillion ($3.7 billion) in Q1 2024. That's a 4% drop compared to Q1 2023. More importantly, its net profit fell KRW 267.4 billion ($193 million), a 29% decrease compared to the previous year. Compared to the previous quarter (Q4 2023), its revenue and operating profit fell 8% and 14%, respectively.

The company's small battery business, which includes smartphone batteries, saw a drop in sales, but its profitability increased due to its pivot to pouch batteries. The sales of pouch batteries increased due to higher sales of flagship smartphones from an unnamed customer. The sales of cylindrical batteries dropped due to inventory correction of major customers in the micro-mobility segment (e-bikes and e-scooters). The company plans to enter electric two-wheeler battery markets in India and other Southeast Asian countries.

Samsung SDI booth at EVS37

Sales and profit of its Energy Storage Solutions (ESS) decreased due to seasonality. The company expects sales to improve in the coming quarters, as it plans to expand the sales of Samsung Battery Box and batteries for Uninterrupted Power Supply (UPS) systems.

The sales of automotive batteries increased, resulting in higher profit in the EV battery segment. This is due to steady sales of P5 batteries for premium EVs and the launch of P6 batteries for the North American market. Automotive battery sales are estimated to remain solid with the expansion of P6 battery sales.

Samsung SDI CEO Yoon-ho Choi said, “By making hard efforts for a new level of change and innovation, the company will bring forward realizing its goal of being a global top-tier company by 2030.

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One UI 6.1 update will be here soon if you own one of these Galaxy devices

One UI 6.1 update will be here soon if you own one of these Galaxy devices

When One UI 5.1 made its debut on the Galaxy S23, S23+, and S23 Ultra last year, it was released for some older flagships before the Galaxy S23 series went on sale. The situation is completely different for One UI 6.1, which debuted with the Galaxy S24 lineup in January this year and took until late March to start rolling out to older devices.

Samsung is taking things real slow with One UI 6.1 and updating existing devices in batches. The first batch only included the flagship phones and tablets that were launched last year, and for a long time, we were left waiting for an official word on when One UI 6.1 would make it to devices launched before 2023. But Samsung is finally ready to get started with the second batch.

One UI 6.1 coming to these devices next, possibly in first week of May

You will soon be able to download One UI 6.1 if you own one of the following phones or tablets:

Samsung hasn't provided an exact One UI 6.1 release date for the devices listed above. But the company has suggested that the update could start rolling out in early May, possibly in the first week. A Canadian carrier listed May 3 as the date for the next software update for the Galaxy S22 lineup, the Z Fold 4, and Z Flip 4, and fingers crossed that update will include the latest version of One UI.

Samsung will likely make an official announcement once the update is ready to roll out to the aforementioned devices. Once it is live, you will be able to download One UI 6.1 via your phone or tablet's Settings » Software update » Download and install menu.

What features can you expect with latest version of One UI?

One UI 6.1 will bring almost all of the Galaxy AI features that are available on the Galaxy S24, Galaxy S24+, and Galaxy S24 Ultra, such as the ones listed below.

You can also expect smoother animations across the user interface with One UI 6.1. However, some One UI 6.1 features, including those that use AI, will not be made available for devices that launched before 2023.

Examples of features not coming to pre-2023 devices include wallpaper support for Always On Display, Super HDR viewing in the Gallery app, Dual Recording camera mode, and Instant Slow-mo. Samsung cites hardware limitations as the reason for restricting these features to newer phones and tablets.

2021 flagships may get One UI 6.1 in late May

Once Samsung is done distributing One UI 6.1 to the Galaxy S22 series, the Fold 4, the Flip 4, and the Galaxy Tab S8 series, it will turn its attention towards flagship devices from 2021, such as the Galaxy S21 series (including S21 FE), the Galaxy Z Fold 3, and the Z Flip 3. However, the update will not be exciting for those who own these devices, as they will get very few new features with One UI 6.1.

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Android 15 is copying this Circle to Search feature from One UI 6.1

Android 15 is copying this Circle to Search feature from One UI 6.1

Google launched Circle to Search (CtS) in January this year with the Galaxy S24 series smartphones. This feature allows you to search for anything on the screen by just drawing a circle around the object. The same month, Google introduced CtS on Pixel devices.

However, while CtS works even when you use applications in the split-screen mode on Galaxy device, that isn't the case on Pixel devices. But Google seems to be working on addressing that limitation with Android 15.

According to a new report, in the Android 15 beta on the Pixel 8 Pro, the Pixel Launcher (the app that powers the home screen and apps drawer) has a flag, that, when enabled, allows you to use Circle to Search even when you are using applications in the split-screen mode, just like Galaxy smartphone and tablets.

Currently, there’s no info on Google's plans to offer this feature in the stable version of Android 15, but we hope that it does as it would be a very useful addition. Fortunately, Samsung smartphone and tablet owners don’t have to wait for it, and it is one of many examples why many people prefer One UI over stock Android.

As of April 2024, Circle to Search is available on the Galaxy S24 series, the Galaxy S23 series, the Galaxy S23 FE, Galaxy Z Fold 5, Galaxy Z Flip 5, and the Galaxy Tab S9 lineup. In May, it will be coming to the Galaxy S22 and Galaxy S21 lineups, the Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Fold 4, Galaxy Z Flip 3 and Flip 4, and the Galaxy Tab S8 series through the One UI 6.1 update.

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Two new Gigabyte monitors with Samsung QD-OLED panels to be available soon

Two new Gigabyte monitors with Samsung QD-OLED panels to be available soon

At CES 2024, Gigabyte unveiled five gaming monitors with Samsung’s Quantum Dot OLED (QD-OLED) display panels: AORUS FO27Q3, AORUS FO32U2, AORUS FO32U2P, AORUS MO34WQC, and AORUS MO34WQC2. Back in February, the company made two of those five monitors available to purchase.

Now, Gigabyte has listed two more monitors among those five on its official website, AORUS MO34WQC and AORUS MO34WQC2, which not only reveals all their specifications but also suggests that the company is preparing to make them available for purchase soon. Let’s check out what they have to offer.

Gigabyte AORUS MO34WQC and AORUS MO34WQC features

The AORUS MO34WQC as well as the AORUS MO34WQC2 feature 34-inch QD-OLED display panels from Samsung Display. While the one on the AORUS MO34WQC has a 175Hz refresh rate, the one on the AORUS MO34WQC2 has a 240Hz refresh rate. The rest of the specifications of the two models are the same, including a 3,440 x 1,440 pixels resolution, 0.03ms GTG response time, 250 nits typical and 1,000 nits peak brightness, 99% DCI-P3 color gamut, and support for HDR with VESA DisplayHDR 400 True Black certification.

Both monitors feature 2x HDMI 2.1 ports, 1x DisplayPort 1.4 port, 1x USB Type-C port with Alternate Mode and 18W Power Delivery, 2 x USB 3.2 Type-A downstream ports, 1x USB 3.2 Type-A upstream port, 1x 3.5mm audio out port, and 1x 3.5mm microphone port. The AORUS MO34WQC as well as the AORUS MO34WQC2 have 2x 3W speakers in a stereo configuration, come with a stand that offers adjustments for height, tilt, and swivel, and offer many other useful features including OLED Care and a KVM switch.

Availability and pricing

Expect Gigabyte to make the AORUS MO34WQC and the AORUS MO34WQC2 available to purchase in the next couple of days or weeks. The company should announce the prices right before that happens. If you are in the market for QD-OLED gaming monitors, you could also take a look at Samsung’s QD-OLED monitors below.

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Samsung plans to start mass production of 2nm GAA chips next year

Samsung plans to start mass production of 2nm GAA chips next year

In the past few years, Samsung has seen a tremendous slowdown in its semiconductor chip foundry business. No big-name chip firm (apart from Samsung's System LSI division that makes Exynos chips) has used Samsung Foundry's 3nm and newer-generation 4nm process nodes. However, the company is still marching ahead with the development of newer chip process nodes, including 2nm nodes.

Samsung to start mass production of second-generation 3nm chips in 2024 and 2nm chips in 2025

A new report from Business Korea revealed that Samsung Foundry is developing next-generation Gate All Around (GAA) technology, which will be used in the company's 2nm process technology. The mass production of 2nm semiconductor chips based on this technology is planned for next year. The South Korean firm will reportedly present a paper on third-generation GAA technology, which will be used for 2nm chips, at the VLSI Symposium 2024 expo. This expo will be held in Hawaii, USA, from June 16 to 20, 2024.

The VLSI Symposium is among the top three global semiconductor conferences where top technologies in the field are discussed. The other two top semiconductor chip conferences are the International Electron Devices Meeting (IEDM) and the International Solid-State Circuits Conference (ISSCC).

Samsung Foundry 2nm FAA Technology

What is the advantage of GAA?

GAA is a new type of transistor design that improves current flow and power efficiency. It was introduced with the first-generation 3nm process node from Samsung Foundry. However, it hasn't been used by any other chip firm, including AMD, Apple, MediaTek, Nvidia, and Qualcomm. Samsung's own System LSI division is expected to be the first to use Samsung Foundry's 3nm process for its next-generation Exynos chips for phones and smartwatches.

Compared to chips fabricated on Samsung Foundry's 5nm process, first-generation 3nm GAA chips showcased a 16% area reduction, a 23% performance improvement, and 45% higher power efficiency. The second-generation 3nm process is estimated to offer a 35% area reduction in chip size, 30% performance improvement, and 50% better power efficiency. Third-generation GAA, which will be used in 2nm chips, will reportedly offer 50% area reduction and 50% higher performance.

Samsung's primary rival, TSMC, is yet to use Gate All Around technology in its advanced process nodes. Samsung plans to mass-produce second-generation 3nm GAA chips (like for the Galaxy S25) in the second half of this year. Intel and TSMC are expected to use GAA in their next-generation 2nm processes.

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Samsung profit jumps 933% to $4.8 billion in Q1 2024, beating estimates

Samsung profit jumps 933% to $4.8 billion in Q1 2024, beating estimates

Samsung has revealed its financial results for the first quarter of this year, a few weeks after revealing revenue estimates. The company revealed that its revenue rose 13% compared to Q1 2023, while its profit skyrocketed nearly 10x (933%) compared to the year earlier.

Samsung's profit jumps nearly 10x in Q1 2024, thanks to strong memory and smartphone sales

In Q1 2024, Samsung's revenue was KRW 71.92 trillion ($52.08 billion), while the operating profit was KRW 6.61 trillion ($4.78 billion). That's 13% more revenue and 933% higher profit compared to figures from Q1 2023. This massive rise in profit is due to higher memory chip and smartphone sales. Its semiconductor memory chip business returned to profit after nearly a year of losses, thanks to a rise in memory chip prices. The company's home appliances, smartphone, and TV divisions also posted higher earnings during the quarter.

Samsung Electronics Q1 2024 Earnings Revenue Profit

Smartphones

The company's smartphone division (Samsung MX) generated revenue of KRW 33.53 trillion ($24.27 billion) and an operating profit of KRW 3.51 trillion ($2.54 billion). While the market demand for mid-range and high-end phones decreased, Samsung improved its revenue and profit due to impressive sales of the Galaxy S24. The company says it maintained “solid double-digit profitability” due to resource optimization.

Samsung expects smartphone and tablet sales to decline in Q2 2024. However, sales are expected to increase in the second half of this year as consumer sentiment could improve, especially in emerging markets. Samsung MX aims to ship more phones annually than it did in 2023.

The company plans to improve wearable sales through new models and form factors (like the Galaxy Ring) and confirms plans to launch premium smartwatches.

Semiconductor Chips

Samsung DDR5 DRAM 12nm 16Gb Chips

The Samsung Device Solutions division, which oversees the design and manufacturing of semiconductor chips, posted a revenue of KRW 23.14 trillion ($16.75 billion) and an operating profit of KRW 1.91 trillion ($1.38 billion). Thanks to the ongoing AI boom, sales of DDR5 memory, HBM memory, and server SSDs increased, while sales of UFS 4.0 storage chips increased largely due to higher demand from Chinese smartphone brands. Samsung says that the memory business will remain strong throughout Q2 2024.

The System LSI business, which designs camera sensors, smartphone processors, and other components, saw increased sales. However, improvements in earnings have taken longer than expected as Display Driver Integrated Chips (DDI) sales have slowed due to slow panel demand. Samsung also announced its plans to launch a new wearable processor based on advanced technologies.

Samsung Foundry 3nm Semiconductor Chip Wafer

Samsung Foundry, the company's division that manufactures semiconductor chips, hasn't seen an improvement in sales. However, the company is continuously improving its technologies. Its 4nm process node finally has stable yields, while the development of 2nm and 3nm processes is claimed to be moving ahead smoothly. Apparently, Samsung Foundry has seen its highest-ever order backlog in the first quarter. It plans to start the mass production of second-generation 3nm chips in the second quarter, likely for the next-generation Exynos chips that will be used in the Galaxy S25.

Home Appliances & TVs

Samsung S95D QD-OLED TV South Korea Unbox And Discover 2024 Event

The company's home appliances and TV divisions posted revenue of KRW 13.48 trillion ($9.75 billion). Their operating profit reached KRW 0.53 trillion ($383 million) during the first quarter. The TV business posted higher profits compared to Q4 2023 despite weak TV sales globally, thanks to higher sales of premium models (Neo QLED TV, OLED TVs, and 75-inch or bigger TVs).

Demand for TVs is expected to remain weak in the second quarter, but sales are estimated to improve in the second half of the year.

Display Panels

Samsung QD-OLED Odyssey Gaming Monitor CES 2024

Samsung Display makes all kinds of display panels, including small and medium-sized OLED panels for laptops, smartphones, smartwatches, and tablets, as well as large-sized QD-OLED panels for monitors and TVs. This division's sales were KRW 5.39 trillion ($3.89 billion), and its operating profit was KRW 0.34 trillion ($245 million).

While it supplied smartphone and tablet OLED panels to major customers, its performance dropped due to intense price competition from Chinese OLED firms. Since TV sales have been weak globally, Samsung improved sales by introducing QD-OLED monitor panels.

Harman International

Samsung Harman Digital Cockpit 2021 Smart Car Displays

Samsung owns Harman International, which makes AKG, Harmon Kardon, Infinity Audio, and JBL audio products. This division also develops and sells connected car equipment, which is increasingly being used these days. Its sales were KRW 3.2 trillion ($2.3 billion), while its operating profit was KRW 0.24 trillion ($173 million). Its performance declined slightly due to an off-season.

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Samsung confirms it is bringing more premium Galaxy Watches

Samsung confirms it is bringing more premium Galaxy Watches

During its earnings announcement earlier today, Samsung revealed something important about its upcoming wearable devices, including the Galaxy Ring and future Galaxy Watches. The company revealed that it will bring more premium Galaxy Watches in the future.

Galaxy Watch 7 Ultra, anyone?

In its press statement, Samsung revealed that it plans to strengthen the Galaxy ecosystem by launching new wearable form factors, including the Galaxy Ring. It is also planning to launch new premium Galaxy Watches. The company may be hinting at the upcoming ‘Ultra' variant in the Galaxy Watch lineup. It was recently revealed that Samsung could launch three variants of the Galaxy Watch 7, and we exclusively revealed that one of the Galaxy Watch 7 variants will have a square(er) screen.

We also exclusively revealed that the Galaxy Watch 7 will have 32GB of internal storage. Previous reports also claimed that Samsung could bring a 3nm Exynos chip with the Galaxy Watch 7. Combining a new square design, an advanced 3nm chip, and double the storage capacity could result in a more premium experience, possibly rivaling the Apple Watch Ultra 2.

Samsung is also said to be working on a cheaper Galaxy Watch. It is reportedly named Galaxy Watch 4 (2024) and could launch this year. It could have only minor improvements over the original Galaxy Watch 4, which launched in 2021.

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