Samsung Galaxies – the specs, the evolution. Samsung’s Galaxy was first launched in 2010, and 20 million were sold. Samsung Galaxy S2 sold 28 million and was launched a year after that. Samsung Galaxy S3 was launched in 2012 and sold 50 million. Galaxy S4 was launched in 2013 and is available in 155 countries.

It seems that iPad Mini will find itself with yet another competitor in the near future – Galaxy Note 8. The tension between Apple and Samsung is heating up again, with Apple’s iPhone 6 (rumored) and Samsung’s Galaxy S4 both featuring wireless charging.

A potential patent dispute could arise between LG and Samsung, who recently launched the new Galaxy S4. It was revealed that some technologies in the new handset are similar to patents belonging to LG.

Galaxy S4 will be launched and have its first public appearance in New York City on March 14. What are some of its specs and what would it mean for fans of Samsung?

The Chinese government will strengthen its position in international trade and domestic performance by nurturing major electronics firms (and it this may threaten South Korean electronics companies). The Chinese government will support major electronics firms such as Huawei, Lenovo, Haier and ZTE until 2015. These companies are also leading the reconstructing and are expanding quickly in terms of both company size and net worth.

The likes of KT, SK Telecom and LG Uplus are the indicator of what was going to come from other operators of the world. Korean mobile operators have become the measurement for deciphering global trends. Needless to say, the profile of Korean carriers has increased significantly since 2011 when LTE networks were set up.

The Optimus LTE III apparently differs from the Optimus LTE II as it made significant improvements from the battery of Optimus LTE II (2,150 mAh) to 2,420 mAh battery. As seen in the picture, it will have flip covers like Galaxy Note series. Also, not only you will be able to expect 4G speeds and it will also be an economically competitive option for people who need a 4G smartphone at inexpensive costs.

Korean banks, like the new government are appearing to support economic growth by releasing funds designed to harness the economic value in intellectual property created by innovation in Korea’s SME sector. Of course this is great news for startups.

The Korean e-book market grew exponentially in 2012, and it will continue to grow. Kyobo Book Center, the biggest bookstore chain in Korea, has just launched a subscription-based e-book service called ‘Sam’.

1 in 3 North Americans use Korean smartphones. Apple was the number 1 smartphone vendor in the USA with 37.6% market share in 2012. LG and Samsung are catching up, and their sales in the US and Canada continue to grow. Who will be the no.1 smartphone vendor in the US in 2013?

We have talked a lot recently about the mounting rivalry between Korea’s two major messaging services, Line and Kakao talk. But recent developments demonstrate that this rivalry still allows for pragmatism when it comes to strategic business decisions.

Since November 2009, the global smartphone industry has seen many changes. ZTE and Huawei have both been gaining market share in the Chinese and overseas market, but why have these Chinese rivals not been active in releasing their smartphones in Korea and what are their plans for the future?

In 2011, the market was worth 76.2 billion KRW – in 2012, this figure increased to 216 billion KRW (approx. $198 million USD) with the growing presence of smartphones and high-speed internet and this year, it is expected that this figure will double to approximately 416 million KRW.

Counterpoint Technology Market Research reported that non-Japanese handset makers now surpassed the 50% mark in the Japanese handset market for the first time. This shows that consumers are moving away from local manufacturers for a wider array of mobile devices. Also, foreign players had a head start in introducing smartphones running on iOS and Android platforms. Apple is leading the race with 16%, and the quarterly figure marks an increase from 10% in 2011. Samsung…

LG was the world’s fifth-largest handset maker last year, with a 3.3% market share. Is this about to change in the next couple of years however? This year, LG plans to promote a follow-up series of the line-up in these continents without a high long-term evolution penetration. They will reveal the second series of the L3, L5 and L7 models at the Mobile World Congress 2013. It will be interesting to see how they change the dynamics, considering LG’s success with OLED panels.

Display Search announced that the OLED (Organic Light-Emitting Diode) TV panel market in Korea is expected to grow to around $3 billion in 2015. LG Display officials announced that “[they] will continue to secure new sources of competitiveness to set up entry barriers that [their] competitors will not be able to break through.” We have identified 6 major reasons why we think LG will be the dominant player in the global TV…

Dubbed “Galaxy S4,” the phone is expected to be unveiled at the launch ceremony held in New York City. Samsung has yet to announce the official plan about the S4 launch, but rumors anticipate that the new model will have a 4.99-inch HD screen based on AMOLED technology and will have incorporated a variety of cutting-edge solutions.

We mentioned in an earlier article regarding the acquisitions Daum and Kakao are making. Recently, the two Korean giants have acquired Dialoid and Sunnysoft respectively. Read more here.

beSUCCESS covers weekly news in Korea, 18 Feb.

Daum communications and Kakao will be making a series of startups acquisitions. This is to increase their competitive edge in terms of mobile services. The two Korean giants have acquired Dialoid and Sunnyloft respectively. What are the implications for startups and the startup ecosystem?