iPhone Cruncher

Samsung Electronics Announces Second Quarter 2011 Results

- Consolidated operating profit reaches 3.75 trillion won on revenues of 39.44 trillion won

SEOUL, Korea – July 29, 2011 – Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. today announced revenues of 39.44 trillion Korean won on a consolidated basis for the second quarter ended June 30, 2011, a 4-percent increase year-on-year. For the quarter, the company posted consolidated net income of 3.51 trillion won, representing an 18-percent decrease year-on-year. Consolidated operating profit for the quarter was 3.75 trillion won.

In its earnings guidance disclosed on July 7, Samsung estimated second-quarter consolidated revenues would reach approximately 39 trillion won with an operating profit of 3.7 trillion won.

By business segment, Telecommunications drove revenue growth in the second quarter, with sales rising 43 percent year-on-year due to strong demand for Samsung’s GALAXY SII smartphone and other mobile devices. Digital Media Appliances saw sales increase from the previous quarter supported by improved demand for flat panel TVs.

Operating profit declined year-on-year from the record-setting second quarter of 2010, as weakened demand reduced margins in the Semiconductor and Display Panel businesses. The bottom line was supported by an operating profit of 1.67 trillion won from the Telecommunications businesses.

“Despite the challenging business environment and global economic uncertainties, we achieved continued year-on-year revenue growth in the second quarter driven by mobile device sales, particularly the success of our smartphones,” said Robert Yi, Vice President and Head of Samsung Electronics’ Investor Relations Team. “Heading into the third quarter – which typically sees increased consumer demand for electronics – we expect competition to remain tight, and will continue to enhance our cost competitiveness and technology leadership in the components businesses.”

Capital expenditure for the second quarter was 5.6 trillion won, bringing the total investment for the first six months of 2011 to 11.2 trillion won. Samsung said the annual projected capex of 23 trillion won remained unchanged, however a shift in allocation to increase semiconductor and reduce LCD investment was possible.

Weak Memory Demand Sees Profit Decline

Samsung’s Semiconductor businesses recorded a consolidated operating profit of 1.79 trillion won in

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Rumors and Apple go together like summer and baseball. They are virtually inseparable. One of the prevailing Apple rumors right now is that the iPhone 5 will launch sometime in September. If that rumor comes true, smartphone rivals better buckle up because it could be a bumpy ride.

A recent survey found that 35 percent of consumers plan to get an iPhone 5 when it becomes available–and that is sight unseen with no official confirmation of its form or features. That is too large a number to be easily dismissed as Apple fanboys just trading their old iPhone for a new one.

The elusive iPhone 5 may soon be here and could create quite a frenzy.With somewhere in the neighborhood of 300 million mobile phone users in the United States, 35 percent represents more than 100 million customers anxious to grab an iPhone 5. With some estimates suggesting there are currently 50 million iPhone users out there, Apple could double its market share with the new model.

We already have the iPhone 4, and there are plenty of Android and Windows Phone 7 smartphones that are equivalent, and even superior in some ways. So, why is the iPhone 5 creating such a frenzy?

iPhone 3GS Holdouts. When the iPhone 4 launched, there was a bit of controversy over the antenna, and the proximity sensor, and more. As successful as it has been, the initial stumbling of the iPhone 4 turned a lot of people off. Many iPhone 3GS users have held on to their trusty smartphone, and have waited patiently for the iPhone 5 to come along.

Verizon Holdouts. When Verizon got the iPhone 4 earlier this year, it was a huge success. However, many Verizon customers

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In the last year, without introducing a new handset model, Apple has gone from being responsible for half of the mobile industry’s profits, to accounting for two-thirds of that growing pile of cash. The analysts over at Asymco came to that conclusion after compiling all major handset makers’ second-quarter 2011 earnings data, and posted some great graphs depicting the mobile profit landscape on Friday.

As the graph above shows, the picture today is quite different from 2007, when Apple first introduced the iPhone, and Nokia was the undisputed king of mobile. Four years later, of the top mobile vendors, Apple has two-thirds of the profits.

It’s also interesting that while Samsung is hot on Apple’s trail in smartphone sales (with just over 19 million sold last quarter compared to Apple’s 20 million), the Galaxy-maker is far behind Apple when it comes to actually reaping profits from device sales, with just 15 percent of mobile profits for the quarter. After Samsung comes beleaguered RIM with 11 percent, and HTC with 7 percent.

Check out Asymco for a full breakdown of the industry’s most recent quarter.

Thumbnail courtesy of Flickr user Tracy O. Chart from Asymco.

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The Straits Times is launching its iPad app on Monday (Aug 1) to reach readers who are increasingly spending more time on their mobile devices. Singapore’s largest newspaper will also be releasing an enhanced iPhone app that day. Mobile editor Zuraimie Ismail for the ST iPad launch. — ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM

THE Straits Times is launching its iPad app on Monday to reach readers who are increasingly spending more time on their mobile devices. Singapore’s largest newspaper will also be releasing an enhanced iPhone app that day.

Both apps, which can be downloaded from the Apple iTunes App Store, will provide content in the print edition for free for five weeks until Sept 7.

After this, a new pricing package will be launched for the print and digital editions – specifically, access on the iPad, iPhone and on the ST website. Details will be announced towards the end of the free trial.

Mr Han Fook Kwang, Editor of the Straits Times, said: ‘We want more people to be able to access the rich content in The Straits Times on their iPhone and iPad. We promise to deliver it with the same commitment to quality and credibility that has made our paper the most widely-read in Singapore.’

Mr Patrick Daniel, editor-in-chief of Singapore Press Holdings’ English and Malay Newspapers Division, said: ‘The pricing package will be a major step forward for the group, and will position us for the future. For now, we want as many readers to try our new apps for free.’

The launch of the ST iPad and enhanced iPhone apps comes after the success of the earlier ST iPhone app, which has garnered 350,000 downloads since its launch in January 2009.

Photo gallery

Compiled By K Chen

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As the new school year approaches, the question I get asked most often is, “Should I buy a laptop or a tablet?” Apple’s Steve Jobs has asserted that we are living in a “post-PC world.” Is it really possible to replace a laptop with the smaller and, many would say, cooler iPad?

To test the theory, I traveled to Florida with my 2-year old, bearing my iPad 2 but no laptop. When an article needed editing, I realized that while it would be possible for the iPad to do everything I needed, it wasn’t going to work for me straight out of the box. It needed modification.

If you are considering ditching your laptop, whether it’s for a trip or for good, here’s my guide to making it possible.

The touch screen is definitely my favorite feature of a tablet. After a few moments of navigating, I promise that you’ll retire your mouse once and for all. But typing on glass takes some getting used to, and the first long email or document you try to create one pecking finger at a time will leave you yearning for your keyboard.

The Logitech Keyboard Case by Zagg ( www.zagg.com ) would have made my life a whole lot easier. This thin, lightweight case has an integrated Bluetooth keyboard that you can activate when you need it, but it won’t weigh you down when you don’t. The flat base lets you type on uneven surfaces, such as your lap, and function keys allow for easy music and volume control. The aluminum cover blends seamlessly with the iPad’s unique look, letting you gain functionality without losing your cool.

With or without a keyboard, creating or editing a document or spreadsheet on your iPad isn’t going to be easy unless you make an aftermarket modification. Microsoft Office isn’t available on the iPad, but Apple’s iWork suite will give you most of its functionality at a fraction of the cost. Pages, Numbers and Keynote handily replace Word, Excel and PowerPoint , and cost $5 each through the

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Welcome back to iPhone 5 rumors. Newly posted images on a British tech site purport to show a next-gen iPhone with a bigger screen and greater touch sensitivity, among other improvements. If these iPhone 5 rumors are genuine, they could tell us a lot about the upcoming device.

IPhone 5 rumors point to a new look for Apple’s popular smartphone.

Newscom

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So why is the blogosphere buzzing about these pictures? If they’re genuine — and, to be fair, that’s a big if — we can infer quite a bit about what the next-generation iPhone will look like.

RELATED: Is Apple declaring war on DVDs?

First up: the display. These new images appear to show a 4-inch display (the current iPhone’s is 3.5 inches) housed in the same-sized body. The bezel is almost entirely gone; the screen stretches from edge to edge and nearly from top to bottom. The images also appear to show an oval-shaped, touch-sensitive area along the phone’s bottom border, in the space occupied by the physical home button on the current iPhone. This squares with an earlier rumor from tech site Thisismynext, which reported that the home button could be doing “double duty” as a gesture area.

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Apple’s iPhone 4.

(Credit:
Apple)

Hang on to your hats, because there’s another rumored release date for Apple’s next-generation
iPhone.

The latest comes from the China Times (translation), which says that Apple plans to produce 4 million units of the device following a production run of 400,000 test units. That’s all to ready the device for a release in the second week of September.

Other tidbits from the report, which was picked up this morning by Macrumors, include Apple purportedly working to ready another version of the
iPad to bring to market “before Thanksgiving.” That would give Apple a late-year product launch that–as the last two iPad launches have proven–would make for a tough-to-get gadget during the frenzied holiday shopping season.

The China Times report has some weight in terms of timing. Apple has made a habit of holding its annual
iPod-focused music event in September, usually during that first or second week of the month. Apple has also promised to release iOS 5 in “the fall,” which officially begins a few weeks later.

Turning to CNET’s lovingly updated iPhone 5 rumor roundup, this is the latest in a series of September mentions, the earliest being a Reuters report saying that the new device would be ready to go by then. In early May, Jefferies Co. analyst Peter Misek weighed in, saying something akin to an iPhone 3GS-like update would be hitting store shelves in September. That was followed just a few days later by a Digitimes report, echoing the same timeline and noting that it would be an incremental update.

In late June, a Bloomberg report said that a new iPhone would be hitting in September to coincide with iOS 5′s debut. Digitimes followed, saying Apple had actually placed an order for 15 million of the devices in time for a September release, well above what China Times is now reporting. All this was topped off with

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We haven’t seen the HTC Ignite or Prime since March, but a new leak from cell phone retailer The Phone House suggests that HTC is planning to launch both handsets in the near future. The phones will pack Microsoft’s Windows Phone operating system, presumably the Mango release, but it is unclear when they will hit the market. If we were betting men we would wager that both handsets will launch in the early fall, when Microsoft has said it will deploy Mango to existing handsets. Earlier this week, the Redmond-based company announced that it has already released the operating system update to manufacturers, so we’re expecting to see a number of new Windows Phone leaks to start cropping up.

Thanks, Andrew

[Via Tweakers.net]

Read

Tags: fall, HTC, Ignite, leak, Mango, PRIME, QWERTY, release, retailer, rumor, September, The Phone Store, Windows Phone

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Motorola Mobility Announces Second-Quarter Financial Results

Second Quarter Financial Highlights

Net revenues of $3.3 billion, up 28 percent from second quarter 2010
GAAP net loss of $0.19 per share compared to net earnings of $0.27 per share in second quarter 2010
Non-GAAP earnings of $0.09 per share compared to $0.30 loss in second quarter 2010
Mobile Devices revenues of $2.4 billion, up 41 percent from second quarter 2010; GAAP operating loss of $85 million; non-GAAP operating loss of $31 million
Shipped 11.0 million mobile devices, including 4.4 million smartphones and 440,000 tablets
Home revenues of $907 million, up 2 percent from second quarter 2010; GAAP operating earnings of $62 million; non-GAAP operating earnings of $90 million
Click here for printable press release and financial tables.

LIBERTYVILLE, Ill. – July 28, 2011 – Motorola Mobility Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: MMI) today reported net revenues of $3.3 billion in the second quarter of 2011, up 28 percent from the second quarter of 2010. The GAAP net loss in the second quarter of 2011 was $56 million, or $0.19 per share, compared to net earnings of $80 million, or $0.27 per share, in the second quarter of 2010. On a non-GAAP basis, the net earnings in the second quarter of 2011 were $26 million, or $0.09 per share, compared to a loss of $87 million, or $0.30 per share, in the second quarter of 2010.

Total cash at the end of the quarter was $3.2 billion and includes cash, cash equivalents and cash deposits, and operating cash flow was breakeven for the quarter.

Details on non-GAAP adjustments and the use of non-GAAP measures are included later in this press release and in the financial tables.

“In the second quarter, Mobile Devices launched several new smartphones in the U.S. and markets around the world. Revenues grew over 40 percent driven largely by Latin America and China where sales more than doubled year over year. Our Home business delivered another strong performance, and we introduced several innovative products and services for next generation multi-screen video solutions,” said Sanjay Jha, chairman and chief

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J.D. Power and Associates announced on Thursday that Verizon Wireless ranked highest in the company’s 2011 Wireless Customer Care Performance Study, Volume 2. The carrier’s overall score was 770/1000, which was above the average 761 score in the ‘full service’ category. T-Mobile came in second place with a score of 766, followed by Sprint (752) and ATT (751). J.D. Power and Associates also noted that non-contract customers have shorter wait times than customers with contracts (5.5 minutes versus 4.4 minutes). “There is also a disparity between the contract and non-contract segments in terms of the quality of the experience with the service representative,” J.D. Power and Associates senior director of wireless services Kirk Parsons said. “In particular, non-contract customers are considerably less satisfied than are contract customers in the areas of knowledge about plans; personal concern for customers; and apathy towards customers.” Boost Mobile ranked the best among non-contract carriers with a score of 763. Read on for the full press release.

LATEST J.D. POWER AND ASSOCIATES STUDY RANKS VERIZON WIRELESS HIGHEST IN CUSTOMER CARE

Survey Places Company First Among Major National Providers In U.S. Wireless Industry

BASKING RIDGE, N.J. – Verizon Wireless, provider of the nation’s largest and most reliable 3G network and the fastest, most advanced 4G LTE network in the world, has been ranked highest in customer care among the major national wireless phone service providers in J.D. Power and Associates’ 2011 Wireless Customer Care Performance StudySM – Volume 2, released today.

Verizon Wireless received a score of 770, which led the segment and was above the industry average.  The study was based on feedback gathered from wireless customers of the four major U.S. providers by J.D. Power and Associates in the first six months of 2011.

“Our goal at Verizon Wireless has consistently been to offer an outstanding customer experience, and our standing in this latest survey is yet one more signal that our customers vote us the best

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