Archives January 2024

Samsung is planning to start manufacturing laptops at its Noida factory in India in 2024. According to a report by news agency PTI, the President of the Korean electronics major and Head of its Mobile Experience (MX) Business TM Roh said that India is an important manufacturing base for Samsung. Roh also confirmed that the preparation for the laptop manufacturing is in progress in India.

Read what Samsung chief said about the Noida plant

During his India visit, Roh said: “We will start manufacturing laptops this year at the Noida factory.Preparations are already underway. Noida is a very important production base for Samsung. It is the second-largest base for Samsung. There may be some changes at the plant to optimise it as per the global demand, but what remains unchanged is the fact that it is an important base for us.”
He added: “We are cooperating very closely with the Indian government as well as the Samsung team in India, and obviously the cooperation has been quite beneficial. And by maintaining such good cooperation, we will be able to find ourselves in a better situation.”“And when we look at the global smartphone market, there has been negative growth last year. But, this year, we believe there is also going to be growth coming from the premium and high-end segment much faster than the overall market average,” Roh noted.

Samsung’s ‘Made-in-India’ devices

Samsung recently launched its flagship Galaxy S24 series smartphone. The latest premium smartphone comes with a key focus on artificial intelligence capability in the device. Samsung has announced that it will also manufacture Galaxy S24 at its Noida factory. The ‘Made-in-India’ Galaxy S24 series models have gone on sale today (January 31).
Samsung already manufactures laptops at its China and Vietnam plants. Apart from laptops, Samsung already manufactures several other devices in its Noida plant. This includes feature phones, smartphones, wearable and tablets. Now, the company will start manufacturing laptops in this plant starting this year.

Samsung Electronics flagged a continued recovery in memory chips and tech demand in 2024, after reporting a 34 percent drop in fourth-quarter profit despite a memory price rebound as consumer demand remained weak in many businesses.

The world’s biggest maker of memory chips said it expected mobile and PC makers to place more, better chips in devices as use of artificial intelligence expands, while the need to replace older servers would also aid a gradual demand recovery.

“In 2024, the memory business expects the market to continue to recover despite various potential obstacles, including interest rate policies and geopolitical issues,” Samsung said in a statement.

Samsung said operating profit fell to KRW 2.8 trillion ($2.11 billion or roughly Rs. 17,522 crore) in October-December, versus KRW 4.3 trillion (roughly Rs. 26,790 crore) a year earlier.

For the full year, its chip business swung to a record loss of KRW 14.9 trillion in 2023 (roughly Rs. 92,845 crore) from a KRW 23.8 trillion (roughly Rs. 1,48,273 crore) profit a year earlier, hit by an unprecedented downturn caused by weak demand for gadgets that use chips.

However, fourth-quarter losses shrank to 2.18 trillion won in the fourth quarter, lower than every other quarterly loss in 2023 in the business that has historically been Samsung’s cash cow as Chinese PC and mobile makers began to restock chips and memory chip prices rebounded.

Cross-town rival SK Hynix also said last week chip prices would improve this year as clients would need to restock and manufacturers would continue to cut legacy chip production.

Samsung said its memory business would focus on cutting-edge chips including high bandwidth memory (HBM) and server products used for generative AI this year.

Looking to catch up with SK Hynix in memory chips used for generative AI, Samsung held its 2023 capital spending steady on the previous year partly to expand production capacity of those chips, while SK Hynix and Micron cut investment.

SK Hynix was first to develop the latest version called HBM3 and has AI-chip leader Nvidia as a client, but Samsung is working to bring yields up for its HBM3 and future HBM3E products, analysts said.

“Given it said it is set to produce those advanced chips in the first half of this year, the market will be watching for how much of a meaningful presence Samsung can secure this year,” said Ko Yeongmin, analyst at Daol Investment & Securities.

Mobile rebound

The mobile devices business booked a 2.73 trillion won operating profit in the fourth quarter, up from 1.7 trillion won a year earlier on stronger demand for pricier smartphones, more tablet shipments with new product releases and demand for wearable devices during the peak holiday season.

In 2023, Apple ended Samsung’ 12-year run as the world’s top seller of smartphones, snaring a 20 percent market share as demand for premium phones outpaced those of more affordable models, according to a report from International Data Corp.

However, Samsung plans to grow annual flagship smartphone shipments at a double-digit rate this year, helped by its latest premium smartphones with AI functions in a push to challenge Apple.

It also plans to solidify its lead in foldable phones, as competitors like Alphabet’s Google, Motorola and China’s Honor and Oppo increase their foldable offerings.

Among the businesses that remained vulnerable to weak consumer demand were Samsung’s chip contract manufacturing, TV and home appliance units.

Samsung’s share price fell 1.4 percent in morning trade versus a 0.3 percent drop in the benchmark index after earnings results from its customers Microsoft, Alphabet and AMD missed expectations, analysts said.

Its shares rose 42 percent in 2023 on expectations of improved memory chip demand but have fallen about 5 percent year-to-date.

© Thomson Reuters 2024

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In a move aimed at bolstering the mobile phone manufacturing sector in India, the government has slashed the import duty on certain components used in the production of smartphones. The finance ministry said in a notification on Tuesday (January 30) that the import duty on some items crucial for mobile phone assembly has been reduced from 15% to 10%.
Furthermore, the import duty on inputs utilised to manufacture these components has been cut to zero, news agency Reuters cited the notification as saying.
Parts on which import duty is waived
The components on which the import duty has been reduced include battery covers, main camera lenses, back covers, as well as other mechanical components made of plastic and metal, GSM antennas, and various other parts.
What is means for ‘Made in India’ initiative
This decision is likely to benefit major players like Apple and Xiaomi, both of which have significant manufacturing operations in the country. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s push to position India as a prominent smartphone manufacturing hub has already attracted investments from global giants such as Samsung, Vivo, and Xiaomi.
Despite these efforts, the high import duties on mobile phone parts remained a concern, with India having the highest duties among six comparable manufacturing nations, including China, Vietnam, Mexico and Thailand.
A previous report by the news agency hinted at India’s contemplation of duty cuts on some components for assembling high-end mobile phones in the country.
On the development, the India Cellular and Electronics Association (ICEA) said that the move would render India’s mobile phone manufacturing landscape more competitive.
It has been reported that the surge in mobile companies manufacturing in India has already worked in the country’s favour, with mobile phone exports from the country doubling year-on-year to $11.1 billion in the fiscal year ending March 2023. As per industry estimates, this figure is expected to further rise to $15 billion in the current fiscal year, underscoring the growing significance of India’s role in the global mobile phone market.

The brutal layoff spree in the tech industry is showing no sings of going away anytime soon. PayPal has announced that it will lay if 9% of its total workforce. As per a report by Bloomberg, PayPal has close to 29,900 employees. This means that around 2,500 roles will be eliminated.
Alex Chriss, president and CEO, PayPal sent a memo to all the employees.“Today, I am writing to share the difficult news that we will be reducing our global workforce by approximately 9% through both direct reductions and the elimination of open roles over the course of the year,” said Chriss in the memo. Here’s Chriss’s letter to employees in full:

“In our last Global All Hands, I shared that to build a growth organisation and unlock our true potential, we need to be honest about how we can improve. During the last few months, I have spent as much time as possible with as many of you as possible to learn about our company’s great strengths, as well as where we need to move faster, where we need to change, and what we need to do to instill a culture of innovation that returns our company to the true position of strength it deserves.

While I have been encouraged by the innovation our team is delivering, we must execute faster and ensure we are focused on solving our customers’ most critical needs and problems. Specifically, across our organisation, we need to drive more focus and efficiency, deploy automation, and consolidate our technology to reduce complexity and duplication. We have started on that journey, but there is a lot of work to do – and 2024 marks a year of change, including some difficult but necessary decisions to get us to where we need to go.

Today, I am writing to share the difficult news that we will be reducing our global workforce by approximately 9% through both direct reductions and the elimination of open roles over the course of the year. We are doing this to right-size our business, allowing us to move with the speed needed to deliver for our customers and drive profitable growth. At the same time, we will continue to invest in areas of the business we believe will create and accelerate growth.

If your role is included in this workforce reduction, you will be notified between today and the end of the week. These decisions were not easy to make, and we are undertaking these actions with tremendous care and consideration. All decisions are subject to consultation, where required by law. True to our values, we will support our employees’ transitions with the utmost respect, support, and compassion.

PayPal has significant potential to create substantial value for our employees, our customers, and shareholders. Over the next year, we will work together to maximise our reach, scale, and resources, so that we can have an even greater impact for the customers we serve.

I am confident that our PayPal community will come through this period even stronger, and I am optimistic about the future we will create together.

Alex”

A new online scam has emerged, wherein scammers entice individuals to compose restaurant reviews on Google and provide ratings, only to abscond with their money. A West Sagarpur resident recently complained to the National Cybercrime Reporting portal, revealing that he was contacted by a woman via WhatsApp. This woman presented an opportunity to earn money by evaluating restaurants on Google.Falling victim to the scheme, the complainant subsequently transferred over Rs 23 lakh in anticipation of substantial returns.
Here’s all you need to know about the new online scam.
What is the scam about
A “write restaurant review on Google” scam typically involves offering people money or rewards to write fake, often positive, reviews for restaurants on Google Maps. This practice is deceitful and harmful for several reasons:
For the restaurant:
* Misleading reputation: Fake reviews paint an inaccurate picture of the restaurant’s service, food, and atmosphere, potentially deterring genuine customers and damaging the restaurant’s reputation.
* Unfair competition: Paid positive reviews give that restaurant an unfair advantage over competitors, potentially driving business away from them.
For consumers:
* Misinformed decisions: Fake reviews manipulate consumers by providing unreliable information, leading them to potentially disappointing experiences and wasted money.
* Trust issues: The prevalence of fake reviews undermines the overall credibility of online review platforms, making it harder for consumers to find reliable information.
For everyone:
* Violation of platform policies: Google, and other platforms, explicitly prohibit fake reviews and actively work to detect and remove them. Participating in this scam puts you at risk of account suspension or termination.
* Legal ramifications: Depending on the severity and intent, writing fake reviews could even be considered a criminal offence in some cases.
Types of “Write Restaurant Review on Google” scams:
* Offers money or rewards for positive reviews, regardless of the experience.
* Creating multiple fake accounts to leave multiple positive reviews for the same restaurant.
* Using software or bots to automatically generate fake reviews.
* Targeting vulnerable groups like students or unemployed individuals in need of quick cash.
How to stay safe:
* Be wary of deals or offers that seem too good to be true, especially those promising quick money for writing online reviews.
* Never write reviews for restaurants you haven’t visited.
* Report any suspected fake reviews to Google through their review reporting system.

A new law called the Disrupt Explicit Forged Images and Non-Consensual Edits (DEFIANCE) Act is being proposed by US senators from both political parties. The law would make it illegal to share nonconsensual, sexualised images created by artificial intelligence without the subject’s permission. This new law comes after the artificial intelligence-generated explicit pictures of Taylor Swift flooded the internet, especially X (formerly Twitter).
Lawmakers say that they want to address the problem of AI-generated content that invades people’s privacy and causes harm. The proposed legislation aims to provide legal protection for victims of “digital forgeries” or non-consensual pictures that depict them in nude or sexually explicit situations. The bill has garnered support from US Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin, as well as Senators Lindsey Graham, Amy Klobuchar, and Josh Hawley.
“Nobody – neither celebrities nor ordinary Americans – should ever have to find themselves featured in AI pornography. Innocent people have a right to defend their reputations and hold perpetrators accountable in court. This bill will make that a reality,” said Josh Hawley.
Over the weekend, AI-made sexually explicit images of Taylor Swift at football games went viral on X. The images of Swift were likely made using Microsoft Designer and were first shared on Telegram. In response, Swifties flooded X with tweets to stymie searches for the images. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella weighed in on the matter and said that it is important to place guardrails around AI technology to prevent misuse. Later, Elon Musk’s X prohibited all searches for Swift to contain the spread of the images.
“This month, fake, sexually-explicit images of Taylor Swift that were generated by artificial intelligence swept across social media platforms. Although the imagery may be fake, the harm to the victims from the distribution of sexually-explicit ‘deep fakes’ is very real,” Durbin said in a press release.
The Disrupt Explicit Forged Images and Non-Consensual Edits Act of 2024 is designed to impose civil penalties on individuals who produced or possessed the forged material intending to distribute it or anyone who received the material knowing it was not made with consent. If passed, the law would allow people whose images have been used without permission to sue those who made or shared the images, seeking financial compensation.

Teased at last year’s WWDC keynote and then again at September’s Wonderlust event, Hideo Kojima’s Death Stranding: Director’s Cut is now available on iPhones, iPads, and Macs.
Developed by Hideo Kojima, the Death Stranding features Norman Reedus as Sam Porter Bridges. The story is set in a post-apocalyptic United States where players take on the role of Sam Porter Bridges, a courier tasked with reconnecting isolated communities and rebuilding the nation.

The game was initially released on PS4 in 2019.A Director’s Cut for PS5 was later released in 2021, which expands the game with more weapons and vehicles. The Director’s Cut version also offers 4K resolution and haptic support for DualShock controllers. The title is also available for Xbox and PCs.
The game can now be played on iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, and iPad with M1 chip, or later, which includes the 2021 Pro Duo, 2022 Pro Duo, and 2022 Air. Then, it can run on Macs powered by any of the Apple M-series chips.
The Death Stranding Director’s Cut game is now available on the App Store at a discounted price of $19.99 instead of the regular price of $39.99. This is a universal purchase, which means that you can download the game on all Apple devices, including iOS, iPadOS, and macOS. Additionally, the game supports cross-device syncing, allowing progress to transfer between all your Apple devices.

Indian government has cut the import duty on some parts used in making mobile phones to 10 percent from 15 percent, a move benefiting companies like Apple and Xiaomi that manufacture in Asia’s third-largest economy.

The import duty on parts such as battery covers, main camera lenses, back covers, other mechanical items of plastic and metal, GSM antenna, and other parts, has been reduced to 10 percent, the finance ministry said in a notification late on Tuesday.

The import duty on inputs used to manufacture these components has been cut to zero, the notification said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has in recent years promoted India as a smartphone manufacturing hub, prompting companies such as Apple, Xiaomi, Samsung Electronics and Vivo to expand assembly of phones.

However, duties on mobile phone parts were the highest among six comparable manufacturing nations, including China, Vietnam, Mexico, and Thailand, which led the industry to push for tax reductions.

“Duty cuts on import of mobile phone parts would help big global manufacturers to set up large scale mobile assembly lines in India, and substantially increase exports of mobile phones,” said Rajat Mohan, a director at tax consultancy firm MOORE Singhi.

Earlier this month, Reuters reported that India was considering import duty cuts on key components for producing high-end mobile phones.

The move will make India’s mobile phone manufacturing more competitive, the India Cellular and Electronics Association (ICEA) said in a statement.

With global mobile companies manufacturing in India, mobile phone exports from the country doubled year-on-year to $11.1 billion (roughly Rs. 92,174 crore) in the fiscal year to March 2023 and are expected to rise to $15 billion (roughly Rs. 1,24,560 crore) in the current fiscal year, according to industry estimates.

© Thomson Reuters 2024

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Apple has announced that its credit card, the Apple Card, has crossed over 12 million users in the United States. The Apple Card was launched in 2019 and is only available in the US. Last year, cardholders earned more than $1 billion in Daily Cash rewards through their spending.
Apple says that close to 30 per cent of Apple Card customers pay their bills twice or more per month.Additionally, over a million Apple Card users share their cards via Family Sharing, while nearly 600,000 users are building credit jointly with their spouses, partners, or other trusted adults. Apple further adds that its “Path to Apple Card Program” has helped over 200,000 users with low credit scores get approved for an Apple Card.
Using an Apple Card entitles you to a cashback or, as Apple calls it, “Daily Cash” on every purchase. Apple provides 3 per cent cash back for purchases made with Apple and select partners such as T-Mobile, Ace Hardware, Panera Bread, Walgreens, and Uber. All purchases made with Apple Pay using the Apple Card earn 2 per cent cash back, and all other purchases earn 1 per cent cashback.
Apple Card holders receive Daily Cash rewards every day. They have the option to choose whether they want the cash to be added to their Apple Cash card or deposited in the Apple Savings Account.
According to Apple, most users opt to have their Daily Cash added to Savings automatically. Additionally, about two-thirds of users deposit extra funds from a linked bank account. The current annual percentage yield (APY) of the Apple Card is 4.50 per cent, up from an APY of 4.15 per cent at launch.
“We designed Apple Card with users’ financial health in mind, and it’s rewarding to see our more than 12 million customers using its features to make healthier financial decisions,” said Jennifer Bailey, Apple’s vice president of Apple Pay and Apple Wallet. “We’re proud of what we’ve been able to deliver to Apple Card customers in just five years. As we look at the year ahead and beyond, we’re excited to continue to innovate and invest in Apple Card’s award-winning experience, and provide users with more tools and features that help them lead healthier financial lives.”

Samsung Galaxy Fit 3 leaks have surfaced multiple times over the past few months. Now the smartwatch has been spotted on one of the company’s UAE website. The listing reveals its design, features, and colour options. However, the price of the smart wearable has not yet been confirmed. From what is seen on the website, the Galaxy Fit 3 comes with a lot of upgrades over the Galaxy Fit 2, which was unveiled in September 2020. 

The Samsung Galaxy Fit 3 is listed on the Samsung UAE e-store in three colour options – Dark Grey, Pink, and White. However, it is not yet available for purchase online. An “out of stock” disclaimer appears on the page and the “Where to Buy” tab leads to a list of offline stores in the UAE. The price of the device is also not listed.

Samsung Galaxy Fit 3 specifications, features

According to the Samsung Gulf listing, the Samsung Galaxy Fit 3 carries a 1.6-inch AMOLED display with a resolution of 256 x 402 pixels, which is considerably larger than the 1.1-inch AMOLED screen seen on the Galaxy Fit 2. The body on the newer Galaxy Fit 3 model is made of aluminium, as opposed to the polycarbonate chassis of the older model.

The Galaxy Fit 3 gets a quick-release button that is said to assist in the easy change of bands. On that note, Sports Bands for the device are listed on the same page. It is seen in dark green and orange colour options. In fine print, the company notes that these bands are sold separately, with their colour and availability varying based on region.

Similar to the Galaxy Fit 2, however, the Galaxy Fit 3 supports 5ATM water resistance and carries an IP68 rating for dust and splash resistance, as per the listing. It is compatible with smartphones running Android 10.0 and latest. Processor details of the smartwatch are not listed, but it is claimed to come with 16MB RAM and 256MB of inbuilt storage. It also boots FreeRTOS out-of-the-box, as per the spec sheet found online.

Like most other smartwatches, the Galaxy Fit 3 offers more than 100 workout modes and is equipped with a sleep tracker. It can also measure steps, heart rate, and blood oxygen levels and the data can be synced with the Samsung Health application. Its inbuilt barometer is said to help detect a fall. In case of emergencies, one can press the home button, placed on the right side of the watch body, five times to notify their emergency contacts. Such instances will be followed by the lock screen displaying pre-registered medical information for assistance when help arrives.

The Samsung Galaxy Fit 3 is backed by a 208mAh battery, a significantly larger one than the 159mAh cell found on the older model. It is claimed to offer a battery life of up to 13 days on a single charge and said to take 30 minutes to charge from zero to 65 percent. The smartwatch gets Bluetooth 5.3 but does not offer GPS. It weighs 36.8g with the band while the body alone weighs 18.5g and measures 42.9mm x 28.8mm x 9.9mm in size.

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