The South Korean giant Samsung Electronics is the world's second largest chip-maker after Intel, but its electronics empire extends across such diverse fields as mobile phones, LCD screens and microwave ovens.

Formed in 1969 it is the largest of the South Korean business conglomerate, a so-called "chaebol", alongside the likes of Hyundai and LG. With 75,000 employees spanning a a global network in 47 countries, Samsung states it has rung up worldwide electronic product sales worth $36.9 billion.

The company itself describes its growth as follows: "Since its inception in 1969, Samsung has successfully transitioned from an analogue driven product line to a cutting-edge and award-winning digital innovator that is currently the world's number one manufacturer of CDMA mobile phones, LCD and CRT monitors, DRAM memory chips and microwave ovens."

While the company has strengthened its global brand in recent years - moving from an industry follower to a world-class technology leader in the electronics stakes - growth spurts can sometimes be painful. According to Business Week, for example, the company has recently experienced a 'Sony moment', with Samsung showing increasing signs of complacency and a mid-life crisis, with financial results suffering. Keep tuned to this page for what the future holds for Samsung...

Electronics Weekly content is most germane to three main areas of the company's development: memory chips, LCD displays and mobile phone technology.

- Semiconductor technology
- LCD technology and Consumer Electronics devices
- Mobile Technology

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NEWS ON SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS

Semiconductor industry

MRAM RD gets $50m funding from South Korean government
In a government-backed memory development, the Korean government and semiconductor industry are to put $50m over seven years into MRAM (Magnetoresistive Random Access Memory) R&D.

Samsung, Toshiba to share 'premium' NAND specs
In a bold move aimed at giving OEMs more choice for premium memory chips from Samsung and Toshiba, as well as to reduce the risk of over-dependence on a single supplier, the companies have announced a cross-licensing agreement. They have cross-licensed one another's specifications and trademarks for NAND technology - specifically Samsung's OneNAND and Toshiba's LBA-NAND.

Flash capacity drives semiconductor industry growth - research
Flash memory capacity will is expected to surpass DRAM capacity in 2008, according to US market research firm Strategic Marketing Associates.

NAND price fixing probe begins to send subpoenas
Following news last week that the US Department of Justice (DoJ) had begun a price fixing probe into the NAND flash market, Japanese firm Toshiba has been subpoenaed by the DoJ, according to Reuters.

Toshiba eyes Samsung's NAND flash memory crown
Toshiba, the inventor of NAND flash memory, is aiming to overtake its licensee Samsung to become the largest NAND flash supplier, aided by the world's largest flash fab.

Samsung power glitch drives up price of memory
Samsung has been coming under pressure to reveal more details of the reason for the power outage which caused a production glitch at its semiconductor plant in Giheung earlier this month.

MRAM at Gbit levels will help flash substitute bid
The search for an alternative non-volatile memory technology to traditional floating gate flash has been boosted by an attempt to raise MRAM to the Gbit level. But the timescales for achieving it are tight.

Samsung increases DRAM density with stacks
Samsung Electronics has developed its first all-DRAM stacked memory package using a 'through silicon via' (TSV) technology, which it claimed will radically reduce the size and power of memory packages.

Samsung aims for disk drive swap with 50nm flash memory
Samsung Electronics is sampling a 16Gbit NAND flash memory for use in hard disk drive replacement. It is the firm's first NAND flash device fabbed on its 50nm semiconductor process technology.

Samsung shows 32Gbit NAND flash at Electronica
Samsung Semiconductor had a 32Gbit NAND flash chip on its Electronica stand. Made in 40nm process technology the 32Gbit memory is currently in the laboratory but is scheduled to be on sale in twelve months' time.

Samsung improves DDR2 memory efficiency with 3D transistors
Samsung Electronics says it has developed the industry's first 50nm DDR2 DRAM chip.

Samsung presents PRAM prototype
Samsung Electronics has completed the first working prototype of what the company expects to be the main memory device to replace high density NOR flash within the next decade - a Phase-change Random Access Memory (PRAM).

Samsung shrinks 1Gbit DDR2 DRAM with move to 80nm
Samsung Electronics is in volume production of 1Gbit DDR2 DRAM memory using 80nm process technology.

Samsung starts production of fastest PC graphics memory
Samsung Electronics has started volume production of what it claims is that fastest DRAM memory for PCs, which offers a 33 per cent speed enhancement for image processing.

Samsung faces $300m fine for price fixing
Samsung Electronics has agreed to plead guilty to charges of participating in an international conspiracy to fix prices in the DRAM market, settling with the US Department of Justice Antitrust Division (DoJ) to the tune of $300m.

Samsung begins seven year, $33bn fab build
Korean chip giant Samsung Electronics has broken ground on the second stage of its Hwaseong semiconductor plant development, which could eventually result in a $33bn investment.

LCDs and Consumer Electronics devices

Samsung debuts 3D ready flat-panel HDTV
Samsung will unveil its new range of plasma HDTVs at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show.

Samsung shows first 10Gbit/s video interface
Samsung Electronics has developed an LCD panel using the next-generation video interface, known as DisplayPort, which is being lined up to replace DVI, LVDS and eventually VGA.

MP3 players to get wireless headsets
MP3 player design firm opens way for wireless devices with Bluetooth and WiFi technology from CSR. The first wireless MP3 players will be in the shops by the end of the year.

Samsung shows first multi-standard mobile TV chip
Samsung Electronics has shaken up the mobile TV chipset market with the introduction of a multi-standard channel decoder and multi-band RF tuner.

Digital TV chip sees power benefit of 65nm
Samsung has a digital TV receiver chip which is designed to allow TVs for the US market to receive both vestigial sideband (VSB) broadcasts and quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM) cable signals.

Samsung 64Gbyte flash drive will replace hard disks
Samsung says it has developed a 1.8-inch 64Gbyte flash-solid state drive (SSD) which is based on an 8Gbit single-level-cell (SLC) NAND flash device.

Samsung says hybrid drive will speed boot Vista
Samsung  has put its OneNAND flash memory technology into its first hybrid - 2.5in, hard disk and solid-state memory - which it is shipping to PC makers.

Samsung shows double-sided LCD for mobiles
Samsung Electronics claims to have produced the first LCD panel that shows independent images on each side of a mobile LCD display.

Samsung LCD display no thicker than credit card
Samsung claims to have produced the world's thinnest display using an LCD panel.

New iPod Shuffle uses Samsung decoder
Recent research shows that Apple Computer's new iPod Shuffle does not contain an MP3 decoder chip from SigmaTel. Instead, Samsung Electronics is likely to have won the socket, according to a note released today from Craig Berger, an analyst with Wedbush Morgan Securities.

Samsung Blu-ray player uses ARM
Samsung Electronics will use ARM's Jazelle software technology in its BD-P1000 Blu-ray disc player, allowing consumers to watch high definition (HD) discs on their HDTVs.

Samsung has high resolution LCD for digital cameras
Samsung claims to have developed the first 3in. (75mm) VGA (640x480) LCD that directly meets the 30Hz interface standard used for digital still cameras.

Sony and Samsung team for 46 inch LCD plant
Today Samsung and Sony signed a memorandum of agreement with the Korean province of Chungcheongnam-do to build a $2bn, 8th generation, factory to make 46 inch LCDs.

Samsung ramps 7th gen LCD TV capacity
Samsung Electronics said it has started mass production of liquid crystal displays from its latest plant in Korea, which is aimed at TV panels over 32inches.

Samsung gets flexible with transmissive LCD
A transmissive liquid crystal display capable of VGA resolution has been developed by Samsung, with a view to attacking the mobile digital TV market.

Samsung aims 70 inch LCD at HDTV market
Samsung Electronics says it has developed the first 70-inch LCD panel which will sell in the consumer TV market.

Mobiles

CSR partners with Samsung for GPS modules
CSR is embedding its GPS software in Samsung hardware modules. The two companies are partnering to bring location-based services to more mobile phones, media players and personal navigation devices (PNDs).

US court allows importation of previously banned Qualcomm handsets
The US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit will allow third parties to import handsets into the United States previously banned by the International Trade Commission (ITC).

Mobile Linux gets it right
Mobile Linux is gaining support as a cellular operating system from the handset industry, according to market watcher IMS Research.

Samsung links broadcasters to mobile TV
Samsung has come up with a technology allowing local broadcasting stations to get into the TV-to-the-handset market inexpensively.

Samsung intros universal memory device for mobile phones
Samsung Electronics says it has developed a prototype fusion memory chip that can significantly increase the data processing speed between processors in mobile applications.

Samsung shows double-sided LCD for mobiles
Samsung Electronics claims to have produced the first LCD panel that shows independent images on each side of a mobile LCD display.

Samsung intros universal memory device for mobile phones
Samsung Electronics says it has developed a prototype fusion memory chip that can significantly increase the data processing speed between processors in mobile applications.

Intel's exit from mobile processors is no big deal
Intel's exit from the mobile phone and applications processor business will have only a minor effect on handset OEMs such as Nokia, Motorola, Samsung, LG, Sony-Ericsson and BenQ-Siemens, says market watcher Strategy Analytics.

Samsung uses National technology to cut mobile power by 25%
National Semiconductor has announced that Samsung has licensed the power management technology it developed in partnership with ARM for optimising processor power efficiency in mobile phones.

TRENDS & TECHNOLOGIES

LEDs: Your Electronics Weekly guide

Digital TV: Your Electronics Weekly guide

Mobile Linux

OTHER INFORMATION

Samsung (global) corporate website

Samsung UK website

Samsung Mobile website

South Korean chaebols (Wikipedia)