
Samsung 'can prepare' portless phone but needs wireless charging to improve
Such a device would eliminate physical connectivity, making make it dependent on wireless transfers and charging, meaning it needs to be prevalent and reliable for the new category to grow, Minseok Kang, vice president of product planning at the Suwon-based company, told The National.
'If we want to launch it, I think right now we can prepare the device, but we should consider the normal user situations for using the device,' he said at the Galaxy Unpacked in Brooklyn on Wednesday. 'Definitely wireless charging should be essential for the device.'
Wireless charging is slower and less common compared to the use of wires, with USB-C ports the current standard.
The idea of portless smartphones is not new, with a patent for it filed by HZO Inc in the US in 2014, according to the US Patent and Trademark Office. It has since been abandoned.
Issues include the slow pace of wireless charging, and the reliability and incompatibility of Bluetooth transfers – Apple has its own Airdrop technology exclusive to its devices, for instance.
Apple is said to have considered a portless design for the unconfirmed and purportedly slimmer iPhone 17 Air, Bloomberg has reported.
Wireless charging stations – even though they are increasingly found in public spaces, most notably coffee shops – are still much less common than wired and power bank rentals.
It could leave users in need of a charger unable to find one, Mr Kang said.
Portless smartphones can be 'good options' because of their unique design, he added. The move could also lead to slimmer devices, as USB-C ports are among the thickest components.
'This is one of the candidates for a future device, but engineering readiness can also be possible in short term,' he said. 'We need to think about what users want and what are the real convenience for them.'
Meanwhile, Samsung hopes to launch its tri-fold smartphone – said to be called the Galaxy G Fold – by the end of the year, Mr Kang said, in what is the first official confirmation on the record.
The company is keeping its expectations for the launch date flexible as it continues to fine-tune the long-rumoured device, he added.
'Definitely the device is developing internally in Samsung … but when we launch a new device or new form factor, one important thing is its completeness [for] user satisfaction and readiness for mass production,' he said.
'We are checking the key points for the final decision to commercialise the device. I can say current target is by end of this year, so we will try to launch the device to the market [by then].'
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Khaleej Times
12 hours ago
- Khaleej Times
iPhone 17 Pro leak teases camera, design upgrades: Here's what we know
Apple's upcoming iPhone 17 Pro models could be making their boldest leap in camera innovation yet — if a new leak is to be believed. An anonymous source recently contacted MacRumors claiming to have insider knowledge of the iPhone 17 Pro lineup. The tipster, who says they're familiar with a commercial being produced for the upcoming device, shared a list of alleged features that have not been reported before. While MacRumors itself has not verified the claims, the potential changes are enough to get tech enthusiasts and mobile photography pros buzzing. Here's what's reportedly in the pipeline: 8× optical zoom is (allegedly) coming One of the biggest bombshells is a major upgrade to the iPhone 17 Pro's telephoto lens. According to the tipster, the device will offer up to 8× optical zoom, up from the already-impressive 5× zoom on the iPhone 16 Pro Max. The standout feature here? A movable lens mechanism that allows continuous optical zoom across a range of focal lengths. If true, this could finally give iPhones a serious edge against Samsung's Galaxy S Ultra lineup in the zoom wars, and make the iPhone 17 Pro a genuine contender for the title of best smartphone camera. Pro camera app Also in the leak: Apple may be preparing an all-new pro camera app for both photo and video capture, directly aimed at creators who currently rely on third-party tools like Halide, Filmic Pro, or Kino. It's unclear whether this will be a standalone app exclusive to iPhone 17 Pro models, or a major update to Apple's existing Final Cut Camera app — which launched quietly for pros earlier this year. Either way, the tipster says Apple is aiming for a tool that offers more granular control over things like ISO, shutter speed, white balance, and audio inputs. If you've ever wished for DSLR-level control in an iPhone camera app without needing to download third-party software, this could be a game-changer. New button? The leak also mentions a previously unrumored hardware addition: a second Camera Control button, this time placed on the top edge of the iPhone 17 Pro. This would join the Action Button and existing camera shortcut located on the bottom-right edge of the iPhone 16 models. Apple seems to be doubling down on tactile camera controls — possibly mirroring the ergonomics of traditional cameras, where a top-mounted shutter button and dial setup is common. New look? Beyond the camera features, the source reiterated two previously rumoured design changes: a copper-like color option, said to give the phone a premium, vintage-meets-modern aesthetic, and a centred Apple logo on the back, which is a subtle but deliberate visual shake-up, possibly tied to the new camera layout. Although here's a catch: all of this information comes from an anonymous tipster with no proven track record. While the details are certainly plausible — and some even match earlier reports — they haven't been corroborated by more established leakers like Mark Gurman or Ming-Chi Kuo. In other words, caution is advised. Apple's hardware plans are notoriously secretive, and while commercials are often created months ahead of launch, leaks from production houses aren't always accurate. Still, with the iPhone 17 Pro expected to mark a major design refresh and focus heavily on camera features, these rumours line up with Apple's typical strategy upgrades. If even half of these predictions come true, the iPhone 17 Pro could become the go-to smartphone for serious mobile photographers and creators.


Arabian Business
12 hours ago
- Arabian Business
Apple closes a store in China for the first time in its history
In what is being seen as a first defensive move by Apple, the iPhone manufacturer has decided to close one of its retail shops in the country – marking it the first-ever closure since entering the market in 2008. China was the second-biggest retail market for Apple after the United States, but has faced tough competition from local brands in recent times. First-ever Apple store closure in China On Monday, Apple announced that it would close its store in Parkland Mall, located in the Zhongshan District of Dalian City, on August 9. Apple stated that the closure was due to changes in the shopping complex's landscape, a claim echoed by several locals. The mall has been experiencing a decline in footfall, which has led to the departure of several globally renowned brands. Retailers like Coach, Sandro and Hugo Boss haven't renewed their leases in recent years. In a statement to Bloomberg, Apple said: 'We're always focused on providing an exceptional experience for all of our customers both online and at more than 50 Apple Store locations across Greater China. Given the departure of several retailers at the Parkland Mall, we have made the decision to close our store there.' Apple has about 56 stores in the Greater China region, making up over 10 per cent of its footprint of more than 530 outlets globally. Dalian City has two Apple Stores, and they are less than 10 minutes apart. The other store at the Olympia 66 shopping complex remains open. Employees at the site that's closing will be given opportunities to work elsewhere, the company said. The two locations are roughly 10 minutes apart. Apple is opening a new store at Uniwalk Qianhai in Shenzhen in the middle of August, and Bloomberg reported it is planning additional locations in Beijing and Shanghai over the next year. On July 21, the company announced the opening of Apple Retail Service and App Store in Saudi Arabia, and said they have plans to open several stores on the country, including an iconic retail store in Diriyah, a UNESCO World Heritage site. The company is adding new stores in Detroit, the United Arab Emirates, and Bengaluru in India. A location in Osaka opened on July 26. The company also opened its first store in Malaysia last year.


Khaleej Times
13 hours ago
- Khaleej Times
Enough apologies: How Japan is shaking its price hike phobia
When Japanese ice pop maker Akagi Nyugyo raised its prices a meagre 10 yen in 2016, its sombre-faced management appeared in a one-minute commercial, bowing silently in apology as a melancholy folk song lamented the inevitability of price hikes. Almost a decade later, the Saitama-based company has changed its tune - a tongue-in-cheek advertising campaign last year promised in a series of photos to bow successively deeper for each of its next three price hikes. The lighter-hearted spin comes as Japanese firms, after decades of deflation, find a rare moment that allows them to raise prices without triggering the intense public backlash that once made such moves taboo. "Compared to when we raised prices in 2016, I'd say there's more of a sense now that the public is more accepting of price hikes," the company's marketing team leader Hideyuki Okamoto said. "The sentiment that price hikes are evil is receding." That shift in consumer mindset is driven by the biggest pay hikes in three decades and has given companies more confidence to pass on rising costs - something they long avoided for fear of losing customers. If sustained, the change could embolden the central bank to further raise interest rates, though that is dependent on just how much more households can absorb. The Bank of Japan is expected to keep its benchmark rates unchanged at this week's policy meeting but could signal its intention to resume rate hikes later in the year. Japan's consumer inflation has stayed above 2% for three years, driven largely by rising food prices, a sharp departure from the decades of near-zero inflation that followed the asset bubble collapse in the early 1990s. Nearly 200 major food makers expect to hike prices for 2,105 items in July - up fivefold from year-before levels - by an average 15%, a private think tank survey showed recently. "A few years ago, people would make a fuss over one or two items going up. Now it's dozens, even hundreds. You can't keep track anymore. There are just too many to remember," said Fusako Usuba, a 79-year-old pensioner. "But there's no way around it, because we all need to eat to survive," she added. WAGE GROWTH Japan's wave of price hikes initially began in 2022, triggered by external shocks such as post-pandemic supply chain disruptions, the war in Ukraine and the yen's subsequent depreciation. But economists say it is consumers' greater tolerance for higher prices - underpinned by three straight years of robust wage growth - that has kept the trend going. "Japanese consumers have come to realise they are now living in an era of persistent price increases," said Tsutomu Watanabe, emeritus professor of economics at the University of Tokyo. He said consumers are beginning to shift their focus from low prices to higher wages, as intensifying labour shortages give workers more bargaining power. According to a survey led by Watanabe, Japanese consumers were the most resistant to price hikes among five major countries four years ago, with a majority saying they would switch supermarkets if prices rose by 10%. But in the same survey last year, most said they would continue shopping at the same stores and buying the same items, bringing them in line with consumers in other countries. The key question now is whether the trend is sustainable. Meiji, Japan's top chocolate maker, has launched nine price hikes since 2022, reflecting soaring cocoa costs. "Back in 2022, we met resistance from retailers asking us to hold off a bit longer," said Akira Yoshida, general manager at Meiji's cacao marketing division. "Nowadays, they accept our price hikes more smoothly, so we assume their customers are also reluctantly going along." But Meiji, which holds a 25% market share and effectively sets industry prices, is now seeing signs of price fatigue. A 20% price hike in June, the biggest in recent years, led to a more than 20% drop in sales volume at some retailers, unlike in previous rounds where volume declines were smaller than the scale of price hikes. "We're increasingly concerned. There's only so much more we can raise prices," Yoshida said. "I think we'll need to change how people view chocolate - not as a commodity, but as a luxury." Rei Ihara, food sector analyst at UBS Securities, said the scope for further price hikes is narrowing, as Japan's Engel coefficient, the share of household spending on food, hit 28.3% in 2024, the highest in 43 years. "With prices rising year after year, consumers appear to be adjusting their purchasing habits, opting for less expensive options like chicken instead of beef, for example. For inflation to be sustainable, it must be supported by solid wage growth," he said. Inflation has outpaced nominal pay gains, pushing real wage growth into negative territory for months, fuelling frustration among voters that led to a major defeat of Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba's coalition in recent house elections. The outlook for wage growth is increasingly uncertain due to sweeping U.S. tariffs. Japanese exporters have so far avoided major price hikes in the U.S. to stay competitive, sacrificing profits. If that continues, it could limit their ability to raise wages next year. "We're at a turning point now," professor Watanabe said. "If this wage-driven price momentum fails, we may not see another opportunity like this in our lifetime. This moment is that rare."