Latest news with #MinseokKang
Time of India
11-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Samsung working on tri-fold phone; plans to launch by 2025-end
South Korean Consumer Electronics major Samsung is working on a tri-fold phone, which it plans to launch by the end of this year, said a top company executive in New York. The company, which launched the latest edition of its foldables Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Flip 7, is now working on tri-fold phones, Minseok Kang, Vice President, Product Planning, Samsung Electronics, said. The company is focusing on product perfection and working on the commercialisation of the tri-fold device, which is going to be the next leap in foldable phone technology. "In terms of tri-folding, the device is under development," he said while talking on the sidelines of an event to launch the latest series of its flagship phones. "We are evaluating key points for the final decision to commercialise the device. I can say that our current target is to launch this device by the end of this year." "When we launch a new device or new form factor, important considerations include completeness in the form factor itself and ensuring user satisfaction, along with readiness for mass production," Kang said. Rival Chinese smartphone maker Huawei already has a tri-fold phone, the Mate X Ultimate, while other firms like Xiaomi and Honor are working on it. The tri-fold is expected to be the most premium smartphone from Samsung, targeted towards niche audiences after launch, and more details are expected to emerge when the device is near production. Samsung has priced its Z Fold 7 starting from ₹1.75 lakh to ₹2.11 lakh in the Indian market. The South Korean Chaebol has launched the first two-panel Fold device in 2019, and the latest is the seventh edition. It has made several improvements in the Galaxy Z Fold 7, terming it a breakthrough in engineering designed to deliver effective operability, usability, and immersive experiences. "Samsung has consistently led the industry in form-factor innovation, pushing the boundaries of what is possible through advanced engineering and design," he added. Galaxy Z Fold 7 measures 8.9 mm when folded and 4.2 mm when unfolded. It is nearly half the thickness of the original fold. "Definitely, this represents a major leap in foldable design," Kang said, adding that "The weight of the Fold 7 is just 215 grams. Definitely, it is lighter than our competitors' premium devices. It is a difference you can feel every day in your pocket or in your hand". It's even lighter than several bar-type phones, he added. Now, Samsung faces competition from Vivo, Motorola, and OnePlus, among others. Kang believes that the Z Fold 7 and Flip 7 are now at a significant turning point, being quite influential in moving foldables from a niche category to mainstream. They even provide features beyond what traditional bar-type smartphones offer. However, he was quick to add that foldable and bar phones would co-exist. "The Fold could potentially become mainstream, but the standard bar phone will continue to meet user needs. I do not believe that one will completely replace the other; both can coexist and fulfil different user requirements," he said. PTI
Time of India
10-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Samsung working on tri-fold phone; plans to launch by 2025-end
Samsung is developing a tri-fold phone, aiming for a launch by the end of this year, according to a company executive. While perfecting the design for mass production, Samsung focuses on user satisfaction. The company's move follows the release of the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Flip 7, with competitors like Huawei also exploring tri-fold technology. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads South Korean Consumer Electronics major Samsung is working on a tri-fold phone, which it plans to launch by the end of this year, said a top company executive in New company, which launched the latest edition of its foldables Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Flip 7, is now working on tri-fold phones, Minseok Kang, Vice President, Product Planning, Samsung Electronics, company is focusing on product perfection and working on the commercialisation of the tri-fold device, which is going to be the next leap in foldable phone technology."In terms of tri-folding, the device is under development," he said while talking on the sidelines of an event to launch the latest series of its flagship phones."We are evaluating key points for the final decision to commercialise the device. I can say that our current target is to launch this device by the end of this year.""When we launch a new device or new form factor, important considerations include completeness in the form factor itself and ensuring user satisfaction, along with readiness for mass production," Kang Chinese smartphone maker Huawei already has a tri-fold phone, the Mate X Ultimate, while other firms like Xiaomi and Honor are working on tri-fold is expected to be the most premium smartphone from Samsung, targeted towards niche audiences after launch, and more details are expected to emerge when the device is near has priced its Z Fold 7 starting from Rs 1.75 lakh to Rs 2.11 lakh in the Indian South Korean Chaebol has launched the first two-panel Fold device in 2019, and the latest is the seventh has made several improvements in the Galaxy Z Fold 7, terming it a breakthrough in engineering designed to deliver effective operability, usability, and immersive experiences."Samsung has consistently led the industry in form-factor innovation, pushing the boundaries of what is possible through advanced engineering and design," he Z Fold 7 measures 8.9 mm when folded and 4.2 mm when unfolded. It is nearly half the thickness of the original fold."Definitely, this represents a major leap in foldable design," Kang said, adding that "The weight of the Fold 7 is just 215 grams. Definitely, it is lighter than our competitors' premium devices. It is a difference you can feel every day in your pocket or in your hand".It's even lighter than several bar-type phones, he Samsung faces competition from Vivo, Motorola, and OnePlus, among believes that the Z Fold 7 and Flip 7 are now at a significant turning point, being quite influential in moving foldables from a niche category to mainstream. They even provide features beyond what traditional bar-type smartphones he was quick to add that foldable and bar phones would co-exist."The Fold could potentially become mainstream, but the standard bar phone will continue to meet user needs. I do not believe that one will completely replace the other; both can coexist and fulfil different user requirements," he said. PTI
The National
10-07-2025
- Business
- The National
Samsung 'can prepare' portless phone but needs wireless charging to improve
Samsung Electronics says it is in a position to develop a portless smartphone, but is keeping tabs on the progress of necessary technology such as wireless charging before taking action, a senior executive has said. 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].'
News18
26-05-2025
- News18
Samsung's Android 16 Beta Update Could Rollout Soon: Expected Features And Phones Supported
Last Updated: Samsung is looking to fix the issues faced with the One UI 7 update last year and plans to bring the Android 16 version much earlier in 2025. Samsung has been slow with the Android 15-based One UI 7 rollout this year but the company is looking to amends with the Android 16 update. Reports in South Korea claim Samsung is ready to start the Android 16 beta program which will give us a closer look at the One UI 8 version. The company has already confirmed the Android 16 rollout timeline for its users and unlike the One UI 7, the new version will be rolling out by Summer 2025. Samsung's head of smartphone planning, Minseok Kang has announced that the Android 16 based will be coming out this Summer which means anywhere between June 2025 to September this year. The Samsung Members app in South Korea has added a new tab which lets the Galaxy phone users sign up for the beta program once the banner is enabled soon. The company is looking to fix the issues that plagued its One UI 7 rollout, probably because this was one of the bigger upgrades for the brand which made the UI overhauls significant as well as time consuming. Earlier this month Google confirmed that Android 16 release will happen as early as June, which is the fastest new version update we have seen from the tech giant. Google has usually used the Pixel launch event to announce the new Android version roll out which happens around October. Now, we wait to see if Samsung is able to expedite its rollout this year. First Published: May 26, 2025, 12:16 IST
News18
16-05-2025
- News18
Samsung One UI 8 Update Confirmed For This Year: Know When Galaxy Phones Will Get It
Last Updated: Samsung's Android 16 update could be rolling out a lot earlier than the One UI 7 which was delayed multiple times. Google has announced the Android 16 roll out plans in the next few months, and now Samsung is joining the gang with some happy news for its Galaxy phone users. The One UI 8 version is unlikely to face the issues that Samsung faced with the Android 15-based One UI update this year. The company was part of the Android Show earlier this week, where in the device showcase section, it announced the One UI 8 release timeline for its users. Samsung One UI 8 Update Coming Soon: Know More Samsung's head of smartphone planning, Minseok Kang has announced that the Android 16 based will be coming out this Summer which means anywhere between June 2025 to September this year. Granted, these timelines are not written in stone and going by the last roll out schedule, Samsung could easily tweak its roadmap. Having said that, the One UI 7 update was one of the biggest overhauls at the company which somehow explains the delay in the last 8 months or so. The One UI 8 version is likely to see incremental changes and mostly related to the Android 16 features, so Samsung should have an easier time to release it quickly. We are hoping that the brand is able to keep its promise this year and live up to its 7 OS upgrade claim for its users. The first Android 16 beta should be available before end of May if the company is going to fulfill its public release timeline. But it seems last year's Pixel 9 series launch in August was not an anomaly, which explains the Android 16 release timeline pushed forward to June this year. First Published: May 16, 2025, 13:38 IST
