Samsung
Samsung hopeful about Galaxy AI smartphones, despite slumping Q4 profits
Samsung today announced financial results for the fourth quarter and the fiscal year 2023. The company flagged its fourth straight quarter of slumping profits, posting a 35% drop in profit. Meanwhile, Samsung is hopeful about Galaxy AI smartphones as the key to recovery.
In the first quarter of 2024, smartphone market demand is expected to decline sequentially due to seasonality. The MX Business plans to leverage Galaxy S24 series, which brings advanced AI capabilities and enhanced product competitiveness — to expand sales of flagship products.
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The South Korean tech giant posted KRW 67.78 trillion in consolidated revenue and KRW 2.82 trillion in operating profit in the quarter ended December 31, 2023. For the full year, it reported KRW 258.94 trillion in annual revenue and KRW 6.57 trillion in operating profit.
Fourth-quarter revenue and operating profit increased from the third quarter based on improved performance in Memory due to higher prices, and continued strength in sales of premium display products. This quarter, Samsung will focus on improving profitability by increasing sales of premium products.
The component businesses aim to meet demand for advanced products and those aimed for generative AI while the Device eXperience (DX) Division will strengthen AI features in smartphones and other consumer products.
Samsung will meet demand for semiconductors for AI applications and expand into AI-enabled consumer product markets. Besides, the company will strengthen its leadership in premium products and competitiveness in advanced-node semiconductors.
// Samsung
Samsung disabled Sound Assistant’s Multi Sound feature in One UI 6.1.1 for Android Auto. In a recent development, it has emerged that One UI 7 could bring back the Multi Sound feature of Sound Assistant for Android Auto.
The moderator confirmed the changes made in One UI 6.1.1 regarding the Multi Sound feature when using Android Auto. The update has disabled the specific feature to address compatibility issues with different Android Auto manufacturers.
Meanwhile, Samsung is monitoring customer feedback and plans to reconsider supporting the feature in future OS updates. The moderator hasn’t specifically mentioned One UI 7, but it is most likely to return with the next major update.
Multi Sound feature functioned differently depending on the Android Auto manufacturer, causing various issues. The company has made a change in One UI 6.1.1, which disables the Multi Sound feature in Sound Assistant when using Android Auto.
Sound Assistant is a plugin offered by Samsung under the Good Lock umbrella. It allows users to adjust the sound balance between different audio sources, such as speakers, headphones, and external devices.
You will find it quite useful when using multiple audio outputs at the same time. For Android Auto users, it unlocks a pleasing experience to elevate their listening. However, the removal of One UI 6.1.1 has disappointed many users.
One UI 7 update should revive the Multi Sound feature for Android Auto users. The moderator hasn’t made any mention of the next upgrade. However, Samsung is set to unveil the One UI 7 at next month’s Developer Conference.
Samsung Galaxy S22, Galaxy S22, and Galaxy S22 Ultra models are receiving One UI 6.1.1 update based on Android 14 in the US. The update is currently rolling out for locked models on the T-Mobile network in the US.
One UI 6.1.1 brings several enactments that make using your phone even better. Users can look forward to a more user-friendly interface, smoother performance, and advanced AI features to enhance everyday tasks.
The firmware versions of One UI 6.1.1 update for Galaxy S22, Galaxy S22 Plus, and Galaxy S22 Ultra in the US are S901USQU6EXH8, S906USQU6EXH8, and S908USQU6EXH8 respectively. Users will have to download a 3.1GB package to install the update.
One UI 6.1.1 update for the Samsung Galaxy S22 series is already available in Korea and Europe, and now in the US. Notably, the company is going to release this major update in Canada on September 24.
Talking about features, One UI 6.1.1 lets you convert your drawings to artwork, improves photo styles, and uses text auto-completion on the Samsung Keyboard. It also supports real-time translation for calls and text in images, voice-to-text conversion, better PDF management, and dynamic wallpapers.
Moreover, the fresh update brings the latest Android security patch released in September 2024 to improve system security. You can check and install the latest update through Settings >> Software Updates >> Download and install.
Samsung inked a massive 4G/5G network equipment deal with India’s VI. The company is set to supply network equipment worth $720 million to India’s third-largest telecom operator, after Jio and Bharti Airtel.
The South Korean tech giant managed to secure a massive order worth approximately 1 trillion won (~ $720 million) by supplying 4G and 5G mobile communication network equipment to VI, India’s third-largest telecom operator.
Samsung is set to sign a contract with Vodafone Idea, along with Ericsson and Nokia. This is a massive deal aimed at supplying 4G and 5G network equipment. The total contract value for the three companies is estimated at $3.6 billion.
Ericsson and Nokia are expected to secure 40% of the total contract value each, while Samsung will take the remaining 20%. In particular, the Korean tech giant could secure approximately $720 million worth of orders.
Samsung joins India’s 5G deployment
The company signed a 5G equipment supply contract with Bharti Airtel in August 2022. In December of the same year, the company signed a 5G RAN equipment supply contract with Reliance Jio, the country’s largest telecom operator.
With this order, Samsung will now supply 5G network equipment to all three major telecom operators in India. The company expressed a cautious stance regarding the expected order amount and progress, stating that “the details have not yet been finalized.”