Latest news with #GalaxyUnpacked2025
The Star
2 days ago
- Business
- The Star
US tariffs could hit Samsung phones, exempt China-made iPhones
Visitors at the Galaxy Unpacked 2025 event experience the Galaxy Z Fold7 smartphone at the Duggal Greenhouse in New York on July 9. - Photo: Samsung Electronics SEOUL: Samsung Electronics could face higher US tariffs on its smartphones and other finished electronics as early as this week, even as Apple's iPhones made primarily in China may be granted exemptions, industry sources said Tuesday (Aug 12). This would highlight a notable divergence in how major smartphone makers are treated under Washington's trade measures aimed at protecting US manufacturing and reducing reliance on Chinese supply chains. Industry officials said the US President Donald Trump's administration is considering tariffs of up to 25 percent on smartphones, laptops, monitors and other semiconductor-related finished goods. If applied at that rate, the base model of Samsung's Galaxy S25, currently priced at US$799.99, could rise by nearly US$200, while next year's Galaxy S26 series could see a 30-40 percent increase. Such a move could weaken Samsung's recent gains in the US market. The Korean tech giant held a 31 percent share in the second quarter, narrowing the gap with Apple to 18 percentage points from 33 percentage points a year earlier, according to Canalys. Apple, however, appears better positioned to secure tariff exemptions despite manufacturing about 90 percent of its iPhones in China, with the remaining 10 percent shared equally between Vietnam and India. The company recently pledged to invest $600 billion in new US production facilities over the next four years, creating 20,000 jobs and strengthening domestic supply chains — a plan developed in coordination with Washington. President Trump has signaled support for Apple's expansion, raising expectations that the company could be spared from the proposed tariffs. 'Apple's preemptive investment announcement appears to have been made with potential smartphone tariffs in mind,' said Kim Rok-ho, an analyst at Hana Securities. 'Even if semiconductors are exempted from tariffs, if devices like smartphones and PCs are included, Korean products will inevitably be at a disadvantage against Apple in the US market.' Samsung manufactures about 50-60 percent of its smartphones in Vietnam, with the rest produced in India, Korea and South America. It stopped handset production in China in 2019 after losing market share there. '(The US Department of Commerce) investigation is wide ranging from semiconductors to finished goods such as smartphones, tablets, PCs and monitors,' Samsung CFO Park Soon-cheol said in July. 'We expect the impact on our business to be significant.' A Samsung official said the company is 'closely monitoring' developments, noting that while price increases after product launches are unprecedented, they may be considered in 'special cases like tariffs.' According to an industry source familiar with Samsung's operations, "The firm is exploring options such as large-scale US investments or relocating some production to America," but "high labour costs and operational challenges remain a major concern," he added. - The Korea Herald/ANN
Mint
16-07-2025
- Mint
Samsung may reintroduce S-Pen support in foldables after Z Fold 7 snub: Report
Samsung may be preparing to bring back S-Pen support to its Galaxy Z Fold series in future iterations, following the stylus' conspicuous absence from the newly launched Galaxy Z Fold 7. According to a recent report from South Korean publicationETNews, the company is actively researching new technologies to make this possible. The development was reportedly confirmed by Kang Min-seok, Head of Smartphone Product Planning at Samsung, who allegedly revealed that the tech giant is working on next-generation S-Pen capabilities. The move is said to be part of a broader effort to improve the user experience on its foldable smartphones, with the possibility of even integrating a dedicated slot for the stylus in future models. This could mark a potential reversal in Samsung's recent trend of scaling back stylus-related features. The Galaxy Z Fold 7, which was officially unveiled at the Galaxy Unpacked 2025 event earlier this month, became the first book-style foldable from the brand in years to omit support for the S-Pen. Samsung defended the move at the time by pointing to low usage figures, claiming that less than one per cent of users made regular use of the advanced stylus functions. However, growing consumer demand and evolving hardware design may prompt a change in direction. Kang noted that the company is now focusing on achieving a better balance between form and function, rather than simply pursuing thinner and lighter devices. 'We are developing thinner and more innovative technologies for the S-Pen,' he reportedly stated, adding that the stylus will return once its functionality and integration reach a satisfactory level of refinement. While there is no official timeline yet, the comments suggest that Samsung has not abandoned its iconic stylus altogether. If these developments materialise, future versions of the Galaxy Z Fold could once again cater to power users and note-takers looking for productivity tools within a foldable format.
Hans India
11-07-2025
- Health
- Hans India
Galaxy Watch8 Series Unveiled at Unpacked 2025: Smarter Sleep, Fitness & Daily Health Tracking
With personal wellness taking on greater importance in everyday life, Galaxy Watch8 comes with smarter health Galaxy Watch8 features in the thinnest design ever, to help support daily well-being. Experience a daily health coaching session with Galaxy Watch8 series first look, which is equipped with sleep coaching, running coach, and insights on antioxidant and vascular levels to help users track, form and develop their healthy habits. A soft-edged cushion design and built-in Gemini, Google's AI assistant, provide sophisticated design language and convenient, hands-free experience. The editorial team from Samsung Newsroom got a sneak peek at the Galaxy Watch8 launch 2025 at Galaxy Unpacked 2025. Galaxy Watch8 series highlights: Bedtime Guidance: Goodnight to Monday Blues Monday blues don't just happen because of fatigue from the weekend but are also linked to the changing sleep cycle. To reset their daily routines, users can try Bedtime Guidance which suggests the ideal bedtime after the smartwatch analyzes sleep data for the past three days. Vascular Load: Track Vascular Health While Sleeping Galaxy Watch8 series is loaded with the Vascular Load feature that keeps users updated with their cardiovascular load during sleep and offers a greater understanding of stress levels from the advanced Galaxy Watch8 sleep tracking. The Samsung Galaxy Watch8 specs also considers related data — like sleep duration, physical activity, and stress levels — to provide a more comprehensive look at overall health and wellness. Running Coach: Get Real-Time, Personalized Tips Correct pacing and real-time feedback are two of the keys to running safely without injury. Galaxy Watch8 series' Running Coach analyzes running performance and gives real-time feedback after a 12-minute run. The Galaxy Watch8 health features determine the user's running ability on a scale of 10, followed by an automatically customized training plan over the course of three to five weeks for improvement.
Hindustan Times
10-07-2025
- Business
- Hindustan Times
Galaxy AI will remain free, but Samsung's wording hints at something different
At its July Galaxy Unpacked 2025 event, Samsung was quick to reassure users that its Galaxy AI platform, the suite of artificial intelligence tools powering many of its latest devices, will continue to be free of charge. But the language used during the keynote has raised eyebrows, with some analysts suggesting the company is still laying the groundwork for a future AI subscription model. During the event, Samsung stated it has 'no plans to charge for Galaxy AI experiences that are provided by default.' As AI features become a selling point across devices, from the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Flip 7, to the new Galaxy Watch 8, the cost of running these advanced services is bound to rise. Samsung, like its competitors, knows this. Tech giants like Google and OpenAI already charge for premium AI access, and Samsung has reportedly held internal discussions on monetising Galaxy AI. During the event, Samsung stated it has 'no plans to charge for Galaxy AI experiences that are provided by default.' That line, especially the inclusion of 'default', has sparked speculation that non-default or premium features may eventually carry a price tag. To clarify, Samsung later reiterated that it currently has no plans to charge for any Galaxy AI features. This lines up with its earlier commitment that Galaxy AI would remain free on supported devices until the end of 2025. Features powered by third-party providers, however, may be subject to different terms. Among the most popular Galaxy AI tools are Live Translate for calls, Note Assist, and Generative Edit for photos, all of which currently ship free with Samsung's flagship models. But with the increasing compute costs associated with on-device and cloud-based AI, it remains unclear whether Samsung can sustain that promise beyond 2025. It's also worth noting that Samsung is offering hefty pre-order bonuses for the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Flip 7. That could be an attempt to lock in early adopters before any AI-related policy changes take effect. For now, Galaxy AI remains free. But Samsung's careful phrasing and industry trends suggest that the era of free generative AI on smartphones might not last forever.
News18
10-07-2025
- News18
Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 And Watch 8 Classic With Gemini AI Unveiled: Price, Features
Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 and the Watch 8 Classic get a major design change , more health features and the One UI 8 version, Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 series is also part of the latest Galaxy Unpacked 2025 event this week. The new Watch 8 series gets a Class model and a design overhaul that will surely have you interested in the new smartwatches. This is also the first Galaxy Watch lineup to get Gemini out of the box. Samsung bringing the Classic variant back in 2025 with the 8 series means you get a new display form with the popular rotating bezels to control and navigate through the screen. The new watches are also getting the latest One UI 8 Watch version based on Wear OS 6 platform from Google. The Watch 8 Classic has all these and the 3D Hall sensor. For connectivity you have Bluetooth 5.3, Wi-Fi, 5G, NFC, dual-frequency GPS. The Watch 8 series gets 5ATM protection against water, IP68 rating and military standard grade durability. The Watch 8 comes with a 325mAh battery, while the Watch 8 Classic has a 445mAh unit. Both the smartwatches come with fast charging support but the speeds are not mentioned. About the Author S Aadeetya First Published: July 10, 2025, 09:45 IST
