Samsung releases trio of 4G devices to be `market creator`

Samsung Electronics unveiled Monday three smart devices in an aggressive aim to position itself as a "market creator." Following its rise as the world leader in smartphones, the company said it hopes to create a new market with new product categories.

In a media event at Samsung Electronics headquarters in Seocho, Seoul, Shin Jong-gyun, president of the company`s mobile business, said, "The Galaxy Note is a new concept smart device following analog phones, feature phones, smartphones and tablet PCs. It will offer a brand new experience for consumers."

The Galaxy Note combines the strengths of smartphones and tablet PCs. With a 5.3-inch screen and a high-definition 1280×800 Super AMOLED display, the device has the so-called "S Pen" that offers customers a detailed, emotional and analog experience.

The device runs on the 4G long-term evolution technology, or LTE, and will be available via all three domestic telecom services of SK Telecom, KT and LG U+.

Samsung also unveiled strategies to take the upper hand in the wireless telecom sector through various products. Shin said, "Samsung Electronics aims to maintain more than 30 percent share of the world`s LTE device market."

According to the global market research agency Strategy Analytics, Samsung sold 400,000 LTE smartphones in this year`s third quarter, controlling a world-leading 33.3 percent of the global market along with Taiwan`s HTC. Samsung aims to sell 2 million Galaxy Notes in the domestic market, gaining a firm foothold in the LTE device market on the back of its new LTE product lineup. The Korean electronics giant said it will not launch the Galaxy Note via the 3G network.

Samsung also introduced the Galaxy Nexus equipped with the operating system Google Android 4.0, also known as "Ice Cream Sandwich." The new smartphone features "Android Beam" that enables user share Web pages, videos and contact information with a friend by placing the phone near the friend`s phone. Another feature is a face recognition feature to unlock the phone.

The Galaxy Nexus is just 8.94 millimeters thick and boasts a curved ergonomic design.

Lee Yeong-hee, executive vice president of Samsung`s mobile business, "The Galaxy Nexus has not only Samsung Electronics` hardware but also its software technologies. We have worked closely with Google from the beginning of development."

Samsung also released the Galaxy Tab 8.9 LTE, Korea`s first LTE tablet PC, which speeds up wireless Internet five times that of 3G phones.

On if Samsung can sell 100 million smartphones this year, Lee answered, "I can`t say for sure, but we`ll certainly see a better-than-expected performance."

Early this year, Samsung set this year’s sales target at 60 million units and sold 60.09 million over the first nine months of the year, more than Apple`s 56 million units over the same period.

Given this trend, Samsung expects sales to top 90 million units this year.

jaeyuna@donga.com