One of the main issues with Samsung devices that run Android - or any device that is powered by that particular operating system in fact - is the huge fragmentation issue that accompanies it. More often than not, powerful and high-end devices are often running outdated versions of Android, meaning that consumers are often missing out on features that have been integrated into new builds. This issue is something that we will likely see in the future as we continue to move forward and won't go away anytime soon.
Samsung is the number one smartphone manufacturer in the world right now, and having yielded huge success with the Galaxy S and Galaxy S II, few could have foreseen the impact of the Galaxy Note, which although seeming to look far too large for most pockets, actually sold in impressive numbers.
If you thought that the 10 million units of the Galaxy S III that Samsung sold in two months was a result of pre-orders and a limited number of enthusiastic Android fans, thinks again! Sales of the Galaxy S III are still actually gaining momentum, with over 20 million units sold in almost 3 months. Details after the jump!
The patent fight has often been analogized as being like the Cold War, and it's a battle which Apple appears to be winning right now, given that Judge Lucy Koh recently ruled in favor of Apple in the well-documented San Jose fiasco. Samsung was hit pretty hard by the decision of the jury, and as well as losing a billion dollars plus (barring a successful appeal), the Korean outfit has been made to look like the inferior, copycat company.
Samsung may have been shrouded in a little bit of controversy over the last few weeks and had their public reputation somewhat tarnished, but that doesn't detract from the fact that they produce some fantastic and popular devices, that are in some cases, ahead of the competition in the industry. I am willing to go out on a limb and suggest that their legal wrangling's with Apple are far from over, with more to come surrounding Apple's request to have specific devices banned in the United States, but until that day in court comes upon us, there is some good news on the horizon for Samsung Galaxy S III owners.
The Galaxy S III handset brought with it a wide level of excitement from Android users who couldn't wait to get their hands on the powerful new device, but also from the wider technology loving community who couldn't wait to see which direction Samsung had taken with the successor to their insanely popular Galaxy S II smartphone. Judging from the sales figures of the S III, it doesn't look like consumers have been disappointed with the hardware, but there was one feature that was widely expected to be included, and was notably missing in action at release.
Although it has become one of the most hotly contested industries in the world at the minute and is potentially an extremely stressful market for manufacturers to be involved in, consumers should be taking the opportunity to sit back and reap the rewards and device choice that is coming out of the smartphone industry. It's becoming increasingly difficult to actually keep up with all of the different device launches and announcements, but generally speaking, the large manufacturers like Apple and Samsung make sure their products get noticed.
It is becoming increasingly difficult to keep up with what is going on with Apple and Samsung as they continue to battle it out with each other over the alleged infringement of various patents. We've already had the major trial and verdict in San Jose, with Samsung being told they are liable to the tune of $1.05 billion for breaching a number of Apple patents, as well as a Japanese court ruling in Samsung's favor in a separate case regarding a utility patent that centers around transferring data between two devices. Court rulings and alleged infringements in different markets all over the world make this a difficult one to get your head around.
Samsung may have only just announced the second generation Galaxy Note, but U.S. Android fans can already pre-order the latest tablet-cum-smartphone for delivery just after October 26th.
Although Samsung is still in the process of hiding in the shadows of the consumer technology industry in an attempt to lick their wounds that are a result of their rather large defeat against Apple in California, they have managed to present their case in a Japanese court and notch up what can only be classed as an extremely small victory over the Cupertino-based iPhone giants. Although the case is in no way as large as the recent happenings that have been going on in San Jose recently, a victory is still a victory and Samsung will walk away from this one with their heads held a little higher.
