Reuters on WSJ on samsung 1xRTT
>> Samsung to reduce reliance on Qualcomm chips - WSJ
Reuters
New York
04.14.03
forbes.com
Samsung Electronics Co <05930.KS>, the world's third-largest mobile-phone maker, is taking steps to become less dependent on semiconductors made by U.S. wireless technology firm Qualcomm Inc, the Wall Street Journal reported on Monday.
Citing people familiar with the situation, the Journal said Samsung intends to launch Code Division Multiple Access 2000 mobile-phone technology handsets containing its own chips this month in Korea.
Samsung, based in South Korea, has been using chips from San Diego, California-based Qualcomm to make phones compatible with CDMA 2000 mobile-phone technology.
CDMA 2000 is one of several third-generation mobile-phone technologies designed to let people use their handsets to download video clips and other multimedia applications as well as for talking or sending text messages.
The Journal said if Samsung's CDMA 2000 chip can match Qualcomm's chip for performance and price, it could weaken the U.S. company's grip on CDMA technology and vindicate a much-criticized move by world's largest mobile phones maker Nokia <NOK1V.HE> to develop its own CDMA 2000 chips.
Qualcomm officials were not immediately available for comment early on Monday.
Demand for CDMA 2000 handsets, which accounted for about nine percent of the global mobile-phone market last year, has been growing rapidly in Japan, Korea and the United States.
Don Schrock, group vice president for Qualcomm's CDMA Technologies, sought to play down Samsung's latest move, telling the Journal "our relationship with Samsung is excellent". <<
- Eric - |
