Samsung Electronics has named Roh Tae-moon CEO of its key smartphone division, according to Bloomberg. He'll take over the position from DJ Koh, who will continue to head up Samsung's IT and mobile and communication arms. Roh is Samsung's third CEO in the last dozen years, as Koh was appointed in 2015 while Koh's predecessor JK Shin held the job for around six years.
Roh, who came on board with Samsung in 1997, helped develop the Galaxy device lineup and is supposedly a stickler for engineering and design. He'll reportedly try to bolster Samsung's reputation for quality after it stumbled over the past few years. Under Koh, Samsung was forced to kill the flammable Galaxy Note 7 and had to delay the Galaxy Fold due to issues with the display.
Roh's primary goals will be to shepherd foldable products into the mainstream and help Samsung expand in China and India. Roh is also known as a cost-cutter who outsourced smartphone production to better compete with aggressive Chinese rivals like Huawei, Xiaomi and Oppo. He'll be getting to work right away, as Samsung should be unveiling its new Galaxy S20 flagship series and possibly a second-generation foldable device at a February 11th event in San Francisco.
All products recommended by Engadget are selected by our editorial team, independent of our parent company. Some of our stories include affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, we may earn an affiliate commission.
Samsung's next phone may not be called the Galaxy S11 after all.
Angela Lang/CNET
Samsung can credit the Galaxy S line with securing its place as the world's top smartphone brand. But after more than a decade, rumors say the company is almost certainly shaking up the way it names its Galaxy S devices. The Galaxy S11 could become the Galaxy S20, with next year's phone going by the name Galaxy S21 and so on, to match the calendar year.
Sure can't wait for 2051.
As a writer, I think that names matter. No, not as much as the specs inside the phone, but enough that they can convey what a brand is about. It isn't just me, either: companies spend millions of dollars on focus groups and marketing strategies when choosing a phone name.
A month away from Samsung's Unpacked event on Feb 11, I'm not sure whether this proposed naming convention is good or bad. I'm not convinced that Samsung would stick with the plan to name its phone after the year, and if it does, it could be a missed opportunity for the brand to rededicate the phone as memorable and creative.
Let's consider a few options. Say Samsung follows in the footsteps of Apple'siPad (e.g. iPad 2019) and most car manufacturers by matching each phone name with the corresponding year. There's some logic to this strategy -- you'll always know where you are with a Samsung Galaxy S23, and I welcome bringing a little order to a portfolio brimming over with Galaxy phones.
I'm sure it's also cheaper and easier for brands not to have to worry about finding a unique name that resonates with the public in multiple languages, and that also isn't already earmarked by rivals.
On the other hand, the numbering game tends to feel unruly and meaningless, especially when you get into the higher digits. Would Samsung really commit to this plan long enough to reach the Galaxy S51, assuming we still use phones by then and not chips implanted into our arms?
The time to reinvent the brand is now
If Samsung thinks it hit a natural limit after the Galaxy S10 and wants to liven up the franchise, I'd be happy if it used the moment to reinvent the brand with a new name that stands for an updated set of values. (Of course, we don't know what Samsung will actually do until its big reveal.)
For an example, look no further than the iPhone X. Apple seemed to have changed the name when it unveiled a new type of iPhone, one that overhauled the design, removed the fingerprint scanner and boldly adopted face unlock with an approach that had never before been used in a phone. Apple pronounced the model iPhone "Ten", but many people referred to it as the iPhone "Ex".
Now playing:Watch this:
The next Galaxy S phone may have leaked in pictures
3:59
And then Apple ruined it by moving on to the iPhone 11 two years later. At some point, the iPhone's name is going to have to change again, because in my mind anyway, the iPhone 18, 21 and 34 seem too ridiculous to exist. I'm reminded of every Mission: Impossible reboot, or that classic line from a fake newscast in Spaceballs (the movie, not the flame thrower), "Rocky IV...thousand."
I suppose the heart of my thinking is that part of me misses the more fanciful names of a decade ago and more, when a phone name stood for some intrinsic value or feature that the device possessed, like the powerful and mysterious Samsung Omnia, or the zesty, flippy Motorola Citrus. (I'll probably never forgive the LG Chocolate music phone for having nothing to do with actual chocolate.)
There's a benefit to giving a phone a meaningful name. Just look at Android OS. Google was able to gain a hugely invested Android following that avidly followed and excitedly guessed each year's dessert-themed code name... until the fun ended this year with Android 10. While dry names haven't hurt the iPhone's success, Samsung has a chance to be more meaningful.
A leaked image of the Samsung Galaxy S20? Check out that new camera design.
XDA Developers
If the S20 does indeed mark a brand-new direction -- 5G, a new camera philosophy, and bold design -- then a new name makes sense. I just hope it's more interesting than "S20."
I concede to being in the minority here. Today, straightforward phone (and OS) naming seems to mostly be about maintaining order amidst the chaos -- as much to keep models clear on the sales and distribution end, I suspect, as for keeping a sea of variants straight in customers' minds.
Then again, there's such a thing as too much simplicity. I cringe just thinking about the Motorola Moto G, which at one point had at least three different models going by the same name with different carriers. Even Motorola's PR team didn't immediately know which was which until we compared the specs.
Of course, when all is said and done, it's these specs that matter most. The way that a phone works is far more important than how it rolls off the tongue, and that's where companies should absolutely spend their time and attention.
Would a phone's inner workings sound as tempting by any other name? Sure, but if it came down to the Samsung Galaxy Sonic and the Samsung Galaxy S28, I know which one I'd want more.
Samsung Electronics has appointed Roh Tae-moon its new mobile chief, taking over from co-ceo DJ Koh, who’ll continue to lead the chaebol’s IT and mobile communications division. Roh, 52, is said to be “an engineering maven,” according to Bloomberg, “who’s meticulous about phone features.”
Roh joined Samsung in 1997 and has been a key player in the research and development of the Galaxy device lineups. He’s also been instrumental in cutting costs, according to Reuters, through the outsourcing of handset production to better compete with Chinese handset makers like Huawei.
Samsung continues to dominate mobile handset marketshare globally, but has seen an increase in competition at the low- and mid-tier levels from Chinese competitors like Huawei, Vivo, and Oppo. Roh will be tasked with growing important markets like China and India as well as making foldables successful, after Samsung stumbled with the Galaxy Fold.
Samsung is expected to unveil its second-generation foldable alongside its new Galaxy S20 flagship series of phones at an event on February 11th in San Francisco.
We've been hearing plenty about the upcoming Samsung Galaxy S20 (previously known as the Galaxy S11) this week, and a newly leaked image gives us some idea of what the rear camera array on the Ultra model is going to look like.
Not only that, but the image posted by tipster Ishan Agarwal on Twitter makes another mention of the 100x digital zoom that's supposedly coming to the most powerful and most expensive S20 in the range.
That matches up with spec sheets we saw yesterday and other rumors that have been floating around in the last few days. It appears that the Galaxy S20 Ultra is going to have a very impressive quad-lens camera attached on the back.
And Samsung is apparently so proud of what it's been able to put together that a "100x" label will be attached right by the periscope camera that also offers up to 10x optical zoom – though we're not sure if that's truly optical or not.
(Image credit: @ishanagarwal24)
Optical zoom means zooming in without any loss in picture quality, in the same way as conventional cameras do – even when you're zoomed in, all the original detail is retained, up to the zoom level limit.
Digital zoom, meanwhile, uses software trickery to make educated guesses about details in images, and where pixels should be put as a picture gets bigger. It's not considered as good as optical zoom, but it's easier to do on a phone with limitations on space.
With Google, Apple and others now relying so heavily on algorithms and digital enhancements to make mobile pictures the best they can be, the line between digital and optical zoom is blurring.
We'll have to wait and see exactly what optical and digital zoom levels the Galaxy S20 phones use, and how much of a role software processing plays. The big announcement day is February 11.
Behringer isn't about to slow down in its effort to clone classic synths. The company has introduced two more not-so-subtle modernizations, headlined by the System 55 Modular Synthesizer (above). The Eurorack-friendly design includes more than 20 reproductions of modules from the legendary Moog 15, 35 and 55. It includes the requisite mix of attenuators, filters and oscillators needed to recreate that '70s Switched-On Bach-like sound as well as a Sequential Sequencer and a new power supply module.
The RD-6, meanwhile, is a straight riff on Roland's TR-606 drum machine. Behringer's spin is familiar to fans of the '80s gear on the surface and is even meant to pair with the TD-3 (a clone of the TB-303), but throws in a few helpful modern touches. You'll find a built-in distortion unit, a depth knob on the top panel, 64-step sequencing and enough line-outs for every "voice."
There's no word on specific pricing or availability, but Synth Anatomyspeculated that the modules will cost between $49 and $99 each like on the System 100. And when the TD-3 costs well under $200, the RD-6 could be inexpensive in its own right.
All products recommended by Engadget are selected by our editorial team, independent of our parent company. Some of our stories include affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, we may earn an affiliate commission.
Samsung's next phone may not be called the Galaxy S11 after all.
Angela Lang/CNET
Samsung can credit the Galaxy S line with securing its place as the world's top smartphone brand. But after more than a decade, rumors say the company is almost certainly shaking up the way it names its Galaxy S devices. The Galaxy S11 could become the Galaxy S20, with next year's phone going by the name Galaxy S21 and so on, to match the calendar year.
Sure can't wait for 2051.
As a writer, I think that names matter. No, not as much as the specs inside the phone, but enough that they can convey what a brand is about. It isn't just me, either: companies spend millions of dollars on focus groups and marketing strategies when choosing a phone name.
A month away from Samsung's Unpacked event on Feb 11, I'm not sure whether this proposed naming convention is good or bad. I'm not convinced that Samsung would stick with the plan to name its phone after the year, and if it does, it could be a missed opportunity for the brand to rededicate the phone as memorable and creative.
Let's consider a few options. Say Samsung follows in the footsteps of Apple'siPad (e.g. iPad 2019) and most car manufacturers by matching each phone name with the corresponding year. There's some logic to this strategy -- you'll always know where you are with a Samsung Galaxy S23, and I welcome bringing a little order to a portfolio brimming over with Galaxy phones.
I'm sure it's also cheaper and easier for brands not to have to worry about finding a unique name that resonates with the public in multiple languages, and that also isn't already earmarked by rivals.
On the other hand, the numbering game tends to feel unruly and meaningless, especially when you get into the higher digits. Would Samsung really commit to this plan long enough to reach the Galaxy S51, assuming we still use phones by then and not chips implanted into our arms?
The time to reinvent the brand is now
If Samsung thinks it hit a natural limit after the Galaxy S10 and wants to liven up the franchise, I'd be happy if it used the moment to reinvent the brand with a new name that stands for an updated set of values. (Of course, we don't know what Samsung will actually do until its big reveal.)
For an example, look no further than the iPhone X. Apple seemed to have changed the name when it unveiled a new type of iPhone, one that overhauled the design, removed the fingerprint scanner and boldly adopted face unlock with an approach that had never before been used in a phone. Apple pronounced the model iPhone "Ten", but many people referred to it as the iPhone "Ex".
Now playing:Watch this:
The next Galaxy S phone may have leaked in pictures
3:59
And then Apple ruined it by moving on to the iPhone 11 two years later. At some point, the iPhone's name is going to have to change again, because in my mind anyway, the iPhone 18, 21 and 34 seem too ridiculous to exist. I'm reminded of every Mission: Impossible reboot, or that classic line from a fake newscast in Spaceballs (the movie, not the flame thrower), "Rocky IV...thousand."
I suppose the heart of my thinking is that part of me misses the more fanciful names of a decade ago and more, when a phone name stood for some intrinsic value or feature that the device possessed, like the powerful and mysterious Samsung Omnia, or the zesty, flippy Motorola Citrus. (I'll probably never forgive the LG Chocolate music phone for having nothing to do with actual chocolate.)
There's a benefit to giving a phone a meaningful name. Just look at Android OS. Google was able to gain a hugely invested Android following that avidly followed and excitedly guessed each year's dessert-themed code name... until the fun ended this year with Android 10. While dry names haven't hurt the iPhone's success, Samsung has a chance to be more meaningful.
A leaked image of the Samsung Galaxy S20? Check out that new camera design.
XDA Developers
If the S20 does indeed mark a brand-new direction -- 5G, a new camera philosophy, and bold design -- then a new name makes sense. I just hope it's more interesting than "S20."
I concede to being in the minority here. Today, straightforward phone (and OS) naming seems to mostly be about maintaining order amidst the chaos -- as much to keep models clear on the sales and distribution end, I suspect, as for keeping a sea of variants straight in customers' minds.
Then again, there's such a thing as too much simplicity. I cringe just thinking about the Motorola Moto G, which at one point had at least three different models going by the same name with different carriers. Even Motorola's PR team didn't immediately know which was which until we compared the specs.
Of course, when all is said and done, it's these specs that matter most. The way that a phone works is far more important than how it rolls off the tongue, and that's where companies should absolutely spend their time and attention.
Would a phone's inner workings sound as tempting by any other name? Sure, but if it came down to the Samsung Galaxy Sonic and the Samsung Galaxy S28, I know which one I'd want more.
Behringer isn't about to slow down in its effort to clone classic synths. The company has introduced two more not-so-subtle modernizations, headlined by the System 55 Modular Synthesizer (above). The Eurorack-friendly design includes more than 20 reproductions of modules from the legendary Moog 15, 35 and 55. It includes the requisite mix of attenuators, filters and oscillators needed to recreate that '70s Switched-On Bach-like sound as well as a Sequential Sequencer and a new power supply module.
The RD-6, meanwhile, is a straight riff on Roland's TR-606 drum machine. Behringer's spin is familiar to fans of the '80s gear on the surface and is even meant to pair with the TD-3 (a clone of the TB-303), but throws in a few helpful modern touches. You'll find a built-in distortion unit, a depth knob on the top panel, 64-step sequencing and enough line-outs for every "voice."
There's no word on specific pricing or availability, but Synth Anatomyspeculated that the modules will cost between $49 and $99 each like on the System 100. And when the TD-3 costs well under $200, the RD-6 could be inexpensive in its own right.
All products recommended by Engadget are selected by our editorial team, independent of our parent company. Some of our stories include affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, we may earn an affiliate commission.
