Samsung-owned Harman introduced new high-performance JBL headphones and portable Bluetooth speakers in South Korea. With the new launches, the company is expanding its footprint in the audio products market.

The unique features of Samsung Harman audio products give them an edge over rivals in the market. A standout feature is the ability to play high-quality wireless audio even on existing wired devices that do not support Bluetooth.

JBL Tour One M3 headphones

They come with a game-changer called JBL Smart Tx, a wireless audio transmitter, letting you enjoy HQ Bluetooth audio on devices that don’t even support Bluetooth. These headphones connect via Bluetooth, USB-C, or even legacy systems

Auracast:

It lets multiple headphones, JBL or other brands, connect to a single device. Harman says this feature will soon be a staple at places like international conferences. It’s practical, inclusive, and opens up so many possibilities for shared listening experiences.

JBL Flip 7 and Charge 6 Speakers

These speakers come with JBL Pro Sound with an AI sound boost feature. You may become a fan of how portable these speakers are, with replaceable handles and up to 16 hours of battery life, thanks to the playtime boost function.

JBL PartyBox Encore 2

Samsung Harman’s new JBL PartyBox Encore 2 party speaker steps it up with Bluetooth 5.4, LE Audio, and a fast-charging feature. It comes with wireless microphones, perfect for karaoke nights or impromptu speeches.

Samsung kicked off the pre-launch of the Galaxy S25 Edge on May 21, and the excitement was electric. Fans lined up outside Samsung Gangnam in Seoul, eager to get their hands on the sleekest phone in the Galaxy S series yet.

By 10 am, when the Gangnam store opened its doors, a long queue of pre-order customers was ready to claim their devices. This Galaxy S25 Edge launch proves again that Samsung knows how to create a phone that gets people talking and waiting in line.

The first lucky buyer, Jeon Jun-ha, stepped up to the pickup zone, scanned his QR code, and walked away with the very first Galaxy S25 Edge. Cheers and applause filled the store as staff handed him a bouquet and gifts.

“I got this for my younger sibling,” Jun-ha said, beaming. “I waited two hours before the store opened, and being the first to get it—plus all these gifts—feels amazing.”

The Galaxy S25 Edge’s slim profile and powerful performance make it stand out, and the hands-on demo zone at Samsung Gangnam was packed with fans.

Another pre-order customer, Song Hye-seung, bought one for her father, a loyal Galaxy user. “It feels so light,” she said. “I think it’ll be easy on his wrist, which is a big deal.”

New Galaxy AI Subscription Club

For just KRW 5,900 (approximately $4.25) a month, subscribers get perks like up to 50% residual value when trading in their device, Samsung Care Plus for damage protection, and discounts on accessories.

Until May 31, Samsung is sweetening the deal with three months of cashback for those who join the club through Samsung.com and stay for three months, apart from a free storage upgrade.

Samsung also debuted the “Galaxy Ring Two-Tone Titanium Black” alongside the S25 Edge, and buyers who snag both get a 20% discount on the ring plus 100,000 membership points.

For years, Samsung and LG have dominated the worldwide TV market, but recent data shows TCL is closing in fast on Samsung and leaving LG in the dust. This shift indicates that TCL, not LG, is emerging as the real rival to Samsung.

According to a recent report from market research firm Sigmaintell via TheElec, TCL’s TV shipments in the first half of 2025 are projected to hit 13.7 million units, a strong jump from 12.7 million units last year.

That’s an 8% growth rate, the highest among the top four TV makers. Samsung, still leading the pack, is expected to ship 17.2 million units, up 3.3% from 16.6 million.

Meanwhile, LG Electronics is lagging behind with 10.3 million units, a mere 1.3% increase from 10.2 million. Hisense, another Chinese brand, follows closely behind TCL with 13.6 million units.

TCL is gaining ground fast

Last year, the shipment gap between Samsung and TCL was 3.9 million units. This year, it’s expected to shrink to 3.5 million. That’s a clear sign TCL is catching up, at the same time, the gap between TCL and LG is growing.

Sigmaintell points to US retailers stockpiling inventory and China’s trade-in policy, which offers subsidies for energy-efficient TVs. Per the reports, this is one of the factors behind TCL’s surge in the worldwide TV market.

TCL’s aggressive growth and ability to close the gap with Samsung show it’s not just another player in the TV segment, but it’s a serious rival, which is coming for the crown. LG, while still a major TV vendor worldwide, is falling behind in this race.

Samsung, despite holding the top spot, is feeling the pressure and facing challenges in reaching its 38M shipments target. Sigmaintell predicts weaker shipments in the second half of 2025 due to artificial demand from early stockpiling.

Samsung and Google are collaborating to develop Smart AR Glasses. Following the I/O 2025, Google’s co-founder backed Gemini AI as the killer app behind the AR Smart Glasses in development with Samsung Electronics.

During his conversation with DeepMind’s CEO, Sergey Brin talked about AI (artificial intelligence), AGI (artificial general intelligence), Gemini, as well as Google’s work on AR Smart Glasses in collaboration with Samsung.

Recent developments also suggest that Google is quite ambitious to make a comeback in the Smart Glasses segment, riding the wave of AI. The product would likely come from Samsung, and the software part will be handled by Google.

Brin stated, “The emergence of generative AI has made the functions of smart glasses far more realistic than during the Google Glass era,” and expressed confidence that “the AI agent we announced today will be the killer app for smart glasses.”

Back in 2015, Google left the Smart Glasses segment due to poor sales, but it’s ready to return to the market in collaboration with Samsung, as announced at I/O 2025. Brin commented on the launch of Google Glass in 2013, stating, “I made a lot of mistakes,” adding, “I didn’t realize how difficult it was to make smart glasses at a reasonable price.”

He expressed, “I have great confidence in smart glasses, and I am pleased that Google is once again pursuing the smart glasses field with great partners.”

After the rise of AI, AGI is the next big leap in the tech industry. Google believes Gemini AI will be the first Artificial General Intelligence by 2030. There will be even more stunning experiences for consumers around the world.

Samsung’s XR Headset and AR Glasses get Google’s spotlight at I/O 2025

Samsung’s flagship phones are made to deliver exceptional performance, camera quality, and user experience. 2023’s Galaxy S23 Ultra is unquestionably a monster flagship, having recently survived a frozen Arctic river dive.

Recently, Samsung brought an incident to the limelight, in which a Galaxy S23 Ultra spent hours submerged in a freezing Arctic river. Surprisingly, the flagship phone has proven its tank-like, durable build quality, emerging just fine.

The incident

A Swedish professional wilderness guide’s Galaxy S23 Ultra slipped from his glove and fell into an ice fishing hole when he was out on the frozen Kalix River. The device plunged into the freezing water, settling around three meters below the surface.

“At that moment, I felt like I had donated my entire digital life to the river — photos, ID, credit cards and all my apps gone in an instant,” Mikael said. “It wasn’t just a phone to me. It was my work companion, essential in everything I do.”

As the phone has plenty of crucial data and documents, it was necessary for the owner to get it back. Mikael decided to attempt a recovery despite the extreme conditions, leading him to a five-hour-long smartphone rescue operation.

“I could see my phone through the ice. It wasn’t lost completely — just barely out of reach,” he explained. “Eventually, I drove home, grabbed a summer fishing net, tied the net to a birch rod, and came back — and within five minutes, it was in my hands.”

Source – Samsung

After a series of attempts, Mikael has got his hands back on the Galaxy S23 Ultra. Tapping the power button immediately illuminates the screen, showcasing recent notifications, proving extremely durable and reliable build quality.

“We let it sit overnight in the cabin just to be safe, but the next day it was still working perfectly,” Mikael added. “And it continues to function just like it did before the incident.”

Samsung’s reliable IP68 rating feature has made the Galaxy S23 Ultra pretty much durable and reliable. The IP rating is meant to safeguard the device from dust and water damage, even in extreme conditions, to ensure longevity.