Samsung Mobile Platform, 'bada 2.0'

bada 2.0 SDK delivers improved performance and enhanced stability through its new features

Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd, a leading mobile phone provider, on Aug. 25 announced the bada 2.0 SDK (Software Development Kit), an application development tool for Samsung's own mobile platform. bada 2.0 is expected to be a catalyst in expanding the global distribution of bada smartphones, which have already received significant global sales.
The expansion of the bada platform is led by the success of the seven existing Samsung Wave devices. The Wave smartphones have proven extremely popular in Europe, China and Southeast Asia, where consumers have been attracted to their affordability and functionality; the recognizable user-experience and touch interface has helped introduce existing Samsung feature phone users to Smartphone services and application experiences.
"Samsung bada and our Wave devices continue to succeed around the world, taking advantage of the mobile technology and brand awareness of Samsung's leadership in the market," said JK Shin, President and Head of Samsung's Mobile Communications Business. "We have brought together our key mobile innovations in bada 2.0, setting the foundation for it to become a leading mobile platform."
Unveiled at Mobile World Congress in February 2011, bada 2.0 includes many compelling, new features. Borne of Samsung's heritage in innovation, bada 2.0 brings together a wide variety of new capabilities including multi-tasking, Wi-Fi Direct, Near Field Communication (NFC) and voice recognition. It enables smartphone users to experience advanced services such as mobile payment, transport pass-card recharge and file sharing without Internet networking.
In addition, considering the increased use of web using smartphones, bada 2.0 supports HTML5 and improved Flash functions thus offering enhanced usability and web experience. By supporting standard WAC 2.0, bada aims to greatly expand its developer community
"bada is a significant innovation and a key component in Samsung's multi-platform strategy; we are committed to investing in its success. We are expanding our developer community and creating a strong ecosystem that benefits both developers and end-users. Developers have an opportunity to reach a significant customer base with new, entertaining and compelling applications while consumers will receive an outstanding smartphone experience." added Shin.
A key feature for developer partners is the introduction of In-app Ads. Using the Ads API (Application Programming Interface) developers for bada 2.0 can easily insert advertisements, creating new revenue opportunities. Samsung has also upgraded and strengthened its application development environment, providing developers with increased support. An Emulator has been added to foster a development process suitable to the target environment. Tools such as Profiler optimize the device's performance ensuring that resources like memory and processing power are used to their fullest capacity.
bada 2.0 SDK can be downloaded from the bada developer site (developer.bada.com). Samsung has enhanced the 'Samsung Apps' retail store and expanded full availability through to 121 countries worldwide. With this 2.0 version, more differentiated functions will be offered from Samsung Apps, including new purchasing options and recommendations. Samsung Apps have proven a popular destination since the launch of the Samsung Wave, the first bada based smartphone in June 2010. It received 10 million application downloads in just 3 months and passed the 100 million-mark in March 2011. The store currently houses approximately 40,000 applications.
Samsung Introduces ChatON Mobile Communication Service
- Samsung ChatON is the fun and free global communication service that enables content and conversation to be shared between all major mobile devices
Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. on Aug. 29 announced the launch of ChatON, a free mobile communication service that allows users to communicate instantly with any mobile phone.
ChatON is Samsung's global mobile communication service that works across all major smartphone and feature phone platforms. ChatON lets users interact with friends and family, regardless of device platform functionality across multiple platforms lets all users join in, with text, images, hand-written notes and video shared instantly. Users can chat in groups, while a Web client will allow the easy sharing of content and conversations between mobile and PC.
"With ChatON, Samsung has vastly simplified mobile communication by allowing users to connect to our upcoming feature phones and all major Smartphones in the market,"said Lee Ho-soo, Head of Media Solution Center at Samsung Electronics. "Users around the world can now enjoy easier and richer interactivity with whoever they want, in the format they want?this is mobile communication reinvented and democratized."
ChatON, which is available in more than 120 countries supporting up to 62 languages, features two functionality options. A basic functionality option is available for feature phone users who prefer simple and easy usage, allowing users to share text, pictures, calendar, contacts and emotions through an easy-to-access client.
Smartphone users can enjoy advanced feature options, enabling richer communication by allowing users to see how often they communicate with their buddies using the Interaction Rank feature and post comments on buddies' profile pages. Users can also create an 'Animation message' which allows them to create their own content by scribbling texts, adding audio and choosing their background pictures. All photos and videos in each conversation window can be viewed in an automatically-generated content sharing 'Trunk'.
ChatON allows users to join and grow their social communities, socializing instantly and flexibly through their mobile device. Users can enjoy the benefits of ChatON globally, with free and easy communication possible with friends and family anywhere in the world.
Samsung ChatON will be made available gradually across all major Smartphones, Tablets, notebook PCs and Samsung feature phones, including forthcoming devices showcased at IFA 2011. nw

(left) Samsung Electronics ramps up its own mobile platform with the launch of "bada 2.0." Models pitch the Samsung ChatOn, introduced by the Korean electronics maker.

Photo on Courtesy of Samsung Electronics