Category: 3. Business

Now available in 122 countries and 17 languages, HRM delivers faster, more seamless customer support across borders

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd is expanding it Home Appliances Remote Management (HRM) service globally, enhancing the remote diagnostic and troubleshooting experience for smart appliances users around the world. The service is now active across 122 countries including Canada with support for 17 languages, enabling seamless support for a wide global customer base.

HRM is a service that connects SmartThings-connected appliances to Samsung’s service network, maintaining a continuous record of device conditions and enabling real-time monitoring through the service center.

“Samsung’s HRM service exemplifies our commitment to proactive, smart customer care,” said Miyoung Yoo, EVP and Head of Global Customer Satisfaction Team, Digital Appliance (DA) Business at Samsung Electronics. “Thanks to the combination of seamless connectivity and real-time insights, this service helps to reduce complexity for our customers, ultimately enhancing their overall satisfaction.”

Enhancing Service for Screen Appliances

In line with the expansion of screen-equipped appliances like Bespoke refrigerators and washing machines, Samsung has also introduced a screen-sharing feature to enhance diagnostic capabilities. For various screens of 7”, 9”, and Family Hubs, its users can share their device screens in real time with service centre advisors, allowing diagnosis of display-related issues, app malfunctions or multimedia playback problems.

Immediate Solutions and Reduced Service Visits through Remote Assistance

Samsung’s HRM service improves a new avenue for customer care by enabling real-time remote solutions for simple product issues that previously required in-home technician visits. For instance, for a customer that reported that the washing machine’s buttons were not responding, the advisor was able to diagnose through the HRM system that the Child Lock setting was active. With simple guidance on how to disable the setting, the problem was solved instantly without a technician’s visit. In another case where a customer reported condensation on the refrigerator door, with user consent, the advisor was able to remotely turn on the internal heater, which effectively eliminated the moisture.

In cases when an on-site visit is ultimately necessary, HRM improves the experience by allowing technicians to review detailed diagnostic data in advance. They are able to arrive at the site prepared, potentially reducing repeat visits and repair times.

Growing Adoption and User Satisfaction

With the continued expansion of customer support solutions like HRM, Samsung is realizing convenient and efficient ways to care for home appliances – reducing downtime, enhancing the user experience and setting new standards for global service. As HRM reaches more countries, languages and product categories, Samsung remains committed to delivering smarter, more connected care for the homes of the future.

HRM is supported on SmartThings-enabled models released after 2019. Must download the SmartThings app available on Android and iOS devices. A Wi-Fi connection and a Samsung account are required.

In Korea, HRM supports refrigerators, washing machines, dryers, air conditioners, vacuum cleaners, and dishwashers. In Canada, HRM supports refrigerators and washing machines.

This article first appeared on GuruFocus.

Intel’s (NASDAQ:INTC) comeback could be one of the most surprising corporate turnarounds this year. After President Donald Trump publicly called for CEO Lip-Bu Tan’s resignation earlier this summer, few expected the story to flip this fast. But it did. Since the White House signaled plans to take a 10% stake in Intel, the company’s shares have climbed more than 50%, marking one of its strongest rallies in years. The political backing ignited a string of high-profile investmentsSoftBank committed $2 billion, followed by Nvidia’s (NASDAQ:NVDA) $5 billion partnership deal to co-develop chips for PCs and data centers. Reports also suggest Apple has explored a potential collaboration, though talks remain preliminary.

Beyond the headlines, Intel is quietly rebuilding the core of its business. The company confirmed that its next-generation Panther Lake chips, built on its 18A manufacturing process, are now in full production and slated for laptops early next year. This technology marks Intel’s long-awaited return to producing its most advanced chips in-house after years of outsourcing to TSMC. Intel’s management views the 18A process as a critical testone that could finally position its foundry unit to win new contracts from major designers like Nvidia and Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL), provided the performance holds up under industry scrutiny.

The next phase, however, may hinge on execution rather than momentum. Nvidia said it will monitor Intel’s progress before committing further, while Apple’s potential involvement could start with simpler products such as Apple TV chips. Still, Intel’s strengthened relationship with Washington could prove strategically valuable, offering companies a politically favored path to build in America without constructing their own facilities. Investors seem to sense that Intel’s reset is gaining tractionbut transforming optimism into long-term customer demand will be the real test of whether Lip-Bu Tan’s turnaround plan can endure.

This article first appeared on GuruFocus.

Levi Strauss & Co. (LEVI, Financials) shares fell almost 7% in premarket trade on Friday.The denim maker said that new tariffs would affect fourth-quarter margins, even as it raised its full-year profit outlook.

The San Francisco-based garment manufacturer said that higher import costs from places like Bangladesh, Cambodia, and Pakistan, which have high tariffs under current U.S. trade policies, will cut gross margins by 130 basis points.

The estimate shows how changing U.S. trade regulations could affect global supply chains, especially for retailers who do a lot of business in places that don’t have free trade. Levi’s said it got around 70% of their holiday stock early and hiked some prices to make up for the tariff hit.

Investors were more worried about the impact on margins, even while sales were going up and younger buyers were still buying baggy and loose-fitting clothes. Barclays analysts called the outlook cautious, while Morgan Stanley said the guidance meant that the holiday quarter will be weaker since it would be harder to compare to the same quarter last year.

Levi’s stock has gone up approximately 40% this year because they have better control over their inventories and more full-price sales. Its forward price-to-earnings ratio is about 17, which is lower than Ralph Lauren’s 20.6 and higher than American Eagle Outfitters’ 11.4.

The company’s next big test will be how it deals with tariffs throughout the holiday season while keeping prices high and demand strong.

Macroeconomic factors could also support EM stocks. The US Fed is forecast to cut rates further, creating room for further monetary easing and stronger growth across a number of emerging markets, Trivedi writes.

And the US dollar “will likely stay on the back foot” relative to emerging markets currencies amid a softening US labor market and a potential increase in investment flows into EM stocks and bonds as investors diversify away from the dollar. A weakening dollar can boost flows into EM stocks as investors look for higher returns outside the US.

Which Stock Markets Are Forecast to Grow?

Within Asian markets, Goldman Sachs Research sees investment opportunities in Chinese and Korean equities.

In Korea, 70% of stocks trade below book value (the implied value of a stock based on the company’s assets minus its liabilities). Ongoing reforms to the way companies are governed in Korea could also drive up the country’s equity prices, as could Chinese efforts to address disorderly price cutting and excessive competition among producers.

Meanwhile, Saudi Arabian equities could benefit from the potential easing of limits on foreign ownership of listed companies, which Goldman Sachs Research estimates could unlock passive inflows up to $10 billion to the Saudi markets.

“On balance, this should be supportive of Saudi equities—which have lagged EM in the year to date—and fits with our regional diversification theme,” Trivedi writes.

On the other hand, Indian equities have lagged other emerging markets this year. High valuations, higher-than-expected tariffs, and challenges for the software sector from the increased price of US H1B visas suggest that a broad recovery might not be imminent.

Beyond Asia, the team anticipates continued gains from South African stocks as rising gold prices help mining companies and inexpensive domestic sectors could benefit from a potential growth recovery and lower borrowing costs.

Why are emerging currencies strengthening against the US dollar?

Emerging market currencies outperformed their peers from major developed economies in September, and Goldman Sachs Research anticipates that this outperformance could continue.

There are three key factors supporting the appreciation of EM currencies relative to their DM peers. Firstly, high levels of carry (when investors borrow currency in a country with lower interest rates in order to invest somewhere with higher rates) are contributing to the attractiveness of emerging markets currencies relative to other major currencies.

Secondly, the team notes that the US dollar has been acting more like a cyclical currency lately—one which appreciates as the economy grows and declines when the economy is under pressure—particularly when a shock emanates from the US.

As a result, EM currencies are likely to weaken less significantly against the dollar in the event of changes to risk sentiment or downward revisions to growth expectations in the US.

And finally, the strong performance of EM equities is also likely to have played a role in the appreciation of EM currencies relative to their developed market peers.

The team has found that there is a relationship between the performance of EM currencies and relative equity returns. In short, “the best environment for EM foreign exchange is when both the MSCI EM and S&P indices are going up and MSCI EM is outperforming,” Trivedi writes.

 

This article is being provided for educational purposes only. The information contained in this article does not constitute a recommendation from any Goldman Sachs entity to the recipient, and Goldman Sachs is not providing any financial, economic, legal, investment, accounting, or tax advice through this article or to its recipient. Neither Goldman Sachs nor any of its affiliates makes any representation or warranty, express or implied, as to the accuracy or completeness of the statements or any information contained in this article and any liability therefore (including in respect of direct, indirect, or consequential loss or damage) is expressly disclaimed.

President Donald Trump has threatened to pull out of an expected meeting with President Xi Jinping of China after Beijing tightened its rules for exports of rare earths.

In a post on social media, Trump said he now saw “no reason” to meet with President Xi later this month, accusing China of “becoming very hostile” and trying to hold the world “captive”.

He also threatened a “massive” increase in tariffs on Chinese goods, raising fears about further escalation of trade tensions between the two economic giants.

Financial markets dropped in the wake of the remarks, with the S&P 500 down 1.8% in mid-afternoon trade in New York.

The last time Beijing tightened export controls – after Trump raised tariffs on Chinese goods early this year – there was an outcry from many US firms reliant on the materials . Carmaker Ford even had to temporarily pause production.

In addition to tightening rules for rare earth exports, China has opened a monopoly investigation into the US tech firm Qualcomm that could stall its acquisition of another chipmaker.

Although Qualcomm is based in the US, a significant portion of its business is concentrated in China.

Beijing has also said it will charge new port fees to ships with ties to the US, including those owned or operated by US firms.

“Some very strange things are happening in China!” Trump wrote in a post on social media on Friday. “They are becoming very hostile.”

The US and China have been in a fragile trade détente since May, when the two sides agreed to drop triple-digit tariffs on each others’ goods that had nearly stopped trade between the two countries.

Officials have held a series of talks since then on matters including TikTok, agricultural purchases, and the trade of advanced technology like semiconductors and rare earths supplied by China, which are key components in cars, smartphones and many other items.

The two sides were expected to meet again this month at a summit in South Korea.

China expert Jonathan Czin, a fellow at the Brookings Institution, said Xi’s recent actions were a bid to shape the upcoming talks, noting that the recent rare earths directive does not go into effect immediately.

“He’s looking for ways to seize the initiative,” he said. “The Trump administration is having to play a game of whack-a-mole and deal with these issues as they come up.”

He added that he did not think China was worried about US retaliation in response.

“What China took away from the Liberation Day tariffs and the cycle of escalation followed by de-escalation is that the Chinese side had a higher pain threshold,” he said. “From their perspective, the Trump administration blinked.”

In prior rounds of trade talks, China has pushed for looser US restrictions on semiconductors. It is also interested in securing more stable tariff policies that would make it easier for its businesses to sell into the US.

Xi has previously used as leverage his country’s dominance of production of rare earths, critical minerals and other materials.

But the export rules unveiled this week target overseas defence manufacturers, making them particularly serious, said Gracelin Baskaran, director of the critical minerals security program at Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies.

“Nothing makes America move like targeting our defence industry,” she said. “The US is going to have to negotiate because we have limited options, and in an era of rising geopolitical tension and potential conflict, we need to build our industrial defence base.”

While a Trump-Xi meeting now looks unlikely, she said it was not necessarily completely off the table. Ms Baskaran said there’s still time and room for talks. China’s new rules don’t take effect until December.

“Negotiations are likely imminent,” she said. “Who does them and where they happen will be determined with time.”

AUCKLAND, New Zealand — Planet has announced a new class of imaging satellites that will replace a line of spacecraft dating back to the company’s earliest days.

Will Marshall, co-founder and chief executive of Planet, wrote in an Oct. 7 blog post that the company will launch late next year the first Owl satellite, intended to ultimately replace its existing fleet of SuperDove satellites.

“Owl will be designed to deliver frequent, best-in-class imagery faster, enabling customers to receive imagery-enabled insights within as little as one hour of capture,” he said.

Unlike SuperDoves, which provide imagery at a resolution of three to four meters, the Owl spacecraft will offer one-meter imagery. The spacecraft will also be equipped with Nvidia processors to enable “AI at the edge” onboard processing, such as identifying objects or detecting activity of interest.

The Owl satellites will maintain what Marshall called “seamless continuity” with SuperDoves by using the same core spectral bands, allowing customers to use existing workflows for analyzing the imagery.

Through imagery from the Dove and SuperDove satellites, Planet has built a daily record of Earth’s surface. “We have an eight-year daily history of change on the planet everywhere,” Robbie Schingler, co-founder and chief strategy officer of Planet, said in an Oct. 8 speech at the New Zealand Aerospace Summit. “It has become a foundational data layer.”

The new satellites, however, will be significantly different physically from SuperDoves. Illustrations released by Planet showed a spacecraft that appeared larger than the 3U cubesat form factor used by SuperDoves and earlier Dove satellites dating back more than a decade. A company spokesperson confirmed that the Owl satellites are larger but declined to provide their mass or dimensions.

“Looking ahead, a higher-performance and future-proofed mission requires a more capable and advanced spacecraft,” Marshall wrote. The Owl satellites will use an upgraded version of the avionics system developed for the larger Pelican and Tanager satellites Planet is building for high-resolution and hyperspectral imagery, respectively.

He said the first technology demonstration for Owl will launch in late 2026, with a fleet of spacecraft to follow in the “coming years.”

The announcement of Owl comes as Planet scales up production of the larger Pelican satellites. The company announced Sept. 25 that it will establish a second factory for Pelican satellites in Berlin, its European headquarters. The new factory, Planet said, will help it “better meet growing demand from the European market” by doubling the production rate for those spacecraft.

Schingler noted in his talk that the company continues to be vertically integrated in its satellite production. “That’s really showing the immaturity of the space segment today. It’s really a community today. It’s not a huge, efficient, competitive, interoperable market.”

“I don’t want to be vertically integrated. We’ve had to be vertically integrated because the maturity of the supply chain wasn’t there,” he said. He cited, as an example, 18-month lead times for avionics as a reason the company produces them and other components in-house.

He said he wants to see the space industry become more like the semiconductor market, where supply chains are more reliable and efficient. “I think the future for us is to be a true market, a true industry,” he said, with a strong supply chain that can provide components quickly. “That’s what I really wish for the ecosystem, to turn into an industry where you don’t have to be vertically integrated.”

Related

WASHINGTON, Oct 10 (Reuters) – The chair of the Federal Communications Commission said on Friday that major U.S. online retail websites have removed millions of listings for prohibited Chinese electronics as part of a crackdown by the agency.

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“We’re going to keep our efforts up,” Carr said.

U.S. agencies in recent years have taken a series of actions against Chinese tech companies, including telecom, semiconductors, vehicles and others raising national security concerns. This is the latest push to prevent unapproved Chinese electronics from getting to the U.S. market.

Earlier this week, the FCC said it plans to vote this month to tighten restrictions on telecommunications equipment made by Chinese companies deemed national security risks, the latest in a series of U.S. actions targeting Beijing.

The agency will vote on October 28 to prohibit authorization of devices containing component parts that are on the Covered List and authorize the agency to prohibit the sale of previously authorized Covered List equipment in specific cases.

The Chinese embassy in Washington did not immediately comment.

Last month, the FCC began proceedings to withdraw recognition from seven test labs owned or controlled by the Chinese government, citing U.S. national security concerns.

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