Samsung And Qualcomm Make Foray Into SmartWatch Market

By Harro Ten Wolde and Miyoung Kim

BERLIN/SEOUL (Reuters) - Samsung Electronics Co Ltd and Qualcomm Inc unveiled smartwatches on Wednesday, tapping a potential "wearables" market worth an estimated $50 billion as the high-end mobile phone market becomes saturated.

The companies launched the devices at nearly simultaneous events in Berlin and San Diego, and some analysts immediately questioned whether the devices were too costly, with expected prices near $300.

Samsung's Galaxy Gear smartwatch works as an accessory to its market-leading Galaxy smartphone, with a small screen offering basic functions such as photos, hands-free calls and instant messaging.

Qualcomm's "Toq" smartwatch can play music and handle phone calls and messages. It will be the first smartwatch with a touch-enabled "Mirasol" color screen that can be viewed easily in bright sunlight.

The launch by Qualcomm, which dominates the global market for applications processors for smartphones and tablets, is seen not so much as a hot seller but as a "reference" design or device to show off the Mirasol screens, in hopes the display technology will be more widely adopted as wearables of all types take off.

Samsung, which is the world's top handset maker, hopes the Galaxy Gear will boost the appeal of its range of Android-powered smartphones, as it battles to maintain supremacy against arch rival Apple Inc.

Its launch, timed to coincide with the start of the IFA consumer electronics trade show in Berlin, also signals that the South Korean giant is more than just a fast follower in innovation behind Apple, which is preparing to release a new iPhone next week but has yet to go public with any wearable devices.

"I believe it will become a new fashion icon in the world," J.K. Shin, Samsung's co-chief executive and head of mobile business, said at its "Unpacked 2013 Episode 2" event.

The market potential for wearable devices is significant. Leveraging advances in voice technology, biometrics, communications, cloud storage and power consumption, smartwatches and other wearable devices could be a $50 billion market by 2017, according to Credit Suisse.

Apple Inc and Google Inc are also widely believed to be working on "wearables" such as wrist-worn devices, in what analysts expect to be the next phase of the mobile communications boom. The exploration of such wearable-computing devices has accelerated in recent years as smartphone growth tapers off.

Samsung's smartwatch features a 1.63-inch (4.14-cm) screen as well as a basic camera, and will connect to Samsung's latest Galaxy Note 3 smartphone via wireless Bluetooth technology. It will make calls, display messages, record videos and snap photos, all while the user's phone stays in their pocket or handbag.

Clunky, earlier versions of Samsung's smartwatch in 1999 and 2009 didn't go down well with consumers. But the success of the company's latest release will be measured as much in how it affects sales of high-end Galaxy smartphones as in sales of the device itself.

"We had smartwatch-type products before, but they were mainly for making phone calls. What's different with the Gear is it's got far more useful functions. It's usability has increased significantly and design is not bulky," Shin said.

NOT REVOLUTIONARY

The Gear will go on sale later this month for $299 while Qualcomm's Toq will begin selling in the fourth quarter. Qualcomm did not specify a price. Tech blog Cnet reported it will sell for $300.

"The real question is, will this app enhancement make the purchase of yet another smart device worth it?" said Brian Proffitt, author of several books on mobile technology and an adjunct instructor of management in the University of Notre Dame.

"It's great to have hands-free capabilities to take notes or snap a picture, but is it $299 great? That's going to be the real test for the Galaxy Gear."

FASHION ITEM

Both devices don't have a flexible or curved display that some industry watchers had hoped to see on Samsung's newest products.

The Gear's OLED touch screen features half the picture quality of high-end smartphone displays and the camera nestling in the strap has only 1.9 megapixels - compared with a 13-megapixel rear camera on the Galaxy S4.

"People are really ready for flexible. As the smartphone market matures, brands are looking for something to break through new technology that will bring new opportunities to the market," said Sweta Dash, director Display Research and Strategy at IHS Electronics and Media.

"But the technology is not ready for the mass market because it is too expensive."

Samsung's smartwatch will not be a game changer, CCS Insight analyst Ben Wood predicts.

"Samsung will do a great job in raising the profile of this new category, but I don't think we will see a massive shift."

"I think it will only really come alive if Apple would push into it real hard, because they would then make it a fashionable item. Because a watch is a fashion item. It really is."

Usain Bolt To Retire After Rio Olympics

BRUSSELS (AP) — Usain Bolt plans to retire after the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics.

Bolt said Wednesday he wants to win more gold in Rio, set another world record in the 200 meters next year, and perhaps win a gold medal at the Commonwealth Games.

"So far, (it) is after the Olympics in Rio," Bolt said of his retirement plans. "I think if I am in great shape, I'll go there and do what I have to do. I think it will be a good time to retire on top."

Winning another three golds in Moscow last month made him the most decorated athlete in world championship history with eight gold and two silvers. He has six gold medals from the Olympics.

"If I want to be among the greats of (Muhammad) Ali and Pele and all these guys, I have to continue dominating until I retire," Bolt said ahead of his final race this season in the 100 at Friday's Van Damme Memorial.

Bolt won the 100, 200 and 4x100 relay at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and at last year's London Games. He won the same triple at the 2009 worlds before repeating that feat in Moscow last month.

At 27, Bolt has the experience to know that a lax season midway between Olympics can hurt him. In 2010, a soft entry into the year and subsequent injury cost him almost a full season.

"I kind of didn't do much in the offseason and then got injured and had to start from scratch. So this season, I will not make that mistake again," Bolt said.

Like 2010, next season has no major championships, but Bolt is thinking of new goals for 2014.

He already owns the 100 and 200 world records and shares the 4x100 with his Jamaican teammates. He acknowledges the 100 record of 9.58 seconds will be extremely tough to better, but he hopes to improve on the 19.19 he ran in the 200 in Berlin four years ago.

"I have learned, I have mastered the art of running the turn," Bolt said of the 200. "So if I can stay injury free and be in good shape, then it is possible for me to definitely go after the world record."

As a Jamaican, Bolt can compete in the Commonwealth Games, too, something he has yet to do. Next year, the event will be held in Glasgow, Scotland.

"I have never been to Commonwealths and so it is always good to add to your collection of gold medals," Bolt said.

Nicki Minaj Asserts 'Baddest Bitch' Status With Two New Music Videos

Nicki Minaj is everywhere. The Young Money cash queen has spent the summer lending her voice to tracks for Chris Brown, Busta Rhymes, Mario, Ciara and Nelly, blessing them all with stunning music video appearances to match.

Well, the rapping Barbie shows no signs of slowing down. On Tuesday (September 3), Minaj appeared as a guest in two new music videos: one from DJ Khaled and another from Wale.

Khaled's "I Wanna Be With You" is the first collaboration between the two since the charismatic DJ brought a 10-karat diamond ring up to MTV News and cooked up a marriage proposal for his YMCMB labelmate. There were no vows exchanged in the video, but Nicki managed to stand out in the Colin Tilley-directed clip, which also features Rick Ross and Future.

In the clip, which premiered on MTV Jams Tuesday, a blond-haired Nicki sits against a purple backdrop, wearing a white dress and rapping her rapid-fire rhymes. "Baddest bitch, I'm the catalyst/ Ain't never been done, bitch I added this," she rhymes. Throughout the clip Nicki keeps a serious tone about her, once again proving that she can hold her own when matched up against the boys.

Wale's "Clappers" takes on a drastically different tone, with Nicki sporting a drastically different look. The latest single from Wale's The Gifted is an ode to big butts that is set to a go-go-inspired instrumental. After the MMG standout and guest spitter Juicy J get their go, Nicki brings up the rear in the rump-shaking party, wearing a yellow tank top and pink tights. "Got ass for days, come activate/ This ass on fire, evacuate," she rhymes while she twerks for the camera.

While the Khaled video comes off as a more serious affair, Wale's Benny Boom-directed clip is light-hearted, fun and a lot more colorful. At the end of the day we get to see two sides of Nicki Minaj — literally.

Exclusive:Miley Citrus Breaks Silence Over VMA's Performance

"Me and Robin [Thicke,] the whole time said, 'You know we're about to make history right now.'"

In an exclusive clip provided to MTV News by a crew filming a previously announced documentary, Miley Cyrus has addressed, for the first time, reaction to her performance at last Sunday's Video Music Awards.

Cyrus had one goal in mind when she agreed to perform: to give folks something to talk about... not just now, but for years to come.

And so far, it looks like she's accomplished that goal. In the days since the VMAs, her daring performance of "We Can't Stop" has dominated discussion. It's been subject to criticisms and critiques, called "hyper-sexualized," "the nadir of American Civilization," "an exaggerated spectacle meant to subvert pop-culture sexism," and just about everything in between.

Yet, it also drew praise for embodying the signature style and swagger of the VMAs, and for boldly going to places pop has rarely dared. It was a polarizing performance, one that made parents nervous and had pundits' pulses pounding ... yet, also thrilled her fans, inspired no shortage of memorable memes and bested Beyonce's Super Bowl mark for most tweets per minute.

In short, it became a moment, one that instantly told you which side of the generational divide you stood on.

And because of that, "We Can't Stop" may very well be on its way to joining the ranks of other VMA performances that touched nerves, rankled reactionaries and have come to define a time and place in pop: Think Madonna's iconic "Like A Virgin" or Britney's "Oops ... I Did It Again," performances that were strident, defiant and certainly scandalous in context.

But while those stars learned there was a price that came with provocation, Miley isn't about to back down. She did what she came to do, nailed it, and feels great about it.

"What's amazing is I think now, we're three days later and people are still talking about it. They're over thinking it," she says. "You're thinking about it more than I thought about it when I did it. Like, I didn't even think about it 'cause that's just me."

And, to that point, Cyrus isn't going to let her detractors hold her back. She's doing things her way, defining her career on her own terms. After all, though she may be just 20 years old, she certainly knows a thing or two about pop history.

"I don't pay attention to the negative because I've seen this play out so many times," Miley asks, "How many times have we seen this play out in pop music?"

"Madonna's done it. Britney's done it. Every VMA performance, that's what you're looking for; you're wanting to make history."