Samsung profit set to recover on gadgets after fourth quarter dip

Samsung Electronics' weakest profit estimate in six quarters could be a short-term blip with an expected recovery in the company's mainstay memory chip business and surging smartphone sales fuelling earnings growth. The world's top maker of memory chips and flat screens predicted its October-December profits would be below market expectations. Analysts blamed sluggish demand for computers and flat-screen TVs for steep falls in chip and panel prices.
After a weak start, Samsung is emerging as a credible challenger to Apple with its Galaxy S high-end smartphone, powered by Google's Android software. Samsung's Galaxy Tab is also seen by some analysts as the strongest rival to Apple's iPad tablet. Samsung, which has become a global brand in the space of 10 years, now boasts a market value of $136 billion, equal to the combined value of Sony Corp , Nokia , Toshiba Corp and Panasonic Corp Samsung, the first major global technology firm to flag preliminary December quarter results, has held on to its No 1 slot in TVs against Sony and Panasonic and is performing strongly over US chip rival Micron Technology.