Smartphone Manufacturers: How It All Began

We have got used to the idea that Samsung, Apple, Nokia, BlackBerry, LG, and other famous companies produce smartphones and other digital technology. Yet, however surprising it may sound, almost all famous brands were starting their business in the fields that had absolutely nothing to do with communication technologies.

Let us see with which products the story of modern global giants started.

Samsung

Samsung was created in 1938 as a rice trading company. Sometime later, however, the company got closed because of the war and resulting problems with business.

In 13 years Samsung enters the market again, but this time it deals with insurance, radio broadcasting, and security sales. The company produces wool, sugar and other consumer goods.

Things began to look up for the company after its executive management got support from the government. They started producing semiconductors, later switching to TV sets, washing machines, refrigerators, and other household appliances. The first Samsung telephone was produced in 1991. After that, it didn’t take long for the company to enter the world market and start selling its production with great success all over the world. Samsung is still doing it now!

Apple

The future founders of Apple didn’t begin with producing telephones and computers. In fact, Jobs and Wozniak’s first business project was the Blue box, a device that helped to manipulate a phone system thus getting free distance calls, even international calls. Readily and enthusiastically were people buying blue boxes. You bet! You made just one payment for the device and could then call off into sunset, and what is more, it was absolutely free. However, soon problems with the police started and friends had to close their business venture.

Sometime later, both Steves started producing computer boards, and in several months the first Apple computer appeared. The next victory lap for the company was iPod. Having introduced this device, the company started picking up steam thick and fast until they released their first smartphone in 2007. Indeed, iPhone lent éclat to Apple and its founders. It gained mega popularity and still remains one of the best smartphones and one of the world iconic products.

LG

The company’s first area of commercial activity was producing toothpowder. At that time, they were called Lak Hui Chemical Industries Company. Later they started producing facial cream and toothpaste called Lucky. As time progressed, they created a greater variety of products, so new detergents, washing powders and cosmetics appeared.

In the 50s, Korea had few radio sets, and newspapers were rather expensive. In fact, there was very little communication between people within the country, if any. This was seen as a problem by Koo In-Hwoi, so he suggested that every family should be provided with a radio within the shortest possible time. His idea got support from the government and in 1958 a plant producing radio sets was started. It was called GoldStar. Its devices conquered the market fast and practically each Korean family owned a radio set GoldStar A-501 or T-701 pretty soon.

In 1961, after a coup d’état, the government started providing additional support to reputable companies that had government confidence. Such companies received foreign investments and government lending & borrowing. Lak Hui Chemical Industries were among these companies. The same year they released their first landline phone.

Within a very short time, they launched the production of mass-market home appliances (TV sets, refrigerators, elevators, conditioners, etc.). Just within a year, their products entered international market and the company was opening plants all over the world (USA, Europe and Asia).

In 1995, Lak Hui Chemical Industries decided to change their name and as a result, LG Electronics appeared (Lucky Goldstar Electronics). In 1997, LG started producing mobile phones, which have been in-demand ever since.

Nokia

At first, this Finnish company produced wood pulp and paper. In the early 60s, the company merged with Rubber Works, a cable producing plant, and started producing cables, tires and rubber shoes.

In several years, Nokia created a department of industry automation and information systems. Besides, new affiliates were opening in other European countries at this time.

Then came the period of restructuring, which led to the development of robotics and electronics. The company put a lot of effort into producing mobile phones. Nokia devices became very popular, first in the US and then all over the world. These gadgets have lost none of their popularity today either!

Sony

First products Sony was known to produce were electric rice-cookers and warming pads. Their further step was G-tape recorders. These devices weighed around 36 kg and were quite costly; therefore, they failed to gain popularity among consumers. Still, the company co-founder Akio Morita did succeed in selling 20 items to the Supreme Court, where they replaced shorthand typists.

Success came after the company bought a license for producing transistors. First, they only engaged in producing transistors, but it was not long before Masaru Ibuka decided to assemble receivers based on transistors. The devices quickly gained popularity and broke sales records. Inspired by this success, Ibuka invented an 8-inch TV and a VCR, which used Sony transistors as well.

In the sixties, there was total infatuation with music. People were buying expensive stereos and were carrying huge tape recorders everywhere with them. Becoming aware of a great demand for players, the company developers came up with and released a relatively small and very convenient player, which became mega popular. Thus, portable Walkman player won glory for the company.

The first Sony smartphone called Xperia S entered the market in 2012. Today their products are in great demand due to their high quality.

As history shows us, you never know what you will engage in tomorrow. Each of modern leaders in producing communication devices and developing information technologies had to change their field of activity at some point in order to stay on the market.

Please keep in mind that we regularly follow the trends of the communication equipment market so that you could always buy a spare part for your device you need.