South Korea’s largest conglomerate spent $6 billion on R&D in 2009, a 7.9 percent jump from the year before. Though its name is perhaps best known for cellphones, the company’s 10 R&D centers also conduct research on computer software, digital TV, advanced printing functions, and high storage-low power hard drives. In 2010, new Samsung products released include the first infrared video phone, the first full high-definition camcorder, and, at 6.5 millimeters, the world’s thinnest TV. [Editor's note: Dollar figures were adjusted throughout this report to reflect the companies' billion-dollar investments in R&D.]
Lee Jae-Won/Reuters
