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You really never expect a restaurant to be breaking taboos of the society. Restaurants are known for their food, entertainment and ambience. But <keyword id="6749357" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Chull">Chull</keyword> at Sector 29 in <keyword id="6356789" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Gurugram">Gurugram</keyword> is quirky resto-bar that intends to cast away social stigmas. 
 
Borrowed from the Delhi slang, this unconventional resto -bar has been chosen to shun away the social taboos associated with sex in the society. 
 
A unique avant-garde bar, Chull aspires to create a destination where people can engage in conversation comfortably, sans judgmental looks and stares. Chull is a trendsetter in the current crop of restaurants mushrooming in Delhi/NCR, introducing a bold shake-up concept away from the sector’s brewery infestation. 
 There are many hangout destinations in Delhi/NCR, but it is owner, <keyword id="333558" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Shubham-Gupta">Shubham Gupta</keyword>'s ‘Chull’ which creates a social hang out spot that not only offers great food and ambiance, but also an opportunity for people to indulge in open discussions and debates around concepts considered taboo by the society. An idea that sprang from a casual conversation at a neighbourhood pub has taken shape to potentially become extremely relevant in today's time. 
 
 
Here are some more details about the place.

You may want to consider this pub in
Gurugram with a raunchy menu for your next date

<ul><li><keyword id="10591" type="CITY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Samsung">Samsung</keyword>'s chairman, <keyword id="208877" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Lee-Kun-hee">Lee Kun-hee</keyword>, died on Sunday at age 78.</li><li>The boss of the South Korean conglomerate once counted <keyword id="6358963" type="DEFINITION" weightage="60" keywordseo="Warren-Buffett">Warren Buffett</keyword> as a shareholder.</li><li>Buffett, a billionaire investor and the CEO of <keyword id="6362665" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="berkshire-hathaway">Berkshire Hathaway</keyword>, made "hundreds of millions" from a rare overseas bet on Samsung, he revealed in a <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/video/2018/02/26/buffett-we-bought-samsung-in-the-past.html">CNBC interview in 2018</a>.</li><li>"It was a big, strong, good company," he said.</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/international?r=US&amp;IR=TIR=T">Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories</a>.</li></ul>Samsung's billionaire chairman, Lee Kun-hee, died on Sunday at age 78 after an extended illness. He once counted Warren Buffett, the famed investor and Berkshire Hathaway CEO, as a shareholder.Lee's father, Lee Byung-chull, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/history-of-samsung-2013-2?r=US&amp;IR=TIR=T">founded Samsung</a> as an exporter of fish, fruit, and noodles in 1938. Lee took the reins in 1987 and helped grow the South Korean company into a sprawling global conglomerate with interests in consumer electronics, microchips, home appliances, medical equipment, life insurance, shipbuilding, and theme parks.Read more: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/stock-picks-to-buy-13-coronavirus-vaccine-bullish-options-strategies-2020-10?r=US&amp;IR=TIR=T">GOLDMAN SACHS: Buy these 13 unloved vaccine stocks that have the potential to spike on positive treatment updates</a>There are clear similarities between Samsung and Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway.Both own scores of businesses across numerous sectors such as insurance, energy, manufacturing, construction, transportation, and retail.Berkshire also holds billion-dollar stakes in Apple, Bank of America, Coca-Cola, American Express, and other public companies.The similarities may have been a factor in Buffett's decision to invest in Samsung, despite sticking to American businesses for most of his career. He revealed the rare overseas bet during a <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/video/2018/02/26/buffett-we-bought-samsung-in-the-past.html">CNBC interview in 2018</a>.Berkshire bought a "reasonable amount" of Samsung stock when it was trading at about 1 million won ($886) per share, Buffett said. That price equates to 20,000 won following the group's 50-for-1 stock split in 2018. The investor was drawn to the South Korean company's low valuation and robust balance sheet, along with the prospect of <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/warren-buffett-stock-buybacks-reasons-loves-face-bailout-ban-coronavirus-2020-3-1029032498#">share buybacks</a>."It was very, very cheap," Buffett said. "They had a lot of cash. They hadn't done much buying of their stock but they'd talked about it.""It was a big, strong, good company," he added.Read more: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/stock-market-crash-expert-warns-financial-implosion-67-percent-plunge-2020-10?r=US&amp;IR=TIR=T">'The road to financial implosion': A notorious market bear says the Fed has set the stage for a 67% stock plunge — and warns of zero-to-negative returns over the next 12 years</a>Berkshire set its sights on <keyword id="5565" type="COUNTRY" weightage="60" keywordseo="South-Korea">South Korea</keyword> because <keyword id="6354298" type="DEFINITION" weightage="60" keywordseo="Stocks">stocks</keyword> were "ridiculously cheap" following its financial crisis in the late 1990s, meaning there were "a lot of bargains," Buffett said.The investor and his team ultimately cashed out after Samsung's stock price surged about 80%. A weaker won also boosted their return in dollars."We probably made in the hundreds of millions," Buffett said. "Might have been $500 million, $400 million, I don't remember exactly," he added.The estimated return suggests Berkshire invested about $500 million to $600 million in Samsung.Buffett's wager paid off handsomely, but he may have sold too soon. Samsung's shares have tripled in value since the time of Berkshire's investment, and now change hands at more than 60,000 won each.

Samsung's billionaire chairman died on Sunday. He once counted Warren Buffett as a shareholder

And as the year 2016 comes to an end, <keyword id="10879" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="YouTube">Youtube</keyword> is out with #YouTubeRewind which lists out the most popular videos from shows to movie trailers to music videos from the passing year. 
 India is one of the top markets for video consumption and mostly people turn to Youtube to get their daily dose of videos. According to <keyword id="6355629" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Google">Google</keyword>, Youtube’s total viewing duration has grown 80 percent over the past year in India. Entertainment-related content continue to take the lions share, contributing 90 percent of viewership but Education and health-related videos are growing and likely to be the future growth drivers on YouTube. 
 So if you are wondering what made Youtubers go crazy in 2016, no prize for guessing here as Rajnikant’s <keyword id="283584" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Kabali">Kabali</keyword> ruled the charts to become top trending movie trailer, <keyword id="3236" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Kapil-Sharma">Kapil Sharma</keyword> show featuring <keyword id="6354583" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Salman-Khan">Salman Khan</keyword> got company from YouTube stars of The Viral Fever playing truth or dare with dad and All India Bakchod’s portrayal of bars and restaurants was top trending video’s of the year. Apart from entertainment, thanks to govt’s demonetization move, Youtubers were also most curious to know about the GPS chip in the new 2000 rupees note! 
 Well, the top videos had a bit of everything from <keyword id="143" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Bollywood">Bollywood</keyword> to Kapil Sharma to TVF to demonetization! 
 
Top trending videos: 
1. The Kapil Sharma Show: Sultan 2. <keyword id="823080" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="20" keywordseo="the-voice">The Voice</keyword> India Kids: Ayat Shaikh 
3. Crime Patrol Dial 100: Andhkaar 
4. Complete truth of Rs 2000 notes with a chip embedded in it 
5. TVF: Truth or Dare with Dad 
6. TVF's Permanent Roommates: The Parents 
7. AIB : Honest Bars &amp; Restaurants 
8. Life Sahi Hai: The Maid 
9. How Shah Rukh Khan Became The FAN - Gaurav 
10. AIB Diwas: Zakir Khan 
 
In Music, 2016 seemed to be all about music video ‘Kala Chashma’ that hit a massive 45 million views! 
 
Top music videos: 
1. Kala Chashma: Baar Baar Dekho 
2. Kar Gayi Chull: Kapoor &amp; Sons 
3. Baby Ko Bass Pasand Hai: Sultan 
4. Bulleya: Ae Dil Hai Mushkil 
5. Cham Cham: Baaghi 
6. GF BF: T-Series 
7. Hua hain Aaj Pehli Baar: Sanam Re 
8. Ae Dil Hai Mushkil 
9. Jabra:Fan 
10. The Breakup Song: Ae Dil Hai Mushkil 
 In movies, well, how can the list start without <keyword id="14509" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Rajinikanth">Rajinikanth</keyword> topping it! And the Khans of Bollywood followed closely behind. 
 
Top movie trailers: 
1. Kabali Tamil Movie 
2. Dangal 
3. Sultan 
4. M.S.Dhoni - The Untold Story 
5. Shivaay 
6. Befikre 
7. Ae Dil Hai Mushkil 
8. Fan 
9. Baaghi 
10. Dishoom 
 
Also Read: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/Googles-Pixel-against-iPhone7-getting-iPhone-users-to-use-Android-phone/articleshow/55485395.cms">8 Reasons to choose Google Pixel over iPhone7</a>

It’s time to revisit the top videos India watched in 2016

Post her breakup with actor Ranbir Kapoor, <keyword id="6354850" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Katrina-Kaif">Katrina Kaif</keyword> has kept a brave front and has not shied away from public appearances, be it for the promotions of the movie or any award shows. The latest appearance has come in the form of a picture with actor <keyword id="1320874" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Sidharth-Malhotra">Sidharth Malhotra</keyword>, her co-actor from the upcoming movie <keyword id="3025287" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="baar-baar-dekho">Baar Baar Dekho</keyword>. Apparently, the actor took to his social media accounts to share the selfie that was clicked after the duo wrapped up the shooting of Baar Baar Dekho. 
 
It’s the first time that Kaif and Malhotra would be working in a film together, and they have been shooting for the movie in Thailand since a good few days. 
 
<blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-version="6" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:658px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);">
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		<div style=" background:#F8F8F8; line-height:0; margin-top:40px; padding:50.0% 0; text-align:center; width:100%;">
			<div style=" background:url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAACwAAAAsCAMAAAApWqozAAAAGFBMVEUiIiI9PT0eHh4gIB4hIBkcHBwcHBwcHBydr+JQAAAACHRSTlMABA4YHyQsM5jtaMwAAADfSURBVDjL7ZVBEgMhCAQBAf//42xcNbpAqakcM0ftUmFAAIBE81IqBJdS3lS6zs3bIpB9WED3YYXFPmHRfT8sgyrCP1x8uEUxLMzNWElFOYCV6mHWWwMzdPEKHlhLw7NWJqkHc4uIZphavDzA2JPzUDsBZziNae2S6owH8xPmX8G7zzgKEOPUoYHvGz1TBCxMkd3kwNVbU0gKHkx+iZILf77IofhrY1nYFnB/lQPb79drWOyJVa/DAvg9B/rLB4cC+Nqgdz/TvBbBnr6GBReqn/nRmDgaQEej7WhonozjF+Y2I/fZou/qAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC); display:block; height:44px; margin:0 auto -44px; position:relative; top:-22px; width:44px;">
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			<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BCYSI-XNLIy/" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_blank">It's a wrap! Thank u la...laland ! #BaarBaarDekho</a>
		<p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;">
			A photo posted by Sidharth Malhotra (@s1dofficial) on
		<time datetime="2016-02-29T17:59:19+00:00" style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;">
			Feb 29, 2016 at 9:59am PST</time>
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</blockquote>
 
To make her character more believable, Kaif has let go of her long tresses and would be seen sporting short hair. The movie has been directed by Nitya Mehra, who has earlier served as the Assistant Director of Oscar-winning movie Life of Pi. 
 Produced by <keyword id="5015" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Farhan-Akhtar">Farhan Akhtar</keyword>’s Excel Entertainment and <keyword id="3778" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Karan-Johar">Karan Johar</keyword>’s Dharma Productions, it is slated to be released on September 9th 2016. 
 On another front, Sidharth Malhotra has been the talk of town for his burning hot photoshoot with rumored girlfriend <keyword id="6354526" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Alia-Bhatt">Alia Bhatt</keyword>, with whom he made a debut in the 2012 movie Student of the Year, and would be seen next in the upcoming movie <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/The-first-poster-of-Kapoor-Sons-is-here/articleshow/50835956.cms">Kapoor &amp; Sons</a>. 
 
The photoshoot was done in Maldives for the March issue of a popular magazine, and both Alia and Sidharth look hot in their toned bodies. The couple, which is rumored to be dating, set all eyes rolling with their intense chemistry which is visible in all the images. 
 On the professional front, both Alia and Sidharth would be seen in the upcoming movie Kapoor &amp; Sons, which also stars <keyword id="2358880" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Fawad-Khan">Fawad Khan</keyword>, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/You-wont-believe-who-this-affable-grandpa-from-Kapoor-and-Sons-is/articleshow/50820623.cms">Rishi Kapoor</a>, <keyword id="20894" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Ratna-Pathak-Shah">Ratna Pathak Shah</keyword> and <keyword id="51" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Rajat-Kapoor">Rajat Kapoor</keyword>. After the <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/Love-triangle-troubled-family-and-sibling-rivalry-fill-up-the-first-trailer-of-Kapoor-Sons/articleshow/50945361.cms">trailer of the movie</a>, two songs, Chull and <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/This-song-from-Kapoor-Sons-will-make-you-want-to-confess-your-love/articleshow/51140350.cms">Bolna</a> have been released, and both have done well to popularize the movie, which releases next month. 
 
Watch the sizzling hot photoshoot in the slideshow.

We tell you what Katrina Kaif is doing with Sidharth Malhotra

The much-awaited inaugural list of <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Asia%27s+50+richest+families+">Asia's 50 richest families</a> was published on Thursday by <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Forbes+Asia+magazine+">Forbes Asia magazine</a> with South Korea's Lee family, which controls the formidable <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Samsung+conglomerate">Samsung conglomerate</a>, is at the top. 
 
As of late September, the Lee family had a net worth of $26.6 billion, with second and third generation members now running over 50 businesses. 
 Founded in 1938, the <keyword id="10591" type="CITY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Samsung">Samsung</keyword> empire was owned by wealthy landowner's son Lee Byung-Chull. It has now diversified interests ranging from mobile phones to construction and shipbuilding. 
 
According to Forbes Asia, Samsung, the biggest of the "chaebol" or family-run <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Samsung+conglomerate">conglomerates dominating the nation’s economy</a>, accounted for 22% of the South Korea’s total gross domestic product (<keyword id="35050" type="CITY" weightage="40" keywordseo="gdp">GDP</keyword>) in 2014. 
 
"Nearly half of the richest families in Asia are of Chinese descent, yet none of the inaugural 50 is based in the mainland, where conglomerates are young, run by the first generation," it said in a report. 
 
Now comes the second richest in the list, that is the Hong Kong Chinese family, also surnamed Lee. The family controls Henderson Development and boasts a fortune of $24.1 billion. 
 
The <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/Mukesh-Ambani-Remains-Indias-Most-Richest-Business-Tycoon/articleshow/43459710.cms">Ambanis of India's Reliance Group</a> ranked third richest in the list with a combined net worth of $21.5 billion, followed by Thailand's Chearavanont family with $19.9 billion, generated from the agriculture-based Charoen Pokphand group. 
 Rounding out the top five is the <keyword id="2707920" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="80" keywordseo="Kwok-family">Kwok family</keyword>, which controls Hong Kong's Sun Hung Kai property empire, with a combined net wealth of $19.5 billion. 
 
Only families with business involvement extending to at least three generations were included in the survey. 
 The family of Hong Kong tycoon <keyword id="223314" type="PERSON" weightage="80" keywordseo="Li-Ka-shing">Li Ka-shing</keyword>, who has a current net worth of $25 billion based on a Forbes global list, was excluded because he has no grandchildren who have taken serious roles in the family business, it said. 
 The estimates of family fortunes were based on stock prices and <keyword id="124577" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="exchange-rates">exchange rates</keyword> at the close of markets on September 25. 
 
The top 10 richest families in Asia on the Forbes Asia list with their main businesses: 
 
1) Lee from South Korea (Samsung): US$26.6 billion 
 
2) Lee from Hong Kong (Henderson): $24.1 billion 
 
3) Ambani from India (Reliance): $21.5 billion 
 
4) Chearavanont from Thailand (Charoen Pokphand): $19.9 billion 
 
5) Kwok from Hong Kong (Sun Hung Kai): $19.5 billion 
 
6) Kwek/Quek from Singapore, Malaysia (Hong Leong): $18.9 billion 
 
7) Premji from India (Wipro): $17 billion 
 8) Tsai from Taiwan ( <keyword id="378103" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Cathay-Financial">Cathay Financial</keyword>): $15.1 billion 
 
9) Hinduja from India, Britain (Hinduja Group): $15 billion 
 
10) Mistry from India (Shapoorji Pallonji Group): $14.9 billion 
 
(Image: Indiatimes)

Forbes' top Asia's richest families list is out! Three Indian names included in it

<div class="image-container float_right" style="width:480px"><div class="image">REUTERS/Dado Ruvic </div></div><a>GUANGZHOU</a>, <a>China</a>/SEOUL (Reuters) - <keyword id="6354427" type="CITY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Apple">Apple</keyword> Chief Executive <a>Tim Cook</a> believes that "over the arc of time"<a>China</a> is a huge opportunity for his pathbreaking company.
But time looks to be on the side of rival <keyword id="10591" type="CITY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Samsung">Samsung</keyword> Electronics Co Ltd, which has been around far longer and penetrated much deeper into the world's most populous country.
Apple Inc this week said its revenue in Greater <a>China</a>, which also includes Hong Kong and <a>Taiwan</a>, slumped 43 percent to $4.65 billion from the previous quarter. That was also 14 percent lower from the year-ago quarter. Sales were weighed down by a sharp drop in revenues from Hong Kong. "It's not totally clear why that occurred," Cook said on a conference call with analysts.
Neither is it totally clear what Apple's strategy is to deal with Samsung - not to mention a host of smaller, nimbler Chinese challengers.
Today, in the war for what both sides acknowledge is the 21st century's most important market, Samsung is whipping its American rival. The South Korean giant now has a 19 percent share of the $80 billion <a>smartphone </a>market in <a>China</a>, a market expected to surge to $117 billion by 2017, according to International Data Corp (IDC). That's 10 percentage points ahead of Apple, which has fallen to 5th in terms of <a>China</a> market share.
Cook said Apple planned to double the number of its retail stores over the next two years - it currently has 8 flagship stores in <a>China</a> and 3 in Hong Kong. But, he added, Apple will invest in distribution "very cautiously because we want to do it with great quality."
Samsung, with a longer history in <a>China</a>, now has three times the number of retail stores as Apple, and has been more aggressive in courting consumers and creating partnerships with phone operators. It also appears to be in better position, over an arc of time, to fend off the growing assault of homegrown competitors such as <a>Lenovo Group</a> Ltd, Huawei Technologies Co Ltd and <a>ZTE</a> Corp, former company executives, analysts and industry sources say.
Apple declined requests for comment for this article.
<h3>VARIED MODELS</h3>
Samsung's history and corporate culture could hardly be more different than Apple's, the iconic Silicon Valley start-up founded by Steve Jobs and <a>Steve Wozniak</a> in 1976. <a>Lee Byung-Chull</a> started Samsung in 1938 as a noodle and sugar maker. It grew over the decades into an industrial powerhouse, or chaebol as Koreans call the family owned conglomerates that dominate the nation's economy and are run with military-like discipline.
Apple, by contrast, became the epitome of Californian cool, an image the company revels in. That hip image translates in <a>China</a> - its stores are routinely packed - but hasn't been enough to overcome the more entrenched Samsung.
A stuffy electronics bazaar in the southern Chinese city of <a>Shenzhen</a> illustrates part of the reason why.
Samsung Galaxys and Apple iPhones of different generations sit side by side, glinting under bright display lights as vendors call out to get customers' attention. With its varied models, Samsung <a>smartphones</a> outnumber iPhones at least four to one.
While Apple releases only one <a>smartphone</a> a year, priced at the premium end of the market, Samsung brings out multiple models annually with different specifications and at different price points in <a>China</a>.
And those models, analysts say, are loaded with features tailored specifically for the local market: apps such POCO.cn, the most popular photo sharing site in <a>China</a>, or the two slots for SIM cards (Apple offers one), which allows service from multiple cell carriers, either at home or abroad.
"The Chinese just love features. They want their phone to have 50 different things that they're never going to use," said <a>Michael Clendenin</a>, managing director of technology consultancy RedTech Advisors. "Apple just doesn't play that game. Unfortunately, if you want to hit the mainstream market in <a>China</a>, and you want a lot of market share percentage points, you have to offer the <a>Swiss army</a> knife of cellphones."
<h3><div class="image-container" style="width:800px"><div class="image">REUTERS/Kim Hong-Ji </div></div>"SETTING THE PACE"</h3>
Analysts believe Samsung's increasing strength in <a>China</a> is a critical reason behind its rival's possible intention to introduce globally a new and cheaper <a>iPhone</a> model, as well as one with bigger screens - a staple of Samsung's offerings.
Said a Samsung executive with experience in <a>China</a>: "We definitely think we're setting the pace there. They are having to respond to us."
Most audaciously, Samsung has gone after Apple not simply by offering lower priced <a>smartphones</a>, but by attacking its rival directly in the pricier end of the market. "We put a lot of emphasis on the high end market in <a>China</a>," co-CEO <a>J.K. Shin</a> told Reuters in an interview.
Samsung launched a <a>China</a>-only luxury <a>smartphone</a> together with <a>China</a> Telecom marketed by actor <a>Jackie Chan </a>that retails for about 12,000 yuan ($2,000). The flip phone, named "heart to the world," is encased in a slim black and rose gold metal body. The sleek look - called "da qi" (elegantly grand) - is coveted by Chinese when they shop for cars, sofas or phones.
"There are a lot of 'VVIP's' in <a>China</a>, and for them we launched luxury phones promoted by <a>Jackie Chan</a>. This helps target niche customers and build brand equity," said Lee Young-hee, executive vice president of Samsung's mobile business.
While Samsung won't sell millions of these <a>smartphones</a>, the creation of the phone in conjunction with a carrier reinforces Samsung's willingness to go local - and tap into niche markets.
"The key point is that Samsung consistently adapts to the local market," said TZ Wong, a Singapore-based technology analyst with IDC.
Apple's latest mobile <a>operating system</a> offers links to popular Chinese applications like Sina's microblogging platform <a>Weibo</a>, but the application itself must be downloaded onto the phone. On all of Samsung's entries, it's already there.
"People know intellectually that Samsung is from <a>Korea</a>, but when it comes to the messaging there is always a local face," Wong said.
<h3>RETAIL PRESENCE</h3>
Samsung opened its first office in <a>China</a> in 1985 in <a>Beijing</a> - an era in which it was all but inconceivable that Apple and Samsung would end up in one of the world's most intense corporate grudge matches. Like other South Korean chaebols, Samsung was a first mover in <a>China</a>, using the market primarily as a base to produce electronics for the world.
In contrast, Apple's big push in <a>China</a> came only recently, with the advent of the <a>smartphone</a> age roughly five years ago.
The early entry gave Samsung an undeniable edge, and it adapted fast to a rapidly changing environment. By the mid-1990s, with the economy booming, Samsung made the strategic decision to treat the Chinese market not just as a production base, but to start marketing to <a>China</a> higher-priced electronics, said Nomura researcher <a>Choi Chang-hee</a>, who wrote a history of Samsung's experience in <a>China</a>.
That shift has meant Samsung's retail presence in <a>China</a> far outstrips Apple's. Aside from selling via the distribution outlets of the three major telecom carriers, Samsung also has a strong retail presence through its partners Gome Electrical Appliances and Suning Commerce Group, as well as its own "Experience" stores and small retailers all over the country.
Apple works through the same channels, but its relatively late entry means it has a significantly smaller presence.Samsung, for example, has more than 200 official distributors and resellers in <a>Guangzhou</a> province, while Apple lists 95.
Over the last two decades, Samsung has also taken pains to build relationships with <a>Chinese government </a>officials and -perhaps more critically - the three major telecom carriers.
The notion of the importance of connections - or "guanxi" - in <a>China</a> is occasionally overrated in business. Not, according to Samsung's Shin, in this case. "It's our core policy to keep friendly relationships with the operators," he said. In <a>China</a>, each carrier uses a different technology and that requires Samsung "to tweak our <a>smartphones </a>to their request."
"It's not easy," Shin said, "but we do this to be more operator friendly."
Contrast that with the ongoing negotiations Apple has had with <a>China</a> Mobile, the largest cellphone operator. For years the two sides have been unable to come to an agreement on revenue sharing, effectively precluding Apple from hundreds of millions of potential customers.
<h3>SCRUTINY FROM THE TOP</h3>
Samsung's reach extends higher than just the CEOs of the top state-owned telecom companies. Top executives have met each of the last several Chinese leaders, most recently <a>Xi Jinping</a>, who spent time in April with vice chairman Jay Y. Lee, son of <a>K.H. Lee</a>, Samsung Electronics chairman.
"What surprised me most," said Lee later, "was that they (Chinese leadership) know very well about Samsung. They even have a group studying us."
The <a>Chinese government</a> has also made clear it's well aware of Apple - though not always in a good way. In April, state media bashed Apple for its "arrogance," protesting among other things that its current 1-year service warranty was insufficient. Apple initially dismissed those criticisms, but Cook later apologized to Chinese consumers.
Samsung's success in <a>China</a> has its roots, one former executive said, in a previous obsession for the company: its desire not to replicate the mistakes made by Japanese rivals.
"Samsung spent a lot of time benchmarking <a>Sony</a>, <a>Toshiba</a> and Panasonic," said <a>Mark Newman</a>, who spent six years in Samsung's global strategy group and is now an industry analyst at Sanford C. Bernstein in Hong Kong.
"One of the things that came out of that is the realization that the insular approach has its drawbacks, and so Samsung has made an effort over the last 10 years to be much more global."
This strategy of decentralization is plainly evident in <a>China</a>, he said, home now to more Samsung employees than any country outside <a>South Korea</a>.
<h3>FIGHTING HIGH AND LOW</h3>
Samsung now leads in both low-end and high-end segments in <a>China</a>, according to IDC, and its logic of going after both ends of the market is straightforward. In <a>China</a>, where the average wage is roughly $640 per month, many users looking to upgrade from feature phones to <a>smartphones</a> cannot afford Apple.
By bracketing the market with multiple models, Samsung can breed deep relationships with customers, many of whom, market research shows, trade up to more expensive models as they get older. Playing high and low also positions Samsung to fend off the intensifying competition from Chinese firms such as Lenovo and Huawei and literally hundreds of smaller local players.
"That's where the next battle for Samsung will be fought," said Newman. "We'll have to see if Apple does introduce a new, cheaper model for <a>China</a> - and the world."
(Writing by Bill Powell, Editing by Bill Tarrant and Ian Geoghegan)

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