Samsung Electronics faces a tentative fine of 20 billion won (approximately $15 million) in South Korea over allegations that it misled customers about the gaming performance of several flagship smartphones and tablets. The Korea Fair Trade Commission (FTC) announced the proposed penalty on Tuesday, according to a report by Yonhap News Agency. The action is on Samsung's Galaxy S21 and S22 smartphones, introduced in 2021 and 2022, and the Galaxy Tab S8 tablets released in 2022.
Samsung's Game Optimising Service, a built-in software feature designed to manage heat generation and power consumption while running demanding mobile games, is at the center of the controversy.
The regulator found that Samsung had promoted the devices' powerful processors, responsive displays and gaming capabilities without explaining that the software could restrict their performance.
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According to the watchdog, these restrictions could apply irrespective of the device's temperature or operating conditions, preventing the hardware from consistently delivering its maximum advertised processing capability.
The resulting reduction in performance could affect gameplay, potentially causing slower responses, interrupted visuals and diminished graphics quality.
The regulator's concern was not simply that Samsung had introduced a system to manage device performance, but that consumers had not been sufficiently informed about its impact when making purchasing decisions.
The investigation examined Samsung's marketing of its premium Galaxy devices between 2021 and 2022, when smartphone manufacturers were increasingly competing to attract customers seeking high-performance mobile gaming experiences.
During that period, Samsung highlighted improvements in processing speed, graphics and display responsiveness, presenting its flagship devices as suitable for demanding games.
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With sophisticated mobile games becoming more available, gaming performance emerged as an important consideration for customers purchasing expensive smartphones and tablets. The regulator concluded that omitting information about restrictions on processor performance could have influenced consumers' assessment of the devices.
Concerns surrounding Samsung's gaming optimisation software became prominent following the launch of the Galaxy S22 series in 2022.
Some users complained that the devices failed to deliver the gaming performance they expected, despite being equipped with advanced processors and marketed as premium products.
The controversy intensified after users discovered that the game optimising service could limit processing power during certain games.
Samsung maintained that the technology was intended to control overheating and excessive power consumption, helping devices operate more consistently during prolonged gaming sessions.
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