Regulatory Action Imposed on Samsung Electronics Over GOS Controversy

The Fair Trade Commission has imposed sanctions on Samsung Electronics related to the GOS (Game Optimizing Service) controversy involving the Galaxy S22 series, including a fine of approximately 20.114 billion won. In response, Samsung Electronics has indicated plans for legal action, including an administrative lawsuit, asserting that the technology optimizations were intended to enhance user experience rather than merely limit specifications.

The commission stated that Samsung failed to disclose hardware performance limitations due to GOS during the advertising of the Galaxy S21, S22 series, and Galaxy Tab S8, applying allegations of deceptive advertising under advertising law. They announced the decision to impose a corrective order along with the fine on the 27th.

The commission's judgment is that the GOS artificially restricts device performance under the pretext of heat prevention, thus impairing consumers' rational purchasing decisions by presenting it only as an optimization feature.

Samsung Electronics countered, stating that GOS is a legitimate performance tuning function aimed at addressing common challenges faced by all smart device manufacturers regarding heat management and performance sustainability. They emphasized that adjustments for high-performance games are measures to control the application processor (AP) clock spikes, enabling stable gaming experiences.

The company criticized the commission for overlooking practical user experiences during gaming, focusing instead on a narrow performance metric. In terms of essential gaming criteria, such as frames per second (FPS) and frame consistency, Samsung explained that individual optimizations provided by GOS enhance performance or stabilize similar performance at lower temperatures.

Samsung expressed regret about the commission's focus on outdated software settings from years ago, noting that they had previously implemented a software update in March 2022 to allow users to bypass GOS performance restrictions in response to consumer feedback. They stressed that no judicial authority has found them legally liable in this matter, and they plan to commence litigation upon receiving the commission's final decision.

Reported by ZDNet Korea.