SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son Stephen Shankland/CNET Fast mobile connection speeds, coupled with a strong third wireless carrier, could help improve US competition, not hurt it, SoftBank’s CEO plans to argue in Washington this week. SoftBank CEO and Sprint chairman Masayoshi Son will speak to policymakers on Tuesday and argue that if wireless carriers grow in …

Samsung’s Galaxy S5 Andrew Hoyle/CNET Samsung’s Galaxy S5 might have some trouble getting out of the gate when it hits store shelves next month. Samsung plans to launch the Galaxy S5 in Korea on April 11. But on Friday, South Korea’s communications watchdogs instituted a 45-day ban, starting this week and extending to May 19, that bars the country’s carriers …

The device may complement Samsung’s Heart Rate Monitor band. Sarah Tew/CNET Samsung is working a new, unannounced product through the regulatory process. The Federal Communications Commission on Thursday published files submitted recently by Samsung showing details on what the company is calling an “activity tracker.” The product number doesn’t match up with any fitness devices shown off so far this …

Apple Apple and Google are tops in the mobile space, according to new data from research firm ComScore. Apple was the No. 1 smartphone manufacturer, with its iPhones capturing 41.6 of the US market during the three months ended January 2014, said ComScore. That figure is an average of the three months and bests the 40.6 percent average Apple posted …

Sprint Chairman and SoftBank Chief Masayoshi Son will petition the business community and lawmakers to support consolidation in the mobile market, a new report claims. Son will host a presentation at the US Chamber of Commerce event in Washington, D.C., on March 11, where he’s expected to rail against the US wireless industry and make a plea for business owners …

Now playing: Watch this: Feature-packed Galaxy S5 scans prints, heart 2:07 Samsung is sweetening the pot for people who want to get their hands on the Galaxy S5. The Korean electronics giant on Monday announced that Galaxy S5 customers will be able to enjoy “free, long-term subscriptions and premium” access to several applications when they pick up their handsets in …

Google and Samsung have taken to the China Ministry of Commerce to express concern over Microsoft’s impending $7.5 billion acquisition of Nokia, a new report claims. The companies went before the Ministry of Commerce recently to say that the acquisition could give Microsoft too much control over the patent market by taking on Nokia, which has a massive patent portfolio, …

Apple and Google will be among the organizations to talk to the EU this week about the impact “freemium” apps are having on the industry. In a statement on Thursday, the EU’s European Commission said that it wants to investigate in-app purchases on games that can be downloaded for free. The Commission argues that while games can be downloaded for …

Goophone, a company that has made a name for itself by building smartphone lookalikes, is at it again. Just days after Samsung unveiled the Galaxy S5, Goophone has launched a lookalike. Appropriately named the Goophone S5, the device has a 5-inch 1080p display, 13-megapixel rear-facing camera, and runs Android 4.2 (Jelly Bean). Although its specs might not match those of …

EA founder Trip Hawkins has raised a bundle of cash to build out his learning game for children. Hawkins’ startup, If You Can Company, raised $6.5 million in a Series A funding round led by venture-capital firm Greylock Partners, the company confirmed to TechCrunch on Wednesday. Almaz Capital also participated in the round. If You Can Company’s game, called If…, …