Content created in partnership with Toronto Star

Putting the “person” back into “personal technology,” Samsung unveiled a number of innovative new experiences at the recent Consumer Electronics Show (CES) — held virtually for the first time in its 54-year history — many of which focused on where Canadians are spending most of their time: at home.

From breathtaking televisions and connected appliances to next-generation smartphones and even domestic robots, Samsung’s vision of a “Better Normal for All” paints a picture of deeper personalization, adaptive artificial intelligence (AI) and smart integration — all to empower people to find their best version of a new normal — together with a commitment to a more accessible and sustainable future.

Personalization

Evidenced by its CES showing, Samsung is placing the consumer at the centre of the action. It’s made Micro LED available in a traditional TV form factor for the first time, delivering a stunning visual experience on an ultra-large, next-generation screen. It uses tiny LEDs that allow for better (and more controllable) brightness and contrast — with unprecedented flexibility.

During the past year, we have all witnessed the pivotal role technology has played in helping us carry on with our lives and stay connected to each other. Samsung has taken QLED to the next level by enabling displays to have precise control of the individual LED pixels with its new Neo QLED. The 8K and 4K Neo QLED models offer smart features that expand the role of the TV and adapt to the ever-changing needs in fitness, entertainment and the home office.

Versatility is important when it comes to technology. With the multi-view option, you can split the screen up to four ways on Micro LED or Neo QLED 8K for the purpose of watching various content, such as a news channel with scrolling headlines in one quadrant, a hockey game in another, a TV show (with audio) in a third and a TV guide in a fourth.

Acknowledging that many Canadians are now using their space in a shared capacity during the pandemic, Samsung Health Smart Trainer on Samsung 2021 TVs is a service that turns your home into a personalized gym experience. On your screen, you’ll see the video of a coach (and your form, as well) and receive real-time feedback on your progress, how many reps are left, and more. With Bixby-enabled voice control, you can ask for recommended classes based on your tastes, and Bixby also remembers your preferred style of workout, intensity and trainer.

That same level of customization is also evident in the Galaxy S21 Series 5G smartphone, also unveiled during CES.

With a new bold and iconic design and pro-grade camera and video capabilities, the Galaxy S21 Series 5G is the smartphone lineup that empowers you to share your world and connect with the things and people that matter most. The Galaxy S21 Series 5G smartphone comes in three models to fit your lifestyle and feature needs and is available in new and exciting colours to reflect your unique personality and style.

Beyond the living area, Samsung personalization extends into the kitchen with the Samsung Bespoke Refrigerator. “With Canadians spending more time at home, the kitchen has become increasingly central to their lifestyle. Families are investing in appliances that truly reflect their tastes and respond to their needs,” said Pat Bugos, VP/Head of Consumer Electronics, Samsung Electronics Canada. The Samsung Bespoke Refrigerator is a unique blend of personalized aesthetic with premium refrigeration. It features customizable outside panels in a variety of colours, materials and finishes to reflect your personal style, together with customizable and convertible compartments on the inside.

If you own a Samsung Family Hub Refrigerator, on the other hand, you might take advantage of SmartThings Cooking (available via the SmartThings app). SmartThings Cooking is a collection of recipes seen on a large screen at the front of the appliance that are tailored to your personal preferences or diet (such as vegan) as well as ingredients currently in your fridge. When you tap on something you’d like to make, swipe through step-by-step instructions — and then send instructions from the fridge to a compatible Samsung oven to preheat at the correct temperature (note: a Wi-Fi connection and Samsung Account are required).

Artificial Intelligence

While there’s AI in Samsung televisions, appliances and smartphones, the company dominated the buzz at CES with its look at futuristic human-centric robots.

Samsung Bot Handy, for example, is a domestic robot prototype that can roam around a home to perform chores such as pick up clothes from the floor, set the table or load dirty dishes into a dishwasher. It can even pour a glass of wine.

While very much a conceptual demonstration rather than a ready-to-ship product at this point, the tall and thin Bot Handy will be powered by AI, a camera and a versatile arm to accomplish all its tasks.

While Bot Handy is designed to service your home, Samsung Bot Care will be created to assist homeowners.

Bot Care leverages AI to recognize and understand your behaviours in an effort to be a more effective personal companion such as measuring your heart rate, breathing and more — and can alert users when they need to take their medicine. For elderly users who might live alone, it could notify caregivers, such as remote family members, if someone is experiencing an emergency. While still in its research and development stage, it’s a glimpse into the future of personal self-care.

Responsible tech

At CES 2021, Samsung discussed its deeper commitment to sustainability. Together with investing in people — ranging from STEM-focused educational programs to comprehensive accessibility features for greater inclusion — Samsung has vowed to create more eco-conscious products and packaging.

For example, AI-powered washing machines can save water and power by optimizing water, detergent and wash cycles.

Upcoming TVs from Samsung will include a remote made entirely out of recycled plastic — and won’t require batteries as it will charge via overhead lighting. In 2021, Samsung will also bring its eco-packaging solutions to all TV and soundbar products.

Finally, Galaxy Upcycling at Home is a program that reimagines the lifecycle of an older Galaxy phone, allowing the user to transform it into a new device with a new purpose, such as turning it into a baby monitor or security camera.

As a global leader in technology, breaking down barriers to a better future will continue to be pivotal to Samsung’s mission as it puts people, society and the planet at the centre of its work.

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. shared its vision for the future at the 2021 Consumer Electronics Show (CES). The company introduced new products at its virtual press conference, showing how it is continuing to innovate by creating solutions that are flexible, intelligently connected, and use AI to make daily life seamless.

“Our world looks different, and many of you have been faced with a new reality–one where, among other things, your home has taken on a greater significance,” said Sebastian Seung, President and Head of Samsung Research, the advanced R&D hub of the company that leads the development of future technologies for Samsung Electronics’ SET (end-products), addressing the company’s efforts to enhance the at-home technology experience. “Our innovations are designed to provide more personal and more intuitive experiences that express your personality. We’re hard at work to bring you next-generation innovation, with AI as the core enabler, for your better tomorrow.”

Creating More Intimate and Personalized User Experiences

As people spent more time at home last year, the tech they wanted became the tech they needed. In relying on that tech, people came to understand the many ways connected solutions could make life easier. TVs came to be vital for entertainment—and sometimes, fitness. Chromebooks became crucial home learning tools. Smart fridges helped with remote shopping and meal prep. Smartphones became indispensable.

Samsung’s continued investments in innovations that adapt to evolving lifestyles enable the company to keep pace with rapid changes. Key innovations unveiled include:

• Samsung Bespoke Refrigerator: Available in Canada later this year, the Bespoke lineup has sleek lines and a contemporary, flat-panel design that blends seamlessly into existing kitchens and various lifestyles. The Samsung Bespoke Refrigerator comes in a column format in two different sizes, allowing for modular configurations that can grow to fit each household’s unique needs. With a variety of types and colours that you can mix and match, Bespoke offers the flexibility to meet your family’s food storage needs, always keeping your food at optimal temperature.
• 110-inch MICRO LED: This new screen features self-lit inorganic LED with a slim and nearly bezel-less Infinity Screen design that seamlessly blends into the living space. The result is a spectacularly immersive viewing experience with astounding picture quality. The 110-inch MICRO LED also adds “4Vue” (Quad View), a four-way viewing option—so you can keep up with multiple sports at once, or stream a tutorial while playing a video game. MICRO LED will be rolled out globally beginning this spring[1].
• Lifestyle TV: Samsung’s cutting-edge lifestyle TV lineup includes The Serif, The Frame, The Sero and The Terrace—a recently launched 4K QLED outdoor TV—as well as Samsung The Premiere, a cinema-like quality 4K laser projector.
• SmartThings Cooking: A new service from Samsung SmartThings is designed to make your culinary journey seamless. An automatic Meal Planner powered by Whisk’s Food AI recommends meals for the whole week, makes shopping lists with the ingredients you need. Recipe instructions can be sent directly to synced Samsung cooking devices to minimize hassles and mistakes[2].
• Samsung Health Smart Trainer on Samsung 2021 TVs: Samsung Health seamlessly transforms the home into a personal gym, and the new Smart Trainer[3] feature tracks and analyzes posture in real time, just like a personal trainer. During and post-workout, Smart Trainer provides feedback on form, helps you count your reps, and estimates calories burned. With video and interactive training via Bixby-enabled voice control, Samsung Health Smart Trainer elevates and personalizes the home workout experience.

Bringing AI and Robots to Daily Life including Housekeeping

Samsung has long been at the forefront of AI and robotics innovation, leveraging its seven global AI research centers to advance technology. By bringing AI to its products, Samsung is creating new home experiences—from washing machines that optimize water usage, detergents, and wash cycles, to TVs with a Quantum AI Processor that can upscale HD content into pristine near-8K resolution[4].

The major technologies featured during Samsung’s press conference include the following:

• Samsung Bot Care[5]: The latest development in Samsung’s growing robotics lineup, Samsung Bot Care is designed use AI to recognize and respond to your behaviour. It will be able to act as both a robotic assistant and companion, helping to take care of the details in your life. It will also learn your schedule and habits and send you reminders to help guide you throughout your busy day.
• Samsung Bot Handy[6]: Also in development, Samsung Bot Handy will rely on advanced AI to recognize and pick up objects of varying sizes, shapes and weights, becoming an extension of you and helping you with work around the house. Samsung Bot Handy will be able to tell the difference between the material composition of various objects, utilizing the appropriate amount of force to grab and move around household items and objects, working as your trusted partner to help with house chores like cleaning up messy rooms or sorting out the dishes after a meal.

Looking to the future, Samsung is also developing other tangible applications of AI technologies for daily life. Samsung is continuing to build on its Samsung Bot Retail, which would guide users outside the home in retail environments, and GEMS, Samsung’s health-focused exoskeleton as a mobility aide. These innovations allow robots and robotic devices to co-exist with humans, enhancing their lives and catering to a variety of lifestyles and different environments.

Technology for a Better Future

Samsung closed its CES 2021 press conference by sharing more on the brand’s vision for how technology can enable progress and create a better tomorrow for all. Samsung believes that there is no single all-encompassing solution; a sustainable future requires investments across a broad spectrum. That’s why Samsung is focused on three key areas that are poised to benefit the most from technological innovation: sustainability, education, and accessibility.

“At Samsung, we are always looking for ways to build a better, more sustainable future,” said Sandeep Rana, Senior Manager, Environmental Sustainability Specialist at Samsung, who shared Samsung’s sustainability message at the press conference. “With a focus on the environment, people and society, we will continue to provide our consumers with responsible tools and technologies to address our challenges today and enable a better future for all.”

As part of its commitment to creating a circular economy, Samsung is developing programs and packaging solutions that promote a sustainable product lifecycle—from beginning to end:

• Galaxy Upcycling at Home: At the CES event, Samsung announced an update to its Galaxy Upcycling program called Galaxy Upcycling at Home. The new program reimagines the lifecycle of an older Galaxy phone and offers consumers options on how they might be able to repurpose their device to create a variety of convenient IoT tools.

• TV Eco Packaging: In addition, Samsung announced that its eco-packaging would expand to QLED, UHD TV, monitor, and audio products in 2021. As part of an ongoing commitment to eco-consciousness, Samsung is creating products and solutions with sustainability at the core. For example, Samsung’s new Solar Cell Remote Control—made in part with recycled plastic—can be charged via solar, indoor lighting or USB, reducing battery waste.

Believing that future generations will play a critical role in building a sustainable future, Samsung has also prioritized technology education through Samsung Solve for Tomorrow, which encourages young people to creatively use technology to solve community challenges.

Samsung also highlighted at the CES event how it is making its products even more inclusive and accessible for all. The SeeColours application is designed to help those with colour vision deficiencies (CVD) to adjust the settings on their 2021 QLED TVs for a better viewing experience, and the Sign Language Zoom feature on TVs ensures that everyone, regardless of ability, can easily enjoy cutting-edge technology.

Lastly, understanding how challenging it can be to strike a balance between our digital and analog lives, Samsung presented the Digital Wellbeing feature, designed to help people take control and manage their digital time—so they can use technology to better their lives and empower themselves.

For more information, images or video on the products Samsung announced at CES 2021, please visit http://news.samsung.com.

Disclaimer: All functionality, features, specifications, and other product information provided in this document including, but not limited to, the benefits, design, pricing, components, performance, availability, and capabilities of the product are subject to change without notice or obligation. Availability of the above-mentioned products, services, and features may vary by region.           

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[1] Availability of MICRO LED TV will vary by region.

[2] Available on Android and iOS devices. A Wi-Fi connection and a Samsung account are required.

[3] Specific features available may vary by region and product.

[4] 8K AI Upscaling enhances content to near-8K picture quality. Based on laboratory testing. Viewing experience may vary according to types of content and format.

[5] Samsung Bot Care is not currently available for sale. The described functions and technical capabilities have been demonstrated in test settings.

[6] Samsung Bot Handy is not currently available for sale. The described functions and technical capabilities have been demonstrated in test settings.

Let’s examine how Samsung optimized the Galaxy Note10’s form factor to offer Millennial and Gen Z users a more immersive and productive smartphone experience.
 

Sleek and Slim, with an All-New S Pen

 
The Galaxy Note10 features a streamlined form that’s comfortable to grasp and looks as if it were chiseled from a single piece of glass. Simple but solid, the smartphones’ monolith-like frame supports a nearly bezel-less display, which offers multitasking Note users more room to do what they do best.
 
The smartphones’ brilliant Cinematic Infinity Display gracefully flows over the edges, blurring the line between body and display. Centered at the top is the in-display cutout for the front-facing camera. In addition to lending the screen a balanced aesthetic, the lens’s placement opens the door for users to enjoy a wide range of fun and inventive wallpaper designs that utilize the camera in creative ways.
 
In addition, the Note series’ signature feature, the S Pen, has been updated with a redesign and a slew of convenient enhancements, including support for multiple hues in Samsung Notes. Now, when using Samsung’s powerful notetaking app, users can easily save a preferred pen color and style as their favorite pen, load it with the touch of the S Pen’s button, and start writing and drawing to their heart’s content. Moreover, the S Pen’s seamless integration into the Galaxy Note10’s body enhances the devices’ unibody aesthetic.
 
The smartphones’ brilliant Cinematic Infinity Display gracefully flows over the edges, blurring the line between body and display. Centered at the top is the in-display cutout for the front-facing camera. In addition to lending the screen a balanced aesthetic, the lens’s placement opens the door for users to enjoy a wide range of fun and inventive wallpaper designs that utilize the camera in creative ways.

In addition, the Note series’ signature feature, the S Pen, has been updated with a redesign and a slew of convenient enhancements, including support for multiple hues in Samsung Notes. Now, when using Samsung’s powerful notetaking app, users can easily save a preferred pen color and style as their favorite pen, load it with the touch of the S Pen’s button, and start writing and drawing to their heart’s content. Moreover, the S Pen’s seamless integration into the Galaxy Note10’s body enhances the devices’ unibody aesthetic.
 

 
The S Pen itself is comfortable in the hand, and an absolute pleasure to use. Samsung eliminated as many unnecessary elements as possible when refining the S Pen’s design, resulting in a sleek and sophisticated form. The S Pen’s Samsung logo and metallic section – fixtures of previous S Pens’ designs – have also been removed to enhance the tool’s elegant aesthetic.

To make users’ experience even more satisfying, Samsung also equipped the new S Pen with the ability to recreate the actual sounds that pens and other utensils make when writing or drawing. So scribbling a note on the Galaxy Note10’s display sounds just like scribbling on paper. And each time the user places the S Pen back in their device, they’ll hear a slight click, like the sound that a cap makes when it’s placed on a pen.

More Choices and Colors

 
The introduction of the 6.3-inch Galaxy Note10 and the 6.8-inch Galaxy Note10+ marks the first time that a Galaxy Note will be available in two sizes. Offering the newest Note in a compact form factor – alongside a model similar in size to previous editions – enables smartphone users who prefer a smaller screen to experience the signature Note features that make these devices so special.
 

 
The Galaxy Note10’s gorgeous design is complemented by a selection of three likewise stunning color options: Aura Glow, Aura White, and Aura Black. The latter two hues are exquisite in their luster, as is the iridescent Aura Glow, which reflects a rainbow of colors depending on the angle of the light, in what amounts to an eye-catching visualization of the smartphones’ ability to streamline a wide range of user interests. 
 

Packaging That Puts the Planet First

 
When developing new Galaxy devices, Samsung prioritizes enhancements that make its powerful innovations simpler and more sustainable. Sustainability has never been more important to consumers – particularly Millennials. In fact, according to a recent Nielsen report, up to 73 percent of Millennials say they’d be willing to pay extra for sustainable goods.
 
Like the Galaxy S10 before it, the Galaxy Note10 features simple, eco-friendly packaging that utilizes sustainable materials in place of plastics and vinyl, and was designed with a focus on consuming fewer resources. Now, each smartphone and its components are fitted into a sturdy pulp mold rather than being packaged separately.
 
* Availability may vary by market and model.