Marking the company’s first major mission-critical solution deployment in Europe, Samsung partners with IBM to elevate mission-critical communications systems in Great Britain

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. today announced that the company is teaming up with IBM as the mission-critical (MCX) solution provider to the UK’s Home Office, for a User Services deployment as part of the Emergency Services Network (ESN). This selection marks Samsung’s first major mission-critical project in the U.K., reinforcing the company’s continued growth in the region and expanding on its successful multi-generation commercial networks business using virtualized RAN (vRAN) and Open RAN technologies.

This milestone underscores Samsung’s commitment to advancing mission-critical networks globally, supporting government agencies to keep communities safe. Designed to prioritize network access for first responders in emergencies, ESN will deliver reliable and seamless connectivity to over 300,000 first responders in the U.K.

Alongside IBM and other industry-leading partners, Samsung will support the core mission-critical communications systems with its innovative MCX solution, which is backed by Samsung’s deep expertise honed from successful nationwide public safety network deployments in the U.S. and Korea. Samsung’s MCX solution will enable intuitive multimedia sharing in real-time, supporting the ability of first responders to assess and respond to emergency situations.

“As mission-critical communications are of the utmost importance for the nation’s security and protection of its citizens, Samsung is proud to take part in this program to evolve public safety networks in the U.K.,” said Everth Flores, Vice President and Head of Samsung Networks Europe. “At the heart of this collaboration lies Samsung’s undisputed technological competence, on top of the solid trust that we have garnered with our successful mission-critical solution deployments around the globe. Harnessing the momentum of this milestone, Samsung will continue to contribute to building a more secure, connected society.”

“We are proud to support the Emergency Services Network (ESN) in delivering a secure and resilient communications platform to empower frontline emergency services,” said Rahul Kalia, Managing Partner at IBM UK and Ireland. “Working with our ecosystem partners, we will deliver mission-critical services for first responders to enhance safety in our communities across Great Britain. We look forward to working with the Government to deliver this in a timely and cost-effective manner.”

With its full suite of mission-critical solutions, Samsung has accumulated its expertise in the public safety sector globally by working together with leading operators and government stakeholders on successful MCX deployments, starting with building the world’s first 3GPP standard-compliant nationwide public safety network in South Korea. The company also worked with one of the largest national operators in the U.S. to bring America’s first-ever nationwide MCX solution. More recently in Canada, Samsung teamed up with Tier 1 operator to deploy the country’s first MCTPX solution in 2022.

Samsung is responsible for the successful delivery of 5G end-to-end solutions, including chipsets, radios and cores. Through ongoing research and development, Samsung drives the industry to advance 5G networks with its leading product portfolio, from vRAN 3.0, Open RAN, core to private network solutions and AI-powered automation tools. The company currently provides innovative network solutions to mobile operators that deliver connectivity to hundreds of millions of users worldwide.

Samsung Electronics today announced the number of Galaxy Z Fold and Galaxy Z Flip smartphones sold for enterprise use has more than doubled year on year. From January to October 2022, the number of foldable smartphones Samsung contracted to enterprise customers increased by 105% compared to the same period in 2021.[1]

With foldable smartphone shipments expected to reach 16 million units worldwide [2] – an increase of 73% year on year – the form factor is rapidly becoming mainstream, and shipments are expected to grow to 26 million units in 2023. The ease of multitasking on a large screen, and the powerful app optimizations for foldable devices, are helping drive adoption among enterprise users.

Benefits of Foldables for Enterprise Users

As companies shift towards work-from-anywhere policies, they are looking to technology for new ways to maximize productivity. Foldables have particularly attracted the financial services industry, where 74%[3] of a sample group of financial advisors say staying connected via mobile apps is important or critical.

“Samsung Galaxy foldable smartphones were created to open up opportunities for new ways to work and explore creativity,” said KC Choi, EVP and Head of Global Mobile B2B Team, MX Business at Samsung Electronics. “This rapid growth in investment demonstrates our enterprise customers’ need for meaningful innovations to enhance workforce productivity.”

The Galaxy Z Fold4 – Samsung’s fourth-generation foldable smartphone – is a multi-tasking powerhouse ideal for business use. Despite its pocket-friendly dimensions, it offers a large, expansive sized screen, making it easier to get things done compared to traditional smartphone screens.

The Galaxy Z Fold4’s expansive screen offers a larger working area, well suited to make the most of features from desktop computers. The perfect tool for juggling multiple tasks and pairs of apps, the PC-like Taskbar enables users to manage, launch and switch between apps, all without interrupting work.

The huge screen space is also a natural fit for working with Multi Windows. The Galaxy Z Fold4 can open up to three apps at once, including two of the same app for side-by-side comparisons. For example, users can respond to Gmail while viewing two Chrome browser tabs, just like working at a desk with multiple screens.

The Galaxy Z Fold4 also adapts to workflow needs. Flex Mode not only provides a hands-free experience for major video conferencing tools, it can now support dedicated e-signature or note-taking capabilities on partner apps using S Pen.[4]

Powerful Partnerships That Enhance the Experience of Foldable Devices

These experiences have been popular across many sectors of businesses and industries. In the current market, competition is fierce, especially in the financial services sector. Professionals need the best tools to help them maintain consistency and routine, even while working remotely.

Their devices must support complex workflows, including alerts, research, charts and portfolios, and give them the power and productivity advantage they need to stay competitive. Working with industry-leading partners, Samsung has enhanced Galaxy Z Fold4’s utility in unique ways, leading to wider adoption of foldables for enterprise use.

According to a recent survey, the Bloomberg Professional app[5] is the most used financial services app by investment professionals, such as traders, analysts and portfolio managers.[6] It takes advantage of the Galaxy Z Fold’s unique form factor to enable financial professionals to access Bloomberg’s market data, analytics, news, and communications on the go in a more intuitive and immersive way, while preserving the user experience and functionality with which they are familiar. On Samsung Galaxy Z Fold4, the Bloomberg Professional app’s adaptive layout provides for easy continuity and multitasking on the go. Users can effortlessly switch from the cover screen, ideal for quick Instant Bloomberg (IB) conversations, to the large screen that makes it easier to read news stories, monitoring real-time market data, browse portfolios or perform chart analysis. This allows financial professionals to do familiar work in an enhanced way on their foldable device.

DocuSign,[7] which offers the world’s leading e-signature solution and is used by 24 of the top 25 Fortune 500 Financial companies[8] has also been optimized for Android 12L. The Galaxy Z Fold4’s takes the hassle out of signing agreements on large screens. Users can now quickly drag and drop email attachments in multi-view mode directly into DocuSign eSignature, seal deals quickly on the go with Samsung’s S Pen[9] and the dedicated Flex Mode signature.

And, for the financial professionals constantly in and out of the office, DocuSign created a PC-Like experience using Samsung DeX mode. Simply connect the device to a monitor and thanks to DocuSign’s high-resolution support and adaptive design approach, professionals receive the same grade experience for any screen size or orientation.

Samsung also collaborated with IBM[10] to address challenges financial professionals may face helping clients while working from anywhere. IBM iX, the experience design partner within IBM Consulting, worked with a leading financial institution to develop the mobile experience, helping wealth advisors quickly access and manage market and portfolio information. The integration of Samsung DeX and S Pen[11] enables users to interact with data, drag and drop files between apps, translate handwriting to text and even capture digital signatures in a full desktop-like environment on their foldable device. Samsung’s philosophy of openness also enabled the incorporation of other popular applications for video conferencing, client contacts, email and schedules within a multi-app interface.

Samsung is committed to working with industry-leading partners to create new mobile experiences, and collaborating more closely in coming months to take advantage of ground-breaking technologies like foldable smartphones.

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[1] According to internal data. Figures comparing period from January to October 2022, to January to October 2021.

[2] Source: Counterpoint Research https://www.counterpointresearch.com/foldable-smartphone-shipments-2022/

[3] Source: Coalition Greenwich, “The Modernization of Mobile Apps: Financial Markets Professionals Seek Continuity of Experience.” October 2022.

[4] S-pen sold separately from Galaxy Z Fold4

[5] Bloomberg Professional requires separate app installation and a Bloomberg Terminal subscription for use. Availability may vary by market and model.

[6] Source: Coalition Greenwich, “The Modernization of Mobile Apps: Financial Markets Professionals Seek Continuity of Experience.” October 2022.

[7] DocuSign requires separate app installation for use. Availability may vary by market and model.

[8] Source: DocuSign, “About DocuSign” https://www.docusign.com/company

[9] S-pen sold separately from Galaxy Z Fold4

[10] IBM’s apps and services may require separate app installation for use. Availability may vary by market and model.

[11] S-pen sold separately from Galaxy Z Fold4

Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd today announced a new plan to collaborate with IBM to develop edge computing, 5G, and hybrid cloud solutions to help businesses across all industries modernize their operations and realize the promise of Industry 4.0*. Samsung and IBM intend to work together to provide enterprises with new solutions for mobile edge computing and end-to-end private 5G networks that run on open architecture and empower workers through 5G-enabled Samsung Galaxy devices.

This planned collaboration will combine Samsung’s industry-leading Galaxy 5G mobile devices and advanced end-to-end enterprise network solutions with IBM’s network management, hybrid cloud, and edge computing offerings and network expertise, as well as its industry solutions driven by artificial intelligence, and Red Hat’s open architecture. The goal is to develop open, hybrid cloud solutions that enable enterprises to draw greater insights from data at the edge – from the factory floor to an oil rig or a regular office space – to improve operational performance, increase worker safety, and minimize downtime. Both companies also plan to explore how manufacturers can use private 5G or 4G networks and 5G mobile devices with Industrial IoT (IIoT) solutions.

“The move to standalone 5G has accelerated the adoption of IIoT solutions and will require businesses to adopt an edge computing strategy that allows them to manage their IT environments from anywhere,” said KC Choi, EVP and Head of Global Mobile B2B Team, Mobile Communications Business at Samsung Electronics. “We are excited to work with IBM to discover how our unique devices, mobile IoT and network solutions can provide frontline workers with access to better data and more actionable insights to take their business to the next level.”

Samsung and IBM also intend to help enterprises harness the power of 5G into public and private networks through cross collaborations with global mobile operators. Earlier this year, Samsung announced a project with IBM, the Singapore Infocomm Media Development Authority, and telecom provider M1 to showcase Smart Factory advancements, including 5G-enabled AI analytics and AR capabilities. The two companies aim to continue enriching mobile experiences for users and create new business opportunities for enterprises.

Private 5G Networks help ensure maximum performance

Samsung and IBM also intend to help enterprises harness the power of 5G to increase their productivity and unlock new business opportunities. To do so, they plan to bring together Samsung’s latest 5G end-to-end solutions, which include a wide array of indoor and outdoor products covering mid-band (C-Band, CBRS and local 5G spectrum) and mmWave, and its cloud and on-premise server-based solutions, with IBM’s open hybrid cloud technologies, including its edge platform and network management capabilities, its integration and consulting services, and its AI solutions. This builds on Red Hat’s recent announcement with Samsung to deliver 5G network solutions built on Red Hat OpenShift, and can help enable enterprises to swiftly customize and deploy their networks and flexibly manage them across any cloud, on-premises or private environment of their choosing.

Additionally, Samsung and IBM’s collaboration in private 5G networks will be aimed at enabling enterprises to adopt emerging technologies crucial to Industry 4.0, such as IoT, AI, cloud, edge computing, and augmented reality (AR), and introduce new innovations across their business that can enable employees to identify faults in manufacturing lines using AI-powered image recognition, use thousands of sensors to build smart agriculture solutions, or facilitate employee training and productivity using AR.

“The transition of communication networks from proprietary architecture to intelligent, software-defined hybrid cloud platforms enables the creation of enormous new value in the 5G and edge era,” said Steve Canepa, Global GM and Managing Director, Communications Sector, IBM.  “5G devices and network solutions from Samsung, along with IBM and Red Hat’s open, hybrid cloud capabilities, can help organizations across all industries accelerate their transformation and solve real business problems, while unlocking the true power of 5G and edge.”

Driving Innovation for Industry 4.0

As part of this collaboration, Samsung, IBM, and Red Hat plan to deliver AI-powered solutions for Industry 4.0 and beyond by leveraging the power of 5G devices, cloud-native 5G networks, and advanced edge computing platforms. Specifically, the companies intend to explore the interoperability and integration of Samsung hardware and software with IBM Edge Application Manager, which runs on Red Hat OpenShift, and AI to enable computing workloads to be managed and deployed to Samsung’s portfolio of mobile devices at an industrial scale.

IBM also plans to provide hybrid cloud and industry-specific services to help with the design and implementation of the solutions, and Samsung will give developers access to high-quality features leveraging IBM and Red Hat’s ecosystems and the broader open source community.

This intended outcome would not only give businesses enhanced flexibility to manage their IT/OT environments anywhere, but it will also allow them to simultaneously manage and compute data on Samsung mobile devices with tens of thousands of other endpoints to streamline workloads and increase efficiencies. The objective is to also enable them to draw deep insights and predictive analysis in real-time to uncover new business opportunities, increase operational efficiencies, empower employees, and offer a better experience to their customers.

Joining Forces to Drive Change

Today’s announcement is the latest milestone in Samsung and IBM’s long-term global strategic partnership to help businesses around the world transform their operations through mobile, AI, and 5G solutions. For decades, the two companies have worked together on many projects that have helped governments and enterprises successfully transform their operations, including partnering on AI and mobile solutions. Recently, they joined forces to collaborate next generation 5G and edge offerings through IBM Cloud for Telecommunications.

Additionally, in the U.S., the two companies have joined forces to create an IBM and Samsung Growth Factory to accelerate the co-creation of new enterprise mobility innovations and help companies navigate the new normal. This approach has been critical in launching new solutions, such as mobile banking and safe communication in hospitals, as well as helping people return to work safely with social distancing and AR solutions for frontline workers.

*Statements mentioned above regarding Samsung and IBM’s future direction and intent are subject to change or withdrawal without notice and represent goals and objectives only.

Safety Platform Powered by IBM Cloud, AI and 5G

Today’s announcement is designed to bring together IBM’s cloud innovation and Samsung’s Galaxy devices ecosystem, including Galaxy Tabs, Galaxy smartphones, and Galaxy Watches. This is designed to help improve work environments for police officers, fire fighters and other first responders.
 
According to the International Labour Organization, nearly three-million deaths occur each year due to occupational accidents.[1] Governments and enterprises have an increasing need to build systems which track the health vitals of workers in remote or high-stress environments.
 
Built on the IBM Cloud, the new platform will now allow clients to track a worker’s vitals, including heart rate and physical activity, to determine if that person is in distress and automatically dispatch help if required.
 
For example, equipped with Samsung’s Galaxy Watches with biometric sensors and Galaxy smartphones, first responders will have their safety and wellness indicators shared on this platform in real time. The solution constantly tracks their vital signs and other key indicators to instantly alert emergency managers if there is a change in any of these data points. Such data may indicate that the responder is in danger of a heart attack, heat exhaustion, or any other life-threatening event requiring immediate attention. The platform transmits the data to emergency managers to provide insights for their decision-making.
 
On this new platform, Samsung’s high-speed Galaxy devices can be customized to withstand intense environments such as those encountered by a soldier in the field, power plant employees working in harsh weather conditions, an emergency worker responding to a disaster or a worker in a mining plant.
 
Currently being piloted by multiple police forces, this new solution provides real time health and situational awareness insights on first responders to reduce operational risks in the field.
 
“IBM continues to bring leading cloud and AI capabilities with deep industry expertise to our enterprise clients,” said Martin Schroeter, senior vice president of global markets from IBM. “Together, IBM and Samsung will use the power of IBM Cloud, 5G, AI and edge computing to enable our clients to leverage these advanced technologies to have greater impact on the way people work, shop and protect their health and families.”
 

Samsung and IBM Pave the Way for Enterprise Innovation with 5G and Edge Computing

Samsung’s fit-for-purpose design approach and IBM Garage Methodology create an open collaboration, accelerating how the two companies test and launch new business ideas with advanced cloud services. This approach integrates practices grounded in deep industry expertise at a global scale and cultural change into a single approach to drive enterprise design thinking.
 
The two companies are also collaborating across multiple industries to bring the power of IBM and Samsung to bear, including financial services, energy and healthcare. In addition, with the digitization of the manufacturing industry, this partnership lays the foundation for the automation of factories to become efficient and productive with advanced network services and 5G.
 
Developers can access and utilize the technology behind the platform and build further capabilities on top to impact other vertical industries like manufacturing, defense and retail.

[1] Statistic provided by International Labour Organization, http://www.ilo.org/global/topics/safety-and-health-at-work/lang–en/index.htm