Samsung collaborated with Italian design education institution POLI.design and 14 teams of emerging Italian artists to present artworks celebrating human diversity and individuality. Inspired by Samsung products, the 14 pieces reflect the company’s design vision rooted in understanding and caring for people. Each is displayed on a Samsung OLED TV (model S95H) with a custom-designed frame.

Samsung Newsroom visited the exhibition for a closer look at how familiar products — including Galaxy Z Fold8 and Music Studio 5 — have been reimagined through art.

“Design, at its core, is an ‘act of love’ — deeply understanding and caring for people,” said Mauro Porcini, President and Chief Design Officer (CDO), Device eXperience (DX) Division at Samsung Electronics. “We will pursue design that embraces individual diversity and brings warm emotional value to our lives.”

From Design Miami Seoul 2026 in September to Seoul Design Week 2026, Samsung has continued to share its human-centered design vision at major design events. Looking ahead, the company aims to push creative boundaries by bringing artistic imagination and technology together in new ways.

Samsung Week is Samsung’s largest annual promotion for customers around the world. Now in its seventh year, the event is being held under the theme “Discover New Ways to Live Smarter.”

During Samsung Week 2026, the company is offering special purchase benefits on Samsung.com and showcasing new experiences enabled by its latest AI products.¹

More Benefits, More Choices on Samsung.com

For Samsung Week 2026, Samsung has enhanced its online offers and premium services.²

Customers can get more out of their Samsung Rewards Points on Samsung.com throughout the event. Samsung Rewards Points can be applied toward purchases of devices and accessories as well as digital content and services including Galaxy Store, Samsung Art Store, and Samsung Food.

Based on devices registered to their Samsung Account, customers can receive personalized product recommendations. Samsung.com may recommend Bespoke AI appliances that connect through SmartThings for a more integrated home experience, or Galaxy Watch models that support health and fitness goals through Samsung Health. Customers can also easily access Samsung Care+, a professional product care service, and trade-in options.

The latest mobile products are also available in Samsung.com-exclusive colors including Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra in Green Shadow, Galaxy Z Fold8 in Pistachio, and Galaxy Z Flip8 in Mint.

In addition, purchases of the new Galaxy Z series, Galaxy S26 FE, or Galaxy Tab S12 series come with a six-month subscription to Google AI Pro.

Meanwhile, Samsung is promoting Samsung Week 2026 through large digital billboards at iconic landmarks around the world, including Times Square in New York and Piccadilly Circus in London.

Smarter Experiences for Work, Wellness, and Home

Throughout Samsung Week 2026, Samsung is highlighting products featuring AI-powered innovation and enhanced services designed to make everyday life more convenient across productivity, health, cooking, and entertainment.³

Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra makes it easier to work efficiently using Multi Window on a large screen and, when paired with a Smart Monitor, helps users stay focused wherever they are.

Together, Galaxy Watch Ultra2 and Galaxy S26 Ultra support healthier lifestyles with detailed workout data and health insights, while Galaxy Buds4 Pro adds to the enjoyment of exercise with a comfortable fit.

In the kitchen, the Bespoke AI Refrigerator, Bespoke AI Oven, and Galaxy Z Fold8 create a smarter cooking experience — from ingredient management and recipe recommendations to automated cooking settings.

Samsung Micro RGB TV and soundbars deliver immersive viewing and gaming, while the Bespoke AI Laundry Combo simplifies laundry by handling everything from washing to drying.

For more details about Samsung Week 2026 in each region, visit Samsung.com.

1. Event periods, eligible products and purchase benefits may vary by country. ︎
2. Event pages and details may vary by country. Personalized product recommendations are available only to customers who have consented to marketing and cookies.  ︎
3. Product names, availability, and supported features may vary by region. ︎

The exhibition features 14 artworks inspired by Samsung products, displayed on the 2026 OLED TVs (model: S95H) fitted with frames customized for each work.

Building on the theme of the exhibition Samsung held with Korean artists at Design Miami Seoul 2026 in September, this iteration of “Design is an Act of Love” is being held with POLI.design in collaboration with emerging Italian artists. Through creative expression shaped by different cultures and experiences, the exhibition celebrates human diversity and individuality while sharing Samsung’s design vision rooted in understanding and caring for people.

“Through the eyes of different creative minds, familiar products become new expressions of personality, perspective, and ways of life,” said Mauro Porcini, President and Chief Design Officer of the Device eXperience (DX) Division at Samsung Electronics. “By bringing these interpretations together, we want to show how design can make technology a more personal part of everyday life. Ultimately, our ambition is to move beyond designing technology for people to designing technology that truly reflects them.”

14 Italian Artists Reinterpret Samsung Products Through Creativity and Imagination

The artworks draw inspiration from a range of Samsung products spanning mobile devices, home appliances, and TVs — including Music Studio 5, Bespoke AI Family Hub, and Galaxy Z Fold8.

The artists drew on their experience and imagination to reinterpret the forms and characteristics of Samsung products. They used AI as a tool to develop ideas and explore new forms of expression, with each work grounded in the artist’s own perspective and creativity.

Tommy Tokyo, a multidisciplinary artist whose practice spans virtual reality, animation, and digital media, created an artwork inspired by the Infinite AI air purifier. The work translates the product’s core concept of clean air into an expressive visual narrative. Caffè Design drew inspiration from The Serif TV’s iconic I-shaped silhouette, exploring how its distinctive design interacts with the surrounding space.

OLED TVs Showcase Expressive Design With Frames Customized for Each Artwork

The exhibition features 14 Samsung OLED TVs (model S95H), each fitted with a custom frame designed to complement its corresponding artwork’s colors and mood. Created specifically for the exhibition, the frames work together with the on-screen imagery to enhance the presentation of each work.

The Float Layer Design of the OLED TV (model: S95H) makes the screen appear to float above a metal plate. Together, the TV’s distinctive design and custom frames create a visual presentation that highlights the character of each artwork.

Visitors can experience Expressive Design — an approach that embraces human diversity and imagination — through the varied combinations of artworks and frames on the same TV model.

The exhibition will take place from Oct. 15-25 at Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP) in Seoul.

Telecommunications experts from major global operators, manufacturers, government agencies, and academia are participating in the events, with more than 100 attendees gathering to exchange insights and explore the future of next-generation networks.

Samsung is discussing the evolution of software-driven networks for the AI and 6G eras, as well as ecosystem-wide collaboration that creates new value across the telecommunications industry. The company is also showcasing its leadership in 6G communication technology, sharing achievements in AI-native technologies applied to its communication systems, and providing other updates.

Collaboration To Create New Network Value in the AI Era

Partner Day fostered engaging conversations grounded in the expertise and experience of leaders from across the industry. Participants examined software-driven network strategies and ecosystem-wide collaboration as the convergence of AI and networks accelerates the evolution of network infrastructure.

Samsung opened the event with a keynote highlighting the way AI is transforming the architectural foundation that has defined telecommunications networks for more than a century. The company emphasized that, moving beyond the limitations of existing technologies, the convergence of connectivity and AI will be a key driver of new ways of communication that humanity has long imagined. Drawing on the industry’s collective intelligence, Samsung then delved into the strategic direction of network evolution in the AI era.

The panel sessions centered on experiences and key lessons learned from the commercialization of virtualized networks, exploring how the ecosystem can continue to evolve. Participants also discussed ways to move beyond connectivity by developing new services and translating them into tangible business opportunities.

“Networks in the AI era are evolving into intelligent infrastructure that can understand the diverse requirements of a growing range of new services, flexibly adapt through virtualization, and deliver optimal solutions for each need,” said Angelo Jeongho Park, Executive Vice President and Head of Global Strategic Sales, Networks Business at Samsung Electronics. “Together with our industry-leading partners, Samsung has successfully commercialized virtualized networks at scale. By adding advanced AI technologies to that foundation, we will transform communications infrastructure into a new engine for growth and lead the way toward the industry’s next leap forward.”

AI-Driven Innovation in Wireless Communications

The Silicon Valley Future Wireless Summit is opening with keynote presentations from telecommunications industry experts, followed by three panel sessions — “AI-Native 6G Networks,” “Taking 6G to Space With NTN,” and “Connecting the Physical and Digital Worlds” — along with technology demonstrations. Each session includes a lecture on the topic, as well as panel discussions that facilitate dynamic exchanges between participants.

The “AI-Native 6G Networks” session positions AI as the core technology driving innovation in network performance and operational efficiency, with discussion centered on the technical challenges and global collaboration needed to evolve 6G into a truly intelligent network infrastructure.

The “Taking 6G to Space With NTN” session reviews the current status and outlook of low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite constellations, discusses the technical barriers of space-based communication and satellite connectivity as a potential solution, and addresses satellite communication standards and roadmaps currently under discussion within the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP).

Concluding the day is the “Connecting the Physical and Digital Worlds” session, where participants are discussing new ways to deliver next-generation user experiences by sensing physical spaces and seamlessly linking them to digital services, such as Integrated Sensing and Communications (ISAC) and physical AI.

The technology demonstration session showcases cutting-edge 6G core technologies jointly developed and validated by Samsung and partner companies, including AI RAN implementations, eXtreme Multiple-Input Multiple-Output (X-MIMO) systems, Distributed MIMO (D-MIMO) technologies, and ISAC. Samsung is demonstrating field validation results for the performance of AI-enabled RAN across all layers, transmission performance in the 6G candidate frequency band (7 GHz band), the user experience at cell boundaries, and sensing performance that utilizes base station infrastructure.

“Together, 6G and AI-native technologies represent the next step in telecommunications, bringing people closer together than ever before,” said Jinguk Jeong, Executive Vice President and Head of the Advanced Communications Research Center at Samsung Research. “The Silicon Valley Future Wireless Summit 2026 demonstrates our commitment to closely collaborating with industry partners to advance telecommunications.” 

Strengthening the Global 6G Ecosystem

Silicon Valley Future Wireless Summit 2026 and Partner Day come amid Samsung’s efforts to expand its collaboration on 6G and AI-native communication technology with global partners, including telecommunications operators, research institutes, and business groups.

This year, Samsung has initiated collaboration with LG U+ and conducted field validation with Verizon at a major international soccer fan event in Dallas, Texas, for ISAC technology development. The company is also strengthening research partnerships with major telecommunications operators globally, including NTT DOCOMO, KDDI Research, KT, SK Telecom, and SoftBank. These collaborations are part of ongoing efforts to make 6G technology a reality.

Samsung will continue to deepen collaboration with global partners and advance research at the convergence of AI and communications. By connecting its research strengths with business expertise, the company aims to translate innovation into greater value for the industry and reinforce its leadership in AI-native, 6G networks.

·    Consolidated Sales: Approximately 195 trillion Korean won

·    Consolidated Operating Profit: Approximately 107.40 trillion Korean won

The above estimates are based on K-IFRS. Please note that Korean disclosure regulations do not allow earnings estimates to be offered as a range. To comply with such regulations, the above figures represent the median of the estimate ranges provided below.

·    Sales: 194 trillion to 196 trillion Korean won  

·    Operating Profit: 107.3 trillion to 107.5 trillion Korean won 

※  2026 2Q and 2025 3Q consolidated figures based on K-IFRS are as follows :

“This update marks another step in SmartThings’ ongoing efforts to move beyond a home experience where users search for and launch features,” said Jaeyeon Jung, Executive Vice President and Head of the SmartThings Team, AI Platform Center, Samsung Electronics. “By delivering relevant information and controls at the right time, SmartThings is pushing the boundaries of more intelligent home experiences and empowering users to manage their everyday lives more naturally.”

A Redesigned Home Tab Experience, Led by SmartThings Now

SmartThings Now appears as cards at the top of the Home tab, building on Home Insight to offer greater personalization by combining relevant information with actions users can take right away. It suggests the right information and immediately actionable controls based on the user’s current situation, delivering an experience that is easier and more intuitive.

If a Family Care member, such as an older parent, shows no device activity for an extended period, SmartThings Now surfaces a care card for the caregiver with options to check in or call. When the user arrives near a home location pre-registered in the SmartThings app, SmartThings Now suggests turning on lights and air purifiers in advance. Once the user acts, it prompts them to create a routine so the same actions can run automatically going forward. This is all part of an experience designed to naturally guide users to the next relevant step based on their choices and context, making it easier to discover and use the features they need.

SmartThings Now also supports personalized optimization based on usage patterns. It analyzes the past week’s activity to suggest updates to Home tab Favorites, including devices, services, and routines. For example, it may recommend removing an air conditioner card as usage drops heading into cooler months, or adding an AirDresser card as the user’s air dresser becomes more frequently used during the change of seasons. Users can manage their routines through the Routine Insight card in SmartThings Now,¹ as well, by navigating to a detailed view of their routine activity over the past week to review and delete routines they no longer need.

The updated Home tab reorganizes key information into a more streamlined view, covering dashboards, device cards, and service cards, with each type displayed in a format optimized for easier browsing.²

Service cards use a more space-efficient design to clearly display more services on a single screen and present information like device status and numerical readings. Additionally, Live Wallpaper changes naturally throughout the day, adding a more dynamic visual touch to the experience.

The update also introduces a Floating Bar that places frequently used features within easier reach at the bottom of the screen, improving one-handed use on larger smartphones and reflecting the latest One UI design direction.

Enhanced Local Control Helps Keep Devices Responsive, Even When Offline

SmartThings is now introducing local control technology that helps users continue to operate connected devices more reliably when there are changes to the home network environment or disruptions to external internet service.³

When a mobile device and a SmartThings Hub are connected to the same Wi-Fi network, the mobile device can communicate directly with the hub rather than routing controls through the cloud. Compared to cloud-based control, local control can improve response times by approximately 30%. This helps enable continued control of connected devices during temporary network fluctuations.⁴

SmartThings automatically switches between local and cloud-based remote control based on whether the user’s mobile device is at home or away. The updated Offline Device Diagnostics page helps users restore devices that have gone offline by updating new network information across all registered devices at once.

Samsung has also added support for Matter 1.6, the latest smart home connectivity standard from the Connectivity Standards Alliance (CSA), enhancing stability and Group Control performance. The update adds support for four new device categories, as well:

• Energy Meters for real-time power monitoring
• Closures for specialized door and gate types
• Irrigation devices such as sprinkler systems
• Soil Sensors for measuring ground conditions.

1. Routine Insight is accessible through SmartThings Now and the Automations > Suggestions tab in the SmartThings app. ︎
2. The updated Home tab experience, including SmartThings Now, is available across SmartThings-supported devices such as mobile devices, Samsung Smart TVs, Family Hub refrigerators, Samsung appliances with 7-inch or 9-inch screens, and Windows devices. ︎
3. Local control is available on Android and iOS devices with the SmartThings app installed, for SmartThings Station, SmartThings V2, V3, and V4 Hubs, and hub-enabled Samsung Smart TVs and Family Hub. ︎
4. Based on tests conducted by Samsung under controlled conditions. Actual performance may vary depending on the user’s environment. ︎

Following successful exhibitions in Washington D.C. and Chicago, it marks the European stop of the collection’s international tour. It is also the first major special presentation of Korean art at the British Museum in more than 40 years. The exhibition runs from Oct. 1, 2026 to Jan. 31, 2027, and is being held at the Joseph Hotung Great Court Gallery.

“Korea,” spanning over two millennia, connect the history of Korean art in a unified narrative to reveal how Korea’s unique aesthetic values and artistic achievements have continued to be built upon and reinterpreted over many generations.

The exhibition, drawn from over 23,000 artworks from the National Bequest of the Lee Kun-Hee Collection in 2021, is organised by the British Museum, the National Museum of Korea, and the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea.

At the gala, Samsung Electronics Executive Chairman Jay Y. Lee reflected on the Lee family’s multigenerational commitment to preserving Korea’s cultural heritage and sharing it with audiences around the world. Members of the family, including Hong Ra-Hee, Director Emerita of the Leeum Museum of Art, Lee Boo-jin, President & CEO of Hotel Shilla, and Lee Seo-hyun, President of Samsung C&T, also attended the event.

“For generations, my family has held a guiding principle that art and culture should be preserved and shared,” Executive Chairman Lee said. “I hope this exhibition offers a gateway into Korean culture, spanning two thousand years of creativity and heritage, and that it will let everyone see Korea a little differently — for its beauty, its depth and its resilience.”

At the reception held before the gala dinner, Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal graced the opening of the exhibition.

Among the 240 guests were the Chancellor of the Exchequer John Healey MP, Minister for Artificial Intelligence Kanishka Narayan MP, former Deputy Prime Minister Sir Oliver Dowden, former Trade Minister Sir Greg Hands, former Culture Secretary Sir John Whittingdale, Trade Envoy to the Republic of Korea John Slinger, Leader of the Liberal Democrats and Chair of the Republic of Korea All-Party Parliamentary Group Sir Ed Davey, and Dr. Ben Spencer, Vice Chair of the Republic of Korea All-Party Parliamentary Group.

George Osborne, Chair of the British Museum, said, “We are thrilled here at the British Museum to be hosting this incredible exhibition. The Lee family’s contribution to our shared cultural heritage helps us understand and interpret the past, so that we may understand the future.”

Maurice Lévy, Chairman Emeritus of Publicis Groupe, said that the exhibition is “not simply about objects from witnesses of a great past of Korea. They are evidence of a culture that has always valued craftsmanship, imagination, discipline, and excellence. Sharing those treasures with the world speaks volume about the values and the generosity of the Lee family. They understood, generation after generation, that looking forward does not mean forgetting where you come from.”

Kanishka Narayan, Minister for Artificial Intelligence, said, “The UK and Korea work closely on technology and innovation, but there is so much more to our relationship. Korea’s art and culture are admired around the world, and this exhibition gives people in Britain a chance to explore its extraordinary artistic heritage. I’m grateful to Samsung for bringing this remarkable collection to London and sharing it with audiences here.”

Kim Heung-chong, Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to the U.K., commented that “it is particularly meaningful for the British Museum to open this exhibition of artworks showcasing two thousand years of Korean history, at a time when K-culture is enjoying global recognition,” and thanked Executive Chairman Lee for making the exhibition possible.

Business leaders attending the gala included those from BT Group, Vodafone, Sainsbury’s, and Standard Chartered. From academia, representatives from the University of Oxford and Imperial College London were in attendance, while the cultural sector was represented by the British Museum, Tate Modern, the V&A, and Lisson Gallery, alongside contemporary artist Marc Quinn.

Samsung’s business partners from the semiconductor industry, including Christophe Fouquet, CEO of ASML, Kai Beckmann, CEO of Merck, Andreas Pecher, CEO of ZEISS, and Patrick Vandenameele, CEO of imec, were among other notable attendees.

Chairman Lee Expresses Gratitude to Korean War Veterans

During his remarks, Executive Chairman Lee took a special moment to honor the three Korean War veterans in attendance, including Mike Roe. He also thanked The Princess Royal, recognising her visit to Korea in July 2026 during which she honored the veterans. Reflecting on more than 140 years of ties between Korea and the U.K., he highlighted Samsung’s 80-year business relationship with the country and emphasised that the U.K. has served as the hub for its European operations for over five decades.

The London exhibition features 100 masterpieces, including 10 National Treasures and 13 Treasures of Korea, with more than twenty pieces being revealed for the first time internationally.

Among the newly presented works are the National Treasures “Bronze Artifacts from Bisan-dong, Daegu” and “Bronze Rattles,” as well as “Celadon Incense Burner with Girin-shaped Lid.” Among the modern and contemporary works, Nam June Paik’s “Brahms,” Lee Jungseop’s “Bound People,” and Park Rehyun’s “Woman” will also be shown for the first time.

The Lee family’s commitment to preserving and sharing Korea’s culture spans three generations. It began with Samsung founder Lee Byung-Chull, who built the foundation of the collection and believed that cultural heritage should be passed on to future generations.

His son, the late Samsung Chairman Lee Kun-Hee carried this legacy forward, building and preserving the collection over decades. He viewed cultural heritage not simply as something to be owned, but as something to be protected and preserved. Director Emerita Hong Ra-Hee also played a crucial role in expanding and developing the collection to encompass both ancient and modern works.

The Lee Kun-Hee Collection, now a national cultural asset, is reaching audiences in major cities around the world from Washington D.C. to Chicago to London, enabling them to experience and appreciate the value and historical significance of Korean culture, thereby elevating Korea’s global standing.

The collection’s global tour began in November 2025 at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art in Washington D.C., attracting about 80,000 visitors to become the museum’s largest special exhibition in the past 10 years. The collection then traveled to the Art Institute of Chicago, where it drew approximately 115,000 visitors, highlighting the strong interest in the rich history of Korean arts and culture.

Samsung remains committed to introducing Korean cultural heritage to the world while continuing to expand its global business network to support future growth and innovation.

Launched in June 2026, Helix is an AI-enabling infrastructure provider that is designed to deliver integrated solutions across the entire value chain, including hyperscale data center development and operations, power generation (covering both baseload and flexible energy sources), transmission and distribution infrastructure, and fiber-optic networks.

Through Helix, hyperscalers can rapidly secure the large-scale, comprehensive infrastructure required to keep pace with exponentially growing AI demands.

Helix is led by Adam Selipsky, former CEO of Amazon Web Services (AWS) and is assembling a dedicated management team comprising leading experts from the data center and power industries. Helix also leverages the capabilities of KKR’s leading global infrastructure business with about 170 dedicated professionals.

Alongside Samsung, KKR, the Kuwait Investment Authority (KIA), NVIDIA, and US power company Vistra are also founding investors in Helix.

AI Data Centers Evolve Into Core Platforms for a New Industrial Ecosystem

AI data centers are rapidly evolving beyond simple facility investments into core business platforms. Today, they integrate diverse, high-value business models, including GPU-as-a-Service (GPUaaS), Sovereign AI, and colocation services.

The rapid expansion of these data centers is driving the creation of a massive, multi-sector ecosystem that spans power generation, cooling technologies, semiconductors, and finance. Samsung affiliates’ investment reflects a strategic commitment to securing next-generation AI leadership within this emerging infrastructure landscape.

As AI services integrate deeper into daily life and global industries, the need for data centers capable of processing massive compute workloads — and the specialized power infrastructure required to run them stably — is growing exponentially. If data centers are the production hubs of the AI era, power is the fuel that drives them. Consequently, the ability to secure both compute and power infrastructure simultaneously has emerged as a defining competitive advantage in the AI industry.

By targeting both data center deployment and the underlying power infrastructure, Helix’s investment strategy addresses the very core of this market competition. Recognizing that power availability is currently the greatest bottleneck in AI infrastructure, Helix plans to rapidly secure energy capacity through direct investments and strategic partnerships with major energy developers, including investor Vistra.

The investment this time is expected to serve as a pivotal milestone for Samsung’s affiliates, allowing them to leverage their world-class hardware and component expertise to build system- and infrastructure-level influence. Moving forward, Samsung is poised to expand its role from a traditional hardware component supplier to an active architect of the global AI infrastructure ecosystem.

Samsung’s Expertise Across the AI Infrastructure Stack Serves as Critical Anchor for Global AI Buildout

Samsung Electronics’ Device Solutions (DS) Division supports the global buildout with its state-of-the-art semiconductor solutions, responding to changes in global demand in a timely manner.

Samsung Electronics’ Device eXperience (DX) Division delivers a comprehensive portfolio of data center cooling products and solutions — from air cooling systems to coolant distribution units (CDUs) for liquid cooling — through FläktGroup, its data center HVAC specialist subsidiary acquired in 2025. It also operates 14 production sites worldwide and a supply and service network across 65 countries, giving it the speed and flexibility to meet hyperscalers’ demands for rapid capacity expansion.

Samsung C&T Engineering & Construction Group is actively driving the large-scale infrastructure projects as an engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) contractor across data centers and power generation.

Samsung SDS is an IT solutions provider that also designs, builds and operates data centers and has recently ventured into the GPUaaS business. The company boasts the lowest power usage effectiveness (PUE) level in Korea which it applies both to its own data centers and to the Korea AI Computing Center (KOACC).

Samsung SDI is recognized for world-leading technology in uninterruptible power supplies (UPS) and battery backup units (BBUs), both essential to running data centers that operate high-performance servers 24 hours a day. It plans to explore new business opportunities in this field, where ultra-high-output, high-capacity battery technology is essential.

Through this investment, Samsung Electronics and its affiliates aim to accelerate global AI data center deployment alongside Helix, while maximizing collaborative synergies among participating companies.

Unveiled at Galaxy Unpacked July 2026, Samsung Electronics’ Galaxy Z series introduces My FanCam — a new feature that lets users focus their edits on a person of their choice — as well as an enhanced Portrait Video that recreates the look of professional camera lenses.

While the two features offer different camera experiences, both draw on expertise spanning foundational technology research, feature development, and user experience design.

As part of “The People Behind the Galaxy Z Series’ Camera Innovations,” Samsung Newsroom sat down with experts from Samsung Research and the Mobile eXperience (MX) Business to discuss the technical challenges and collaboration behind the two features.

A sharply defined subject against a softly blurred background creates a sense of depth long associated with professional camera lenses. Researchers have continued to explore ways to achieve this effect in smartphone video.

With the Galaxy Z series, Portrait Video recreates the distinctive depth and Bokeh¹ of a large-aperture lens.² To make this possible, Samsung Research analyzed the optical characteristics of actual camera lenses and developed AI-powered video processing technology, while the MX Business optimized it for the device.

Samsung Newsroom spoke with YoungGeol Kim of the Visual Technology Team at Samsung Research and Sang-uk Park, responsible for camera development at the Mobile eXperience (MX) Business, about how Portrait Video evolved from a research concept into a Galaxy camera feature.

A New Level of Depth in Portrait Video

Q. What is Portrait Video? What has changed with the latest Galaxy Z series?

Park: Portrait Video keeps the main subject in focus while softly blurring the background, creating a cinematic look that makes the subject stand out.

On the Galaxy Z series, the degree of blur changes naturally based on the distance between the subject and background. Small background lights appear as soft, rounded Bokeh, much as they would through a large-aperture lens. This allows users to draw attention to the subject and capture videos with greater depth and atmosphere using just a smartphone, without the need for separate professional equipment.

Users can also shift the focus to a different subject or adjust the blur level after filming.

Q. What inspired the technology behind Portrait Video?

Kim: Photography has been my hobby for 25 years. That passion led me to camera technology research and development and sparked a lasting interest in the unique visual character of lenses.

As smartphone cameras advanced rapidly, photography benefited from a range of new features and improvements in image quality. Video evolved quickly as well, but I saw further potential in recreating the depth and background rendering of professional camera lenses. We proposed the idea during the research stage, just as the MX Business was exploring ways to help users create professional-looking videos more easily — paving the way for joint development.

Q. How did the teams collaborate to turn Portrait Video into a camera feature?

Kim: Existing solutions alone weren’t enough to achieve the natural lens rendering we wanted. At the time, Samsung Research’s technology was still in the research stage, so applying it to a product was not an easy decision. Even so, the MX Business recognized its potential and decided to commercialize it.

From there, full-scale testing and refinement began. We evaluated the technology on actual devices and exchanged feedback, turning it into a camera feature for users.

Park: To prepare the feature for real-world use, we had to shoot countless videos under a wide range of conditions and validate the results. Since the feature is centered on people, experts from both teams even served as models and filmed one another. We focused particularly on how naturally subjects were separated from their backgrounds and whether the blur and Bokeh looked right at different distances.

As we filmed each other, reviewed the results together and continued our discussions, what I remember most is how noticeably the results improved.

Large-Aperture Lens Rendering on Smartphones

Q. What is the key technology that takes Portrait Video to the next level?

Kim: The key is technology that recreates the distinctive look of large-aperture professional camera lenses in smartphone video. We used AI and optical analysis to make this possible.

Simply blurring an image is not enough to reproduce the depth and natural background rendering of a professional camera. Conventional blur softens an image by blending surrounding colors, but a large-aperture lens works differently. The degree of blur changes naturally based on the distance between the subject and background, while bright points of light spread into Bokeh that retain their shape and brightness. The shapes and textures of these out-of-focus areas are known as bokeh.

This requires accounting for both subject-to-background distance and how light spreads through an actual camera lens.

Recreating this effect on a smartphone required two elements. First, we analyzed how light spreads through a real large-aperture lens and the resulting bokeh characteristics, then converted the results into data. We combined this with AI-estimated distance information for the scene, allowing the system to adjust the degree of blur and bokeh size based on the distance between the subject and background.

Q. What technical challenges did the teams face when creating blur and bokeh on smartphones?

Kim: The biggest challenge was naturally rendering complex boundaries between the subject and background, such as hair or eyeglass frames. On smartphones, AI-estimated distance information alone isn’t sufficient to accurately distinguish fine boundaries. Even a small error can blur strands of hair or leave parts of the background sharp, making the subject look unnaturally cut out.

To address this, we combined AI-estimated distance information with boundary information from the original footage, allowing for natural separation between the subject and background even around fine details such as hair.

Park: Maintaining consistent results across different shooting conditions — including weather, lighting, subject movement, and distance — was crucial. We repeatedly filmed under a wide range of conditions and reviewed the results, improving unnatural elements through software optimization and additional AI training data. Building on Samsung Research’s technology, image quality experts from the MX Business also evaluated the results from a user perspective, further refining the feature.

Q. What did it take to make this complex video processing reliable and ready for use on the Galaxy Z series?

Kim: The biggest hurdle was reducing power consumption and heat generation without compromising quality. Video is a rapid sequence of images, so processing 4K video in real time requires significant computation.

That meant we had to prioritize. We preserved the processing essential to image quality while reducing computation in areas where users were unlikely to notice a difference.

As a result, we struck a balance between natural lens rendering and real-time processing, ensuring stable, efficient performance even during extended recording.

More Freedom in Video Creation

Q. What are some tips to help users get the most out of Portrait Video?

Kim: To make bokeh stand out, look for scenes with bright light sources against a relatively dark background. Sunlight sparkling through leaves, Christmas lights, or streetlights at night can spread softly into circular Bokeh, creating a more atmospheric look.

When filming a person, it’s best to avoid strong light from the front. Instead, position the light source behind or to the side of the subject. This can softly illuminate the subject’s hair and contours while making the background Bokeh more prominent. Reflected light or ambient sources like streetlights can help keep the face from getting too dark for a more balanced result.

Q. What reaction would you most like to hear from people who have tried Portrait Video?

Park: I’d like users, creators, and video professionals to be surprised by how easy it is to create cinematic video on a smartphone. I hope the natural blur, Bokeh, and post-capture editing features give them greater freedom to achieve the look and feel they want.

Kim: Ultimately, I hope people feel they no longer need to carry a separate professional camera. We will continue advancing the underlying technologies so they can create cinematic videos with just a smartphone.

Bringing the cinematic shallow depth of field and light rendering of professional camera lenses to smartphone video required extensive testing and collaboration to turn a research concept into a reliable product feature. Developed through the combined expertise of Samsung Research and the MX Business, Portrait Video expands the Galaxy video experience — giving users more ways to realize their creative vision.

1. The shape and texture of blur in out-of-focus areas, often seen when small points of light appear as circular highlights. ︎
2. A lens with an aperture that can open wide to let in more light, making it well suited for keeping the subject sharp while softly blurring the background and rendering bokeh highlights. ︎

The exhibition offered a fresh interpretation of Samsung’s human-centered design vision. Inspired by Samsung products, 14 Korean artists drew on their sensibilities and imagination to interpret an act of love in their own ways. In the process, some used AI to develop their ideas and expand the possibilities of creative expression. Visitors viewed the completed works on OLED TV S95H displays, each featuring a custom frame with distinct materials and forms.

Samsung Newsroom visited “Design is an Act of Love” to see how art, technology, and design came together.

14 Acts of Love Inspired by Samsung Products

Upon entering, visitors were greeted by 14 artworks displayed on OLED TV S95H screens. Moving through the space, they encountered distinct colors, compositions, and narratives — each offering a different interpretation of a Samsung product.

Beyond the individual artworks, the exhibition explored the evolving relationship between human creativity and artificial intelligence, expressed through the formula AI × (EI + HI) — Artificial Intelligence amplified by Emotional Intelligence and Human Imagination.

The artworks began with human intuition, emotion, point of view, and imagination. Some artists then entered into a dialogue with AI, using it not to replace their creativity, but to expand it, animate it, and take it into unexpected new territories. Technology amplifies the human. It does not replace it.

Aihyung Jo’s “EVERYTHING, SO FAR…” draws inspiration from Galaxy Z Fold8, using metaphor and humor to explore the human desire to express one’s feelings to others.

Across the foldable’s inner and outer displays, visual symbols of human progress illustrate how technology has expanded human capabilities and opened countless possibilities.

▲ A visitor takes in “EVERYTHING, SO FAR…” by Aihyung Jo.

“The Shape of Sound” by design studio Everyday Practice reinterprets the exhibition theme as an act of connecting people.

Inspired by Music Studio 5, the work visualizes sound not simply as something to be heard but as a shared experience. Waveforms radiating from the center and expanding layers show how a single sound fills a space, bringing together those within it.

▲ A visitor observes “The Shape of Sound” by Everyday Practice.

In “Gitdeun,” kkamangdol reimagines the Bespoke AI Refrigerator Family Hub as a reflection of a family’s tastes and memories, capturing an everyday act of love.

Drawing on the tenderness found in familiar things, the work evokes the warmth and anticipation of February as winter gives way to spring.

▲ A visitor looks at “Gitdeun” by kkamangdol.

“The Aural Sensation” by Sukeee connects the immersive musical experience and sensory resonance of Galaxy Buds4 Pro with the vitality of nature.

An earbud sits at the center of an organic, ear-shaped flower, surrounded by rippling sound waves and fluttering petals that bring the scene to life.

“I wanted to capture an experience in which technology gently embraces the user’s emotions,” said Sukeee. “After developing the initial concept, I used generative AI tools throughout the process, from sketching to the final piece.”

▲ Sukeee discusses the inspiration behind “The Aural Sensation.”

While their approaches differed, human experience and emotion remained at the heart of each work — with some artists incorporating AI into their creative process.

One Display, 14 Distinct Expressions

A key part of the showcase was the custom frames surrounding the artworks. Rather than following a single style, the 14 frames created for OLED TV S95H featured distinct materials, forms, and finishes. Each gave the same display a different character.

The frames also reflect the exhibition’s exploration of expression. After years in which technology has increasingly gravitated toward neutral, minimal, and universal forms, the exhibition explored a different possibility: bringing greater diversity, personality, energy, and emotion into the objects that surround us, and allowing technology to connect more deeply with individual identity.

For “Spring Carries Love,” Guimi Yoo reimagines The Frame Pro as a bridge between viewers and the world within the artwork. The piece was presented in a mint-colored acrylic frame with a hazy finish.

▲ “Spring Carries Love” by Guimi Yoo

Inspired by the Infinite AI Air Purifier, “Picnic of May” by design studio Kiljong Arcade depicts a peaceful everyday moment. The work was displayed within a blue lattice frame combining matte and glossy finishes.

▲ “Picnic of May” by Kiljong Arcade

“Axis of Time, Terrain of Memory” presents Galaxy Watch9 and Galaxy Watch Ultra2 as companions that document users’ daily lives.

“I visualized the various types of everyday data accumulated on Galaxy Watch through changes in typography, color, lines, and density,” said Byungrok Chae, the artist behind “Axis of Time, Terrain of Memory.” “I extended the pixel structure of the digital display into the custom frame so the screen and frame flow together as a single graphic. This helped bring out the meaning and visual characteristics of Galaxy Watch.”

▲ Chae explains the concept behind “Axis of Time, Terrain of Memory.”

Samsung’s OLED TV S95H became a canvas for this exploration. Its Float Layer Design makes the display appear to float above a real metal plate, and for Design Miami Seoul, this concept was taken further through 14 unique custom frames, each created in dialogue with the artwork displayed on screen.

By incorporating its structure and materials as design elements, the TV itself becomes a design object within the space. Paired with 14 custom frames, the display showed how the same product could take on different expressions depending on its surroundings and individual tastes, bringing Samsung’s Expressive Design philosophy to life.

Human-Centered Design in the AI Era

During the exhibition, Samsung hosted a design seminar titled “The Language of Creativity,” where Mauro Porcini, President and Chief Design Officer (CDO) of the Device eXperience (DX) Division at Samsung Electronics, discussed the company’s human-centered design vision and the role of design in the AI era.

Porcini emphasized that technology should bring warmth and value to people’s lives, while AI can expand human empathy and imagination.

“This exhibition stems from our belief that ‘Design is an Act of Love,’” said Porcini. “Through it, we hope to show how technology can enrich what makes us human.”

Together, these ideas offered a broader interpretation of “Design is an Act of Love”: understanding people deeply enough to celebrate their differences, amplify their imagination, and use technology to create more human, diverse, and expressive possibilities.

At Design Miami Seoul 2026, Samsung demonstrated how its human-centered design vision extends across products and spaces when paired with artists’ imaginations. As the AI era continues to unfold, the company remains focused on design that understands and cares for people.

The exhibition celebrates a human-centered design vision rooted in a deep understanding of and care for people. Visitors will experience Samsung’s Expressive Design through works by 14 Korean artists reinterpreting a selection of Samsung products, which are being presented on the 2026 OLED TV S95H along with 14 custom frames that become part of the artworks themselves. Together, the works showcase Samsung’s Expressive Design through a range of individual perspectives and interpretations.

“‘Design is an Act of Love’ represents how we approach design — with a deep understanding of people at its core,” said Mauro Porcini, President and Chief Design Officer of the Device eXperience (DX) Division at Samsung Electronics. “Creativity starts with people, and AI can help amplify our imagination and take our ideas further. At Samsung, we will continue to expand possibilities for people through a more human, diverse, and expressive approach to design.”

Reinterpreting Samsung Products: 14 Korean Artists’ Artworks on OLED TV S95H With 14 Custom Frames

Each of the 14 artists who collaborated with Samsung drew on their unique perspective and imagination to develop their concepts, while using AI as a tool to expand their ideas and creative expression. Each work began with the artist’s own creativity, with AI helping bring those ideas to life in different ways.

A range of Samsung products were reinterpreted by the artists, including Music Studio 5, Bespoke AI Refrigerator Family Hub, and Galaxy Z Fold 8, spanning eight products across mobile devices, home appliances, and TVs. The result is a collection of expressive artworks that embody Samsung’s design principles as well as the artists’ individual aesthetics.

Samsung is also showcasing the S95H OLED TV with 14 custom frames, demonstrating how a single product can reflect diverse perspectives through the company’s Expressive Design strategy.

The S95H features Samsung’s Float Layer Design, which makes the screen appear to float above a real-metal plate. Its structure and materials become part of the design, giving the TV a distinctive presence while allowing it to blend naturally into its surroundings.

For the exhibition, the custom frames bring different perspectives to the S95H, corresponding with the artwork displayed on screen and showing how the same product can take on a distinct character depending on the space and individual preferences.

The exhibition will take place from Sept. 1-6 at Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP) in Seoul. On Sept. 3, Chief Design Officer Porcini will take part in a discussion to share his perspectives on Samsung’s design vision.

Unveiled at Galaxy Unpacked July 2026, Samsung Electronics’ Galaxy Z series introduces My FanCam — a new feature that lets users focus their edits on a person of their choice — as well as an enhanced Portrait Video that recreates the look of professional camera lenses.

While the two features offer different camera experiences, both draw on expertise spanning foundational technology research, feature development, and user experience design.

As part of “The People Behind the Galaxy Z Series’ Camera Innovations,” Samsung Newsroom sat down with experts from Samsung Research and the Mobile eXperience (MX) Business to discuss the technical challenges and collaboration behind the two features.

Since the launch of the new Galaxy Z series, one feature has been generating buzz among K-pop fans as a must-have — My FanCam. Users simply select a person in a video, and My FanCam automatically tracks their movements throughout.

The feature makes it easy to put someone in the spotlight, from a favorite artist in concert footage to family and friends in everyday moments.

Behind this experience is Samsung Research’s AI technology for reliably tracking people in video, integrated into a mobile feature through close collaboration with the MX Business. Samsung Newsroom spoke with Hwangpil Park of the Visual Technology Team at Samsung Research as well as Seonghwan Kim and Sherry Hong of the Multimedia Development Group at the MX Business about My FanCam.

A User-Centered Approach

Q. What inspired My FanCam?

Hong: We started by asking how we could make it easier for users to create videos focused on the people they want to see. As shooting, editing, and sharing content on smartphones have become commonplace, fan cams of favorite artists have gained popularity on social media. In response to this trend, we envisioned My FanCam — a feature that lets anyone create a video centered on a person of their choice with just a few taps — and worked with Samsung Research to bring the idea to life.

The Technology Behind Reliable Tracking

Q. What technology enables My FanCam to continuously track someone in a video?

Park: The key to My FanCam’s ability to follow a selected person even in complex scenes is an AI model that precisely recognizes individuals. The model identifies and remembers each person’s location and visual characteristics, allowing it to recognize the same person throughout the video and continue tracking them.

Q. What was the main focus for the user experience?

Kim: We focused on reducing wait times while editing. Users may want to switch between people in group videos, but reanalyzing the video each time would mean waiting again. We designed My FanCam to analyze multiple people at once, letting users switch between subjects and instantly see the results once the initial analysis is complete.

We also simplified the editing process. Users can easily adjust the aspect ratio to fit the scene and create a video that suits their needs.

Q. How did the two teams collaborate to turn the technology into a Galaxy feature?

Hong: It was crucial not only to identify the issues, but also to find a solution for the said issues; validating that the results were key to our process. The more the concept was solidified, the more full-fledged the development process became. In order to keep up with the development progress, weekly meetings turned into daily meetings and in those daily meetings, we made sure to track progress every morning.

Testing a large range of scenarios is important before rolling out new features. To help the development team test with a wide range of scenarios, multiple team members helped with the process. Some brought in old videos from the college days, such as dance club videos. Others would bring a phone and film new footage, such as climbing hobbies.

Park: Technology that worked well in a research environment sometimes performed differently with real-world footage due to variables such as fast movement and people overlapping in the frame. When the MX Business shared these cases, Samsung Research analyzed the causes and refined the AI model and tracking methods. We then validated the changes in the product environment, repeating the process to improve the feature.

Q. What was the biggest challenge in bringing My FanCam to mobile devices?

Kim: The key challenge was processing AI workloads entirely on-device without a separate server. Longer videos require more computation, so we had to consider processing speed, power consumption, and heat generation. Samsung Research optimized the AI model to achieve the required results with less computation, while the MX Business streamlined the entire process — from video decoding to data transfer and analysis — reducing computational load with minimal impact on performance.

Park: We also had to account for situations that can make it difficult to select a person in videos. At school performances or sports days, for example, the person users want to focus on may not appear until midway through the video or may be obscured by others. We therefore designed My FanCam so users can find a moment when their subject is clearly visible and select them at any point in the video.

From Favorite Artists to Everyday Moments

Q. Any tips for getting the most out of My FanCam?

Kim: When filming, I recommend using a high-resolution setting and framing the shot a little wider to leave space around the person. When selecting a subject, choose a frame where they don’t overlap too much with others and their face, upper body, or full body is clearly visible.

My FanCam also works with existing footage, such as videos of past concerts, trips, or children’s activities. Because users don’t need to follow a particular person while filming, they can focus more on the moment itself.

For example, users can set up a tripod to film a workout, then use My FanCam to create a video centered on themselves without someone else behind the camera.

Q. How do you hope users will use My FanCam?

Park: Since My FanCam works with videos not shot on a Galaxy device, I hope people will try it with a wide range of footage. It can offer a fresh perspective on old videos, helping users revisit meaningful moments by focusing on someone special.

Hong: Some may think that being a fan is only about liking an idol or celebrity. But to me, it simply means caring deeply about someone or something — whether that’s an artist, family member, friend, or even yourself. I’d like to see people use My FanCam to capture the people and moments that matter to them.

What began as an idea focused on user convenience has evolved into My FanCam, a new video experience combining AI, mobile optimization, and close teamwork. From concerts to everyday life, My FanCam makes it easier to capture and edit videos of moments worth remembering.

In part two of this series, Samsung Newsroom will explore how the large-aperture camera lens emulation technology brings the expressive qualities of professional lenses to mobile devices and the collaboration behind its development.

Samsung Electronics invites you to experience its special exhibition at Design Miami Seoul 2026, at Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP) in Seoul, from September 1 to 6.

Inspired by the idea that “Design Is an Act of Love,” 14 Korean artists created original artworks, each expressing the theme through the artistic reinterpretation of a specific Samsung product.

Each artwork is then brought to life with AI and presented on the OLED TV S95H, with a custom frame that becomes part of the artwork itself.

Discover new possibilities through a more human, diverse, and expressive approach to design at Samsung’s exhibition at Design Miami Seoul 2026.

This is approximately five times the size of the previous record of KRW 20.3 trillion, set in 2020 and marks the largest ever by a Korean company.

The record-breaking shareholder return is intended to ensure that the Company’s growth translates into tangible benefits for shareholders, fostering a virtuous cycle in which corporate growth and shareholder value creation reinforce each other.

In addition, Samsung is faithfully implementing its three-year shareholder return policy (2024–2026), which commits to allocating 50% of its free cash flow (FCF) to shareholder returns.

From 2024 to 2025, Samsung paid out a total of KRW 19.6 trillion in regular dividends, at KRW 9.8 trillion annually. In 2025, the Company also executed a special dividend of KRW 1.3 trillion and a share buyback and cancellation worth KRW 8.4 trillion.

Including the 2026 shareholder return, the total shareholder return for the three-year period (2024–2026) is expected to reach between KRW 120 trillion and KRW 140 trillion.

In the third quarter of 2026, Samsung plans to distribute approximately KRW 30 trillion in cash dividends, including regular dividends, with specific details to be finalized at the October Board meeting.

The remaining shareholder return will be determined at the January Board meeting in 2027, once the 2026 financial performance is confirmed. The plan will include cash dividends and share buybacks/ cancellations. The Board today also approved a share buyback worth about KRW15 trillion for employee compensation.

The share buyback for employee compensation is also expected to contribute to enhancing shareholder value.

Moving forward, the Samsung remains committed to faithfully implementing its shareholder return policy and actively communicating its plans with shareholders and the market.

“Design has the power to connect ideas with people and turn them into meaningful experiences,” said Mauro Porcini, President and Chief Design Officer of the Device eXperience (DX) Division at Samsung Electronics. “At Samsung, we will continue to deepen our understanding of people, uncover new possibilities in everyday moments, and create experiences that enrich lives and shape a better future.”

IDEA is one of the world’s most prestigious design award programs and was founded by the Industrial Designers Society of America (IDSA) in 1980. This year, the organization selected winners across 20 categories, including Home, Consumer Technology, and Digital Interaction. Key evaluation criteria include Design Innovation, Benefit to User, Benefit to Society, and more.

Meanwhile, the Red Dot Design Award is widely recognized as one of the world’s premier design honors. Established in 1955 and organized by German organization Design Zentrum Nordrhein Westfalen, it recognizes excellence across three categories: Product Design, Design Concept, and Brands & Communication Design. Specifically, Red Dot Award: Brands & Communication Design recognizes and celebrates creative approaches that shape how brands communicate and connect with people.

Samsung was recognized by these organizations for expanding its design excellence beyond products to encompass services, brand experiences, and forward-looking design concepts.

IDEA 2026: 45 Honors, Including One Impact Award

Samsung’s Accessibility Design for Home Appliances received the inaugural Impact Award at IDEA 2026. Introduced this year, the award is presented as an additional honor to select winning designs that demonstrate strong sustainability and social impact.

Accessibility Design for Home Appliances considers the diverse needs of users with visual, hearing, mobility, and cognitive differences, helping everyone use home appliances like washers and refrigerators more easily and conveniently. Key features include Easy Mode, which simplifies complex functions and provides larger on-screen text and voice guidance, and Auto Open Door, which allows users with limited physical strength to open appliance doors with a gentle touch or voice command.

Accessibility settings configured on a mobile device can also be carried over to connected home appliances. Voice ID recognizes individual users and automatically applies their personalized settings, as well, allowing multiple users to enjoy a convenient appliance experience tailored to their individual needs and preferences.

Nine Samsung designs were honored with Bronze awards at IDEA 2026 for their innovation in premium appliances, branding, and sustainable design. These honorees include:

• Infinite AI Air Purifier: a premium air purifier featuring soft curved lines and a pop-up clean booster that elegantly integrates into any space.

• Micro RGB Brand Identity: visually expresses the superior picture quality and immersive display experience of Micro RGB technology.

• Portable SSD T7 Resurrected: a premium portable storage device with an enclosure crafted entirely from recycled aluminum.

• Samsung Mobile Origami Package: an advanced smartphone packaging concept that applies origami folding techniques using a single sheet of recycled paper.

• AI Design Companion (AIDC): an AI-based advanced design solution that leverages AI, digital twins and virtual simulation to rapidly validate and verify product wearability performance and usability.

Samsung also had 35 designs honored as IDEA 2026 Finalists.

Red Dot Award 2026: 12 Awards, Including Best of the Best for Galaxy’s Privacy Display

Notable among Samsung’s 12 winning designs in the Brands & Communication Design category at the Red Dot Design Award 2026 was Galaxy Privacy Display, which won the Best of the Best award.

Introduced on Galaxy S26 Ultra as the mobile industry’s first built-in privacy-protecting display, Privacy Display is designed to protect personal information in everyday situations such as public transit, cafés, and shared environments. Users can customize when the feature activates — such as when entering PINs, patterns, and passwords, or opening selected apps — and adjust privacy levels depending on the situation. By allowing the screen to remain clearly visible from the front while limiting visibility from surrounding angles, Privacy Display offers a more seamless and intuitive way to protect privacy.

Samsung also won 11 awards in the Red Dot Award 2026 Brands & Communication Design category for innovations that enhance the user’s quality of life through more personalized experiences. Key award-winning projects include:

• The Movingstyle Visual Branding: expresses the freedom and versatility of a portable screen through a distinctive visual identity.

• Vision AI Companion: provides a personalized experience by combining real-time viewing context with user preferences.

• Design is an Act of Love: an immersive exhibition at Milan Design Week 2026 that offered a glimpse into Samsung’s evolving design vision and explored how design can shape everyday life and new ways of living. 

• Galaxy XR Package: designed with an internal structure that allows it to be repurposed as a long-term storage and display solution.

• Samsung b.IoT Digital Twin: recreates real-world buildings as 3D models in a virtual environment and maximizes operational efficiency by visualizing the status of building systems in real time.

The Health Forum held at Galaxy Unpacked July 2026 also shared Samsung’s Connected Care vision for the next chapter of digital health — a future where care moves from reactive treatment toward preventive, personalized, and connected experiences, supported by trusted health innovation and partnerships across the healthcare ecosystem. One technology that is helping power these new consumer experiences is the health foundation model.

Researchers from the Digital Health Team at Samsung Research America (SRA) are developing new AI technologies to continuously understand a person’s health state from biosignals, generate health insights, and offer appropriate health guidance.

Samsung researchers recently introduced two foundation models based on wearable data: xMAE (Physiology-Aware Masked Cross-Modal Reconstruction for Biosignal Representation Learning), which learns the temporal relationship between different biosignals, and HiMAE (Hierarchical Masked Autoencoder), which understands health patterns across different time scales in wearable time-series data. Both studies demonstrate advancement of health AI models that can better understand the physiological relationships and temporal structure of biosignals.

Samsung’s work on xMAE and HiMAE models was accepted to the International Conference on Machine Learning (ICML), and the International Conference on Learning Representations (ICLR), respectively, highlighting the significance of this research.

Health Foundation Models That Read the Body’s Signals: Why They Matter for Health 

A health foundation model is an AI model that uses self-supervised learning to learn meaningful features from unlabeled biosignal data. After being pretrained on large-scale health data, the models can be applied to perform a wide range of downstream health tasks, including biosignal analysis, developing new or improved biomarkers, and health issue prediction.

xMAE AI model: Continuous Cardiac Insight from Wearables

An electrocardiogram (ECG) on wearables directly measures the electrical activity of the heart and is useful for measuring heart rate and heart rate variability, identifying abnormal heart rhythms and risks for conditions such as atrial fibrillation. ECG is highly accurate, but typically requires users to pause and take an active measurement. On the other hand, photoplethysmography (PPG) can indirectly measure cardiac function by detecting changes in blood flow and can be passively and continuously measured through sensors in wearable devices such as smartwatches.

The two signals originate from the same cardiac activity, but they appear with a certain time difference, much like thunder is heard after lightning is seen. xMAE is a biosignal pretraining framework designed to learn the temporal relationship between the two signals by reconstructing masked portions of the ECG signal using the more easily and continuously measured PPG signal. As a result, cardiovascular health-related features can be analyzed more precisely using PPG without requiring separate manual ECG measurements.

The researchers pretrained xMAE using approximately 9,400 hours of ECG and PPG data. The model outperformed unimodal biosignal models and existing multimodal learning methods in 15 of 19 evaluation tasks, including cardiovascular disease prediction, abnormal test-result detection, and sleep-stage classification. The study also confirmed the potential to use the learned features across different sensor devices, body locations and data-gathering environments.

HiMAE AI model: Reading the Body at Every Time Scale on the Device

Health data measured from wearable devices can reveal different information depending on the time scale at which it is analyzed. For example, short time segments can reveal rapidly changing signals such as heartbeats, while longer time segments can uncover patterns that accumulate over time, such as sleep or physical activity. This is similar to examining different information by zooming in and out of an image.

HiMAE is a self-supervised learning model that learns representation from wearable data across multiple time scales. It uses multiple encoders to analyze short and long segments separately, allowing the model to identify information required for each health task, such as heart rate analysis or sleep prediction, at the appropriate time scale. During training, the model reconstructs masked parts of the data. This enables it to learn key patterns in biosignals even when labeled data is limited.

A single pretrained HiMAE model handles classification, numerical prediction and data generation. The model achieved high performance while being smaller than existing models. It also improved computational efficiency to the point where it can produce results in less than one millisecond on a smartwatch-class central processing unit (CPU). Most importantly, HiMAE demonstrates the potential of on-device health foundation models for the first time — analyzing raw health signals in real time, without relying on cloud servers.

The Next Step Toward Connected Care

Together, xMAE and HiMAE, represent an advance in AI models that precisely understand the physiological relationships and temporal structures unique to biosignals. Both models aim to deliver precise, continuous, personalized health insights and to generalize across many health tasks from a single pretrained model. Hear more from the researchers behind this work below.

Built on the open 3D audio standard, Immersive Audio Model and Formats (IAMF), Eclipsa Audio optimizes the spatial positioning of sound for playback devices such as TVs and soundbars to deliver a more immersive listening experience. From the music on stage to the cheers of the audience, the technology brings musicals and live performances on Samsung TV Plus to life.

Eclipsa Audio is the result of close collaboration between Samsung Research, which developed the underlying 3D audio technology, and the Visual Display (VD) Business, which brought it to Samsung products and services.

Samsung Newsroom spoke with Woohyun Nam, Head of the Display Innovation Lab at Samsung Research, and Joonhun Choi, Head of Samsung TV Plus at the VD Business, to learn more about Eclipsa Audio and the story behind its development.

A Front-Row Experience at Home

A live performance is about more than what appears on screen. From performers’ voices and music on stage to the applause and cheers of the audience, Eclipsa Audio on Samsung TV Plus adds a new dimension to the viewing experience.

Q. What is the biggest difference consumers will notice with Eclipsa Audio on Samsung TV Plus?

Choi: People can now enjoy the excitement of musicals and live performances from home. While Samsung TV Plus makes this content more accessible, Eclipsa Audio recreates the rich, immersive sound of the venue in the living room.

Rather than simply watching on screen, viewers can immerse themselves more deeply in its music and emotion.

* For the best listening experience, earbuds are recommended.

Q. Audio plays a particularly important role in the musicals recently added to Samsung TV Plus. How does Eclipsa Audio enhance that experience?

Nam: Unlike typical video content, musicals rely on performers’ singing and dialogue, orchestral music, sound effects and audience reactions to create an emotional impact. Eclipsa Audio captures each of these elements with its own spatial characteristics. Performers’ voices remain clear and centered, the orchestra surrounds the stage with rich, expansive sound and audience reactions seem to come from all around the viewer.

Eclipsa Audio also adjusts sound balance and placement based on the playback setup, whether viewers are listening through a TV alone or with a connected soundbar. As a result, they can experience the depth of the stage, the richness of the music and the audience’s energy from the comfort of home.

Spatial Audio for Live Performances

A live performance comes to life when every sound — and its position within the venue — is faithfully reproduced. Spatial audio technology is key to creating that experience.

Q. How does Eclipsa Audio recreate the immersive atmosphere of a live performance?

Nam: Eclipsa Audio goes beyond stereo by reproducing sound in three-dimensional space. Instead of limiting sound to the left and right channels, it incorporates front, back, left, right and height information to create a more realistic sense of space. Performers’ voices, musical instruments, venue acoustics and audience reactions are reproduced with their original positioning intact, making viewers feel as though they’re sitting in the audience.

Built on the IAMF standard, Eclipsa Audio reconstructs the spatial information embedded in the content, including the position and movement of sounds, to match the speaker configuration of a TV or soundbar. This preserves the depth and immersion intended by the creator, naturally bringing the live performance experience into the home.

Because IAMF is an open standard independent of any specific codec or licensing model, Eclipsa Audio can be extended across a wide range of content and devices. Beyond musicals and concerts, it delivers immersive audio for movies, sports and other content where realistic sound is essential.

From Innovation to Implementation

Bringing Eclipsa Audio to Samsung TV Plus required close collaboration between Samsung Research and the VD Business. Together, the two organizations combined expertise in audio technology research and product implementation.

Q. How did Samsung Research and the VD Business collaborate to bring Eclipsa Audio to Samsung TV Plus?

Nam: Samsung Research developed the core audio technologies and underlying system to ensure Eclipsa Audio content could be reliably transmitted and played back on Samsung TV Plus. We built the IAMF-based framework for spatial audio metadata and developed the encoding and playback technologies needed to support it. We also ensured compatibility across different setups, including TVs and soundbars, while allowing unsupported devices to play content in standard stereo.

In short, Samsung Research laid the technical foundation that enabled Eclipsa Audio to move beyond the research stage and operate reliably on Samsung TV Plus.

Choi: The VD Business commercialized Eclipsa Audio for Samsung TVs, secured compatible content for Samsung TV Plus and made it available to viewers.

Q. What was the biggest focus when integrating Eclipsa Audio?

Nam: Our top priority was ensuring viewers could fully experience the immersion of a live performance. We worked closely with the VD Business to verify that Eclipsa Audio could be delivered seamlessly through Samsung TV Plus and that the spatial audio of live performances was faithfully reproduced.

One of the most important tests took place in a 280-seat concert venue with a professional sound engineering company. Using a live performance, we captured the venue’s spatial audio, converted it to Eclipsa Audio, streamed it live through a Samsung TV Plus channel and played it back on a Samsung TV. We verified that the music, vocals, audience reactions and venue acoustics were recreated accurately, validating both the technology and viewing experience.

Choi: We focused on securing Eclipsa Audio content and encouraging content partners to adopt the technology. Because spatial audio was still unfamiliar to many production companies, implementation required extensive preparation and collaboration. We demonstrated how Eclipsa Audio could create a more immersive viewing experience while helping their content reach a wider audience.

Q. What was the biggest challenge in bringing Eclipsa Audio to Samsung TV Plus?

Choi: The biggest challenge was ensuring a seamless transition between Eclipsa Audio content and stereo advertisements. Samsung TV Plus is a free ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) service, meaning content delivered in IAMF-based immersive audio must transition seamlessly to stereo advertisements within the same viewing session.

It was also important to ensure smooth transitions without disrupting audio timing or audio-video synchronization. Samsung Research evaluated technical solutions based on audio formats and processing technologies, while the VD Business shared the service requirements and advertising delivery system. The two teams developed transition policies that enabled stable playback throughout.

Nam: Another challenge was making sure content played seamlessly across a wide range of devices — including TVs, TVs paired with soundbars and devices that do not support Eclipsa Audio. We developed a playback architecture that delivers immersive audio on supported devices while automatically playing standard stereo on unsupported ones.

Expanding the Live Entertainment Experience

Eclipsa Audio takes the at-home live performance experience a step further, giving viewers new ways to enjoy content.

Q. How have users responded so far? Do you have any tips for getting the most out of live performance content?

Choi: Users said they felt as though they were sitting in the audience at a live performance. Some even said that certain scenes were more satisfying than watching from a small theater. Many also noticed a clear difference compared with content that doesn’t support Eclipsa Audio and hoped to see more compatible content and features.

For the best experience, I recommend pairing a Samsung TV with a Samsung soundbar. Together, they deliver rich multi-channel audio that enhances spatial depth, allowing viewers to hear the music, performers’ voices and audience reactions more naturally. I also recommend using Multi-Cam feature. Viewers can switch between the full-stage and close-up views during key moments, focusing on a particular performer’s expressions and movements.

Q. What are your goals and plans for the future?

Nam: Our goal is to make the technology disappear, allowing users to simply enjoy better sound. We want viewers to turn on their TV and instantly feel as though they’re at a live performance or in the middle of a stadium during a sporting event. Long term, we hope to deliver more personalized audio experiences. For music, viewers could emphasize vocals or specific instruments, while for sports, they could choose between commentary and venue sound.

“Our vision is ‘Spatial Audio for Everyone,’ where anyone can enjoy Eclipsa Audio through Samsung TV Plus.”

Choi: Beyond musicals, we plan to expand Eclipsa Audio to K-pop concerts, classical performances, movies and sports. Ultimately, we want Samsung TV Plus to become a platform for live entertainment, making high-quality performances accessible to everyone, anytime, and anywhere.

“We aim to bring the immersive atmosphere and spatial depth of a premium live venue into the living room.”

Samsung TV Plus and Eclipsa Audio will continue to evolve, delivering even more immersive viewing experiences. By combining advanced audio technology and streaming services together, Samsung is redefining how people experience entertainment.

The Company posted KRW 171.5 trillion in consolidated revenue, another all-time quarterly high, representing a quarter-on-quarter (QoQ) increase of 28%. Operating profit also reached another all-time high, increasing to KRW 89.5 trillion. Earnings per share for both common and preferred shares increased by 52% to KRW 10,849, among the highest levels for global tech companies.

The Device Solutions (DS) Division posted a QoQ sales increase of 56%, with the Memory Business setting an all-time high for quarterly revenue and operating profit.

The Device eXperience (DX) Division posted a QoQ sales decrease of 9%.

DS To Maintain Growth Momentum While Advancing Technology Leadership

The DS Division posted KRW 127.5 trillion in consolidated revenue and KRW 89.2 trillion in operating profit for the second quarter.

The Memory Business achieved another record-breaking quarter by proactively addressing AI demand despite limited capacity with a primary focus on server products. The continued industry-wide upward trend of prices also contributed to the record earnings.

Additionally, the Business solidified market competitiveness via industry-leading products, with server revenue achieving a record-high share of the sales mix. The Business scaled up HBM4 sales with industry-leading performance and further strengthened technology competitiveness by shipping the industry’s first HBM4E samples to major customers.

In H2 2026, the Memory Business expects robust demand centered on servers stemming from continued AI infrastructure capex and broader adoption of agentic AI. Meanwhile, growth in demand for server DRAM, eSSDs, and HBM is expected to accelerate. This is projected to keep the market undersupplied, despite partial demand moderation in mobile and PCs.

The Memory Business also plans to continue setting the pace for the market via technology leadership, seeking to optimize its portfolio in consideration of changes in demand by application and according to customer feedback. Despite efforts to increase production, supply constraints are expected to continue.

The Business also plans to lead the market by addressing strong demand with a focus on high-value-added products, such as HBM4, DDR5, SOCAMM2 and others, while extending its leadership into next-generation AI platforms. This follows the industry’s first HBM4E sample shipment, as well as the H1 2026 market penetration of PCIe Gen6 and UFS 5.0 solutions.

The System LSI Business was impacted by flagship seasonality and soft mobile demand in China, yet managed to sustain quarterly revenue through expanded sales of high-volume mobile SoCs and image sensors, driving first-half revenue to a record high. It secured orders for a next-generation flagship SoC and continued to build momentum on the back of new business from major customers.

In H2 2026, the Business expects rising component costs and soft consumer demand to persist. However, it will continue to drive sales of next-generation flagship SoCs while seeking new business for custom SoCs, while also aiming to strengthen its competitiveness in sensors and LSI products.

Earnings for the Foundry Business improved significantly prior to incentive-related provisions, driven by HBM base-die demand and strong orders from customers in the U.S. Design wins with major customers continued to expand, with 2nm HPC engagements as a notable example.

Looking ahead to H2 2026, the Foundry Business plans to ramp up production of new mobile products based on the second-generation 2nm process and expand sales of LPU and base-die products based on the 4nm process. Amid rising demand across all process nodes from customers in the U.S. and China, the Business is targeting double-digit revenue growth. Additionally, the Business will deliver mid-to-long-term growth via advanced nodes and the expansion of AI and HPC design wins.

SDC To Drive Growth Through Differentiated Display Technologies

Samsung Display Corporation (SDC) posted KRW 7.5 trillion in consolidated revenue and KRW 0.7 trillion in operating profit for the second quarter.

For the small and medium display business, SDC reported an improvement in earnings based on solid demand for high-end mobile OLED products, while its large display business expanded sales volume and revenue on the growth of the gaming monitor market.

In H2 2026, SDC plans to focus on addressing premium smartphone demand with low-power products and diversified form factors. It will also pursue revenue growth through timely mass production of the 8.6G IT OLED line, as it seeks to expand supply of differentiated products to the tablet, gaming, and automotive markets. The large display business will focus on driving sales growth with an expanded gaming monitor customer base and strengthened product lineup.

MX To Expand Flagship-Led Sales With Competitiveness of New Products

The MX and Networks Businesses posted KRW 33.2 trillion in consolidated revenue and reported an operating loss of KRW 0.7 trillion for the second quarter. While revenue grew year-on-year (YoY) on solid sales of the Galaxy S26 series and strong Galaxy A series momentum, earnings declined due to elevated component cost pressures across the industry.

In H2 2026, the MX Business plans to strengthen AI leadership through personalized and intuitive experiences and drive overall market share growth based on flagship-first expansion centered on the new Galaxy Z8 and S26 series. The Business will also seek to enhance its premium mix across the Galaxy ecosystem and deliver AI-driven experiences in new form factors with the launch of its Intelligent Eyewear. Additionally, it will pursue efficiency initiatives to mitigate the impact of rising costs.

In Q2 2026, the Networks Business reported an improvement in earnings QoQ and YoY, supported by overseas sales expansion. In H2 2026, the Business aims to secure profitability through new orders and structural cost discipline amid telco investment headwinds.

CE Business and Harman To Further Differentiate Product Offerings Through Innovation

The Visual Display (VD) and Digital Appliances (DA) Businesses posted KRW 14.5 trillion in consolidated revenue, and recorded a slight operating loss for the second quarter.

The VD Business saw revenue and earnings increase YoY as a result of high demand from major sporting events. However, earnings declined QoQ due to increased costs.

In H2 2026, the VD Business will lead the AI TV market with differentiated customer experiences based on Vision AI while capturing seasonal demand through strengthened channel partnerships. The Business will also enhance TV market leadership and profitability by growing its service business through the diversification of its Samsung TV Plus content and expansion of its advertising business.

Meanwhile, the DA Business experienced revenue growth from increased air conditioner demand, despite cost pressures weighing on earnings. In H2 2026, the Business aims to strengthen market leadership through the expansion of AI-based product sales while pursuing profitability-driven channel diversification and enhanced product competitiveness.

Harman posted improved earnings on expanded automotive segment sales, as well as strong audio sales led by portable products. In H2 2026, it will seek to address demand in high-growth automotive segments, including the central compute unit. It will also expand audio sales based on an enhanced lineup and brand awareness, while maintaining stable growth momentum through revenue expansion across the automotive and audio businesses.

While signing in across devices with a single account may feel familiar, Samsung Account is much more than a login. As a key component of the Samsung ecosystem, it connects products, services and experiences.

With Samsung Account, users can access a wide range of services including Samsung Health, Samsung Wallet, Galaxy Store and Samsung Cloud, as well as connect and control their Samsung devices through SmartThings.

Samsung Newsroom explores how Samsung Account helps make everyday life more convenient and secure.

Seamless Convenience Across Devices and Services

Across Samsung’s mobile devices, TVs and home appliances, Samsung Account has become a seamless part of everyday life.

New Phone, Same Samsung Wallet

Samsung Wallet,¹ powered by Samsung Account, is a popular service among Galaxy users. When switching to a new phone, users can sign in with their Samsung Account to access saved items in Samsung Wallet, such as coupons and boarding passes.

Lost Galaxy Buds? No Problem!

Misplacing a small device like earbuds can be a stressful experience. That’s where Samsung Find² comes in.

With Galaxy devices connected through Samsung Account, users can locate a missing device — such as Galaxy Buds — using another Galaxy device signed in to the same account.

Samsung Account also helps users protect lost Galaxy smartphones. If a Galaxy smartphone registered to a Samsung Account goes missing, users can activate Lost Mode through Samsung Find to help prevent unauthorized transactions.

A Cool Home Before Arrival

Samsung Account is essential to the SmartThings³ experience, connecting Samsung devices to enhance everyday convenience. On a hot summer day, users with a SmartThings-connected air conditioner can receive a Welcome Air Care⁴ notification asking whether they want to turn on the air conditioner before arriving home. Features like this are possible because smartphones and air conditioners use the same Samsung Account.

Safe and Secure for Everyone

Beyond making daily life more convenient, Samsung Account helps users enjoy Samsung products and services with greater peace of mind.

Uninterrupted Service, All Year Round

Samsung Account is backed by a cross-region failover system that switches service operations to another region in the event of a cloud outage, helping ensure uninterrupted access to Samsung services.

Peace of Mind for a Child’s First Smartphone

Since 2023, Samsung Account has supported child accounts, helping parents manage their children’s smartphone experience. Features such as content restrictions and screen time management encourage healthier digital habits while giving parents greater peace of mind. In addition, Samsung Account supports compliance with child and youth protection regulations around the world. Based on the age information registered with a Samsung Account, parental approval may be required before children can purchase or download paid apps from Galaxy Store to meet local regulatory requirements, creating a safer digital environment for families.

From Individual to Family Experiences

Looking ahead, Samsung Account will continue evolving beyond individual experiences to help families enjoy Samsung devices and services together.

Samsung also plans to continue expanding family-focused features that make it easier to stay connected and care for loved ones, including a shared family album, which lets family group members share photos and videos, and the ability to find family members, which allows them to view each other’s location from a Galaxy smartphone or Galaxy Watch.

Samsung Account will continue to strengthen its role as a trusted daily companion, connecting the Samsung ecosystem, users and their families.

1. Available features and services may vary by country or region. ︎
2. Available features and services may vary by country or region. ︎
3. Available features and services may vary by country or region. ︎
4. Welcome Air Care uses a smartphone’s location to detect when users are approaching home and sends a notification asking whether they want to turn on the air conditioner. Available features and services may vary by country or region. ︎

“As technology continues to advance, the more important it becomes to understand people,” said Mauro Porcini, President and Chief Design Officer (CDO) of the Device eXperience (DX) Division at Samsung Electronics. “Guided by our Expressive Design approach, we will continue exploring how technology can better understand each individual, adapt naturally to their needs and inspire more personal and meaningful experiences for the future.”

The Red Dot Design Award is widely recognized as one of the world’s top design honors. Established in 1955 and organized by German organization Design Zentrum Nordrhein Westfalen, the award recognizes excellence across three categories: Product Design, Design Concept and Brands & Communication Design. Specifically, Red Dot Award: Design Concept identifies and celebrates design concepts before they become tomorrow’s leading products.

Two Best of the Best Winners in the Design Concept Category

The advanced concept design for Samsung Home Appliances Accessories helps users naturally recognize the management and disposal methods of consumables based on their color. Some filters for air purifiers and vacuum cleaners are consumables that require periodic replacement; therefore, Samsung applied a color-coding system corresponding to management type so consumers can easily distinguish disposal and management methods.

With semi-permanent parts categorized as gray, recyclable parts as green and general waste as brown, the system proposes a way to intuitively recognize the correct disposal method without separate explanations.

This concept achieved a triple crown at the Global Design Awards, winning the highest award once again — following the iF Design Award 2026 Gold and the IDEA Design Award 2024 Gold.

The advanced concept Samsung Kids Robot Dremo & Minimo is a next-generation kids robot concept that provides personalized experiences for children using AI. Users can create a unique AI character for their child by setting the name, personality and voice. It consists of Dremo, the main robot body used at home, and Minimo, a portable version that ensures connectivity anytime and anywhere. The concept proposes a vision of a futuristic AI companion that grows with the child through interactions tailored to their interests and growth stages.

Six AI-Powered Concepts Recognized as Red Dot Winners for Providing Personalized Future Lifestyles

Beyond its top honors, six projects dedicated to improving the quality of individual lives through AI have also been honored with significant awards:

• AI Beauty Mirror: An AI-powered skincare concept that scans users’ faces to analyze skin conditions and recommend personalized skincare solutions.
• Panorama UX: A personalized UX concept that automatically optimizes screen layouts, information presentation and interactions based on user characteristics and real-time contexts.
• AI Kitchen: An AI and robotics-powered kitchen solution concept that reduces the burden of household chores by providing personalized meal recommendations, ingredient management, cooking and dishwashing based on individual data analysis.
• Spatial Tab: A future-ready, glasses-free 3D conversational platform concept that enables realistic interactions and natural eye contact with AI Companions.
• AI Home Companion PUCO: A context-aware AI home companion that delivers assistance and emotional connection by creating personalized spatial experiences through timely projection and subtle non-verbal expressions enabled by its articulated structure.
• Fluid AI Design System: A generative UI concept integrated with AI agents that interprets user interactions and contextual signals in real time to create personalized interfaces tailored to the right time and place.

• Consolidated Sales: Approximately 171 trillion Korean won
• Consolidated Operating Profit: Approximately 89.4 trillion Korean won

The above estimates are based on K-IFRS. Please note that Korean disclosure regulations do not allow earnings estimates to be offered as a range. To comply with such regulations, the above figures represent the median of the estimate ranges provided below.

• Sales: 170 trillion to 172 trillion Korean won  
• Operating Profit: 89.3 trillion to 89.5 trillion Korean won 

※  2026 1Q and 2025 2Q consolidated figures based on K-IFRS are as follows

During the panel, Hon Pak, Head of the Digital Health Team for the Mobile eXperience (MX) Business at Samsung Electronics, joined four other speakers: David Lee, Head of Samsung Next; Mike McSherry, CEO of Xealth; Alina Su, CEO of Generation Lab; and Michael Dubrovsky, CEO of SiPhox Health. Together, they presented a blueprint for the future of healthcare to an audience of approximately 1,000 global attendees.

Serving as the moderator, David Lee emphasized the critical role of partnership. “The future of health cannot be built by one company alone,” Lee said. “It must be forged through an open ecosystem of collaboration among diverse innovators.”

Building an Open Health Ecosystem

Samsung possesses a diverse portfolio of devices and platforms, spanning from semiconductors to mobile phones, wearables, home appliances and TVs. The company leverages its economies of scale to cultivate a robust, collaborative ecosystem with numerous partners across each of its business sectors.

By integrating Samsung devices with partner solutions within this open ecosystem, Xealth, Generation Lab and SiPhox Health are accelerating the realization of connected care. This healthcare vision aims to help users lead healthier, more vibrant lives through proactive wellness management powered by Samsung’s connected device ecosystem.

Hon Pak highlighted the scale of Samsung’s reach during the discussion. “Samsung Health supports more than 77 million monthly active users,¹ and the SmartThings platform connects 460 million users,”² Pak said.

Samsung holds a strong advantage as a trusted brand within the household, the central setting for daily life and wellness. “By connecting our device ecosystem around the home via SmartThings, we can innovate the health experience where it matters most, at a time when health is shifting to the home — a space in which prevention can happen at scale,” Pak added.

To support this transition, Samsung has integrated a wide variety of devices — including home appliances, TVs and compatible third-party devices — into its SmartThings platform. This enables a broad spectrum of services that range from personalized automation routines to family and pet care.

Accelerating Innovation Through Partnerships

The panelists identified Samsung’s established ecosystem and open approach to collaboration as key strengths.

Alina Su of Generation Lab emphasized the value of this partnership. “What has been most exciting is Samsung’s genuine openness and distribution. There’s real scale and technical capability — but there’s also a willingness to collaborate, to co-create and to move quickly with partners,” Su said. “When you combine that with the devices people already use every day, you can bring innovation to people’s lives far faster than you could independently.”

Michael Dubrovsky of SiPhox Health also explained the benefits of the collaboration. “Samsung brings the device ecosystem already living in people’s homes and on their bodies,” Dubrovsky said. “SiPhox adds the diagnostic layer that has always been missing from that picture. Together, continuous device data and continuous biomarker data create a truly complete health picture that has never existed outside a clinical setting.”

Currently, Generation Lab provides a solution to help users easily check biological age and actively manage aging at home, while SiPhox Health offers a service that enables active health management through hospital-grade blood tests in each household.

Mike McSherry of Xealth shared a vision for providing a seamless, continuous healthcare solution by bridging the gap between clinical care in hospitals and daily wellness management through deep integration with Samsung.

Empowering Open Collaborations and Ensuring Robust Security

In addition to strategic partner collaborations, Samsung has built an open ecosystem for the wider developer and researcher community. Utilizing the Samsung Health Software Development Kit (SDK) Suite, they can easily create innovative wellness services leveraging advanced sensor technology and the health platform. This allows Samsung Health users to experience useful new features more quickly.

Protecting these experiences is Samsung Knox, a proprietary defense-grade security solution integrated across various consumer touchpoints, such as mobile devices, home appliances and TVs. With Knox, users can confidently manage their sensitive information within the Samsung ecosystem.

Looking at the next five years of healthcare in the context of the AI era, Pak concluded, “A daily companion that knows who I am, as well as what I need and when, will help me achieve my health goals seamlessly through lifestyle behaviors and connected innovative partner services.”

1. The number of Samsung Health users is based on the global monthly active users (MAU) as of April 2026. ︎
2. The number of SmartThings users is based on the global registered users as of May 2026. ︎

Held under the theme “Open Invitation to a Healthier Tomorrow,” Samsung’s exhibition demonstrates how connecting devices, services and partnerships can support proactive health management inside and outside the home. Samsung’s connected care vision is realized through Samsung Health, the company’s integrated health platform, which delivers personalized wellness experiences across five key health areas: sleep, activity, nutrition, mental health and vital signs.

“Samsung delivers unique connected care solutions that encompass the Samsung ecosystem of smartphones, wearables, home appliances and TVs, as well as our open partnerships,” said Stephanie Choi, Executive Vice President and Head of Global Brand Center at Samsung Electronics. “We continue to work to provide various health solutions through open partnerships to firmly establish ourselves as a reliable AI-powered everyday health companion.”

The exhibition booth is organized into three zones:

• Media Façade: A video interpretation of the exhibition theme “Open Invitation to a Healthier Tomorrow,” beautifully integrated with Samsung Health’s five core wellness areas.
• Samsung’s Connected Care Ecosystem: A comprehensive look at the connected care solutions and core services.
• Open Care Lab: A space highlighting partner collaboration and startup incubation that also includes an interactive zone.

Samsung’s Connected Care Ecosystem Zone serves as the main area of the exhibition and demonstrates how Galaxy smartphones, Galaxy Watches and the Samsung Health app seamlessly connect to enable proactive wellness management. The zone also offers a glimpse into the future of daily health management, powered by Samsung Health’s latest features — including tracking via Heart Health Score and Vitals, alongside enhanced workout metrics such as Daily Cardio Load, introduced in the new 7.0 update.¹

In this zone, Samsung is presenting its future digital healthcare blueprint, which aims to bridge wellness and clinical care by integrating Samsung’s technology with Xealth, the U.S. digital health platform the company acquired last year.

Xealth provides a platform that enables medical professionals to comprehensively assess patient conditions, prescribe and recommend digital healthcare solutions and monitor health in real time. By connecting Galaxy smartphones and wearables with the Xealth platform, Samsung plans to develop a solution that empowers both clinical teams and patients to actively manage health together, even outside of a hospital setting.

The company is also showcasing its Bespoke AI Refrigerator Family Hub, which enables smart diet management. AI Food Manager² tracks expiration dates and sends timely alerts before ingredients reach the use-by date set by the user. Additionally, the FoodNote³ widget analyzes ingredient data stored and used over the past week, providing personalized insights into the user’s most frequently consumed food items.

Samsung is also introducing a pet care solution that helps users monitor potential health issues at home. Through a collaboration with the pet health management solution Lifet, users can take a photo with their mobile device, which AI then analyzes for signs associated with issues such as certain dental problems, patellar luxation and cataracts.⁴

Seamlessly connected through Samsung’s smart home platform, SmartThings, the solutions presented in the Connected Care Ecosystem Zone safeguard personal data with Knox, Samsung’s proprietary security solution.

The booth’s Open Care Lab features a range of partner solutions, including the AI Beauty Screen developed in collaboration with Amorepacific, a leading Korea-based beauty company; Visual Meditation, a service exclusive to Samsung TVs developed in collaboration with CUZ; and an AI-based skin and scalp analysis solution by Becon, which was founded through Samsung’s in-house venture project, C-Lab.

Visitors can book an appointment for a personalized K-beauty experience using the AI Beauty Screen to assess their skin condition and receive a tailored lip makeup application. Attendees can also experience the Visual Meditation service on a Samsung TV.

On June 19, a panel discussion will feature prominent speakers, including Hon Pak, Head of Mobile eXperience (MX) Digital Health Team at Samsung Electronics; David Lee, Head of Samsung Next; Mike McSherry, CEO of Xealth; Alina Su, Co-founder and CEO of Generation Lab; and Michael Dubrovsky, Co-founder and CEO of SiPhox Health.

Speaking to a global audience, the panel will discuss how Samsung’s open innovation approach and collaborative partner ecosystem can help bring its connected care vision to life.

1. Some features may be rolled out via future software updates and availability varies by market, device model and other variables. ︎
2. A Wi-Fi connection and Samsung account are required. If a food item is not recognizable, it may be listed as an unknown item. AI Vision cannot identify or list any food items in the freezer. Recognition uses AI models that may be updated periodically to help improve performance. User may need to manually check and adjust the list to ensure its accuracy. ︎
3. Users may need to manually check and adjust the food item list to ensure its accuracy. ︎
4. SmartThings app and Pet Care service must be installed. Supported features and availability of services may vary depending on the country, region, device model and software version and may be subject to change without prior notice. AI health analysis feature is provided through the Lifet solution by Elevenliter and it does not replace professional veterinary diagnosis. ︎

Samsung Electronics and LG Uplus signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to jointly research Integrated Sensing and Communication (ISAC) technology at LG Science Park in Magok, Seoul, on May 27. Samsung Research, the advanced R&D hub within Samsung’s Device eXperience (DX) Division, will lead development efforts aimed at securing core technologies for the 6G era.

Wireless Sensing With Existing Networks

ISAC technology leverages existing communications infrastructure to collect information about surrounding environments without the need for dedicated equipment. By analyzing wireless signals transmitted by base stations and other network devices as they reflect off nearby objects, ISAC can detect an object’s speed, distance and direction of movement.

Traditionally, environmental sensing required dedicated equipment such as light detection and ranging (LiDAR)¹ or radio detection and ranging (radar)² sensors. ISAC, however, enables sensing using existing communications infrastructure including cellular and Wi-Fi networks. The International Telecommunication Union Radiocommunication Sector (ITU-R), a global telecommunications standards body, has designated ISAC as one of the three key usage scenarios for 6G.

Improving Safety and Operational Efficiency

ISAC technology is gaining industry attention for its wide range of applications across indoor and outdoor environments, from everyday settings to industrial sites. It can detect human movement in safety-related situations, track drones and robots, and monitor traffic congestion and weather changes.

By leveraging wireless signals, ISAC can identify objects beyond a camera’s field of view and in low-light or nighttime conditions. These capabilities could enable new services that improve safety, efficiency and productivity in consumer and industrial sectors.

Real-World Testing and Multimodal AI Development

To explore these possibilities, the two companies plan to identify ISAC-based use cases and validate the technology’s performance on existing 5G networks and in the 7 GHz band — a candidate frequency for 6G — to assess the feasibility of real-world deployment.

Initially, the collaboration will focus on enhancing everyday safety through human detection and improving network operational efficiency. Over time, the companies plan to expand the research by combining ISAC-generated wireless data — such as location, speed and density information — with camera imagery to further improve detection accuracy. To support these efforts, they will also develop multimodal AI technologies that integrate and analyze diverse forms of sensing data — including images, audio and video.

Under the partnership, Samsung Research will develop core ISAC and AI-driven 6G technologies, while LG Uplus will lead validation including data provision and field-testing infrastructure setup, based on its extensive experience in mobile network operations.

“ISAC is a core technology that transforms communications networks into sensing platforms, enabling users, network operators and industries to experience the full value of 6G,” said JinGuk Jeong, Executive Vice President and Head of the Advanced Communications Research Center (ACRC), Samsung Research at Samsung Electronics. “Through our collaboration with LG Uplus, we will validate the potential of 6G services across a range of real-world environments and continue advancing key 6G technologies.”

“In the 6G era, it will be increasingly important to verify how research technologies perform in real-world communication networks,” said Sangyeob Lee, CTO and Senior Vice President at LG Uplus. “Through our collaboration with Samsung Research, we aim to validate these technologies from a mobile network operator’s perspective and steadily strengthen our capabilities for future communication technologies.”

Following the publication of its 6G white paper outlining the company’s vision for next-generation communications, Samsung has continued strengthening its 6G industry collaboration, including joint technology demonstrations with its global partners at the Silicon Valley Future Wireless Summit in November 2025 and the AI-RAN Alliance at Mobile World Congress (MWC) in March 2026. Moving forward, the company will continue advancing core 6G technologies to enable safer, smarter and more efficient everyday experiences.

1. A technology that uses laser light to measure distance. ︎
2. A technology that uses radio waves to measure distance and speed. ︎

Samsung Electronics will showcase its vision for AI-powered connected care at VivaTech 2026, running June 17 to 20 at Paris Expo Porte de Versailles.

Under the theme “Open Invitation to a Healthier Tomorrow,” the company will demonstrate how intelligent, connected experiences can support more proactive and preventive approaches to wellness.

Celebrating its 10th edition this year, VivaTech is Europe’s largest startup and technology event, dedicated to spotlighting innovative solutions and addressing social challenges. This year’s exhibition is expected to attract more than 4,000 companies — from established global technology firms to emerging startups — to foster partnerships, investment and collaboration.

Organized around the theme “Artificial Intelligence: Impact, Not Illusion,” VivaTech 2026 will explore the industry’s transition into the full-fledged AI era. Global companies are set to present AI solutions across eight sub-themes: Productivity Reimagined; Sovereignty & Ethics; Energy, GreenTech & Mobility; Cybersecurity & Defense; Health & Longevity; Risk, Build, Scale; Creative Industries; and Tech Beyond the Obvious.

Through open innovation, Samsung has worked to integrate AI seamlessly into users’ daily lives. Participation in VivaTech reflects the company’s commitment to building an open ecosystem that brings together industry leaders and startups alike. With wellness and long-term vitality growing in strategic importance, Samsung and its partners will present a range of services and solutions, including integrated health management through Samsung Health as well as innovations in longevity and pet care.

Attendees will also get a preview of health features expected to roll out across Samsung’s connected ecosystem of mobile devices, wearables and services.

On June 19, Samsung will participate in a panel discussion exploring the future of AI-driven health experiences and the role of connected ecosystems in enabling personalized wellness at scale.

Together with its partners, Samsung will arrive at VivaTech 2026 with a shared aspiration — inspiring a healthier tomorrow.

Now in its seventh year, Samsung Week has become the company’s largest annual global promotion, celebrating its founding anniversary and thanking customers for their continued support with exclusive deals on a wide range of products. Beginning this year, the promotion is being held twice annually under the new name “Samsung AI Week.”

AI-Powered Experiences for Everyday Living

The theme for Samsung AI Week 2026 is ‘Your Companion to AI Living. The everyday, effortless.’ Reflecting Samsung’s vision for its AI lineup — including Galaxy AI for mobile, Samsung Vision AI for TVs and Bespoke AI for home appliances — the campaign underscores how Samsung’s AI experiences help make everyday life easier, more intuitive and more connected.

The promotion features a broad range of Samsung products, including the latest releases such as the Galaxy S26 series, Galaxy Buds4 Pro, Mini LED TV, Q-Series Soundbar and Bespoke AI Laundry Combo.²

To help users discover a more seamless AI-powered lifestyle, Samsung is also highlighting platforms that complement its devices, including Samsung Health, Samsung TV Plus and SmartThings. Through dedicated pages on Samsung.com, visitors can explore additional ways to enhance their Samsung AI experience.

Personalized Recommendations for Everyday Living

For customers who opt in to marketing, the “Recommended Picks Tailored for You” section provides product suggestions based on owned devices and user activity, helping them discover options best suited to their needs and interests.³

Samsung.com will also spotlight curated product selections built around three key lifestyle categories — Care Companion, Entertainment Companion and Home Companion. Designed around everyday scenarios, the featured products support experiences such as building personalized workout routines, enabling more immersive sports viewing and helping users create a smarter home for major life moments like moving or marriage.⁴

In addition, the “Complete Your AI Setup” section introduces recommended cross-category product combinations, allowing customers already using Samsung products to experience a more connected ecosystem. Organized by product type — such as Galaxy mobile devices, TVs and home appliances — the section highlights products commonly used together.

Enhanced Rewards Throughout Samsung AI Week

During the promotional period, customers who purchase products on Samsung.com can earn extra⁵ Samsung Rewards points redeemable across a range of platforms, including Samsung.com, Galaxy Store and Samsung Art Store.⁶ Customers can also check their remaining points on the Samsung AI Week 2026 page throughout the event.⁷

More information about Samsung AI Week 2026 is available on Samsung.com in each region. The campaign is appearing on digital billboards at major global landmarks, including Times Square in New York and Piccadilly Circus in London, from May 11 to June 7.⁸

1. Event periods may vary by country. ︎
2. Eligible products and purchase benefits may vary by country. Product names are based on the U.S. naming conventions and may vary by region. ︎
3. Personalized recommendations are available only to customers who have consented to marketing and cookies. For users who do not consent, this section will display top-selling items on Samsung.com instead. ︎
4. Availability and supported features may vary by region. ︎
5. Event details and purchase benefits may vary by country. ︎
6. Availability may vary by country. ︎
7. Event pages and details may vary by country. ︎
8. The schedule for digital billboards may change depending on circumstances. ︎

President Won-Jin Lee, previously Head of Global Marketing Office, is an expert in contents, service and marketing who has played a pivotal role in establishing the foundations for Samsung Electronics’ TV and mobile service businesses.

Drawing on his track record of business success and market insight, he is expected to spearhead business turnarounds and identify new growth areas, thereby further strengthening the competitiveness of the Visual Display Business.

President Seok Woo Yong will leverage his R&D expertise and extensive business experience to provide strategic counsel on core future technologies across the DX Division, including AI and robotics.

The Company posted KRW 133.9 trillion in consolidated revenue, an all-time quarterly high, representing a quarter-on-quarter (QoQ) increase of 43%. Operating profit was also an all-time high, increasing to KRW 57.2 trillion.

The Device Solutions (DS) Division posted a QoQ sales increase of 86%, with the Memory Business setting an all-time high for quarterly revenue and operating profit as a result of technological leadership in the memory market, as well as higher average selling price (ASP).

The Device eXperience (DX) Division posted a QoQ sales increase of 19%, supported by the launch of new flagship smartphones. Despite higher cost pressures, the Division expanded the sales of high-value-added products across businesses to preserve profitability.

Semiconductors To Drive Structured Growth on AI-Related Demand

The DS Division posted KRW 81.7 trillion in consolidated revenue and KRW 53.7 trillion in operating profit for the first quarter.

The Memory Business surpassed its quarterly sales record by addressing high-value-added AI demand despite limited supply availability, with industry-wide memory price increases also a contributing factor.

Additionally, the Business led the memory market by utilizing its differentiated technology leadership. This included initiating the industry’s first mass product sales of HBM4 and SOCAMM2 for NVIDIA’s Vera Rubin platform, as well as the timely development of PCIe Gen6 SSDs.

In Q2 2026, the Memory Business anticipates demand to remain strong amid AI infrastructure expansion and is scheduled to deliver its first HBM4E samples to solidify technical leadership. The Business also aims to proactively capitalize on early demand for new GPUs and CPUs to be launched in the second half of 2026 and plans to continue its AI product-centric sales strategy for both DRAM and NAND.

In H2 2026, the Company expects server memory demand to remain strong as hyperscalers accommodate enterprises’ increasing adoption of AI and LLM services. Additionally, agentic AI is expected to accelerate growth in demand.

The Memory Business also seeks to spearhead the AI memory market based on technology competitiveness by continuing to expand its share of high-value-added AI products like DDR5, SOCAMM2 and others. At the same time, the Business plans to lead the initial PCIe Gen6 eSSD market with high-performance products focused on KV cache storage demand.

Earnings at the System LSI Business improved on the back of expanded SoC sales.

In Q2 2026, the System LSI Business aims to increase sales of SoCs and sensors for volume-tier smartphones.

In H2 2026, the Business plans to secure flagship SoC design wins and expand its 200MP sensor customer base and product lineup.

Earnings for the Foundry Business declined as a result of off-peak seasonality. However, it continued to maintain design wins focused on HPCs and established a foundation in the silicon photonics business.

In Q2 2026, the Business plans to reach full utilization of advanced-node production lines while targeting earnings improvement on increased HBM4 base-die supply. Development of the 1.4nm node remains on track, with the Business also pursuing the expansion of large-scale 2nm customers.

Looking ahead to H2 2026, the Foundry Business plans to start ramping up production of the second-generation 2nm process for mobile products, as well as the mass production of 4nm memory products and LPUs for AI and HPC customers. Furthermore, it aims to diversify its portfolio to include not just AI and HPC, but also the automotive and aerospace industries.

SDC To Build on Strengths in Differentiated Technologies and Premium Products

Samsung Display Corporation (SDC) posted KRW 6.7 trillion in consolidated revenue and KRW 0.4 trillion in operating profit for the first quarter.

For the small and medium display business, SDC reported a decline in earnings due to seasonal effects and the impact of higher memory prices, while its large display business maintained stable sales on robust demand for OLED gaming monitors.

In Q2 2026, SDC’s small and medium display business will focus on sales in the relatively resilient high-end segment despite overall weak market demand, and its large display business aims to capture demand supported by new product launches and the impact of global sporting events.  

In H2 2026, SDC expects continued market uncertainty and low visibility in small and medium displays, and it will pursue higher revenues via premium products with differentiated technology as well as 8.6G IT OLED mass production. In large displays, it intends to solidify its position in the premium TV market while expanding its customer base in monitors.  

MX To Secure Revenue Expansion With Diverse Product Mix

The MX and Networks Businesses posted KRW 38.1 trillion in consolidated revenue and KRW 2.8 trillion in operating profit for the first quarter.

The MX Business saw sales and profit increase as a result of its premium product mix, securing single-digit profitability via proactive cost optimization. 

In Q2 2026, amid diminishing launch effects, QoQ revenue is expected to decline. However, the MX Business will drive year-on-year (YoY) revenue growth via flagship sales and new A-series devices.

In H2 2026, the MX Business plans to pursue comprehensive growth by solidifying flagship-led sales and upselling initiatives while staying ahead of evolving customer needs by strengthening the product development of foldables. It will also pursue efficiency initiatives to mitigate the impact of rising cost pressures on profitability.

In Q1 2026, the Networks Business experienced a decline in earnings QoQ and YoY as it faced investment headwinds in the telecommunications industry. In Q2 2026, it intends to improve earnings via overseas sales expansion. Looking to H2 2026, the Business plans to capitalize on leadership in vRAN, ORAN and AI-RAN to capture new markets while securing profitability through structural cost discipline.

CE Business and Harman to Further Advance Product Lineups and AI Functionality

The Visual Display (VD) and Digital Appliances (DA) Businesses posted KRW 14.3 trillion in consolidated revenue and KRW 0.2 trillion in operating profit in the first quarter.

The VD Business saw improved profitability through solid sales of premium and big-size TVs as well as resource optimization.

In Q2 2026, the VD Business will target increased revenue by capturing sporting-event-driven demand with a strengthened product lineup. In H2 2026, it intends to solidify TV sales leadership via AI features while accelerating service and OS business expansion.

Meanwhile, the DA Business experienced a limited improvement to earnings in Q1 2026 amid cost pressures and tariffs. In Q2 2026, it will drive revenue growth through a new premium lineup and a recovery in demand for air conditioners. In H2 2026, the Business aims to implement cost efficiency initiatives while driving premium sales.

Harman posted an earnings decline in Q1 2026 due to increased expenses amid memory constraints and audio seasonality. In Q2 2026, it expects earnings to grow on increased auto supply, and in H2 2026, it will seek to maintain profitable momentum through increased automotive supply and premium audio sales.

“Expressive Design is our way of putting people at the center, celebrating their identity, emotions and diversity,” said Mauro Porcini, President and Chief Design Officer (CDO) of the Device eXperience (DX) Division at Samsung Electronics. “We design not only to function, but to create meaning and connection. Our ambition is to enrich people’s lives through experiences that are both purposeful and deeply human.”

The Red Dot Design Award is widely recognized as one of the world’s top design honors. Established in 1955 and organized by German organization Design Zentrum Nordrhein Westfalen, the award recognizes excellence across three categories: Product Design, Design Concept and Brands & Communication Design.

Two Best of the Best Award Winners Recognized for Design Innovation

The S95H stands out for its distinctive FloatLayer design, which combines an ultra-thin OLED display with a luxurious metal plate to create a layered concept in which a slim OLED screen is placed over a bold metallic surface.

The result is a new category of premium art frame design that makes the OLED screen appear as if it is floating in front of the metallic silver frame, confidently highlighting the presence of metal and producing a striking visual effect. The vivid contrast enhances the sense of immersion, while the minimalist silver metal frame seamlessly integrates into interior spaces to resemble a refined piece of wall art.

Meanwhile, the Bespoke AI Laundry appliances applies a mono-body design concept across a range of types, including standalone washing machines, dryers and combos. Through this design, the series unifies different laundry appliances under consistent design languages, enabling the products to seamlessly harmonize with a variety of interior environments.

Additionally, Smart Screen — the large 7-inch LCD screen — enhances usability by providing an intuitive and simplified control experience. Integrated with SmartThings, the interface allows users to easily manage connected smart devices while offering AI-powered, personalized lifestyle solutions for greater everyday convenience.

All 16 Entries Recognized as Winners

Beyond its top honors, Samsung achieved the remarkable feat of having all 16 products it submitted selected as winners. The recognized lineup includes:

• Music Studio 5: A wireless speaker that plays soundwave visuals that shift in shape and intensity.
• The Movingstyle: A portable touchscreen display featuring Dolby Atmos, HDR10+, a built-in battery and rolling stand.
• Bespoke AI Refrigerator Family Hub: A refrigerator with a built-in, SmartThings-connected LCD screen that allows users to check recipes, weather and more.
• Bespoke AI Jet Bot: A robot vacuum with AI Object Recognition and All-in-One Clean Station Steam+.
• Bespoke AirDresser: A fabric care machine that features Dual Air Wash and Dual Jet Steam to smooth out wrinkles and remove odors.
• Bespoke AI Ice Water Purifier: A water purifier that delivers exceptionally pure water and dispenses ice cubes.
• Bespoke AI WindFree Pro Air Conditioner: An air conditioner capable of providing tailored wind modes thanks to a three-blade system.
• Jet Fit: A cordless stick vacuum with a new slim design, delivering up to 180W suction power.
• Bespoke AI WindFree Combo Gallery Pro Air Conditioner: A standing type of an air conditioner that utilizes AI to analyze room conditions and usage patterns for optimal cooling.
• Galaxy Z Fold7: Samsung’s thinnest and lightest Fold series yet, featuring powerful Galaxy AI, a 200MP wide-angle camera and an immersive screen for multitasking and editing.
• Galaxy XR: An eXtended reality headset with multimodal AI at its core, that unleash limitless possibilities for the future of discovery, play and work.
• 5G Street Radio Solution: Designed for easy deployment in dense urban areas to offer high-capacity 5G.
• Spatial Signage: A glasses-free 3D commercial display that delivers more immersive visual experiences.
• Portable SSD T7 Resurrected: A premium SSD featuring a housing made entirely from recycled aluminum.

Spanning 12 immersive zones at the Samsung Design Open Lab in Superstudio Più, the space embodies the company’s human-centric “Expressive Design” approach.

Samsung Newsroom captured how the exhibition signals a new chapter — where technology blends seamlessly into daily life.

Upon entry, The Welcome Show engages visitors with a synchronized performance across multiple devices — each paired with its own screen — reflecting Samsung’s AI vision. Uniting different intelligences, forms and expressions, the display creates a deeply human symphony of personal and shared AI devices.

The journey continues with Unfold Your Story, where an expressive spectrum of color across Samsung’s foldables illustrate diverse lifestyles and individual identities.

In the Wearable Intelligence and Culinary Intelligence zones, the company highlights concepts supporting physical and emotional well-being — from wearables to AI-powered culinary experiences.

At the center of the exhibition, The Forum hosts discussions alongside video clips highlighting the perspectives of Samsung’s design leaders. Nearby, the XR Experience zone — powered by Android XR — invites visitors to expand their world through Galaxy XR.

The exhibition then unfolds into two contrasting audio-visual zones. Transparent Symphony features Samsung’s transparent Micro LED displays, dissolving physical boundaries and blending seamlessly into the environment.

All That Music brings together speakers, screens and audio-visual concepts — including Music Studio 5 and 7 — where sound and visuals come together in harmony, evoking a sense of analog emotion. Across both spaces, a full spectrum of design languages emerges — from minimal and refined to bold, iconic and colorful — each offering a different interpretation of Expressive Design, reflecting the diversity of the people Samsung designs for.

In both environments, AI generates content that adapts to the space, the music and the moment, offering everything from immersive atmospheres to information, and even the presence of a companion behind the scenes.

In Two Expressions of the Same Technology, two design archetypes of a 130-inch Micro RGB display are presented. Built on the same breakthrough technology, they show how performance and individuality can coexist.

Artful Living, conceived like a gallery, features the S95H OLED TV with Music Frame+. Here, screens bring art and content to life as storytellers of personality, meaning and emotion. Beyond the screen, customizable frames can transform the TV to adapt to different homes, tastes and interior styles — celebrating the beauty of one of the thinnest OLED displays on the market and enhancing its floating, artistic presence.

In A Glimpse of Tomorrow, visitors explore a future shaped by design and technology. The zone reflects Samsung’s human-centered design approach, offering a sense of what lies ahead.

The experience concludes with The Goodbye Show, where Project Luna AI home device greets visitors one last time. This short, emotional yet playful finale — light, colorful and unapologetically pop — doesn’t take itself too seriously. It reminds visitors that technology is not just about performance, but about feeling — designed to surprise, connect and leave them with warmth and a smile.

Through Design is an Act of Love, Samsung provides a glimpse into its evolving design vision — placing technology in service of humanity through more expressive, meaningful and human-centered experiences.

Rethinking 3D Displays With Metasurfaces

A metasurface lenticular lens-based switchable 2D/3D display uses an ultra-thin metalens¹ composed of nanoscale structures to transition seamlessly between flat (2D) and stereoscopic (3D) images.

A metasurface is significantly thinner while enabling complex optical functions — making it key to next-generation displays and camera systems.

This approach advances Light Field Display by directing light from multiple angles to create a glasses-free 3D experience that mimics real-world perception.

Though long considered promising for entertainment, augmented reality (AR) and medical imaging, conventional Light Field Displays face commercialization challenges, including bulky optics, narrow viewing angles (around 15 degrees), reduced resolution and reliance on real-time eye tracking.

The research team addressed these limitations using polarization — the direction in which light oscillates — to design a metasurface lenticular lens (MLL) that dynamically adjusts focal properties.

Switching Between 2D and 3D

The study is the first to demonstrate a meta-optical system capable of switching between 2D and 3D modes in a single device using voltage control. For end users, it’s a breakthrough that could eventually enable them to choose between high-resolution 2D for everyday tasks and immersive, multi-view 3D for video.

The system switches the metalens between concave and convex modes depending on the polarization controller in front of the display. For 2D viewing — such as reading or browsing — the metalens acts as a concave lens (controller on), offsetting the convex lens and allowing light to pass straight through like a flat pane of glass to produce a clear image.

For 3D content, the metalens becomes convex when the controller is off and works with the existing lens to enhance depth and widen the viewing angle. Through this, it can provide both the clarity of 2D and the depth of 3D simultaneously.

Thinner Design, Wider Viewing Angles

A major achievement of this research is the dramatic improvement in both thickness and viewing angle. Traditionally, high image quality and a wide viewing angle required large, thick lenses. The team’s MLL, however, features a high numerical aperture (NA)² — enabling an ultra-thin profile of 1.2 mm and an ultra-wide viewing angle of up to 100 degrees. This represents more than a sixfold increase from the conventional 15-degree viewing angle, allowing multiple viewers to experience 3D content from different positions. It also demonstrates how nanoscale design can overcome the limitations of bulky optical systems.

A Step Closer to Commercialization

Beyond a simple proof of concept, the research demonstrates the practical viability of integrating metalens technology into real-world devices. The team fabricated a large-area metalens measuring 50 × 50 mm (25 cm²) and validated its use on OLED panels widely used in mobile devices.

This research was conducted in collaboration with the Visual Technology Team at Samsung Research, Samsung Electronics, and the POSTECH Nanoscale Photonics & Integrated Manufacturing Laboratory.

Looking ahead, this technology has the potential to reshape next-generation displays across smartphones, tablets and commercial systems.

From optical design and fabrication to real-time switching validation, Samsung and POSTECH have broken through a technological barrier. With the publication in Nature, Samsung further strengthens its leadership in meta-optics and next-generation display technologies.

1. A next-generation optical technology that controls light beyond conventional refractive lenses. ︎
2. A measure of an optical system’s ability to gather light, indicating the maximum angle at which light enters the lens. ︎

Samsung has enabled seamless integration of IKEA’s twenty-five¹ practical Matter-over-Thread smart home devices — including smart bulbs and plugs — into the SmartThings platform, allowing users to effortlessly incorporate them into daily life.

Easy Integration With SmartThings Through Matter-Enabled IKEA Devices

Twenty-five IKEA smart home devices including a scroll wheel remote, smart bulbs, plugs, temperature and humidity sensors, air quality sensors, motion sensors, door sensors and water leak sensors, now support the global smart home standard Matter.²

Previously, connecting IKEA devices to SmartThings required an IKEA smart home hub³ and SmartThings hub, but they can now be connected directly to SmartThings hub. They also work with Samsung appliances including TVs, air conditioners and washing machines, as well as a wide range of third-party devices and protocols supported by the platform.

Smarter Care — From Checking on Loved Ones To Optimizing Sleep Environments

Users can connect an IKEA door sensor to SmartThings and attach it to a frequently used door to monitor when their parents start their day and whether they are active at home through SmartThings Family Care. This offers a convenient way to check on loved ones, even when living apart.

Installed on a wall, IKEA’s air quality sensors and its temperature and humidity sensors collect data on temperature, humidity, carbon dioxide levels and light intensity. SmartThings compares these readings with recommended ranges for optimal sleep and provides a Sleep environment report with actionable insights — such as lowering the temperature to 19-21°C — helping create an ideal bedroom environment.

Users can also set routines that activate the air conditioner’s dehumidification mode when rising humidity is detected. If the water leak sensor detects moisture, it sends an immediate alert enabling a prompt response.

Intuitive Control With the Scroll Wheel Remote

Ahead of launch, Samsung and IKEA conducted multiple rounds of validation to enhance connectivity stability and implemented a dedicated user experience within the SmartThings app for full compatibility.

A standout device is the scroll wheel remote, which significantly enhances user experience. When connected to lighting, users can precisely adjust brightness and color temperature by rotating the wheel, making it easy to create the desired ambiance. It can also be used for devices requiring fine control, such as blinds.⁴ It targets the design-conscious younger generation, who prioritizes aesthetic value in every detail, down to a single switch or lighting.

Expanding a Boundless Smart Home Ecosystem With Early Adoption of Thread

Samsung is not only leading the Matter ecosystem through the rapid adoption of new standards, but also demonstrating strong technology leadership in the smart home market.

SmartThings was the first to adopt Thread⁵ 1.4 — a low-power, short-range networking technology essential for smart home ecosystems — enabling Thread networks across brands to operate as a single unified system that enhances user convenience while helping drive the wider adoption of smart homes.

“By connecting IKEA devices to SmartThings, even first-time smart home users can enjoy a familiar and easy connectivity experience without financial burden,” said Jaeyeon Jung, Executive Vice President of SmartThings, AI Platform Center at Samsung Electronics. “SmartThings will continue to expand its ecosystem through partnerships, enabling more consumers to enjoy seamless and convenient smart home experience within the SmartThings ecosystem regardless of brand or communication protocol.”

1. Availability and timing may vary by market. ︎
2. Matter is a global smart home connectivity standard developed by the Connectivity Standards Alliance to improve interoperability among devices. ︎
3. Hub is a central smart home device that connects multiple smart devices using different wireless protocols and enables unified control through a single platform. ︎
4. As of April 20, 2026, only lighting control is supported. Blind control will be available later this year. ︎
5. Thread is a low-power, mesh networking-based wireless protocol used in the Matter standard that enables smart home devices to communicate with each other quickly and reliably independent of Wi-Fi. ︎

An Open Laboratory for Design Exploration

Conceived as an open laboratory, the exhibition welcomes visitors to Samsung’s design approach, offering a space of exploration, experimentation and discovery. Rather than a finished statement, the exhibition reflects a moment within an ongoing journey, offering an early glimpse into how Samsung is shaping new ways of living through design.

Each of the 12 immersive zones presents a distinct exploration of how design can shape everyday life. The zones are organized around the key experience dimensions of Human Centricity and Expressive Design, which serve as the first touchpoint in showcasing Samsung Design’s vision.

Within these zones, a series of creative explorations illustrates ideas, possibilities and future directions. Through this approach, Samsung Design is making its vision tangible, inviting visitors to engage with design as an evolving, human-centered practice.

Human-Centricity and Expressive Design

Samsung Design is expanding its approach beyond user experience, with a greater focus on how people live and experience everyday life.

“Design should reflect the diversity of humanity — embracing different lifestyles, values and ways people live,” said Mauro Porcini, President and Chief Design Officer (CDO) of the Device eXperience (DX) Division at Samsung Electronics. “It is not only about creating products, but about shaping experiences that feel relevant, personal and meaningful in everyday life. Through Samsung Design Open Lab, we are sharing how this thinking is shaping our approach to design and future living.”

At the core of Samsung’s vision is a human-centered approach to AI — captured through the formula AI x (EI+HI)¹ — where its true value lies not in the technology itself, but in how it is guided by human intention, empathy and imagination.

While the exhibition explores new directions in design, it reflects a philosophy that has guided Samsung for over 30 years — placing people at the center of innovation. The ideas presented extend that foundation, translating it into new and evolving ways of living.

Design Is an Act of Love, With 12 Immersive Zones

More than 120 products across 36 categories are being showcased at the exhibition’s 12 zones, spanning both design concepts and products currently available in the market.

Highlights from the exhibition include:

• The Welcome Show: A coordinated display experience introducing Samsung’s vision for AI as a unified system that brings together personal and shared AI across devices and environments.

• Unfold Your Story: An exploration of Galaxy’s foldable design across a spectrum of color, form and experience, capturing diverse lifestyles and new ways to live, create and connect.

• Wearable & Culinary Intelligence: Design explorations that respond to diverse lifestyles, ranging from personal devices such as wearables to connected kitchen and living environments.

• Transparent Symphony & All That Music: Immersive audio-visual zones featuring transparent speakers and screens with Music Studio 5 and 7 and a range of concept designs, where diverse elements come together in harmony and music translates analog emotion into a cohesive digital experience.

• Two Expressions of the Same Technology: Two distinct design expressions of a 130-inch Micro RGB display, built on the same breakthrough technology, demonstrating how performance and individuality can coexist.

• Artful Living: A vision of living where screens become expressive mediums of personality, culture and emotion, bringing artwork and content to life in more immersive ways through S95H OLED TV with new forms of AI-enabled storytelling.

• The Goodbye Show: Returning from the Welcome Show, the shared AI companion concludes the exhibition through natural, AI-driven interactions and a sensory performance of music, light and human touch — fostering emotional connection and a sense of presence in everyday life.

Samsung’s “Design is an Act of Love” exhibition is located at Superstudio Più, Via Tortona 27, in Milan and offers free entry, on the following dates:

•        April 20, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.

•        April 21, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

•        April 22, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

•        April 23-25, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.

•        April 26, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

For more news, photos and videos, please visit Samsung Newsroom and Samsung Design during Milan Design Week 2026.

1. EI = Emotional Intelligence, HI = Human Imagination ︎

“Design sits at the intersection of business, technology and humanity,” said Mauro Porcini, Chief Design Officer and President of the Device eXperience (DX) Division at Samsung Electronics. “Our role is to understand people deeply and translate their needs, dreams and emotions into meaningful experiences. We will continue to push innovation forward with the ambition of enriching people’s lives in ways that truly matter.”

The Edison Awards, founded in 1987 by the American Marketing Association and named after inventor Thomas Edison, celebrate excellence in product and service development, marketing and human-centered design. Winners are selected by a panel of industry experts, scientists and academics based on strict innovation criteria. This year, awards were given in a total of 14 categories, with tiers for winning projects broken down into gold, silver and bronze.

Gold Award-Winning Innovations

• Smart Modular House: With AI-based architectural solutions, homes respond, adapt and flexibly adjust to the lives of their users. By integrating advanced AI technology, it connects the environment, appliances and users, enabling efficient management of indoor environments, device statuses, energy usage and more — resulting in a new, more easily accessible residential experience.

• Vision AI Companion (VAC): A revolutionary TV experience that redefines how users interact with content. With a generative AI-based button, users can interact with content in new ways, such as asking about plotlines or characters, searching for related information or controlling playback with voice commands. By eliminating the need for complex menus and remotes, VAC helps users enjoy a seamless and more intuitive TV viewing experience.

Silver Award-Winning Innovations

• Spatial Signage: A breakthrough glasses-free 3D display delivering an immersive experience powered by Samsung’s patented 3D Plate technology. With a slim profile of just 52 mm,¹ this innovative solution seamlessly integrates into commercial environments such as retail stores, exhibitions and entertainment venues, redefining how audiences engage with digital signage. Its cutting-edge optics and precision engineering push the boundaries of immersive technology, delivering a high-quality visual experience that captivates viewers and pioneers new standards for next-generation displays.

• Bespoke AI Laundry Combo: This innovative all-in-one combo combines washing and drying functions into a single, compact unit. The combo can finish the entire laundry process — from load detection to dry cycle — ensuring efficient and operation. It features Smart Screen, a 7-inch touchscreen that provides a more intuitive interface, and its AI Wash & Dry cycle adjusts its performance for each load according to various fabric types and soil levels, leading to optimal results.

1. The 52 mm profile applies to the 85-inch model only; thickness varies by display size. ︎

“Samsung’s AI technology goes beyond everyday convenience to help users care for themselves and their families with greater peace of mind,” said Jaeyeon Jung, Executive Vice President and Head of the SmartThings Team, AI Platform Center, Samsung Electronics. “SmartThings will continue to strengthen its role as a platform that seamlessly connects customers’ daily lives with AI, and it will keep expanding differentiated services on an ongoing basis.”

Enhanced Family Care Makes It Easier To Check In on Loved Ones

Family Care connects SmartThings with a range of home appliances and mobile devices to provide notifications regarding the activities of users’ aging parents and reminders for medication and hospital visits — as well as location-based alerts. With this update, the service enables even more thoughtful care.

Additionally, Samsung’s new Care on Call¹ feature allows users to more closely check on the status of the care recipient through a simple phone call. When a caregiver using the service calls the care recipient, a floating pop-up that displays key information like the time of the first activity of the day, the most recent activity time and the local weather — all at a glance — appears before the call begins. This helps caregivers ask more meaningful check-in questions and respond accordingly.

SmartThings can also continuously monitor devices like air conditioners, air purifiers, dehumidifiers and humidifiers for indoor temperature, humidity and air quality. If unusual usage patterns are detected, the caregiver is immediately notified and can remotely control the relevant device.²

Family Care has made the Safety Patrol feature — which utilizes SmartThings to send a new Bespoke AI Jet Bot Steam Ultra to check various areas around the house — even more convenient. If the care recipient’s activity is not detected for a specified period of time, users receive a notification and the feature can be remotely activated if the caregiver needs to take action.³ Using a camera built into the robot vacuum, caregivers can view issues that might occur — such as a person lying incapacitated — and two-way communication through the built-in speaker and microphone allows them to act.

To further enhance the level of care provided to loved ones, the Care Insight feature been enhanced to provide even more actionable, long-term data within the Family Care service. It analyzes factors like temperature and humidity levels, paying attention to whether they deviate from optimal ranges. It also tracks significant changes in activity levels and connected device usage compared to the previous week.

Expansion of Now Brief to TVs and Family Hub

Now Brief delivers a rich AI experience by integrating a broad range of key SmartThings services that help users stay informed about their daily lives, their family members and conditions inside and outside the home.

With the launch of the Galaxy S26 series, Now Brief will support Home Security, Family Care and Pet Care, in addition to existing features that include Home Insight, Energy and the Sleep Environment Report. Through Now Brief, users can access the useful information needed to care for themselves, their families and their homes at a glance.

 Now Brief is set to deliver a consistent customized experience throughout the home,⁴ and will soon roll out in phases to TVs launched in 2024 or later, as well as Family Hub refrigerators launched in 2021 or later.

For added convenience, users will not need to manually launch Now Brief. If the feature is set up in advance, it will be automatically activated when they approach the TV, touch the Family Hub refrigerator screen or open and close the refrigerator door.

And now, whether at home or on the go, the expanded Now Brief helps users stay up to date by providing information such as home device status and energy usage, as well as the sleep status of the previous night, Home Security updates based on door locks, door sensors, and security mode, parents’ daily activity updates and dog-walking information.⁵

1. Care on Call is available on Galaxy smartphones running One UI 8.5 or later. Internet calls are not supported. ︎
2. Remote control is available when the caregiver has been set up to remotely control the care recipient’s devices. ︎
3. Remote control is available when the caregiver has been set up to remotely control the care recipient’s devices. Availability may vary depending on product, model and region. ︎
4. Availability may vary depending on product, model, region, and each product’s Over The Network (OTN) software update schedule. ︎
5. The relevant devices should be registered in SmartThings, and the service must be activated in the Life tab. ︎

• Consolidated Sales: Approximately 133 trillion Korean won
• Consolidated Operating Profit: Approximately 57.2 trillion Korean won

The above estimates are based on K-IFRS. Please note that Korean disclosure regulations do not allow earnings estimates to be offered as a range. To comply with such regulations, the above figures represent the median of the estimate ranges provided below.

• Sales: 132 trillion to 134 trillion Korean won
• Operating Profit: 57.1 trillion to 57.3 trillion Korean won

※  2025 4Q and 2025 1Q consolidated figures based on K-IFRS are as follows

Samsung Electronics today announced that it will host an exhibition titled “Design is an Act of Love” at Milan Design Week 2026. Immersive in nature, the exhibition will explore the Human Side of Tech through a dialogue between experimental concepts and the latest commercial products.

The exhibition takes the form of Samsung Design Open Lab, a space imagined as a laboratory for exploration, experimentation and discovery. Within the space, Samsung invites visitors to explore how ideas take shape, offering a glimpse of how human-centered and expressive design can transform technology into a more personal, emotional and meaningful presence in everyday life.

What visitors experience in Milan represents a moment in an ongoing journey — an early expression of how Samsung is reimagining the relationship between technology and everyday life, as well as a signal of the direction in which its design vision is headed.

As part of the program, Samsung will host a Design Talk session in collaboration with Dezeen on April 22, where it will share perspectives on the evolving relationship between design and humanity.

Founded in 1953 as Die Gute Industrieform e.V., the iF Design Awards evaluates a comprehensive range of factors, including differentiation and impact, across a total of nine disciplines: Product Design, Packaging Design, Communication Design, Interior Architecture, Professional Concept, Service Design, Architecture, User Experience (UX) and User Interface (UI).

“Today, design goes far beyond products or user interfaces. It shapes meaningful experiences that resonate with people.” said Mauro Porcini, President and Chief Design Officer of Device eXperience (DX) Division at Samsung Electronics. “Human-centered design will remain at the heart of our efforts — deepening immersion and advancing responsible innovation.”

Two Gold Awards Recognize Designs That Enriches People’s Lives

Music Studio 5, at first glance, is a classic rectangular speaker, but a closer look reveals its unique details such as the finely perforated grille that conceals the high performing audio units. Dynamic front lighting helps the user easily identify key functions and the timeless design integrates seamlessly into any space while capturing the elegance of an objet d’art. Yet the shape is novel and pure, signaling an expressive presence in the room. Music Studio 5 is also prepared to connect to a Samsung TV through the novel Q-Symphony wireless interface resulting in a true cinema-like experience at home.

Advanced Design Concepts for Appliance Accessories – named as ‘Samsung Home Appliances Accessories’ designated three colors for accessories – such as filters for vacuum cleaner and air purifiers – depending on their maintenance requirements and disposal methods. Through this design improvement, users can more easily recognize the needs of their accessories, especially if they have changed or been updated.

77 Awards Ranging From TVs to Home Appliances to Smartphones

Samsung Electronics’ 77 wins came across all design disciplines. In addition to the Gold Awards for the ‘Music Studio 5’ and ‘Advanced Design Concepts for Appliance Accessories, Samsung received awards in the Product Design category for the S95H OLED, a TV that  features an ultra-slim, bezel-free design that resembles a high-end picture frame mounted on the wall.; The Movingstyle, a lifestyle screen that follows you; Vision AI TV, an AI interface that adapts to your context; Spatial signage’, a glasses-free 3D display that delivers an immersive visual experience; Galaxy Z Fold7, the most advanced Galaxy Z series yet, seamlessly blending precision engineering and powerful intelligence to elevate everyday interactions, all in its thinnest and lightest design to date.

Other products and services that were recognized for design excellence include One UI 7, user interface that brings AI-driven enhancement with a bold new design for greater personalization and control to the user experience; Home Insight’, a smart home feature that analyzes appliance status and user patterns to recommend optimal, personalized solutions.

Samsung Electronics’ 77 awards is showcasing our human-centric design philosophy and how technology can become an enabler for living better, longer, loud and living on. The manifestation of the human side of technology.

Through outdoor field testing, the companies demonstrated a peak downlink data rate of up to 3 gigabits per second (Gbps) in the 7 GHz band using X-MIMO. The breakthrough was enabled by ultra-high-density antenna technology that integrates significantly more antenna elements into equipment of comparable size. Considered a foundational component of 6G, ultra-high-density antenna technology achieves four times the antenna density of current 5G systems.

Overcoming 7 GHz Band Challenges

As data demands surge due to advancements in AI, immersive services and fixed wireless access (FWA), 6G is becoming increasingly important in meeting evolving global connectivity needs. The 7 GHz band stands out as a promising candidate for future communications, offering an optimal balance of coverage and capacity between the 5G 3.5 GHz band and millimeter-wave frequencies.

X-MIMO technology in the 7 GHz band is regarded as a core 6G technology because it enhances data throughput by increasing antenna density enabled by shorter wavelengths while achieving coverage comparable to 5G by compensating for the shorter propagation distance of 7 GHz.

Strengthening the 6G Ecosystem Through Collaboration

The verification took place at Samsung Electronics’ Seoul R&D Campus, where researchers measured data rates during the simultaneous transmission of eight data streams from the base station to a single user. To replicate real-world network conditions, Samsung collaborated with KT to establish an outdoor wireless test environment. The testing also utilized Samsung’s 6G base station prototype featuring 256 digital ports and Keysight’s 6G terminal testbed.

“Through our collaboration with KT and Keysight, we have demonstrated the potential for significant improvements in data rates for next-generation communications,” said JinGuk Jeong, Executive Vice President and Head of Advanced Communications Research Center, Samsung Research at Samsung Electronics. “We remain committed to pioneering future network technologies that will enable diverse services and enhanced user experiences in the 6G era.”

“The validation of ultra-high-density antenna technology performance in the 7 GHz band marks a critical step toward 6G commercialization. By securing stable, high-capacity operation in high-frequency bands, we have established a foundational technology for enabling ultra-fast, immersive services,” said Jong-Sik Lee, Executive Vice President and Head of Future Network Laboratory at KT Corporation. “Moving forward, we will continue to drive network innovation in collaboration with Samsung Electronics.”

“This work with Samsung and KT highlights how Keysight’s industry-leading 6G capabilities are accelerating real-world innovation, unlocking new spectrum for early 6G deployments and bridging the gap between research and commercial readiness to enable next-generation AI-driven wireless communications that deliver greater value to customers,” said Kailash Narayanan, Senior Vice President and President of Communications Solutions Group at Keysight.

In addition to this achievement, Samsung and KT successfully validated user-level AI-based radio access network (AI-RAN) optimization technology in a commercial network in December 2025. Including further collaboration with KT on uplink coverage technologies, Samsung will continue working closely with global partners to make data transmission faster and more reliable for users.

Established in 2012, the award recognizes individual contributions to the development of next-generation mobile telecommunications standards.

Dr. Onggosanusi, who works in the Standards and Mobility Innovation Lab at SRA, was honored for his contributions to 3GPP RAN Working Group 1 (RAN1)¹ — particularly for his leadership in advancing multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) systems within the 3GPP community.

“I am proud to contribute to Samsung’s efforts in 3GPP standardization,” said Dr. Onggosanusi. “It has been a privilege to serve in RAN1 as the 3GPP RAN MIMO rapporteur. My focus has been on fostering collaboration and consensus within the 3GPP community to develop state-of-the-art physical-layer technology and help shape the future of cellular standards.”

Dr. Onggosanusi has been a RAN1 delegate since 2005, contributing to the early development of 4G LTE. After joining Samsung in 2014, he became the rapporteur for full-dimension multiple-input multiple-output (FD-MIMO) systems. He has held the role across six consecutive MIMO work items spanning multiple releases from 2014 to 2025, covering both 4G LTE and 5G New Radio (NR) standardization.

By improving network efficiency, data rates and coverage through advanced multi-antenna signal processing, MIMO is a core technology for both 4G and 5G. Its evolution, including active antenna systems, has enabled large-scale antenna deployments in 5G. Samsung Research — an advanced R&D hub within the Device eXperience (DX) Division at Samsung Electronics — led this advancement through a pioneering 3GPP work item expected to play a key role in 6G networks and significantly enhance the mobile user experience.

This marks the eighth time a Samsung employee has received the 3GPP Excellence Award, more than any other company. The milestone further underscores Samsung’s leadership in advancing mobile telecommunications technology and standardization.

1. 3GPP RAN Working Group 1 (RAN1) is responsible for specifying the physical layer of radio interfaces for user equipment (UE), the Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access Network (E-UTRAN), the Next Generation Radio Access Network (NG-RAN) and more. ︎

Samsung Electronics, in partnership with the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art, hosted a gala event on Jan. 28 at the Arts and Industries Building in Washington D.C. to commemorate the success of the “Korean Treasures: Collected, Cherished, Shared” exhibition, the first U.S. showcase of masterpieces from the late Samsung Chairman Lee Kun-hee’s renowned art collection.

The exhibition, which opened to the public on November 15 and will run through February 1, is expected to draw over 65,000 visitors, a significant milestone comparable to the attendance for other major international exhibits at the National Museum of Asian Art, underscoring the profound interest in Korea’s rich artistic heritage.

Curated from the personal collection of over 23,000 pieces amassed by the late Chairman of Samsung, Lee Kun-hee, the exhibition was organized by the National Museum of Asian Art, the National Museum of Korea and the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea.

At the gala, Samsung Electronics Executive Chairman Jay Y. Lee thanked the organizers and recognized the importance of Washington D.C. as the first stop of the exhibit’s global tour. He also took a special moment to honor American veterans of the Korean War, attributing Korea’s modern success and its ability to preserve its heritage to their sacrifice more than seven decades ago.

“Memory and history are important to Koreans. That is part of why this exhibit means so much to me,” Executive Chairman Lee said. “Despite the hardships of colonial rule and the Korean War, my father and grandfather believed it was their duty to safeguard the future of our culture. It was a tremendous honor to share this collection with you. I believe it’s our small contribution to bringing the American and Korean people closer together.”

Members of the Lee family, including Hong Ra-hee, Director Emerita of the Leeum Museum of Art, Lee Boo-jin, President & CEO of Hotel Shilla, Lee Seo-hyun, President of Samsung C&T and Kim Jae Youl, President of Samsung Global Research, were in attendance.

Among the 250 guests were Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick, Senator Tim Scott, Senator Ted Cruz, Senator Andy Kim, Governor Wes Moore and Ambassador Kang Kyung-wha.

Senator Tim Scott (R-SC) highlighted that “this art exhibit is a powerful reminder that the enduring U.S.–Republic of Korea alliance is built not only on economic ties, but through the stories and shared values that connect us, Samsung’s investment in America represents confidence in our workers and a commitment to advancing opportunity and prosperity for both nations.”

Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) said “I am honored to attend and deliver remarks at the Samsung Gala in recognition of Korea’s great cultural heritage. Texas’s partnership with Samsung has been critical to strengthening America’s leadership in technology and semiconductors and creating tens of thousands of high-quality jobs for Texas workers that fuel long-term economic growth.”

Senator Andy Kim (D-NJ) also commented that “the connections between the United States and Korea run deep, and they’ll continue to grow stronger thanks to collaboration with and investment from companies like Samsung. As the first Korean American to serve in the U.S. Senate, I’m excited that my two boys can see this incredible exhibit of Korean heritage, and for Americans from across the country to visit the collection that the Lee family has brought here.”

Prominent business leaders in attendance included Wendell Weeks, Corning Chairman & CEO, Benedetto Vigna, Ferrari CEO, Euisun Chung, Executive Chair of Hyundai Motor Group and Jerry Yang, Founding Partner, AME Cloud Ventures; Co-Founder, Yahoo!

Chairman Weeks said at the event that “building on five decades of partnership, Samsung and Corning have pushed the boundaries of what’s possible. The Lee family’s contributions extend far beyond Samsung and Korea. Their visionary leadership has shaped industries, transformed lives and built enduring bridges between nations and generations. This exhibition embodies the passion for creation of the Lee family, which for generations has made a positive impact on the entire globe.”

Other notable attendees included Kim Youngna, former Director of the National Museum of Korea, Chase Robinson, Director of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art and Korean War veterans, including Rudy B. Meekins Senior.

Buddhist Statues and Ceramics From the Joseon Dynasty Highlight Hand-Picked Exhibit

As attendees made a tour of the exhibition during the gala, they were introduced to a story of creativity and innovation that has shaped Korean culture for centuries, represented by artworks that span across sculptures, furnishings, ceramics as well as traditional and modern paintings.

Among the more than 200 pieces featured in the exhibit were Faceted Bottle with Bamboo, The Lotus Sutra and Bodhisattva Triad with a Single Halo – all National Treasures of Korea. One of the most popular pieces on display was the 19th-century Drum Stand for its resemblance to the character “Derpy” from the animated film KPop Demon Hunters. Another standout was the Sun, Moon and Five Peaks, a 19th-century royal court painting symbolizing the Joseon monarchy. The exhibition was comprised of 10 sub-themes, such as the historical evolution of ceramics from the Goryeo and Joseon dynasties as well as inspiring Buddhist artwork, encompassing over 1,500 years of Korean history.

This was the largest special exhibition of Korean art held at the National Museum of Asian Art, with the number of daily visitors almost double that of similar-sized exhibitions at the Smithsonian. Souvenirs that depicted the Moon Jar and lighting products featuring imagery from Clearing after Rain on Mount Inwang were among the items that sold out early, according to the National Museum of Asian Art.

Collection’s Global Tour Continues to Chicago and London

This exhibition was made possible by a grant awarded through the National Museum of Korea’s Overseas Korean Galleries Support Program, and curators from both the National Museum of Korea and the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea, participated in the curation of the exhibit and compilation of the exhibition catalogue.

Following the conclusion of the exhibition at the National Museum of Asian Art, the collection will travel to the Art Institute of Chicago to be on display from March through July and then to the British Museum in London for a special exhibit from September through January 2027. This global tour will offer residents and visitors a rare opportunity to experience Korean cultural heritage through artworks spanning centuries and reflecting Korea’s unique history.

In the quarter ended December 31, 2025, the Company posted its highest-ever quarterly consolidated revenue at KRW 93.8 trillion, representing a quarter-on-quarter (QoQ) increase of 9%. Operating profit was also an all-time high, at KRW 20.1 trillion. For the full year, the Company reported KRW 333.6 trillion in annual revenue and KRW 43.6 trillion in operating profit.

The Device Solutions (DS) Division posted a QoQ sales increase of 33%, with the Memory Business setting an all-time high for quarterly revenue and operating profit, driven by expanded sales of HBM and other high-value-added products, as well as the overall market price surge.

The Device eXperience (DX) Division experienced a sequential decline in revenue of 8% due to reduced launch effects from new smartphone models, as well as intense market competition.

R&D investments totaled KRW 10.9 trillion, representing a QoQ increase of KRW 2 trillion and setting a full-year record of KRW 37.7 trillion.

Looking ahead to Q1 2026, the DS Division expects AI and server demand to continue increasing, leading to more opportunities for structural growth. In response, the Division will continue to focus on profitability via a strong emphasis on high-performance products.

In 2026 as a whole, the DS Division aims to lead the AI era with product competitiveness amid a rapidly growing demand environment, particularly by expanding the sales of AI-related offerings in both DRAM and NAND.

In 2026, the DX Division plans on expanding AI-driven product offerings and integrating AI technologies across the full device, feature and service ecosystem. The Division will maintain a focus on profitable growth by ensuring component supply stability, implementing efficiency initiatives and bringing the best AI experiences to customers as a leader in the AI era.

Semiconductors To Continue Increasing Revenue

The DS Division achieved a quarterly consolidated revenue of KRW 44.0 trillion and an operating profit of KRW 16.4 trillion for the fourth quarter of 2025.

In Q4 2025, despite limited supply availability, the Memory Business achieved record highs in quarterly revenue and operating profit by addressing strong conventional DRAM demand while expanding HBM sales amid an overall increase in prices. The Business focused on improving profitability via higher sales of high-value-added products such as HBM, server DDR5 and enterprise SSDs.

In Q1 2026, the ongoing AI boom is expected to continue driving favorable market conditions across the industry, and the Memory Business plans to keep prioritizing high-value-added products for AI applications. The Memory Business is on track to begin delivering HBM4 products this quarter — including those with industry-leading 11.7Gbps performance — with the aim of reestablishing a leadership position in the high-end HBM market.

In 2026, the Memory Business will continue to maintain close partnerships with customers based on product competitiveness and aims to address customer demand through the timely shipment of competitive HBM4 and the expansion of sales of AI-related products such as DDR5, SOCAMM2 and GDDR7. It also plans to proactively address AI-related NAND demand with a focus on scaling up sales of high-performance TLC products for Key Value SSD demand for inference. 

Earnings for the System LSI Business declined in Q4 2025, due to seasonal demand softness and adjustments to key customer product schedules. However, image sensor revenue grew on the back of new 200MP and 50MP big-pixel products.

In Q1 2026, earnings are expected to recover with new product launches, while image sensor leadership will be reinforced by an expanded 200MP lineup.

In 2026, the System LSI Business will focus on earnings improvement by expanding sales based on differentiated system-on-a-chip (SoC) performance and stabilized yields. In image sensors, the Business will continue to strengthen its competitiveness in fine-pixel technology and sustain its leadership through Nanoprism technology, which enhances light sensitivity.

In Q4 2025, the overall revenue for the Foundry Business increased on strong demand from customers in major markets, while earnings improvement was limited as a result of provisional costs. The Business also commenced mass production of first-generation 2nm products and began shipments of 4nm HBM base-die products.

Looking ahead to Q1 2026, revenue is expected to decline sequentially due to seasonal weakness. Orders are projected to expand, however, largely due to orders from HPC and mobile customers.

As for 2026, the Foundry Business is targeting double-digit revenue growth and improvement in profitability, driven by advanced nodes. It plans to ramp up production of second-generation 2nm products and prepare for the production of performance- and power-optimized 4nm processes. Additionally, it aims to strengthen competitiveness by providing optimized solutions through the integration of logic, memory and advanced packaging technologies.

SDC To Maintain Market Leadership Through Differentiated Technologies

SDC posted KRW 9.5 trillion in consolidated revenue and KRW 2.0 trillion in operating profit for the fourth quarter.

For small and medium displays, SDC achieved solid performance driven by supply stability and increased smartphone demand from major customers, with the expansion of sales in the IT and automotive segments also contributing to earnings growth. The large display business recorded revenue growth by responding to market demand during the year-end peak season.

In Q1 2026, SDC anticipates soft smartphone demand and will accordingly seek to expand sales through the timely development and supply of displays for new major flagship smartphones. For large displays, it aims to proactively respond to the launch of new QD-OLED products and expand sales.

In 2026, SDC will advance its leadership in the smartphone market based on differentiated technologies. It will continue its premium market leadership in TVs by focusing on new high-brightness products, and for monitors, it plans to drive sales expansion based on differentiated performance advantages.

MX To Accelerate Momentum by Advancing AI Leadership

The Mobile eXperience (MX) and Networks Businesses posted KRW 29.3 trillion in consolidated revenue and KRW 1.9 trillion in operating profit for the fourth quarter.

The MX Business achieved double-digit annual profit in 2025 through flagship growth and stable sales of tablets and wearables, although smartphone sales declined in Q4 as new model launch effects normalized.

In Q1 2026, the Business plans to further strengthen its AI smartphone leadership by delivering Agentic AI experiences with the launch of the Galaxy S26 series. It also aims to ensure sustained profitability driven by flagship sales expansion and resource optimization, in addition to addressing global competitive uncertainties by strengthening supply stability.

In 2026, the MX Business intends to consolidate its mobile AI leadership by leveraging next-generation AI experiences as well as innovation in slimmer and lighter form factors. Additionally, it will pursue comprehensive growth across all segments via AI-driven product sales and new market expansion, while upholding a steadfast commitment to profitability through process optimization amid persistent cost pressures.

In Q4 2025, the Networks Business reported improvement to both QoQ and YoY earnings, supported by sales growth in North America. In Q1 2026, the Business aims to drive revenue growth through new orders amid investment headwinds in the telecommunications industry. Throughout the year, the Business will leverage its leadership in vRAN and ORAN to penetrate new markets while securing profitability through cost optimization.

CE Business and Harman Pursue Growth Through Differentiated Customer Experiences

The VD and DA Businesses posted KRW 14.8 trillion in consolidated revenue and KRW 0.6 trillion in operating loss in the fourth quarter.

In Q4 2025, the VD Business saw expanded revenue through robust sales of premium Neo QLED and OLED products as well as an effective response to peak seasonal demand. As intense market competition persisted, however, profitability remained under pressure.

In Q1 2026, the Business will focus on revenue growth and profitability improvement based on reinforced new product lineups such as Micro RGB TVs, as well as high-value-added products like Super Big TVs, QLEDs and OLEDs.

In 2026, the VD Business aims to drive revenue growth by targeting replacement demand driven by global sports events. It will also utilize differentiated AI-based customer experiences to enhance sales leadership.

Earnings for the DA Business declined in Q4 2025 as a result of low seasonal demand for air conditioners and shifting global trade conditions.

In Q1 2026, the Business anticipates an improvement in earnings driven by the expansion of AI product sales and a seasonal recovery in air conditioner demand.

In 2026, the DA Business will seek to accelerate the sales of AI products and expand growth pillars in business-to-business, direct-to-consumer and subscription-based areas. Additionally, along with cost-efficiency initiatives, it will drive HVAC growth through its synergies with FläktGroup — arising from Samsung Electronics’ recent acquisition of the leading European HVAC company.

Harman posted KRW 4.6 trillion in consolidated revenue and KRW 0.3 trillion in operating profit in the fourth quarter.

In Q4 2025, Harman achieved revenue growth by expanding automotive product supply to European OEMs and releasing new portable and true wireless sound (TWS) models, successfully addressing peak season demand and strengthening its brand portfolio.

In Q1 2026, the company aims to expand automotive sales, particularly the sales of digital cockpit and car audio products. It also plans on maintaining revenue growth in its consumer audio offerings.

In 2026, Harman will seek to strengthen its high-growth businesses in automotive and expand orders by acquiring advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) capabilities. In audio, it will strive to expand sales of premium products based on a reinforced brand portfolio.

•  Consolidated Sales: Approximately 93 trillion Korean won
•  Consolidated Operating Profit: Approximately 20 trillion Korean won

The above estimates are based on K-IFRS. Please note that Korean disclosure regulations do not allow earnings estimates to be offered as a range. To comply with such regulations, the above figures represent the median of the estimate ranges provided below.

• Sales: 92 trillion to 94 trillion Korean won
• Operating Profit: 19.9 trillion to 20.1 trillion Korean won 

※  2025 3Q and 2024 4Q consolidated figures based on K-IFRS are as follows

With minimalism having defined the visual language of the tech industry for the past two decades, this panel of designers convened by Samsung asked: What comes next? Together, the panelists explored how warmer, more expressive and emotionally resonant technology can shape meaningful experiences in today’s AI era, while also charting a path forward for the industry.

Design as an Act of Love

The session covered a shared view on the purpose of design as fundamentally people-first. “In recent years, design in tech has been somewhat uniform,” said moderator Debbie Millman. “Compared to other industries, the uniformity in the world of tech is an anomaly. So what if we were to extend technology beyond specifications and functionality?”

Samsung is currently addressing this question by introducing meaning beyond products by focusing on how technology fits into people’s lives, experiences and needs. The panelists discussed the growing importance of this mindset in the current landscape in which traditional barriers to entry such as access to tools, scale and technical capability continue to diminish.

The Human Side of Tech

The discussion highlighted technology’s role in making intention, care and humanity visible in everyday life. Panelists noted that technology should help people recognize the thoughtfulness embedded in the products they invite into their homes and routines.

In this context, Samsung Chief Design Officer Mauro Porcini shared Samsung’s design purpose: to enrich the quality of people’s lives through meaningful technology designed for humanity. He outlined the company’s commitment to help people live longer, live better, live louder and live on through advanced technologies that support wellbeing, creativity and self-expression.

Panelist Karim Rashid added to this sentiment, saying, “When we think about physical things in our world, we think not only about diversity of choice but also the fact that we can develop strong connections to objects,” he said. “Through design, you can end up with a very powerful, emotional connection with inanimate objects, or even products.”

Designing for Human Values

The panel went on to explore how AI can unlock new possibilities for expression when shaped by human values. Panelists discussed a shared view that AI reaches its true potential when guided by Emotional Intelligence and Human Imagination, not as a replacement for human creativity but as a force that expands it.

CDO Porcini articulated this with “AI × (EI + HI),” his approach to balancing Emotional Intelligence and Human Imagination to bring meaning to innovation. While describing this philosophy, CDO Porcini said, “When we design and develop, AI is amplified by Emotional Intelligence and Human Imagination. Then, when people use products, AI amplifies Emotional Intelligence and Human Imagination.” He added, “Do not fear technology. We are here to humanize it, guide it, and shape it.”

Through these insights, the session reinforced the belief that technology should be humanized, guided and shaped to serve people’s lives in increasingly new and meaningful ways.

Expressive Design Drives More Meaningful Experiences

The discussion reinforced the importance of expressive design in bringing human-centered purpose to life, creating experiences that reflect emotion, support self-expression, invite connection and stimulate imagination.

“Happiness is the aim of design,” said Fabio Novembre. “Our pursuit of happiness is through design, making the impossible possible. I strongly believe in design, and that it must move back to the center of the stage.”

Panelists noted that this reflects a shift from merely designing objects to designing experiences where emotion, meaning and identity are increasingly integral to how people relate to technology. This approach inspires a new kind of expression, resulting in designs that range from subtle and minimal to bold and imaginative — all meant to shape a future that isn’t just worth living, but worth loving.

Making Invisible Intelligence Feel Trustworthy

As AI increasingly anticipates needs, curates routines and operates autonomously across devices, panelists Allie K. Miller, CEO of Open Machine; Amy Webb, CEO of the Future Today Strategy Group; Zack Kass, Global AI Advisor at ZKAI Advisory and former Head of Go-To-Market at OpenAI; and Shin Baik, AI Platform Center (APC) Group Head at Samsung Electronics, emphasized that trust must be earned not through promises, but through consistent, understandable behavior.

At the session, Samsung shared its approach to trust-by-design, highlighting the importance of AI systems that are predictable, transparent and easy for users to control. “When it comes to AI, users are looking for transparency and control,” Allie Miller said. “They want to be leaders in their own personalized experiences — to understand whether an AI model is running locally or in the cloud, to know their data is secure and to clearly see what is powered by AI and what is not. That level of visibility builds confidence. On the provider side, there is a responsibility to show up for users by designing personalized experiences around the core components of trust — clarity, security and accountability.”

Samsung also underscored how on-device AI allows personal data to remain local whenever possible, while cloud-based intelligence can be used selectively when greater speed or scale is required, giving users flexibility without compromising privacy.

Security Built for an AI-Driven World

The panel also explored how, as intelligence becomes distributed across phones, TVs and home appliances, security must evolve. In the session, Samsung highlighted its Knox security platform — which now protects billions of devices from the chipset up — as well as Knox Matrix, a cross-device security framework that enables products to authenticate and protect one another.

“Trust in AI starts with security that’s proven, not promised,” Shin Baik said. “For more than a decade, Samsung Knox has provided a deeply embedded security platform designed to protect sensitive data at every layer. But trust goes beyond a single device — it requires an ecosystem that protects itself. With Knox, devices continuously authenticate and monitor one another, so each device acts as a shield for the rest, creating a resilient, secure environment users can rely on.”

A Cross-Industry Conversation on the Future of Trust

Shin Baik emphasized how trust grows when AI behaves predictably and securely across devices, arguing that users need visible signals of control rather than “black box” systems. Samsung pointed to its partnerships with industry leaders such as Google and Microsoft as a way to strengthen shared security research, interoperability and ecosystem-wide protection, while Allie Miller highlighted the importance of transparency for users including clear visibility into where AI models run, how data is used and explicit labels that show what is powered by AI and what is not. Meanwhile, Zack Kass added that while misinformation and misuse present real challenges, “For every risk, there is also a countermeasure and technology itself will play a critical role in mitigating AI’s downsides.”

Amy Webb evaluated the relationship between trust and the purchasing habits of consumers. “I don’t think they’re making decisions based on trust alone,” she said. “People aren’t paying for trust. They don’t buy things because of trust. They buy things because of convenience. So, if the AI piece of this hooks people in, it makes their lives easier and more convenient.”

As AI becomes increasingly invisible, the panel concluded that the technologies that earn long-term trust will be those that prioritize security, transparency and meaningful user choice from the start.

The First Look 2026 by Samsung Electronics unveiled a forward-looking vision for AI under the theme “Your Companion to AI Living.” Held in Samsung’s dedicated space at Wynn Las Vegas, the exhibition guided visitors through how AI can enhance everyday enjoyment and convenience while supporting health and safety.

Samsung Newsroom explored the exhibition, highlighting the company’s evolving AI companion experiences across entertainment, home and care.

AI Gallery Zone: An Artistic Welcome to AI Living

The AI Gallery zone welcomed visitors with iconic works from both Eastern and Western art, seamlessly integrated into the space. Featured pieces included Vincent van Gogh’s “Starry Night Over the Rhône,” along with selections from the Lee Kun-Hee Collection — donated to public institutions by the late Samsung chairman and available through Samsung Art Store — such as Jeong Seon’s “Clearing After Rain on Mount Inwang” and the Joseon Dynasty painting “Sun, Moon, and Five Peaks.”

Entertainment Companion Zone: Every Moment of Sight and Sound

The Entertainment Companion zone stood out as the exhibition’s largest area, featuring a variety of visual display and audio products. Excitement built as Samsung debuted the Micro RGB 130” TV, winner of the CES Innovation Awards 2026 Best of Innovation.

Centered on the Micro RGB TV, the Vision AI showcase highlighted hands-free interaction. Through voice commands, visitors could look up match predictions, search for recipes or play music — demonstrating how the TV functions as an Entertainment Companion.

Beyond innovation, this year’s lineup emphasized a refined design philosophy balancing simplicity and elegance. Highlights included the Music Studio 5 and Music Studio 7, Wi-Fi speakers developed in collaboration with French designer Erwan Bouroullec; the AI Beauty Mirror for personalized beauty care; the Sound Tower with lighting optimized for sports viewing; and the Transparent Micro LED, reimagining the nostalgic charm of vinyl records as a floating visual audio device.

The zone concluded with Spatial Signage — an interactive display that animates visitors in real time — combining the clarity of 2D imagery with the depth of 3D expression.

Home Companion Zone: Less Housework, More Everyday Freedom

The Home Companion zone presented the evolution of Samsung’s home appliances — moving beyond reducing household chores toward eliminating them and pointing to a future with less housework.

At the entrance, three flagship Samsung AI home appliances — the Bespoke AI Refrigerator Family Hub 32”, Bespoke AI Laundry Combo washer-dryer and Bespoke AI Jet Bot Combo robot vacuum — demonstrated how cameras, screens and voice interaction work together to support daily life as an integrated Home Companion.

The home appliances highlighted smarter food management through AI Vision and hands-free control through voice recognition, offering greater freedom in the kitchen.

A North America kitchen package, unveiled publicly for the first time at the exhibition, also drew attention from visitors.

The exhibition showed that a zero-housework home is within reach, highlighting stronger connectivity among washing machines, dryers and garment care systems, alongside advances in the AI capabilities of robot vacuums.

Care Companion Zone: A Safer, Healthier Everyday Life

In the Care Companion zone, visitors saw how the latest Galaxy form factors — including the new Galaxy Z TriFold — connect mobile and wearable devices with home appliances to serve as a central hub for AI-powered living.

The area demonstrated how Samsung Health is continuing to improve sleep environments by controlling air conditioners, air purifiers, lighting and sensors. A brain health training program for users concerned with cognitive health was also showcased. Other features of the health platform include analyzing health metrics through connected devices to help identify potential signs of chronic conditions, as well as exercise and sleep coaching and recipe recommendations based on ingredients in connected refrigerators.

Samsung further highlighted its Care Companion approach through a Pet Care system that helps identify potential health issues in companion animals and Home Care services, such as SmartThings Safe, that can request emergency assistance in critical situations.

“What impressed me was how everything is connected,” said Maxence Fleury, a digital content creator from Los Angeles. “The exhibition clearly showed how the ecosystem is expanding and the impact it is having.”

“Once again, Samsung didn’t disappoint,” said Lucy Hedges, host of The Travel Show on the BBC. “What I especially liked was how AI blends naturally into everyday life. These connected products ultimately make users’ lives easier and more comfortable.”

As a standalone exhibition, The First Look 2026 presented a more expansive and advanced range of AI products and experiences than ever before. Samsung’s vision of AI — as a trusted companion in everyday life — offers much to look forward to in the years ahead.

Under the theme “Your Companion to AI Living,” Samsung outlined its vision for bringing joy, convenience and care to people’s daily lives — unveiling new products and technologies designed to support that goal. The company also emphasized its commitment to democratizing AI by integrating the technology across its product lineup and services.

Watch how Samsung is embedding AI into everyday life.

TM Roh, CEO and Head of Samsung’s Device eXperience (DX) Division, opened The First Look by describing the company’s AI leadership and how, due to its vast, AI-enabled, connected ecosystem, Samsung can provide users with a true AI companion experience in their daily life. This approach gives users a chance to access more than just the basics from their technology and instead, provides opportunities to find more meaningful moments everywhere.

“Samsung is building a more unified, more personal experience across mobile, visual display, home appliances and services,” said TM Roh. “With our global connected ecosystem, and by embedding AI across categories, Samsung is leading the way to offer more meaningful everyday AI experiences.”

Entertainment Companion: Extending the Experience Beyond Simple Viewing

SW Yong, President and Head of the Visual Display (VD) Business at Samsung Electronics, and Sukhmani Mohta, Chief Marketing and Partnerships Officer, VD Business at Samsung Electronics America, took the stage to describe how Samsung’s displays are combining hardware excellence and visual intelligence to provide a true entertainment companion. Drawing from twenty years of leading the TV industry, Samsung has built a full AI TV lineup that provides an entirely new way for users to interact with their TV.

The center of the display lineup is the 130-inch Micro RGB, which represents a monumental leap in scale and picture quality. The 130-inch Micro RGB marks a new era of color, featuring the widest and most detailed spectrum ever seen in Samsung TVs while its Timeless Frame design minimizes distractions and allows the picture to take center stage with understated elegance. A micro-sized RGB light source drives the unprecedented picture quality, with each microscopic red, green and blue diode shining independently to produce color in its purest, most natural form. Micro RGB AI Engine Pro enables precise control of RGB colors and creates overwhelmingly vivid picture quality in every scene.

Elevating this next-level viewing experience, Vision AI Companion (VAC)¹ uses AI technology to work alongside users as a full entertainment companion to enhance viewing, dining and mood, anywhere in the home. With it, users can receive guidance on what to watch, what to eat and what music to listen to, enhancing the overall TV experience in a way that extends far beyond simple viewing.

Samsung also offers intuitive modes to personalize the viewing experience. For soccer fans, AI Soccer Mode Pro delivers a more exciting gameday experience through AI-driven picture and sound tuning to stadium-level quality. AI Sound Controller Pro lets you raise or lower the volume of the crowd, commentary, or background music, providing a personalized listening experience for TV shows and movies. Users can simply make verbal requests, and any TV equipped with VAC — which includes Micro LED, Micro RGB, OLED, Neo QLED, Mini LED and UHD TV — contextually carries out those requests.

Across different types of programming, VAC also boosts the overall lifestyle experience. It allows users to find recipes for meals they see on TV by simply asking and uses the most up-to-date information to make recommendations that align with health and fitness goals. VAC offers multi-device functionality, as well, sending recommended recipes directly to other devices like the newly-unveiled The Movingstyle, designed to move easily throughout the home and kitchen appliances, for a multi-device experience achieved through complete ecosystem integration.

Samsung has led the global soundbar market for 11 consecutive years. This year, it is introducing two new WiFi speakers, the Music Studio 5 and 7, to further expand its integrated ecosystem. These models support a wider range of sound system combinations, enhance audiovisual quality and improve the aesthetics of any space. Each model shares a timeless, dot design concept by renowned designer Erwan Bouroullec, inspired by a universal symbol in music and art and grounded in Samsung’s signature design language.

Samsung also unveiled a host of new products that blend beautifully with users’ homes and aesthetics.  The new, ultra-thin OLED S95H features a refined bezel that gives it art gallery elegance, and Samsung’s new portable projector, The Freestyle+, is powered by VAC and allows users to view content on walls and ceilings, as well as uneven surfaces like corners and curtains.

The 2026 TV lineup² supports HDR10+ ADVANCED, delivering enhanced brightness, genre-based optimization, intelligent motion smoothing, advanced local tone mapping and improved gaming experience.

As HDR10+ adoption grows among major OTT providers, Samsung will be the first to launch HDR10+ ADVANCED in its 2026 TV lineup. Samsung also features Eclipsa Audio, the company’s new spatial sound system, introduced across all 2026 TVs.

Samsung also unveiled its most advanced Odyssey gaming monitor lineup yet, introducing five new models that push the boundaries of resolution, refresh rate and immersive visual performance. Led by Samsung’s first 6K 3D Odyssey G9, the 2026 lineup debuts world-first display technologies for gamers and creators, including the next-generation Odyssey G6 and three new Odyssey G8 models.

At the center of all these display innovations is the most powerful Tizen OS yet. Users can now enjoy seven years of Tizen OS upgrades, ensuring that TVs continue to evolve long after they have entered the home.

Home Companion: Connected Smart Appliances That Guide You Through Your Day

Cheolgi Kim, Executive Vice President and Head of Digital Appliances (DA) Division at Samsung Electronics, and Elizabeth Anderson, Head of Integrated Marketing, DA at Samsung Electronics America (SEA) outlined Samsung’s vision to evolve from providing home appliances to true home companions that work to eliminate the stress of daily chores. Cheolgi Kim also announced that as of December 2025, SmartThings now serves more than 430 million users, empowering Samsung with a significant scale and depth of insight that sets it apart from other brands.

This insight comes to life with the Family Hub. The AI-enabled refrigerator is the centerpiece of the home and now, with an upgrade to AI Vision built with Google Gemini,³ it redefines living for an AI future. With this update, AI Vision unlocks existing limitations in recognizing food items, seamlessly tracking what is placed into and taken out of the refrigerator, making meal planning and food management simpler than ever.⁴ The Family Hub has won 10 CES Innovation Awards so far, and Samsung’s AI-enabled fridges have received the award for the past three years.

Through a gamified feature called “What’s for Today?”,⁵ select refrigerators provide recipe recommendations based on what is in the refrigerator or also random recommendations, reducing the stress caused by choosing what to cook. When selected, recipes show up through SmartThings Food, where users receive a step-by-step guide to help them get started instantly. The selected recipe can also be sent to connected cooking appliances to begin the process seamlessly. Video to Recipe⁶ adds even more simplicity, providing users with recommended cooking videos and converting those videos into easy-to-follow steps, allowing users to follow along while they cook without pausing the video or backtracking.

Samsung also unveiled FoodNote,⁷ a new, weekly report that recaps users’ food intake patterns, from most-used ingredients and recipe recommendations, and which items it’s time to restock. Additionally, Now Brief⁸ includes more widgets on the Family Hub screen and with Voice ID,⁹ can distinguish between family members and display content relevant to each individual. Ultimately, these features come together to provide various helpful insights and information throughout the week.

In the laundry room, the Bespoke AI Laundry Combo removes the need to transfer loads of laundry, solving a major pain point for households. This year’s model comes with enhanced features, like a faster super speed cycle and enhanced drying performance. Moreover, Samsung’s new Bespoke AI AirDresser is here to solve another common problem with your clothes. It features Auto Wrinkle Care, which blasts strong air and steam jets to smooth out shirts. All users have to do is hang their shirt and wait, reducing the burden in busy mornings.

Around the house, the Bespoke AI Jet Bot Steam Ultra, powered by a Qualcomm Dragonwing processor, features an Active Stereo 3D Sensor to recognize liquids¹⁰ like coffee, juice, or even transparent liquids like water. While its camera helps with navigation, it also allows the robot vacuum to serve as a monitoring device for when users are away from home, notifying them about their pets and whether there is any suspicious activity.¹¹ Plus, with a smarter Bixby,¹² users can speak conversationally to their robot vacuum to carry out tasks with ease. For the deep level of connectivity and integration that forms the backbone of a holistic, AI-powered experience, Samsung’s Bespoke AI appliances have received a CES Innovation Award.

Additional benefits include a first-of-its-kind partnership with Hartford Steam Boiler (HSB) to help unlock real, meaningful savings to the smart home experience. HSB President and CEO Greg M. Barats joined the presentation to discuss the partnership, explaining the potential benefits of having smart appliances connected to SmartThings to reduce insurance premiums. This is the best of the AI era — increased protections and reduced costs for users. After a successful pilot run in the U.S. in 2025, the collaboration is expanding to more states across the U.S., as well as to leading home insurance carriers in other global regions.

Care Companion: Shifting From Reactive to Proactive Care

Finally, Praveen Raja, Vice President and Head of Digital Health at Samsung Research America (SRA), introduced Samsung’s long-term vision for intelligent care enabled by Samsung’s integrated device ecosystem, redefining care from a reactive need to a proactive opportunity. With AI, phones, appliances, wearables and other connected devices will help users prevent potential health concerns before they occur.

For example, Samsung aims to provide personalized health coaching, offering effective exercise and sleep coaching to help decrease risk for major chronic diseases and also suggesting appropriate recipes based on ingredients available in connected refrigerators. Additionally, if any abnormal signs or patterns are detected, it will alert users while allowing their health metrics to be shared with providers via the Xealth platform and facilitating virtual professional consultations.

Recognizing the importance of preventative health, Samsung is also expanding its capabilities in dementia detection through research partnerships, with wearable devices registering subtle changes to mobility, speech and engagement that can be indicative of long-term cognitive changes.

Samsung Knox and Knox Matrix serve as the foundation of this hyper-personalized ecosystem, safeguarding user data at every turn. As AI is constantly evolving, so are Knox and Knox Matrix. To maintain security despite constant changes, Samsung’s security systems are consistently identifying AI risks by advancing to protect data in AI training processes and approving models through red team analysis.

The Samsung Exhibition Zone at CES is available to the public Jan. 4-7. For more information, visit the Samsung Newsroom.

1. Feature available in certain regions and models. Availability and supported features may vary by region and watching conditions. Voice commands recognize English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, German, Italian and Korean, but not all accents, dialects and expressions are recognized. This feature provides AI-created content, with accuracy not guaranteed, so results should be confirmed. Requires a specific Bluetooth remote (TM2660H/TM2661H) (sold separately on some models). In-box remote for some models (M70H/U800H) does not support voice recognition. Requires either a Mobile Quick Remote or separately purchased Bluetooth remote. Feature accessible with the AI button or the Home button (via long press) on remote controls without an AI button. ︎
2. HDR10+ ADVANCED will be available on the following models: QN990H, R95H, S95H, S90H, R90H, S85H, LS03HW, LS03H and QN80H. ︎
3. Google Gemini is provided by Google LLC. Service availability, supported functions, and accuracy may vary by country, language, device model and OS/One UI version. Users must be 18 or older. Some functions may require additional app settings, and features or results may vary by subscription. ︎
4. AI Vision refers to the refrigerator’s internal camera and AI-based processing that helps recognize food items. A Wi-Fi connection and a Samsung account are required. If a food item is not recognizable, it may be listed as an unknown item. AI Vision cannot identify or list any food items in the freezer. Recognition uses AI models that may be updated periodically to help improve performance. The user may need to manually check and adjust the list to ensure its accuracy. A red light turns on when the camera is operating. The user’s appearance may be captured, but areas other than the food item are automatically blurred. ︎
5. A Wi-Fi connection and a Samsung account are required. ︎
6. A Wi-Fi connection and a Samsung account are required. ︎
7. A Wi-Fi connection and a Samsung account are required. ︎
8. A Wi-Fi connection and a Samsung, Google, or Microsoft account may be required. You must use the same log-in account on each of the devices. Availability of certain apps may vary by country, region, service provider, network environment, or device, and may change without notice. ︎
9. Each user must register for a Samsung Account on screen appliances in advance. Up to six accounts can be registered on a single device. To use Voice ID, users must have agreed to the Bixby terms and conditions. Voice ID registration is available on select appliances, TVs and mobiles, and only one voice can be registered per account. ︎
10. A liquid spill is defined as a colored or transparent liquid, such as water or juice, having a size of 7cm x 7cm (15 ml in volume) or larger. Identification may be affected by the size of the liquid or the environmental conditions of the floor, such as the floor pattern, color of the floor, direct or reflected light, or shape of the liquid. Excessive amount of liquid on the floor may cause secondary contamination. ︎
11. Must download the SmartThings app available on Android and iOS devices. A Wi-Fi connection and a Samsung account are required. Only cats and dogs can be recognized. The recognition capabilities may be limited by the posture or position of a pet. The ability to recognize your pet may vary depending on the type of animal and the living environment. It only recognizes a pet presence based on generic visual indicators, and cannot identify individual pets. Each appliance needs to be set to be optimized for pets by the SmartThings App. ︎
12. Bixby is Samsung’s brand of Internet of Things (IoT) voice assistant. Bixby service availability may vary depending on the country. Bixby recognizes selected languages and certain accents/dialects, including Korean, English (US/GB/IN), Spanish (MX/ES), German, French, Italian, and Portuguese (BR). The user interface may change and differ by device. The availability of Bixby features and content providers may vary depending on the country/carrier/language/device model/OS version. A Samsung account log-in and data network connection (Wi-Fi or data network) are required. ︎

Samsung Electronics today announced it will showcase new projects that, with the support of its C-Lab program, are innovating in a wide range of fields, including AI, robotics and digital health, at CES 2026, the world’s largest consumer electronics and IT exhibition, running Jan. 6-9.

At CES, Samsung will operate a dedicated C-Lab exhibition area to support the startups’ expansion into the global market. It will be located in Eureka Park at the Venetian Expo, the designated startup zone of CES, where participating startups will showcase innovative technologies.

“Samsung supports C-Lab startups through CES as a platform to validate innovative technologies and build momentum for global growth,” said Byoung Chul Lee, Vice President and Head of the Creativity & Innovation Center at Samsung Electronics. “This year, expanded participation from regional startups highlights the continued evolution of the C-Lab ecosystem.”

C-Lab Outside: 15 Startups That Include AI, Robotics and Digital Health

This year, C-Lab will feature 15 startups, including eight startups directly incubated by Samsung Electronics through the C-Lab Outside program, four from the Samsung Financial Networks-operated Samsung Financial C-Lab Outside, two from Samsung Electronics’ internal venture program, C-Lab Inside and one that was jointly incubated by Samsung Electronics and the Daegu Creative Economy Innovation Center.

Record Participation of Regional Startups

Since 2023, Samsung has expanded C-Lab Outside to the Korean cities of Daegu and Gwangju, as well as the Gyeongbuk province. The program identifies and supports promising startups to strengthen regional startup ecosystems, then provides workspace, stage-based consulting and opportunities to collaborate with Samsung and its affiliates. This allows startups to grow without relocating to the much larger city of Seoul and fosters a sustainable local innovation cycle.

To date, 40 regional startups have been incubated through this initiative, contributing to the revitalization of regional ecosystems and laying the groundwork for future global unicorns.

At CES 2026, seven startups from Daegu, Gwangju and Gyeongbuk will participate, marking the largest-ever presence of regional C-Lab startups at CES.

Regional Startup Achievements Continue to Grow

Repla, a plastic recycling startup from C-Lab Outside Gyeongbuk, received a CES 2026 Innovation Award for its Puri-Checker, a device that analyzes plastic composition ratios.

“For a regional startup, collaborating with a global company like Samsung has been a valuable opportunity,” said Dong-eun Seo, CEO of Repla. “Plastic recycling is a global challenge and CES provides an important platform to explore international market opportunities.”

The seven participating regional C-Lab startups are as follows:

• Stress Solution (Gyeongbuk): An AI-based personalized mental care sound creation solution
• Deepscent (Gwangju): An AI-powered digital scent solution tailored to every space
• Elevenliter (Daegu): AI-powered diagnostics for progressive diseases in pets
• AunionAI (Gwangju): A web-based AI solution for automated multilingual dubbing and subtitles with expressive voices and sound effects
• Repla (Gyeongbuk): Enzyme-purified recycled plastic, free of impurities
• Univa (Daegu): An on-device multimodal large language model solution
• 10kM.ai (Daegu Creative Economy Innovation Center): An enterprise AI video production solution that can generate, edit and monetize videos

C-Lab Inside Showcases AI-Driven Internal Ventures

Every year since 2016, Samsung has used CES to showcase projects from C-Lab Inside, gauging global market response and validating business potential.

This year, two AI-driven projects evaluated highly for their innovation, global scalability and completeness will be exhibited:

• ChronoMix: An AI solution for object-centric video composition
• EZ Reco: A generative AI platform that makes electronics recommendations based on expert knowledge

Expansion of C-Lab to Affiliates, Including Financial Startups

Reflecting the expansion of Samsung’s open innovation model across its affiliates, four startups from Samsung Financial C-Lab Outside will participate in CES for the first time. This participation enables startups across various industries to seek new global collaboration opportunities by leveraging Samsung’s incubation experience. The Samsung Financial C-Lab Outside startups are as follows:

• Selectstar (Samsung Life Insurance): Copyright-cleared datasets and an all-in-one AI evaluation platform
• Datumo (Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance): Cyber risk modeling to quantify and reduce the financial impact of cyberattacks
• WINNING.I (Samsung Card): Next-gen identity verification (eKYC) powered by simultaneous fingerprint and face biometrics
• Pillsang (Samsung Securities): Real-time phishing (scam/fraud) detection solution using on-device AI

C-Lab Startups Win 17 CES 2026 Innovation Awards

C-Lab startups have received a total of 17 CES 2026 Innovation Awards, including two Best of Innovation Awards, as announced by the Consumer Technology Association (CTA).

Both Best of Innovation Award recipients — MangoSlab and StudioLab — originated from C-Lab Inside and later spun off as independent startups, reaffirming the technological excellence and growth potential of Samsung’s internal ventures.

HARMAN International, a global leader in automotive technology and lifestyle audio, and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Samsung Electronics, today announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire the Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) business of ZF Group, comprising leading automotive compute solutions, smart cameras, radars and ADAS software functions. The transaction is valued at €1.5 billion.

A Strategic Step toward an Integrated, Centralized Vehicle Architecture

HARMAN’s “Consumer Experiences. Automotive Grade.” strategy focuses on bringing the speed, intelligence and intuitive experiences consumers expect from leading technology brands into vehicles, while also meeting the highest standards for automotive safety, reliability and long-term platform support. As automakers accelerate toward software-defined vehicles (SDV), this approach enables experiences that seamlessly connect safety and assisted driving functions with comfort, connectivity and in-vehicle intelligence. With this acquisition, HARMAN has secured strategic inroads in the ADAS and central compute platforms markets, reinforcing a foundation that anchors and advances its role in the fast-growing SDV market.

By integrating ZF’s ADAS capabilities with HARMAN’s flagship Digital Cockpit offerings within a centralized compute design, the acquisition bolsters HARMAN’s roadmap for next-generation vehicle architectures. The combination creates a foundation for future central compute solutions that bring assisted and automated driving solutions, safety and user experiences on a shared platform. This approach streamlines system design, reduces integration complexity and supports more efficient innovation cycles, allowing HARMAN to enable OEMs to scale differentiated, context-aware vehicle experiences.

“The industry is at an inflection point where safety, intelligence and in-cabin experience must come together through a unified computing architecture,” said Christian Sobottka, Chief Executive Officer and President, Automotive Division, HARMAN. “With this agreement, we take a strategic step to expand our portfolio with complementary ADAS capabilities that unlock a new class of cross-domain experiences ranging from perception-informed audio cues to more personalized, situation-aware driving. Combined with HARMAN’s long-standing automotive expertise and supported by Samsung’s broader technology leadership, this positions us to help OEMs design the next generation of intelligent, empathetic and connected vehicles.”

“With HARMAN, we have found the ideal partner to fully unlock the growth and innovation potential of our ADAS business,” said Mathias Miedreich, CEO of ZF Group. “At the same time, this deal makes an important contribution to reducing our company’s debt and allows us to focus our resources on the core technologies in which ZF is a global leader.”

“Samsung has a successful record of strategic acquisitions that accelerate innovation and expand what’s possible for our customers,” said Young Sohn, Chairman of the Board of Directors, HARMAN and Senior Advisor, Samsung Electronics. “Since acquiring HARMAN in 2017, the company has scaled its automotive and audio business from $7 billion to more than $11 billion today. Adding ZF’s ADAS capabilities builds on that momentum. HARMAN will further expand its technology foundation to deliver safer, more intelligent and more intuitive in-vehicle experiences. This acquisition reinforces HARMAN’s leadership in the industry’s transformation and underscores Samsung’s long-term commitment to the future of mobility.”

“This transaction marks a major milestone in the execution of HARMAN’s long-term strategy and further strengthens our portfolio,” said Carolin Reichert, Chief Strategy Officer of HARMAN. “Throughout the process, we worked in a very constructive collaboration with ZF and demonstrated our ability to successfully execute a highly complex carve-out.”

As part of the agreement, approximately 3,750 ZF employees across Europe, the Americas and Asia are expected to transition to HARMAN upon closing of the transaction. The transaction is expected to close in the second half of 2026, subject to receiving necessary regulatory approvals.

Upon closing, HARMAN will integrate ZF’s ADAS capabilities into its centralized compute and digital cockpit roadmap, enabling OEMs to deploy more scalable, safety-integrated vehicle architectures. The companies will maintain strong support for existing programs while aligning engineering, ADAS and compute teams to accelerate innovation for next-generation platforms.

About HARMAN

HARMAN is a global leader in Lifestyle Audio and Automotive technology. We create intelligent experiences that enrich people’s lives on the road, in their homes, on the stage and everywhere in between. Our iconic audio brands — including JBL®, Harman Kardon®, AKG®, Bowers & Wilkins®, Denon® and Marantz® — bring premium sound to consumers and audio/visual professionals worldwide. More than 50 million vehicles globally rely on HARMAN’s technologies to deliver safer, smarter and more intuitive in-cabin experiences. A wholly owned subsidiary of Samsung Electronics, HARMAN has approximately 26,000 employees around the world.

About ZF

ZF is a global technology company supplying advanced mobility products and systems for passenger cars, commercial vehicles and industrial technology. Its comprehensive product range is primarily aimed at vehicle manufacturers, mobility providers and start-up companies in the fields of transportation and mobility. ZF electrifies a wide range of vehicle types. With its products, the company contributes to reducing emissions, protecting the climate as well as enhancing safe mobility. Alongside the automotive sector — passenger cars and commercial vehicles — ZF also serves market segments such as construction and agricultural machinery, wind power, marine propulsion, rail drives and test systems. With some 161,600 employees worldwide, ZF reported sales of €41.4 billion in fiscal 2024. The company operates 161 production locations in 30 countries.