“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.

The teaser reflects Samsung’s vision of integrating AI across its products and services, positioning the company as a trusted partner that enhances and supports AI experiences throughout users’ daily lives.

Designed to build anticipation for the event, the video uses vibrant lights and lines to form silhouettes of new innovations set to debut at The First Look, symbolizing the seamless integration of AI across Samsung’s portfolio. In the final scene, the light flows into Wynn Las Vegas, where the event will be held, revealing the theme.

The First Look 2026 will officially kick off on January 4 at 7 p.m. PST — two days before the opening of CES 2026 — with a media event at Wynn Las Vegas, followed by four days of exhibitions, tech forums and other events through January 7.

The media event will feature key Samsung executives, including TM Roh, CEO and Head of Device eXperience (DX) Division; SW Yong, President and Head of Visual Display (VD) Business; and Cheolgi Kim, Executive Vice President and Head of Digital Appliance (DA) Business. Together, they will outline customer experience innovation strategies across their respective areas.

The tech forums will be held from January 5 to 6, with four sessions covering topics including AI, home appliances and design. More information about The First Look 2026 will be revealed on Samsung Newsroom.

Samsung Electronics today announced that it will host a series of four moderated Tech Forum panel discussions at CES 2026, to highlight industry trends and unveil its distinct AI vision and strategy.

Samsung’s Tech Forums will be held Jan. 5–6 at Samsung’s dedicated exhibition space in the Latour Ballroom at the Wynn Las Vegas. The company will host a total of four moderated panels covering AI, Home Appliances, Services and Design. Samsung executives along with partners, academics, media and industry analysts will participate in each session by topic:

• When Everything Clicks: How Open Ecosystems Deliver Impactful AI (Jan. 5, 9:00 AM) —  Yoonho Choi, Digital Appliances Business, Samsung Electronics (Chair, Home Connectivity Alliance)

Description: Collaborating smart home innovators hold an open discussion on the necessity of cross-industry partnership and what it takes for meaningful smart home technology to be woven into daily living.

• In Tech We Trust? Rethinking Security & Privacy in the AI Age (Jan. 5, 2:00 PM) — Shin Baik, Group Head, AI Platform Center, Samsung Electronics

Description: Experts in security and AI examine the science of trust and how transparency and secure systems can spark a meaningful change for AI adoption.

• FAST Forward: How Streaming’s Next Wave is Redefining Television (Jan. 5, 4:00 PM) —
  Salek Brodsky, Executive Vice President, Visual Display Business, Samsung Electronics

Description: Leaders in TV and entertainment explore the next wave of streaming, including free ad-supported streaming television (FAST), hybrid models and creator-led channels to shape a more interactive future.

• The Human Side of Tech: Designing a Future Worth Loving (Jan. 6, 1:00 PM) — Mauro Porcini, President and Chief Design Officer, DX Division, Samsung Electronics

Description: Design leaders urge the tech industry to look beyond minimalist, spec-driven approaches toward more expressive, human-centered design shaped by new materials, AI and creativity.

In covering the latest trends in technology and daily living, the Technology Forum discussions will serve as a complement to the company’s latest product innovations, which will be showcased at the Samsung Exhibition Zone at the Wynn from Jan. 5–7.

Samsung Electronics today announced that its smart home platform, SmartThings, now supports Matter 1.5 — the global smart home standard — making it the first in the industry to support Matter-compatible cameras.

Starting later this month, Samsung will roll out SmartThings updates to expand its existing list of Matter devices, including lights, door locks, switches and various sensors, by adding cameras. With this update, SmartThings will become the smart home platform with the broadest support for Matter devices.

“Samsung aims to ensure that products and services built on different brands and protocols deliver a unified experience through SmartThings,” said Jaeyeon Jung, Executive Vice President and Head of SmartThings Team at Samsung Electronics. “We will continue to expand our support for industry standards, including Matter, and further strengthen collaboration to drive new customer experiences.”

Enhanced Security and Safety With Matter 1.5 Camera Support

Matter 1.5, announced by the Connectivity Standard Alliance (CSA) in November, adds camera support as well as enhanced features for closure operations, including blinds, awnings and garage doors — along with improved energy management.

The industry is particularly focused on the inclusion of a camera standard, as cameras are an essential part of any smart home ecosystem. Matter 1.5 supports a wide range of camera use cases including indoor and outdoor security cameras, video doorbells and more. It also includes features such as live video streaming, two-way communication, motion detection, event history and pan-tilt-zoom controls.

Expanded User Choice and Enhanced Developer Convenience

With SmartThings supporting the standard, camera manufacturers can now launch Matter-based cameras that seamlessly integrate with SmartThings without the need to customize separate API (Application Programming Interface).

Samsung has collaborated with leading global IoT device makers, including Aqara, Eve and XThings, to develop Matter cameras, and these products are expected to roll out starting in March 2026.

SmartThings has already partnered with Aqara, Arlo, Hue, Ring and others to provide a wide array of smart home camera experiences across various protocols and connection methods. With this update, users will have even more options, as Matter cameras can now be integrated easily into the SmartThings ecosystem.

Integrating cameras with SmartThings helps users build a safe and convenient smart home tailored to their lifestyle. This integration enables essential functions such as monitoring the home environment while away, checking on the well-being of pets and configuring customized routines by connecting with smart doorbells.

Strengthening Industry Leadership With the Broadest Support for Matter Devices

Samsung SmartThings continues to expand its global partnerships under an open-platform strategy. Through the WWST (Works With SmartThings) certification program, SmartThings now supports more than 4,700 models from over 390 partner brands. By rapidly adopting the Matter standard, Samsung has also helped bring 58 Matter device types into users’ everyday lives.

Samsung Electronics and KT Corporation (KT) announced they have successfully validated AI-based radio access network (AI-RAN) optimization technology on KT’s commercial network, confirming that stable, uninterrupted service can be delivered across a range of real-world environments. Following simulation-based verification completed in June, this marks the first successful demonstration of the technology on a live commercial network.

As user-perceived communication quality becomes a key priority for telecom operators, Samsung has been developing AI-RAN optimization technologies to meet this need.

Traditionally, the same network configuration has been applied to all user devices — such as smartphones — connected to a base station. When users move through weak-signal areas or travel at high speeds, the connection between their devices and the base station may weaken or drop.

The AI-RAN optimization technology verified by the two companies automatically applies optimal configurations for each user — rather than for the network as a whole — based on real-time wireless conditions. The system leverages AI to learn from issues tied to a user’s movement paths and usage patterns, identifying recurring trends to predict potential problems. By proactively preventing disruptions, the technology helps users avoid the connectivity issues they experienced in the past.

Samsung Research of Samsung Electronics and the Future Network Laboratory at KT Corporation conducted a field test with approximately 18,000 users in select areas of Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, featuring varying environmental conditions. The AI-RAN technology was applied to users who had repeatedly experienced service disruptions, allowing the teams to identify recurring issue patterns and develop user-specific network configurations. The companies then compared the number of disconnections before and after applying these configurations on the commercial network. The results showed a significant drop in connection failures among users who had faced frequent disruptions, as well as a notable decrease in issues for other users in the region.

AI-RAN optimization will be essential as the industry prepares for the 6G era, when data usage is expected to surge and networks must deliver stable service across a wide range of communication environments. Because the improvement in communication quality was noticeable at the user level, this achievement is expected to be recognized as a leading example of AI-RAN technology. Moving forward, the two companies plan to expand validation across additional commercial networks and further advance 6G technology.

“This is a major milestone that shows how AI can improve user experience on real-world commercial networks,” said JinGuk Jeong, Executive Vice President and Head of the Advanced Communications Research Center, Samsung Research at Samsung Electronics. “Through close collaboration with KT, we will continue shaping and validating the next generation of AI-driven communication technologies.”

“This achievement demonstrates that AI can transform network operations around users,” said Jong-Sik Lee, Executive Vice President and Head of Future Network Laboratory at KT Corporation. “Together with Samsung, we will continue developing customized optimization technologies to deliver stable, uninterrupted service and drive core 6G capabilities that create new value for customers.”

Samsung is leading AI-driven 6G innovation through its research on AI-RAN technology, integrating advanced AI capabilities into wireless networks. The company will continue to strengthen collaboration with both domestic and global operators and partners to further enhance user experiences in next-generation communications.

TM Roh, CEO and Head of Device eXperience (DX) Division, will be the keynote speaker for The First Look. SW Yong, President and Head of the Visual Display (VD) Business, and Cheolgi Kim, Executive Vice President and Head of Digital Appliances (DA) Business, will also appear on stage to share their respective business directions for the upcoming year.

The event will be streamed live on Samsung Newsroom, Samsung Electronics’ official YouTube channel and as well as Samsung TV Plus, the company’s FAST (free, ad-supported TV streaming) service. Additional Samsung events and exhibitions will take place at the company’s exclusive exhibition at the Wynn Las Vegas through January 7.

Barrier-Free Mapmaking To Improve Local Mobility

From December 3 to 19, the Device eXperience (DX) Division will run its Barrier-Free Mapmaking volunteer program.

First launched in 2024 by the Device Solutions (DS) Division and expanded to the DX Division this year, the initiative sends employees into local communities to identify mobility challenges for people with disabilities, older adults and families using strollers. Accessibility features — including ramps, tactile paving and elevator access — will be added to mapping data, helping improve mobility in local communities.

Employees showed strong interest, with many signing up as soon as registration opened. “My grandmother uses a wheelchair, and our family has often struggled when going out to eat. I hope this initiative helps make everyday mobility a little easier for others in similar situations,” said Seongmi Lee from the Mobile eXperience (MX) Division. Yujin Kwak from the Korea Sales & Marketing Team added, “This project goes beyond mapmaking. It’s a valuable opportunity to improve the daily lives of people with limited mobility and help create an environment where everyone can move freely and equally.”

Advancing Accessibility Awareness Companywide

The DX Division carried out an accessibility awareness campaign and will distribute a new global accessibility guide to help employees integrate inclusive practices into their daily work. The resource outlines standards and procedures across HR functions — including recruitment, personnel management and workplace culture — and will serve as a key tool in fostering an accessibility-first organization.

Since 2023, the DX Division has also hosted a two-week Accessibility Festival Week (AFW) every May to mark Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD).

In 2025, AFW expanded beyond Korea to include Europe — bringing together employees from development, design, marketing and sales. Participants shared firsthand user experiences and emphasized the importance of embedding inclusive design into technology from the earliest planning and UX stages. Samsung also distributed an AFW toolkit across the company to help teams worldwide plan and execute accessibility-focused initiatives for future GAAD events.

Building Disability Awareness Through Cultural Experiences

The Inclusion and Diversity Office within the DX Division has introduced a cultural experience-based disability awareness program supported by the Korea Employment Agency for Persons with Disabilities. Moving beyond traditional lecture-style training, the initiative blends cultural activities with instruction to help employees deepen their empathy and understanding through musicals, classical concerts and theater productions featuring artists with disabilities. To date, 8,660 employees have participated, and the division continues to broaden involvement to strengthen the program’s impact.

“It inspired me to reflect on whether I had held any unconscious biases about people with disabilities,” said one employee who participated in the program. “It was the most moving training I’ve experienced since joining the company.” Other participants shared that experiencing live performances firsthand — rather than completing standard online training — offered an opportunity to reshape their perceptions of people with disabilities.

Steps Toward Better Mobility

The DS Division supports mobility and welfare programs for people with disabilities through its Love Walk campaign, turning employees’ steps into charitable donations.

Established in 1998 as Love Run, the initiative later shifted to Love Walk and has steadily expanded its impact.

From 2017 to 2021, donations supported mobility assistive devices for people with disabilities. Since 2022, the campaign has funded eco-conscious vehicles for community welfare centers to help improve mobility access.

Creating Meaningful Careers for People With Developmental Disabilities

Samsung operates Stellar Forest, a subsidiary standard workplace that supports people with developmental disabilities in developing their potential and building a sustainable foundation for independent living.

Following its launch in 2023, Stellar Forest has continued to identify job roles and industries suited to this community while expanding employment opportunities. In September 2025, it was certified as one of Korea’s top employers for job creation.

Currently, 420 employees work across two areas — the Bakery Division, which produces cookies, financiers and other baked goods, and the Pop-up & Package Division, which creates pop-up cards and books.

Employees in the DS Division run Stellar Forest Supporters, a volunteer group that supports cultural, sports and leisure activities for Stellar Forest employees. Each month, the group hosts badminton, yoga, choir, arts and crafts, gardening and cooking sessions — helping expand leisure and cultural opportunities for employees with developmental disabilities.

“Supporting the growth and independence of colleagues with developmental disabilities has been deeply moving and rewarding,” said a member of Stellar Forest Supporters.

In November, Young Hyun Jun, CEO, Vice Chairman and Head of the DS Division at Samsung Electronics, visited Stellar Forest to meet employees. He emphasized the importance of creating a workplace where everyone can work and grow freely, without bias or discrimination.

Driving Inclusion in AI and Employment

TM Roh, CEO, President and Head of the DX Division at Samsung Electronics, urged employees within the DX Division to build AI with openness and inclusion so everyone — with or without disabilities — can communicate freely and live independently in the AI era.

Last year, Samsung joined The Valuable 500, a global coalition of CEOs, underscoring its commitment to fostering a workplace where employees with disabilities can reach their full potential and to continually improving the accessibility of its products and services.

From barrier-free mapmaking to a wide range of accessibility initiatives, these efforts demonstrate Samsung’s commitment to innovation for all. Looking ahead, the company plans to embed accessibility and inclusion more deeply into its technologies and organizational culture — ensuring a safer, more convenient experience for everyone.

Learn more about Samsung’s accessibility efforts here.

On December 1, the two companies have launched the “Smart Tagged Baggage Service,” enabling Turkish Airlines passengers to quickly track lost or delayed baggage using Samsung’s location-tracking service, SmartThings Find.

SmartThings Find leverages Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) and ultra-wideband (UWB) technology to locate registered Samsung Galaxy devices. Supported by a global network of more than 700 million Galaxy devices, the service allows users to securely locate smartphones, tablets, smartwatches, earbuds and items with Galaxy SmartTags attached — anytime, anywhere.

Through this collaboration, Turkish Airlines can more efficiently recover baggage equipped with a Galaxy SmartTag when passengers include a link with location data in their lost baggage report. Passengers can also use the “Change Device Image” feature in SmartThings Find to register a photo of their actual luggage in the app, making it easier to identify if misplaced.

With Turkish Airlines as the launch partner, Samsung plans to expand collaborations with additional airlines. The airline aims to extend the use of SmartThings Find beyond baggage management to other customer services that benefit from location tracking. As the flag carrier of Türkiye, Turkish Airlines plans long-term cooperation with Samsung to drive customer experience innovation through AI-powered devices and software solutions.

“Samsung is expanding the SmartThings Find experience through partnerships across industries to help customers stay connected and at ease wherever they are,” said Jaeyeon Jung, Executive Vice President and Head of SmartThings at Samsung Electronics. “We are delighted to work with Turkish Airlines to deliver a more convenient and streamlined travel experience.”

“Turkish Airlines continues to lead the industry on its road to digitalization. We are delighted to partner with Samsung to leverage their cutting-edge technology for the benefit of our passengers,” said Kerem Kızıltunç, Chief Information Technologies Officer at Turkish Airlines. “We will continue to strengthen our industry leadership with technological collaborations that prioritize guest satisfaction and set new standards for the aviation industry.”

Rising obesity and chronic disease are making ultrasound exams more complex, leading to higher rates of inconclusive results and creating demand for advanced imaging technologies that provide deeper penetration, intelligent clinician support and diagnostic consistency. At the same time, widespread sonographer pain and workforce shortages highlight the importance of ergonomic design. The R20 was designed to meet these challenges head-on, combining imaging precision, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and ergonomics in a single system.

Built for exceptional imaging performance, the R20 is powered by Samsung’s Advanced Imaging Engine: integrating cutting-edge hardware with sophisticated software beamforming to achieve remarkable image clarity and diagnostic accuracy. R20 offers more than a dozen AI-powered tools¹ for real-time exam guidance, diagnostic assistance, workflow automation and automated measurements to help clinicians improve accuracy, save time and scan with greater confidence in complex cases. Complementing its clinical performance, the R20 achieved independent validation as a leader in ergonomic innovation, meeting 100% of recognized ergonomic guidelines and recommendations² to promote clinician comfort and healthy scanning.

“The R20 embodies our mission to elevate diagnostic imaging through purposeful innovation,” said Tracy Bury, Chief Commercial Officer of Samsung Healthcare in the USA and Vice President of Global Growth Initiatives. “Driven by close collaboration with clinicians, the R20’s technologies are designed as practical tools that make a real difference in how clinicians work and patients are cared for. With the R20, we’re moving from a fast follower to a true technology leader, driving innovation at a pace that’s reshaping ultrasound.”

The Samsung R20 will be unveiled in the U.S. for the first time at the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) 2025 Annual Meeting on Sunday, November 30, 2025 from 11:00–11:15 a.m. at the Samsung booth #6122 in North Hall B.

Attendees are invited to experience the R20 firsthand and explore how Samsung is redefining ultrasound performance through innovation in imaging, AI and ergonomics. For more information about the Samsung R20, visit: https://usa.samsunghealthcare.com/ultrasound/general-imaging/r20.

1. Data on file. Product features and availability may vary by region due to local regulatory requirements. ︎
2. Whitepaper. Sound Ergonomics. Samsung R20 Ergonomic Evaluation. 2025 ︎

Samsung Electronics and SK Telecom (SKT) signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to develop core 6G technologies, with a primary focus on artificial intelligence-based radio access network (AI-RAN) technology.

The companies will develop and test key technologies for the 6G era including AI-based channel estimation, distributed multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) transmission, AI-RAN-based schedulers and core network architectures.

Samsung Research of Samsung Electronics and the Network Technology Office of SK Telecom will lead the collaboration.

AI-based channel estimation predicts and corrects signal transmission in real time, enhancing network performance by enabling faster, more accurate data delivery in environments where radio waves are distorted by obstacles such as buildings or walls.

Unlike traditional architectures where a single base station handles data processing, distributed MIMO technology allows multiple base stations or antennas to work together to transmit and receive data. This approach supports reliable, ultra-high-speed communication across both urban and rural areas.

AI-RAN schedulers and AI-based core networks determine when, where and how to send data, ensuring efficient resource allocation even when many user devices are connected. These technologies are key to improving network quality and driving automation in a future hyperconnected society.

Through this partnership, Samsung Research will develop AI-RAN technologies including AI-based channel estimation models, schedulers and distributed MIMO. SKT will lead data provision and test infrastructure setup based on its nationwide network operations.

The companies are also collaborating as members of the AI-RAN Alliance. They jointly proposed an AI-based channel estimation technology that was officially approved as a work item. This month, they presented their research outcomes at the alliance’s all-member meeting, continuing their joint efforts.

“Through field-focused collaboration with SKT, we will be able to verify the effectiveness of AI-based wireless technologies in real-world settings and secure key AI-RAN technologies at an early stage,” said JinGuk Jeong, Executive Vice President and Head of Advanced Communications Research Center (ACRC), Samsung Research at Samsung Electronics. “We hope that continued collaboration between our companies will help pave the way for the rollout of 6G.”

“The convergence of AI and wireless communications will be crucial to 6G competitiveness,” said Takki Yu, Vice President of SK Telecom Network Technology Office. “Through our collaboration with Samsung Electronics, we plan to secure world-class AI-RAN-based 6G technologies and lead the global 6G ecosystem.”

Since establishing the ACRC in 2019, Samsung has pursued full-scale 6G research and published the 6G White Paper and 6G Spectrum White Paper — presenting its vision and direction for next-generation communications. At Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2025 in Barcelona, the company showcased a range of demonstrations in collaboration with the AI-RAN Alliance. Following last year, Samsung again hosted the Silicon Valley Future Wireless Summit in November to advance AI-RAN research and strengthen industry collaboration.

President Roh will continue to oversee the Company’s mobile business as Head of Mobile eXperience (MX) Business, while Vice Chairman Jun will remain as Head of Memory Business.

To strengthen Samsung’s technology leadership, the Company named Janghyun Yoon as President, Chief Technology Officer of DX Division and Head of Samsung Research, and Hongkun Park as Head of Samsung Advanced Institute of Technology (SAIT).

President Yoon was previously the CEO of Samsung Venture Investment. Prior to Samsung Venture Investment, he was responsible for software platforms as well as IoT and Tizen development at the MX Business.

Park is currently the Mark Hyman Jr. Professor of Chemistry and Professor of Physics at Harvard University, and a renowned researcher in the fields of nanoscience, quantum science and engineering.

Unlike server-based systems, on-device environments operate under strict memory and computing constraints. As a result, reducing AI model size and maximizing runtime efficiency are essential. To meet this challenge, Samsung Research AI Center is leading work across core technologies — from model compression and runtime software optimization to new architecture development.

Samsung Newsroom sat down with Dr. MyungJoo Ham, Master at AI Center, Samsung Research, to discuss the future of on-device AI and the optimization technologies that make it possible.

The First Step Toward On-Device AI

At the heart of generative AI — which interprets user language and produces natural responses — are large language models (LLMs). The first step in enabling on-device AI is compressing and optimizing these massive models so they run smoothly on devices such as smartphones.

“Running a highly advanced model that performs billions of computations directly on a smartphone or laptop would quickly drain the battery, increase heat and slow response times — noticeably degrading the user experience,” said Dr. Ham. “Model compression technology emerged to address these issues.”

LLMs perform calculations using extremely complex numerical representations. Model compression simplifies these values into more efficient integer formats through a process called quantization. “It’s like compressing a high-resolution photo so the file size shrinks but the visual quality remains nearly the same,” he explained. “For instance, converting 32-bit floating-point calculations to 8-bit or even 4-bit integers significantly reduces memory use and computational load, speeding up response times.”

A drop in numerical precision during quantization can reduce a model’s overall accuracy. To balance speed and model quality, Samsung Research is developing algorithms and tools that closely measure and calibrate performance after compression.

“The goal of model compression isn’t just to make the model smaller — it’s to keep it fast and accurate,” Dr. Ham said. “Using optimization algorithms, we analyze the model’s loss function during compression and retrain it until its outputs stay close to the original, smoothing out areas with large errors. Because each model weight has a different level of importance, we preserve critical weights with higher precision while compressing less important ones more aggressively. This approach maximizes efficiency without compromising accuracy.”

Beyond developing model compression technology at the prototype stage, Samsung Research adapts and commercializes it for real-world products such as smartphones and home appliances. “Because every device model has its own memory architecture and computing profile, a general approach can’t deliver cloud-level AI performance,” he said. “Through product-driven research, we’re designing our own compression algorithms to enhance AI experiences users can feel directly in their hands.”

The Hidden Engine That Drives AI Performance

Even with a well-compressed model, the user experience ultimately depends on how it runs on the device. Samsung Research is developing an AI runtime engine that optimizes how a device’s memory and computing resources are used during execution.

“The AI runtime is essentially the model’s engine control unit,” Dr. Ham said. “When a model runs across multiple processors — such as the central processing unit (CPU), graphics processing unit (GPU) and neural processing unit (NPU) — the runtime automatically assigns each operation to the optimal chip and minimizes memory access to boost overall AI performance.”

The AI runtime also enables larger and more sophisticated models to run at the same speed on the same device. This not only reduces response latency but also improves overall AI quality — delivering more accurate results, smoother conversations and more refined image processing.

“The biggest bottlenecks in on-device AI are memory bandwidth and storage access speed,” he said. “We’re developing optimization techniques that intelligently balance memory and computation.” For example, loading only the data needed at a given moment, rather than keeping everything in memory, improves efficiency. “Samsung Research now has the capability to run a 30-billion-parameter generative model — typically more than 16 GB in size — on less than 3 GB of memory,” he added.

The Next Generation of AI Model Architectures

Research on AI model architectures — the fundamental blueprints of AI systems — is also well underway.

“Because on-device environments have limited memory and computing resources, we need to redesign model structures so they run efficiently on the hardware,” said Dr. Ham. “Our architecture research focuses on creating models that maximize hardware efficiency.” In short, the goal is to build device-friendly architectures from the ground up to ensure the model and the device’s hardware work in harmony from the start.

Training LLMs requires significant time and cost, and a poorly designed model structure can drive those costs even higher. To minimize inefficiencies, Samsung Research evaluates hardware performance in advance and designs optimized architectures before training begins. “In the era of on-device AI, the key competitive edge is how much efficiency you can extract from the same hardware resources,” he said. “Our goal is to achieve the highest level of intelligence within the smallest possible chip — that’s the technical direction we’re pursuing.”

Today, most LLMs rely on the transformer architecture. Transformers analyze an entire sentence at once to determine relationships between words, a method that excels at understanding context but has a key limitation — computational demands rise sharply as sentences get longer. “We’re exploring a wide range of approaches to overcome these constraints, evaluating each one based on how efficiently it can operate in real device environments,” Dr. Ham explained. “We’re focused not just on improving existing methods but on developing the next generation of architectures built on entirely new methodologies.”

The Road Ahead for On-Device AI

What is the most critical challenge for the future of on-device AI? “Achieving cloud-level performance directly on the device,” Dr. Ham said. To make this possible, model optimization and hardware efficiency work closely together to deliver fast, accurate AI — even without a network connection. “Improving speed, accuracy and power efficiency at the same time will become even more important,” he added.

Advancements in on-device AI are enabling users to enjoy fast, secure and highly personalized AI experiences — anytime, anywhere. “AI will become better at learning in real time on the device and adapting to each user’s environment,” said Dr. Ham. “The future lies in delivering natural, individualized services while safeguarding data privacy.”

Samsung is pushing the boundaries to deliver more advanced experiences powered by optimized on-device AI. Through these efforts, the company aims to provide even more remarkable and seamless user experiences.

* Images contain elements created with the assistance of generative AI tools.

Since One UI’s announcement in 2018, One UI was designed to help you focus on what matters most with an easier, more streamlined interface. Today, it has grown into an AI-enabled Samsung experience that connects your phone, tablet, smartwatch, earbuds, laptop, TV and home appliances. Now, you can enjoy a consistent experience across your home and beyond as your Samsung ecosystem grows and evolves with you, helping you live life as you see fit.

* Content images simulated for illustrative purposes only and may differ from the actual products, UX and usage environments.

Easy, Free-Flowing Experiences

One UI across your Samsung ecosystem means you can use apps on one device and pick up where you left off on another, so your routines and experiences stay seamless. From tablet to fridge, fridge to TV or smartwatch to all three, your health updates, memories and to-do lists stay in sync — from here to there and everywhere.

* Images are simulated for illustrative purposes. Actual UX may vary.

* Images contain elements created with the assistance of generative AI tools.

Cool and Original Experiences

With One UI, the ordinary feels extraordinary as advanced technology and connectivity become part of everyday life. Every tap or gesture opens a world full of new possibilities. Chores take care of themselves while you’re fully immersed in an otherworldly adventure, and your personal assistant helps you bring the heat on the court. To others, it might seem like you have a genie ready to grant your every wish. To you, it’s just Tuesday.

* Images are simulated for illustrative purposes. Actual UX may vary.

* Images contain elements created with the assistance of generative AI tools.

Just-for-You Experiences

One UI is always with you, for the long haul and the small victories. Whether you’re crushing your goals, eating a bit healthier or simply getting through the day, One UI stays by your side morning, noon and night. Think of it as a little pick-me-up — wake up and get status updates on your sleep and schedule, keep track of your target goals and reflect on the day’s highs when it’s all over.

* Images are simulated for illustrative purposes. Actual UX may vary.

* Images are simulated for illustrative purposes. Actual UX may vary.

Your life, your way, every day — from one device to another, at home or on the go. This is just the beginning.

The summit attracted approximately 100 distinguished participants, including representatives from major telecommunications operators, manufacturers, government agencies and academia. Following the official launch of 6G standardization discussions by the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) in June, the industry has shifted its focus toward developing next-generation technologies that integrate AI into 6G communications. Samsung demonstrated its leadership in future communication technology at the event, unveiling achievements in AI-native technologies deployed in actual systems.

“We are focusing on integrating AI into communication systems to maximize user experience and network operational efficiency,” said JinGuk Jeong, Executive Vice President and Head of the Advanced Communications Research Center at Samsung Research. “Through the Silicon Valley Future Wireless Summit, we will expand collaboration with the telecommunications industry and continue our efforts to advance next-generation communication technology.”

AI-Driven Innovation in Wireless Communications, With Full-Scale AI-RAN Technology Validation

The summit commenced with keynote presentations from telecommunications industry experts, followed by three main sessions: “New AI-Driven Services,” “AI Radio Innovation” and “AI Network Innovation,” along with technology demonstrations. Each session included a lecture on the topic, as well as panel discussions that facilitated dynamic exchanges between participants through Q&A sessions and active debates.

The “New AI-Driven Services” session focused on new wireless network services enabled by AI technology. The session came within the context of the industry having reached a consensus on the potential for AR∙XR and Integrated Sensing and Communication (ISAC), among others.

The “AI Radio Innovation” session covered the latest developments in AI-RAN and wireless network performance optimization through AI. Furthermore, active discussions were held on AI-RAN as a core technology for 6G communications.

The “AI Network Innovation” session featured in-depth discussions on the various impacts of AI-native communication technology extending from wireless networks to wired networks and servers. Participants learned how AI will be utilized in network automation, resource management optimization and predictive maintenance to maximize network operational efficiency.

The technology demonstration session that closed out the day showcased AI-RAN technology jointly developed by Samsung and its partners. Attendees showed particular interest in the validation results demonstrating how base station communication equipment with AI-RAN autonomously makes determinations and adjustments to optimize network quality.

Leading the Development of AI-Native Next-Generation Communications Through Global Partnerships

Samsung is expanding its collaboration on 6G and AI-native communication technology with global partners, including telecommunications carriers, research institutes and consortia.

This year, the company has initiated collaboration with domestic carriers in Korea like KT — as well as global companies and research institutes such as SoftBank and KDDI Research — to enhance future communication quality. It is also participating in the Verizon 6G Innovation Forum, a global consortium leading the way in 6G technology development and commercialization.

Going forward, Samsung plans to further strengthen collaboration with global partners and continue research on the convergence of AI and communications technology to solidify its leadership in next-generation communications technology.

Following the acquisition, Samsung plans to leverage FläktGroup’s production and sales units to expand R&D and strengthen the supply chain, progressively integrating products and services to maximize synergies. FläktGroup’s subsidiaries will also be a part of Samsung Electronics, including Woods Air Movement, which provides ventilation and fire safety systems, SEMCO, which specializes in air handling and flow solutions, and SE-Elektronic which delivers tailored advanced automation systems. Meanwhile, FläktGroup’s name, existing management, personnel and facilities will be maintained, operating it as an independent subsidiary to preserve its technological expertise and brand identity.

“This marks a strategic move for Samsung, aimed at leading the global HVAC and data center markets,” said TM Roh, President and Acting Head of the Device eXperience (DX) Division at Samsung Electronics. “By merging FläktGroup’s technological expertise with Samsung’s AI platforms, we aim to set a new benchmark in the industry, delivering innovative solutions to customers.”

Through this acquisition, Samsung will strategically nurture the HVAC business as a new growth engine within its DX Division. The company plans to continuously invest in commercial HVAC solutions and expand into high-growth sectors such as AI data centers.

As demand for large-scale air conditioning systems grows in Korea, North America, and Europe — including large factories, commercial complexes, marine, hospitals, and biopharmaceutical facilities — the company aims to establish a robust supply chain in each region and enhance its service capabilities. Moreover, Samsung formed a joint venture with Lennox last year to further secure its presence in the North American market, and expects that the acquisition of FläktGroup will strengthen the company’s position with expanded expertise to HVAC solutions.

Additionally, by integrating FläktGroup’s advanced HVAC control systems with Samsung’s building management platforms such as SmartThings Pro and b.IoT, Samsung will explore new opportunities in smart building solutions and energy efficiency.

“Joining Samsung will accelerate FläktGroup’s global market expansion and drive technological innovation,” commented Trevor Young, CEO of FläktGroup. “The synergy between our companies will be a major turning point in developing future-oriented HVAC solutions.”

With over a century of history and technical expertise, FläktGroup supplies central air conditioning and precision cooling solutions for several industries across global markets. The company operates more than 10 production bases for central HVAC products and has built an extensive sales and service network across Europe, the Americas, the Middle East and Asia.

Based on these capabilities, the company has participated in the Stargate Project and partnered with other major hyperscale customers. It has also developed and supplied custom solutions which are aimed specifically at the data center sector and the fast-growing AI industry demands. Additionally, it has established a dedicated North America data center team to swiftly respond to growing demand in the U.S., and it has further invested in a global account team headquartered in Singapore to support key customers, ensuring proximity and ease of doing business.

Samsung Electronics, a global leader in technology, today announced that its latest lineup of products and services has been recognized by the Consumer Technology Association (CTA)® with multiple CES® 2026 Innovation Awards. This recognition highlights Samsung’s continued commitment to redefining the possibilities of consumer technology and delivering experiences that combine performance, design and intelligence.

The CES Innovation Awards program celebrates excellence in design and engineering across a broad spectrum of consumer technology categories. For Samsung, the honors reinforce the company’s vision of creating a seamlessly connected ecosystem that enhances convenience, creativity and accessibility. The awards also spotlight Samsung’s efforts in AI integration, immersive displays, smart home solutions and advanced semiconductor technologies that power next-generation devices.

In particular, the Samsung Visual Display Business earned a number of innovation awards with two Best of Innovation winners. This includes honors for Samsung TV and commercial screens, as well as audio and memory products and monitors. In addition, the Digital Appliances Business was also honored with awards, including the refrigerator’s AI Vision Inside and Auto Open Door features along with its latest home-focused innovations that elevate the user experience through enhanced convenience and functionality.

From pioneering innovations in XR form factors to advancing intelligent AI solutions for everyday life, these awards underscore Samsung’s role in shaping the future of technology and delivering experiences that are more connected, personalized and seamlessly integrated than ever before. A full list of Samsung’s award-winning products will be shared on Jan. 4, 2026.

CES® 2026, the premier global stage for breakthrough technology and design, will take place Jan. 6–9 in Las Vegas, Nevada, offering attendees a first look at the next generation of Samsung innovations.

Highlighted CES 2026 Best of Innovation Award Winner

Cybersecurity: S3SSE2A

Samsung’s S3SSE2A is the industry’s first embedded security chip to feature hardware-based Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC) — providing powerful protection against future quantum computing threats. As quantum computers grow in capability, they could break traditional encryption, putting sensitive personal and enterprise data at risk. S3SSE2A is designed to prevent that by securely processing and storing data directly on the chip using advanced cryptographic algorithms compliant with the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) standards. This hardware-level protection goes beyond software-only solutions, delivering long-term security and system integrity. It also supports secure device authentication and encrypted communication — ideal for mobile, IoT and connected devices where security is essential. Certified to CC EAL6+, the highest level of security assurance in the industry, S3SSE2A withstands both physical and digital attacks. By embedding quantum-resilient encryption within the silicon itself, Samsung enables designers to build smarter, safer systems ready for the next era of connected intelligence.

S3SSE2A is also an Honoree in the Embedded Technologies category.

Highlighted CES 2026 Innovation Award Honorees

XR & Spatial Computing Category: Galaxy XR

Galaxy XR¹ is Samsung’s eXtended reality headset, and the first device built on Android XR — a new platform developed together by Samsung, Google and Qualcomm. This open, scalable platform with multimodal AI at its core enables Galaxy XR to unleash limitless possibilities for the future of discovery, play and work. By blending the physical world with the virtual world, Galaxy XR provides unparalleled, immersive experiences in an infinite space, while creating a dynamic spatial canvas where users’ sight, gestures and voice combine to interact with the outside world. Galaxy XR embodies a vision for the future, where the synergy of AI and XR transform the possibilities of personal computing and expand mobile AI into a new frontier of immersive and meaningful possibilities.

Mobile Devices, Accessories & Apps Category: Galaxy Z Fold7

Galaxy Z Fold7 is Samsung’s thinnest, lightest and most durable foldable yet — packed with a 200MP wide-angle camera, immersive screen for multitasking and editing, powerful Galaxy AI.² In its most innovative form-factor yet, Galaxy Z Fold7 is meticulously designed to be thin, light and durable, allowing users to move with confidence. This is made possible by its advanced Armor Aluminum frame, IP48 water resistance, an enhanced Armor FlexHinge, and Corning® Gorilla® Glass Ceramic 2 with Corning® Gorilla® Glass Victus® 2 on the front and back screens. With expansive screens inside and out, Galaxy Z Fold7 delivers the ultra-experience, unfolded.

Fashion Tech Category: Galaxy Watch8

The Galaxy Watch8 series offers two models including Galaxy Watch8 Classic, with its signature rotating bezel, and Galaxy Watch8, the thinnest Galaxy Watch to date. Coupled with the all-new cushion shape, the Galaxy Watch8 series has a distinctive edge with sleek lines that protects the display without getting in the way of your routine. Crafted to maximize your days and your wellbeing with new features like Running Coach,³ Bedtime Guidance,⁴ Antioxidant Index⁵ and Vascular Load, Watch8’s series revamped design and Dynamic Lug system fit on your wrist comfortably for precise sensor contact and accurate health tracking.

Computer Hardware & Components: PM9E1 M.2 22×42

PM9E1 M.2 22×42 is the world’s first PCIe Gen5 SSD in an ultra-compact 22mm x 42mm M.2 form factor for AI PCs, delivering breakthrough performance and spatial efficiency. Designed for premium gaming, next-gen on-device AI and high-end computing, PM9E1 offers industry-leading sequential read/write speeds of up to 14.8GB/s and 13.4GB/s. With capacities up to 4TB — unprecedented in this size class — it’s engineered for space-constrained compute systems without compromising performance. PM9E1 M.2 22×42 is powered by Samsung’s in-house “Presto” controller and cutting-edge V8 TLC V-NAND, ensuring exceptional power efficiency, responsiveness and durability. Its robust architecture supports secure data operations with SPDM (Security Protocol and Data Model) v1.2 for device-level authentication and firmware integrity. Whether accelerating AI workloads or streaming ultra-high-resolution content, PM9E1 defines the future of fast, secure and compact storage.

Vehicle Tech & Advanced Mobility: Detachable AutoSSD

Samsung’s Detachable AutoSSD is the industry’s fastest auto-grade storage technology for mass production target, purpose-built for demanding in-vehicle environments. Unlike embedded storage, it features a modular E1.A form factor that separates the controller and NAND, improving heat dissipation, extending product life and simplifying upgrades or replacement. Engineered for real-world conditions, Samsung’s Detachable AutoSSD includes an automotive-grade connector and adapter built to withstand constant shock, vibration and temperature variation. It is powered by Samsung’s 8th-generation V-NAND and a PCIe Gen4 NVMe controller built on a 5nm process, delivering fast, efficient performance. Samsung’s Detachable AutoSSD enables reliable, high-capacity storage for the connected and autonomous vehicles of tomorrow.

Mobile Devices, Accessories & Apps: LPDDR6

As AI, edge computing and mobile platforms continue to evolve, the demand for faster, more efficient and secure memory is reaching new heights. LPDDR6 is a next-generation memory solution engineered to meet these demands. Built on an advanced 12nm process, LPDDR6 supports blazing-fast data rates of up to 10.7Gbps and features an expanded I/O count to maximize bandwidth — ideal for data-intensive mobile applications, edge computing and AI workloads. A dynamic power management system intelligently tunes power consumption by workload, delivering approximately 21% better energy efficiency than its predecessor. LPDDR6 also introduces enhanced security mechanisms to safeguard data integrity, expanding its role beyond mobile into industrial and mission-critical AI environments. With its scalable, cross-platform architecture and eco-conscious design, LPDDR6 strikes a powerful balance between performance, energy savings and reliability — making it an essential memory solution for the intelligent systems of tomorrow.

Imaging: ISOCELL HP5

ISOCELL HP5 is the smallest 200 mega-pixel image sensor for mobile devices. The sensor is only half the size of a penny and packs 200 million of the industry’s tiniest 0.5㎛ sized pixels, each just 1/100th the width of a strand of human hair. Leveraging Samsung’s cutting-edge proprietary pixel technology, the ISOCELL HP5 achieves superb light absorption and signal conversion, overcoming challenges once thought impossible at this scale. The 0.5㎛ sized pixel allows the 200MP sensor to fit in 1/1.56” optical format, a format typically used for 50MP sensors. This allows smartphone manufacturers to upgrade their devices to 200MP with ease. The ISOCELL HP5 not only delivers exceptional image detail but also can take vivid 8K video at 30fps resolution to fully capture the moment that matters the most for the end-users.

Sustainability & Energy: T7 Resurrected

T7 Resurrected Portable Solid State Drive (PSSD) features a unique body case design crafted from 100% recycled aluminum certified by TÜV Rheinland.⁶ By eliminating the coloring process, the product showcases the natural luster of aluminum while minimizing chemical use and streamlining its manufacturing process. The body case, fabricated from aluminum discarded generated during the production of mobile devices, encourages the cross-division circulation of resources. Also, the packaging design utilizes 100% recycled paper and ASA-certified soy ink**.⁷

The T7 Resurrected delivers maximum sequential read speeds of up to 1,050 MB/s and write speeds of up to 1,000 MB/s on USB 3.2 Gen 2 standard. This allows users to experience rapid data transfers even with large files and efficiently manage data-intensive workloads. Users can install the T7 Resurrected on a wide range of devices and operating systems for seamless use across platforms. The new PSSD is scheduled to launch later this month.

1. You must be 13 or over to wear Galaxy XR. Battery pack connection is required to use the device. Users should not wear the device in moving vehicles or during activities that require focus — including cycling, driving or physical exercise. Doing so may cause distraction and increase the risk of discomfort or injury. ︎
2. Galaxy AI features by Samsung are free through 2025 and require Samsung account login. ︎
3. Available for outdoor running only; requires at least 12 minutes of running with GPS on and initial setup. Galaxy AI features track data and require compatible Samsung Galaxy phone, Samsung Health app and Samsung account. ︎
4. Bedtime Guidance: Must wear watch for 3 consecutive nights and set optimal wake-up time in the Samsung Health app. ︎
5. Not intended for medical use. ︎
6. Using 35 tons (35,000 kg) of recycled aluminum, approximately 800,000 units may be produced, with around 44 g of recycled aluminum used per unit. ︎
7. Packaging is made from 100% recycled paper (FSC certified) and printed with ASA Soy Ink. ︎

The Company posted KRW 86.1 trillion in consolidated revenue, an increase of 15.4% compared to the previous quarter. Operating profit increased to KRW 12.2 trillion.

The Device Solutions (DS) Division reported a 19% increase in sales quarter-on-quarter (QoQ), with the Memory Business setting an all-time high for quarterly sales, driven by strong growth of HBM3E and server SSDs.  Meanwhile, the Device eXperience (DX) Division posted a revenue increase of 11% QoQ due to the successful launch of new foldable phones and solid flagship sales.

Looking ahead to Q4, the rapid growth of the AI industry is expected to open up new market opportunities for both the DS and DX Divisions. The DS Division plans to focus on enhancing its performance by increasing sales of high-value-added memory products tailored to AI. The semiconductor market is expected to remain strong, driven by ongoing AI investment momentum.

Meanwhile, the DX Division will strengthen its efforts to launch AI products equipped with the most innovative technologies through open collaborations with leading global partners in respective business segments.

Semiconductors Achieve High Profits, To Continue Meeting Server Demand

The DS Division posted KRW 33.1 trillion in consolidated revenue and KRW 7.0 trillion in operating profit for the third quarter.

In Q3 2025, the Memory Business achieved record-high quarterly revenue by expanding HBM3E sales while proactively addressing strong demand across all applications. HBM3E is currently in mass production and being sold to all related customers, while HBM4 samples are simultaneously being shipped to key clients. A favorable price environment and notably reduced one-off costs such as inventory value adjustments contributed to higher profits.

In Q4 2025, the Business will actively respond to demand from AI and conventional servers with HBM3E, high-density eSSDs and other leading-edge memory offerings. Additionally, it will continue to expand sales of industry-leading, high-value-added server memory products, such as 128GB and higher DDR5, as well as 24Gb GDDR7.

Going forward in 2026, the Memory Business will focus on the mass production of HBM4 products with differentiated performance, while simultaneously aiming to scale out the HBM sales base. In particular, demand for HBM4 is also projected to increase, and the Company plans to proactively respond with capacity expansion in 1c. It will also concentrate on expanding sales of other high-value-added products, such as DDR5, LPDDR5x and high-density QLC SSDs to meet demand for AI applications.

Earnings for the System LSI Business stalled due to seasonality and customer inventory adjustments, despite a stable supply of premium systems-on-chip (SoCs).

In Q4 2025, the Business will aim to expand sales of premium SoCs and image sensors amid continued weak demand from major customers.

In 2026, the System LSI Business plans to strengthen the competitiveness of the Exynos processor for key flagship models and leverage differentiated image sensor technologies to broaden market presence.

The Foundry Business posted a significant improvement in earnings in Q3 2025, stemming from a reduction in one-off costs and better fab utilization. The Business also achieved record-high customer orders, mainly on advanced nodes.

In Q4 2025, the Business will aim for continued earnings improvement by ramping up mass production of 2nm Gate-All-Around (GAA) products, increasing fab utilization, and optimizing costs.

In 2026, the Foundry Business will focus on providing a stable supply of new 2nm GAA products and the HBM4 base-die, and beginning operations at the Company’s fab in Taylor, Texas in a timely manner.

SDC Improves Performance on Demand for Flagship Smartphones, Will Increase Large Display Sales

Samsung Display Corporation (SDC) posted KRW 8.1 trillion in consolidated revenue and KRW 1.2 trillion in operating profit for the third quarter.

For small and medium displays, performance improved as a result of robust demand for flagship smartphones and a proactive response to new product demand from key customers. As for large displays, unit sales increased on the back of expanding demand for gaming monitors.

In Q4 2025, demand for new smartphones is expected to continue, and sales of non-smartphone display products are projected to increase, as well. SDC also aims to increase sales of large displays with the full-scale launch of products adopting the new QD-OLED monitor lineup.

In 2026, SDC will widen the smartphone technology gap by leveraging differentiated technologies tailored for AI devices and enhanced foldable product excellence, while the new 8.6G IT line will accelerate OLED expansion with competitive products.

SDC will maintain premium TV panel leadership based on superior performance and will continuously strengthen its monitor market position by expanding its lineup and diversifying its customer base.

MX Boosts Earnings on Strong Galaxy Z Fold7 Launch, To Drive Sales of AI Smartphones Through Seasonal Promotions

The Mobile eXperience (MX) and Networks Businesses posted KRW 34.1 trillion in consolidated revenue and KRW 3.6 trillion in operating profit for the third quarter.

In Q3 2025, the MX Business experienced QoQ and year-over-year (YoY) growth in sales and operating profit as a result of robust flagship smartphone sales, as well as the strong launch of Galaxy Z Fold7 and improved sales of tablets and wearables.

In Q4 2025, the Business plans to utilize seasonal promotions of AI smartphones such as Galaxy S25 and foldables — as well as ecosystem devices centered on new premium models — to achieve YoY growth.

In 2026, MX will strengthen its AI leadership with form factor innovations and expand AI smartphone sales to drive growth across all segments and strengthen its market share in terms of volume. The Business will also maintain cost efficiency via process optimization amid uncertainties and increasing material costs.

Visual Display Earnings Decline Despite Solid Sales Growth of Premium Products, Will Proactively Capture Seasonal Demand Focusing on Premium and Large-Screen TVs

The Visual Display and Digital Appliances Businesses posted KRW 13.9 trillion in consolidated revenue and KRW 0.1 trillion in operating loss in the third quarter.

In Q3 2025, the Visual Display (VD) Business achieved solid sales growth of premium products, including Neo QLED, OLED and large-screen TVs, but it saw a decline in earnings due to intensified competition.

In Q4 2025, the Business aims to achieve revenue recovery by proactively capturing seasonal demand with reinforced sales programs centered on premium and large-screen TVs.

Looking to 2026, the Business plans to strengthen leadership in the premium segment through innovative products such as Micro RGB TVs, while expanding sales in low-end to mid-range segments to drive revenue growth. Additionally, the Business will deliver differentiated customer experiences by enhancing AI functionality, and it will drive growth momentum by advancing TV Plus content and advertisements, leveraging 19 consecutive years of TV sales leadership.

Titled “Divalent and Halide Dual-Ion Storage of a Redox-Active Symmetric Cell for an Efficient Wastewater-Energy Nexus,” the paper presents a new paradigm for simultaneously implementing water treatment and energy storage while addressing the high power consumption and cost issues of existing electrochemical water treatment technologies. In particular, the research demonstrates that energy efficiency can be enhanced by supplying power generated from the electrode regeneration process to external devices — showing potential for wide application in various industries as well as daily life.

The study was jointly conducted by the Life Solution Team at Samsung Research of Samsung Electronics and the research team led by chemical engineering professor HoSeok Park at SKKU. Samsung participated in the entire process — from ideation to experiment design, implementation and validation — substantially contributing to proving the potential of the unique electrochemical water treatment technology.

An international academic journal that covers cutting-edge energy technologies, Joule was established by Cell Press in 2017 and is highly influential across physical chemistry, energy and fuels, materials science and other scientific fields. The paper’s publication marks a milestone for Samsung Research and SKKU.

Overcoming the Limits of Electrochemical Water Treatment

Electrochemical water treatment technologies are based on capacitive deionization (CDI), wherein voltage is applied to an electrode, causing ions in water to adsorb onto the electrode through electrostatic forces. This removes the ions from the water, purifying it. The method is especially effective against hardness ions (Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺) that reduce the detergency of cleaning agents and lead to scale buildup.

Unlike membrane-based water treatment technologies, which employ thin barriers to selectively allow or block the passage of liquid or gas microparticles, electrochemical technologies use no physical filters. As a result, maintenance and repair are easier, making these technologies an active area of research.

Despite their advantages, electrochemical water treatment technologies still face certain challenges. Additional power is consumed in the electrode regeneration process, and the required use of ion exchange membranes — which selectively allow ions with a specific electrical charge to pass while preventing their re-adsorption — remains an obstacle to commercialization due to increased costs.

To overcome these limitations, the Samsung Research-SKKU team developed a next-generation electrochemical water treatment technology that can be applied without ion exchange membranes. The technology offers low module composition costs, enables the removal of large volumes of hardness ions and can supply the power generated in the electrode regeneration process to external devices — paving the way for its potential as a multifunctional water treatment solution.

A New Approach to Ion Storage With a Next-Generation Electrode

The research team used a metal oxide-based nanostructure — a departure from conventional electrode materials — to create their electrode. Compared to conventional designs, this newly developed electrode demonstrated a 200% increase in ion storage capacity and a 20% improvement in storage rate.

Conventional electrode materials remove ions through electrostatic forces, requiring expensive ion exchange membranes to prevent re-adsorption during electrode regeneration. The new electrode, however, enables ions to be stored and spontaneously desorbed through direct electron exchange, eliminating the need for an ion exchange membrane.

The Potential To Evolve Into a Multifunctional Energy System

For repeated operation, existing electrochemical water treatment technologies also require electrode regeneration through the supply of additional power. During this process, sudden ion leakage can cause an overcurrent and reverse the polarity of the electrodes, making it impossible to utilize the stored energy.

The next-generation water treatment electrode developed by Samsung Research and SKKU is free from this issue, as spontaneous electrode regeneration can be achieved without the supply of additional power. Furthermore, it can recover stored energy and supply power to nearby devices. The team also found that the power required to operate an electrochemical water treatment module using this technology was 76Wh/kg — about half that of existing technologies.

Future Expansion to Home Appliances and Environmental Solutions

With its innovative new electrode, the electrochemical water treatment module developed by Samsung Research and SKKU has the potential to serve as a multifunctional unit that can treat water while supplying backup power for various home appliances that use water, such as dishwashers, washing machines and water purifiers. It is expected to play a key role as an innovative technology of the future.

Building on this study, Samsung plans to strengthen industry-academia collaboration and expand its research efforts to secure the core technologies that will shape the future of the environment and energy sectors. Through these initiatives, the company aims to accelerate the development of innovative solutions for a more sustainable tomorrow.

In line with this transformation, Samsung Electronics is building a next-generation technology ecosystem through AI-native networks and strengthening global partnerships to prepare for the 6G era.

In the final part of this interview series, Samsung Newsroom spoke with JinGuk Jeong, Executive Vice President and Head of Advanced Communications Research Center (ACRC) at Samsung Electronics, about the company’s strategy to drive the convergence of telecommunications and AI for the 6G era through global partnerships.

Defining a New 6G Paradigm With AI-Native Networks

Ahead of the 6G era, the integration of AI and telecommunications is creating new value beyond performance gains. “The fusion of AI and telecommunications will deliver two core benefits — innovation in user experience and greater network efficiency through automation,” said Jeong. “To achieve this, Samsung is leading research on AI-native networks that embed AI across every layer of the telecommunications network.”

“AI native doesn’t mean applying AI to specific equipment or functions — it means embedding AI technologies throughout the entire process, from design to operation,” he continued. “For example, in the physical layer (L1), AI reduces noise in radio signals, while in the data link layer (L2), it efficiently allocates network resources for each user.” This approach enhances network performance while reducing power consumption, paving the way for a more sustainable telecommunications environment.

Advancing 6G Through Open Innovation and Collaboration

Through its AI-native approach, Samsung is developing intelligent networks that learn and optimize themselves. “Close collaboration with global telecom operators is essential to realizing the user experience innovations and operational efficiencies enabled by AI,” said Jeong. “Samsung is pursuing joint initiatives to bring these technologies to real-world network environments.”

“These efforts are driven by our open innovation strategy,” he added. “By diversifying collaborations with partners — from field trials with telecom operators to advanced research with academia and partnerships with global industry alliances — Samsung is expanding the ecosystem and taking a leading role in standardization.”

Since 2024, Samsung has strengthened its global partnerships. The company has worked with NTT DOCOMO on user-specific network optimization technologies and with KT to improve coverage and data transmission speeds in potential 6G frequency bands.

Samsung is also enhancing user experience through collaboration with KDDI Research on distributed multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) technology. With Verizon, the company is expanding global discussions on next-generation telecommunications through the Verizon 6G Innovation Forum. In addition, Samsung has begun research with SoftBank on AI-based network performance enhancements. Moving forward, the company plans to continue strengthening its partnerships with telecom operators worldwide.

Beyond these partnerships, Samsung is expanding the AI-driven telecommunications ecosystem through global collaborations. As part of the NextG Initiative Corporate Affiliates Program, the company is co-developing next-generation 6G technologies with Princeton University. Samsung is also broadening its collaboration with leading chip vendors, including Qualcomm, Intel, Arm and NVIDIA.

“The expansion of our partnerships with major telecom operators shows our commitment to turning the technological direction outlined in our 6G white paper earlier this year into concrete research agreements,” said Jeong. “In particular, AI-RAN has moved beyond general simulations and lab-based testing and can now be validated in real-world network environments — allowing global telecom operators to directly experience its benefits. This will be a key driver in accelerating global standardization discussions.”

Global Leadership Toward 6G

Samsung is also leading technical discussions within global industry alliances, shaping the transition to the 6G era.

Since the founding of the AI-RAN Alliance in 2024, Samsung has served as vice chair of the board and chair of Working Group 3 (AI-on-RAN) — spearheading efforts to explore new services through the convergence of AI and wireless technologies. As vice chair of the board for the Next G Alliance, the company also plays a key role in driving research, development and standardization for 6G across North America. “Leveraging our industry-leading expertise in semiconductors, hardware, and software, Samsung is helping lead technical discussions and decision-making within these global alliances,” said Jeong.

Building on its strengths, Samsung continues to demonstrate leadership on the global stage by showcasing proven technologies. At international exhibitions such as Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2025, the company drew significant attention with its latest AI-RAN innovations. Through its own Silicon Valley Future Wireless Summit, Samsung invites telecom operators, manufacturers, government agencies, and academic experts from around the world to share the latest research and achievements in AI-powered telecommunications.

Under the theme “Future Wireless for the AI Era,” last year’s Silicon Valley Future Wireless Summit featured a live demonstration of AI-RAN technologies and explored AI integration, sustainability and user experience innovation. “This year’s summit, scheduled for November, will take place under the theme ‘Unlocking New Possibilities With AI-Centric Networks,’” said Jeong. “We plan to showcase AI-RAN technologies validated in real network environments, along with innovative real-world applications.”

Transforming Everyday Life Through Next-Generation Communications

Samsung’s ongoing participation in global alliances and international forums is ultimately aimed at creating meaningful user experiences in everyday life. “In the 6G era, we’ll go beyond improving network performance. Services such as AR and XR will become more widespread, and entirely new ones will emerge,” said Jeong. “Events like the 6G Innovation Forum will also focus on these new services.”

Mobile communications technology has evolved in roughly 10-year cycles, with each generation delivering leaps in performance. The 6G era, however, will redefine network performance and serve as a catalyst for transformative services across industries and everyday life. With ultra-high speeds, ultra-low latency and massive connectivity, 6G is expected to deliver unprecedented communication quality and differentiated user experiences.

Samsung is ushering in a new paradigm through the convergence of telecommunications and AI. By working closely with telecom operators, global industry alliances and academia, the company is leading next-generation communications innovation through ongoing technical collaboration and shared achievements.

With this fourth and final installment, the Next-Generation Communications Leadership series has explored Samsung’s 6G standardization vision, global leadership initiatives, AI-RAN research achievements and global partnership strategy. As Samsung prepares for the 6G era with its unrivaled leadership, the company is poised to bring meaningful change to everyday life.

The two companies will categorize next-generation communications technologies into four candidate areas — 6G, AI for RAN, AI and RAN, and Large Telecom Model (LTM) — and collaborate on select fields to drive future innovation. Leveraging their advanced technological expertise and network deployment capabilities, they plan to identify new use cases, jointly develop core technologies and demonstrate the technologies’ effectiveness.

This year marks a significant push toward 6G standardization, with discussions emerging on new frequency bands such as the 7GHz spectrum. Under the “AI for RAN” concept, AI-RAN technologies are expected to play a pivotal role in optimizing wireless networks.

Moreover, AI-RAN orchestration technologies under the “AI and RAN” concept — designed to seamlessly integrate AI workloads with base station workloads and operate them efficiently — hold significant potential for network optimization and enhanced user experiences. The use of Generative AI within communications networks is being considered a viable area of research as well.

“Through this collaboration with SoftBank, we aim to define meaningful use cases for both operators and end users, while securing key technologies for future commercialization,” said JinGuk Jeong, Executive Vice President and Head of Advanced Communications Research Center (ACRC) at Samsung Research. “Building on our advanced expertise in AI-RAN and 6G, Samsung will continue to lead innovation in next-generation communications.”

“We are very pleased to collaborate with Samsung, a global leader in communications technologies. By combining our advanced expertise, we will accelerate the realization of next-generation networks that evolve to become more efficient and highly reliable through AI-RAN,” said Hideyuki Tsukuda, Executive Vice President and CTO, SoftBank Corp. “SoftBank remains committed to taking on the challenge of building the next-generation social infrastructure essential for a future society where AI and humans coexist.”

Samsung Electronics continues to lead research in 6G and AI-powered communications technologies through its ACRC under Samsung Research. In November, the company plans to host the Silicon Valley Future Wireless Summit, an event aimed at fostering dialogue among industry leaders, academia and government organizations on AI-RAN research.

Now in its sixth year, Samsung Week is the company’s largest promotional event — offering customers exclusive offers on a wide range of products through Samsung.com.

Originally held in 32 countries, the event has since doubled its global reach and achieved more than fourfold growth in sales. With the addition of mobile live commerce and region-specific social media initiatives, Samsung has enhanced the customer experience and established Samsung Week as its flagship global promotion.

This year’s theme, “Where Innovation Begins: From You,” emphasizes the company’s belief that customers are the driving force behind its innovation.

Based on analyses of customer purchases this year, Samsung Week 2025 highlights²:

• Best-selling products of the year such as the Galaxy S25 series, QLED TVs and Bespoke AI refrigerators
• Most-searched products such as Galaxy Z Fold7, Music Frame, and the Bespoke AI Laundry Combo
• Most registered products on SmartThings
• Bundled products customized for diverse customer lifestyles

Alongside the event, a ‘Personalized Product Recommendation’ feature has been newly introduced. When logged in with a Samsung account, customers receive tailored recommendation that consider factors such as product replacement cycles, purchase trends among users with similar devices and available rewards — providing a more convenient and personalized shopping experience.

Frequent customers can enjoy even greater benefits during Samsung Week 2025. Depending on the region, they can redeem accumulated points at higher values, receive larger discounts for registering more products to their Samsung accounts and take advantage of trade-in offers for eligible products.³

Additional benefits include Samsung Rewards — earned based on the products purchased and total amount spent and usable like cash on Samsung.com — as well as Samsung Care+ for professional product care.

A Samsung Week character digital sticker pack, inspired by the diverse experiences of customers around the world, is available for free download on Samsung.com during the event period.

Highlighting 56 years of customer-centric innovation, people can experience the campaign on large digital billboards in iconic locations worldwide, including Times Square in New York City and Piccadilly Circus in London.

For more details about Samsung Week 2025 in each region, visit Samsung.com.

1. Event period may vary by country or region. ︎
2. Event products and product names may vary by country or region. ︎
3. Details and benefits may vary by country or region. ︎

Samsung Electronics has unveiled a complete redesign of Samsung Newsroom, its official online communications channel — transforming it into a visually driven platform centered on video, graphics and other types of media.

The revamp aligns with shifting communication trends, reshaping the user experience around images and video to enhance message clarity and impact. Through this transformation, Samsung Newsroom has evolved into a dynamic space for both seeing and hearing Samsung stories. The redesign also incorporates AI and other advanced technologies to make company and product news more accessible, intuitive and engaging.

A More Immersive and Intuitive Multimedia Experience

The main page has been refined with a more expansive featured content carousel at the top, highlighting key stories in a horizontal slideshow with a variety of multimedia, including videos and shorts. The dynamic new layout lets users conveniently browse content by theme and view related topics together, while videos can be played directly without additional clicks. Hovering over each item on the carousel also reveals a brief text summary for quick insight.

Another notable improvement is the seamless adaptation of visual content for an optimized viewing experience across smartphones, tablets and PCs.

Simplified, All-in-One Access to Media Resources

In addition, Samsung Newsroom now offers a dedicated media service that brings a wide range of resources together in one place. The main page includes content filters for feature articles and press releases, as well as local news from Samsung’s regional offices worldwide.

It also features a new “Press Tools” quick menu that consolidates assets often used by the press.

An enhanced download function, meanwhile, allows high-resolution images, videos and even the full text of the article to be saved with a single click, improving usability.

In line with the AI era, the updated platform introduces innovative new technologies as well. Each article now features an AI-powered summary to help users quickly grasp key points.

Smarter Search for Faster, More Accurate Results

To support more accurate information retrieval, the search function has been significantly upgraded. New features such as tag-based and image-based search allow users to explore a broader range of content tailored to their needs. Auto-suggestions, keyword highlighting and flexible sorting by “Latest” or “Title” further streamline the experience, making it easier to find the right content.

Building on a decade of expertise since being launched in 2015, Samsung Newsroom is now entering a new chapter as a future-ready platform delivering tailored news to both consumers and media professionals.

The redesign marks the beginning of a broader transformation. Looking ahead, Samsung will continue to deepen its connection with consumers and the media by delivering impactful stories about the company, its products and its technologies in new, differentiated ways.

“Guided by its commitment to advancing next-generation bio-technologies and improving quality of life, Samsung C&T has continuously invested in innovative companies. The collaboration with GRAIL represents a significant new step—moving beyond investment to a strategic business partnership that provides Samsung with a strong foothold for expanding into the cancer screening field and delivering one of these promising technologies to customers in South Korea and across Asia.” said Jaywoo Kim, Executive Vice President of Life Science Business at Samsung C&T.

Subject to final execution of definitive agreements, GRAIL and SCT will work as exclusive partners to commercialize the Galleri test in South Korea, with a possible extension into other Asian geographies, including Japan and Singapore. SCT will undertake key activities to drive adoption of Galleri . Initially, tests will be performed in GRAIL’s clinical laboratory in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina.

“We look forward to partnering with Samsung to bring multi-cancer early detection to Asia, beginning in South Korea,” said Sir Harpal Kumar, President, International Business & Biopharma, at GRAIL. “Samsung’s significant equity investment strengthens our balance sheet and provides further cash runway as we advance through key milestones to secure reimbursement for Galleri in the U.S. and key international markets.”

In addition, SEC and GRAIL intend to explore potential strategic and operational collaborations such as supporting longitudinal genomic-lifestyle clinical research, and the integration of SEC’s health data platform with GRAIL’s technologies and data.

“Our investment in and strategic cooperation with GRAIL is part of our vision to improve the health of billions of people. A potential collaboration with GRAIL could allow for the integration of our AI, our digital care platform, and device ecosystem with GRAIL’s clinical genetic data and technology, which could allow us to provide a level of personalization for our users to help them better understand their health,” said Hon Pak, Senior Vice President and Head of Digital Health Team, Mobile eXperience Business, at Samsung Electronics.

The terms of the collaborations are set forth in the term sheets between the parties. Definitive agreements will be negotiated in good faith pursuant to the term sheet and are intended to be entered into in early 2026. Commercial operations will begin soon after execution. Within South Korea, and potentially Japan and Singapore, GRAIL will partner with SCT as its sole distributor, subject to certain requirements, and GRAIL’s Galleri test will be the exclusive MCED test distributed by SCT.

The investment is subject to execution of the definitive collaboration agreements between the parties, as well as customary closing conditions and regulatory approvals. The investment is expected to close in early 2026.

Latham & Watkins served as legal advisor and Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC served as financial advisor to GRAIL. Samsung was advised by Covington & Burling, BKL, and E&Y Han Young (Korea).

¹ Representing a 10% premium to the 15 day VWAP.

About Samsung C&T Corporation

Samsung C&T Corporation, a dynamic player in industries ranging from construction, trading, fashion and resorts, is actively expanding its portfolio with strategic investments in the fields of biopharmaceutical and life sciences. Since its investment in Samsung Biologics and Samsung Bioepis, Samsung C&T continues to invest in innovative technologies and businesses within the bio and healthcare sectors, with the goal of contributing to improving the quality of human life.

About GRAIL

GRAIL is a healthcare company whose mission is to detect cancer early, when it can be cured. GRAIL is focused on alleviating the global burden of cancer by using the power of next-generation sequencing, population-scale clinical studies, and state-of-the-art machine learning, software, and automation to detect and identify multiple deadly cancer types in earlier stages. GRAIL’s targeted methylation-based platform can support the continuum of care for screening and precision oncology, including multi-cancer early detection in symptomatic patients, risk stratification, minimal residual disease detection, biomarker subtyping, treatment and recurrence monitoring. GRAIL is headquartered in Menlo Park, CA with locations in Washington, D.C., North Carolina, and the United Kingdom.

For more information, visit grail.com.

About Galleri^®
The Galleri multi-cancer early detection test is a proactive tool to screen for cancer. With a simple blood draw, Galleri can detect more than 50 types of cancer before symptoms appear — when they can be easier to treat and are potentially curable². Galleri is the only available MCED test with demonstrated performance in patients screened for cancer^2,*. The Galleri test doubles the number of cancers detected when added to standard of care cancer screening, and has the lowest false positive rate of any MCED test^1,2,3,4,**. When a cancer signal is found, Galleri provides a cancer signal of origin with high accuracy to help guide an efficient diagnostic work-up^4,5,6. The Galleri test requires a prescription from a licensed healthcare provider and should be used in addition to recommended cancer screenings such as mammography, colonoscopy, prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test, or cervical cancer screening. The Galleri test is recommended for adults with an elevated risk for cancer, such as those aged 50 or older.

For more information, visit galleri.com.

* The Galleri test performance metrics were derived from the outcomes of an interventional clinical study of patients presenting for screening without clinical suspicion of cancer, a study population that reflects the intended use population.

** Test performance metrics do not represent results of a head-to-head comparative study. Separate studies have different designs, objectives, and participant populations, which limits the ability to draw conclusions about comparative performance.

Important Galleri Safety Information
The Galleri test is recommended for use in adults with an elevated risk for cancer, such as those age 50 or older. The test does not detect all cancers and should be used in addition to routine cancer screening tests recommended by a healthcare provider. The Galleri test is intended to detect cancer signals and predict where in the body the cancer signal is located. Use of the test is not recommended in individuals who are pregnant, 21 years old or younger, or undergoing active cancer treatment.
Results should be interpreted by a healthcare provider in the context of medical history, clinical signs, and symptoms. A test result of No Cancer Signal Detected does not rule out cancer. A test result of Cancer Signal Detected requires confirmatory diagnostic evaluation by medically established procedures (e.g., imaging) to confirm cancer.

If cancer is not confirmed with further testing, it could mean that cancer is not present or testing was insufficient to detect cancer, including due to the cancer being located in a different part of the body. False positive (a cancer signal detected when cancer is not present) and false negative (a cancer signal not detected when cancer is present) test results do occur. Rx only.

Laboratory/Test Information
The GRAIL clinical laboratory is certified under the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments of 1988.

(CLIA) and accredited by the College of American Pathologists. The Galleri test was developed — and its performance characteristics were determined — by GRAIL. The Galleri test has not been cleared or approved by the Food and Drug Administration. The GRAIL clinical laboratory is regulated under CLIA to perform high-complexity testing. The Galleri test is intended for clinical purposes.

GRAIL Forward Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements. In some cases, you can identify these statements by forward-looking words such as “aim,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “continue,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “might,” “plan,” “potential,” “predict,” “should,” “would,” or “will,” the negative of these terms, and other comparable terminology. These forward-looking statements, which are subject to risks, uncertainties, and assumptions about us, may include expectations and projections of our ability to negotiate definitive agreements, the closing of the investment, the terms under which we will conduct our collaborations, future potential additional collaborations, our ability to commercialize Galleri in other geographies, success of our collaboration with counterparties, sufficiency of cash on hand to finance our business and anticipated trends in our business.

These statements are only predictions based on our current expectations and projections about future events and trends. There are important factors that could cause our actual results, level of activity, performance, or achievements to differ materially and adversely from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements, including those factors and numerous associated risks discussed under the sections entitled “Risk Factors” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the period ended December 31, 2024 and in our Quarterly Report on [Form 10-Q for the period ended June 30, 2025] (the “Form 10-Q”). Moreover, we operate in a dynamic and rapidly changing environment. New risks emerge from time to time. It is not possible for our management to predict all risks, nor can we assess the impact of all factors on our business or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results, level of activity, performance, or achievements to differ materially and adversely from those contained in any forward-looking statements we may make.

Forward-looking statements relate to the future and, accordingly, are subject to inherent uncertainties, risks, and changes in circumstances that are difficult to predict and many of which are outside of our control. Although we believe the expectations and projections expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements are reasonable, we cannot guarantee future results, level of activity, performance, or achievements. Our actual results, financial condition and success in our business strategies and operations may differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements. Except to the extent required by law, we undertake no obligation to update any of these forward-looking statements after the date of this press release to conform our prior statements to actual results or revised expectations or to reflect new information or the occurrence of unanticipated events.

References:

1. Nabavizadeh N, et al. Safety and Performance of a Multi-Cancer Early Detection (MCED) Test in an Intended-Use Population: Initial Results from the Registrational PATHFINDER 2 Study. Proffered Presentation Presented at: European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Annual Meeting; October 17-21, 2025; Berlin, Germany.
2. Klein EA, Richards D, Cohn A, et al. Clinical validation of a targeted methylation-based multi-cancer early detection test using an independent validation set. Ann Oncol. 2021 Sep;32(9):1167-77. doi: 10.1016/j.annonc.2021.05.806
3. GRAIL, Inc. False positive rate. [Data on file: GR-2025-0256]
4. Schrag D, Beer TM, McDonnell CH, et al. Blood-based tests for multi-cancer early detection (PATHFINDER): a prospective cohort study. Lancet. 2023;402:1251-1260. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(23)01700-2
5. GRAIL, Inc. Enhanced Cancer Signal Origin prediction. [Data on file: VV-TMF-59592]
6. Hackshaw A, et al. Cancer Cell. 2022;40(2):109-13.

Samsung Electronics today announced it has been recognized by Interbrand, a global brand consultancy, as the 5th-ranked global brand for the sixth year in a row. Interbrand releases its list of “Best Global Brands” each year. For this year’s list, Samsung recorded a brand value of $90.5 billion, upholding its position as the only Asian company to remain in the global top five since 2020.

According to Interbrand, Samsung Electronics’ evaluation was positively influenced by:

• Strengthened AI competitiveness across the company’s business divisions
• Enhanced customer experiences through unified integration across products
• Focused investment in AI-related semiconductors
• Execution of a customer-centric brand strategy

“Through AI innovation and open collaboration, Samsung has worked to ensure that more customers can experience AI in their daily lives,” said Won-Jin Lee, President and Head of Global Marketing Office at Samsung Electronics. “Moving forward, we will continue to focus on benefits for customers including in health and safety so that Samsung can grow into an even more beloved brand.”

Under the vision of “Innovation for All,” Samsung consistently strives to make AI accessible to more customers worldwide.

This year, Samsung reinforced its leadership in mobile AI with the continued advancement of Galaxy AI, aiming to make it available on 400 million devices within the year driving the democratization of AI. In Consumer Electronics (CE), Samsung has expanded AI competitiveness by introducing AI technologies tailored to each product category, such as Vision AI and Bespoke AI.

Through open collaboration with diverse partners, Samsung has enhanced personalized AI experiences for customers, while also providing industry-leading security with Samsung Knox.

In semiconductors, Samsung has been addressing the growing demand for AI with a comprehensive portfolio across cloud, on-device and physical AI. This includes actively responding with advanced products including HBM, high-capacity DDR5, LPDDR5X and GDDR7.

Beyond AI, Samsung continues to enhance the accessibility of its products and services and drive sustainable innovation across all business divisions. This includes energy savings through energy-efficient appliances connected via SmartThings.

Samsung’s Recognized Efforts in Each Business Division

Mobile

• Leading the mobile AI era and driving the popularization of AI with Galaxy AI
• Strengthening foldable category leadership with the launch of Galaxy Z Fold7 and Z Flip7
• Enhancing customer trust through strengthened privacy and security technologies
• Expanding health services through advanced wearables, Samsung Health enhancements and open collaboration

Networks

• Reinforcing leadership in AI-powered virtualized Radio Access Networks (vRAN) and Open RAN
• Consistently innovating technologies to support various 5G use cases, including high quality streaming and gaming
• Leading the technical standardization of 6G
• Enhancing partnerships with customer companies and communicating the sustainability aspects of Samsung’s network technology

Visual Display

• Solidifying global leadership in TVs, soundbars and gaming monitors
• Innovating viewing with rich AI features based on Vision AI
• Enhancing The Frame and Art Store services to deliver personalized art TV experiences
• Expanding content offerings through partnerships in TV Plus, entertainment, gaming and music

Digital Appliances

• Maintaining global leadership in categories such as refrigerators and washing machines through consistent product innovation and advanced AI capabilities
• Providing differentiated convenience and advanced AI experiences through SmartThings integration
• Expanding Bespoke AI appliance leadership across energy efficiency, usability, performance and design

Semiconductor

• Operating a diverse portfolio across cloud, on-device and physical AI applications
• Maintaining leadership in mobile and automotive semiconductors, including DDR, SSD, LPDDR, UFS and Auto SSD
• Continuing development and investment in innovative solutions like CMM-D and HBM
• Sharing vision and industry leadership through influential tech events

Interbrand’s Best Global Brands are ranked based on brand value evaluation, which involves a comprehensive analysis of the company’s financial performance and outlook, the influence of the brand on customer purchases and brand competitiveness (including strategy, empathy, differentiation, customer engagement, consistency, trust and more). The ranking is one of the world’s longest-standing brand value evaluations, widely recognized for its credibility.

This philosophy has earned recognition on the global stage. At the 2025 International Design Excellence Awards (IDEA), Samsung received a Gold Award for its “Samsung Inclusive Essentials” concept in the Concepts & Speculative Design category. The award highlights not only innovations in design but also meaningful improvements in usability and social contribution.

Through Samsung Inclusive Essentials, Samsung aims to help all users understand and manage their appliances independently. As such, the design concept standardizes the shape and color of buttons and incorporates multiple senses including sight, sound and touch so that essential functions can be recognized instantly and used seamlessly.

October 15 marks International White Cane Safety Day, established by the World Blind Union to promote and protect the rights of people with visual impairments. To commemorate the day, Samsung Newsroom sat down with Dahwe Park of the Digital Appliances (DA) Business’s FX Design Group and Hyunbin Shin of the DA Business’s Design Innovation Group, who both contributed to the award-winning concept. They shared their insights on the thinking behind Samsung Inclusive Essentials and the goals it seeks to achieve.

▲ (From left) Dahwe Park and Hyunbin Shin

Q. What motivated the development of Samsung Inclusive Essentials for home appliances?

Park: The latest appliance design has been moving toward simplification — doors that open with a touch instead of a handle and digital displays instead of physical buttons. For older adults and those with visual impairments, these changes have made appliances harder to use. We wanted to break down these barriers and create products that everyone could operate conveniently.

Shin: We analyzed the entire user journey from installation and use to management and maintenance. For instance, the same ‘I’-shaped marking was used inconsistently across products — sometimes to indicate a push button and other times a pull action, which made it difficult for users with visual impairments to operate appliances on their own. To address this, we standardized shapes to match their functions, simplifying and unifying them into more intuitive forms.

▲ By standardizing button shapes to clearly represent the needed actions — such as push, pull, touch and rotate — and unifying the icons used across products, Samsung Inclusive Essentials enhances clarity and makes controls more intuitive.

Q. How does this solution differ from conventional accessibility design?

Park: Traditional accessibility design often relied on adding separate functions or devices. However, user testing has shown that people with visual impairments prefer not to depend on accessories like Braille stickers or add-ons but would rather use the appliance in its original form like everyone else. Our solution improves the core design itself — without attachments — so that anyone can operate the product independently.

Shin: For the main control areas, we applied a multimodal design that combines sensory elements such as shape, texture, color, lighting and sound. Consistent feedback signals are integrated across the product so that users can recognize and operate its features more easily. Instead of flat printed icons, buttons are embossed and outlined so they can be identified by touch.

▲ Color-coding the caps of water and detergent containers makes it easy to recognize what they’re containing at a glance — without the need to read small icons.

▲ Buttons with raised outlines make it easy for people to locate them by touch alone.

Q. Was there any feedback from user testing that left a strong impression?

Shin: We conducted multiple user tests at a local welfare center for people with visual impairments and were struck by how many of them live alone. One participant who had lost his sight later in life shared how his independence had diminished and how difficult it felt to constantly rely on others. When he traced the embossed buttons with his fingers, he said, “It may seem like a small detail, but it makes me feel respected and considered. Now I feel that I can use appliances on my own.” That moment resonated deeply with our entire team.

Park: Samsung Inclusive Essentials shows how even small changes can help people with visual impairments live independently without external assistance. It enhances autonomy, supports a more self-directed way of living and reduces the burden on families and caregivers. For individuals with visual impairments living alone, it can be an essential means of ensuring their right to a decent standard of living.

Q. It sounds like this design concept benefits not only people with low vision but all users.

Park: Exactly. Samsung Inclusive Essentials improves the fundamental elements of products in an inclusive way. For example, high-contrast colors help people with low vision, but they also allow other users to recognize controls more quickly. Beyond simply enlarging text or changing icons, we used signals such as shape and color to make appliances easier for everyone to identify and operate in different situations.

Shin: People with visual impairments may seem like a small group, but about one in every 210 people in South Korea is affected. And many people experience difficulties in their daily lives due to decreased vision caused by eye disease or presbyopia. Our solution was designed not just for people with disabilities, but to make appliances more accessible and convenient to use for all.

Q. How do you envision the future of Samsung Inclusive Essentials, and what goals do you hope to achieve?

Shin: While this project focused on people with visual impairments, our aim is to listen more broadly to users who face different challenges in daily life. We want to design appliances that address diverse needs. Samsung Inclusive Essentials goes beyond home appliances simply “usable by everyone” — it is about enabling more dignified and autonomous lives. Regardless of disability, age or environment, every user should be able to experience technology and products equally. We will continue refining our design solutions to achieve that vision.

Park: Samsung Inclusive Essentials is not just about improving features — it’s a user-centric mindset. Imagine turning on a washing machine by simply touching anywhere on the display without having to search for a small power button or opening a dishwasher without locating a specific sensor on the door. Imagine reducing the hassle of water tank and mop cloth maintenance in a robot vacuum by adopting direct water supply systems. All of these illustrate the direction inclusive design should take — making everyday interactions simpler and more seamless.

Samsung Inclusive Essentials begins with small gestures of consideration and grows into meaningful, positive user experiences. With this philosophy, Samsung appliances move beyond accessibility features to embody the design values that enhance usability — empowering everyone to understand, operate and use the products independently, with confidence.

“Zero Waste to Landfill” is a claim validation program administered by UL Solutions, a global safety science company. Designations are determined by the percentage of waste diverted from landfills, serving as a key indicator of a company’s resource circularity efforts. Platinum represents a 100% landfill diversion rate, while Gold and Silver represent 95% to 99% and 90% to 94% respectively.

Since announcing its Environmental Strategy in 2022, focused on climate action and resource circularity, Samsung has steadily advanced sustainable management practices — repurposing waste generated at its sites into valuable resources and expanding other recycling initiatives worldwide.

Last year, all 10 business sites of the Device Solutions (DS) Division earned Platinum designation through integrated validation. This year in July, the Device eXperience (DX) Division’s Hungarian subsidiary, SEH-P, also achieved Platinum, marking the final step in securing Platinum status across all 22 domestic and overseas DX manufacturing sites.

▲ “Zero Waste to Landfill” Platinum designation for Samsung’s headquarters in Suwon, issued by UL Solutions

Samsung Electronics has established key directions for waste management — strengthening sorting systems, expanding reuse and increasing resource recovery — and has been implementing them through concrete initiatives.

Examples include introducing more refined waste separation systems within worksites and strengthening employee training to ensure thorough sorting.¹ Food waste and used paper are composted,² while general and construction waste is recycled into alternative fuels³ or basic raw materials.⁴ In addition, e-waste and battery residues are repurposed for solid fuel production.⁵ Through these efforts, Samsung has made steady progress toward its goal of achieving Zero Waste to Landfill.

▲ Plastic waste reduction training at Samsung Electronics’ SEHC subsidiary in Vietnam

Samsung is continuously developing technologies to recycle waste generated from semiconductor production processes into materials that can be reused in semiconductor manufacturing. For example, waste liquids are reused as a cleaning agent in scrubbers that reduce air pollutants and as water treatment agents in wastewater treatment facilities. In addition, adsorbents, activated carbon and catalysts used to control air pollutants undergo regeneration and are reused as raw materials for the same applications.

▲ Waste adsorbent regeneration process

Samsung recycled approximately 1.32 million tonnes of waste in 2024 — equivalent to 260,000 five-tonne waste trucks.

In addition to reducing waste at its worksites, Samsung has also repurposed by-products and discarded materials into new resources. The Galaxy S25, launched this year, has incorporated recycled cobalt extracted from previously used Galaxy smartphones and batteries discarded during the manufacturing process through Samsung’s Circular Battery Supply Chain. Discarded wafer trays from semiconductor manufacturing were recycled and applied to the Galaxy S25 series’ components as well.

Looking ahead, Samsung Electronics plans to further enhance systematic waste sorting and material-specific management to secure high-quality recycled resources and expand their application in products, strengthening its commitment to resource circularity.

Junhwa Lee, Executive Vice President and Head of Global EHS Office, DX Division at Samsung Electronics, highlighted the significance of the achievement as “a major milestone” in the company’s environmental management strategy, adding that the company will continue to apply innovation across all areas of its business to put sustainable management into practice.

More information on Samsung Electronics’ sustainability initiatives can be found on the Samsung Electronics Sustainability website.

¹ Subsidiaries in Hungary (SEH-P), Malaysia (SEMA), Brazil (SEDA-P(M)), Türkiye (SETK-P), etc.
² Subsidiaries in Thailand (TSE-P), India (SIEL-P(C)), Malaysia (SEMA), Mexico (SEM-P), etc.
³ Subsidiaries in Vietnam (SEHC), Malaysia (SEMA), the United States (SEHA), etc.
⁴ Subsidiaries in Vietnam (SEV, SEVT), etc.
⁵ Subsidiary in Indonesia (SEIN-P)

• Consolidated Sales: Approximately 86 trillion Korean won
• Consolidated Operating Profit: Approximately 12.1 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: 85 trillion to 87 trillion Korean won
• Operating Profit: 12.0 trillion to 12.2 trillion Korean won

※  2024 3Q and 2025 2Q consolidated figures based on K-IFRS are as follows

The signing ceremony was held at Samsung’s corporate headquarters in Seoul, Korea, attended by Young Hyun Jun, Vice Chairman & CEO of Samsung Electronics; Sung-an Choi, Vice Chairman & CEO of Samsung Heavy Industries; Sechul Oh, President & CEO of Samsung C&T; and Junehee Lee, President & CEO of Samsung SDS.

Samsung Electronics

Samsung Electronics will work with OpenAI as a strategic memory partner to supply advanced semiconductor solutions for OpenAI’s global Stargate initiative. With OpenAI’s memory demand projected to reach up to 900,000 DRAM wafers per month, Samsung will contribute toward meeting this need with its extensive lineup of high-performance, energy-efficient DRAM solutions.

As a comprehensive semiconductor solutions provider, Samsung’s leading technologies span across memory, logic and foundry with a diverse product portfolio that supports the full AI workflow from training to inference.

The company also brings differentiated capabilities in advanced chip packaging and heterogeneous integration between memory and system semiconductors, enabling it to provide unique solutions for OpenAI.

Samsung SDS

Samsung SDS has entered into a potential partnership with OpenAI to jointly develop AI data centers and provide enterprise AI services.

Leveraging its expertise in advanced data center technologies, Samsung SDS will collaborate with OpenAI in the design, development and operation of the Stargate AI data centers. Under the LOI, Samsung SDS can now provide consulting, deployment and management services for businesses seeking to integrate OpenAI’s AI models into their internal systems.

In addition, Samsung SDS has signed a reseller partnership for OpenAI’s services in Korea and plans to support local companies in adopting OpenAI’s ChatGPT Enterprise offerings.

Samsung C&T and Samsung Heavy Industries

Samsung C&T and Samsung Heavy Industries will collaborate with OpenAI to advance global AI data centers, with a particular focus on the joint development of floating data centers.

Floating data centers are considered to have advantages over data centers because they can address land scarcity, lower cooling costs and reduce carbon emissions. Still, their technical complexity has so far limited wider deployment.

Building on their proprietary technologies, Samsung C&T and Samsung Heavy Industries will also explore opportunities to pursue projects in floating power plants and control centers, in addition to floating data center infrastructure.

Starting with the landmark partnership with OpenAI, Samsung plans to fully support Korea’s goals to become one of the world’s top three nations in AI and create new opportunities in the field.

Samsung is also exploring broader adoption of ChatGPT within the companies to facilitate AI transformation in the workplace.

About OpenAI
OpenAI is an AI research and deployment company. Our mission is to ensure that artificial general intelligence benefits all of humanity.

Heart and brain health are two key areas of global healthcare innovation, where our groundbreaking advancements are shaping the future of preventative care.

Our wearable technology will soon enable early detection and monitoring of Left Ventricular Systolic Dysfunction (LVSD), a serious cardiovascular condition responsible for approximately 50% of all heart failure cases and is more fatal than some cancers. Similarly, we are advancing brain-computer interface (BCI) technologies by overcoming the limitations of bulky devices to unlock immense potential in mental health management and productivity.

World-First LVSD Detection Through Smart Watch

Heart failure stands out as one of the most fatal cardiovascular diseases, with a 5-year survival rate of only 50% following diagnosis. As a result, early detection of LVSD is critical, as timely diagnosis along with medication and lifestyle adjustments, can significantly reduce hospitalization and lower the risk of death.

Samsung has overcome this limitation by introducing AI algorithms that were developed in collaboration with Medical AI, a leading Korean medical device company specializing in AI-based ECG technology. These algorithms were developed based on Medical AI’s in-house algorithm for the 12-lead ECG analysis, which is already deployed across over 100 major hospitals in Korea and used for over 120,000 patients on a monthly basis, bringing clinically proven, real-word reliability that led to securing regulatory approval from South Korea’s Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) as the first smart watch to gain LVSD detection capabilities.

This technology not only enables early screening for asymptomatic individuals but also aims to reduce the surging healthcare costs associated with heart failure by promoting early diagnosis and timely treatment.¹ Furthermore, this product aligns with global healthcare priorities, including personalized patient care, proactive health management, lowering healthcare burdens, and advancing the application of AI in medicine.

Advancing Brain-Computer Interface Technology in a Wearable

Our commitment to collaboration extends beyond heart health innovation. Much like the groundbreaking work with Medical AI on LVSD detection, we recently partnered with Hanyang University’s Department of Biomedical Engineering to develop an around-the-ear electroencephalogram(EEG) prototype device, advancing brain-computer interface (BCI) technology with unmatched wearability and precision.

Engineered to overcome limitations of traditional EEG systems, the Ear-EEG offers a sleek, ergonomic design that allows seamless brainwave monitoring outside laboratory settings. Designed to capture high-quality signals with strategically placed electrodes around the ear, the research prototype delivered strong real-world application potential:

• Drowsiness Detection: It accurately detected the onset of drowsiness in real-time, showcasing its potential to enhance learning efficiency and support focus in education and beyond.
• Video Preference Analysis: Using artificial intelligence to analyze brainwaves, the device identified participants’ personal video preferences with 92.86% accuracy, pointing to potential applications in neuromarketing and entertainment.

This research was recently featured in the Volume 25, Issue 18 of the IEEE Sensors Journal, where it was selected as the sole feature article, further solidifying Samsung’s leadership in wearable sensor innovation.

“This study is a prime example of academia-industry collaboration being recognized internationally for its scholarly significance,” said Professor Chang-Hwan Im of Hanyang University. “The technology we developed is not limited to education and marketing but has the potential to expand into diverse fields such as entertainment and mental health management.”

Collaborating for a Smarter, Healthier Future

Through relentless focus on innovation, rigorous research, and ongoing partnerships with world-class experts and institutions, Samsung is redefining the future of healthcare by delivering technologies that are personalized, connected, and more accessible than ever.

Looking ahead, Samsung is poised to redefine the future of healthcare by delivering technologies that are personalized, connected, and accessible to everyone. Through relentless innovation and strategic collaboration, Samsung continues to simplify the wellness journey, offering users the tools they need to proactively manage their health and embrace smarter, healthier lifestyles. This commitment ensures that Samsung’s solutions not only meet the needs of today’s users but also push the boundaries of what’s possible in tomorrow’s healthcare landscape.

¹ Not intended for use in detection, diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. Intended for general wellness and fitness purposes only. Please consult a medical professional for advice.