[Interview] Samsung Electronics CEO BK Yoon: “We Will Lead the Hyper Connected World”

“All Samsung Electronics products will be connected and form an IoT (Internet of Things) ecosystem with external partners. We will lead the hyper connectivity of the future,” said BK Yoon, CEO of the Consumer Electronics (CE) Business at Samsung Electronics at a press meeting at IFA 2017.

Samsung Electronics is one of the few global companies that covers everything from IT and home appliances to integral abilities and components including an IoT platform, cloud computing, artificial intelligence (AI), voice recognition, wireless communication, semi-conductor chips, sensors and security solutions. The company also offers the best B2B solutions for vehicles, communication, electricity, distribution, content and other areas of interest to the company’s global partners.

CEO Yoon revealed his business vision and said “Samsung will draw out synergies from all product lines. By connecting them to the external IoT ecosystem, we will be able to provide added value to the customers along with enhancements to their everyday life experiences.”

The company’s plan is to first connect all Samsung products by 2020. The products will be connected based on Samsung Connect, a cloud computing based integral platform and application, and also controlled by it. The smartphone intelligent interface Bixby will allow easy control over IoT services. In order to increase the synergy effects from the company, Samsung is currently running an IoT committee in which each department is participating. Furthermore, a task force team is in operation to provide comprehensive IoT and AI services.

Samsung also leads the establishment and spread of IoT standards as a board member of the Open Connectivity Foundation (OCF), the biggest IoT standardization group in the world. The company plans to work collaboratively with Google Home, Alexa and other services through the open platform strategy. At the same time, the company will enhance external IoT product connectivity using its own SmartThings platform with great scalability. Additionally, Samsung is going to reveal its IoT-related cloud computing source code to expand the ecosystem at the Samsung Developers Conference (SDC) in San Francisco, U.S. in October.

“An easy to use IoT service for everyone is impossible without cooperation between businesses,” Yoon emphasized. “By making open cooperation between Harman, SmartThings and internal groups with external IoT businesses, we will realize a user-oriented IoT service at home, in the office, in vehicles and other areas.”

Samsung continues its efforts to suggest a “New Normal” to consumers in their everyday lives by developing unprecedented products in its CE business. The company is drawing attention with brilliant new products at IFA 2017 such as The Frame Lifestyle TV, which includes the Art Store that offers art pieces to display in its picture frame mode. The QuickDrive^TM washing machine is also breaking new ground by reducing the washing time by half* with no compromise on washing performance.

“IoT and B2B will be our main focus of investment to continue innovation in the CE business,” Yoon commented. “We will enter the North American built-in home appliances market as one of the top-tier companies in three years by building the best lineup with Dacor who we acquired last year,” he added.

*Tested on WW8800M compared with Samsung WW8500K. Saves 50% time on Cotton (40℃, half load) and eCotton cycle with washing performance within ± 2%. Saves 20% energy on Cotton (40℃, half load) and Super Speed cycle (40℃, 5kg load), based on Intertek data.