Mikael Krekula, a professional wilderness guide based in Kiruna, Sweden, was out on the frozen Kalix River testing sonar equipment when his Galaxy S23 Ultra slipped from his glove and fell into an ice fishing hole. The device plunged into the freezing water, settling roughly three meters below the surface.

“At that moment, I felt like I had donated my entire digital life to the river — photos, ID, credit cards and all my apps gone in an instant,” Mikael said. “It wasn’t just a phone to me. It was my work companion, essential in everything I do.”

Despite the extreme conditions, Mikael decided to attempt a recovery. Over the course of five hours, he drilled eight surrounding ice holes to get a better angle to the phone and used a series of improvised tools — birch branches, a shovel and a plastic bag on a stick — to try and reach the device.

“I could see my phone through the ice. It wasn’t lost completely — just barely out of reach,” he explained. “Eventually, I drove home, grabbed a summer fishing net, tied the net to a birch rod and came back — and within five minutes, it was in my hands.”

Remarkably, the Galaxy S23 Ultra powered on immediately, displaying three missed calls. There was no need for a reboot or drying procedures.

“We let it sit overnight in the cabin just to be safe, but the next day it was still working perfectly,” Mikael added. “And it continues to function just like it did before the incident.”

Technology That Keeps Up With the Wild

As a wilderness guide leading tours across the Arctic Circle, Mikael relies heavily on mobile technology. His Galaxy S23 Ultra supports navigation, weather updates, language translation, photography, and communication — often in sub-zero temperatures and remote locations.

“When you’re guiding guests under the northern lights or across frozen terrain, your tech can’t fail,” he said. “The Galaxy S23 Ultra also delivers outstanding night photography, which is essential for capturing this region’s unique light conditions.”

Mikael now includes a hand net in his winter packing list — and grips his phone more tightly. “This was definitely a learning experience,” he remarked. “But it also showed me that the phone can handle a lot more than I expected.”

Real-World Durability, Backed by Advanced Engineering

The Galaxy S23 Ultra is rated IP68,¹ offering water resistance in up to 1.5 meters of freshwater for 30 minutes, as well as protection against dust, dirt and sand. The circumstances surrounding Mikael’s device exceeded these rated conditions, illustrating the durability Samsung builds into its flagship devices.

Today, Mikael continues to guide guests across Sweden’s far north with his Galaxy S23 Ultra close at hand. From urban jungles to frozen wilderness, the Galaxy S series are built to last wherever they are and Mikael’s experience is just the latest proof of that legacy in action — tested by the Arctic, trusted by the user and tougher than the Kalix River.

To learn more about Mikael’s guided wilderness experiences, visit www.ecotours68n.se. For more information about the Galaxy S23 Ultra, visit www.samsung.com.

¹ The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra has an IP68 rating based on laboratory test conditions. Water resistance is effective in up to 1.5 meters of freshwater for up to 30 minutes. It is not suitable for beach or pool use. Water or dust damage is not covered by warranty. Performance beyond rated conditions may vary and is not guaranteed.

Samsung Newsroom took an inside look at the thorough quality tests that set Samsung home appliances apart.

Refrigerators: Durability and Temperature Consistency Throughout

The refrigerator is the most frequently used appliance in the kitchen. To ensure Samsung refrigerators operate in the most demanding conditions, the Door Slam Test simulates the act of opening and closing fridge doors tens of thousands of times depending on the model. During the process, engineers assess the hinges for sagging, listen for unusual noises and examine whether the doors continue to function smoothly under stress.

Tests are also carried out to evaluate proper performance throughout the four seasons. The Temperature Maintenance Test pushes refrigerators to their limits by replicating different seasonal weather conditions — from freezing winters to sweltering summer heat waves of over 40 degrees Celsius — making sure optimal cooling performance is maintained in challenging external environments.

Preserving the freshness of food ingredients, meanwhile, relies on maintaining a consistent internal temperature. Using thermocouples placed throughout the refrigerators and freezers to be tested, the Compartment Test (Notch Test) alters notch settings and simulates variations in humidity and temperature to check whether each product’s compartments and shelves are cooled evenly.

For refrigerator models equipped with automatic ice makers, the Ice-making Performance Test checks ice production capabilities and the quality of ice by varying water pressure, temperature and notch placement.

▲ The Door Slam Test (left) and the Water Protection Test (right)

Washing Machines: Ready To Thrive in Harsh Winters and Wet Environments

Washing machines are often installed in areas with lower temperatures or exposure to water, such as balconies or bathrooms. To make sure its products perform reliably under these conditions, Samsung conducts rigorous stress tests.

The Freezing Test evaluates the durability of Samsung washing machines in the winter by repeatedly exposing the appliances to temperatures as low as those in the Arctic and as high as those in scorching summers. Additionally, engineers carry out a Water Leakage Test to assess the washing machines’ resistance to leaks. They fill the drums with water, place the machines at tilted angles and monitor them for leaks over a period of 24 hours or more under varying humidity levels and different temperatures.

The Water Protection Test, on the other hand, checks whether the washing machines work properly in wet environments. High-pressure rotating nozzles spray water onto the appliances for extended periods of time, with engineers closely monitoring for water infiltration into electrical components or condensation issues caused by humidity.

Kitchen Appliances: Designed With Product Lifespans in Mind

▲ The Durability Test (left) and the Basket In and Out Test (right)

The lifespans of Samsung electric cooktops under real-world conditions can be estimated through the Durability Test. In this simulation, engineers test the durability of dozens of cooktops over several months by repeatedly heating and cooling standard containers on them while the containers are automatically refilled with water.

Samsung dishwashers undergo the Basket In and Out Test to be checked for any defects in their rollers. Engineers purposefully overload the dishwashers’ baskets beyond standard capacity and slide them in and out tens of thousands of times to ensure the quality of their rollers, rails and nozzles.

Every Samsung home appliance is built with one ultimate goal — to give users peace of mind, even in unexpected moments. Samsung will continue strengthening quality control and inspection across its product lines in constant pursuit of unprecedented levels of safety and durability.

Faster Portable SSD Offers a Replacement to External Hard Disk Drives

Samsung Electronics, the world leader in advanced memory technology,unveiled the Samsung Portable SSD T1, a stylish, external portable solid state drive (SSD) that represents a new standard of storage for today’s digital life. Designed for speed and security without sacrificing style, the Portable SSD T1 is ideal for business travelers, creative professionals and content creators with a need for secure local storage they can take on-the-go and use to quickly transfer large amounts of data. Available in 250 gigabyte (GB), 500GB and 1 terabyte (TB) storage capacities, the Portable SSD T1 will launch globally in 15 countries across the United States, European and Asian markets later this month.

Powered by Samsung’s proprietary 3D Vertical NAND (V-NAND) technology, the Portable SSD T1 is a high-performance memory storage device recently chosen as an honoree for the 2015 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) Innovation Awards. The new drive will be on display at the 2015 CES from January 6-9 at Samsung’s booth, 11906, located in the Central Hall.

“The Portable SSD T1 allows users to store their entire digital portfolio locally in one place, take it with them anywhere and have blazing fast access to their data, all without worrying about reliability or security,” said Unsoo Kim, Senior Vice President of Branded Product Marketing, Memory Business at Samsung Electronics. “Our digital lives demand storage that surpasses the limits of existing options, which require consumers to compromise, when it comes to mobility, capacity, security or performance. The Portable SSD T1 overcomes the drawbacks of alternative options on every major pain point, making it the next external storage device of choice.”

Built for Speed

Built with the same award-winning technology as Samsung’s internal SSDs, the Portable SSD T1 saves users precious time with extremely fast read/write speeds, enabling users to plug in and quickly grab their work to present to prospective clients or partners. In fact, the drive has sequential read/write speeds of up to 450 megabytes per second (MB/s) with a USB 3.0 super speed interface and random read/write speeds of up to 8,000 inputs/outputs per second (IOPS) and 21,000 IOPS respectively. The write speed is responsive and fast like an internal SSD and up to 100 times faster than an external hard disk drive (HDD). Depending on the file size, the Portable SSD T1 has a data transfer speed four times faster than an external HDD. It takes only eight seconds to transfer a 3GB movie file and 27 seconds for a 10GB movie file compared to an external HDD which takes 26 seconds and 85 seconds, respectively.

Secure, Durable Local Storage

With its intuitive user interface, the Samsung Portable SSD T1 is easy to set up and protect, so professionals can be assured that their original work will not fall into the wrong hands or get lost due to design, durability or reliability concerns. With just one user-set password, the drive is safe from unwanted access thanks to AES 256-bit hardware encryption. Unlike an external HDD, the Portable SSD T1 has no moving parts, so it can withstand bumps and drops and users do not need to worry about the wear and tear on moving parts that can result in lost or corrupted data. It is shock resistant up to 1500G/0.5ms and features Dynamic Thermal Guard, which will activate in extreme temperature conditions to protect the drive and any stored data – so users can rest easy knowing the drive can withstand even the toughest elements.

Stylishly Designed for Maximum Portability

The Portable SSD T1 has a slim and compact design that makes it easy to take anywhere. Smaller than an average business card and weighing about 1 ounce, it features premium aesthetics such as black chrome metal coating and laser patterning, making it the sleek, fashionable choice for sophisticated and stylish users.

The Samsung Portable SSD T1 works effortlessly with both Windows and Mac PCs using the exFAT file system, eliminating the hassle of having to reformat for every type of computer. Each unit of the Portable SSD T1 comes with a three-year limited warranty, and is available in 250GB, 500GB and 1TB with a starting price of USD 179.99. For more information, please visit www.samsung.com/T1 and global.samsungtomorrow.com/CES2015.

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