At the center of this shift is the connected TV market. Unlike traditional TV, where viewers follow fixed programming schedules, connected TVs allow users to discover and enjoy content in a more personalized way. By linking content, services and how people watch, they are driving a new screen paradigm.

From Passive Viewing to Personalized Discovery

Connected TVs are transforming digital advertising by combining the immersive scale of the big screen with the precision of digital platforms to create a new viewing experience. Leveraging vast amounts of data, they deliver recommendations tailored to individual preferences — strengthening connections between brands and audiences.

Today, advanced recommendation systems help viewers find what they want without complex searches. This shift underscores how TV is evolving beyond a content delivery device into a platform that actively connects viewers with what they watch.

The Rise of FAST in Connected TV

A defining trend in the connected TV market is the rapid growth of free ad-supported streaming TV (FAST). By offering a wide range of programming at no cost, FAST preserves the traditional lean-back experience while expanding choice for modern viewing habits. Users can easily find options tailored to their preferences without the fatigue of complex decision-making — creating new value in how media is consumed.

Amid these changes, Samsung Electronics is advancing a differentiated screen experience through its TV platform. Samsung TVs serve as a global hub connecting services and programming, delivering personalized experiences powered by extensive viewing data and innovative technology. At the heart of this ecosystem is Samsung TV Plus, Samsung’s FAST service.

A Leading Platform in a Changing Media Landscape

Adopted by around 100 million monthly users worldwide, Samsung TV Plus offers a wide range of free programming — including news, sports and entertainment — expanding viewer choice. Now available in 30 countries, the platform features approximately 4,300 channels and more than 66,000 video-on-demand (VOD) titles.

Users can watch live channels and a broad selection of titles without subscriptions or fees, making access more intuitive. At this scale, Samsung TV Plus stands alongside major global broadcasters — underscoring its position as a leading media platform in a rapidly evolving landscape.

In addition, Samsung TV Plus supports interactive features that create a more engaging experience. For example, viewers can watch a favorite artist’s performance while participating in live voting, showing how programming and brands come together in a seamless media environment.

The Next Phase of Connected TV

We are in an accelerated AI era, where every industry is transforming at an unprecedented pace. Not only are content consumption patterns changing, but so are how we experience and interact with media. Connected TV is set to redefine the screen, moving beyond offering more choice to delivering deeper personalization.

Samsung TV Plus leads this transformation and sets new standards for viewing while driving continued growth.

In light of modest global sales recently, some observers say that smartphone innovation has hit a bottleneck, as new devices bear more iterative upgrades instead of groundbreaking features. Others even predict that the smartphone era may be coming to an end soon.

But with mobile technologies like 5G, AI, and AR maturing rapidly, users will be able to do even more with their smartphones soon. Instead of losing relevance, the next wave of technological innovation will make the smartphone more central to our lives than ever before. Whether it’s leveraging increased connectivity or harnessing next-generation mobile intelligence, a larger display will be key to accessing future smartphone experiences.

Despite current trends, we are still living in a world where the size of the smartphone display can only be as large as the device itself. At Samsung, we began to ask ourselves how we can overcome this limitation and expand the possibilities of what users can accomplish on the go.

The Shape of Things to Come

Smartphone displays can’t get any larger without compromising portability – this was the orthodoxy for a long time.

Instead of accepting the status quo, resolving the contradiction between screen size and portability and developing a new form factor became the central focus of our innovation efforts.

The recent unveiling of the Infinity Flex Display at SDC 2018 signaled the start of this new chapter. But building a foldable device was no mean feat. After the prototypes of the flexible display debuted at CES in 2011, it took another seven years to perfect the technology and deliver a truly meaningful experience to users. From developing new materials to overcoming mechanical challenges, the foldable screen demanded a total reconfiguration of the smartphone from inside out.

Preparing for the New Era

We expect to see a sea change in the smartphone form factor in the coming years. From rollable and stretchable devices to the devices that can fold in multiple ways are no longer beyond the realms of reality. Samsung is ready to usher in this future and create meaningful experiences for consumers that help them do more of what they love.

To build the new foldable device, we made significant investments to create a new material that completely changes the anatomy of the smartphone display. We also created a natural and durable folding experience that users can appreciate from the very first time they unfold the device and crafted an innovative mechanical technology that can withstand hundreds of thousands of folds. We also had to rethink the placements of the battery, cooling system, and camera so that they can be placed inside the slim body efficiently. Last but not least, we developed an intuitive UX to ensure apps can transition seamlessly between the smaller and larger displays. We are committed to continue pushing the limits of possibility and lead the mobile industry into a new era.

Smartphone innovation is at the cusp of the next major transformation. The arrival of the Infinity Flex Display is just the beginning. We will continue pushing the limits of possibility and shape the future as it unfolds.

Last November, my seven-year-old daughter Aurelia and I embarked on the journey of a lifetime, cycling some 550 kilometers through Ghana with 62 other Ride Africa participants to help raise funds for Child.org.

The NGO was founded by three pediatricians in 2002 with a focus on providing holistic care for orphaned children in Kenya and Ghana. Today, Child.org continues to work towards a world where every child has an equal opportunity.

To accomplish this, they remove the barriers children face to getting a good education, which tend to differ from community to community. Based on the extensive data that they collect, their initiatives might include a deworming program in one village, school feeding in another and bike lending in yet another.

The organization’s most recent venture, Ride Africa, provided an opportunity to help both German and Ghanaian children explore the numerous possibilities of digital learning and experience new technologies.

Getting Into Gear

Having cycled with Child.org in 2014 from Uganda to Kenya, I was able to personally experience the amazing work the NGO does. Together with 50 other riders, we were able to raise £150,000 GBP for schools, street children centers and feeding centers in rural areas.

Understanding that every one of us has the ability to help others in need, I decided to take the journey again. This time, I also took along my daughter, knowing that it would be a wonderful opportunity for her to broaden her worldview and to better understand the importance of being a good global citizen.

We rode across Ghana from Axim to Hohoe, cycling through villages and stopping to chat with the locals at nearby schools and projects that our raised funds will help support.

Many of the children we met are not able to go to school, due to factors such as illness, a lack of transportation or having to support their families by working. Girls, in particular, have limited access to education, as they often face barriers including domestic work, early marriage or pregnancy.

Despite our differences, our interactions with the locals were marked by a heartfelt atmosphere, mutual respect and genuine interest in our own native countries.

A New Perspective

As part of an intercultural exchange, we gave local children the opportunity to virtually experience Germany for themselves. With help from Corporate Citizenship Department at Samsung Germany, the Samsung Lighthouse School – centres of excellence for digital learning across Europe – and a number of schools throughout Germany, we developed a 360-degree video that illustrated school life in Germany.

In addition to showing images of the campuses, we shot interviews with students who introduced themselves and expressed their interest in the children of Ghana.

Together with Child.org and a primary school in Santrokofi Bume, the content was shown to the Ghanaian students via Samsung Gear VR headsets. Both German and Ghanaian children then interviewed one another, which was recorded with the Gear360 and later shown to students at the Samsung Lighthouse School.

This approach provided a good way to promote a mutual understanding of one another as global citizens. Furthermore, the VR technology allowed the students to immersively experience the similarities and differences of each other’s cultures in an entirely new and unique way. Virtual reality will continue to be used to enhance lessons at the schools as well as in other Child.org projects to foster global understanding and mutual respect.

Creating a Better Tomorrow

In total, Aurelia, the other riders and I raised more than £215,000 GBP. These donations will be used to support various Child.org projects. Included among them is the ‘School Garden Project’ in Hohoe, which provides agricultural education to students of all ages to help to improve nutrition within the community.

Child.org will also use some of the funds to help to evolve their HealthStart program. This innovative project provides children in primary schools in Western Kenya with health intervention services and health promotion education. By working with school leaders and using digital tech, Child.org and their partners can better provide targeted solutions based on actual needs.

At the end of our ride, all bikes were donated to the Shape Lives Foundation in Hohoe. Via the organization’s Bike Library, children living far away from their school can borrow bikes to reduce their journey time. Not only does this help keep the students safe and healthy, but it also allows them to spend more time in the classroom.

For so long, virtual reality was thought of as impractical and futuristic—a mind-boggling technology plucked from the pages of science fiction, solely utilized by diehard gamers and tech geeks. But the past couple of years have shown us that virtual reality has already trickled into a variety of industries, from film and entertainment to education and advertising. This rapidly growing and expanding virtual environment is powered by 360-degree video, a new kind of medium that allows viewers to sense the action from all angles and directions, so they feel as if they’re actually in the scene as it unfolds before their eyes.

In the Middle of the Action

Recognizing the potential of this highly immersive means of delivering content, online platforms such as YouTube, Flickr and Facebook have taken numerous measures to support 360-degree video formats. In doing so, people are now able to experience things they wouldn’t likely encounter in “reality,” such as flying a WWII fighter plane or viewing Earth from the International Space Station, in new and unique ways.

While these kinds of videos generally provide an immersive experience, traditional filmmakers and production companies are exploring how 360-degree video can also transform storytelling and make a viewer feel more emotionally involved. Some of the most favored videos among those already published have been horror films, which trap viewers in eerie, highly atmospheric scenes in which they can literally look over their shoulder to see what’s lurking in the dark.

Engrossing and emotion-provoking videos like these have given way to an unpredictable increase in the popularity of virtual reality elements at this year’s major film festivals—including Cannes, Sundance, Tribeca and Hot Docs—and have accelerated major film and television studios’ recent VR initiatives.

Storytelling in the Age of Digital Video

Journalists are also hoping to evoke similar emotions and create empathy in a field that is often criticized for lacking such components. The New York Times, for example, recently ventured into the world of 360-degree video storytelling with “The Displaced,” their Nov. 5 story about the plight of refugee children forced from their homes by war and persecution. This pioneering journalistic endeavor let viewers move their mobile devices around to take in the full scenery, exploring the refugee experience in a highly personal way.

But storytelling isn’t just for journalism. In fact, the buzzword is also strongly tied to the advertising industry, and 360-degree video provides a way to create intense moments and rich, enveloping experiences that can help boost a brand’s story. So much so that the medium is predicted to be one of the biggest marketing trends to watch for in 2016. Already several large media organizations, as well as athletes, celebrities and TV show producers, have put together promotional videos offering a variety of immersive content options to engage fans. Consumer brands have also begun utilizing 360-degree video technologies in striking advertising campaigns to reach out to the young, tech-savvy consumers of today.

In addition to entertainment, news and marketing, there are a whole host of use cases that 360-degree video creators have only just begun to explore. Such use cases include educational applications, like surgical training tools for medical students, and content that aims to treat illnesses such as post-traumatic stress disorder in war veterans or phantom limb syndrome in amputees.

A New Way to Consume, Create and Connect

The quality of 360-degree video has improved greatly in recent years, due in large part to the technology that enables its creation and consumption. What was once only available for viewing on a personal computer can now also be easily accessed and viewed on a mobile device. Yet 360-degree video is most impressive when experienced through mobile virtual reality devices, such as Samsung’s new consumer edition of the Gear VR headset, which hit shelves last month.

Headsets like Samsung’s utilize gyro sensors, geomagnetic sensors and proximity sensors to shift the 360-degree video and sound in unison with the user’s head movements, tricking the brain into reacting as if it were all real. And, considering the advantages of smartphone capabilities, the masses can now experience virtual reality in all its glory at a comparatively low cost.

Furthermore, with the Samsung Internet for Gear VR app, users can now also browse the web and experience digital content in a highly immersive environment, as if they were at the cinema watching it on the big screen. With the ability to stream both 360-degree and 3D videos from the web, the app provides users with an easily accessible, fully immersive VR viewing experience.

While the technology utilized to view 360-degree video continues to advance, so does the camera equipment used to film the content, making it easier and more affordable for just about anyone to produce their own omnidirectional films. Furthermore, organizations are opening their doors to foster the creation and development of 360-degree video content. The Sundance Institute, for example, has established a residency program for independent filmmakers who hope to lay the groundwork for this new film language. Likewise, YouTube Space is a studio that offers resources for creatives to produce 360-degree video, and conducts periodic workshops and social gatherings to help creators collaborate with one another.

Although 360-degree video has already made its mark on a variety of industries, it is certain that people will begin to share far more VR content—whether personal experiences or artistic endeavors—as technology makes it easier for amateurs to produce it themselves. As more content is created, sites will adapt by adding supportive features, and, soon enough, 360-degree video will allow people to create, tell and share the stories and experiences that are important to them in a richer and more immersive way.

https://youtu.be/YXl3dKtfW_Q

https://youtu.be/y-nkPB8utV4

Injong Rhee, Executive Vice President and Head of Enterprise Business Team, recently wrote an editorial providing an in-depth explanation of how Samsung KNOX works and the advanced security features it offers. As I was in charge of the development of Samsung KNOX, I would like to continue the discussion by talking about why KNOX is necessary and where it can be applied.

The Optimal Enterprise Solution for Security and Convenience

Do you remember the early cellphones? Back then, mobiles phones weren’t commonly built for business activities. Even when companies provided cellphones for business use, they were mostly used for receiving calls and sending text messages.

However, the situation completely changed with the advent of smartphones—mobile phones started to gain access to the servers that stored company data. So we developed Mobile Device Management (MDM) solutions to prevent company information from being infected with malignant codes and to keep the access to servers and devices away from hackers. MDM is a tool that manages registered information and oversees the access of smartphones to servers.

Despite the constant risk of hackers, we understood that overly prioritizing security could make smartphone usage for businesses inconvenient, especially for management and employees. We wanted to come up with a platform that would provide tight security and be convenient at the same time. KNOX is the result of a design and development process that took over one year.

For personal devices, Samsung KNOX is a prime security platform that protects against external attacks. As an enterprise solution, however, KNOX truly shines. KNOX is the optimal tool that secures devices while simultaneously providing customized services.

For example, take a look at Samsung Pay, in mobile payment services. Because Samsung Pay is about making financial transactions, security is essential. KNOX constantly monitors devices that use Samsung Pay, guarding against signs of malware and protecting payment information and personal data from hackers. Samsung Pay is a good example of how effective KNOX is when used as an enterprise solution in which both security and usability are critical.

Approved by Governments Around the World and the U.S. Department of Defense

The security of KNOX is widely acknowledged and has been proved in highly regulated organizations around the world, such as U.S Department of Defense. Also, this year at MWC, KNOX won as the Best Security/Anti-Fraud Product or Solution by the GSMA.

But of course, it has not been an easy journey, as you can easily imagine. The enterprise solutions market is very conservative and security is of utmost importance. We tried to figure out how we would be able to build a solution that would not only be accepted, but also revered for its capabilities. That is when Senior Vice President Injong Rhee said, “If we are going to do it, let’s make it the world’s best.”

So we asked ourselves, what is an organization that holds security to the highest importance? Our answer: The military. As a result, we aimed to obtain security approval from one of the most secure organizations of the world: the U.S. Department of Defense. As one could imagine, it was extremely difficult. At first, it was nearly impossible even to schedule a meeting with officials. But we kept explaining the merits of KNOX and overcame all the major hurdles, ultimately obtaining the security approval.

Now, governments around the world have acknowledged KNOX’s security: the U.K., Finland and China have officially approved KNOX for use.

Surpassing 4 Million Users in Just 2 Years

Thanks to the security and usability of KNOX, we have witnessed steady but strong reactions within the enterprise solution market. Just two years since its introduction, the number of users who have adopted KNOX as their enterprise solution has reached four million. Moreover, the rate of adoption has been gaining momentum.

It is estimated that mobile devices for business use will make up at least 30 percent of the global mobile device market. KNOX has products that can satisfy all types of needs, from the heavy-duty power of its Workspace to the smaller and individual scale of My KNOX, while also offering customized solutions for businesses.

In addition, we have started an indirect B2B project called ‘KNOX Enabled Application,’ combining KNOX with banking applications. It supports the core security functions of KNOX while making complex business systems seem easier. KNOX fundamentally prevents other applications or unauthorized parties from accessing personal or banking information, while protecting banking applications, account transfer information and authentication certificates.

The Value of KNOX Grows in the Internet of Things Era

As we continue to work toward making Samsung KNOX the best mobile security platform, we are focused on two goals. Our first goal is to create an ecosystem in which partnering companies can freely create and use their products under the KNOX platform. In order to do so, we have opened up various Software Development Kits (SDKs) so that large enterprises and individual developers can freely build their ideas. Our second objective is to provide KNOX’s level of security and service to other non-Android OS platforms by expanding its compatibility.

The true value of KNOX will grow even more prominent as the Internet of Things (IoT) era arrives. As we reach the moment when all things are connected through the Internet, the importance of strong security to prevent personal information leaks will inevitably increase.

Because personal mobile devices will be a central collecting point for various IoT networks, security on those devices will grow even more vital. Similarly, protecting people’s data will become more important for wearable devices and connected cars. As wearable devices gain more functions each year, they are also collecting ever more sensitive information about us, directly from physical contact. The personal data being collected by connected cars is similarly sensitive since it directly affects people’s lives.

With all these trends and needs in the market, we will continue to invest in Samsung KNOX so that it can protect you and provide security on a wide range of devices.

How many credit cards do you carry in your wallet? How often do you use each of them? Commerce has come a long way and the forms of “money” have evolved. The credit card has played an important role for people to shop more convenience and safer over recent years, however, it can be replaced to new payment service in the near future. Mobile payment is a burgeoning phenomenon in the world of retail and commerce.

At the moment, mobile payment systems fall into two categories. One method is based on near field communication (NFC) technology. The other relies on magnetic secure transmission (MST) technology, which sends the payment card information to a magnetic card reader wirelessly, using magnetic signals.

NFC is the most widely used payment system, however, it has a critical shortcoming—fewer than 3 percent of retail shops in the world have the NFC readers needed to support it. Despite the technology applying NFC for payment systems being a decade old, retailers have been slow to purchase and install NFC readers, even in Europe, where NFC cards and IC cards are more widely available. Without a doubt, its acceptance will spread, but the pace appears to be somewhat slow.

On the other hand, most retail shops already have magnetic card readers, which are compatible with MST technology. So a mobile payment system that supports both NFC and MST would have the widest level of acceptance—and the only such service is Samsung Pay.

Technology always takes time to be accepted. For example, HD TVs have been around for more than a decade, but there are still a lot of people who watch in standard resolution. As an engineer, I believe we need to follow the lead of our customers. We cannot force people to accept new technologies before they’re ready. Instead, we need to help ease that change naturally.

The Key Is Convenience

Nowadays, we can find WiFi everywhere. But how many people understand how Wi-Fi works, or know the various standards? Most do not. What people care about is being able to access their email easily and safely. The important thing for consumers is convenience.

Recently, one company released an application that shows users where they can use mobile payment services. In my opinion, that gets things totally backward it is a complete flop. People use mobile payment services where they shop; they do not go shopping to where they can use mobile payment services. Convenience drives consumer acceptance, not the technology.

With this philosophy in mind from the beginning, Samsung Electronics applied MST technology to mobile payments together with NFC. I think debating which technology is better, NFC or MST, is pointless. What is essential is making mobile payment convenient for consumers, so they can pay for things without thinking about the technology. If consumers cannot use a mobile payment service in most shops, they will not use it nor accept it. Embracing a technology means being able to use it easily, anytime, anywhere.

I have not used a plastic credit card in over a month. It’s so easy to pay for anything wherever I go, I don’t even worry about my credit cards anymore. I know I do not need them. Even if something did go wrong, finding a solution would just lead to better service, which is essential for mobile payments being accepted.

Comparing MST and NFC Today

The global average NFC penetration rate stands at 15 percent. Here is Korea, it is less than 2 percent. But because MST has a success rate of more than 80 percent, it is essential for today’s consumers.

In the years to come, the number of transactions using NFC will grow steadily, but MST is going to continue to be significant in retail. Even after the percentage of shops using only MST drops to a small number, we cannot just ignore them. The right approach is to support both systems.

Having conducted thousands of tests around the world, I am sure that Samsung Pay will be a success. It is a product that can change the market and provides real benefits to users. No, it isn’t perfect, but it works so often that I haven’t been tempted to return to my credit cards. Most people have the same thinking—they are not going to use mobile payments just for the novelty, but only if they are convenient.

Information Safe and Secure Through Tokenization

To ensure people’s security and privacy, mobile payments on Samsung Pay do not pass along actual credit card information. Instead, they use something called “tokenization.” Using a token means people’s information is encrypted using our propriety technology and kept secure. Even if a transaction was intercepted, all the personal information would be protected.

Another benefit of using tokens is that it allows us to use the existing payment infrastructure that was developed for plastic credit cards. A token service provider (TSP) server performs the exchange between a token and the actual credit card number, so credit card issuers and merchants can just use their existing systems.

Samsung Pay Will Transform the Future of Mobile Payments

Mobile payments can handle the functions of physical credit cards, but as they grow and develop, many predict they will bring deeper changes to banking, money and society. Mobile payments are more flexible than cards and can do more. In Korea, Samsung Pay enables you to withdraw cash from ATMs, allowing the service to also replace debit cards. They are always “on” and can also interact with the phone, offering credit card issuers new opportunities to connect with users and create additional services.

This is the start of a real paradigm shift—but it all depends on people embracing mobile payment services. That is why I want to emphasize that convenience and ubiquity are at the core of technological acceptance. The arrival of new payment services is not far off and I believe that Samsung Pay will play a leading role in these exciting changes. And the root of all this is Samsung’s dedication to placing the needs of consumers first, so change can come naturally and conveniently.

Mobile devices have massively impacted modern life, and the way we listen to music is no exception. Digital and streaming music services have gradually replaced CDs and other physical formats as the music lover’s preferred medium. And, though MP3 players were must-have items in the early 2000s, smartphones have now emerged as the main devices people use to listen to their favorite music, as well as stream videos and play games.

This shift goes beyond the added convenience offered by smartphones, but is also due to the need for higher quality audio. There is an increasing demand for Ultra High Quality Audio (UHQA) and the latest Samsung Galaxy devices are equipped to deliver optimization functions allowing users to enjoy immersive music.

These types of cultural changes are significant, because almost everyone listens to music. A study released by Nielsen’s Music in January revealed that 93 percent of the American population listens to music, and about 75 percent say they do so actively. According to another recent study, approximately 64 percent of smartphone users between the ages of 18 and 29 in the U.S. use their devices to listen to music or podcasts, and 75 percent use their phones to watch video content.

A Changing Philosophy

The advent of portable music devices was a significant milestone in music history because it meant listening to music was no longer confined to a particular place and time. Listening to music also became less of a communal activity and more of a personal one. This technological trend has moved towards a more personalized music experience.

Smartphones bring this freedom to a totally new level as music lovers can listen to music wherever and whenever they want and enjoy instant access to vast libraries of music – and videos – all at their fingertips. The ability to purchase, download and listen to an album with a few quick taps, queue your favorite music videos or live performances on YouTube and listen to streaming audio that learns what type of music you like through advanced algorithms means that there has never been a better time to be a music fan.

As a result, the pressure for smartphone manufacturers to up the ante on sound quality is high. In the same way users demand higher resolution displays that provide vivid, life-like color and picture quality, consumers want higher resolution audio on their mobile devices that provide more life-like audio. By offering an “Organic Sound” experience, users can close their eyes and more easily imagine that the singer they are listening to is actually performing there in the same room.

At the Forefront

Samsung has been at the forefront of sound quality technology for some time. We saw early potential in cell phones as music players and launched the SPH-M100, also called the UpRoar, in 2000. It was the world’s first mobile phone with a built-in MP3 player, and it earned global praise for this innovative feature. MP3s soon became a standard feature on mobile phones, and the rest, as they say, is history. Samsung also introduced SoundAlive audio software but the push for higher quality audio really began with the debut of the Galaxy series of smart devices.

The audio experience is a key consideration from the earliest planning stages of every Galaxy device. The Galaxy Note 3, for example, was the first mobile phone to support UHQA (192kHz and 24bit stereo). At this quality, the playback the user will hear will be close to what the musician and sound engineer heard when the recording was produced. In the last year, this has become the new standard for smartphones, even though music in this format is only beginning to be widely available. To truly take advantage of this audio quality, a high-end pair of headphones, earphones or speakers are also required. And, to perfectly optimize this playback, Adapt Sound technology was implemented in the Galaxy S4. This allows users to optimize and customize audio to their own specific acoustic listening characteristics.

Innovations in Sound

The Galaxy S6 is similarly equipped with extremely advanced technologies developed with music lovers in mind. In addition to SoundAlive and Adapt Sound, the Galaxy S6 also has the best quality codec-chip in the industry. Samsung has also included a high-quality, premium pair of bundle in-box earphones with each and every Galaxy S series edition. Most recently, Samsung added a bigger, more powerful micro speaker with an enhanced amplifier to the Galaxy S6 that provides even louder, clearer sound. However, to truly appreciate UHQA sound, audiophiles will want to choose Samsung’s Level On or Level Over headphones, which, along with the Galaxy S6, form a powerful duo in terms of audio performance.

But the best is yet to come. It is Samsung’s ongoing mission to relentlessly improve audio performance through design innovations that overcome the physical restrictions required to deliver the ultimate audio performance. Samsung will strive to emulate vacuum tube amplifier sound to bring an added feeling of warmth and familiarity that comes with analog music to next-generation Galaxy smartphones through finely tuned signal processing. Next generation Galaxy devices will make you believe you are truly at the live concert you’re listening to on your earphones, and will provide audio quality that sounds better than even before.

It is Samsung’s ultimate goal to provide high quality audio through smartphones that sound as natural and as true to the original source as possible; an organic sound that carries the emotional aspects of live music. Users will be pleased to find these upgraded sound capabilities with all of Samsung’s next generation Galaxy smartphones.

As mobile phones have evolved, continuous technological breakthroughs have allowed us to communicate more easily and effectively. In the beginning, we embraced the new ability to make and receive phone calls wherever and whenever we wanted. Next, we enjoyed the incredible convenience of text messaging – seamlessly connecting us to our friends and families in real-time, without speaking a single word. This was quickly followed by the rise of emojis, which let us express ourselves in a more fun, personal and creative way.

Flash forward to today and video is playing a bigger role than ever before in the way people communicate via their smartphones. It is the perfect tool for conveying our feeling and emotion – and ensures we are keeping our networks immersed in everything we do.

User-generated video content is rapidly becoming a major part of our online lives and beginning to dominate what we see on social media sites. In January 2015, Facebook announced that users are uploading 75% more videos than a year ago, while the number of videos in users’ newsfeeds is up 360%. Vine, the six-second-video sharing service, has seen explosive growth since it launched in 2013. In addition, YouTube now has a billion users uploading 300 hours of video every minute.

It’s abundantly clear that video is playing a larger role in the world’s social media platforms than ever before, and is quickly becoming a significant part of people’s daily lives. But for many of us, it is not simply a means for sharing moments with friends and family – it’s an art form.

Many apps allow us to add filters and edit clips to suit our taste and style. One of the most popular channels on YouTube features live feeds of gaming, while personal mobile broadcasting is also becoming increasingly prominent. Ultimately, video and personal broadcasting give citizen journalism another important tool, celebrities and public figures another way to interact with followers and companies another way to market their brand – the applications are almost endless.

Mobile devices have powered the rapid rise of video thanks to rapidly improving technology for high definition video recording and playback capabilities, improved displays and mobile networks that allow users to create, upload and watch content more quickly and conveniently than ever before. Years ago, videos shot on smartphones were not only of low quality, heavily pixilated and offered poor audio, they would also take a long time to upload and load for viewing.

However, recent technological advancements have moved video to the forefront of the social media landscape.

The video capabilities of Samsung smartphones have also improved significantly, specifically thanks to sweeping improvements in camera sensor technology over the past few decades. Whether someone is taking a still image or shooting video, the bigger image sensors of today guarantee better quality. However, sensor technology doesn’t solve the primary difference between taking a still image and shooting a video – the amount of data required. Recording and editing a video entails managing a huge amount of visual and audio information on your device.

This is where Samsung’s ongoing commitment to quality of service truly makes a difference. At Samsung, we have tried to provide the best video experience for users ever since we released our first camera phone in 2002. Today, our devices enable consumers to record high-quality videos that are longer than just a few minutes with the most reliable and intuitive recording features.

A number of significant milestones mark the evolution of video features over the last five years. The Galaxy S was the world’s first smartphone capable of recording HD video. Then, we enhanced video capture to Full HD resolution with the Galaxy S2. In 2013, the Galaxy Note 3 was among the first to enable 4K UHD video recordings.

Samsung has focused not only on higher resolutions but also on recording quality. With the Galaxy S6, users have a video camera that is equipped with Auto Real-time HDR to reproduce the varied brightness levels when filming in different spaces. It offers a low-light video function and Optical Image Stabilizer, helping to smooth out shaky videos due to shaky hands. And, even the rear camera can record UHD 4K video – an impressive feature given that many movie theaters screen films in 4K resolution. In addition, exciting features like fast motion and slow motion modes allow users to speed up or slow down portions of their videos with ease.

Quite simply, users can create better quality videos than ever before, and they are keen to take advantage of the technology they have in their hands.

Samsung is always mindful of people’s needs and trends in social media, remaining constantly in tune with the ways people use their devices. This is why we continue our relentless push to design even better devices offering increasingly advanced mobile video experiences. Consumers can continue to expect innovative, groundbreaking developments in video technology – and in audio recording – in future devices.

More than ever, mobile users today want to create, edit and share their experiences and emotions immediately with their own videos. They want enhanced video shooting and editing features that are not only technically advanced, but also fun and exciting.

As it stands today, recording and sharing a video are two separate actions. In the near future, this may become a more streamlined process, as mobile users have signaled the importance of immediacy and high-quality video. Of course, people look to their smartphones to satisfy this need, and Samsung is prepared to deliver. Whether you’re a citizen journalist capturing an unfolding news event live from the scene, or simply giving friends and family a tour of your brand new home, the next Galaxy device will present fresh and versatile options for real-time video shooting, editing and sharing.

Technology is changing our world at a speed never seen before. And, it does so for the better: making our lives easier, safer and giving us experiences that until recently we could have only dreamed of.

If technology can deliver all that, it’s obvious that it also can be a catalyst for social good. And, driving it will be connectivity and connected devices. Yet, we have only seen a few glimpses of what technology can do for humankind. Thanks to our industry leadership across the whole spectrum of consumer-facing technologies – from digital appliances and smart mobile devices to healthcare solutions and semiconductors – we at Samsung are uniquely positioned to see technology’s full potential.

So let me focus on four big trends, where I believe technology is set to be an immediate catalyst for social good.

Better education, everywhere

Technology has the power to improve education of young people all around the world. When we think about smart, connected classrooms, it’s not just about integrating tablets into the school environment to give children better digital skills; it’s really about giving them a new way of learning – that’s more collaborative, more interactive and draws on a richer mix of content.

Technology also has the potential to level the playing field for children in disadvantaged communities, by giving them access to quality educational material and developing their digital skills. That’s why, since 2013, Samsung has opened more than 1,000 Smart Schools, tailored for 6-16 year olds, in 92 countries. So far, more than 270,000 students have benefited from our Smart School initiatives, and experienced the power of digital learning.

Another example is the Samsung Digital Academy; state-of-the-art learning centers for 16-24 year olds with digital classrooms, and research zones for practical and vocational education. They give young people the digital skills they need for the jobs of the future. So far, we have set up more than 120 academies, and trained 17,000 people.

Extending healthcare to where it’s needed

Another area that smart technology will transform is healthcare. Technology has the potential to take healthcare to areas that until now have had no or little access to first-class medical support. Take Sub-Saharan Africa, where more than 60% of the population live in remote areas; providing healthcare there is a huge challenge. Our solar-powered mobile health centers have made a real difference; during the past two years more than 82,000 patients in remote communities have been helped by our mobile healthcare units.

Adding connectivity to medical and smart mobile devices helps patients everywhere to assess their own health and share the results with their doctor. Or, think of medical emergencies, where the results of tests done by paramedics can arrive at the hospital well before the patient, to ensure instant and accurate treatment.

Spreading access to smarts

For decades, digital technology was relatively cumbersome to use, and people with impairments often found it difficult or impossible to enjoy its benefits. Thankfully, that’s changing. New technology can now accelerate discoveries and possibilities for everyone. Our flagship smartphone, the Galaxy S6, has many accessibility features. Visually impaired people, for example, can access a contextual menu just by flicking or swiping the screen, and enable a speech control function.

Samsung’s EYECAN+ is another example. It’s a mouse that helps people browse the web through simple eye movement, opening up the internet to people who can’t use a traditional mouse. The EYECAN+ costs only $50 to manufacture and is powered by open source software. These are just a couple of examples that show how technology can truly be a catalyst for social good.

Making all of our world digital and smarter

But there’s another technology trend that will truly change our world for the better. You may have heard of the Internet of Things, or IoT for short. It’s bringing together our physical and digital worlds, by giving everyday objects sensors, connectivity and computing power, and intelligently connecting them all, so that they can make our lives more efficient and convenient. IoT will be centered on humans, which is why we at Samsung prefer to call it the “Internet for You.”

For example, let’s assume you have to go to work, and your home wakes you up early, because it knows that there’s a construction site on your route to work, and you will need extra time. As you leave the house, your home automatically locks the doors and windows, and switches off the air conditioning or heating, because it knows you don’t want to waste the energy while you’re at work. Your car’s navigation system tells your house to turn on the heating, because you’re on your way back. Cars talk to each other, to distribute the traffic evenly across the roads. And, at home, the music you’ve been listening to in your car transfers seamlessly to your audio system.

Already, we have TV’s that sense your movements and pause or resume playing a movie as you leave and re-enter the room; there are washing machines that you can monitor and control through your smartphone, and there are many more ideas and technologies that will enrich people’s lives by turning everyday moments into enjoyable experiences.

IoT can transform our world, by taking the pain out of urban living or, for example, by helping regions suffering from drought to conserve water.

What’s so exciting is that this is not a vision of some distant future – this technology exists now, and the IoT ecosystem is getting ever richer. Samsung has made a commitment that 90% of all our products will be IoT-ready by 2017. That’s a lot of IoT devices, when you consider that last year alone, we made 665 million products.

We have reached a watershed moment in the history of our relationship with technology; it’s not about things or the machines anymore, it’s about people. At Samsung, we have always innovated based on a deep understanding of what people want. That’s why I believe that Samsung – with its more than 300,000 employees in 84 countries around the world – is perfectly positioned to help turn technology into a catalyst for social good. We want to connect and partner with people everywhere to learn and share knowledge. And, we want to use our global network and huge investment in innovation – of more than $40 million a day – to unleash technology’s possibilities for social good around the world.

It is worth reflecting back on the road we have taken towards the Internet of Things (IoT) era. Has the future that we imagined in the past become a reality? Some sci-fi films from decades ago correctly predicted a future that included technologies like video conferencing, digital cameras and even drones. The future we envisioned decades ago has become a reality. It also begs the question, in which ways will the future that we dream of today become a reality in the decades to come?

We will continue working to develop technologies that will make the world a simpler, more convenient place to live. We believe that in the IoT era, all things will get smarter and all things will be connected and automated, with a focus on making things more convenient for human beings. We have identified four keywords that sum up our approach to IoT era: human-centric, openness, connectivity and security.

Technology for Necessity

A human-centric IoT means automated cash registers at supermarkets to increase efficiency and cut down on customers’ wait times. It means families in which both parents work enjoying more free time together while a robot vacuum does the housework. These are technologies that are based on necessity. IoT is something that can enrich our lives.

The Internet has connected nearly all people on earth – our vision for IoT is that it will connect nearly all “things” on earth. Devices from all different platforms should be connected. Rather than adapting to a certain organization or company’s standard, expansion of the ecosystem in the industry has to be promoted. We have to encourage investment in startups and developers with innovative ideas. In order to achieve our vision to provide a variety of services that are valuable to our lives, it will require active cooperation across sectors. This will allow Smart Homes, Smart Healthcare and Smart Buildings and more, to be realized.

In the IoT era, the importance of security cannot be overemphasized. We face critical challenges in protecting our personal information. We will have to establish technical solutions while also reinforcing policies that will ensure security and privacy.

Connected Things Everywhere

The number of connected devices will continue to grow. The market forecasts the number of connected things will reach several billions by 2020. What will connectivity in the IoT era look like?

When various objects in the home become connected, the number of connected devices will grow faster than we can imagine.  This will also result in a change in network traffic patterns. While smartphone traffic use is governed by the number of users, which is manageable, IoT traffic is the result of various devices sending and receiving back and forth. There is no limit to how much traffic could grow. It will also be difficult for us to predict patterns in IoT data, because we expect that natural disasters such as wildfires will cause spikes in IoT data, unlike smartphone traffic, which is predictable by the time and location.

The IoT era will also cause drastic changes in cellular technology. The current 4G system is optimized for smartphone connectivity, however 5G will reflect the demands of the IoT era and the dynamic traffic patterns that go along with it. I expect that in the IoT era, all things will be connected at all times, whether fixed or mobile through seamless connection via Wi-fi, NFC and ZigBee indoors and cellular networks outdoors. In the IoT era mobile network itself and mobile service providers will play an even more crucial role.

Samsung’s Role

Samsung Electronics is making every effort to contribute to a human-centric IoT service and to expand the open ecosystem at home and abroad. SmartThings is an IoT-Open Cloud Platform that enables users to have the control over home appliances. Currently, the SmartThings platform offers services in which Samsung’s air conditioners, washers and robot vacuums can be controlled by a remote. It can also let you know when the refrigerator door is open. In the spirit of openness, Samsung will continue to develop SmartThings as a platform by connecting our products and the products of other companies.

Samsung has developed a set of tools that are now available for developers. SIMBAND is a modular sensor platform that can be inserted into wearable devices, which will allow users to measure heart rate, perform electrocardiograms and record calories burned. SAMI is an open cloud server platform that stores and secures the data provided by users. Last but not least, ARTIK is a comprehensive IoT Developer Platform encompassing a Hardware Development Kit as well as Software Development Kit, consisting of an Application Processor (AP), memory chip, communication chip and sensors as one system. With these open platforms, Samsung is making a contribution to the vitalization of IoT.

Working Together

Besides Samsung, a number of companies and standard organizations have presented their own platforms. As part of our endeavors, Samsung is planning to support interoperability with other companies. In addition, we are looking to invest in developers and startups and to advance our IoT platforms to give them more opportunities.

While cooperating with companies in the electronics industry, we also have entered into partnerships with BMW, Volkswagen, Nike and others. Also, there are dozens of IoT services that have been created to increase public safety, designed with the common good in mind. These are available for local governments to use.

New Possibilities for Public Service, Smart Buildings and the Olympics

With consideration for the safety of citizens and common good, there are dozens of IoT services that can be provided publicly by the government. Examples include a service that provides open-air pollution levels by measuring the amount of micro dust in the air in each community. There is also a service that helps users stay safe while hiking, by analyzing the history of wildfires and the current dryness of the air to predict the likelihood of another wildfire.

Another concept is the Smart Building, which will make offices go completely wireless by applying advanced cellular technologies such as 5G/LTE-U in the building. Smart Buildings will see all devices connected to one another for increased efficiency and convenience.

In 2020, the Olympics will be held in Tokyo. I think that the Olympics will mark a significant milestone where IoT services that we can only imagine today will be realized. Just as we’ve seen in sci-fi movies of decades ago, many of the things we could only imagine back then are now part of the present. We are, in a sense, living in the future we envisioned in the past. What we imagine today in 2015 will become a reality someday as well.

The Next Big Thing, the IoT era, is well on its way. It will create new possibilities and values for us all. It is up to us to unlock them. Let’s create the future together.

It is a demonstration that often leaves people in awe. A full grown man attempts to break a thin glass plate by bending it with both hands, even stepping on it for extra leverage. He then picks up the aluminum brick and slams it with great force on the glass plate. When all is said and done, both the glass and the aluminum remain in immaculate condition. These are the materials we used to make the Galaxy S6 and S6 edge.

When we developed the Galaxy S6 and S6 edge, the goal was to make Samsung’s latest flagship smartphone as strong and durable as possible, beginning with the metal chassis.

There were two missions that had to be completed with regard to the Galaxy S6 metal material. It had to be strong, yet it also had to be possible to make it elegant in post-processing (surface treatment). The metal handset itself is not a new idea, but the new phone had to have far superior functionalities than the existing products in the market. In short, the material needed to be thin and powerful. So we used 6013 aluminum, a high-strength aluminum alloy. This was the first time this kind of aluminum was used in a smartphone.

Why did we choose 6013 aluminum? A brief demonstration makes it obvious. The photo below shows the results of us banging together two types of aluminum: 6063, which is the standard type of aluminum used in electronics, and 6013. As you can see, the 6063 block has deep dents while 6013 survived with only minor scratches.

6013 aluminum — which is typically used in products that require high durability, such as aircraft parts, submarines, mountain bikes and yachts — is 1.5 times stronger and 1.2 times more durable than 6063.

The flip side of 6013’s strength is that it is difficult to work with in post-processing (surface treatment). We typically use a process called sandblasting in which a fine ceramic powder is used to create a luxurious matte finish. But because the aluminum was too strong, it was not easy to create a consistent surface. We had to develop a stronger method than the one that had been used previously, and numerous tests were carried out in order to find the optimal particle.

Before (top) and after (bottom) the sandblasting process

But our challenges did not end there. To make matters worse, the anodizing method we had used to process the exterior of our smartphones in the past was leading to the yellowing of the surface color. Anodizing creates a film on the surface of the metal so that color can be added. A chemical process is required to ensure the color is absorbed evenly.

We were faced with the prospect of having to completely discard the existing technology that had been used in mass production over the last several years. In the end, our equipment had to be changed to accommodate the new conditions. The new metal certainly presented some significant challenges, but in the end we were able to overcome the obstacles.

The photo below shows a 320-gram aluminum plate before processing on the left. After precision processing that required 20 different phases, we arrive at the 15-gram piece of strong yet thin metal on the right. It is no so dissimilar from a craftsman working on a gemstone to produce a gem.

Making Thin and Strong 3D Glass

The Galaxy S6 edge may very well be the epitome of 3D glass technology at its finest. The dual edge design uses Gorilla Glass 4 that is even thinner than the glass used for the Galaxy Note 4 Edge. Gorilla Glass 4 is a reinforced glass that is strengthened using a process in which the glass is soaked in chemicals. The sodium component of the glass is replaced by potassium, which has a larger molecule particle. The reinforcing processes give the glass stronger resistance to external shocks.

Samsung’s unique 3D thermoforming technology also played a vital role but determining the right temperature and pressure was very difficult. When we raised the temperature, the glass surface crumpled and when the temperature was set too low, the glass broke. We had to find the optimal 3D thermoforming condition to make certain that the surface quality was even and the precision degree of the measurement was right. After dozens of trials of making the molding frame with the right temperature and pressure, we were successful in producing the optimal 3D thermoforming condition that ensured we could get it just right. For the Galaxy S6, the 3D glass was molded at a temperature of 800℃ and machined to precision. The glass endured 15 sophisticated processes, including forming, machining, polishing of interior and exterior surfaces.

The development team for the Galaxy S6 worked around the clock. It was one of the most difficult times of my life and all the members of the group from bottom to the top worked together as one in developing the new product. It was not an easy task because it was unchartered territory for all of us. Based on the experience of developing Galaxy S6, we promise to continue to deliver products with differentiated values to consumers in the future.

Which smartphone feature do you use most frequently? Is it web browsing? Chatting with friends through an instant messaging app? Taking photos? The Samsung Galaxy S6 is equipped with a very long list of innovative features and technology for better user experience. The device’s advanced sound technology is definitely worthy of a place near the top of this list.

The sound technology of Galaxy S6 was born under the philosophy of awakening the senses beyond seeing and touching but developed further to listening and feeling. For this, we tried to deliver the best listening experience, whether the user is enjoying music through earphones or the smartphone’s speaker.

First of all, we built the high-powered speaker on the Galaxy S6 to produce powerful, high-quality sound, similar to that of a mini sound bar. The 1.2-watt speaker on the Galaxy S6 is 1.5 times more powerful than the speaker on the Galaxy S5 and delivers louder, clearer sound.

We were tasked with a significant challenge, to increase the power and sound quality of the speaker with only the most minimal increases in size. To increase the power, the audio engine must be larger, but space is limited in a smartphone where various functionalities are integrated. Even 0.01mm can make a big difference in sound performance. That’s why we had to fight for as much real estate as we could.

Eventually, the speaker was moved to the bottom of the phone and we were able to secure a few extra millimeters, allowing us to reproduce high-quality original sound at a wider range with the high-powered speaker. The result is the one of the most outstanding speakers ever found in a mobile device, one that surpasses the performance of existing micro speakers.

To operate the speaker to its maximum performance, a powerful amplifier is a prerequisite. The Galaxy S6 has a ‘smart amplifier’ that can increase the volume to the maximum without any speaker defect. Unlike existing amplifiers, a smart amp is able to identify the extent of vibration on the diaphragm and the speaker temperature by checking the status of the speakers. By doing so, the optimal sound is sent out after analyzing the output amount to which frequency. Thanks to this technology, Galaxy S6 produces a deep and rich sound comparable to a sound bar.

But the new and improved speaker was not the only technological advancement related to sound on the Galaxy S6. We wanted our customers to be able to hear the original sound recorded by the producer when listening to music and talking to the person near you when talking on the phone.

We simply could not revamp the entire sound system without also improving the audio codec, which fundamentally influences sound. The audio codec on the Galaxy S6 is not just an improvement over previous devices, it is entirely new. This development allows the sound quality of the Galaxy S6 to keep pace with any audio device.

While were developing the new high-quality codec, we would sometimes spend more than 10 hours a day listening to music and analyzing the sound quality. Thanks to the great deal of effort put in by our team, the Galaxy S6 was able to achieve an industry-best signal-to-noise Ratio (SNR) and 192kHz,24 bit super-high sound quality.

Earphones that are included with the Galaxy S6

One of the biggest concerns of music lovers is whether the sound volume quality will be diminished when using earphones. For the Galaxy S6, when users connect the earphones to the terminal, the high impedance fault detection technology checks the earphone resistance automatically and can reproduce the optimal power of each earphone and headphone.

The bundle earphones that come with the Galaxy S6 have also totally been redesigned. You would be hard-pressed to find many similarities with those that came with previous devices. We wanted to create earphones that deliver high-quality sound, and are so comfortable, users will forget they are wearing them. We enlisted more than 50 developers to be our test subjects. The width, length and depth of their ears were measured and entered into a database. We used a 3D scanner to model the ear in our efforts to develop an ergonomic external design.

The reason design mattered was because a stable sound quality could be felt by users when the bundle earphone was comfortably settled in the ear. Naturally, the audio technology within the bundle earphone was enhanced. We also wanted to design a bundle earphone that allowed listeners to really hear the high-quality codec and high-powered amplifier.

Lastly, the Samsung’s own sound technologies are also much improved. The Galaxy S6 utilizes the ‘Sound Alive+’ feature, which produces three-dimensional sound by identifying the characteristics of the content (music, movie, multimedia). In addition, the ‘Adapt Sound’ feature allows the user to optimize the sound based on each user’s listening characteristics. While these two features could be found on previous devices in the Galaxy Series, they go further than ever before.

Sound Alive+ Setup Screen

‘Sound Alive+’ ensures outstanding sound quality even for streaming content since it can be applied to the preloaded Samsung music player and third party multimedia applications. And ‘Adapt Sound’ can provide the customized sound experience by identifying minute traits of each ear and respond by adjusting the strength of the signal. This is one of the differentiated features of the Galaxy S6, which cannot be experienced easily even in a premium audio device.

Sound Alive Equalizer

The reason we could bring the sound on the Galaxy S6 to a whole new level was the tireless efforts and tenacity of our team, in our goal to present the best listening experience to users. The completely new Galaxy S6 sound will awaken your senses.

There is no doubt that the Galaxy S6 and S6 edge first appeal to customers with their attractive exterior. But, unlike the beautiful and eye-catching appearance, Samsung’s own Adaptive Display technology has been developed for more convenient and advanced usage.

When it is sunny outside, it is hard to see the screen clearly. On the other hand, looking at a bright display in a dark place causes eye fatigue. In such cases, Adaptive Display can be a solution.

Adaptive Display allows users to see the screen at an optimal brightness and color temperature in any circumstances, and maximize the viewing experience. The brightness can increase up to 10% higher than the previous models or decrease to the lowest level to save users from eye damage and fatigue. Moreover, the Adaptive Display technology is providing the best viewing experience, depending on what type of apps are being enjoyed. It analyzes the environment and content, and then automatically provides a customized display for video, camera, web browsing or e-book applications.

The Clear Colors of the Super AMOLED Screen for Everyone

Another key feature is its enhanced accessibility for those who have difficulties in distinguishing certain colors. Statistics show that about 6% of the global population deals with this issue, so Samsung came up with a new technology that enables them to perceive color differences just as others do.

The key enabling factor of this technology was a Super AMOLED that can control each pixel separately. Unlike a TFT LCD, each RGB pixel emits light and operates by itself. Based on this feature, our team designed the new technology so that people having this type of difficulty can adjust the color to an optimal level.

Lower Battery Consumption, Yet Higher Performance

The display consumes a large part of a smartphone’s battery. So, we can use smartphones longer if we achieve higher energy efficiency in the display. The Display Lab worked closely with relevant teams in Samsung Display to promote the efficiency of organic material, and improve the circuit design so that each pixel can emit light with less energy. Ultimately, 20% better power efficiency was achieved.

Lower power consumption, however, did not compromise image quality. The Quad HD Super AMOLED of the Galaxy S6 has 577 pixels per inch (ppi) and presents very detailed and crystal clear images. Reading and watching content on this panel gives viewers an incomparable experience.

A Meaningful Challenge, Galaxy S6 edge

What is the most attractive part of the Galaxy S6 edge? Answers can be varied, however, most would pick out the dual edge display over other features. The flexible display, curved on both sides, boasts not only external beauty but also creates a unique three-dimensional effect. Without fail, users are immersed in vivid color and clear picture.

This gorgeous dual edge display would not have seen the light of day were it not for years of effort. So how did this unparalleled invention come into being?

We, in fact, already unveiled a flexible display panel mounted on Galaxy smartphones several years ago, and when we released the Galaxy Note edge, this unseen curved design generated a sensation. However, curving both sides was a challenge on a whole new level, even for Samsung. In particular, putting the curved tempered glass on the flexible display at even pressure required highly-detailed manufacturing skills. Bonding the curved glass to the display body demands highly advanced techniques, but it was even more challenging for the Galaxy S6 edge as the glass is curved on both sides.

We knew how difficult this job would be, and how many roadblocks were out there. The early scepticism concerning the feasibility, and the repeated trials and errors finally allowed us to determine the optimal bonding procedure. All the related divisions made it a priority and were fully committed to this project. The matchless Galaxy S6 edge’s appearance was created thanks to such an immense amount of effort.

We have done everything we could do to provide a display that attracts customers and makes them want to have one. So far, this has been a story of developing top-notch technologies and techniques for the display panel mounted on the Galaxy S6 and S6 edge. Its outstanding battery efficiency, clear and vivid display and improved accessibility for all people make it truly amazing. Despite this progress, Samsung will not stop in its relentless efforts to provide the best-in-class mobile experience. Keep an eye on us as we continue to present the perfect display panel.

See more Galaxy S6 and S6 edge Have “Best Displays Ever”

Wireless charging has truly arrived.

According to a market research firm, in 2015 the global wireless charging market will expand by more than 30-fold compared to the previous year. Starting with their San Francisco and Boston stores, Starbucks will be offering 100,000 PMA (Power Matters Alliance) wireless charging stations throughout 8,000 stores, with the intent to expand the service to stores in Europe and Asia. In 50 McDonald’s restaurants in the United Kingdom, 600 wireless charging hotspots have been deployed and are in use. UK restaurants along with McDonald’s have introduced or are preparing to adopt the WPC (Wireless Power Consortium) compliant wireless charging service.

PMA and WPC are the two standards for global wireless charging. Ideally, these two different standards should be unified into an integrated system, but resolving this requires time. Until now, a smartphone that could be wirelessly charged at a US Starbucks store could not receive the same service at a McDonald’s in the UK. However, the Galaxy S6 supports both of these. It displays the most advanced wireless charging technology available.

Samsung’s smartphone wireless charging technology development goes back to the mid-2000s, when it launched a division solely devoted to wireless charging. It did not follow a standard or a certain technology, but rather began researching numerous technologies with the ultimate goal to distribute wireless charging technology that consumers can easily and conveniently use. As a result, the company was able to achieve results that utilized both PMA and WPC technologies.

Lab tests began in 2009, and it was first launched in the form of a wireless charging accessory cover at Verizon retailers in 2010 in the US. The wireless charging accessories and the Droid Charge (SCH-i510), released in 2010, were the first products that commercialized Samsung Electronics’ wireless charging technology. The wireless charging cover for the Galaxy S4 and S5, Note 3 and Note 4 garnered attention from global Samsung smartphone users and early adopters as an attractive accessory.

However, for the past few years, wireless charging was considered an unfinished technology that still required time. It had limitations in terms of performance and price that had to be overcome before it could actually be released into the market. Many users said the cover was too thick and the charging time was too long, that the accessories were too expensive and that there were not enough public places or cafes that offered wireless charging hotspots.

The biggest challenge was slimming down the device. We considered everything again from the beginning, including the project title, Zero, in order to make wireless charging a reality.

In the Galaxy S6, flexible coil patterns with two different thicknesses were put together, reducing the overall thickness. The application of the magnetic shielding material also utilized a new method of overlapping two types of filters with different characteristics – a method that had never been done before. The thickness of the coil and the magnetic shielding material in Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 edge was reduced to 0.27mm, approximately 1/3 of that in the Galaxy S5 (0.8mm).

The charging time for the Galaxy S6, whether it is wired or wireless, has become shorter. It took 120 minutes to fully charge Galaxy S5 (with wire charging) but the Galaxy S6 only requires 80 minutes. Within 30 minutes, the battery is charged over 50%. On top of the Adaptive Fast Charge technology that had been in use since the Galaxy S4, the S6 also introduced the Cell Sensing technology. The Cell Sensing technology accurately monitors the battery’s status by measuring current and voltage in the battery cell without the newly developed charger IC passing through the protection circuit inside the battery pack. With this technology, the fast charging feature becomes even faster and battery use more efficient. When the battery is almost out or when a significant amount of power is used during a simulation game, for instance, the smartphone Charger IC makes adjustments, maximizing battery life through the Cell Sensing technology.

But wire charging is uncomfortable and usually makes a mess of people’s desk areas with cords. Wireless charging allows people to charge their phones without connecting cords. People will be able to utilize the technology not just in their homes with an official Samsung wireless pad or other standardized products but also at frequently visited cafes or other public areas. We are discussing various collaboration plans to expand the infrastructure.

I am proud that wireless charging was introduced and believe that it will become an innovation that will benefit users. Although wireless charging technology existed before, we were able to apply the technology to a model and take it a step closer towards commercialization.

See more [What Comes Next?] Super Charging on Samsung Galaxy S6.

Using the camera is one of the top three functions for smartphone users, along with making calls and browsing the internet. Users usually produce most of their content with their smartphone camera. Because people are increasingly using smartphone cameras in situations in which they previously used a digital camera, they have become more demanding about smartphone camera features.

Many people expect high-quality shots even in low light, while others want cameras that can take good photos while on the move. In addition, consumers constantly share pictures and communicate through social media. With all these factors in mind, we came up with a camera for the Galaxy S6 that more than satisfies users’ needs.

As smartphones and the use of social media become more and more widespread, the culture of taking selfies has now grown into a social phenomenon. In order to meet the demands of users, the size of the image sensor of the front camera on the Galaxy S6 is 1.4 times larger in size compared to the Galaxy S5 and the Galaxy Note 4. The camera resolution, 5 megapixels, is also greater than previous models. This is the first time that we have enlarged the sensors. Until now, we increased the resolution while minimizing the sensor size because of the trend of thinner and lighter smartphones. But this time, we focused on gaining resolution with bigger sensors. We also considered the fact that users take a lot of selfies with front cameras.

Read Part 1: [Editorial] Starting at Zero: The Story Behind the Design of the Galaxy S6 and S6 edge

We managed to increase the camera sensor size while maintaining its overall thinness. The sensors on the rear camera could not be increased without making them any thicker. So instead, the rear camera lens was built with a lowered f-value (aperture value). The Galaxy S6 can take high quality dark shots as well as brighter shots since it can gather more light in the same situation with the improved aperture value. In addition, the shutter speed is quicker so that people can take pictures of whatever moment they want. Moreover, the software algorithm has been improved to provide photographs with higher definition.

The Galaxy S6 was the first to apply Auto Real-time HDR (High Dynamic Range) on both front and rear cameras. HDR is a function that merges images with different luminance into one. In a picture, the bright part may be blown off or the darker part may appear even darker. The HDR helps overcome such limitations. However, the way the previous HDR worked was by developing one image by merging separate images with different levels of brightness. Since this method required processing time, the user could not check the results instantaneously. In addition, the HDR technology could not be applied to video filming.

The Auto Real-time HDR allows real-time adjustments of light and dark spots for a balanced result. With photos and videos, users can check the images on the spot since there is no processing time required. Users can take pictures quickly without missing the important moments.

In particular, the Auto Real-time HDR proves its true merits when filming videos because it efficiently adjusts various levels of brightness while filming in different spaces. Moreover, the Galaxy S6 added the Low-light Video function as well as the Optical Image Stabilizer (OIS). Under dark conditions or when shooting nightscapes, the Low-light Video function comes into action and raises the brightness, while the OIS modifies shaky videos due to hand movements.

Of course, not all smartphone users have an expert-level of knowledge of all the features of the camera. However, users want to be able to capture the beautiful moments of their everyday lives with high-quality pictures and videos, even if they don’t have expert knowledge of their phone’s features. The Galaxy S6 allows users to take high quality pictures at any time by simply pressing the shutter, without having to consider any background factors or conditions. The ‘Pro Mode’ is an option for those who want to control specific camera settings, satisfying users with professional knowledge over cameras.

How will the mobile camera trend evolve? The main focus will shift from pictures to videos. The OIS (Optical Image Stabilization) in Galaxy S6 and S6 edge was significantly improved, and shooting videos with difficult lighting will be easier with Auto Real-time HDR. Enhancement in the Low-light Video feature and image algorithm allows users to get excellent, brighter videos in low-light settings such as cafés or even in nighttime settings.

See more

Galaxy S6 and S6 edge Rank First in DxOMark Tests

[What Comes Next?] Camera on Samsung Galaxy S6

Samsung has long been the industry trendsetter in TV design and has succeeded in captivating the minds of customers over the years. Part of this success can be attributed to our philosophy of using real materials like metal, which create a sophisticated ambience yet are especially challenging to use in TV design. What also sets us apart is our ability to exceed consumers’ expectations by revealing the premium elements of metal subtly, all the while processing the material in a more elaborate manner.

An Exquisite 360 Design

When creating a new TV design, we try to picture the environment in which the product will be used, as well as the experience users will have in that environment.

The rear side of a flat screen TV usually cannot be seen because it is hidden in the back. However, with the curved design becoming a dominant trend, we thought consumers would care about the design of the rear side as well. Working closely with our R&D team and manufacturing department, we made an effort to make the rear side look more attractive. The “360 design,” a design for creating a 360-degree appeal, was born from this effort.

JS9000: Elegance from All Angles

The SUHD TV JS9000 has a bezel that wraps around the elegant curved screen, which takes cues from contemporary art and architecture. The bezel features a soft, textured “shirring” design that smoothly connects the front of the TV with the sides and the exquisite patterns on the back.

The bezel outline looks straight when seen from the front. However, taking into account that consumers check the design from all sides, we designed the bezel in a way so that the sides of the TV seamlessly meet the rear side along a restrained curve.

The metal hairline texture boasts a high level of detail, which is expressed along the edge of the TV and satisfies aesthetic elements regardless of the angle from which you see the TV set.

Maximized Value of Real Materials Through Elaborate Processing

The elegant frame of the SUHD TV JS9500, Samsung’s premium model, makes the display appear as if it’s a great painting in a museum when mounted on a wall.

We cut the bezel’s cross-section that meets the screen at a sloping angle and created a chamfer bezel design to add more depth to the TV screen. We processed the bezel joints in a highly elaborate and clean manner, thereby maximizing the premium value of real materials.

As part of the “360 design,” the “clean back design” on the rear side delivers the feel of black metal materials and creates a simple and clean ambience.

The sleek Y-shaped stand supports the SUHD TV, making the screen seem as if it is floating in space when the TV is turned on. This effect provides an even more immersive, cinematic experience for users viewing the screen. The stand is also made of exquisitely refined metal materials.

A TV for All Spaces
We designed the S9W TV in partnership with the world-renowned industrial designer Yves Béhar. Our intention was to allow the TV to be placed anywhere within a house so as to allow for better integration into one’s home environment. We wanted to change the traditional concept of a TV, and to redefine the relationship between the viewer, the television and the home.

The gradient adorned metallic cube base supports a curved, 82-inch screen with a 21:9 ratio, similar to a pedestal that supports a sculpture in a gallery. The top of the cube, which is made from stainless steel in the most recent version, opens when powered on to reveal inner lights and the television’s sound system, eliminating the need for external connectors or speakers. The base is in perfect harmony with the TV’s excellent image and sound quality, and hints at the metamorphosis of the television from a mere appliance of utility to a functional piece of art, worthy of display.

We will continue to work hard to provide true value to our loyal customers, just as we have presented various designs of the SUHD TV this year.

We began at zero. It was about returning to the beginning. The prime point of focus was the product’s fundamentals. The prototype of the Galaxy S6 took shape in the midst of heavy contemplation to preserve that essence.

An essence refers to a core without superfluous details. The ideal Samsung design was to be simple and yet innovative. As a designer, refining the smartphone, which is an integrated form of cutting-edge technology, is an attractive challenge. Until now, we were focused on delivering everything we could offer but this time, we returned to the very beginning to capture the essence of what Samsung wanted to extend to its consumers.

This was how the concept of “Beauty Meets Purpose” was born. Galaxy S6’s delivers an elegant balance between innovative form and ergonomic function.

By focusing on core design principles, the first step was to incorporate organic materials to deliver authenticity. After much consideration, glass became the obvious choice. Glass has depth even at its thinnest, so it was a perfect solution as a key component of its design.

Water was the inspiration behind the design because of its purity and malleability in color and depth. The Galaxy S6 uses 2.5D glass, which creates a water-like appearance with its rounded edges and flat surface. Samsung has used this glass since the Galaxy S3. Like a metal bowl filled to the brim with water, the glass is beautifully wrapped in metal to symbolically represent a dynamic harmony of reliable technology and creative design.

The back glass consists of a color pattern that delivers the depth of reflected light. If you inspect the glass closely, it looks diamond-cut for this reason. If you magnify the structural layer, you can see thousands of layers emitting light. Through the reflection of light from different angles, diverse and enchanting colors are created to deliver a mystical feel. The process to achieve a successful end result with various colors and a vacuum plating effect was developed after numerous attempts to get it just right.

The sleek metal and glass design is at the core of the Galaxy S6’s beauty. The refined sides were created with an elaborate cutting process, creating lines that resemble a metal bowl overflowing with water. The design enables a comfortable grip, while providing convenient access to the side keys.

Sidelines have been part of Samsung smartphones’ unique design identity since our Galaxy Alpha. Producing thinner phones made it increasingly more difficult to maintain this aspect, but we were able to stay true to Samsung’s design heritage.

Above all, the peak point of unique and differentiated sculptural beauty lies in the dual edge glass of Galaxy S6 edge. Samsung had already launched the Note edge with a curved display. This evolved into the dual curved display of the Galaxy S6 edge. The concept for the edge screen of Note edge was more of an extra screen that is attached to the main display. Galaxy S6 edge, on the other hand, is a design aspect that provides a 3D effect with both sides curved. It appears to feature one display, and the device’s grip has also been improved.

Galaxy S6 is aimed at customers who want an innovative and classic product featuring the usability of prior models. Galaxy S6 edge, on the other hand, was designed to surprise and delight consumers through the innovative form factor.

The best part of this project was that we could continuously develop and refine the original design. With Galaxy S6, we had one voice and goal from start to end. Similar to the tempering process to harden metal, we pushed forward with one goal. New material, color and construction methods were used to develop a simple design that delivered the fundamentals to customers without added complexities.

If I had to sum up the core of our philosophy in one word, it would be innovation. Innovation is the keyword that captures the immutable philosophy of our design. We focus on innovation in all that we do.

From left: Hong-Ku Yeo, MinHyouk Lee, Ji-Young Lee, Hye-Jin Bang, Hyok-Su Choi

Samsung’s Semiconductor Series Part 3

Building state-of-the-art semiconductor chips is one thing but making them into the actual square chips we’re familiar with involves a lot of high-tech, too. This process is called packaging, or back-end manufacturing, where chips are essentially sliced off of the silicon wafer, wired up and encased in epoxy for protection.

Let’s say you have a nice order of milkshake that you want to chug down right now. Organic ingredients with crush-ins of your liking, whatever floats your boat. For that, you would need an efficient apparatus (a.k.a. big enough straw) that can deliver a satisfactory flow of sips, preferably an insulated cup that will keep the frothy integrity of the beverage and temperature-resistant nerves that can hold up to the huge amount of milkshake intake against a massive brain freeze. Similar elements and materials are taken into consideration when chips are packaged. Well, okay, it gets way more complicated with semiconductors, but you get the point.

With the amount of data that need to be processed and the speed that is required today, we want to make sure we offer device manufacturers and consumers the total package, in every sense of the phrase, so that the packaging complements the advanced silicon technology inside. This would also determine the size of the final chip. So yes, packaging solutions, even for semiconductor chips, does matter.

Here are some cool examples of Samsung’s approach to this technology.

Through Silicon Via (TSV) – We talked about increasing cell density on a single chip for higher capacities but another way to achieve that is to stack individual chip dies in a single package. In doing so, the dies are ground from the back as thin as possible, down to several micrometers, so as to minimize the height of the final product.

Instead of the traditional method of connecting the stacked dies externally, we can now pierce hundreds of tiny holes through DRAM dies and then vertically connect them through the holes, allowing faster data processing with less power consumed. This means that if data were in a building, it can just take the elevator downstairs instead of working its way out to the fire escape. Remember, we’re still working in microscopic scales.

TSV allows approximately twice the speed with about half the power compared to packages using the traditional wire bonding. Again, less space, less power consumption and faster data — another reason our DDR4 DRAM using TSV are so awesome.

Read more: Samsung Electronics Starts Mass Production of Industry’s First 8-Gigabit DDR4 Based on 20 Nanometer Process Technology

ePoP – Sleeker mobile devices mean scarcer space for components, so consolidation is very much desired. As such, even chips with different functions can get bundled together and we’ve seen packages come in forms of eMMC (embedded multi-media card: NAND+controller), eMCP (embedded multi-chip package: DRAM+NAND) or PoP (package on package: AP+DRAM). Samsung’s broad chip portfolio encompassing DRAM, NAND and AP, as well as our advanced packaging capabilities in-house, has naturally given us a huge advantage in this department.

Wonder why there aren’t any packages mentioned above incorporating NAND memory and APs? An active AP can get as hot as 80 to 100℃ whereas NAND would normally get ‘fried’ at that temperature. Because of NAND’s low resistance to heat, it’s been considered that it cannot be in the same package as the AP.

Well, guess what — with an out-of-the-box approach and some new techniques, earlier this year, Samsung was able to introduce the industry’s first ePoP (embedded package on package) memory that can be stacked directly on top of an AP.

Our ePoP memory packs a LPDDR3 DRAM and an eMMC together, dramatically shrinking traditional area configurations by about 40 percent. Thanks to its efficiency and small footprint, Samsung’s ePoP memory is now finding itself on board of wearables as well as high-end mobile devices.

Read more: Samsung Electronics Mass Producing High-Density ePoP Memory for Smartphones

Samsung’s Semiconductor Series

Read Part 1. The Itsy-Bitsy Mighty Chip in a Great Big Digital World 

Read Part 2. Physics Busting at Its Seams

Samsung’s Semiconductor Series Part 2

Read Part 1 

Semiconductors have been in a race to drive up both product performance and process manufacturing efficiency. Enter the mobile era, the market clamored for smaller and more powerful devices that would make the most out of their battery life. As the inside of such devices became prime real estate, components had to follow suit.

The convention was to shorten the distance between the circuitry. That means faster data transfers that require less energy, has more compact configurations and yet has the same capacity became possible. Fabrication productivity also got a boost as technology generations progressed.

While market needs catalyzed innovation and aggressive scaling in semiconductors, bringing digital experiences into the palms of our hands, chip fabrication methods quickly ran into a whole bunch of walls—or the lack of them. With details shrinking down to the billionth of a meter, it came to a point where traditional materials wouldn’t work anymore, electric charges started leaking and signals were getting crosstalk. In other words, scaling down the technology any further would gravely compromise the information being stored or waste the energy being consumed.

Our engineers couldn’t really defy the laws of physics. But they were able to bring about new designs and fabrication expertise in semiconductor technology that opened up meaningful opportunities for the industry.

14nm FinFET AP (application processor) – A warm and gooey marshmallow between two graham crackers is good enough as it is but if you make your s’more ‘denser,’ the crackers are brought closer together and the marshmallow gets squished up. That’s kind of what happened with the channel structures of transistors for FinFET. And no, the channel did not ooze out.

In February, we came out with the industry’s first mobile application processor (AP) based on advanced 14nm FinFET technology. By raising a ‘fin’ over the conducting channel and wrapping it over with the gate, the new structure addresses the problems of current leakage, or short-channel effect, that comes with finer technologies, while demonstrating greater power advantages and performance levels over our previous 20nm process technology. With our 14nm FinFET AP out in the hands of consumers, we’re staying busy prepping for 10nm FinFETs and beyond.

Read more: Samsung Announces Mass Production of Industry’s First 14nm FinFET Mobile Application Processor

20nm DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory) – For decades, the semiconductor industry had followed the pattern of doubling the density of ICs (integrated circuit) every two years. But delivering new technology refined enough for mass production got painstakingly harder. Due to limitations especially in the current technology of drawing crazy-thin lines, namely the lithography process, the 25nm design rule is where the industry thought to be the limit for DRAMs. It had been so for nearly two years. We were stuck.

Then, in 2014, came a breakthrough. Bleeding-edge methods such as modified double patterning and atomic layer deposition were introduced, heralding the arrival of the industry’s first 20nm DRAM. Contrary to common belief, we were able to utilize existing lithography tools, keeping costs viable as well. Not only was this a major breakthrough, but it also paves the way for sub-20nm nodes. We are currently the only manufacturer with this technology and are offering a full DRAM lineup for PC and enterprise systems as well as mobile device customers.

Read more: Samsung Electronics Starts Mass Production of Industry’s First 8-Gigabit Mobile DRAM

3D V-NAND (NAND flash memory) – Let’s say you have a single-story dormitory that you sectioned off for a number of occupants. You needed to accommodate more people, so rooms got smaller and the walls thinner. But tiny dorm rooms with thin walls are no fun at all. So what do you do? You build a skyscraper instead and give each of your tenants the entire floor, of course. All of a sudden, you don’t have to be fighting for space anymore and even better, everybody’s happy and much more productive. Voilà, 3D V-NAND flash memory.

Samsung is the first and still is the only company providing V-NAND products, which feature vertically stacked NAND flash cells. The technology marks a major milestone in memory technology as it overcomes the scaling limitations for conventional 2D planar structures, as well as drastically mitigating development time and resources. Even the first generation V-NAND demonstrated at least twice and up to ten times the reliability while also doubling its write performance. And don’t worry; a few dozen additional cell layers won’t affect the thickness of the final chip at all. Our second generation V-NAND products have also been very well received in the market, especially for applications in today’s SSDs that are equipped for the most demanding tasks.

Read more: Now I know my three-bit three-dee vee-nand ess-ess-dee [Editorial]

ISOCELL (CMOS image sensors) – Between pixel size and image quality, there always was a delicate balance to maintain. A good image sensor will capture as much light, or photons, as possible, as accurately as possible through individual pixels within the sensor array. Theoretically, more pixels and larger sensor size would guarantee better picture qualities. However, we’re living in a mobile world. Since smaller pixel sizes come at the expense of the amount of light received, increasing the light sensitivity of each pixel has been the focus of image sensor development so far. Another problem with size; as pixels got packed closer together, photons that had been absorbed would wander into adjacent cells, making pictures blurry or diminishing color fidelity.

Introduced in 2014, our proprietary solution, ISOCELL, was to form a physical barrier between neighboring pixels so that more light is absorbed into the pixels correctly. This results in sharper and richer picture quality. The walls also create a wider chief ray angle (CRA) that reduces the height of the module. In other words, the pixels can afford to be less deep since they can capture those little photons hitting the pixel at a wider angle that would otherwise wander off to the pixel next door. All of these qualities make ISOCELL image sensors ideal for today’s compact devices.

Read more: Get the Big Picture: CMOS Image Sensors and ISOCELL

“Innovation” may probably be one of the most over-used buzz words of our generation. It seems that we encounter ‘innovation’ daily.  In defense of those in the IT world, though, it’s just testament of how fast technologies are evolving. Their life cycles are getting increasingly shorter and breakthroughs are getting that much more difficult to come by. The good news is that engineers are innate problem-solvers, and thanks to them, technology continues to move forward, even in semiconductors down at the nanometer (nm; one billionth of a meter) scale.

In this three-part series, we’ll explore the feats in the semiconductor industry and how Samsung Electronics has tackled some of the most mind-boggling challenges in chip technology.

Datacenters that actually have to shoulder most of the job will increasingly have a hard time keeping up with this snowballing trend. About 3.1 zettabytes (ZB) of data traffic went through datacenters globally in 2013**. By 2018, that amount is expected to nearly triple to 8.6 ZB. On top of the sheer amount of data to be processed, the need for electricity and space for these facilities also climb up. If these trends continue, industry calls for some serious innovation from hardware at the system level all the way up to consumer devices.

Taking the charge in rewriting the way we process data is no small undertaking. But it’s something that we, Samsung Electronics, actually can be bold enough to dare. Not only do we offer awesome consumer electronics, but we also have the cutting-edge component solutions up our sleeves—the very chips that hum behind the scenes of our data-driven world. To us, this is our innovation. And we’re pretty serious about it.

The advancements of today’s electronic devices have become more interesting than ever and semiconductors have risen as heroes of this progress. But it’s a little-known fact that Samsung has been a veteran in this field for more than 40 years. In fact, Samsung has been the leading memory manufacturer since 1993 (that’s 23 consecutive years!) and are the second largest semiconductor company in the world. Today, Samsung is the only company that offers a comprehensive portfolio of component solutions spanning from DRAM and NAND flash memory, logic products such as mobile application processors (AP), CMOS image sensors (CIS), display driver ICs (DDI), near field communication (NFC) chips to LED light sources, just to name a few.

Earlier in February this year, Dr. Kinam Kim, Samsung’s Semiconductor Business president and IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) fellow, talked about “silicon technologies and solutions for the data-driven world” in his keynote during the ISSCC (International Solid State Circuit Conference) in San Francisco. Dr. Kim addressed the crowd of eager engineers in the audience on the advancements and opportunities in chip technology. Although he spoke mainly about the developments within the industry at large, Samsung’s footprint in the landscape definitely shined through.

Despite their small mundane appearances, the level of sophistication and sheer capabilities that our chips hold keep us excited. And the ways they make a difference in our lives will keep us going.

*Source: Cisco The Internet of Things: How the Next Evolution of the Internet Is Changing Everything, 2011

**Source: Cisco Global Cloud Index: Forecast and Methodology, 2013-2018, 2014

The shift in people’s viewing habits arguably came when the TV became equipped with Internet capabilities. Viewers no longer needed to wait for the programming; they could play it instantly at their convenience.

In fact, the Internet streaming service Netflix dominated the North American networks and accounted for nearly 35 percent of downstream traffic in the peak evening hours (6 p.m. to 10 p.m.) in November 2014, according to a report released by market research company Sandvine.

Today, televisions continue to become more advanced, and as a pioneer in the global Smart TV sector, we at Samsung Electronics continue to advance our Smart TV offering and build an intelligent, integrated system that allows people intuitive access, more content choices and a more integrated entertainment experience.

A groundbreaking step toward such an intelligent, integrated system is our operating system Tizen, which—as announced earlier this year at 2015 CES—powers all of our Smart TVs, including the SUHD TV.

The 2015 Samsung Smart TV with Tizen boasts fast performance and better connectivity. The Smart TV can automatically recognize that your smartphone is used to watch movies on the go, and with the press of the ‘Quick Connect’ button, you can enjoy the same video on a larger TV screen from where you left off. It’s also very easy to transmit videos from the TV to smartphones.

Additionally, the Smart TV’s ‘Briefing on TV’ feature syncs with Samsung mobile devices to turn on and display important items when you wake up in the morning, such as the time, weather and your schedule.

Tizen can also be installed on home appliances such as refrigerators, washing machines, air conditioners and robot vacuums. In the age of the Internet of Things where countless devices will be connected to each other, Tizen will make the TV in your living room a control center for your devices.
For developers, it is now easier to develop new applications for Tizen, as the platform is open-source and supports the web standard for TV app development. This is well evidenced by the significant increase in the number of new applications and games that became available on the 2015 Samsung Smart TV, compared to 2014.

Tizen also allows Samsung Smart TVs to become part of a much larger content ecosystem, allowing easy collaboration with a number of partners for ultimate flexibility and unparalleled access.

For example, With PlayStation Now, Samsung Smart TV users can choose from hundreds of console games available in the PS3 library. And the popular dance game Just Dance Now, developed in partnership with Ubisoft is available globally on Samsung Smart TVs.

On many levels, Tizen is a sophisticated operating system that offers efficiency, usability and scalability. By continuing to build this intelligent, integrated operating system, we will undoubtedly deliver an enhanced entertainment experience to all Samsung Smart TV users.

When we look at the content people enjoy on their mobile phones, we find that end users enjoy video content more and more. As a result, 40 to 60 percent of total mobile traffic comes from video. As end users are getting more dependent on video content and have less patience when they cannot enjoy smooth video experience because of repetitive buffering and stalling issues due to network congestion, it is getting critical for mobile service providers (MSPs) to ensure the best quality of experience (QoE) in video for their customers.

MSPs have tried to prepare for a tsunami of data usage on their networks by having a wider network spectrum, expanding backhaul and clustering networks. However, MSPs, which are under tremendous competitive pressure, continuously focus on cost efficiency while pursuing customer retention through innovation programs, such as customer experience management and revenue growth.

Big Data Activities in Mobile Networks

Mobile networks adopt Big Data for several purposes. For example, MNOs provide personalized services, targeted mobile advertisement, and more, combining customer profiles with data like location, time, network conditions and device capabilities. They can also collect data from sensors and gateways including telematics data in cars, vending machines, smart meter readings, patient data, and more. Service providers can also include services like data storage and management.

Recently, MNOs are beginning to introduce Big Data to improve their network quality, supply chain management and operational efficiency. In addition to these moves, the use of advanced analytics technology is becoming increasingly more important for intelligent network operations and service optimization.

To minimize CAPEX/OPEX, MNOs need to implement initiatives in sales and marketing, network operations, customer service and administration. In network operations, this can include deployment of small cells and Wi-Fi offloading, data traffic optimization and consolidation of OSS/BSS systems. In addition, MNOs should increase their use of business intelligence and analytics to improve customer service through automation and proactive care. To enhance operational efficiency in systems deployment and services, mobile networks are encouraged to improve churn and maintenance predictions and optimize network traffic.

The customer data collected from MNOs offers a great deal of insight about customers, such as their spending habits. Such information has become important for MNOs and will give marketing departments more opportunities to do highly effective personalized campaigns. In recent years, MNOs are showing great interest in exploring new uses with their customer data not only for operational efficiency but also for external business opportunities.

There are a variety of new revenue opportunities that can be explored. Those avenues can include customer experience management, direct marketing, cross-selling, fraud detection, customer retention and more. MNOs have a great opportunity to generate new revenue by delivering personalized services. Expertise in advanced analytics will be required to identify the appropriate tools.

Big Data Activities of Network Equipment Vendors

Network equipment vendors (NEPs) have focused on introducing innovative and advanced analytics technology while also developing cost-effective network equipment. Advanced technology in measuring analytics is the most important competitive feature among network vendors. Network equipment vendors provide predictive maintenance, traffic monitoring, security, and better QoE services. NEPs are in a unique position to provide differentiation by offering real-time, advanced analytics that combine radio and service optimization. Leveraging recent progress in Big Data, network optimization and root-cause analysis is possible on an unprecedented scale.

MNOs are increasingly taking advantage of predictive maintenance to help them achieve success. Maintenance and repairs pose substantial logistical challenges to service providers in remote areas and in high-density areas with small-cell (picocell or femtocell) deployment. But through predictive maintenance, service providers can reduce the cost of their maintenance services. This would cause less disruption to service and would help to quickly identify when equipment would fail. Predictive maintenance also offers service providers a great tool to take proactive measures in controlling OPEX.

But when does predictive maintenance matter? When used properly, predictive maintenance helps to prevent many other difficulties. For example, in cases when equipment cost is high, predictive maintenance can keep costs down. In mission-critical services or in scenarios with high technical or environmental complexity, this type of maintenance helps to protect businesses and makes sure that the network is up and running properly. Difficult-to-reach locations also benefit from predictive maintenance by reducing travel cost.

Using network analytics involves software monitoring and analyzing historical and real-time data running across networks, cloud service providers, and enterprises. Network analytics not only enhance customer engagement but also customer experience. It’s an opportunity for MNOs to provide premium services with dynamic pricing plans.

Video, Video and Video

Among those services, Samsung has focused on advanced analytics technology to improve video services.

When end users only use the voice service on their mobile phones, service providers only need to satisfy the voice quality of that service. With widespread use of smartphones and affordable data pricing offers, applications such as web surfing and video are becoming more important. MNOs need to ensure web and video service quality is sustainable as well. Hence, it is critical for MNOs to have powerful tools to ensure an enjoyable data experience.

MNOs have been monitoring the quality of data services by conducting test drives with smartphones. They take their smartphones in their car and test the smartphone’s data experience. However, not only is this not cost effective in terms of time and human resources, but it is also inaccurate because it limits the test to the device itself instead of the network as a whole. A recent study shows that mobile video experience is tightly linked to Net Promoter Score, which is a key metric in predicting customer churn. The mobile industry should instead work on improving the legacy of QoE tools.

Easy and Simple Network Operation: Self Optimization of Services

Samsung has developed a groundbreaking solution that analyzes video quality on networks. It analyzes buffering and stalling time of individual video services and enables comprehensive real-time video QoE optimization. Furthermore, root-cause analysis based on data mining automates troubleshooting for any service quality degradation.

After implementing the world’s first LTE technologies, Samsung incorporated important aspects when developing such tools, so that MNOs can provide the most optimal user experience to their customers. Samsung strives to provide effective network support solutions to service providers, empowering them to meet and exceed the expectations placed on them in an ever-evolving, connected world. At this year’s Mobile World Congress (MWC), Samsung will demonstrate CognitiV Analytics, a tool that is an essential part of Samsung’s OSS solutions, which works to enhance Samsung’s professional service capabilities.

In 1891, renowned inventor and futurist Nikola Tesla became the first person to introduce inductive charging when he successfully demonstrated the wireless transfer of energy. However, it took over a century for this technology to find its way into mainstream consumer use.

Over the past few years, wireless charging has emerged in the consumer electronics market space, mainly in the form of smartphones and smartphone accessories. This technology is now being integrated into all sorts of technological devices, appliances, public spaces, and even vehicles, as companies look to make power cords obsolete and make the world Tesla envisioned a reality.

Until now, commercial products have mainly used the “magnetic-inductive” method of charging which involves coupling a device to some sort of physical dock. If you have ever used an electric toothbrush or shaver, then you are probably familiar with this type of inductive charging.

Consumer Benefits and Industry Solutions

Wireless charging comes with several benefits to the consumer that will bring about a new wave of multiple device integration and convenience. The most obvious benefit is the absence of power cords that are so easily tangled, broken or lost. Consumers have been crying out for a simple wireless charging solution that frees them from the need to carry several different chargers for multiple devices. The goal has been to provide them with the ability to utilize one wireless charging dock that is compatible with all the devices they already own as well as all the devices they buy in the near future.

To this end, the industry at large has been working together for some time to establish a series of organizations to standardize wireless charging technologies. Currently there are three: the Wireless Power Consortium (WPC), and its Qi standard, the Power Matters Alliance (PMA) and the Alliance for Wireless Power (A4WP). Samsung is a member of all three groups.

These technologies have already been implemented across a broad spectrum of our everyday lives. You may not even be aware of many of them. Wireless charging pads powered by the Qi standards can already be seen at select McDonald’s locations in London, while many Starbucks locations in the United States now sport PMA powered charging stations.

In January of this year, the PMA and A4WP announced that they would join forces to offer even better wireless charging features for a variety of devices. This means that very soon, integrated restaurants, airports, public spaces, vehicles and living spaces of all descriptions will finally free consumers from the burden of having to remember to carry their power cords. They will soon be able to move about freely without the worry of running out of battery power, or taking up unnecessary real estate in their bags.

Samsung’s Commitment to a Wireless Future

In late 2000, Samsung created a special team designed exclusively to focus on wireless charging, and began extensive research and development. The goal was to develop a technology that was easy and convenient for consumers, in order to promote and drive the widespread adoption of wireless technology standards. As they soon learned, several obstacles had to be overcome for wireless charging technology to succeed in the market, most notably the size and price of some of the most crucial components.

This hard work finally came to fruition in 2011, when Samsung introduced its first commercial wireless charging pad for Droid Charge (SCH-i510) in the US. Since then, Samsung has provided wireless charging covers and pads as a core accessory alongside many of our flagship smartphones such as the Galaxy S4 and Galaxy Note 3 in 2013 and the Galaxy S5 and Galaxy Note 4 last year.

A key factor in helping to bring wireless charging technology into the mainstream has been making the cost of materials more manageable by strategically partnering with the right raw material suppliers and component companies.

We also discovered new ways to merge and combine components in a more efficient way, which allowed our technology to generate more power and take up less space. In the early stages of inductive charging, the Galaxy S4 charging pads were comprised of about 80 separate components. For the Galaxy S5, our developers were able to bring down the number of components drastically, to a much more manageable 50, and efforts are being made to decrease this number even further. Our unique ability to combine parts like this and utilize components that are capable handling more than one function, like our chip, has allowed commercialization to finally become a reality.

We also focused on finding new ways to make the components themselves smaller and thinner. The IC chip in the Samsung Galaxy Note 4, for example, is only 0.8mm thin. Since wireless charging related products were introduced in the market about ten years ago, the size of wireless charging receiver components has decreased to one tenth of their original size. And the thickness of the coil has been minimized to a third of its original size. As such, we have been able to cut the costs of the main components to one tenth of the price in just ten years.

Wireless charging has come a long way in terms of charging speed as well. Two or three years ago, wireless charging was only twenty to thirty percent as fast as wired charging. But since then, we have been able to double the charging speed.

2015 – A Landmark Year for Smartphone Wireless Charging

Last year, components that support multiple standards on a single chip were released. Given that it usually takes around 6 to12 months to integrate new components and put them on the market, it is expected that several of these products will be available to consumers this year.

This comes as the ecosystem for wireless charging continues to rapidly grow and mature. In addition to IT companies, leading brands from a wide range of industries, such as consumer electronics, semiconductors, mobile services, automotive, furniture, software and others have joined the effort and are working closely together.

It is expected that 2015 will be a landmark year for the growth of wireless charging deployment, as wireless charging stations will begin to appear in more and more public places. Samsung will accelerate to democratize this wireless charging technology with compelling smartphones. With our upcoming Galaxy smartphones, users will be able to enter a new wireless world like never before.

Over the last several years, smartphone cameras have been transformed from a novelty feature to a sophisticated photographic device. Small in size but large in capability, the smartphone camera now has the ability to turn any user into a budding artist, photographer or cinematographer and allow them to explore their creativity with an array of ever advancing functions and features. The more innovative we are with advancing the smartphone camera, the more we witness a growing platform of unbounded ingenuity and imagination.

Fifteen years have passed since we introduced the cellphone with an integrated camera. In the year 2000, Samsung set an industry standard by integrating the first ever, a 0.3-megapixel camera, into our SCH-V200 model. By 2002, the  mobile phone camera had rapidly evolved from a quirky gimmick to a useful device that was both practical and convenient.

Providing the Freedom of One Device

Since our first camera phone, we have focused on improving the functionality and the quality of our smartphone cameras to provide consumers with the freedom of being able to carry just one mobile device. Aggressively investing in R&D, we accepted the challenge of integrating a more powerful camera into the slim body of a smartphone because we believe that a smartphone should do a lot more than just take great pictures. The image sensors in a smartphone needed to be much smaller than the sensors in even the most compact digital cameras and we worked diligently on improving image quality under these size constraints.

You can see the progress we have made:

In 2014, we achieved the successful integration of a 16-megapixel camera with our Galaxy S5, which allowed it to capture the finest detail and color of any other smartphone camera on the market at the time. This brought us one step further to finally eliminating the gap between digital cameras and our smartphone cameras for good.

Capturing an Image as our Eyes See It

First and foremost, we at Samsung design and engineer our smartphone cameras to produce stunning pictures. We want to make the resulting images as close as possible to what you actually see with your eyes. Our relentless efforts to innovate as well as our ability to push the limits of physics allow us to develop and build compact smartphone cameras with no compromise in the overall functionality you would expect from a world-class smartphone.

Professional cameras equip image sensors and circuitry that are significantly larger than those of smartphone cameras, about fifty times larger in some cases. We have addressed these obstacles by exerting every effort into developing features such as real-time High Dynamic Range (HDR), Phase difference Auto Focus (PAF) and others that help the camera produce images closer to what our eyes actually see. In addition, our other R&D assets such as camera software, app development and component optimization let us overcome the physical limits of the hardware to bring the most innovative camera technology possible to consumers.

Offering Users What They Need

At the heart of all Samsung product development are the needs and desires of our consumers, and their expectations motivate us, the developers, to continue pushing the limits of what can be made possible.

The image sensors on most smartphone cameras are physically smaller than those on digital cameras, which means that even if the number of pixels is the same, each cell, or pixel, on the sensor is also smaller. These pixels can actually be as small as 1.12 microns diagonally, which makes it harder to reduce the noise among pixels. Low noise plays a key role in the real-time HDR and the Phase AF that require a quick and accurate reaction.

The Samsung Galaxy S5 is an example of such a breakthrough – an unparalleled smartphone that sports what is currently rated by many as the best rear camera in the market. It is also the only smartphone that incorporates high performance live HDR capabilities in both video and still shots. With the HDR reverse lighting techniques, Galaxy S5 users can achieve a photo-realistic effect with their images in almost any lighting environment. Other outstanding Galaxy S5 camera features include an autofocus function that can capture moving objects in an astonishing 0.3 seconds as well as the ability to make background lighter or darker. Users can also manually isolate and alter different focal points for complete control over the final look of their pictures.

We make sure that our smartphone cameras are fast, intuitive and easy to use, giving users a smooth seamless experience. Our users do not need to worry about the appropriate camera settings for different lighting environments or where to find different functions or how to edit and share the photo they just took.

Building the Next Big Thing

The front-facing camera of the smartphone is now considered as an essential feature. When the Galaxy S was first introduced, a front-facing camera was also included, catering to the consumer need for two-way video chat. A few Galaxy smartphone models later, the front-facing camera had transformed into something much more.

In recent years, as social media trends popularized the “selfie,” the demand for a high-quality front-facing camera became paramount. The front camera in the Galaxy S5 is capable of capturing FHD videos, and allows the users to enjoy ultra clear video calls. Advancing these features even further is the 3.7MP front camera and F1.9 lens on the Galaxy Note 4 that supports a 90º wide-angle mode that lets users capture the perfect selfie or group selfie – the “wefie.”

Taking this even further, the Galaxy A7, A5 and A3 all feature a monster 5MP front-facing camera for even better-looking selfies. While earlier front-facing cameras were regarded as an “extra”, superfluous to the “main” camera on the rear, this is clearly no longer the case anymore.

We meticulously evaluate every single facet of our smartphone cameras by taking over 10,000 photos in every imaginable lighting environment for analysis. The same passion and dedication has been put into building the cameras for the release of our 2015 flagship model. It will be intelligent and do all the thinking for users, allowing them to take amazing pictures under any conditions, without having to worry about anything more than just pressing the shutter button.

It will demonstrate just how far Samsung has advanced smartphone cameras, and once again will open the creative side of our users for new ideas and new possibilities.

At Samsung, camera innovation continues.

This article has been corrected and updated on February 12, 2015.

Surely virtual reality and gaming are synonymous thanks to the amazing work Oculus has been doing. We have long been demonstrating Oculus Cinema as well, which creates a virtual movie theater environment so you can enjoy your 2D video content in a completely new world, whether that’s a home theater, a large format movie theater, or a couple of lonely seats on the Moon.

What really has us excited, however, is fully immersive, 360° content. Video that surrounds you. Large screen and curved television sets make you feel like you have a cinema experience in your living room. Large format cinemas like IMAX make you feel like you are surrounded by the image in front of you. In virtual reality, the 360° experience completes the journey to complete immersion. You will feel like you are really a part of the movie.

With Samsung’s Milk VR, we aren’t just providing a free app for Gear VR owners. We are creating a delivery system for an entirely new art form. In our vast experience demonstrating Gear VR for users, media, and the public, we have found 360° video to be an easy way to delight viewers early and bring them into the VR fold.

Unfortunately, creating a new medium presents new challenges. With such advanced technology, part of that challenge is managing expectations. First let’s establish some bona fides.

Gear VR is powered by the Galaxy Note 4, which can play 4K by 2K resolution video at 30 frames per second. This is a very high-end, high-performance specification that was only recently made possible on smartphones. This capability exceeds the resolution and playback of most HDTVs. The Galaxy Note 4 also has a 2560 by 1440 resolution display, which is nearly twice as many pixels as your HDTV. It is a device of impressive power, with a fantastic display that can defy imagination.

So why does a video watched through the Gear VR, though at least as high in resolution, appear to be much lower-resolution than other videos and movies viewed on a Galaxy Note 4? When you watch a video on a smartphone screen, it is shrunk to the size of the screen, with its 16:9 aspect ratio proportions, and viewed usually at arm’s length. When you watch a VR 360° video, that image is stretched all around you. It may extend above and below your eye-level perspective.

• Gear VR has a 96° field of view, slightly more than ¼ of a full circle
• Milk VR is 4K video across 360°, you are looking at ~1000 pixels of video at a time (4K video divided by ¼ circle field of view)

Creating VR Video

Virtual reality video requires special cameras. While RED might have become the defacto standard for 4K and 5K 2D video, no such standard exists in 360° VR video. Some companies are using GoPro cameras mounted in 3D printed rigs, and others are actually using RED cameras arranged in a triangle, square or sphere.  All of these techniques require post processing work that stitches video files together in an effort to try to minimize the seams between what each camera captured.

Others have tried techniques that involve parabolic mirrors with only one camera sensor. This is a creative solution that reduces the number of seams (usually only one), but this sacrifices resolution as the camera only uses one large image sensor, instead of many sensors stitched together.

To illustrate the situation, imagine the full potential of a device like Gear VR with a Galaxy Note 4. Gear VR can display video for a 96° field of view. That means that one screen-length of the Galaxy Note 4 is equal to about 96° of view. To get a 360° view would take about 4 screen-lengths of the Galaxy Note 4. The Galaxy note 4 screen is 2560 pixels long, so a full 360° video would need to be about 10K resolution just to match the theoretical potential of the display.

Eventually the application and graphics processors, the camera sensors and image processors, and the software algorithms that all work together to create and stitch 360° video will all catch up to this potential. By then, of course, screen resolutions will have increased even further, and the technology will still be playing catch-up.

We’re keeping an eye on these potential improvements, and other solutions that will emerge to improve the video quality on today’s processors. As such, we’ve made sure Milk VR content has been future-proofed to accommodate this.

VR video is not just about technology. It’s about storytelling in a whole new medium. Watch Samsung’s first commissioned VR short film, The Recruit. Check out creative works by artists like Felix & Paul (hyperlink: http://www.felixandpaul.com/wp/) and Chris Milk (hyperlink: http://www.hello-again.com/beck360/main/beck360.html) and others will be showcased at the Sundance Film Festival New Frontiers 2015.  As services like Milk VR evolve, providing an outlet and business model to the creative community producing consumer VR content is pivotal, and we can expect to see so much more that will take this technology to the next level. We hope you will join us in the journey.

[new_royalslider id=”220″]