Samsung SmartThings began as Samsung Electronics’ Internet of Things (IoT) platform, connecting not only Samsung products but also a wide array of devices from partner companies. This integration has evolved into a seamless, connected experience tailored to fit diverse lifestyles.

Growing from 100 million subscribers in 2019 to over 350 million by August 2024, SmartThings has established Samsung as a leader in the smart home market. The platform continues to expand its influence in the IoT industry by enhancing its AI-driven capabilities and even extending its reach into the B2B space.

Check out the infographic below to explore Samsung SmartThings’ 10-year journey of innovation.

Samsung Electronics today announced that an expanded number of products in its Digital Appliances Business have been verified to level ‘Diamond’ under UL Solutions’ Marketing Claim Verification IoT Security Rating Program. Following the Bespoke 4-Door Flex Refrigerator with AI Family Hub+¹ ― which was the first product in the home appliances industry to earn the ‘Diamond’ level from UL Solutions ― and Bespoke Jet Bot Combo AI,² three products were verified to the same level recently. The Bespoke AI Laundry Combo³ and the Air to Water Heat Pump⁴ acquired the Verification in June, and the Bespoke Slide-in Range⁵ followed in July. As a result, Samsung now possesses five ‘Diamond’ level verifications by UL Solutions, the largest number in the home appliances industry.

“As AI becomes more advanced, security is naturally becoming more important in terms of protecting users’ privacy,” said Miyoung Yoo, EVP and Head of the Software Development Team, Digital Appliances Business at Samsung Electronics. “The result shows that Samsung has proved its competitiveness in security based on Samsung Knox. We will continue to prioritize security so that consumers can enjoy the AI capabilities of our products in a safer environment.”

UL Solutions’ IoT Security Rating Program

UL Solutions is a leading global safety science company that evaluates hundreds of marketing claims each year. One of their services, the UL Solutions’ IoT Security Rating Program, verifies the security capabilities of smart home products.

UL Solutions differentiates security capability performance using five levels – Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum and Diamond. Each level requires rigorous testing, and of them, the highest ‘Diamond’ level is only given after products pass tests evaluating the ability to detect malicious software modulation, prevent illegal access attempts and anonymize user data. Especially, the products that achieve this highest ‘Diamond’ level differentiate themselves from level ‘Platinum’ products in their ability to detect unknown potential vulnerabilities and operate programs for early detection of security vulnerabilities, as well.

Products Newly Verified to Level ‘Diamond’

These additional certifications were obtained for the Bespoke AI Laundry Combo, the Air to Water Heat Pump and the Bespoke Slide-in Range. They are distinctive by being able to be linked with other devices using SmartThings connectivity⁶ and providing various AI or smart functions.

The Bespoke AI Laundry Combo is an All-in-one washer and dryer that frees users from the hassle of transferring laundry after washing to the dryer. Featuring a 7-inch LCD display,⁷ users can get recommended cycles⁸ based on their preferences, as well as periodic and seasonal needs.⁹ It also shows all connected appliances¹⁰ within the home, allowing users to monitor and control them seamlessly.

The Air to Water Heat Pump has a slim fit design that goes harmoniously with the home environment. Its 7-inch LCD display¹¹ supports various languages and helps users monitor solar PV energy usage. Users can control their connected appliances through the display.

Lastly, the Bespoke Slide-in Range also features the 7-inch LCD display¹² for an elevated cooking experience. Users can access connected appliances¹³ with Bixby¹⁴ through a microphone and a speaker implemented in the range. Moreover, it analyzes users’ preference data and provides personalized guidance, notifications and recipe recommendations.¹⁵

Thanks to Samsung Knox, which is applied to all Samsung home appliances, the data and the connection between devices can be thoroughly protected. Customers can utilize products’ AI features with confidence, having been assured of their strong security performance.

Meanwhile, visitors at IFA 2024 ― being held in Berlin from September 6 to 10 ― will be able to see Samsung’s home appliances that are proven for their security excellence. At the booth, Samsung will showcase the newly certified Air to Water Heat Pump as well as the Bespoke AI Laundry Combo.

¹ RF**DB99****, RF**DB95****, RF**DG9H****, available in North and Latin America, Europe, Middle East, Southeast Asia, India and Korea
² VR7M*97****, available in North America, Europe, Southeast Asia and Korea
³ WD**DB89****, WD53DBA*00H*, available in North and Latin America and Korea
⁴ AE***DN**P*, MIM-E03*N, available in Europe. The term ‘Air to Water Heat Pump’ is for global users’ reference. Samsung name: EHS
⁵ NSI6D*99******, available in North America
⁶ Available on Android and iOS devices. A Wi-Fi connection and a Samsung account are required.
⁷ For AI Home available on Bespoke AI Laundry Combo: AI Opti Wash & Dry and Bixby accessible through the AI Home utilize AI-based algorithm. Our AI-based algorithms may be updated periodically to improve accuracy. A Wi-Fi connection and a Samsung account are required. You may need to use a separate device e.g. your laptop/desktop or mobile device, to create/log into a Samsung Account. If you choose not to log-in, you will not be able to enjoy any features available on AI Home, such as the services available on the SmartThings App and the phone call features.
⁸ Messages with cycle suggestions are displayed on the control panel or a smartphone with the SmartThings App.
⁹ Messages with cycle suggestions are displayed on the control panel or a smartphone with the SmartThings App.
¹⁰ Appliances must be connected to the range via the SmartThings App and using the same Samsung account.
¹¹ Selected models only
¹² For AI Home available on Bespoke Slide-in Range: Recipe recommendations and Bixby accessible through the AI Home utilize AI-based algorithms. To access your AI recipe recommendations, click on the ‘Food’ service within the SmartThings App in the AI Home menu.
¹³ Appliances must be connected to the range via the SmartThings App and using the same Samsung account.
¹⁴ Applicable to certain range features only. Check the user manual for a full list of features that can be controlled/activated by a voice command. Bixby is Samsung’s brand of artificial intelligence (AI) / Internet of Things (IoT) voice assistant. Bixby service availability may vary depending on the country. Bixby recognizes certain accents/dialects of English (US, UK, Indian), Chinese, Korean, French, German, Italian, Spanish and Portuguese. A Samsung account log-in and Wi-Fi connection are required.
¹⁵ Default recipes. To access your AI recipe recommendations (based on deep learning models, which may be updated periodically to improve accuracy), click on the ‘Food’ service within the SmartThings App in the AI Home menu.

Since 2002, Samsung Electronics has been sharing its philosophy and vision for the year ahead – and beyond – through a total of 6 keynote addresses at CES. At CES 2022, the first CES event to be held offline in two years due to the pandemic, Jong-Hee (JH) Han, Vice Chairman and CEO at Samsung Electronics, is set to walk onto the stage and present his keynote address under the headline ‘Together for tomorrow’ to present the direction for technological development going forward.

Ahead of Han’s keynote at CES 2022, Samsung Newsroom has compiled the key topics and technological trends presented at Samsung’s CES keynote addresses between 2011 and 2020 to provide an insight into the evolution of the phrase ‘future technology’ what really means.

1. 2011: Human Digitalism

The main topic at Samsung’s 2011 CES keynote was the convergence of digital technology and human beings. Humanism, a philosophy that originated in the culture and arts fields, had recently reached the technology industry and become the latest trend. Illustrating this development, Samsung’s keynote that year centered on the concept of human digitalism, and throughout the address, the company advocated for the “reinterpretation of technology”, an idea that sees the values that human beings fundamentally pursue combined with advanced technologies.

BK Yoon, back then President and Head of Samsung’s Visual Display Business, outlined four guiding principles to underlie human digitalism. These are: interacting with the world in an easy and convenient manner anytime, anywhere; creating products that blend naturally and seamlessly into consumers’ lifestyles; providing enjoyment through new discoveries; and pursuing corporate social responsibility that prioritizes the environment and pursuing a better tomorrow. The company also outlined its plan to apply this vision of human digitalism to all its technologies and products in order to bring about a new digital paradigm shift.

2. Mobilizing Possibility

In 2013, it was the very center of all electronic products – their components – that was gaining attention. Accordingly, in their CES keynote address, Samsung introduced its processor – the brain of their mobile devices – its energy-efficient memory solutions – which help reduce electricity usage – and YOUM, its next-generation flexible display line-up.

The keynote speech, delivered by Dr. Stephen Woo, back then President of System LSI Business of Device Solutions Division of Samsung Electronics, highlighted how society and consumers’ lives are set to benefit from the innovations generated when such advanced component technologies go beyond their boundaries and unite with various technological fields.

3. 2015: Unlocking the Infinite Possibilities of IoT

At its 2015 CES keynote address, Samsung presented its blueprint for what the era of IoT the company planned to realize will look like. Samsung’s blueprint envisioned a world in which all kinds of products would move forward together with digital technology. In addition, Samsung introduced its essential technologies for realizing this IoT-powered world, including ultra-small, energy-efficient and intelligent sensors and semiconductor chips. BK Yoon, back then President and Head of CE division, emphasized the importance of open platforms in order to achieve a true realization of this vision, and accordingly introduced the SmartThings platform, a hub for all kinds of smart devices and services.

4. 2016: IoT, In Sync With Real Life

In their 2016 keynote address, Samsung introduced stories of how IoT had become part of daily life to the audience. Samsung began the keynote by introducing the three key elements of IoT: performance, user environment and security. Dr. WP Hong, back then President of Samsung SDS, introduced their innovative technologies, such as the Samsung Family Hub refrigerator which is a perfect example of IoT playing a role in the home environment. Samsung also affirmed its commitment to providing infinite value to its consumers by expanding its platform openness through cross-industry collaboration going forward.

5. 2020: Age of Experiences

At the beginning of a new decade, Samsung opened CES 2020 with a keynote address that heralded the beginning of a new age, the ‘Age of Experiences’ – the age in which personal preferences and experiences are foremost. The keynote speaker H.S. Kim, back then Samsung Consumer Electronics President and CEO, also shared the company’s vision for the electronics industry over the upcoming 10 years, which highlighted that, by merit of users that prioritize their experience and enjoyment of their products rather than just their ownership of them, personalized technologies able to satisfy each individual’s needs, smart homes and cities and robotic life companions are set to become more important. Samsung also emphasized in the keynote that it will become even more committed to expanding and advancing technologies by focusing on a better future for the users as the driving force and ultimate purpose behind their development.

And ‘Together for Tomorrow’ in 2022

At the upcoming CES 2022, Samsung is set to give its keynote address under the theme of the ‘Together for tomorrow’, within which the idea that ‘technology should exist for humanity and the Earth’ is paramount.

Samsung is set to introduce its multifaceted efforts to contribute to making life on Earth more sustainable, and emphasize the need for everyone to participate in reducing climate change wherever they may be. The company will also be introducing its latest innovative technologies to help users enjoy even more enriched lifestyles based on optimized, customized service for each and every person, along with enhanced experiences of being connected to one another.

Samsung’s keynote address for at CES 2022 will be livestreamed online on the Samsung Electronics Newsroom website at 6:30 P.M. PST on January 4^th. Be sure to tune in to learn more about Samsung’s latest vision for how innovative technologies can change the world.

During the event, Samsung highlighted its consumer-centric approach to innovation. In particular, the company showcased how advancements in AI, IoT and security work alongside the breadth of Samsung’s portfolio to create experiences that fit into how people live, ultimately unlocking a new era of connectivity and collaboration.

“We are proud of the pioneering work we are able to do in partnership with the creative developer community,” said DJ Koh, President and CEO of IT & Mobile Communications Division, Samsung Electronics. “As society becomes more closely connected through new tools and devices, we want to make people’s lives easier and smarter – wherever they are.”

Platforms Designed for Connected Experiences

A strong platform of technologies across AI, IoT and security enhances the consumer experience and accelerates the ability of developers to build creative applications. Samsung detailed its plans to strengthen core platform technologies such as Bixby, SmartThings and Samsung Knox.

During the SDC21 keynote, Samsung announced improvements to Bixby, which has become a central part of the user experience for more than 300 million Samsung devices. Bixby now uses on-device AI and deep neural networks to process commands on devices themselves. Thanks to on-device AI, this development makes the service up to 35% faster than before.

For developers, Samsung also announced the Bixby Home Platform, which serves as an intelligent layer between Bixby’s natural language processing and SmartThings. With the platform, voice commands can now be executed more intelligently, taking into account the state and context of various devices.

Samsung made further announcements with regard to SmartThings, including how the platform will be fully integrated with Matter, the newest standard in smart home compatibility. Matter solves developer interoperability challenges and with an expansive list of partners, will be the catalyst that makes smart home connectivity nearly effortless. SmartThings Hub software will also be embedded into the Samsung product portfolio, which includes Samsung Smart TVs and Family Hub refrigerators.

Samsung believes that consumer data and personal privacy is just as important as the experiences they enable. Samsung is committed to providing a seamless consumer experience, and to ensuring that its devices and services are secure from beginning to end. Samsung Knox, the company’s defense-grade security platform, offers built-in protection for more than 100 million Samsung devices. To further secure consumer data, the Samsung Knox Vault comes in a combination of security-specific hardware (a new secure processor and isolated secure memory) and new integrated software that shields the most secure data from the Android OS and applications. During the SDC21 keynote, Samsung highlighted the importance of collaboration and its philosophy of open innovation to improve security and privacy, reiterating its work to continue releasing security analysis tools as open source projects.

Samsung also outlined its Privacy Principles at SDC21, highlighting the three commitments that guide all innovation at the company: Protection, Choice and Transparency. With these principles, consumers, developers and partners are given the information needed to make decisions about how data is managed. The company offers users the option to review and manage their permissions from the privacy setting on their Galaxy devices and Smart TVs and discloses Samsung’s privacy policies through the Privacy Portal. Going forward, Samsung will collaborate with global security experts while continuing to release open source security analysis tools to make its ecosystems more secure.

Tizen Takes Smart TV to New Heights

Based on its ‘Screens Everywhere, Screen for All’ vision, Samsung continues to build on its position as the world leader in TVs by developing new experiences that enhance connectivity, functionality and immersive entertainment. At SDC21, Samsung introduced various ways that Samsung TVs are enabling new experiences, including:

• Video communication based on partnership with Google to allow users to enjoy better video calling on TVs via AI-enabled focus and zoom features.
• Samsung Health on Smart TVs that connects with a webcam to analyze movements and provide real-time feedback during a workout.
• More realistic gaming thanks to HDR10+, with automated settings for low latency and HDR calibration.

For enterprises, Samsung will launch Tizen for Business. This service supports interactive e-boards in schools, kiosks in malls, and even displays in restaurants, airports and subways. With new management portals, businesses can conduct real-time monitoring and control screens remotely, easily applying settings to multiple devices with one simple touch.

With the Tizen TV Platform Licensing, manufacturers who want to introduce a premium TV platform like Tizen can do so quickly with minimal cost. This enables them to use the Tizen TV presence to promote their products in the Smart TV market, and ultimately, help more consumers enjoy Tizen.

Innovating Across the Galaxy Ecosystem

Samsung provides a user experience that meets the needs of all users and devices. And with an expanding range of device types and form factors, developers have a breadth of opportunities to innovate in new ways.

At SDC21, Samsung introduced the new One UI 4, the latest version of its user interface for mobile devices. One UI 4 will provide new levels of customization to enable users to create an experience and a device that is truly theirs. It combines Samsung’s leading privacy and security features with options for users to personalize permissions so that they are always in control of their data when using a Samsung device.

Samsung demonstrated the possibilities of One UI 4 to developers at the event, particularly for foldable devices such as the Galaxy Z Fold3 and Z Flip3. Thanks to One UI 4, users will be able to make use of features such as Flex mode and Multi-Active Window, which enable users to enjoy more intuitive and user-friendly experiences that are unique to the foldable form factor. SDC21 also included a Galaxy Watch session that showcased developer tools to help them build new apps in the new watch app ecosystem.

Samsung invites developers and partners on its journey to bring new and secure experiences to life. For more information about the Samsung Developer Conference 2021, please visit developer.samsung.com.

Voice Recognition With Bixby: More Convenient Than Touch

Artificial intelligence (AI) enhances the performance of all kinds of devices essential to our daily lives, including smartphones, tablets, TVs and more. In particular, AI-powered voice recognition facilitates more seamless interactions between these devices. Principal Engineer Joohwan Kim from the AI ​​Client Development Group, Mobile Communications Business at Samsung Electronics, shares below how the Bixby voice assistant platform is set to enable more convenient experiences – using just your voice.

Q: What does the newly updated Bixby voice assistant platform look like?

Bixby aims to be the best voice interface able to control multiple Samsung devices using only a small amount of data. From this standpoint, we focused on providing a unique user experience that only Galaxy can provide when developing Samsung’s latest devices. For example, Galaxy Z Flip3 provides a Bixby function that allows users to utilize the Cover Screen, and Galaxy Watch4 series includes hands-free functionality.

Bixby has advanced in many ways as an AI platform, and, in terms of the engine, it supports Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR) on-device. Because it processes users’ voices immediately from within the device itself, it is fast and secure in terms of privacy protection. Moreover, the development of Bixby Home Platform further expands the range of supported devices. What used to require multiple voice commands is now possible with only a single command that the device understands and performs accordingly.

Q: What are the areas of possible collaboration with developers around the world for the Bixby Platform?

There are several ways third-party developers can participate in Bixby. They can develop various voice services using Samsung’s AI engine in our smartphones, watches and Family Hub. This service, called a capsule, is provided by the Bixby Developer Center. We have also updated the developer tools to make debugging and natural language learning easier, and to allow convenient use of various UI components, all of which will be presented at SDC21.

The update being announced will make it possible to use for developers to harness multiple contexts when adding devices. Smarter device control has been made possible by Bixby Home Platform, an intelligent layer which sits between Bixby Voice – which provides natural language understanding and issues commands – and SmartThings’ Internet of Things (IoT) layer – which provides connection and operation between devices. Commands that previously had to be made individually for separate devices can now be more efficiently undertaken using the Bixby Home Platform. We are introducing this tool at SDC21 and currently working on providing it to third-party developers in the future.

Enjoy More of the Content You Love: Samsung Smart TV’s Tizen

In the past, TVs were evaluated only on their resolution and design, but given changing lifestyles and user demands, the kind of content a TV is able to provide has become paramount. Thanks to the Tizen platform, Samsung’s Smart TVs are able to provide users with a wide range of content able to suit any taste. Ju-hyun Choi, a Staff Engineer at the Software Development Group, Visual Display Business at Samsung Electronics, describes below how Tizen has evolved to provide partners with the optimal environment in which they can develop with wide compatibility and stability.

Q: What are the new functions of Tizen Web Platform for Samsung Smart TV?

Through a powerful web standard technology called WebAssembly, high-performance web apps can now be developed on Samsung Smart TVs. For SDC21, we have prepared an upgrade plan that allows for the installation of the very latest web features for previously-released Smart TVs.

Q: The competitive edge held by Tizen-based display products has been strengthened thanks to the cooperation of partners from various fields. What are your future collaboration plans?

We are currently working on web-based cloud games, with the goal of allowing users to play the latest games on their Samsung Smart TV equipped with the Tizen platform – all without the latest consoles or expensive graphic cards. In order to achieve this, we are working closely with our current service partners. The Tizen platform, an open source-based operating system (OS), is open to everyone and we are working to provide the best possible development environment to developers that features a wide range of compatibility and development tools.

A Must for Innovative User Experiences: On-Device Personalized Neural Networks

Recently, on-device AI technology has been garnering attention. In the past, a high-performance cloud server capable of performing complex calculations was required in order to run AI-based apps, but when the neural network used in AI apps runs within the device, many advantages for users emerge. Jihoon Lee, an Engineer at the On-Device Lab at Samsung Research, explains below the role of on-device AI and cooperation with developers.

Q: On-device AI is considered a must for powerful and innovative consumer experiences. What kind of benefits will users enjoy from using it?

The biggest advantage offered by on-device AI is that the privacy of the users is maintained since all processing occurs on-device. Developers, too, will be able to provide services that are that much closer to the users, while also free from privacy concerns. For example, a camera app that harnesses facial recognition will not share sensitive data with a server if the AI is run on-device.

Another advantage is that on-device AI models can be used without an Internet connection or any mobile data consumption. For example, if a certain on-device AI model is required to be on constant low-power standby, the necessity of an Internet connection or data consumption could be a big limitation. With on-device AI, user application experiences are improved since there is no need to send data to a server and wait for results – resulting in reduced response times.

Thirdly, one is able to create custom AI directly on their device. Previously, the concept of personalizing the already-deployed AI firsthand was unexplored, as there was no framework to help train a deep-learning model on-device. Moving forward, we expect that NNTrainer, which we are presenting at SDC21, will play a big role in better recognizing a user’s face, their accent and even their pets to automatically create photo albums based on their furry friends – and more.

Q: In the future, what kind of synergies can be expected in this field through cooperation with the developers present at SDC?

Ultimately, we hope to bring users closer to AI through on-device training and personalization. We look forward to developers who attend SDC21’s sessions recognizing and utilizing NNTrainer in order to provide AI that is closer to users. Following such collaboration, NNTrainer, currently in its initial stages will become an even more mature framework. Since it is being developed as an open source, anyone can search for it and contribute directly.

Developing Watch Apps for Wear OS Powered by Samsung

Won-Hee Seo, a Staff Engineer at the Strategic Partner R&D Group, Mobile Communications Business at Samsung Electronics, below introduces the new developer tools and benefits of creating watch apps for the Wear OS Powered by Samsung platform, running on the Galaxy Watch4 series.

Q: It’s now easier to develop a great watch app for the Wear OS ecosystem. What are some new helpful experiences that will be available to users?

With the Galaxy Watch4 series, the most loved and used watch apps and services have been optimized for the new Wear OS Powered by Samsung platform. In addition to Samsung and Google services and apps such as Google Maps and YouTube Music, users will also have access to their favorite watch apps available for download in the Google Play Store. In particular, health-related apps, including Sleep Cycle, are starting to launch and are growing in popularity.

Many developer partners have started to work with the new tools available for the Wear OS platform, which has led to the release of many useful apps.

Moreover, we have launched Watch Face Studio, a new developer tool that makes it easy to design watch faces. Thanks to this tool, designers and developers will be able to create more watch faces, which provides users with a greater variety of watch faces to choose from, helping them to further personalize their watch with their own tastes.

Q: Throughout this session, you discussed the development of new watch apps with other developers. What was at the center of the discussion?

A total of four watch-related sessions were arranged for SDC21: one Highlight Session and three Tech Talk Sessions. They provide all the necessary information for developers, such as the developer guide, in order to help them more easily create diverse watch apps and services. In order to help stimulate the watch face market, a session was also added to SDC21 to provide a detailed introduction to the Watch Face Studio tool that is set to allow designers and developers to easily design and create faces.

Unveiled earlier this year, Matter is an industry-changing connectivity standard created by more than 180 companies and is transforming the smart home industry. Matter aims to become the de-facto standard in every home, that offers consumers interoperability between devices, flexibility and more choices when purchasing connected home devices. As an initial founding member, SmartThings is one of the most flexible platforms able to work with multiple protocols including, Zigbee, Z-Wave, and now, Matter, enabling consumers with existing smart homes to seamlessly integrate new devices into their homes. In addition, Matter opens a brand new chapter of innovation for developers around the globe, allowing more time to focus on creativity while reducing time spent on replicating efforts across various ecosystems.

“We truly believe that Matter is the foundation and future of IoT, and we are thrilled that Samsung SmartThings will be embedding it into so many products accelerating smart home adoption and bringing users more convenient connected home experiences wherever they are,” said Michelle Mindala-Freeman, Head of Marketing for the Connectivity Standards Alliance.

“Samsung TVs, appliances and Galaxy devices are part of everyday life for millions of people around the world and integrating SmartThings hub functionality into these devices will make it easier for users to experience connected living without additional hardware purchase. On top of that, adding Matter support into the SmartThings platform will only broaden the choices of devices to connect as Matter-enabled devices flood into the market next year,” said Jaeyeon Jung, Corporate Vice President at Samsung Electronics and Head of SmartThings. “Matter will help drive a surge in smart home adoption, and with SmartThings, it will be easier for users to gain smart home experiences with seamless device onboarding, customized automation and a choice of voice assistants. We’re proud to have been leading this standardization initiative since its inception, alongside other industry leaders in an effort to bring the Matter protocol to life.”

Matter-enabled devices will join numerous products and brands already available within SmartThings’ vast ecosystem, including devices from Google, eve Systems, Honeywell Home by Resideo, Linksys, Nanoleaf, Philips Hue, Schlage, Wemo, Yale and more.

Historically, the connected home has been very fragmented and SmartThings has been the glue that connects devices together across brands and platforms. SmartThings’ open platform brings together devices, developers and services to offer one of the largest integrated ecosystems. With hundreds of certified brands and millions of users on the platform, SmartThings facilitates innovations in connected living across multiple use cases.

Samsung will bring Matter to multiple products in 2022 as the new standard becomes available and fully integrates into the SmartThings platform.

For more information about SmartThings, please visit www.smartthings.com.

¹ Matter support available on select models.

About SmartThings
SmartThings is the premier technology enabling connected living and driving the future of IoT. Its open platform already supports thousands of devices across hundreds of brands and offers endless possibilities to innovators and developers seeking seamless connectivity in a vast IoT ecosystem. The company is committed to bringing smart functionality and capabilities everywhere consumers want to be, while enhancing the user experience. There are currently millions of people in more than 200 countries accessing SmartThings technology daily to create automations and control facets of their smart homes via the SmartThings App and through a range of Samsung products such as phones, TVs, and digital appliances. SmartThings offers the most flexible amount of protocols, including the new IoT standard, Matter. Launched in 2012, SmartThings is headquartered in Mountain View, CA and is a founding board member of Connectivity Standards Alliance, an organization of hundreds of companies creating, maintaining, and delivering open, global standards for the IoT. For more information, please visit www.smartthings.com.

Samsung’s Bespoke Home vision offers consumers a home that is beautifully designed, full of flexible features, seamlessly connected and inspired by its user. In this third installment of ‘People Behind Bespoke’, Chanwoo Park, Head of Home IoT Business at Samsung Electronics, explains how the Bespoke Home harnesses connectivity between smart devices to enrich and streamline everyday home experiences.

In the Bespoke Home, your appliances come together to create a personalized home experience that is much more than the sum of its parts. Through the connectivity provided by Samsung Electronics’ innovative technologies, your appliances work together to create synergies that maximize convenience and bring something special to even the most basic of everyday routines.

Connected Solutions for a Changing World

Within the connected ecosystem of the Bespoke Home, artificial intelligence (AI) and Internet of Things (IoT) connectivity come together to completely transform the home experience. While AI is leveraged to study usage patterns and give better recommendations, IoT allows your appliances to seamlessly interconnect within your home.

What’s more, with the SmartThings app, a platform that supports thousands of devices across hundreds of brands, the ability to control the way it works is placed directly into the palm of your hand.

In practice, this means your washing machine will remember your favorite cycle and have it ready to go on laundry day. Once you choose what you want to make for dinner, your smart oven will receive the recipe and set itself to the right temperature. Your robot vacuum is even able to recognize your pet, and will send you a video so that you can keep an eye on them even when you’re away from home.

One Step Closer to Creating a Net Zero Home

With the recent rise of energy prices and the growing necessity for greener smart home solutions, Samsung envisaged SmartThings Energy as a way to empower users to be able to control the way energy is used throughout their homes and make smarter, greener decisions at home.

Thanks to the extensive growth of its partnership network, SmartThings Energy is growing into a smart energy management solution able to encompass the energy consumption of every appliance in a home, and even integrates such newer, renewable energy sources as solar.

In the UK, SmartThings Energy is now integrated with nearly 13 million Smart Meters, covering almost half of all UK homes. The service increases household energy IQ by harnessing the power of a smart home platform that analyzes user behavior and empowers users to take action and make a change – whether that change be switching to a new energy provider or garnering more awareness of their carbon footprint through monitoring.

A Whole New Food Prep Routine

Building a weekly meal plan that is varied and contains meals that are both tasty and nutritious can be a big task – and that’s before you actually start looking at what you actually have the ingredients to make.

SmartThings Cooking curates your entire food preparation experience by building weekly meal plans based on your specific tastes, dietary needs and the ingredients you have on-hand. Once your meals are planned out, SmartThings Cooking connects to various food and grocery retailers to order any ingredients you might be missing. When it comes time to cook, SmartThings ensures your range is preheated to the right temperature for the meal you’re preparing.

SmartThings Cooking also puts an end to fumbling for recipes and flipping between apps by bringing all the necessary searching, planning, purchasing and preparation together in one single place. With SmartThings, you can get all your meal planning done from wherever you are on your smartphone – or plan your meals right on the screen of your smart fridge – secure in the knowledge that your planning will be shared and easily accessible across your devices.

Connectivity for Pet Care

In addition to making your life more comfortable, connectivity in the Bespoke Home is now capable of improving the life of your furry friends, too. With its ability to monitor pets and connect to other smart devices, Samsung’s Bespoke Jet Bot AI+ and SmartThings Pet allow you to see what your pets are doing in real-time and make the environment more comfortable for them from wherever you are.

While going about its cleaning duties, your Bespoke Jet Bot AI+ recognizes when your pet comes into view, starts recording and sends the videos straight to your phone. After receiving these real-time updates, you can then use SmartThings Pet on your phone to adjust the settings on your smart air conditioner, air purifier and lights back home to make sure your pet is as comfortable as possible while you’re away.

Give Your Clothes the Care They Deserve

The clothes we wear every day are important mainstays of our lives, but maintaining sensitive and specialty items can prove complicated, especially given that properly cleansing our garments has become particularly important in the current climate.

SmartThings Clothing Care recommends optimal cycles for the items you’re washing based on material type, your usage patterns, the current season and more. A comprehensive smart wardrobe management system, SmartThings Clothing Care also monitors detergent levels, and can even order more detergent from online retailers when you’re running low.

With SmartThings, your Bespoke AirDresser and smart washer communicate with one another to share information and deliver personalized cycles and settings. Auto Cycle Link then matches the settings on your dryer to your wash settings to ensure your clothes are getting the consistent treatment that is just right for their garment type.

Committed to a Sustainable Bespoke Home Experience

With Bespoke Home, Samsung is dedicating itself to bringing an end to the ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach. We have committed to making all of our current and future products IoT-ready in order to realize our vision for a more connected world.

The deep customizability we are delivering with Bespoke Home is present at many different levels of the products that make up the portfolio – from the range of Bespoke colors the products come in to the ways you can tailor their usability to realize your own connected home vision. The Bespoke Home works with you on how you like to cook, how you like the temperature and air in your home and how you like to care for your clothes. When your preferences shift, your Bespoke Home is right there with you, happy to adjust to ensure you are enjoying the highest possible levels of comfort and convenience.

However, in today’s world, convenience alone is no longer enough – our appliances must also find ways to contribute to a more sustainable future. To this end, Samsung introduced SmartThings Energy with the direct purpose of allowing you to monitor your energy information in real-time in order to better manage how energy is being used in your home. In addition to supporting most Samsung appliances, SmartThings Energy is being expanded to a range of other devices and solutions to allow you to make smarter, more environmentally conscious decisions across every aspect of your home and lifestyle.

Samsung Electronics, a world leader in advanced semiconductor technology, today unveiled plans for continuous process technology migration to 3- and 2-nanometer (nm) based on the company’s Gate-All-Around (GAA) transistor structure at its 5^th annual Samsung Foundry Forum (SFF) 2021.

With a theme of Adding One More Dimension, the multi-day virtual event is expected to draw over 2,000 global customers and partners. At this year’s event, Samsung will share its vision to bolster its leadership in the rapidly evolving foundry market by taking each respective part of foundry business to the next level: process technology, manufacturing operations and foundry services.

“We will increase our overall production capacity and lead the most advanced technologies while taking silicon scaling a step further and continuing technological innovation by application,” said Dr. Siyoung Choi, President and Head of Foundry Business at Samsung Electronics.” Amid further digitalization prompted by the COVID-19 pandemic, our customers and partners will discover the limitless potential of silicon implementation for delivering the right technology at the right time.”

GAA Is Ready for Customers’ Adoption – 3nm MP in 2022, 2nm in 2025

With its enhanced power, performance and flexible design capability, Samsung’s unique GAA technology, Multi-Bridge-Channel FET (MBCFET^TM), is essential for continuing process migration. Samsung’s first 3nm GAA process node utilizing MBCFET will allow up to 35 percent decrease in area, 30 percent higher performance or 50 percent lower power consumption compared to the 5nm process. In addition to power, performance and area (PPA) improvements, as its process maturity has increased, 3nm’s logic yield is approaching a similar level to the 4nm process, which is currently in mass production.

Samsung is scheduled to start producing its customers’ first 3nm-based chip designs in the first half of 2022, while its second generation of 3nm is expected in 2023. Newly added to Samsung’s technology roadmap, the 2nm process node with MBCFET is in the early stages of development with mass production in 2025.

FinFET for CIS, DDI, MCU – 17nm Specialty Process Technology Debuts

Samsung Foundry is continuously improving its FinFET process technology to support specialty products with cost-effective and application-specific competitiveness. A good example of this is the company’s 17nm FinFET process node. In addition to the intrinsic benefits afforded by FinFET, the process node has excellent performance and power efficiency leveraging a 3D transistor architecture. Consequently, Samsung’s 17nm FinFET provides up to 43 percent decrease in area, 39 percent higher performance or a 49 percent increase in power efficiency compared to the 28nm process.

Additionally, Samsung is advancing its 14nm process in order to support 3.3V high voltage or flash-type embedded MRAM (eMRAM) which enables increased write speed and density. It will be a great option for applications such as micro controller units (MCUs), IoT and wearables. Samsung’s 8nm radio frequency (RF) platform is expected to expand the company’s leadership in the 5G semiconductor market from sub-6GHz to mmWave applications.

Looking ahead, in cooperation with its ecosystem partners, Samsung Foundry’s SAFE Forum will be held virtually in November 2021.

Ever since I was young, I’ve been captivated by engineering and technology — enthralled by new gadgets and curious about what made them work. I didn’t think I could be more obsessed with technology, but 2020 proved me wrong. This year gave me an even greater appreciation for all that it does and can potentially do. We had to reshape our lives, rethink the way we operate and become more flexible — and technology made it possible for us to do so. 2020 bolstered my determination to fully tap the infinite power and potential of tech to give people personalized experiences that enrich their lives and allow them to express themselves.

As we close out this year and I think of what’s to come in 2021, I feel encouraged by all the ways Samsung is cultivating open collaboration and driving innovation forward to empower people on their personal journeys. We have never believed in a one-size-fits-all mobile experience and we never will. We led the charge with 5G and changed the shape of the future with a series of foldable smartphones. Now, we’re working on revolutionary advancements in 5G, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the Internet of Things (IoT) that will redefine the parameters of what mobile can do and give consumers the freedom to tailor their mobile experiences to fit their lives — not the other way around.

2020 Highlights

This year, Samsung stayed true to its mission and forged new paths for landmark technology that will shape the next era of mobile innovation. Our vision of intelligent, connected devices with mobile phones at the center has become a reality. 2020 saw 5G — a technology Samsung has been pioneering for more than a decade — move into the limelight. Over the course of the last 10 years, Samsung laid the groundwork for the fifth generation of cellular technology by helping to build the global 5G infrastructure. And in 2019, we released the world’s first commercial 5G smartphone and tablet: The Galaxy S10 5G and Galaxy Tab S6 5G. Samsung has been pushing to democratize 5G ever since. We are closing out the year with twenty 5G devices in the Galaxy ecosystem.

There was also growing momentum behind foldable smartphones, a category we launched commercially with the Galaxy Fold in 2019 and advanced with the release of Galaxy Z Flip and Galaxy Z Fold2 in 2020. Through our longstanding industry-leading partnerships, we established an open ecosystem for foldable devices and fostered UX innovation that enabled us to create an enhanced user experience with optimized app interactions and displays. The Z Fold2 was praised as a smartphone that reimagines what’s possible with mobile technology and I’m excited to say, it’s just a hint of what’s to come as we continue to explore, evolve and expand this category-changing space.

We also made headway in our efforts to make the world a better, more sustainable place. In partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), we promoted the 17 Sustainable Development Goals on more than 80 million smartphones, mobilizing and empowering the Galaxy community via our Samsung Global Goals app. And we continue to take dedicated action throughout our product lifecycle to help the world transition to a circular economy — by extending product longevity, making greater use of sustainable materials in our packaging, and creating environmentally conscious products and accessories.

Mobile Innovations to Watch in 2021

I’m thrilled with what Samsung accomplished this year, but as passionate pioneers committed to defying barriers to progress, we’re always thinking about what’s next. Our smartphones are truly becoming extensions of ourselves, and with so many people working remotely and spending more time entertaining themselves at home, video quality and capabilities on mobile devices have moved front and center.

From teleworking and virtual celebrations to gaming and online dance challenges, the world is creating, sharing and streaming more video than ever. Whether you prefer to edit footage like a pro or just want intelligent, multitasking lenses to do the heavy lifting for you, the Samsung Galaxy will be more than ready to meet the demands of the video-obsessed in 2021. When it comes to advancement in this space, it’s going to be an epic new year.

Our engineers and developers have also been working hard to expand highly advanced on-device AI capabilities within the Galaxy family, enabling our devices to continually learn from daily activities and routines to take better pictures and videos, maximize battery life and storage space, optimize displays and much more. We’re planning to expand these personalized capabilities to every facet of Galaxy’s product portfolio to empower people to be productive and do all the things they enjoy.

And because we live in an interconnected world that requires interconnected devices, Samsung continues to vigorously support open source research and collaboration. It’s how we evolve new capabilities that can be deployed across devices, applications and services to enable more people to benefit from all that technology has to offer. Thanks to the open ecosystems we’ve created working in tandem with other like-minded industry leaders, we’re developing connected, compatible innovation that will take us into an exciting new era of integrated mobile experiences.

We’ve already advanced breakthrough technologies like ultra-wideband (UWB) through ongoing open collaboration with key partners. And soon, we’ll be rolling out incredible connectivity capabilities that will transform the way you open doors and enable seamlessly integrated car experiences that make personalized car connectivity a part of your digital life. We’re also making it easier to quickly locate the things that matter most, from your keys to your wallet — even your family pet.

As we introduce new and exciting innovations, our number-one goal is and will always be to create experiences that people can trust, knowing we’ll treat their data with the utmost care and keep their personal information safe every step of the way. These new devices will offer incredible personalized mobile experiences and will be built with security and privacy top of mind.

The Samsung Promise

We believe everyone should have access to the latest mobile technologies and a spectrum of product options that offer unfettered, personalized experiences. In 2021, our diverse product portfolio will deliver breakthrough capabilities that empower you and never hold you back.

True to our heritage of staying ahead of the curve with trailblazing mobile tech, we’ll be expanding our portfolio of foldables, so this groundbreaking category is more accessible to everyone. And while we’re already known for our revolutionary cameras, we’ll never stop trying to outdo ourselves — so be on the lookout for super-intelligent, pro-grade camera and video capabilities in 2021. We’ve also been paying attention to people’s favorite aspects of the Galaxy Note experience and are excited to add some of its most well-loved features to other devices in our lineup.

Limitations and boundaries are for other brands. At Samsung, we relentlessly test the existing rules because we know the margins for what technology can do are confined only by the scope of our imagination — and ours knows no bounds.

Thank you to everyone who supported us in 2020. I look forward to sharing more in January!

Samsung Electronics, the world leader in advanced memory technology, today announced plans to expand its NAND flash production capacity in Pyeongtaek, Korea, reinforcing the company’s ability to meet demands from emerging technologies. Construction, which began this May, will pave the way for mass production of Samsung’s cutting-edge V-NAND memory in the second half of 2021.

“The new investment reaffirms our commitment to sustain undisputed leadership in memory technologies, even in uncertain times,” said Cheol Choi, executive vice president of Memory Global Sales & Marketing at Samsung Electronics. “We will continue to serve the market with the most optimized solutions available, while contributing to growth of the overall IT industry and the economy in general.”

In the age of the Fourth Industrial Revolution fueled by artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things and 5G expansion, the added capacity will play a major role in helping to address mid- to long-term demands for NAND flash memory. As digital lifestyles become more prevalent, Samsung will continue to be proactive in making new investments in order to seize future market opportunities.

Samsung’s NAND flash production network extends from Hwaseong and Pyeongtaek in Korea to Xi’an, China. Established in 2015, Samsung’s Pyeongtaek Campus is a hub for next-generation memory technologies, consisting of two of the world’s largest-scale production lines.

Leveraging its significant edge in manufacturing and technology, Samsung has held the leadership position in NAND flash memory for the past 18 years, with one recent innovation being the industry-first sixth-generation (1xx-layer) V-NAND introduced last July. Through balanced investment across its global sites, Samsung aims to maintain a robust production network that will further cement its market leadership.

Reference: Samsung V-NAND Mass Production Timeline

At this year’s Kitchen & Bath Industry Show (KBIS), visitors to the Samsung Electronics booth are getting hands on with the very latest of Samsung’s home appliance solutions.

Among other design and connectivity-led innovations, booth attendees are learning how they can harness the Smart Recipe app for best-practice cooking with the 30” Slide-in Range, stay on top of their groceries with Family Hub’s automatic cataloging with the View Inside app, and even answer a video call while in the kitchen on the Family Hub’s interactive touchscreen.

In the booth’s Connected Living zone, visitors are learning about how Samsung’s leading Internet of Things (IoT) technology has revolutionized the culinary experience by harnessing IoT to develop a multi-device connected smart home ecosystem. From the ability to search for recipes using SmartThings on Samsung’s range products to the diverse range of smart capabilities offered across Samsung’s wide Family Hub portfolio, this dedicated experience zone is showing KBIS visitors the difference a connected kitchen can make.

Across the other dedicated zones, visitors are also exploring the full line-up of Samsung household products designed with a wide range of lifestyles, tastes and living situations in mind. KBIS attendees are experiencing first-hand the power of the Samsung connected home, as well as the level of customization available on many leading Samsung appliance products.

If you are unable to make it to the Las Vegas Convention Center this year, take a look at the pictures below for an in-depth look at the latest Samsung home appliance devices built with connectivity and lifestyle design at their core.

Where Design Meets Connectivity: The Connected Living Zone

KBIS visitors are invited to explore the full range of features and capabilities of Samsung’s Family Hub refrigerator through its interactive touchscreen. When a user touches the screen, they are met with a range of versatile features, including meal planning options, Smart View, music streaming and even the ability to check connected device notifications

A visitor gets hands-on with the helpful View Inside app on the Family Hub’s interactive touchscreen. Not only can the touchscreen help you keep track of your groceries and home cooking plans, but it also serves as a smart home control hub, calendar and media platform

A special board showcases pictures uploaded by KBIS visitors celebrating the latest in the brand’s home appliance innovations

A dedicated exhibit introduces KBIS visitors to the full connectivity and convenience of Samsung’s home devices thanks to the power of IoT and Samsung’s SmartThings platform. From accessing doorbell notifications on refrigerators to checking wash cycles on smartphones, the SmartThings IoT Platform zone provides an insight into the future of the smart home

Innovative Appliances and Interior Trends: The Kitchen Package Zone

As well as being packed full of the latest kitchen innovations, Samsung’s KBIS booth features several example kitchen packages across a range of lifestyle aesthetics

A dishwasher and an oven fit seamlessly together in one of the exhibit kitchens, finished in this year’s Pantone Color of the Year, Classic Blue

Thanks to a wide range of customization options available across Samsung’s home appliance range, visitors are sure to find an option that meets their needs as well as their design aesthetic, such as a stylish wood and metal aesthetic (top). Not just practical but also stackable, Samsung’s Wine Cube (middle) and Beauty Cube (bottom) have been designed to fit into any space, as well as storing user’s wine and cosmetic products respectively at optimum temperatures

Samsung’s laundry machine range features devices in a range of shapes and dimensions to suit a variety of household sizes. With Samsung’s smaller devices, users can even stack their washer and dryer machines to maximize their space

At KBIS, Samsung is showcasing its full refrigerator line-up, including the new side-by-side refrigerator (above). The flat design of its side-by-side doors and simple handles provide a ‘built-in’ look to the refrigerator, which offers 22 cubic feet of interior food storage space and interior walls with reduced thickness thanks to Samsung’s SpaceMax Technology. Samsung’s Digital Inverter Compressor Technology also ensures a consistent temperature throughout the refrigerator.

The Samsung 30” Slide-in Range is able to fit neatly with minimal fuss into any existing kitchen counter formation for maximum convenience thanks to its built-in-esque size and design, along with the simple UX of its operation panel

Understanding that users prioritize space in their kitchens, the Samsung 30” Slide-in Range features a new Air Fry mode for quality frying without the worries of high-fat content or oil mess that come with traditional frying – and without the need for a separate device

A KBIS visitor explores the different capabilities and smart features of the Samsung 30” Slide-in Range

Where Premium Functionality Meets Elegance: The Dacor Zone

Standing right next to the Samsung booth at KBIS is the Dacor booth, which features three kitchen concept zones under the theme of ‘Cook, Cool, Clean and Create.’ In these spaces, leading Samsung appliances have been united for visitors under a coastal theme

Putting Communication at the Core: The Builder Solutions Zone

Samsung’s booth at KBIS 2020 also includes an area informing visitors about Samsung’s US supply chain, extensive service network for builders and Samsung Care. Dedicated Samsung representatives are on hand at the Builder Solutions Zone for consultations and to answer attendee’s questions. “We are honored and excited to be one of the first builders to include a full array of Samsung appliances in every home we sell,” noted attendee Ryan Hays, VP of Purchasing, Touchstone Living Homes

Samsung is committed to bringing new kitchen experiences to users through partnership and innovation. Visitors to the company’s KBIS 2020 booth are encouraged to share their impressions of the dedicated zones using the hashtag #BUILDwithSAMSUNG

Samsung home appliances’ seamless connections are all part of the company’s “Intelligence of Things” vision, which envisions a world in which the devices around us are constantly communicating with one another in ways that simplify our day. To demonstrate how the devices take the work out of housework, we present a typical Sunday in one of these connected homes.

[7 a.m.] “Hi Bixby”

You’ve got a lot to do today, so you wake up early, kick off the covers, and start to map out your day. To check the weather forecast and fine dust level, you could reach for your phone and check a weather app, or switch on the news on your TV. Or, in the true spirit of a lazy weekend, you could do those things faster and easier with Bixby, Samsung Electronics’ convenient intelligence platform, which offers users personalized services powered by natural interactions.

With Bixby, everyday tasks like checking the weather and fine dust level are as easy as uttering a simple voice command. To make their lives easier, Bixby learns users’ usage patterns and frequently used apps, and gets smarter and more useful with time.

[9 a.m.] Laundry Made Simple

Samsung home appliances’ smart features were designed to take the stress out of finishing household chores. To simplify laundry cycles, Samsung introduced Auto Cycle Link¹, a clever feature that links compatible washers and dryers so the dryer can automatically select an optimal setting once the wash cycle has ended.

[11 a.m.] An AI-powered Meal Planner

Figuring out what to whip up for lunch has also become simpler thanks to Samsung’s Food AI, which keeps you up to date on what you have in your fridge. The technology understands the preferences of each family member, and recommends appropriate recipes to suit various tastes and diets.

It also makes it easier to keep tabs on ingredients. Utilizing image-recognition technology, which detects the names of the items you have in your fridge, it allows you to easily monitor the freshness of various ingredients. It also enables you to search for recipes for dishes that you can prepare with the ingredients you have, and lets you shop online for any additional ingredients that you might need.

[1:30 p.m.] A Kitchen That Prepares Itself

Once the user selects a recipe, Samsung’s Food AI will preset their appliances accordingly so they can focus on preparing a delicious meal. Running a kitchen in which your appliances prepare themselves may make you feel like you’re cooking with a team of sous-chefs by your side!

The hood and cooktop’s pairing feature offers a simple way to keep the air in the kitchen fresh. The hood automatically activates when any of the cooktop’s burners are turned on, and switches off when the burners are turned off. When you need some fresh air, your air purifier’s window-checking feature² springs into action, switching the air purifier off when the window is open, and turning it back on when the window is closed.

[3 p.m.] Self-monitoring Appliances

While it’s true that appliances need to be checked regularly to ensure that they’re performing efficiently, it’s not always easy to remember to do so. That’s where Samsung’s AI Homecare Manager comes in. The technology monitors the status and usage patterns of various appliances, and notifies users of appropriate actions to take. Not only does it offer users simple steps for handling any issues that may arise with their appliances, it also notifies them when it’s time to replace items like filters, and provides links to streamline purchases.

Samsung home appliances can also offer users insights to help them better manage electricity usage via SmartThings Energy Control, an easy-to-use, app-controlled smart meter service. This intuitive feature encourages efficient energy usage by allowing you to compare your monthly electricity usage with other users using the same appliances.

[6 p.m.] You’re Welcomed Back to a Home That’s Set Just the Way You Like It

‘Welcome Care’ is Samsung’s GPS-enabled home-management feature. When the user is almost home, AI technology measures the air quality in the house. If the air quality is ‘bad’ or worse, it sends the user a notification that offers them the option to activate the air purifier.

This feature also applies to air conditioners. When enabled, once the user gets within a certain radius of their home, they’ll receive a notification asking them whether they’d like to turn the air conditioner on, or leave it off. This also applies when the user leaves home. So no more worrying about whether you forgot to turn the AC off before leaving the house.

[9 p.m.] An Air Conditioner That Optimizes Temperature by Room

A single house can contain multiple spaces that require different environments. Samsung’s Pleasant AI service automatically regulates air conditioner settings to maintain an optimal temperature in each room, ensuring users’ comfort. Air conditioner usage data is analyzed as time goes by, making the feature more and more reliable.

[3 a.m.] While You Sleep, Your Devices’ AI Ensures That You Get a Good Night’s Rest

Samsung devices’ smart services work nonstop, even after you’ve gone to bed. For example, regardless of whether it’s been switched on or off, the air purifier keeps measuring air quality throughout the night, and automatically turns on when it detects that the air is ‘bad’ or worse. Before going to bed, you can also ask Bixby to do things like play a particular playlist that helps you fall asleep, or show you your schedule for the next day.

¹ Availability may vary depending on region and products.

² The window should be connected to Smart Things via a multi-purpose sensor. Whether or not the window is equipped with this sensor differs according to region.

To help you catch up with these and other exciting updates from San Jose, here’s a handy list of the top themes on display at SDC19.

Held at the San Jose McEnery Convention Center in sunny California, this year’s Samsung Developer Conference is a showcase of the hottest topics in tech.

Expanding the Bixby and SmartThings Ecosystems

This year at SDC, Samsung is showcasing strides it’s made to integrate Bixby into a wide range of devices. The company is also introducing enhancements that will make it easier for developers to enrich Bixby and the SmartThings IoT platform with useful services, and in doing so, create more ways for users to infuse intelligence into everything they do.

Outlining Samsung’s efforts to offer developers more ways to work with Bixby, Eui-Suk Chung, EVP, Mobile Communications Business, Samsung Electronics, discusses the AI platform’s expansion. “In 2019, we made it even easier to use Bixby,” Chung explains. “We added new capabilities not only on our flagship devices, but also on most of our A-series devices, on more Galaxy tablets and watches, TVs and home appliances. Just to give you countless new ways to integrate intelligence into everything you do.”

Samsung demonstrates how enhancements to the Bixby Developer Studio, including new Bixby Templates and Bixby Views, will streamline the development of capsules that work across Bixby’s ever-growing ecosystem of devices.

In addition to unveiling a new Rules API that will spur the creation of more automated smart home experiences, Samsung introduced a SmartThings Device SDK beta program – set to launch early next year – that will help third-party manufacturers build SmartThings-supported devices.

New Devices and Experiences

Those visiting SDC19 are treated to first looks at some of the latest and greatest products of Samsung’s innovation. Spanning categories like mobile devices, UX design and more, the devices and experiences showcased at the conference hold the power to transform the way people live, work and connect.

The launch of Samsung’s Galaxy Fold established a brand-new product category – one that opens the door to a new era of mobile experiences. To help realize its vision of a foldable future, Samsung is demonstrating its commitment to developing a variety of foldable form factors at SDC19. Enriching the category with more options will help Samsung and developers explore new use cases and user experiences.

Also on display at SDC is the new, Bixby-enabled Galaxy Home Mini, which fosters continuous IoT experiences when managing connected devices, and offers powerful pound-for-pound audio quality.

Seeing is believing: An SDC attendee examines how Samsung’s AI ScaleNet technology makes it possible to stream high-quality 8K videos on networks with lower bandwidth capabilities.

Peeks at Cutting-edge Blockchain and Enterprise Solutions

SDC19 offers partners and developers a chance to learn more about one of the hottest trends in technology today: blockchain. Speakers and sessions discuss how enterprises and developers can utilize Samsung’s latest blockchain-powered services to capitalize on the technology’s incredible potential.

The conference also offers attendees an opportunity to see how Samsung is leveraging its years of experience leading innovation in a variety of industries – ranging from retail and manufacturing to transportation and healthcare – to provide enterprises with customized services tailored to their needs.

Seungyun Lee, Principal Engineer, Knox Platform for Enterprise, Samsung Electronics, discusses Samsung’s commitment to advancing blockchain technology – a commitment that’s seen the company produce one of the first smartphones with blockchain technology built-in, and streamline data and cryptocurrency management with the launches of the Samsung Blockchain Keystore and the new Samsung Blockchain Platform SDK. “Together,” Lee explains, “all of these innovations mark a new beginning for the blockchain ecosystem – with Samsung at the forefront.”

SDC attendees eagerly explore the various blockchain innovations being displayed at SDC19. Included among these is the new Samsung Blockchain Platform SDK, which opens up exciting opportunities for developers by 1) offering them more options for securely storing private keys, 2) supporting cryptocurrency transactions, and 3) enabling apps to be smoothly integrated into a mobile space.

Samsung’s SDC19 booth also includes exhibits that illustrate why enterprises in a variety of fields – including industries known to employ the strictest security standards – trust Samsung to help them customize solutions.

But Wait, There’s More!

At the end of the day, SDC is about inspiring people to pursue meaningful innovation. Which is why those visiting the conference are also exposed to projects and initiatives that are making a tangible difference in the world, like the Samsung Global Goals app.

Created to support the achievement of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, the educational and donation-based mobile app offers a simple way for the Galaxy community to support the causes they care about. To help maximize the app’s impact, Samsung has announced that it will match proceeds generated through the app and donate the same amount.¹

That’s all for now, but there’s plenty more to come as SDC19 enters its second day. For more information on the topics and innovations being discussed at the event, be sure to check out Samsung Newsroom’s ongoing coverage. And don’t forget to check back here for more updates on Samsung’s latest AI, IoT and developer innovations.

¹Samsung has pledged to match donations with ad proceeds generated through the Global Goals app; up to $5 million annually.

DJ Koh, President and CEO of IT & Mobile Communications Division, Samsung Electronics

Samsung Electronics today announced, at the Samsung Developer Conference 2019 (SDC19), new ways its platforms will enable developers to introduce simpler, more powerful experiences to consumers around the world. Samsung shared its vision for the next era of mobile and connected living, offering inspiration to developers, enterprise leaders, and consumers through innovative experiences with the devices they rely on every day.

“We are fortunate to work with the world’s best developers and designers. Together, we have built an extensive and secure ecosystem of devices and services,” said DJ Koh, President and CEO of IT & Mobile Communications Division, Samsung Electronics. “We continue to make progress toward our vision to be the innovator of new mobile experiences that flow seamlessly and continuously wherever we go.”

Creating Opportunities for Developers through Open, Scalable AI and IoT Platforms

ES Chung, EVP and Head of Software and AI, Mobile Communications Business, Samsung Electronics, outlines plans to enrich Bixby to offer users “countless new ways to integrate intelligence into everything you do.”

To help consumers discover new ways Bixby can work with them to get things done more quickly and easily, Samsung launched Bixby Marketplace earlier this year, creating a way for developers to introduce their Bixby capsules to millions of Bixby users. In the past six months, the size of the Bixby developer community has doubled. And starting in 2020, the Bixby Marketplace will expand gradually, enabling developers to offer their services across more Samsung devices.

To make it easier for developers to create new experiences on its AI platform and ensure consumers have more intuitive experience, Samsung announced enhanced capabilities in the Bixby Developer Studio at SDC19.

• New Bixby Templates makes it easy for developers to create capsules using pre-existing forms so that they don’t have to start from scratch.
• Enhanced Bixby Views enable developers to build capsules with a consistent design even beyond smartphones—to televisions, tablets, smart watches and refrigerators.
• Developers can now register their capsules under Natural Language Categories. When users ask Bixby for help related to a category—such as radio, news, or navigation—Bixby suggests a capsule that can help them get what they need more quickly and easily, even without having to call out exact name of the capsule.

Larry Heck, CEO of Viv Labs, Samsung Electronics, introduces new Natural Language Categories, which simplify how users engage with and discover Bixby capsules.

More consumers than ever are seeing how seamlessly connected devices and services can make everyday life easier. Developers can scale their device and service offerings through Samsung’s IoT platform, SmartThings. Already, developers and partners have brought connected experiences to more than 45 million monthly active users and thousands of compatible devices, and the platform is expected to grow further with the Work as a SmartThings Hub (WASH) program, which allows partners like network operators to embed SmartThings Hub software into their devices.

To help developers build on and integrate existing devices with the SmartThings platform, Samsung announced new capabilities for developers:

• The new Rules API brings to life more automated smart home experiences to reflect individual daily routines across a broad range of SmartThings devices.
• Samsung is launching the SmartThings Device SDK Beta program in early 2020 to enable more third-party manufacturers to create SmartThings-compatible devices.

Samsung continues to invite developers to actively participate in its ecosystem and supports the developer community with several incentive programs—including the Best of Galaxy Store Award, the Samsung Mobile Design Competition, Bixby DevJam and the Samsung Mobile Security Reward program.

Inspiring Developers with New Experiences Across Devices

Samsung continued to refine the mobile experience to allow users to focus on what matters most to them. One UI 2 includes new features that declutter the user interface—making it easier for people to interact naturally, while also making it easier on their eyes. And now, to make both the developer and the user experiences consistent across devices, Samsung is expanding the use of One UI 2 beyond smartphones to tablets, wearables, and new form factors, including foldables.

Sally Hyesoon Jeong, VP and Head of Framework R&D Group, Mobile Communications Business, Samsung Electronics, introduces an all-new, compact form factor for foldable devices.

With the launch of Galaxy Fold, Samsung designed a first-of-its kind mobile experience that is much more than a foldable device. Samsung, alongside hundreds of developers and partners, created an entire foldable ecosystem that continues grow and opens up new possibilities to the mobile experience. As promised at SDC last year, Samsung will continue to explore a range of new form factors in the foldable category. And at SDC19, Samsung invited developers and users alike to join the exploration of exciting new use cases and user experiences.

To deliver the best possible TV viewing experience, Samsung is also investing in 8K technologies. With AI ScaleNet, Samsung has made it possible to stream high-quality 8K videos on networks with lower bandwidth capabilities. Samsung has also announced new tools that make it easier for developers to bring new experiences across the nearly 100 million Smart TVs that are powered by Tizen.

• Wits automatically uploads a code edit to the TV, so developers can see their update almost immediately, significantly trimming development time.
• EasyST makes testing content playback much easier because developers don’t need to build their own test app to make sure their content is streaming as intended.
• TIFA (Tizen Identifier for Advertising) gives consumers the option to limit ad tracking or opt-out of targeted advertising
• Samsung is making Tizen TV OS available to third-party TV makers for the first time.

End-to-End Security Built in Every Solution and Experience

Terry Halvorsen, CIO and EVP, IT of Mobile Communications B2G Business, Samsung Electronics, discusses the importance of stout security solutions like Samsung Knox – particularly in today’s hyperconnected world.

Emerging technologies, such as IoT, AI and 5G, are bringing new capabilities and opportunities to the developer landscape. For Samsung, it means providing the community with the tools and programs necessary to deliver secure and reliable solutions.

Secure Development Lifecycle delivers systematic reviews at every phase of the development, supply chain, and manufacturing process. To give both developers and users peace of mind, Samsung offers the Knox SDK, allowing partners and app developers to integrate advanced security solutions to their apps and services. In addition, Samsung has been working with German government agencies, especially BSI, and industry partners on developing a mobile-enabled eID for digital services to support customers and governments by developing a solid foundation for trusted identity services.

Seungyun Lee, Principal Engineer, Knox Platform for Enterprise, Samsung Electronics, discusses features that make Samsung Knox attractive to developers. “Knox is software that is built around hardware root of trust, not just implemented after the device is built” Lee explains, “giving it a foundation like no other security system in the market.”

Samsung invites developers and partners on its journey to bring new and secure experiences to life. For more information about working with Samsung and the Samsung Developer Conference 2019, please visit sdc.developer.samsung.com. Further information can also be found on Twitter (@samsung_dev) and using the hashtag #SDC19.

SDC19’s keynote event was packed with people eager to learn more about Samsung’s latest innovations

About Samsung Developer Conference
SDC brings together thousands of developers and creators to explore today’s tech and visualize what’s possible in the future. The two-day conference will feature exciting keynote announcements, technical sessions and valuable networking time. Plus, Samsung product teams and technology partners will showcase the latest tech advances and tools.

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Samsung is always working to find ways to make your smart home even more personalized, automated and fine-tuned to the way you live your life. Our Internet of Things (IoT) vision for SmartThings is to create an open, intelligent and global platform that can improve the way users manage their lives, and so we are constantly working to expand on SmartThings’ tools and capabilities so that we, together with a global community of developers, can expand the capabilities of IoT for your smart home – and beyond.

In order to improve your SmartThings experience, at SDC 2018 we introduced Works With SmartThings (WWST) to deliver a better connected living experience across more devices. At this year’s SDC, we are introducing the new Rules API to bring the full power of SmartThings to developers, making the process of device automation that much easier for users to enjoy the most seamless smart home experience yet.

Making Your Smart Home Work for You

Setting up your smart home with SmartThings and enjoying all the conveniences Samsung and partner devices have to offer is as easy as 1, 2, 3. Simply create a SmartThings profile after downloading the app, let the app automatically connect all your supported devices, and configure custom automation for your daily routines.

The portfolio of devices that can help you control your smart home is ever growing. Thanks to Works As a SmartThings Hub (WASH) program, which lets you transform your existing hub device into a SmartThings Hub, and WWST, which lets you integrate a growing number of devices into your Samsung SmartThings ecosystem, your smart home can do more for you than ever before. Today, SmartThings brings together more than 5,000 different smart home products, including those from over 100 different partners for over 45 million monthly active users.

We also understand that, when managing your household, security is always key, which is why we have introduced a new range of smart home products and services, such as the SmartThings Cam, SmartThings Vision, SmartThings Video, and SmartThings Home Monitor to provide real-time data and monitoring straight to your SmartThings app for 24/7 control.

SmartThings Automation

Samsung is constantly working to bring more power to SmartThings users’ fingertips through collaboration with partners and developers. At last year’s SDC, we introduced a new suite of tools for the redesigned SmartThings Developer Workplace, and this year, we are bringing even more SmartThings tools to developers, such as the Rules API. With Rules API, developers are able to create and manage complex automations within the SmartThings Cloud, meaning that the number of services and products available to users with automation built into their capabilities is set to expand.

Automation with SmartThings not only allows you to control individual devices, but also to create a variety of personalized smart home sequences that will automate complicated processes for you.

For more information on how to get started with SmartThings and which devices are compatible with it, visit the SmartThings website.

Samsung Electronics, a world leader in advanced semiconductor technology, today held the first Samsung Advanced Foundry Ecosystem (SAFE) Forum 2019 in the United States. By sharing the latest technology trends and strengthening cooperation within the foundry ecosystem, Samsung showcased its strong dedication to customers.

SAFE Forum is designed to provide an opportunity for SAFE partner companies to directly meet with customers to discuss comprehensive design technology infrastructure, including electronic design automation (EDA), intellectual property (IP), cloud, design service, and packaging, which is critical to efficiently developing and manufacturing semiconductor products.

While the Samsung Foundry Forum (SFF) has served as a channel to present Samsung’s technology roadmap and leadership to customers, the newly held SAFE Forum is distinctive in that it allows its partners to engage deeper and more efficient collaboration within Samsung’s foundry ecosystem by directly communicating in detail with customers on their own design support solutions proven by Samsung.

“SAFE program has grown in quality over the past two years; it has expanded the number of competitive partnerships and support of flexible product design for customers as well as bolstered the relationship between our partners, customers, and Samsung foundry,” said Jae-hong Park, executive vice president of Foundry Design Platform Development at Samsung Electronics. “We will continue our efforts in enhancing accessibility to enable customers to more easily utilize Samsung’s excellent foundry solutions.”

As the latest system-on-chip (SoC) product requires more sophisticated features in a smaller surface size than before, the number of considerations in IC design optimization has increased exponentially: performance, power, security, design, density, etc.

To actively respond to these IC design trends and lower the design barrier for developing competitive SoCs, Samsung Electronics launched the SAFE program in early 2018.

Under the slogan “Partnering for a bold silicon future”, details on the latest global IC design trends as well as benefits of the efficient easy-to-use platform design infrastructure were introduced.

With more than 400 industry experts attending the first SAFE Forum, 12 detailed sessions were given by around 30 speakers from 15 partner companies, focusing on emerging high-growth applications, including high-performing computer (HPC), internet-of-things (IoT), and automotive. Attendees also had a chance to discover the optimal solution for implementing their new ideas into chips through 40 partner booths at the venue.

Samsung Electronics announced today that it has maintained the number six rank in Interbrand’s “Best Global Brands 2019” list with a brand value of $61.1 billion – achieving a two percent increase in brand value.

Major factors that played a critical role in Samsung’s growth were:

• Continuous launches of innovative products that suit consumers’ new lifestyle, trends, and needs including the BESPOKE refrigerator, Sero TV, and Galaxy Fold

• Strong growth potential based on future innovation technologies including 5G, AI, IoT and the automotive business

• Global number one position in the semiconductor memory market and technology leadership in the industry

Samsung’s mobile business has kept up with successful launches in the Galaxy series. The company led the industry in the foldable smartphones category by launching Galaxy Fold, and continued its effort in resonating with consumers with Samsung’s brand story “Do What You Can’t”. Its visual display business, a market leader for 13 consecutive years, not only provided new viewing experiences for consumers through QLED 8K and MicroLED displays, but also further reflected consumers’ lifestyles by introducing The Sero, The Frame and The Serif. In digital appliances, Samsung has maintained its premium market leadership position in both refrigerators and washing machines and went on to release innovative new products with differentiated consumer benefits such as BESPOKE.

Spearheading advanced 5G technology, Samsung launched its first 5G smartphone. Its 5G technology also assumes a significant role in making AI and IoT more tangible and realizable. It has also accelerated the autonomous vehicle era with its incomparable speed.

Samsung’s semiconductor memory business reinforced its market presence this year by beginning mass production of the industry’s first 12-gigabit (Gb) LPDDR5 mobile DRAM and its sixth-generation V-NAND which features the industry’s first 100+ layer single-stack design. Furthermore, Samsung has been continuously investing in R&D and expanding production facilities in the system semiconductor field.

Samsung’s market leadership and investment in innovation also contributed to this year’s successful evaluation. The company’s investments were not limited to in-house R&D, but also included efforts to expand its product ecosystem through strategic partnerships, as well as investment in startups that have cultivated new business opportunities in a variety of fields, including the automotive industry.

“We are excited that our constant efforts to provide meaningful innovations that delight consumers and help them live better lives have been well received,” said YH Lee, CMO of Samsung Electronics. “To further enhance our brand, we will continue to listen and learn from our consumers as well as lead changes in society through innovation, so that we can all thrive together.”

Following this year’s announcement of Interbrand’s Best Global Brands, the Best Global Brands summit will be held in New York City on October 23.

Samsung Electronics’ Growth in Brand Value

As technology has evolved, it has changed our lives dramatically. It’s truly startling to think just how different life was before the invention of innovations like smartphones, the internet and PCs.

Recently, AI has emerged as a hot topic in this regard based on its potential impact both on technology and on society. Especially with on-device AI¹, AI will be embedded in devices that we use in everyday lives without necessarily connecting to processors in the cloud. To learn more about this exciting subject, Samsung Newsroom met with the head of the Samsung AI Center Cambridge, Dr. Andrew Blake.

Dr. Blake was formerly the Director of both the Alan Turing Institute (which he also helped found) and, before that, Microsoft’s Cambridge Research Laboratory. As a pioneer in the development of the theory and algorithms that make it possible for computers to behave as seeing machines, he explained how Samsung’s AI and hardware innovations will enrich people’s lives in fundamental ways.

Taking IoT to the Next Level

“AI is what is going to breathe life into IoT,” begins Blake.

On-device AI realizes AI functions by processing AI algorithms on the device itself, without necessarily connecting to the cloud, and that is advantageous for privacy and personal information protection, as well as for security.

Unlocking AI-powered smart devices’ true potential will require a combination of two factors: seamlessly connected hardware and an approach to AI that is human-centric above all else.

“One key area is health and fitness – for example, linking exercise, food and mental wellbeing. Another is communication and memories – especially via photography and video. For that, we have to move past the academic world of prototypes working on high-powered computer systems, and get AI working in a leaner fashion – on the everyday devices that people are using.”

The Right Tools

As Blake notes, Samsung’s wide-ranging device portfolio makes it uniquely qualified to deliver this human-centric future for AI.

“This is a great time to be adding new dimensions to Samsung’s AI capabilities, given the company’s leading market position in devices of all sorts,” says Blake. “On-device AI begins with hardware, and this is why working for Samsung is such a fabulous opportunity for AI researchers.”

“Hardware is the channel that moves us beyond simply smart algorithms, to put those algorithms in everyone’s pockets and homes. The big challenge that Cambridge is addressing is moving high-quality embedded AI beyond specialists’ research labs, where people with PhDs in machine learning and in systems work for several months to implement a new embedded system. We envisage a world where advanced tools enable the world’s software developers to move their AI models, simply and effectively, onto Samsung devices, and we are working hard on those tools.”

As Blake explains, on-device AI, in which AI algorithms are processed on a device itself, rather than sent to the cloud, offers significant advantages here by providing a safe and reliable means to protect users’ privacy and data. “We also need to do that in a way that holds the data close, to reassure people that their data is being held safely and privately,” he added.

A Multi-Disciplinary Approach

When it comes to AI, what exactly does the Cambridge AI center want to bring to consumers? The answer to that question is what Samsung has described as a human-centric approach to AI innovation, which Blake describes in further detail.

“Human-centric AI is about homing in on the areas of life that people really care about,” says Blake. “I believe this will require a multi-disciplinary approach. I am not so excited about a future designed solely by engineers. Instead, we need to collaborate with other disciplines, especially design – hardware, user interfaces, and above all, system design – and with human disciplines such as psychology, to achieve a technological future that really helps people live better.”

Taking this multi-disciplinary approach, the Cambridge AI center endeavors to better understand human behavior by exploring areas like communication of emotion, and further expand the boundaries of user-centric communication.²

Drawing from a Diverse Team

Samsung AI Center Cambridge employs a team of experts of various disciplines, and emphasizes collaboration between them.

“We work together a lot as a team,” says Blake. “Our two Program Directors, Maja Pantic and Nic Lane, are world-experts in non-verbal human behavior and in embedded AI, respectively. We also have quite a few senior specialists in machine learning, in machine vision, in networks and devices, and in computing and cognition. We now have a team of very talented people, and new ideas are flowing freely!” says Blake.

As Blake notes, what makes the Cambridge AI center unique is not just its team’s wide-ranging expertise, but its location as well.

“Cambridge is a very special place,” begins Blake. “The university is one of the strongest in the world in research, and that is coupled with an extraordinary culture of research ventures, and a whole constellation of startups in robotics, medicine, AI, self-driving, and many other areas.”

“Being in this environment is important to us for several reasons. It is a stimulating ecosystem and an extraordinary network; it is a rich source of expert talent; it is well connected to the ‘Golden Triangle’ with London and Oxford.”

Of course, in addition to taking full advantage of the benefits that come with its location, the Cambridge center draws strength from its connections to other AI centers in Samsung Research’s global network.

“I am especially pleased to be connected with Samsung’s other AI centers around the world, where I know some of their internationally renowned scientists well,” says Blake. “I believe that, as we begin to work together, we can bring something special to consumers.”

Having more than 40 years of experience working in the field of AI, Blake added, “I was born in the same year as AI – 1956 – the year the Dartmouth conference famously coined the term AI – and I have been studying AI vision for 40 years. I have been lucky to have such an extraordinary career.”

¹ AI that processes information on a device itself, rather than sending that information to the cloud. Because on-device AI does not rely on outside networks, it is regarded as safer and more reliable than cloud-based AI.

² https://internetofbusiness.com/samsung-uk-to-open-new-ai-centre/

(left) Dr. June Hee Lee, Senior Vice President and Head of the Technology Strategy Team and Dr. Won Joon Choi, Senior Vice President and Head of the Flagship R&D Team

For more than 35 years, Samsung has been a leader across the mobile industry, from smartphones to mobile chipsets to network solutions. Over the past decade, the company’s dedication to pushing the boundaries of what is possible has paved the way to the development of the first end-to-end 5G solution.

This trailblazing spirit has led Samsung to become the first company to introduce breakthrough consumer-centric 5G experiences, including Samsung’s first commercialized 5G smartphone, the Galaxy S10 5G, which was launched in South Korea in April and is set for a global rollout.

But, the question is, – What will 5G enable? Why is 5G important? How do consumers experience 5G today? and what were the challenges that Samsung had to overcome to commercialize 5G?

Two figures at Samsung, Dr. Won Joon Choi, Senior Vice President and Head of the Flagship R&D Team, and Dr. June Hee Lee, Senior Vice President and Head of the Technology Strategy Team, were integral in leading 5G-ready hardware and software development, and they recently shared their behind-the-scenes stories of 5G development and technology leadership in more detail.

Pushing Boundaries

5G technology will revolutionize what is possible on a data network, much like the unprecedented possibilities 4G unlocked when it launched. 4G put the internet in your pocket and opened the ability to work and play while on the go. With increased speeds and lower latency of the 5G bandwidth, 5G will offer more than just mobile advantages when compared with LTE. “When 5G service is completely actualized, its capabilities will not be limited just to smartphones; the concept of a connected, autonomous vehicle can be fully realized, as well as smart factories and smart robots in the medical field, for instance,” explains Choi. “Video conferencing will no longer be in 2D but will take place in 3D,” adds Lee, “and furthermore, no one can imagine streaming 360-degree video on your smartphone with mobile data as it exists now, but with 5G, this will become a reality,” stresses Lee. But making this a reality has been no small undertaking.

In order to institute the 5G bandwidth, every aspect of the network infrastructure ecosystem, from antenna models to device chipsets, had to be reconfigured to account for its separate frequency range from existing bandwidths. “Samsung has been directly engaged with the 5G market from the start, from research to technology to setting international standards,” notes Lee. “What prompted Samsung to spearhead 5G was our mindset that, when there is a direction that the industry should be headed, it is important to blaze that trail, no matter how challenging it seems.”

What It Takes to Champion 5G

The establishment of an end-to-end solution has been key to Samsung’s development of a global 5G network. From the beginning, the company took the unique approach of developing the capabilities to not only make a 5G device, but also to establish the necessary partnerships crucial to the full ecosystem roll-out, from chipset and infrastructure vendors to carriers and content & service providers. “5G development started with figuring out what the core technologies of 5G were and how we would secure them – early on, we took the lead in collaborating with numerous partners such as chipset vendors, for example,” explains Choi. “All of this enabled us to take a leading role in the development of 5G.”

The capabilities Samsung developed in these exploratory phases began more than a decade ago and allowed the company to stay at the forefront of each new phase of 5G development. The frequency 5G operates on, mmWave and Sub-6GHz, called for numerous innovations to device hardware and software, including a 5G modem chip, a 5G RF chip, RF front-end components, and 5G receivers. In 2013, Samsung successfully developed its first 5G proof of concept (POC) and, two years later, its first-ever pre-5G spec opened the door to other milestones – including the creation of a 5G smartphone set to 3GPP and international standards.

What has made Samsung a leader in 5G is its commitment to bringing together all elements of the development process, from research to development, not just on a mobile level, but on a global network scale. “The first 5G New Radio standard spec was approved at the end of 2017,” highlights Choi, “and Samsung took a leading role in setting this international standard.” This network leadership is not without precedent for Samsung; the company also participated in setting the international network standards for the transition from 3G to LTE, and this experience, not only on a network infrastructure level but also on a consumer-facing one, meant the company was primed and ready to lead 5G development.

Understanding that a global 5G network infrastructure must come into full operation gradually, Samsung ensured its current service minimizes network interruptions by providing an LTE-5G transition period through Non-Stand-Alone (NSA) network standardization. “The current 5G service utilizes the stable LTE network for transmitting important information such as control and signaling details, including LTE to 5G handover, while using 5G for data transmission,” clarifies Choi. “Regarding the Galaxy S10 5G, the device was designed on both hardware and software levels to be ready to use the NSA network throughout the handover. Furthermore, there are always some unprecedented issues that arise during a transition period. We are taking all consumer feedback very seriously and thanks to our close coordination with all relevant partners, as the infrastructure improves, so will the full 5G experience.”

Creating a Device Built for the 5G Era

 In order to ensure its first 5G device remained as user-friendly and intuitive as consumers have come to expect from the Galaxy series, Samsung developed a major hardware innovation. “Because a 5G phone must support all LTE legacy hardware, adding 5G-specific components such as the 5G modem chip and 5G RF chip naturally involved incorporating additional parts,” explains Choi. “If we had simply mounted these onto a device, the phone would have become bulky. Instead, we meticulously designed how and where to include these extra components to retain the Galaxy series’ streamlined unibody design.” Even after mounting the necessary extra components, the Galaxy S10 5G still possesses a slim, unibody form factor.

This was not the only hurdle Samsung had to overcome with the Galaxy S10 5G; 5G networks consume a lot of battery power due to the large amount of data they have to transmit. “We mitigated this challenge by incorporating the latest vapor chamber technology featuring new AI software that automatically optimizes battery, CPU, RAM, and even device temperature based on how people use their phones. This smart software learns from its user and continues to over time,” notes Choi.

The most challenging issue Samsung addressed with the Galaxy S10 5G was developing technology to support 5G bandwidth, operating on the higher frequencies. “High-frequency spectrum had never been supported on mobile devices before,” explains Choi. “From a hardware perspective, creating a solution for this meant years of research into mitigating weak signals as a result of physical barriers or obstacles in the path of frequencies, particularly when encountering metal objects.” On the software side, Samsung was dedicated to providing a seamless customer experience. “Our solution is based on a wide range of accumulated experience and know-hows,” remarks Lee. “Our longtime interactions with consumers, which provided us with an understanding of how, for example, consumers use and grip their phones, allowed us to develop software that keeps the device connected to the 5G signal.”

The Future of 5G Connectivity

Not only will Samsung’s achievements in 5G transform the mobile data experience for consumers, they will also have exciting implications for the future of Connected Living and will play a huge role in optimizing the operation and connectivity of devices that harness artificial intelligence (AI) and IoT (Internet of Things). “The world of 5G will bring so much potential into the future technology field, including helping the realization of smart factories and smart cities,” affirms Lee.

“With the advent of 4G, speed was the only key improvement, but it is different with 5G,” notes Choi. “We consider 5G technology to be a key underlying technology that can enable a truly new, non-mobile-exclusive broadband market.”

Not only does 5G offer eMBB (Enhanced Mobile Broadband) thanks to transmit speeds of up to 20 times what LTE provides, its URLLC (Ultra Reliable Low Latency Communication) minimizes the time it takes for data to travel from one point to another and mMTC (Massive Machine-Type Communication) paves the way for smart factories and supply chains. “In being able to transmit information with minimum latency and maximum reliability, 5G technology is crucial to the safety features of smart cars, the stability of smart factories and the accuracy of smart robots in the medical field; essentially, it is the key technology to making these future technologies a possibility,” explains Choi.

“With 5G, the absolute bandwidth of the network has increased,” adds Lee. “With the example of the connected car, data needs to be transmitted to the driver extremely fast. For instance, in the case of a car driving at a speed of 100km per hour, a 0.1 second delay in latency could result in a 3-meter difference. Furthermore, regarding smart cities, 5G offers another important advantage thanks to its increased connectivity capabilities. With 5G, in theory, we can possibly connect 10 times the devices LTE can – simultaneously.”

5G is therefore crucial for industries outside of mobile. The ramifications of its implementation look to be truly global, and Samsung, who has been developing its solutions with this in mind from the start, is at the forefront of bringing about the 5G revolution.

The event, held today in Santa Clara, California, features top Samsung executives and industry experts reviewing progress on semiconductor technologies and foundry platform solutions that enable developments in artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, 5G networking, automotive, the Internet of Things (IoT), advanced data centers and many other domains.

“We stand at the verge of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, a new era of high-performance computing and connectivity that will advance the daily lives of everyone on the planet,” said Dr. ES Jung, President and head of Foundry Business at Samsung Electronics.

“Samsung Electronics fully understands that achieving powerful and reliable silicon solutions requires not only the most advanced manufacturing and packaging processes as well as design solutions, but also collaborative foundry-customer relationships grounded on trust and shared vision. This year’s Foundry Forum is filled with compelling evidence of our commitment to progress in all those areas, and we’re honored to host and converse with our industry’s best and brightest,” Dr. Jung added.

Highlights from the U.S. Foundry Forum include:

The New 3nm GAE PDK Version 0.1 is Ready

Samsung’s 3nm Gate-All-Around (GAA) process, 3GAE, development is on track. The company noted today that its Process Design Kit (PDK) version 0.1 for 3GAE has been released in April to help customers get an early start on the design work and enable improved design competitiveness along with reduced turnaround time (TAT).

Compared to 7nm technology, Samsung’s 3GAE process is designed to provide up to a 45 percent reduction in chip area with 50 percent lower power consumption or 35 percent higher performance. The GAA-based process node is expected to be widely adopted in next-generation applications, such as mobile, network, automotive, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and IoT.

Conventional GAA based on nanowire requires a larger number of stacks due to its small effective channel width. On the other hand, Samsung’s patented version of GAA, MBCFET (Multi-Bridge-Channel FET), uses a nanosheet architecture, enabling greater current per stack.

While FinFET structures must modulate the number of fins in a discrete way, MBCFET provides greater design flexibility by controlling the nanosheet width. In addition, MBCFET’s compatibility with FinFET processes means the two can share the same manufacturing technology and equipment, which accelerates process development and production ramp-up.

Samsung recently taped out the 3GAE test vehicle design and will focus on improving its performance and power efficiency going forward.

For more information, please refer to the Newsroom links for GAA infographic and video clip.

The Launching of a New SAFE–Cloud Program

As part of its ongoing efforts to support and enhance customers’ entire design workflow, Samsung Electronics launched the Samsung Advanced Foundry Ecosystem Cloud (SAFE-Cloud) program. It will provide customers with a more flexible design environment through collaboration with major public cloud service providers, such as Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Microsoft Azure, as well as leading Electronic Design Automation (EDA) companies, including Cadence and Synopsys.

To date, most foundry customers have built and managed design infrastructure on their own servers. The SAFE-Cloud program reduces this burden and supports easier, faster and more efficient design efforts by providing an excellent turnkey design environment with extensive process information (PDK, design methodologies), EDA tools, design assets (IP, library) and design services.

Customers can be assured of as much server and storage space as they need, as well as a safe environment optimized for chip design, due to Samsung Electronics’ verification of SAFE-Cloud’s security, applicability and expandability.

Utilizing the SAFE-Cloud platform, Samsung was able to accelerate the development of its 7nm and 5nm cell libraries in collaboration with Synopsys. In addition, Samsung, Gaonchips – a fabless design company in Korea – and Cadence have successfully completed design verification based on the platform.

“Making up-front investments in high-performance computing (HPC) servers and systems can be a challenge for a company like us,” said Kyu Dong Jung, CEO of Gaonchips. “SAFE-Cloud offers us a very flexible design environment without requiring investment in additional infrastructure, as well as reduced design TAT. I expect this program to provide more tangible business and technical benefits to us and the entire fabless industry.”

Process Technology Roadmap and Advanced Packaging Updates  

Samsung’s roadmap includes four FinFET-based processes from 7nm down to 4nm that leverage extreme ultraviolet (EUV) technology as well as 3nm GAA, or MBCFET.

In the second half of this year, Samsung is scheduled to start the mass production of 6nm process devices and complete the development of 4nm process.

The product design of Samsung’s 5nm FinFET process, which was developed in April, is expected to be completed in the second half of this year and go under mass production in the first half of 2020.

Extensions of the company’s FD-SOI (FDS) process and eMRAM together with an expanded set of state-of-the-art package solutions were also unveiled at this year’s Foundry Forum. Development of the successor to the 28FDS process, 18FDS, and eMRAM with 1Gb capacity will be finished this year.

The Exynos i T100 enhances the security and reliability of devices designed for short-range communications, and has been developed to be used in smart home or business environment ecosystems – from smart lighting and temperature control to home security and monitoring and fire and gas detectors. Created with multiple communication protocols, strong security capabilities and an integrated processor and memory chip package, the Exynos i T100, along with the Exynos i T200 and Exynos i S111, provides comprehensive connectivity for today’s IoT devices.

Check out the infographic below for more information on the full line-up of Samsung’s IoT solutions and capabilities.

Samsung Newsroom sat down with the Digital Cockpit Lab from Samsung’s Automotive Electronics Business Team to learn how they brought the car of the future into a reality.

The dynamic team behind Samsung’s Digital Cockpit 2019, from the left: Junhong Kim, Sang-geon Lee, Daesoo Choi, JH Youn, Jonghee Choi, Seungwon Oh, Wooseok Hwang, Wonhee Jo, Wonseok Kwon, and Seungwoo Shin of Samsung Electronics’ Automotive Electronics Business Team

The Digital Cockpit Connects Our Lives

The cockpit is the dashboard of the car in front of the driver and the passenger seat. A ‘Digital Cockpit’ is a platform that comes with the latest digital technology which takes the overall in-vehicle system to the next level. With Samsung’s latest Digital Cockpit 2019, the new platform provides full vehicle control for drivers and a variety of tailored content to the passengers as well.

In today’s world, the car is more than just a mode of transportation — it is a space that connects different parts of our lives together. Surprisingly, you will be able to use all of these features in the near future.

At home, you start the car and adjust the temperature in your car from your living room via Galaxy Home.

Once everyone gets in, your car starts to play tailored content for each passenger with face recognition technology.

The car also informs you of possible danger by scanning moving objects and tries to prevent dangerous situations from happening like when the driver dozes off while driving.

On the move, you can even check what’s inside your home refrigerator via the car system, in order to prepare for the evening’s dinner.

“If your destination is a soccer field, the car transforms itself into the soccer field by playing soccer game content while you are on the go,” said JH Yun, digital circuit designer from the Samsung Digital Cockpit Lab. “The volume of content that you can enjoy in your car will expand naturally. What we need to do is to create an optimal environment for you to enjoy that content in your car.”

Customers can start or turn the engine off simply on SmartThings app.

A feature called ‘Home to Car’ is an example of the leading-edge innovation featured in the Digital Cockpit. The function allows customers to control their cars at home through the SmartThings app. “One of the biggest advantages the connected vehicle offers is that there are no spatial constraints,” said Junhong Kim, software developer. “You can start the car, check the gas level and more, regardless of your distance from the vehicle. We are ready for the next generation of mobility.”

When your hands are on the wheel to control your driving safely, a voice command can be the best alternative when you are interacting with your car. Bixby, Samsung’s AI platform, has been integrated into the Digital Cockpit undergoing a transformation in order to fit into the vehicle environment.

“We conducted voice command tuning and adjusted it to the vehicle environment by enhancing the icon and font size so that a driver can see them well while they are driving,” said Jonghee Choi, user interface developer. “And an increased interoperability with third-party services offers a wide range of information like weather forecast and flight schedule from your seat.”

No Matter Where You Sit, the Car Provides You with the Best Experience

While the previous Digital Cockpit had three displays, the 2019 version has a total of six displays delivering tailored infotainment to all passengers. For instance, passengers in the back seat will also be able to enjoy tailored content from their own screens.

“All of the displays will enable you to enjoy high resolution videos in your car without hassle,” said Wonhee Jo, hardware circuit designer. “Not only that, the back-seat screens can be folded conveniently into the seats when they are not in use.”

The back seat screens can sync together to do various things such as painting pictures.

The screens can also recognize your face wherever you sit and suggest content based on the preferences of pre-registered passengers in which they can activate or deactivate the feature.

“It’s amazing because you can enjoy your in-vehicle experience seamlessly even if you sit in a different seat,” said Seungwoo Shin, user experience designer. “Each passenger can enjoy different content, or they can just sync all of the screens to enjoy the same content, as if they were watching it from the living room of their homes.”

“The experience of each passenger can be managed for each seat,” said Daesoo Choi, human interface developer. “The passengers can make detailed adjustments such as the height, angle and temperature of each seat or the screen’s brightness.”

When a vehicle is equipped with various sophisticated technologies, the challenges increase. One of the challenges had to do with the number of buttons. Not only were the least used buttons taking up space, they were also ineffective. So, the team solved the problem with a knob. “We got a hint from a knob on the Samsung Galaxy Watch when we were thinking about ways to fuse analog nostalgia with the digital world. And we solved the problem with a single knob that can serve as the functions of various buttons,” said JH Yun, digital circuit designer. “This year’s Digital Cockpit will also have knobs in the back seat that can be activated according to the user’s preference.”

Nine Cameras Cover Every Direction, Ensuring Safety on the Road

A car must assure the safety of its driver and passengers. In order to support safe driving, the Digital Cockpit 2019 is equipped with a total of nine cameras.

The Digital Cockpit features a ‘Mirror Replacement Vision System (MRVS)’ that replaces side-view mirrors in conventional cars. The system consists of two displays on both sides and it helps safer driving by detecting moving objects in the rear when the driver checks behind them. By utilizing the camera technology, Digital Cockpit 2019 ensures safer driving with a wider viewing angle.

The Digital Cockpit also monitors the driver’s condition through a system that tracks the driver’s pupils to detect drowsy eyes or careless driving. “The Driver Monitoring System is an essential technology for autonomous driving in the near future,” said Seungwon Oh, camera system developer.

Drivers can sometimes miss the system alert while they are looking ahead when they are on the road. To prevent this from happening, the Digital Cockpit 2019 provides additional alerts. “We’ve added a vibration alert by using the Samsung Galaxy Watch on your wrist,” said Oh.

In the next installment in this series, we will go behind-the-scene stories on the team’s close collaboration and its continuous efforts to connect our lives will be disclosed. Stay tuned.

The foundation was established in 2013 to help foster development of basic science, materials engineering and information technologies, with a total of KRW 1.5 trillion in grants to be endowed on research projects for 10 years. It has so far provided about KRW 667 billion in funding for 517 research projects from universities and public research institutes in Korea.

The foundation will look to expand its support in the areas of future technologies, such as AI, Internet of Things (IoT) and 5G, as well as projects that aim to improve local communities.

“Our goal is to support building the foundation for future science and technology,” said Seong-Keun Kim, Chairman of Samsung Science & Technology Foundation. “We hope to make a lasting contribution to the society by advancing basic science, bringing innovations and redefining the technology industry.”

Mr. Kim, Professor of Chemistry at Seoul National University and Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry, was elected as the new chairman this week by the foundation’s Board of Directors.

For details of the 1H 2019 project selections, please refer to the original Korean announcement at https://news.samsung.com/kr/?p=391301.

As eFlash has faced scalability challenges due to a charge storage-based operation, eMRAM has been the most promising successor since its resistance-based operation allows strong scalability while also possessing outstanding technical characteristics of memory semiconductors such as nonvolatility, random access, and strong endurance. With today’s announcement, Samsung has proved its capability to overcome technical hurdles and demonstrated the possibility for further scalability of embedded memory technology to 28nm process node and beyond.

Samsung’s 28FDS-based eMRAM solution offers unprecedented power and speed advantages with lower cost. Since eMRAM does not require an erase cycle before writing data, its writing speed is approximately a thousand times faster than eFlash. Also, eMRAM uses lower voltages than eFlash, and does not consume electric power when in power-off mode, resulting in great power efficiency.

Furthermore, since an eMRAM module can easily be inserted in the back-end of the process by adding the least number of layers, it has less dependence on the front-end of the process for easy integration with existing logic technologies, such as bulk, fin, and FD-SOI transistor. With this plug-in module concept, customers can enjoy the benefit of reutilizing existing design infrastructure even with this added new technology, eMRAM, and saving costs at the same time.

By combining with 28FD-SOI for better transistor control and minimizing leakage current through body-bias control, Samsung’s eMRAM solution will provide differentiated benefits for a variety of applications including micro controller unit (MCU), internet of things (IoT), and artificial intelligence (AI).

“We are very proud of this achievement in offering right embedded non-volatile memory (eNVM) technology after overcoming complicated challenges of new materials.” said Ryan Lee, vice president of foundry marketing at Samsung Electronics. “By integrating eMRAM with existing proven logic technologies, Samsung Foundry continues to expand its eNVM process portfolio to provide distinct competitive advantages and excellent manufacturability to meet customers and market requirement.”

A ceremony to celebrate this first shipment of eMRAM product will be held on March 6 at Samsung’s Giheung campus, Korea. Samsung plans to expand its options for high-density eNVM solutions, including a tape-out of 1Gb eMRAM test chip within this year.

Last year at CES, Samsung Electronics unveiled breakthrough technologies designed to make consumers’ IoT experiences more seamless and intuitive. This year, the company is showcasing how its latest innovations take connected living to the next level, simplifying users’ lives both inside and outside the home.

Samsung’s CES 2019 booth is chock full of interactive exhibits that offer attendees a chance to get hands-on with the company’s latest TVs, home appliances, mobile devices and more. The illuminating exhibits also offer up-close looks at Samsung innovations that are paving new ground in the fields of 5G, AI, IoT, automotive electronics and robotics, and transforming the way consumers live, work and connect.

Check out the video above to take a virtual tour of the booth and experience the excitement for yourself!

In 2016, Samsung announced its aim to launch a “revolutionary advancement that changes the refrigerator category in meaningful ways.” Since then, the subsequent versions of the Family Hub have continued to get better and better. At CES 2019, Samsung unveiled the new Family Hub, one of the company’s most anticipated products that has been packed with upgraded features.

The new Family Hub is all about giving over more time to the family, offering them a communal, emotional and cultural experience in the kitchen. Popular smart features – including built-in view cameras, voice recognition technology and music and radio streaming – are all there. But Samsung has taken it to the next level by enriching the core values of the Family Hub with enhanced AI and IoT capabilities. Let’s take a look at what the company has put in the new smart kitchen assistant.

Share Memories and Memos on the Family Board

One of the most exciting new features is the Family Board. Families around the world use their refrigerator doors as bulletin-boards to share various things with each other – whether it’s by posting each family member’s schedule and the weekly menu, attaching travel magnets of the countries that they have visited, or proudly displaying the kids’ artworks for everyone to see.

According to a survey conducted by Samsung, over 60% of Family Hub users in the US are families with children. That’s why Samsung paid close attention to updating this distinct feature. The Family Board allows family members to interact with one another and share countless memories, giving the refrigerator’s screen a familiar, analogue feel. Meanwhile the Home Screen offers a digital service experience with an overview of important information and apps. The new Whiteboard has been updated with smart calligraphy that can recognize handwriting and a drawing function that can identify the objects depicted.

There is also a dynamic screen saver feature that can be used to display precious family moments or blend into your home with ambient mode when Family Hub’s touch screen is not in use.

Experience Seamless Home AI with the New Bixby

Another feature that sets the 2019 Family Hub apart from previous iterations is support for the new Bixby.

The new Bixby offers more services, allowing users to seamlessly control and monitor home IoT devices and services from the kitchen with your voice alone. For example, when you run out of ideas on what to cook for dinner, you can ask the new Bixby to search for recipes that cater to your taste and new Bixby will respond with suggestions. You can also check the weather forecast ahead of time, so if new Bixby tells you that rain is on the forecast, you can set a reminder to tell the family to take an umbrella. With a 21.5-inch touchscreen, users can also check at a glance whatever weather charts or recommended restaurant lists and ratings that the new Bixby finds.

Enjoy More Home Entertainment Features

A lot of multitasking is required in the kitchen, so it can get quite hectic when you have to chop, prepare, and cook dishes at the same time. It gets even more tricky when your phone starts to ring. With an enhanced Smart View, multitasking is made easy, as you can mirror third-party apps on Family Hub’s screen seamlessly from your Galaxy phone, without the need to run the Smart View app on the fridge. Not only does the new Bixby allow you to answer a call hands-free, you can also browse through the millions of third-party apps available for the kitchen.

It’s now even easier for users to manage their apps on Family Hub, with efficient installation, updates and deletion from the Apps menu. On top of that, the Home Service can set the mood with music when you are preparing a small gathering or turn on your favorite playlist while you are cooking.

Get Smart about Food Management

Last but not least, the kitchen experience has become more intelligent and efficient with updated features for Food Management. With the new Family Hub 2019, you can search for healthy recipes or preset the oven directly from the Recipes app with easy-to-use voice features. You can also add items to your Shopping List or tag items for reminders and expiration dates.

Samsung has designed a number of safety solutions for driving that can be incorporated into various kinds of vehicles in the near future. As seen in the video above, detecting cars, pedestrians and traffic signals in front of the school bus, the Front Facing Camera alerts the driver to any hazards on the road and prompts them to proceed with caution and care. The monitoring systems can identify students whenever they hop on and off the bus, showing the driver who is safely aboard.

*This video is for the purpose of describing the concept and use cases of C-V2X technology.
The simulated use cases may be different in operation of actual vehicle.

C-V2X technology offers the next level in automotive telecommunications. Harnessing Samsung’s unique technologies for smartphone and network areas, C-V2X works via the vehicle’s Telematics Control Unit (TCU). The TCU connects the car to its surroundings and provides real-time information about unexpected variables and potential hazards beyond the driver’s line of sight, thus offering up exciting possibilities for safety when driving.

Samsung Electronics today announced how the company’s investment and leadership in AI, IoT, and 5G technologies will serve as the building blocks for its vision for Connected Living. The company also unveiled its future AI-powered robotics platforms, which can be used to manage activities of daily living, such as helping an aging population independently manage their health routine.

“2019 is Samsung Electronics 50^th anniversary, and for the last five decades, we’ve been committed to bringing meaningful innovations to consumers everywhere,” said HS Kim, President and CEO of Consumer Electronics Division, Samsung Electronics. “In 2019, we’re taking things to the next level, and leveraging our industry leadership to make our vision of Connected Living a reality.”

HS Kim, President and CEO of Consumer Electronics Division, Samsung Electronics gives his opening remarks, welcoming guests to Samsung Electronics’ CES 2019 Press Conference.

Accelerating the Intelligence of Things with IoT, 5G, and AI  

Driving Samsung’s Connected Living philosophy is the Intelligence of Things – IoT, 5G, and AI working together across devices, to create seamless experiences. At its CES press conference in Las Vegas today, the company explained how its work in these core technologies is enabling innovation throughout its product portfolio.

Since unifying the SmartThings app and introducing the SmartThings Cloud, the SmartThings ecosystem has grown significantly. The number of registered SmartThings users has grown 220 percent and app installs have increased 61 percent. The number of partners participating in this ecosystem has also grown by 44 percent. Today, consumers can enjoy SmartThings experiences with devices from top global brands like Amazon, Google, Bose, Sylvania, and Plume.

Samsung leveraged its telecommunications leadership to make major strides in bringing 5G connectivity to consumers. Samsung is the number one patent holder with ETSI¹, having registered more than 2,000 5G essential patents as of November 2018. And it is the world’s first company to receive FCC approval on its commercial 5G equipment. The company powered the commercialization of home and mobile 5G networks with major U.S. carriers and all three mobile carriers in Korea, with additional trials running in Europe and Asia. Samsung is also committed to putting the power of 5G in consumers’ hands, with a 5G smartphone coming in the first half of 2019.

Samsung believes that AI is most useful when it helps to simplify a complex world. To that end, the company established seven Global AI Centers, and is adopting unique technologies into its products and services. And to ensure that Samsung works with the best and the brightest in the field, Samsung NEXT and the Samsung Strategy and Innovation Center (SSIC) have invested in more than 20 AI-related startups over the last five years.

Bixby, Samsung’s Intelligence Platform, Expands

Bixby started as a smarter way to use your Galaxy phone. Today, it is evolving to become a scalable, open AI platform that will support more and more devices. The company announced that Bixby intelligence will be infused into its 2019 QLED and premium TVs, and smart appliances like refrigerators, washers, as well as air conditioners, mobile devices, AI speakers and more. What’s more, Bixby is expanding to a new Digital Cockpit and robotics platforms.

Uber, Ticketmaster and others are using Bixby to make their services more intelligent. Today, Samsung announced that iHeartRadio joined as a new partner. And, Bixby will continue to grow as more partners, such as Google, join the ecosystem.

Samsung also announced its core AI philosophy: Fairness, Accountability, and Transparency. As it works to advance AI technology, Samsung is committed to ensuring the algorithms it builds are inclusive, the protection of user information and privacy are top priorities, and it’s easy for consumers to understand what the company does with their data and how it is handled.

Next Level Experience of Samsung’s 2019 Portfolio

Samsung also introduced a lineup of new innovations, all of which streamline and simplify day-to-day tasks, and offer a more personalized and unique experience for each user, in a way that only Samsung can.

Entertainment:

Samsung unveiled its 98” QLED 8K – it’s largest yet – adding to its 2019 lineup that features 65”, 75”, 82”, and 85” models. Embedded with the Quantum Processor 8K chip, the 2019 8K line delivers the best in QLED picture quality, design, smart features in more sizes than ever in stunning 8K resolution. Whether a viewer is watching content through a streaming service, set-top box, HDMI, USB or even mobile screen mirroring, Samsung’s proprietary AI-based technology can recognize and upscale any content, regardless of the native resolution, to near pristine 8K quality. This is Samsung’s smartest and most powerful TV yet.

Dave Das, Senior Vice President of Samsung Electronics America, unveils the 98-inch QLED 8K.

In 2019, Samsung Smart TVs offer more ways to search for content and more compatibility with connected devices than ever before. With an improved AI algorithm that leverages a user’s subscription services, favorite content, and TV viewing habits, the Universal Guide makes it easier for users to find the perfect show for them to watch. Users also have more options than ever to quickly and easily find and control their favorite content with just their voice by using new Bixby and the AI Remote as well as even more ways to control their Samsung TVs through Amazon Echo and Google Home.

(From left) Dave Das, Senior Vice President of Samsung Electronics America and Yoon Lee, Senior Vice President of Samsung Electronics America, demonstrate the Universal Guide with new Bixby on a 2019 Samsung Smart TV.

In a move to deliver more entertainment options, value and open platform functionality to Samsung Smart TV users, Samsung announced it will offer iTunes Movies and TV Shows and Apple AirPlay 2 support on 2019 Samsung Smart TV models beginning this spring. Support on 2018 Samsung Smart TVs will be made available via a firmware update. In an industry first, a new iTunes Movies and TV Shows app will debut only on Samsung Smart TVs in more than 100 countries. AirPlay 2 support will be available on Samsung Smart TVs in 190 countries worldwide.

Home:

Family Hub 2019 is more intuitive and intelligent than ever before. The new Family Board offers a completely redesigned screen experience, letting family members communicate and share memories in a creative space on the front of the fridge. Honored with a CES 2019 Innovation Award, Family Hub 2019 with the new Bixby lets users interact in natural language to get answers to complicated questions, preset the oven, search for recipes, and even call an Uber. In addition, Bixby visually shows you information on the screen for a richer experience and displays an array of visual information. These new features will also be available via automatic update for most earlier Family Hub models.

(From left) John Herrington, Senior Vice President, General Manager of Home Appliances, Samsung Electronics America and Yoon Lee, Senior Vice President of Samsung Electronics America, demonstrate Family Hub’s enhanced AI and IoT capabilities during Samsung’s CES 2019 press conference.

The new front load washer, also a 2019 CES Innovation Award winner, can finish a full load in just 30 minutes² with the SuperSpeed feature. With Bixby, users can also control its smart features like getting recommendations for the best wash cycle, scheduling a cycle to be completed at a users’ preferred time, automatically connecting the dryer cycle when the washer is done, or monitoring usage to efficiently manage their laundry appliances.

Work:

Samsung revealed a line of new, innovative products that combine productivity and flexibility to help consumers get things done more conveniently. The redesigned Notebook 9 Pro is engineered for on-the-go modern professionals to help them reach their true creative potential, while the Notebook Odyssey gaming laptop, powered by the new high-end NVIDIA® GeForce RTX 20-series GPU, is ready for both work and play. Samsung Space Monitor leverages its sleek design and functionality to allow users to focus on what’s on the screen and not what’s around it. Its unique built-in space saving solution, a minimalist, fully-integrated clamp stand that grips to the desk, tilting back and forth to free up space for optimal user productivity. Beyond aesthetics, Samsung’s Space Monitor is a feature-rich, high-performance monitor. The 27-inch model offers QHD resolution for incredibly detailed, sharp images, while the 32-inch model presents content in 4K UHD.

Connected Driving:

Samsung also presented its latest development with HARMAN, showcasing its innovation in automotive technology. The Digital Cockpit 2019 offers an enhanced connected car experience focused on connectivity, personalization, and safety.

With the integration of Bixby’s connected car experience, drivers can remotely check how much gas they have before going on a long road trip or set the car temperature before heading out for the day. Using onboard cameras, the new Digital Cockpit recognizes specific drivers and passengers and sets up the car’s personal space accordingly – adjusting the display preferences, seat height, lighting, and queuing up favorite playlists. Passengers can even enjoy personalized screens on the rear seats and connect to In-vehicle Samsung DeX to get work done on-the-go. The Digital Cockpit 2019 also provides a safer driving experience with the mirror replacement vision system and camera-based safety solutions.

All of this is possible thanks to Cellular-V2X technology that incorporates Samsung’s expertise in mobile network solutions with automotive technologies. With Samsung’s C-V2X, cars will be able to receive and analyze information that will make the driving experience safer and more enjoyable.

Device Solutions:

In order to power tomorrow’s AI technologies, Samsung emphasized that today’s AI infrastructure must evolve to handle intelligence at the edge. For this reason, the company is working to launch a comprehensive portfolio of solutions that will shape the future of intelligent devices.

Samsung’s mobile memory and AI-enabled processors, including the recently-announced Exynos Auto line, will allow for faster and more efficient on-device processing. At the same time, its advanced memory solutions will meet the rigorous demands of tomorrow’s datacenters and enterprises as they look to complete more complex AI tasks.

Robotics Platforms for the Future of AI

Samsung offered a peek into the future of Connected Living by demonstrating its latest developments in robotics platforms including the Samsung Bot Care, Samsung Bot Air, Samsung Bot Retail, and Samsung GEMS. Among the robotics platforms, Samsung gave a first public demonstration of Samsung Bot Care, which helps consumers manage their daily health routines. With its advances in AI and robotics, the company is harnessing its best assets to make a positive impact on society and shape a better world.

Geunbae Lee, Head of the Samsung AI Center, joins Yoon Lee on stage to introduce the crowd to Samsung Bots, which combine the company’s latest advancements in robotics platforms, hardware, software and AI technology. The speakers demonstrated how Samsung Bot Care, pictured here, helps users manage their daily health routines.

For more information including photos and videos, please visit news.samsung.com. Samsung’s CES booth #15006 is on Level 1 of Central Hall in the Las Vegas Convention Center and will be open from January 8-11, 2019.

¹ European Telecommunication Standards Institute
² Based on using SuperSpeed on a Normal cycle with an 8lb load.

Building on the standard set by last year’s Digital Cockpit, the 2019 version addresses the needs of drivers and passengers alike, providing a seamless link between devices, vehicle and home, with simple controls for ease of use.

An Experience Tailored for Every Passenger

For 2019, the Digital Cockpit has increased the number of displays from three to six, delivering tailored infotainment options to more of the car’s passenger. In addition to a new, independent Passenger Display, two Rear Seat Displays also have been added, allowing passengers in both the front and rear to enjoy personalized contents that will keep them entertained during their travels. The Driver Monitoring System (DMS) and Occupant Monitoring System (OMS) are able to recognize registered drivers and passengers, adjusting the environment – such as screen settings and seat position – to provide an experience personalized to their tastes.

Three screens in the front of the Digital Cockpit show the driver important information and settings. The Cluster Display, situated in front of the driver, is a screen that highlights crucial driving information, such as the speed and oil gauge, with a layout that changes according to the driver’s preference. Between the driver and the front passenger is the Center Information Display, which shows Bixby and SmartThings services for cars, as well as basic apps, like navigation and music. Below that is the Control Display, a screen that oversees a host of functions, including air conditioning and sound volume, and can also be used to set the functions on the knobs of the Digital Cockpit.

By connecting their smartphone to the appropriate display via In-vehicle Samsung DeX, passengers can enjoy a smartphone experience optimized for their display and give their full attention to documents and emails, even while on the move.

Equipped with two knobs positioned in the front of the car and two in the back, the Digital Cockpit offers intuitive setting controls. The knobs have a circular UX, similar to the Galaxy Watch’s hallmark display, and can be customized to configure settings most frequently used by the driver and passengers, such as temperature and speaker volume.

Connectivity throughout the Car

With new Bixby, the in-car experience is even more convenient. The intuitive, conversational AI platform allows drivers and passengers to control their third-party apps – as well as automotive-optimized functions – hands-free inside the car.

As our world becomes increasingly more connected, the Digital Cockpit is strengthening the bond between car and home. Last year’s features supported car-to-home interactions, allowing you to check what’s inside your fridge or start up the washing machine at home, all from the driver’s seat. In addition to adding more devices that can be controlled from the car, the Digital Cockpit now also facilitates home-to-car interactions. With the help of SmartThings and Galaxy Home, users can access vehicle status and controls from the comfort of their own home. This means that you can check fuel levels, start up the engine, and cool down or warm up the inside temperature by turning on the AC before jumping into your car.

Smarter Safety

New features have been implemented to further enhance car safety. Incorporating Samsung Electronics’ Exynos semiconductor, the Mirror Replacement Vision System, Front Facing Camera and Driver Monitoring System assist safe driving in a variety of potential scenarios.

Since last year, the Mirror Replacement Vision System has moved to the front left and right sides of the vehicle to reflect where users habitually look when changing lanes. The system can identify moving objects and gives the driver a wider field of view in the direction of the lane they wish to change into.

The Front Facing Camera detects the environment on the roads ahead. This is particularly useful if the driver wants to make a sudden left turn on an intersection or change lanes, for example. The camera identifies vehicles, pedestrians, lanes and traffic signs while driving and warns the driver of any hazards before they act. Data is shown on the Cluster Display, helping the driver make informed decisions on the road.

The Driver Monitoring System will also transmit a warning sound if it detects dangerous behavior, such as driving while drowsy or sending text messages behind the wheel.

As car design embraces new trends in mobility lifestyle, the Digital Cockpit 2019 represents the next stage in vehicle comfort, connectivity and safety. As the development of 5G technologies continues apace, Samsung’s IoT platform will drive the future of automotive innovation and broaden the horizons of connected living.

At CES 2019, Samsung Electronics will showcase innovative ways that its latest AI and IoT technologies simplify daily life. These include brand new applications for AI and IoT, new ways to make AI do more, as well as new devices that place AI and IoT at the center of users’ connected lives.

It all starts on Monday, January 7 at 14:00 (PST) with a press conference at Las Vegas’s Mandalay Bay South Convention Center. Held on Level 2, Ballrooms G and H, the press conference is open to all credentialed members of the media who possess a CES badge.

Those who won’t be able to make it to the event can still catch all the exciting announcements by tuning in to the official livestream, which will be available via the following channels:

• Samsung Newsroom (https://news.samsung.com)

• Samsung Electronics’ Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/samsung)

• Samsung Newsroom YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/samsungnewsroom)

Be sure to stay tuned to Samsung Newsroom for more updates on Samsung’s CES 2019 news.

Featuring over 5,000 attendees, roughly 60 technical sessions, and a total of 35 booths, the fifth edition of Samsung’s showcase of technologies designed to empower developers and creators to build the software and services of tomorrow transformed San Francisco’s Moscone West convention center into a crossroads ‘Where Now Meets Next’.

The exciting AI, IoT and mobile advancements unveiled during the two-day event—encompassing, Bixby, SmartThings, UX/UI design and more—will enable partners and developers to create seamlessly connected, intelligent experiences across software, services and devices. The resulting innovations will have the power to change the lives of consumers around the world—ultimately making connected living a reality for more people.

In case you missed it, here’s a rundown of five factors that made SDC18 unforgettable.

#1 Announcements of Exciting Developer Tools

Day one of SDC18 began with a flurry of exciting announcements revealing advancements that will enable partners and developers to unlock the power of AI in their products and services, and demonstrate the true value of connected living to their customers.

Keynote speakers including DJ Koh, President and CEO and Head of Samsung Electronics’ IT and Mobile Communications Division, explained how new additions such as the Bixby Developer Studio and the new and improved SmartThings Developer Workspace will strengthen the world’s most powerful technology ecosystem, and help the company foster an ecosystem of open innovation that spans every aspect of people’s lives.

The speakers also offered a first look at Samsung’s new One UI, as well as the company’s highly anticipated Infinity Flex Display. The former features an intuitive interface that makes interactions with your device more natural, and makes it easier to focus on tasks at hand. The latter features a revolutionary foldable design that lays the foundation for an entirely new kind of mobile experience.

After introducing the exciting new developer tools and resources, the speakers encouraged attendees to experience them for themselves in the exhibition zone.

#2 Expert Insights

Day two of SDC18 kicked off with a bang as Samsung employees and leading lights of the worlds of gaming, film and mobile technology discussed technologies that could dictate the future of their respective fields.

(From left) Sarah Bond, Head of Xbox/Microsoft; Thomas Ko, VP at Samsung Electronics; Tim Sweeney, CEO of Epic Games; John Hanke, CEO of Niantic.

The conference’s Spotlight Session was led by a presentation on Samsung’s latest gaming and AR innovations and partnerships, followed by a panel discussion on the future of gaming that featured Sarah Bond, Head of Xbox/Microsoft, as well as John Hanke, CEO of Niantic, and Tim Sweeney, CEO of Epic Games.

(Clockwise from top left) Marc Mathieu, Chief Marketing Officer of Samsung Electronics America; Dag Kittlaus, CEO of Viv Labs; Sally Jeong, VP at Samsung Electronics; Nobutaka “Nobu” Ide, CEO of Wacom.

Other keynote speakers headlining day two included Nobutaka “Nobu” Ide, CEO of Wacom, and Spike Jonze, director of the AI-inspired film “Her”. Mr. Ide led a captivating presentation that examined how Samsung’s S Pen is reshaping the ways in which consumers interact with their device to get things done. Mr. Jonze sat down for a fireside chat on the intersection of AI and humanity, and described why he, as an artist, believes that developers should prioritize maintaining the human element when developing AI technology.

#3 A Firsthand Look at Samsung’s Latest Innovations

Samsung packed the conference center with a wide range of exhibits that offered attendees all they needed to know about innovations including SmartThings and Bixby, as well as Samsung’s mobile services, Smart TVs, Tizen, and more.

The interactive exhibits allowed attendees to experience the company’s latest mobile, display and home technologies, and spotlighted innovative ways that partners have utilized them to build dynamic solutions. Featured technologies in the mobile section included devices such as Samsung DeX and the Galaxy Watch, as well as apps and services such as Samsung Pay and Samsung Health.

Other sections of the booth showcased Samsung’s Smart TV services and digital appliances, and highlighted exciting ways to develop IoT, Smart TV and wearable services using the Tizen OS. Visitors to the Tizen section were offered in-depth introductions to TizenRT and the Tizen TV and Tizen .NET SDKs, including rundowns of available APIs, SDK tools and resources.

#4 Fun and Interactive Activities

Each SDC features a full slate of engaging sessions that demonstrate innovative ways for developers to build apps and services utilizing Samsung’s latest technologies. This year’s sessions slate placed Bixby, SmartThings and Samsung’s new foldable UX center stage. Samsung and industry experts answered participants’ every question through fun and informative lectures, panels and discussions.

But the interactive fun didn’t stop there, as SDC18 also included exciting competitions, giveaways and challenges that made the entire experience that much more memorable.

The Bixby Developer Showcase was one such example. In the lead up to SDC18, Samsung challenged developers to come up with first-class Bixby experiences, for the most dynamic submissions. On the second day of SDC18, the competition’s finalists presented their Bixby Capsules, which demonstrate the AI technology’s incredible potential. Competitions like this demonstrate exciting ways that Samsung and developers are making Bixby better.

Each SDC also features a wide array of workshops and activities that allow attendees to get up close and personal with Samsung’s latest innovations.

This year, the interactive workshops were held within the confines of the Code Lab, located at the center of the conference hall. Covering the ins and outs of developing for Bixby, SmartThings, Samsung DeX and more, these in-depth workshops offered attendees the opportunity to hone their coding skills with the aid of Samsung’s experienced instructors. Notable examples included workshops demonstrating how to create a Bixby Capsule for a service, as well as how to build SmartThings apps with TizenRT.

#5 A Peek at Life-changing Projects

Some of the most inspiring exhibits included at this year’s event spotlighted Samsung initiatives that are affecting change in communities that many attendees call home.

The exhibits demonstrated interesting ways that Samsung technologies are being used to create life-changing solutions. One of the most attention-grabbing examples was the booth for Rehago, an innovative training system (created through Samsung Germany’s “Life’s a Pitch” startup competition) that helps hemiplegic stroke patients during recovery.

Other standouts included the exhibits for Samsung’s Solve for Tomorrow program, which encourages students to use STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) to develop solutions to issues affecting their communities; Project Pontis, which enables Samsung Smart TV users with physical limitations to control their TV via brain waves; and uSound, an app that helps detect the risk of hearing loss and improves quality of life through communication and education for those affected by it.

And thus concludes another successful Samsung Developer Conference. For more information on the topics and innovations that were discussed at the event, be sure to check out Samsung Newsroom’s recap of SDC18’s keynote speeches. And don’t forget to check back here for more updates on Samsung’s latest AI, IoT and developer innovations.

We’ve all dreamed of a futuristic world where the boring chores of day-to-day life are handled by robots at the touch of a button or by a simple voice command. Whether it’s managing a busy calendar, making sure the laundry gets done, or having the latest headline news and a cup of hot coffee ready to make the morning a little less daunting, we all want tech to help make our lives a little easier. Thanks to Samsung’s vision for connected living, that futuristic world is becoming a reality.

At the Samsung Developer Conference 2017, the company announced a major step toward that vision with the consolidated SmartThings Cloud, which brought together all of Samsung’s IoT devices and services under a single, seamless platform. The addition of the SmartThings app unified the IoT experience, making it easier than ever to help consumers organize their lives, so they can achieve more. Developments like these have turned SmartThings into one of the largest connected platforms in the world – available in more than 200 markets with more than 18 million devices.

This year, Samsung is furthering those developments by opening the Bixby Integrated Development Environment (IDE) to collaborate with partners and developers, so that new mobile devices, home appliances, consumer electronics, connected cars, and services can leverage Samsung’s intelligence platform and continue to expand SmartThings.

Patrick Chomet, Executive Vice President of Product and Innovation at Samsung Electronics, sat down to discuss some of the company’s latest developments as it pushes toward a world of truly connected living.

Q: Let’s start big picture: what does the future of the IoT market look like?

A:  We live in a time where consumers are continually looking for new experiences. It’s not difficult to find people that use services on multiple devices, and there are signs that they increasingly find it more satisfying to pay for a new experience rather than purchase a new product. They say it brings them more joy.

So it’s not surprising to see new categories of products emerge – products that offer a novel experience for consumers. The Internet of Things, which is poised to expand quickly in the coming years, is a great example. Within this realm, smart speakers are carving out a solid space, posting significant growth in the number of units just in the span of one year from 2017.

It’s no exaggeration to say voice is going mainstream. This novel technology has become a disruptive force and is redefining how people interact with their devices. Some project half of all searches are expected to be by voice by 2020, and already nearly 40 percent of adults are said to use voice search once a day.

Against this backdrop, Samsung is in a position where it leads innovation at scale, enjoys a large installed base, and longlasting relationships with key partners. Considering the trends mentioned, and the heritage we have, Samsung is in a unique position to capture new opportunities in the IoT space.

Q: A lot can change in one year. Exactly how has Samsung’s IoT ecosystem developed since SDC 2017?

A: During SDC 2017, we announced the SmartThings cloud: a unified platform, controlling all Samsung devices. Now, we are focusing on opening it to partners. This is part of a broader concept, called ‘democratization of IoT.’

Q: Can you expand on what the democratization of IoT means for Samsung?

A: Consumers find the smart home setup complex; there are also too many ways to access and share content, and it is also virtually impossible to control all smart devices with one hub. Meanwhile, families want more out of voice commands; they look for ways to mitigate tedious tasks, and want to track things like energy usage and waste.

Considering these needs, Samsung is focusing on creating simple, yet relevant experiences at scale. This is the foundation for the ‘democratization of IoT.’ We are pursuing meaningful changes that help people live smarter, better lives.

Going forward, Samsung will focus on improving contextual experiences, whether it’s at home, out of home, or in the car with Connected Living, Entertainment, Health & Fitness, or Communication experiences. To support these experiences, Samsung is developing technological foundations (platforms) such as account management, Bixby, and SmartThings Cloud.

These platforms will be open to all partners. For instance, service partners will be invited to integrate their solutions with our platforms, providing access to their services to most of our customer touchpoints, such as screens and speakers.

To show this in practice, we developed a partnership with Korea Power Exchange. We’ve created a service that allows people to control and manage their energy consumption during peak periods when prices are at their highest. Not only do they save money, they do better for the environment.

Q: You’ve mentioned quite a few developments with Bixby – what role do these changes play in the democratization of IoT?

In the case of Bixby, our intelligent platform, we are opening the Bixby Developer Studio so that third-party developers can create their own Bixby-enabled services that can be used across Samsung’s huge device ecosystem. We’ve also introduced the Bixby Developer Center, a learning resource for developers, and the Bixby Marketplace, where they can sell their services. We’ve also expanded language support for Bixby, to bring those services to more markets.

Q: When it comes to building a bigger device ecosystem, how has Samsung been working on new SmartThings product integrations?

To provide peace of mind and simplify our home environment, we’ve partnered with Plume to create SmartThings Wi-Fi, an AI-powered router. Not only can it learn your usage patterns to optimize your home’s Wi-Fi performance, it can help you control and manage your home automations. We’ve also implemented Works with SmartThings (WWST), our functional and security certification program for SmartThings devices that ensures new devices meet our guidelines so consumers get the best experience.

Q: Let’s talk more about Galaxy Home. How does Galaxy Home fit into everything we’ve been talking about?

Galaxy Home will improve ‘connected living’ experiences and relationships with the ecosystem of home devices. Now, Galaxy Home could be used to streamline difficult set-ups, settings and control devices and services.

And soon, Galaxy Home will be able to command hundreds of devices, from your washing machine to your car, from the comfort of your couch. If you’ve got a Galaxy phone, it can even help you make calls or find it when you misplace it.

Q: There are already many smart speakers on the market. What makes Galaxy Home different?

First of all, it’s incredibly easy to set up. Thanks to Bixby, users get a more integrated smart home experience right out of the box and hands-free control of home devices.

In addition, the sound quality is one of the standout features. Galaxy Home comes equipped with Harman’s Natural Sound Processing (NSP) that automatically turns stereo signals into 5.1 surround sound, so you’ll feel like you’re right in the middle of a concert when listening to your favorite album. It’s also the first smart speaker to feature Soundsteer, so you can tell Galaxy Home to aim the sound in your direction while you’re busy cooking in the kitchen or preparing for your day in the morning.

And last but not least, Galaxy Home comes with a growing list of ecosystem partners. One great example is Spotify, the leading music platform. It’s partnering with Samsung to provide the best music content so users can enjoy all this through an intelligent, premium sound experience.

The Samsung Developer Conference (SDC18) has officially begun, and San Francisco’s Moscone West convention center is buzzing with excitement about Samsung’s latest AI, IoT and mobile innovations.

Over the course of the conference’s jam-packed keynote event, Samsung and tech industry leaders revealed exciting enhancements to Bixby, SmartThings, UI/UX design and more, that will foster unified experiences across devices, software and services. By offering developers the tools they need to enrich our lives with more intelligent experiences, the advancements introduced at SDC18 will help make connected living a reality for more people.

In case you missed it, check out the highlights of the keynote event below.

Anticipation builds as SDC18 attendees await the beginning of the conference’s keynote event.

DJ Koh, Samsung Electronics’ President and CEO and of Head of IT and Mobile Communications Division, kicked off the conference by discussing how Samsung’s leadership in AI, IoT, and groundbreaking technologies like 5G has helped bring about “a new era of discovery and invention. A time not just of connected thinking, but of connected living.”

Eui-Suk Chung, Samsung’s EVP and Head of Software and Artificial Intelligence, shed some light on Samsung’s intelligence strategy, and how Bixby’s evolution into a scalable intelligence platform will empower people to do more with their devices. He also described how Samsung is expanding Bixby by incorporating support for more devices and languages, and opening the platform up to third-party services. In addition, Mr. Chung announced the launch of the Bixby Marketplace, which will offer partners and developers a new way to market their services to millions of Samsung device users. As he explained, “This is your opportunity. The largest device ecosystem in the world, at your fingertips, ready for your best ideas.”

Dag Kittlaus, CEO of Viv Labs, announced the release of the Bixby Developer Studio, the most comprehensive and powerful intelligent assistant toolset ever made, and introduced Samsung’s new Dynamic Program Generation technology.

Next, Mr. Kittlaus welcomed the CTO of Viv Labs, Adam Cheyer, to the stage for a demonstration of the Bixby Developer Studio. Before walking attendees through the ins and outs of the Studio’s developer tools, Mr. Cheyer described why he finds this announcement particularly exciting: “What we are introducing today, for the first time, promotes a new developer paradigm where an AI and a human developer work together collaboratively, each doing what they do best.”

Samsung’s VP of Engineering, Dr. Jaeyeon Jung, described how the company is enriching SmartThings with new partnerships and devices, such as SmartThings Wifi and the SmartThings Button, to make staying connected at home simple. As she explained, “This consistent and seamless SmartThings experience across multiple devices takes home automation to the next level.”

Magnus Ekenheim, SmartThings’ VP of Engineering, elaborated on Samsung’s efforts to make IoT less fragmented and less complicated, “to help developers create new IoT devices and services, and bring them to market faster.” He also announced a slew of new developer resources, including Works with SmartThings and the redesigned SmartThings Developer Workspace, which enable partners and developers to deliver world-class IoT experiences to their customers.

Dr. Jung returned to the stage to discuss ways that developers can utilize the latest addition to the Samsung ecosystem, Galaxy Home, to “bring the Intelligence of Things to life” for consumers. She explained how Galaxy Home’s combination of premium sound and Bixby and SmartThings support enables it to serve as a gateway for controlling smart devices, and emphasized the incredible opportunity that this powerful combo offers developers. “Any idea can become part of the Galaxy Home” she said.

Over the course of his jam-packed presentation, Pedro Freitas, Samsung’s Director of Smart TV Service Business, announced the launches of Samsung’s Voice Media Control API, which enables TV partners to leverage Bixby to offer consumers more control over their favorite content, as well as the new TV Plus Channel Management System (TV Plus CMS), an update to the TV Plus service that launched in 2016. He also revealed that Samsung will be opening up Ambient Mode to developers very soon; outlined how Samsung Smart TVs’ SmartThings Dashboard feature allows users to easily monitor and control their connected devices and appliances; and discussed optimizing IoT devices with Tizen RT.

Samsung’s Senior Designer of UX Design, Jee Won Lee, walked the crowd through a very special demonstration of the company’s new One UI, which features a simple yet compelling design that makes interactions with your mobile device more natural, and makes it easier to focus on tasks at hand. She followed that up with the announcement that the One UI will be available to developers in select markets beginning in November via Samsung’s official beta testing program.

Anticipation builds as Samsung’s Director of Product Marketing, Hassan Anjum, recounts some of the groundbreaking innovations that have led to Samsung’s latest breakthrough in mobile screen technology.

Justin Denison, Samsung’s SVP of Mobile Product Marketing, introduced Samsung’s vision for the next generation of mobile displays: the Infinity Flex Display. Its foldable design offers users the best of both worlds: a compact smartphone that unfolds to reveal a large, immersive display for multitasking and viewing content.

Glen Murphy, Director and Head of Android UX at Google, discussed his company’s deep partnership with Samsung before announcing that Android is officially adding support for the Infinity Flex Display’s foldable form factor.

After the event, SDC18 attendees get a closer look at Samsung’s newest developer tools and technologies.

Samsung Electronics today unveiled powerful new developer tools for its Bixby and SmartThings platforms, as well as new, powerful mobile experiences with One UI and Infinity Flex Display. To make connected living a reality, Samsung is making it easier for developers and partners to quickly build, launch and scale new experiences to millions of devices around the world.

“We have achieved significant advancements in AI and IoT, which will be crucial to bringing our connected living vision to life,” said DJ Koh, President and CEO of IT & Mobile Communications Division, Samsung Electronics.

“The progress made to Bixby and SmartThings opens a new chapter where third party products and services can be integrated to the AI and IoT platforms at scale.

“The foldable display lays the foundation for a new kind of mobile experience. We are excited to work with developers on this new platform to create new value for our customers. We cannot wait to see where the technology and collaboration takes us.”

Building a Scalable Intelligence Platform

Bixby started as an intelligent interface, a practical way to use your voice to interact with your phone. Now, Samsung is evolving it into a scalable intelligence platform to support the diverse products and services in a consumer’s life. At SDC 2018, Samsung is unveiling new ways for developers to bring a more conversational, personal and useful intelligent assistant experience to more consumers.

To make it easier for developers to scale services powered by Bixby, Samsung is introducing the Bixby Developer Studio. The collection of tools provides an intuitive way for developers and partners to infuse intelligence into more services and devices. Developers will be able to easily create Bixby Capsules – features or services created for Bixby – and make them easily accessible to consumers in the Bixby Marketplace. The Bixby platform will allow developers to easily adapt their capsules from mobile phones and televisions to home appliances and other products across the Samsung ecosystem.

As part of its efforts to scale Bixby services, Samsung is expanding support to five new languages in the coming months, including British English, French, German, Italian and Spanish.

Delivering a Connected Lifestyle for Everyone

Samsung’s connected living vision is centered around an open IoT ecosystem that unites the growing number of connected devices on a single platform. Available in more than 200 markets around the world, SmartThings delivers a connected experience in a single app, bringing IoT beyond the smart home, into the car, office and everywhere in-between.

Samsung is now making it faster and easier for developers to connect their devices and services to the SmartThings platform with a new suite of tools in the redesigned SmartThings Developer Workspace. These enhanced tools include SmartThings Cloud Connector, SmartThings Device Kit and SmartThings Hub Connector. Developers can build and launch on the platform, as well as easily integrate cloud-connected, Zigbee and Z-Wave devices.

Additionally, the upgraded Works with SmartThings (WWST) certification program gives developers direct access to SmartThings experts and resources. WWST helps ensure devices and services are fully optimized for the platform, so consumers enjoy the best possible experience.

Pioneering User Experience and Display Innovation

Samsung introduces a new and intuitive interface design called One UI. Its clean and minimal design keeps the most relevant content on the bottom half of the screen – making it more natural and comfortable for one-handed use. The experience was reengineered to reduce clutter and distractions, allowing the user to better focus and quickly navigate their phone.

Samsung continues to build on its legacy of category-defining form factor and display innovation that has paved the way for a breakthrough foldable smartphone form factor. The Infinity Flex Display together with One UI delivers a new kind of mobile experience allowing users to do things they couldn’t do with an ordinary smartphone. Users now have the best of both worlds: a compact smartphone that unfolds to reveal a larger immersive display for multitasking and viewing content. The app experience seamlessly transitions from the smaller display to the larger display as the device unfolds. In addition, users can browse, watch, connect and multitask without losing a beat, simultaneously using three active apps on the larger display.

Because the Infinity Flex Display is a next generation platform, Samsung invites developers to participate in this journey from the beginning. Working collaboratively with Google and the Android developer community, Samsung will maximize the potential of this new form factor to create an optimized foldable user experience.

For more information about Samsung Developer Conference 2018, please visit http://sdc.developer.samsung.com/. Further information can also be found on Twitter (@samsung_dev) and using the hashtag #SDC18.

About Samsung Developer Conference

SDC brings together thousands of developers and creators to explore today’s tech and visualize what’s possible in the future. The two-day conference will feature exciting keynote announcements, technical sessions and valuable networking time. Plus, Samsung product teams and technology partners will showcase the latest tech advances and tools.

At last year’s Samsung Developer Conference, I spoke about connected thinking, and touched on some of the incredible experiences that become possible when we unify connections across devices. Our announcement of SmartThings marked a big step toward creating that seamlessly connected future.

So much has happened since then. During the past year, game-changing technologies like 5G, which were once experimental, have become commercially available; breakthrough AI capabilities that once seemed impossible are now within reach; and SmartThings has evolved into the world’s most comprehensive open IoT platform.

Which brings us to where we stand today—at the cusp of a new era of discovery and invention. A time in which intelligent services connect people to the tools they need and the experiences they desire; a time of incredible economic opportunity, built on new insights about how the world works and what customers want; and a time in which the ubiquity of an IoT platform like SmartThings propels us beyond the era of connected thinking and into the era of connected living.

It is with great pride that I can say that Samsung has been at the forefront of many of the advances that have laid the foundation for this new era. In addition to expanding SmartThings, we’ve delivered AI innovations that are redefining connectivity and automation, we pioneered the development of 5G technologies, and we even launched the world’s first residential 5G service in the U.S.

Our partnerships—and of course, the support of the developer community—have been instrumental to getting us to this point, where the pieces are in place for intelligence that learns and adapts; 5G connectivity that makes smart cities, smart homes and autonomous vehicles a reality; and devices that are secure and powerful enough to transform how we interact with each other and the world around us.

This year’s Samsung Developer Conference (SDC18) marks a gigantic step toward finally delivering these once far-off technologies. Or, as we at Samsung like to think of it, the next step toward transforming what’s next into what’s now.

Here at SDC18, we’re unveiling new SmartThings development tools that will demonstrate the true value of connected living, as well as enhancements to our Bixby intelligence platform that will unlock the power of AI in more products and services, and new hardware and interface concepts that will unfold an exciting new future for mobile services.

Each innovation adds strength to the world’s most powerful technology ecosystem, and will ultimately help us create a new world of experiences that flow with people as they manage their lives and move through their day.

I truly believe that we’re standing at a turning point in our industry. A new generation of technological breakthroughs has opened the door for change at a pace unlike anything we’ve seen before, and created new opportunities on a scale that exceeds imagination. The potential to change people’s lives has never been greater, and the opportunities have never been more exciting.

SDC18 is all about seizing these opportunities. With the help of partners and developers who share our commitment to innovation inspired by people, we’ll foster an ecosystem of open innovation that spans every aspect of people’s lives. I can’t wait to see how the technologies we’re showcasing right now at SDC18 will be used to discover what comes next.

*This editorial is based on DJ Koh’s keynote address at SDC18

Mynjylyk, Kazakhstan is a beautifully vast area but for the people keeping animals there, it can be a difficult terrain in which to do their job

“What should we do? Yeldar says his horses are gone….”

It’s the worst thing you can hear at a time like this. It’s particularly concerning for two reasons. Firstly, we wanted the horses to be in shot for the video we’re filming. Secondly, and more importantly, missing horses is a distressing situation for the protagonist of our video, 19-year-old Yeldar. We’re in a field in rural Kazakhstan and the panic on Yeldar’s face is clear to see. The horses that grazed during the night did not return. He’s worried because anything could have happened to them.

The unfortunate fact is that this isn’t an isolated incident. In the mountainous region of Mynjylyk, Kazakhstan where local nomads rely on their livestock to make a living, keeping track of the animals is more or less the equivalent of keeping track of funds in your bank account. Gathering livestock from grasslands, counting their numbers, maintaining their value as commodities and managing these procedures require tremendous physical energy. And in order to sell them, the nomads have to know where their animals are at all times. It’s a task that’s easier said than done.

Just like many Kazakhs, the people of Mynjylyk mainly work in stock-farming. They raise horses and lambs, which are staple foods locally. Because the animals are grazed in open grasslands, you see herds of horses and sheep eating grass everywhere

Many livestock are lost in the process of grazing due to theft, going missing or wolf attack. Their loss is one serious issue to nomads. Also, as their job is very difficult, you can no longer work in livestock farming once you pass a certain age, but today, young people who would like to work in this occupation are decreasing. The biggest reason for such a trend is its inefficiency. With other problems combined, livestock farming, what was once the representative industry of Kazakhstan, is now losing its legacy.

A Helping Hand from Samsung

The reason we’re here in Kazakhstan with our video cameras is to film the tech-led solution in action. Samsung Electronics is partnering with the locals to help them keep track of their animals and it could completely change the way they live and work.

When the ATA team were brought in for reinforcement, they got the opportunity to visit the site for the first time. They were able to get a real understanding of the challenge and work closely with the Lives’Talk team to develop the solution

People in the region already knew that technology had to provide a solution to lost livestock. A group of technology enthusiasts from both Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan created a solution that used GPS on wearable devices to help the locals find their animals more easily. They designed a service that involves attaching an identification device to the animals and allowing the owners to see the location and other related information about their animals using communication technology. When this idea is implemented, nomads no longer have to search for their lost animals in kilometers of grassland. This not only saves manpower and time but also decreases potential economic loss that they would suffer from.

To help prevent lost animals, the Lives’Talk team develop a GPS device that sends real time location data to the owner’s smartphone so they always know where their animals are

It was a great idea in principle but in reality, it was difficult to develop and implement. Especially because the team members on the project weren’t professionals and were working with a hard-pressed budget. As innovative as it was, the project, called Lives’Talk, faced failure. But with a last roll of the dice, the team entered the Samsung Tomorrow Solutions contest and won the grand prize.

The Samsung Tomorrow Solutions social contribution contest began in 2013 with the aim of developing ideas for finding inconvenient issues in society and resolving them. The contest covers four areas of education, healthcare, environment safety and local community. Everyone can participate without limits on age or affiliation. For the Lives’Talk team, the win gave them a new lease of life and prize money that they could plough right back into the project. Suddenly, their idea was back on the table.

Initially, the transmitters were too big for the animals to comfortably wear. Working in collaboration, Samsung and Lives’Talk worked to slim down the device and also increase the battery capacity

But it wasn’t all plain sailing from there. The GPS device was too big for the animals to be comfortable with. Water and dust resistance weren’t yet conquered and battery life was also far too short. Even if all these problems were solved, the mountainous topography of the Kazakh grasslands meant that signal often wasn’t as strong as they’d like it to be.

Even with the second wind granted by the Samsung Tomorrow Solutions win, it was still a tall order for the Lives’Talk team to further develop their idea. They still had the passion and belief in their concept, but they just didn’t have the adequate know-how to get things off the ground.

An outside view of a yurt, the common traditional house in the region of Mynjylyk

In the end, the Lives’Talk team asked for help from Samsung Electronics. Still impressed with the idea and with a desire to help develop a solution to the problem, Samsung sent a team called ATA from the Samsung C-Lab, the company’s internal venture training center. The mission for team ATA was reducing the size of the attachment device and increasing the battery life. Also, they had to establish a communication environment for the device to be used smoothly. It was a moment where both Lives’Talk and ATA teams came together under the shared objective of bringing convenience to the Kazakh nomads.

An Everyday Struggle

Another day, another missing animal.

The horses that Yeldar and we were worried about came back to their home half a day later. Later, we learned that horses have a homing instinct that helps them come back home after being missing for a while. But this time, it’s lambs that have gone AWOL.

When his lambs went out on the grasslands for the night and didn’t return, Yeldar was back in panic mode. “We must return the lambs back to their pen before they stray away alone!” There was only one thing we could do. We had to find the lambs. The lambs were nowhere to be seen until the morning of second day.

“We found the lambs! Yeldar found them and he is now coming back!” One of the team members shouted over a smartphone, and we hurrahed. But it was not over. If we were to make up for all the lost time, we had to be quick and efficient to film all the scenes we needed.

The star of our video is 19-year-old herdsman Yeldar. For him, missing animals are a common and frustrating occurrence

We had to battle a number of problems in attempting to shoot the video. It served as a reminder of the difficulties that the nomads face as part of their everyday work. This in turn reinforced the need for the solution that would help people such as Yeldar and stop him using so much of his time looking for animals in such vast grasslands.

Working in Harmony

One thing we noticed about the project to develop the GPS solution is that it is a work of close collaboration. This wasn’t just an opportunity for Samsung to parachute in experts. It was an opportunity to learn from and integrate with the locals to better understand the brief and provide the relevant solution. The video team also got to experience first-hand the hospitality of the locals. Some of the local residents invited us round for dinner. They even gave us Kazakh names.

During our visit, the locals were very accommodating. We were served a traditional Kazakh lamb dish by this welcoming family

The camera director who was the ‘ice breaker’ and became friendly with the locals faster than anyone else received the name ‘Guanci’ (happiness). I, who led the filming process received the name ‘Shokhan’ (a creative person). Despite our language differences, we had a wonderful experience interacting with them. In doing so, we understood why Samsung found it such a worthwhile project to be involved with. And as Samsung Electronics continues to work with the local people in Kazakhstan, there’s a shared optimism that the technology will create new opportunities for those who rely on their livestock and want better ways to carry out their occupation.

Below is the final cut of the video. We hope this helps more people understand the situation these mobile shepherds are in as well as Samsung Electronics’ efforts to help better people’s lives around the world with technology.

* Original article by Jungho Yoon, translated from Korean to English and edited by the Samsung Newsroom team

AI-based automation will play a central role in the introduction of new services in the 5G era, such as industrial Internet of Things (IoT) and connected cars, as carriers will require automated solutions and network analytics beyond what was possible in previous generations. AI-based transformation can be used to analyze user traffic, classify application being used, and improve overall service quality, as such needs can no longer be addressed by existing solutions.

“5G will enable unprecedented services attributed to the generation of exponential data traffic, for which automated and intelligent network analytics tools are vital,” said Youngky Kim, President and Head of Networks Business at Samsung Electronics. “The acquisition of Zhilabs will help Samsung meet these demands to assure each subscriber receives the best possible service.”

“5G technology will disrupt the communications landscape for the better, but it will only be successful if the quality of the networks transferring the information can be measured and improved to provide a best-in-class experience,” said Joan Raventós, CEO at Zhilabs. “We are delighted to be joining the Samsung Electronics family and adding a contribution with our software products and technology to the existing end-to-end solutions that the company offers its customers.”

Zhilabs, fully owned by Samsung, will operate independently under its own management. Samsung is looking forward to joint capabilities to create new cutting-edge technology in the transformation from 4G to 5G.

In addition to the acquisition, Samsung will continue to strengthen its automation solutions that measure the quality of each user service and can also automatically optimize service quality without human intervention. The company will also explore and invest in other business opportunities powered by the emerging technologies.

In August, Samsung announced plans to boost investments in businesses that will drive its future growth, committing to a KRW 25 trillion investment over the next three years in the areas of artificial intelligence (AI), 5G, automotive electronics components and biopharmaceuticals.

For further information, please click here.

Samsung Electronics designed the Galaxy Watch with a focus on delivering the level of ease and intuitiveness that makes a smart device truly and unequivocally smart. Recently, Samsung Newsroom spoke with members of the new smartwatch’s development team—product planner Myung-hwan Lee and hardware developer Joo-ho Lee—who discussed how they designed some of the Galaxy Watch’s most convenient and intuitive features.

(From left) Hardware developer Joo-ho Lee and product planner Myung-hwan Lee, of Samsung Electronics’ Mobile Communications Business.

Myung-hwan Lee began by outlining the Galaxy Watch team’s goal of designing “a product that virtually anyone could use without difficulty.” He pointed to the device’s ability to automatically detect and log certain exercises—such as runs, walks and cycling sessions—as an example of its ease of use¹.

The Galaxy Watch utilizes its heart-rate sensor and accelerometer to measure users’ sleep² patterns when they wear the device to bed, and classifies sleep quality in four categories.

The smartwatch incorporates insights it gains from analyzing users’ sleep into the briefings that it automatically sends them every morning and night. The morning briefing displays sleep quality, as well as useful contextual information such as the weather forecast and the user’s schedule. The evening briefing reminds users of any pending events on their schedule, includes a summary of their level of activity for that day, and also displays the next day’s forecast.

Myung-hwan explained how, to help make the briefing function as convenient as possible, the team designed it to notify users at optimal times. This means that once the Galaxy Watch has analyzed the user’s sleep and wake-up patterns, it automatically issues the morning and evening briefings before they typically go to bed, and just after they normally wake up.

The App Shortcuts widget is another particularly useful example of the Galaxy Watch’s ‘smart’ automation. This clever feature automatically analyzes the user’s location and the time of day and presents them with shortcuts to frequently accessed apps that they might need.

To illustrate its convenience, Myung-hwan described how the widget makes it easier for users to streamline their commute. “When it’s time to go to work,” he explained, “the Galaxy Watch will place a public transportation app in the App Shortcuts widget if that’s the app that the user uses most when he or she goes to the office.”

The Galaxy Watch’s App Shortcuts widget takes the time and the user’s location into account and automatically presents them with the apps that they use most often under those conditions.

The Galaxy Watch’s robust set of intuitive features is complemented by a likewise robust design. As hardware developer Joo-ho Lee described, Samsung designed the device to be exceptionally durable, and subjected it to extensive real-world tests to ensure that it would offer users as much utility as possible.

Joo-ho emphasized that durability is a key focus when designing smartwatches, as they’re meant to be worn all day and therefore need to be able to stand up to the elements. “As part of the development process, we conducted tests related to users’ allergies, external shocks, extreme temperatures, and various other elements,” he said. “We’re also proud to report that the Galaxy Watch has been certified to U.S. Department of Defense standards for military (MIL STD 810G) use.”

Of course, as Joo-ho noted, proper evaluation of a device’s durability requires taking it out of the lab and into real environments. “For example,” he explained, “to test the Galaxy Watch’s exercise-tracking function, we actually ran sprints at a park during what ended up being Korea’s hottest summer on record.”

The Galaxy Watch is more than simply an efficient and durable smartwatch. As its name indicates, it also allows users to enjoy seamlessly connected experiences across the huge ecosystem of devices that share the ‘Galaxy’ name. The smartwatch enables users to not only manage IoT devices, but also access convenient services such as Samsung Health, Samsung Pay (NFC only)³, Samsung Flow, Samsung Knox, Bixby and more, simply by lifting their wrist.

As Myung-hwan noted, the development team continues to identify innovative ways to take Galaxy Watch users’ experience to the next level.

“We are continuing our all-out efforts to redefine the user experience for wearable devices,” he explained. “We are constantly cooperating with partners to identify ways to improve the device and make it more useful to users, and we plan to develop a variety of convenience-focused apps in the future.”

¹ The device automatically records six types of movements, including walks, runs and cycling sessions. It’s currently capable of tracking a total of 39 exercises and activities, including Pilates, lunges, squats, swims and hikes.

² Sleep management function should not be used for medical purposes.

³ Service availability may vary by country.

Samsung Electronics announced today that it has maintained the number six rank in Interbrand’s “Best Global Brands 2018” list with a brand value of $59.9 billion – achieving a 6.5 percent increase in brand value.

Major factors that played a critical role in Samsung’s success were told as:

• Continued launch of human-driven innovations including the Galaxy Note9 smartphone, Quick Drive washing machine and large screen customizable display The Wall
• Sustainable growth potential based on future innovation technologies including 5G, AI, IoT and the automotive business
• Global number one positioning in the semiconductor market and strengthened brand competitiveness
• Alignment and deployment of the newly established brand strategy to offer a continued brand experience to consumers

Innovative technology that is meaningful to people and enhanced brand competitiveness were assessed as key success factors in this year’s evaluation. Samsung continued its efforts to shift consumers’ perception of Samsung as a more emotive, human centric brand. This was showcased in Samsung’s various marketing activities, including Samsung Galaxy Unpacked, to highlight human-driven innovations and brand purpose.

Samsung’s semiconductor business reinforced its market leadership this year, demonstrating another year of significant growth. The mobile business continued to promote devices inspired by consumers including Galaxy S9, Galaxy Note9 and Galaxy Smartwatches. The digital appliances business has maintained its premium market leadership position in both refrigerators and washing machines and continuously released innovative new products with differentiated consumer benefits such as Quick Drive. The visual display division, as a market leader, also created new viewing experiences for consumers through QLED TV and The Wall.

“We are delighted that our constant efforts to provide meaningful innovations that help make consumers’ lives better have been well received,” said YH Lee, CMO of Samsung Electronics. “To further enhance our brand, we will remain committed to helping people do things that once seemed impossible with our focus on AI and IoT to provide new experiences for consumers going beyond just connecting devices.”

This year’s Interbrand’s Best Global Brands will be announced on October 4 and the Best Global Brands summit will be held in New York City on October 9.

Samsung Electronics’ Growth in Brand Value

Thanks to the development of smart technology, the era of simply pressing a few buttons on a home appliance and having that be that is long gone. Smart personal assistants, powered by AI (artificial intelligence) and IoT (the Internet of Things), have become an integral part of our daily lives – two-thirds of Europeans state that this smart technology would help make their lives easier and more enjoyable*. Recognizing this, Samsung is committed to delivering AI-based solutions at home that can learn from user behavior to provide personalized recommendations. The seamless integration of these intelligent home appliances promises to open consumers’ minds to the full potential of smart innovation in their lives.

Transforming the Home Life: Laundromat Lab with QuickDrive

The tour begins in the Laundromat Lab, which showcases the latest of Samsung’s laundry innovations, the QuickDrive washing machine. Launched here at IFA just last year, the QuickDrive washer is already paving the way and has notably transformed people’s home lives for the better. QuickDrive achieved the highest growth among the top 10 brands in the European washing machine market** in the first half of this year compared to same period of 2017.

QuickDrive can wash clothes in half the time of conventional machines without compromising on washing performance, freeing up consumers’ time. The QuickDrive washer includes the unique Q-Drum, which features a drum and a backplate that rotate independently so that loads are moved dynamically in opposite directions – resulting in a full clean.

In order to best control each and every wash cycle, Samsung has integrated three key smart functions into QuickDrive machines through its AI-powered laundry care solution “Q-rator” for more intelligent and personalized control over laundry cycles. Firstly, the Laundry Recipe function recommends the best cycle to you based on the fabric and color of the specific load you select. Secondly, Laundry Planner allows you to designate a desired wash end time which the machine will automatically work back from, minimizing the time you spend on washing clothes and allowing you to stop and start laundry according to your schedule. Thirdly, HomeCare Wizard monitors the machine itself to provide diagnostic feedback on the machine’s cycle, energy and use pattern data – so that this is one less thing for you to have think about. More intelligent than ever, QuickDrive can even detect when your washing detergent will run out, and will automatically order more on a contract basis.

Home appliances have never been more helpful or easy to navigate, and according to recent surveys, consumer feedback shows that their lives are truly being transformed by the new ‘QuickDrive approach’ to doing laundry. On top of this, it has garnered a slew of recognition from leading industry peers, with the 2018 Which? Awards announcing Samsung as the leading Large Appliance brand and KBIS awarding QuickDrive the ‘Best of KBIS’ award for its leading innovation in Smart Home Technology.

Home Bistro Assistant: Dual Cook Flex Oven

Moving across to the Cooking section of the Cooking zone, visitors are getting to know Samsung’s industry-leading Dual Cook Flex Oven, in which consumers can cook several dishes simultaneously at different temperatures and cooking times. The freedom that this offers users is no small feat – Samsung has created an oven that allows you to take advantage of the dual cook feature with ease, with the specially designed oven door allowing you the flexibility to either cook two different dishes at once or use the entire oven for one dish with a larger cooking space.

Visitors to the Zone are being treated to demonstrations of the SmartThings app. With the Cooking Guide feature, the Dual Cook Flex Oven offers the most appropriate oven settings based on the ingredients of the dish you are preparing. Whether you are baking a cake or cooking a lasagna, Cooking Guide can suggest the best oven mode, temperature and time for optimum results.  The oven’s intelligent features can even go one step beyond this, as well, featuring the capacity to save preferred recipe settings and notes using My Recipe and Scrapbook for even smoother cooking experiences. Perusing the Dual Cook Flex Oven’s handy intelligent settings, you can get a real sense of the convenience these smart features offer – along with providing the ultimate in cooking personalization.

The Center of Home Communication: Family Hub

This part of the tour ends in the Smart Kitchen booth, which is showcasing the latest version of the innovative Family Hub fridge. The kitchen has become the epicenter of a global shift in how people utilize their home spaces. Recent studies show that almost half (46%) of Europeans now spend most of their leisure time in the kitchen*. As a result, Samsung Electronics has broadened the scope of its products for the kitchen, the center of everyday home life, through this year’s more evolved Family Hub.

The Family Hub has been designed with the understanding that convenience and personalization in food preparation is a priority for families, and so the Meal Planner capabilities suggest recipes based on your family’s food preferences, dietary restrictions and even food expiration dates for convenient weekly and monthly tailored meal plans – based on the ingredients already stored in the fridge and users’ taste. Visitors can get a feeling for just how hands-on this smart appliance is by interacting with the Family Hub’s dedicated touch-screen tablet.

With Bixby and Voice ID, the 2018 Family Hub does more than just react intelligently, and IFA attendees are experiencing the tailored responses Family Hub and Bixby can provide. Family Hub can recognize individual voices and match them to each family member’s profile. Users can start off their day just by asking “Hi Bixby, what’s new today?” and full, personalized information relevant to that user will appear instantly.

Family Hub not only offers you a personalized experience with just the one device, but thanks to SmartThings, consumers can also enjoy a connected living experience across Samsung appliances as well as other devices. You can control your robot vacuum cleaner, washing machine, and even your air conditioner, all from the Hub’s screen. With features such as this, Samsung and Family Hub endeavor to build technology geared towards making a real difference in consumers’ everyday home lives.

Stay tuned for further installments in this series exploring more of Samsung’s IFA 2018 booths and find out more about different ways Samsung Electronics is making the everyday more innovative.

* Samsung’s European Kitchen Trends report surveyed 13,185 adults (18+) across 11 European countries in an online study to explore the changing role of the kitchen and how technology is shaping the way we interact with our kitchens. Fieldwork was undertaken in March 2018, and all figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc. 

** 22 European markets

At the start of the event, HS Kim, President and CEO of Consumer Electronics Division, Samsung Electronics, set the stage for the exciting announcements to follow by inviting guests to “sit back and open your mind to the power of Samsung innovation.” He then discussed the company’s commitment to developing products and services that harness the power of cutting-edge technologies to add convenience to everyday life.

Guests were treated to up-close looks at a number of groundbreaking Samsung innovations, including the new QLED 8K, as well as Samsung’s cutting-edge Micro LED screen, The Wall; a new 49-inch version of The Frame; two new premium soundbars, the HW-850 and the HW-950; and the recently launched Galaxy Note9. The company also discussed how insights garnered from the European market helped it develop a diverse range of intelligent appliances, including its Family Hub refrigerator, Dual Cook Flex, and QuickDrive washing machine.

Check out the highlights of the press conference below.

Guests and media from around the world listen with rapt attention as HS Kim, President and CEO of Consumer Electronics Division, Samsung Electronics, kicks off Samsung’s showcase of its latest innovations. In his opening remarks, Mr. Kim discusses how Samsung’s leadership in AI and IoT technologies has helped the company expand its ecosystem of intelligent home innovations.

“Today, we are the only company with the capability to provide consumers with a full range of cutting-edge AI and IoT products and services, from semiconductors to displays, TVs, home appliances, and, of course, mobile phones,” says Kim.

Available in a choice of four ultra-large screen sizes (65”, 75”, 82” and 85”), QLED 8K offers the market’s highest resolution, and features Samsung’s proprietary 8K AI Upscaling technology, which transforms content’s picture and sound—regardless of its native resolution or method of transmission—into premium 8K quality.

Daniel Harvie, Vice President & Head of Home Appliances, Samsung Europe, demonstrates how Samsung’s Family Hub refrigerator seamlessly connects with SmartThings-compatible appliances, and can even be utilized as an intelligent assistant, thanks to its Bixby and Voice ID integration.

After discussing how millennials want their home appliances to offer a level of convenience and efficiency that transforms the way they live, Mr. Harvie discusses how smart innovations, including Samsung’s QuickDrive and Q-rator laundry technologies, cater to their needs.

Before introducing Samsung’s diverse range of mobile innovations, Carlo Carollo, Vice President of Mobile Division, Samsung Electronics, discusses the importance of a seamlessly connected ecosystem of devices. “Innovation is no longer defined by one device and one location,” Mr. Carollo explains. “Instead, it’s about making multiple products and services work together as simply and smartly as possible.”

Mr. Carollo sums up the new Galaxy Note9 as a phone “built with speed, power and performance” in mind, and “designed to let you get the most out of everything you do.”

Samsung Electronics today held a press conference at IFA to outline its commitment to developing ground-breaking products and services that will shape the next era of connected living. Samsung showcased how breakthrough technologies that are powered by AI and IoT can bring greater convenience to people’s lives; eliminate complexity to enhance everyday experiences; and offer a level of security that gives peace of mind.

“Samsung is uniquely positioned to provide consumers with a full range of cutting-edge AI and IoT products and services based on our wide-ranging portfolio of TVs, displays, audio, home appliances and of course mobile devices,” said HS Kim, President and CEO of Consumer Electronics Division, Samsung Electronics. “We are striving to shape a new era of connected living, where our products and services seamlessly interact with one another to make our consumers’ lives richer, smarter and more entertaining.”

At the Frontline of the Future

Samsung is at the forefront of unlocking the power of AI and 5G for consumers, with multi-billion dollar investments announced in recent months, to ensure the continued integration of advancements across hardware, software and services. With the new AI research centers established across the world, including the recent addition at Cambridge in the UK, Samsung expects about 1,000 renowned AI researchers to be working in its facilities globally by 2020, designing and developing user-centric AI that continuously learns and enhances users’ lives in an ever-more intelligent, useful and personalized way.

Furthermore, a next generation network infrastructure is a pre-requisite for the next era of connected living: through its active role in establishing 5G industry standards, Samsung is spearheading the rollout of next-generation networks and later this year, anticipates the introduction of the world’s first 5G-powered gigabit home broadband service (5G Fixed Wireless Access) in the U.S.

The Next Frontier of Picture Quality with 8K Resolution

Samsung continued to revolutionize the visual display industry at IFA 2018 with the introduction of the Q900R QLED 8K, complete with 8K AI Upscaling. Available in four ultra-large screen sizes (65”, 75”, 82” and 85”), Samsung QLED 8K TV will feature several 8K-ready enhancements, including Real 8K Resolution, Q HDR 8K and Quantum Processor 8K, all created to bring 8K-quality images to life.

Real 8K Resolution can produce 4,000 nit peak brightness – a standard met by most film studios. Q HDR 8K, powered by HDR10+ delivers perfect colour expression for realistic, life-like images, just as the creator originally intended. The Q900R’s 8K AI Upscaling, a proprietary technology developed with artificial intelligence, is designed to enhance both picture and sound quality – regardless of the original source quality or format – to premium 8K quality.

Samsung also announced The Wall, a cutting-edge Micro LED screen designed for enterprise and out-of-home viewing environments. Complete with self-emitting display technology and a modular design, The Wall is fully-customizable to give users the freedom to decide how to incorporate the display in their space.

In addition, Samsung introduced a new 49” model to The Frame line-up with the addition of easy discovery, giving users easy access to specially-curated works of art that can be displayed on the screen without having to sort through hundreds of options. In addition, The Frame’s Art Store continues to expand, with more than 850 works of art from some of the world’s most renowned art institutions, including the Berlin State Museum, the Victoria & Albert Museum and the Tate.

Finally, sound quality continues to remain a top priority, with the introduction of the HW-N950 and HW-N850 premium soundbars from Samsung and Harman Kardon. Both soundbars support Dolby Atmos and DTS:X to create an incredibly immersive sound environment.

Home Appliances Full of Ideas

Globally, modern lives shift towards more dynamic technologies, expecting these to play multiple roles at home. In line with this trend, the kitchen becomes the centre of the home and appliances act as intelligent personal assistants. Ultimately, people want to transform their lives at home more than ever. Building on such continued momentum, Samsung has met the needs of evolving homes and consumers’ lifestyles with a full range of cutting-edge AI and IoT solutions.

With Family Hub refrigerator, users can enjoy a connected living experience to make kitchen life even more convenient and fulfilling. Using the large touchscreen as a control panel, Family Hub can easily control connected devices including third-party devices. With Bixby and Voice ID, users can instantly receive tailored and personalized information they need, while Family Hub’s Meal Planner helps consumers plan meals by recommending the recipes that suit them best.

Dual Cook Flex has brought increased cooking efficiency to meet varying dietary requirements and preferences. With its flexible door and dual-cook function, users can cater to each family member’s needs efficiently. With the Cooking Guide, consumers can also receive recommendations on which oven to use based on the food ingredients and the type of cooking.

The revolutionary washing machine Quick Drive has dramatically transformed people’s lives for the better. Quick Drive can wash clothes in half the time without compromising on washing performance, freeing up consumers’ time. In addition, its AI-powered laundry care Q-rator system serves as a personalized and intelligent assistant, while Laundry Planner minimizes time wasted on washing clothes by allowing users to start and stop laundry according to their schedules.

Next-Generation Mobile Experiences

At IFA, Samsung presented its most powerful smartphone yet, the Galaxy Note9. Announced earlier this month in New York, the Galaxy Note9 is designed for those who demand the best of the best. The phone comes in two internal storage options – 128GB or 512GB^* – which can be maximized to 1TB with a microSD card inserted. The Galaxy Note9’s 4,000mAh battery performance enables users to talk, text and play games without worrying about battery life, and its intelligent camera helps users to capture the perfect shot every time. The S Pen, a trademark of the Galaxy Note series, has been revolutionized by incorporating a Bluetooth Low-Energy (BLE) function. Evolved into a Bluetooth remote control device, the S Pen now lets users take selfies and control presentation slides – even if the phone is 10 metres away.

Building on its premium professional credentials, the Galaxy Note9 is also compatible with the Samsung DeX, delivering a PC-like experience. By simply connecting a single HDMI adaptor^** to a screen, the phone can power a virtualized desktop or serve as a fully-functional second screen. Not only that, the Galaxy Note9 offers maximum productivity, but without compromising on security, with the most comprehensive configuration, deployment and management features on the market, courtesy of the Samsung Knox platform.

Also showcased at IFA is the new Galaxy Watch, which blends the look of a traditional watch with smart technology. Galaxy Watch’s improved battery life of up to 80+^*** hours eliminates the need for daily charging. With the addition of LTE connectivity, users of the Galaxy Watch can now also stay connected without being tethered to a smartphone. Reflecting the rise of consumer consciousness around well-being, the Galaxy Watch comes added with a new stress management tracker, sleep tracker and breathing exercises to help users stay focused.

The Samsung Electronics Booth will be open at Level 2, City Cube Berlin from Friday, Aug. 31 to Wednesday, Sep. 5.

For more information on Samsung and its product portfolio, please visit: news.samsung.com.

*512GB internal memory as standard. 512GB models available in select countries. Up to 512GB additional storage with external SD card (sold separately).

**Samsung’s HDMI adapters includes HDMI Adapter (EE-HG950), Multi Port Adapter (EE-P5000) and DeX Cable (EE-I1300)

*** Battery life varies by device and usage: Galaxy Watch 46mm (80+ hours with typical usage; up to 168 hours with low usage) and Galaxy Watch 42mm (45+ hours with typical usage; up to 120 hours with low usage). The actual time of battery life may vary depending on the network connection, component, setting, signal strength, noise and many other elements.

Samsung Electronics, a world leader in advanced semiconductor technology, today announced its new narrowband (NB) Internet of Things (IoT) solution, Exynos i S111.

The new NB-IoT solution offers extremely wide coverage, low-power operation, accurate location feedback and strong security, optimized for today’s real-time tracking applications such as safety wearables or smart meters. The solution includes a modem, processor, memory and Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) into a single chip design to enhance efficiency and flexibility for connected device manufacturers.   

“IoT will be able to evolve to offer new features beyond the conventional household space with IoT-dedicated solutions that present a broad range of opportunities,” said Ben Hur, vice president of System LSI marketing at Samsung Electronics. “Exynos i S111’s highly secure and efficient communication capabilities will bring more exciting NB-IoT applications to life.”

As IoT grows to be a part of our everyday lives, some connected devices share useful information instantly in high volumes, but some transmit data in small nuggets over a long period of time. Popular radio connectivity systems such as Bluetooth and ZigBee are suitable for short-range scenarios within confined spaces such as in the home or a building, and broadband communications are commonly used for mobile devices that demand high data rates. On the other hand, NB-IoT supports applications that require reliable low-power communication and wide-range coverage for small-sized data.

To cover long distances with high reliability, as a standard, NB-IoT adopts a data retransmission mechanism that continuously transmits data until a successful transfer, or up to a set number of retransmits. With a high number of these retransmit sessions, the S111 is able to cover the distance of 10-kilometers (km) or more.

Exynos i S111 incorporates a modem capable of LTE Rel. 14 support that can transmit data at 127-kilobits-per-second (kbps) for downlink and 158kbps uplink, and can operate in standalone, in-band and guard-band deployments.  

For long standby periods, the S111 utilizes power saving mode (PSM) and expanded discontinuous reception (eDRX), which keeps the device dormant for long periods of time of 10 years and more, depending on application and use-cases. Exynos i S111 also has an integrated Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) and supports Observed Time Difference of Arrival (OTDOA), a positioning technique using cellular towers, for highly accurate and seamless real-time tracking.   

Transmitted data are kept secure and private with the S111, as the solution utilizes a separate Security Sub-System (SSS) hardware block along with a Physical Unclonable Function (PUF) that creates a unique identity for each chipset.    

Following the successful launch of the company’s first IoT solution, Exynos i T200, in 2017, Samsung plans to continue expanding the ‘Exynos i‘ lineup with offerings especially tailored for narrowband networks.  

For more information about Samsung’s Exynos products, please visit http://www.samsung.com/exynos.  

The question of how AI technologies understand human dialog and queries to suggest an optimum answer is one of the hot topics in the AI industry. Jihie Kim, Head of the Language Understanding Lab at Samsung Research AI Center, is also striving to develop the technology behind an AI algorithm that can talk with people naturally and propose solutions to a problem.

The Language Understanding Lab led by Dr. Kim recently grabbed global attention after placing top ranks at global machine reading comprehension competitions held by Microsoft and the University of Washington, respectively. Samsung Newsroom visited the Samsung Research AI center in Seocho-gu, Korea to interview Dr. Kim about AI performance in the machine reading comprehension competitions and a future evolution plan for AI algorithms.

Jihie Kim, Head of the Language Understanding Lab at Samsung Research

Q. Please tell us about the MS MARCO and TriviaQA competitions held by Microsoft and the University of Washington, respectively, where your team ranked first place.

Kim: There have been many global machine reading competitions recently where AI presents solutions to a problem. MS MARCO and TriviaQA are among the top five global competitions in machine reading comprehension. AI algorithms are tested on whether they can understand and analyze questions to offer answers. Those tests are designed by referring to internet users’ queries and search results.

Q. What do you think was the critical factor in excelling at the AI competitions which require such high levels of technical expertise?

Kim: The ConZNet algorithm developed by the Language Understanding Lab at Samsung Reseach is upgrading its intelligence by considering real user environments. The algorithm takes natural language into account such as how people deliver queries and answers online. We were able to win those competitions because the MS MARCO and TriviaQA competitions are about AI capabilities in real user environments. In truth, our algorithm was a bit behind other competitors in tests requiring a simple answer to a question after analyzing a short paragraph. But because such technologies have low relevance to real environments using AI technologies, we are focusing on the other tests such as MS MARCO in proceeding with continuous R&D.

Q. Do you apply the winning algorithms to customer services in real life?

Kim: An Open Lab event was held recently to introduce the labs at Samsung Research to other departments in Samsung Electronics. At the event, we had in-depth discussions with engineers in our home appliances and smartphone departments about AI algorithms. Departments dealing with customer services also showed high interest in what we do because AI-based customer services including chatbots are emerging as a hot topic. We hope that our technologies developed at Samsung Research will be naturally adopted to Samsung Electronics products and services.

Dr. Kim and the developers of the Language Understanding Lab at Samsung Research are participating in an ideation meeting.

Q. What is your future evolution plan for advancing AI technologies in language understanding?

Kim: ConZNet is an acronym for “Context Zoom-in Network.” The name implies that understanding the context of what people say is critical. We need to advance AI technologies to help them understand and analyze short sentences. AI algorithms also need to have capabilities to analyze real-time news reports rather than existing data to give answers to customer queries. We are also developing technologies where an AI algorithm can answer, “there are no proper answers to your query,” as well as search for right answers. The so-called “rejection problem” is an AI technology with a high level of technical difficulties.

Q. Please tell us your ultimate goal in developing AI technologies.

Kim: The strengths of Samsung in the AI industry are that we can build a knowledge system about connections between machines and applications, and customer demands in the internet of things (IoT) environment comprised of personal devices, based on Samsung Electronics’ diverse product lineup. This will help us to achieve the goal of realizing a user-oriented AI system by collaborating with global partners in the industry. Samsung Electronics recently began to launch global AI Centers and we will lead the effort of working with AI experts at the new centers abroad.

The demonstration zone was set up in the exhibition hall of the Popov Central Museum of Radio Communications, one of the world’s oldest museums of science and technology, in St. Petersburg. Guests and journalists were given the chance to make HD video calls and play a football simulation video game on Samsung’s 5G prototype tablets. 5G provides an unprecedented mobile video game user experience by dramatically reducing the response rate between devices.

The demonstrations also included streaming of 4K ultra-high definition video. These trials utilized Samsung’s 5G end-to-end solutions including 5G routers (CPE, Customer Premise Equipment) and prototype tablets, 5G radio access unit, virtualized RAN and virtualized core network.

“Our goal is to adapt new technologies to commercial use in cooperation with industry-leading vendors. Today’s trial with Samsung Electronics demonstrates that 5G is not an academic theory, but presents a nearly ready set of practical network solutions that will allow customers to manage a broad range of everyday tasks and open new opportunities that are unachievable on 4G,” commented Pavel Korotin, Director of St. Petersburg and Leningrad Region, MTS.

“Today’s tests demonstrated the readiness of MTS’s network infrastructure for the deployment of 5G. Samsung is pleased to have MTS as our partner to together explore the capabilities of 5G that are essential to unlocking near-term use cases for both customers and enterprises,” said Seungsik Choi, Vice President of Samsung Electronics Russia.

Samsung and MTS began their cooperation in 2014 with the launch of LTE networks in the Northwestern Federal District of Russia, including St. Petersburg and the Leningrad region. In the second half of 2017, Samsung and MTS signed an agreement to expand and upgrade MTS’ network with LTE-Advanced Pro and IoT features. The companies will also continue their collaboration on 5G.

About Mobile TeleSystems PJSC

Mobile TeleSystems PJSC (“MTS” – NYSE:MBT; MOEX:MTSS), the leading telecommunications group in Russia and the CIS, provides a range of mobile, fixed-line and digital services. We serve over 100 million mobile subscribers in Russia, Ukraine, Armenia, and Belarus, and about 9 million customers of fixed-line services, including fixed voice, broadband internet, and pay-TV. To keep pace with evolving customer demand, MTS is redefining what telecommunications services are by offering innovative products beyond its core network-related businesses in various tech segments, including Big Data, financial and banking services, internet of things, OTT, cloud computing, systems integration and e-commerce.

We leverage our market-leading retail network as a platform for customer services and sales of devices and accessories. MTS maintains its leadership in the Russian mobile market in terms of revenue and profitability. MTS is majority-owned by Sistema PJSFC. Since 2000, MTS shares have been listed on the New York Stock Exchange and since 2003 – on the Moscow Exchange. For more information, please visit: www.mtsgsm.com.

At the 2018 Electronic Entertainment Expo (‘E3’) in LA this June, Samsung QLED TVs were exhibited as part of Microsoft’s Xbox booth. The 75-inch QLED TV screens caught the attention of keen gamers, with a long queue forming in order to enter the showroom. Players enjoyed an unparalleled 4K HDR gaming experience, featuring stunning graphics and quick response times, with the QLED.

Samsung’s 2018 QLED TVs have evolved to merit the title of the ‘monster’ of the gaming industry. They offer gamers a low input lag of no more than 15ms (0.015 seconds), a rich viewing experience achieved by 100% color volume and High Dynamic Range (HDR) 2000, and Radeon FreeSync for the seamless playing of even the most demanding games.

Fighting Input Lag in FPS Games

Input lag can be a critical issue for those players who want to enjoy fast-paced games like first-person shooters (FPS) or fighting games. Input lag, or input latency, is the delay between the TV or monitor receiving a signal and it being displayed on the screen, or the delay between pressing a controller button and seeing the game react. It is important in gaming because even a 0.01 second reaction difference can determine the difference between a winning and losing move in an FPS game.

Samsung’s QLED TVs have input lag reduced to 15ms (1ms = 0.001 seconds), faster than conventional TVs which have a 20-30ms lag on average. Gamers can fully immerse themselves in games on their QLED TVs with minimal lag. QLED TV’s Auto Game Mode also changes features including response speed for game optimization. When users start a game on a console such as Xbox, the TV automatically recognizes the game and sets the correct game-related settings.

Optimized Picture Quality for Immersive Gaming

Today’s games are characterized by feature film-quality storylines, cinematography and graphics. Game characters and avatars are becoming more and more lifelike, as are the landscapes around them, often offered in full 360-degree rotation to the player for the most immersive experience possible.

In order to deliver this virtual realism to gamers, game platforms feature the latest in color, contrast and imaging technology, as well as 144Hz refresh rates for high frame-rate gaming. Samsung’s 2018 QLED TVs are the first in the TV industry to use Radeon FreeSync in collaboration with global graphics card maker AMD. Radeon FreeSync puts an end to choppy gameplay and broken frames, bringing smooth gaming and the fluidity of gaming monitors to the big screen.

With the Samsung QLED TV, gamers can experience the cutting-edge display performance they are used to. The QLED TVs feature HDR10+ for crisp and detailed images, as well as 100% color volume for greater image depth in both the day and nighttime, at any brightness level. Samsung’s Anti-reflection technology is another bonus for reducing eye strain and optimizing gameplay.

Enjoy Over 15,000 PC games with Steam on TVs

As well as their favorite console games, users can also play Steam games on their QLED TV. Steam is an online game platform with over 120 million users globally.

In order for QLED users to enjoy the full offering of the Steam platform, all they need to do is head to the Samsung Smart Hub and download the free Steam Link app. No supplementary hardware is necessary for users to be able to access the 15,000+ games offered by Steam on the large-inch QLED screen.

In addition, gamers don’t need to bother with changing the settings on their QLED TV in order to access their favorite console games. Just turn on Auto Game Mode and start your console.

No Screen Burn-In, Guaranteed

TV screens suffer from performance decline over time, with static images and fixed interfaces leading to image retention and consequently the burn-in issue. With Samsung QLED TVs, however, you no longer need to worry about burn-in.

Rtings, an industry-trusted US TV Reviewer, ran a test for permanent image retention. Different kinds of TVs were kept on for 10 minutes, running a test pattern in a loop. The 2017 QLED TV scored 10/10 for image quality and lack of burn-in, while some screens achieved a mere 5/10.

The durability of the QLED TV screen is due to groundbreaking Quantum Dot technology. Quantum dots are made of inorganic materials, which translates to longer-lasting displays that do not develop the burn-in issue. Displaying the same image or scene for long periods of time will not leave unpleasant ghost images on your QLED TV, enhancing the gaming experience.

“Today’s TVs are like all-round players. More and more, people are enjoying everything on TV such as games, the internet, or smart functions provided by IoT,” said Jongsuk Chu, Senior Vice President of Visual Display Business at Samsung Electronics. “The huge-screen QLED TV with best performance and durability will take the gaming experience to the next level.”

Gather Together

As the buildup to the match begins, gradually more and more people begin to congregate around a screen. Yet those playing host might still be in the kitchen preparing snacks and drinks for their guests right up until kick-off. There is no need for anyone to miss a moment, as the seamless links between Samsung’s IoT devices mean that everyone stays connected.

Before the game begins, hosts can search for recipes to serve their guests by utilizing the Family Hub refrigerator’s function, which aids food preparation by suggesting dishes based on the contents of your fridge and users’ preference*.

To heighten connectivity, people can share their reactions by uploading images from their Galaxy smartphones to view on their Family Hub refrigerator or Samsung Smart TV using the Gallery app. What is more, the connected touchscreen on the door of the Family Hub smart refrigerator can mirror the screen of a Samsung Smart TV or smartphone using the Smart View app, so that even in the kitchen, people can see and hear when the game begins.

Kick Back and Relax

When it comes to watching a big match amongst family and friends, the bigger the TV, the better. As everyone gathers round to watch the game unfold, a larger screen ensures everyone can see the game. Samsung 2018 QLED TV range in size from 55-inch to 82-inch models, offering the large-screen viewing experience. In addition, the match can be enjoyed from almost any angle with advanced Anti-reflection technology.

The stunningly sharp picture quality of Samsung’s 2018 QLED TVs is engineered to make the beautiful game look even more beautiful. The 4K Q Engine feature harnesses AI to analyze and optimize content, ensuring that the movement of the grass during play is clearly defined and without blur, providing a more vivid experience. Viewers can take in every pass and tackle with accurate color and contrast thanks to 100% Color Volume expression and Direct Fully Array Elite technology, which adjusts the brightness of each finely arrayed dot.

In the stadium, both sights and sounds blend to create the atmosphere of the game. For viewers at home, true immersion is achieved when they hear the sound of a player kicking the ball into the net and the crowd roaring with delight. On Samsung 2018 QLED TVs, sound is optimized for a wide variety of content, so that sports fans can hear the action on the field and the voices of commentators with crystal clarity.

During a major sporting competition or tournament, several events can take place at the same time, so finding exactly what you want to watch can be time-consuming. Samsung’s 2018 QLED TVs are equipped with a Universal Guide, which shows a selection of content updated in real time. Based on users’ preferences and the latest local trends, the Universal Guide recommends content, compiling TV broadcasts and streaming content, viewers to easily locate their favorite games. Viewers can also use the TVs’ intelligent assistant, Bixby*, to search for sport content via voice command.

Go Mobile

With competing nations in multiple time zones, it’s likely that many viewers will need to catch a game or two on the go. Busy people who still want to get the most out of their experiences can keep on top of their scheduled viewing with the Galaxy S9 and S9+.

The Super AMOLED screens and Infinity Displays of the Galaxy S9 and S9+ maximize definition and space allowing viewers to see more. The HDR-capable display provides impeccable accuracy and Adaptive Contrast Enhancement achieves clear definition, even in direct sunlight. With an aspect ratio of 18.5:9, viewers are further captivated by the ever-so-slim top and bottom bezels so that the overall experience is like holding the green field in your hands.

Fans will be pulled even further into the game by the stereo speaker sound system of the Galaxy S9 and S9+, tuned to meet the high standards set by AKG. The Galaxy S9 and S9+ also integrate Dolby Atmos® 360-degree surround sound technology, which benefits all content through enhancements to sound quality and consistent playback volume, bringing entertainment to life through both regular stereo headphones and the device’s built-in speakers.

For the true multitasker, Multi-Window** allows users to simultaneously manage two windows on their screen, meaning on-the-move sports fans can keep an eye on the game in one window and use another app in the other window. For even greater flexibility, users can enable Landscape Mode and view the two windows side by side horizontally.

No matter how or where people watch an event, their viewing experience will be crystal clear and fully immersive, as Samsung’s IoT devices, TVs, and smartphones work together to create the dream team for this summer’s sporting events.

*Availability may vary by region.

**The Multi-Window feature may or may not be supported depending on the apps.

As TVs get bigger, their design has become ever more important. According to a Samsung Electronics survey of US consumers last year, almost eight out of ten (77%) of the respondents who plan to purchase premium TVs over $2,000 answered that they consider ‘design’ to be important.

Continuing its design innovation for TVs since the launch of the Bordeaux TV in 2006, Samsung has once again created something beautiful in the QLED TV. The QLED TV is a work of art that naturally melts into a living space. Of its features, Ambient Mode, which turns the “off” screen into a new display, and the Invisible Connection, which combines power and data lines into one, best accentuate the TV’s beauty and its harmony with the surrounding environment.

1. ‘Ambient Mode’, the Revival of the Black Screen

TVs are turned on for only five hours a day on average, yet they occupy a large space on the wall in the living room. This means TVs hang on the wall just as a black screen for more than 19 hours every day. With a TV turned off, it is easier to see dust or fingerprints on the screen – especially when the screen is large.

This year, Samsung Electronics unveiled Ambient Mode for the QLED TV, turning an empty screen into a display that depicts images and information. Ambient Mode is unique and unparalleled as it literally allows the TV to blend seamlessly into the room.

“See the Sun in the Morning and Hear the Raindrops – All via TV”

Using just a picture of the wall taken by SmartThings, a mobile app which connects IoT home appliances, and a pattern generator to square the color with the wall’s texture, Ambient Mode can mimic the pattern behind the TV to complement the consumer’s home styling with a chameleon-like visual camouflage. Details of the photo, such as contrast and brightness, can be adjusted and further edited to make the display more authentic. What’s more, users can display family pictures on their TV screens, blending naturally with the patterns of their walls, like a picture in a frame.

The new model arrives along with features that sense the conditions of the outside surroundings such as weather and brightness, and changes decorative content to deliver valuable information throughout the day. For example, the TV display can show sunrise at six in the morning and play chirping sounds of crickets in the evening. If it rains, users can even hear the sound of rain via the QLED TV.

“The Freedom from Burn-in”

Ambient Mode also increases the QLED TV’s operation efficiency significantly with energy-saving functions that turn off the screen if users are not nearby. The SmartThings app detects mobile signals (Bluetooth Low Energy) and passes on the information to the TV. With an auto-dimming sensor, the TV’s brightness and color can be adjusted according to the viewing environment. In the dark, Ambient Mode is automatically turned off to prevent unnecessary power consumption.

In addition, the QLED TV’s inorganic quantum dot technology is free from burn-in, letting users appreciate Ambient Mode as much as they want without seeing afterimages, even after a static picture has remained on screen for an extended length of time. Samsung Electronics is the only company in the industry that offers a 10-year burn-in warranty.

2. Invisible Connection, Integrating TV Cables into One

As the number of TV peripherals increases, messy cables are exposed around the TV – and are often hidden inside the wall for aesthetic reasons. To gracefully harmonize the device into its surroundings, Samsung devised the One Visible Cable for its QLED TVs. Following the introduction of ‘Invisible Connection’ which combines complex connection lines into a single cable last year, Samsung unveiled the first-of-its-kind innovation by merging power lines into one line.

“The First TV to Integrate Power and Data”

With high-speed SerDes and optical communication technology, the Invisible Connection transmits audiovisual signals and data as well as power. Often, transmitting sensitive data at high speeds through an optical cable with a power line is likely to cause interference and noise. This, however, can be reduced by Samsung’s error compensation technology.

Made of inconspicuous transparent materials, the Invisible Connection is the perfect solution to tidy up the area around the TV and eliminate visual distractions. The cable offered is 5 meters in length, but if needed, the line can be extended up to 15 meters with separate purchase of a longer One Visible Cable. Thanks to the cable’s color and material easily blending in with the wall, users can now truly appreciate minimalism in interior design in their living rooms.

Accentuating safety as a key aspect of the Invisible Connection led Samsung Electronics to develop a new piece of technology. The over-current protection circuit cuts off power automatically as soon as users unplug or disconnect the cable. Samsung successfully stabilized high-voltage transmission and was approved by Underwriters Laboratories (UL), a global safety testing and certification company.

“Ambient Mode makes the invisible visible, and the Invisible Connection makes the visible invisible. Despite the two features’ roles being seemingly different, they both share the same purpose: to maximize spatial value and alter the lifestyles of consumers,” said Taeyoung Huh, Vice President of Samsung Electronics. “Samsung’s QLED TV and its technologies remains at the heart of creating a better-than-ever TV experience for all of our users.”

* Product specifications may vary depending on models and locations.

Samsung Electronics is leading the change by strengthening the intelligent function of its 2018 QLED TVs with artificial intelligence (AI) and the Internet of Things (IoT). This year’s QLED TVs have dramatically simplified the consumer process for utilizing their TV, from the first set-up to connection with other devices. What’s more, the TVs are now able to share content with, and control, connected devices. These are the result of Samsung’s efforts to innovate the user experience based on the company’s understanding of consumer usage and by incorporating the intelligent assistant Bixby and the SmartThings IoT platform.

Effortless Set-up

The first step, of course, is to get the system set up – by taking just a few simple steps. When setting up for the first time, the TV will automatically connect to a user’s Samsung smartphone, or any mobile device with the SmartThings app installed, and take the user to the set-up step. The network information on the user’s smartphone will be shared, instantly connecting the TV to the Wi-Fi network it is connected to. If the user’s mobile is already linked to a Samsung Account, that information will also be shared with the TV.

Users can also select their apps of choice from their smartphones to enjoy them on Smart TV, and their favorites can also be added to the launcher for easy access. Once set up is complete, users won’t have to worry about it again. Unlike in the past where users had to sign in to each app on the TV, the Effortless Login feature will share and store the login information from a users’ mobile in the 2nd half of this year. The QLED TV allows users to instantly access their favorite social networking or music streaming apps.

IoT Devices Connected by a Single App

According to a survey by business solution provider CSG, 9 out of 10 consumers already own IoT devices, and half of consumers expect IoT to make tasks easier around the home. But, the process of connecting the TV to the peripherals tends to be a hassle for many. The 2018 QLED TV has tackled such challenges once and for all with ‘SmartThings,’ an integrated IoT platform that’s available now.

Users can run the SmartThings app on their smartphone and click ‘Add Device’ to automatically find all the IoT devices in the house that users can connect to. When turned on, SmartThings detects IoT devices at home ranging from traditional home appliances like washing machines and air conditioners to baby-cam, lights, doorbell, and locks. Device information in these connected homes can be viewed at a glance on the TV using the SmartThings Dashboard. The TV immediately becomes the control tower of the living room. Users can, for example, operate the air conditioner after checking the home temperature. Or check the remaining laundry time on the washing machine. Users can also choose to charge or run the PowerBot robot cleaner, and take a look at what ingredients are in the Family Hub refrigerator.

New Family Messenger in the Living Room

TV has made it easier than ever to review the pictures and videos taken on a smartphone through the Gallery app. Photos and video clips can be uploaded on Samsung Cloud which is connected to the user’s Samsung account, ready to be viewed on a big screen. When you take a picture on your mobile while you are traveling, you can immediately share your memories with your family as soon as a notification is uploaded to the TV. The Gallery app enables users to share the same content on the family hub.

The QLED TV will play the role of a special mediator in the living room to help family members communicate easily on a deeper level.

No More Multiple Remote Controls. Just Speak to Bixby.

The QLED TV has been equipped with ‘One Remote Control’ function which can control various peripherals with one remote control. In particular, this year, it supports not only game consoles, OTT (Over the Top) boxes and speakers, but also audio products connected with optical cables.

Bixby Voice also helps make navigating the QLED TV easier. By pressing and holding the remote control voice recognition button, it is possible to search content as well as set up a TV without having to operate it several times. It is a strength that users can find various VOD (Video on Demand) contents such as Amazon, Hulu, and HBO as well as the contents of the set-top box. Users can also get additional information like the soundtrack while watching TV. For example, say “What is this song” to find out what music is playing in the background.

Also, devices connected on SmartThings are voice-controlled. With Bixby, users can have a home IoT experience where everything flows smoothly.

“This year’s smart features of QLED TV have made it easier for users to enjoy the TV experience more conveniently.” said Heeman Lee, Vice President of Samsung Electronics’ Visual Display Business. “We will realize home IoT that changes the lifestyle by various connected devices communicating organically.”

^* The SmartThings app is supported on Android 7.0 and above and iOS 10 and above (On Galaxy smartphones, the SmartThings app is available from Android 6.0 and above)

^**Specific features and availability may vary by region and market

The new Center’s main research areas will be computer vision and basic algorithms for AI platform. The Center will also expand the field of AI for key areas such as robotics, intelligent driving assistance, as well as those for future projects by Samsung.

The Samsung AI Center in Russia will be led by Professor Dmitry Vetrov of the Higher School of Economics (HSE). With a Ph.D. degree in Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Vetrov is also the Head of Samsung’s laboratory at the Center for Deep Learning, and Bayesian Methods Research Group at the HSE.

Professor Dmitry Vetrov, the leader of Samsung AI Center Moscow, is delivering an introductory speech at the opening, May 29, 2018.

As the leader of the Center, Professor Vetrov will combine scientific work and administrative activities: interacting with Samsung’s divisions and third-party institutions, organizing the Center’s overall work, managing work groups, as well as controlling and participating in scientific research. Professor Viktor Lempitsky of the Skolkovo Institute of Science Technology will also join the team as the leader of the research group.

“Samsung has always been the first to introduce new products and solutions that change the way people interact. Considering Russia as one of the world’s biggest hubs in the field of technical sciences, it is only natural that we chose the country as one of the sites for our new AI Center,” said Ultack Kim, President of Samsung Electronics Headquarters in CIS countries. “A team of the world’s best scientists and IT specialists at the AI Center will help Samsung bring its robotics and AI technologies to a whole new level.”

While there currently are several joint AI laboratories at Moscow State University, the Higher School of Economics and the PDMI RAS, the new Center will establish additional joint labs with Russia’s leading universities. In addition, Samsung will conduct projects with the local universities and different regions of Russia including Kazan, Samara, Rostov-on-Don, Tomsk, and Novosibirsk. Considerations regarding cooperation with Russian start-ups to solve practical problems are also under discussion. Moving forward, these can be developed into full-fledged services related to AI and machine learning, as well as promising developments in the field of applications and components for the company’s products.

“Samsung plans to introduce AI technologies to all of its connected devices and services by 2020. AI will enhance our customer value by offering information and services under any circumstances,” commented Jin Wook Lee, the Head of Samsung R&D Institute Russia, at the opening of the new Center. “This will be a huge step for the world of technology, and will help simplify the implementation of everyday tasks,” he added.

As the popularity of Internet of things (IoT) devices grows, the area of application of AI-based solutions is expanding rapidly. According to the forecast of Samsung experts, IoT devices with built-in AI will generate enormous amounts of data in the coming years. By processing this information, the devices will be able to provide maximum personalization and full compliance with the users’ needs.

“Currently, AI is one of the most promising branches of technology. The opening of the Samsung AI Center in Russia will allow us to contribute to the development of the industry and to apply the achievements of the Russian mathematical school, which has a high level of practical training of research specialists,” said Professor Vetrov.

Earlier in May, Samsung has opened two new AI Centers in Cambridge (UK) and Toronto (Canada). More information about Samsung AI Center in Russia and global AI Centers is available at Samsung Research website.