At Integrated Systems Europe (ISE) 2018, the largest display trade show in Europe, held last month, Samsung Electronics introduced a host of next generation SMART signage solutions poised to bring about the shopping experience of the future for consumers. Particularly, Samsung highlighted the potential application of its new technologies to the hypermarket, fashion and food and beverage (F&B) shopping sectors.

The Evolution of Digital Signage

The topic of the ‘omni-channel’ has circulated around the shopping-industry for many years. Omni-channel is a service that allows consumers to search and buy for products on various channels including online, offline and mobile. The one (or ‘omni’) channel combines characteristics of discrete distribution channels to offer a seamless experience of shopping on one marketplace, despite the inherent differences of on- and off-line shops. To support this shift, digital signage technology has also been rapidly evolving.

37-inch stretch signage helping to guide visitors to experience zones

One example, demonstrated at ISE 2018, is Samsung’s SMART signage ‘MagicInfo’ solution. Based on the data on purchasing behavior by time of the day, customer-tailored analysis as well as customer interaction in the store, the solution provides tailored advertisements and information on products for customers. For stopres, it will help enable more effective store display and inventory management based on analysis of products that each customer is interested in throughout the store. At its booth at ISE, Samsung showcased the potential application of the solution to three key shopping spaces, the hypermarket, fashion and F&B.

No-Hassle Searching for Better Deals in the Hypermarket

In current and future hypermarkets, use of Near Field Communication (NFC) tags will be central. NFC tags provide shopping information that customers need through a simple tag of their smartphones. For example, customers can check-in on the day’s sale items, specially priced products, and other price information. As customers move throughout a market, stores will utilize large signage LED screens to display ads. Combined with ‘MagicInfo’, sensors throughout the store will potentially be able to recognize customer faces, and provide tailored advertisements on the signage screens based on customer information. After finishing shopping, customers will be able to use a barcode reader and self-checkout function through a smart solution at the checkout counter.

Let’s picture today’s large stores. There are various flyers for items on sale, as well as other banners and ads everywhere. Soon, however, the MagicInfo solution and SMART signage may take their place. Because the solution adopts a central control method, store managers will not have to install and collect advertisements by themselves. Also, stores will be able to employ more effective, targeted advertisements displaying different products for different customers, based on individual shopping routes and preferences. Finally, maintaining advertisements will become far more efficient.

Fashion and Cosmetic Information at Your Fingertips

In the potential fashion or cosmetic store of the future, with Samsung SMART signage solutions and MagicInfo, a user could encounter a cosmetic display at store entrance. Once a camera on the display gathers information on which products the particular customer may be most interested in, the display will show relevant information about the products. The user will also receive various other information such as the main ingredients, price and make-up style of the cosmetic products.

In short, with MagicInfo, stores will be able to provide more tailored shopping experience for consumer, as well collection of more detailed preferences of customers, allowing more effective store management and monitoring.

Choosing Food, Smarter  

For the F&B space, MagicInfo offers the possibility of diverse smart functions. For example, at a restaurant or cafeteria, when customers select their food choice from the product display, the display screen will provide information about the food, including price and even nutritional information. Also, NFC tagging will give easy access to sales and special event information.

Limitless Possibilities

In the areas described above, it is clear that the scalability of Samsung’s MagicInfo and other smart signage solutions is limitless. And at ISE 2018, Samsung demonstrated that these technologies of our imaginations and the movies are far closer than we realize. In the near future, the shopping experience as we currently know could dramatically change. It will be exciting to see what’s next, with Samsung committed to making a better experience for consumers everywhere, the reality.

Samsung also introduces a host of cutting-edge technologies including 3D Cinema LED that empowers cinemas to deliver fresh, compelling and memorable movie contents to vital movie-goers.

“By upgrading to powerful LED displays that blend into all professional environments without space or size restrictions, businesses can deliver a next-level content experience that captivates audiences and ultimately translates to significant growth,” said Seog-gi Kim, Executive Vice President of Visual Display Business at Samsung Electronics. “The Wall Professional is just one component of our broad ISE 2018 lineup that offers futuristic solutions to emerging operational challenges, and we look forward to sharing our vision for what’s next with our customers, partners and peers at this one-of-a-kind pro AV and electronics forum.”

The Wall Professional: Fully Configurable in Size

A business-ready variation of one of CES 2018’s most talked-about consumer displays, The Wall Professional’s modular design allows for customized configurations beyond or below its 146-inch size standard. Users can add or remove unlimited LED screens to and from The Wall Professional without impacting performance or presentation quality. The display’s self-emitting MicroLED pixel modules produce brilliant imagery free of color filters or backlighting and envelop viewers through elevated peak brightness (up to 1,600nit) and a near infinite contrast ratio.

The Wall Professional builds upon its consumer counterpart with the integration of Samsung’s MagicInfo content management platform. Within MagicInfo, users can create, schedule and deploy content across a single Wall Professional display or Wall Professional display network from any location. The platform also provides complete display performance visibility for immediate error detection and troubleshooting.

3D Cinema LED: A Star-Studded Sequel

ISE 2018 attendees will be the first to see the next evolution of Samsung’s pioneering cinema display technology with the debut of the world’s first 3D Cinema LED screen. This enhanced display maintains consistent brightness to deliver subtitle text, images and even minor visual details with unprecedented accuracy, even while viewers wear 3D glasses. Unlike standard 3D cinemas with more limited visual reach, the Samsung 3D Cinema LED screen delivers these quality-enhancing benefits throughout the entire theater, ensuring that all movie-goers enjoy the same immersive viewing experience.

This 3D film accommodation marks a significant advancement upon the initial Samsung Cinema LED screen model. First introduced in March 2017, Samsung’s High Dynamic Range (HDR) Cinema LED Screen surpasses the capabilities of legacy screen-and-projector operations to deliver superior visual quality, technical performance and reliability for theaters and their guests.

Intelligent UHD Signage: A Consistent UHD Presentation

Samsung’s new QM (450nit brightness) and QB Series (350nit brightness) Intelligent UHD displays foster a next-level content experience thanks to an integrated conversion engine that automatically upgrades FHD materials to sharper, clearer UHD quality. As a result, business users can achieve bolder and more brilliant message delivery without the need for manual picture presetting. The Intelligent UHD displays’ Optimal Color Mode also intuitively adjusts picture quality to match usage and visibility trends.

The QM and QB Series displays also simplify the content delivery and maintenance processes for various forms of implementation. Each enclosed, wall-mounted Intelligent UHD display provides a centralized infrared receiver (Center IR) for user-friendly control and management. For added durability, the Intelligent UHD displays also undergo rigorous IP5x certification to maintain performance even when exposed to dust, dirt and other potentially hazardous environmental variables.

IF-D Series LED Signage: A Creative and Clear Content Center

Samsung’s fine pixel-pitch IF-D Series LED Signage invites booth visitors to explore new opportunities to deliver stunning and inspiring content within customizable, easy-to-manage formats. The IF-D Series displays align Samsung’s market-best video processing tools with HDR picture refinement to produce visuals that shine even against white or dark backgrounds. This combination elevates peak brightness levels (2,400nit) and initiates scene-by-scene gradation and optimization through Scene Adaptive HDR technology.

For additional eye-catching impact, businesses can configure the IF-D Series LED displays in a range of traditional and unconventional formats. The IF-D Series’ design flexibility includes curved compositions, with concave and convex implementations.

Samsung Flip Display: Flip the Future of Collaboration

Fresh off a successful debut at CES 2018, Samsung will also formally introduce its Samsung Flip interactive digital flip chart to the European market at ISE 2018. The Samsung Flip centralizes and expands collaborative capabilities within any business environment, eliminating the frustrations of the modern meeting and fostering more productive interaction.

The interactive display captured two 2018 Top New Technology (TNT) Awards, emerging victorious in the program’s Commercial Digital Signage Solutions: Hardware and Commercial Digital Signage Solutions: Software categories. Sponsored by CE Pro, Commercial Integrator, Essential Install and TechDecisions, and distributed annually at the start of ISE, the TNT Awards call attention to the top new technologies in the commercial, professional and residential integration spaces.

To learn more about ISE 2018, visit www.iseurope.org.