To showcase the durability of this new technology, Corning started a campaign that is taking travel bloggers to some of the toughest locations in the world to put it to the test.

Gorilla Glass 4 can be used at a thinness of 0.4mm, or about the thickness of four sheets of 20-pound paper. It can survive drops from 1m up to 80% of the time. During testing, Corning dropped its Gorilla Glass 4 devices a combined total of about 26km. That’s two times higher than commercial airplanes fly. Gorilla Glass 4 is up to two times better than competitive glass designs in devices dropped from 1m in laboratory tests. So to show just how tough Gorilla Glass 4 is, Corning’s campaign let well-known bloggers document their tough travel experiences with the Samsung Galaxy S6. Called Tough Drops Hidden in Plain Sight, the campaign shows the group of travelers putting their devices to the test.

Corning’s first stop with its blogger team (aptly named the Gorilla 4, as each destination includes three bloggers, plus famed travel photographer JD Andrews), was Oregon in the United States. Corning chose some of the world’s most unique locations, such as Mount St. Helens, Columbia River Gorge, Painted Hills, Smith Rock, Yaquina Head Lighthouse and Cape Disappointment.

“The Gorilla 4” J.D. Andrews, Beth Santos, Mariellen Ward and Teri Johnson trek up Mount St. Helens 35 years after the eruption.

In particular, the Gorilla 4 team, which included bloggers Teri Johnson, Mariellen Ward, Beth Santos, and Andrews, hiked up Mount St. Helens, which had the deadliest volcanic eruption in U.S. history nearly 35 years ago. Here, they witnessed the devastation and re-birth of a volcanic wasteland. All Samsung Galaxy S6 devices with Gorilla Glass 4 made it back without a scratch.

“Using a smartphone on my travels is how I share my adventure,” Andrews said. “When I see something or someone interesting, I don’t have to get into my camera bag, turn on the camera, take the lens cap off, make sure the settings are correct, etc. I now can just grab my smartphone and capture that moment right away without missing that incredible opportunity.” After using the camera on the Samsung Galaxy S6 he commented, “I really like the Galaxy S6 feature when you say “Cheese”, “Capture”, “Smile” or “Shoot” it takes a photo. That really helps when you want to get creative or are unable to use both hands.”

One of his favorite photos taken on the trip is one with drops of rain water about to drip off of a leaf. “It’s so clear!” he said. “I loved ‘catching’ that moment in time.”

Take a look at the amazing shots captured by Samsung Galaxy S6 with Gorilla Glass 4.

Spirit Lake, taken on the Galaxy S6 with Gorilla Glass 4 by J.D. Andrews

Multnomah Falls, taken on the Galaxy S6 with Gorilla Glass 4 by J.D. Andrews.

The Painted Hills, taken on the Galaxy S6 with Gorilla Glass 4 by Mariellen Ward.

Smith Rock, taken on the Galaxy S6 with Gorilla Glass 4 by Beth Santos.

Yaquina Head Lighthouse, taken on the Galaxy S6 with Gorilla Glass 4 by Mariellen Ward.

The Astoria Column, taken on the Galaxy S6 with Gorilla Glass 4 by Teri Johnson.

Check out all the stunning photos captured by Galaxy S6 and S6 edge at www.corninggorillaglass.com/en/Gorilla4 or visit www.facebook.com/CorningGorillaGlass or https://twitter.com/corninggorilla. In addition, you can enter for a chance to win a Galaxy S6 and travel card until June 28 at www.corninggorillaglass.com/en/Gorilla4/entryonline

Natural History Museum, Atlantic Productions and Samsung collaborate for a world-first virtual reality storytelling experience 

Virtual reality will showcase some of the Earth’s earliest inhabitants at the Natural History Museum in London from the 19 June. David Attenborough’s First Life is a new fully immersive experience bringing natural history to life with cinematic virtual reality technology by Samsung.

Created in partnership with Atlantic Productions and its virtual reality studio Alchemy VR, David Attenborough’s First Life reveals the dawn of life on Earth from 540 million years ago.

Based on the latest Museum research, long-extinct animals such as the whimsically-built Opabinia, the fearsome-looking Anomalocaris and the spiny, worm-like Hallucigenia will be brought vividly alive in a fully immersive encounter.

Image ⓒ Atlantic_Alchemy VR

During the 15-minute experience, visitors dive through ancient seas with narration by Sir David Attenborough. The experience uses Samsung’s latest wearable technology, the Gear VR Innovator Edition virtual reality headsets powered by the Galaxy S6 smartphone.

Image ⓒ Atlantic_Alchemy VR

Sir Michael Dixon, Director of the Natural History Museum, says: “We’re always looking for new ways to challenge the way people think about the natural world – its past, present and future. We know virtual reality technology can transport us to impossible places. This is a compelling example of how technology can revolutionise how we experience museums.”

Anthony Geffen, CEO of Atlantic Productions, said: “David Attenborough’s First Life VR experience is a landmark moment for virtual reality storytelling, where the world’s most celebrated naturalist is able to guide audiences through an ancient ocean. We are delighted to be pioneering this technology in partnership with Samsung and the Natural History Museum.”

Andy Griffiths, President of Samsung Electronics UK & Ireland, said:”This exciting new experience is a great example of how the Natural History Museum is at the forefront of innovation and we are proud to support this with our latest product innovations, the Samsung Galaxy S6 and the Gear VR.  At Samsung we believe technology is essential in enhancing digital learning, which is why we’re delighted to be working with the Natural History Museum on this project, helping people to discover the natural world like never before.”

For more information at www.nhm.ac.uk/first-life.

Since its launch in 2014, the Samsung WW9000 Crystal Blue washing machine has gained extraordinary interest from around the world. Apart from the washer’s fundamentals, such as washing, rinsing and spin drying, the WW9000 has some of the latest features, such as Auto Optimal Wash, Auto Dispense, a Full Touch Screen and more. The WW9000 Crystal Blue comes with an elegantly designed blue door that is bigger than conventional washing machines with the same capacity. It is also more environmentally friendly and quieter. In particular, the Crystal Blue door has received favorable feedback and much attention in Europe where front-load washers are the standard. This is the story of how the WW900 Crystal Blue was developed for consumers.

Against All Odds

The Crystal Blue washer was created with a few key design elements. As the name suggests, the larger door is a big part of its design identity and for good reason. The door itself is 520mm and the mouth is 360mm. The metal hinge allows the door to open a full 170 degrees. While the door is larger, the washer is still compact and its elegant aesthetic fits into a modern household. It is also equipped with a simple and intuitive full color LCD touch screen, so there are no more knobs and dials.

Increasing the size of the washer door may sound fairly straightforward but it is actually a huge challenge. If the door is not designed well, laundry tends to get torn. That is why hundreds of new towels were sacrificed as engineers worked to perfect the internal structure of the washer. After at least 100 durability tests, each lasting more than 90 minutes, the perfect structure was found.

High performance and sleek exterior design were the key goals of the developers, who had to tackle many tough obstacles along the way. Maintaining the full width of the door, one of the original features of the product, caused potential issues of laundry not being properly contained in the drum, which would subsequently lead to rubber seal damage. The team resolved these two challenges by using a dual stainless structure.

In the end, the developers created a front-loading washer that set new standards. The drum was placed higher up than conventional models, hidden automatic detergent compartments were added and the jog dial was eliminated.

The Secret of Blue Light

“When I first saw the design of Crystal Blue Door washing machine, I was not sure if the production of such an advanced washing machine would be possible,” said Siho Jang, Senior Vice President and head of Global Production Technology Center, Consumer Electronics. “It meant that we had to use all the technologies that we were capable of into producing the washing machine. It was really challenging because many of the technologies had never been applied before.”

Jang added, “When it comes to the characteristics of the work of making home appliances, we have to make a special effort to ensure reliable quality because these products directly affect people’s day-to-day living. All of our sectors are engaging in activities for innovation to make sure that such work is done perfectly.”

ToC injection moulding machine for producing the Crystal Blue Door washing machine

The Crystal Blue Door has a distinctive color and size that set it apart from other products. The blue door was created using the Transparent Opaque Color (TOC) method. Production required two rounds of injection moulding, instead of just one. This process needs to be very carefully scrutinized and managed, because there are so many environmental factors to take into account, including temperature and humidity.

Taking a close look at the door of Crystal Blue Door washing machine shows that a clean, neat and immaculate design had been realized. To this end, Samsung installed a Clean Room for the manufacturing process. As a result, Samsung enhanced the quality of the process of gluing the cover glass and double injection moulding materials together. The exhaustive project necessitates that no error be caused by any inflow of micro dust. This process enables delicate parts to be glued together using a UV laser.

Hitting the European Market

The European home appliances market is considered rather conservative because consumers are highly loyal to domestic brands. In addition, Europe is home to many globally renowned appliance manufacturers.

Samsung engaged in differentiated marketing tactics to raise awareness about the product and publicize not only the product’s beautiful design, but also its excellent performance and practicality. Some of the unique marketing activities included featuring the WW9000 Crystal Blue at the Fashion Week Poland and screening its promotional video on the façade of a symbolic building.

At sales venues, new cushions were arranged in different sizes, to accentuate the washing machine’s unique door, which is larger than those from competitors. Consumers were able to try loading the cushions into the WW9000 Crystal Blue first hand.

The WW9000 Crystal Blue is not just about stylish design. From top to bottom, it is about the spirit of making something original and taking on new challenges. Breaking into the European home appliances market at first seemed like trying to scale the solid and high walls of a castle. Now, the WW9000 Crystal Blue is taking it by storm and taking over the hearts of consumers.

When Samsung unveiled the Galaxy S6 and S6 edge to the world on March 1 it was a pivotal moment for Samsung’s series of smartphones under the Galaxy S label. With the Galaxy S6 and the S6 edge, the company has taken smartphone design to new heights, continuing the Galaxy S tradition of delivering ingenious, mold-breaking design that is innovative, eye-catching and simply beautiful.

The development of these new smartphones had an internal codename: “Project Zero” – and for a good reason. “We named the Project ‘Zero’, because we returned to the very beginning of the Galaxy S – to start from scratch. Our main focus was on creating a whole new growth momentum, instead of resting on our laurels from past achievements,” said JK Shin, CEO and Head of IT & Mobile Communications at Samsung Electronics, ahead of the launch of the S6.

Galaxy S devices have been at the heart of Samsung’s smartphone success. The company became the world’s largest smartphone manufacturer on the strength of Galaxy S devices and the Galaxy S has constantly evolved, ever since the launch of the very first Samsung Galaxy S device in 2010. Now, five years later, the original Galaxy S has received a worthy successor in the Galaxy S6.

It’s been an extraordinary journey, so it’s worth exploring each milestone release in the Samsung Galaxy S range.

Galaxy S : The Trailblazer

On June 4, 2010, the Galaxy S was released to the world. It didn’t take long. Soon after its launch, Galaxy S achieved global mass appeal and become a true hit in the smartphone market.

The Galaxy S found its fame thanks to the performance of its hardware, which won over critics. Its list of features included Samsung’s original Exynos 3110 processor and an outstanding Super AMOLED display, which helped the phone to outperform most of its competitors using the Android operating system.

Just 70 days after its release in the domestic market, the Galaxy S reached the one-million mark in units sold. As of 2013, more than 25 million units had been sold globally. It was this achievement that laid the foundation for the amazing success story of the next Galaxy S.

Galaxy S Ⅱ : The Beloved Second Coming

Following the success of the original Galaxy S, there was much anticipation when the release of the second flagship from the Samsung stable was due. Amazingly, the SⅡ surpassed all expectations. When it was released in April of 2011, consumers embraced the craftsmanship that had gone into the Galaxy SⅡ, calling it “a masterpiece.” With a dual-core Exynos 4 processor, the SⅡ delivered great performance. Equipped with much faster reaction times, an optimized operating system, a larger display and many other features that improved on the Galaxy S, the SⅡ excelled in a highly competitive marketplace, just as its predecessor did. During its first month, the SⅡ reached a million units sold in Korea. Samsung sold an astounding 40 million units worldwide during the first 20 months.

Although four years have passed since its launch, many Galaxy lovers still say that the Galaxy SⅡ was their favorite. In Korea, a survey of mobile phone users saw the SⅡ gain praise as the most beloved Galaxy model.

The Galaxy SⅡ ensured that the entire range of Galaxy devices gained truly global name recognition. More importantly, though, it delivered success beyond the company’s wildest expectation, making Samsung the world’s leading manufacturer of smartphones in 2011.

Galaxy SⅢ : Global Smartphone Market Dominator

However, after the Galaxy SⅢ was launched, Samsung’s sales volumes truly skyrocketed. The smartphone came on the market in May 2012, and in just seven months, more than 40 million units were sold. It set yet another record for Samsung smartphone sales – both in Korea and worldwide. An average of nearly 190,000 Galaxy SⅢ units were sold every day during that period. Thanks to huge interest from the public and the media, the Galaxy SⅢ pushed the combined sales volume of all Galaxy S models beyond the 100-million-unit mark. Since the debut of the first Galaxy S in May 2010, it took just two years and seven months to reach this landmark. Ever since, Samsung Electronics has been the defending champion when it comes to the number of smartphones shipped worldwide.

The Galaxy SⅢ was the first smartphone that gave Galaxy S devices a reputation for sleek design. The streamlined appearance of the SⅢ’s body was inspired by pebbles on the beach, and put its main emphasis on an improved user experience, rather than focusing on boosting the hardware performance alone.

Another significant change was the SⅢ’s camera, which quickly became one of the main selling points. It was actually the result of listening to the needs of consumers, who wanted to take great photos quickly and easily with their phone cameras. The Galaxy SⅢ’s camera sensors were a marked improvement over its predecessor’s and had the ability to enhance image quality enough to compete with compact cameras.

Galaxy S4 : 10 Million Sold in 30 Days and the Bestselling Galaxy S So Far

With the Galaxy S4, Samsung continued its run of bestselling smartphones. While the overall appearance did not change dramatically, the performance of the hardware improved significantly. Despite having a 5-inch (130 mm) Full HD Super AMOLED screen and a larger battery, Samsung managed to make the Galaxy S4 even thinner and lighter (7.9mm, 190g). Little wonder that the Galaxy S4 sold 10 million units in just one month, once again breaking Samsung’s own record. Thanks to the amazing sales of the S4, Samsung was able to corner as much as 32.3% of the global smartphone market share, making the company the global market leader. Compare that with 2009, when Samsung had a global smartphone market share of just 3.7%. It took just four years since the launch of the original Galaxy S in 2010 to boost this number eightfold!

The Galaxy S4 truly delivered on its marketing slogan: “Life Companion.” Users could share music and games through Group Play, while the S Health application managed their wellbeing. It also came with the S Translator, which supports translation between 10 languages. The S4 stood out with its unique features to enhance the lives of users. In this respect, it really differentiated itself from the evolution of its predecessors, which had focused mainly on improving hardware features and – with the SⅢ – the overall user experience.

Galaxy S5 : The Evolution

Thanks to the success of its predecessors, the release of the Galaxy S5 attracted global attention. For the first time, a Galaxy S device was launched simultaneously in 150 countries. The smartphone offered a whole raft of improvements: improved camera, battery saver, fingerprint scanner, water/dust resistance and a heart rate monitor compatible with wearable devices.

Project Zero : The All New Galaxy S6

With the S6, Samsung wanted to take a look back and check if the Galaxy was offering exactly what users wanted, how they wanted it. So Samsung, after the years of journey with Galaxy S devices, took a step back to really listen to consumers and media. The code name for the new Galaxy S6 was ‘Project Zero’ and the slogan of Samsung Galaxy Unpacked 2015, the annual showcase event for the device, was ‘All New Galaxy.’ This approach showed Samsung’s determination to lead the global smartphone market once again, with smartphones that are innovative and based on a totally new design ethos.

The Galaxy S6 was finally unveiled in March, and instantly received very positive reviews from the media and the public. Samsung had done it yet again, delivering a device that goes beyond expectations. Consumers worldwide just can’t wait to see the S6 with its fresh new design and overwhelming performance. The enthusiasm for the Galaxy S6 is a hard-earned reward for Samsung’s engineers; they accepted the challenge of starting from scratch, and building a smartphone that is the very essence of what made the first Galaxy device a success.

The design is the most obvious reflection of their efforts. The Galaxy S6 blends seamlessly two very different materials – metal and glass. The toughness of the metal and smoothness of the glass are in perfect harmony, creating an object of outstanding beauty. As for the Galaxy S6 edge, it has the revolutionary Dual Curved Display, which maximizes convenience with a very unique design.

One of the biggest innovations featured in the Galaxy S6 is a completely new approach to wireless battery charging. Unlike previous devices offering wireless charging, the S6 doesn’t require a special rechargeable case; all you need to do is simply put your Galaxy S6 on the wireless charging pad. And if users have a need for speed, then traditional AC recharging has become much faster too: the S6 gets enough power for nearly four hours of use with just 10 minutes of charging.

Another key feature on the Galaxy S6 and S6 edge is the camera. With a 16MP rear camera with OIS, Auto HDR and an f/1.9 lens, the Galaxy S6 offers one of the best imaging experiences you can find on a mobile device. The front camera with a whopping 5MP camera that supports HDR and has a f/1.9 lens is also expected to be a game changer, especially with selfies being so popular.

We hope you enjoyed this journey through the history of the Galaxy S. Please stay with us, as the S6 continues to chronicle the steps Samsung is taking to go from zero to infinity.

Reference: [Infographic] Specifications of the Galaxy S Series

Post updated on April 13, 2015

*All functionality features, specifications and other product information provided in this document including, but not limited to, the benefits, design, pricing, components, performance, availability, and capabilities of the product are subject to change without notice or obligation.

Well, it is January and a whole new year once again. And once again, Samsung Tomorrow flew to Las Vegas to bring you all the Samsung exclusives that are about to happen! So before we start, we would like to share our journey to CES 2015, like we always do with key international events.

To get to Las Vegas from a different city or country, unless you are traveling by a bus or car, you need to go through the McCarran International Airport, which greets you with the sound of slot machines and what can only be described as the smell of luck and possibility. However, there is no time for that, as one must concentrate on the mission!

After the luggage drop off at the hotel, we first wanted to check out the hot spot, aka Las Vegas Convention Center (LVCC) on ‘Paradise Road’. Like most of the previous CESs, this year’s CES will also be held at the famous LVCC from the 6th to 9th of January 2015.

Even though, technically, this is a business trip, the good thing about Las Vegas is that as long as you stay on the strip, you get to see all the fancy hotels and neon signs. It’s impossible to forget that you are in Las Vegas.

Now, getting to the LVCC is just part of the mission. You’ll need a badge to get into all the exhibitions. Anyone who signed up for CES 2015 in advance can pick up their badges either at the airport, selected hotels, or on-site, but we decided to pick it up at the LVCC.

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Now that we got the badges, we can see all the exhibitions. LVCC is a gigantic building, so it is good to plan ahead. So let us tell you about the Samsung booth.

The Samsung booth at CES 2015 will be located in the Las Vegas Convention Center, Central Hall, Booth #11906. It is an extensive 4-day event, but if you’ve ever been to CES, you know 4 days are just not enough. Here are the hours of operation for your convenience.

Las Vegas Convention Center & Samsung Booth Hours of Operation

Tuesday, January 6: 10 AM – 6 PM

Wednesday, January 7: 9 AM – 6 PM

Thursday, January 8: 9 AM – 6 PM

Friday, January 9: 9 AM – 4 PM

Even though the event starts on the 6th of January, you might want to come a day or two prior to that. The Samsung press conference at CES 2015 is held at 2:00pm PST on the 5th of January at Mandalay Bay South Convention Center.

And right after, BK Yoon, the president and CEO of Samsung Electronics is delivering the opening keynote address of CES 2015 at 6:30 p.m. on the same day at the Venetian Hotel Palazzo Ballroom.

When CES 2015 kicks off, it is on. We will bring you as many Samsung exclusives as possible. If there is anything you want us to cover, leave us a comment to let us know. Thanks and see you very soon!