Mok Oh, Vice President of New Services, Samsung Electronics’ Enterprise Business, welcomes visitors to Samsung’s “Car, Connected” event at MWC 2016.

Safety First

Equipped with internet connectivity and software that enable drivers to stream music, look up traffic and weather conditions, prevent their teenagers from texting and even power driving-assistance services such as self-parking, the connected car is providing entirely new value to drivers.

Furthermore, utilizing driving data lowers costs to insurance and third-party service providers, disrupting the automobile market. Growing at a compound annual growth rate of 30 percent, this next generation vehicle is creating massive new business opportunities and making consumers rethink the way they drive.

Samsung’s Connect Auto service features an app that allows users to monitor their driving habits and helps them improve their driving behavior.

Samsung, too, is hoping to transform transportation with its new connected car solution, Samsung Connect Auto. Slated to launch in the second quarter of this year, starting in the US, Samsung Connect Auto uses real-time alerts to help consumers improve their driving behavior, including increased fuel efficiency, while offering a Wi-Fi hotspot and other features to create a multimedia center for the car. And what’s better is it plugs directly into the on-board diagnostics connector making it compatible with most automobiles on the road today.

Hyesung Ha, Senior Vice President of Samsung’s Enterprise Business, discusses the importance of privacy and security in the connected car industry.

Despite these benefits, some consumers are hesitant to utilize connected car technologies. Delivering the keynote speech at Samsung’s connected car event, Hyesung Ha, Senior Vice President of Samsung’s Enterprise Business, noted a McKinsey report that found two main reasons for consumers’ hesitations are privacy and safety.

“We understand our success depends on consumers’ trust in us and the products and services that we provide,” Ha explained. “The data and information of users is our top priority, and we work hard to safeguard the valuable information of our consumers.”

Samsung has taken steps to reassure hesitant consumers by securing Samsung Connect Auto with eSE (embeded Secure Element) based on Samsung KNOX, the most robust mobile security platform in the world. This essentially creates a firewall protecting hackers from accessing Samsung Connect Auto, preventing user data from falling in to the wrong hands.

Representatives of Samsung’s partner companies share their insights as automotive industry leaders on trends, challenges, benefits and the future of the connected car.

A Connected Ecosystem for a Truly Connected Car

Yet, even when armed with the technology and security needed to power a connected vehicle, the industry cannot fully thrive without a connected ecosystem. As such, Samsung is taking the reins to build a linked network of carriers, insurance companies, roadside assistance operators and maintenance networks that responds to the changing demands of current and potential automobile owners.

Representatives from Samsung’s major partner companies, including FCA Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, Willis Towers Watson, AT&T, SEAT, Cisco and Tantalum Corporation were part of a panel discussion at the event and explored how always-on automobiles have already begun to improve road safety and change driving behaviors for the better. The panel also touched on the existing challenges and potential benefits for all parties involved. Insurers, for example, can not only provide potential discounts to their current customers, but also new services to customers who are willing to opt-in and share their driving behavior data from their connected car.

By bridging the gaps between consumer electronics, IoT, and the automotive industries, Samsung is transforming the always-on automobile to be safe, secure, eco-friendly and productive.

In its establishment of valuable partner relationships, Samsung is helping to bridge the gap between the automotive, consumer electronics and IoT industries by making its products and partner services seamlessly integrated for a driving experience that is safe, secure, eco-friendly and, of course, fun.

And while this is only the beginning of the connected car era, the future of the industry is bright. With experts predicting that all cars will be connected in the not-too-distant future, there are huge opportunities for new applications and services that take advantage of this always-on connection. Samsung Connect Auto, as well as the technology leader’s efforts to build a diverse, connected ecosystem, is a step in the right direction. Through these endeavors, the company will bring the car into the already connected world of smartphones, smart homes and wearables, ultimately allowing the automobile to be the next part of the IoT revolution.

The implementation of 5G as a viable alternative to wired broadband is one of the major focus area for Samsung, particularly in urban and suburban areas where fibre drops to the home or office would be a barrier to subscription.

As the digital age moves from individual devices to expansive digital networks, the Samsung Networks Booth at MWC 2016 explores the power and possibilities of connectivity. Through its display of its 4G LTE and advanced mobile technologies and solutions that will both pave the way towards the 5G era, and fulfill the potential to create a more sustainable future, Samsung is demonstrating its commitment toward developing innovations that push beyond today’s existing technologies.

In a demonstration of the potential capabilities of 5G technology, Samsung shows how eight members of a musical group can each transmit a separate 4K Ultra High-Definition video over the air without delay and synchronizes perfect harmony.

Thanks to the seamless mobility, higher throughput and low latency of 5G technology, new services like hologram calls, live virtual reality broadcasting and self-driving cars will soon enrich our lives.

Samsung showcases the world’s first mobile handover test using the mmWave radio system and hand-held smartphone with multiple antenna modules integrated.

Samsung introduced an end-to-end solution from chipsets, devices to radio access networks (RAN).

To address challenges operators face to efficiently manage heterogeneous networks(Smallcell/Macrocell, Licensed/Unlicensed, 3GPP/Non-3GPP), Samsung offers a range of new solutions that effectively utilize multiple links, including Inter-site Carrier Aggregation, LTE-Unlicensed (LTE-U) Small Cell; LTE & Wifi Aggregation; and Smart Multi-link & Unified Cloud.

As the amount of data services and smartphone devices dramatically increases, more spectrum is required to accommodate fast growing data traffic and help ensure a great user experience. LTE in Unlicensed spectrum includes a key family of technologies that allows aggregation of licensed and unlicensed spectrum bands to efficiently and timely increase network capacity and speed.

The Samsung LTE-U eFemto cell is designed to enable plug-and-play deployments with easier installation and a high capacity for enterprises. A single small cell unit can support three carriers of 20 MHz each, across both licensed and unlicensed spectrum, offering a peak download throughput up to 450Mbps.

The key lineup of Samsung’s IoT solutions include IoT Core, Gateways and various radio access solutions such as a standalone IoT base station, IoT integrated Digital Unit (DU) and LoRa based Unlicensed Low Power Wide Area (LPWA).

PS-LTE enables more effective communication by sharing precise emergency information in the form of real-time video streaming and high quality images.

Samsung’s PS-LTE network is the first in the world to be commercialized using the 3GPP telecommunications standard.

All of these latest technologies and solutions will be exhibited at the Samsung booth (Exhibit Hall 2 Stand 2M10) during Mobile World Congress 2016 from February 22-25 in Barcelona. To find more images of Samsung’s exhibition at the MWC 2016, please visit Samsung Newsroom Flickr.

Samsung Electronics announced awards for Galaxy S6 edge and Gear S2 from GSMA at the annual Global Mobile Awards at 2016 Mobile World Congress. The leader in mobile innovation, Samsung continues to push the boundaries of hardware, software and services, creating devices that help consumers get more out of life. The company is redefining what is possible, beyond the limits of today’s technology, by introducing a constellation of seamless mobile experiences.

In testament to Samsung’s consistent pursuit of excellence in design and function, Gear S2 was named “Best Connected Consumer Electronic Device” in the Best Mobile Handsets & Devices category. This award recognized Gear S2 for its versatile circular design and intuitive functionality for a more convenient and enjoyable experience.

Samsung Galaxy S6 edge was also awarded “Best Smartphone 2015”, in acknowledgement of its functional design and usability for seamless everyday use.

“We are honored to be recognized for our industry-leading technology,” said DJ Koh, President of Mobile Communications at Samsung Electronics. “At Samsung we remain committed to providing mobile devices that are inspired by consumers and always underpinned by a focus on progress and innovation.”

Samsung Electronics has showcased a series of key 5G innovations including advanced 5G technology platforms with mmWave, and Multi-Link solution at MWC 2016, making the strongest case yet for the viability and capability of next-generation mobile technologies.

“In 2014, Samsung has set some of the earliest industry benchmarks in 5G technology and this year we announced another benchmark focusing to real-world trials, mobility tests and 5G use cases like live streaming VR in near 4K UHD with tier 1 operators in the USA and Korea.” said Dongsoo Park, Executive Vice President and Head of Global Sales and Marketing team in Samsung’s Networks Business. “5G, the next generation of mobile and related network technology, is at our doorstep and it will enable a degree of connectivity that we could have only dreamed of just 10 years ago.”

“Entire industries are going to be transformed by the connectivity enabled by 5G networks and devices” said Kyungwhoon Cheun, Executive Vice President and Head of Communications Research team in Samsung’s Mobile Communications Business. “Looking at the evolving needs of everyone from individual subscribers to large enterprises, Samsung is heavily focused on identifying and delivering the technologies that will shape the next decade of connected users and services.”

Milestone Technologies

At this year’s MWC, Samsung is unveiling the latest updates to its 5G technology platforms covering 3.5GHz to 28GHz and 60GHZ millimeter wave (mmWave). Highlights include advanced hybrid beamforming capabilities, ultra-high bitrates, extremely low latency, a prototype small cell form factor for mmWave and Samsung’s Full Dimension-MIMO technology which is capable of increasing cell capacity by over 65% compared to standard MIMO.

Samsung’s 28GHz and 60GHz mmWave systems have demonstrated impressive results, both in the lab and in real-world environments. Samsung’s research into mmWave spectrum has found that it is ideally suited for next-generation, high-density small cell-type deployments. In addition, the dense antenna arrays, combined with signal processing technology, enable advanced hybrid beamforming techniques that improve cell capacity and user experience by ensuring the best possible radio signal, directly targeted to each user’s device. Making use of this adaptive array antenna technology, Samsung’s beamforming technology has the ability to compensate in non-line of sight (nLoS) situations by bouncing a beam off of nearby surfaces in order to reach the user’s device.

World Firsts – Mobility in your Hand

Most recently, Samsung has begun to expand its development efforts to surpass other key milestones, including a successful demonstration of multi-cell mobility, as well as a handheld device in a commercial form-factor – both world firsts.

The mobility tests represent an important requirement for commercialization, and Samsung has demonstrated the ability to seamlessly handover between cells with no interruption to the user experience. This includes both intra-system (mmWave cell to mmWave cell) and inter-system (mmWave cell to LTE) handovers. Meanwhile, the device prototype, based on Samsung’s Galaxy S6, maintains existing 3G and LTE connectivity with the addition of an embedded 60GHz antenna module.

Multi-Link – Unified Connectivity

A typical mobile network today can be a pretty complicated web of technologies. Most of these networks are composed of a range of different frequency bands, usage regulations (licensed and unlicensed) and technology standards (2G, 3G, LTE, WiFi).

With 5G networks, Samsung will take aggregation technology one giant leap forward with the introduction of its Smart Multi-Link solution. Leveraging the power of Network Function Virtualization (NFV) and Software-Defined Networks (SDN) into a Unified Core solution, Samsung will provide operators with the ability to aggregate connectivity across any number of access technologies (e.g. 3-band LTE + WiFi, 5G + LTE-U, etc.) in a manner that is seamless and transparent for end-users.

Using its broad range of expertise across product portfolios—from mobile devices to home appliances to semiconductor chips—Samsung is able to rapidly innovate and build truly end-to-end portfolios that meet the diverse needs of its customers from users to service providers, and from enterprise to government.

Samsung also seeks to contribute to increased connectivity and ubiquitous access to services through its significant participation in global standards organizations such as the 3GPP and the ITU. At the same time, partnerships with both governments (such as the Giga Korea Project and Europe’s 5G-PPP) and various leading research institutions mean that Samsung is at the forefront of the 5G standardization effort.

An overview of Samsung’s enterprise mobility booth in Hall 6 (#6A30) at the Fira Gran Via Exhibition Centre.

At the center of the company’s enterprise mobility booth is KNOX, a defense grade mobile security platform that works only on Samsung mobile devices to improve security, management and productivity.

As a market leader in the mobile industry, Samsung delivers the strongest mobile security and the most effective enterprise mobility solutions through KNOX.

Samsung KNOX is a suite of mobile enterprise security solutions that provides device protection, management and development options.

Compatible with both NFC and MST technology enabled registers, Samsung Pay is the world’s most widely accepted mobile payment system.

Anasoft, a member of the Samsung Enterprise Alliance Program, offers a solution that allos for the acceptance of an encrypted, legally binding signature in digital form.

KNOX, along with its key partners, is expanding to meet diverse customers’ needs, such as connected car solutions like Samsung’s new Connect Auto. The solution collects a user’s driving data securely to allow for a safer and more enjoyable driving experience.

Samsung’s new Connect Auto solution collects a user’s driving data securely to allow for a safer and more enjoyable driving experience.

Find out how Samsung Connect Auto works in the video below:

Visit Samsung’s enterprise mobility booth in Hall 6 (#6A30) at the Fira Gran Via Exhibition Centre to discover more about the KNOX total solution package and other various enterprise applications integrated with KNOX. To find more images of Samsung’s exhibition at the MWC 2016, please visit Samsung Newsroom Flickr.

Samsung’s booth, moments before event attendees rush in on the opening day of MWC 2016.

In addition to exhibiting its latest devices, Samsung is also showcasing its past products, which, at the time of their launch, set new standards in the mobile industry.

Samsung booth staff members prepare to show off the company’s just-unveiled Galaxy S7.

The Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge, Samsung’s latest additions to its Galaxy S smartphone line-up, are collectively one of the highlights of the booth.

Perhaps one of the most raved-about features of the new Galaxy S7 is its camera capabilities that enable it to shoot high quality images in low light environments.

The new Lens Cover for the Galaxy S7 provides professional level zooming capabilities.

All-new accessories for an all-new phone.

New phone cases for the Galaxy S7 feature fun designs developed by Samsung’s partners, like LINE.

Game pads available for the Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge make mobile gaming better than ever.

Samsung’s Gear VR and Gear 360 are the perfect combination for capturing and sharing memories in an entirely new way.

Samsung’s new Gear 360 camera allows viewers to experience the world in the way it was meant to be experienced—in 360 degrees.

The Gear S2 Premium Edition impresses with genuine leather straps and premium materials.

An MWC attendee gets hands-on with Samsung Pay, the world’s most widely accepted mobile payment system.

Always a crowd favorite, Samsung’s Gear VR Theater with 4D lets participants take a wild roller coaster ride in virtual reality.

Samsung booth visitors line up to try out the Gear VR Theater with 4D.

Be sure to stop by Samsung’s booth in Hall 3 of the Fira Gran Via Exhibition Centre to see more of Samsung’s latest products and services. To find more images of Samsung’s exhibition at the MWC 2016, please visit Samsung Newsroom Flickr.