Samsung Gear Fit was awarded “The Best Mobile Device” by GSMA at the Mobile World Congress 2014 in Barcelona.

Recognizing one of the most innovative and creative products showcased at the MWC 2014, the award was announced on the last day of the show.

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About Samsung Gear Fit
New device blends style, fitness and convenience to provide ultimate connectivity for the active mobile consumer

The Samsung Gear Fit was designed to comfortably contour to consumers’ wrists while offering a vivid Super AMOLED display. It provides much more than an everyday fitness band, keeping consumers up to date instant notifications from Galaxy smartphones such as incoming calls, emails, SMS, alarm, S-planner, 3rd party apps while consumers are on the move so they can stay connected. Changeable straps in Black, Orange and Mocha Grey will let users express their individual style, changing the look of the Gear Fit to match their outfit or mood for any type of activity.
The sleek new Samsung Gear Fit provides the superior connectivity benefits of Samsung wearable technology with a custom, real time fitness coaching to provide unique, personalized advice and workout recommendations.

* The following is an individual opinion of editor ASyk and does not represent the official views of the company.

There are more than several ways to take a great photo. In fact, there are so many factors you have to consider, if you want to be called a photography expert. What if you don’t? What if you do not want to study all the things that goes into photography and simply want to take great photos more easily with your mobile device. Obviously, there are many things we can tell you, but we picked one. This function of the camera on your smartphone is one of the most used smartphone functions. Lets to talk about the HDR, but not just any HDR, Samsung ISOCELL’s HDR!

What is HDR?

The word HDR has been around us for a while, especially, as one of the camera modes or as a filter in a photo editing app. It could be mistaken as high definition resolution because when it is taken right, the photo comes out much dynamic than regular modes. However, HDR stands for High Dynamic Range Imaging.

Generally, cameras have its limits when it comes to capturing a scene the way we see it with our human eyes. This becomes more noticeable when we don’t have the right light setting. For example, even when the sun is at the highest point, cameras tend to have issues when capturing a shaded area underneath the sunlight. It is like they are confused which one they should focus on. This is because many cameras have the inability to process the ratio between the lightest and the darkest pixel, which we call the ‘full dynamic range’.

HDR, high dynamic range, has been the technology that seemed to solve this issue and you might actually felt that way as well, knowingly, or unknowingly. To explain how HDR works to the full extent, I would need a blackboard and a chalk to write all the algorithms that I don’t even fully understand (or understand at all). So here is an easy version that we all can understand.

HDR vs HDR on ISOCELL (Smart WDR technology)

There are two ways to achieve HDR images. First way to achieve a HDR image is combining multiple images with different exposure levels. With short exposure, you can get images with pixels that highlight the detail of the bright areas. With long exposure, you can get images with pixels that highlight the details of the low-light areas. Once, these images are combined, with the compressing technology called ‘tone mapping’, you can get an image that is similar to real life.

As you can image, if you are using this method, you need to hold the camera as still as possible until it takes all the photos in different exposure levels. Otherwise, it will be combining slight different images, which will result images with ghost-like glares (think of the blurry parts when you are taking a photo of someone or something that is moving fast). Then you will also have to wait for the final HDR image until the combining process is completed.

Second way, which is the way ISOCELL uses, is to work with an image sensor that is able to capture and process the wide dynamic range of the real scene. Conventionally, this image sensor needs time to accurately analyze the real scene and compute, adjust and apply the data into an image, which can result in some idle time. Moreover, the image sensor processes the image in horizontal lines, therefore the color of each line could be differently processed and result in unsatisfactory image.

However, ISOCELL consists of pixels that can support long exposure and short exposure and both type of exposures are calculated for each frame simultaneously. This calculated raw data goes through the companion chip’s reprocessing (merge and pixel tone mapping), which results in HDR quality image. This reprocessing technology of Samsung’s HDR happens in real-time, therefore you can preview HDR images and even record videos in HDR. As tacky as it may sound, it gives better image in real-time.

This means more quality photos you can upload on your social channel! Isn’t that half of the fun anyways? Uploading high quality photos?

Anyway, are you feeling the need of a HDR technology that gives HDR images in real-time now? It wasn’t until pretty recently that HDR was implemented on smartphones. Therefore, the real-time HDR in Samsung’s ISOCELL is a pretty significant achievement. However, most importantly, it gives user to take HDR quality pictures easily. There will not be any need to process it with a HDR filter each time you want a HDR quality photo. There is no need to find the place with the perfect light settings to take a photo. You can take literally take very high quality pictures whenever and wherever you want. #nofilter

* The following is an individual opinion of editor ASyk and does not represent the official views of the company.

According to the official website of the Mobile World Congress, this event is “the blueprint for the NEXT big innovation. Whatever is coming NEXT will likely be born at Mobile World Congress 2014” Therefore, it shouldn’t surprise anyone that Samsung announced its new flagship devices such as Galaxy S5, Gear 2, Gear 2 Neo and Gear Fit at the MWC 2014, although the devices themselves were certainly a surprise. At Hall 2 there was a booth which was showcasing what a little chip can do.  The connectivity chip got me imagining what the future might actually look like. The connectivity chip made it easier for me to accept that certain future concepts are not so intangible, such as the “internet of things.”

-The Internet of Things-

Wikipedia defines the Internet of Things as “uniquely identifiable objects and their virtual representations in an Internet-like structure.” IoT has been discussed for a long time, but for many of us IoT still remains a ‘concept’, because it just isn’t tangible enough… even though it is.

For example, at the CES 2014, we saw the demonstration of Samsung Smart Home on how device-to-device communication can make an experience more fun and efficient. The key to this is each object being ‘identifiable’ and having a ‘virtual representation’, so that they can communicate with each other. Therefore, each object needs access to the internet.

At MWC 2014, Samsung was showing how the Internet of Things can expand to a much larger scale, as the IoT was initially destined to do,  by  its connectivity product. 

-The Thing that Things Need for IoT-

Generally, for things to have access to the internet, they need a Microcontroller (MCU) to process information and a WiFi connection to connect to the internet. So far, both of them come separately. However, the new connectivity product Samsung is showcasing at the MWC 2014 has combined the two so the MCU embeds the ability of WiFi. Out of many things, two things stand out.

First, because you don’t need the MCU and the WiFi separately, and if you are an OEM, it gives you more freedom  in terms of design. This allows for a shorter development lead-time and less engineering resources are required. The manufacturing process becomes more efficient meaning more time and energy to concentrate on the quality of the product.

Secondly, the chip is designed so that it is easy to attach to other sensors, such as gyroscope, movement and light related sensors. This means that not only can it send information, but it can also speak or recognize voices. It has the potential to become much more people-friendly. It has the potential to tell us information and receive voice commands.

Knowing this, we can paint some pictures for the future in regards to the internet of things. So let’s try imagine it:

– A car warming itself and defrosting the windows, 15 minutes before you get in the car to go to work after a night of heavy snow.

– A restaurant where the water cup recognizes how much water you have left to tell the waiters that you need more water.

– A conference meeting where you can have the information on who is sitting where on your mobile device, or via wearables, because each chair and the table recognizes the person at it.

– A house making an emergency call before something is about to catch on fire when you are not at home.

-The Inevitability of IoT-

Not coincidently, ‘IoT’ is happening seamlessly. It seems seamless because devices’ complex communication is all happening over the internet. With the new connectivity product, more things can have the ability transmit and receive information. Therefore, it is not so much a challenge for objects to have identification and virtual representations. The question of the future is how we are going to use it.

Looking back on it, ‘IoT seems like a very logical step, once ‘Connected’ happened. Let’s just think about the Samsung products and events up until the end of last year, such as Smart TV & Camera, Smart Refrigerator, Smart Microwave, Smartphones, Galaxy Gear and more; practically every Samsung product around you could be described as ‘Connected.’ However, they were ‘Smart’ individually. It really was just a matter of time before they start connecting to each other and with us.

What we are seeing at the Samsung booth at MWC 2014 is the glimpse of the future of IoT. For example, we are seeing a variety of Samsung SDKs that allow developers to make it easy for devices to be connected to other devices. We are seeing how the technology of wearables can influence our lifestyle to become healthier. However, the software needs to be backed up by the hardware and we can see this at the Samsung booth at MWC 2014. It definitely is only a step, but it is definitely a step closer to the future with IoT.

* The following is an individual opinion of editor ASyk and does not represent the official views of the company.

What do you know about NFC? If you are reading this because you were searching for the 2014 Superbowl Champions of the NFC, unfortunately, we must direct you to a different page. What we are talking about is one of many ways you can connect with your mobile devices, Near field communication, or NFC. Samsung is showcasing its NFC technology at the MWC 2014, so we decided to investigate what NFC, especially Samsung NFC technology, is all about.

NFC is particularly cool because it can communicate with other devices or things by just touching them together or bringing them into a close range of no more than few inches. The key element in initiating this communication method is the RFID, Radio-frequency identification, which Wikipedia defines as “wireless non-contact use of radio-frequency electromagnetic fields to transfer data, for the purposes of automatically identifying and tracking tags attached to objects.”

In case of device-to-device communication with NFC, once the NFC identifies and tracks the tags attached to the object through the radio-frequency electromagnetic fields, it can bypass other processes to have access to selective information on the communicating mobile devices. For example, through NFC, if allowed, a device can allow another device to have access to information on its SIM card.

Therefore, you can imagine that NFC could be utilized for many different purposes. For example, because it can access certain personal information, one of the main purposes of NFC is ‘Authentication’. Using NFC, devices could authenticate the user quickly, without having to bother the user every time.  This might work particularly well for daily transactions such as public transportation fees.

Samsung is also utilizing NFC technology widely in many areas. For example, last year Samsung introduced the world’s first NFC-supported color laser printers, which allow users to simply tag the mobile device to the printer to print. And at the MWC it is showcasing the Samsung Gamepad, which utilizes the NFC technology to initiate the initial connection between itself and the mobile device.

However, as it is being showcased at the MWC 2014, Samsung also has its own NFC chip. After taking a look at Samsung’s NFC booth, there are two things that Samsung is focusing on in regards to its NFC: its ability to recognize the radio frequency and its low power consumption. Here is how it basically works…

For NFC to work, it needs an antenna that recognizes the radio frequency and the chip to transmit data. So first it needs to be great at recognizing the signal. The NFC Samsung is showcasing at the MWC can recognize signals with smaller antennae compared to conventional NFCs. In other words, with the same size of antenna, NFC can recognize signals from longer distances.

Samsung is focusing more on continuing to reduce the size of the antenna. The characteristics of NFC can be divided into three categories: reader, card and P2P. Reader is when NFC is primarily used for receiving data. Card is when NFC is sending out data, such as when you are quick-paying transportation fees. P2P is when it connects peer to peer. Therefore, considering how people use NFC, it doesn’t need to function from a longer distance, which is why Samsung is focusing on reducing the size of the antenna with rather than furthering the recognition distance.

A smaller antenna of the NFC provides some distinct advantages. First, as the antenna gets smaller, there is more space for other cool things you can do with a set piece. Let’s take the example of a mobile device; devices could have more freedom in terms of size and design. Therefore, it gives more of a cushion for improvement in the quality of the device overall.  Also, from an economic standpoint, since it is smaller, it uses less material and resources.

A smaller antenna is not the only way Samsung NFC achieves power efficiency. As with any power-consuming components of a device, obviously, lower power consumption is important. Samsung NFC features LPS, Low Power Sensing. When NFC is activated, it needs to continuously send out radio frequencies to recognize the frequencies from other NFC devices. Therefore, it continuously consumes energy. In a standby mode,  Samsung’s NFC takes about 10 times less of an ampere (mA) compared to a conventional NFC. Ampere is a measure of the amount of electric charge passing a point in an electric circuit per unit time. With Samsung NFC’s LPS, the chip doesn’t need as much as frequency time to recognize other NFC’s frequency, so it saves a lot of power compared to conventional NFCs. In fact, it has lowered the ampere down to 80mA when it is on standby mode.

Judging from personal experience, it definitely seems like there is a lot we can do if we can utilize NFC. Samsung showcasing its NFC technology may represent its will to take NFC to a different level, considering the many products of the future at the Mobile World Congress 2014. It will be exciting to see what comes next.  

Once upon a time on planet Earth, human beings had to blow the dust off a cartridge until they were dizzy, or even rub a cotton swab soaked in mom’s nail polish remover (or industrial alcohol) just to play video games. Most of the time, this process needed to be repeated at least 3~4 times until the console recognized the game. A couple decades later, while the world is still amazed with the world of video games, the video game experience has dramatically changed. Not only has the quality of console games   improved significantly, people can play these high quality games on their mobile devices. If you are a game developer or a game fanatic, you should be excited, because Samsung at MWC 2014 is showcasing a new way to experience mobile games; the Multi-screen Gaming platform and the S Console.

As a developer, creating an app that provides a new experience is important. When you think about gaming, most of what is available is done on a single screen, whether that is a mobile device or a TV. Therefore, there has been a limitation in terms of engagement and interactivity. What if you could develop or play games on multiple screens?

Samsung’s Multi-screen Game can bring us a whole different gaming experience. As has already been mentioned a couple times on Samsung Tomorrow, multi-screen connects all the smart devices, such as, smartphones, tablets, and TVs, around you. With one host device, all the other devices can run the same game simultaneously; one source, multiple devices. Therefore, this could bring gamers a completely new experience.

For example, let’s say you already have smart devices, such as a pc, a tablet and a smartphone and a TV. Having to sit through maddening traffic every day, you feel the urge to play some fast-paced racing game. You position your tablet behind you and the phone to your left hand side. You control the game with your smartphone while using the TV as the main source for display. With the Multi-screen Game, you can run the racing game on all devices simultaneously, so that when you look at the phone on your left hand side you see the vehicles passing by on the left lane, and you can check out the vehicles that are chasing you on the tablet behind you. You can see the odometer on your smartphone while you are seeing all the action in front of you on the TV. It is like you are actually in the virtual world that the game provides.

As you can imagine, there are many possibilities with the Multi-screen Game. You can also play a karaoke game where each device becomes a different instrument while the TV shows the whole band playing music. Therefore, if you are developer, you can develop games that provide a whole different experience for people using the Multi-screen Game.  

As was suggested above, smart devices such as Galaxy smartphones are equipped with hardware that can support very advanced and sophisticated video games. Moreover, a variety of gaming apps are available and easily accessible for people and it is awesome. However, we cannot help but feel that sometimes it is simply more awesome to play games on a bigger screen and with a controller. This is where S Console comes in.

S Console is an app that turns the Samsung Galaxy smartphones into a game console. Setting up the S Console is simple. You tag your smartphone to the Samsung Gamepad using the NFC, then plug in the smartphone in the smart dock which is connected to your TV via HDMI cable. After that, all you have to do is play your favorite mobile game on a bigger screen with the Gamepad.

But what if you are on the bus, subway or an airplane? You can also just attach the smartphone to Gamepad to have a portable gaming device. The process is as simple as it gets as well; you tag the phone with the Gamepad, then all you have to do is mount the smartphone into the Gamepad.

Therefore, if you are someone who cannot stand to waste idle time and love to play video games, S Console is something you want to look at. Your smartphone is something you have most of the time with you. If you are a game connoisseur who knows the art of playing games with a controller, to experience a high quality console games, all you need is the S Console and the Gamepad.

Whether you are a developer or a game lover in general, what Samsung is showcasing at the MWC should excite you. There are many opportunities for developers to develop games that bring a unique experience for all the Samsung device users using the platforms Samsung provides. And this is exciting for Samsung device users, because they get access to a wider variety of high quality games by creative developers. Therefore, new Multi-screen Game and the S Console are definitely something to get excited for.

Wearables. Wearables. Wearables. At the MWC 2014, people could not seem to get enough of Samsung wearables, Samsung Gear 2 & Gear 2 Neo and Gear Fit. There might have been some people who were expecting to see the next version of the Gear, but there probably weren’t that many people who were expecting to see three new versions of Samsung Gear. If you think about how the Samsung Galaxy S series started with Samsung Galaxy S back in 2010, it is definitely exciting that the Gear already has 4 models under its belt. Although we know that there are plenty of things to talk about with the fresh and new Gear 2s and Gear Fit, what we want to talk about today is its compatibility and its new market for apps.

When the original Gear first came out last year at IFA 2013, although it was a shocking tech gadget itself, it was introduced sort of like a complementary device to Galaxy Note 3. However, eventually, the Gear became compatible with up to 11 devices, such as the Galaxy S4, within a few months. There are still no other products like it, and many people have been wondering when they can use their smartphones with the Gear.

Then at Samsung Unpacked 2014 at the MWC 2014, Samsung Gear 2, Gear 2 Neo, and Gear Fit was announced. Now one of the biggest questions for people is, again, their compatibility. First, Samsung Gear, as of now, is compatible with 17 different mobile devices.

Considering we are looking at a very promising future for the wearable market, the compatibility of the Samsung Gear 2, Gear 2 Neo, and the Samsung Gear Fit is a very ambitious statement. Just by taking a look at some of the partners announced for the Gear 2, Gear 2 Neo, and Gear Fit at the MWC 2014 gives you a pretty exciting idea of the kinds of things we can do with the Samsung wearable lineup.

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So this begs the question, “What about Apps?” The software development kit (SDK) of the original Gear was not available to the public. However, with the launch of the two Gear 2s and Gear Fit, the Gear SDK has also been announced.

The Gear SDK is a Tizen based Wearable Platform, and therefore is very developer friendly. One thing about the developer community is that they are very unselfish and caring. Developers in the open source community are not only known for being experienced, intelligent and motivated, but also very helpful to fellow developers, which is why the functionality and stability of the platform can continuously improve. Developers can also utilize the Samsung API and W3C standard Web API to develop Gear apps. As a result, apps developed by these kinds of quality developers are certainly great news for future Gear 2 owners.

One other good thing about the Gear SDK is the variety of tools and functions that you can use it with. For example, developers can create web functionality using HTML5 and CSS. It includes WebKit, a layout engine designed to enable web browsers to render web pages and provides a runtime for web applications. Gear SDK also provides motion API, sensor API, context related API, and multimedia API.

In the case of the Gear 2, it is paired with a host device, such as a smartphone or tablet. Therefore, applications also consist of 2 parts. Applications for the host are developed under the Android, whereas applications for the Gear 2 are developed under the web-based platform. The communication of the two applications can be enabled through the Samsung Accessory Package of Samsung Mobile SDK.

There is another wearable we need to talk about, Gear Fit. Gear Fit is another type of Samsung wearable device with the Curved Super AMOLED Display. It is not only light, but it is also fits very well on the wrist. Moreover, Gear wristbands are switchable, so that people can go with the style they want. It has a heart rate monitor, which can help people to be more health conscious. Also with the instant and simple notifications, it will be easier for users to manage personal communications. Creating a fertile developing environment and apps will get the best out of these characteristics of the Gear Fit.

Gear Fit includes a sensor hub, which uses remarkably little power, and a sensor that can detect health-related information. Naturally, with a sensor hub,

For tool kits, it has released the Gear Fit SDK for Gear Fit exclusive apps. The major difference between Gear 2 SDK and the Gear Fit SDK is that Gear 2 apps can be standalone apps developed through Web platforms, whereas Gear Fit would require 2 different kinds of app and Android OS. 

More specifically, a Gear Fit app needs to have a host app for the device that needs to be developed with Android and Gear Fit exclusive, whereas Gear Fit SDK has two parts: the host app and the CUP (Companion UI Profile) browser. Gear Fit SDK allows you to easily control wearable devices (CUP browser) by using android device (Host) which is connected in the Bluetooth environment. The host of Gear Fit SDK has two elements: API that can controls 12 different kinds of widgets through CUP Browser and the Host application developed by the developers with the Gear Fit SDK.

CUP Browser consists of Service for Gear Fit, which receives the command then translates, and the Widget of Gear Fit, which receives the translation to display it on the screen then transfer the UI event to the CUP Host. There are about 12 kinds of CUP widget and Samsung plans to increase the number.

Just the fact that finally the availability of the right tool kits to develop apps for all the Samsung Gear fans should excite many developers. Wearable market is a growing market and it looks like Gear users will grow as well. If you are a developer, everything points to one direction, SDKs for the Gear lineup.

Just a few hours ago, at the Samsung Developer Day, many of the new Samsung SDKs have been announced. Among all the new SDKs that the developers are excited about, there is one Samsung SDK that deals with the one of the most important factors in determining your quality of life: S Health SDK. S Health SDK hasn’t been made public, until now. With the still fresh-out-of-oven announcement of the Galaxy S5, the new availability of the S Health SDK is unquestionably exciting news. So, let’s get right to the point now; here are the key points about the S Health SDK from the Developer Day 2014.

1. Health Related Mobile App has a lot of potential

At the keynote speech of the Developer Day, it was said that by 2015, the number of mobile health app users would reach 500 million people. Currently, out of all the health related app users, 57% are general consumers. Considering people are expected to live to about 100 years in the near future, it is not so difficult to imagine that mobile health app is a promising area.

2. There are two different kinds of S Health SDK

-Client SDK-

S Health SDK could be grouped into two different categories: Client SDK and Service SDK. For the S Health SDK and health related apps, first, it is important for the apps to have an interface that could utilize the sensor inputs to digitize health information into data. S Health Client SDK provides the interface to the internal and external sensors that store the data in the local DB. It also uses the standard interface, such as ANT+ which has plenty of access to various sensor devices on the market. Therefore, the developers can utilize plenty of resources. You can find Client SDK as Health package in Samsung Mobile SDK 1.5’

-Service SDK-

Secondly, mobile health apps need to be able to provide accurate analysis or suggestions to the user; therefore, the quality of data is important. All the data that is collected by the S Health Client SDK is saved in Samsung’s secure PHR, or personal health records. PHR data contains whatever health data that could be collected using the S Health SDK such as biological data, exercise log data, food ingestion data, and sleep/stress log data, and all these records are secured. However, in order to comply with HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accessibility Act), S Health Service SDK, or Service SDK provides full accessibility to the Open API server, including PHR server, service servers, and statistical data server.

Basically, it synchronizes the open API server and PHR DB with the data from the local DB collected by the Client SDK. For the Service SDK, the manual input from outside or the internal sources from the 3rd party app will be directly connected to the 72 different APIs and it will be transmitted to the open API server and 4 different service managers can be accessed through Service SDK.

3. Utilize the Motion package in Samsung Mobile SDK

For many mobile health apps, it is important to collect data while the users of the app are moving, such as when they are exercising. Motion package can recognize the users’ movement, but this time, using the low-power technology, recognition has been upgraded to a point where the Motion package can recognize the level of activity, such as whether you are stationary, walking, running and or in a  vehicle. The 3rd party developers also have the access to the data collected by Motion package to make a more powerful health app.

Based on the announcement of the basic features of the S Health SDK, as a developer, it should excite you that you can get access to the data in PHR server (not the actual detail information of the data, but the data as a category, the personal information is not accessible). It will give you plenty of data to work with to make a very customized health app that people are looking for. After all, what is better than developing an app that could improve people’s quality of life?

SDKs for GALAXY S5 and SAMSUNG Gear 2

are introduced to developers at the Samsung Developer Day at MWC

Samsung Electronics announced the immediate availability of Software Development Kits (SDKs) for the Galaxy S5 and Samsung Gear 2, during Samsung Developer Day at Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2014 in Barcelona, Spain.

Following the unveiling of the Galaxy S5 and Samsung Gear 2 in Barcelona on February 24, the SDKs were introduced before over 500 app developers from around the world at Samsung Developer Day, a conference Samsung has held since 2011 for app developers, at the App Planet exhibition space at MWC.

An SDK for the Samsung Gear 2 based on Tizen was also introduced publicly for the first time. In addition to these SDKs, a Gear Fit SDK for Samsung Gear Fit was introduced, foreshowing the potential for wearable apps development.

Dr. Won-Pyo Hong, president and head of the Media Solution Center at Samsung Electronics, said “Samsung will continue to provide more comprehensive SDKs for our mobile devices and maintain collaborative relationships with development partners to present unique and unprecedented content and services to our customers.”

During Samsung Developer Day, the company also introduced an upgraded Samsung Mobile SDK 1.5 with the finger scanning technology, strengthened motion-detection function included in the Galaxy S5 as well as Multi-screen technology for developing apps that can simultaneously operate on TV and mobile devices.

The S Health SDK was also presented to developer partners. S Health, Samsung’s personalized app which utilizes a user’s health information accumulated through sensors, is available on various Samsung mobile devices.

In addition to the SDK exhibitions and demonstrations, a presentation on mobile app development trends for 2014 was provided by guest speaker Andreas Constantinou, the CEO of Vision Mobile.

Awards for the Samsung Smart App Challenge 2013, a global contest for app development held successfully last year, were also presented in a ceremony.

You can find more information about the new released SDKs today at Samsung Developers website at http://developer.samsung.com.

□ Newly Released SDK

□ Upgrade SDK

*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.

Samsung Galaxy S5 has been officially revealed at the Samsung Unpacked 2014 just a few days ago. Some of you may have seen the moment on live on Samsung Tomorrow live broadcasts. So what do you think of the Galaxy S5? Wouldn’t you want to take a closer look at it to see what the design and the specifications of the Galaxy S5 is all about? Great, because we have just the thing for you. Check out the video of the quick overview of the Samsung Galaxy S5.

After Samsung Unpacked 2014, Samsung held an Experience Zone where people can try out and toy around with the new Galaxy S5. Frankie Vu, a tech blogger, investigated the scene to find out how what people actually felt about it.

In September 2013, Samsung announced its new advanced pixel technology for the CMOS image sensors (CIS), the ISOCELL technology, which are technology that significantly improves image quality; pretty much any photos you take with your mobile devices. At the MWC 2014, more improved version of the ISCOCELL, 16MP and 13MP. Therefore, we decided to take a moment to understand the technology that allow us to take better photos. Read along and get the big picture of the CMOS image sensor and the new ISOCELL.

CMOS Image Sensor

To understand what the CMOS image sensor is, it is clear that we need to break down the terminology first.

CMOS, complementary metal-oxide semiconductor, is a technology used for building integrated circuits, which are a set of electronic circuits that consist of electrical components connected by a wire which provides an electric current. If you look at it, it pretty much looks a city with many buildings connected by a road, on a chip.

The image sensor is a device that converts light into an electrical signal.

So when we refer generally to the CMOS Image Sensor (CIS), it is an image sensor that is produced with the CMOS technology. More specifically, it’s an image sensor designed as an integrated circuit that contains a number of light-sensitive pixels. CMOS Image Sensor is integrated circuit with array of pixel sensors where each pixel contains a photodetector that senses light and an active amplifier that amplifies the signal.

Therefore, basically, CMOS image sensors (CIS) are the main component that determines the quality of the picture, because they receive light and convert into an electrical signal. Especially when you are talking about any digital imaging device, CMOS image sensors, apart from digital cameras, are extensively used in today’s mobile computing and communication devices, such as smartphones and tablets for photos and videos.
A CIS device is designed as an integrated circuit containing a number of light-sensitive pixels. The self-contained unit also contains circuitry that scans each pixel at fixed intervals providing an electrical pattern of the image falling on the pixels.

ISOCELL

The key to understanding ISOCELL is the understanding the pixel technology of the image sensor. Previous sensor technology developments focused on improving the light absorption of each pixel. This has progressed pixel technology from FSI (Front Side Illumination) to BSI (Back Side Illumination). Image sensors with FSI have a similar logic to the human eye where images we see are received first through lenses then transported through wires, and then processed into the signal thanks to the photodetector. FSI, just like human eyes, has certain limitations in terms of the light,  specifically photons, because the light is processed through a wire (nerves) first.

The BSI technology solves this problem by reversing the whole process. Since the photodetectors receive first and can process more light, it improves the light absorption of each pixel, especially in lowlight situations such as night time.

However, as we constantly demand higher resolution for images, the pixel sizes continue to decrease as well, which eventually brings certain limitations to the BSI technology in improving the image quality. For example, since more lights and colors are being absorbed, then being processed, it could result in noise or color mixing between neighboring pixels.

This is when ISOCELL, the next generation of pixel technology of Samsung comes. Basically, ISOCELL technology forms a physical barrier between neighboring pixels – isolating the pixel. The result, compared to conventional BSI pixels, is that the ISOCELL pixels decrease the crosstalk by approximately 30 percent. It also increases the full well capacity (FWC) by 30% and 20% wider chief ray angle. Samsung is the first to adopt the ISOCELL technology.

This ISOCELL technology gives two key advantages over other image sensor’s technology.

1. Wider, clearer viewing experience without field-of-view(FOV) loss

Even though technology has advanced to a point where we cannot conceive, cameras have not been able to capture the world as we see it. FOV is extremely important in taking high quality photos, because FOV influences the ability of camera to capture the world as human beings see it; generally sees less. The 16MP ISOCELL imager provides a wider, clearer viewing experience to mobile device users by with a 16:9 aspect ratio without field-of-view (FOV) loss.

2. Smart Wide Dynamic Range(WDR)

Samsung’s new 13Mpixel ISOCELL CIS features Smart Wide Dynamic Range (WDR) technology. With a mosaic pattern of multiple exposures, images are then processed with an advanced algorithm for wider dynamic range. Therefore, users can capture the details more accurately in both bright and dark areas even in high contrast lighting conditions. This Smart WDR feature is based on Samsung’s 65nm stacked process, where the pixel array is attached right on top of the logic circuit. Samsung’s 13Mpixel product is sampling now and is scheduled for mass production in the second quarter of 2014.

Samsung addresses the demanding mobile market with new Exynos processors, CMOS Image Sensors, NFC IC and a Wi-Fi chipset

Samsung Electronics announced a broad range of cutting-edge products – two Exynos application processors, two CMOS image sensors, an NFC IC and a Wi-Fi chipset for use in advanced smartphones and tablets. These new products will be demonstrated in Samsung’s booth, Hall 2, Booth 2G40 at the Mobile World Congress, Fira Gran Via, Barcelona, Spain, February 24-27.

Exynos Application Processors for Ultimate Display Support, Longer Battery Life and Wider Applications

Samsung’s new Exynos 5422, an advanced Exynos 5 Octa product for premium mobile devices, is designed to support the ever-increasing needs of high-resolution displays and complicated computation without sacrificing battery life. This new processor is equipped with eight cores—four big cores (ARM® Cortex®- A15 up to 2.1 GHz) for heavy loads and four small cores (ARM® Cortex®- A7 up to 1.5 GHz) for lighter jobs—that deliver up to 34 percent higher performance than in previous Exynos Octa models. Due to Samsung’s further optimized big.LITTLE HMP (Heterogeneous Multi Processing) technology, any combination of up to eight cores is engineered to provide optimum performance for any given task.

To support high-resolution displays requiring a higher rate of data calculation and bandwidth, such as WQHD (2560 x 1440) and WQXGA (2560 x 1600), Samsung has adopted new solutions with proprietary mobile image compression (MIC) and adaptive hibernation technology. With MIC, display data is compressed into half to minimize memory bandwidth requirement and uses only four MIPI lanes.

To further reduce power requirements, an adaptive hibernation algorithm detects non-moving parts of dynamic images and freezes the data transfer. Both technologies are implemented in conjunction with Samsung’s mobile display driver IC (S6E3HA0 for WQHD and S6E3FA2 for FHD respectively), and save power consumption by up to 10 percent compared with conventional technologies.

Samsung’s new Exynos 5422 also delivers an outstanding multimedia experience through advanced Multi Format Codec (MFC) that supports 4K UHD resolution. These multimedia enhancements enable users to enjoy life-like multimedia experience by creating and uploading richer mobile contents with greater ease.

Exynos 5422 is developed using Samsung’s advanced 28 nanometer (nm) fabrication process node and supports HMP feature, saving overall power consumption by up to 10 percent with improved performance compared to mobile application processors fabricated with the 32nm process. Samples of the processor are available now and scheduled for mass production in the first quarter of 2014.

Another addition to the Exynos portfolio, Exynos 5 Hexa (Exynos 5260) is designed to bring optimal performance and power efficiency required in the increasing mid- to high-end mobile market. The new Exynos 5 Hexa processor is powered by six CPU cores; two 1.7GHz ARM® Cortex®-A15 cores and four 1.3GHz ARM® Cortex®-A7 cores. Along with Exynos 5 Octa products, it adopts big.LITTLE HMP to provide the right mixture of cores for various tasks, resulting in up to 42 percent improved performance when compared with the previous Exynos 5 Dual products.

Equipped with an embedded Display Port (eDP) interface and memory bandwidth supporting up to 12.8GB/s, the Exynos 5260 also supports WQXGA (2560 x 1600) display resolution. For excellent video experience, it is integrated with a video codec that enables Full HD (1080p) playback at up to 60 frames-per-second (fps) with encoding and decoding of various standards, such as H.264, MPEG4 and VP8. Exynos 5260 is currently in mass production.

16Mp and 13Mp ISOCELL CMOS Image Sensors for High-Quality Viewing Experience

Samsung’s new CMOS image sensor technology, ISOCELL, substantially increases light sensitivity and effectively controls the collection of electrons, resulting in higher color fidelity even in poor lighting conditions. By incorporating ISOCELL, the image sensor will have 30 percent decrease in crosstalk; 30 percent increase in full well capacity; and 20 percent wider chief ray angle. Using the new technology with 1.12µm ISOCELL pixels, Samsung is introducing two new CMOS image sensors —16 and 13Mpixel.

The 16Mpixel ISOCELL imager provides a wider, clearer viewing experience to mobile device users by implementing a 16:9 aspect ratio, allowing for full-size, high-resolution images and video to be displayed on screen without field-of-view (FOV) loss. This high-speed sensor captures full FOV 16:9 full HD (1080p) video at 60fps, and for the first time in the industry, enables continuous shooting of all 16Mpixels at 30fps. Samples of the 16Mpixel ISOCELL CIS are available now and scheduled for mass production in the first quarter of 2014.

Samsung’s new 13Mpixel ISOCELL CIS features Smart Wide Dynamic Range (WDR) technology, which allows users to capture images at 30fps. With a mosaic pattern of multiple exposures, images are then processed with an advanced algorithm for wider dynamic range. This enables users to capture details clearly in both bright and dark areas even in high contrast lighting conditions. This Smart WDR feature is based on Samsung’s advanced 65nm stacked process, where the pixel array is attached right on top of the logic circuit. Samsung’s 13Mpixel product is sampling now and is scheduled for mass production in the second quarter of 2014.

3rd Generation NFC Chip Solution for Expanding Mobile Payment Ecosystem

Samsung introduces its 3rd generation near field communications (NFC) chip solution. This is the industry’s first NFC IC using 45nm embedded flash process, which enables easy and secure firmware updates as well as low power consumption.

This new NFC solution offers handset designers more flexibility by adopting the industry’s smallest antenna with enhanced radio frequency performance. This was made possible by Samsung’s proprietary Smart Antenna technology, which optimizes impedances of both receiving and emitting parts respectively to improve sensitivity and power efficiency. The NFC chip solution is currently being sampled to customers and is scheduled for mass production in the second quarter of 2014.

Wi-Fi Solution with Low Power Consumption for IoT Applications

Samsung offers its first wireless connectivity solution, S5N2120, for the growing Internet of Things (IoT) market. This solution supports IEEE 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi 2.4 GHz, and has an extremely small footprint, which is essential for a wide array of applications.

This solution features an integrated micro control unit (MCU) with a power amplifier, power management, audio codec and direct microphone functions. With this MCU, OEM customers can easily reconfigure their existing designs to add Wi-Fi connectivity functions. This allows for a shorter development lead-time and less engineering resources are required.

This flexibility along with excellent performance and a small footprint is optimal for battery-constrained applications such as Wi-Fi speakers, headsets, remote controls, digital & sports cameras, smart heating/cooling meters, sensors and other types of IoT or M2M applications. Samsung’s new Wi-Fi connectivity solution, S5N2120, is currently sampling and scheduled for mass production in the second quarter of 2014.

*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.

* The following is  an individual opinion of editor ASyk and does not represent the official views of the company. 

On the newest Galaxy TabPRO and NotePRO, users can split the screen in four ways and customize the size of each screen. There are probably some people who think that four windows might be too many, or frown on the concept of Multi Window in general. At first glance, doubling or even quadrupling from a single window could be overwhelming and that is understandable. However, the expression “too many” indicates that we cannot or will not make use of them, and that is not the case. Whether you know it or not, you’ve been utilizing and familiar with the multiple windows feature for a long time. It was just matter of time until we took it to another dimension. The ‘multi’ phenomenon was and is inevitable and here is why.

You’ve known about MultiWindow for a long time

TV has the longest history for being a major tool for content viewing. Whenever we wanted to watch something, TV was the most prominent tool to go with, before high speed internet. Once high speed internet was widely accessible, we were able to watch quality images and videos on our computers. However, most of the time, you were either on the computer or TV for content viewing.

When laptops and WiFi became popular, we were allowed to have some mobility in terms of ‘where’ we can view contents. For example, as long as we have power on our laptop we could carry it around anywhere in the house to view content and most of the time that was on our couch, where we sit down to watch TV.

However, unless we have the couch to ourselves, since laptops were relatively big for the couch, we couldn’t really comfortably enjoy the contents from our laptops and TV simultaneously for a long time; we ended up committing to the TV. However, we realized that we had the urge to use multiple sources for contents.

Then about a half-decade ago, we got smartphones, a mobile device that was as powerful as the laptops we were used to.

Now, what is the one thing that we have next to us, if not all the time, when we sit in front of the TV, besides popcorn? Smartphones! How often do you peek at your smartphone for status updates, personal messages or emails while you are watching TV? What do you do when you verify or look into more information that you just heard on the TV? Here, you are already working with 2 screens: the screen of your TV and smartphone.

We’ve been doing this, multitasking, for a while now without missing out on any critical information. Judging from our experience, we are pretty good at multitasking. In fact, our desire to multitask might be even instinctual, because when we want to get more things done in a given time; be more efficient!

Of course, the situation above could be easily regarded as simply procrastinating, instead of being efficient. However, at least two things shouldn’t be disregarded: the fact that we have the tools to access unlimited information on demand and we are good at processing two or more different kinds of information simultaneously.

Now all we have to do at this point is use one device instead of two. You can either split the screen of you mobile device, such as Galaxy S5, Galaxy Note 3, Galaxy TabPRO or Galaxy NotePRO, and view two different windows, or split the screen of your Smart TV. Utilizing multiple screen/window is not an overwhelming concept at all.

MultiWindow vs MultiScreen

Just to clarify, MultiWindow and MultiScreenare two different concepts.

Last year, Samsung introduced a feature called the ‘SideSync’. SideSync is a program that allows your Samsung PC and smartphone to work together as one and it also automatically duplicates all new files and photos while your phone is recharging via the PC. This feature was just the beginning of the MultiScreen feature.

MultiScreen feature is when you can transfer or link/share content wirelessly to another device to view it. Samsung has been working hard to bring a complete experience of MultiScreen where content can be shared among TVs, PCs and mobile devices.

For example, Samsung introduced the various SDKs, such as Samsung Mobile SDK, Samsung MultiScreen SDK, and Samsung MultiScreen Gaming Platform, which all let users develop a software/app to seamlessly transfer contents between devices, such as web browsing, movies or gaming. At the upcoming Developers Day at MWC 2014, Samsung even plans to introduce an upgraded version of these SDKs.

MultiWindow

Have you ever seen or used two windows simultaneously on your desktop PC? Whether you are an application developer, a graphic designer or an analyst, you know that working with two windows side by side, makes you more of an efficient professional. This is because a lot of times, you need to aggregate various kinds of information to customize them for your own needs, as fast as you can. If this is you, you’ve already been using the MultiWindow feature.

As we mentioned before, the concept of utilizing two windows on a single monitor is pretty much the same as utilizing the MultiWindow function on your mobile smartphones or tablets. For example, you can watch a highlight video of your favorite sports team on one window and check the statistics from the most recent game on the other window on your mobile device.

The great part about Samsung MultiWindow feature is that it is easy and intuitive. You can switch between windows easily regardless of whether you use the device in landscape or portrait mode. Depending on your preference or the type of the information you are viewing, the size of each window is totally customizable as well. The UX of the feature is designed in a way that doesn’t require users to open up a manual and study the features; it just makes intuitive sense.

MultiWindow has been enabled in Samsung mobile devices since the Galaxy Note 2. With the release of the Galaxy Note 3, the MultiWindow feature has been tremendously improved and now with the software upgrade, users can enjoy the same quality on their Galaxy Note 2, Galaxy S4 and Galaxy S4 as well, simply with a software upgrade. However, on the latest Galaxy NotePRO and TabPRO has the most advance MultiWindow feature, thanks to its Quad View ability.

As we have already emphasized, MultiWindow feature will be very handy for people who need to process various information quickly and simultaneously. It is definitely exciting to see how people can creatively and effectively utilize the function and make multitasking on a mobile device into some kind of art form. Would it be too nerdy to want to see a viral video of a demonstration from someone who mastered the art of MultiWindow feature?

MultiWindow is the future. As technology develops, we have been able to access more information with less time. As an animal that evolves, we will adapt to this environment and eventually be able to not only access but also process more information with less time. To do that we need to have the different kinds of information we want to process in hand. And the solution to that is the MultiScreen or MultiWindow, at least for now.

* The following is  an individual opinion of editor ASyk and does not represent the official views of the company. 

‘Leaked’ was probably one of the biggest buzzwords of 2013 and it doesn’t surprise anyone that data protection was (and still is) one of the biggest issues we face. Hearing all the news about the lack of security regarding our information, especially information on mobile devices, is especially jarring. Many of us actually have nothing to hide on our online foot print, but if you are a business man, this threat is critical. However, there is a way the business owner, the IT team and employees can feel safe and secure. Let’s talk about the most recently upgraded Samsung KNOX.

If you are a man who is running a business, there are few concerns about the mobile device your business uses: cost, efficiency and security. If your business deals with a lot of sensitive information, it is very important that the information is secure. Therefore, many businesses provides business phones to their employees. While there are many affordable smartphones, when it is given out to everyone in your company, it could do some damage to the company’s pocket. Here is the thing. Most of the people in your workforce, especially younger generation workers, have smartphones. Moreover, they are very efficient with their personal smartphones; no one can use their smartphones better than themselves and, most importantly, they own it because they like it. Therefore, if everyone can simultaneously use their personal phone as well as a business phone, business owners can not only save money, but also increase efficiency. While this makes logical sense, the question is where does Samsung KNOX come in?

The KNOX container, one of Samsung KNOX features to separate business and personal data, provides secure space within the device, complete with its own home screen, launcher, apps and widgets. Basically, it is a safe inside your mobile device. Here are some of the things that KNOX container won’t allow you to do to keep work and private separately, while making the phone secure. KNOX Container:

•  Cannot copy and paste text or images from the container into the personal space

•  Cannot access container data from the personal space

•  Cannot move files from the container to the personal space.

Isn’t it pretty simple? All data inside the KNOX container is encrypted as well. The principles are logical and keep the KNOX container secure.

Therefore, as Samsung KNOX team describes, your mobile device can have a dual persona: more specifically, a business persona and a private persona. This is what it means by BYOD, Bring Your Own Device.

Although the concept of BYOD works, because the KNOX Container is secure, you would wonder how safe Samsung KNOX itself is and how it has improved from the previous version. As it was already suggested, we have one more concern of the business owner left to answer… security. Here are some of the key improvements of the new Samsung KNOX in terms of hardware and software.

•TrustZone-Protected Certificate Management: Device-wide feature that generates and maintains  client certificates inside TrustZone with additional support for industry standards such as PKCS#11; allows mobile devices to play the role of the smart card and its readers.

•KNOX Key Store: Generates and maintains encryption keys inside the TrustZone protected environment; allows third parties to utilize encryption for security sensitive applications and makes sure that encrypted data is protected if the system is compromised.

•TrustZone-Protected ODE: Encrypts the data stored in the device  through the TrustZone-protected encryption key, which can be disabled at the detection of system integrity compromise.

•Enhancements for TIMA (ARM ® TrustZone-based Integrity Measurement Architecture): TIMA performs continuous, real-time monitoring of the system from within TrustZone to prevent tampering of the Kernel and system partition. It protects against malicious modifications and injections to the kernel code.

•Enhancements for SE Android: With the security enhancements of SE for Android, Samsung KNOX supports platform security of third-party container solutions in addition to the KNOX container. This flexibility enables Samsung KNOX to provide enterprises with powerful security for leading third-party containers.

With the previous capabilities such as Trusted Boot, which is a primary component that forms the first line of defense against malicious attacks on devices, Samsung KNOX is pretty much a comprehensive protection security platform. Long story short, Samsung KNOX is secure. Business owners could utilize this to cut cost, encourage efficiency and secure company information on company mobile devices.

OK, you get it. Samsung KNOX ensures security. However, if you are a good business owner, you would ask this question.

“Is it sustainable?”

If you’re a small to medium size business owner, you probably aren’t looking for an luxurious expensive Mobile Device Management (MDM) . You are also probably looking for a simple management system that is easy to manage, as well. So, where do you find an affordable MDM solution that is simple and easy for the IT administrators to manage? Listen to this. Samsung KNOX offers a cloud-based mobile device control solution.

This means no need for on premise infrastructure. Devices can be managed through an Admin Portal, which allows the IT administrators to control and monitor employee devices and applications. When the Admin Portal is supported with a logical and ethical IT policies, IT administrators can easily implement company guidelines, such as remote wipe, password reset, remote lock, device storage encryption,  restricted use of camera, location report and more. If you think about it, this is not only easy for the IT administrators to manage company’s use of mobile devices, but it also cut costs for the business owners. If we were to describe this situation as ‘win-win’, would it be too much of an old fashion cliché?

As you can see this whole Samsung KNOX things might be using some advanced coding and technology, but it is easy for you to understand. So the point is this. If Samsung KNOX lessens your device’s vulnerability to security threats, is easy and simple to use, why not use it?

Samsung Electronics and 3 Hong Kong, a leading Hong Kong telecoms operator announced a strategic partnership to provide a split billing solution in Hong Kong, separating personal data and corporate data usage on KNOX, Samsung’s end-to-end secure mobile platform solution designed to provide advanced data and privacy protection for both enterprises and consumers.

“KNOX represents Samsung’s strong commitment to make our mobile devices BYOD ready with the necessary security and feature enhancements,” said Injong Rhee, Senior Vice President of KNOX Business, IT & Mobile Communications Division at Samsung Electronics. “By combining 3 Hong Kong’s intelligent APN infrastructure and the secured split billing management of the Samsung KNOX platform, enterprises can now increase security through dedicated mobile network pathways for enterprise data and increase productivity while employee’s personal data plans are left untouched.”

“We are delighted to support the Samsung KNOX platform and that 3 Hong Kong is proposed to be the first operator in the world to conduct Proof of Concept (PoC) and trials to develop ‘split billing management’ to cater for customer needs,” said Daniel Chung, Chief Technology Officer of  3 Hong Kong. “This will allow both enterprises and consumers to better manage their mobile data costs independently in ways best suited to their usage patterns by choosing among various value-added and competitive billing plans provided by carriers.”

Enterprises will be able to remotely configure and manage split billing of their employees’ Samsung Galaxy devices. They can also choose which applications they want to include into their billing. This allows them to seamlessly enable and operate split billing without the need for end-user intervention.

The Split Billing Solution of Samsung KNOX^TM will send out two bills, one on corporate usage and one on personal usage, to 3 Hong Kong enterprise customers who have subscribed to KNOX services with supporting Samsung devices. Administration and bill management can be handled with great ease. The service also gives peace of mind to IT/administration managers in avoiding employees’ bill shocks and reimbursement hassles.

Samsung and 3 Hong Kong are starting a pilot programme to put the systems needed into place for end-to-end integration and interoperability. With this feature, Samsung and 3 Hong Kong are providing enterprises with a key piece of the puzzle needed to implement and manage an effective Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) policy.

About 3 Hong Kong

3 Hong Kong is a leading mobile service provider in Hong Kong offering advanced voice, data and roaming services under the “3” brand via its 4G LTE, 3G and GSM dual-band networks. 3 Hong Kong is the mobile division of Hutchison Telecommunications Hong Kong Holdings Limited (HTHKH; stock code: 215), which is a group member of Hutchison Whampoa Limited (stock code: 13). For more information on 3 Hong Kong, please visit www.three.com.hk. For more information on HTHKH, visit www.hthkh.com.

Samsung Electronics announced KNOX 2.0, the evolution of KNOX, the company’s end-to-end secure mobile platform solution designed to provide advanced data and privacy protection for enterprise users. The new features better support IT departments looking for reassurance and convenience as they implement and manage their Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) strategies.

Since October 2013 when KNOX was first commercially available in the market, Samsung has sold over 25 million KNOX-enabled devices and has over 1 million active KNOX users today. On average, 210,000 KNOX-enabled devices are being activated per month which is about 7,000 devices each day.

“Thanks to the rapid adoption of KNOX over the past 5 months since its first commercial availability, we needed to evolve the Samsung KNOX platform to meet the changing needs of our customers and the enterprise as a whole,” said JK Shin, President and CEO, Head of IT & Mobile Communications Division at Samsung Electronics. “As a leading provider of Android devices, it is our mission to make Android platform even more secure to lead enterprise mobility market. With the new features of KNOX 2.0 we are able to provide our users with a truly enterprise-ready mobile solution. We will continue to work hard and listen to both our partners and customers to constantly improve the KNOX platform to meet these ever-changing needs.”

Cutting-edge Core Platform Security

KNOX 2.0 offers a series of core platform security improvements to better protect device integrity from kernel to apps for a more secure, integrated mobile experience. These upgraded features include:

• TrustZone-Protected Certificate Management: Device-wide feature that generates and maintains  client certificates inside Trustzone with additional support for industry standards such as PKCS#11; allows mobile devices to play the role of the smart card and its readers.

• KNOX Key Store: Generates and maintains encryption keys inside the TrustZone protected environment; allows third parties to utilize encryption for security sensitive applications and makes sure that encrypted data is protected if the system is compromised

• Real-Time Protection for System Integrity: Real-time monitoring that both detects and prevents any unauthorized modifications to the kernel code, critical kernel data and system partition

• TrustZone-Protected ODE: Encrypts the data stored in the device through the TrustZone-protected encryption key, which can be disabled at the detection of system integrity compromise.

• Two-factor Biometric Authentication: Makes container access even more secure by requiring both password and fingerprint verification to authenticate

• Enhanced Generic Framework of KNOX: Supports Per-App VPN functions for SSL VPN solutions such as Juniper, F5 and Cisco while previously supporting them only for IPsec VPN.

Improved User Experience

KNOX 2.0 provides users with enhanced container features such as support for most of Android apps from the Google Play Store, meaning there is no need to go through the wrapping process for third party apps. KNOX 2.0 also supports SE Android policy configurations for third party containers, such as Good’s secure container, Fixmo’s SafeZone, MobileIron’s AppConnect so that these 3rd party containers will receive the same level of HW-based protection as the KNOX container receives. This evolution of KNOX allows for the choice of different types of containers for a more flexible approach to enterprise BYOD strategies. Besides, UMC and SEG make user enrollment process simpler than before since the user profile is pre-registered to SEG by MDM servers.

KNOX 2.0 supports a dual APN capability that can be used to charge the data traffic usage of enterprise applications from that of personal applications. By assigning a different APN to the data traffic of the enterprise container which runs only enterprise approved applications. From that to the personal data traffic, KNOX can allow a telecom carrier to separately bill customers for personal and enterprise uses. This capability removes one of the most critical industry-wide impediments to the adoption of the BYOD programs which allows employees to use their personal mobile devices for work.

Expanding Ecosystem

In addition to the core features of KNOX, Samsung also announced new cloud based services, KNOX EMM and KNOX Marketplace, broadening the KNOX customer base by catering specifically to SMBs. 

Samsung is providing the following services with KNOX:

• EMM: Provides cloud-based Mobile Device Management and Identity and Access Management (SSO + Directory service) with a rich set of IT policies to implement company guidelines. KNOX EMM includes:

o Over 326 IT policies

o Single sign-on for web-based and mobile apps

o Cloud directory service as well as on-premise active directory to manage credential information

o Cloud-based enterprise services including productivity enhancement suites CRM and ERP

• Marketplace: A one stop shop for SMBs to find, buy and use KNOX and enterprise cloud apps in a unified environment and includes:

o A comprehensive catalogue of business applications including KNOX and 140+ cloud apps

o Customizable bundling for customers to buy multiple apps in a custom bundle

o Consolidated billing to allow customers to combine multiple products into a single invoice

The key feature of KNOX EMM and Marketplace is that all the services purchased from the marketplace come with the zero-sign capability implemented by KNOX EMM. IT Admin can easily supervise employee access rights to the purchased services according to the credentials defined in the directory and employees can access these services from mobile devices and PCs without an explicit registration and sign-in process.

Samsung has also expanded its partner ecosystem. Some of our new partnerships include:

• KNOX now supports SE Android policy configurations for third party containers such as Good’s secure container, Fixmo’s SafeZone, MobileIron’s AppConnect which provide better policy control compared to the Native SE for Android, allowing users or IT managers to choose their preferred container.

• By partnering with Microsoft, KNOX allows users to join their devices with their company to access company resources and services with Microsoft Workplace Join.

• The new split-billing feature that separately calculates bills for personal and enterprise apps works by partnering with carriers like 3 Hong Kong Telecommunications.

New features of KNOX 2.0 will be commercially available in Q2 2014. Once available, previous generation KNOX users will be able to upgrade to KNOX 2.0 after upgrading to KitKat. KNOX 2.0 will also come pre-installed on the newly launched Samsung Galaxy S5.

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*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.

Samsung Electronics and Good Technology, a leader in secure mobility, today announced a strategic partnership that will provide the enterprise with an advanced mobile security solution for Samsung mobile devices. This solution combines KNOX^TM, Samsung’s end-to-end secure mobile platform solution with the market-leading Good secure container and Good-secured apps. Samsung will create a unique “Good Secure Domain” on KNOX-enabled mobile devices within any Good-secured mobile app will be able to operate, allowing customers to confidently deploy Good’s broad mobile app ecosystem and app-level security, while leveraging KNOX’s Android hardware security solution.

“Good is the first partner afforded a secure domain on KNOX-enabled devices, and we believe this integration will greatly accelerate Android adoption for our enterprise customers,” said Injong Rhee, Senior Vice President of KNOX Business, IT & Mobile Communications Division at Samsung Electronics. “We are excited to be able to offer customers a solution that combines KNOX hardware- and OS-level security with the Good secure container and app ecosystem.” 

“This is a huge win for Samsung and Good customers. Because Good’s apps and container security layer have a unique place in the KNOX stack, Good customers can now benefit from KNOX’s hardware- and OS- level security,” said Christy Wyatt, president and CEO, Good Technology. “Samsung customers can uniquely enable the Good secure container as the mobile app security and management stack on KNOX devices and leverage the entire Good ecosystem of business productivity apps.”

Good for Enterprise is the only email app for Android that has attained a Common Criteria EAL-4+ certification in addition to FIPS 140-2 validated encryption, offering a higher level of data protection and app security for Android devices.  Samsung KNOX introduces security for Android at the hardware and operating system level. Combined with KNOX’s ‘Root of Trust’ security model, the “Good Secure Domain” on KNOX satisfies the requirements of even the most security-conscious organizations.

Samsung and Good will introduce “Good Secure Domain” on the Samsung KNOX platform in the second half of 2014, and are showing an early access release of the integration at the Samsung booth in Hall 3 at Mobile World Congress.

About Good Technology.

Good Technology is the innovation leader in secure mobility solutions; enabling business to move freely and engage at the edge. Good’s comprehensive solution consists of a secure mobility platform, mobile device management, a suite of collaboration applications, and a broad third-party application and partner ecosystem that unlocks your mobile potential. More than 5,000 organizations in 130 countries use Good Technology solutions, including FORTUNE 100 leaders in commercial banking, insurance, healthcare, retail, government, manufacturing and aerospace and defense. Learn more at www.good.com

If you had to describe the back of your mobile device without having to take a look at it, how would you describe it? Among the words you can think of, was flash LED one of them? If you did, we salute you, because flash LEDs are something that a lot of people seem to take for granted. At the MWC 2014, Samsung is showcasing a range of LED component solutions for advanced mobile devices, such as reflector-integrated flash LED packages, flip-chip LED and side-view LEDs. Taking the newest Samsung reflector-integrated flash LED as an example, here are two reasons we should not take flash LED for granted.

First, flash LED plays a big role in determining the quality of photo you take on your mobile device. If you are interested in photography, you have probably heard of the term FOV (Field of view) angle. FOV angle pretty much determines the range of the observable scene that is imaged by a camera. Therefore, for better picture quality, you need a wider FOV angle. Samsung’s new reflector-integrated flash LEDs can provide a wide FOV within a small space with the integration of a light source, a lead frame, and a reflector with its own optics and diffusion features.’

Color Rendering is also a very important factor in taking a great quality photo. Color rendering is the ability of a light source to actualize the colors of objects compared with a natural light source, typically the sun. Therefore, if you want to take great photos regardless of the time of day, you want the flash of your camera to have solid color rendering. The quantitative measurement of the color rending is called the CRI. The sun has a CRI of 100. Samsung’s new reflector-integrated flash LED (3432 1.8t) has a CRI of 80. In fact, the Galaxy S5 uses Samsung’s new reflector-integrated flash LED (3432 1.8t). Yes, it is one of many reasons Galaxy S5 can take such a high quality photos.

A second reason we shouldn’t take flash LED for granted is because it is small. Many people have different preferences for the display size of their mobile devices. However, not a lot of people would prefer thick devices over thin ones. For example, if a new mobile device came out with a bigger display, we are happy (or at least indifferent). But if we were to see a new, thicker device, would we feel the same way? Probably not.  Samsung’s reflector-integrated flash LED (3432 1.4t) is only 1.4mm thick. (Average thickness of a paper ranges 0.05 to 0.1mm) It says that 1.4mm is the thickness ideal for smartphones and tablets thinner than 7mm.

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At Booth 2G40, in Hall 2 of MWC 2014, there is much more than the new flash LED products; there are a variety of LED technologies and components that are being showcased. However, considering the effect LED components, such as the flash LED has on the user experience of a mobile device, it sure doesn’t get the recognition it deserves. However, Samsung definitely has a reputation for its extensive investment in LED technology and manufacturing, and it is good to see that Samsung is trying to improve products from various perspectives.

It is time to stay fit. The Samsung Gear Fit has been introduced to the world at the Samsung Unpacked 2014.

It is the same Gear, but it sure looks a lot different to the Galaxy Gear, Samsung Gear 2 & Gear 2 Neo. It’s a bit slimmer, lighter and if you ask me, it looks more fit.

Can someone say curved screen? Because of the curved screen, it ergonomically fits comfortably on your wrist. It is officially the first wearable device in the world to feature a 1.84-inch curved Super AMOLED display.

Obviously, the curved super AMOLED display is a touchscreen. However, the UI is a bit different from the other Gear devices. It looks a bit simpler, but checking (or ignoring) SNS, email or message updates is as easy as the other Gear devices.

The Samsung Gear Fit also has a Heart Rate Monitor which lets you check your heart rate without having to link it to your smartphone. For those of you who are all about being staying healthy, Gear Fit has a real-time Fitness Coach feature to help you keep track of your workouts so you can stay…fit

The strap of the Gear Fit is changeable, just like Samsung Gear 2 and Gear 2 Neo.

Samsung Gear Fit comes in Charcoal Black, Wild Orange or Mocha Grey.

Before we get into the details, let’s quickly go over the main difference between the two. The main difference between the Samsung Gear 2 and Gear 2 Neo is the camera – the Samsung Gear 2 has a 2 Megapixel Auto-focus camera, and Neo doesn’t. Both of the Gear2 and Gear2 Neo will come out in Charcoal Black and Wild Orange, however, Gold Brown will only be available for the Gear 2 and Mocha Grey will only be available for the Gear Neo for now.

So now, to the some of the details…

Gear2 and Gear2 Neo are the first wearable devices that run on Tizen-based wearable platform. Samsung Gear2 and Gear2 Neo are already compatible with more than dozens of Samsung Galaxy smartphones… at launch!

Besides the camera, dimensions and the weight, most of the key specifications of the Samsung Gear2 lineup are identical. 1.63” Super AMOLED display with a resolution of 320 pixels by 320 pixels. It has a 1 Gigahertz dual-core processor, 512MB RAM and 4 Gigabytes of internal memory which enables the Gear 2 to run its own apps –CNN, Evernote, PayPal, RUNTASTIC and the standalone MP3 player, for example. You can also store music on your Samsung Gear2 and play it right to your Bluetooth headset without your smartphone!

It features an embedded IrLED sensor which lets you control electronic products like your TV through WatchON Remote application. It also has an Accelerometer, Gyroscope and a HEART RATE MONITOR – so many applications on health and well-being apps. Obviously, just like the Galaxy Gear, the Samsung Gear2 lets you take or ignore calls, check and reply to messages and more.

The main difference from this and the Galaxy Gear is that the camera is on the main body instead of the strap. This means that you can interchange the straps. If you like to know about the strap of Gear 2 lineup, check out our other article on it.

That was it for the quick rundown of the new Gear2 and Gear2 Neo. We will have a lot more news on the products that are being showcased at the MWC 2014, so please come back to Samsung Tomorrow to get the latest Samsung exclusives.

At Samsung Unpacked 2014, Samsung introduced the Samsung Gear Fit, an everyday fitness band that also keeps consumers up to date with instant notifications from Galaxy smartphones. With the Samsung Gear Fit, consumers can now stay much healthier as well as be more active than before. Here are some interesting facts about Gear Fit at a glance. Check out the infographic below. 

The next series of Gear, Samsung Gear 2 and Gear 2 Neo, was successfully launched at Samsung  Unpacked 2014. The main difference between the two flagships is the existence of the camera. The Samsung Gear 2 has a camera whereas the Gear 2 Neo has not. There are other special features of the Gear 2. Check out the infographic below to see how useful and convenient the Gear 2 is at a glance!

Samsung introduced the fifth generation of the Galaxy S series, the Galaxy S5, at Samsung Unpacked 2014. What makes this new flagship special is that it is IP67 dust and water resistant and offers a Finger Scanner, providing a secure and safe mobile payment experience to consumers. There are more interesting features about this new smartphone. Wonder what they are? Then check out the infographic below and find out!

*This content has been updated.

As the door opened at 7:30pm, an ocean of people rushed into the ballroom to get a seat. People literally running to get seats actually resembled a scene of a mall the day after Christmas. When people had finally sat and calm down, the Barcelona Opera House Chamber Orchestra played some epic music. Believe us, it was epic, we were there.

Samsung Tomorrow was at the event to bring you the live broadcasting of the Samsung Unpacked 2014. And for those of you who couldn’t be there with us, we present you the highlights of the Samsung Unpacked 2014.

Announcement of the Samsung Galaxy S5

The first unpacked product of the evening was the Samsung Galaxy S5. More information on the Galaxy S5 is on Samsung Tomorrow for you to check out, but here are some of the noticeable moments for the Galaxy S5.

〮 Galaxy S5 has a heart rate sensor, which is the first of its kind. The real-time fitness coaching services together with Gear can be tailored to each user.

〮 Galaxy S5 supports IP67 water and dust resistance.

〮 Galaxy S5’s new Hybrid AF has a 16mp sensor. With the Galaxy S5 you’ll be able to capture the moment in just 0.3 seconds.  This is the fastest ever auto focus for a smartphone.

〮 The Download Booster with the enhanced Wifi connection with LTE will allow blazing fast downloads like never before, such as downloading a gigabyte data in just 30 seconds.

〮 The Ultra Power Saving Mode turns the display to black and white, and shuts down all unnecessary features so if, for example, if your smartphone gets down to 10%, it can last another 24 hours in standby.

〮 Finger scanner uses your fingerprint as the ultimate password.  It’s encrypted on your device and never shared, which allows us to make secure payments without the need to memorize any passwords.

〮 Galaxy S5 comes with built-in support for ANT+, so it will be compatible with various accessories for more intensive fitness monitoring. 

〮 Galaxy S5 is the world’s first smartphone equipped with a heart rate sensor…

Introducing Gear 2 and Gear 2 Neo

A day before the MWC 2014 kicked off, Samsung announced that Samsung Gear 2 and Gear 2 Neo were going to be introduced at the Samsung Unpacked 2014. Here were some moments of applause and awes.

〮 Gear 2 and Gear 2 Neo have no wiring in the strap, you can swap them out.

〮 Samsung added a home button like on the smartphones, so whatever app you’re using, you can return to the home menu without flicking all the way back.

〮 Gear 2 lineup senses heart rate.

〮 Gear 2 will be able to sync with 17 Galaxy devices.

〮 Gear 2’s SDK will be released at MWC 2014.

〮 Gear 2 battery life lasts up to 3 days.

〮 Gear 2’s water and dust resistance Ingress Protection Rating is 67, which is 12 points higher than Gear 1.

Introducing Gear Fit

Samsung’s Gear portfolio has three new additions and Gear Fit was the last device to be introduced at the Samsung Unpacked 2014. Gear Fit looked like a perfect device for people who has the desire to stay healthy and fit. It was light and simple enough for people to wear and still be as active as they want. Here were some key moments.

〮 Gear Fit features the world’s first curved super-AMOLED touchscreen display on a wearable device.

〮 The Gear Fit weighs in at 27 grams.

〮 You can also swap out the straps.

〮 Gear Fit has instant notifications and simple interaction with other Galaxy devices, such as call reject, alarm control, and quick message reply, which has been impossible with other fitness bands. 

 〮 Gear Fit will also work with 20 GALAXY devices.

 〮 Gear 2 and Gear Fit have a built-in Heart Rate Sensor so you can customize your workout plans.

Long story short, that was pretty much what happened. If you want to find more details about it, you can check out the full script of the live blogging or our MWC special page for lists of contents we have on Samsung Tomorrow. Now the Samsung Unpacked 2014 is over, we can tune in our attention to other fine things happening at the Samsung booths at the MWC 2014. We will try to bring you the most comprehensive coverage of the MWC 2014, so please stay tuned with us for the rest of MWC 2014!

The next big thing has finally been unpacked! At the MWC 2014, Samsung Galaxy S5 has been introduced to the world. Whenever a new flagship model comes out like the Galaxy S5, you want to compare it to the previous model. We understand that, so we made it easier for you. Here is the comparison of the key specifications of the Galaxy S series. Check it out at once!

*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.

One of the biggest differences between the Samsung Galaxy Gear to the Samsung Gear 2 and Gear 2 Neo is the strap. So what is all this buzz about the strap? Here are the 3 things about the strap.

First, the main difference between the new Gear 2 lineup & Gear Fit and the Galaxy Gear is the camera. The Camera for the Galaxy Gear is on the strap, however that is not the case for Gear 2 and Gear 2 Neo. Gear 2 has the 2.0 Megapixel camera with Auto Focus on the main body and Gear 2 Neo and Gear Fit don’t have a camera.

Secondly, both the Mic and the speaker are on the main body for Gear 2 and Gear 2 Neo, unlike the Galaxy Gear. Therefore, there is nothing on the strap. This allows people to interchange the straps.

How difficult is it to change the strap on this highly advanced wearable devices? As simple as it gets. On the back of the main body, there is a little metal thing that connects the strap to the body. All you have to do to change the strap is to click it on and off. It is very simple.

Finally, the Gear 2 and Gear 2 Neo are not only interchangeable, but they are also compatible with any 22mm straps on the market, which gives you even more freedom of expression.

Below are some of the samples of the strap for the Gear 2 and Gear 2 NEO that were displayed for Samsung Tomorrow. Take a look.

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If you have seen the live broadcast of the Samsung Unpacked 2014 just a few hours ago, you probably noticed that 3 new Gear products have been introduced to the world: Samsung Gear 2, Gear 2 Neo and Gear Fit. Not many people had the access to get the photos of these products, however, Samsung Tomorrow got them. Here are the photos of the Samsung Gear 2, Gear Neo and Gear Fit. 

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By now we are not sure how many photos of the new Samsung Galaxy S5 the world has. However, what we know is that there will not be any photos like the ones that we are about to show you right here on Samsung Tomorrow. Many of you already know that we, at Samsung Tomorrow, always try to bring you the latest and the closest look at Samsung Exclusives. Therefore, even though it only has been couple hours since the Galaxy S5 was announced, we got them right here. Take a look.

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＊ 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.

All eyes are on the Mobile World Congress 2014. Especially with the announcement of the Samsung Gear 2 and Gear Neo, we can already feel MWC 2014, which just kicked off on 24th of February, filling the air of Barcelona with excitement .However, we are going to need to make some more room, because Samsung Unpacked 2014 is just a few hours away. As a connoisseur of excitement, Samsung Tomorrow felt an uncontrollable urge to check out the MWC 2014. Here is our journey to MWC 2014.

From the El Prat de Llobregat international airport to Fira Grand Via, where the MWC is being held, is less than a half hour away by car. However, for your information, the Centre Convencions Internacional Barcelona (CCIB), where the Samsung Unpacked 2014 is being held, is a bit further north east of Fira Grand Via.

CCIB has a great view facing the sea and  is about 100,000 m2, which is pretty big. With the Samsung Unpacked only being few hours away, you might want to double check the location, since you definitely don’t want to be late for the event.

If you are talking about size, the Fira Grand Via has a pretty solid reputation. If you want to host around 1700 exhibitions, you better have. It is one of the largest venues in Europe with a pretty impressive surface area of 240,000m2.

One other thing you notice is the design of the building. We are not going to pretend like we know anything about architectural design, so we will describe it with one adjective, awesome. The building was designed by a Pritzker prize winning Japanese architect, Toyo Ito.

To get into MWC 2014, you need a pass. As always, one of the fun parts of these international events is the pass. At many international events like MWC 2014, it is quite ordinary to see everyone wearing a pass with their name and association around their neck that guarantees access to the event; it works as identification. However, for Samsung Tomorrow, we didn’t get just a pass, we got the Samsung pass! This pass is a license to bring exclusive news to you!

When you step inside the building, it looks big but feels even bigger. For example, there are a total of 8 halls at the MWC 2014. If you start walking from Hall 1 all the way to Hall 8.1 without taking a look at any exhibitions, it will take a good solid 20 minutes. MWC 2014 is a 4 day event, so there is enough time to check out all the event has to offer, but we would recommend you to plan your day out, otherwise, you will be doing a lot of walking.

There are quite a few Samsung booths at the MWC 2014: Samsung LSI booth is located in Hall 2, Samsung mobile booth in Hall 3, and Samsung Apps in Hall 8.1. Also, on the 25th Samsung Developer Day is going to be held in Hall 8.0. Yes, we would really recommend you to plan your moves in advance.

With Samsung Unpacked 2014 episode 1 just a few hours away, we would also like to invite you to Samsung Tomorrow live broadcasts. We are going to live stream and live blog the event simultaneously. Also, we will also bring you the freshest Samsung news at MWC 2014, so please stay tuned!

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Samsung Electronics introduced the Samsung Gear 2 and Gear 2 Neo designed to take the freedom, convenience and style of wearable technology to the next level. The Samsung Gear 2 and Gear 2 Neo offer consumers enhanced connectivity and a completely integrated approach for the most personal wearable experience.

“Samsung continues to lead innovation in the wearable market by creating devices that are completely integrated into the lives of consumers through extended connectivity features, stylish customization options and a robust application ecosystem,” Said JK Shin, CEO and President of IT & Mobile Division, Samsung Electronics. “With the Samsung Gear 2 and Gear 2 Neo, we have enhanced everything consumers love about the Gear to offer unparalleled smart freedom in their everyday life.”

The next generation of mobile freedom

Samsung achieved a significant improvement as a leading smart wearable provider with Samsung Gear 2 and Gear 2 Neo. Both devices offer a lightweight design with premium finishes that reflect modern trends.

A camera is equipped to a main body instead to strap, making the Samsung Gear 2 a sleek and sharp smart companion.Consumers are now available to express their mood or coordinate with their outfit with modern and sophisticated strap color options including Charcoal Black, Gold Brown and Wild Orange for Gear 2 and Charcoal Black, Mocha Grey and Wild Orange for Gear 2 Neo. The home screen background, clock face and fontare also customizable to reflect their personal taste.

The Gear 2 and Gear 2 Neo are essential companion devices, allowing users to accept or ignore incoming calls and messages, and providing instant notification options based on a user’s activity and habits.

Both devices act as an extension of a consumer’s daily life, offering users more control of their lives with standalone features, such as controlling electronic products such as TV, settop box through WatchON Remote application in their own home with an embedded lrLED sensor. The addition of a standalone music player with Bluetooth headset means people can leave their smartphone at home and still enjoy their music on the go.

Both devices also offer personal fitness coaching in real time, allowing users to develop a customizable fitness routine and monitor their heart rate in order to improve their overall well-being.

Finally, the Samsung Gear 2 and Gear 2 Neo let users connect to a wide variety of Samsung devices and access an enriched application ecosystem as the first wearable powered by Tizen based wearable platform.Samsung Gear 2 and Gear 2 Neo are compatible with more than dozens of Samsung Galaxy smartphones at launch.

Samsung Gear 2 and Gear 2 Neo will be available around the world starting from April. Full details and product images are available at www.samsungmobilepress.com or m.samsungmobilepress.com.

*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. 

What happened in Vegas… was CES 2014. That was already a month ago. In few days, Barcelona is going to be the happening place. And we know what happens in Barcelona on the 24^th of February is going to be called Samsung Unpacked 2014. This video seems to remind us just that. 

Although the Samsung Unpacked is going to be held in Barcelona, Spain, the event is going to be a worldwide event. Samsung Tomorrow feels compelled to take part on this, so we are going to bring you the live broadcasts of the Samsung Unpacked 2014, right here at global.samsungtomorrow.com

And remember, MWC 2014 kicks off as Samsung unpacks. You can definitely expect us to bring a whole lot of Samsung exclusives on the table. Until then, “Hasta la vista!”

Summary:

• At Mobile World Congress 2014, Samsung Electronics will exhibit and demonstrate its ‘High Density Cell Solutions’ which will incorporate Samsung’s ‘Smart Networks’ technology.

• Samsung will exhibit its ‘Smart SON’ and ‘Smart CA’ solutions, drawing on its Smart Networks technology.

• Samsung will also present its ‘C-RAN’ configuration for optimized network deployment.

Samsung shows Specialty in High Density Cell Solutions at Mobile World Congress 2014

Samsung’s longstanding expertise in Dense Urban Area deployments will help mobile operators to address surging Mobile Data traffic

Samsung Electronics will exhibit and demonstrate its ‘High Density Cell Solutions’ at Mobile World Congress 2014. In addition, the solutions will incorporate Samsung’s ‘Smart Networks’ technology, which addresses the chronic underperformance between network cells.

With the data deluge that characterizes the smart device era, mobile networks need to address higher capacity demands, and mobile operators in turn must face obligatory high density cell deployments. Often however, the capacity gains that these specialized cells afford to the network are offset by observably higher interference. To alleviate this challenge, Samsung will exhibit its ‘Smart SON’ and ‘Smart CA’ solutions, drawing on its Smart Networks technology. Both solutions are underpinned by Samsung’s centralized intelligent network controller, the ‘Smart Scheduler^TM’.

Samsung’s Smart SON (Self Organizing Network) automatically identifies sub-par network performance and takes remedial action in near real-time. Samsung will show sample simulation of unexpected cell outage, and the subsequent inspection and coverage recovery through intelligent adjustment of select parameters such as antenna and amplifier power levels. The demonstration will furthermore highlight the coverage hole created by a new building structure, together with Smart SON’s response of dynamic coverage-capacity optimization.

Samsung’s Smart CA (Carrier Aggregation) is designed to provide operators with increased flexibility in network resource utilization, and has been shortlisted in the Best Mobile Infrastructure category of the Mobile World Congress 2014 Global Mobile Awards. By aggregating bands with best conditions, the demonstration will reveal how Smart CA maximizes the data throughput of mobile users located in overlapping cell border areas.

“Samsung has focused on developing and offering the most efficient network solutions for surging mobile data traffic,” said Sam Baker, Vice President and Head of Marketing Group at Networks Business, Samsung Electronics. “As a result, Samsung has successfully provided its advanced LTE networks to the dense urban areas in the U.S., Japan and Korea, whose markets also have the highest requirements of mobile data usage. We are confident that these solutions will equip operators to meet the rapidly increasing demands placed on their networks. Samsung will continue to innovate in this area, reinforcing its position as a network specialist for high density cell solutions.”

At its booth, Samsung will also present its ‘C-RAN’ configuration for optimized network deployment. By centralizing baseband units and integrating with the Smart Scheduler^TM, Samsung’s radio access networks facilitate and increase efficiencies of network management for mobile operators. Samsung has been supplying C-RAN network architectures since 2012 to Korean operators, thus capturing the early stage of LTE deployment in the country. Relying on significant reductions in operator CAPEX and OPEX as testament, Samsung will share its practical learnings on key C-RAN benefits.

Samsung anticipates that combining Smart SON and Smart CA with a C-RAN configuration will prove to be synergistic for those mobile operators confronted with recurring capacity challenges.

*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. 

Summary:

• Samsung Electronics will exhibit and demonstrate its newest advanced networks and solutions at Mobile World Congress 2014.

• Samsung will exhibit three new solution concepts that benefit mobile operators with enhanced network performance, innovative business enablement and differentiated subscriber experience.

Samsung advocates “Elegant Connections” with Redefined Network Possibilities at Mobile World Congress 2014

Samsung showcases innovative solutions to revolutionize mobile networks

Samsung Electronics will exhibit and demonstrate its newest advanced networks and solutions at Mobile World Congress 2014. Under its theme for this year’s congress, ‘Elegant Connections, Possibilities Redefined’, Samsung will demonstrate its higher performance network, combined with versatile functionalities.

Since the advent of the smart device era and the ensuing data deluge of multimedia radio traffic, mobile operators have faced new challenges in the deployment of advanced networks, improving the end user experience and generating additional profitable revenue streams. At Mobile World Congress 2014, Samsung will showcase its portfolio of cutting-edge network solutions to address these challenges.

“In order to overcome the challenges stemming from the smart device era and to meet the highest levels of customer needs, we have to redefine the possibilities of the mobile network,” said Youngky Kim, President and Head of Networks Business at Samsung Electronics. “Mobile networks should be more powerful and intelligent as well as versatile, giving rise to what can be described as elegant connections for the users. Samsung is the best partner for operators in today’s new mobile environment, drawing on our valuable field experience in the most active LTE markets and building on our commitment to long-term partnership in the mobile network industry.”

Based on the theme of ‘Elegant Connections, Possibilities Redefined’, Samsung will exhibit three new solution concepts that benefit mobile operators with enhanced network performance, innovative business enablement and differentiated subscriber experience.

High Density Cell Solutions

As mobile data traffic surges, deploying high density cells for high capacity network became inevitable and Samsung shows an effective way to optimize and utilize large number of cells. Samsung has identified the most effective and targeted functionality for dense urban areas through adoption of its Smart Networks technology, which allocates network resources through centralized control and mitigates interference among cells. This capability is reinforced by Samsung’s deep expertise in deploying networks to meet the challenges faced in dense and highly populated areas.

Samsung will suggest C-RAN as the optimal configuration for High Density Cell and its showcased solutions for High Density Cells will include Smart SON (Self Organizing Network).

Evolutions in Carrier Aggregation

As Carrier Aggregation (CA) became the most critical and popular solution for LTE which is using various frequency bands, Samsung will demonstrate and showcase its latest developments in the technology. The networks which are powered by Samsung’s advanced CA technologies will verify significant mobile data speed enhancements, improved cell edge performance, large coverage with powerful data off-loading capability and a better way of handling Heterogeneous Network.

In this part of the showcase, Samsung will show its distinguished CA solution called Smart CA and innovative use cases of Carrier Aggregation.

Smart Media Networks

With the explosive proliferation of smartphones, the mobile network needs to be enhanced for multimedia delivery. Samsung’s Smart Media Networks not only helps solve these challenges, but also raises the end-user mobile experience to unprecedented levels. Samsung achieves this dual benefit through expanded content transmission capabilities, combined with an operator-ready suite of intelligent network management tools.

Samsung’s showcased Smart Media Networks will encompass Smart Cache^TM, advanced CDN solutions and mobile network analytics.

Enabling New Revenue Stream Opportunities

With a variety of services such as OTT applications and SNS that replace conventional mobile communication services, mobile operators demand new service platforms for their revenue source. Samsung’s network solutions underpin innovative business models and diversify the revenue streams of mobile operators. As the preferred partner of market-leading mobile operators for solution development and commercialization, Samsung will share key insights on advanced services and discuss various possibilities toward establishing new and profitable platforms.

Samsung’s showcased solutions for enabling new revenue streams will include will include VoLTE, Rich Communications, and eMBMS.

In addition to this solution demonstration, Samsung will present its view on mobile network evolution by unveiling a range of technologies from today’s most advanced, to tomorrow’s futuristic possibilities. These include the various configurations of Samsung’s base station – Distributed, Stackable and Multi-standard – and HetNet (Heterogeneous Networks), together with complementary portfolio products. Samsung will also emphasize its leadership and vision for the future of mobile through a prototype exhibition of candidate 5G technology.

Moreover, Samsung will introduce its suite of enterprise communications, Smart WLAN, which constitutes an umbrella Wi-Fi solution optimized for smartphones and tablets. Smart WLAN includes high performance AP (Access Points), a WLAN Controller, UC (Unified Communications) solutions and further tools to enable a true, all-wireless office network.

By adapting Samsung’s advanced technologies for mobile networks, Smart WLAN provides a seamless service during voice calls and video play, and greater throughput when moving between APs. Samsung aims to accelerate its global wireless enterprise business through Smart WLAN and plans to launch this solution in several markets, starting this year.

With more than 35 years of experience in the mobile network industry and a strong focus on R&D, Samsung is in primed to continue its history of industry leadership in the development of innovative solutions. Samsung is rapidly building strong global partnerships with mobile operators to help them implement the most robust networks.

*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. 

Summary:

• At Mobile World Congress 2014, Samsung Electronics will showcase the service platforms that enable mobile operators to generate new revenue streams.
• The series of solutions will include VoLTE, Rich Communication service platform and eMBMS, and ‘InteractiV’, an innovative service platform for Rich Communications.
• Samsung will also demonstrate a variety of business models utilizing eMBMS.

Samsung Benefits Mobile Operators by Enabling New Business Models

Samsung showcases real field experience and the near future possibilities on VoLTE, Rich Communications and eMBMS

At Mobile World Congress 2014, Samsung Electronics will showcase the service platforms that enable mobile operators to generate new revenue streams. The series of solutions will include Samsung’s latest achievements and new approaches in VoLTE, Rich Communication service platform and eMBMS.

Samsung will showcase the insight and expertise that it learned from the world’s first VoLTE systems launched in Korea during Q3, 2012. Compared with 3G calling, Samsung’s VoLTE solution shows a better user experience with shorter call connection times and a higher definition of voice and video calling.

In addition to demonstrating VoLTE’s performance, Samsung will unveil its innovative service platform for Rich Communications, called ‘InteractiV’. By integrating voice calling and data communications, InteractiV enables various mobile applications that allow content sharing during a call. Services including displaying detailed menus, advertisements on ARS (Automatic Response System) and advanced remote controlling of electronics based on subscriber’s phone number as a ID are all possible with InteractiV. The solution is presenting a new paradigm in mobile communications usage while providing mobile operators with an innovative way to monetize their network.

Samsung will also demonstrate a variety of business models utilizing eMBMS. eMBMS (evolved Multimedia Broadcast and Multicast Service) is a technology that can serve multimedia content to a large number of subscribers simultaneously without delays or disconnection. Samsung has commercialized eMBMS with KT in late January in 2014.

In the eMBMS demonstration, Samsung will show its differentiated eMBMS solution called ‘Smart eMBMS’. The solution automatically converts the methodology of data transmissions between Unicast and Multicast in accordance with the numbers of devices in a network, thereby maximizing the network efficiency. Furthermore, Samsung will also present advanced eMBMS business models such as Mobile IPTV application and broadcasting advertisement and emergency notice at sports stadium.

“Mobile operators are demanding new service platforms and revenue streams that commensurate with their high investment on advanced mobile networks,” said Sam Baker, Vice President and Head of Marketing Group at Networks Business, Samsung Electronics. “Samsung’s innovative service platforms and solutions fulfill these requirements as well as provide value added services to end-users. Thanks to Korean operators, Samsung is proud of being the only network vendor which has commercialized both VoLTE and eMBMS in the world. We will deliver these early experiences to the global market and will keep developing service platforms that enable new services.”

Samsung is a pioneer of realizing the new service possibilities in the 4G LTE network. By providing advanced networks and devices, the list of Samsung’s world’s first services launched with mobile operators include Multi-Carrier (Jul. 2012), VoLTE (Aug. 2012), Carrier Aggregation (Jun. 2013) and eMBMS (Jan. 2014).

*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.

Summary:

• At Mobile World Congress 2014, Samsung Electronics will introduce its ‘Smart Media Networks’, which is Samsung’s distinguished solution designed for mobile content delivery in the smart device era.
• Samsung will introduce Samsung’s Smart Cache^TM technology of Smart Media Network, advanced contents delivery technologies to the mobile network and a mobile network analytics tool for mobile operators.

Samsung introduces ‘Smart Media Networks’, the Powerful Mobile Content Delivery Solution at Mobile World Congress 2014

The solution is an efficient and innovative way to meet high demand of multimedia data traffic from smart devices

Samsung Electronics will introduce its ‘Smart Media Networks’ at Mobile World Congress 2014. Smart Media Networks is Samsung’s distinguished solution that is designed for mobile content delivery in the smart device era.

Smart Media Networks includes Samsung’s Smart Cache^TM technology, which provides a better user experience by increasing the download speeds realized by the end-user and drastically reduces data traffic along the backhaul network. By locating a cache server at mobile base stations, the closest network edge from mobile subscribers, end-users can enjoy faster access to popular multimedia content. Mobile operators are pleased with Samsung’s Smart Cache^TM as it ensures a high quality user experience even during cell handovers in dense urban areas.

Samsung will also bring advanced contents delivery technologies to the mobile network. By co-working with Akamai Technologies, a global leader in CDN solutions, Samsung will demonstrate Web Acceleration, which optimizes complex web page contents, and mobile traffic prioritization, which prioritizes the data traffics to the end-users. Combining both technologies, Samsung’s demonstration will showcase how end-users’ devices are able to load web pages instantly, even in a heavily congested radio environment.

In addition to the caching technologies in mobile network nodes, Samsung will introduce a mobile network analytics tool for mobile operators. The tool is designed to find the root cause of video quality degradation by analyzing the network conditions along with the video content that end-users are receiving to provide active feedback to the operator. Samsung’s demonstration will show how the tool automatically tracks down the element in the network that causes the underperformance of the video delivery and fixes the problem.

“Samsung expects ‘Smart Media Networks’ to provide a better mobile experience for end-users,” said Sam Baker, Vice President and Head of the Marketing Group at Networks Business, Samsung Electronics. “The solution will also be the most efficient and intelligent way for mobile operators to address fast growing multimedia content on their network. Samsung will continue to invest in addressable solutions that are suitable for content delivery on the mobile network.”

As mobile data traffic continues to grow, recent studies show more than half of the traffic is generated from video content. With this, global operators are seeking ways to build effective networks for content delivery and Samsung is ready to fulfill these needs with its Smart Media Networks solution.

*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.

We are sure there are many people who still haven’t recovered from the excitement of CES 2014. After all, it’s only  been 6 weeks. Anyway, if you are one of those people still getting an adrenaline rush thinking about all the cool tech gadgets from Samsung, we have news for you. Mobile World Congress 2014, MWC 2014, is only a few days away. What MWC is pretty self-explanatory; it is a premier mobile industry event on an international stage. According to the official website, MWC 2013 hosted more than 72,000 attendees and nearly 1,700 exhibitors utilizing 94,000 square meters of space. So what do you need to know about MWC 2014 and Samsung at MWC 2014? Here are the top 3 things we think you should be let in on.

Time & Place

MWC 2014 will be held from the 24th to 27th of February at Fira Gran Via in Barcelona, Spain; the same venue as last year. Technically, there are going to be a total of 8 Halls: Hall 1 to Hall 8 (plus Hall 8.1). There are going to be plenty of exhibitions to enjoy, although Samsung Tomorrow strongly recommends you stop by the Samsung booths.

As you can imagine, the scale of the MWC 2014 is pretty big. The Fira Gran Via will feature plenty of hospitality areas such as cafes and restaurants. The exhibitions will be open 9am to 7pm throughout the event, but it will close a bit early at 4pm on the last day, which is 27th of February. So don’t be late.

Samsung Unpacked 2014

It is no coincidence that Samsung Unpacked 2014 is going to be held in Barcelona. On Monday 24th February 2014, 20:00 CET Samsung Unpacked 2014 is going to make a lot of people happy, including us at Samsung Tomorrow. We at Samsung Tomorrow will feature live streaming and live blogging for the Samsung Unpacked 2014, so if you cannot make it to Barcelona, come check it out on global.samsungtomorrow.com.  

Remember, Samsung introduced the Galaxy S4 and the Galaxy Note 3 in 2013 at Unpacked events, so we guess you could expect something pretty epic in 2014 as well!

Samsung Developer Day 2014

If you are a developer, Samsung Developer Day should be as exciting as the Samsung Unpacked 2014. On Wednesday 26th February, from 10:00-18:00 CET, Samsung Developer Day 2014 will be held at the Theatre A, Hall 8.0, Fira Gran Via. MWC 2014 attendees will have access to the event with their passes. However, it seems like it is going to be a very popular event because the Samsung Developers’ official website says, “Depending on the capacity, on site registration may be limited.”

At this all-day event, Samsung Smart APP challenge 2013 Award Ceremony will be held. There will be sessions on Samsung Mobile SDK, Samsung MultiScreen SDK, Samsung Gaming Platform, Group Play SDK and more. Also, there will be a great line up of speakers and topics, such as the mobile app development trend by VisionMobile.

And don’t worry – if you’re not in Barcelona, Samsung Tomorrow will bring you the live blogging session for the keynote session of the Samsung Developer Day 2014, so you don’t have to miss out on all action! Stay tuned!

Samsung Electronics introduced a range of leading-edge LED component solutions for use in advanced mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets.

Samsung’s new LEDs for mobile devices include two reflector-integrated flash LED packages ─ the 3432 1.8t (FH341A) and 3432 1.4t (FH341B), plus a flip-chip flash LED 2016 (FH201A), as well as two side-view LEDs ─ the 3810 0.6t (MS062F) and 3810 0.8t (MS082F).

The new LED products will be showcased at the Mobile World Congress to be held at Fira Gran Via, Barcelona, Spain, February 24-27 (Hall 2, Booth 2G40). Samsung will start mass producing the new mobile-market LEDs in March, which are likely to then begin appearing in the open market in the second quarter.

“Samsung is becoming an integrated LED component solutions provider that offers highly differentiated value to customers by producing outstanding LED component solutions which are shaping new directions in mobile devices,” said Bangwon Oh, senior vice president, LED strategic marketing team, Samsung Electronics.

With its long-standing expertise in the mobile industry as well as extensive investment in LED technology and manufacturing, Samsung has now secured a clear competitive edge in LED technology and components that meets the rapidly changing needs of the mobile industry.

Reflector-integrated flash LED for high-end mobile devices

Because high-quality smartphone cameras require a wider FOV (Field of View) angle for better picture quality, Samsung’s new reflector-integrated flash LEDs are designed to enable a great deal of flexibility by providing a wide FOV within a small space through the integration of a light source,  a lead frame, and a reflector with its own optics and diffusion features.

Of the latest LED mobile offerings, Samsung’s new reflector-integrated flash LED ─ the 3432 1.8t (FH341A) delivers over 165 lux at 1A and a minimum CRI (Color Rendering Index) of 80, assuring quality photos in daylight and at night. In recognition of such superb performance levels, the 3432 1.8t will be used in the next Galaxy smartphone, which is expected to be introduced later this month.

Also new to Samsung’s reflector-integrated flash LED line-up is the 3432 1.4t (FH341B), which is specifically designed for mobile OEMs seeking extra-slim LED solutions. The 3432 1.4t package includes a reflector and is only 1.4mm thick, a thickness ideal for smartphones and tablets thinner than 7mm. In addition, it provides a minimum illuminance level of 165 lux.

Standard flash LED with high light quality

Another addition to the Samsung mobile family, the new standard flash LED 2016 (FH201A) applies Samsung’s proprietary cell-film phosphor technology to flip-chip packages, which applies a thin film of phosphor to each package. Providing exceptional design flexibility, Samsung’s 2016 offers 220lm of light output and improves color deviation by approximately 40 percent compared to packages using Samsung’s previous technology that dispensed phosphor on each chip. This more affordable LED solution also offers a high level of color quality, which is rare to traditional flash LED products. By introducing its first 2016-sized flash LED package, Samsung has further strengthened its mobile LED component line-up.

High brightness Side View LEDs

Other new LED packages for mobile applications are Samsung’s Side View LEDs ─ 3810 0.6t (MS062F) and 3810 0.8t (MS082F), which feature high color reproducibility, thanks to their high brightness levels. Samsung’s Side View LED packages are also power-efficient, operating on less than 2.9 volts.

Samsung’s 3810 0.6t provides 3.1cd, while coming in at a mere 0.6mm in z-height – ideal for slim smartphones and tablets. The 3810 0.8t offers more luminous intensity at 3.2cd, with a 0.8mm thickness, making it suitable for tablet and notebook PCs.

*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

The new updated Samsung unpacked image has come to the surface. As you can see, 9 new symbols have been added to the Samsung Unpacked 2014 invitation: Speed, Outdoor, Curiosity, Fun, Social, Style, Privacy, Fitness and Life. Also we are sure that you have noticed that there is lots of 5s.

We understand that there is lots of speculation regarding what will be unpacked in Barcelona. However, we at Samsung Tomorrow have to agree with what the 1922 Nobel Prize winning physicist, Niels Bohr, who laid the groundwork for atomic structure and quantum theory, once said,

“Prediction is very difficult, especially if it’s about the future.”

Visit us at global.samsungtomorrow.com on Monday, 24^th of February, 2014 for the Samsung Unpacked 2014 to see Samsung Unpacked 2014 episode 1… together!