To bring fans closer to the action than ever before, Samsung installed more than 200 Galaxy S24 Ultra smartphones on the 85 athlete boats taking part in the Opening Ceremony. The event was livestreamed through a private 5G network powered by Orange (the official mobile network provider for Paris 2024 in France).

▲ Team Kenya athlete shares a selfie with fans with the new Samsung Galaxy Z Flip6 Olympic Edition. Photo credit: Getty / Samsung

Fans tuning into the broadcast were given a closer look at an already unique celebration of the Olympic spirit in the 2024 host city of Paris. Those who watched the Opening Ceremony could experience the event from the athletes’ point of view as they shared scenes from this memorable ceremony using their Galaxy Z Flip6 Olympic Edition smartphones.

▲ Team Australia athlete shares a selfie with fans with the new Samsung Galaxy Z Flip6 Olympic Edition. Photo credit: Getty / Samsung

Samsung collaborated with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and Olympic Broadcasting Services (OBS) to create a meaningful night for athletes and fans — requiring extensive planning with various Olympic partners for real-time footage streams, seamless 5G connectivity and other technology support.

The opening ceremony livestream is just one of several ways Samsung is sharing the excitement from Paris 2024 with the world. The sailing competition in Marseille and Victory Selfies will also bring fans closer to the Olympic Games. For a brand-new view of the sailing competition in Marseille, Samsung is installing Galaxy S24 Ultra smartphones to the boats and on the athletes’ shoulders. Furthermore, medalists can capture their emotions with Victory Selfies using the Galaxy Z Flip6 Olympic Edition provided at the podium.

▲ Team Korea athletes share their experience with fans with their new Samsung Galaxy Z Flip6 Olympic Edition. Photo credit: Getty / Samsung

More than 100 experts, 250 phones and 360 days of testing made delivering these moments possible. The efforts to enhance the viewing experience for fans around the world were all part of Paris 2024’s vision of a ‘Games Wide Open.’ Through its mobile innovations, Samsung will inspire Paris 2024 athletes and fans to keep an open mind because ‘Open always wins.’

▲ Team Japan athletes share a selfie with fans with the new Samsung Galaxy Z Flip6 Olympic Edition. Photo credit: Getty / Samsung

▲ Team Guatemala athlete shares lifelong memory with fans with his new Samsung Galaxy Z Flip6 Olympic Edition. Photo credit: Getty / Samsung

▲ Team Refugee athletes share their experience with fans with their new Samsung Galaxy Z Flip6 Olympic Edition. Photo credit: Getty / Samsung

▲ Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra smartphones placed on boat to offer a unique view of the Opening Ceremony. Photo credit: Getty / Samsung

▲ Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra placed on boat to offer a unique view of the Opening Ceremony. Photo credit: Getty / Samsung

▲ Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra placed on the bow of the Team GB boat during the Paris 2024 Opening Ceremony. Photo credit: Getty / Samsung

▲ Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra placed on the bow of the Team Romania boat during the Paris 2024 Opening Ceremony. Photo credit: Getty / Samsung

▲ Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra placed on the bow of the Team Senegal boat during the Paris 2024 Opening Ceremony. Photo credit: Getty / Samsung

In collaboration with the International Olympic Committee (IOC), Samsung gifted 12,500 Galaxy S7 edge Olympic Games Limited Edition to all Rio 2016 Olympians, helping them to enhance their experiences in Rio and communicate with family and friends around the world more conveniently. For the first time ever, the Rio 2016-inspired device incorporates an Olympic Games design embedded into the phone itself, featuring a custom colorway pattern including the five official colors of the Olympic Rings.

Olympians from the France capture the spirit and excitement of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games Opening Ceremony on the official Olympic Games phone, the Samsung Galaxy S7 edge Olympic Games Limited Edition, on Friday, August 5, 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Olympians from France capture the spirit and excitement of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games Opening Ceremony on the official Olympic Games phone, the Samsung Galaxy S7 edge Olympic Games Limited Edition, on Friday, August 5, 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Olympians from Brazil capture the spirit and excitement of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games Opening Ceremony on the official Olympic Games phone, the Samsung Galaxy S7 edge Olympic Games Limited Edition, on Friday, August 5, 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Olympians from the United States of America capture the spirit and excitement of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games Opening Ceremony on the official Olympic Games phone, the Samsung Galaxy S7 edge Olympic Games Limited Edition, on Friday, August 5, 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Olympians from the United States of America capture the spirit and excitement of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games Opening Ceremony on the official Olympic Games phone, the Samsung Galaxy S7 edge Olympic Games Limited Edition, on Friday, August 5, 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Olympians from Korea capture the spirit and excitement of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games Opening Ceremony on the official Olympic Games phone, the Samsung Galaxy S7 edge Olympic Games Limited Edition, on Friday, August 5, 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Olympians capture the spirit and excitement of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games Opening Ceremony on the official Olympic Games phone, the Samsung Galaxy S7 edge Olympic Games Limited Edition, on Friday, August 5, 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

For more information about Samsung’s involvement in the Olympic Games, please visit www.samsungmobilepress.com/Olympics/

About Samsung’s Involvement in the Olympic Games

Samsung began its Olympic Games involvement as a local sponsor of the Seoul 1988 Olympic Games. Beginning with the Nagano 1998 Olympic Winter Games, the company extended its commitment to the Olympic Movement as the Worldwide Olympic Partner in the Wireless Communications Equipment category, providing its proprietary wireless communications platform, called Wireless Olympic Works (WOW), and mobile devices. These innovative mobile phone technologies provide the Olympic Family with real-time, user location-based information service, interactive communications, and Samsung Pay. Samsung hosts various Olympic campaigns to share the excitement of the Olympic Games with people around the world and enable everyone to participate in the Games through its innovative mobile technology. Samsung’s commitment as a Worldwide Olympic Partner continues through to Rio 2016, PyeongChang 2018, and Tokyo 2020.

“The Anthem” opens with a young girl from Australia singing a line of the Botswana national anthem into a Samsung Galaxy S7edge. Throughout the ad, the Samsung Galaxy smartphone travels to all corners of the world, capturing and sharing the voices of fans and athletes around the globe as they sing lines from other national anthems. Each line follows seamlessly to form a brand new anthem, giving viewers a glimpse of how Samsung innovative mobile products and technologies can help to break down geographic barriers and unite the world through deep, borderless connections.

“‘The Anthem’ is a reflection of the Samsung brand and our continuous pursuit to break down geographic barriers and unite the world through technology and borderless communication,” said Younghee Lee, Executive Vice President of Global Marketing, Mobile Communications Business at Samsung Electronics. “By singing one anthem, fans and athletes across the globe can feel a shared sense of pride and unity and together celebrate collective progress, which is integral to the spirit of the Olympic Games.”

Six global athletes are featured within the ad, each of whom has a unique story of defying barriers and pushing through constraints to make meaningful progress and achieve his or her goals. The athletes include:

• Tom Daley (Great Britain, Diving) – London 2012 Olympic Games Bronze Medalist, 10m Platform
• Alysia Montano (United States of America, Track & Field) – London 2012 Olympic Games, 5^th place, 800m
• Arnaud Assoumani (France, Paralympic Games Athletics) – London 2012 Paralympic Games 2x Silver Medalist, Triple Jump F46 and Long Jump F46, Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games Gold Medalist, Long Jump F46, Athens 2004 Paralympic Games Bronze Medalist, Long Jump f46
• Margret Rumat Rumat Hassan (South Sudan, Track & Field)
• Shelley Watts (Australia, Boxing)
• Gabriel Medina (Brazil, Surfing) – 2014 WSL World Champion

These athletes will also be featured in a variety of digital and social content, leading up to and throughout Rio 2016 which will tell their stories of defying barriers and overcoming obstacles, helping fans across the globe connect with what it means to “Do What You Can’t.”

“The Anthem” is a continuation of Samsung’s Rio 2016 Olympic Games global campaign centered on athletes who persevere and never giving up for the sake of making meaningful progress. Earlier this year, Samsung began the campaign with the short documentary film, “A Fighting Chance” to showcase the inspiring story of four Olympic hopefuls from diverse countries who are fighting constraints and pushing the limits to help their countries make history. Samsung followed with “The Chant,” which celebrates personal progress made by athletes and fans through devices like the Galaxy S7 edge and Gear IconX that help them to defy distance and stay connected.

Athletes on “The Anthem” and What It Means to “Do What You Can’t”

Tom Daley

“I’m thrilled to be among the talented and strong-minded athletes featured in Samsung’s ‘The Anthem,’ and to share my personal story of defying barriers with the world leading up to the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. I’ve overcome several obstacles throughout my athletic career, but I’m thankful for these challenges because they have made me stronger and even more determined to succeed. I hope my story inspires fans around the world to confidently conquer their own challenges.”

Arnaud Assoumani

“When I was 5 years old, I saw athletes on television running and flying into the air and I wanted to feel what it was like to jump and to fly. That was the moment I knew I wanted to be involved in sports. Today, my dreams are still in sport – I love how it has in incredible power of bringing people of all different backgrounds, cultures and languages together. Being a part of Samsung’s ‘The  Anthem’ is a great way for me to show that we’re all sharing the same values and we can mix different cultures and languages and still understand each other.”

Margret Rumat Rumat Hassan

“I participated in the Nanjing 2014 Youth Olympic Games as an Independent Olympic Athlete, but in Rio, they will raise the South Sudan flag for the first time and it will be a defining moment for me and my country. To be a part of this group of athletes that Samsung is recognizing shows how much progress has been made for sports in South Sudan. I pushed through many barriers, including civil unrest and lack of training facilities, to be selected to compete at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. It’s a big accomplishment, and I will to continue to push limits to make progress.”

Gabriel Medina

“My mom and dad gave me my first surfboard when I was 8 and I loved it – but it was a challenge for me as a surfer in Brazil, because people didn’t really know about the sport and it wasn’t considered professional. I continued to train hard and after I won my world title in 2014, it became a professional sport in the country. Hearing my national anthem on the podium in 2014, and every time I hear it, I get emotional and I feel proud. I think this happens in every country for every athlete – it’s inspiring. Samsung’s ‘The Anthem’ is amazing because it’s a song that can unite and inspire the whole world.”

For more information about Samsung’s involvement in the Olympic Games, please visit www.samsungmobilepress.com/Olympics/

About Samsung’s Involvement in the Olympic Games

Samsung began its Olympic Games involvement as a local sponsor of the Seoul 1988 Olympic Games. Beginning with the Nagano 1998 Olympic Winter Games, the company extended its commitment to the Olympic Movement as the Worldwide Olympic Partner in the Wireless Communications Equipment category, providing its proprietary wireless communications platform, called Wireless Olympic Works (WOW), and mobile devices. These innovative mobile phone technologies provide the Olympic Family with real-time, user location-based information service, interactive communications, and Samsung Pay. Samsung hosts various Olympic campaigns to share the excitement of the Olympic Games with people around the world and enable everyone to participate in the Games through its innovative mobile technology. Samsung’s commitment as a Worldwide Olympic Partner continues through to Rio 2016, PyeongChang 2018, and Tokyo 2020.

By pairing Galaxy smartphones with the Gear VR and visiting Olympic.org for a direct link to the Youth Olympic Games VR experience, fans located in Samsung Galaxy Studios in Lillehammer, the Samsung Experience Store CC-Vest in Oslo, Norway, and across the globe were able to fully immerse in the Opening Ceremony and feel the energy of the crowd. The breakthrough experience maximized the excitement of the Youth Olympic Games and allowed Samsung to connect with youth and millennials through interactive VR experiences and spread the Olympic spirit around the world.

Fans at the Samsung Galaxy Studio in Lillehammer experience the feeling of being inside of the Opening Ceremony events through the first-ever Live Streaming of Olympic Games content made possible by the IOC and Samsung Galaxy smartphones and VR technology.

Fans at the Samsung Galaxy Studio in Lillehammer experience the feeling of being inside of the Opening Ceremony events through the first-ever Live Streaming of Olympic Games content made possible by the IOC and Samsung Galaxy smartphones and VR technology.

Fans at the Samsung Galaxy Studio in Lillehammer experience the feeling of being inside of the Opening Ceremony events through the first-ever Live Streaming of Olympic Games content made possible by the IOC and Samsung Galaxy smartphones and VR technology.

Fans at the Samsung Galaxy Studio experience the passion and energy of the Lillehammer 2016 Youth Olympic Games Opening Ceremony through Samsung Galaxy smartphones and Gear VR technology.

Samsung supported the International Olympic Committee to deliver the World’s first-ever Virtual Reality Live Streaming of Lillehammer 2016 Winter Youth Olympic Games Opening Ceremony via Samsung Galaxy smartphones and Gear VR technology.

[Samsung Galaxy Studio – VR Station] The Samsung Galaxy Studio-VR Station in Lillehammer played host to the first-ever Live Streaming of Olympic Games content by made possible by the IOC and Samsung Galaxy smartphones and VR technology.

[Lillehammer 2016 Winter Youth Olympic Games Opening Ceremony] Spectators from around the globe unite in Lillehammer at the Lillehammer 2016 Winter Youth Olympic Games Opening Ceremony to cheer on young athletes as they follow their dreams and pursue their passions in sports and in life.

In addition to getting immersive views of the Olympic torch lighting and the Parade of Nations, fans can also experience the thrill of VR at three different Samsung Galaxy Studios at the event. Included are the VR Station, a theater-like venue where participants can virtually take part in winter sports in 4D, as well as the VR Bus. Here, attendees partake in an exhilarating, 360-degree ski jump simulation that takes them through the stunning scenery of Lillehammer, Norway.

On February 11, 2016, International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach, along with members of the IOC Young Ambassadors program visited the Samsung Galaxy Studio just ahead of the start of the Lillehammer 2016 Winter Youth Olympic Games.

“Samsung is a dedicated Partner to the Olympic Movement and supports the IOC in engaging young people worldwide through its cutting edge mobile technology and passion for sports,” Bach said. “It is a pleasure to visit the Samsung Galaxy Studio here in Lillehammer and experience first-hand the virtual reality technology, which could be used at future Olympic Games as well.”

International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach sits in a 4D motion chair to experience the innovative ski jumping VR film at the Samsung Galaxy Studio in Lillehammer.

The immersive ski jumping film is displayed through the Samsung Galaxy smartphone and compatible Gear VR headset.

International Olympic Committee (IOC) Administration is all smiles as they gear up for the start of the 2016 Winter Youth Olympic Games at the Samsung Galaxy Studio in Lillehammer.

International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach visits the Samsung Galaxy Studio in Lillehammer ahead of the start of the 2016 Winter Youth Olympic Games.

Members of the IOC Young Ambassadors program mingle and take selfies before the start of the Games. Samsung provided a Galaxy S6 edge+ to each member of the program to enable them to share stories, interact and promote the Games in their own countries.

International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach meets with the 39 members of the IOC Young Ambassadors program before the start of the Lillehammer 2016 Winter Youth Olympic Games.

Members of the IOC Young Ambassadors program join together at the Samsung Galaxy Studio in Lillehammer before the start of the 2016 Winter Youth Olympic Games.

Two IOC Young Ambassadors pose for a photo together at the Samsung Galaxy Studio in Lillehammer before the start of the 2016 Winter Youth Olympic Games.

Members of the IOC Young Ambassadors program experience ski jumping in 4D.

Two IOC Young Ambassadors visit the Samsung Galaxy Studio in Lillehammer to test out the Galaxy S6 edge+, which they’ll use throughout the 2016 Winter Youth Olympic Games to document and share their experiences with the world.

Samsung’s newest flagship devices, the Galaxy S6 edge+ and the Galaxy Note5, continue to prove the company’s commitment to blending technology that pushes boundaries with design that is both beautiful and functional. Likewise, Samsung continues to partner with fashion designers and luxury brands to offer users even more ways to express their style.

Part one of this three-part series is a photo essay introducing Samsung’s collaboration with Opening Ceremony, the innovative global fashion label that challenges the rules of style. Opening Ceremony has been at the forefront of cutting edge design since it was established in 2002.

The Opening Ceremony for Samsung accessory line-up, which includes “Stylish Cover” and “Battery Pack”, brings the Galaxy S6 edge+ and the Galaxy Note5 to life through a playful mix of patterns and colors from its Spring/Summer 2016 collection.

The collection prints in colorways exclusive to Samsung, making these bold colors and dazzling prints accessible to anyone looking to transform their smartphone into a fashion accessory. One design features an abstract cheetah print comprised of warm orange, peach and pink tones, with yellow vertical strokes offset by navy. Another complementary design features an abstract curtain floral print, this time rendered in cool tones of varying blues, pink and apricot.

“We wanted to create designs that complement and enhance the Samsung devices and their sleek curves, while infusing an Opening Ceremony feel with favorite prints from our Spring 2016 runway collection. We love the idea of personalizing mobile devices to reflect individual style,” said Carol Lim, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer behind Opening Ceremony.

The Opening Ceremony for Samsung collection features two of the brand’s Spring/Summer 2016 prints, making these vibrant colors and dazzling prints accessible to anyone looking to transform their smartphone into a fashion accessory.

Opening Ceremony’s bold looks for their S/S 2016 collection were all the rage at New York Fashion Week.

To celebrate the two brands’ collaboration on the accessory line-up, they hosted an exclusive event called “OC Charged Up, Powered by Samsung Galaxy” on Tuesday, October 6 to coincide with Paris Fashion Week.

With Opening Ceremony garnering huge interest in fashion circles, and Samsung leading the world with innovative technologies, the collaboration between the two brands gained a great deal of attention from the public. The unique welcome message—a giant “Hello” created out of Opening Ceremony for Samsung cases—truly spoke volumes, reminding guests of the extraordinary nature of both Samsung and OC.

For this exclusive dinner, Samsung and Opening Ceremony worked with Mission Chinese Executive Chef, Angela Dimayuga, who flew in from New York to prepare a unique tasting menu for guests. Newly designed OC cases and battery packs were also on display all around the event venue. In the corner sat a demonstration zone where guests could try the new products from Samsung, and it was the newly-released Samsung smart watch, the Gear S2, which gained the most attention from event attendees.

Opening Ceremony greets guests at the OC Charged Up dinner party in Paris with a special message, written in the accessory line-up’s colorful cases (Credit: Greg Kessler/Kessler Studio).

Carol Lim and Humberto Leon, the visionaries behind Opening Ceremony, greet guests at OC Charged Up, and speak about why Samsung and Opening Ceremony are partnering together to further unite fashion and tech (Credit: Greg Kessler/Kessler Studio).

DJ Leigh Lezark snaps a few shots of the Opening Ceremony action with the Samsung Galaxy Note5 (Credit: Greg Kessler/Kessler Studio).

British fashion blogger Susie Lau makes an appearance at the event (Credit: Greg Kessler/Kessler Studio).

The Galaxy S6 edge+ and the Gear S2 are the perfect fashion accessories for any season (Credit: Greg Kessler/Kessler Studio).

Opening Ceremony’s cheetah print design is a perfect fit for Samsung’s Battery Pack (Credit: Greg Kessler/Kessler Studio).

Attendees use the Galaxy S6 edge+ to snap a selfie during dinner (Credit: Greg Kessler/Kessler Studio).

The Opening Ceremony for Samsung collection launches at Samsung and Opening Ceremony retail channels in select countries beginning October 2015.