During the event, Samsung highlighted its consumer-centric approach to innovation. In particular, the company showcased how advancements in AI, IoT and security work alongside the breadth of Samsung’s portfolio to create experiences that fit into how people live, ultimately unlocking a new era of connectivity and collaboration.

“We are proud of the pioneering work we are able to do in partnership with the creative developer community,” said DJ Koh, President and CEO of IT & Mobile Communications Division, Samsung Electronics. “As society becomes more closely connected through new tools and devices, we want to make people’s lives easier and smarter – wherever they are.”

Platforms Designed for Connected Experiences

A strong platform of technologies across AI, IoT and security enhances the consumer experience and accelerates the ability of developers to build creative applications. Samsung detailed its plans to strengthen core platform technologies such as Bixby, SmartThings and Samsung Knox.

During the SDC21 keynote, Samsung announced improvements to Bixby, which has become a central part of the user experience for more than 300 million Samsung devices. Bixby now uses on-device AI and deep neural networks to process commands on devices themselves. Thanks to on-device AI, this development makes the service up to 35% faster than before.

For developers, Samsung also announced the Bixby Home Platform, which serves as an intelligent layer between Bixby’s natural language processing and SmartThings. With the platform, voice commands can now be executed more intelligently, taking into account the state and context of various devices.

Samsung made further announcements with regard to SmartThings, including how the platform will be fully integrated with Matter, the newest standard in smart home compatibility. Matter solves developer interoperability challenges and with an expansive list of partners, will be the catalyst that makes smart home connectivity nearly effortless. SmartThings Hub software will also be embedded into the Samsung product portfolio, which includes Samsung Smart TVs and Family Hub refrigerators.

Samsung believes that consumer data and personal privacy is just as important as the experiences they enable. Samsung is committed to providing a seamless consumer experience, and to ensuring that its devices and services are secure from beginning to end. Samsung Knox, the company’s defense-grade security platform, offers built-in protection for more than 100 million Samsung devices. To further secure consumer data, the Samsung Knox Vault comes in a combination of security-specific hardware (a new secure processor and isolated secure memory) and new integrated software that shields the most secure data from the Android OS and applications. During the SDC21 keynote, Samsung highlighted the importance of collaboration and its philosophy of open innovation to improve security and privacy, reiterating its work to continue releasing security analysis tools as open source projects.

Samsung also outlined its Privacy Principles at SDC21, highlighting the three commitments that guide all innovation at the company: Protection, Choice and Transparency. With these principles, consumers, developers and partners are given the information needed to make decisions about how data is managed. The company offers users the option to review and manage their permissions from the privacy setting on their Galaxy devices and Smart TVs and discloses Samsung’s privacy policies through the Privacy Portal. Going forward, Samsung will collaborate with global security experts while continuing to release open source security analysis tools to make its ecosystems more secure.

Tizen Takes Smart TV to New Heights

Based on its ‘Screens Everywhere, Screen for All’ vision, Samsung continues to build on its position as the world leader in TVs by developing new experiences that enhance connectivity, functionality and immersive entertainment. At SDC21, Samsung introduced various ways that Samsung TVs are enabling new experiences, including:

• Video communication based on partnership with Google to allow users to enjoy better video calling on TVs via AI-enabled focus and zoom features.
• Samsung Health on Smart TVs that connects with a webcam to analyze movements and provide real-time feedback during a workout.
• More realistic gaming thanks to HDR10+, with automated settings for low latency and HDR calibration.

For enterprises, Samsung will launch Tizen for Business. This service supports interactive e-boards in schools, kiosks in malls, and even displays in restaurants, airports and subways. With new management portals, businesses can conduct real-time monitoring and control screens remotely, easily applying settings to multiple devices with one simple touch.

With the Tizen TV Platform Licensing, manufacturers who want to introduce a premium TV platform like Tizen can do so quickly with minimal cost. This enables them to use the Tizen TV presence to promote their products in the Smart TV market, and ultimately, help more consumers enjoy Tizen.

Innovating Across the Galaxy Ecosystem

Samsung provides a user experience that meets the needs of all users and devices. And with an expanding range of device types and form factors, developers have a breadth of opportunities to innovate in new ways.

At SDC21, Samsung introduced the new One UI 4, the latest version of its user interface for mobile devices. One UI 4 will provide new levels of customization to enable users to create an experience and a device that is truly theirs. It combines Samsung’s leading privacy and security features with options for users to personalize permissions so that they are always in control of their data when using a Samsung device.

Samsung demonstrated the possibilities of One UI 4 to developers at the event, particularly for foldable devices such as the Galaxy Z Fold3 and Z Flip3. Thanks to One UI 4, users will be able to make use of features such as Flex mode and Multi-Active Window, which enable users to enjoy more intuitive and user-friendly experiences that are unique to the foldable form factor. SDC21 also included a Galaxy Watch session that showcased developer tools to help them build new apps in the new watch app ecosystem.

Samsung invites developers and partners on its journey to bring new and secure experiences to life. For more information about the Samsung Developer Conference 2021, please visit developer.samsung.com.

The Challenge is part of the broader Call for Code global program, which invites developers and problem solvers around the world to build and contribute to open source technology projects that address some of the most pressing global issues.

“Our everyday heroes have tirelessly served us throughout the pandemic and we want to make their lives, and the lives of others around the world, easier and productive with new levels of connectivity and insights from technology,” said KC Choi, EVP and Head of Global Mobile B2B Team, Samsung Electronics. “To achieve this, innovation must be open. That’s why we’ve been working closely with IBM as well as our valued developer communities using open source platforms. It’s also why I’m honored to serve as an ‘Eminent Judge’ for this year’s 2021 Call for Code Global Challenge, along with other worldwide leaders in sustainability, business and technology. I look forward to seeing the submissions for both Call for Code challenges come to life.”

Submissions for the Call for Code Honoring Everyday Heroes Challenge must be able to run on a Samsung tablet, smartphone and/or wearable device and make use of one or more IBM open hybrid cloud technologies such as IBM Cloud or IBM Watson. Participants will also have access to Samsung toolkits, as well as data from The Weather Company. The deadline for submissions is November 20^th, with the winner announced on December 9^th. In addition to Samsung technology and a cash prize from IBM, the winner will receive support from both companies to help bring their solution to life to make a real difference for everyday heroes.

“IBM and Samsung have a long history of proven success working together to improve business outcomes for clients and also for social good,” said Bob Lord, Senior Vice President, Worldwide Ecosystems at IBM. “Earlier this year, IBM, Samsung and others worked together to deploy the 2019 Call for Code Global Challenge winning solution, Prometeo. I look forward to seeing how developers can use our open technologies now to benefit some of the most deserving people in the world today, our everyday heroes.”

The partnership between Samsung and IBM extends over 30 years, starting with work on semiconductors and now mobility, AI, 5G, Industry 4.0 and networks. At SDC, Samsung and IBM Consulting are announcing a collaboration to modernize hybrid work environments with mobile experiences optimized for the Galaxy Z Fold3, co-designed with major financial services institutions.

Additionally, to accelerate the convergence of Industry 4.0 between cloud-native applications and mobility, IBM and Samsung are researching ways to bring containerized AI workloads to Samsung Android devices with IBM Edge Application Manager. This effort focuses on using containers on Samsung devices to enable workloads to be flexibly deployed, managed and processed across premises such as factories, retail stores, warehouses, hotels and distribution centers to help drive faster development of powerful new use cases for mobile and edge computing.

Samsung and IBM continue to work together to create services that enable businesses and enterprise developers to take full advantage of cutting-edge networks, mobility and analytics.

The Call for Code Honoring Everyday Heroes Challenge starts now. Information on eligibility and how to register is available here: ibm.biz/CallforCode-Samsung.

About IBM
IBM is the global leader in hybrid cloud and AI, serving clients in more than 170 countries. More than 3,200 clients use our hybrid cloud platform to accelerate their digital transformation journeys and, in total, more than 30,000 of them have turned to IBM to unlock value from their data — this client list includes nine out of ten of the world’s largest banks. With this foundation, we continue to leverage Red Hat OpenShift as the leading platform to address our clients’ business needs: A hybrid cloud platform that is open, flexible and secure. Guided by principles of trust, transparency and support for a more inclusive society, IBM also is committed to being a responsible steward of technology and a force for good in the world. For more information, visit: www.ibm.com.

Voice Recognition With Bixby: More Convenient Than Touch

Artificial intelligence (AI) enhances the performance of all kinds of devices essential to our daily lives, including smartphones, tablets, TVs and more. In particular, AI-powered voice recognition facilitates more seamless interactions between these devices. Principal Engineer Joohwan Kim from the AI ​​Client Development Group, Mobile Communications Business at Samsung Electronics, shares below how the Bixby voice assistant platform is set to enable more convenient experiences – using just your voice.

Q: What does the newly updated Bixby voice assistant platform look like?

Bixby aims to be the best voice interface able to control multiple Samsung devices using only a small amount of data. From this standpoint, we focused on providing a unique user experience that only Galaxy can provide when developing Samsung’s latest devices. For example, Galaxy Z Flip3 provides a Bixby function that allows users to utilize the Cover Screen, and Galaxy Watch4 series includes hands-free functionality.

Bixby has advanced in many ways as an AI platform, and, in terms of the engine, it supports Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR) on-device. Because it processes users’ voices immediately from within the device itself, it is fast and secure in terms of privacy protection. Moreover, the development of Bixby Home Platform further expands the range of supported devices. What used to require multiple voice commands is now possible with only a single command that the device understands and performs accordingly.

Q: What are the areas of possible collaboration with developers around the world for the Bixby Platform?

There are several ways third-party developers can participate in Bixby. They can develop various voice services using Samsung’s AI engine in our smartphones, watches and Family Hub. This service, called a capsule, is provided by the Bixby Developer Center. We have also updated the developer tools to make debugging and natural language learning easier, and to allow convenient use of various UI components, all of which will be presented at SDC21.

The update being announced will make it possible to use for developers to harness multiple contexts when adding devices. Smarter device control has been made possible by Bixby Home Platform, an intelligent layer which sits between Bixby Voice – which provides natural language understanding and issues commands – and SmartThings’ Internet of Things (IoT) layer – which provides connection and operation between devices. Commands that previously had to be made individually for separate devices can now be more efficiently undertaken using the Bixby Home Platform. We are introducing this tool at SDC21 and currently working on providing it to third-party developers in the future.

Enjoy More of the Content You Love: Samsung Smart TV’s Tizen

In the past, TVs were evaluated only on their resolution and design, but given changing lifestyles and user demands, the kind of content a TV is able to provide has become paramount. Thanks to the Tizen platform, Samsung’s Smart TVs are able to provide users with a wide range of content able to suit any taste. Ju-hyun Choi, a Staff Engineer at the Software Development Group, Visual Display Business at Samsung Electronics, describes below how Tizen has evolved to provide partners with the optimal environment in which they can develop with wide compatibility and stability.

Q: What are the new functions of Tizen Web Platform for Samsung Smart TV?

Through a powerful web standard technology called WebAssembly, high-performance web apps can now be developed on Samsung Smart TVs. For SDC21, we have prepared an upgrade plan that allows for the installation of the very latest web features for previously-released Smart TVs.

Q: The competitive edge held by Tizen-based display products has been strengthened thanks to the cooperation of partners from various fields. What are your future collaboration plans?

We are currently working on web-based cloud games, with the goal of allowing users to play the latest games on their Samsung Smart TV equipped with the Tizen platform – all without the latest consoles or expensive graphic cards. In order to achieve this, we are working closely with our current service partners. The Tizen platform, an open source-based operating system (OS), is open to everyone and we are working to provide the best possible development environment to developers that features a wide range of compatibility and development tools.

A Must for Innovative User Experiences: On-Device Personalized Neural Networks

Recently, on-device AI technology has been garnering attention. In the past, a high-performance cloud server capable of performing complex calculations was required in order to run AI-based apps, but when the neural network used in AI apps runs within the device, many advantages for users emerge. Jihoon Lee, an Engineer at the On-Device Lab at Samsung Research, explains below the role of on-device AI and cooperation with developers.

Q: On-device AI is considered a must for powerful and innovative consumer experiences. What kind of benefits will users enjoy from using it?

The biggest advantage offered by on-device AI is that the privacy of the users is maintained since all processing occurs on-device. Developers, too, will be able to provide services that are that much closer to the users, while also free from privacy concerns. For example, a camera app that harnesses facial recognition will not share sensitive data with a server if the AI is run on-device.

Another advantage is that on-device AI models can be used without an Internet connection or any mobile data consumption. For example, if a certain on-device AI model is required to be on constant low-power standby, the necessity of an Internet connection or data consumption could be a big limitation. With on-device AI, user application experiences are improved since there is no need to send data to a server and wait for results – resulting in reduced response times.

Thirdly, one is able to create custom AI directly on their device. Previously, the concept of personalizing the already-deployed AI firsthand was unexplored, as there was no framework to help train a deep-learning model on-device. Moving forward, we expect that NNTrainer, which we are presenting at SDC21, will play a big role in better recognizing a user’s face, their accent and even their pets to automatically create photo albums based on their furry friends – and more.

Q: In the future, what kind of synergies can be expected in this field through cooperation with the developers present at SDC?

Ultimately, we hope to bring users closer to AI through on-device training and personalization. We look forward to developers who attend SDC21’s sessions recognizing and utilizing NNTrainer in order to provide AI that is closer to users. Following such collaboration, NNTrainer, currently in its initial stages will become an even more mature framework. Since it is being developed as an open source, anyone can search for it and contribute directly.

Developing Watch Apps for Wear OS Powered by Samsung

Won-Hee Seo, a Staff Engineer at the Strategic Partner R&D Group, Mobile Communications Business at Samsung Electronics, below introduces the new developer tools and benefits of creating watch apps for the Wear OS Powered by Samsung platform, running on the Galaxy Watch4 series.

Q: It’s now easier to develop a great watch app for the Wear OS ecosystem. What are some new helpful experiences that will be available to users?

With the Galaxy Watch4 series, the most loved and used watch apps and services have been optimized for the new Wear OS Powered by Samsung platform. In addition to Samsung and Google services and apps such as Google Maps and YouTube Music, users will also have access to their favorite watch apps available for download in the Google Play Store. In particular, health-related apps, including Sleep Cycle, are starting to launch and are growing in popularity.

Many developer partners have started to work with the new tools available for the Wear OS platform, which has led to the release of many useful apps.

Moreover, we have launched Watch Face Studio, a new developer tool that makes it easy to design watch faces. Thanks to this tool, designers and developers will be able to create more watch faces, which provides users with a greater variety of watch faces to choose from, helping them to further personalize their watch with their own tastes.

Q: Throughout this session, you discussed the development of new watch apps with other developers. What was at the center of the discussion?

A total of four watch-related sessions were arranged for SDC21: one Highlight Session and three Tech Talk Sessions. They provide all the necessary information for developers, such as the developer guide, in order to help them more easily create diverse watch apps and services. In order to help stimulate the watch face market, a session was also added to SDC21 to provide a detailed introduction to the Watch Face Studio tool that is set to allow designers and developers to easily design and create faces.

Unveiled earlier this year, Matter is an industry-changing connectivity standard created by more than 180 companies and is transforming the smart home industry. Matter aims to become the de-facto standard in every home, that offers consumers interoperability between devices, flexibility and more choices when purchasing connected home devices. As an initial founding member, SmartThings is one of the most flexible platforms able to work with multiple protocols including, Zigbee, Z-Wave, and now, Matter, enabling consumers with existing smart homes to seamlessly integrate new devices into their homes. In addition, Matter opens a brand new chapter of innovation for developers around the globe, allowing more time to focus on creativity while reducing time spent on replicating efforts across various ecosystems.

“We truly believe that Matter is the foundation and future of IoT, and we are thrilled that Samsung SmartThings will be embedding it into so many products accelerating smart home adoption and bringing users more convenient connected home experiences wherever they are,” said Michelle Mindala-Freeman, Head of Marketing for the Connectivity Standards Alliance.

“Samsung TVs, appliances and Galaxy devices are part of everyday life for millions of people around the world and integrating SmartThings hub functionality into these devices will make it easier for users to experience connected living without additional hardware purchase. On top of that, adding Matter support into the SmartThings platform will only broaden the choices of devices to connect as Matter-enabled devices flood into the market next year,” said Jaeyeon Jung, Corporate Vice President at Samsung Electronics and Head of SmartThings. “Matter will help drive a surge in smart home adoption, and with SmartThings, it will be easier for users to gain smart home experiences with seamless device onboarding, customized automation and a choice of voice assistants. We’re proud to have been leading this standardization initiative since its inception, alongside other industry leaders in an effort to bring the Matter protocol to life.”

Matter-enabled devices will join numerous products and brands already available within SmartThings’ vast ecosystem, including devices from Google, eve Systems, Honeywell Home by Resideo, Linksys, Nanoleaf, Philips Hue, Schlage, Wemo, Yale and more.

Historically, the connected home has been very fragmented and SmartThings has been the glue that connects devices together across brands and platforms. SmartThings’ open platform brings together devices, developers and services to offer one of the largest integrated ecosystems. With hundreds of certified brands and millions of users on the platform, SmartThings facilitates innovations in connected living across multiple use cases.

Samsung will bring Matter to multiple products in 2022 as the new standard becomes available and fully integrates into the SmartThings platform.

For more information about SmartThings, please visit www.smartthings.com.

¹ Matter support available on select models.

About SmartThings
SmartThings is the premier technology enabling connected living and driving the future of IoT. Its open platform already supports thousands of devices across hundreds of brands and offers endless possibilities to innovators and developers seeking seamless connectivity in a vast IoT ecosystem. The company is committed to bringing smart functionality and capabilities everywhere consumers want to be, while enhancing the user experience. There are currently millions of people in more than 200 countries accessing SmartThings technology daily to create automations and control facets of their smart homes via the SmartThings App and through a range of Samsung products such as phones, TVs, and digital appliances. SmartThings offers the most flexible amount of protocols, including the new IoT standard, Matter. Launched in 2012, SmartThings is headquartered in Mountain View, CA and is a founding board member of Connectivity Standards Alliance, an organization of hundreds of companies creating, maintaining, and delivering open, global standards for the IoT. For more information, please visit www.smartthings.com.

Ancient Cultural Heritage Meets Cutting Edge Economics, Welcome to China

At the cusp of tradition and change, the entire world is focusing on the tenacity of this nation and how they will emerge. Not only the rapid economic growth but the unique regional and cultural characteristics of China are of great interest to the entire world. Here at the heart of the dragon, Samsung Design China (SDC) in Beijing and Shanghai seek the best in design performance as well as competing with other global design companies.

SDC Fuses China’s Unique Culture with a Cutting Edge Eye for Design

New market trends, cultural or regional policies, user feedback and recommendations as well as insights are all our agenda as we reach out to universities, research firms and design agencies for a collaborative effort to better understand China. Never with an outside-in perspective but as an insider on the ground who knows what and when things happen. Here at the SDC office, we’ve been tailoring smartphones, home appliance products, computers, wearable smart devices and IoT products to compliment this unique and bustling part of the world.

Bringing the Future Today through Our Products, Starting Successful Business Opportunities

The potential market value of China is still unmeasured. To succeed in such a climate, staying ahead of the trends of the market as well as design is a must. We strive to become a company that the people of China will grow to love.

SDC – Beijing Office

Product Strategy Team

As China is a very competitive market, keeping up with the latest trends and competition is a must. To do this, SDC works with local agencies on research projects looking for user insights. With these findings we plan our product strategy for the market.

Industrial Design Team

The Industrial Design team here at SDC works closely with the product strategy team and local R&D centers to get the most out of our smartphone products like the Galaxy C series. SDC is responsible for the designs of the Galaxy C5/C7, Galaxy C9 Pro and Galaxy J3 Pro.

UX Design Team

The UX Design team includes User Interface (UI) and Graphic User Interface (GUI). Based on the needs and behavior of the local user, we devise useful UI implementation while working closely with the local R&D center to better equip the Galaxy series products to the China market.

SDC – Shanghai Lab

Digital Appliance Design Team

The Digital Appliance (DA) Design team located in Shanghai branch is immersed in research for cultural and lifestyle trends. We look for meaningful insights that may lay the groundwork for new innovations and creative direction. We also seek to take those insights and apply them to our home appliance product design.

SDC WORK

Galaxy C Series

The Galaxy C series is the new smartphone tailored for the China market. Smartphones go far beyond from being a mere digital device to part of one’s identity. This is the reason why product differentiation and authenticity matters in today’s product design field. Samsung Electronics establishes Galaxy C series with a unique signature design geared with premium material.

Galaxy C5/C7 Product Design

SDC’s first complete smartphone design project including user research, product design, user interface design, graphic user interface design as well as packaging design. The C5/C7 targets the younger generation with the ultra slim metal uni-body design.

Galaxy C5/C7 GUI Theme Design

The Galaxy C5 / C7 GUI theme, encompassing wallpaper and icons, brings to the screen the latest contemporary trends. Targeting 20 somethings, we designed a colorful theme with four unique metal GUI themes to match the metal exterior colors of the Galaxy C5/C7. The goal is to bring out unlimited imagination and inspiration for the younger generation to harness their dreams.

Galaxy C9 Pro Product Design

The flagship model to really show the mettle of Samsung Electronics is the Galaxy C9 Pro. With the metal uni-body and MSA (Micro Slit Antenna) which does away with the thick antenna but instead incorporates three thin strips for a decidedly unique design. Also, the huge 6.0 inch AMOLED screen and dual speakers create an immersive viewing experience as well as an exciting game environment.

Galaxy C9 Pro GUI Theme Design

Galaxy C9 Pro GUI theme extends the previous Galaxy C5/C7 metal theme for an upgraded hardware design. By using the Mobius concept on the wallpaper, it not only conceptually unifies the design, but also attracts the younger generation with a modern yet soft feel.

Galaxy J3 Pro Product Design

Galaxy J3 Pro targets affordable price with a premium atmosphere. The authentic metal spin texture on the battery door emphasizes attention to detail while the side step treatments can help to give an overall slimmer feel with better grip.

Veyron GUI Theme Design

The Veyron GUI theme targets the Chinese premium users. The curves of the lines on the wallpaper hint at the smoothness of the phone in your hand. The metal details on the launcher icons are highly detailed. The reflections of highlight on the metal lines are not only conveying a high-end feel but also stands out as being different from others.

More than 350 11th and 12th grade high school students across the U.S. attended the free, five-day coding academies hosted by Samsung.

Student developers will stand alongside professionals at the Samsung Developer Conference in San Francisco today. The students, chosen from the five winners of the 2015 Samsung Mobile App Academy, made apps to address issues in their local communities. Winning apps include an interactive pill chart to incentivize children with serious illness to take their medication, a system for diagnosing pulmonary illnesses and a game to teach kids coding.

A summer program held at universities across the country, Samsung Mobile App Academy offers students in grades 11 and 12 the opportunity to learn coding from actual developers and create a marketable app of their own. The goal is to help the students develop the STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) skills critical to careers in the digital age. Participants are asked to focus their apps in one of four categories: health, education, environment and community investment/sustainability.

The five winners of the 2015 Samsung Mobile App Academy will be announced at the conference. They are:

1. Emily Waite, a senior at Franklin High School in Franklin, Mass., won the Grand Prize, including a $20,000 scholarship, for her app Med Kid, which helps children who are seriously ill take their medications accurately.
2. Maya Varma, a senior at Presentation High School in San Jose, Calif., won Second Prize, including a $10,000 scholarship, for her app iBreathe, which helps diagnose early five prevalent pulmonary illnesses.
3. Quymbee Chen, a senior at Bronx High School of Science in Bronx, NY, won Third Prize, including a $5,000 scholarship, for her app Code Clash, a game for kids to learn code.
4. Gayathri Sridhar, senior at Evergreen Valley High School in San Jose, Calif., won Fourth Prize, including a $1,000 scholarship, for her app Forte, which helps teens cope with depression.
5. Noa Schwartz, a senior at Brookline High School in Brookline, Mass., won Fifth Prize, including a $500 scholarship, for her app Connexercise, designed to reinvent the workout experience.

Emily Waite of Franklin, Mass. is the Grand Prize Winner and recipient of a $20,000 scholarship for the app she created at Samsung’s 2015 Mobile App Academy that uses incentives to get kids suffering from illness to take their medications. Emily Waite of Franklin, Mass. is the Grand Prize Winner and recipient of a $20,000 scholarship for the app she created at Samsung’s 2015 Mobile App Academy that uses incentives to get kids suffering from illness to take their medications.

In the Zone at the Conference

Grand Prize winner Emily Waite and Third Prize winner Quymbee Chen will present their apps to attendees at the third annual Samsung Developer Conference at the Moscone Center in San Francisco on April 27 and 28. This year’s conference focuses on the Internet of Things, the interoperability between devices and applications, and virtual reality. Samsung Mobile App Academy winners will be stationed in the Innovator Zone on the showroom floor, with other talented students who participated in similar Samsung programs in regions around the world. The students also will meet Samsung professionals who develop software for a living, giving them the opportunity to meet leaders in STEM fields and likeminded innovators.

Waite got the idea for her digital pill chart from watching her cousin and friend, both with serious illnesses, have to take a lot of medication at the one time. “For my app, I wanted to create a fun way to incentivize children to take their medications,” said Waite. App users receive icon gifts when they take their medicine as well as complete doctor visits. Waite recently decided she will attend Cornell University in the fall and major in mechanical engineering.

Chen chose to make education the focus for her app, as she enjoys tutoring middle school students in computer science. She said: “I wanted to design an app that teaches kids how to code, but I wanted it to be fun, so I modeled it after a popular cartoon. The app trainer pushes the users to improve, while teaching them about computer science topics in ways kids can relate to.”

All five winners participated in the 2015 Samsung Mobile App Academy, attended by a total of 350 students nationwide. The program, which is free and attended by students who are required to go through an application process, lasted five days and focused on a custom coding curriculum. Last summer, Samsung Mobile App Academy programs were held at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in Cambridge, Massachusetts; University of California Berkeley in Berkeley, California; Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey; Rice University in Houston, Texas; University of Maryland in College Park, Maryland; and University of Miami in Coral Gables, Florida.

“These students are well on their way to mastering the art of app creation. They have shown their forward-thinking and creativity through their projects. We are excited to have them at our annual Samsung Developer Conference in recognition of their enthusiasm for STEM and for making a difference in the lives of people around them,” said Ann Woo, senior director of Corporate Citizenship at Samsung Electronics America.

For more than a decade, Samsung’s Hope for Children initiative has been focused on helping youth in underserved communities across the United States gain access to quality healthcare, technology resources and STEM education. In addition to Samsung Mobile App Academy, which started in 2011, the company also supports STEM education through other national programs, including the Solve for Tomorrow contest.

Learn more about the Samsung Developers Conference at http://news.samsung.com/us/press-kits/sdc2016.

Event attendees were especially passionate about wearables and virtual reality, as VR continues to expand its popularity. In two VR sessions, attendees explored the process of Gear VR game production and 3D content development.

Check out the enthusiastic atmosphere at the hands-on workshops in the photos below.

“Gear VR: Developing Apps for the Virtual World” was a hands-on workshop that looked at how developers can create contents and games for the Gear VR. Dustin Wish led the session, offering a wide range of tips for developers, such as how they can register their applications on the Oculus Store and software optimization.

At “Developing for Gear S2,” Dustin Wish also taught how to develop applications and widgets for the Gear S2 with SDKs (Software Development Kits) and tools. He even led an application development exercise session using the Gear Watch Designer, a watch-face making tool.

In “Developing IoT with the Samsung ARTIK Platform,” Dan Gross and Wei Xiao talked about how developers can connect sensors and make applications based on the ARTIK platform. As a production-ready, IoT platform, ARTIK can help developers commercialize their new IoT connected devices quickly and easily.

Samsung’s defense-grade security platform KNOX also got explored in the workshop “Getting to Know the KNOX SDKs.” Victor Okunev led the session, attracting much attention for his introduction on how applications can be efficiently integrated using the KNOX SDK.

In “Printing with the Smart UX SDK,” Ajay Sharma touched on Samsung’s Android-based Smart UX platform for its lineup of printers, which have been enjoying a rapid surge in demand lately. Sharma demonstrated how the Smart UX SDK is easy-to-use for inexperienced developers who want to create printing applications.

The “Project Beyond: Filming for VR” session covered how to create 3D content using pictures, with a lecture by a professional 3D content creator.

Such developments include those born at Samsung Electronics’ C-Lab, an innovation program that helps company employees to nurture their own creative business ideas. Representative teams will introduce for the first time their secret project prototypes in hopes of getting constructive feedback from SDC attendees to develop their products further.

The projects include LiCon, an app that controls various smart devices via a smartphone camera; Ahead, a communication device for people who wear helmets; AMe, a wearable lifelogging camera that produces 360-degree VR videos; ItsyWatch, a wearable that helps children form good habits; and Entrim 4D+, a VR accessory that lets users feel the movements of the on-screen action.

The projects will be showcased at the Moscone West Center from April 27 to 28 in San Francisco.

LiCon: An App That Recognizes and Controls IoT Connected Devices Via a Smartphone Camera

The fast-evolving Internet of Things (IoT) has the potential to become a revolution in modern day living. However, since so many gadgets are controlled and operated by their own individual apps, accessing them can be a major inconvenience. Which is exactly what the team behind LiCon hopes to change.

With the LiCon app, the smartphone camera becomes a tool to recognize and control IoT connected devices.

For instance, when a user takes a picture of an IoT connected device such as an air conditioner or robot vacuum cleaner, the smartphone utilizes vision-based recognition to identify the product. Then, within seconds, a controller interface is displayed, which lets users adjust the temperature or turn off the power with just a few taps.

Additionally, users can also quickly launch product-specific applications by taking a photograph of their connected device. As such, users can easily perform tasks or access information in a simple way, without having to swipe through endless screens of icons to locate each individual device application.

As users take pictures of their IoT connected devices, and subsequently add their own images to LiCon’s ever-expanding database through the cloud sever, LiCon, powered by deep-learning technology, grows even smarter and can recognize devices more easily.

Considering how effortless it is to take a picture, LiCon not only saves time, but also makes the Internet of Things accessible to just about anyone.

Ahead: A Communication Tool for Your Helmet

From ski slopes to construction sites to race tracks, helmets are vitally important for maintaining safety in dangerous environments. While essential, they can sometimes make simple tasks, such as making a phone call or listening to music, not only bothersome, but also risky.

Ahead, a communication device born in the C-Lab, could very well change all of this.

Ahead is a small triangular gadget that can be attached to any helmet via its super-strength magnets. It enables users to make and take calls, listen to music and receive voice notifications through Bluetooth.

The Push to Talk (PTT) version of the device enables communication among multiple users at the same time via a two-way radio connection.

The gadget, which is available in a variety of colors, boasts three buttons which are used to control volume, change music tracks and answer calls, and can also be used to make calls with a speed dial function that is configured through the Ahead app.

Unlike headphones or earbuds, Ahead utilizes oscillators to create a surround sound effect without blocking out background noise, thus ensuring a safe environment. Two microphones help to make certain that the same background noise does not disrupt phone calls or communication.

Ahead has numerous potential use cases, from improving coaching on the field, to enhancing communication on construction sites, to making a motorcycle ride along the highway more enjoyable.

AMe: A Necklace-Like Wearable That Captures Candid Moments in 360 Degrees

When lifelogging—or registering daily life with technical tools and services—first emerged, pioneers had to tote around a variety of tools and devices to capture the moments of their lives as data, photos and videos. Yet, with social networks centered on status updates and photo sharing, the practice of recording and tracking life has since gone mainstream.

Now, lifelogging could very well transform yet again with the unveiling of AMe.

AMe (short for “Around Me”) is a wearable device that is worn like a necklace and boasts three small individual cameras that record 360-degree video footage in 4K. Captured video, which presents the user’s surroundings in a first-person perspective, is then stitched together and managed via the AMe app. Users also have the option to geotag or share their videos on social media channels directly from the app.

This no-hands camera rig offers a unique convenience, as it does not need to be mounted, and allows for a more candid filming environment, since it resembles an accessory more than an invasive camera. Along the same vein, the AMe team has made the prototype available in an array of colors, including black, white and rose gold to fit just about anyone’s style.

ItsyWatch: A Gamified Smartwatch App That Helps Kids Form Good Habits

Most wearables for kids on the market today were designed with a focus on safety and contribute more to parents’ peace of mind than anything else. As a result, kids aren’t all that eager to wear them because they aren’t, well, fun.

But, ItsyWatch is bringing something new to the table. This gamified smartwatch app (the prototype utilizes Samsung’s Tizen-powered Gear S2 smartwatch) displays adorable cartoon characters that add fun to everyday activities, such as exercising, eating and brushing one’s teeth.

Engaging in the instructed activity then enables the interactive character to grow. Positive feedback offered by the characters keeps kids interested and motivated to continue participating in the “game.”

To add to the fun value, children can also use the app to send voice messages to their friends and family members.

But kids aren’t the only ones benefiting from the app. Parents can track kids’ activities to analyze their health and well-being.

Besides consulting child education specialists, the ItsyWatch team—all of whom are parents themselves—considered their own children’s needs during the development process. As such, the smartwatch app and its functions are based on real-life people and experiences.

In addition to showcasing their product, the ItsyWatch team will also lead a technical session entitled “Developing Hybrid Gear App and Extensions” at SDC on April 28 to demonstrate potential use cases of the Gear S2 and Tizen platform.

Entrim 4D+: A Device That Lets You Feel VR

In an effort to increase the fun and decrease the motion sickness that come along with virtual reality, the C-Lab created Entrim 4D. Using a combination of algorithms and Galvanic Vestibular Stimulation (GVS), a safe and simple technique that sends specific electric messages to a nerve in the ear, the VR accessory synchronizes your body with changing movements in VR content.

After showcasing the prototype at South by Southwest, the minds behind the device have further developed the product—now called Entrim 4D+—based on feedback they received from event attendees.

Whereas before, the VR accessory allowed users to feel only left and right movements, the device now allows them to feel forward, backward and 3D rotating motions, too, making the VR experience feel more real than ever before.

For the global developers’ community, the Samsung Developer Conference 2016 (SDC 2016) offers a unique opportunity to connect with Samsung Electronics, meet fellow developers and take in a broad array of exciting new technology.

The event will be held April 27 to April 28 at the Moscone West Center, San Francisco, and will comprise keynote speeches and presentations from a range of tech industry leaders. Attendees can also expect a wide range of sessions whereby developers can exchange ideas and partake in new experiences.

The list of speakers at SDC 2016 includes:

• DJ Koh, President of Mobile Communications Business at Samsung Electronics, who will address Samsung’s vision for “Connecting the Future,” and opportunities for developers.

• Injong Rhee, Executive Vice President, Head of R&D, Software and Services, Mobile Communication Business at Samsung Electronics, on strategy for mobile service platforms and partnerships.

• Sang Kim, Vice President, Content and Services, Visual Display Business at Samsung Electronics, who will talk on matters relating to new business opportunities with Samsung Smart TV in 2016.

• Curtis Sasaki, Vice President, Samsung Strategy and Innovation Center at Samsung Electronics, who will speak about the strategy for Samsung’s Internet of Things technology, platform and ecosystem.

• Genevieve Bell, Vice President at Intel, Monique Morrow, Chief Technology Officer at Cisco, Maureen Fan, CEO and Co-Founder at Baobab Studios and Diane Tavenner, Co-Founder & CEO at Summit Public Schools, will have a panel discussion entitled: “From Disruption to Transformation,” highlighting impactful innovation in the modern industry.

• John Riccitiello, CEO of Unity Technologies and David Kenny, General Manager of IBM Watson, and Eric Consolazio, Vice President at Cigna will share their vision as keynote speakers and experience on how to innovate the future.

More than 100 industry leaders and over 70 sessions will educate, innovate and inspire attendees to create new disruptive content and services, including interactive workshops and hands-on device experiences. Developers will be particularly keen to enjoy some sought-after hands-on time with Samsung’s cutting edge technology and software development kits (SDKs).

Some of the areas of technology on the SDC 2016 agenda include: Internet of Things(IoT), Tizen, Smart TV, Enterprise, VR, Mobiles, Wearables, Games and Entertainment, Health and Medical and Business opportunities.

On April 26, the day before the conference officially begins, experts will conduct a series of interactive, hands-on workshops, covering best development practices for a variety of technologies.

For registration details and more, visit the event’s official website at http://www.sdc2016.com

Samsung Electronics announced that registration for the Samsung Developer Conference 2016 (SDC 2016), which will be held from April 27 to April 28 at San Francisco’s Moscone West Center, is now open.

Centered around the theme of “Connecting the Future Everywhere You Look”, the this year’s SDC will offer more than 60 technical sessions, interactive workshops, keynotes and hands-on device experiences across 10 different topics, including: The Internet of Things (IoT), Virtual Reality (VR), Mobile, Wearables,  Business Opportunities, Enterprise, Smart TV, Games & Entertainment, Tizen and Health & Medical.

“We have been working to share our vision for technology, connection and collaboration with the global development community, by hosting the Samsung Developer Conference, since 2013.” said Seung-hwan Cho, Executive Vice President and Deputy Head of Software R&D Center at Samsung Electronics. “SDC 2016 will  offer the perfect chance for attendees to connect with Samsung in person, sharpen their skills, and meet other developers and partners from the Samsung ecosystem. There will also be new, unique technologies and demos that are simply not available anywhere else.”

SDC 2016 will showcase the latest IoT technologies including Samsung’s ‘ARTIK’ and the open source software framework ‘IoTivity’ of OIC*, along with the company’s ‘Tizen’ platform for Smart TVs, wearables such as the Gear S2, and more. Samsung will also unveil the latest plans and technology for its service ecosystem, and key partnership strategies for the likes of ‘Samsung Pay’, ‘S-Health’, gaming, and the enterprise security solution, ‘KNOX’.

The conference’s keynote speakers will introduce brand new products and reveal Samsung’s new initiatives to further support the worldwide developer community.

SDC 2016’s current speaker lineup includes:

• Injong Rhee, Executive Vice President, Head of R&D, Software and Services, Mobile Communications Business, Samsung Electronics
• John Pleasants, Executive Vice President, Media Solutions Center America, Samsung Electronics America
• Pranav Mistry, Vice President, Head of Think Tank Team , Samsung Research America
• Genevieve Bell, Intel Fellow and Vice President, Corporate Strategy Office, Intel Corporation

Early bird registration is available until March 29 on the official SDC 2016 website (http://www.sdc2016.com), where attendees can also find more information about the conference schedule, key visitor information, planned sessions, speakers and technology showcases. Full two-day conference passes are available at early bird rate along with academic, alumni and group booking discounts.

*Open Interconnect Consortium
The Open Interconnect Consortium, a Delaware non-profit corporation, is being founded by leading technology companies with the goal of defining the connectivity requirements and ensuring interoperability of the billions of devices that will make up the emerging Internet of Things (IoT).