“It is an honor to tangibly demonstrate our gratitude to American service members, veterans, and their families for their sacrifice in defending Korean democracy, as well as the freedom and way of life enjoyed by our American employees, partners and customers,” said Won-Kyong Kim, Executive Vice President, Samsung Electronics, and Head of Samsung’s U.S. Public Affairs office. “Through this investment, Samsung remembers your sacrifice.”

As part of its partnership with Fisher House Foundation, Samsung will provide corporate funding to engage in the role of Principal Construction Donor for four (4) new Fisher Houses being built in 2016 and 2017 in Palo Alto, CA, Ft. Hood, TX, Omaha, NE, and one additional location to be announced. In addition, the overall donation will include refurbishing and outfitting older houses (among 60+ total) with brand new, state-of-the-art Samsung kitchen and washing appliances, televisions, tablets and other personal electronics. Samsung will also help curate a suite of apps for use on the Samsung devices that will equip families to more effectively communicate back home to loved ones, neighbors, employers, and teachers, as well as to assist in the management of medical care, finances, and education.

“Fisher House Foundation is eager and excited to work with Samsung,” said Ken Fisher, Chairman and CEO of Fisher House Foundation. “Our military men and women should know we have their backs. That the nation is there for them. That their sacrifice will never be ignored. Samsung’s efforts go a long way to achieving those goals.”

To further encourage the company-wide investment in this new partnership, Samsung employees will have annual volunteer opportunities to work with Fisher Houses in key U.S. locations where Samsung has a core footprint, including Palo Alto, CA; Washington, DC; Minneapolis, MN; and, Austin and Dallas, TX. Employees will be able to volunteer at specific Fisher House sites, including Samsung’s National Days of Service, cooking dinners at houses, fulfilling a House Wish List on Amazon Smile, donating air miles and hotel points to Fisher House Foundation’s Hero Miles and Hotels for Heroes programs, and participating in Giving Tuesday.

Above and beyond its umbrella $500,000 sponsorship, Samsung is also pleased to contribute $100,000 to Fisher House Foundation that will be specifically dedicated to its affiliated partner, the National Military Family Association, for a special Samsung-funded scholarship fund in support of military spouses. These scholarships will specifically support New Jersey-based spouses who serve alongside service members, providing essential funds needed to continue their higher education goals, including for STEM-focused academic programs.

“Samsung shares our belief that caring for these families is the right thing to do,” said Ken Fisher. “Through their generosity we’ll be able to better care for our veterans, service members, and their beloved families for years to come.”

To launch the partnership and honor public service at large surrounding Veterans Day, Samsung’s U.S. Public Affairs office hosted a celebratory “Chef of Staff” event on November 17th at Constitution 101 in Washington, D.C. The evening featured Samsung celebrity Club des Chefs Daniel Boulud and Christopher Kostow, who led live, culinary demonstrations using Samsung’s Chef Collection home appliance line to share in the joys of cooking. The cooking segments featured participation from Samsung CEO BK Yoon, Chairman Michael T. McCaul (R-TX), Fisher House Foundation Trustee Mary Jo Myers, and Chief of Staff Michael Platt for Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), who each lent their time as sous-chefs for the evening in honor of public service and veterans.

BK Yoon, President and CEO at Samsung Electronics, commented: “As we embark on this two-year partnership with the Fisher House Foundation, we celebrate the opportunity to help unite our military heroes with their loved ones, and bring them together through the power of food. Our products, such as the Chef Collection line, not only bring industry-leading performance and reliability, but ultimately aim to bring families and communities closer together by enabling people to maximize their experiences through technology.”

Preceding the cooking show, Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ), Senator Deb Fischer (R-NE), Chairman Michael T. McCaul (R-TX), and Congresswoman Anna Eshoo (D-CA-18) each provided remarks on how they have, and will continue to engage with Samsung through the company’s cash and in-kind product donations for existing and new Fisher Houses based in their respective states and districts. Additionally, the 200 guests – drawn from the public, private, government and non-profit sector communities – heard special remarks from Mr. Ken Fisher, Chairman and CEO of Fisher House Foundation, Inc., as well as New Jersey-based military spouses who were the first to be matched to Samsung’s higher education scholarship fund coordinated through the National Military Family Association.

Samsung Electronics, with its growing footprint of 17,000 U.S. employees is making the support of veterans and military family initiatives a major part of its social responsibility and citizenship efforts in the United States. Several of its efforts – such as Samsung’s 20 year partnership with the American Legion to provide college scholarships to descendants of American Korean War Veterans, and its support for the Korean War Veterans Memorial Foundation – are rooted in the company’s recognition of the importance of the U.S. military role in South Korea’s history.

About Fisher House Foundation

Fisher House Foundation is best known for a network of comfort homes where military and veterans’ families can stay at no cost while a loved one is receiving treatment. These homes are located at major military and VA medical centers nationwide, and in Europe, close to the medical center or hospital it serves. Fisher Houses have up to 21 suites, with private bedrooms and baths. Families share a common kitchen, laundry facilities, a warm dining room and an inviting living room. Fisher House Foundation ensures that there is never a lodging fee. Since inception, the program has saved military and veterans’ families an estimated $282 million in out of pocket costs for lodging and transportation. Fisher House Foundation also operates the Hero Miles Program, using donated frequent flyer miles to bring family members to the bedside of injured service members as well as the Hotels for Heroes program using donated hotel points to allow family members to stay at hotels near medical centers without charge. The Foundation also manages a grant program that supports other military charities and scholarship funds for military children, spouses and children of fallen and disabled veterans. To learn more about Fisher House Foundation, visit www.fisherhouse.org.

From smartphones to tablets to wearables, Samsung and Oracle are driving enterprise mobility and enabling professionals to be more productive. The new Cordova plug-in for Samsung developers, also on display at Oracle OpenWorld, makes enterprise app development easier through the packaging of key APIs for one of the best Android business experience on the market. The Cordova plug-in integrates into Oracle’s developer tools, while granting access to Samsung’s unique hardware features such as multi-window and S Pen.

“As two of the world’s leading drivers of enterprise mobility, Samsung and Oracle are positioned to deliver an ideal user experience that pushes the boundaries of productivity in the workplace,” said Rick Segal, Vice President of Enterprise Business Team, IT & Mobile Communications Business at Samsung Electronics. “Our alliance with Oracle is not only powering professionals and businesses through mobility, but also enabling developers and systems integrators to produce unique enterprise solutions that help organizations reach new levels of growth and success.”

All enterprise solutions presented by Samsung at Oracle OpenWorld are immediately available for incorporation into the daily professional environment. Examples include solutions from systems integrators such as HCL and AuraPlayer, which will be displayed on a range of devices including the Galaxy S6 edge and Galaxy Tab A. HCL’s predictive maintenance solution allows the management of machinery and heavy equipment that typically created a backlog of paper files. AuraPlayer’s collision reporting system enables rapid entry of critical incidents so that transportation authorities can take immediate action.

Wearables are the next generation of innovation in business, and Samsung will highlight several use cases of wearables at Oracle OpenWorld. Australian business solutions provider Rinami built a field asset management tool specifically designed to work with wearables, which will be demoed on the Samsung Gear S2. Australian Agricultural Company, one of the largest producers of wagyu beef, worked with Rinami to create a wearable app that improved livestock management. Instead of carrying cumbersome laptops and field notebooks, ranchers are able to collect data, interpret in the field and make actionable decisions through their mobile device app for dramatic increases in production.

Also, visitors to Oracle OpenWorld can learn about the Samsung Enterprise Alliance Program (SEAP). SEAP is the program highlighting a wide range of global enterprise partners and developers to provide business customers with differentiated solutions built on Samsung mobile devices.

Collaboration with Oracle is a part of Samsung’s continued efforts to expedite key mobile application development for enterprises such as the recent Samsung Business Services’ work in the U.S. in the areas of workforce management and business tasks.

Oracle OpenWorld takes place at the Moscone Center in San Francisco, CA from October 26 to 29. Samsung will be providing live demos and guided tours at Booth 1221 and the Mobile Showcase in Moscone South.

About Oracle OpenWorld

Oracle OpenWorld 2015 delivers the ultimate cloud experience. The industry’s most important business conference includes thousands of educational sessions and features demos and exhibitions from hundreds of partners and customers from around the world showcasing Oracle’s comprehensive cloud offerings, including an integrated stack of applications, platform and infrastructure services, as well as converged systems and industry solutions. Tens of thousands of in-person attendees and millions online gain valuable product and industry-specific insight to help them transform their businesses with Oracle. Oracle OpenWorld 2015 is being held October 25 through October 29 at the Moscone Center in San Francisco. For more information; to register; or to watch Oracle OpenWorld keynotes, sessions, and more, visit Oracle OpenWorld 2015. Join the Oracle OpenWorld discussion on Twitter #oow15, Facebook, and the Oracle OpenWorld blog.

Samsung SmartThings announced that Samsung SmartThings Home Monitoring Kit is available to purchase in the US and online.

The Home Monitoring Kit has everything you need to start monitoring, controlling, and securing your home from anywhere. It allows you to protect your home more affordable than a traditional home security system, get immediate alerts if there’s unexpected entry or motion in your home, and control your home from the palm of your hand. The Home Monitoring Kit retails for $249.

The Kit includes:

• The new SmartThings Hub to connect smart sensors, lights, locks, cameras, and more
• Two Multipurpose Sensors to monitor whether doors, windows, cabinets, or your garage are open or closed
• A Motion Sensor to monitor movement in your home
• An Outlet to control lights, electronics, and small appliances

Once you’ve downloaded the SmartThings app on either Android or iOS, you can start setting up your Home Monitoring Kit to monitor and secure your home.

By going to the Smart Home Monitor feature in the app, you’ll be able to receive alerts and take action whenever the devices in your Home Monitoring Kit detect unwanted entry, motion, or other unexpected activity. You can also arm and disarm your home at different times of the day and add compatible cameras, locks, alarms, and more to enhance your smart home.

Ready to get started?

The new kit is available for purchase in the US at Best Buy stores, BestBuy.com, Amazon.com, Sears.com, Samsung.com, and–coming soon!–Sears stores, SmartThings.com, and more.

Select retail stores will also be selling the Samsung SmartCam HD Pro alongside the Home Monitoring Kit. By pairing the two together, you’ll have everything you need to not only know what’s happening at home from anywhere, but also to see what’s going on when you’re not around. Unlike other home monitoring solutions, SmartThings only captures video clips when an unexpected event occurs, so you can maintain privacy while having complete peace of mind.

It’s never been easier, or more affordable, to turn your home into a smart home.

About SmartThings

SmartThings is the easiest way to turn a home into a smart home, bringing users peace of mind, savings, and convenience. As an open platform with a thriving ecosystem, SmartThings also brings users freedom of choice in devices and limitless possibilities. Since SmartThings was acquired by Samsung in August 2014, the team has tripled in size, tripled developer activity from a community of over 10,000, and has one of the largest ecosystems of compatible devices. SmartThings is headquartered in Palo Alto, CA and operates independently as a wholly owned subsidiary of Samsung Electronics.

Samsung Electronics announced the launch of Samsung Pay in the United States.  A secure and easy-to-use mobile payment service, Samsung Pay works almost anywhere you can swipe or tap your card. Samsung Pay launched initially in Korea on August 20^th.  Plans for bringing the service to the China, Spain and the U.K. are also underway.

“Samsung Pay works with almost any card terminal from day one and Galaxy owners can shop with a wallet they never knew was always in their hands,” said Injong Rhee, EVP of Samsung Electronics, Global Head of Samsung Pay. “As the leader in innovation, Samsung is proud to introduce the first mobile payment solution that allows you to pay almost anywhere you can swipe or tap your card today.”

Samsung Pay will work on Galaxy S6, S6 edge, Note5 and S6 edge+ devices operating on the AT&T, T-Mobile, Sprint and U.S. Cellular networks in the United States.

• SIMPLE: To make a payment on Samsung Pay, users can simply swipe up, scan their fingerprint and pay.

• SAFE: Samsung Pay uses digital tokenization, Samsung KNOX, and fingerprint authentication to provide secure payments. And, as terminals are upgraded to EMV, that security is leveraged too.

• ALMOST ANYWHERE: Samsung Pay is compatible with most existing and new terminals, including most magnetic stripe, EMV and NFC terminals. That means Samsung Pay works at more places than any other mobile payment service.

Extensive partnership ecosystem

To participate initially, consumers need to have a participating MasterCard, Visa or American Express card issued by Bank of America, Citi, American Express or U.S. Bank. Samsung Pay also offers merchant credit cards through its relationship with Synchrony Financial and additionally, works with acquirers including First Data, Global Payments and TSYS.  Over time, Samsung Pay will continue to expand its partnership ecosystem to provide greater flexibility, access, and choice for customers.

The building stands 170-feet high and has been designed to meet the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) standards of the U.S. Green Building Council.

More than 30 years of innovation and discoveries in Silicon Valley have helped define Samsung’s digital devices inside and out. On September 24, Samsung Electronics’ Device Solutions Division, part of its components business, celebrated the grand opening of its new American headquarters. Samsung’s DS teams have been spread across the area, and the brand new facility will join all team members together, allowing better communication across all disciplines.

Now home to R&D, marketing, sales and other teams, the new LEED-certified (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) 1.1 million-square-foot building will serve as a hub for state-of-the-art technologies in areas such as memory, logic, LED, displays and more.

Samsung is thrilled about the new facility. Let’s see how far it has come.

Employees can take a break in the peaceful courtyard located in the center of the building, one of the several open spaces around the facility.

The floor-to-ceiling windows create a bright space for employees to enjoy.

The open space design was chosen to encourage collaboration and enable frequent discussions.

A modern food court is available all day for employees to visit.

The facility is composed of a series of two-story office “buildings” stacked on top of each other, each separated by “green floors” with gardens and recreational spaces that are part of an effort to re-introduce the natural environment in office architecture.

Samsung Semiconductor’s new North American headquarters in San Jose, CA is a ten-story building with approximately 1.1 million square feet of space.

Read more:

Samsung Electronics Strengthens Its Presence in Silicon Valley with Opening of New Headquarters for U.S. Semiconductor Operations

Samsung Electronics, the world’s leading producer of semiconductor and display solutions, formally opened the doors to its new Device Solutions America headquarters here, setting the stage for a new wave of innovation across the digital landscape.

Located on the same corner in San Jose’s tech corridor where Samsung’s original campus was first built more than 30 years ago, the new headquarters symbolizes both Samsung’s long heritage in Silicon Valley and the company’s focus on innovation and growth.

Samsung Electronics’ semiconductor operations has long been at the forefront of innovation and with the new America headquarters for its components business, Samsung’s R&D efforts will be bolstered substantially. Innovation and advanced technologies for next-generation devices generated at the new facility will help make an even greater contribution to providing the critical competitive advantage that the company’s U.S. and global customers seek.

Speaking before an audience of more than 800 at the site’s Grand Opening ceremony, Oh-Hyun Kwon, Vice Chairman and CEO of Samsung Electronics, said “We are transforming Samsung into a world-class example of a truly market-focused technology company.” He further said that the company is “ laying the groundwork for a more aggressive pace of growth over the next several decades.”

While Samsung Electronics’ Device Solutions Division has experienced explosive growth since its arrival in Silicon Valley in 1983, it has created multiple organizations dispersed throughout the region. The move brings more than 700 employees together in one location, enhancing efficiency that is crucial in creating technologies and products at the cutting edge of technology. The 1.1-million-square-foot building will house various research labs dedicated to semiconductors, LEDs and displays, as well as staff in sales, marketing and other support areas.

Complete with gardens and open air space within the building, its new design increases collaboration by encouraging more spontaneous encounters between staff, while also bringing nature closer to the workplace to increase employees’ contentment and creativity.

Samsung’s President of its Device Solutions America operations, Jaesoo Han, said, “Today represents a major milestone as we open our most strategically important Samsung facility in the U.S. and also our biggest investment in Silicon Valley.” He went on to say that “Samsung’s goal is nothing less than to develop the best next-generation technologies for device solutions.”

Dignitaries in attendance at the grand opening for Samsung’s new headquarters included the current mayor of San Jose—the Honorable Sam Liccardo, former San Jose mayor—the Honorable Chuck Reed, State Senator Bob Wieckowski, San Jose State University President Susan Martin, and San Francisco Korean Consul General Dongman Han.

In keeping with the company’s corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives, Samsung announced a number of contributions at the event that will further support the Silicon Valley community. The company donated $100,000 to the Family Giving Tree and another $100,000 to the Second Harvest Food Bank.

Samsung Electronics has also established a $1 million STEM College Education Scholarship Fund to celebrate its latest expansion. Deserving university students who are currently enrolled in STEM-focused programs at a California State or University of California school will benefit from this program, beginning with a $50,000 gift to San Jose State University this year. Each scholarship will cover tuition and living expenses for one year.

Samsung Electronics’ Device Solutions CSR programs are focused on enhancing health, education and sustainability opportunities for children. In addition to opening its new state-of-the-art facility in San Jose, Samsung is dedicated to supporting the local community and helping to inspire the next generation of innovators with volunteer staff support and corporate donations.

For more information, visit www.samsung.com/us/samsungGOC15.

Samsung Electronics has launched the next generation of the S Health app, which provides users with more interactive and easy-to-use health functions. The updated app will also include compatibility with non-Samsung Android devices.

S Health version 4.5 is an all-in-one companion for your healthy lifestyle. With the new S Health, users can track their everyday activities, get coaching to reach daily goals, and improve their fitness with curated programs.

With S Health, users can set goals, such as “be more active,” “eat healthier,” or “feel more rested,” and receive tips and rewards for a more interactive experience. Specific programs can also be selected to help accomplish fitness milestones, from a beginner’s first 5K to an avid runner’s 10K time goal including voice guidance to keep runners at their target pace.

Built-in sensors in the Samsung Galaxy and Gear devices will help track heart rate, steps, walking, running, cycling, hiking, sports, sleep, food, water, caffeine, weight, blood pressure, blood glucose and Sp02 so that users can easily get a comprehensive overview of their health and fitness status.

S Health supports seamless connection with Samsung’s wearables and smartphones starting from the Samsung Galaxy S3 and now supports non-Samsung Android devices as well.

What’s new in S Health version 4.5:

• Dashboard provides a quick summary of daily goals and activities. Dashboard is customizable, so users can easily set own goals, check progress, and see latest tracked values quickly and easily at a glance.
• Added health tips* based on personalizable user interest categories
• Specialized tracker features for select sports such as pace-setter, route selector, exercise summary and power saving mode
• Easier, simpler and more intuitive ways to share workouts though social networks
  • Add various social badges and routes on the share screen
• Added support for more devices**
  • Non-Samsung Android devices
  • All Samsung smartphones since Galaxy S3

*Health tips now available in UK, US and Korea

**Tablets and some mobile devices may not be supported. Some functions may not be available depending on regions/service providers/devices. S Health version 4.5 requires Android OS 4.4 or above.

Availability

The S Health app and widget are available to all owners of Samsung flagship devices including Galaxy S6 with Android 5.0. The app is currently available in150 countries and supports local languages in 80 countries.

For more details about S Health v4.5, please visit http://shealth.samsung.com/

The 2015 Vans U.S. Open of Surfing in Huntington Beach, California is taking place from July 25 to August 2, 2015. In partnership with World Surf League (WSL), Samsung has identified a number of areas where innovation and technology could improve surfers’ performances and get fans more connected to the sport they love. With the specially developed water resistant casing for Samsung Gear S and an application designed for WSL and surfers, competitors are able to see weather conditions so they can catch the best waves at the right times. They can also easily access their individual scores during the competition and can track remaining time in their heats.

During the competition, Samsung opens the “Galaxy Studio on the Beach” in Huntington Beach, giving fans the chance to experience products like the Galaxy S6, Galaxy S6 edge and Gear VR Innovator Edition. Samsung also developed special surf content for Gear VR for fans who visit the Galaxy Studio. They can experience the rides of their lives using the Gear VR Innovator Edition while standing on a moving surfboard to feel first-hand what it’s like to ride the waves.

Samsung Galaxy surfer Malia Manuel met with media and fans at the Galaxy Studio and shared her passionate thoughts about how Samsung is helping improve the sport of surfing through breakthrough innovation.

“Sports is a key passion point for Samsung, and through our partnership and collaboration with the WSL, we are able provide athletes and fans with innovative ways to experience the sport through technology, thus creating authentic and deep level connections with core fans. Samsung takes pride in its partnership with the WSL as a brand that is open to accepting challenges, unafraid to explore the unknown to go beyond expectations and willing to push the limits of technology.” said Hoon Kang, Director of Global Marketing, IT & Mobile Division at Samsung Electronics.

Fans take selfies with the Samsung Galaxy S6 at the Samsung Galaxy Studio on the Beach during the U.S. Open of Surfing in Huntington Beach, CA.

Fans of all ages enjoy testing out Samsung Gear VR products at the Samsung Galaxy Studio on the Beach during the U.S. Open of Surfing in Huntington Beach, CA.

Young surf fans try testing out Samsung Gear VR products at the Samsung Galaxy Studio on the Beach during the U.S. Open of Surfing in Huntington Beach, CA.

The Samsung Galaxy Studio on the Beach was a main destination for fans of all ages during the U.S. Open of Surfing.

Samsung Galaxy surfer Malia Manuel shows fans how to ride waves like a pro on the Samsung Gear VR surfboard simulator during the U.S. Open of Surfing in Huntington Beach, CA.

Samsung Galaxy surfer Malia Manuel models the Samsung Gear S equipped with a water-resistant case and a custom WSL app which will be used to enhance surfers’ experience in the water.

Read more:

We Are Greater Than I: Samsung and WSL Present a Film Honoring the Community of Surfing

Yet, despite the low number of millennial home purchases, the majority of the demographic agrees that owning a home is necessary to live The American Dream and be a respected member of society. It is predicted that once the generation starts to tie the knot, home ownership will greatly increase.

Millennials already have a good idea of what they want from a home, so when they do start to buy, they will demand certain features, no doubt different from those desired by baby boomers and Generation Xers. So what exactly do millennials want in a home?

Smart, Safe and Secure

As the first generation to have had access to the Internet during their formative years, millennials value technology, and as such, tech-friendly homes will play a vital role in their lifestyles. The next generation of homeowners will set the pace for utilizing new technology in the home, making tasks such as running a load in the washing machine and lowering the temperature of the thermostat from a smartphone the new norm.

The majority of millennial women questioned in a recent survey believe that smart technology makes the home safer and more enjoyable. Participants of the survey report that indoor and outdoor lighting, door locks and security cameras are the areas in which they are most likely to adopt new technology, while identifying the kitchen, laundry room and living room as areas that would benefit most from smart tech. Despite the increased cost of such smart devices and services, millennials are more likely to view these as a good home investment for the long term.

Emerging devices such as Samsung’s SmartThings Hub and the corresponding free app make intelligent living possible, allowing users to easily customize the home to one’s personal preferences, another important determinant of millennial home buying. While homeowners of the past hoped to purchase new or newly remodeled homes, younger generations prefer fixer-uppers. This “entitled” generation is least likely to expect their next home to be recently built, instead opting for a house they can repair and improve on their own, incorporating their personal preferences into the home’s design.

Purposeful Places and Spaces

Among these customization projects is the desire to make each room serve a purpose fit for the homeowner’s lifestyle. For example, millennials are straying from jobs with traditional 9-to-5 hours and instead choosing to start their own businesses and side projects. As such, they want their living spaces to be places to do work, rather than places to go after work, and are transforming less frequently used rooms such as the dining room into their home offices. They value living environments that are conducive to creativity and encourage productivity.

Along these same lines, television, movie and sport watching to the demographic, as is space to entertain their social networks, who are value to the cohort that has, for the most part, delayed getting married and having children. And with multi-room services and devices, millennials can be entertained in just about part of the house. Additionally, Smart TVs satisfy millennials’ needs for immediacy and seamless social media access during their favorite programs and sports events.

While previous generations counted calories, millennials focus more on food that is fresh, less processed and has fewer artificial ingredients, as evidenced by their preference for specialty grocers and farmers’ markets. Their passion for local, sustainably grown produce has catalyzed a movement in urban gardening and a collective passion for food in general has been the foundation of a growing foodie culture that millennials will no doubt incorporate into their homes as much as they do their Instagram accounts.

The Samsung Chef Collection refrigerator, for example, has been designed with the millennial in mind, utilizing temperature control features to keep food fresher longer. Likewise, the collection’s microwave includes a quick-access commercial grade filter that captures 56 percent more oil than traditional filters. Appliances like these that cater to the healthier lifestyles of these foodies will be of upmost importance.

Energy Efficiency for Long-Term Savings

Finally, as a more eco-conscious generation, millennials see the importance in saving energy, both to do their part to help the environment, as well as save money, and are willing to pay a bit more for energy efficient appliances. According to a recent survey conducted by the National Association of Home Builders, one of the most desired features mentioned by millennial home builders is Energy Star-rated appliances, which help to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and prevent climate change. Respondents noted they are willing to pay more for such devices, so long as there is a long-term cost savings attached to their purchases.

Although millennials are delaying marriage and homeownership, it’s highly likely that their desire to own a home remains strong and their attitudes toward purchasing a house are optimistic. With a steadily improving job market, along with government sponsored enterprises such as Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac lowering down payments to 3 percent for first-time home buyers, it is likely that millennials will soon have a place to call home, sweet (smart) home.

The Reputation Institutes RepTrakR100 study recognizes Samsung as the leader in corporate reputation defined by several criteria including social responsibility and citizenship, innovation, product and services excellence, and creating a great workplace environment.

“Delivering amazing products and services is just one part of the Samsung story,” says Gregory Lee, president and chief executive officer of Samsung Electronics North America. “Being recognized as an industry leading place to work that gives back to the communities we serve is a true honor.”

The Reputation Institute’s RepTrakR model is the gold standard for reputation measurement, providing a one-of-a-kind measurement of how the public views the world’s best-known companies. The study examines perceptions of companies by the US general public based on over 50,000 interviews. The RepTrakR database is normative, examining 15 stakeholder groups in more than 25 industries and more than 50 countries for more than 7,000 companies.

“Technology companies with strong reputations recognize that their reputations are dependent on more than just the products and services they provide,” says Brad Hecht, chief research officer at Reputation Institute (RI). “The second most important driver of reputation in the technology industry is governance, or whether a company is responsibly run, fair and transparent.”

About Reputation Institute

Reputation Institute (RI) is the world’s leading research-based consulting and advisory firm for reputation. RI enables many of the world’s leading companies to make more confident business decisions that build and protect reputation capital, analyze risk and sustainability topics, and drive competitive advantage. RI’s most prominent management tool is the RepTrakR model for analyzing the reputations of companies and institutions – best known via the Global RepTrakR 100, the world’s largest and most comprehensive study of corporate reputations, as well as Country RepTrakR and City RepTrakR studies that look at reputation across organizations within a given geography.

“Combining breathtaking design with technology that provides dazzling color, stark contrasts and superb brightness, our radically new line of SUHD and UHD televisions set a new industry standard for the best picture quality available today,” said Dave Das, Senior Vice President, Samsung Electronics America. “In addition to featuring breakthrough display technology, our 2015 line is powered by our new Smart TV platform that not only brings consumers an intuitive user interface, but also makes it easy to share content between your Samsung mobile devices and 2015 Samsung televisions.”

The Next Step In Picture Quality Worthy of the Human Eye

Whether it’s LCD, LED or most recently UHD, Samsung has pushed the boundaries of TV innovation to new levels.  In 2015, Samsung continues to demonstrate its heritage of innovation by introducing the world to masterpieces in display engineering with its line of premium Curved SUHD TVs. With more than five years of research and development behind its proprietary Cadmium free nano-crystal technology, Samsung’s SUHD TVs produce a crystal clear color representation that results in a magnificent display of life-like picture quality. Combined with Samsung’s Peak Illuminator, these breakthroughs in screen technology produce a wider color range, delivering more detailed color expression, enhanced contrast that enables the deepest blacks seen on an LED screen, and unmatched brightness creating an entirely new category of TV.

With improved panel efficiency, superior color accuracy, and enhanced brightness precision, SUHD TVs provide unrivaled picture quality. Along with these exceptional improvements in color and brightness, Samsung incorporates local dimming technologies to minimize black loss, improve contrast, and deliver the deepest blacks currently available without loss of detail. The first line of SUHD TVs are no exception to Samsung’s strong tradition of design. From curved to flat, Samsung’s SUHD TVs capture the design aesthetic of contemporary art and architecture that are both captivating and functional.

A Smarter and More Integrated Smart TV

To further enhance its award winning Smart TV platform, all 2015 Samsung Smart TVs will now feature the Tizen Operating System. This revolutionary Smart TV platform incorporates an intuitive user interface to access the most popular streaming content and includes the Quick Connect feature that enables easy connection with select mobile devices for an enjoyable second screen experience. Powered by an Octa-Core processor, Samsung Smart TVs deliver enhanced performance, enhanced graphics and a bevy of brilliant new features.

Samsung Smart TVs bridge the gap between mobile and the living room by acting as a complete home entertainment hub that can be controlled by Samsung select Galaxy smartphones, offering wireless access to movies, and later this year photos, and music stored on other devices.  With one press of a button users can share any content from their select Samsung smartphone or tablet with their TV, while still browsing or chatting on their mobile device. This revolutionary mobile-to-TV convergence allows consumers easy and unparalleled access to an ever expanding content ecosystem.

UHD Content and Beyond

Samsung’s commitment to deliver the ultimate home entertainment experience does not stop at the product level. Samsung is working towards a more robust UHD ecosystem, including more and wider access to UHD optimized content. By participating in the newly formed UHD Alliance, Samsung joins Hollywood studios, content distributors, other consumer electronics brands, post-production and video technology companies to help define, and set a certification standard to ensure consumers will have access to the very best premium UHD content through the very best playback device.

The 2015 Line

For 2015, Samsung brings the very best in picture quality and elegant design to its new line of TVs, unveiling four new series of Curved SUHD TVs and four new series of UHD TVs that will vary in display size from 40-inches to 88-inches. Ranging from the popular Curved form to the traditional flat-panel, Samsung provides consumers the best offering of TVs that deliver a stunning and immersive home entertainment experience.

Samsung’s JS9500 Curved SUHD TV – Samsung’s JS9500 delivers new levels of color richness and picture quality thanks to Samsung’s proprietary 10-bit nano-crystal panel technology and full array local-dimming LED backlight, drawing viewers into a sensational picture that is crisp, vivid and true to life on a cutting-edge curved screen. The immersive feeling that the TV induces is amplified by Samsung’s exclusive Auto Depth Enhancer, an algorithm that analyzes images across the display and automatically adjusts contrast for a greater sense of depth. Heightened levels of color are reached with Samsung’s PurColor technology, which replicates natural color as film-makers and content creators originally envisioned, expressing more detailed shades that produces a picture quality that is unmatched in the industry. The new series of Samsung curved screens also come with the One Connect Box, which houses the “brains” of the TV and enables consumers to easily switch out the box in order to stay up to date on the most current UHD standards, making this line the industry’s only future-ready TVs.

Samsung’s JS9100 Curved SUHD TV – Offering vibrant color detail and enhanced picture crispness, the Samsung JS9100 delivers an unbelievably life-like home entertainment experience. Peak Illuminator Pro technology makes any content pop with increased LED illumination behind the brightest regions of the display, and with UHD upscaling users are able to enjoy full HD images in UHD level picture quality, providing a breathtakingly true-to-life viewing experience not dependent on source material.

Samsung’s JS9000 Curved SUHD TV – Featuring an edge-lit LED panel, the JS9000 Curved SUHD TV introduces a lifelike picture that boasts 64 times the color expression of conventional TVs and thanks to Samsung’s proprietary nano-crystal color technology a wider color range. Picture contrast and dimness is expertly managed with Samsung’s Precision Black feature that expands darkness levels, and with the Peak Illuminator Pro feature luminosity is boosted creating an overall experience that is both enchanting and immersive. Incorporating Samsung’s new Smart TV platform, the JS9000 offers effortless access to content and seamless sharing thanks to how easily the TV syncs with other devices. Now, anyone can share content from their select mobile device to a TV and vice-versa with simply one touch of a button, allowing the ability to enjoy a multi-screen experience with any compatible devices. With its Shirring design, the JS9000 looks like a piece of moving art, and whether mounted on a wall or placed on a stand, this metal bezel creates a harmonious effect that will add to the visual appeal of any home.  

Samsung’s JS8500 SUHD TV (flat) – Samsung’s JS8500 SUHD TV delivers astonishing realism and an immersive SUHD entertainment experience all in an elegantly designed display that changes the conventional notion of what a TV should look like. Featuring Samsung’s Precision Black, which minimizes black loss and expands darkness levels, a greater sense of depth is achieved delivering an incredibly lifelike picture. Incorporating Samsung’s new Smart TV platform , the JS8500 delivers an incredibly integrated entertainment experience with an easy user interface that allows for seamless switching between your favorite applications, live broadcasts, and streaming video.

Samsung’s JU7500 Curved UHD TV – Introducing Samsung’s JU7500 Curved UHD TV, an exceptionally engineered and beautifully designed TV that delivers an unbelievably true-to-life UHD quality picture thanks to proprietary technology. The JU7500 features Samsung’s UHD upscaling technology, capable of converting any input source, to crystal clear 4K UHD quality.

Samsung’s JU7100 UHD TVs (flat) – Samsung’s JU7100 UHD TV delivers amazing life-life UHD picture quality and is packed with incredible Smart TV features. With Samsung’s exclusive Peak Illuminator and UHD Dimming, the Samsung JU7100 delivers the deepest blacks and brightest whites by automatically adjusting brightness producing a vivid picture experience.

Samsung’s JU6700 Curved UHD TV – The Samsung JU6700 Curved UHD TV will draw viewers into the on-screen action like never before with 4K UHD resolution that features up to 4 times the crispness of Full HD. With PurColor technology audiences are treated to a visually stunning display of accurate color and spectacular picture performance.

*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 announced that Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 edge received eco-friendly certificates from four major markets, the US, the UK, Russia and Brazil, respectively. Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 edge have been recognized not just for the performance based on the state-of-the-art technology, but also for the aspects that care environment.

The two flagship smartphones received Sustainability Product Certification (SPC) from the US-based safety testing and certification organization, UL (Underwriters Laboratories). In the UK, world-renowned Carbon Trust honored the two smartphones with CO2 Measured Label.

In particular, Samsung gained Platinum certification, the highest grade, from UL by meeting a series of rigorous criteria -on toxic material, energy efficiency, recyclability of product and packaging, as well as the manufacturer’s social responsibility practices.

Galaxy S6 and S6 edge have also been awarded Vitality Leaf certification from the Ecological Union, Russia’s leading environmental certification organization, and COLIBRI, a Brazilian environmental quality label, from Associação Brasileira de Normas Técnicas (ABNT).

Packages of the two smartphones are made with 100 percent recycled paper as well as they satisfy criteria on toxic material. In addition, at the very early stage of the product development, Samsung considered environmental impacts. For example, 20 percent of the plastic in battery charger is made from recycled plastic, and soy ink is used to print the letters on the packages and manuals, instead of using petroleum solvents.

Samsung also continuously strives to create an eco-friendly system by applying advanced technology for energy efficiency, including fast charging and Ultra Power Saving mode.

Samsung has set up “Eco-Design process” since 2004 and requires environmental validation at the product development stage. Every product developed in Samsung has to be validated and named eco-grade.

As a result, as of March this year, 3,131 of Samsung products obtained environmental labels from environmental organizations in 14 countries, being recognized as a world’s leading eco-friendly manufacturer.

“Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 edge show excellent performance and fabulous design, as well as Samsung’s commitment for the environment” said Samsung official, and “Samsung will continue its efforts for developing environmentally friendly products, and also plan to expand the share of the recognized eco-products.”