Samsung also unveiled ‘Exynos Connect’, a new brand that consolidates its short-range wireless communication solutions, such as UWB, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi that are essential in facilitating an increasingly hyper-connected world.

“Our Exynos Connect U100 combines sophisticated ranging and positioning capabilities with strong security to enable hyper-connectivity between people and everyday objects, fueling a range of new applications in positioning and location tracking,” said Joonsuk Kim, Executive Vice President of the Connectivity Development Team at Samsung Electronics. “Building on our technology leadership in communications technologies, we are committed to driving innovation in short-range communication solutions to transform the way we connect and relate to the world around us.”

UWB is a short-range wireless communication technology that operates over a broad frequency spectrum, allowing for fast data transfers at low power. With its ability to capture highly accurate spatial and directional data, UWB is growing in popularity across various industries including those that deal with remote payments, smart keys, smart homes and smart factories.

Leveraging time of arrival (ToA) and 3D angle of arrival (AoA) measurements, Samsung’s Exynos Connect U100 provides an accuracy of single-digit centimeters and under five degrees. This makes it especially useful when tracking location in challenging indoor environments where GPS is unavailable as well as for AR and VR applications that require exact and real-time tracking of moving people.

The U100 integrates radio frequency (RF), baseband, embedded Flash (eFlash) memory and power management IP into a single chip, making it ideal for use in compact devices.

Through its power-saving mode, the U100 can maximize the battery life of mobile and automotive solutions as well as IoT devices like smart tracking tags that run on batteries with limited power capacity. For reliable communication, the U100 is also equipped with a scrambled timestamp sequence (STS) function and a secure hardware encryption engine to prevent external hacking.

Samsung’s Exynos Connect U100 has been certified by the FiRa Consortium, an industry-led non-profit organization that certifies UWB products for conformity to interoperability standards.

The U100 also complies with the Car Connectivity Consortium (CCC) Digital Key Release 3.0, a standard designed to store, authenticate and exchange digital keys for vehicles, enabling U100-equipped smartphones to securely communicate digital key information with vehicles.

As people become increasingly more health-focused, tech industry realized the value in pursuing projects that help individuals monitor their health and fitness. Principal Engineer Jinwoo Song from Samsung Research’s Data Research Team explained how Samsung Health Stack project helps developers and engineers optimize app development and more.

Q1. What does Samsung Health Stack do and what benefits does it ultimately provide?

Samsung Health Stack is an open source project that provides help in conducting research related to digital health using wearable devices, developing applications needed and creating tools for backend server and analysis in Android and Wear OS environment. By utilizing Samsung Health Stack, IT developers and engineers can save time and cost needed for developing the right environment, and researchers can focus more on conducting research studies that utilize new digital data. I believe that such convenience for development will be a great foundation for various forms of digital health care research and new data-based technologies.

Q2. What was the focus of the open source when designing Samsung Health Stack?

We designed it by analyzing the user experience of everyone involved in healthcare research so that the solution can accommodate the entire process of recruiting participants, collecting data and analyzing data. When there were some difficulties during the course of the development, we found solutions through health care-related cooperation with many research institutions.

In addition, we made effort to provide the structure that can continue to be scaled up to handle new forms of data and devices that become the interest of digital health researchers. In particular, we’ve designed the structure so that only certain necessary parts can be selected and expanded for use in order to enable application in various cases that go beyond clinical research, such as the area of care, etc.

Q3. What do you think the direction of development will be going forward for data-based health-care technologies?

Due to the technological advancement including AI, and the transition to aging society, the digital technology that centers on consumers and data is becoming more important in the field of health care. In order to respond to such changes, it is important to have the capability to safely manage and precisely analyze various data on users.

We believe that a world in which everyone will be able to receive customized, optimal health care solutions with data on users’ everyday life will come in the future. We’ll continue to make effort to develop technologies and products to make this possible, and we look forward to seeing many developers participate in this effort.

In order to create the best product experience, Samsung’s One UI platform offers a simple and intuitive interface across all of its devices, putting the user at the center of its unified device experience. Content Strategist Josh Ross from Samsung’s Core UX Group of MX Business shared the inspiration behind One UI and how it was created with users in mind.

Q1. What is One UI and what experiences does it provide to users?

One UI is the unified platform for Samsung Galaxy products, from phones and tablets to watches and Galaxy Books. It creates a single, seamless experience that empowers users to get the most from their Samsung products.

Q2. To create an intuitive and easy-to-use interface for users, One UI adheres to four key principles: simplicity, effortlessness, consistency and authenticity. Can you explain why these principles are important for development of One UI and how you think this enhances the mobile experience for users?

You need principles so you can be sure your design is heading in the right direction. We’ve chosen these four principles because they put the focus on the user, which is what we always want to do. Simplicity helps users focus on what matters. Effortlessness means that you don’t have to struggle to get things done. Consistency means that things work the way you expect them to, which helps to make things effortless. And authenticity is about creating experiences that feel natural, like a part of your own self-expression. When these principles come together, the result can be very powerful but also subtle. You don’t always notice all the work that goes into the design, and that’s actually good. The best design is almost invisible.

Q3. Why are partnerships an essential part of One UI? What are the benefits of partnerships for One UI development?

Partnerships are a huge part of the One UI experience. As good as Samsung is, we need the insight and expertise of others to deliver the best experience to users. Partnerships make apps like SmartThings and Samsung Wallet possible, so that you can do amazing things like control your car or your lights, make payments, board an airplane and so much more, right from inside One UI. Partnerships enrich our Samsung Health content with fitness expertise about everything from sleep coaching to body composition to mindfulness. Partnerships add flavor to your chats with GIFs from Giphy and Tenor, stickers, fun camera features on Snapchat and much more. Partnerships like the Global Goals app, a collaboration between Samsung and the UN, help bring awareness to important causes.

We want to empower our users to do things the way they want, with the apps and services they love. Partnerships are a huge part of that.

Q4. Going forward, what are some things users can expect from Samsung’s One UI?

We have a lot of things we’re announcing at SDC this year, so I don’t want to give everything away, but you can always expect further refinement and improvement. We look at everything from icons and animations to how you organize and find things and so much more. We’re learning more and more from our users about how the foldable experience changes things, so keep looking for exciting developments in the area of unique features for the Galaxy Flip and Galaxy Fold.

Samsung has also partnered with HealthTap to provide telemedicine services through its Smart TVs. Samsung’s Tizen, an open-source operating system, helped developers optimize the service for use on Smart TVs. Sean Park, Senior Product Manager from the Experience Planning Group of Visual Display Business, explained more about accessing telemedicine through Samsung’s Smart TVs.

Q1. How did Tizen help with the development of this service?

Samsung Electronics’ smart operating system (OS) Tizen provided the grounds for easy navigation on the large screen display. Tizen is very quick to deploy as evidenced by what we were able to achieve in three months’ time.

Q2. What are the benefits of accessing telemedicine services through Samsung Smart TVs?

Everything nowadays has gone remote. We want to provide Samsung users with a more convenient way to access medical care, which is telemedicine.

Samsung’s collaboration with HealthTap allows you to see a doctor through a large screen from the comfort of your home, creating a more immersive telehealth experience. If you want to access services including mental health counseling, you can do that with Samsung Smart TVs. For those who are a bit older and whose vision makes it difficult to use a small mobile screen, or for those who need to hold small children while consulting a doctor, they can easily access telehealth services through Samsung Smart TVs. We want everyone to be able to easily see a doctor from home, which we believe is not only convenient but necessary.

Ultra-wideband technology (UWB) has been recently gaining more and more attention in the smart device industry. Principal Engineer Haeyoung Jun from Samsung Research’s Standards Research Team talked about the importance of standardization of UWB and how it could shape the future of the industry.

Q1. What is the role of the FiRa Consortium that Samsung Electronics established in 2019 with key industry players, and what specific activities does it do?

The FiRa Consortium develops the interoperability standard and certification program to enable consumers to use services powered by Ultra-wideband (UWB) technology in smart devices across devices made by different manufacturers.

After the FiRa Consortium was initially established by only a few companies, including Samsung Electronics, there are now more than 115 member companies participating in defining the interoperability standard together. Furthermore, FiRa is exploring various applications that utilize UWB, and is cooperating with multiple standard organizations across various industry verticals for the standardization of these applications.

Q2. We’d like to know why UWB technology is gaining attraction again recently and how it is moving forward.

As many service providers and manufacturers investigate use scenarios utilizing relative location information obtained by direct communication among devices without heavy infrastructures, the barrier to implementing UWB technology and applications have been lowered. Along with Samsung Electronics, global companies are also implementing UWB into their devices. As the number of UWB enabled products increases in the market, there will be motivation to install UWB infrastructures as well. We anticipate that, if just one or two game-changing UWB applications emerge in the market, the UWB ecosystem will expand rapidly.

Q3. We’d like to know what the new era of wireless communications envisioned through UWB technology standardization would look like in detail.

UWB technology allows your own devices to detect the location, including distance and direction, of other UWB devices in proximity. It also enables the secure data transactions among devices as well as secure internal interfaces, therefore UWB can provide different type of location-based services that GPS is unable to. For instances, UWB brings the same effect as tagging NFC to a reader even with the smartphone placed in a pocket or bag. With the standardized UWB technology, consumers will be able to access new convenient services across multiple verticals.

At its Galaxy S21 Unpacked event earlier this year, Samsung announced a series of partnerships with automakers. The Genesis GV60 will become the first vehicle to showcase the innovative new technology when it launches in September, starting in Korea.

Samsung’s digital key is powered by advanced UWB technology, a short-range, wireless communication protocol that uses radio waves to operate, much like Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. However, UWB transmits radio waves at a much higher frequency, enabling highly accurate spatial awareness and directional capabilities that allow mobile devices to understand their surroundings better.

UWB enables passive entry, so you can say goodbye to digging through your pockets and bags in search of your keys. You’ll be able to lock and unlock your car, start the engine, open the trunk and even activate personalized settings like adjusting your seat and mirror position before you enter the car — all through your smartphone and without pushing a button. If you’re lending your car to a friend or family member for a short period, you can easily share the digital key and even set a time limit on how long the shared key will be available to them.⁴

The solution uses Samsung’s embedded Secure Element (eSE), designed to protect your most sensitive information and encryption keys, so you never have to worry about your keys falling into the wrong hands. The precision of UWB technology also stops potential relay attacks, where the radio signal is jammed or intercepted. Samsung’s digital key is fully compliant with the digital key standard as defined by the Car Connectivity Consortium (CCC), in which Samsung has been one of the driving members.

“We are proud to partner with Genesis as part of our mission to create exciting new mobile experiences that can make people’s everyday lives easier,” said TM Roh, President and Head of Mobile Communications Business at Samsung Electronics. “As we continue to drive advancements in mobile technology like UWB, our priority is now to bring these new experiences to as many people as possible, in collaboration with our trusted ecosystem partners.”

“GV60 will set the bar for luxurious electric vehicle representing the electrification of the Genesis brand,” said Albert Biermann, President and head of R&D division at Hyundai Motor Group. “The partnership with Samsung Electronics will strengthen our efforts to provide truly differentiated experiences for our customers to interact with Genesis vehicles.”

Samsung’s digital key will be available in NFC and UWB with the Genesis GV60 initially in Korea by the end of this year. The UWB digital key is compatible with Galaxy S21+ and Ultra, Note20 Ultra and Z Fold2 and 3. For more information, please visit www.samsung.com/levant/apps/samsung-pass/ or www.genesis.com/worldwide/en/models/luxury-suv-genesis/gv60/highlights.html.

About Genesis

Genesis is a global luxury automotive brand that delivers the highest standards of performance, design, safety and innovation while looking towards a more sustainable future. Genesis designs customer experiences that go beyond products, embodying audacious, progressive and distinctly Korean characteristics within its unique “Athletic Elegance” design identity. With a growing range of luxury models — including the G90, G80, G70, GV60, GV70, and GV80 — Genesis aims to lead the age of electrification by focusing on a dual electrification strategy involving fuel-cell and battery EVs, starting with its G80 and GV60 electric models. Genesis has stated its commitment to becoming a 100% zero emission vehicle brand by 2030 and to pursuing carbon neutrality by 2035. Since its initial launch in Korea, Genesis has emerged in key global markets including North America, Europe, China, Australia, Russia, and the Middle East, establishing a strong relationship with customers around the world. For more information, please visit the official website at https://www.genesis.com.

¹ Eligible Galaxy smartphone with Android OS R and above

² Digital key feature will be available within this year.

³ Digital key is shared via Samsung Pass app. Those who do not have Samsung Pass app on the device should install Samsung Pass app prior to use. Key sharing is only available in eligible Galaxy smartphones with Android R and above. UWB is only available in Galaxy S21+ and Ultra, Note20 Ultra and Z Fold2 and 3.

⁴ Digital key is shared via Samsung Pass app. Those who do not have Samsung Pass app on the device should install Samsung Pass app prior to use. Key sharing is only available in eligible Galaxy smartphones with Android R and above. UWB is only available in Galaxy S21+ and Ultra, Note20 Ultra and Z Fold2 and 3.

“Galaxy S21 Ultra is another example of how Samsung is driving meaningful innovation forward to give people personalized experiences that enrich their lives and empower them to express who they are,” said TM Roh, President and Head of Mobile Communications Business, Samsung Electronics. “Given how indispensable technology has been to our lives during these times, we wanted to take another leap forward and push the boundaries of what a smartphone can do.”

The Galaxy S21 Ultra is the newest chapter in the Galaxy S series’ decade-long legacy of delivering cutting-edge mobile experiences. It’s built for users who demand top-of-the-line technology to stay connected with the people and things that matter most. Galaxy S21 Ultra joins the new Galaxy S series of devices and takes every part of that S21 experience to the next level.

Incredible Innovation Housed in Head-Turning Design

Galaxy S21 series unveils a bold new style that sets it apart from other smartphones. It introduces an all-new, iconic Contour Cut Camera housing that seamlessly blends into the device’s metal frame for a sleek, yet striking, aesthetic. Galaxy S21 Ultra available in Phantom Black and Phantom Silver and it is coated in a luxurious haze finish for an all-around sophisticated and timeless look. Galaxy S21 Ultra also has three Exclusive Samsung.com Colorways- Phantom Titanium, Phantom Navy, and Phantom Brown and offers improved durability with Corning^® Gorilla^® Glass Victus, the toughest Gorilla Glass yet.

Galaxy S21 Ultra is the largest member of the Galaxy S21 series with a 6.8-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X display². It is our most intelligent screen yet. For the first time, users no longer have to decide between the smoothness of a 120Hz refresh rate and a Quad HD+ display — on S21 Ultra, you can choose both. The screen’s refresh rate adjusts to the content you’re viewing from 10Hz to 120Hz to ensure you enjoy the best image while staying power efficient to stretch your battery life even further. Compared with the Galaxy S20, S21 Ultra offers a 25% brighter³ picture at a 1,500nits of peak brightness, the brightest on a Galaxy smartphone. With a 50% improved contrast ratio⁴, it delivers crystal-clear, immersive images, even when outside. And like the Galaxy S21 and S21+, Galaxy S21 Ultra has Eye Comfort Shield⁵ to help reduce eye fatigue.

Samsung’s Best-in-Class Camera Experience

Galaxy S21 Ultra delivers with our most advanced pro-grade camera system, so that you can capture stunning, studio-quality photos in various lightings and settings, or shoot and edit videos with a toolbox of new AI-powered features that elevate every shot.

It has a quad rear camera (ultra-wide, wide and dual tele-lenses) that features a upgraded 108MP pro sensor, from which you can capture 12-bit HDR photos with 64 times richer color data and more than three times wider dynamic range⁶. For the first time on a Galaxy smartphone, you can shoot in 4K at 60fps across all lenses including front and rear four lenses, so you can shift to a different perspective with the same quality. Plus, with a 12-bit RAW file option⁷, you won’t miss a single detail when editing photos.

When zooming in on S21 Ultra, you don’t have to worry about sacrificing clarity. The Galaxy S21 Ultra features 100x Space Zoom which is powered by Samsung’s first-ever Dual-tele lens system – one optical 3x and one optical 10x both equipped Dual Pixel(2PD) AF – so you can capture clear shots even when you are away from the action.

Galaxy S21 Ultra’s improved Bright Night sensor is Samsung’s biggest leap yet in low-light photography. With improved Night Mode, noise reduction and 12MP Nona-binning technology, you can capture challenging shots – like a dimly-lit room, or a landscape at night – quickly and with excellent quality.

Smart, Hyper-Fast Connections Across Devices

Galaxy S21 Ultra continues Samsung’s legacy of delivering trailblazing technology like Ultra-wideband (UWB) and introduces new connectivity capabilities that will transform the way you interact with your devices.

Galaxy S21 Ultra users expect the flagship smartphone experience to take creative expression and productivity to the next level. That’s why, for the first time on any S Series device, Samsung is bringing the fan favorite S Pen experience to the Galaxy S21 Ultra with Wacom’s technology⁸. From drawing to note-taking to editing photos and signing documents, now you can unlock the power of the S Pen on the Galaxy S21 Ultra. Use an existing S Pen from a Galaxy Note or Galaxy Tab or purchase an S Pen separately on its own or with a compatible case.

For better and faster connectivity, Galaxy S21 Ultra is one of the first smartphones to support Wi-Fi 6E⁹. You will be able to enjoy more bandwidth and a faster internet connection¹⁰, so you can stream and share content in the blink of an eye. With hyper-fast, ultra-low latency 5G, S21 Ultra is built to provide fast video downloading, smooth video conferencing and streaming¹¹.

Thanks to the Ultra-wideband capabilities (UWB) embedded in Galaxy S21 Ultra and S21+, you will be able to use your Galaxy S21 device to automatically unlock compatible car doors without pulling out your keys¹². With the UWB-enabled Galaxy S21 Ultra and Galaxy S21+, you can also use AR finder to drop virtual messages that let other Galaxy smartphone users know you need help searching for a lost item¹³.

And with SmartThings on Android Auto¹⁴, you can also use your Galaxy S21 series to control smart devices in your home, from your car. By connecting your Galaxy S21 to your Android Auto compatible car, you can turn on your porch lights or even raise the temperature of your thermostat before you return home, all from your car.

And because you need uninterrupted, long-lasting connections across your entire ecosystem of connected devices, the Galaxy S21 Ultra employs Dual Bluetooth^® technology that helps your connected devices like Galaxy Buds Pro¹⁵ consume less battery with a stable connection.

Performance and Protection You Can Count On

The ground-breaking camera, display and connectivity capabilities of the Galaxy S21 Ultra are powered by the most advanced chipset in a Galaxy device. It offers faster speed¹⁶, advanced computing and greater energy efficiency. And when the battery gets low, Galaxy S21 Ultra can reach a 50% charge¹⁷ in just 30 minutes¹⁸.

We rely on our smartphones more than ever, which is why protecting sensitive information is more important than ever. Galaxy S21 is secured by Samsung Knox Vault, Samsung’s own proprietary chipset level (SoC) security platform. By adding tamper-resistant secure memory to our secure processor, Samsung Knox Vault enables S21 to add a new layer of protection.

Galaxy S21 also introduces a new tool to protect and monitor your privacy. You can safely remove location metadata from photos before sharing. With Galaxy S21’s all-new Private Share function, you can also control who gets access to the content you send, and how long it’s available¹⁹.

Optional Samsung Care+ Coverage

Experience total peace of mind and get the most from the new Galaxy S21 with Samsung Care+. Enjoy a personal set-up session with a Samsung Care+ Pro, 24/7 dedicated support via phone or chat, screen repairs, an extended warranty²⁰ and coverage for accidental damage²¹. Add Samsung Care+ at checkout on samsung.com/samsung-care-plus/.²²

For more information about Galaxy S21 Ultra, please visit news.samsung.com/galaxy, www.samsungmobilepress.com, or www.samsung.com/global/galaxy/galaxy-s21-ultra-5g/. To learn more about Galaxy S21 and S21+, please visit www.samsung.com/global/galaxy/galaxy-s21-5g/.

*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.

* Audio and video specification has been revised on Feb 2, 2021 to provide more accurate information.

¹ S Pen sold separately.

² Display measurements are diagonal, and actual viewable area is less due to rounded corners and camera hole.

³ Versus S20 Ultra

⁴ Versus S20 Ultra

⁵ Eye Comfort Shield is ‘off’ by default, and must be turned on in Settings. SGS, the world’s leading certification company, awarded Galaxy S21 series’ display the Eye Care Certification based on its ability to drastically reduce the harmful effects of blue light. This certification can be found on www.sgs.com.

⁶ Compared to Galaxy S20 Ultra

⁷ Wide camera only

⁸ S Pen sold separately.

⁹ Will require a Wi-Fi 6E router.

¹⁰ Versus Wi-Fi 6.

¹¹ 5G speeds vary and require optimal network and connection (factors include frequency, bandwidth, congestion); see carrier for availability.

¹² Compatible with select future 2022 car models.

¹³ AR finder works between devices that support ultra-wideband (UWB) technology. UWB is supported in Galaxy S21 Ultra, Galaxy S21+, Galaxy Note20 Ultra and Galaxy Z Fold2.

¹⁴ Android Auto is a trademark of Google LLC.

¹⁵ Sold separately

¹⁶ Compared to Galaxy S20

¹⁷ Charger not included; use only Samsung-approved chargers and cables; do not use any worn or damaged chargers or cables; incompatible charger or cable can cause serious injuries or damage to your device.

¹⁸ Based on average battery life under typical usage conditions. Average expected performance based on typical use. Actual battery life depends on factors such as network, features selected, frequency of calls, and voice, data, and other application usage patterns. Results may vary.

¹⁹ Private Share works between Galaxy smartphones with Android P or later. App download required to send/receive Private Share link.

²⁰ An extended warranty is a service contract that covers repair beyond basic warranty. Limitations and exclusions apply. Please see terms and conditions for full coverage details.

²¹ Maximum of 3 accidental damage from handling claims per 12 month period. Additional restrictions apply. Please see terms and conditions for full coverage details.

²² Samsung Care+ coverage may vary by country, model and deductibles may apply.

Ever since I was young, I’ve been captivated by engineering and technology — enthralled by new gadgets and curious about what made them work. I didn’t think I could be more obsessed with technology, but 2020 proved me wrong. This year gave me an even greater appreciation for all that it does and can potentially do. We had to reshape our lives, rethink the way we operate and become more flexible — and technology made it possible for us to do so. 2020 bolstered my determination to fully tap the infinite power and potential of tech to give people personalized experiences that enrich their lives and allow them to express themselves.

As we close out this year and I think of what’s to come in 2021, I feel encouraged by all the ways Samsung is cultivating open collaboration and driving innovation forward to empower people on their personal journeys. We have never believed in a one-size-fits-all mobile experience and we never will. We led the charge with 5G and changed the shape of the future with a series of foldable smartphones. Now, we’re working on revolutionary advancements in 5G, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the Internet of Things (IoT) that will redefine the parameters of what mobile can do and give consumers the freedom to tailor their mobile experiences to fit their lives — not the other way around.

2020 Highlights

This year, Samsung stayed true to its mission and forged new paths for landmark technology that will shape the next era of mobile innovation. Our vision of intelligent, connected devices with mobile phones at the center has become a reality. 2020 saw 5G — a technology Samsung has been pioneering for more than a decade — move into the limelight. Over the course of the last 10 years, Samsung laid the groundwork for the fifth generation of cellular technology by helping to build the global 5G infrastructure. And in 2019, we released the world’s first commercial 5G smartphone and tablet: The Galaxy S10 5G and Galaxy Tab S6 5G. Samsung has been pushing to democratize 5G ever since. We are closing out the year with twenty 5G devices in the Galaxy ecosystem.

There was also growing momentum behind foldable smartphones, a category we launched commercially with the Galaxy Fold in 2019 and advanced with the release of Galaxy Z Flip and Galaxy Z Fold2 in 2020. Through our longstanding industry-leading partnerships, we established an open ecosystem for foldable devices and fostered UX innovation that enabled us to create an enhanced user experience with optimized app interactions and displays. The Z Fold2 was praised as a smartphone that reimagines what’s possible with mobile technology and I’m excited to say, it’s just a hint of what’s to come as we continue to explore, evolve and expand this category-changing space.

We also made headway in our efforts to make the world a better, more sustainable place. In partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), we promoted the 17 Sustainable Development Goals on more than 80 million smartphones, mobilizing and empowering the Galaxy community via our Samsung Global Goals app. And we continue to take dedicated action throughout our product lifecycle to help the world transition to a circular economy — by extending product longevity, making greater use of sustainable materials in our packaging, and creating environmentally conscious products and accessories.

Mobile Innovations to Watch in 2021

I’m thrilled with what Samsung accomplished this year, but as passionate pioneers committed to defying barriers to progress, we’re always thinking about what’s next. Our smartphones are truly becoming extensions of ourselves, and with so many people working remotely and spending more time entertaining themselves at home, video quality and capabilities on mobile devices have moved front and center.

From teleworking and virtual celebrations to gaming and online dance challenges, the world is creating, sharing and streaming more video than ever. Whether you prefer to edit footage like a pro or just want intelligent, multitasking lenses to do the heavy lifting for you, the Samsung Galaxy will be more than ready to meet the demands of the video-obsessed in 2021. When it comes to advancement in this space, it’s going to be an epic new year.

Our engineers and developers have also been working hard to expand highly advanced on-device AI capabilities within the Galaxy family, enabling our devices to continually learn from daily activities and routines to take better pictures and videos, maximize battery life and storage space, optimize displays and much more. We’re planning to expand these personalized capabilities to every facet of Galaxy’s product portfolio to empower people to be productive and do all the things they enjoy.

And because we live in an interconnected world that requires interconnected devices, Samsung continues to vigorously support open source research and collaboration. It’s how we evolve new capabilities that can be deployed across devices, applications and services to enable more people to benefit from all that technology has to offer. Thanks to the open ecosystems we’ve created working in tandem with other like-minded industry leaders, we’re developing connected, compatible innovation that will take us into an exciting new era of integrated mobile experiences.

We’ve already advanced breakthrough technologies like ultra-wideband (UWB) through ongoing open collaboration with key partners. And soon, we’ll be rolling out incredible connectivity capabilities that will transform the way you open doors and enable seamlessly integrated car experiences that make personalized car connectivity a part of your digital life. We’re also making it easier to quickly locate the things that matter most, from your keys to your wallet — even your family pet.

As we introduce new and exciting innovations, our number-one goal is and will always be to create experiences that people can trust, knowing we’ll treat their data with the utmost care and keep their personal information safe every step of the way. These new devices will offer incredible personalized mobile experiences and will be built with security and privacy top of mind.

The Samsung Promise

We believe everyone should have access to the latest mobile technologies and a spectrum of product options that offer unfettered, personalized experiences. In 2021, our diverse product portfolio will deliver breakthrough capabilities that empower you and never hold you back.

True to our heritage of staying ahead of the curve with trailblazing mobile tech, we’ll be expanding our portfolio of foldables, so this groundbreaking category is more accessible to everyone. And while we’re already known for our revolutionary cameras, we’ll never stop trying to outdo ourselves — so be on the lookout for super-intelligent, pro-grade camera and video capabilities in 2021. We’ve also been paying attention to people’s favorite aspects of the Galaxy Note experience and are excited to add some of its most well-loved features to other devices in our lineup.

Limitations and boundaries are for other brands. At Samsung, we relentlessly test the existing rules because we know the margins for what technology can do are confined only by the scope of our imagination — and ours knows no bounds.

Thank you to everyone who supported us in 2020. I look forward to sharing more in January!

Now, a next-generation wireless communications technology called ultra-wideband (UWB) has emerged and promises to permeate users’ lives and change the way the world connects.

Samsung Newsroom sat down with the Standards Research Team from the Advanced Communications Research Center at Samsung Research – engineers who have provided communications technology leadership and set the standard for UWB – to learn about the progress they have made so far and what they believe the future holds for UWB technology.

UWB – Opening Up a New World of Connectivity

Struggling to pass through a subway turnstile while carrying something, arriving home to find you’ve forgotten your key, or having to wait for your computer to start up before you can complete an urgent task – what if these inconveniences could all be reconciled with a single solution? Well, that is precisely the convenience that UWB technology stands to bring to our lives with its ability to utilize distance information between devices.

More wireless services than we realize connect us to peripheral devices and facilities. Some services use near field communication (NFC) technology, which exchanges wireless data over a short distance, but in most cases a mobile phone or card must be taken out of your pocket and touched to an NFC reader directly.

UWB, a broadband communications technology, removes the inconvenience of having to make physical contact by using very short-wavelength signals to measure precise distances as well as transmit data. UWB enables distance measurement that is precise down to the centimeter and has a smaller margin of error than Wi-Fi or Bluetooth. In addition, this technology can limit the distance measurement function to pre-authorized devices, minimizing the risk of malicious hacking attempts.

Principal Engineer Haeyoung Jun of the Standards Research Team, Advanced Communications Research Center, Samsung Research

Speaking about the benefits of UWB technology, Haeyoung Jun of the Standards Research Team remarked that, “UWB’s precise distance measurement and locating capabilities will bring a new paradigm to a variety of industries, including smart homes, cities, mobility, retail and buildings.”

Global Standardization Expertise Brings New Life To Forgotten Technology

UWB technology was developed decades ago, but it is only recently that it has begun garnering real attention within the industry. Though UWB has faced limitations in terms of data transmission, services that harness the technology’s distance measurement capabilities have now proliferated, bringing UWB and the unique features it offers into the spotlight. In this climate, Samsung Electronics has refined UWB technology by taking a close look at factors such as consumer experiences and service convergence.

During this process, the biggest hurdle that Samsung faced was the establishment of the necessary infrastructure. UWB is a technology that focuses on the connectivity between devices, meaning that close collaboration with industry stakeholders is key to its inception. The company concluded that global standardization would be a must for an open UWB ecosystem, however it proved far from easy to focus the industries’ attention on the ‘forgotten technology’ that was UWB. Still Samsung endured, confident as it was in the great potential that UWB offered. The company embarked on a protracted journey to establish a global organization for UWB standardization, utilizing expertise it had established over more than 20 years of work in the global standardization sphere.

Kangjin Yoon (left), YeonJu Lim (second from left), Haeyoung Jun (middle), Sungkyu Cho (second from right) and Sooyeon Jung (right) of the Standards Research Team, Advanced Communications Research Center, Samsung Research

The journey to realize global UWB standardization began in 2018. Although many corporations initially had doubts over the technological feasibility of UWB, Samsung Electronics was steadfast in its efforts to persuade them. Jun recalls, “We initially spent time outlining our plans for numerous global companies, sharing Samsung’s vision for the development of UWB technology. Finally, in January of 2019, in a small conference room at the CES exhibition hall in Las Vegas, the relevant industry leaders in devices, chipsets and service areas gathered and agreed to establish a global coalition for UWB standardization. Thus, the “FiRa” (Fine-Ranging) Consortium was born.”

With its contingent of strong supporters, the UWB global standardization movement proceeded to go from strength to strength. The Consortium, which began as a collection of just three companies, has now grown to include more than 50 global corporations from across a range of industries that deal in areas such as chipsets, door locks, smartphones and software solutions. Jun relates that, “With new members joining the Consortium all the time, we’ll continue to deliver a robust ecosystem where UWB is applied in a broad context.”

What It Means To Work at the Forefront of Standardization

Presently, the industry has reached a consensus that UWB is the most optimal technology for measuring the distance between devices. This is the result of the efforts of the Standards Research Team and related teams in persistently making the case for UWB technology. After successfully rolling out UWB technology on its devices (the new Galaxy Note20 Ultra and Galaxy Z Fold2), Samsung Electronics has opened up a new era of wireless communication.

Staff Engineer Mingyu Lee of the Standards Research Team, Advanced Communications Research Center, Samsung Research

Now that standardization has been agreed upon by the necessary industrial players, those parties have a great responsibility to see that the process is seen through so that everyone may benefit. Mingyu Lee says, “We are working systematically and consulting experts to ensure fair competition and continued growth in the industry. As the process progresses, we are also gaining valuable experience by collaborating with colleagues from a broad range of disciplines.”

Jieun Keum (left), Gyubong Oh (second from left), Kook-heui Lee (middle), Mingyu Lee (second from right) and Sehee Han (right) of the Standards Research Team, Advanced Communications Research Center, Samsung Research

As they work towards pioneering a whole new market together, the Consortium members both cooperate and engage in spirited debate. Sehee Han explains, “I have actually had meetings with professionals who authored textbooks that I studied in university and debated with renowned open source code developers. As a result of these experiences I have realized that standardization is not about pursuing victory, but rather is a protracted journey towards reaching the consensuses that will allow us to create better technologies and products.”

Embarking Along the Untrodden Path and Showing the Way

In our everyday lives our queries are often met with open-ended answers, requiring us to strike out and find new ways forward. With this in mind, the Standards Research Team remains committed to blazing new trails into the unknown as they look to forge a pathway forward for UWB technology.

Principal Engineer Sehee Han of the Standards Research Team, Advanced Communications Research Center, Samsung Research

Jun says, “Having technological debates with top engineers from global corporations has been a great experience for the engineers of the Standards Research Team. Going forward, we will continue working to express our vision and develop solutions that are based on clear logic and grounded in the necessary values.”

As UWB technology takes its first steps, the team is staying focused on the positive changes the technology could deliver in the future. Han says, “We plan to broaden the scope of UWB standardization, implementing it first with digital key services and later with other services such as payment services, IoT device control solutions and location-based services.” He goes on to say, “Our work to broaden the UWB ecosystem will continue until devices and services that utilize UWB are much more portable and UWB technology becomes prominent.”

“Utilizing the latest in BLE and UWB technology, SmartThings Find will make your life less stressful when it comes to searching for misplaced Galaxy devices,” said Jaeyeon Jung, Vice President and Head of SmartThings Team, Mobile Communications Business at Samsung Electronics. “With the added advantage of using AR⁶ in conjunction with maps and sounds to guide you back to your devices, SmartThings Find is a simple and visual solution that will help you easily locate your favorite devices. This is just one example of the new meaningful mobile experiences that UWB technology will bring to people across the world.”

Easily Find More of Your Devices

After completing a quick registration process, SmartThings users can easily find their Galaxy devices – from smartphones, tablets and smartwatches, down to each individual earbud. Whether you dropped your Galaxy Note20 Ultra behind the sofa, can’t remember where you stashed your Galaxy Buds Live, or left your Galaxy Watch3 somewhere so secure you can’t find it, the SmartThings Find service will help you keep more of your Galaxy devices safe through the easy-to-use SmartThings app.

Offline Doesn’t Mean “Off-The-Grid”

With the SmartThings Find service, you can easily locate your missing device even if it’s offline.⁷ That’s because SmartThings users can now opt in to securely use their Galaxy smartphone or tablet to help others locate their lost devices. Once a device has been offline for 30 minutes, it produces a BLE signal that can be received by other devices. If you report your device as lost via SmartThings Find, any nearby Galaxy smartphone or tablet that has opted into helping find misplaced devices can alert the Samsung server about its location, which will in turn notify you. All SmartThings Find user data is encrypted and securely protected, ensuring that the device’s location is not revealed to anyone except its owner.

Find Your Galaxy Faster With More Detailed Directions

Locating your missing device is a breeze with integrated map directions and the ability to “ring” a lost device to find it more quickly. When you lose a device, you can simply open SmartThings Find on your smartphone or tablet and select the device you want to locate. Your smartphone will then show you the exact location of your device on a map. Once you’re close to your device, you can choose to either have your device “ring” or locate it using the AR-based Search Nearby function,⁶ which displays color graphics that increase in intensity when you are getting closer to your device.

Availability

Starting today, a new software update for the SmartThings app will be released for Galaxy smartphones and tablets running Android 8 or later around the world.¹ After that, users can access the SmartThings Find service by tapping the banner at the bottom of the home screen in the SmartThings app. In addition, from early next year, Samsung will further expand these capabilities to tracking tags, which will help users locate their favorite items, not only for Galaxy devices, but also others as well.

“We are excited to also be working closely with leading companies in the item-finding space to both expand this experience and enable you to find more of the belongings you care about most,” said Jaeyeon Jung, “We look forward to sharing more information soon.”

For more information about the SmartThings app and SmartThings Find service, please visit here.

¹ Availability may vary by market and carrier.

² Available on Galaxy smartphones and tablets running Android 8 or later, Galaxy Watch devices running Tizen 5.5 or later and Galaxy Buds+ and Galaxy Buds Live.

³ As of October 28, 2020, the number of registered users surpassed 6 million, which is a result of a two-month early access program in Korea, the U.K. and U.S.

⁴ BLE finding capabilities are available on Galaxy smartphones and tablets, running Android 8 or later; Galaxy Watch devices running Tizen 5.5 or later; and Galaxy Buds+ and Galaxy Buds Live.

⁵ UWB feature is available on the Galaxy Note20 Ultra and Galaxy Z Fold2.

⁶ Only available on devices supporting UWB.

⁷ A device is “offline” when it is disconnected from a mobile network, or in the case of Galaxy wearables, disconnected from your Galaxy smartphone.

At Samsung, we constantly push boundaries to bring consumers groundbreaking new mobile experiences that address their needs and enrich their lives. Our long history of pioneering mobile technologies to transform the way people live, work and play is one of the main reasons why I love what I do — and 2020 has only amplified our drive to spearhead meaningful innovation that anticipates people’s needs and provides seamless solutions.

UWB Technology is the Next Big Thing in Wireless Tech

Technology is always evolving, but every now and then, a new capability emerges, and we instantly know it’s something special — like Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. Samsung believes Ultra-Wideband (UWB) is one such game-changing wireless communication tech, which is why we are working tirelessly to advance and deploy it as quickly as possible. Together with industry leaders, we are striving to accelerate UWB’s broad adoption and implementation across ecosystems.

Samsung is Driving UWB Forward

Samsung has been making significant investments in UWB technology because we recognize its vast potential to revolutionize the way we use our smart devices to manage our lives. In 2018, we established a full-time task force dedicated to integrating UWB into our products, and soon after, we teamed up with NXP and HID Global to initiate the creation of the FiRa Consortium, an industry organization that promotes the adoption of UWB technology for use cases such as access control, location-based services and device-to-device services.

In the last year, FiRa has grown by leaps and bounds. Its members now hail from over 45 organizations across a vast range of industries, from consumer and enterprise technology to universities and automobile manufacturers. We are developing use cases, defining industry standards and establishing certification programs for interoperability because Samsung is staunchly committed to open collaboration, as it allows us to accelerate the development of cutting-edge technology and bring it to everyone, not just a select few.

Samsung’s UWB Innovation and the Road Ahead

In August, Samsung made history when we released the Galaxy Note20 Ultra, the first Android smartphone to feature UWB technology. And our newly released foldable device, the Galaxy Z Fold2, is equipped with UWB as well. Thanks to UWB, owners of the Galaxy Note20 Ultra and Z Fold2 can enjoy incredible precision and accuracy when using Nearby Share, which allows users to connect to over two billion Android devices and instantly transmit photos and files to family, friends and colleagues. UWB has also enhanced our SmartThings Find feature by enabling the Galaxy Note20 Ultra and Z Fold2 to generate an augmented reality (AR) visual display that shows you the exact direction, distance and location of your other Galaxy devices.

And soon, UWB technology will negate the need for physical keys. With Samsung’s, forthcoming Digital Key solution, you’ll be able to use your Galaxy smartphone to unlock your front door as you approach it — so, you’ll never have to spend time digging through your pockets and bags in search of your house, office or car key again.

One of the greatest things about technology is that it offers limitless opportunities for innovation. We have only just begun to tap UWB’s potential, and that’s incredibly exciting. Samsung is on a mission to forge ahead and discover revolutionary uses and capabilities that — until now — have only lived in our imaginations. So, stay tuned… the best is yet to come.

I will be discussing UWB technology with NXP President and CEO, Kurt Sievers, and NXP CTO, Lars Reger, at the upcoming NXP Connects 2020 flagship virtual developer conference on Oct. 20. Tune in to see demonstrations of some of the use cases mentioned above and to learn more about Samsung’s vision for pioneering UWB to develop breakthrough innovations that enable a safer and smarter world. Click here to register for the conference.

Click on the video below to learn more about how the combination of UWB and functions like Nearby Share will offer Galaxy Note20 users greater control over their files and devices.

FiRa Consortium Ensures an Interoperable UWB Ecosystem Across Chipset, Device and Service Infrastructure
Through Standards and Certifications

Recognizing the need for emerging applications to build on a strong foundation that supports interoperability among all categories of devices, four sponsor members – The ASSA ABLOY Group which includes HID Global, and NXP Semiconductors, Samsung Electronics, and Bosch, leading companies in access, secure connectivity and mobile/CE device solutions –  today announced the launch of the FiRa Consortium. The new coalition is designed to grow the Ultra-Wideband (UWB) ecosystem so new use cases for fine ranging capabilities can thrive, ultimately setting a new standard in seamless user experiences. Sony Imaging Products & Solutions Inc., LitePoint and the Telecommunications Technology Association (TTA) are the first companies to join the newly-formed organization.

The FiRa name, which stands for “Fine Ranging,” highlights UWB technology’s unique ability to deliver unprecedented accuracy when measuring the distance or determining the relative position of a target. Especially in challenging environments, UWB technology outperforms other technologies in terms of accuracy, power consumption, robustness in RF connection, and security, by a wide margin.

“As an industry consortium, we believe UWB technology can transform the way people experience connectivity, and we’re committed to the widespread adoption of interoperable UWB technologies,” says Charlie Zhang, Chair of the FiRa Consortium and VP Engineering, Samsung Electronics.

The starting point for UWB technology is the IEEE standard 802.15.4/4z, which defines the essential characteristics for low-data-rate wireless connectivity and enhanced ranging. It is the aim of the FiRa Consortium to build on what the IEEE has already established, by developing an interoperability standard based on the IEEE’s profiled features, defining mechanisms that are out of scope of the IEEE standard, and pursuing activities that support rapid development of specific use cases.

The unique capabilities of UWB promise to make it an essential technology in many areas including:

• Seamless Access Control – UWB can identify an individual’s approach toward or away from a secured entrance, verify security credentials, and let the authorized individual pass through the entrance without physically presenting the credential.

• Location-Based Services – UWB offers highly precise positioning, even in congested multipath signal environments, making it easier to navigate large venues such as airports and shopping malls or find a car in a multi-story parking garage. It also enables targeted digital marketing campaigns and foot traffic data. Retailers can present customized offers, government agencies can tailor their notifications, and entertainment venues can personalize recommendations during events.

• Device-to-Device (Peer-to-Peer) Services – By providing precise relative distance and direction between two devices, UWB lets devices find the relative location of each other even without infrastructures such as anchors or access points. This allows people to easily find one another in crowded spaces or find items even when placed in hidden areas.

Due to its low power spectral density, UWB offers little to no interference with other wireless standards, so it is well suited for use with other wireless technologies, including Near Field Communication (NFC), Bluetooth, and Wi-Fi. There are also adjacent markets that leverage UWB in other ways, especially automotive. “The FiRa Consortium’s commitment to a complete ecosystem means we will work with other consortia and industry players to develop approaches and define parameters,” says Charles Dachs, Vice-Chair of the FiRa Consortium and GM & VP Secure Embedded Transactions, NXP Semiconductors.

FiRa Consortium members will have the chance to influence industry trends, gain early access to technical details, certify interoperable products, expand the UWB ecosystem, and share expertise. Ramesh Songukrishnasamy, Director and Treasurer of the FiRa Consortium, and SVP & CTO of HID Global says, “We encourage anyone, from any relevant industry area, who has a vested interest in the success of UWB to join us and contribute to the Consortium’s work.”

Additional FiRa Consortium Member Quotes 

• Kazuyuki Sakamoto, Senior General Manager, FeliCa Business Division, Sony Imaging Products & Solutions Inc. says, “We believe that UWB technology will bring the new benefit of connectivity to industries along with other wireless technologies.”

• “UWB opens up new and complementary wireless connectivity use-cases,” said Adam Smith, Director of Marketing at LitePoint. “We’re excited to help establish an ecosystem in which companies can utilize these new technologies by providing a fully-integrated UWB test solution, making it simple to validate the performance of UWB devices. At LitePoint, our mission is to help companies bring cutting-edge UWB products to market and that’s why we’re pleased to be part of the FiRa Consortium team.”

• Yongbum Park, Vice President, Telecommunications Technology Association says, “Device-to-device fine ranging technology without additional equipment is very useful for home or industrial applications. We believe that FiRa technology will change our lives.”

To learn more about the FiRa Consortium and the benefits of membership, visit www.firaconsortium.org.