Samsung Electronics, a world leader in advanced semiconductor technology, today announced its new narrowband (NB) Internet of Things (IoT) solution, Exynos i S111.

The new NB-IoT solution offers extremely wide coverage, low-power operation, accurate location feedback and strong security, optimized for today’s real-time tracking applications such as safety wearables or smart meters. The solution includes a modem, processor, memory and Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) into a single chip design to enhance efficiency and flexibility for connected device manufacturers.   

“IoT will be able to evolve to offer new features beyond the conventional household space with IoT-dedicated solutions that present a broad range of opportunities,” said Ben Hur, vice president of System LSI marketing at Samsung Electronics. “Exynos i S111’s highly secure and efficient communication capabilities will bring more exciting NB-IoT applications to life.”

As IoT grows to be a part of our everyday lives, some connected devices share useful information instantly in high volumes, but some transmit data in small nuggets over a long period of time. Popular radio connectivity systems such as Bluetooth and ZigBee are suitable for short-range scenarios within confined spaces such as in the home or a building, and broadband communications are commonly used for mobile devices that demand high data rates. On the other hand, NB-IoT supports applications that require reliable low-power communication and wide-range coverage for small-sized data.

To cover long distances with high reliability, as a standard, NB-IoT adopts a data retransmission mechanism that continuously transmits data until a successful transfer, or up to a set number of retransmits. With a high number of these retransmit sessions, the S111 is able to cover the distance of 10-kilometers (km) or more.

Exynos i S111 incorporates a modem capable of LTE Rel. 14 support that can transmit data at 127-kilobits-per-second (kbps) for downlink and 158kbps uplink, and can operate in standalone, in-band and guard-band deployments.  

For long standby periods, the S111 utilizes power saving mode (PSM) and expanded discontinuous reception (eDRX), which keeps the device dormant for long periods of time of 10 years and more, depending on application and use-cases. Exynos i S111 also has an integrated Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) and supports Observed Time Difference of Arrival (OTDOA), a positioning technique using cellular towers, for highly accurate and seamless real-time tracking.   

Transmitted data are kept secure and private with the S111, as the solution utilizes a separate Security Sub-System (SSS) hardware block along with a Physical Unclonable Function (PUF) that creates a unique identity for each chipset.    

Following the successful launch of the company’s first IoT solution, Exynos i T200, in 2017, Samsung plans to continue expanding the ‘Exynos i‘ lineup with offerings especially tailored for narrowband networks.  

For more information about Samsung’s Exynos products, please visit http://www.samsung.com/exynos.  

But what exactly do these numbers mean? And what makes ATM water resistance ratings different from other kinds of evaluation standards, such as IP ratings? Read on to find out.

IP Ratings – Making a Splash in the Mobile Industry

In recent years, as more and more individuals have begun taking their smartphones and wearables to places where just a little water can cause huge problems, demand for water-resistant electronics has skyrocketed. As a result, a number of international standards have been put in place for testing water resistance, including the Ingress Protection (IP) rating established by the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC).

A device’s IP rating consists of two numbers and is given in the format IPXY (i.e. IP67). X is the rating for physical ingress, or how resistant the device is to penetration by foreign solid objects such as dust, and ranges from 0 to 6. Y, meanwhile, represents the rating for liquid ingress, or how resistant it is to penetration by liquids under various conditions, and ranges from 0 to 8. Below are charts that summarize these protection levels.

SOURCE: IEC 60529 ed.2.2 “Copyright © 2013 IEC Geneva, Switzerland. www.iec.ch”²

The rating number assigned for each category indicates that the device being tested has met the requirements for each previous rating. For example, Samsung’s Gear S3 smartwatch, which has a rating of IP68, has passed the rating requirements for all six physical ingress levels and the first eight liquid ingress levels. In other words, under specific conditions, the Gear S3 can withstand accidental submersion up to 1.5 meters underwater for 30 minutes, as well as contact with harmful dust.

While a fitness band or smartwatch with an IP68 rating can be worn while jogging in the rain or doing the dishes, IP ratings do not take water pressure into account. Therefore, IP ratings are not indicative of a device’s ability to be used during aquatic activities such as swimming. This is where ATM ratings come in.

ATM Ratings – Water Resistance Under Pressure

While many manufacturers tend to follow IP ratings, some independently test their products to determine how much static pressure they can withstand when submerged. These pressure tests are measured in ATMs – which stands for atmospheres – and are converted to water depth to make the measurements easier to comprehend.

One ATM is equivalent to the static pressure exerted by static submersion in 10 meters of water. The higher the ATM rating, the deeper the product can go without being affected, as deeper water exerts more pressure. The basic ATM water-resistance levels are described below.³

Again, these ratings are for static pressure, meaning that if the device is resting still in a test chamber, it can tolerate pressure up to the rated value and will function properly upon its removal. Conversely, any application of dynamic pressure caused by movement of the wearer (such as diving into the water, for example) increases the pressure of water exposure. So, while a 3 ATM-rated fitness band could easily withstand rain, it might be damaged if sprayed with a powerful hose.

ISO 22810:2010 – The International Standard

The International Organization for Standardization’s (ISO) ISO 22810:2010 standard, meanwhile, specifies a detailed testing procedure that defines not only pressures but also test duration, water temperature and other parameters to provide a more accurate description of a watch’s water resistance.

Products are independently tested by the manufacturer under ISO test specifications. Those that meet the ISO 22810:2010 standard meet four requirements: water resistance to overpressure, water resistance at shallow depth, water resistance when strain is placed on the operative components and water resistance on exposure to thermal shocks.⁴ Therefore, products that adhere to ISO standard 22810:2010 are resistant to water during aquatic activities and may be used under conditions where water pressure and temperature vary.

With a water resistance rating of 5 ATM under ISO standard 22810:2010, Samsung’s Gear Sport and Gear Fit2 Pro are resistant to pressure at a depth of 50 meters, meaning the devices can not only stand up to the rain, but can also be worn during shallow water activities. This, along with the Speedo On swim tracking app,⁵ make the two new wearables ideal companions for any swim, whether tackling laps or going for a relaxing dip in the pool.

In summary, not all “water-resistant” devices are created equal. Therefore, it’s important to understand water resistance ratings to ensure your devices meet your needs and are appropriate for your lifestyle.

For more information about Samsung’s Gear Sport and Gear Fit2 Pro, click here. For more details about water resistance ratings, visit the websites of the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) and International Organization for Standardization (ISO).

¹ Gear Sport and Gear Fit2 Pro have a water resistance rating of 5 ATM (50 meters) under ISO standard 22810:2010 for wristwatches under specific conditions. This means that both devices are safe to wear while walking in the rain or showering, and may be used for shallow-water activities like swimming in a pool. However, the Gear Sport and Gear Fit2 Pro should not be used for scuba diving, waterskiing or other activities involving high-velocity water or submersion below shallow depth.

² All such extracts are copyright of IEC, Geneva, Switzerland. All rights reserved. Further information on the IEC is available from http://www.iec.ch. IEC has no responsibility for the placement and context in which the extracts and contents are reproduced by the author, nor is IEC in any way responsible for the other content or accuracy therein.

³ ATM ratings are not authorized by the ISO. Listed usage examples are guidelines only. The survivability of a device depends not only on the water depth, but also on the age of the sealing material, previous damage, temperature and additional mechanical stresses, among other variables.

⁴ Source: “Horology — Water-resistant watches” © ISO 2010

⁵ Speedo On comes pre-loaded on the Gear Fit2 Pro and will be available for download on Gear Sport.

Enhanced with Convenient Gear S3 Features

For a start, the Gear S2’s update provides users with more opportunities to personalize their smartwatch and add to its convenience.

For instance, Gear S2 users will now be able to further customize their device by downloading, via the Galaxy Apps store, the Gear S3’s preloaded watch faces. Other useful downloads include the Reminders app, which lets Gear S2 users add tasks and conveniently manage to-do lists, and the Alti-Barometer, which can assist in tracking outdoor activities and measuring air pressure.

The Gear S2’s update also enhances the function of its intuitive bezel, which allows users to accept or reject calls, and dismiss alarms, timers and alerts for scheduled events with a twist.* A clockwise turn will answer or acknowledge an alert, while a counterclockwise turn will reject a call or postpone an alarm.

Messages with a Personal Touch

The Gear S2’s Messages app has also offered users more ways to connect and express themselves.

The new Handwriting Mode features support for superimposed writing, allowing users to scrawl messages directly onto the device in Korean, English or Chinese, and without waiting for each individual letter to be converted into text. Users may also punctuate their messages with sketches, or choose an appropriate visual from the Gear S2’s emoji catalog, which has been expanded to feature 180 distinct emojis. For those who prefer a hands-free approach to messaging, the new voice-input option lets you send dictated texts and voice recordings.

Speaking of voice input, the Gear S2’s S Voice functionality has also received a tune-up. Now, once a user activates the function and begins to speak, the device will process the command in real time. This reduces unnecessary feedback screens and provides users with faster access to the information they need.

Advanced Activity Tracking with S Health

To encourage users to be physically active in smarter ways, S Health has been enhanced to automatically recognize more activities, including running, walking, cycling, elliptical- and rowing-machine sessions as well as “Other Workouts” such as high-intensity activities.

The device is also capable of automatically counting reps for gym-standard exercises such as squats, lunges, crunches and star jumps. In addition, should a user need to stop for any reason while running, walking or cycling, the new Auto Pause feature will automatically suspend fitness-tracking functions and resume as soon as the user is ready.

The new Pace Coaching function, meanwhile, helps users maximize their cardio by allowing them to set an optimal pace for a run or jog and providing a voice guide to coach them through achieving it. Moreover, with the new Stretching Guide incorporated into its Inactive Time Alert, if a user has been inactive for an extended period of time, the Gear S2 will suggest and walk them through a series of invigorating stretches, using its sensors to detect movements and tally reps.

Wider Widget Support

The Gear S2’s update also incorporates support for third-party widgets from popular apps like Uber, Yelp and USA Today, and streamlines others.

The handy Multi-Contact widget, for example, now allows users to select up to four contacts for quick access. The improved Weather widget now boasts a City Navigator function to allow users to monitor multiple cities’ conditions, and also provides the UV index, rainfall probability and more detailed insight into daily forecasts. Other notable additions include S Health’s fitness-focused Leaderboard and Challenge widgets.

Streamlined Safety Features

With the safety and security features’ new location-tracking support, when a user initiates an SOS alert by pressing the device’s home button three times, those designated to automatically receive it will then be able to pinpoint, via the location-sharing app Glympse, the exact location of the user’s Gear S2. This action may also be used to trigger the device’s Safety Partner function, which immediately connects users who have signed up for the service with representatives from partnering security firms.*

An Ever-Expanding Gaming Library

Lastly, just for fun, the Gear S2’s update offers users access to the Galaxy Apps store’s diverse ecosystem of entertaining and interactive games, including Stack and Monster Vampire. With simple, tap-and-twist controls and a store that currently features over 100 titles, there’s something for everyone to enjoy.

*Available services may vary by country or region.

Reflection on the smartphone market in the past couple of years suggests that innovation in this segment has plateaued. The smartphone has consolidated into a standard rectangular touch screen with a powerful processor, a highly capable camera and as big a battery as is possible within the constraints of a sleek design.

But innovation hasn’t come to an end — it’s just harder than ever to make a significant advancement. Improvements are largely incremental, and manufacturers face a challenge to make their devices stand out in the current smartphone “sea of sameness”. Samsung’s use of a dual-curved display, for example, helped the company to set its flagship Galaxy S6 edge apart from Android-powered rivals, and Apple’s addition of 3D Touch to its latest iPhone gave a new dimension to its now-familiar design.

The reality is that such changes are a far cry from the major disruptions seen in the past fifteen years, with the transition of the market from candy bars to flip phones, to sliders and more unusual designs like circular handsets.

However, we shouldn’t lose sight of the progress despite a perceived slowdown in innovation. Billions of consumers now carry a device in their pocket that’s more powerful than the PC they owned just a few years ago, and these handsets are able to connect with others via 2G, 3G, 4G, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi network technologies.

It’s true that consumers might not be as excited about smartphones as they used to be. But CCS Insight’s latest forecasts anticipate that a staggering 1.6 billion smartphones will be sold in 2016 — a figure that’s expected to rise to nearly 2 billion by 2019. The smartphone has become part of the fabric of society, and is now the most prolific consumer electronics device on the planet.

It’s not so long ago that mobile phones were about little more than making and receiving phone calls. But they’ve become our constant companions — our cameras, our music players, our portable TVs and our gateway to the Internet and a host of apps. The innovation doesn’t stop, and now you can even clip your phone into a headset and be transported into a world of virtual reality. Smartphones have made that possible, and CCS Insight expects that millions of consumers will be using their handsets in this way by the end of 2016.

The competitive landscape inevitably changes as markets mature. CCS Insight believes that success lies with the companies that have the scale and resources to compete in a world where margins are squeezed even as volumes rise. Apple’s current momentum seems unstoppable, but Samsung remains the largest manufacturer of smartphones by volume. This scale is its most important asset as it faces challenges from ascendant Chinese manufacturers like Huawei, which have built on their home-market advantage to expand on a global basis.

The connected device industry is also diversifying into new areas, with wearables presenting a growing opportunity. CCS Insight forecasts that sales of wearable devices will triple from 2016 to 2019, with sales of almost 250 million units and a market value of more than $25 billion.

We expect 2016 to be a tipping point for wearables, as they evolve from niche devices with functional designs to more fashionable products with broader appeal. I’m confident that 2016 will finally see the arrival of stylish options that ordinary consumers will want to wear.

These devices are also beginning to offer more compelling features, particularly in the area of health. We anticipate that 2016 will mark a shift from what CCS Insight terms “recreational health” to more meaningful functions that can closely monitor a user’s condition and make a difference to their life.

The advent of the Internet of things — a term loosely encompassing a wide variety of connected devices — demonstrates that innovation isn’t confined to devices that we carry or wear, either. This segment will become more defined in the coming years as companies focus on specific market opportunities like the Internet of sport, medicine or transportation, and our homes will become more connected.

The secret to success will be making the user experience as seamless as possible, and big players like Amazon, Apple, Google and Samsung have the opportunity to lead the way in this next wave of development. Furthermore, the smartphone will continue to play an important role, often being the device used to control many of these new experiences.

I strongly believe that the perception that industry innovation has plateaued is far from the end of the story. Further disruptive moves will emerge as our lives become even more connected, and innovation will come from a variety of avenues including machine learning and artificial intelligence. I continue to have unwavering enthusiasm for connected technology, and look forward to being among the first to try these new experiences as they’re developed.

*The views expressed in this editorial are the author’s own, and do not necessarily reflect the official opinion of Samsung Electronics.

That spirit will once again be on display at the CES 2016. To get a deeper sense of Samsung’s long tradition of achievement and progress, here is an overview of some of its most transformative innovations.

Innovations That Matter

Whether TVs or mobile phones, semiconductors or home appliances, Samsung has been turning the future into the present for decades. It developed the world’s first 30-inch TFT-LCD TV in 1997 and in 2006 it unveiled the world’s first 82-inch LCD TV with an LED backlight (LN-S8297D). More recently, 2014 CES was where Samsung debuted its lineup of curved UHD TVs, then in 2015 it introduced SUHD TV, with displays that offer the brilliant colors, vibrant details and immersive UHD resolution.

Samsung has also introduced some more unusual innovations, like the touch display table in 2012 (the SUR40), the first transparent LCD TVs ready for mass production in 2012 (LTI460AP01) and the world’s first bendable UHD TV at CES in 2014 (85U9B)—and that’s just for displays.

Mobile devices are key parts of people’s lives, giving them the unprecedented freedom and convenience to work and enjoy life while on the go, from anywhere they choose, and Samsung long has been at the forefront of bringing these advances to life. It introduced the world’s first commercialized watch phone in 1999, the SPH-WP10, which—at 50 grams and 2 centimeters thick—was unlike anything else in the market at the time.

Samsung also introduced a wearable sports device back in 2004, the CES Innovation Award-winning MP3 player YP-60. Known at the YEPP Sports, this MP3 player was worn like an arm band and was capable of calculating heart rate, tracking calories burned and being used as a stopwatch. Today Samsung is continuing to lead the way with wearables, and the Gear S2—with its unique rotating bezel and more than 1,000 compatible apps—has been recognized with a Best of Innovation award at the 2016 CES. And the Gear VR turns the Galaxy Note5 and Galaxy S6 edge+ smartphones into an incredibly immersive virtual reality experience, in a comfortable and convenient headset.

Semiconductors and storage devices have long been areas where Samsung had been at the cutting edge. It won a CES Innovation Award in 2008 for its 64GB SSD memory. This groundbreaking memory device, using NAND flash memory, was one of the first SSDs to use a SATA II interface, and helped to usher in the transition to SSDs.

Since then, Samsung continued to innovate and break new ground in the SSD sector. In 2015, it introduced the portable SSD T1, which offers up to 1TB of memory in a form about the size of a credit card. The T1 was a 2015 CES Innovation Award winner. And with the 2016 CES Innovations Awards, Samsung has been recognized for its 2TB T3 and 950 PRO SSD drives.

How different is Samsung’s 950 PRO with NVMe? The 64GB SSD drive from 2008 offered read/write speeds of 100MB per second. But the 950 PRO has read speeds of 2,500MB per second and write speeds of 1,500MB per second. With progress like that, it is not a surprise that Samsung is the world’s No. 1 SSD memory maker.

IoT Advancements Reshape Everyday Life

The Internet of Things (or IoT) has been front-and-center for Samsung since its keynote address at CES 2015. But, in fact, Samsung has been developing IoT-related technologies for years, having long seen the potential in connecting all the devices in people’s homes and in their lives.

Samsung’s Anynet platform, which integrated home theater components, debuted at CES in 2004. Then in 2008, Samsung’s UbiCell compact base station also won a CES Best of Innovation award. UbiCell was the world’s first home use mobile base station to provide secure, indoor wireless service over existing broadband networks.

In 2013, Samsung won an innovation award for its LED Smart Bulb. The Samsung Smart Bulb used less energy and lasted longer than incandescent bulbs, integrated with wireless communications capabilities so people could control their lighting using their smartphone.

Today, Samsung’s IoT services are taking the possibilities and convenience of the IoT to a whole new level. Underpinned by openness and interoperability, the IoT is interconnecting people’s homes, cars and other key parts of their lives, creating ever more efficiencies and synergies as they work together. That is the idea underlying the IoT, and the reason Samsung has said all its devices will be IoT-compatible by 2020.

Always Moving Forward

The goal for Samsung is to shape a future for people everywhere that is more convenient and full of possibilities. It’s not about being a flash-in-the-pan with the latest trend. Instead, Samsung is committed to creating devices and innovations that inspire and enrich people’s lives. It takes relentless dedication over the long-term to maintain that leadership, but that is Samsung’s vision for the future.

For more information about CES 2016, please visit our exclusive page #SAMSUNGxCES2016

What are some extremely hot items people are buying for Christmas gifts this year? One-in-three consumers say they plan on buying emerging tech, such as smart home devices, smartwatches and drones. That’s a huge change in shopping habits considering just a few years ago it was too small a category to track, according to the 22nd Annual CE Holiday Purchase Patterns Study, a survey of more than 1,000 U.S. adults conducted by the Consumer Technology Association (CTA).

Smart Homes and Smart Wearables Lead the Way

Leading those emerging technology gift ideas are smart home devices that give users 24/7 access to their homes with 15 percent of shoppers saying they intend to buy that type of device. This projection reflects the growing popularity of smart home services that have recently evolved from button-press security systems to ones that allow users to control and observe their homes from anywhere in the world. One such example is Samsung SmartThings line-up—an intelligent system in which sensors and smart devices connected via a SmartThings Hub can be monitored and controlled through a single streamlined app.

The next quite popular purchases are wearable fitness activity trackers and smartwatches, each with 12 percent. Those numbers have doubled since 2013, indicating the possibility that such products could be following a similar path to mainstream popularity as core technologies like tablets and smartphones did in the past.

The CTA study also found that consumers are primarily purchasing wearables to set personal fitness and health goals and to track their progress toward them. As such, wearables that feature health and fitness monitoring sensors, like those embedded in Samsung’s Gear S2, have been ranked by consumers as the much desirable. The Gear S2 also comes preloaded with the popular S Health app. Together, S Health and the Gear S2 are capable of fitness, diet and health monitoring by allowing the user to log fitness activities, track their heart rate and water consumption, and measure their overall activity over the course of the day.

Action cameras, too, are emerging as a popular gift, with 12 percent of shoppers saying they plan on buying them. And drones, at 7 percent—more than double than last year’s figure—are no longer just for commercial use. CTA forecasts that 400,000 consumer drones will be sold this holiday season.

Top Tech to Put Under the Tree

The CTA survey indicated that a whopping 160 million U.S. holiday shoppers intend to purchase consumer technology this year, spending a total of $34 billion—and that translates into a lot of happy children and loved ones over this holiday season. The most popular tech gifts being given in 2015 are headphones and earbuds (28 percent and 27 percent, respectively), tablets (26 percent), portable Bluetooth speakers (25 percent), notebook/laptop computers (25 percent) and smartphones (24 percent).

Correspondingly, the survey also found that the tech products that U.S. consumers most want to receive this holiday season are TVs. After TV, the top products people are hoping for are tablets, smartphones, notebook/laptop computers and videogame consoles.

Whatever gifts you give and receive, spending time together with your family and loved ones is what truly makes the holiday season. But picking the hottest gifts can help make the holidays a little more festive. The new interest in emerging tech shows how tastes are once again changing, just like with the rise of smartphones and tablets a few years ago. Whether you get a smart home device, a wearable activity tracker or a smartwatch, it’s good to know that these gifts will put you ahead of the tech curve this holiday season.

In September, a smartwatch boasting this powerful shape was unveiled at IFA—a design drastically different from the rectangular styles that preceded it. The mesmerizing Gear S2 immediately set itself apart by boasting a more traditionally analog design. Likewise, the concept of the circle was also applied to the Gear VR, another device by Samsung Electronics. The virtual reality headset allows users to watch digital content in 3D with a 360-degree view—an entirely new experience for most.

Yet, it’s not just tech fans that have fallen for the charms of these circle-centric products. They have made their way into the fashion, sports and entertainment industries throughout the world.

In Vogue

On November 28, Samsung held a fashion show in collaboration with BALR., a Netherlands-based fashion brand founded by three professional soccer players. BALR. produces clothing and accessories based on the concepts of simplicity, luxury and comfort. With over 700,000 Instagram fans, the brand is constantly growing in popularity, especially among millennials.

Working hand-in-hand with Samsung, the brand showcased the Gear S2 with the unique styles of BALR. at the show.

https://youtu.be/rxwqli1Qb7w

“The union of the Gear S2 and BALR. illustrates the future of fashion and technology. Going forward, we will continue to feature technology unique to Samsung by merging IT devices with fashion.” said Menno van den Berg, Managing Director at Samsung Electronics Benelux B.V.

Gear S2 Goes Global with Circular Experience Zones

With a unique circular design, Gear S2 experience zones have sprung up in a total of 17 countries across the world. At these interactive locales, which have been established in cities such as New York, Dubai, London and San Paolo, visitors have the opportunity to try out the Gear S2 and Gear VR devices that are showcased on circular tables.

Virtually Courtside

In early October, Samsung hosted “Balls Don’t Lie” in Milan, Italy. At the event, basketball fans donned Level headphones as they watched their favorite NBA teams bring the action of the courts to Samsung’s SUHD TVs in real time.

The highlight of the event, however, was the Gear VR experience, which allowed attendees to get courtside access to the big game.

Luca Rossi, a sports enthusiast who tried out Samsung’s Gear VR first-hand stated, “I just wanted to watch the game since I love basketball, but I felt like I was actually playing the game. It was so vivid that I can’t explain. It was so real that I could turn around in a circle and see the entire venue, just as if I were really there.”

Hang Ten

Just about every surfing aficionado around the world has heard of Portugal’s Supertubos Beach, which made it the perfect location for a 4D surfing experience.

At the Moche Rip Curl Pro in October, participants were able to slip into Gear VR headsets and hop on surf boards.

“I can’t believe Samsung makes such a fun device!” exclaimed Pedro Guedes, an impressed participant, as he took off the headset. “I feel as if I just came back from surfing!”

Frederico Paiva of Samsung Electronics Portugal explained, “People will begin to see our products associated with sports more often in the future. We plan to carry out unprecedented marketing activities in an effort to bring consumers closer to Samsung.”

The Charm of the Circle

Moving away from the rectangular shape which has been so prevalent in technology in the past, the Gear S2 and Gear VR highlight the charm of the circle. These products promise satisfaction to consumers, not only in design but also functionality.

Created to display information in a circular design, the Gear S2 is appealing to the eye. The product is not only revolutionary in shape, but the functionality upgrade of the Gear S2—which is easily connected to other Android devices—has taken the world by storm. Similarly, the Gear VR, which places the user at the center of attention, is a product that is taking the mobile experience to the next level.

Both products beautifully demonstrate the power of the world’s most captivating shape and how it has inspired Samsung to lead the way in technological innovation across multiple industries and lifestyles.

In just a few years, the technology driving wearable devices has advanced rapidly. Samsung launched the world’s very first watch phone in 1999. The SPH-WP10 featured a monochrome LCD screen and 90 minutes of talk time through an integrated speaker and microphone. Samsung followed this in 2009 with the release of its S9110 watch phone which was the world’s slimmest watch phone at the time. While the first model looked like a miniature phone attached to a wristband, the second looked much more like modern wearables.

Since then, technology has progressed quickly, and the ability of wearables to transform health, entertainment and how we live our day-to-day lives is greater than once thought possible. In 2013, Samsung launched the Galaxy Gear, which was followed by the Gear 2, the Gear 2 Neo. The Gear Fit and the Gear S made their appearances in 2014. As we wait to see what is in store for wearable devices of the future, it is clear that they are making an impact on how we stay connected.

Efficiency

Wearables are a great way to streamline processes, allowing employees to customize client interactions and deliver a more personalized experience. Wearables can collect information hands-free, bringing the smartphone experience to the wrist, which helps create safer working environments and boosts productivity.

The Gear S, with its 2-inch Super AMOLED display, allows users to view notifications and messages at a single glance. You can reject calls during a meeting, reply to messages using the on-screen keyboard or use voice command controls when your hands are full. With the ability to connect hands-free to e-mail, calendars, productivity applications and real-time notifications, wearables are changing the way we work.

Monitoring

Health and fitness tracking are major areas of concern for consumers. The Gear Fit was designed to be light and easy to wear during a workout, or for simply tracking your steps every day. It is the first wearable that was curved to fit your wrist, and featured a slimmer face than the Gear S.

S Health comes equipped and ready to use on the latest Samsung wearables, including the Gear Fit, the Gear S, the Gear 2 and the Gear 2 Neo. You can set goals and track heartrate, steps, calorie intake, stress levels, sun exposure and more. S Health helps you take control of your health. The wide range of apps available for Samsung wearables allow users to build healthy lifestyles that are just right for them.

Samsung Gear S not only includes S Health, it is a perfect health and fitness companion with more enhanced multi-sensors and built-in GPS. Using Bluetooth technology, it receives notifications while on-the-go. Partnerships that make third party apps available, such as Nike+ Running and Trek Bicycle allow users to track exercise and stay motivated, without their smartphones.

Connectivity

Wearables are also changing the way we stay connected. The Gear S can be used as a stand-alone device, with its brilliant, curved Super AMOLED display. The first wearable that supported connectivity through Wi-Fi, 3G and Bluetooth, the Gear S lets you stay in touch, even away from your phone. The Gear S makes and receives calls, directly from the wrist and syncs automatically with your smartphone.

When the Gear Circle is paired with a smartphone, users can easily receive calls, listen to music and make voice commands in style through a Bluetooth connection. It features a magnetic lock which clasps around the user’s neck when not in use, as well as a vibrate function to signal incoming calls and notifications.

Design

The Samsung wearable products feature a rectangular face and interchangeable wristbands. After the first Galaxy Gear, the following Gear 2 had a finishing that made it look more similar to the elegance of a timepiece. With a Super AMOLED, 2MP camera, tracking apps and connectivity power, the Gear 2 took wearable devices to the next level. The Gear 2 was one of the first wearable devices that not only worked in sync to receive notifications from your smart device, it was the first to run apps on its own. When launching the Gear Fit and the Gear S, Samsung applied its curved display technology for a more comfortable, contoured fit. As materials and display quality improved, curved screens were developed and more interchangeable wristbands were offered, wearables from Samsung have become as fashionable as they are functional. Customizable screen options and changeable straps empower users to express their own tastes and styles.

The Gear series help users express moods and fit each day’s look with changeable bands and charms. Partnering with leaders in the fashion industry like Moschino, Swarovski and Nicholas Kirkwood, Samsung introduced a collection of wide-range accessories.

What’s Next?

As the technology and innovation of wearables meets the Internet of Things (IoT), the future of connectivity is bright. It is clear that wearables and connected devices will continue to transform our lives. Wearables will improve wireless connectivity, improving our homes, our cities and communities everywhere.

In the past, smartphones were viewed as consumer-oriented products, and businesses issued their employees dedicated B2B mobile devices to help boost productivity and effectiveness. However, as smartphones and B2B apps grew more sophisticated, companies gradually adopted bring your own device (BYOD) policy, encouraging employees to use their own personal smartphones at work to perform business functions.

Unlike smartphones, we believe wearable technology will see much faster adoption in the B2B space, as wearables offer something that businesses have wanted for years from their mobile devices: at-a-glance access to actionable data and greater hands-free functionality.

A recent white paper published by IDG and Samsung Business, titled, Wearables Make Their Move to the Enterprise, highlights a wide range of prospective B2B use cases for wearable technology — from the ability to connect hands-free with e-mail, calendars and contacts, to more purpose-built productivity applications for training, collaboration and real-time notifications.

Demand for such technology has been growing. In a recent PwC survey, 77% of respondents saw benefits in wearable devices for boosting efficiency and productivity at work; and 70% of participants fully expect their employers to permit the use of wearable technology at work.

How will we meet this demand?

According to the latest IDC ConsumerScape 360 survey, Samsung Electronics is one of the most trusted wearable brands in the market. And, by leveraging our growing portfolio that includes the Gear S, Gear Circle, Gear Fit and Gear VR, we are actively working towards realizing the promise of wearable technology in the B2B space, integrating wearable technology with products, solutions and services targeted to the needs of specific vertical markets, including health care, education, financial services, retail/hospitality, logistics and transportation and government.

Although wearable technology is still in its early stages, we see tremendous potential. Here are just a few hypothetical examples that could employ a wide array of Samsung products and solutions:

• Hotel staff could use wearable technology to manually adjust a room’s smart thermostat, and send a list of local attractions to a networked printer. Meanwhile, kitchen staff could use their smart wearable devices to connect with smart refrigerators and see at a glance a full inventory of available ingredients.

• High school teachers could use wearable technology to remotely power up and control audio visual equipment in a classroom or auditorium, and select a pre-programmed lighting configuration for a presentation. Learning also goes beyond classrooms: with technologies such as QR codes and augmented reality, wearable tech can take field trips to a new dimension.

• Sales people in retail outlets could use wearable devices to connect with and control digital signage, enabling them to instantly switch and update promotional displays or call up store maps or images of specific products in inventory at the request of a customer.

• Nurses and caretakers can leverage vital sensors in wearables worn by patients, in order to monitor a patient’s vital condition, medical treatments, exercise programs, location in hospitals and any emergency situations. Patients can also be notified via messages about when doctors are on their way for appointments and check-ups.

• Logistics workers – many of whom already use Samsung wearable devices to help them conduct inventory, sort packages, and update shipping information – could someday also use wearables to unlock secured doors to allow access for deliveries, interact with automated storage/retrieval systems and adjust temperature and airflow in a smart storage environment.

There are certainly many potential, promising applications of wearable technology in the B2B space. The above examples are just the tip of the ice berg. By bringing wearable technology into the B2B space, those of us at Samsung hope to introduce a new generation of B2B products, services and solutions that will take productivity and efficiency to a whole new level.