Samsung Electronics has been at the forefront of this signage evolution – leading the display market for ten consecutive years while pushing the industry further, through a number of technological transformations. Samsung has overcome numerous challenges along the journey and has introduced innovative, new products year after year.

Samsung Newsroom has explored how Samsung SMART Signage has evolved in the last decade and tracked its journey through to today.

Making an Airport Debut

“What is the necessity for installing large digital signage indoors just to display information? And why is this different from or better than a TV screen?” This was the most frequently asked question for Sungtae Lee in the early 2000s when digital signage first emerged. Lee was one of the trailblazers in designing commercial signage products at Samsung Electronics’ Visual Display Business.

In many conversations, before explaining how Samsung products were different from the others, he had to introduce the value proposition of digital signage and the different ways of utilizing the products: “We had a firm belief that digital signage would profoundly change the way people communicate. But it was not accepted as easily as we had initially thought,” noted Lee.

Samsung Electronics installed the world’s largest indoor airport LED signage, covering a total of 1,012 square meters, at the New Istanbul Airport in 2018.

Perceptions changed as digital signage began to create new markets by converging with new technologies. For Samsung, this convergence and opportunity started with airports, according to Lee.

An airport is a large and complex structure that requires the processing of substantial amounts of information in real-time – from check-in counters to baggage claim. Naturally, digital signage products and solutions were inevitable. “Offering our proprietary software, Samsung was a pioneer in introducing a Flight Information Display System (FIDS) that was designed to remotely process video clips and deliver information through the data networks 24 hours a day. This implementation laid the groundwork for Samsung SMART Signage,” said Lee.

3.4 Times Bigger and 54 Percent Slimmer, a Decade of Efforts to Go Beyond the Limit

In the early 2000s, Samsung introduced its LCD signage, 32-inch in size. Comparing this early model to the 110-inch LCD signage, unveiled in 2014, the size of Samsung’s digital signage had increased by 3.4 times in a decade.

It became slimmer as well. Samsung’s latest 4K signage, introduced in 2019, is 49.7 mm thick. Compared to the first model, which was 109 mm thick, the thickness of Samsung’s digital signage has more than halved through the company’s extensive research and continuous efforts.

In addition, the locations to install digital signage are being diversified from airports and inside of buildings, to offices, clothing shops, bus stops, subway stations and large-sized outdoor billboards.

As Samsung digital signage expanded into different spaces, it required technologies that addressed the challenges presented by various environmental factors, including temperature, humidity and solar heat, such as UV rays and infrared rays.

This was how Samsung Magic Glass was born. By blocking reflected light, Samsung Magic Glass increased visibility and reduced infrared rays by 40 percent. “We adopted a distinctive heat protection technology to improve durability and also acquired high standards in waterproof, dustproof (IP56), and breakproof specifications (IK10). That’s why our digital signage works properly even with severe dust and harsh environmental conditions, and can also withstand a strong shock,” said Sehee Park responsible for planning outdoor products at the Visual Display Business’ Product Strategy Team.

Bigger and Brighter Samsung SMART Signage Leads the Trend

Samsung has shown its innovative leadership in the digital signage industry, most notably with the installation of its large-scale LED signage at the COEX Shopping Center in Seoul in March 2018. Connecting two walls using a single continuous screen with curved corners, the signage is comprised of approximately 31,000 LED display modules attached 10mm from each other, demonstrating an impressive level of precision and accuracy. This product is a perfect example to demonstrate Samsung’s expertise and leadership in digital signage technology.

“We incorporated an optimized waterproof solution into every connecting part of the display for maximum durability. Our proprietary picture quality processing technology allows the display to express colors vividly for a long period of time,” said Seungjae Soh at the Visual Display Business’ Product Strategy Team.

Additionally, by acquiring YESCO Electronics in 2015, a company specializing in commercial LED display, Samsung has solidified its leadership in the LED market.

Retail spaces have also presented opportunities for Samsung. Since outdoor signage is used to attract shoppers, it must immediately grab their attention and catch their eye, further demonstrating the importance of both vivid and vibrant colors.

To meet such needs, Samsung unveiled a high brightness signage lineup in various sizes. In particular, double-sided high brightness¹ signage has been well-accepted by retail shops and Quick Service Restaurants (QSR), as it supports up to 3,000 nits for outdoor screens and 1,000 nits for indoor screens. Moreover, the latest 85˝ double-sided display can be installed at bus stops for street advertising, targeting commuters and passers-by.

In an ever-evolving industry, one of the latest trends is QLED 8K signage. Samsung is leading this innovation as well, as it was the first company to introduce an 82” ultra-high resolution 8K signage product, taking a step forward in signage innovation. Moreover, the AI-based quantum processor allows any video clip – no matter the resolution – to be converted into 8K resolution, providing a truly vivid expression of color. Samsung’s 8K product lineup is poised to expand its horizons in the second half of this year.

“There is a strong need for our latest 8K signage amongst luxury retail stores which want to display vivid images. In addition, thanks to our AI upscaling technology, which converts any content to 8K regardless of the original resolutions, the 8K signage is being well-received by customers. Just like we did in the last decade, we will always continue to provide industry-leading products and services,” stated Seog-gi Kim, Executive Vice President of the Enterprise Business Team, Samsung Electronics.

As digital signage is rapidly becoming a next-generation communication platform, Samsung is aiming to push forward with new solutions. Stay tuned to our next episode to discover the future of digital signage.

¹ This technology extends Dynamic Range to make bright spots brighter and darker spots darker so that color range and contrast appear much closer to reality.

Plaza Norte, one of the iconic shopping malls in Lima, the capital of Peru, is now home to South America’s largest digital out-of-home (DOOH) LED signage created by Samsung Electronics. The two hundred thousand square meter shopping mall houses major shops and brands. Now the shoppers and visitors can also gather at the square in front of the mall to indulge in watching a major sports game or an exciting cultural event on the mega-sized screen.

The signage at Lima’s Plaza Norte is the latest example of Samsung’s recent LED signage endeavors, following the installation of South Korea’s largest curved SMART LED signage outside of COEX convention center in one of the most bustling areas of Seoul.

Samsung, the No.1 Leader in Global Signage Market

Samsung has held the number one market share of 24.9%¹ in the global signage market for nine consecutive years and will likely continue its position as a world leader for the tenth year according to 2018 1Q data released by IHS Markit. The company has continuously developed innovative signage products such as ultra-large-sized LED Signage and The Wall Professional. Back in 2009, Samsung opened up the video wall signage market by introducing the thinnest 7.3mm bezel video wall ever; and in 2015, the company acquired the North American LED commercial display company YESCO Electronics to strengthen its B2B display business.²

Breaking Records of Largest LED Signages

This year, Samsung Electronics is leading the market by focusing on large-sized LED signages, as showcased by record-breaking sizes of LED signages in Korea and Peru. Aside from the newest addition in Lima, Peru, Samsung also installed the longest ribbon-type advanced LED signage in New Zealand’s national stadium Eden Park as part of its official partnership with the Stadium. The curved LED signage outside of AFAS Circustheater, one of the most prominent theaters in the Netherlands, is another case where Samsung installed a large-sized LED signage custom-designed to meet unique needs.

To build the largest DOOH LED signage in South America, Samsung’s Enterprise Business Team collaborated with Plaza Norte’s marketing team for many months to launch the LED screen located on the outside of the Plaza Norte building. Building upon the previous experiences in the field, Samsung’s engineers decided that the ideal LED screen product for the mall would be the XA160F outdoor, which consists of 528 cabinets and has an area of 487 square meters.

The Samsung XA160F SMART LED Signage outdoor display features a 16.0mm pixel pitch for enhanced resolution. The screen also comes with IP65 standards that ensure the screen holds up under all types of weather conditions, and the panels have an anti-UV treatment that prevents deformation and discoloration due to sun exposure. In terms of performance, its design and brightness level deter the interference of light, maintaining levels of 7,700 nits at all times.

As it’s the largest DOOH LED signage in South America, the 487 square-meter screen marks a milestone for Samsung. The company will now strive for even higher goals in product innovation and project development regarding its professional display business.

¹ Data excludes performance in Consumer and Hospitality TVs used for signages.

² YESCO Electronics, a LED display manufacturing company based in Utah, US, was rebranded as Prismview in March 2016.

YESCO Electronics was a subsidiary of the Young Electric Sign Company (YESCO), a privately-owned custom sign manufacturer.

“As the market for LED display technology continues to grow, we understood the critical importance of having the right experience to be successful in this area,” said Seog-Gi Kim, Senior Vice President, Visual Display Business, Samsung Electronics. “By combining the extensive expertise of YESCO Electronics in LED displays with our global network, business experience and world-class R&D team, we further validate our leading position and the value that we bring to our customers as a total solutions provider in digital display.”

In light of the accelerated implementation of LED displays that offer enhanced picture quality, energy efficiency and operational functionality, Samsung will work with YESCO Electronics to deliver durable, long-lasting displays geared for varied and extreme conditions. YESCO Electronics’ proven successes include large and brilliant sign and display execution in many of the markets Samsung serves, including retail, education, hospitality, corporate, and transportation environments.

“The solid relationship between Samsung and YESCO will strengthen YESCO’s position in the marketplace,” said John Williams, CEO of YESCO Electronics. “This acquisition expands the presence of our services and systems across Samsung’s vast global network, allowing a wider range of businesses to offer their customers a more impressive, eye-catching visual experience. YESCO Electronics will offer a broader range of world-class products to the customers as part of the Samsung Team.”

Founded in 1988, YESCO Electronics has enjoyed a rich tradition of successfully delivering both large scale and boutique projects worldwide.

To learn more about Samsung Electronics and its complete B2B display portfolio, visit www.samsung.com. For more information about YESCO Electronics, visit www.yescoelectronics.com.