For example, in the home, when a user wakes up in the morning on a rainy day, the home lights will gradually brighten, while music fit for a rainy day is selected and played in the background. A cup of coffee will be prepared as soon as the user says “coffee” while stepping into the kitchen and the refrigerator will also recommend meal ideas for the day, asking the user whether he or she would like to buy ingredients online.

In the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) industry, Samsung Electronics is uniquely positioned to bring this world of connected AI services to life, based on the almost half a billion connected devices the company sells every year. In fact, given the typical lifecycle of a device, there are more than a billion Samsung devices actively used around the world at any given time.

Samsung’s device portfolio also is the industry’s broadest, and includes mobile devices such as smartphones, tablets and wearable devices, office devices such as PCs, signages and Samsung Flip, devices for the home such as Samsung Smart TVs, Family Hub and FlexWash and FlexDry, and much more.

At this year’s CES, Samsung highlighted its latest innovations in its vision to drive the Internet of Things (IoT) supported by AI. Samsung Smart TVs now integrated with Bixby, are able to play music and shows personalized for users, as well as show who is at the front door or what is inside the refrigerator. The Family Hub refrigerator, also integrated with AI, recognizes the voices of different family members and provides each of them with a personalized daily schedule.

Moving forward, Samsung will continue to remain focused on holistically integrating AI into a connected setting, such as the home or the office, in contrast to other players primarily pursuing implementation of AI on a few devices and services. In the following months, Samsung will integrate not only Samsung devices, but also IoT devices and sensors developed by external partners into the SmartThings eco-system, allowing a single SmartThings app to control everything. Furthermore, Samsung also plans to integrate AI into all its connected devices by 2020.

In the coming years, many IoT devices with AI support will generate a vast array of usage patterns and scenarios. How AI-enabled devices learn and analyze complex usage patterns and provide consumers with the most optimized options will be critical to the success of AI technology for the near future. In other words, the success of AI will boil down to how well the devices understand the users.

Therefore, Samsung’s perspective on AI is to build an eco-system that is user-centric rather than device-centric. To pursue that goal, we will start by building an AI platform under a common architecture that will not only scale quickly, but also provide the deepest understanding of usage context and behaviors, making AI more relevant and useful.

For the past decades, Samsung successfully introduced products and innovations by researching the lifestyle and behavior of global consumers. Paying respect to our heritage of user-centric product development, Samsung will begin an exciting journey open to boundless possibilities in new user experiences by integrating AI into the open IoT ecosystem it is currently developing. This journey will certainly be fascinating for us here at Samsung, but even more so for consumers, as Samsung takes major steps forward to bring consumers’ hopes and expectations to life.

by Larry Heck

Senior Vice President, Samsung Research America (SRA)

“At Samsung, we remain committed to developing thoughtful innovations that not only address the ever-changing needs of our customers, but are also aimed at making a meaningful impact in their lives,” said Yong Sung Jeon, President & CEO, Samsung Electronics Southeast Asia and Oceania. “Despite some challenges, we’ve made big strides in 2016 and will continue to look forward as we engineer a smarter future together with our consumers.”

Samsung QLED, a New Frontier in Home Entertainment

Featuring incredible advancements in the development of Quantum dot technology, Samsung unveiled the new range of QLED TVs – the Q7, Q8 and Q9. The series, which add new metal material to nano-sized semiconductor quantum dots, deliver the perfect mix of light and color currently available in display technology. The result is a stunning large-screen QLED TV, with an incredibly accurate and precise picture that can be viewed from any angle or in any environment.

Samsung QLED TV takes Quantum dot technology to new heights with advanced light efficiency and stability, as well as a wider color spectrum than ever before. The new QLED TV addresses several consumer pain points that could be found in many of today’s displays, including brightness levels, lifespan, color range, details and viewing angles. It not only displays a 100% color volume and a peak brightness of HDR 1,500 – 2,000 nits, but also improves upon all aspects of picture quality.

Samsung also introduced new design elements that aims to enhance the QLED TV experience even further. The practically invisible optical cable helps to solve the issue of unsightly cords and clutter that can be found in the home with a sleek, single cord system. Additional accessories such as the optional “No-Gap Wall Mount,” makes mounting a TV flush against the wall simpler and faster. Finally, for those who desire a variety of stylish options when displaying their TV, Samsung introduced two new optional elegant TV stands – Gravity and Studio – that appeal to the consumer who prefers an un-mounted TV.

In addition to the new range of QLED TVs, Samsung also shared its plans to deliver a more unified experience for customers using various services and devices.

• Samsung Smart Remote – Enhanced to support even more devices, the new Samsung Smart Remote will now offer voice control capabilities across more Smart TV features, allowing consumers to have increased flexibility as they enjoy all that their TV has to offer at the touch of a button.
• Samsung Smart View app – Available on Android and iOS, the app allows users to get their personalized SmartHub experience right on their phone.

Enhanced Flexibility Within the Home

Samsung’s unwavering commitment to enriching and empowering consumers with technological innovation and world-class expertise in home appliances is manifested in category redefining products like the Family Hub 2.0 refrigerator, the FlexWashTM laundry system, the world’s first Wind-Free wall-mounted air conditioner, and the VR7000 POWERbot vacuum cleaner which was recognized with innovation awards at CES 2017.

As an upgraded version of Family Hub 1.0, which received wide acclaim last year, Family Hub 2.0 boasts an expanded, flexible line-up that allows consumers to choose the refrigerator that best matches their needs. It also enhances usability with intuitive app integration and new app partners to help families stay connected, manage food, and access more entertainment on the refrigerator’s 21.5-inch LED touch-screen. For added convenience, Samsung’s advanced voice technology has also been integrated across many of Family Hub 2.0’s apps. It also improved UX usability by allowing consumers to make more accounts of apps.

This year, Samsung is also introducing the FlexWashTM washer-dryer combination model that tightly integrates two washers and a dryer into one high performance appliance. The innovative unit boasts a range of core Samsung laundry technologies and features, including the popular AddWash Door. FlexWashTM is designed to cut laundry time in half while providing a higher level of care for clothes: the main front loader can either be an AddWash washing machine or dryer, offering consumers the flexibility to start the dry cycle without moving clothes, while the smaller top loader takes care of delicate items that require extra care. Both loaders can be operated simultaneously or separately.

Following the strong consumer response to the Wind-FreeTM floor-standing air conditioner launched in Korea last year, Samsung has developed a new wall-mounted version. The AR9500M provides Wind-FreeTM air conditioning, so the home maintains a comfortable level of coolness without the unpleasant feeling of direct cold wind. The unit disperses cool air through 21,000 micro holes at speeds slower than 0.15m/s1, and creates ideal climates for deep and restful sleep.

Samsung also unveiled the latest addition to its line of POWERbot vacuum cleaners – the VR7000. Sporting a new slimmer design and enhanced features, the VR7000 ensures a more thorough clean, covering hard-to-reach corners and edges that hand-operated vacuum cleaners frequently miss. The POWERbot VR7000’s Edge Clean Master enables the unit to clean within 15mm of the wall while the Auto Shutter automatically drops down a barrier to help sweep up dust right at the edge.

Alongside new cutting edge products and technologies launched this year, the 2017 Samsung Southeast Asia and Oceania Forum will also exhibit Twin Cooling refrigerators and the popular AddWash and Active Dualwash Laundry machine.

Samsung, the Trusted Brand in Asia

For the fifth consecutive year, Samsung continues to be named the best and most trusted brand, according to results from ‘Asia’s Top 1000 Brands’ annual online survey conducted by Campaign Asia Pacific in collaboration with Nielsen. With the continued affirmation by consumers on their trust of the brand, Samsung continues to strive to improve the technology behind their products, innovating to meet the needs and wants of their consumers.

¹The American Society of Heating, Refrigeration, and Air-Conditioning Engineers defines “Still Air” as air currents at speeds below 0.15m/s which lacks the presence of cold drafts.