Samsung Electronics, Worldwide Olympic Partner in the Wireless Communications Equipment and Computing Equipment category, is bringing cutting-edge mobile technology and Olympic inspiration to the Winter Youth Olympic Games Lausanne 2020. In addition to its Olympic Showcase, Samsung is connecting the future generation of Olympic athletes with current Olympian Dina Asher-Smith to defy barriers to achieve meaningful progress and push beyond all limits with an inspirational panel session.

“Samsung has supported the Olympic Movement for over 30 years, and we are proud to continue our legacy by empowering this generation of athletes to ‘Do What You Can’t’ spirit at the Youth Olympic Games Lausanne 2020,” said Stephanie Choi, Senior Vice President and Head of Global Marketing Team of Mobile Communications Business, Samsung Electronics. “From Lausanne to Tokyo, this Olympic year holds many exciting opportunities for Samsung to showcase innovation and change the way participants experience the Games through mobile products and services with 5G connectivity.”

Throughout the Youth Olympic Games, visitors will be able to immerse themselves in Samsung’s groundbreaking technology at the Samsung Olympic Games Showcase located in the Yodli Park. Visitors will be able to experience:

• 5G Galaxy Smartphones: Samsung’s Olympic Games Showcase invites visitors to experience the most recent editions of Samsung’s 5G smartphones, including the Galaxy S10, Galaxy Note10, Galaxy Fold and Galaxy A90.
• Creative Experiences: Visitors will be also able to interact with the creative capabilities of Samsung mobile technology, such as Galaxy smartphone cameras, S Pen and VR.
• Olympic Games Pins: Visitors will have the opportunity to receive special Samsung Olympic Games pins that embody the value of the Youth Olympic Games.

To further empower connection and inspire the next generation of Olympic athletes, Samsung will also host a special panel discussion as a part of the ’Chat with Champions’ series, co-hosted with the International Olympic Committee. Athletes competing in the Youth Olympic Games are invited to learn more on building their personal brand, and to hear inspirational stories that will keep them motivated as their careers develop – on and off the field of play. Panelists will include:

• Stephanie Choi, Senior Vice President and Head of Global Marketing Team, Mobile Communications Business at Samsung, who will provide insights about Samsung brand and her career journey as an industry leader and innovator;
• Dina Asher-Smith, World Champion sprinter, Team GB Olympic Medalist, and one of Team Galaxy athletes, who will share her story of defying barriers to become the fastest British woman in recorded history;
• Janosch Nietlispach, Six-time Kickboxing World Champion turned social media influencer, who will talk about how he became an athlete influencer, interacting with fans on social platforms;
• Zac Farrer, Global Partnership EMEA, Facebook, who will share tips on how athletes can grow their personal brand and expand their communities on social media.

Participating athletes are invited to visit the special ‘Chat with Champions’ session at the Yodli Café at 8pm on Jan 12th to meet other athletes and share encouraging messages to support one another.

“Samsung has been an integral part of elevating the Olympic Games’ fan experience through their innovative technology and powering lifelong memories for athletes and fans alike,” said Timo Lumme, Managing Director of the IOC Television and Marketing Services. “As we celebrate what the future of the Olympic Games will look like for future generations in Lausanne 2020, it’s only natural that Samsung is helping make that connection.”

As a longstanding Olympic partner, Samsung will continue its support for athletes defying barriers beyond the Youth Olympic Games Lausanne 2020 to the Olympic and Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020.

Fans and volunteers experience the Galaxy Fold, Note10+ 5G, and A90 5G smartphone devices at the Samsung Olympic Showcase in Yodli Park during the Youth Olympic Winter Games Lausanne 2020.

Fans and volunteers experience the Galaxy Fold, Note10+ 5G, and A90 5G smartphone devices at the Samsung Olympic Showcase in Yodli Park during the Youth Olympic Winter Games Lausanne 2020.

Fans and volunteers experience the Galaxy Fold, Note10+ 5G, and A90 5G smartphone devices at the Samsung Olympic Showcase in Yodli Park during the Youth Olympic Winter Games Lausanne 2020.

Samsung Olympic Showcase, the unique dome-shaped venue put Samsung’s latest technology on display, in addition to providing various experiences during the Youth Olympic Winter Games Lausanne 2020.

About Samsung’s Involvement in the Olympic Games

Samsung has been a Worldwide Olympic Partner since the Olympic Winter Games Nagano 1998. For over 20 years, the company’s industry-leading wireless communications equipment has enabled fans and athletes around the world to stay connected and share in the journey to achieve greatness of sportsmanship. For Tokyo 2020, Samsung will help spread the spirit of the Olympic Games through proprietary innovations that are shaping the digital future of the Olympic Games. Samsung’s commitment to the Olympic Movement will continue through to Los Angeles 2028 in the wireless communications equipment and computing equipment category, including the activation of the Artificial Intelligence, Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality and 5G features of that equipment.

The demonstration, held at the ‘Korea International Circuit’ racetrack, was made possible by Samsung Networks’ end-to-end 5G mmWave solutions, including 5G New Radio (NR) base stations. The same equipment has been in commercial operation in the United States since the first half of this year.

While the racing car moved at approximately 130 miles per hour (210Km/hour) on the track, the trial verified the stable performance of live downloads, uploads and handovers between 5G cell sites on the racetrack. Download speeds reached up to 1Gbps, demonstrating the capacity for multi-gigabit downloads on a 5G device inside a racing car, using 200MHz bandwidth of 28GHz spectrum.

5G’s high speeds, instantaneous communications, and seamless handovers allow for a more effective and safer way to transfer video to and from cars accelerating up to 130 miles per hour (200~370Km/hour.) The companies were able to use this live video streaming capability to broadcast multiple views of the race in real time over SK Telecom’s live broadcasting solution, T Live Caster 5G.

The test showed that the mmWave technology can unlock the full potential of 5G, for delivering innovative uses cases and business models, such as new entertainment experiences in motor sport events. For example, cameras built into the cars’ cockpits will be able to stream real-time video data from each car over 5G wireless links, allowing viewers to enjoy vivid scenes of the race from the driver’s point of view. Through VR, AR and 360 degree video streams, racing fans will be able to enjoy the immersive experience of feeling as if they are inside an actual moving car.

“5G already opened up a new horizon when the first commercial service started in the first half of 2019 across Korea and the U.S.,” said Jaeho Jeon, Executive Vice President and Head of R&D, Networks Business at Samsung Electronics. “Samsung is at the forefront with global operators in bringing 5G benefits to consumers, industries and societies by helping them deliver 5G commercial networks. This trial is a great example of taking a user experience and the racing industry to new heights.”

“5G commercial service means much more than just faster speeds. It is a vital engine in transforming digital landscapes to bring enhanced and new business models that had only lived in our imagination,” said Park Jin-hyo, Chief Technology Officer and Head of ICT R&D Center of SK Telecom. “We will continue to work closely with Samsung in pushing the limits of legacy technology and maximizing the power of the 5G network.”

In September 2017, Samsung achieved the world’s first 5G handover at 118 miles per hour (190Km/hour) and 1Gbps speed download in a vehicle moving at 127 miles per hour (205Km/hour) in Korea (Link). Based on these achievements, Samsung has advanced network innovation through a comprehensive series of real-world use cases powered by 5G in partnership with global operators, helping to overcome the limits of legacy technology.

About SK Telecom

SK Telecom is the largest mobile operator in Korea with nearly 50 percent of the market share. As the pioneer of all generations of mobile networks, the company has commercialized the fifth generation (5G) network on December 1, 2018 and announced the first 5G smartphone subscribers on April 3, 2019. With its world’s best 5G, SK Telecom is set to realize the Age of Hyper-Innovation by transforming the way customers work, live and play. Building on its strength in mobile services, the company is also creating unprecedented value in diverse ICT-related markets including media, security and commerce.

For more information, please contact skt_press@sk.com or sktelecom@bcw-global.com

The 5G SA Core, jointly developed by Samsung Electronics and SK Telecom, not only supports technologies including network slicing and function modularization based on 3GPP standards, but also offers additional functions that operators have been using since LTE, include billing, subscriber management and operational convenience system. The interoperability assessment is the final stage for verifying the validity of 5G SA data transmission, signifying that the SA system is ready to be launched for commercial service.

Both companies implemented several cutting-edge technologies in the 5G SA Core that has been used for the interoperability. The technologies include Data Parallel Processing technology that performs QoS and transmission control simultaneously; Data Acceleration technology that classifies and distributes similar traffic types; and Path Optimization technology that automatically delivers data traffic to Mobile Edge Computing (MEC) platform.

“The fundamental structure of 5G SA is built on a completely new configuration, successfully delivering the most optimized 5G service to customers and enterprises across numerous industries,” said Jaeho Jeon, Executive Vice President and Head of R&D, Networks Business at Samsung Electronics. “Maintaining Korea’s leadership in network innovations through continuous investments in next-generation technologies is important to Samsung and SK Telecom, and the companies will continue to collaborate on developing and commercializing 5G SA.”

“Along with the initial phase of NSA rollout, we have been continuously focusing on researching and developing the SA technology in order to provide customers a differentiated service quality with innovative products, which will be launched in the first half of next year,” said Park Jin-hyo, Chief Technology Officer and Head of ICT R&D Center at SK Telecom. “By strengthening bilateral collaboration with Samsung, SK Telecom will drive and lead highly innovative 5G technologies and solutions.”

Once 5G SA is commercialized, data processing efficient will be improved by threefold, allowing efficient control for supporting massive data traffic. Moreover, 5G SA system is highly optimized for emerging next generation services such as Autonomous driving, Smart Factory, Smart Farm, and AR/VR.

For the past five years, the two companies have been collaborating on LTE and 5G development, which ultimately led to this successful 5G SA Core interoperability test. Some of other accomplishments include the commercialization of Virtualized LTE Core and Packet Optimization system; and they have completed the development of 3GPP Rel. 15 based SA Core in July last year, and successfully launched 5G NSA commercial service in April this year.

About SK Telecom

SK Telecom is the largest mobile operator in Korea with nearly 50 percent of the market share. As the pioneer of all generations of mobile networks, the company has launched the fifth generation (5G) network on December 1, 2018. The company is not only leading innovations in the field of mobile network, but is also creating unprecedented value in areas such as media, security and commerce. In the Fourth Industrial Revolution, SK Telecom will inspire the world, building a future beyond expectations.

Building on its strength in mobile services, the company is also creating unprecedented value in diverse ICT-related markets including media, security and commerce.

For more information, please contact skt_press@sk.com or sktelecom@bm.com

Consumers in South Korea will be the first to get their hands on the world’s first 5G smartphone. A monumental release not just for Samsung but for the mobile industry as a whole, the Galaxy S10 5G allows users to unlock an entirely new mobile experience – one that combines bar-raising display, camera and performance innovations with support for the next-generation telecommunications standard, 5G.

How will putting the power of 5G into consumers’ hands change the way we enjoy things like AR, VR, 8K video and cloud-based content? To answer those questions and more, Samsung Newsroom spoke with Albert Hoseong Kang, of Samsung Electronics’ Innovative Product Planning Group.

Creating a Faster Future

The Galaxy S10 5G opens the door for users to access unprecedented speeds – up to 20 times faster than 4G.

As Kang explained, 5G speeds will fast-track the development of cloud-based services, make the idea of buffering videos a thing of the past, and change the way we create content and enjoy our favorite multimedia. “Downloads and uploads speeds will be dramatically reduced, which means more people will be watching and shooting high-definition content,” said Kang.

5G will also revolutionize gaming, sports, and other entertainment. “When 5G networks are implemented, response speeds will be drastically shortened, which means you’ll experience real-time responsiveness with most types of content,” said Kang. “Delay times will be virtually eliminated during sports broadcasts, and games like first-person shooters and racing games, which could be difficult to enjoy due to mobile devices’ technical limitations, will be taken to a whole new level.”

This also includes cloud-based games, or games that may be played in real time via a cloud server. Cloud-based games don’t have to be downloaded to your phone, don’t take up storage space, and don’t require individual updates. They do, however, require fast and stable network speeds, which makes them difficult to fully enjoy when connected to 4G networks. But with its 5G network support, the Galaxy S10 5G will allow users to experience graphics-intensive cloud-based games in all their glory.

The launches of 5G networks will also lead to more utilization of AR services. The Galaxy S10 5G’s innovative 3D Depth Camera works by measuring the length of time it takes for an infrared light signal to bounce off subjects, and uses that data to enhance AR services, generate Live Focus bokeh effects when shooting videos, and measure objects’ size – as well as the distance between them – with Quick Measure.

“The Galaxy S10 5G’s 3D Depth Camera will help bring about a variety of useful services,” said Kang. “All of these innovations are the results of careful consideration of how to deliver more value – and new multimedia experiences – to 5G smartphone users.”

Optimized Inside and Out

The Galaxy S10 5G was designed for consumers who want it all, and optimized to take full advantage of the incredible speed, power and connectivity that comes with 5G networks.

To maximize users’ immersion when viewing high-quality HD video and other digital 5G content, Samsung equipped the device with a 6.7-inch, edge-to-edge display – the largest in the Galaxy S10 line. To enable users to spend more time streaming, playing and doing, and less time charging, Samsung incorporated a high-capacity 4,500mAh battery, as well as support for Super Fast Charging of 25W.

When the time came to decide upon an optimal storage setup, Samsung focused on usability, carefully considering how smartphone users will utilize their devices in the 5G era. This ultimately led to the decision to equip the Galaxy S10 5G with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of baseline storage – the largest baseline storage in the Galaxy S10 line.

The Galaxy S10 5G has a futuristic feel to it, which, as Kang pointed out, extends to the design and color of the device. When refining the design, he explained, “We tried to create the impression that using a 5G smartphone is like using the smartphone of the future.”

Some of these enhancements included making the side metal frame thinner than on the other Galaxy S10 models, which makes the Galaxy S10 5G more comfortable to hold, and offering the phone in its own unique range of colors¹: Crown Silver, Majestic Black and Royal Gold. The Crown Silver model features a prismatic color treatment, which means that its color changes depending on the angle of the light.

Driving 5G Innovation

As Kang explained, developing the first smartphone optimized for 5G wasn’t easy. Because 5G phones had never been developed before, the process required venturing into unknown territory.

“Since it was the first time, we needed to overcome a number of technological barriers,” said Kang. “We also faced difficulties developing new hardware and software.”

To overcome those barriers, the company drew from its long history of developing industry-leading mobile innovations.

“Although it was our first time developing a 5G device, we have a wealth of experience when it comes to developing technologies for new telecommunications standards,” said Kang. “The know-how we accumulated during the shifts from 2G to 3G and from 3G to 4G enabled us to gather valuable insights into the market for 5G devices and their users.”

When it came to testing and refining the device, the development team leaned on their company’s leadership in 5G network solutions. As Kang explained, “Samsung has already developed a wide array of end-to-end solutions for 5G services – ranging from network equipment to processors, memory semiconductors and handsets – which made testing easier.”

According to Kang, Samsung’s ultimate goal for these solutions, and for the Galaxy S10 5G, is to “create a world where anyone can enjoy 5G,” and create an environment in which cloud, AR, VR and ultra-high definition video services can truly flourish. “We will continue to provide new experiences that deliver the promise of the 5G era by working with our partners and strengthening our leadership in this area,” said Kang.

The Galaxy S10 5G’s Korean release is just the beginning. Soon, Samsung’s groundbreaking 5G phone will be released in markets around the world to help usher in the 5G era.

¹ May differ by region and carrier

Streaming media consumption continues to grow, enticing new users to the internet and providing everyone with more ways to engage with online media services and content. New technologies from virtual reality and 360-degree video to online gaming and entertainment all have the potential to offer users richer 4K and beyond images with a wider range of colors at faster speeds. AOMedia’s AV1 tackles the challenging technical hurdles to enable this growth – while using compression to reduce data demands. By joining AOMedia at the highest level, Samsung will directly participate in expanding adoption of AV1 to help bring better media experiences to customers and their devices around the world.

“Samsung is a recognized pioneer in next-generation multimedia and video compression technology and an active contributor to the international video coding standards. We are committed to fostering innovation through openness,” said Seunghwan Cho, Executive Vice President of Samsung Research, the advanced R&D hub of the company’s SET business (end products). “We’re excited to join AOMedia to help open up new possibilities to use AV1 open-source, cross-platform, online video in ways that will optimize today’s ecosystem to meet the increasing demands of next-generation users.”

As an AOMedia member, Samsung joins the ranks of fellow board members Amazon, ARM, Cisco, Facebook, Google, IBM, Intel, Microsoft, Mozilla, Netflix, NVIDIA and others.

“We’re tremendously excited to welcome Samsung to the Alliance for Open Media. Samsung is joining AOMedia at a critical time as adoption and use of AV1 picks up throughout the video ecosystem,” said AOMedia Vice President of Communications and Membership, and Director at Google. “We look forward to collaborating with Samsung to accelerate development and adoption of AV1 and future media technologies.”

Created at the outset for hardware optimization, the AV1 specification, reference code, and bindings are available for tool makers and developers to design into products at https://aomedia.org/av1-features/get-started/.

For the third and final in the Online Docent series, Samsung invites you to tour the very latest in mobile technology, straight from the CityCube Berlin exhibition center. Read on for a virtual guide of the Mobile zone, where the Galaxy Note9 is on full display along with the Galaxy Watch, Galaxy Tab S4 and other latest Samsung mobile devices in a variety of exciting and hands-on experiential booths.

Galaxy Note9 – The New Super Powerful Note

The Mobile zone tour begins with booths presenting a full overview of the latest in the Galaxy Note series, demonstrating its enhancements designed to provide users with “the highest perfection.” The Galaxy Note9 has been designed to offer the speed, power and performance that today’s users want and need. Users can spend all day with their phone in hand without having to worry about battery life, thanks to the Galaxy Note9’s 4,000mAh battery¹. The Galaxy Note9 also offers users more space to complete tasks efficiently and effectively, with 128GB/512GB of internal storage². Furthermore, a slimmer cut and symmetrical curves accompanied by its 6.4-inch display, the Galaxy Note9 matched with AKG built-in stereo speakers provides the most immersive experience yet.

Since its launch along with the original Galaxy Note in 2011, the S Pen has provided innovative ways and exciting to users to communicate and streamline their Note experience. For its latest iteration, Samsung understood that users needed their S Pen to be able to do more than personalize their writing, drawing or ‘Screen-off’ memo drafting needs; and so, the S Pen now comes with an integrated Bluetooth Low-Energy module so that users can remotely control their device from a distance. The remote-control aspect allows users to take selfies remotely at the click of a button. Users can also use it as a convenient clicker with Samsung DeX, for remote, seamless presentation slide control.

Next up on the tour, the Camera Experience booths are demonstrating to visitors how the advanced camera in the Galaxy Note9 can help them take their best photos yet – effortlessly. Brand new intelligent functions, Scene Optimizer and Flaw Detection, do the work for you in capturing the perfect picture. The Galaxy Note9’s camera also features support for Samsung’s recently introduced Super Slow-mo function and AR Emojis that are more expressive than ever, so that you’ll never run out of fun ways to communicate with friends.

Galaxy Watch – Heritage Design, Lifestyle Function

The Galaxy Note9’s wider ecosystem, powered by SmartThings, allows users centralized, easy control of their Samsung devices. The improved Galaxy Watch maintains its classic real watch design, but now comes with maximized battery life⁴ and LTE connectivity to allow integration across your devices, even when away from your Galaxy smartphone. The Galaxy Watch is the perfect lifestyle tool, introducing innovative tools to track your stress levels and sleep cycles⁵, providing an informative morning/evening debrief, and the ‘My Day’ watch face allows you quick access to the next 10 hours of your schedule.

At the Galaxy Watch Experience booth, users are learning how the Galaxy Watch has also become the ultimate fitness tool. Swim-ready with 5ATM support⁶, it has 39 exercise types for you to choose from and the device can detect the 6 most common exercise types automatically. Available in two sizes, the Galaxy Watch is the perfect complement to your daily activities, whatever your lifestyle type. And with a wide variety of straps to choose from, including the 25 especially stylish options from Samsung and Braloba that are currently on display in Samsung’s booth, it’s easy to customize your Galaxy Watch with a look that suits your style.

Collaboration Galaxy and Art

In the center of the Mobile zone, this year’s IFA presentation features Samsung’s latest creative collaboration with British pop artist Sam Cox, more commonly known as Mr. Doodle. The Mr. Doodle Façade Wall serves as a centerpiece, showcasing the full immersive quality of the bezel-less Galaxy Note9 screen as phones come together to display Mr. Doodle’s quirky and imaginative style in impressive ‘infinity’ style.

Full VR Immersion

VR gaming has never been so exciting. At the 4D Experience booth, visitors can take part in an interactive 4D racing game with a car simulator. Also at the Galaxy Shoot-out VR, pairs of guests wearing Galaxy Note9-equipped Gear VRs, gloves and foot sensors can battle it out in a one-on-one soccer penalty shoot-out. Enthusiastic participants can even check the scoreboard afterwards to see how they ranked.

Thank you for following the IFA 2018 Online Docent series, presented to you live from IFA in Berlin. Stay tuned to the Newsroom for further information on the very latest Samsung products designed to help you do what you can’t.

¹Estimated against the usage profile of an average/typical user. Independently assessed by Strategy Analytics between 11-24 July 2018 in Santa Monica, CA, U.S. and Milton Keynes, U.K. with pre-release versions of SM-N960 (128GB). Actual battery life may vary.

²512GB internal memory as standard. 512GB models available in select countries. Up to 512GB additional storage with external SD card (sold separately).

³The Dual Aperture supports F1.5 mode and F2.4 mode. Dual Aperture is installed on the rear wide-camera.

⁴Battery life varies by device and usage: Galaxy Watch 46mm (80+ hours with typical usage; up to 168 hours with low usage) and Galaxy Watch 42mm (45+ hours with typical usage; up to 120 hours with low usage). The actual time of battery life may vary depending on the network connection, component, setting, signal strength, noise and many other elements.

⁵Measured value is not appropriate for medical use.

⁶Galaxy Watch has an ISO 22810:2010 certification for wristwatches for 5 ATM rating of 50 meters (165 feet) under defined conditions of pressure, time, velocity and temperature. 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 or the ocean. However, Galaxy Watch should not be used for scuba diving, water skiing, or other activities involving sudden temperature changes, high-velocity water activities or submersion below shallow depth. Rinse in fresh water and dry after use in sea water.

President Youngky Kim of Networks Business at Samsung Electronics estimates that monthly wireless internet usage will soar to 100GB in the 5G era from the current usage of 10 GB at most in the 4G environment. In other words, users will be able to enjoy wireless internet services including 4K and 8K UHD videos, virtual reality (VR), holograms, and autonomous vehicles to their satisfaction.

Using the 5G technologies that have been developed over the last seven years, President Kim has been committed to deploying 5G networks in many parts of the world. He said, “We will focus on the U.S. where 5G services will launch this year, as well as Korea and Japan – the leaders of 5G commercialization. It is our goal to become one of the top three global network equipment suppliers within the next five years.”

President Kim sat with Samsung Newsroom on 27^th February at MWC held in Barcelona, Spain. The Q&A outlines the types of benefits consumers will be able to enjoy in the 5G era, and Samsung’s competitive edge and business strategies.

Q. How do you think the 5G will make a difference in our lives?

Kim: “4G brought us mobile connectivity so that we can use our smartphones anytime and anywhere. 5G will extend wireless connectivity to cities and factories as a whole. Internet of Things (IoT) will become a part of our lives, and consumers’ monthly wireless internet usage will skyrocket to 100GB. Furthermore, hologram video calls, augmented reality (AR)-based GPS, and autonomous vehicles will be more widely available.”

Q. Almost every participating enterprise at MWC 2018 talks about 5G. What differentiates Samsung from the rest?

Kim: “The telecommunications business is no longer just about expanding network coverage and enhancing performance. Going beyond simple connectivity, we aim to implement an automated and intelligent network that focuses on our consumers. The main task is to develop new services that are virtually latency-free. Samsung will demonstrate its unique competencies to bring 5G services to life, based on the company’s businesses and experiences in networks, mobile devices, TVs, home appliances, semi-conductors, and electronics parts as well as IoT platform.”

Q. For the first time in the world, the 5G network will be commercialized in the U.S. When do you think it will be distributed on a major scale?

Kim: “Countries like the U.S, Korea, Japan are on the verge of jumping into 5G commercialization. Samsung will accelerate the commercialization of 5G by working actively with service providers in 5G adoption-advanced countries. To deliver 5G services seamlessly, “killer applications” must be provided along with the network and user devices.”

Q. Samsung collaborates with Verizon for the commercialization of 5G in the U.S. What meaning does this partnership hold?

Kim: “The U.S. is an early-adopter and has a very large market, of which Verizon is the No.1 operator. In this respect, the partnership is recognition of our technological competencies. The 5G network employs the millimeter wave spectrum, which is a distinctive frequency bandwidth yet to be used for communications. It is therefore crucial that it successfully works out in an in an everyday setting. We believe that coming in first place to let users experience commercial services based on the millimeter wave spectrum will bolster our presence in the 5G market.”

Q. What is Samsung’s strategy to become one of the top three network equipment suppliers?

Kim: “Technological competency is our competitive edge. Samsung has been dedicated to validating 5G technologies and applying the requirements of global standards. Furthermore, we have been committed to developing and demonstrating “world first” technologies over the last seven years. To achieve success in our 5G business, our viewpoints on technologies, products and strategies must stay focused on consumers. I am positive that Samsung has every potential to grow into a top-tier enterprise with our consumer-centric products, services and infrastructure in the global 5G market.”

The Samsung Olympic Showcase is specifically designed to help athletes and fans embrace the excitement of the Olympic Winter Games, enabling them to create, capture and share their own experiences while celebrating the Olympic Spirit.

Members of the South Korea Men’s National Ice Hockey team, Bryan Young, Mike Testwuide, Michael Swift, Matt Dalton, and Brock Radunske visit the Samsung Olympic Showcase in Gangneung Olympic Park in South Korea during the Olympic Winter Games PyeongChang 2018.

Team members from the South Korea Men’s National Ice Hockey team show off their skills with winter sports skills by participating in the Galaxy Fitness Alpine Skiing at the Samsung Olympic Showcase in Gangneung Olympic Park in South Korea.

Matt Dalton from the South Korea Men’s National Ice Hockey team feels the exhilaration of gliding down snowy mountains and precipitous cliffs through the Snowboarding VR experience at the Samsung Olympic Showcase in Gangneung Olympic Park in South Korea. The film is displayed through the Samsung Galaxy smartphone and compatible Gear VR.

Inside the Infinity Room at Samsung Olympic Showcase in Gangneung Olympic Park, Matt Dalton, Michael Swift, and Mike Testwuide from the South Korea Men’s National Ice Hockey team experience kaleidoscope like wondrous views controlled by PyeongChang 2018 Olympic Games Limited Edition.

Inside the Infinity Room at Samsung Olympic Showcase in Gangneung Olympic Park, Matt Dalton and Mike Testwuide from the South Korea Men’s National Ice Hockey team are all smiles at the kaleidoscope like wondrous views controlled by PyeongChang 2018 Olympic Games Limited Edition.

Snowboarder from Italy, Omar Visintin experiences simulated Olympic Snowboarding through 4D motion virtual reality at the Samsung Olympic Showcase in Gangneung Olympic Park in South Korea. The film is displayed through the Samsung Galaxy smartphone and compatible Gear VR.

Six-time Olympian from India, Shiva Keshavan poses for a photo with his PyeongChang 2018 Olympic Games Limited Edition at Samsung Olympic Showcase in Gangneung Olympic Park in South Korea. In collaboration with the International Olympic Committee (IOC), Samsung presented over 4,000 devices to all Olympians, allowing them to capture and share through Samsung mobile technology to enhance their Games-Times experiences.

A true example of “Do What You Can’t,” six-time Olympian from India, Shiva Keshavan stops to hold the Olympic torch as he learns about Samsung’s 20-year heritage as a Worldwide Partner in the Wireless Communications Equipment category while visiting the Samsung Olympic Showcase in Gangneung Olympic Park in South Korea during the Olympic Winter Games PyeongChang 2018.

Fusing rich visuals with crisp acoustics, the Samsung HMD Odyssey offers an experience that draws you in deeper to the world of mixed reality, a blend of virtual reality and augmented reality.

HMD Odyssey is a head-mounted display, developed to explore the world of Windows Mixed Reality. The headset was designed in partnership with Microsoft, creating a device that seeks to reimagine the realms of virtual reality through its high-resolution dual displays, AKG headphones, built-in microphone and intuitive installation.

Read on for our hands-on, first impressions look at the new mixed reality headset.

Out of the Box, Into the Game

Set-up is truly intuitive. As well as being ready to play right out of the box, the Samsung HMD Odyssey’s ergonomic design also allowed me to adjust the device to my satisfaction in moments.

The HMD Odyssey does not require any external motion sensors, thanks to its Inside-Out Position Tracking, which frees you from the confines of a single environment and allows you to plug and play, anywhere. Just connect the device to a compatible PC^* wherever you are and get ready to explore a virtual world.

To set up the HMD Odyssey, I first connected my device to a compatible PC. Next, I was instructed to point the headset towards my PC monitor, and draw the shape of the room, while keeping the headset facing the monitor. This allowed the device to map the physical space around me, and any obstacles, such as furniture and walls, in the physical world became “walls” in the virtual world, to prevent me from bumping into anything.

Everyone’s body is different, and the HMD Odyssey is designed for an optimal fit for everybody. For example, the hard type headband, with its cushioned Forehead Pad, is easily adjustable and ensures an even weight balance for hours of comfortable play. The headband can be tightened to sit snugly on the head, even while wearing glasses, and blocks out any surrounding light. A nice addition is the physical volume buttons, which mean that you can control sound levels with just one press, rather than scrolling through in-game controls. What is more, the Inter Pupillary Distance (IPD) Control Wheel, positioned under the goggles, adjusts the distance between the left and right dual displays, allowing you to find the perfect fit for your eyes.

See More, Experience More

At the heart of the full visual immersion is superior picture quality. The world may have been virtual, but the sharp, crystal clear images that surrounded me made it feel completely real.

The Samsung HMD Odyssey’s dual 3.5-inch AMOLED displays are finely tuned for the mixed reality experience, offering remarkable image definition.

At the same time as delivering more vibrant colors, deeper blacks and sharper contrast, the HMD Odyssey also renders motions more smoothly. The larger screen size and 1440×1600 high-resolution picture quality per each display on the left and right, provide a fluid and lifelike virtual experience, with fast focusing and a clear and stable experience overall.

The HMD Odyssey’s 110-degree Field of View alters the boundaries of the mixed reality world. The scope is greater than that of other devices and closer to the average person’s 120-degree real world field of view, allowing you to explore and move through worlds without viewing distortion, for heightened realism.

Achieving True Immersion

Incorporating the sense of sound through its built-in headphones and mic, the HMD Odyssey adds another crucial dimension to the mixed reality experience.

I was pulled further into the world by the device’s 360° Spatial Sound. By simulating 3D sound using direction, distance and environment, 360° Spatial Sound allowed me to pinpoint the source of noise in the virtual realm. The whole effect encourages you to use your hearing as you would in the real world, listening through built-in AKG headsets which produce clear, world-class acoustic and bass.

Whether working together as a team to clear missions and battle enemies, or simply chatting to other players, it is well known that building bonds a key part of the gamer’s experience. I found these bonds are even tighter with the HMD Odyssey’s fitted array mic, which allows players to communicate with each other mid-game, without ever having to remove the headset.

To help me navigate Windows Mixed Reality, the HMD Odyssey came equipped with two 6 Degrees of Freedom (6DOF) motion controllers that tracked movements inside the mixed reality world. A tutorial guided me through using these tools when I first connected my device to a PC, in which I learnt how to maneuver through the world, performing actions like “teleport” to rapidly shift from one place to another.

I soon discovered that 6DOF goes beyond the three axes of regular VR controllers: I had the freedom to move not only straight – forward and back, up and down, left and right – but also in the rounded and rolling motions: yaw, pitch and roll. The HMD Odyssey headset also supports 6DOF, so that your head as well as your arms can control motion in the game.

Diving Into Windows Mixed Reality

The first place you will visit in your Windows Mixed Reality journey, and whenever you use the headset, is the Mixed Reality Portal. The portal appears in the virtual world as Cliff House, a spacious villa with an ocean view, that I could explore and customize to access all my Windows apps.

A wide range of apps and games can be downloaded from the Microsoft store, ready to make you feel totally immersed. There is also support for Steam VR, which has over 2,000 VR games in its catalogue^**.

My first game was the music-themed Rock&Rails, an exhilarating thrill-ride. I struggled not to flinch or recoil as I flew through the sky, fighting off enemies by shooting from my guitar. Rock&Rails is available from the Microsoft store with purchase of the Samsung HMD Odyssey headset, so you can get into the game as soon as you unbox your device^***.

With a set-up that is effortless, striking 1440×1600 resolution dual AMOLED displays, built-in AKG headphones and support for a wide range of games and media. Samsung’s HMD Odyssey provides all that you need to experience the exciting new realm of mixed reality.

^*Windows Mixed Reality requires a compatible Windows 10 PC and the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update. Compatibility may be checked using the Windows Mixed Reality PC Check tool available on the Microsoft Store.

^**Title availability is subject to change.

^***Bundle availability may change with location and date.

Throughout the Olympic Winter Games, a total of nine Samsung Olympic Showcases, featuring a mix of cultural, technological and immersive fan experiences, will be in PyeongChang and Gangneung, including Olympic Parks and the Olympic Villages, the Main Press Center, and four at the Incheon International Airport. Samsung Olympic Showcases @ PyeongChang Olympic Plaza and @ Gangneung Olympic Park opening on February 9^th will provide visitors with engaging experiences incorporating Samsung’s legacy of breakthrough innovation and interactive activities powered by Samsung technology.

Athletes and fans will first experience the Samsung brand history and heritage in engineering, design, and craftsmanship, and then the partnership history with the Olympic Games. Then through interactive experiences, visitors will be able to feel the exhilaration and escape into real-world thrills in winter sports through VR including snowboarding and skeleton, as well as participate in alpine and cross-country skiing contests that will challenge fans’ fitness capacity. For the first time, visitors will be able to experience the ‘Mission to Space VR: A Moon for All Mankind’ created by Samsung. Visitors will experience a full space mission including mission briefing, trying on the training suits and helmets, and the truly immersive experience in the Moon rig where they will feel lunar gravity with every step.

“For two decades as a Worldwide Olympic Partner, Samsung has connected fans, visitors and athletes from around the world with our latest technological innovations, which have now evolved to also include immersive experiences,” said Younghee Lee, CMO and Executive Vice President, Samsung Electronics. “We’re delighted to share Samsung’s latest mobile technologies and products so fans and athletes can enjoy new, unique experiences while at the Olympic Winter Games.”

“Over the course of our longstanding partnership, Samsung has brought new experiences and technology advancements to each Olympic Games,” said IOC President Thomas Bach. “Samsung helps to make each and every one an exciting and meaningful experience for all.”

Visitors will experience and engage with Samsung’s products and Galaxy brand through a variety of activities through a comfortable, interactive environment, including:

• Immersive VR Experiences: Unique VR experiences powered by the Galaxy Note8 will allow fans to escape into exhilarating moments on the fresh mountain slopes in snowboarding and skeleton as well as escape to space in Mission to Space VR: A Moon for All Mankind’ – available to consumers to experience for the first time. Other experiences include simulated skiing adventures.

• Playful Experiences: Promoting the playful side of technology, Portrait Pool allows visitors to turn their “selfies” into painted characters for social sharing, S Pen Gallery to create own portraits with Galaxy Note8 and S pen as a paint brush, Infinity Moment to create user generated content with the Galaxy Note8.

• Kids Lounge: A dedicated kids lounge in a hands-on zone, where kids can play, learn and explore Samsung products and expand their creativity through hands-on experience.

• Smart Home (IoT): Multi Device and futuristic demos powered by mobile technology that showcase the IoT, helping visitors to imagine the future lifestyle.

• Unbox Samsung: The journey of ‘Unbox Samsung’ where visitors can experience the Living History of Samsung since 1988 when the first mobile phone was launched.

• Purchase and Customer Service: Visitors will also be able receive customer service and make purchases of the mobile products and its accessories.

• Interact & Relax: Within lounges and in the Cultural Community where various lifestyle programs will take place as well as in the Café where food and beverages will be available for purchase using Buddy Points acquired during the interactive experiences.

• Special Events: A series of events will take place at the Samsung Olympic Showcase to enhance the Olympic Winter Games experience including athlete visits and celebrating holiday moments.