On September 30, Samsung Electronics was awarded the 2019 ‘Best Wi-Fi Innovation Award’ by the Wireless Broadband Alliance (WBA). The honor was bestowed upon Samsung’s Galaxy S10 for its Intelligent Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi 6 innovations, making it the first smartphone to ever receive the award.

The Galaxy S10’s Intelligent Wi-Fi utilizes machine learning to ensure that users’ Wi-Fi connections are both smart and safe. The innovation enables the device to recognize when a user has entered a space where Wi-Fi connections are likely to be unstable, and automatically switch to LTE connectivity to avoid network interruption. What’s more, Intelligent Wi-Fi allows the device to more quickly detect weaker Wi-Fi signals in places like elevators, allowing it to transition from Wi-Fi to LTE connectivity much more quickly. Upon connecting to a new network, the function even allows the device to analyze traffic patterns and notify users if the network is suspicious, thus protecting them from dangers such as phishing and malware attacks.

The Galaxy S10’s Wi-Fi 6 capability provides smartphone support for next generation technology, boosting download and upload speeds by up to 20 percent compared to previous generations of Wi-Fi. When users are in crowded areas where Wi-Fi signals would usually be slow and unstable, Wi-Fi 6 allows for network connections that are about four times faster than those experienced by users of older Wi-Fi generations connecting in the same location. And surprisingly, this added speed and reliability actually uses less battery power, not more, allowing users to conserve power for when they need it.

The WBA Industry Awards have been honoring remarkable developments in Wi-Fi ecosystems globally for the past seven years. The awards acknowledge exceptional innovations in wireless networks, smart cities and remote wireless deployments in the interests of recognizing and encouraging excellence and promoting successful practices. Each shortlisted nomination is featured in a WBA Case Study so that the innovation may be shared with the wider industry.

The ‘Best Wi-Fi Innovations’ category acknowledges network operators and technology companies whose solutions are post-deployment, and “recognizes and celebrates innovations and deployments with Wi-Fi, which enable seamless and secure support, greater interoperability and/or transformational benefits to customers.”

Speaking about the recent awards win, Jong-Mu Choi, Head of Convergence R&D Group at Samsung Electronics said, “Samsung is proud that its Wi-Fi innovations have been recognized in such a way. The company will keep working to enable its devices to make use of these new Wi-Fi capabilities, so that the improved usability therein reaches consumers as quickly as possible.  One example of this is the Galaxy Note10’s recent accreditation as Wi-Fi CERTIFIED 6, which saw it join the Galaxy S10 as one of Samsung’s certified Wi-Fi 6-capable devices. Going forward, Samsung looks forward to utilizing faster, smarter Wi-Fi connections as the foundation that will allow it to continue bringing added convenience to users.”

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. today announced that the Galaxy Note10 has been named by Wi-Fi Alliance as the first smartphone to be certified for a new standard in connected technology, Wi-Fi 6.

“As a pioneer in new mobile experiences Samsung is proud to be announced as one of the first companies to hold the Wi-Fi CERTIFIED 6^TM accreditation,” said Inkang Song, Vice President and Head of Technology Strategy Group of IT & Mobile Communications Division at Samsung Electronics. “The Galaxy Note10 is one of our flagship devices and the first smartphone classified Wi-Fi CERTIFIED 6^TM. Along with the Galaxy S10 we’re thrilled to bring Wi-Fi 6 to our loyal customers.”

Wi-Fi 6 enabling new mobile experiences

Wi-Fi is a critical piece of infrastructure required to enable the proper function of a growing number of both consumer and commercial devices. From televisions and appliances to security and communication systems, the expectations for everything, and everyone, to be connected is growing. Wi-Fi Alliance has led the development of industry agreed standards for devices for many years. With the launch of Wi-Fi 6 this year, a new certification has been launched to ensure that the highest possible standards are continuously met.

Wi-Fi 6 technology is building on the performance of previous Wi-Fi generations and is the latest technology to be launched from the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE). Wi-Fi 6 will operate in the 2.4 and 5 GHz bands, offer greater capacity than previous generations and double the number of spatial streams. Devices certified by Wi-Fi Alliance, classed as “Wi-Fi CERTIFIED 6^TM”, will deliver new capabilities for people in a range of situations.

• Wi-Fi 6 will allow family homes to better stream high-definition entertainment, simultaneously manage the connected home and efficiently support multiple devices.
• Outside, Wi-Fi 6 will improve connectivity in high population areas and provide a more consistent service as people move around towns and cities.
• In the enterprise, this new technology will enable greater automation and more advanced capabilities in healthcare monitoring and e-learning as well as continuing to handle large numbers of users and high volumes of data.

Samsung mobile devices with Wi-Fi CERTIFIED 6^TM will bring more reliable performance even in challenging environments[1]. This is achieved through a number of the key features of Wi-Fi 6 technology. For example:

• Uplink and downlink Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDMA) increases efficiency and lowers latency for high demand environments. This enables the Samsung Note10 to have stable connectivity in environments with many connected devices.
• Target-Wakeup Time (TWT) improves power efficiency in Wi-Fi CERTIFIED 6 ^TM devices, including the Galaxy Note10. Because the TWT schedules transmission time between the Galaxy Note10 and the access point, it allows the Galaxy Note10 to manage its power efficiently until the predetermined wake-up time.
• Multi-User Multiple-Input, Multiple-Output (MU-MIMO) allowsmore data to be transferred at one time, enabling access points to handle larger numbers of devices simultaneously when the Galaxy Note10 is connected to Wi-Fi 6.

As a result of close collaboration with Wi-Fi Alliance, Galaxy Note10 and Galaxy S10 have offered Wi-Fi 6 connectivity from the launch. It gives users faster and seamless Wi-Fi connection in crowded areas, and powers high-quality video calls as well as high-definition streaming without slowing down.

[1] https://www.wi-fi.org/discover-wi-fi/wi-fi-certified-6

Brand new power-sharing capabilities, AI-powered performance enhancement, and Intelligent Wi-Fi support make Samsung Electronics’ newest flagships its smartest devices yet. Let’s examine some of the ways that these exciting innovations will change how users connect, charge and power through their day.

Sharing Is Caring

Samsung’s Galaxy S10 offerings are not only incredibly powerful in and of themselves. They also come packed with cutting-edge technologies that add a whole new dimension to powering other mobile devices.

The smartphones’ built-in charging pad and new Wireless PowerShare technology allow users to use their phone to easily recharge compatible Qi-certified smartphones, and even wearables.¹ This means that if your Galaxy Buds or Galaxy Watch Active are running low on power, you can top off their charge with your Galaxy S10. There’s no need for additional plugs or cables when sharing battery power, which makes the function perfect for urgent situations when you just can’t find an outlet.

The Galaxy S10 also allows you to charge your phone and another compatible device simultaneously using a single wired charger. This is especially handy when traveling, as it allows users to leave more cords and chargers at home.

The smartphones’ support for Fast Wireless Charging 2.0 enables them to charge up to 33 percent² faster than the Galaxy S9 when using Samsung’s new Wireless Charging Duo Pad, which also features a Turbo Cooling Fan that reduces heat for faster, safer charging. The Galaxy S10’s support for this technology allows it to spend less time on charging docks and more time in your hands, ready to streamline your day.

Personalized Performance

Because each of us utilizes our smartphone differently, the Galaxy S10 features advanced, AI-powered software that optimizes performance based on users’ unique usage patterns.

The smartphones’ Intelligent Performance Enhancer automatically adjusts settings for the battery, CPU, RAM, and even the temperature of your device to ensure stable, snappy performance. So frequently used apps launch faster, games run smoother, and your phone works harder when you need it the most. And because the technology constantly learns and adjusts based on your personal habits, it becomes more tailored and useful the more you use your phone.

The devices also feature an Adaptive Power Saving mode, which optimizes battery performance based on app use. This innovative technology categorizes apps into five groups based on how often they’re used, and regulates power usage to help you get the most out of your phone’s battery.

Support for Smarter Wi-Fi

The Galaxy S10 also introduces a dynamic duo of technologies designed to bring an end to the days of spotty Wi-Fi connections.

The first, Intelligent Wi-Fi, allows the devices to seamlessly switch between Wi-Fi and LTE networks in order to foster safe and uninterrupted connections. It uses machine learning to recognize when you’re in an enclosed location where the Wi-Fi might be unreliable, such as an elevator, and it can tell when you’re on the move, like when you’re in a car or walking down the street. As soon as your Galaxy S10 registers changes like these, it will quickly and seamlessly switch to an LTE network connection, so you don’t miss a beat. In fact, it switches from Wi-Fi to data more than twice as fast as before.

Intelligent Wi-Fi can also help users steer clear of Wi-Fi networks that may put them at risk for phishing and malware attacks. The technology protects your phone against potentially malicious IP connections in advance, and will warn you before you’re able to connect. Should your phone encounter a risky Wi-Fi connection, it will alert you with a pop-up asking whether you’d still like to connect.

The Galaxy S10 devices are also the first phones to boast support for the next generation of Wi-Fi technology: Wi-Fi 6.³ Up to 20 percent faster than the previous Wi-Fi standard, Wi-Fi 6 takes downloading and uploading content to the next level. The smartphones’ support for the technology opens the door for much faster downloads – enabling users to download multi-gigabit movie files in mere seconds.

In crowded areas, such as airports and concert venues, Wi-Fi 6 allows users to enjoy four times faster network connections than other users in the same location. And perhaps best of all, because it consumes less battery than other Wi-Fi standards, it enables your phone to save power for when you need it most.

The Power to Do More

We’ve only just scratched the surface of the Galaxy S10’s performance upgrades – and there’s plenty to be excited about.

In addition to allowing users to seamlessly switch between Wi-Fi and LTE connections, the Galaxy S10 offers the fastest LTE speeds available. The devices are the first in the world to support download speeds of up to 2.0Gbps – an improvement of 0.8Gbps when compared to the Galaxy S9 – which means users can stream and connect faster than ever before. And speaking of speed, the Galaxy S10 5G, Samsung’s first 5G smartphone, is primed to take connection speeds to bold new levels by opening the door for users to experience network speeds up to roughly 20 times faster than 4G.

The devices also feature a next-generation 7/8 nm application processor (AP)⁴ that significantly upgrades CPU and GPU performance – by 29 percent and 37 percent, respectively – when compared to the Galaxy S9. The Galaxy S10+ is also available with 12GB of RAM⁵ – a first for the Galaxy series – which enables users to experience truly flawless multitasking.

Lastly, the Galaxy S10 line introduces the highest storage capacity ever available on a Galaxy device. The Galaxy S10+ is available with a whopping 1TB⁶ of built-in storage, and offers users the ability to add an additional 512GB of memory via microSD card,⁷ for a total of 1.5TB of storage space! That’s enough memory for approximately 768 movies, and enough space to put the days of deleting photos, videos and apps to make room for more behind you.

¹ Compatible with Galaxy Buds (2019), Galaxy Watch Active, Galaxy Watch (46mm/42mm), Gear Sport and Gear S3.

² Based on results from Samsung lab tests. Based on the difference in wireless charging speed of Galaxy S9 and S10+. Only available with Wireless Charger Duo Pad. Sold separately. Charging speed may vary depending on actual usage.

³ Availability may vary by country and carrier.

⁴ Processor version may vary by country.

⁵ Available only for the Galaxy S10+’s Ceramic versions.

⁶ Available only for the Galaxy S10+’s Ceramic versions.

⁷ Sold separately.