Samsung Electronics announced an update to its global smart home platform SmartThings to provide improved experiences that help users better care for their families and themselves in everyday life. With the latest update, SmartThings has strengthened its Family Care service so users can better support parents they live apart from. It also integrates additional key SmartThings features into Now Brief, the personalised briefing service available on Galaxy mobile devices, to further enhance the convenience and comfort of the customer’s daily life.

“Samsung’s AI technology goes beyond everyday convenience to help users care for themselves and their families with greater peace of mind,” said Jaeyeon Jung, Executive Vice President and Head of the SmartThings Team, AI Platform Centre, Samsung Electronics. “SmartThings will continue to strengthen its role as a platform that seamlessly connects customers’ daily lives with AI, and it will keep expanding differentiated services on an ongoing basis.”

Enhanced Family Care Makes It Easier to Check-In on Loved Ones

Family Care connects SmartThings with a range of home appliances and mobile devices to provide notifications regarding the activities of users’ aging parents and reminders for medication and hospital visits — as well as location-based alerts. With this update, the service enables even more thoughtful care.

Additionally, Samsung’s new Care on Call^[1] feature allows users to more closely check on the status of the care recipient through a simple phone call. When a caregiver using the service calls the care recipient, a floating pop-up that displays key information like the time of the first activity of the day, the most recent activity time and the local weather — all at a glance — appears before the call begins. This helps caregivers ask more meaningful check-in questions and respond accordingly.

SmartThings can also continuously monitor devices like air conditioners, air purifiers, dehumidifiers and humidifiers for indoor temperature, humidity and air quality. If unusual usage patterns are detected, the caregiver is immediately notified and can remotely control the relevant device.^[2]

To further enhance the level of care provided to loved ones, the Care Insight feature been enhanced to provide even more actionable, long-term data within the Family Care service. It analyses factors like temperature and humidity levels, paying attention to whether they deviate from optimal ranges. It also tracks significant changes in activity levels and connected device usage compared to the previous week.

_{^[1] Care on Call is available on Galaxy smartphones running One UI 8.5 or later. Internet calls are not supported.}

_{^[2] Remote control is available when the caregiver has been set up to remotely control the care recipient’s devices.}

Founded in 1953 as Die Gute Industrieform e.V., the iF Design Awards evaluates a comprehensive range of factors, including differentiation and impact, across a total of nine disciplines: Product Design, Packaging Design, Communication Design, Interior Architecture, Professional Concept, Service Design, Architecture, User Experience (UX) and User Interface (UI).

“Today, design goes far beyond products or user interfaces. It shapes meaningful experiences that resonate with People.” said Mauro Porcini, President and Chief Design Officer of Device eXperience (DX) Division at Samsung Electronics, “Human-centred design will remain at the heart of our efforts -deepening immersion and advancing responsible innovation.”

Two Gold Awards Recognise Designs That Enriches People’s Lives

Music Studio 5, at first glance is a classic rectangular speaker, but a closer look reveals its unique details such as the finely perforated grille that conceals the high performing audio units. Dynamic front lighting helps the user easily identify key functions and the time-less design integrates seamlessly into any space while capturing the elegance of an objet d’art. Yet the shape is novel and pure, signalling an expressive presence in the room. Music Studio 5 is also prepared to connect to a Samsung TV through the novel Q-Symphony wireless interface resulting in a true cinema-like experience at home.

Advanced Design Concepts for Appliance Accessories – named as ‘Samsung Home Appliances Accessories’ designated three colours for accessories – such as filters for vacuum cleaner and air purifiers – depending on their maintenance requirements and disposal methods. Through this design improvement, users can more easily recognise the needs of their accessories, especially if they have changed or been updated.

77 Awards Ranging from TVs to Home Appliances to Smartphones

Other products and services that were recognised for design excellence include One UI 7, user interface that brings AI-driven enhancement with a bold new design for greater personalisation and control to the user experience; Home Insight’, a smart home feature that analyses appliance status and user patterns to recommend optimal, personalised solutions.

Samsung Electronics, Co., Ltd. held the final session in its CES 2026 Tech Forum series, “The Human Side of Tech: Designing a Future Worth Living”, at Samsung’s The First Look space at The Wynn Las Vegas. The panel, moderated by Debbie Millman, host of Design Matters featured Samsung Chief Design Officer Mauro Porcini and industry-leading designers Karim Rashid and Fabio Novembre.

With minimalism having defined the visual language of the tech industry for the past two decades, this panel of designers convened by Samsung asked: “What comes next?” Together, the panellists explored how warmer, more expressive and emotionally resonant technology can shape meaningful experiences in today’s AI era, while also charting a path forward for the industry.

Design as an Act of Love

The session covered a shared view on the purpose of design as fundamentally people-first. “In recent years, design in tech has been somewhat uniform,” said moderator Debbie Millman. “Compared to other industries, the uniformity in the world of tech is an anomaly. So, what if we were to extend technology beyond specifications and functionality?”

Samsung is currently addressing this question by introducing meaning beyond products by focusing on how technology fits into people’s lives, experiences and needs. The panellists discussed the growing importance of this mindset in the current landscape in which traditional barriers to entry such as access to tools, scale and technical capability continuing to diminish.

The Human Side of Tech

The discussion highlighted technology’s role in making intention, care and humanity visible in everyday life. Panellists noted that technology should help people recognise the thoughtfulness embedded in the products they invite into their homes and routines.

In this context, Samsung Chief Design Officer Mauro Porcini shared Samsung’s design purpose: to enrich the quality of people’s lives through meaningful technology designed for humanity. He outlined the company’s commitment to help people live longer, live better, live louder and live on through advanced technologies that support wellbeing, creativity and self-expression.

Panellist Karim Rashid added to this sentiment. “When we think about physical things in our world, we think not only about diversity of choice but also the fact that we can develop strong connections to objects,” he said. “Through design, you can end up with a very powerful, emotional connection with inanimate objects, or even products.”

Designing for Human Values

The panel went on to explore how AI can unlock new possibilities for expression when shaped by human values. Panellists discussed a shared view that AI reaches its true potential when guided by Emotional Intelligence and Human Imagination, not as a replacement for human creativity but as a force that expands it.

Porcini articulated this with “AI × (EI + HI)” – his approach to balancing Emotional Intelligence and Human Imagination to bring meaning to innovation. While describing this philosophy, Porcini said, “When we design and develop, AI is amplified by Emotional Intelligence and Human Imagination. “Then, when people use products, AI amplifies Emotional Intelligence and Human Imagination.” He added, “Do not fear technology. We are here to humanise it, guide it, and shape it.”

Through these insights, the session reinforced the belief that technology can serve people’s lives in increasingly new and meaningful ways.

Expressive Design Drives More Meaningful Experiences

The discussion also reinforced the importance of expressive design in bringing human-centred purpose to life, creating experiences that reflect emotion, support self-expression, invite connection and stimulate imagination.

“Happiness is the aim of design,” said Novembre. “Our pursuit of happiness is through design, making the impossible possible. I strongly believe in design, and that it must move back to the centre of the stage.”

Panellists noted that this reflects a shift from merely designing objects to designing experiences where emotion, meaning and identity are increasingly integral to how people relate to technology. This approach inspires a new kind of expression, resulting in designs that range from subtle and minimal to bold and imaginative — all meant to shape a future that isn’t just worth living, but worth loving.

 

 

Samsung Electronics today hosted a panel of global experts for “In Tech We Trust? Rethinking Security & Privacy in the AI Age” as part of its Tech Forum series at CES 2026. Held at The Wynn in Las Vegas, the session convened global experts in technology, research and ethics to explore how trust has emerged as one of the most critical factors shaping how people adopt and engage with AI as it becomes more seamlessly interwoven into daily life.

Making Invisible Intelligence Feel Trustworthy

As AI increasingly anticipates needs, curates routines and operates autonomously across devices, panellists Allie K. Miller, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Open Machine; Amy Webb, CEO of the Future Today Strategy Group; Zack Kass, Global AI Advisor at ZKAI Advisory and former Head of Go-To-Market at Open AI; and Shin Baik, AI Platform Centre (APC) Group Head at Samsung Electronics, emphasised that trust must be earned not through promises, but through consistent, understandable behaviour.

At the session, Samsung shared its approach to trust-by-design, highlighting the importance of AI systems that are predictable, transparent and easy for users to control. “When it comes to AI, users are looking for transparency and control,” Allie Miller said. “They want to be leaders in their own personalised experiences — to understand whether an AI model is running locally or in the cloud, to know their data is secure and to clearly see what is powered by AI and what is not. That level of visibility builds confidence. On the provider side, there is a responsibility to show up for users by designing personalised experiences around the core components of trust — clarity, security and accountability.”

Samsung also underscored how on-device AI allows personal data to remain local whenever possible, while cloud-based intelligence can be used selectively when greater speed or scale is required, giving users flexibility without compromising privacy.

Security Built for an AI-Driven World

The panel also explored how, as intelligences becomes distributed across phones, TVs and home appliances, security must evolve. In the session, Samsung highlighted its Knox security platform — which now protects billions of devices from the chipset up — as well as Knox Matrix, a cross-device security framework that enables products to authenticate and protect one another.

“Trust in AI starts with security that’s proven, not promised,” Shin Baik said. “For more than a decade, Samsung Knox has provided a deeply embedded security platform designed to protect sensitive data at every layer. But trust goes beyond a single device — it requires an ecosystem that protects itself. With Knox, devices continuously authenticate and monitor one another, so each device acts as a shield for the rest, creating a resilient, secure environment users can rely on.”

A Cross-Industry Conversation on the Future of Trust

Shin Baik emphasised how trust grows when AI behaves predictably and securely across devices, arguing that users need visible signals of control rather than “black box” systems. Samsung pointed to its partnerships with industry leaders such as Google and Microsoft as a way to strengthen shared security research, interoperability and ecosystem-wide protection, while Allie Miller highlighted the importance of transparency for users including clear visibility into where AI models run, how data is used and explicit labels that show what is powered by AI and what is not. Meanwhile, Zack Kass added that while misinformation and misuse of AI present real challenges, “For every risk, there is also a countermeasure and technology itself will play a critical role in mitigating AI’s downsides.”

Amy Webb evaluated the relationship between trust and the purchasing habits of consumers. “I don’t think they’re making decisions based on trust alone,” she said. “People aren’t paying for trust. They don’t buy things because of trust. They buy things because of convenience. So, if the AI piece of this hooks people in it makes their lives easier and more convenient.”

As AI becomes increasingly invisible, the panel concluded that the technologies that earn long-term trust will be those that prioritise security, transparency and meaningful user choice from the start.

▲ Visitors from around the world enter the exhibition.

The First Look 2026 by Samsung Electronics unveiled a forward-looking vision for AI under the theme “Your Companion to AI Living.” Held at Samsung’s dedicated space at Wynn Las Vegas, the exhibition guided visitors through how AI can enhance everyday enjoyment and convenience while supporting health and safety.

Samsung Newsroom explored the exhibition, highlighting the company’s evolving AI companion experiences across entertainment, home and care^[1].

AI Gallery Zone: An Artistic Welcome to AI Living

The AI Gallery zone welcomed visitors with iconic works from both Eastern and Western art, seamlessly integrated into the space. Featured pieces included Vincent van Gogh’s “Starry Night Over the Rhône”, along with selections from the Lee Kun-Hee Collection — donated to public institutions by the late Samsung chairman and available through Samsung Art Store — such as Jeong Seon’s “Clearing After Rain on Mount Inwang” and the Joseon Dynasty painting “Sun, Moon, and Five Peaks”.

Entertainment Companion Zone: Every Moment of Sight and Sound

▲ View of the Entertainment Companion zone

▲ Micro RGB 130”

The Entertainment Companion zone stood out as the exhibition’s largest area, featuring a variety of visual display and audio products. Excitement built as Samsung debuted the Micro RGB 130” TV, winner of the CES Innovation Awards 2026 Best of Innovation.

▲ Vision AI demonstration

Centred on the Micro RGB TV, the Vision AI showcase highlighted hands-free interaction. Through voice commands, visitors could look up match predictions, search for recipes or play music — demonstrating how the TV functions as an Entertainment Companion.

▲ Music Studio series

▲ Sound Tower

Beyond innovation, this year’s lineiup emphasised a refined design philosophy balancing simplicity and elegance. Highlights included the Music Studio 5 and Music Studio 7, Wi-Fi speakers developed in collaboration with French designer Erwan Bouroullec; the AI Beauty Mirror for personalised beauty care; the Sound Tower with lighting optimised for sports viewing; and the Transparent Micro LED, reimagining the nostalgic charm of vinyl records as a floating visual audio device.

▲ Crowds gather in the gaming area.

▲ Odyssey 3D 32”

▲ Transparent Micro LED

▲ Spatial Signage

The zone concluded with Spatial Signage — an interactive display that animates visitors in real time — combining the clarity of 2D imagery with the depth of 3D expression.

Home Companion Zone: Less Housework, More Everyday Freedom

▲ View of the Home Companion zone

The Home Companion zone presented the evolution of Samsung’s home appliances — moving beyond reducing household chores toward eliminating them and pointing to a future with less housework.

▲ AI home appliance demonstration

At the entrance, three flagship Samsung AI home appliances — the Bespoke AI Refrigerator Family Hub 32”, Bespoke AI Laundry Combo washer-dryer and Bespoke AI Jet Bot Combo robot vacuum — demonstrated how cameras, screens and voice interaction work together to support daily life as an integrated Home Companion.

▲ Bespoke AI Refrigerator Family Hub

The home appliances highlighted smarter food management through AI Vision and hands-free control through voice recognition, offering greater freedom in the kitchen.

▲ North America kitchen package

A North America kitchen package, unveiled publicly for the first time at the exhibition, also drew attention from visitors.

▲ Bespoke AI AirDresser and Bespoke AI Laundry Combo

The exhibition showed that a zero-housework home is within reach, highlighting stronger connectivity among washing machines, dryers and garment care systems, alongside advances in the AI capabilities of robot vacuums.

Care Companion Zone: A Safer, Healthier Everyday Life

▲ View of the Care Companion zone

In the Care Companion zone, visitors saw how the latest Galaxy form factors — including the new Galaxy Z TriFold — connect mobile and wearable devices with home appliances to serve as a central hub for AI-powered living.

▲ Galaxy Z TriFold

The area demonstrated how Samsung Health is continuing to improve sleep environments by controlling air conditioners, air purifiers, lighting and sensors. A brain health training programme for users concerned with cognitive health was also showcased. Other features of the health platform include analysing health metrics through connected devices to help identify potential signs of chronic conditions, as well as exercise and sleep coaching and recipe recommendations based on ingredients in connected refrigerators.

▲ Sleep environment demonstration

Samsung further highlighted its Care Companion approach through a Pet Care system that helps identify potential health issues in companion animals and Home Care services, such as SmartThings Safe, that can request emergency assistance in critical situations.

▲ The Family Care section

▲ (From left) Jonathan Harvey and Maxence Fleury

“What impressed me was how everything is connected,” said Maxence Fleury, a digital content creator from Los Angeles. “The exhibition clearly showed how the ecosystem is expanding and the impact it is having.”

▲ Lucy Hedges

“Once again, Samsung didn’t disappoint,” said Lucy Hedges, host of The Travel Show on the BBC. “What I especially liked was how AI blends naturally into everyday life. These connected products ultimately make users’ lives easier and more comfortable.”

As a standalone exhibition, The First Look 2026 presented a more expansive and advanced range of AI products and experiences than ever before. Samsung’s vision of AI — as a trusted companion in everyday life — offers much to look forward to in the years ahead.

On 4 January, two days ahead of the opening of CES 2026, Samsung Electronics held The First Look 2026 press conference at Wynn Las Vegas. Hosted at Samsung’s dedicated exhibition space, the event drew attention from major international media outlets.

Under the theme “Your Companion to AI Living”, Samsung outlined its vision for bringing joy, convenience and care to people’s daily lives — unveiling new products and technologies designed to support that goal. The company also emphasised its commitment to democratising AI by integrating the technology across its product line-up and services.

Watch how Samsung is embedding AI into everyday life.

TM Roh, CEO and Head of Samsung’s Device eXperience (DX) Division opening The First Look

TM Roh, CEO and Head of Samsung’s Device eXperience (DX) Division, opened The First Look by describing the company’s AI philosophy and outlining how, due to its vast, AI-enabled, connected ecosystem, Samsung can provide users with a true AI companion experience in their daily life. This approach gives users a chance to access more than just the basics from their technology and instead, provides opportunities to find more meaningful moments everywhere.

“Samsung is building a more unified, more personal experience across mobile, visual display, home appliances and services^[1],” said TM Roh. “With our global connected ecosystem, and by embedding AI across categories, Samsung is leading the way to offer more meaningful everyday AI experiences.”

Entertainment Companion: Extending the Experience Beyond Simple Viewing

SW Yong, President and Head of the Visual Display (VD) Business at Samsung Electronics, and Sukhmani Mohta, Chief Marketing and Partnerships Officer, VD Business at Samsung Electronics America, took the stage to describe how Samsung’s displays are combining hardware excellence and visual intelligence to provide a true entertainment companion. Drawing from twenty years of TV innovation experience, Samsung has built a full AI TV line-up that provides an entirely new way for users to interact with their TVs.

SW Yong, President and Head of the Visual Display (VD) Business at Samsung Electronics introducing Samsung 2026 Visual Display Line-up

The centre of the display line-up is the 130-inch Micro RGB, which represents a monumental leap in scale and picture quality. The 130-inch Micro RGB marks a new era of colour, featuring the widest and most detailed spectrum ever seen in Samsung TVs while its Timeless Frame design minimises distractions and allows the picture to take centre stage with understated elegance. A micro-sized RGB light source drives the unprecedented picture quality, with each microscopic red, green, and blue diode shining independently to produce colour in its purest, most natural form. Micro RGB AI Engine Pro enables precise control of RGB colours and creates overwhelmingly vivid picture quality in every scene.

Elevating this next-level viewing experience, Vision AI Companion (VAC)^[2] uses AI technology to work alongside users as a full entertainment companion to enhance viewing, dining and mood, anywhere in the home. With it, users can receive guidance on what to watch, what to eat, and what music to listen to, enhancing the overall TV experience in a way that extends far beyond simple viewing.

Samsung also offers intuitive modes to personalise the viewing experience. For soccer fans, AI Soccer Mode Pro delivers a more exciting gameday experience through AI-driven picture and sound tuning to stadium-level quality. AI Sound Controller Pro lets you raise or lower the volume of the crowd, commentary or background music, providing a personalised listening experience for TV shows and movies. Users can simply make verbal requests, and any TV equipped with VAC – which includes Micro LED, Micro RGB, OLED, Neo QLED, Mini LED and UHD TV – contextually carries out those requests.

Across different types of programming, VAC also boosts the overall lifestyle experience. It allows users to find recipes for meals they see on TV by simply asking and uses the most up-to-date information to make recommendations that align with health and fitness goals. VAC offers multi-device functionality, as well, sending recommended recipes directly to other devices like the newly-unveiled The Movingstyle, designed to move easily throughout the home and kitchen appliances, for a multi-device experience achieved through complete ecosystem integration.

Building on its legacy of advancements in soundbar technology, Samsung is introducing two new WiFi speakers, the Music Studio 5 and 7, to further expand its integrated ecosystem. These models support a wider range of sound system combinations, enhance audio-visual quality and improve the aesthetics of any space. Each model shares a timeless, dot design concept by renowned designer Erwan Bouroullec, inspired by a universal symbol in music and art and grounded in Samsung’s signature design language.

Samsung also unveiled a host of new products that blend beautifully with users’ homes and aesthetics.  The new, ultra-thin OLED S95H features a refined frame and a nearly invisible bezel that gives it art gallery elegance, and Samsung’s new portable projector, The Freestyle+, is powered by VAC and allows users to view content on walls and ceilings, as well as uneven surfaces like corners and curtains.

The 2026 TV line-up^[3] supports HDR10+ ADVANCED, delivering enhanced brightness, genre-based optimisation, intelligent motion smoothing, advanced local tone mapping and improved gaming experience.

As HDR10+ adoption grows among major OTT providers, Samsung will be the first to launch HDR10+ ADVANCED in its 2026 TV line-up. Samsung also features Eclipsa Audio, the company’s new spatial sound system, introduced across all 2026 TVs.

Samsung also unveiled its most advanced Odyssey gaming monitor line-up yet, introducing five new models that push the boundaries of resolution, refresh rate, and immersive visual performance. Led by Samsung’s first 6K 3D Odyssey G9, the 2026 line-up debuts world-first display technologies for gamers and creators, including the next-generation Odyssey G6 and three new Odyssey G8 models.

At the centre of all these display innovations is the most powerful Tizen OS yet. Users can now enjoy seven years of Tizen OS upgrades, ensuring that TVs continue to evolve long after they have entered the home.

Home Companion: Connected Smart Appliances That Guide You Through Your Day

Cheolgi Kim, Executive Vice President and Head of Digital Appliances (DA) Division at Samsung Electronics, and Elizabeth Anderson, Head of Integrated Marketing, DA at Samsung Electronics America (SEA) outlined Samsung’s vision to evolve from providing home appliances to true home companions that work to eliminate the stress of daily chores. Kim also announced that as of December 2025, SmartThings now serves more than 430 million users, empowering Samsung with a significant scale and depth of insight.

Cheolgi Kim, Executive Vice President and Head of Digital Appliances (DA) Division at Samsung Electronics introducing Samsung 2026 Digital Appliances Line-up

This insight comes to life with the Family Hub. The AI-enabled refrigerator is the centrepiece of the home and now, with an upgrade to AI Vision built with Google Gemini^[4], it redefines living for an AI future. With this update, AI Vision unlocks existing limitations in recognising food items, seamlessly tracking what is placed into and taken out of the refrigerator, making meal planning and food management simpler than ever^[5]. The Family Hub has won 10 CES Innovation Awards so far, and Samsung’s AI-enabled fridges have received the award for the past three years.

Through a gamified feature called “What’s for Today?”^[6], Samsung’s refrigerators provide recipe recommendations based on what is in the refrigerator or also random recommendations, reducing the stress caused by choosing what to cook. When selected, recipes show up through SmartThings Food, where users receive a step-by-step guide to help them get started instantly. The selected recipe can also be sent to connected cooking appliances to begin the process seamlessly. Video to Recipe^[6] adds even more simplicity, providing users with recommended cooking videos and converting those videos into easy-to-follow steps, allowing users to follow along while they cook without pausing the video or backtracking.

Samsung also unveiled FoodNote^[6], a new, weekly report that recaps users’ food intake patterns, from most-used ingredients and recipe recommendations, and which items it’s time to restock. Additionally, Now Brief^[7] includes more widgets on the Family Hub screen and with Voice ID^[8], can distinguish between family members and display content relevant to each individual. Ultimately, these features come together to provide various helpful insights and information throughout the week.

In the laundry room, the Bespoke AI Laundry Combo removes the need to transfer loads of laundry, solving a major pain point for households. This year’s model comes with enhanced features, like a faster super speed cycle and enhanced drying performance. Moreover, Samsung’s new Bespoke AI AirDresser is here to solve another common problem with your clothes. It features Auto Wrinkle Care, which blasts strong air and steam jets to smooth out shirts. All users have to do is hang their shirt and wait, reducing the burden in busy mornings.

Around the house, the Bespoke AI Jet Bot Steam Ultra, powered by a Qualcomm Dragonwing processor, features an Active Stereo 3D Sensor to recognise liquids^[9] like coffee, juice, or even transparent liquids like water. While its camera helps with navigation, it also allows the robot vacuum to serve as a monitoring device for when users are away from home, notifying them about their pets and whether there is any suspicious activity^[10]. Plus, with a smarter Bixby^[11], users can speak conversationally to their robot vacuum to carry out tasks with ease. For the deep level of connectivity and integration that forms the backbone of a holistic, AI-powered experience, Samsung’s Bespoke AI appliances have received a CES Innovation Award.

Additional benefits include a first-of-its-kind partnership with Hartford Steam Boiler (HSB) to help unlock real, meaningful savings to the smart home experience. HSB President and CEO Greg M. Barats joined the presentation to discuss the partnership, explaining the potential benefits of having smart appliances connected to SmartThings to reduce insurance premiums. This is the best of the AI era – increased protections and reduced costs for users. After a successful pilot run in the U.S. in 2025, the collaboration is expanding to more states across the U.S., as well as to leading home insurance carriers in other global regions.

Care Companion: Shifting From Reactive to Proactive Care

Finally, Praveen Raja, Vice President and Head of Digital Health at Samsung Research America (SRA), introduced Samsung’s long-term vision for intelligent care enabled by Samsung’s integrated device ecosystem, redefining care from a reactive need to a proactive opportunity. With AI, phones, appliances, wearables, and other connected devices will help users prevent potential health concerns before they occur.

For example, Samsung aims to provide personalised health coaching, offering effective exercise and sleep coaching to help decrease risk for major chronic diseases and also suggesting appropriate recipes based on ingredients available in connected refrigerators. Additionally, if any abnormal signs or patterns are detected, it will alert users while allowing their health metrics to be shared with providers via the Xealth platform and facilitating virtual professional consultations.

Recognising the importance of preventative health, Samsung is also expanding its capabilities in dementia detection through research partnerships, with wearable devices registering subtle changes to mobility, speech and engagement that can be indicative of long-term cognitive changes.

Samsung Knox and Knox Matrix serve as the foundation of this hyper-personalised ecosystem, safeguarding user data at every turn. As AI is constantly evolving, so are Knox and Knox Matrix. To maintain security despite constant changes, Samsung’s security systems are consistently identifying AI risks by advancing to protect data in AI training processes and approving models through red team analysis.

The Samsung Exhibition Zone at CES is available to the public from 4 January until 7 January. For more information, visit the Samsung Newsroom.

Consumers can register their interest now to receive exclusive vouchers on Samsung’s latest 2026 TVs, soundbars, monitors, home appliances and selected Galaxy devices^[12].

_{^[1] This article contains products, features and services that have not yet been launched in-market. The plans, timelines and specifications described are forward-looking and subject to change without notice. Their future availability in markets not explicitly mentioned is not guaranteed.}

_{^[2] Feature available in certain regions and models. Availability and supported features may vary by region and watching conditions. Voice commands recognise English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, German, Italian and Korean, but not all accents, dialects and expressions are recognised. This feature provides AI-created content, with accuracy not guaranteed, so results should be confirmed. Requires a specific Bluetooth remote (TM2660H/TM2661H) (sold separately on some models). In-box remote for some models (M70H/U800H) does not support voice recognition. Requires either a Mobile Quick Remote or separately purchased Bluetooth remote. Feature accessible with the AI button or the Home button (via long press) on remote controls without an AI button.}

_{^[3] HDR10+ ADVANCED will be available on the following models: QN990H, R95H, S95H, S90H, R90H, S85H, LS03HW, LS03H, and QN80H.}

_{^[4] Google Gemini is provided by Google LLC. Service availability, supported functions, and accuracy may vary by country, language, device model, and OS/One UI version. Users must be 18 or older. Some functions may require additional app settings, and features or results may vary by subscription.}

_{^[5] AI Vision refers to the refrigerator’s internal camera and AI-based processing that helps recognise food items. A Wi-Fi connection and a Samsung account are required. If a food item is not recognisable, it may be listed as an unknown item. AI Vision cannot identify or list any food items in the freezer. Recognition uses AI models that may be updated periodically to help improve performance. The user may need to manually check and adjust the list to ensure its accuracy. A red light turns on when the camera is operating. The user’s appearance may be captured, but areas other than the food item are automatically blurred.}

_{^[6] A Wi-Fi connection and a Samsung Account are required}

_{^[7] A Wi-Fi connection and a Samsung, Google, or Microsoft account may be required. You must use the same log-in account on each of the devices. Availability of certain apps may vary by country, region, service provider, network environment, or device, and may change without notice.}

_{^[8] Each user must register for a Samsung Account on screen appliances in advance. Up to six accounts can be registered on a single device. To use Voice ID, users must have agreed to the Bixby terms and conditions. Voice ID registration is available on select appliances, TVs and mobiles, and only one voice can be registered per account.}

_{^[9] A liquid spill is defined as a coloured or transparent liquid, such as water or juice, having a size of 7cm x 7cm (15 ml in volume) or larger. Identification may be affected by the size of the liquid or the environmental conditions of the floor, such as the floor pattern, colour of the floor, direct or reflected light, or shape of the liquid. Excessive amount of liquid on the floor may cause secondary contamination.}

_{^[10] Must download the SmartThings app available on Android and iOS devices. A Wi-Fi connection and a Samsung Account are required. Only cats and dogs can be recognised. The recognition capabilities may be limited by the posture or position of a pet. The ability to recognise your pet may vary depending on the type of animal and the living environment. It only recognises a pet presence based on generic visual indicators, and cannot identify individual pets. Each appliance needs to be set to be optimised for pets by the SmartThings App.}

_{^[11] Bixby is Samsung’s brand of Internet of Things (IoT) voice assistant. Bixby service availability may vary depending on the country. Bixby recognises selected languages and certain accents/dialects, including Korean, English (US/GB/IN), Spanish (MX/ES), German, French, Italian, and Portuguese (BR). The user interface may change and differ by device. The availability of Bixby features and content providers may vary depending on the country/carrier/language/device model/OS version. A Samsung Account log-in and data network connection (Wi-Fi or data network) are required.}

_{^[12] Vouchers in respect of TVs, soundbars, monitors and home appliances will be sent to registrants within 48 hours of registration; Vouchers in respect of Galaxy devices will be sent to registrants in a separate email between 23 January to 26 January 2026. Samsung reserves the right to amend these Terms and Conditions and/or amend or withdraw this Promotion at any time without prior notice and without assigning any reasons.}

Many of us go through our daily routines without thinking much about them. For young individuals with Down syndrome, executive functioning differences can make some everyday tasks more challenging to navigate. These individuals often require constant reminders and support from caregivers to complete their everyday routines, placing additional pressure on family members and caregivers to guide them through the demands of daily life.

For Team BuddyBot from Edgefield Secondary School, the newly-crowned Grand Prize winner of the Samsung Solve for Tomorrow 2025 competition, technology is the key to unlocking greater autonomy for these individuals. Their winning solution, BuddyBot, is a game-changing smart assistant designed to help young people with Down syndrome build independence in their daily routines, while alleviating the burden on caregivers to provide continuous guidance and support.

“Our goal is to help young individuals with Down syndrome develop greater independence when managing their daily routines, while reducing the demands on their caregivers. BuddyBot offers users guided, step-by-step instructions, promoting autonomy and confidence in everyday activities. Designed with accessibility, empathy and inclusion in mind, we hope that it will make lives easier for families with children that have special needs,” said Shannon Ong from Team BuddyBot.

A Smart Assistant for Everyday Routines

Key features of the BuddyBot Companion (left) and the BuddyBot Caregiver App (right)

BuddyBot consists of the BuddyBot Companion – a portable, compact device for users and the BuddyBot Caregiver App. Caregivers can customise the daily routines and break down each task — such as brushing teeth, washing hands and getting dressed — into simple steps using the app. The BuddyBot companion device then delivers instructions through visual prompts and voice guidance to users, guiding them through each task to complete their routines with confidence.

Beyond breaking down the steps into easily digestible instructions, BuddyBot harnesses Artificial Intelligence (AI) to analyse users’ past actions to uncover patterns — such as skipped steps or longer time spent on tasks — and identifies areas where additional support is needed. It also compares the data from the user’s everyday behaviours against the designated routine to provide further suggestions for improvement. This enables BuddyBot to optimise routines and provide timely reminders to help users foster greater independence over time.

Inspiring Youths to Champion Social Change Through Innovation and Technology

Highlights of the Samsung Solve for Tomorrow 2025 Grand Finale

Samsung Solve for Tomorrow Singapore is an annual competition designed to ignite the passion for championing social change among youths. Now into its ninth year, the competition received 90 entries from over 260 secondary school students addressing four key themes: Environmental Sustainability, Sport, Health and Technology, Inclusivity and Social Harmony, and Digital Readiness and Security, presenting innovative solutions that can help build a better and more secure future for Singapore.

As the Grand Prize winner of this year’s competition, Team BuddyBot received $7,000 in cash, $10,000 worth of Samsung products, and a sponsored trip to Samsung’s headquarters and innovation facilities in South Korea. During the trip, Team BuddyBot visited the Samsung Innovation Museum and saw how Samsung’s innovations – from its earliest cathode ray tube (CRT) TVs to the advanced mobile devices of today – solved real-world problems and achieved global impact. They also visited the eX Home, a fully-furnished smart home with over 300 interconnected devices that seamlessly integrate technology into consumers’ everyday lives using Samsung SmartThings. The experience taught them that true innovation is not just about creating cool gadgets, but about connecting vision and fundamental discoveries with societal needs to create tangible long-term impact.

Team BuddyBot receiving their prize from Leonard Tan Bahroocha, Director of Product and Innovation,

Samsung Southeast Asia and Oceania (left), and visiting Samsung’s headquarters in South Korea (right)

“Participating in the Solve for Tomorrow competition has truly expanded our horizons. The trip to Samsung’s innovation facilities in South Korean was an eye-opening experiencing that taught us how innovation that combines vision, fundamental values and the desire to solve real-world problems can create long-lasting impact. Seeing Samsung’s remarkable innovation journey, as well as the passion and inventiveness of other teams, spurs us on to continue our innovation journey. I believe we can achieve so much more if we set our minds to it, and with the right support, mentorship and partners, we can create the change that we want to see in our future” said Bella Teo from Team BuddyBot.

For more information about the Samsung Solve for Tomorrow competition, visit the website.

Samsung Electronics will host The First Look on 5 January at 11:00 AM SGT in the Latour Ballroom at the Wynn Las Vegas. At the event – set to take place two days before the opening of CES 2026, the world’s largest IT and consumer electronics show – the company will unveil its vision for the DX (Device eXperience) Division in 2026, along with new AI-driven customer experiences.

TM Roh, CEO and Head of Device eXperience (DX) Division, will be the keynote speaker for The First Look. SW Yong, President and Head of the Visual Display (VD) Business, and Cheolgi Kim, Executive Vice President and Head of Digital Appliances (DA) Business, will also appear on stage to share their respective business directions for the upcoming year.

The event will be streamed live on Samsung Newsroom, Samsung Electronics’ official YouTube channel and as well as Samsung TV Plus, the company’s FAST(free, ad-supported TV streaming) service. Additional Samsung events and exhibitions will take place at the company’s exclusive exhibition at the Wynn Las Vegas through January 7.

Every day, people navigate unique circumstances that shape how they live and interact with their surroundings. At Samsung, we hold fast to our commitment to enhance daily experiences for everyone; developing solutions and technologies that empower people to experience a more personal and impactful world.

Reflecting on this purpose as we mark this year’s International Day of Persons with Disabilities, we turn the spotlight to inspiring solutions developed by youth in Southeast Asia and Oceania for Samsung Solve for Tomorrow (SFT) 2025 — our global flagship corporate social responsibility programme now in its 15^th year. The programme encourages students to address local and global issues using STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics), and we have seen innovative solutions developed by the next generation of changemakers committed to break barriers and drive equity within their communities.

Innovating for Independence in Sports  

Many of us stay healthy, build friendships, and enjoy the thrill of competition and achievement through sports and physical activities. Yet, individuals living with disabilities often face barriers when taking part in such activities.

Inspired by real challenges faced by the community and even close friends around them, some of our SFT teams explored how the intersection of sports and technological innovation can create meaningful opportunities for all to participate and compete. Projects from the Indonesia and Singapore teams were recognised for their innovative and impactful ideas, developed in line with SFT 2025’s new global theme — Social Change Through Sport & Technology — created in collaboration with the International Olympic Community.

 

Designed to help visually impaired runners navigate safely, RunSight combines smart glasses with a camera, earbuds, a computing unit, and a mobile app

 

 

Team LABMINO, winner for the University category in SFT Indonesia, were inspired by a close friend and avid runner who lives with impaired vision due to cataracts. This led them to create RunSight—a wearable device that recognises track lines, detects obstacles and estimates depth in real time. RunSight is designed to work without internet connectivity and with the goal of enabling these individuals to run freely and independently, which may reduce their need for guide runners.

 

Team Pei Pei Hwa Hwa’s Ando Hypohidrosis Vest acts like a “mechanical sweat gland”, helping individuals with hypohidrosis stay cool during outdoor activities

 

In Singapore, Team Pei Pei Hwa Hwa set out to improve outdoor experiences for individuals living with hypohidrosis—a condition that limits the body’s ability to produce enough sweat and regulate heat. In tropical climates, overheating can pose a serious risk, often leaving individuals reliant on ice packs, portable fans, or even surgery to stay cool during outdoor activities. To address this, the team developed the Ando Hypohidrosis Vest, an energy-efficient solution designed to keep the wearer’s back cool by circulating chilled coolant, enabling them to participate in everyday outdoor activities and exercise.

 

 

Bridging Voices, Building Shared Understanding

 

Deaf and hard of hearing individuals often face difficulties with understanding others and being understood. This prompted our Australian SFT winner to create a solution to support clearer communication.

 

Access Lens helps both Deaf and hard of hearing users feel more confident, connected and included in everyday conversations

 

Within Australia’s Deaf and hard of hearing community, accessible and affordable Auslan (Australian sign language) translation tools remain limited. Major Prize SFT winner, Faiz Noorani, created Access Lens, a real-time augmented reality solution that uses smart glasses or a smartphone camera to convert spoken English into Auslan. Designed to run locally, Access Lens enables clearer communications with English speakers while avoiding the common barriers of other translation platforms, such as delays, cloud fees and advertisements. With his AUD 10,000  prize money, Faiz plans to enhance Access Lens’ features, expand its reach and build strategic partnerships to support long-term impact.

 

 

Equitable Medical Access and Early Intervention

 

AI SpineCheck provides a quick and easy way to screen children for scoliosis risk

 

In Thailand, Team AI SpineCheck set out to improve early detection of scoliosis after seeing many high school students needing spinal braces or surgery due to late diagnosis, leading to higher treatment costs for more advanced cases. Current screening methods often depend on medical personnel and can be inaccessible or inconsistent for local communities. AI SpineCheck simplifies this process with an AI-powered platform that analyses photos to assess spinal alignment. This offers a more accessible and convenient way to screen for scoliosis, supporting early intervention and better health outcomes.

 

 

Creating Better Accessibility and User-Centred Design for All

 

A key part of inclusion is not only designing innovations specifically for persons with disabilities, but ensuring everyday products and services meet the needs of all users, regardless of ability. Guided by this philosophy, Samsung devices, appliances and solutions are designed to be inclusive, intuitive and convenient for all.

 

Visibility enhancement settings on the Bespoke AI Laundry Combo

 

Our 2025 Bespoke AI home appliances incorporate more streamlined control experiences that empower all users—including those with limited mobility—towards comfortable and accessible use. With simple voice commands, such as “Open the fridge door”, to cue features like Auto Open Door for refrigerators^[1], or “I’m going to sleep”, to turn off lights and appliances via SmartThings routine once its set up^[2]—users can manage their home hands-free. The Bespoke AI Laundry Combo also features a large, easy-to-read digital display that replaces traditional dials and small text for smoother wash-cycle selection.

 

Guided by an accessibility-first approach, we constantly refine our designs across product development cycles, working closely with users to test and enhance usability. For instance, Samsung added audio guidance, colour inversion or grayscale modes in their screen-equipped appliances for users with visual impairments. To make Samsung appliances easier to navigate, it keeps discovering new ways to enhance accessibility as shown in the award-winning^[3] “Samsung Inclusive Essentials” concept, which aims to standardise sensory cues across products.

 

Building a More Inclusive Future Together

 

By seamlessly weaving intelligent, inclusive technology into everyday life, Samsung ensures that everyone—regardless of ability or environment—can enjoy connected and personalised experiences. From empowering communities through programmes like SFT to embedding accessibility into our products and services, we remain committed to enabling individuals to live more independently and open up more possibilities for people in their daily life.

 

_{^[1] Products and models equipped with the feature may vary by market.}

_{^[2] Requires a wireless network, a Samsung account and the Samsung SmartThings App. Must be manually set up by the user to trigger this command.}

_{^[3] At the 2025 International Design Excellence Awards (IDEA), Samsung received a Gold Award for its “Samsung Inclusive Essentials” concept in the Concepts & Speculative Design category.}