JOHANNESBURG, South Africa – 6 January 2023 – Ahead of CES® 2023, Samsung Electronics today unveiled the newest additions to its customizable Bespoke Home lineup. Samsung’s latest home appliances and services were designed to meet a growing demand for customization and provide a new level of intelligent connectivity that empowers users to be more sustainable in the kitchen. Including a wider selection of Bespoke refrigerator types, a bigger and more immersive 32-inch screen for the Bespoke 4-Door Flex with Family Hub+ and advanced AI Pro Cooking for the Bespoke AI Oven that optimizes and assists in preparing meals, the Samsung-powered kitchen is becoming a smarter, more versatile and more interactive space than ever.

“At CES 2023, we are continuing to build on the success of our Bespoke lineup with the introduction of new Bespoke refrigerators and built-in appliances that give consumers even more ways to express themselves in their kitchens,” said Junhwa Lee, EVP and Head of the Customer Experience Team of the Digital Appliances Business at Samsung Electronics. “Our goal is to maximize the freedom customers have to pursue personalization and productivity in their kitchens, with new features enhanced with everything from large, responsive screens on our refrigerators to AI-powered cooking assistance. These latest features and products go beyond simply helping users in the kitchen and allow them to truly express themselves through the power of customization for more enjoyable experiences. Furthermore, with the latest kitchen innovations and customizable designs, these new appliances work seamlessly with SmartThings services to provide unmatched convenience and savings at home.”

Bespoke 4-Door Flex With Family Hub+ Brings Bigger Display and Better Connectivity

The new Bespoke 4-Door Flex Refrigerator with Family Hub+ introduces powerful Family Hub features to a 4-door Bespoke design, combining an all-in-one communication and entertainment hub with an impressively large display.

The Bespoke 4-Door Flex Refrigerator with Family Hub+’s dynamic features are showcased on its 32-inch, bezel-less FHD screen that is nearly two times larger than that of previous models. In addition, the new larger dashboard takes advantage of the bigger screen, allowing users to conveniently experience SmartThings services as well as monitor and control their compatible home appliances.

The refrigerator also features new Family Hub software. Samsung TV Plus now offers more than 190 free channels, while Google Photos integration transforms the platform into a digital photo frame that makes it easy to share and display photos. Thanks to the larger screen space and Samsung TV Plus’s new picture-in-picture (PIP) feature, users can catch up on their favorite TV shows while checking and monitoring the status of other kitchen appliances while keeping an eye on what they are cooking at the same time.

The Bespoke 4-Door Flex Refrigerator with Family Hub+ is set to launch in North America and Korea in the first half of 2023. In addition, a Family Hub software update will roll out to all markets where Family Hub refrigerators are sold in 2023. This includes Korea, the U.S., East and West Asia, Latin America and Europe.

Bespoke Expands To Include Popular Side-By-Side and Top-Mounted Freezer Refrigerator Models To Provide Even More Customization in the Kitchen

In keeping with the Bespoke design aesthetic, the Bespoke Side-by-Side refrigerator features a flat, minimalist design with a customizable front panel available in both glass and stainless-steel finishes. Users have the option to choose from a wide range of door colors and finishes to harmonize their refrigerator with their home décor. The fridge’s sleek design is completed by Auto Open Door, featuring a recessed handle for a streamlined design and easy opening via a tap that releases the door.

Inside, the Bespoke Side-by-Side Refrigerator features the latest in food storage and cooling technologies. The internal Beverage Center provides easy access to the Plumbing Water Dispenser and AutoFill Water Pitcher with Infuser, providing you with cold or naturally flavored water at any time. Meanwhile, the Dual Auto Ice Maker is always ready to chill users’ drinks with Cubed Ice or Ice Bites.

Like the Bespoke Side-by-Side Refrigerator, the Bespoke Top-Mounted Freezer Refrigerator is available in stylish colors that seamlessly blend with contemporary kitchen interiors. Inside, Samsung’s Optimal Fresh Zone+ and Active Fresh Filter keep food fresh for long while eliminating 99.99% of bacteria. Users of Samsung’s Bespoke Side-by-Side or Top-Mounted Freezer Refrigerator can also enjoy added energy savings through SmartThings Energy’s AI Energy Mode. While enabled, AI Energy Mode will optimize the compressor speed and the frequency of the defrost cycle, based on users’ usage patterns and surroundings, helping households save money and reduce their carbon footprint.

The Bespoke Side-by-Side Refrigerator will be available in the U.S. in the first quarter of 2023, while the Bespoke Top-Mounted Freezer Refrigerator will be available first in Thailand in March 2023 and will be subsequently launched globally.

Prepare Healthy Meals Like a Master Chef With the Bespoke AI Oven

The Bespoke AI Oven makes meal prep a breeze, combining powerful intelligence with innovative cooking technologies to produce delicious meals that cater to users’ dietary preferences.

AI Pro Cooking optimizes cooking settings while monitoring food. If the oven is set to cook a recognized dish using the cooking mode, temperature and time the oven recommends, the AI Pro Cooking system will even send users food warning notifications to prevent burning. Using an internal camera and powerful AI, the oven’s Sense Inside feature — the first food recognition and burn detection AI algorithm of its kind to receive an AI cooking appliance verification by UL Solutions — can recommend cooking settings by recognizing 80 different dishes and ingredients.

Whether users are testing a healthy recipe or looking to elevate everyday recipes at home, the Bespoke AI Oven makes mealtimes more convenient. Integration with SmartThings Cooking and Samsung Health allows the Bespoke AI Oven to analyze users’ workout stats and diet goals to recommend meal options based on the ingredients they have at home.

Topping off the Bespoke AI Oven’s modern, clutter-free design is its convenient Push to Open Door, which replaces a traditional handle for a simpler and more streamlined look. Available in five elegant and modern design options, the Bespoke AI Oven is currently available in Europe and will launch in North America in the third quarter of 2023.

Samsung’s latest Bespoke home appliances take the smart kitchen to the next level by powering more personalized cooking experiences and making it easier for households to save energy. To learn more about the latest additions to the Bespoke lineup, please visit Samsung.com.

Samsung proudly supports Busan’s bid for the World Expo 2030

with an exciting new focus on young designers

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa – 06 July 2022 – The Samsung South Africa #MyBespokeChallenge will return on 1 October. The 2022 iteration of the popular design challenge was announced at Decorex in Cape Town. This ultimate home challenge, which captivated South Africans in its launch last year, will once again see four designers compete to conceive and build their own Bespoke Home “Space”. However, for 2022 instead of using influencers as the designers, Samsung has placed a focus on harnessing and testing the unique perspectives of youth.

The entrants will be responsible for designing around a Bespoke colour and creating their own Bespoke space, from a kitchen, living area, study – transforming any home space with the highly-customised BESPOKE Refrigerator range.  What sets a BESPOKE refrigerator apart from every other appliance is that it has a customisable and interchangeable front panel design, modularity that allows you to choose and add the optimal storage configurations to suit your needs, and a sleek, modern look that fits seamlessly into any kitchen.

Samsung will soon announce the selected contestants who will be mentored by influencer and media personality, Jo-Ann Strauss and #MyBespokeChallenge 2021 Winner, Cassandra Twala. Joining them as part of the judging panel in 2022 is Anita Bloom, Creative Director at Decorex Africa with more judges still be unravelled to the public for #MyBespokeChallenge 2022.

Samsung is excited to announce that for this year’s challenge, entries will be open to young up-and-coming designers. The young designers that make it to the final round and take part in the #MyBespokeChallenge will design their own kitchen and living space. The winner this year stands a chance to win R100 000 cash prize and so much more¹. All spaces will be showcased in the Samsung Bespoke store, Design Quarter, for one year after completion. Samsung is looking for enthusiastic, motivated, and hardworking designers to participate in the #MyBespokeChallenge. Only four designers will make it to the final round.

Samsung has also recently announced the addition of the BESPOKE French Door Refrigerator to a range that has captivated those seeking out living spaces that truly reflect their tastes and aesthetics. The contestants will have access to the full BESPOKE in their quest to win the #MyBespokeChallenge 2022.

Entries for contestants are open until the end of July.

¹Terms and conditions apply

Awarded 71 trophies in nine categories ranging from product designs for TVs, home appliances, smartphones and others to User Experience(UX) design

Samsung received a total of 71 awards, including three Gold Awards, at the International Forum (iF) Design Award 2022, a prestigious German international design competition. Samsung received Gold Awards for its portable screen The Freestyle, mobile phone Galaxy Z Flip3, and wireless vacuum cleaner Bespoke Slim. This year Samsung received the most awards out of 11,000 submissions from 57 countries.

Founded in 1953 as Die Gute Industrieform e.V., the iF Design Award conducts comprehensive evaluations of differentiation and impact, among others, in a total of nine categories – Product, Packaging, Communication, Professional Concept, Interior Architecture, Architecture, Service Design, User Experience (UX), and User Interface (UI).

“It is important for a design to connect the changing values with innovative technologies,” said Jinsoo Kim, Executive Vice President at Corporate Design Centre in Samsung Electronics. “We are committed to offering a meaningful experience that both meets the various demands of customers and improves the quality of our lives.”

Three Gold Award Winning Products Recognized for Designs That Offer Customised Experiences to Different Lifestyles

The Freestyle is a portable screen that can display as large as 254cm in diagonal length depending on the environment where it is used, be it on the wall, the ceiling or the floor as it rotates 180 degrees.

Thanks to its lightweight and minimal design, The Freestyle is highly portable, allowing the user to hold it in one hand, and can be used with ease both indoors and outside such as on camping sites. Depending on each individual lifestyle, it can also be used as a Bluetooth speaker or as an ambient lamp that can glow light in various colours.

The Galaxy Z Flip3 was honoured for its iconic and compact design, that comes with premium features and exclusive foldable experiences, providing a truly personalised smartphone experience. With Galaxy Z Flip3’s unique form factor, users are able to enjoy the full smartphone experience when unfolded and pocketable design when folded in half. Not only is the design refined by providing a large Cover Screen, but it also maximises the usability by allowing users to view notifications and capture a quick photo even when folded.

Total of 71 Awards, From Product to UX design, Including TVs, Home appliances and Smartphones

With its designs being recognised in all categories at the iF Design Award 2022 including Product and User Interface (UI), Samsung Electronics won the most number of awards totalling 71.

In addition to the three Gold Awards, the Neo QLED 8K, the Bespoke Refrigerator, and the Galaxy Buds2 also won awards in the Product category.  The One UI 4, new interface of Galaxy smartphones that enables users to customise their devices, and the Galaxy Upcycling at Home, which allows users to build a smart home by recycling unused Galaxy phones into Home IoT devices were also recognised for the design excellence.

See how Mary-Anne Gwayanya designed a bespoke space that honoured the African aesthetic

Inspired by the theme of “Under African Skies” Mary-Anne transformed her Bespoke Refrigerator colour of Glam Navy into a simple, modern, minimalist, contemporary aesthetic with brave pops of colour and neutral walls. She used bold colours to seemingly conjure up a space that felt as alive and vibrant as the continent she was inspired by. Already enhanced by sustainable materials such as marble, wood, stone, leather with accents of aluminium black, Mary-Anne seamlessly combined navy and orange in her unique space, and added white to bring a balance to her creation. For her the Bespoke Refrigerator Challenge was an opportunity to be bold with a twist that was uniquely hers.

Check out Mary-Anne’s showcase video

Each of the four passionate creative minds brought a unique perspective and dimension to the #MySamsungBespokeChallenge, which included a host of partners including Le Creuset, Consentino, TOP Carpets, SHF Decorex Africa, Versus Paints and Design Quarter, who joined forces with Samsung to inspire the contestant’s creativity and spark new ideas. All the challengers received cash cards with funds to spend at sponsors stores, to enhance and complete their allocated living spaces.

Your chance to view, vote and stand a chance to win R50 000 e-store Samsung vouchers in the amazing Samsung Bespoke Refrigerator Challenge has been extended. Voting is now opened until midnight, 19^th January, 2022.

Does Mary-Anne get your VOTE?

How to Vote:

• Visit our Bespoke Home showroom at Design Quarter, and vote for your favourite space^* to stand a chance to win Samsung and Design Quarter vouchers; or
• Visit the Samsung Bespoke Refrigeratorand complete online form to vote and stand a chance to win Samsung and Design Quarter vouchers.

You now have until the 19^th January 2022 to experience these incredible influencer-designed living spaces at Design Quarter in Fourways or view them online.

^*TS & Cs apply.

Discover the inspiration and thinking that led to Cassandra Twala bringing her love of Africa home.

Designing from the heart, Cassandra started her BESPOKE journey by pulling together all the things that she loves and finding a way for them to exist in harmony. Armed with her Satin Taupe Bespoke refrigerator hero colour, she crafted a mood board that represented a collection of ideas that became uniquely South African and completely Cassandra. Her ultimate aim was to inspire others to boldly showcase their personality in the spaces they inhabit.  As Cassandra says, “there is only one you, and that deserves to be translated into your living space. With the BESPOKE Refrigerator I had a canvas for innovation, creative ingenuity and absolute fun.”

Check out Cassandra’s showcase video

Each of the four passionate creative minds brought a unique perspective and dimension to the #MySamsungBespokeChallenge, which included a host of partners including Le Creuset, Consentino, TOP Carpets, SHF Decorex Africa, Versus Paints and Design Quarter, who joined forces with Samsung to inspire the contestant’s creativity and spark new ideas. All the challengers received cash cards with funds to spend at sponsors stores, to enhance and complete their allocated living spaces.

Your chance to view, vote and stand a chance to win R50 000 e-store Samsung vouchers in the amazing Samsung Bespoke Refrigerator Challenge has been extended. Voting is now opened until midnight, 19^th January, 2022.

Does Cassandra get your VOTE?

How to Vote:

• Visit our Bespoke Home showroom at Design Quarter, and vote for your favourite space^* to stand a chance to win Samsung and Design Quarter vouchers; or
• Visit the Samsung Bespoke Refrigerator and complete online form to vote and stand a chance to win Samsung and Design Quarter vouchers.

You now have until the 19^th January 2022 to experience these incredible influencer-designed living spaces at Design Quarter in Fourways or view them online.

^*TS & Cs apply.

Discover how Shelley Mokoena created a showcase of Wabi Sabi in a contemporary style

Wanting to incorporate natural textures which create beauty from imperfection, Shelly complemented her BESPOKE vision with clean and sophisticated elements to create a harmonious space. She played around with opposites: masculine and feminine colours, rustic and smooth textures as well as comfortable and minimal pieces to create a warm and inviting space. Drawn to Glam Pink as her BESPOKE Refrigerator colour she was able to incorporate her unique style into a natural and muted space. This gave her the freedom of adding seamless accent colours to a holistic space that felt like warm and inviting. For Shelley, it was a vision that instantly felt like home.

Check out Shelly’s video:

Each of the four passionate creative minds brought a unique perspective and dimension to the #MySamsungBespokeChallenge, which included a host of partners including Le Creuset, Consentino, TOP Carpets, SHF Decorex Africa, Versus Paints and Design Quarter, who joined forces with Samsung to inspire the contestant’s creativity and spark new ideas. All the challengers received cash cards with funds to spend at sponsors stores, to enhance and complete their allocated living spaces.

Your chance to view, vote and stand a chance to win R50 000 e-store Samsung vouchers in the amazing Samsung Bespoke Refrigerator Challenge has been extended. Voting is now opened until midnight, 19^th January, 2022.

Does Shelly get your VOTE?

How to Vote:

• Visit our Bespoke Home showroom at Design Quarter, and vote for your favourite space^* to stand a chance to win Samsung and Design Quarter vouchers; or
• Visit the Samsung Bespoke Refrigerator and complete online form to vote and stand a chance to win Samsung and Design Quarter vouchers. You now have until the 19^th January 2022 to experience these incredible influencer-designed living spaces at Design Quarter in Fourways or view them online.
• ^*TS & Cs apply.

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa – 29 November 2021 – The Samsung Bespoke Home Challenge has kicked off at the Design Quarter in Johannesburg, featuring four influencers, four spaces and one week to create a one-of-kind living space.

The Samsung Bespoke Home Challenge participants include; Naqiyah Mayat, Shelley Mokoena, Cassandra Twala and our Decorex competition entrant, Mary-Anne Gwayanya. All the challengers will be able to add their own personal style using an allocated budget to enhance and complete their spaces. Celebrated Interior Designer, Donald Nxumalo will be the influencer mentor and judge keeping an eye on the design progress, which includes the creative use of Bespoke colours in the various living spaces. When completed, there will be a big reveal, where the public can vote for their favourite space.

Samsung has also announced that Versus Paint, Consentino Top Carpets and Floors, Le Creuset, SHF, Decorex Africa, and Design Quarter have joined the Samsung Bespoke Home Challenge, to inspire the contestant’s creativity and spark new ideas. South Africans can look forward to enjoying an integrated living space design challenge like no other.

Since launching the Bespoke Refrigerator globally, Samsung has gone to great lengths to offer consumers opportunities to experience Bespoke and get to know the refrigerator’s customisation-first philosophy. These efforts include hosting a variety of online and offline events that illustrate Bespoke’s true value. This is South Africa’s first Bespoke design campaign – which will showcase a stunning design-focused brand showroom at Design Quarter.

The showroom will bring the Bespoke philosophy to life, decorated to demonstrate how the Bespoke Refrigerator can blend into a variety of spaces and lifestyles. Voting for your favourite space is now opened until midnight 9th January, 2022 and the showroom at Design Quarter will remain opened to the public until the 15th January, 2022.

How to Vote:

• Visit our Bespoke Home showroom at Design Quarter, and vote for your favourite space to stand a chance to win Samsung and Design Quarter vouchers; or
• Visit the Samsung Bespoke Refrigerator and complete online form to vote and stand a chance to win Samsung and Design Quarter vouchers.

The Samsung Bespoke Home Challenge, which includes JoAnn Strauss as a Bespoke Host, can be viewed at Design Quarter and online on www.samsung.com/za/ Ts & Cs apply.

Follow us and engage on:

@SamsungSA #MySamsungBespokeChallenge #BespokeFridge