JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, 08 January 2019 – Samsung today announced how the company’s investment and leadership in AI, IoT, and 5G technologies will serve as the building blocks for its vision for Connected Living. The company also unveiled its future AI-powered robotics platforms, which can be used to manage activities of daily living, such as helping an aging population independently manage their health routine.

“2019 is Samsung Electronics 50th anniversary, and for the last five decades, we’ve been committed to bringing meaningful innovations to consumers everywhere,” said Cambridge Mokanyane, Chief Marketing Officer at Samsung South Africa. “In 2019, we’re taking things to the next level, and leveraging our industry leadership to make our vision of Connected Living a reality.

Accelerating the Intelligence of Things with IoT, 5G, and AI

Driving Samsung’s Connected Living philosophy is the Intelligence of Things – IoT, 5G, and AI working together across devices, to create seamless experiences. At its CES press conference in Las Vegas today, the company explained how its work in these core technologies is enabling innovation throughout its product portfolio.

Since unifying the SmartThings app and introducing the SmartThings Cloud, the SmartThings ecosystem has grown significantly. The number of registered SmartThings users has grown 220 percent and app installs have increased 61 percent. The number of partners participating in this ecosystem has also grown by 44 percent. Today, consumers can enjoy SmartThings experiences with devices from top global brands like Amazon, Google, Bose, Sylvania, and Plume.

Samsung leveraged its telecommunications leadership to make major strides in bringing 5G connectivity to consumers. Samsung is the number one patent holder with ETSI , having registered more than 2,000 5G essential patents as of November 2018. And it is the world’s first company to receive FCC approval on its commercial 5G equipment. The company powered the commercialisation of home and mobile 5G networks with major U.S. carriers and all three mobile carriers in Korea, with additional trials running in Europe and Asia. Samsung is also committed to putting the power of 5G in consumers’ hands, with a 5G smartphone coming in the first half of 2019.

Samsung believes that AI is most useful when it helps to simplify a complex world. To that end, the company established seven Global AI Centres, and is adopting unique technologies into its products and services. And to ensure that Samsung works with the best and the brightest in the field, Samsung NEXT and the Samsung Strategy and Innovation Centre (SSIC) have invested in more than 20 AI-related start-ups over the last five years.

Bixby, Samsung’s Intelligence Platform, Expands

Bixby started as a smarter way to use your Galaxy phone. Today, it is evolving to become a scalable, open AI platform that will support more and more devices. The company announced that Bixby intelligence will be infused into its 2019 QLED and premium TVs, and smart appliances like refrigerators, washers, as well as air conditioners, mobile devices, AI speakers and more. What’s more, Bixby is expanding to a new Digital Cockpit and robotics platforms. Uber, Ticketmaster and others are using Bixby to make their services more intelligent. Today, Samsung announced that iHeartRadio joined as a new partner. And, Bixby will continue to grow as more partners, such as Google, join the ecosystem.

Samsung also announced its core AI philosophy: Fairness, Accountability, and Transparency. As it works to advance AI technology, Samsung is committed to ensuring the algorithms it builds are inclusive, the protection of user information and privacy are top priorities, and it’s easy for consumers to understand what the company does with their data and how it is handled.

Next Level Experience of Samsung’s 2019 Portfolio

Samsung also introduced a line-up of new innovations, all of which streamline and simplify day-to-day tasks, and offer a more personalised and unique experience for each user, in a way that only Samsung can.

Entertainment:
Samsung unveiled its 98” QLED 8K – it’s largest yet – adding to its 2019 line-up that features 65”, 75”, 82”, and 85” models. Embedded with the Quantum Processor 8K chip, the 2019 8K line delivers the best in QLED picture quality, design, smart features in more sizes than ever in stunning 8K resolution. Whether a viewer is watching content through a streaming service, set-top box, HDMI, USB or even mobile screen mirroring, Samsung’s proprietary AI-based technology can recognise and upscale any content, regardless of the native resolution, to near pristine 8K quality. This is Samsung’s smartest and most powerful TV yet.

In 2019, Samsung Smart TVs offer more ways to search for content and more compatibility with connected devices than ever before. With an improved AI algorithm that leverages a user’s subscription services, favourite content, and TV viewing habits, the Universal Guide makes it easier for users to find the perfect show for them to watch. Users also have more options than ever to quickly and easily find and control their favourite content with just their voice by using new Bixby and the AI Remote as well as even more ways to control their Samsung TVs through Amazon Echo and Google Home.

In a move to deliver more entertainment options, value and open platform functionality to Samsung Smart TV users, Samsung announced it will offer iTunes Movies and TV Shows and Apple AirPlay 2 support on 2019 Samsung Smart TV models beginning this spring. Support on 2018 Samsung Smart TVs will be made available via a firmware update. In an industry first, a new iTunes Movies and TV Shows app will debut only on Samsung Smart TVs in more than 100 countries. AirPlay 2 support will be available on Samsung Smart TVs in 190 countries worldwide.

Home:
Family Hub 2019 is more intuitive and intelligent than ever before. The new Family Board offers a completely redesigned screen experience, letting family members communicate and share memories in a creative space on the front of the fridge. Honoured with a CES 2019 Innovation Award, Family Hub 2019 with the new Bixby lets users interact in natural language to get answers to complicated questions, pre-set the oven, search for recipes, and even call an Uber. In addition, Bixby visually shows you information on the screen for a richer experience and displays an array of visual information. These new features will also be available via automatic update for most earlier Family Hub models.

The new front load washer, also a 2019 CES Innovation Award winner, can finish a full load in just 30 minutes with the SuperSpeed feature. With Bixby, users can also control its smart features like getting recommendations for the best wash cycle, scheduling a cycle to be completed at a users’ preferred time, automatically connecting the dryer cycle when the washer is done, or monitoring usage to efficiently manage their laundry appliances.

Work:
Samsung revealed a line of new, innovative products that combine productivity and flexibility to help consumers get things done more conveniently. The redesigned Notebook 9 Pro is engineered for on-the-go modern professionals to help them reach their true creative potential, while the Notebook Odyssey gaming laptop, powered by the new high-end NVIDIA® GeForce RTX 20-series GPU, is ready for both work and play. Samsung Space Monitor leverages its sleek design and functionality to allow users to focus on what’s on the screen and not what’s around it. Its unique built-in space saving solution, a minimalist, fully-integrated clamp stand that grips to the desk, tilting back and forth to free up space for optimal user productivity. Beyond aesthetics, Samsung’s Space Monitor is a feature-rich, high-performance monitor. The 27-inch model offers QHD resolution for incredibly detailed, sharp images, while the 32-inch model presents content in 4K UHD.

Connected Driving:
Samsung also presented its latest development with HARMAN, showcasing its innovation in automotive technology. The Digital Cockpit 2019 offers an enhanced connected car experience focused on connectivity, personalisation, and safety.

With the integration of Bixby’s connected car experience, drivers can remotely check how much gas they have before going on a long road trip or set the car temperature before heading out for the day. Using on-board cameras, the new Digital Cockpit recognises specific drivers and passengers and sets up the car’s personal space accordingly – adjusting the display preferences, seat height, lighting, and queuing up favourite playlists. Passengers can even enjoy personalised screens on the rear seats and connect to In-vehicle Samsung DeX to get work done on-the-go. The Digital Cockpit 2019 also provides a safer driving experience with the mirror replacement vision system and camera-based safety solutions.

All of this is possible thanks to Cellular-V2X technology that incorporates Samsung’s expertise in mobile network solutions with automotive technologies. With Samsung’s C-V2X, cars will be able to receive and analyse information that will make the driving experience safer and more enjoyable.

Device Solutions:
In order to power tomorrow’s AI technologies, Samsung emphasised that today’s AI infrastructure must evolve to handle intelligence at the edge. For this reason, the company is working to launch a comprehensive portfolio of solutions that will shape the future of intelligent devices.

Samsung’s mobile memory and AI-enabled processors, including the recently-announced Exynos Auto line, will allow for faster and more efficient on-device processing. At the same time, its advanced memory solutions will meet the rigorous demands of tomorrow’s datacentres and enterprises as they look to complete more complex AI tasks.

Robotics Platforms for the Future of AI

Samsung offered a peek into the future of Connected Living by demonstrating its latest developments in robotics platforms including the Samsung Bot Care, Samsung Bot Air, Samsung Bot Retail, and Samsung GEMS. Among the robotics platforms, Samsung gave a first public demonstration of Samsung Bot Care, which helps consumers manage their daily health routines. With its advances in AI and robotics, the company is harnessing its best assets to make a positive impact on society and shape a better world.

For more information including photos and videos, please stay tuned to Samsung Newsroom for updates.

“For decades, Samsung has lead the way in next-generation display innovation,” said Cambridge Mokanyane, Chief Marketing Officer at Samsung South Africa. “Our Micro LED technology is at the forefront of the next screen revolution with intelligent, customisable displays that excel in every performance category. Samsung Micro LED has no boundaries, only endless possibilities.”

Micro LED featuring 75” Micro LED and 219” The Wall

Featuring leading-edge self-emissive technology and modular capabilities, Samsung’s Micro LED displays deliver unparalleled picture quality, versatility and design. These transformative TV displays are made up of individual modules of self-emissive Micro LEDs, featuring millions of inorganic red, green and blue microscopic LED chips that emit their own light to produce brilliant colours on screen – delivering unmatched picture quality that surpasses any display technology currently available on the market.

At last year’s CES, Samsung introduced Micro LED by unveiling The Wall, the critically acclaimed, award-winning 146” Micro LED display. Due to the technical advancements in the ultra-fine pitch semiconductor packaging process that narrow the gap between the microscopic LED chips, Samsung has been able to create a stunning 4K Micro LED display in a smaller, more home-friendly 75” form factor.

Thanks to the modular nature of Micro LED, this technology offers flexibility in screen size that allows users to customise it to fit any room or space. By adding Micro LED modules, users can expand their display to any size they desire. The modular functionality of Micro LED will allow users in the future to create the ultimate display even at irregular 9×3, 1×7 or 5×1 screen sizes that suits their spatial, aesthetic and functional needs.

Samsung’s Micro LED technology also optimises the content no matter the size and shape of the screen. Even when adding more modules, Samsung Micro LED displays can scale to increase the resolution — all while keeping the pixel density constant. Additionally, Micro LED can support everything from the standard 16:9 content, to 21:9 widescreen films, to unconventional aspect ratios like 32:9, or even 1:1 – without having to make any compromises in its picture quality.

Finally, because Micro LED displays are bezel-free, there are no borders between modules – even when you add more. The result is a seamless, stunning infinity pool effect that allows the display to elegantly blend into any living environment. The possibilities for eye-catching designs are only enhanced by new Ambient Mode features.

LIVESTREAM FROM CES
CES starts on Monday, January 7 at 02:00 (SAST), with a press conference at Las Vegas’s Mandalay Bay South Convention Centre. You can also catch all the exciting announcements by tuning in to the official livestream, which will be available via the following channels:

• Samsung Newsroom (https://www.samsung.com/za/ )
• Samsung Electronics’ Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/samsung)
• Samsung Newsroom YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/samsungnewsroom)

At CES 2019, Samsung will showcase innovative ways its latest AI and IoT technologies simplify daily life. These include brand new applications for AI and IoT, new ways to make AI do more, as well as new devices that place AI and IoT at the centre of users’ connected lives.

It all starts on Monday, January 7 at 02:00 (SAST), with a press conference at Las Vegas’s Mandalay Bay South Convention Centre. Be sure to catch all the exciting announcements by tuning in to the official livestream, which will be available via the following channels:

• Samsung Newsroom (https://www.samsung.com/za/)
• Samsung Electronics’ Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/samsung)
• Samsung Newsroom YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/samsungnewsroom)

Stay tuned to Samsung Newsroom for more updates on Samsung’s CES 2019 news

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa – 03 January, 2019 – Samsung has announced its new 2019 lifestyle TVs, The Frame and The Serif TV, will be on display at CES 2019, the world’s largest consumer electronics show in Las Vegas. The 2019 Frame and Serif TV combine award-winning and innovative design that fits any home décor with superb QLED picture quality and Smart features to provide consumers with the best possible TV functionality.

The Frame and Serif TV, Samsung’s flagship lifestyle TV lines, go beyond the traditional concept of a TV to pieces of home décor that elevate the design of any living space. At CES 2019, this year’s Frame and SERIF TV will be on display in the large lifestyle TV exhibition zone of Samsung’s booth to showcase their innovative design, performance, and how they seamlessly blend into daily life.

“The traditional TV was only focused on technical features, such as picture quality and performance, but now TVs are also a lifestyle platform that blends in consumers’ daily life,” said Reginald Nxumalo, Director: Consumer Electronics, Samsung South Africa. “This year’s models of The Frame and SERIF TV are enhanced lifestyle TVs that deliver a TV experience like nothing before.”

The 2019 Frame by Samsung

When it is not being used to enjoy TV or movie content, The Frame’s Art Mode displays digital pieces of artwork, including paintings and pictures, to turn an everyday living space into an art gallery. In addition, The Frame’s Luminance Sensor adjusts colours on-screen to fit the ambient brightness of the room, delivering the optimal settings to display artwork on screen.

This year’s model of The Frame also features the pristine picture quality of QLED, which offers deeper contrasts, deeper and darker blacks and 100% colour volume. With these enhancements, users can both enjoy content in the most premium quality and appreciate artwork when the TV is turned off.

In addition, The Frame’s Art Store [1] is building on its partnerships with the world’s most prestigious galleries and museums by providing access to over 1,000 pieces of art. In the Art Store, masterpieces from the Uffizi Galleries in Italy, the Van Gogh Museum in The Netherlands, Te Papa in New Zealand have recently been added. Samsung will continue to expand its partnership with museums in the future to strengthen the art distribution ecosystem.

The Frame also features Bixby, Samsung’s AI-powered voice control platform, transforming it into a truly Smart TV. Users can control the TV and access streaming platforms through simple voice commands giving users an enhanced content experience.

SERIF TV

The Serif TV was developed an aesthetic-focused TV in collaboration with Paris-based design brothers Ronan & Erwan Bouroullec, two of the world’s most famous industrial designers that specialize in furniture. The Serif TV was granted the prestigious 2016 iF Design Award, the 2016 Wallpaper* Design Award in the UK and the 2016 Good Design Award in Japan – making it the first Samsung TV to win these prestigious accolades.

The 2019 Serif TV also comes with cutting-edge QLED technology to deliver improved picture quality. Ambient Mode, an award-winning feature in Samsung’s QLED line-up, provides information, such as news headlines and weather updates, the ability to display imagery, and blend into any living space when the TV is turned off, was also added to enhance The Serif’s functionality.

In the past, The Serif TV was sold almost exclusively in furniture shops and department stores given its focus on interior décor, but it will be available for purchase in consumer electronics retailers in 2019, as well, to reach a wider base of consumers.

DON’T MISS SAMSUNG AT CES 2019

At CES 2019, Samsung will showcase innovative ways its latest AI and IoT technologies simplify daily life. These include brand new applications for AI and IoT, new ways to make AI do more, as well as new devices that place AI and IoT at the centre of users’ connected lives. It all starts on Monday, January 7 at 02:00 (SAST), with a press conference at Las Vegas’s Mandalay Bay South Convention Centre.

Be sure to catch all the exciting announcements by tuning in to the official livestream, which will be available via the following channels:

• Samsung Newsroom (https://www.samsung.com/za/)
• Samsung Electronics’ Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/samsung)
• Samsung Newsroom YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/samsungnewsroom)

Stay tuned to Samsung Newsroom for more updates on Samsung’s CES 2019 news.

[1] Samsung Art Store: $4.99 per month. New subscribers get 1 month free. Art can also be purchased a la carte.