“The new Sound Tower sets a new standard in how consumers experience entertainment in both indoor and outdoor settings,” said Hun Lee, Executive Vice President of the Visual Display Business at Samsung Electronics. “With customisable lighting effects and an upgraded form factor that produces fully encompassing sound, it underscores Samsung’s commitment to providing innovative audio solutions for the diverse lifestyles of customers.”

Powerful Party Sound

The Sound Tower’s redesigned acoustic structure delivers up to 240W^[1] of rich, room-filling sound with exceptional clarity and deep bass. With Samsung’s Waveguide technology applied to its dual dome tweeters, audio is distributed and enhanced to ensure a wider, more even soundstage. This optimisation provides crisp treble that can be heard clearly, while dual woofers deliver customisable bass with Deep, Punchy and Gentle modes, which allow listeners to tailor their experience to their preferences. Four additional sound modes — Standard, Wide, Stadium and Outdoor — let listeners further fine-tune their audio to match different settings, from backyard barbecues to packed dance floors.

Whether indoors or outdoors, users can enjoy long-lasting performance with up to. A replaceable battery ensures the party can continue without interruption, while IPX4 water resistance offers peace of mind during outdoor use. For an even more immersive soundscape, users can connect multiple units through Auracast Group Play or pair two Sound Towers via Stereo Play with True Wireless Stereo (TWS) for true left-right channel audio.

Vibrant Party Lights + For Every Mood

The Sound Tower’s Party Lights + system transforms a gathering into an immersive audiovisual experience. With five mood presets and six dynamic lighting patterns, users can set the perfect vibe using the Samsung Sound Tower App. The system reacts in real time, analysing music beats and frequencies to activate dozens of LEDs in sync with the rhythm. Customisable mood options include a wide range of effects, movements and colours, including Wave, Trail, Spark, Breeze, Flow and Flare — making it easy to create atmospheres that range from “Festival” to “Chill.”

Upgraded LED lighting extends across five key areas of the speaker to deliver a 360° effect:

• Track light: an iconic LED racetrack-style light that surrounds the two woofer units to display vivid patterns.
• Ring light: LED lights highlight powerful colours around the two tweeter units.
• Line lights: four perimeter line lights that frame the body of the speaker for a moody effect.
• Crystal lights: centred at the base and the foot of the speaker to produce an energizing atmosphere.
• Handle light: doubles as a functional detail, illuminating the control panel and providing support for a tablet or smartphone for easy interaction and control of music and settings

For added entertainment, built-in DJ Booth and Karaoke modes — as well as a guitar input — turn any space into a live stage, combining powerful sound and lighting for a true party-ready experience.

Portable and Built to Last

Designed for versatility, the Sound Tower’s bold, geometric form, integrated lighting and transport-ready build make it as visually striking as it is functional. It redefines portable party audio with a balance of power, design and convenience. The new models also feature Samsung’s Grip & Roll design, with a bottom grip slot and integrated handle on the ST40F model, and the addition of wheels and a telescopic handle on the ST50F model for effortless mobility. Each model has been designed to deliver an elevated audio experience that matches a variety of needs:

• Sound Tower ST50F: 240W output, up to 18 hours of battery life, 6.5” dual woofers, 25mm dual dome tweeters, telescopic handle + wheels, IPX4 water resistance.
• Sound Tower ST40F: 160W output, up to 12 hours of battery life, 5.25” dual woofers, 20mm dual dome tweeters, integrated handle, IPX4 water resistance.

The new Samsung Sound Tower is now available in South Africa.  For more information, visit http://www.samsung.com/za

^[1] Features and components vary by model.

Today, Auto Open Door is available across a range of appliances, including refrigerators, ovens, washing machines, dryers and dishwashers.^[1] Washer-dryers and dishwashers open automatically at the end of a cycle for better hygiene and more convenience. The 2025 Bespoke AI Laundry Combo goes further, adding air circulation to reduce up to 40%^[2] of leftover moisture in the drum after washing.

Starting this year, users don’t even need to say “Hi Bixby” to activate Auto Open Door — a simple command like “Open the fridge door” is enough. Samsung Newsroom spoke with Nae-young Park from the Washing Machine Module Lab, Digital Appliances (DA) Business and Chang-Woo Han from the AI Solution Team, Samsung Research at Samsung Electronics to learn how the feature came to life.

▲ (From left) Nae-young Park and Chang-Woo Han

Q: What inspired the development of Auto Open Door?

Park: When putting groceries into the refrigerator or loading laundry into the washing machine, users often had to set down what they were carrying just to open the door. With washing machines, leaving laundry inside after a cycle could lead to lingering moisture and musty odours. We developed this feature to ease those inconveniences while also considering hygiene.

Q: What aspects did you focus on most during development?

Park: We considered several factors, including opening angle and speed, to make sure the door opened in a stable, natural way. Angles were tested in one-degree increments and the structure was fine-tuned to create an experience that didn’t feel too slow or too fast. For washing machines, we even measured oxygen concentration at different door angles to find the optimal setting for smooth air circulation — effectively reducing residual moisture in the drum.

Q: How was the voice-activated door–opening feature designed to work without calling Bixby?

Han: Because the system had to recognise commands without a wake-up phrase, it needed to remain in standby and respond quickly. That required balancing energy efficiency with responsiveness, using low-power, low-latency technology. To achieve this, we implemented low-power keyword detection and on-device automatic speech recognition (ASR) — detecting the user’s voice, identifying phrases like “Open the fridge door” and using on-device ASR to accurately interpret and execute the command.

Q: What efforts went into making the voice recognition technology stable and efficient?

Han: High-quality voice recognition depends on accurately understanding a variety of commands and requires large amounts of recorded voice data. Since collecting that data manually is time-consuming and resource-intensive, we developed ‘Zero-shot text-to-speech (TTS)^[3] technology to streamline the process. Zero-shot TTS can synthesize required sentences in many different voices and use them for training. We advanced the technology to the point where it can replace models trained on real human voices.

Q: What is the future development direction for Auto Open Door?

Park: Looking ahead, Auto Open Door will be expanded to more products. We want to equip a broader range of appliances with this technology so users can interact with any Samsung appliance naturally. Our goal is to create solutions that make life easier for everyone, regardless of their physical condition or circumstance.

Han: This year, we introduced new voice recognition capabilities such as Voice ID — which distinguishes between family members — and voice control that works without a wake-up phrase. Moving forward, we will keep improving core performance while developing more personalised services for users.

With Auto Open Door, Samsung has turned user-centred innovation into everyday convenience. Going forward, Samsung plans to continue making this feature available on more of its products. As the company continues to deliver differentiated technologies and new appliance experiences, consumers can look forward to even greater ease and comfort at home.

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

^[2] Up to 40% moisture reduction measured after 24 hours with Auto Open Door compared to closed-door conditions. Test conducted at 25℃ and 55% relative humidity with a 1 kg IEC laundry load (standard cycle, spin level 4) and door open at a 10˚angle.

^[3] Zero-shot TTS references approximately five seconds of speech provided by the user to synthesize new audio in a similar style.

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. has unveiled a new campaign under the theme “SmartThings Meets AI Home.” The video demonstrates how Samsung’s AI Home delivers innovative, everyday AI experiences that enrich consumers’ lives. Released ahead of IFA 2025, the campaign highlights Samsung’s vision for the AI Home as newly defined by SmartThings.

Samsung’s AI Home understands users and adapts to their needs, delivering a personalised AI experience that connects both Samsung and third-party devices through SmartThings. The video shows examples of how AI Home enables users to enjoy more quality time and focus on what matters most by doing less at home.

In the video, SmartThings Routine adjusts the air conditioner temperature and lighting, while a single tap on the SmartThings app enables home appliances to manage household chores automatically^[1]. This allows users to enjoy quality family time, comfortable relaxation, and restful sleep. Additionally, through the SmartThings Pet Care service, users can care for their pets even when they are busy.

“With this campaign, we aimed to highlight Samsung’s AI home experience redefined by AI leadership and SmartThings in a way that truly connects with customers,” said Won-Jin Lee, President and Head of Global Marketing Office at Samsung Electronics. “We will continue to make efforts to bring AI home experiences that make everyday life simpler, more meaningful and more human.”

The video appears on outdoor screens at global landmarks such as Times Square in New York and Piccadilly Circus in London, and is also available on Samsung’s official social media channels, including YouTube.

^[1] Applicable to appliances connected to the SmartThings App available on Android and iOS devices. Requires routine setup through the SmartThings app. A Wi-Fi connection and a Samsung account are required.

Samsung Electronics has announced that two series of robot vacuum cleaners, the Bespoke AI Jet Bot Steam^[1] and the Bespoke Jet Bot Combo,^[2]  and Bespoke AI Refrigerators^[3] have received IoT security certification from TÜV Nord, a global certification organisation based in Germany.

This marks the first time Samsung’s digital appliances have received TÜV Nord security certification, further underscoring the company’s leadership in both home appliance technology and data security.

“As the global focus on smart home security intensifies, Samsung continues to deliver robust protection through our Knox security platform,” said Jeong Seung Moon, Executive Vice President and Head of the R&D Team for Digital Appliances Business at Samsung Electronics. “This certification validates the strength of our security technologies, and we will continue to enhance differentiated protection to safeguard customer data.”

TÜV Nord is a globally renowned institution, acknowledged as an IECEE-accredited National Certification Body. The certification is based on the ETSI EN 303 645 standard, established by the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI), which defines security and privacy requirements across the lifecycle of consumer IoT devices — from design and development to distribution and operation. Key criteria include data encryption, authentication and access control, secure software updates, personal data protection and vulnerability management.

The European market is already tightening security requirements with updates to the Radio Equipment Directive (RED) and upcoming implementation of the Cyber Resilience Act (CRA). Against this backdrop, TÜV Nord certification demonstrates Samsung’s readiness to meet evolving international standards and its commitment to protecting users in connected environments.

Samsung has strengthened its home appliances with a wide range of Knox security technologies that safeguard user data through multiple layers of protection. These include the verification of unauthorised firmware modifications when the device is turned on. Additionally, all monitoring video footage and user commands from the robot cleaner are encrypted and only decrypted at their intended destination.^[4]

The certified 2025 Bespoke AI Refrigerators and the Bespoke AI Jet Bot Steam further enhance security capabilities by integrating Knox Matrix and Knox Vault. Knox Matrix enables mutual security checks between devices, ensuring users are promptly alerted in the event of data theft risks. Knox Vault secures sensitive personal information, such as passwords, by processing and storing it on a dedicated hardware subsystem.

The Bespoke AI Jet Bot Steam will be unveiled at IFA 2025 in September. The Bespoke Jet Bot Combo and Bespoke AI Refrigerators already being rolled out in select markets globally.

Availability in country and price on request.

^[1] VR90F*******, VR80F*******, VR70F*******
^[2] VR7MD97****/**, VR7MD96****/**
^[3] RM90F**B***, RF90F**A***, RF90F**E***, RM90F**C**, RM90F**D**, RM90F**E**, RM90F**X*, RF90F**B***, RF**DB99***, RF**DB95***, RF**DG9H***
^[4] Available on Samsung devices running Android 11 or later, and may not work on some devices.