Choosing the right phone for your daily needs shouldn’t be a difficult choice and Samsung users have a great advantage over any other cell phone users – they’re completely covered by a highly customer-centred service. Life happens and with phones almost constantly in-hand, damage to a device is almost a given, whether from being dropped or some other accident.

Samsung Mobile Care (SMC) is on offer to users of SMC devices (this includes the Galaxy Note 8, S8, S8+, S9 and S9+) who register for the plan on the Samsung Rewards Platform. It offers users two screen replacements within a 24-month period, limited to one repair every 12 months. There’s also a free battery replacement with each screen repair. Once registered with SMC, users won’t have to fill out any forms and will enjoy quick and easy assistance.

Richard Chetty, Africa Services Director for Samsung South Africa, says, “We know that life happens and no matter how careful you are with your phone, screens can break, even though we’ve integrated Super AMOLED glass screen and phones are far more robust now. The SMC service is something we’re offering to customers to ensure they can stay connected and get on with their lives without hassle.”

To register for SMC, customers can download the Samsung Rewards App from the Google Play Store or the Samsung App Store. Once registered, users will be contacted by the sales team who will explain the product and confirm that cover is required. Users must register within 30 days of purchasing their new device.

Enhancing the service offering, Samsung also launched their Mobile Repair Vans, allowing customers to have their devices repaired where they are – whether at home or in the office. All users need to do is log their device concerns with the service centre on 0860 726 7864, where after a service partner will be dispatched to do the repairs, including device set up, wireless connections, software upgrades and registration of new Samsung products. Users who are SMC registered will get this extraordinary service without the nominal service fee.

“There are numerous advantages to being a Samsung customer – from the incredibly convenient Smart Switch offering, where you can seamlessly move data from one device to another, including calendar appointments, photographs and apps – to the premium service packages on offer,” concludes Chetty.

Acronyms and abbreviations also played a large part in the emergence of a new language, with parents around the world battling to understand their teenager’s ‘textspk’. Associate Professor of English and Comparative Literature at Columbus University, John McWhorter says in an article in Time Magazine, “Texting is developing its own kind of grammar. Take LOL. It doesn’t actually mean ‘laughing out loud’ in a literal sense anymore. LOL has evolved into something much subtler and sophisticated and is used even when nothing is remotely amusing. Jocelyn texts ‘Where have you been?’ and Annabelle texts back ‘LOL at the library studying for two hours.’ LOL signals basic empathy between texters, easing tension and creating a sense of equality. Instead of having a literal meaning, it does something — conveying an attitude — just like the -ed ending conveys past tense rather than “meaning” anything. LOL, of all things, is grammar.”[i]

Messaging evolved even further – not satisfied with typing out abbreviations or acronyms, nor even with inserting emojis, memes and avatars became the favoured way to communicate. For example, instead of messaging ‘LOL at the library studying for two hours’, Jocelyn would insert an image or gif of someone buried under a pile of books with a ‘help’ sign sticking out, for example.

And then along came augmented reality merged with avatars. Augmented reality superimposes a computer-generated image on a user’s view of the real world, while an avatar is an icon or figure representing a particular person in a video game, internet forum or similar. Although the earliest use of the word avatar in a computer game was in 1979, in a PLATO role-playing game called Avatar, the word is also derived from Hinduism, meaning a manifestation of a deity or released soul in bodily form on earth or an incarnate divine teacher.

Now, Samsung has introduced the AR Emoji, allowing users to create a highly accurate computer-generated image of themselves (avatars) that can express emotion, such as winks, laughter, anger, etc. A recent report indicated that 65% of Millennials communicate more digitally than in person.[ii] It’s a boon to anyone who uses messaging as their regular means of communication because it inserts augmented reality that enables real-time emotional expression.

Craige Fleischer, Vice President of Integrated Mobility for Samsung South Africa says, “The AR Emoji feature on the Galaxy S9 and S9+ is an incredible innovation that speaks directly into how the Millennial generation like to communicate. Who wouldn’t want a personalised avatar to use in messaging? It really puts the conversation back into messaging platforms.”

But it’s more than just an avatar – the phone takes things one step further by using the front-facing camera to map more than 100 points in users’ face to build a highly realistic 3D avatar that corresponds to unique facial movements

“Users can turn their selfies into an emoji, creating an animated version of themselves that showcases their unique characteristics, emotions and expressions. The various sticker options enhance personalised expressions even further and with an astounding 128 GB storage available, as well as a micro-SD slot for an additional 400 GB, there’s almost no end to the versions users can create of themselves,” concludes Fleischer.

In addition to the 18 animated stickers, AR Emojis can be shared with third-party apps like WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger and can even be shared with people who don’t have a Galaxy S9 or S9+, as well as other phone brands.

The changing face of digital communication has just become extremely personal and put the conversation and emotion back into the way we interconnect.

^{[i] http://ideas.time.com/2013/04/25/is-texting-killing-the-english-language/}

^{[ii] https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/gen-z-and-millennials-now-more-likely-to-communicate-with-each-other-digitally-than-in-person-300537770.html}

Craige Fleisher, Vice President of Integrated Mobility Samsung South Africa, says, “The S9 and S9+ mark the new age of smartphone cameras. The camera reimagined redefines how you discover and capture every meaningful moment and gives you a new way to express yourself. We’re really looking forward to seeing how the public respond to what we’ve created in the Galaxy Studio.”

The Galaxy Studio offers visitors the opportunity to immerse themselves in a camera experience like no other – from wind-tunnels to exquisite low-light settings, the encounter is much like an out-of-this-world fun park.

Create an Augmented Reality version of yourself simply by taking a selfie.

The camera that radically slows down time, making everyday moments epic.

The S9 camera has been reimagined to speak to the heart of what so many people use their smartphones for. The new camera enables consumers to capture that moment, in the moment. At the Galaxy Studio, customers will be able to fully experience the astounding camera features of the S9 and S9+, along with a number of other activities that highlight this year’s flagship device, from software updates to Samsung switch.

“The Galaxy Studio really is an incredible experience and beautifully highlights all the innovative features of the S9 and S9+,” concludes Fleischer.

The Galaxy Studios are now open at the following venues from 1^st March to 25^th March with opening times as per individual shopping centre times:

• Johannesburg: Sandton City, Checkers Court: 2 -25 March 2018
• Durban: Gateway, Explore Court: 2 – 25 March 2018
• Cape Town: Canal Walk, Promo Court: 8- 25 March 2018

*Date and times are subject to change please refer to samsung.com for the latest