Samsung 2011 regional forum: Interconnectedness, invention

ISTANBUL: Samsung’s 2011 regional forum held under the theme of “Smarter Life” celebrated the company’s growing success in the region. Focusing on the conglomerate’s digital products, the forum gave a chance to invited guests to get close-up to the latest innovations in Internet-connected TVs, consumer-inspired digital cameras and the latest mobile technology. Samsung executives took the opportunity to share plans for developing Samsung’s regional market presence and reflect on the way ahead.

Jeseung Park, senior vice-president of Samsung digital appliances marketing, said that he saw the Middle East region as a very attractive market with tremendous potential. This he said explained why the digital household appliances featured high in this year’s forum. “It is a good opportunity to meet the media and our customers at the same time and present our new products personally.” Park agreed that the increasingly young demographic profile of the area was a significant factor in the company’s marketing drive in the area.
Sung Yong Hong, president of Samsung Electronics Turkey, set out the three pillars of Samsung’s “Smarter Life” philosophy: Smart Design, Smart Experiences and Smart Connections. Smart design he said created intuitive designs that increased functionality for consumers. The Smart Experiences philosophy provided a wide variety of applications, games and programming delivered on a broad range of platforms through bright and dynamic screens. The Smart Connections vector allows Samsung devices to automatically connect to each other sharing content and enhancing user experiences. In short, the interconnectedness of everything Samsung.
Hong said that Samsung looked to move into the lead position in televisions across the region in 2011 through focusing on smart and 3D televisions. The same ambition applied to home appliances.
“In handheld phones, we’ll continue to focus on the Galaxy S II and high-end smart phones like the Touch and Duo. Our IT cluster strategy will help us further diversify our channels in this emerging category. In digital imaging, we will look to push our market share above 20 percent.”
That is a tall order, but with Samsung’s aggressive style and the economic strength of the region distinctly possible. In 2010, Samsung achieved record sales of $4.4 billion in the region, a 34 percent growth coming from stronger sales and improved partner relationships. This contributed to the company’s global revenues of $135.8 billion—the most successful in Samsung’s history.
Samsung clearly see connectivity as the future. Seeing the breadth that smart connections now cover, it is perfectly possible that not only will your mobile phone soon be able “talk” to your television, computer and other people’s smart phones and tablet computers, but end up chatting amicably to your vacuum cleaner, air-conditioner, refrigerator and microwave to tidy up and cool the house and coordinate the evening’s menu.
At the exhibition of digital household appliances that ran in tandem with the forum, Samsung rolled out some innovative ideas. Given the antiquity of the principles of the refrigerator and washing machine, one would be forgiven for thinking that it would be hard to come up with anything really new in those areas. That however would be to underestimate the inventiveness of the company’s research and development teams.
The attractively named “Eco Bubble” washing machine features a neat bit of lateral thinking: make the cleaning detergent bubbles before the washing fluid reaches the clothes. Before a wash cycle begins, the machine blends detergent, water and air to generate bubbles that penetrate into fabrics quickly, evenly and deeply. As a result, fabrics are thoroughly rinsed without detergent residues or stains. This simple idea provides three key consumer benefits: superior washing performance, fabric care and energy savings. And the machine is incredibly quiet.
A refrigerator is essentially a cold box. When Samsung engineers get to it however, it becomes a four-door box with an independent mid-drawer and Smart Divider, allowing for ample storage space. Jeseung Park was particularly proud of the advances made on what is a simple principle. Efficient space age insulation increases the internal space, pumped air circulation inside prevents food glazing with ice and keeps it fresh longer and cutting-edge computer controlled four-evaporator technology that enables precise individual temperature control of both the refrigerator and freezer compartments. Again, simple ideas plus some advanced engineering and as part of the company philosophy, energy efficient.
The application if innovative technology to an existing idea characterizes Samsung’s strength in digital home appliances. The tsunami of new home appliances, along with the wealth of televisions and interconnected life-style “must haves” are reaching the Kingdom already and given the appeal of technology and the demographic of the Kingdom, they will encounter ready acceptance

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