Press Conference Held Ahead of CES 2017, Emphasizing Next-Generation Appliance Innovation
Voice Recognition and Artificial Intelligence to Be Integrated Based on Samsung's Proprietary Cloud This Year

"Now we will implement the infinite possibilities that IoT connectivity brings into consumers' daily lives and lead the transformation of future appliances and future homes."

Samsung Electronics President and CEO Yoon Boo-keun held a press conference in Las Vegas, USA on the 4th (local time) ahead of the CES 2017 opening. At this event, CEO Yoon stated, "Last year, Samsung Electronics boldly reorganized its business structure centered on the market and consumers to create a revenue structure focused on premium products and made active investments in promising technologies and companies to strengthen core competencies," adding, "We will maintain industry leadership by building a structure that enables sustained growth regardless of any changes."

The home appliance business achieved continuous market share growth and improved profitability in strategic markets last year through a differentiated premium strategy compared to competitors. This year, the company plans to strengthen its position as a global top brand through three pillars: ▲expansion of smart appliances with connectivity, ▲product innovation maximizing consumer convenience, and ▲full-scale cultivation of B2B business.

Regarding the TV business, CEO Yoon stated that the company achieved the number one position for 11 consecutive years by leading the large-size and ultra-high-definition trends despite global demand stagnation last year. This year's strategy is to ▲set new display standards through 'QLED TV' that overcomes limitations of existing displays with new quantum dot technology, and ▲lead the market with a TV evolved one step further in usability and design by comprehensively addressing user inconveniences.

Since IFA 2014, Samsung Electronics has consistently emphasized the vision of an era when IoT accelerates and has steadily invested across all IoT fields. The company also holds great expectations for recent acquisitions such as Harman, Viv Labs, and Joyent to strengthen 'company-wide IoT business' and create 'synergies between business divisions.'

Contributing to Enhanced IoT Connectivity Across All Consumer Living Domains

Based on these capabilities, Samsung Electronics will not remain confined to 'smartphones' centered on individuals but will strengthen products and services with enhanced IoT connectivity across all consumer living domains, ranging from 'smart homes,' 'smart offices,' to 'smart cars.'

In particular, this year the company plans to introduce a new service that connects household appliances and IT products via WiFi based on an open IoT platform and Samsung's proprietary cloud, and controls them through 'a single app.' Starting with major Samsung Electronics appliances and TVs this year, this service is expected to be integrated with nearly all products by 2020.

CEO Yoon stated, "Samsung Electronics will establish a 'Samsung Next Fund' worth 150 million dollars to expand the IoT ecosystem," adding, "This fund is planned to be used intensively to foster startups with promising software and service technologies worldwide, including the IoT field."

Regarding the next-generation TV 'QLED,' CEO Yoon said, "Rather than debating picture quality, more research and investment should be directed toward comprehensively solving inconveniences arising from the user's viewing experience," and noted, "Samsung Electronics will create a foundation to further expand the experiences and services that TVs can provide through products emphasizing consumer lifestyle and products strengthening connectivity and usability."

CEO Yoon also cited examples of Family Hub and Smart TV, stating, "Home appliances have the advantage of helping consumers easily understand the value that IoT provides in everyday life," and added, "We will continue to introduce products that can provide better services by integrating new IoT technologies like Family Hub."

Samsung Electronics' home appliance business division has set B2B business such as built-in appliances and system air conditioners as a new growth engine and is allocating business capabilities for enhancement. CEO Yoon stated, "IoT capabilities will also represent a significant opportunity for future B2B business," emphasizing that "strengthening IoT and B2B business capabilities is one of the most important tasks this year."