Samsung has decided to break away from tradition in its CES press conference. Over the years, CES has been an event where the company would talk about the features that its new electronics were expected to have. But this year, the Korean consumer electronics giant used the platform to share its vision for connected devices. There were a lot of new TVs and other electronics that were on display though. But what remained striking is that Samsung didn’t focus on them as usual.
The company was busy talking about a concept it called the “intelligence of things.” The intelligence of things is basically the idea of creating smart objects. The objects are interconnected with one another in a cloud. This is a trend that has been rife in consumer electronics over the last three or four years. But it’s only recently that we are starting to see smart electronics making their way into homes around the world. The use of voice assistants integrated into electronics is a big step. However, we are also hearing talks of using artificial intelligence to enhance outcomes.
As one of the leading manufacturers of consumer electronics, Samsung is looking forward to this. If this year’s CES is anything to go by, there is no doubt that smart devices are indeed an important part of Samsung’s plans moving forward. Different consumer electronics brands have a different view on what smart devices could do for their customers.
Samsung takes a simpler and more practical interpretation of this. The company sees the idea of smart devices as offering seamless connectivity in a single cloud of interconnected intelligent devices powered by your own voice. Samsung is in the process of integrating a number of internet-based software into one central cloud. The company has already launched a brand called “SmartThings” that will produce smart devices.
Samsung says that it is planning to ensure that all the devices it makes are internet-connected by 2020. The company also wants to integrate its Bixby voice assistant into all these electronics. But that’s not all. Samsung is also keen on pushing next-generation 5G wireless technology. The aim here is to provide that seamless connectivity.
Samsung is a renowned electronics maker. But it seems that the company now wants to venture further beyond hardware. Venturing into smart devices is all about creating a technology ecosystem that allows customers to make the most out of their electronics. It’s the kind of success that Apple, Amazon and Google have managed to achieve but Samsung wants in on it.
Smart home devices will definitely be key drivers. The Consumer Technology Association is estimating that sales for smart home devices will hit $4.5 billion this year. This will be a 34% rise compared to 2017.
Samsung has confirmed that it’s already working on the SmartThings Cloud that will facilitate its vision of smart devices. The cloud is meant to connect all Samsung devices together. But we are not there yet. Samsung will need to create an appealing solution to consumers and rival other companies like Google and Amazon that are already ahead in this sector.
