SAMSUNG Electronics CEO BK Yoon Discusses the Internet of Things and Its Prerequisites

SAMSUNG Electronics’ CEO and President, BK Yoon, attended the 2015 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas last January 5, 2015. Yoon gave the opening keynote speech in the event, and focused on what the Internet of Things needs in order to develop and grow more.

According to Yoon, the Internet of Things is capable of changing the entire society, including its economy aspect and way of living. Furthermore, he said, “It is our job to pull together — as an industry, and across different sectors — to make true on the promise of the Internet of Things.” In fact, he believes that the Internet of Things must be integrated in people’s lives. This is because he also considers the idea that the Internet of Things is not really about things but about the people. “Each person is at the center of their own technology universe, and the IoT universe will constantly adapt and change shape as people move through their world,” Yoon confirms.

SAMSUNG announced the company’s plans to integrate the Internet of Things in their technology as their own stand in opening the doors for the IoT era. By 2017, the company is expected to have all their televisions be IoT devices. And after 5 years, all the company’s hardware will be IoT-ready. This will help the IoT era progress and be well-accepted in the market. In fact, what will mark the start of SAMSUNG’s efforts is the USD100 million investment in the IoT developers community this 2015.

Because of SAMSUNG’s deep belief in the role that developers play in the growth of the IoT, the company also considers them as key players in the coming era of IoT. And in their investment, SAMSUNG will strengthen its international developer events and accelerator programs. In conclusion, Yoon said, “We at Samsung are committed to supporting the developer community. Only together can we shape this better future.” 

SAMSUNG’s IoT Expansion in Devices and Components

The Internet of Things era is expected to be made up of more precise and advanced sensors. It also includes high-energy efficient and more compact key components. And due to these works, SAMSUNG is working on advanced sensors and special chips, which will further the progress of IoT for the company’s use.

The advanced sensors are expected to provide the right solution and service, being precise and accurate in its understanding about the person’s immediate environment. The most ideal example in this case is a 3D range sensor with the capability to detect miniscule movements.

The chips are energy-efficient and adequately compact, that they can be integrated in different kinds of devices, particularly the mobile and wearable ones. Some examples of these chips are the ePop (embedded package on package), and the Bio-Processor.

CEO BK Yoon believes that the first step in opening the IoT era is to integrate the different devices in the IoT ecosystem. “Samsung already has a broad range of IoT devices. Last year, Samsung delivered more than 665 million products, and this number is set to increase. We have already begun to unlock the value hidden in connected devices and all the everyday objects around us,” he adds.

Opening IoT Ecosystem across Different Industries

Besides the integration of the different devices to the IoT ecosystem, Yoon considers openness as an important factor in the success of the IoT era. This was seconded by SmartThings CEO Alex Hawkinson, when he joined Yoon in the stage to discuss it further.

Hawkinson believes in the importance of the open infrastructure in the success of the Internet of Things. Additionally he said, “Any device, from any platform, must be able to connect and communicate with one another. We’ve worked hard to accomplish this, and are committed to putting users first, giving them the most choice and freedom possible. The SmartThings ecosystem is now compatible with more devices than any other platform.” 

Another important factor that will also drive IoT to triumph is the collaboration among the different companies in the different industries. If they will work hand-in-hand in creating the needed infrastructure, including a lot of IoT services to cater to customers’ needs, this will be an easy success. Yoon also believes in this need for collaboration. He said, “I know in my heart that neither one single company nor one industry alone can deliver the benefits of the Internet of Things. To create this IoT universe, we have to see the potential of the Internet of Things across all kinds of industries. Only if we work together can we improve people’s lives.” 

SAMSUNG is positive that the IoT will have a major impact in the lives of the consumers, specifically in the electronics industry. The company also believes that it will not only affect the industry but revolutionize it, including all other industries. More information about this can be found by visiting http://global.samsungtomorrow.com/CES2015 

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