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By Malik Gunatilleke in Bangkok
Samsung India Electronics announced a range of new products in the smartphones, digital appliances and visual devices categories at the Samsung Southwest Asia Forum 2015 held on Monday in Bangkok, Thailand.
The Samsung Southwest Asia Forum is the company’s annual flagship event which aims to showcase its latest technological innovations and solutions to its regional partners as well as its customers. Samsung also took the opportunity to reiterate its commitment to creating products that are tailor-made to the specific needs of a growing market such as Southwest Asia.
Samsung India Electronics President and CEO H.C. Hong identified the Southwest Asian market as one that offers great opportunities while stating that he was deeply impressed by the rich culture and heritage of India, Nepal, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.
The age of IOT
He also revealed that the next big technological revolution was just around the corner, claiming that Samsung would lead the way. He explained that the concept of ‘Internet of Things’ or IOT, which is based on the idea that all objects will be embedded with devices enhancing its connectivity, is not in fact an era destined for the distant future but in theory has already begun.
“The age of IOT has already begun. It is the next big technological trend and it is at the heart of Samsung’s research and development. We promise that five years from now, every single Samsung product will include IOT,” he stated.
Samsung’s growth
Hong went on to speak about Samsung’s growing strength in the Southwestern market where it was leading the way in many categories. Last year, the company managed to become the second largest consumer company in India and Hong said that Samsung would continue to dedicate itself to making a positive impact on the people of the region
Samsung India used the opportunity to introduce a series of products in several categories in a bid to strengthen their position in the market.
New smartphones
In the smartphones category, Samsung announced three new products designed to cater to the growing 4G market. The Galaxy Grand Prime 4G, Galaxy Core Prime 4G and Galaxy J1 4G were launched at the forum on Monday.
It also introduced the Galaxy A7 which is the slimmest Galaxy smartphone in the market with a width of just 6.3mm. The A7 features a 5.5” full HD Super AMOLED display and also boasts a 13 megapixel camera. The phone also has Dual SIM capabilities.
New televisions
A host of new televisions were also announced by Samsung during the launch event. Samsung unveiled for the first time its S-branded SUHD TV which, as its name suggests, provides even clearer images and more dynamic colours and contrast than a conventional UHD TV. Samsung called it “a true leap forward in technology”.
The SUHD TVs use nano-crystal technology which transmits different colours of light depending on their size, to produce the highest colour purity and light efficiency amongst any other TV. A digitally remastered version of the motion picture – Life of Pi, which was displayed in the Samsung exhibition room, was able to showcase some of the technology’s early potential.
A new line of Smart TVs was also introduced. The Joy Smart TV was made in India with the target of reaching the Indian customer base and meeting their specific needs. The Joy Smart TV line comes with built-in Wi-Fi, services such as Smart Browser and Smart Share as well as mirroring capabilities linked to the user’s smartphone. Although created with the Indian consumer in mind, the Joy series will also be available in Sri Lanka.
New household appliances
Samsung also introduced a host of household appliances including a new line of refrigerators, which they claim is the world’s first convertible refrigerator. Its patented dual fan technology allows independent temperature control of the freezer and fridge with two separate fans. This allows consumers to easily convert their freezer into a fridge and back into a freezer in order to afford them additional space if required.
The NEO series of digital inverter split air conditioners will also be introduced into the market. Samsung stressed that in designing their new line of air conditioners they focussed heavily on power savings, durability and reduced consumption.
He claimed that Samsung’s new digital inverter compressor consumes up to 60% less electricity while cooling 26% more quickly than conventional air conditioners which meant that consumers would potentially use less electricity as well as reduce the usage of the system.
The forum also launched the ActivWash+ machines which have a practical design aimed at cutting down on laundry time. The washing machine’s design includes a built-in sink and side water-jet system that allows users to pre-treat their laundry conveniently.
Among the other highlights of the forum were the MW8000J HotBlast Smart Oven, the Samsung Smart Signage TV and the Galaxy Tab Active, which is a tablet designed specifically for enterprises.
