Istanbul: Samsung Electronics, the world's biggest television maker, has redefined its strategy of pushing boundaries in a bid to widen its lead over rivals.
The South Korean company aims to change how consumers access and interact with their media content and connected devices in years to come.
Speaking at the Samsung Forum 2102 in Istanbul, Kyung Tae Bae, President of Samsung Electronics, Middle East and North Africa, said Samsung's TV and AV strategy was built on three pillars, revolutionising features available throughout this year's line-up — smart interaction, smart content and smart evolution.
He said Middle East and North Africa consumers have been quick to adopt mobile technologies, such as smartphones and tablets that allow them to make their content accessible wherever they go. They expect not only greater accessibility, but greater, more compelling content — all of which are needs met through Samsung's vision for the future of Smart TV.
"Samsung will continue to look for opportunities to further showcase its strength and flexibility as we compete for market leadership across all product categories. Our goals are ambitious as we seek to become an ultra-premium and iconic brand that is preferred throughout the region," he said after showcasing an impressive line-up of "smart technology" products to be launched in the market this year.
Taking home entertainment to the next level, he said televisions will be a staple in Samsung's product line-up this year by offering more interactive experiences and ensuring televisions become the centre of technology in every household living room.
Regionally in 2011, Samsung TV achieved 26 per cent growth in sales revenue and 26 per cent growth in unit sales of total TV. The company achieved a 44 per cent rise in revenues to $6.2 billion (Dh22.7 billion) last year.
Greater choice
Samsung's ES8000 LED TV series offer an intuitive platform that uses motion control, voice control and face recognition. Smart interaction complements the remote and offers users greater choice and convenience in how they control home entertainment. Samsung provides consumers access to the widest variety of premium content available, with more than 1,500 apps offered worldwide in 2012.
Users can say "web browser" to get internet and wave a hand to control the mouse cursor and select links. Face recognition lets family members log in to their account and automatically sign into Skype and Smart Hub.
Kyung said Samsung's Evolution Kit, an industry first, will allow consumers to easily and cost-effectively enjoy the latest technology services on their TV. With a simple slot-in at the back of select 2012 Samsung Smart TV models, consumers can keep pace with rapid advancements in both TV hardware and software — without needing to purchase a new set every other year, this is through the company's proprietary system-on-chip technology — making Samsung the only consumer electronics company to offer this evolving TV solution.
"Our strategy for growth in the region and around the world will be to focus on B2B and becoming a holistic solutions provider. We will create a dedicated B2B organisation with localised solutions, targeting fields such as banking, insurance, health care and education with products linked to business aspirations such as mobility, security, analytics and data," he said.
