WORDS Bronwyn Hume, Marketing Group Lead: Consumer Electronics & B2B at Samsung South Africa
The consumer electronics industry is driven by the next big thing, making constant innovation a necessity.
As a technology leader in various categories for multiple decades, Samsung fully understands this and constantly works towards perfecting important aspects with every new product and solution. Focusing on the functionality is an undisputed fact however, the experience and design aspects of a particular product equally play a crucial role in today’s consumer market.
Innovation and design is in everything we see around us and the products we use in our daily lives. Some of the interesting features of product development are the various design iterations implemented to ensure maximum efficiency for consumers. Balancing that aspect with innovation (something I like thinking of as inspiring excitement and capturing the imagination of the end user) is a process that requires precision and attention to detail.
Samsung takes pride in applying the same approach and dedication to every solution and product. The evolution of product design and functionality especially has evolved over the years. Refrigerators, for example, have come a long way since the mid-1700s when William Cullen’s first refrigerating machine was developed. Since then enormous innovation has gone into propelling the appliance from a necessity to a beacon of style and innovation elevating a home’s desirability.
Samsung is an integral part of the evolution of the modern refrigerator with one of our most iconic contributions being the energy saving product that debuted in 1995. Fast forward to today and the company’s latest product in the segment is the Bespoke refrigerator. Ushering in a whole new era of customisable home appliances, the Bespoke range gives one the freedom to personalise their fridge’s colour, material and modules to fit their lifestyle.
Another good example is one piece of technology that has arguably had the most impact on the way we live, the television (TV) set. At one point a TV set was a bulky, looming device that took up far too much room and only displayed black and white moving images, TVs have evolved into sleek, ultra-high resolution devices that seamlessly blend into our living environments.
In 1998, Samsung began mass production of the world’s first digital TV, which raised the bar for picture quality more than ever before. The industry-leading innovation and development didn’t stop there, in 2013 the brand created waves within the industry by launching the curved TV. The company has continued to innovate with picture quality that includes eye-popping colour reproduction and Ultra High Definition, 4K and 8K resolution and QLED displays all of which are designed immaculately to bring an attractive feel to any home.
Ultimately, as a company we’ve always challenged what’s possible with technology, and are now also progressing towards putting sustainability at the centre of our innovations. Marrying both (innovation and sustainability with design) through the use of recycled materials in our latest smartphones, wearables and accessories is a current big focus. Our products are thoughtfully designed to minimise the impact on the environment during their entire life cycle — including power-efficient semiconductor chips, sustainable packaging, energy-saving technology and the ability to upcycle old devices.
Working towards a specific goal, by 2025, we aim to incorporate recycled material in all products, eliminate plastics in packaging, achieve zero standby power consumption for smartphone chargers, and divert all waste from landfills at manufacturing facilities across the globe.
Samsung will continue developing innovative technology that not only looks the part and bridges barriers, but also connects communities and addresses important societal issues such as the current climate crisis. The apparent constant technological innovation, design and, in Samsung’s case, eco-friendly considerations of products and solutions in the consumer electronics space is a clear indication that the evolution is only just beginning and will continue to reach new heights in years ahead.
For more information, visit samsung.com/za/
