Samsung took the media on a "journey of wonder" at the brand's Africa Forum, in Cape Town this week, showcasing its latest smart technology offerings.
Featuring everything from speakers to smartphones, the brand debuted its newest technology targeted specifically at the African continent. Speaking at the event, George Ferreira, VP and COO at Samsung Electronics Africa, described these smart devices as products that have the potential to improve the lives of those living in Africa.
"At Samsung, we have committed ourselves to enriching the lives of those living in Africa by making sure we create smart devices for the continent."
According to Ferreira, Samsung offers the widest portfolio of consumer electronics devices in the ICT industry and the brand is extending its focus to cater to those in government, enterprise, the private sector and SMEs.
New smart devices
The brand unveiled its premium TV range at the event. Robert Ngeru, commercial director for Samsung Electronics, East and Central Africa, explained that consumers are increasingly seeking larger screens with improved functionality. He unveiled the 85-inch, ultra-high-definition S9 TV with four times the pixels of other high-definition TVs on the market, as well as the ultra-thin F8000 LED TV with a quad-core processor, which, according to Ngeru, allows users to switch between traditional viewing and online browsing in no time at all.
Following on the success of the Samsung Galaxy Camera, Samsung introduced a WiFi-only version for photographers who don't need to stay connected at all times. Samsung also added to its NX range of cameras, with the NX300, a device Samsung touts as being able to take pristine images with increased speed and shot control.
As part of its smartphone offering, Samsung unveiled three new handsets targeted specifically at the African market - the Samsung Galaxy Star, the Samsung Galaxy Pocket Neo and the Samsung Galaxy Grand.
Content services
According to Paulo Ferreira, head of enterprise mobility at Samsung SA, the latest technology goes beyond hardware, as Samsung is also offering various content services to the African consumer. The brand's music service, The Kleek, is an application designed and built in Africa to cater to consumer demand.
Samsung's WiFi service, via Always On, entitles the owners of all Samsung devices bought in the last three years to 1GB free WiFi every month for a year. In addition, Samsung has partnered with eKitabu, East Africa's leading e-book retailer, to bring digital textbooks to underprivileged communities across the continent.
The last of its service offerings was the Smart Trainer, which, according to former Bafana Bafana player Mark Fish, allows children to train with the guidance of the players they admire. "We hope this app will help kids to become like the stars they see in their national teams," said Fish.
"Ultimately, it is about smart products, for a smarter Africa and a smarter you. Your laptop speaks to the printer; your fridge saves you money; and your washing machine worries about the environment. This is the vision Samsung is engineering on a global level," concluded Samsung's deputy MD and director for consumer electronics, Matthew Thackrah.
Share