Samsung Gulf Electronics, the regional division of the South Korean electronics giant, has been making rounds across the GCC in the past week unveiling the company’s latest flagship smartphones – Samsung Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge.

The devices have received an overwhelming response in the regional market, said Samsung Gulf Electronics’ head of information technology and mobile division Tarek Sabbagh, speaking to TradeArabia during the Bahrain launch of the devices at The Ritz-Carlton hotel.

He highlighted the company’s investment in innovative technologies and its focus on getting the latest smart technologies to consumers, particularly smart watches and virtual reality devices.

Excerpts from the interview:
 
With many flagship smartphones entering the market, how do you see Samsung addressing the innovation challenge?

In Samsung, our main priority is to listen to our consumers, and we take their feedback seriously. We have a team of over 70,000 engineers and 36 research and development (R&D) centres all over the world and spend millions in order to bring innovations that really suit and appeal to our consumers. We always want to keep improving our product whether it be the design or the features provided. We, as a company, always do our best to get the latest technology to our consumers, hence we focus on paying attention to our customers’ needs which according to us sets us on the right track moving ahead.

What are your expectations for the S7 and S7 Edge in the regional market?

A through study and analysis was conducted in the market for the S7 in order for Samsung to prepare its most complete flagship model in terms of design, hardware and its functional capabilities. The phone offers consumers the best of all worlds. The pre-ordering of the S7 devices opened recently and the response from the regional market was overwhelming. In three days the initial quantity we had was sold out, which was twice as fast in comparison to the pre-order sales of the Galaxy S6.

How is the market responding to wearable devices? Is there any difference between global and regional markets in accepting this technology?

The wearables market, specifically the ‘smartwatches’ segment, has been growing immensely in the last couple of years. It has moved from selling a few million devices globally to the point where it is expected to sell about 20 million devices this year. Also the segment is expected to grow by more than 100 per cent year-on-year in the next few years.

Samsung was a pioneer in the field of smart wearables and we are continuously improving our devices. For example, our recently released Samsung Gear 2 smartwatch has taken a new approach this time around and has been designed in a circular interface, in comparison to the previous squarish design.

Studies in the market revealed that 80 per cent of the watch sector is built with a circular interface and people want their wearables to not only be functional but also very stylish and most importantly without the bulk factor. So with the new circular design, sleek and stylish form, and the unique rotating bezel feature, we have given the consumer a device which can be truly appreciated.

Additionally, we are further improving this segment and moving it into the luxury market with the introduction of new premium finishes to complement our consumer’s individual style.
The new watches will be available in rose gold and platinum finishes with genuine leather straps.
These developments underline where we see this market going and our moves to take it to the next level.

The next big thing in the wearable is believed to be virtual reality. How will this change the entertainment industry? What is Samsung doing in this segment?

The virtual reality (VR) market is projected to reach $3.2 billion in 2017, according to market statistics. Our company again was among the pioneers in introducing this technology to consumers.

Samsung has partnered with Facebook for its Gear VR headset, which is powered by software made by Oculus VR, the company currently owned by Facebook. The advancements currently being made by Oculus in terms of providing more content, more games, and the integration of social media into this segment will see this market tremendously grow.

Consumers who own a Samsung Gear VR will be able to create a profile and find other gamers to play games, and will soon be able to share 360 degree videos on Facebook. These advancements provide consumers the ability to be able to share and live moments through the Gear VR.

All these developments are being made to develop our overall ecosystem which now centres around our flagship Samsung Galaxy S7, which is the heart of the eco system. So we have the Samsung Gear 2, Samsung Gear VR, and the Samsung Gear 360, all available to provide our consumers with the best experience through our leading technology.

Any other major trends in the consumer electronics market that Samsung is keen to address?

VR devices and the 360 degree cameras like the Samsung Gear 360 will see a humungous growth and further development. We, as a company, are only laying the foundation and setting it up for bigger things to come in the future. -TradeArabia News Service