[Asia Economy Reporter Seulgina Jo] "Securing future technology is a matter of survival. (Lee Jae-yong, Vice Chairman of Samsung Electronics)"
Following 5G mobile communications, Samsung Electronics is accelerating its efforts to maintain technological leadership in 6G as well. In particular, the company plans to focus investment on strengthening software capabilities for network advancement and intelligence, while also expanding its product portfolio. Alongside this, it will enhance new technology capabilities that will lead the 4th Industrial Revolution, including artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, and supercomputers.
Samsung Electronics' plan announced on the 24th, titled '240 trillion won investment and 40,000 jobs to prepare for the post-COVID-19 future,' specifies strategic industries for expanded investment to secure future leadership: ▲semiconductors, ▲bio, along with ▲next-generation communications, and ▲new growth IT research and development (R&D).
In the next-generation communications sector, Samsung Electronics intends to continuously strengthen its 5G leadership into Beyond 5G and 6G.
Based on its technology that achieved the world's first commercialization of 5G, Samsung Electronics is leading advanced research on next-generation communication technologies. In May 2019, the first year of 5G commercialization, it established the Next-Generation Communications Research Center under Samsung Research and promptly began research on 6G preemptive technologies. Last year, it also released the 6G white paper titled 'The Next Hyper-Connected Experience,' presenting its vision. This move is about 10 years ahead of the expected commercialization timeline for 6G.
Samsung Electronics plans to focus investment on strengthening software capabilities for network advancement and intelligence, while expanding new business areas and product portfolios to grow as a leader in next-generation network businesses. Specifically, it will secure key personnel related to next-generation network technologies such as virtualized networks and open base stations, and increase R&D investment. New business areas include communication equipment and next-generation network operation solutions beyond the existing RAN and Core businesses.
This is a kind of 'super-gap' move by Samsung Electronics to lead the technologies needed in the 6G era. It aligns with Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong’s emphasis at the beginning of the Year of the Ox, when he visited the field and stressed that "securing future technology is a matter of survival."
Theoretically, 6G, which is up to 50 times faster than 5G, is expected to be commercialized around 2028 to 2030. It offers real-time performance about one-tenth the latency of 5G, which is already known for ultra-low latency. Downloading a 4K movie like 'Avatar' takes only 0.16 seconds. It is also reported to enable underwater communication, which was impossible with 5G.
The telecommunications industry expects that once 6G technology is realized, the era of extended reality (XR) using three-dimensional holograms will become commonplace, surpassing virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR). Samsung Electronics also anticipates that with the arrival of the 6G era, services such as ▲Truly Immersive XR, ▲High-Fidelity Mobile Hologram, and ▲Digital Replica will emerge.
It is explained that holographic conference tables like those in the movie 'Kingsman' and designing products in midair like in 'Iron Man' will become reality. Virtual medical services will be provided in spaces similar to real environments, and fully autonomous driving services for millions of vehicles in large cities will become possible.
Alongside this, Samsung Electronics has set a goal to lead the 4th Industrial Revolution by strengthening R&D capabilities in future new technologies and new businesses such as AI, robotics, and supercomputers.
In the AI field, Samsung plans to secure advanced technologies through its 'Global AI Centers' located worldwide, while expanding intelligent devices applying high-performance AI algorithms, thereby securing absolute competitive advantages in both research and frontline business. In the promising robotics sector, it will promote the 'everyday use of robots' by securing core technologies and diversifying form factors, and expand the use of supercomputers for design and development in advanced industrial fields.
Samsung Electronics emphasized, "Samsung is developing absolute superior technological capabilities to secure leadership in core IT industries," and added, "We will lead the 4th Industrial Revolution by securing leadership in new growth IT fields."
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