[Report] "Willing to Queue to See"... Long Lines Show CES Popularity of Samsung Electronics (Comprehensive)

No Breakthrough New Product, Yet Popularity Grows
Just Through Connectivity

On the 5th (local time) at the Samsung Electronics booth in LVCC, despite it being lunchtime, a long line of visitors wanting to enter shows no signs of shortening easily.

[Las Vegas=Asia Economy Reporter Park Sun-mi] On the 5th (local time), the opening day of CES2023, the world's largest electronics and IT exhibition, the largest Samsung Electronics booth set up at the Las Vegas Convention Center (LVCC) was so crowded with visitors that even entering was nearly impossible. The lobby was filled with people waiting for the booth doors to open at 10 a.m., fearing they might miss out if they arrived late. Even during lunchtime, when the crowd density inside the booth decreased, the line to enter Samsung Electronics' booth remained long. It was a moment that clearly showed Samsung Electronics was the company receiving the hottest attention among the exhibitors at CES2023.

Samsung Electronics' exhibition booth can be summarized in one word: ‘connectivity.’ Although no new products stood out to elicit a ‘wow’ reaction, the space highlighted platforms emphasizing connectivity and showcased Samsung’s technological prowess rather than hardware products. In fact, Samsung Electronics did not emphasize superlatives such as ‘world’s best,’ ‘world’s first,’ or ‘world’s largest’ when unveiling products at the Las Vegas Convention Center (LVCC) this year. Even after touring the entire exhibition hall, which was the largest among LVCC exhibitors at 3,368㎡ (approximately 1,019 pyeong), there were no striking new products that could be called ‘revolutionary.’

Even the newly unveiled SmartThings hub, the ‘SmartThings Station,’ debuted at CES2023, focused on demonstrating the convenience brought by customized SmartThings connectivity rather than highlighting the product itself. The exhibition booth clearly reflected Samsung’s desire to show that, beyond ‘manufacturing,’ Samsung Electronics can realize technologies that help humanity through inter-product connectivity.

The exhibition booth was broadly divided into five sections: ▲Sustainability ▲Home Security ▲Family Care ▲Health & Wellness ▲Entertainment ▲Smart Work. Upon entering the booth, visitors were greeted by five large screens, including a massive LED screen approximately 8.6 meters wide and 4.3 meters tall. These screens offered a preview of the hyper-connected experience Samsung Electronics emphasizes.

In the Sustainability zone, visitors could place cubes representing 11 eco-friendly activities across five stages of a product’s lifecycle?sourcing, production, use, packaging, and disposal?on sensors and interact with displays to experience them. In the Home Security zone, visitors could experience how Samsung’s connectivity technology maintains safety and security by activating sensors in an empty house when the occupants are away.

Samsung Electronics also showcased its connectivity and customer experience in the automotive electronics business in collaboration with Harman.

The vehicle was transformed from a mere space for transportation into a space maximizing smart experiences (ICX). When boarding the vehicle displayed at the exhibition booth, cameras, radar sensors, and machine learning algorithms autonomously assessed the driver’s cognitive level and monitored changes in condition to maintain optimal driving conditions. If the driver’s attention waned, warning alarms sounded, and mood-enhancing music played. If the driver was judged to be drowsy, the air conditioning system automatically activated to ensure driving safety.

Connectivity among home appliances also helps manage users’ health. In the Smart Workout zone, when users walk or run, Samsung Electronics’ person-device connectivity function records exercise data and automatically switches to a health management mode monitoring pulse and weight. Health-related information tailored to the user’s condition is linked to the refrigerator, where the panel display shows recipes suitable for the user’s health. When a recipe is selected, the connected water purifier dispenses the required amount of water automatically, and the oven temperature is set automatically to match the food.

Han Jong-hee, Vice Chairman of Samsung Electronics, took the stage as the keynote speaker at a press conference held at the Mandalay Bay Hotel in Las Vegas that day, stating, “It is a time for new challenges to realize the completion of the connected experience promised by Samsung Electronics,” and added, “Our ultimate vision is to realize technologies that embody everyone’s dreams and wishes through connectivity.”