Samsung Electronics, the global leader in consumer electronics and technology, hosted its ninth Samsung Developer Conference 2023 (SDC23) on October 5 in San Francisco, CA. The event showcased the latest innovations and advancements in Samsung’s software and device services, as well as the company’s vision for smarter everyday living. Here are some of the highlights from the event.
SmartThings and Matter: Offering an Even Better Connected Experience
One of the main topics at SDC23 was Samsung’s SmartThings home ecosystem, which enables users to control and monitor various smart devices and services from a single platform. Samsung announced that it has expanded its support for Matter, the universal IP-based communications protocol for smart home IoT devices, which is backed by major corporations all over the world.
Samsung’s Matter-compatible ecosystem will allow developers to create new apps, hubs and clouds that can seamlessly integrate with Matter devices. Samsung also introduced new features for Matter devices, such as control functionalities, over-the-air updates, multi-hub network and multi-admin support. These features will enhance the capabilities and interoperability of Matter devices within the SmartThings platform.
Samsung also announced its participation in the Home Connectivity Alliance (HCA), a global initiative to create a unified standard for smart home connectivity. Samsung will work with other industry leaders to ensure that SmartThings is compatible with HCA devices and services, and to provide users with more choices and convenience in their smart home experiences.
HDR10+ GAMING: Delivering a Perfectly Immersive Gaming Experience
Alongside the rapid expansion of the gaming industry, Samsung has been developing its HDR10+ technology to deliver a more immersive and realistic gaming experience. HDR10+ is an open standard for high dynamic range (HDR) video that optimizes brightness, contrast and color for each scene.
At SDC23, Samsung announced that it has partnered with leading game developers and platforms, such as Microsoft, Sony, Valve and Epic Games, to bring HDR10+ gaming to more users. Samsung also revealed that it has created a new HDR10+ GAMING logo to help users identify games that support HDR10+ technology.
Samsung also demonstrated how HDR10+ gaming can enhance the visual quality and performance of various games across different genres and platforms. For example, Samsung showed how HDR10+ can improve the lighting effects and details of racing games, such as Forza Horizon 5 and Gran Turismo 7. Samsung also showed how HDR10+ can create more realistic shadows and reflections in action games, such as Halo Infinite and God of War: Ragnarok.
Bixby: A Smarter and More Personalized Virtual Assistant
Bixby, Samsung’s virtual assistant, has been evolving to provide users with more personalized and intelligent services. At SDC23, Samsung announced some of the new features and updates for Bixby that will make it more user-friendly and versatile.
One of the new features is Bixby Routines, which allows users to create customized scenarios based on their preferences and habits. For example, users can set Bixby to automatically adjust the brightness, volume and temperature of their devices when they wake up or go to bed. Users can also use Bixby Routines to control their smart home devices, such as turning on the lights or playing music.
Another new feature is Bixby Voice ID, which enables users to unlock their devices or access certain apps using their voice. Bixby Voice ID uses biometric authentication to verify the user’s identity and provide a more secure and convenient way of accessing their devices.
Samsung also announced that it has improved Bixby’s natural language understanding (NLU) and conversational capabilities. Bixby can now understand more complex queries and commands, as well as provide more relevant and contextual responses. Bixby can also engage in more natural and human-like conversations with users, using emotions, humor and empathy.
Samsung Knox: A Comprehensive Security Solution for All Devices
Samsung Knox is Samsung’s security platform that protects users’ data and privacy across all devices. At SDC23, Samsung highlighted some of its proprietary security innovations that contain the latest features. These include:
- Samsung Knox Matrix — which comes with updates to Credential Sync — enabling end-to-end encryption to backup or restore data on the Samsung Cloud. If a server is compromised or account details are stolen, user data is still protected.
- Samsung Knox Vault — which provides hardware-based protection for sensitive data, such as biometric information, encryption keys and passwords. Samsung Knox Vault uses a secure processor and memory to isolate data from other applications or processes.
- Samsung Knox Guard — which monitors the device’s status and detects any unauthorized changes or tampering. Samsung Knox Guard can lock or wipe the device remotely if it detects any abnormality or threat.
Samsung also announced that it has expanded its Knox Partner Program, which allows third-party developers and enterprises to leverage Samsung’s security solutions for their own applications and services. Samsung also introduced Knox Validated Program, which certifies that third-party applications meet Samsung’s security standards and best practices.
Samsung’s Vision for the Future of Technology and Society
The SDC23 keynote ended with a message from Jong-Hee (JH) Han, Vice Chairman, CEO and Head of Device eXperience (DX) Division at Samsung Electronics, who shared Samsung’s vision for the future of technology and society. He emphasized that Samsung’s innovations are driven by its mission to create a better world for everyone.
“We believe that technology should be a force for good, not only for individuals, but also for communities and the planet,” he said. “We are committed to creating products and services that empower people, enrich lives and protect the environment.”
He also invited developers and partners to join Samsung in its journey of innovation and collaboration. He said that Samsung is open to working with anyone who shares its vision and values, and that together, they can create greater opportunities and a brighter future.
