Samsung CEO to reveal IoT and digital home vision at IFA 2014

26 Aug 2014

Samsung president and CEO Boo-Keun Yoon

Just days before Apple reveals what is expected to be a new iPhone line-up and developments around iOS 8 and HomeKit, Korean tech giant Samsung will reveal its views on the ‘Home of the Future’ at IFA 2014.

On Friday, 5 September, Samsung president and CEO Boo-Keun Yoon will give a keynote at the Berlin trade show entitled ‘Bring Your Future Home’ – clearly signalling the digital home will be the staging ground for the next big battle in tech: the internet of things (IoT).

The speech will be delivered just four days prior to Apple’s big reveal in San Francisco, California, of its expected and so-called iPhone 6 smartphone family – expected to be in 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch configurations.

Not to be outdone, Samsung has already unveiled its Samsung Alpha device, which will feature a 4.7-inch Super AMOLED screen with a resolution of 1,280 x 720p with both a rear-facing 12MP camera and a 2.1MP ‘selfie camera’.

Keeping the home fires burning

The SmartThings Hub, that connects devices so they can communicate with each other. Samsung recently bought SmartThings

Aside from the phones, Apple has already set up its stall with iOS 8 in terms of its role in the digital home with new software families such as HomeKit and HealthKit bringing technology to life in people’s homes and lives through a myriad of wireless devices.

Last week, it was confirmed that Samsung acquired IoT player SmartThings for a sum estimated to be US$200m.

SmartThings has developed a smart home platform, as well as devices to interact with it via an open platform that ensures there are few limits facing users who wish to connect with their devices.

According to Samsung, Yoon will discuss how expectations of the home are changing and will set out what the consumer electronics industry needs to do to bring the vision for the ‘Home of the Future’ to life. 

John Kennedy is a journalist who served as editor of Silicon Republic for 17 years

editorial@siliconrepublic.com