Samsung Recovers After Flaming Phone Scandal
Tia Winter | 27 June 2017
Samsung’s recent history has been nothing short of a fiasco. The release of the Galaxy Note 7 smartphone seemed promising, but a slew of incidents soon followed in which it was revealed that the device had a single, noticeable flaw: a tendency to burst into flames.
While the Korean tech company was quick to recall the devices and cease production of the line, the damage was already done, both to Samsung’s reputation and its bank account as the recall of the phones alone cost upwards of $6 billion worldwide.
With its mobile division taking a serious hit, Samsung has been desperate to claw its way back up the ladder and recover from the Note 7 scandal. And well it should: the company’s net income fell a whopping 17% after the fiasco to $3.9 billion in the third quarter of 2016, bringing its mobile profits to a record low of KRW100 billion.
Korean Tech Giant Plans To Introduce AI to Galaxy S8
Times may sound dire for the international technology giant, but Samsung has a plan to regain its reputation. The firm has unveiled plans to equip its next line of Galaxy S smartphones with an AI digital assistant (much like the iPhone’s Siri), keeping up with the latest global tech trends.
The Samsung Galaxy S8, which is set for release in 2018, will boast ‘significantly differentiated’ AI capabilities to its peers thanks to the company’s recent acquisition of US artificial intelligence developer Viv Labs Inc. The AI services will likely include a variety of capabilities, all based on users’ activity.
Executive Vice President Rhee In-Jong commented on the plans, noting that Samsung’s AI services will be unlike any others currently on the market. According to the VP, Samsung is planning to add Viv Labs’ technology to numerous other electronics and proprietary home appliances as well.
Galaxy S8 Rumoured for Debut At 2018 Mobile World Congress
In-Jong noted that Samsung has joined the AI game to compete with some of the world’s largest tech companies like Google, Apple, and Amazon. The new Galaxy S8 is expected to hit shelves in Q1 of 2018, in keeping with the company’s early-year release traditions, and is rumoured to be revealed during Spain’s Mobile World Congress.
With the Galaxy Note 7 line now thankfully defunct, Samsung is hoping that the Galaxy S8 will become its de facto smartphone, and perhaps win back some of the revenue it lost to the recent safety scandal.
However, another setback occurred due to a recall of over 2.8 million washing machines last November, due to a hazardous design flaw. With that in mind, the company’s stab at AI technology will have to be impressive indeed in order for it to truly recuperate.
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