Last Wednesday We was invited to attend a round table discussion session with Dr. TM Roh, CEO of Samsung's Mobile Device Business (MX). He came to Malaysia to see for himself the Samsung smartphone market in the Southeast Asian region, especially Malaysia, and collect feedback from users. Here are some questions that he managed to answer in a session that lasted almost 90 minutes. The answer has been edited to be more concise.
Question – This year all the Galaxy S23 series use the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy chip. What is the future of Exynos chips? Will it be returned to the Malaysian market when this chip is offered again later?
TM Roh – Since the beginning, Samsung has used its own chips. On the Galaxy S6 for example, all devices in this series use the Eyxnos 7420 chip. But Samsung's philosophy is also to use the best chips for mobile devices for customer use.
Exynos and Qualcomm are strategic partners of Samsung. Some years these manufacturers offer more powerful chips and other years it's the other way around. Samsung will look at the situation from year to year, depending on the scenario we will choose the best chip to use.
The question regarding the use of Exynos or Quacomm chips in certain markets depends on the situation. For the years 2024, 2025, 2026 and so on, decisions on the use of chips will only be made after seeing the best solution for our users.
Question – Microsoft's use of ChatGPT artificial intelligence in their products has been a hot topic of conversation this week. Will artificial intelligence like ChatGPT be integrated into Samsung products and services in the future?
TM Roh – Lately there have been many articles about ChatGPT that have caught the attention of the public. It shows how generative artificial intelligence, machine learning, and deep learning are developing rapidly.
On the flagship devices of the Galaxy Z and Galaxy S series, high performance has been achieved through the adaptation of artificial intelligence technology, so Samsung will further develop its use. I personally believe technology like ChatGPT will contribute to the development of mobile device technology.
I have also used it to see its capabilities. I have also done a comparison with Microsoft and Google to understand it better. In fact I used ChatGPT to ask what could be done to increase Samsung Mobile's market share (laughs).
Question – Will Samsung work with Microsoft and OpenAI to integrate the latest artificial intelligence technology on the device or will it develop its own technology as it is used to?
TM Roh – Samsung is always open to any possibility. Under this philosophy of openness, we believe we need to provide the best performance to users. We are not only in discussions with OpenAI but also with Microsoft, Meta, Google and Amazon because we are open to new technologies. Therefore the use of artificial intelligence technology is part of Samsung's future planning.
Within the company, we have an artificial intelligence research division under Samsung Research. Collaboration with technology partners is underway to further explore better artificial intelligence technologies.
Question – In 2022 all smartphone manufacturers experienced a significant decline compared to 2021. What will Samsung do to ensure good device sales in 2023?
TM Roh – Samsung is aware of the economic challenges that will occur this year. Therefore Samsung will focus on the basics to meet the needs and trust of users to provide the best experience. Samsung believes we offer the best camera experience, connectivity, gaming, durability, and security in the devices we manufacture.
To face the challenges of 2023 by offering a line of Galaxy Z, Galaxy S and Galaxy A series that provide a holistic premium experience. Also a complete ecosystem offering for Galaxy smartphones, tablets, wearables, and TWS to provide a connected experience with TVs, as well as Samsung home equipment. I believe this is Samsung's strength as it offers a multi-device interconnected experience under the same ecosystem.
Although 2022 was a difficult year for Samsung, in the Southeast Asia region we recorded growth compared to 2021. Our target is to record growth in this region in 2023 as well.
Question – Samsung touched on the topic of product sustainability frequently during the launch of the S23 series in San Francisco and Singapore. Can Dr Roh explain what is the difference between Samsung's sustainability approach compared to competitors?
TM Roh – What sets us apart is that Samsung doesn't just focus on how to preserve products using existing technology. Samsung also looks at the entire product life cycle such as how it can be recycled and how used devices can be disposed of safely.
For example on the Galaxy S23, the Gorilla Glass Victus 2 used is made from an average of 21% recycled glass. We are constantly using new products and technologies to produce more sustainable devices. In addition, the S23 series is also designed to be easier to repair to avoid waste due to damaged components.
Question – What about the Galaxy Upcycling program announced in 2017? It's been a while since there was any new news about the initiative to "upcycle" these old devices.
TM Roh – "Upcycling" old devices is still a component of sustainability at Samsung. It will still continue with plans to expand it to other countries and introduce more innovations to the existing program. We are constantly looking for more innovative ways to improve our technology.
Question – At CES several prototypes of foldable and rollable screen devices were shown. When do you think Samsung will use it in real products?
TM Roh – Like the car industry, prototypes will take several years before appearing as commercially sold products. The development of the Galaxy Z series device, for example, took eight years from concept to product that began to be sold in 2019. At the beginning I emphasized the importance of the ecosystem.
The Flex In and Out product shown for example, we did a lot of research and development to ensure that it is not just a foldable screen device but also meets the needs of users through the best interface, software and all this takes a long time but we are working hard to develop it. It needs to meet the needs of the users first and only after it is ready, it will be offered to the public at the right time.