Samsung to focus on AI, flexible displays and better entry level phones in 2017

Samsung has outlined its business strategy for 2017 and indicates that AI, display products and improving its entry level devices will be key focus areas. The news arrives alongside Samsung’s Q4 2016 earnings report, which revealed Samsung’s most profitable quarter in three years.

Samsung acknowledged a slowdown in the growth of the smartphone market but pointed to AI as a sector which could help Samsung maintain sales. Samsung will reportedly use a new voice assistant known as Bixby for nearly all of its pre-installed apps on the upcoming Samsung Galaxy S8.

Also in mobile, Samsung said that it “plans to enhance the competitiveness of its mid-to-low end models by introducing water and dust-proof features and fingerprint recognition.” Further, Samsung will expand its Samsung Cloud and Samsung Pay services, and seek new 4G/LTE opportunities in emerging markets. The company also noted that quality and safety assurance would be a priority across all of its products.

With regards to its broader business endeavours, Samsung expects continued success with its NAND and DRAM memory products, with an aim to maximize profitability through “sales of high-density and low-power products, and by expanding 1Xnm process migration.”

Meanwhile, Samsung expects demand for flexible OLED and large-size LCD panels to increase; here’s Samsung’s video regarding its messages on Display.

Samsung’s confidence in flexible OLED displays seems well-founded as a number of smart devices, including a suspected tablet/smartphone hybrid from Samsung, are said to be on the horizon (as well as increased demand in the premium TV panel segment). Once the floodgates open on flexible smartphone displays, other manufacturers are likely to follow smartphone-shipments leader Samsung.

For more on Samsung’s earnings report, hit the link.