April 25, 2024

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[THE INVESTOR] Samsung Electronics is not shy of showing its voracious appetite for emerging technologies, especially the Internet of Things and artificial intelligence, amid heated competition with its rivals Google and Apple in related segments.

The latest development in Samsung’s plan to secure new growth engines came last week when it announced it had acquired US home monitoring system developer Perch. 

Perch website

Over the past couple of years, Samsung, through its startup accelerator program Samsung NEXT, has invested in the US startup, which produces a home monitor software that repurposes outdated smartphones as security cameras.

“Perch will be working with Samsung firms around the world to develop next-generation IoT products,” said Perch in a statement, announcing it has pulled the plug on its exiting IoT solutions to come up with new ones.

Since last year, Samsung has been acquiring up-and-coming tech firms in the IoT and AI sectors, including infotainment system developer Harman, AI solution startup Viv Labs, and AI solution firm SoundHound.

The Korean tech giant has publicly declared that it will incorporate AI and connected technologies of the newly-acquired firms into a range of mobile and electronics products down the road.

The firm’s upcoming Galaxy S8, which will feature the AI software Bixby is a notable example of the combination of the new technologies


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“Utilizing the technical capabilities of Viv Labs, Samsung will try to have all products, such as tablet PCs, TVs and home appliances, connected to each other,” a Samsung executive said in a conference call held on Jan. 24.

Some market analysts forecast that Samsung’s recent investments will help the Korean firm to keep the pace with its rivals, including Amazon, Google, and Apple.

The traditional IT giants have been spearheading the AI race, rolling out their own AI-powered assistant solutions in recent years.

Through the acquisition of firms like Harman and SoundHound, Samsung is also aiming to increase its presence in the automotive parts segment.

Market research firm Strategic Analytics forecast that the vehicle components industry would grow from US$239 billion in 2015 to US$303.3 billion by 2020.

By Kim Young-won (wone0102@heraldcorp.cop)