Latest news with #WonjoonChoi
Entrepreneur
4 days ago
- Business
- Entrepreneur
Samsung Explores New AI Wearables, Like Earrings, Necklaces
A Samsung executive confirmed this week that the company is working on smart glasses, with plans to expand to other types of wearable devices. A Samsung executive revealed that the company is looking into a new line of AI wearable devices that double as jewelry, including AI necklaces and earrings. Samsung's chief operating officer for mobile, Won-joon Choi, told CNN this week that the company is actively exploring a category of AI devices that "you don't need to carry," and can instead wear on your person. Related: Samsung's Newest Galaxy Gadget Aims To See 'How Productive You Can Be' "So it could be something that you wear, glasses, earrings, watches, rings, and sometimes a necklace," he explained to the outlet. Samsung is "looking at all kinds of possibilities," he said. Samsung's exploration may not result in products that it brings to market. Tech companies often create prototypes of products that never hit store shelves. Samsung's approach is to introduce devices that supplement phones instead of replacing them, a strategy it employed with its smartwatches and $399 smart ring, according to Choi. The company released a new smartwatch on Wednesday, the Galaxy Watch 8, which is the first smartwatch embedded with Google's Gemini AI. The $299 watch touts advanced fitness tracking, sleep coaching, and stress monitoring. The Samsung Galaxy Watch 8. Photographer: Michael Nagle/Bloomberg via Getty Images Samsung isn't the only company to recently signal a push into AI devices. Earlier this week, OpenAI closed a $6.5 billion deal to buy io, an AI devices startup co-founded by former Apple designer Jony Ive. The acquisition, the largest yet from OpenAI, brought over io's 55-person team of engineers, designers, and researchers to OpenAI to work on wearable devices infused with ChatGPT. Meanwhile, Meta has experienced unexpected success with its Ray-Ban Meta AI smart glasses, which have sold over two million pairs since their October 2023 launch. The glasses allow users to ask questions to Meta AI, take pictures and videos, and answer calls. Last month, Meta introduced a waterproof pair of AI smart glasses geared towards athletes, the Oakley Meta glasses, and is reportedly working on another pair of glasses under the Prada brand. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg also previewed a prototype of glasses that project 3D avatars of people, or holograms, at the Meta Connect event in September. Related: Meta Invests Billions in World's Largest Eyewear Company After Ray-Ban Smart Glasses Success Other tech companies are following Meta into the smart glasses space. Google stated in May that it was dedicating $150 million to developing AI glasses with Warby Parker, with the new glasses to arrive after 2025. Apple is also reportedly developing its first pair of smart glasses and running focus groups to pinpoint what employees liked about smart glasses from competitors like Meta. Choi told CNN that Samsung is also working on smart glasses, which may launch later this year. However, Choi says that Samsung is seeking to expand into other kinds of devices with more discreet form factors. "We are actively working on glasses, but some people do not want to wear glasses because they change their look," Choi told the outlet. "So we are also exploring other types of devices." Not all AI devices have resonated with consumers. The startup Humane introduced the $699 wearable Ai Pin in April 2024 as a smartphone alternative, but the device, which users could pin to their clothing, fell flat with reviewers due to overheating and lagging responses. Humane shut down the Ai Pin less than a year after its release and sold parts of itself to HP for about $116 million in February.
Android Authority
4 days ago
- Android Authority
Smart earrings and necklaces? Samsung is looking into new types of wearables
Jonathan Feist / Android Authority Jonathan Feist / Android Authority TL;DR Samsung is actively looking into new types of wearable devices. This includes earrings, necklaces, bracelets, pendants, and so on. Whatever the company lands on is expected to be a companion device to your phone, rather than a standalone product. Samsung already offers a long list of products in its mobile portfolio, including smartphones, tablets, and more. Still, the company is looking for ways to expand its mobile offerings. To that end, the company sees creating new types of wearables as its opportunity to grow. While speaking with CNN, the COO for Samsung's mobile experience division, Won-joon Choi, told the outlet that AI could enable a new wave of devices that don't require you to take out your phone. Samsung envisions that this wave of devices will be new types of wearables that it has yet to explore, like something you place around your neck, wear on your ears, or put on your face. In the interview, Choi states: We believe it should be wearable, something that you shouldn't carry, (that) you don't need to carry. So it could be something that you wear, glasses, earrings, watches, rings, and sometimes (a) necklace. We're already seeing Samsung follow this train of thought with Project Haean. As a refresher, Project Haean is the codename for the Android XR-powered smart glasses the company is currently developing. It's expected that Haean could launch by the end of this year, along with Samsung's XR headset Project Moohan. Outside of smart glasses, you might be wondering what else the tech giant is considering. Samsung is currently 'looking at all kinds of possibilities,' Choi responded when asked if the company is actively looking into smart jewelry. 'What do you wear? Glasses, earrings… necklaces, watches, and rings, something like those,' Choi said. While other companies have tried to create AI products designed to replace your phone, like the Humane AI Pin or the Rabbit R1, that won't be the approach Samsung takes. The company reportedly wants its new wearable devices to be a companion to your phone, rather than a replacement or standalone device. Got a tip? Talk to us! Email our staff at Email our staff at news@ . You can stay anonymous or get credit for the info, it's your choice.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Samsung is exploring new wearable form factors such as earrings and necklaces
Samsung released its first fitness-focused smart ring last year, adding to its stable of wearables that's mostly comprised of smartwatches. The company is now looking to bolster its lineup with new wearables in different form factors, like glasses, earrings, and necklaces, CNN reported. Won-joon Choi, COO of Samsung's mobile experience division, told CNN that the company wants to explore form factors that let users communicate and do things without needing their phones. 'We believe it should be wearable, something that you shouldn't carry, (that) you don't need to carry. So it could be something that you wear, glasses, earrings, watches, rings, and sometime (a) necklace,' CNN quoted Choi as saying. Earlier this year, Samsung said it was building smart glasses with Google, and in May, the Korea Economic Daily reported that the company was working on an advanced microdisplay for AR glasses.
TechCrunch
4 days ago
- TechCrunch
Samsung is exploring new wearable form factors such as earrings and necklaces
In Brief Samsung released its first fitness-focused smart ring last year, adding to its stable of wearables that's mostly comprised of smartwatches. The company is now looking to bolster its lineup with new wearables in different form factors, like glasses, earrings, and necklaces, CNN reported. Won-joon Choi, COO of Samsung's mobile experience division, told CNN that the company wants to explore form factors that let users communicate and do things without needing their phones. 'We believe it should be wearable, something that you shouldn't carry, (that) you don't need to carry. So it could be something that you wear, glasses, earrings, watches, rings, and sometime (a) necklace,' CNN quoted Choi as saying. Earlier this year, Samsung said it was building smart glasses with Google, and in May, the Korea Economic Daily reported that the company was working on an advanced microdisplay for AR glasses.
RNZ News
4 days ago
- Business
- RNZ News
Samsung is looking into more AI devices - potentially including earrings and necklaces
By Lisa Eadicicco , CNN A man tries on smart glasses capable of real-time translation. Photo: Lian Yi / Xinhua via AFP Samsung is looking into new wearable devices, potentially including earrings and necklaces, amid an industry-wide push to develop new types of AI-powered consumer electronics. AI could enable a new wave of devices that allow users to communicate and get things done more quickly without having to take out a phone, Won-joon Choi, chief operating officer for Samsung's mobile experience division, told CNN this week. For Samsung, these types of new devices could be something you wear around your neck, dangle from your ears or slip on your finger . "We believe it should be wearable, something that you shouldn't carry, (that) you don't need to carry," he said. "So it could be something that you wear, glasses, earrings, watches, rings and sometimes (a) necklace." Choi's comments underscore the opportunity tech giants see to develop new hardware products around AI, a technology that some say is expected to be as impactful as the internet itself. AI services like OpenAI's ChatGPT and Google's Gemini have moved beyond basic text prompts and are getting better at handling complex tasks. That's led tech giants to look into devices that require less manual input than smartphones, which largely require typing and swiping on screens. That search is already in full swing, starting with smart glasses. Meta has touted its AI-powered Ray-Ban smart glasses, of which 2 million have been sold since 2023, as a success. The Facebook parent also recently acquired a minority stake in Ray-Ban parent company EssilorLuxottica, according to Bloomberg, further indicating the company's interest in AI-powered wearable gadgets. Samsung, Google and Snap are also developing smart glasses, while OpenAI and ex-Apple designer Jony Ive are collaborating on a mysterious new AI device for next year. When CNN asked Choi whether Samsung is actively looking into developing earrings or other smart jewelry, like a pendant or bracelet, Choi said the company is "looking at all kinds of possibilities". "What do you wear? Glasses, earrings… necklaces, watches and rings, something like those," he said. However, that doesn't mean those possibilities will become products. Samsung and other tech companies routinely develop prototypes and evaluate new technologies internally without bringing them to market. Some tech startups have already unsuccessfully tried to develop new AI gadgets to replace smartphones at certain tasks. The Humane AI Pin, created by a pair of Apple veterans, flopped because of its high price and buggy performance. The company shut down the product and sold parts of itself to computing giant HP in February. Another device called the Rabbit R1 also launched to a lackluster reception last year, although it's undergone significant updates since then. And a startup called Friend created an AI necklace that's meant to be a digital companion, although its launch has been delayed until the third quarter of this year. Samsung's approach, unlike some of these options, will involve a device that's a companion to your phone rather than a standalone product, similar to the company's smartwatches, according to Choi. And the company's upcoming smart glasses, which it hasn't revealed many details about yet, could be just the start. "We are actively working on glasses, but some people do not want to wear glasses because they change their look," he said. "So we are also exploring other types of devices." - CNN
