Samsung Electronics and its subsidiary HARMAN are expanding future audio experiences that connect cars, homes and mobile devices through artificial intelligence (AI) and enhanced connectivity.
The key idea is to let AI understand users’ situations and preferences and provide an optimal environment without requiring them to operate devices manually.
According to Samsung Electronics Newsroom on the 26th, Dave Rogers, president of HARMAN’s Lifestyle Division, and Armin Prommersberger, chief technology officer, discussed the results of the companies’ collaboration and their vision for future technologies in a recent interview.
This year marks the 80th anniversary of JBL, HARMAN’s flagship audio brand, the 60th anniversary of Bowers & Wilkins and the 10th anniversary of the partnership between Samsung Electronics and HARMAN.
“True innovation is not about devices doing more,” Prommersberger said. “It is about reducing the need for users to operate and manage those devices themselves.”
He explained that AI and improved connectivity are driving technological advances that allow devices to understand users’ situations and context and respond naturally to their needs.
As an example of future connected experiences, he described a daily routine in which the home, car and Galaxy devices work together seamlessly.
When users wake up in the morning, their Galaxy devices could prepare their daily schedules. After they leave home and get into their cars, the vehicles could adjust the cabin environment based on driving conditions and preferences shared by the users. While driving, the system would prioritize relevant information. When users return home, the car and home would connect to ensure their audio experience continues uninterrupted as they move between spaces.
“A truly connected experience should seamlessly link different moments throughout everyday life,” Prommersberger said. “Users should not have to think about which app to open or which settings to change.”
The two companies also outlined the progress they have made through their partnership. In the early stages of their collaboration, they incorporated technology from HARMAN’s AKG audio brand into Galaxy products. They later expanded their cooperation to automotive digital cockpits by combining Samsung’s display and connectivity technologies with HARMAN’s automotive audio and in-cabin technologies.
A digital cockpit is a system that integrates digital technologies, including displays, communications and voice recognition, into the area in front of a vehicle’s driver and front passenger to provide driving information and convenience features. Typical functions include digital instrument clusters, real-time traffic information, and navigation and music controls operated by voice commands.
“Samsung Electronics has an exceptional ability to turn new ideas into technologies that affect the lives of millions of people and bring them to market at scale,” Rogers said. “That approach has also been a positive source of inspiration for HARMAN.”
The executives also highlighted the technological expertise and heritage of HARMAN’s audio brands. JBL has expanded its market by adapting professional studio monitor technology for home speakers. Bowers & Wilkins has established a strong position in the premium audio market by advancing technologies for precise, faithful sound reproduction.
“Products and technologies will change, but the standard of how we move people will remain constant,” Rogers added. “Technology changes rapidly, but human emotions do not. Our opportunity lies in continually connecting the two.”
