Samsung Electronics will soon give its Galaxy Z Flip 3 customers the chance to see their devices being customised by robots.
At the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, the world's largest mobile phone manufacturer is showcasing an assembly unit that has two robot arms, which can install or swap the front and rear panels of the bespoke editions of its Flip 3 devices.
Samsung had announced in August last year that the Flip 3 was customisable with 49 colour combinations on offer. However, the service is only available in select markets, with the UAE not yet among them.
Robots, similar to those showcased at MWC, will be introduced at select global retail outlets, most likely the larger ones, Samsung staff at the event told The National. They did confirm any timelines.
Samsung Gulf Electronics did not respond to a request for comment about regional availability.
The South Korea-based phone maker unveiled the Flip 3 ─ its first foldable device priced under $1,000 ─ alongside the Galaxy Z Fold 3 last August. They come with stronger cases, brighter displays, bigger batteries and artificial intelligence-powered cameras.
The company is leaning heavily on the foldable device segment to drive its business towards the next generation of consumer mobility ─ so much so that it has reportedly discontinued its popular Note series in favour of the foldable Z line-up.
Worldwide shipments of foldable phones, including both fold and flip form factors, hit a total of 7.1 million units in 2021, an almost three-fold rise over the 1.9 million units shipped in 2020, the International Data Corporation said last month.
It forecasts that foldable phone shipments will reach 27.6 million units in 2025, at a compound annual growth rate of almost 70 per cent.
"The growth in 2021 can largely be attributed to Samsung's recent success, as the Korean giant made waves in the market thanks to its newest foldable flagships," IDC said.
In particular, the new design of the Flip 3 was a "winner" for consumers because of its compact folding size, larger second display and, most importantly, its $999 price tag, it added.
Samsung is also practically unchallenged in the category; it controlled almost three-quarters of the foldable smartphone market in 2020, figures compiled by Counterpoint Research show.
Last month, Samsung introduced its latest flagship smartphone range, the Galaxy S22, with the high-end S22 Ultra now having a built-in S Pen, the signature accessory of the Note series.
Tamkeen's offering
- Option 1: 70% in year 1, 50% in year 2, 30% in year 3
- Option 2: 50% across three years
- Option 3: 30% across five years
COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
BORDERLANDS
Starring: Cate Blanchett, Kevin Hart, Jamie Lee Curtis
Director: Eli Roth
Rating: 0/5
Mercedes-AMG GT 63 S E Performance: the specs
Engine: 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 plus rear-mounted electric motor
Power: 843hp at N/A rpm
Torque: 1470Nm N/A rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 8.6L/100km
On sale: October to December
Price: From Dh875,000 (estimate)
Tips from the expert
Dobromir Radichkov, chief data officer at dubizzle and Bayut, offers a few tips for UAE residents looking to earn some cash from pre-loved items.
- Sellers should focus on providing high-quality used goods at attractive prices to buyers.
- It’s important to use clear and appealing photos, with catchy titles and detailed descriptions to capture the attention of prospective buyers.
- Try to advertise a realistic price to attract buyers looking for good deals, especially in the current environment where consumers are significantly more price-sensitive.
- Be creative and look around your home for valuable items that you no longer need but might be useful to others.
Company%20Profile
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Company%20profile
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Match info
Costa Rica 0
Serbia 1
Kolarov (56')
The biog
Born: near Sialkot, Pakistan, 1981
Profession: Driver
Family: wife, son (11), daughter (8)
Favourite drink: chai karak
Favourite place in Dubai: The neighbourhood of Khawaneej. “When I see the old houses over there, near the date palms, I can be reminded of my old times. If I don’t go down I cannot recall my old times.”
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
How Voiss turns words to speech
The device has a screen reader or software that monitors what happens on the screen
The screen reader sends the text to the speech synthesiser
This converts to audio whatever it receives from screen reader, so the person can hear what is happening on the screen
A VOISS computer costs between $200 and $250 depending on memory card capacity that ranges from 32GB to 128GB
The speech synthesisers VOISS develops are free
Subsequent computer versions will include improvements such as wireless keyboards
Arabic voice in affordable talking computer to be added next year to English, Portuguese, and Spanish synthesiser
Partnerships planned during Expo 2020 Dubai to add more languages
At least 2.2 billion people globally have a vision impairment or blindness
More than 90 per cent live in developing countries
The Long-term aim of VOISS to reach the technology to people in poor countries with workshops that teach them to build their own device
Our legal consultant
Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
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