![[미리보는 CES ①] Samsung VS LG competes for new technologies in TVs, smartphones, and home appliances](http://img.lb.inews24.com/facebookexternalhit/face/626x352/image_gisa/202101/1578961127123_1_180905.jpg "[미리보는 CES ①] Samsung VS LG competes for new technologies in TVs, smartphones, and home appliances")
[아이뉴스24 장유미 기자] The world’s largest IT and home appliance exhibition’CES 2021′, which is held as the first online event in history in the aftermath of Corona 19, is approaching two days in the future. In particular, various technologies based on AI, IoT, and 5G will appear at this event. Not only Korean companies such as Samsung and LG, but also various global companies such as Panasonic, Philips, Sony, Mercedes-Benz, etc. will participate to show off their technology.
However, as the event is held entirely online this year, the number of participating companies has decreased sharply compared to the previous year. In particular, Chinese companies, which had been referred to as’big hands’, declined sharply for diplomatic reasons, such as tightening US sanctions.
According to the National Consumer Technology Association (CTA), the organizer of CES on the 9th, the number of companies participating in this year’s event is 1,000, and 150,000 people are expected to visit online event venues. Considering the fact that 4,500 companies participated last year and 180,000 attended, the scale has decreased significantly.
In particular, the number of participating companies in China decreased from 1,368 last year to 204 this year. Huawei, a global smartphone and communication equipment company that operated a large-scale exhibition booth every year, also declared complete absence this time. This is because various businesses such as smartphones are disrupting as semiconductor supply and demand become difficult due to the intensive US sanctions. Huawei sold its mid-to-low-end smartphone brand’Honour’ at the end of last year, and the forecast for smartphone production will fall from 3rd last year to 7th this year.
An industry insider said, “The decreasing number of participating companies in China is the biggest cause of the conflict between the US and China,” he said. “Last year’s event as well as major companies such as Xiaomi and Alibaba were absent, and this atmosphere was already felt.”
“The US government recently tightened sanctions, such as adding Chinese companies such as SMIC, a foundry company, and DJI, a drone company, to the blacklist, which put pressure on companies.” Added.
◆ Significant decline in Chinese companies’ participation in US sanctions… Samsung-LG,’home appliances’ wins
On the other hand, Korean companies and institutions are also showing their unrivaled presence at this event. A total of 340 participants are expected to participate, down from 390 last year, making it the second largest after the United States, where 566 participants participate.
In addition, unlike’IFA 2020′, a European consumer electronics fair held in the second half of last year, both Samsung and LG confirmed their participation, raising the expectations of the industry. Samsung and LG are holding a preliminary event before the opening of’CES 2021′ and announcing new strategic products this year, attracting public attention to this year’s event.
In particular, the two companies are launching a large number of’individual-customized design home appliances’ targeting millennials, and are targeting the North American market in earnest. In the North American home appliance market, where practicality has been emphasized, it is a plan to catch young consumers with products that emphasize lifestyle and space interiors.
First of all, through’CES 2021′, Samsung Electronics will introduce a lifestyle-customized home appliance’Bispork’ refrigerator and Grande AI washing machine and dryer equipped with artificial intelligence (AI) function. Bespoke refrigerators, which first appeared in Korea in June 2019, have gained popularity among consumers, accounting for more than 60% of Samsung Electronics’ domestic refrigerator sales over the past year. This event will be launched in the US market this March.
In addition, Samsung Electronics will introduce a new drum washing machine and dryer in the United States in February this year that optimizes washing and drying according to the user’s laundry habit and environment by incorporating AI technology. In the second half of this year, it plans to further strengthen its targeting in the North American market by introducing new Bespoke refrigerators and new drum washing machines and dryers with AI functions in Canada.
LG Electronics unveils a new product called’LG Instaview (Knock-on Magic Space) Refrigerator’ with enhanced design and functionality. This design was first unveiled through the’LG Object Collection’, a space interior home appliance released by LG Electronics in October last year. In addition, the new’Instaview ThinQ Oven’ equipped with the Air Souvide function for the first time and the new premium wireless vacuum cleaner’LG Code Zero A9′ are also unveiled at this event. I plan to go out sequentially.
An industry insider said, “In the case of home appliances at this event,’lifestyle-customized’ home appliances will emerge based on AI hyper-connected technology.” “Since there is not yet a customized lifestyle home appliance market in the North American market, Samsung and LG It is expected that Korean millennial home appliances will make a big impact.”
◆ Competition for’mini LED TV’ in earnest… Early’Necular Warfare’
Samsung and LG are in a nervous war early even over the release of new TV products at this event. In particular, Samsung Electronics unveiled mini LED TVs named’Neo QLED’ and’LG QNED’ through online events at the end of last year and last year.
Mini LED TV is a liquid crystal display (LCD)-based TV in which 100-200 micrometers (㎛) of LEDs are densely inserted around the backlight serving as a light source, and is a product with significantly improved performance than existing LCD TVs. In the market, the mini LED TV market is expected to exceed 4 million units this year.
Samsung Electronics has been releasing new products through’First Look’, a TV unpack event just before the opening of CES every year, and this year, under the vision of’Screens for All,’ emphasizing people-centered technology, the 2021 model ▲Neo QLED ▲Micro LED ▲Introduced a new lifestyle TV.
“As an industry leader, we will not only provide the best screen experience, but also contribute to creating a sustainable future,” said Han Jong-hee, head of Samsung Electronics’ video display division. “The screen that reflects the lifestyle of more diverse users and protects the future and environment of all of us I will pioneer the era of’for all’,” he said.
LG Electronics released a mini LED TV’QNED’ through a technology briefing on the 29th of last month. This product is characterized by applying a new technology,’Quantum Nano Cell Color Technology (QNCT)’ to express pure color closer to reality through the light from the backlight passing through the nano cells and quantum dot materials.
However, the name’QNED’ is the same as the name of the next-generation display being developed by Samsung Display, and it is similar to’QLED’, the flagship LCD TV of Samsung Electronics, so the two companies recently had a nervous battle over the name.
An industry insider said, “In the TV sector, mini LED TVs are expected to form a new mainstream of premium class this year, and mass production technology of micro LEDs will be secured. In the case of OLED, it has evolved into next-generation technologies such as transparent and bendable. There will be more products,” he predicted.
◆Samsung,’Galaxy S21′ sortie… LG’s’rollable phone’ public eye
Smartphones are also one of the products attracting attention at this event. This is because’Galaxy S21′, Samsung Electronics’ strategy smartphone for the first half of the year, and LG Electronics’ expected rollable phone, are scheduled to be released.
Samsung Electronics plans to introduce existing product lineups such as foldable phones during the’CES 2021′ period. After the event closes, the’Samsung Galaxy Unpack 2021′ event will be held online at 10 a.m. on the 14th (12 a.m. Eastern time in the US, Korean time) and the’Galaxy S21′ series will be released. This product is composed of a total of three types, including the 6.2-inch Galaxy S21, the 6.7-inch Galaxy S21 Plus, and the 6.8-inch Galaxy S21 Ultra, and the top model, Ultra, supports’S Pen’ for the first time in the Galaxy S series.
Earlier, Samsung Electronics’ wireless business manager Roh Tae-moon said, “The new’Galaxy’ smartphone is equipped with professional-level photo and video shooting capabilities,” and “plans to expand the experience of’Galaxy Note’ to more product lines.” He said, “In 2021, we will introduce a diverse portfolio of products with strong performance in order to provide the customized user experience that each individual desires.”
Following the’LG Wing’, which was released in the second half of last year, LG Electronics will unveil’LG Rollable (tentative name)’, the second model of the LG Explorer project, with the opening of’CES 2021′. However, it will not be exhibited at the online exhibition hall, and it is expected that it will be a way to show the real thing through video rather than specific specifications. This product, the world’s first commercialized rollable phone, is expected to be released in the first half of this year, and the price is expected to be set at 2.6 million won, which is more expensive than the Galaxy Z Fold 2 (2398,000 won).
An industry insider said, “In the case of smartphones, Samsung Electronics is expected to target the Chinese Huawei’s gap by releasing the Galaxy S21 during the CES period, and it is expected to enter the premium phone market faster than usual.” “It seems that we are going to show off our technology by releasing a rollable smartphone by skipping it and raising our brand image as a technology leader.”
Reporter Jang Yoomi [email protected]