When Mercedes-Benz South Africa launched a major refurbishment project to upgrade its AMG Driving Academy at Zwartkops Raceway, it wanted to be able to showcase the Mercedes-AMG vehicles in a digital format. This required the assistance of digital specialists, which led to the company bringing Samsung Electronics South Africa on board, to deliver a comprehensive Digital Signage solution.

According to Mike van Lier, Director of Enterprise Business Division at Samsung Electronics South Africa, the goal of Mercedes-Benz was to provide the AMG Driving Academy attendees with a premium experience that went beyond simply driving on the track in their high performance AMG vehicles.

“Samsung undertook the initial, detailed scope for the project in September of 2014. It included a complete understanding of their requirements and was followed by a close working relationship with the architects. Samsung was also required to start 3D designs and renderings and provide support to other contractors involved in the overall project. In this way, we ensured that every detail was taken into consideration,” van Lier says.   Samsung supplied the AMG Driving Academy with a Samsung Digital Signage solution that comprised of a 4x4 Video Wall display, as well as a combination of 55” and 65” stand-alone displays that are positioned throughout the Academy.

“Any project of this magnitude will face its share of obstacles, but these were overcome through close collaboration between Samsung, Mercedes-Benz and various other contractors involved. This cooperation ultimately resulted in the technical and aesthetic aspects being effectively translated, ensuring that the outcome surpassed the vision for the Academy,” notes van Lier.   “Samsung provided us with great service during this upgrade, assisting from the outset of the project with valuable advice, recommendations and is still, in fact, supporting us,” says Marcel Luis Mustelier Perez, Marketing & CRM Manager at Mercedes-Benz South Africa. “The upgrade has been extremely successful as we are now able to provide a facility that matches the expectation of the brand, as well as the quality of our product. The AMG Driving Academy has hosted various events since the upgrade and the Samsung equipment plays an important role in providing a venue of exceptional standards,” Perez adds.

The relationship between the two organisations has since expanded. Mercedes-Benz South Africa and Samsung have already engaged on further defining the vehicle manufacturer’s Digital Dealership strategy. Successful implementations have been completed at the Mercedes-Benz Brandcentre Bedfordview as well as at the Mercedes-Benz Century Brandcentre City in Cape Town.

“With our assistance and solutions Mercedes-Benz has achieved the exact goal and vision it was aiming for with the AMG Driving Academy refurbishment. Furthermore, Samsung has become the company’s trusted advisor in respect of its Digital Dealership journey,” concludes van Lier.

About Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. inspires the world and shapes the future with transformative ideas and technologies. The company is redefining the worlds of TVs, smartphones, wearable devices, tablets, cameras, digital appliances, medical equipment, network systems, and semiconductor and LED solutions. For the latest news, please visit Samsung Newsroom at http://news.samsung.com.

For further information, please contact:

Theo Boshoff
Phathutshedzo Nepfumbada Epic MSLGroup
Samsung Electronics South Africa

011 784 4790 | 011 549 1646 | 083 329 2150 | 071 671 2052
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JOHANNESBURG, South Africa  –Samsung Electronics South Africa is excited to announce its participation in the first edition of the Samsung Galaxy Cup South Africa, a national five-a-side football tournament for retail mobile sales people from the organisation’s various channel partners. This is a global tournament featuring some 28 countries with over 5000 salespeople participating. The South African leg of the Galaxy Cup (2016) consists of teams entered by partners such as Vodacom, Cell C, MTN and Smollan.

The regional tournaments included teams from Durban, Cape Town, Pretoria and Johannesburg. The winners of these teams contested in the national finals that were held on the 7th of May at St. Stithians College, Johannesburg. The overall winning team, MTN Johannesburg, will have the opportunity to represent South Africa in an international leg of the tournament hosted in Dubai at the end of May. Kevin Mabele, captain of the MTN Johannesburg team, voiced the team’s appreciation of participating in the Samsung Galaxy Cup. “Our hearts are warmed by the honour and opportunity that Samsung has bestowed upon us. In this incredible journey we have discovered the true meaning of teamwork and our ability to achieve our goals. As Captain I wish to express our gratitude to Samsung for making our dreams come true and for making it possible for Team MTN to excel beyond our borders.”

“The Samsung Galaxy Cup is a concept that has proven successful over the past two years as a means of using sport to bring partners together, showcase Samsung’s edutainment ideas and uplift our communities through donations to nominated charities,” says Craige Fleischer, Director of Integrated Mobility at Samsung Electronics South Africa. Elaborating on the idea of edutainment, Fleischer points out that on arrival, each retail channel team received a Samsung Galaxy S7 and a Gear S2. Team members were given missions which they had to fulfil and work towards, over the course of the day.

Spectators also had the opportunity to enjoy the Samsung virtual reality experience, eco-system offerings including S-Health and Google Play Music as well as additional entertainment which included jumping castles, face-painting and live music from Sketchy Bongo.

The Samsung Galaxy Cup is further enriching the lives of those served by a number of charities through a R100 000 donation. Each team selected a charity on registration, with the overall winner as well as the winners of each regional final able to make a donation to their nominated charity. An additional amount was made available for the partners to donate to their nominated channels through support mechanisms. Cheques for these charities were handed over to the teams at the prize-giving event on Saturday.

“Sport and South Africa are intricately intertwined and at Samsung, we believe in the unifying power of sport to promote harmony in societies, be it in a personal capacity or at work. Bringing our technology into the sporting arena and people’s lives we serve to enhance their social wellbeing,” Fleischer concludes.

About Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. inspires the world and shapes the future with transformative ideas and technologies. The company is redefining the worlds of TVs, smartphones, wearable devices, tablets, cameras, digital appliances, printers, medical equipment, network systems and semiconductor and LED solutions. For the latest news, please visit the Samsung Newsroom at news.samsung.com.

How long does a warranty last and what should it cover? All Samsung mobile phones come with a two-year warranty which covers functional defects. The phones can be sent in for repairs free of charge to any Samsung Service Centre* within the warranty period.   The warranty does not cover any defects or flaws resulting from physical damage (for example, dropping the phone) except for products covered with ADH (Accidental Damage from Handling). ADH is a unique service for premium Samsung customers which protects the supported Samsung Galaxy devices from accidental damage during normal use – a world first from a device manufacturer point of view.   In order to qualify for ADH, a customer needs to purchase a supported Samsung Galaxy device and keep the proof of purchase, as per the standard factory warranty requirements**. Consumers should note that making use of fake or non-authorised products, such as chargers and other accessories, could potentially damage the handset. This damage will not be covered by the warranty. How can I avoid draining my phone’s battery unnecessarily?   A battery is designed to last more than a typical working day. Samsung recommends switching off any unused applications (apps) especially those that drain power, for example Bluetooth or GPS, as well as remove unauthorised apps. Samsung has developed the Smart Manager App which is standard with all its latest mobile devices. It shows which applications use the most battery power so consumers can reduce their usage when the battery is running low.  

What’s the best way to charge my phone? Always use an original Samsung charger. Overnight charging is ideal and newer devices automatically cut off at 100%. However, consumers still need to ensure that they have a surge protector in place in order to avoid damage that could result from a power failure. A full charging cycle is recommended. Consumers should avoid plugging and unplugging the device constantly as it may affect the charging port. The battery can be further protected by avoiding car chargers and laptop or PC chargers as they have insufficient electrical current to fully charge the handset.  

What are the options if my mobile device needs to be repaired? Samsung’s Quick Repair Service (QRS) provides rapid turnaround times and the service is available at selected Samsung Brand Stores and nationwide service partners. QRS includes maintenance, screen repairs and simple software updates and data transfers. Another option is to book in a device via Samsung’s Online Cyber Service, a fast and simple solution. The service has been designed to enable customers to pre-book the repair of their mobile devices at a service centre and time that is convenient to them. Furthermore, this solution also allows customers to change or cancel a reservation at any time.  

Should I repair my phone or buy a new one? Samsung sources the highest quality components and recommends repairing the product using accredited and qualified technicians. Only accredited service centres have access to Samsung parts to further add a layer of protection for the consumer. Regular software updates assist the device to operate as if it were new.  

About Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. inspires the world and shapes the future with transformative ideas and technologies. The company is redefining the worlds of TVs, smartphones, wearable devices, tablets, cameras, digital appliances, printers, medical equipment, network systems and semiconductor and LED solutions. For the latest news, please visit the Samsung Newsroom at news.samsung.com. 

Buyers of an Ultra-High Definition (UHD) TV should be certain they are purchasing a genuine 4K set in order to guarantee the most thrilling and immersive entertainment experience. This is the advice of Samsung South Africa, which is cautioning consumers against some of the so-called branded televisions on the market that are not true UHD.

According to the International Committee for Display Metrology (ICDM), Measurement Specifications are likely to be revised so as to prevent low resolution TVs from being sold as 4K UHD TVs to unsuspecting consumers.

"Customers should always check the exact resolution of any television that claims to be UHD quality," says Matthew Thackrah, Deputy Managing Director and Head of Consumer Electronics at Samsung Electronics SA. "A true 4K TV will have 3840 x 2160 pixels with exceptional screen quality, whereas a fake one will only offer 3K resolution at 25% less (2880 x 2160). The latter also use the RGBW method – which stands for Red, Green, Black and White - that replaces some of the RGB (Red, Green and Black) sub-pixels with white sub-pixels to cut back on production costs. It also, unfortunately, cuts back on the quality." Thackrah says the original Measurement Specifications as outlined by the ICDM are being purposefully misinterpreted by manufacturers selling RGBW panels as UHD TVs. The colour is compromised and users therefore do not fully experience true UHD resolution.

Many consumers have been caught out by the fake UHD TV moniker, not realising how the combination of RGBW technology and low 3K resolution will impact their viewing. "It is essential to examine the credentials of any manufacturer claiming to sell a UHD TV and to make sure that resolution is true 4K," says Thackrah. "Check that the TV has an aspect ratio of at least 16:9, a colour bit depth of 8 bits and a high frame rate of around 24p to 60p. Many units don't have clear information about the display or the core technology, so ask the right questions and make sure you get the right answers before you make a purchase." Samsung has invested considerable research and development into its UHD TV range, including the premium SUHD TVs that have incredible depth, colour and captivating visual quality. Generally, fake UHD TVs do not come with as much feature variety as the genuine article and rarely give consumers the connected lifestyle and dynamic experience that come standard with the real thing.

Thackrah advises consumers that, before spending money on a new UHD TV, they need to check the specifications and be sure that it is a worthwhile investment and not a cheap fake. He says the fact that the ICDM is considering amending the Measurement Specifications going forward should provide customers with an additional layer of protection in the future. "The picture quality of a fake UHD TV is nowhere near the deep blacks and vivid colours of true 4K," concludes Thackrah. "It probably won't turn on with your mobile device, tell you the weather and the time, provide a variety of connectivity options and allow for complete user control from anywhere in the home. A Samsung SUHD TV is something you can truly be proud to have in your home and we urge people not to compromise on quality."  

Spotting the difference between real and pseudo 4K / UHD TVs

1) Take a close-up photo of a white portion of your TV screen

2) Zoom in the photo as far as it will go:

• If you see perfect vertical and horizontal lines of red, green and blue, repeated in this order throughout, your TV is a genuine 4K UHD TV.
• However, if you see any lines of white mixed in with the red, green and blue lines, your TV delivers pseudo UHD TV.    

About Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.   Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. inspires the world and shapes the future with transformative ideas and technologies that redefine the worlds of TVs, smartphones, wearable devices, tablets, cameras, digital appliances, printers, medical equipment, network systems, and semiconductor and LED solutions. We are also leading in the Internet of Things space with the open platform SmartThings, our broad range of smart devices, and through proactive cross-industry collaboration. We employ 319,000 people across 84 countries with annual sales of US $196 billion. To discover more, and for the latest news, feature articles and press material, please visit the Samsung Newsroom at news.samsung.com.