Predictions Week Highlights: Panel Session with Samsung

Samsung outlines its foldable future

As part of our Predictions for 2022 and Beyond event, I was joined on a panel session by Sharon Hegarty, Samsung’s Marketing Director for the UK and Ireland, acclaimed mathematician Professor Hannah Fry and comedian Suzi Ruffell. During our discussion, they shared their perspectives of the technology industry, drawing on their personal experiences and knowledge of the market.

The main topic was how the pandemic has changed our relationship with technology over the past 18 months. We discussed the blurring of boundaries between our social and working lives and how this has affected our ability to juggle working from home, remote education and other responsibilities. It’s a topic that my colleague Angela Ashenden covered as part of our Predictions event.

We also talked about the need to focus on our personal well-being and mental health. Sharon outlined numerous areas where Samsung has addressed this through new devices, new approaches to working practices within the company and other initiatives like Samsung Health. The latter is intrinsically linked to the company’s wearable products, including the Samsung Galaxy Watch4.

During the session, we looked at the latest range of Samsung Galaxy Z Fold phones. Sharon noted that there’s a vibrant premium market for mobile phones, something that’s echoed in our prediction that the European mobile phone market will polarize further in 2022, with demand gravitating to the premium tier and the low end.

Other aspects of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold products also stood out during our conversation. Suzi explained how using the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip3 gives her “the cool factor” among her friends, and for Hannah, the ability to close the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip3 and “put the screen away” allows her to switch off from the deluge of notifications that fill the screen on other non-foldable smartphones.

There were plenty of other talking points, notably from Hannah, who highlighted that when technology is “used right, it can make us more human”. This was echoed in a prediction from Sharon, who believes we’ll see a continued trend toward technology being used “as a force for good”.

Sharon also noted a big opportunity for 5G technology in 2022 as its capabilities become better understood by consumers. Hannah was excited about 5G technology enabling what she termed “the Internet of touch and skills”, and Suzi predicted that increasingly advanced camera technology on smartphones would “democratize filming and promote creativity”.

To find out more, check out the video of the interview.