New York, NY -- Next up in our lineup of interviews, Samsung Electronics, USA. For this interview, we were able to get a few minutes with Mr. Kenneth Colby, Printer marketing director at Samsung Electronics America, Inc., Enterprise Business Division, and Mr. Bob Dunford, Printer product manager at Samsung Electronics America, Inc. Enterprise Business Dvision.
How long has Samsung been making printers? Given the success of the laser printers that have been developed and marketed so far, has there been any talk of entering the inkjet market or will Samsung concentrate on developing more low-cost laser printers? Or on Managed Print Services?
Samsung has been making laser printers for over 20 years. Our primary reason for focusing on laser printers is that we believe lasers have the best value for their customers especially amidst concerns over the cost of printing However, we continuously are looking at new or existing technologies based on the needs of our customers. . Because of that, at least for the time being, we are sticking to lasers. With regards to managed print services (MPS) we are relying on our authorized dealers/retailers who have an MPS in place. We supply them with the software, consumables and printers, and they do the rest.
How did Samsung come up with the idea of “OneTouch Wi-Fi” and how long did it take? It’s both simple and totally brilliant at the same time.
Samsung has always believed in breadth of research and have many employees who hold doctorate degrees in engineering and those types of subject areas. Wireless networks can be hard to set up and we found through consumer research and feedback that is a pain point. We wanted to make it easier for them to accomplish what they need and thus “OneTouch Wi-Fi”.
What trends or new technologies does Samsung see coming down the line both for themselves and the printer industry as a whole?
That’s a very good question. It is challenging all over right now because of the state of the economy and consumers and businesses are looking for ways to cut costs associated with printing. Samsung has consistently observed lasers as being the lead technology in printing. What is different now, however, is that the machines which may have just printed before are now coming with software and document management solutions. We view the industry evolving to better help customers manage their documents. MPS really is an extension of thedocument flow process and an opportunity for customers to reduce their print costs.
HP has made news in the recent weeks with their ePrint solution. Does Samsung have plans for their printers to work with mobile devices in the future, given the success of their wireless printers thus far? Are your phones capable of printing to Samsung wireless printers?
Mobile [technology] is important and wireless is obviously not going away. HP has done a very good job so far of developing things and getting things to pull from the cloud. We see a real opportunity in being able to print from a [smart] phone to a printer in front you, rather than having to go somewhere. One technology you will be hearing more about in the future is the Digital Living Network Association (DLNA). The concept there is being able to connect your appliances to communicate with one another (e.g. refrigerators talking to washers and dryers, etc.) Its spectrum is larger than that of Bluetooth so the radius can be a bit larger. Samsung’s TVs have it now, and our printers will have it next year. Depending on how it is adopted [by consumers] it can present one of the biggest opportunities. That said, the cloud still likely remains a growing opportunity. Samsung is big into convergence and next year Samsung is planning to play more in that arena.
Samsung manufactures and sells many different kinds of products, possibly with more variation than any other company that manufactures printers. What portion of Samsung’s portfolio can be attributed to printers and do you see that growing or shrinking in the coming years?
Samsung is actually #2 in overall printing and engine manufacturing worldwide, which is a fact that not too many people realize. Printers are definitely an area that is targeted by Samsung as an area for growth. Samsung is obviously interested in making a push to be #1. In the printer industry, further consolidation is likely to happen and the printer market will experience some realigning.
