Samsung electronics, IT division of a multi-sector empire
Samsung Electronics is the best-known division, at least in Italy, of a multinational and multi-sectoral company of South Korean origins. The Samsung group, born as a small food distributor in 1938 in Taegu, South Korea, is now one of the largest electronics producers in the world, but not only that.
Samsung, from food to electronics 
The history of this South Korean giant begins in 1938 , when Lee Byung-chul, founder of what would become the Samsung Electronics empire, decided to invest part of the family dowry. Unlike many other technological realities, Samsung was not born from a situation of necessity, but from a wealthy family. The difference is probably also given by the company's founding period, which is much earlier than almost all other IT and technology companies. In fact, Samsung was not initially and obviously created for the electronics sector . In fact, Byung-chul decides to invest part of the money given by his family (rich landowners) in a company that distributes food, especially fresh pasta and spaghetti. The name of this company is Samsung Sanghoe.
The company's growth continues and survives the period of war between the two Koreas unscathed. The founder, a truly enlightened entrepreneur, knows how to seize opportunities and expand or convert the company into other sectors, moving from sugar refining to wool processing.
But Byung-Chul is still not satisfied with what he has…
Samsung Electronics, birth of a star
As an enlightened entrepreneur, the founder of Samsung keeps an eye on emerging businesses. By doing this he cannot help but see that in neighboring Japan many companies are entering the electronics sector. They are getting into it and bringing their products to Korea as well. So he too decides that he wants to be part of this new market. Thanks to the funds obtained from previous activities, it gets off to a great start, with many investments in various sectors which lead to the creation of four divisions dealing with various aspects of electronics: from consumer to industrial semiconductors.
The first product born from this new division is a black and white television, which, given the economic situation and the launch of television platforms, immediately achieved great success.
With proof that its intuition can prove successful, Samsung continues to invest heavily in electronics , charting a path that will lead to its current success. In the 80s, thanks to the success achieved up to that point, Samsung decided to once again invest heavily in Research and Development. Expansion abroad also began in this period, with the creation of various production plants around the world including Portugal, Japan, Great Britain and two different plants in the United States of America.
The territorial expansion also corresponds to an expansion of the product range with the launch of the first personal computer, the SPC-1000 (only for the Korean market) and of telephones and faxes which will then be expanded to mobile phones.
Upon the founder's death in 1987, the new, more practical and less emotional management decided that it was time to rationalize Samsung's activities and therefore sold the activities in the food sector, food distribution and the paper industry.
Strengthened by the capital raised and the possibility of focusing only on a single sector, Samsung's expansion continues, both territorially and in terms of product availability, also thanks to collaborations and joint ventures.
Internationalization
The 90s are those of the consecration of the Samsung brand . In fact, the brand's construction division wins some important contracts. Orders that lead the brand to build some of the tallest skyscrapers in the world. In fact, we find Samsung's construction capabilities in the Taipei 101 skyscraper in Taiwan, in one of the two Petronas Towers in Malaysia and also in the tallest skyscraper in the world, the Burj Khalifa in Dubai.
These successes strengthen one of Samsung's three production pillars, the engineering one. Now it's time to increase the other two, chemistry and electronics.
Samsung Electronics
Many investments also take place in the electronics sector , with Samsung becoming the second largest chip manufacturer in the world after Intel. In addition to the chips, Samsung's capabilities also proved successful thanks to the creation of the first liquid crystal display screen.
Even in this field the results are of great value, with the brand becoming the first manufacturer in the world of LCD and TFT-LCD panels.
Electronics were given even more importance when Samsung decided to open a research center in Poland. The Warsaw center is dedicated to computer programming and in particular to set-top boxes and smartphones .
The innovation brought by the research center bears fruit quickly, with a new series of products being presented.
In fact, the Galaxy smartphone line comes onto the market, which in various forms will monopolize the Android world. In addition to phones , Samsung Smart TVs are also coming out. Even in this category of products, Samsung confirms itself as an innovator, presenting screens with ever greater definition and curved ones first.
This technology designed for Smart TVs will then also enter smartphones , being used for the Edge series, the first line of smartphones equipped with a curved screen.
The evolution of this technology will then lead to the much desired Galaxy Fold , Samsung's first fully foldable smartphone .
Current state of Samsung
To date, Samsung, despite having rationalized its presence, still remains active in many sectors. In fact, we find the brand in industries: electronics, heavy mechanics, construction, entertainment and financial services. But not only that, the brand is also present in the retail services and technology and culture sectors.
In Italy, especially for the private user, Samsung is best known for its Samsung Electronics division , which in various forms is present in the homes of the majority of Italians.
The Samsung Electronics product line is in fact very complete and offers many technological devices.
Samsung for the home
Not just recreational electronics or telecommunications, the South Korean brand is present in many commonly used household appliances. In fact, we find refrigerators, washing machines, dryers, microwave ovens, vacuum cleaners and air conditioning systems. But not only that, the Samsung brand is also active in the field of air purification and home automation.
Smartphones
From the first landlines to the most advanced smartphones . Samsung's evolution in the field of mobile telephony has been continuous and constant. Already present in the period of "standard" mobile phones, the brand received a further boost from the birth of the smartphone sector. The brand was present in this area right from the start, conquering a good share of the market thanks to the Galaxy line. A direct competitor of Apple, it has often been accused by Apple of having violated patents and copied technical innovations (an accusation rejected and reflected on the Big Apple brand). With the Galaxy series now in its twenty-first version, Samsung still confirms itself today, despite the appearance of new aggressive Chinese brands (Huawei, Honor, Oppo and many others), as a cutting-edge brand in this sector.
Galaxy Buds
Producing a line of smartphones is an excellent way to work on a line of dedicated accessories that can complete the phone itself and add brand loyalty and market volumes. This is why Samsung has taken steps to produce the most technological accessories for its Galaxy series, including the Buds smart earphones.
Tablet
Sometimes, especially recently, the tablet is considered to be a generously sized smartphone . Logic that is also respected and followed by Samsung, which for the Galaxy Tab series offers some models with screens ranging from 10 to 13 inches.
A real link between the smartphone and the laptop, the Galaxy Tab series is available in many versions , both in terms of form factor and features for a product that has sold many units over the years and has been put into direct competition with Apple's iPad equivalent.
Galaxy Book
Not just telephony for the South Korean brand, which has also come a long way in the IT sector since the first personal computer. The Galaxy Book line is in fact a series of excellent products . Lightweight notebooks, perfect for those who work on the move and with advanced features given by the implementation of the best technologies. Convertible systems, which can be equipped with both Windows and the Chromebook series for a product suitable for every need.
Smartwatches
The miniaturization of computing and the high resolution of screens even in the smallest dimensions has opened a new market niche in recent years. The fastest growing sector is in fact that of smartwatches, real computers on the wrist. Present in various types and models that differ in aesthetic appearance, functionality and sector, the range of smartwatches is expanding more and more every day. Samsung is the protagonist of this market, with high-level products, which are positioned once again in direct competition with those of Apple.
One UI digital services
A hardware manufacturer like Samsung could not miss a software interface. The One UI solution completes the brand's proposal , for a dynamic interface that can be used in various ways that allows you to manage cloud activities, remote connections, back-up and much more.
TV
Not just small screens for Samsung. but also large, if not very large displays like those of TVs and Smart TVs. A sector in which Samsung is the undisputed leader thanks to the continuous evolution of its products, Samsung's proposal ranges from the first HD Ready series to the most advanced products such as QLED, 4K, 8K and UHD . Not only large dimensions, but also a range of products designed for every need, from the most aesthetic to the most technical. All of which can be declined up to the current 85″ offered by this manufacturer.
Audio systems
To complete the Smart TVs we find a complete proposal of audio devices . The Soundbars proposed by Samsung in fact contain technology and design in a single product. The brand's participation in Harman Kardon, one of the leaders in quality audio, brings further audiophile value to the Samsung offering.
Projectors
Not only recreational entertainment, but also devices for business and commercial uses. Like the projectors, fixed or portable, that bring all the Samsung graphic quality into perfect devices for large events and business presentations.
PC monitor
First loves are never forgotten and Samsung has never given up on the computer display sector. From the first collaborations with Sony to an exclusivity and mastery of the LCD and TFT-LCD sector , for a series of products that is present on many office desks around the world.
Storage systems
To complete the IT offer, a complete series of products for managing files and archiving them could not be missing. From small memories that can be installed in smartphones and cameras to USB sticks and hard disks that can be used for archiving and back-up.
Samsung's offering in this area is currently concentrated in solid state hard drives (SSD) and Memory Cards.
Smart signage
The display offer does not stop at products for personal use, but also includes large displays. Interactive solutions, perfect for meeting rooms, in which the monitor functions are enriched by annotation and writing systems, such as those of the Flip series and all those dedicated for trade fair stands or exhibition spaces.
Digital signage
If the need is to go even bigger, Samsung certainly doesn't hold back, thanks to the proposal called The Wall. Dynamic and personalized solutions in which the screen becomes an integral part of the furniture for a product that loses limits of dimensionality and thickness.
90 years of history for a global brand
From a small company active in food distribution to one of the most famous brands in the world. Samsung is probably the most famous brand in South Korea and is present with its laboratories and production plants on all continents.
The Samsung Electronics division is probably the most representative of the brand, at least at a consumer level, with penetration into the market of displays and first-level telecommunications systems.
Samsung Electronics is today one of the giants of information technology. A global company that, unlike other competitors, has decided to follow different product lines at the same time, excelling in many of them.
