LIVE FROM CES 2020, LAS VEGAS: Samsung executives hailed 2020 as the start of a new era in technology, one focused on the development of personalised experiences for users rather than hardware products.

Hyun Suk Kim, CEO of Samsung’s Consumer Electronics division (pictured), noted during a keynote consumers increasingly value experiences over products: “We’re not looking to spend our money on things. We are looking to buy convenience, peace of mind and enjoyment.”

To meet the demand, he said Samsung plans to use technologies including 5G, AI, edge computing and robotics to build a world full of personalised experiences across a range of verticals.

The company showcased a series of ideas about how these experiences might manifest, with Kim introducing a spherical robot named Ballie capable of acting as a smart home coordinator, fitness instructor and general companion.

Kim said in the future, robots like Ballie will “know you, support you and take care of you so you can focus on what really matters”.

Smart home and city applications also factored heavily in Samsung’s vision, with connectivity transforming each into “living organisms” which can understand and adapt to user preferences and needs.

For instance, Samsung said future connected cars might be able to detect when there is traffic during a user’s commute and coordinate with their other devices to automatically adjust their schedule.

Samsung acknowledged more personalised experiences will rely heavily on user data, but stressed it will stringently protect consumer privacy and never share information with third parties without explicit consent.