from techweekeurope.co.uk: Samsung says its products will help the UK move from a digital to a ‘smart society’, claiming the public want connected technology that will make work and home life more efficient. The Korean manufacturer, along with the Big Innovation Centre think
tank, has published research suggesting that two thirds of Brits believe
the UK is on the way to becoming a smart society, with one in ten
believing the country is ahead of other nations in that respect. “The ‘seamlessly connected’ world that in the early 90s was still
science fiction is now a fast-developing reality,” said Andy Griffiths,
Samsung President of UK and Ireland at an event at The Shard in London, a
building which has apparently adopted Samsung’s smart technology.

He said the UK was confident with technology, evidenced by having the most Internet-dependent economy in the G20 and the widespread use of m-Commerce – something which has attracted South Korea’s attention.

Glasgow has been named the UK’s Future Cities demonstrator by the
Technology Strategy Board, while Mayor of London Boris Johnson hopes to
turn the Olympic Park into a testing ground for new smart city initiatives as part of his vision of a ‘Smart London’ plan.

“It is clear analogue Britain is no more, it’s digital Britain, and
at Samsung our role in this evolution is to empower people through
technology,” he continued. “I firmly believe the next few years will be a
pivotal time for us as a technology industry leader and as a major
business in the UK. We want smart to be inclusive not exclusive, we want
it to be enterprising and innovative and we want it to be about taking
all of UK society forward.”

Griffiths added that there were gains to be made in all areas of a
smart society – work, home, health, education, leisure and government –
and that 45 percent of respondents to Samsung’s report, Towards a Smarter Society, believed that investment must be made into the UK’s infrastructure to cope with the demands of smart technology.

Adequate infrastructure is seen a key pre-requisite for the advent of
a smart society, along with a data friendly culture based on trust,
digitally literate citizens, leadership from public institutions and the
presence of open platforms.

According to Samsung’s research, the most popular current forms of
smart technology are connectivity apps such as Skype and Smart TVs, with
remote working systems, home technology and smart meters also used.

The home is expected to be the main area of expansion with 72 percent
keen to adopt innovations that would save them money and be more
efficient. Smart security, lighting and smart appliances such as washing
machines are also popular.  More than half of respondents say they
would like to see smart traffic systems adopted, while smart fridges and
the ability to purchase products through their Smart TV are also
demanded by some.

Health in particular is an important area for many people. Half of
respondents say they plan to use wearable technology to monitor their
wellbeing in the future and 46 percent say Internet-enabled doctor
appointments are their most wanted development, while 3D-printed
medicines have also been mentioned.

“What is exciting is that many of these developments are close at
hand,” said Griffiths, who naturally believes his company can deliver
many of the solutions desired by the British public. It says the
incremental updates offered by the Samsung Galaxy S5 and its Samsung
Gear wearables are evidence of its ability to listen to customers.

“Listening is what allows us to lead, but listening only works if
you’re prepared to learn,” he added, explaining that Samsung had also
listened to service providers, retailers and content owners in an effort
to stimulate and support a smart society ecosystem.

SOURCE: Tech Week Europe
h/t: @DavidEwart4