Samsung Unveils Ambitious Laptop Instead of 'Phone'

New 'Galaxy Book2' Series Unveiled
Enhanced Work Efficiency and Functionality Upgrades

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Hye-sun] Samsung Electronics is making a full-scale move to dominate the global laptop market, leveraging its world No.1 smartphone competitiveness. At the world’s largest mobile communication exhibition, ‘Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2022’ held in Barcelona, Spain, Samsung Electronics chose to compete with ‘laptops’ rather than ‘smartphones.’ It gave the leading role on the global stage to laptops to introduce them as part of the ‘Galaxy ecosystem.’

The New Lead Role in the Galaxy Ecosystem: ‘Laptop’

On the morning of the 28th at 3 a.m. (Korean time), ahead of the opening of ‘MWC 2022,’ Samsung Electronics held an online event to unveil the new products ‘Galaxy Book2 Pro’ and ‘Galaxy Book2 Pro 360.’ The ‘Galaxy Book2 Pro’ series comes in 15.6-inch and 13.3-inch display models and will be released globally in April. Kim Hak-sang, Vice President and Head of the NC (New Computing) Development Team at Samsung Electronics MX Division, said, “Samsung Electronics is striving to provide unique experiences that fundamentally enhance users’ daily lives,” adding, “The ‘Galaxy Book2 Pro’ series seamlessly integrates with the Galaxy ecosystem and redefines PCs by expanding efficiency and possibilities for the future work environment.”

It is the first laptop for general consumers to meet Microsoft (MS)’s enterprise security solution standard, ‘Secured-core PC,’ enhancing security. This solution hardware-isolates memory and key components to block cyberattacks. It also supports advanced security technologies against firmware attacks. Specialized hardware specifications such as biometric sensors like fingerprint recognition are also included.

5G + Wi-Fi 6E, Up to 21 Hours of Use

It also features communication functions and battery life comparable to smartphones. It supports 5G mobile communication and Wi-Fi 6E, which significantly reduces latency compared to existing Wi-Fi. The ‘Galaxy Book2 Pro’ series boasts an ultra-slim, ultra-light design at the top level in its class. The 13.3-inch model of the ‘Galaxy Book2 Pro’ is only 11.2 mm thick and weighs just 870 g, making it thinner and lighter than competing products. It can be used continuously for up to 21 hours on a single charge.

The ‘Galaxy Book2 Pro’ series is equipped with the latest 12th generation Intel Core processors. Reflecting the environment where video calls have become routine, the series features a 1080p FHD camera with a wider viewing angle of up to 87 degrees compared to its predecessor. Audio performance has also advanced one step further. It supports two-way AI (artificial intelligence) noise cancelling, removing background noise for both the user and the call counterpart.

Role as a Smart Home Hub

By registering once through the Samsung Account Manager, users can access content and apps of Galaxy devices such as Samsung Gallery and Samsung Notes on the ‘Galaxy Book2 Pro’ series without entering usernames and passwords for each app. It also functions as a smart home hub. From the SmartThings dashboard, users can turn lights or temperature on and off or check security cameras. It supports the AI platform Bixby, allowing control of Internet of Things (IoT) devices with voice commands alone.

Another feature is the use of eco-friendly materials. Materials recycled from discarded fishing nets are applied inside the touchpad holder and bracket of the ‘Galaxy Book2 Pro’ series, and it is equipped with an AMOLED display certified with the ‘Greenguard Gold’ eco-friendly product certification from the global safety certification organization UL. The product packaging is also made of paper from sustainable materials.

According to market research firm Strategy Analytics (SA), the laptop market size reached 268.3 million units shipped last year, growing 19% compared to the previous year (2020), leading the smart device market following smartphones. Samsung Electronics held its first laptop unpack event in April last year and reorganized its wireless division into the ‘Mobile Experience (MX) Division’ in December to include the laptop business.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.