Samsung's New Strategy Chief an Apple User, Cites Ecosystem Benefits and 'Stickiness'

young sohn samsungIn an interview with MIT Technology Review (via The Verge), Samsung Chief Strategy Officer Young Sohn reveals that he is in fact an Apple user. Sohn, who joined Samsung in August, uses a Mac, an iPhone, and an iPad as his personal devices, and cites Apple's ecosystem as a major advantage for the company.

OK, so think about Apple compared to Samsung. I use a Mac, actually, at home. I’ve always used Mac, an iPhone, and an iPad. I also have the Galaxy. So I’m a great example.

If you look at the strengths of Apple, in a way it’s not the product per se. It’s that consumers like their ecosystem such as iCloud. I like that my family 6,000 miles away in Korea is able to see my schedule and see all of my contacts and photos. It is sticky, but it is a proprietary architecture.

Sohn goes on to note that he believes Samsung devices such as the Galaxy Nexus are better than the iPhone but that the convenience of Apple's connected ecosystem brings a critical aspect to the user experience. In Sohn's view, Samsung needs to move beyond its current device-centric model and work with partners to embrace a model of an open ecosystem to provide a quality user experience.

Sohn also briefly addresses Apple within the context of Samsung's effort to set up operations in Silicon Valley, noting that Samsung is focused on the broader opportunities involving 6,000 startups in the region and not driven by a desire to take on Apple on its home turf. Sohn praises Apple as "a very innovative company" and points to Apple's role as both customer and competitor of Samsung as defining their relationship.

Popular Stories

iPhone SE 4 Thumb 1

iPhone SE 4 With Apple's Own 5G Modem 'Confirmed' to Launch in March

Tuesday November 19, 2024 12:12 pm PST by
Barclays analyst Tom O'Malley and his colleagues recently traveled to Asia to meet with various electronics manufacturers and suppliers. In a research note this week, outlining key takeaways from the trip, the analysts said they have "confirmed" that a fourth-generation iPhone SE with an Apple-designed 5G modem is slated to launch towards the end of the first quarter next year. In line with previo...
airtag purple

AirTag 2 Rumored to Launch Next Year With These New Features

Sunday November 17, 2024 5:18 am PST by
Apple released the AirTag in April 2021, so it is now three over and a half years old. While the AirTag has not received any hardware updates since then, a new version of the item tracking accessory is rumored to be in development. Below, we recap rumors about a second-generation AirTag. Timing Apple is aiming to release a new AirTag in mid-2025, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman....
Magic Mouse Next to Keyboard

No, Apple CEO Tim Cook Didn't Say He Prefers Logitech's MX Master 3 Over the Magic Mouse

Sunday November 17, 2024 3:03 pm PST by
While the Logitech MX Master 3 is a terrific mouse for the Mac, reports claiming that Apple CEO Tim Cook prefers that mouse over the Magic Mouse are false. The Wall Street Journal last month published an interview with Cook, in which he said he uses every Apple product every day. Soon after, The Verge's Wes Davis attempted to replicate using every Apple product in a single day. During that...
at t turbo indicator iphone 16 pro max v0 8hrh7w5f3w1e1

AT&T Turbo Indicator Showing Up in iPhone Status Bar for Subscribers

Wednesday November 20, 2024 3:42 am PST by
AT&T has begun displaying "Turbo" in the iPhone carrier label for customers subscribed to its premium network prioritization service, according to reports on Reddit. The new indicator seems to have started appearing after users updated to iOS 18.1.1, but that could be just coincidence. Image credit: Reddit user No_Highlight7476 The Turbo feature provides enhanced network performance through ...
Generic iOS 18 Feature Real Mock

Apple Releases iOS 18.1.1 and iPadOS 18.1.1 With Security Fixes

Tuesday November 19, 2024 10:10 am PST by
Apple today released iOS 18.1.1 and iPadOS 18.1.1, minor updates to the iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 operating systems that debuted earlier in September. iOS 18.1.1 and iPadOS 18.1.1 come three weeks after the launch of iOS 18.1. The new software can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to Settings > General > Software Update. Apple has also released iOS 17.7.2 for...
iPhone 17 Slim Feature Single Camera 1 Redux

'iPhone 17 Air' Rumored to Surpass iPhone 6 as Thinnest iPhone Ever

Monday November 18, 2024 1:07 pm PST by
In a research note with Hong Kong-based investment bank Haitong today, obtained by MacRumors, Apple analyst Jeff Pu said he agrees with a recent rumor claiming that the so-called "iPhone 17 Air" will be around 6mm thick. "We agreed with the recent chatter of an 6mm thickness ultra-slim design of the iPhone 17 Slim model," he wrote. If that measurement proves to be accurate, there would be ...
bug security vulnerability issue fix larry

Make Sure to Update: iOS 18.1.1 and macOS Sequoia 15.1.1 Fix Actively Exploited Vulnerabilities

Tuesday November 19, 2024 10:52 am PST by
The iOS 18.1.1, iPadOS 18.1.1, and macOS Sequoia 15.1.1 updates that Apple released today address JavaScriptCore and WebKit vulnerabilities that Apple says have been actively exploited on some devices. With the JavaScriptCore vulnerability, processing maliciously crafted web content could lead to arbitrary code execution. The WebKit vulnerability had the same issue with maliciously crafted...

Top Rated Comments

STiNG Operation Avatar
156 months ago
We found him!
(http://gifsoup.com/view/1956750/moleyyyy.html)
Score: 24 Votes (Like | Disagree)
HishamAkhtar Avatar
156 months ago
Apple should make an ad.
Score: 22 Votes (Like | Disagree)
JayLenochiniMac Avatar
156 months ago
Sohn goes on to note that he believes Samsung devices such as the Galaxy Nexus are better than the iPhone but that the convenience of Apple's connected ecosystem brings a critical aspect to the user experience.

Who does that sound like? The many fandroids here who can't help but visit the iPhone forum on a daily basis. They know internally that the iPhone is the better device.
Score: 20 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Hexley Avatar
156 months ago
Finally, an honest Samsung employee!
Score: 20 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Hellhammer Avatar
156 months ago
They found his head in a ditch 20 minutes after this interview.

I met several Samsung executives when I was in Korea and quite a few of them had an iPhone. They weren't trying to hide them and in fact, they even made a little fun of me since I have an old 3GS.
Score: 18 Votes (Like | Disagree)
dalbir4444 Avatar
156 months ago
Hmm...I wonder if there are any Apple execs who use Samsung products

I'm sure many have Samsung TVs or fridges.
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)