Korean technology giant Samsung has promised to develop and nurture local talent in Indonesia through its Samsung Research and Development Institute (SRIN), a platform for innovation.
The SRIN is currently carrying out a roadshow at several academic institutions in Indonesia to help young developers put their ideas into practice where previously it “would be hard for them to do so”, as the company claims. The platform could become a gateway for Indonesian talent to contribute to the development of new technologies for Samsung or other companies.
Aside from developing its devices, Samsung’s other goal is to drive innovation in the internet of things (IoT) segment, which the company says is starting to take off in Indonesia.
Samsung Indonesia’s marketing director for IT and mobile technology, Vebbyna Kaunang, said the use of Samsung’s IoT technologies in Indonesia was currently limited to business-to-business application, such as equipping offices with smartphone-controlled lights and other utilities. It is still unclear when these features will be made available to the general public.
Because the company is pushing this segment further in the hope of preparing it for the Indonesian market, the development of local talent seems more important than ever, as qualified Indonesians could contribute to future Samsung technologies.
Earlier this year, the company laid out plans to seek more Indonesian developers to help create local content for its burgeoning virtual reality (VR) service.
“What we plan to do is to get our digital ecosystem in gear and hopefully fulfill all device segments with the latest technology every time. Through programs held by the SRIN, we are able to do that using unnurtured talent,” she said at the launch of Samsung’s new Galaxy Note 7 on Tuesday.
The Galaxy Note 7 is described by Samsung as its pinnacle of innovation. Assembled in the company’s factory in Cikarang, West Java, the smartphone is equipped with features such as an iris scanner for more secure access, an improved stylus called the S Pen, and the ability to function for 30 minutes under water at a depth of 1.5 meters.
The device itself is not yet available in retail stores in Indonesia, but pre-orders for the country sold out within three days earlier this month at a price of Rp 10.7 million (US$813).
Vebby added that the components of the Galaxy Note 7 were 100 percent compliant with the upcoming regulation, which requires all 4G smartphones sold in the country to be made of at least 30 percent local components.
At present, the government applies a mandatory rule of having 20 percent local content in 4G smartphones sold in the country, but the rule applies mostly to hardware, while the upcoming regulation will also encapsulate software requirements.
The regulation is slated to be implemented at the beginning of next year.
Samsung released its Galaxy S7 smartphone in March.