There is a good chance that more than half of you will think of Samsung if we ask you to name an electronics brand without any prompting. Since it started, Samsung has become so similar to the phones, laptops, and TVs we use everyday that it's hard to tell them apart.
In fact, Samsung makes more mobile phones and TVs than any other company in the world. This and many other accomplishments have put this multinational conglomerate at the top of its industry.
It's hard to imagine a world where everyone doesn't own at least one Samsung product. We have experienced Samsung products firsthand, from their phones to their tablets to their home theaters. We use their products frequently, but how well do we know the South Korean tech giant behind them?
In this article, we will present Samsung in a manner different from how you are probably already familiar with the company. Here are five facts about this electronics giant that are just as important as their ground-breaking products and recognizable brand names. From a small noodle shop to global dominance in just a few short decades.
1. When Samsung First Opened, It Was A Grocery Store And Noodle Shop
It's easy to think of Samsung only as a global electronics powerhouse, but the company has evolved through a number of different phases. Samsung was first opened as a trading and exporting store by Lee Byung-Chul in 1938. Dried fish, flour, and vegetables were all part of Samsung's export offerings, and the company even made and sold its own noodles.
Over the years, Samsung expanded into new fields, such as the sugar refining and textile manufacturing industries and the retail trade. It wasn't until 1969 that Samsung entered the electronics industry, initially making radios before expanding into TVs, refrigerators, and air conditioners. Over time, the company became more focused on making mobile devices and smartphones, and it eventually changed its name to Samsung Electronics.
2. As For Samsung, It Translates To "Three Stars" In Korean
Lee Byung-chul had high hopes for his company from the start, anticipating that it would grow into a major enterprise. Samsung means "three stars" in traditional Hanja, and its namesake's aspiration to make something as enduring and powerful as the stars inspired the name.
Intriguingly, the three-star motif appears in all of Samsung's early logos until the company decided in 1993 to go with the simpler logo we're all familiar with now: an oval with the company name in white letters set against a blue background. Though the new logo lacked the stars of the old one, the shape of the universe represented by the blue oval showed that Samsung's aspirations were still cosmic in scope.
3. Samsung Is Much Bigger Than You Think
While it's true that Samsung makes some of the best electronics around, we'd be doing the company a disservice if we limited our attention to just their consumer electronics products. Samsung's early interest in many different industries, from construction to communications, was caused by the company's early decision to branch out.
The Samsung Group is a multinational conglomerate that consists of more than 60 separate companies and business divisions. Samsung Heavy Industries (shipbuilding), Samsung C&T Corporation (construction and trading), Samsung Securities (investment services), and Samsung Medical Center are some relevant subsidiaries of Samsung (for medical services). Even the famous Everland Resort in South Korea is under Samsung Everland's management.
Samsung employs over 300,000 people across 74 countries thanks to its massive size and diversity of operations. In relative terms, that's more than the combined workforces of Apple (137,000) and Microsoft (148,000). Furthermore, Samsung dominates its home country's economy, with the conglomerate's businesses contributing roughly 15% to the total South Korean GDP. That being said, Samsung is obviously not limited to just making electronics.
4. You Can Find Samsung Products Anywhere, Even On An iPhone
If we haven't already proven the point, we do so here: the Samsung brand is so intertwined with so many Korean consumer goods and services that it's practically possible to go your entire life without ever needing to buy anything else in the country.
You can have your whole life centered around Samsung: have your baby at the Samsung Medical Center, live in the Samsung Tower Palace, go to school at Samsung-owned Sungkyunkwan University, and only ever use Samsung electronics and appliances.
Outside of South Korea, Samsung is still a household name and ubiquitous, even in places you wouldn't normally associate it with.Samsung C&T Corporation built the Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the world. In contrast, Samsung Sports sponsors a plethora of teams and events in various sports.
Your iPhones and other mobile devices likely contain components made by Samsung. Samsung is the industry standard supplier for many smartphone components, including processor chips, RAM, and OLED displays. This means that no matter what smartphone brand you use, you'll always have a little bit of Samsung with you.
5. From The First MP3 Phone To The First Foldable Smartphone, Samsung Has A Long History Of Pioneering Technological Advances In The Mobile Industry.
Having been around for a long time, Samsung has been a driving force in the smartphone industry, introducing groundbreaking new features before the market was ready for them. The first CDMA cellular system was released by Samsung in 1996, the first digital television was released by Samsung in 1998, and the first MP3 phone was released by Samsung in 1999. Samsung also pioneered the addition of a 10-megapixel camera to a mobile phone, making it possible to take professional-quality photographs on the go for the first time.
The first bendable smartphones and the first phones with a curved OLED display are two examples of recent developments in the mobile industry. While not all of Samsung's innovations have been successful, the company deserves praise for its commitment to innovation.
