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India: New Samsung Experience Store launches in Ahmedabad, Gujarat
On July 14, Samsung India inaugurated a new Premium Experience Store at the Palladium Mall in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. It brings SmartThings, gaming and other unique, exciting experiences to consumers.
At this Experience Store, Samsung consumers can enjoy the entire product range via exciting zones around the connected ecosystem such as SmartThings, smartphones, laptops, audio, gaming, and lifestyle TVs.
Spread across 3,500 sq ft of space, the store will also host a variety of entertainment activities with a special focus on local culture, music, and art, offering a Samsung experience customized to the city of Ahmedabad.
Assured gifts
Consumers visiting the store in the first week after opening will get assured gifts on purchases of INR 20,000 & above, 2X loyalty points and Galaxy Buds2 at INR 2,999, on purchase of select Samsung products.
You can also avail always-on special benefits such as student discounts of up to 10% on mobile phones, tabs, laptops and watches, up to INR 8,000 cashback on select devices and up to INR 21,000 in additional benefits.
Samsung Finance+
Samsung fans can also access Samsung’s digital lending platform Samsung Finance+ and Samsung’s device care plan Samsung Care+ for Galaxy smartphones, tablets, and smartwatches at the store.
Customers visiting the store will also be able to enjoy hassle-free after-sales service for their smartphones and book service calls for their consumer electronics products at home.
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Google Wallet for Wear OS is getting updated with new features. The company announced a handful of nifty features are coming to both Android and Wear OS versions of the Google Wallet app. PayPal also joins as a new payment service on Google Wallet for Samsung Galaxy Watch.
Samsung Galaxy Watch running Wear OS gains support for PayPal in Google Wallet. Users residing in the US and Germany can now make secure payments with PayPal on Google Wallet from Wear OS watch.
Aside from this, Google Wallet for Android will also be getting digital key support for more car models. The company highlights that the Digital car key is now available on select MINI models and will expand soon to select Mercedes-Benz and Polestar vehicles.
Support for Digital Car Key will allow you to lock, unlock, and start your car with just your phone. You can also securely share your digital car key with family and friends.
These features are rolling out as part of Google’s commitment to refreshing the Android and Wear OS ecosystem. The distribution is taking place gradually, meaning all users won’t be able to use these new additions immediately, but it will be soon!
Samsung and Lennox are forming a joint venture to sell ductless HVAC systems in the US and Canada. The company is collaborating with Lennox, which is a leading provider of innovative climate solutions in the HVACR industry.
SmartThings AI
The Korean tech giant aims to leverage its leadership in AI, software, smartphones, and semiconductors to provide more smart home services through the easy connection of Samsung SmartThings devices.
With SmartThings Energy, users can monitor overall energy consumption within the home, while SmartThings Energy’s AI Energy mode helps save energy consumption of connected home appliances.
“We are pleased to have entered into a long-term collaboration with Lennox to lead the air conditioning market,” said Choi Kyung-sik, president of Samsung Electronics North America.
The joint venture will distribute Samsung ductless products in United States and Canada as well as “Lennox powered by Samsung”-branded products for Lennox, which will be sold through Lennox stores and direct-to-dealer network.
Samsung believes the joint venture will help it strengthen its position in the North American HVAC market. Samsung will own 50.1% of the joint venture, Samsung Lennox HVAC NA, and Lennox will own 49.9%.
Samsung is seemingly in trouble as a labor union plans to go on strike. The company has been facing concerns with employee dissatisfaction over wage increments. As the wage negotiations apparently failed, workers are in no mood to go back from unannounced protest.
Bloomberg reports that Samsung Elec’s unionized workers are planning to go on strike amid stalled wage negotiations. In the recent past, there were various rounds of talks and negotiations between Samsung’s management and labor union.
However, there is no positive outcome of the discussions held since January 2024. The report also mentions that the management and labor union failed to narrow their differences. If realized, it would mark the first-ever walkout by workers at Samsung Electronics.
“We declare a strike due to the management’s attitude of disregarding the workers,” the labor union said.
Reports say that the unionized labor union has the largest number of employees of Samsung Electronics. If such a huge number of workforce stalls, the company will face issues with manufacturing and production in various businesses.