Samsung is looking to offer Olympic Games attendees, including officials and athletes, a unique look into its immersive technologies through a total of nine Samsung Olympic Showcases in and around PyeongChang and Gangneung. The experience will specifically center around providing visitors with cultural and technological experiences under the theme “Do What You Can’t.” Unfortunately, that means that only those who happen to be in or around Olympic Parks, Plazas, and Villages, or with access to the Main Press Center for the Olympics or passing through the Incheon International Airport will have access to the experiences. However, for those fortunate enough to attend the games or to live in the area, the showcases will open on February 9.
With regard to details about the showcases themselves, Samsung says the experiences will involve hands-on interaction with its own tablets, smartphones, VR headsets, and accessories. Virtual reality, as the newest advent in the technological world, will, of course, take center stage. Visitors will be able to enter fully immersive experiences to take part in some prominent Winter Olympic events, including participating in competitive challenges focused on those events. There will also be a “Mission to Space VR: A Moon for All Mankind” experience that incorporates a training suit, helmets, and “Moon rig” – which provides a sensation of moon-like gravity for participants. Moving beyond VR, Samsung is taking the opportunity to showcase its other electronics through several other in-showcase activities and events. Another of the main attractions will most likely be a series of “special events,” during which athletes and other prominent Olympics personalities will visit the showcases to take part in the activities. Beyond that, visitors will be able to play around with Samsung’s Note 8 and S Pen to create painted characters from their selfies and other user-generated content, which will be shareable on social media.
There will also be a dedicated space for children to hang out and interact with various Samsung products, while a Smart Home and IoT section will give the adults a place to explore the possibilities of a connected home. It goes without saying that, aside from the exploration, visitors will also be able to purchase food and beverages, as well as Samsung electronics on display. Finally, Samsung will feature a history of the company’s successes via an interactive “Unbox Samsung” experience. This newly unveiled series of showcases is not the first of Samsung’s forays into the Olympic Winter Games in PyeongChang or the first of its announcements tied to the Olympics. The company is also hosting the official application for the games and has a history of being an official partner and participant in the broadcasting and promotion of the games. Taking things further still, this year Samsung has also outed a brand new Olympics edition of its Galaxy Note 8 flagship. Of course, that all makes sense since this year’s games are taking place in the company’s home country.