Partnering with HARMAN for a Connected Future

2016 was a big year for Samsung, as we announced plans to expand our U.S. footprint by more than $10 billion. As we set out to deliver on these commitments that will significantly expand our activities in manufacturing and R&D, 2017 should be an even bigger year. What has made it a historic one, however, is Samsung Electronics’ completed acquisition of HARMAN, made just this month.

As a global connected technologies and services leader, HARMAN’s 8,000-plus employees are a natural addition to the Samsung Electronics team. The Connecticut-based company is deeply rooted in developing new, innovative technologies and solutions that elevate and differentiate experiences for people around the world, across the automobile, audio, and professional solutions spaces.

In the words of Dinesh Paliwal, HARMAN President and CEO, “Samsung shares our commitment to our customers and our culture of speed, innovation and execution. Samsung provides HARMAN with the scale, platform and complementary technologies to accelerate growth and extend our global market leadership in automotive, smart audio and connected technologies.”

Why is this acquisition historic? Today, the world is witnessing the automobile transform before our very eyes. At Samsung, we see the potential for a future that seamlessly connects lifestyle across automotive, home, mobile and work. As a global tier 1 supplier to OEMs around the world, HARMAN technology is found in more than 25 million cars on the road today.

For us, this partnership opens the door to creating sustainable growth opportunities in a growing and dynamic industry, and one that’s driving global innovation and trends.

HARMAN’s experience in developing sophisticated systems — infotainment, telematics, OTA, cyber security and sound management — complements Samsung’s expertise in processors and memory, as well as telecoms and system integration. This combination also accelerates innovation and synergy across all of Harman’s business by leveraging Samsung’s global scale, R&D, distribution channels and HARMAN’s deep technical and engineering expertise.

Samsung’s vision — to drive progress and enable a world where connected technology brings people everywhere a better quality of life — will be the foundation of this partnership, leveraging the two strengths of our companies to develop the “vehicle of tomorrow.”

The joint powerhouse of innovation between Samsung and HARMAN also paves way for increased R&D, meaning continuous innovation to adapt to the evolving needs and demands of the burgeoning auto tech industry.

Most importantly, the partnership will deliver greater benefits for consumers worldwide. Our leadership in both display technology and connectivity means more comprehensive offerings, including end-to-end solutions so OEM customers can rapidly deploy connected car technology and services.

We’re excited to see how our work with HARMAN evolves and clears the path for the “vehicle of tomorrow,” and we’re just as enthusiastic about our common vision, the similarities in our culture of innovation, and the added value we can create for customers.

And as our HARMAN partner Dinesh Paliwal aptly put it, “Recognizing the importance of partnerships in an increasingly connected world, particularly in automotive, we are poised to leverage our combined teams and resources to produce even greater value for our customers. Working closely with automakers and other technology companies, Samsung and HARMAN will define — and drive — the future of automotive.”

For more, visit the Samsung U.S. newsroom.