After launching the world's largest mobile phone-manufacturing factory in Noida in July, Samsung has now opened its biggest experience centre in Bengaluru.
Opera House, the 33,000 sq ft iconic building in the city’s central business district, has been given a facelift to showcase Samsung's mobile devices and other consumer electronic products. It has a service centre for phones and is equipped with high-speed public Wi-Fi.
“Today’s consumers, especially millennials, seek unique experiences. They want to interact with the brand. This is what Samsung Opera House is about. We have curated never seen before experiences that will excite people,” said H C Hong, president and chief executive officer at Samsung southwest Asia. These experiences revolve around transformative technologies such as virtual reality (VR), artificial intelligence and Internet of Things.
A customer will be able to enjoy VR experiences such as the 4D sway chair or the Whiplash Pulsar 4D chair that makes 360 degrees three-dimensional movements. One can slip into the role of a fighter pilot doing extreme aircraft stunts, experience a space battle, or a roller-coaster ride. For those who enjoy kayaking, rowing, or cycling, they can do so through VR.
Samsung's decision to come closer to the customer by offering them such unique experiences comes at a time when the South Korean electronic giant is facing intense competition in the country, the largest smartphone market in the world after China. According to a Counterpoint Research report, Samsung is neck and neck with Chinese manufacturer Xiaomi in the smartphone segment with both the companies cornering 28 per cent of the market in the second quarter of 2018.
However, the performance of Chinese brands continued to remain strong. Chinese brands, such as Xiaomi, Oppo and Vivo, accounted for 57 per cent of the smartphone market in the first quarter of 2018, up from 53 per cent during the first quarter of 2017. Hence, mobile phone manufacturers, such as Samsung and Motorola, are playing aggressively in the market to spur growth. According to Samsung, consumers can pre-book the home theatre zone at the experience centre for watching movies and shows. The centre will house a home appliance zone, with a kitchen set-up where a chef will provide live cooking demonstrations using Samsung smart ovens. The company wants to develop the Bengaluru centre as a meeting point for start-ups and venture capitalists, Mohandeep Singh, senior vice-president, mobile business at Samsung India, told Reuters.
Samsung will have the biggest-ever display of accessories, including cases, covers and power banks, on a 24-feet wall at the Bengaluru centre.
There will be a range of Harman Kardon, JBL and Samsung audio products for sale. The company is looking at more such experience centres in top cities of the country over a period of time. Samsung, at present, manufactures over 60 million smartphones in India. Once the company's Noida plant becomes functional, it will double its current capacity to 120 million units per annum.