Samsung Developer Conference
{{Short description|Annual technology conference}}
{{Infobox recurring event
| frequency = Annually
| venue = Moscone Center
| location = San Francisco
| country = United States
| first = {{start date|2013}}
| last = October 5, 2023
| attendance = 5,000 Attendees (2019)
| organized = Samsung Electronics
| website = https://www.samsungdeveloperconference.com/
}}
Samsung Developer Conference, also known as SDC, is an annual technology conference held by Samsung Electronics since 2013.{{Cite web |last=Yonhap |date=2021-09-16 |title=Samsung to hold developer conference online next month |url=https://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20210916000798 |access-date=2022-09-28 |website=The Korea Herald |language=en}} The event focus in showcasing the latest technology advances in mobile software and Samsung solutions, such as SmartThings, Bixby, Tizen and One UI.{{Cite web |last=Adhikari |first=Sumit |date=2021-10-08 |title=Samsung Reveals The Full Program For Its Upcoming Developer Conference |url=https://www.androidheadlines.com/2021/10/samsung-full-program-developer-conference.html |access-date=2022-09-28 |website=Android Headlines |language=en-US}} From 2018, it has also unveiled the Infinity Flex display technology for foldable smartphones such as Samsung Galaxy Z Fold. The 2021 event, SDC 2021, was held online due to the COVID-19 pandemic.{{Cite web |last=Su-hyun |first=Song |date=2018-11-08 |title=Samsung unveils sneak peek of its first foldable smartphone |url=https://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20181108000670 |access-date=2022-09-28 |website=The Korea Herald |language=en}}
Overview
SDC started in 2013 as a technology event for people in the industry to “engage with industry leaders, collaborate with fellow developers, and learn about new Samsung tools and SDKs”, according to Samsung.{{Cite web |last=Pocket-lint |date=2013-07-22 |title=Samsung announces developer conference for October, first Andro |url=https://www.pocket-lint.com/phones/news/samsung/122505-samsung-announces-developer-conference-for-october-first-android-player-to-do-so |access-date=2022-09-28 |website=www.pocket-lint.com |language=en-gb}} The event usually takes place between October and November every year.
The first event was held in a hotel in San Francisco, but in the second edition they translated the venue to the McEnery Convention Center in San José.
During the first editions, SDC focused on mobile technologies, but in recent years it has also included sessions about Artificial Intelligence and Internet of Things.{{Cite web |last=우재연 |date=2022-09-02 |title=Samsung aims to popularize SmartThings |url=https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20220902000200320 |access-date=2022-09-28 |website=Yonhap News Agency |language=en}}
History
The first SDC edition was held from October 27 to 29 of 2013 in Westin ST. Francis Hotel in San Francisco, where the company discussed about Samsung Mobile SDK, Smart TV features and multi-screen. The following year, the venue changed to the Moscone West Convention Center in San Francisco, and mainly focused on Wearable devices and Virtual Reality.{{Cite web |last=Patterson |first=Steven Max |date=2014-11-13 |title=Samsung spotlights wearables, smart home at developer conference |url=https://www.networkworld.com/article/2847408/samsung-developer-conference-wearables-virtual-reality-and-the-smart-home.html |access-date=2022-09-28 |website=Network World |language=en}}
After a year of hiatus in 2015, SDC 2016 came back with sessions centering mainly on Virtual Reality, which has been a big push for Injong Rhee (former Vice president and head of R&D in Samsung) and Samsung Developers.{{Cite web |last=Tibken |first=Shara |title=Samsung's VR future includes Star Trek holodecks and no wires |url=https://www.cnet.com/tech/computing/samsungs-vr-future-includes-star-trek-holodecks-and-no-wires-samsung-developer-conference-sdc2016/ |access-date=2022-09-28 |website=CNET |language=en}}
Even though Samsung has struggled to generate enthusiasm for many of its software products, SDC 2017 attracted 5,000 people to the event, which focused in Bixby, SmartThings and AR.{{Cite web |last=Tibken |first=Shara |title=Samsung's Bixby, now an even smarter answer to Siri, arrives on fridges |url=https://www.cnet.com/tech/mobile/samsung-bixby-smart-home-smartthings-iot-ar-developer-conference/ |access-date=2022-09-28 |website=CNET |language=en}} The fifth edition, held in 2018, was a turning point for SDC, since Samsung unveiled the prototype of its first foldable smartphone, the Infinity Flex Display.{{Cite web |last=Quint |first=The |date=2018-11-07 |title=Samsung Developers Conference 2018: Foldable Phone Unveiled |url=https://www.thequint.com/tech-and-auto/tech-news/samsung-developers-conference-2018-live-updates |access-date=2022-09-28 |website=TheQuint |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Su-hyun |first=Song |date=2018-11-08 |title=Samsung unveils sneak peek of its first foldable smartphone |url=https://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20181108000670 |access-date=2022-09-28 |website=The Korea Herald |language=en}}
SDC 2019 changed locations from San Francisco to San Jose Convention Center in California.{{Cite web |last=Philleo |first=Paul |date=2019-06-28 |title=Samsung Developer Conference 2019, Moves to San Jose |url=https://www.eventsforgamers.com/samsung-developer-conference-2019-announced-moves-to-san-jose/ |access-date=2022-09-28 |website=Events For Gamers |language=en-US}} With 5,000 participants, the conference discussed topics such as Blockchain, One UI, Bixby, SmartThings and Foldable UX Guide.
SDC 2020 was cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic{{Cite web |last=Popa |first=Bogdan |date=2020-09-21 |title=Samsung Officially Cancels the Developer Conference Because of Obvious Reasons |url=https://news.softpedia.com/news/samsung-officially-cancels-the-developer-conference-because-of-obvious-reasons-531133.shtml |access-date=2022-09-28 |website=softpedia |language=english}} and the 2021 edition was the first to be held entirely online.{{Cite web |last=Yonhap |date=2021-09-16 |title=Samsung to hold developer conference online next month |url=https://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20210916000798 |access-date=2022-09-28 |website=The Korea Herald |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=bugsbunny |date=2021-10-25 |title=Samsung Developer Conference (SDC21) is Back to Make a Splash with New Innovations |url=https://colombogazette.com/2021/10/25/samsung-developer-conference-sdc21-is-back-to-make-a-splash-with-new-innovations/ |access-date=2022-09-28 |website=Colombo Gazette |language=en-US}}
SDC22 conference took place in Oct. 12 2022 at the Moscone North in San Francisco, bringing the event back to a physical venue, and it is expected to share innovations in its software, services and platforms, especially in SmartThings.{{Cite web |last=Hutchinson |first=Roland |date=2022-09-07 |title=Samsung Developer Conference 2022 announced for October 12th |url=https://www.geeky-gadgets.com/samsung-developer-conference-2022-announced-for-october-12th-07-09-2022/ |access-date=2022-09-28 |website=Geeky Gadgets |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=우재연 |date=2022-09-02 |title=Samsung aims to popularize SmartThings |url=https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20220902000200320 |access-date=2022-09-28 |website=Yonhap News Agency |language=en}}
SDC23 was held on Oct. 5 at the Moscone North in San Francisco.{{Cite web |last=Hutchinson |first=Roland |date=2023-10-06 |title=Samsung Developer Conference 2023 highlights latest technology |url=https://www.geeky-gadgets.com/samsung-developer-conference-2023-highlights-latest-technology/ |access-date=2023-10-12 |website=Geeky Gadgets |language=en-US}}