Samsung Attributes Origins of Backup Calling, Direct Voicemail Features to Indian Innovation

Samsung's Indian R&D Institute Contributes to Advanced Features in Galaxy S26 Series

Samsung's Research Institute in Noida, India, has made significant contributions to the development of advanced features in the company's latest flagship device, the Galaxy S26 series. According to Kyungyun Roo, Managing Director of Samsung R&D Institute (SRI) Noida, the team in India has played a crucial role in adding features such as privacy display, Now Nudge, Now Brief, Call Screening, and direct voicemail to the Galaxy S26.

The idea for backup calling, which allows users to route calls using the data service of the second SIM available in the smartphone, originated in India. This concept was born out of the need to have two SIM cards due to network coverage issues in different areas. The solution was proposed to Suwon, Samsung's R&D headquarters in South Korea, and was subsequently implemented in every Samsung phone.

The Galaxy S26 series, launched in February, is the company's third AI smartphone. Like its predecessor, the S26 series is being manufactured by Samsung at its Noida plant in India. The SRI Noida team worked closely with the Suwon R&D Centre to enable "Privacy Display" technology, which protects people around the Galaxy S26 from viewing the content on the screen.

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Roo also highlighted the SRI Noida team's work on a call screening feature, which allows users to answer, transcribe, and filter calls. The team also developed a one-stop creation and customisation of AI-based image creation for the creative studio, which creates visuals using prompts, sketches, and some images. Additionally, SRI Noida registers many IPs annually, which are mostly focused on the AI domain.

The institute has also implemented various initiatives to build expertise in machine learning and AI. All employees have been trained in ML and AI, and there is an engineer exchange programme with Korea. The SRI Noida team collaborates closely with top-tier universities like the IITs in India for technology development and with top-tier startups in India for India-based services. The institute has already established MoUs with six IITs and has collaborative projects and a higher education program in place.