Forget a mascot, Rio 2016 Olympics has its own Samsung smartphone.
Samsung created a limited edition Galaxy S7 Edge handset, which is customized for the Rio 2016 Olympics and will be handed out to all the participating athletes. The Official Smartphone Partner for the Summer Olympics is also developing an official Rio 2016 mobile application.
In collaboration with the International Olympic Committee, Samsung will distribute 12,500 Olympic smartphones and Gear IconX earbuds to all the Rio 2016 Olympic athletes. The aim is to enhance their Olympic experience and ease their communication with friends and family.
The smartphone – price yet to be revealed – will also be available to non-Olympians starting July 18 in selected countries including Brazil, the United States, China, Germany and Korea.
So what is the fuss all about?
“For the first time ever, the Rio 2016-inspired device incorporates an Olympic Games design embedded into the phone itself, featuring a custom colorway pattern including the five official colors of the Olympic Rings. The colors of the Olympic Rings will also be prominent in the phone’s user interface in the home and lock screens as well as the message, dial and contact screens and notification bar. Pre-loaded Rio 2016 Olympic Games themed wallpapers will also be available,” the company explains.
As for the Gear IconX buds, which are worth $200 a piece, they are wireless earbuds that include an in-ear heart rate monitor and an independent music player. They can be used to track fitness updates when linked to a smartphone.
Samsung introduced this gem last month with an inspirational video titled “The Chant” featuring South Sudanese runner Margret Rumat Rumat Hassan, in a bid to illustrate the slogan "Do What You Can't." Hassan is heading to her country’s first-ever Olympic Games after gaining independence from Sudan in 2011.
Samsung had previously released a short documentary “ A Fighting Chance,” which sheds light on four Olympic hopefuls who have overcome obstacles to achieve their Olympic dreams and make history.
The tech company's official Rio 2016 app will include all the important information related to the games, such as the schedule, venue information, updates and results. The app will be available to everyone free of charge, with versions for Android, iOS and Windows. Another exclusive app, called Olympic Athletes’ Hub, will contain all the necessary data for Olympians, allowing them to directly contact the International Olympic Committee.
“Sports are all about an individual’s relentless journey of challenging complacency, and the Olympic Games are the ultimate global celebration of the progress and achievement of athletes, countries and their fans coming together to unite the world,” Younghee Lee, Executive Vice President of Global Marketing, Mobile Communications Business at Samsung Electronics, said. “Samsung admires the spirit of Olympians and fans across the globe who continuously push boundaries for the better.”
Samsung has been affiliated with the Olympic Games since the Seoul 1988 Olympics, but it became the Worldwide Olympic Partner in the Wireless Communications Equipment category in the Nagano 1998 Olympic Winter Games. Samsung’s commitment as a Worldwide Olympic Partner is planned to continue through the Pyeong Chang 2018 Winter Games and the Tokyo 2020 Summer Games.