In what has become a tradition at the Olympic Games, worldwide Olympic and Paralympic partner Samsung has revealed the smartphone they will give to every athlete competing in Paris this year.
The specially designed version of the Galaxy Z Flip6, which was only announced yesterday, will feature the Olympic Rings and Paralympic Agitos, as well as a specially designed Olympic case to make this an absolutely exclusive product.
As a huge break from tradition and something we will no doubt notice on the winners podium after each victory ceremony, athletes will also be given a Samsung Galaxy Z Flip6 Olympic Edition for use on the podium.
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Taking selfies on the podium for the first time in history is going to change the athletes' social media profiles forever.
"Samsung has pushed the boundaries of mobile technology in support of the Olympic and Paralympic Games and its athletes for nearly three decades," Samsung EVP and head of marketing of mobile experience business Stephanie Choi said.
"We are honoured to deliver our newest Galaxy innovation to the inspiring athletes of Paris 2024 — and give them the opportunity to experience the powerful and intelligent Galaxy Z Flip6 firsthand, even before its official market launch.
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"We are excited to see how our technology opens up athletes' Games-time experience like never before — from creating meaningful connections, to sharing and capturing lifelong memories while in Paris and beyond."
The devices aren't just a token product placement either. Every single Olympic Edition comes pre-loaded with an eSIM on the Orange network with 100GB of 5G data so the athletes are connected from the get-go.
Plus, the device is pre-loaded with the IOC's Athlete 365 app, Olympic Shop, Paris 2024 and the Samsung Wallet app will be pre-loaded with an in-app pass to allow for free drinks at vending machines in the Olympic and Paralympic Villages.
Having launched their first on-device AI experiences earlier this year called Galaxy AI, Samsung's latest foldable phones are also AI-enabled, which will allow for features the athletes can use on the ground in Paris, such as live translation of calls, interpretation for in-person translation of live conversations, and the AI Composer to help them compose everything from emails, to text messages and social media posts.
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9News had a hands-on look at the new Olympic edition in Paris this week, and our first impressions are that it's far more than a token branding. This is a fully integrated partnership that comes to life through what is likely to be a very popular smartphone among athletes.
With 10,500 Olympic and 4350 Paralympic Athletes competing in Paris this year, this commitment from Samsung is valued at over $26 million.
The victory ceremony and gold medal presentations will never be the same in the era of the Olympic selfie.
Trevor Long travelled to Paris as a guest of Samsung Australia.
