Samsung splashes $1.6 billion on the internet of things

Samsung plans to invest US$1.2 billion (A$1.6 billion) over the next four years on the research and development of internet of things (IoT) technologies in the United States.

The investments will be made through the company's Sillicon Valley operations - like its global innovation centre - and will facilitate both the development of IoT technologies and partnerships with start-ups, Samsung said.

The company's CEO Dr. Oh-Hyun Kwon said work would focus on a "human-centered" internet of things.

"Today, IoT is changing individual lives – helping people to age in their own homes. But tomorrow, using IoT, we can give the same independence to millions of Americans," he said in a statement.

"We can keep people out of hospitals and nursing homes. As our populations live longer, these benefits and cost savings for society cannot be ignored.

"... IoT is already happening all around us. It’s time to imagine the transformative potential of IoT for our societies – and learn how to achieve its human, social benefits at scale.”

Samsung is also co-founding a "national IoT strategy dialogue" with Intel that aims to shape US regulation on the internet of things. 

The joint effort involves industry and members of the academic community. Those involved will seek to nut out regulatory IoT issues like privacy protection to help inform US policies. The initiative will be managed by the US Information Technology Industry Council (ITI).