Samsung Electronics has now officially set the date for its yearly “The First Look” event, something many people, including myself, tend to watch closely before CES kicks off. The company will host the showcase on January 4 at 7:00 PM PST at the Latour Ballroom inside the Wynn Las Vegas. For viewers in India, this translates to January 5 at 8:30 AM IST. The timing feels quite intentional, as this presentation has always served as a kind of warm up for the Consumer Electronics Show, which is widely considered the world’s biggest stage for IT and consumer electronics. This year, Samsung aims to use the event to outline its roadmap for the Device eXperience (DX) Division and to highlight a set of AI powered customer experiences that seem to be slowly shaping the company’s broader direction.
Key Takeaways
- Event Schedule: January 4, 2026, at 7:00 PM PST (January 5 at 8:30 AM IST)
- Key Speakers: CEO TM Roh, alongside the leaders of the Visual Display and Digital Appliances businesses
- Primary Focus: A deep dive into the 2026 strategy for the DX Division and an introduction to new AI driven features
- Streaming Platforms: Samsung Newsroom, YouTube, and Samsung TV Plus
Setting the Stage for CES 2026
“The First Look” has gradually become Samsung’s way of opening the curtains before the main CES activity even begins. It typically lands one or two days before the expo’s official start, which makes sense because it puts the spotlight squarely on Samsung’s display and appliance technologies while the rest of the industry is still preparing for the show floor to open. This year’s pick of the Latour Ballroom at the Wynn Las Vegas adds a slightly more intimate tone to the event. After the keynote, Samsung plans to continue its exhibitions at the Wynn through January 7, giving attendees enough time to walk through the new technologies and, perhaps, get a closer feel of what the company is aiming for in the next year.
Leadership and the Combined DX Vision
A noticeable highlight this time around is the strong lineup of executives who will take the stage. TM Roh, CEO and Head of the Device eXperience (DX) Division, is set to deliver the main keynote. The DX Division has become increasingly important for Samsung because it combines several major consumer facing product categories, including smartphones, televisions, and home appliances. Essentially, it is the division most people interact with on a daily basis without even thinking about it.
He will be joined by two other key leaders:
- SW Yong: President and Head of the Visual Display (VD) Business, responsible for Samsung’s television and screen technologies
- Cheolgi Kim: Executive Vice President and Head of the Digital Appliances (DA) Business, who oversees the strategy for smart home products, such as refrigerators and washing machines
Seeing these three executives together suggests a continued effort to show how Samsung’s various product categories are no longer separated as neatly as they once were. The DX vision seems to be leaning toward a world where phones, TVs, and appliances feel more interconnected, perhaps even interdependent, to create a more seamless smart home experience. It is a message Samsung has hinted at before, but this time the company appears more deliberate about bringing that idea forward.
AI Driven Customer Experiences
The central theme of the 2026 presentation is the idea of “AI driven customer experiences.” Samsung has deployed smart features for years, but the renewed emphasis on AI hints at a shift toward products that feel more proactive rather than reactive. Within the DX Division, this could translate into appliances that learn your habits, televisions that operate as the command center of your home, or devices that collaborate more intelligently without requiring constant user input.
The broader industry has been moving this way too, where the value of a device is increasingly measured not just by its raw hardware specifications but by the intelligence that powers it. Samsung appears ready to highlight how it plans to contribute to this shift, though we will likely have to wait for the keynote to see the practical examples.
How to Watch the Event
Samsung has made sure that people around the world can tune in easily. The live stream will be available through Samsung Newsroom and the company’s official YouTube channel. It will also stream on Samsung TV Plus, which is the company’s free, ad supported streaming TV service available on Samsung smart TVs and Galaxy devices. This kind of broad accessibility tends to help both casual viewers and tech enthusiasts follow the announcements in real time, without needing any additional subscriptions.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1: When can I watch the Samsung First Look event in India?
A1: You can watch the event live on January 5, 2026, starting at 8:30 AM Indian Standard Time (IST).
Q2: What is the DX Division at Samsung?
A2: The DX (Device eXperience) Division is a business unit that combines Samsung’s mobile, visual display (TVs), and digital appliances teams to create a unified product strategy.
Q3: Will Samsung announce new phones at this event?
A3: While the Mobile Head TM Roh is speaking, “The First Look” typically focuses on display technology and home appliances. Smartphone announcements usually happen at separate “Unpacked” events, though software integrations might be shown.
Q4: Is the event open to the public?
A4: The physical event at the Wynn Las Vegas is generally for media and partners, but the live stream is open to the public online.
