BikeBiz Bicycle and cycling retail news
Timed just a few days before the Tour de France, er, kickoff, Samsung Electronics has announced a new global partnership with Trek Bicycle.
Samsung said it is aiming to ‘enrich the cycling experience for racers and casual cyclists, as well as enhance their performance and overall enjoyment of the sport’ with the Trek deal. That agreement appears to centre primarily on the Trek Factory Racing team, with Samsung providing cyclists, coaches and staff with Samsung mobike devices (Galaxy S5 and the Gear portfolio – Gear, Gear 2, Gear Fit – as well as tablet devices to advance training and cycle experiences – including communicating in-race. Feedback from the team will be used in Samsung’s future product development.
However, the announcement hints at "transforming the riding experience for…consumers around the world". That probably means that either Trek will be working with Samsung for some of its bikes, or that feedback from the team will be used in future ranges.
“Fitness and wellness are such an important part of people’s lives, and Samsung is continuously focused on integrating meaningful features into our smart mobile devices,” said Younghee Lee, executive VP of Global Marketing, IT & Mobile Communications Division at Samsung Electronics. “Through our collaboration with Trek, we will be able to better understand the needs of cyclists to enhance their interaction with mobile devices and enable athletes and fans to stay connected and active in their daily lives.”
Joe Vadeboncoeur, VP of Product Development and Marketing at Trek, added: “Trek shares the vision of bringing new technology to sport, and we are excited to join forces with Samsung on this strategic alliance. We believe the innovation of Samsung’s mobile technology will transform the riding experience for professional cycling teams and consumers around the world."
