Trek Factory Racing has announced a new team partner, signing with technology giant Samsung as the official mobile device supplier for the WorldTour team.
The press release on the matter hints at the hookup influencing future design direction, by stating “feedback from the cycling team will also be reflected in Samsung’s future product development, and continue to enhance the mobile product experience”.
Recently Samsung has been pushing into the fitness industry, with the likes of its Gear Fit smart watch and the integrated heart rate monitor in the Galaxy S5 phone. It seems these items are only just the beginning, and this partnership is likely a sign of plenty to come.
“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 vice president of Samsung Electronics' global marketing, IT and mobile communications division. “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.”
With SRM as another team partner, we don’t expect to see Samsung phones appearing on the front of Trek race bikes anytime soon. Rather, the team is starting to use the technology for training and in enhanced communication.
Samsung will supply the team, coaches and staff with Samsung mobile devices, including the Galaxy S5, Gear portfolio (Gear, Gear 2, Gear Fit) and Galaxy Tab device.
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