Walk down an aisle of an airplane and you’re bound to see at least a few iPads, iPhones or iPods entertaining passengers. But a new partnership between Samsung and Boeing could change that scene in the near future.
The two industry kingpins agreed to team up this week to help improve in-flight entertainment, as well as ground-to-air communication. Not many details are out yet, other than the fact that the two will begin research to develop “advanced display and networking technologies” that are lighter and require less power.
Larry Schneider, VP of Product Development at Boeing, said in the release that “onboard communications and networking are key elements to the passenger in-flight experience, and connecting the airplane with ground crews during flight is vital to airline operational efficiency.”
Meanwhile, Samsung senior vice president of the enterprise business team Bumcoo Cho said that Samsung “will bring our expertise in multimedia and information technology to the forefront of aviation for a richer and more fulfilling connected experience while traveling.”
Again, details are vague at this point, but it makes you wonder: Will Boeing airplanes be stocked with Samsung tablets at every seat? If that means we don’t have to crank our necks to get a look at the 7-inch mini-television screen five rows ahead of us, I’m certainly not complaining.
Previously on GeekWire: Bad-ass Boeing missile flies over buildings, fries computers with microwaves… The Geek’s Guide to Air Travel
