????去年12月，麻省理工大學科技評論（MIT Technology Review）的一篇文章稱，硅谷三星電子（Samsung Electronics）新任首席策略官孫英權在家中使用的是蘋果的產品。這篇名為《硅谷的三星人為什么用蘋果產品？》（Why Samsung's Man in Silicon Vally Uses Apple Devices）的文章成為了媒體界熱議的話題，也為這家突飛猛進的韓國電子產品制造商帶來了很多負面的關注。這一動亂同樣反映了目前三星所關注的核心問題之一：如何在蘋果的后院立足。換句話來說，如果連三星高層都“粘”上了蘋果產品，那普通消費者就更是難以自拔。

????首先，孫英權已經不再是蘋果（Apple）用戶。本周早些時候，在加州門洛帕克舉行的新聞發布會上，孫英權說他只用三星的產品，而且在公司和家里都是如此。不得不說他還是有一些幽默感的——這位新的三星高管通過展示他的三星手機揭開了發布會的序幕，并藉此證明他已皈依三星旗下。孫英權還宣布將設立1億美元的創投基金，主要用于投資相關零部件和附屬系統。三星催化劑基金（Samsung Catalyst Fund）將致力于投資處于發展初期的公司，而三星目前現有的10億美元三星創投美洲基金（Samsung Ventures America Fund）則將目標瞄準了公司的后期投資。

????很明顯，三星十分重視拓展自己在硅谷的影響力。12月，這家韓國公司宣布將在圣荷西修建一個110萬平方英尺的研發中心，并在帕魯奧托成立一個孵化器。本周，該公司還在門洛帕克設立了一個“策略和創新中心”（Strategy and Innovation Center），由孫英權負責。

????孫英權在周一的發布會上對媒體表示：“我們必須進軍全球熱點區域。”他還說，盡管韓國曾是三星唯一的創新中心，但超過半數的三星雇員目前都分布在韓國本土總部之外的地區。孫英權在同一天舉行的另一個發布會上說：“這個機會讓我們感到十分興奮，因為我們可以藉此接觸企業家和創新者，讓他們有能力利用三星的技術和全球品牌影響力，從而將我們的共同愿景帶到市場。”

????三星目前已經貴為世界上最大的手機制造商，最近更是捷報頻傳。它的Galaxy系列智能手機在美國國內和國外獲得了巨大的成功，而且三星成功地通過一系列備受關注的廣告對蘋果進行諷刺，包括最近在超級碗（Super Bowl）賽事期間播出的廣告。但是，孫英權并不是唯一的一個正在或曾經使用過一個或多個蘋果產品的硅谷業內人士。本周舉行的發布會上，孫英權面對滿屋的科技媒體曾經詢問是否有人用過三星手機，結果沒有人舉手。

????孫英權應該受到表揚，而不是被邊緣化，因為他公開討論了三星試圖解決的問題。蘋果的產品粘性十足，牢牢吸引著iPhone屬地（也就是舊金山灣區）的消費者，因此讓他們轉投其他品牌的懷抱并不容易。既然三星已在世界其他地區大獲成功，那么三星為什么還要執著于硅谷的市場份額？很明顯，因為這個區域對于技術影響者和創新者來說很重要。問問三星就知道——它在這里拓展其影響力絕對有它的理由。（財富中文網）

????譯者：翔

????Last December, a piece in the MIT Technology Review revealed that Young Sohn, Samsung Electronics' new Silicon Valley-based chief strategy officer, uses Apple products at home. The article, titled "Why Samsung's Man in Silicon Valley Uses Apple Devices," made waves in the press and garnered a lot of unwanted attention for the surging Korean electronics manufacturer.

????The kerfuffle also illustrates one of Samsung's core concerns: how it can make itself a force in the heart of Apple country. In other words, if a top Samsung executive is hooked to the "sticky" nature of Apple products, how are ordinary consumers supposed to break free?

????For starters, Sohn is no longer an Apple (AAPL) user. At a press event in Menlo Park, Calif. early this week, he said he is now using Samsung products exclusively, at work and at home. You have to hand it to him for having a sense of humor--the newish Samsung exec opened the event by showing off his Samsung phone, proving he is now a convert. Sohn also announced a new $100 million venture fund that will focus on investing in components and subsystems. The Samsung Catalyst Fund will focus on early-stage companies, while its existing $1 billion Samsung Ventures America Fund is aimed at later-stage rounds of investment.

????It's clear Samsung is serious about expanding its footprint in Silicon Valley. In December the Korean company announced it is building a 1.1-million-square-foot R&D center in San Jose and an incubator in Palo Alto. This week it also unveiled a "Strategy and Innovation Center" in Menlo Park, which Sohn oversees.

????"We must reach out to global hotspots," Sohn told the press at Monday's event, adding that while Korea used to be the only hub of innovation, more than half of Samsung's employees are now located outside of its home base. "This is an exciting opportunity for us to engage with entrepreneurs and innovators and empower them to leverage Samsung's technology and global brand presence to bring our collective visions to market," Sohn said in a release issued the same day.

????Samsung, the world's largest cell phone manufacturer, has been on a winning streak of late. Its Galaxy line of smartphones are a huge hit both in and out of the United States, and it's managed to successfully taunt Apple with a series of viral ads, including this most recent commercial, which ran during the Super Bowl. But Sohn isn't the only Silicon Valley insider who is -- was -- a user of not one but several Apple devices. When Sohn asked the roomful of tech media at this week's event if anyone uses a Samsung phone, no one raised their hand.

????Sohn should be commended, not shunned, for openly talking about a problem Samsung is trying to address. Apple's products are sticky, and getting consumers in iPhone-land -- a.k.a. the Bay Area -- to make the switch isn't easy. Why should Samsung care about its market share in Silicon Valley if it's killing it in the rest of the world? Obviously, this region is important when it comes to tech influencers and innovators. Just ask Samsung--the company must be expanding its footprint here for a reason.