Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. today announced an exclusive global partnership with the leading guitar brand, Fender, to the TV edition of Fender Play to Samsung TVs in 2026.[1]

“With video-based lessons on Samsung TVs, learning an instrument fits into daily life and helps players reach goals faster,” said Hun Lee, Executive Vice President of the Visual Display (VD) Business at Samsung Electronics. “By bringing Fender Play to TVs, Samsung is turning screens at home into a place to learn and play together.”

Players can choose an education path for four different instruments[2]: electric guitar, acoustic guitar, bass or ukulele. Musicians can also access on‑demand courses by skill level, each with a wide range of step‑by‑step lessons built around familiar songs. Through Jam Mode, players can pick a fun background and play along with curated tracks from a variety of genres, turning their screen into a stage.

Samsung will debut a live preview of the experience at CES 2026, with on-screen demos that will showcase the immersive learning experience. With 20 consecutive years of leading the global TV market, Samsung delivers the picture, sound and reliability that keep new players engaged as they build skills.

“We are thrilled to bring Fender Play’s immersive learning experience to Samsung TV users, helping guitar enthusiasts take their skills to the next level,” said Cliff Kim, VP of Growth Strategy, Digital Products at Fender and President of the Fender Play Foundation. “Our mission has always been to educate and inspire players globally and this partnership gives music lovers the opportunity to learn, practice, and play with Fender Play’s high-quality, interactive lessons directly on their Samsung TV.”

The app will be released in the first half of 2026. To stay up to date with the latest product news and special offers on Samsung’s 2026 product line-up, Australians can register their interest via https://www.samsung.com/au/handraiserces/

[1] Beginning in 2026, Fender Play will be available on 2025 and later Samsung TVs in 49 countries across the Americas, Europe, Australia, New Zealand and South Korea.

[2] Users will be required to provide their own instrument. This service may be subject to additional service subscriptions and app download. Content services are subject to change without notice. Internet connection and Samsung account required.

Samsung plans to bring more personalised memories to its TVs via a new Google Photos feature in 2026.

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. today announced that it is working to bring Google Photos[1] to Samsung TVs[2] to give users a seamless way to enjoy the moments that matter most, from trips and hobbies to everyday memories with loved ones, on an immersive and larger screen. The experience aims to offer families a delightful and meaningful way to rediscover their favourite memories together[3].

“Samsung TVs have always brought people together, and bringing Google Photos to the big screen makes that experience even more personal,” said Kevin Lee, Executive Vice President of the Customer Experience Team at the Visual Display (VD) Business of Samsung Electronics. “Through this partnership, we help users rediscover and relive cherished moments by bringing to light the stories behind their photos, right from the comfort of their living room.”

A More Meaningful Way to Enjoy Personal Photos

Google Photos makes reliving and sharing special memories easy. With the planned integration, it will seamlessly bring the photos people capture to Samsung TVs, where selected images can appear in a larger, cinematic format[4].

Through the proposed integration, users can explore curated memories on their TVs organised by people, places, and meaningful moments. Google Photos will also expand the suite of photo-driven experiences that integrate with Samsung’s Vision AI Companion (VAC), enriching how memories are highlighted and enjoyed throughout the day.

Samsung aims to integrate Google Photos into the TV experience to help photos surface naturally through Daily+ and Daily Board[5]. The vision is to help meaningful memories[6] greet users throughout their day in contextual and convenient moments.

Samsung is Planning Three Ways to Help Users Relive and Rediscover: Memories, Create and Personalised Results

• Memories[7]: Shows curated stories based on people, locations, and meaningful moments.
• Create with AI[8] [9]: Introduces themed templates built on ‘Nano Banana’, Google DeepMind’s image generation and editing model, featuring playful and fun transformation. Users can also utilise ‘Remix’ to transform the art style of an image, or ‘Photo to Video’ to bring still moments to life as short videos.
• Personalised Results[10]: Users may view related photos as a slideshow based on topics or contents of memories e.g. ocean, hiking, Paris, etc.

A Seamless Way to Experience Memories on Samsung TV

Samsung and Google Photos want to bring a cinematic gallery experience to the heart of the home, enabling Samsung TV users to browse and relive their most important moments in stunning detail. This integration will transform personal photo libraries into a space where users are invited to explore their journey, create new stories, and reminisce over cherished memories with depth and simplicity.

“Google Photos is a home for people’s photos and videos, helping them organise and bring their memories to life,” said Shimrit Ben-Yair, Vice President, Google Photos and Google One. “We’re excited by the potential to bring Google Photos to Samsung TVs, helping people enjoy their favourite photos on a larger screen and reconnect with their memories in new ways.”

[1] Google Photos, Nano Banana, Google DeepMind and Google One are trademarks of Google LLC.

[2] To be made available on Samsung TV models launched 2026 from Samsung’s Crystal UHD U8000 Series and above. A Google Account and backed-up photos/videos will be required. Only one account per TV can be logged in at a time. For in market models, the experience will be available following an OS update schedule.

[3] Features and availability may vary by model and region. Availability is yet to be announced in Australia.

[4] The Google Photos Memories App will provide an option to select/hide memories to show on the TV.

[5] The new Google Photos Memories widget will be available via Now Brief via Samsung TV models launched 2026 from Samsung’s Crystal UHD U8000 Series and above. A Google Account and backed-up photos/videos will be required. Only one account per TV can be logged in at a time.

[6] Memories must not be turned off in Google Photos settings.

[7] Memories is planned to be available in select global markets from March 2026. Availability of this feature has not been announced in Australia.

[8] Create and Search, and Personalised Results are planned to be available in the second half of 2026. Availability of these features have not been announced in Australia.

[9] Select creative AI templates will be available exclusively on Samsung TVs.

[10] Create and Search, and Personalised Results are planned to be available in the second half of 2026. Availability of these features have not been announced in Australia.

Netflix shows and movies will now show in HDR10+. Image simulated for illustrative purposes.

Samsung Electronics today announced that its smart TVs and monitors will now support Netflix shows and movies in HDR10+[1]. With HDR10+, viewers can enjoy richer contrast, deeper colors and stunning visual depth, making their favourite Netflix titles more immersive than ever.[2]

“HDR10+ enhances the way we watch content, delivering deeper contrast and more vibrant colors for a truly cinematic experience,” said Taeyong Son, Executive Vice President of Visual Display Business at Samsung Electronics. “We are excited to bring this technology to Netflix’s 300 million plus members and will continue collaborating with various partners to expand HDR10+ support across our product lineup and the broader streaming ecosystem.”

HDR10+ is a next-generation high dynamic range (HDR) technology designed to optimise picture quality scene by scene. By dynamically adjusting brightness and contrast levels, HDR10+ ensures that each frame is displayed with exceptional clarity and detail, staying true to the creator’s intent.

With this integration, viewers can experience enhanced realism and depth across a growing library of HDR10+ content, making every scene feel more lifelike. HDR10+ content on Netflix will be accessible on 2025 Samsung Neo QLED, OLED and Lifestyle TVs — as well as 2025 and 2024 monitor models — with support for additional models in the future.

This launch marks a significant step in expanding HDR10+ content, bringing enhanced picture quality to more viewers. In addition to Netflix, Samsung is actively working with a growing network of industry partners to further extend HDR10+ support. For more information on Samsung TV, please visit www.samsung.com/au.

[1] Samsung co-established HDR10+ Technologies LLC in 2018 to provide a royalty-free, open dynamic metadata standard in the industry.

[2] Compared to HDR10 standard.

According to market research firm Omdia, Samsung achieved a 28.3% market share in the global TV market in 2024, maintaining the number one ranking it has held since 2006.[1] This continued success is driven by the company’s commitment to premium and ultra-large screen innovation, as well as the introduction of innovative, AI-powered TVs.

“Samsung’s 19-year reign as the global TV market leader has been made possible by the trust and support of our customers,” said Hun Lee, Executive Vice President of Visual Display Business at Samsung Electronics. “We will continue to shape the future of the TV industry with innovations like AI-powered TVs, delivering products and services that meaningfully enrich people’s lives.”

Samsung Electronics secured its position as the global leader in the TV market for the 19th consecutive year (Source: Omdia, Feb-2025. Based on overall TV market share by manufacturer on an annual unit & revenue basis. Results are not an endorsement of Samsung. Any reliance on these results is at third-party’s own risk.). Image simulated for illustrative purposes

Dominance in the Premium and Ultra-Large TV Segments

Samsung solidified its leadership in the high-end TV market, particularly in the premium ($2,500+) and ultra-large (75-inch and above) segments:

• Premium ($2,500+) TVs – Samsung captured a 49.6% market share, accounting for nearly half of the global premium TV market.
• 75-inch and above – Samsung led the ultra-large category with a 28.7% market share.

QLED and OLED TV Success

Samsung also maintained its leadership in the QLED and OLED segments, reinforcing its dominance in the premium TV industry:

• QLED TVs – With 8.34 million units sold, Samsung commanded a 46.8% market share, further strengthening its leadership in this category. The global QLED market also saw significant growth, surpassing 10% of total TV sales for the first time.
• OLED TVs – Samsung’s OLED sales reached 1.44 million units in 2024, securing a 27.3% market share. This marks a year-over-year (YoY) increase of 42% and 4.6% in unit sales and market share, respectively, reflecting strong consumer demand for Samsung’s OLED innovations.

Transforming Home Entertainment With AI and Art

At CES 2025, Samsung unveiled Vision AI, a breakthrough in AI-powered screens that extends beyond traditional entertainment. By analysing user preferences, intent and habits, Vision AI delivers a seamlessly personalised viewing experience that shapes the future of smart home displays.

Samsung is also expanding its Samsung Art Store — originally available exclusively on The Frame — to Neo QLED and QLED models this year, providing more consumers with access to a personalised digital art experience.

[1] Source – Omdia, Feb 2025. Based on overall TV market share by manufacturer on an annual unit & revenue basis

Based on findings from Samsung’s 2023 SEAO TV Awareness Survey[1], discover which of the five persona types[2] you are when it comes to purchasing a new TV, and find out which Samsung TV best suits you!

[1] The Samsung 2023 TV Awareness Survey was conducted from 31 August 2023 to 24 September 2023. It surveyed 1,920 respondents through a consumer panel, aged 25 to 64, who intend to buy a TV in the next six months, from the following 8 markets: Australia, Indonesia, Malaysia, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam. The survey measures an individual’s attitudes towards buying a new TV.

[2] The survey measured an individual’s attitudes toward buying a new TV, and the persona types listed are not mutually exclusive.