Samsung TVs in Africa are built differently and there is a reason for it

There are around 1.4 billion people in the world living in regions which lack electricity. And the electrification rate in Africa is lower than in any other continent (Source: World Energy Outlook 2011). Even in the areas which are on the electrical grid, power is often unreliable. To provide comfortable TV viewing experience despite power supply conditions, Samsung Electronics has been offering some special regional TVs in Africa. Here is why and how they are different.

Providing Quality TVs with Less Electricity

•Ÿ Multi Power TV

Recently, Samsung has unveiled ‘Multi Power TV‘ to give users in Africa a stable TV viewing experience even with an unstable power supply. In general, most home appliances including the TV can be connected through AC power only. However, Multi Power TV enables both connections of AC and DC power; when the AC power is unstable, you can use the DC power like a charged battery. By simultaneously being connected both to an AC power source from a common house outlet and a DC power source through an alternative energy source, you are able to enjoy TV in spite of unstable power supply conditions.

*Note: AC (Alternating Current) is the form in which electric power is delivered to businesses and residences. DC (Direct Current) is produced by sources such as batteries and solar cells. In AC, the flow of electric charge periodically reverses direction. In DC, the flow of electric charge is only in one direction.

Secondly, despite the ‘multi’ power usage of AC and DC, the amount of electric power itself is considerably small in Africa and users even share that amount with other daily necessities such as lights and radio. Thus, Samsung has considered energy efficiency as well – Multi Power TV has the highest level of energy efficiency to maximize the effectiveness of electric power usage.

Also, due to the unstable voltage, there’s a chance of the electric circuit being damaged when the voltage is too high. So, Samsung has enhanced the durability in order not to allow such an unfortunate event. Lastly, the Multi Power TV was designed as 23-inch small that you can easily carry it for installation, like your PC monitor.

Samsung Electronics was officially recognized for its extraordinary effort. At the fifth Clean Energy Ministerial (CEM5) held in Seoul on May 12th, Multi Power TV (UA23H4060AR) was awarded the ‘Global LEAP (Lighting and Energy Access Partnership) Off-Grid Award’. It was fully noticed that not only does the Multi Power TV have high energy efficiency and durability but also it combines picture quality and design, the basic components of TV.

Satisfying the Regional Needs

Samsung’s special effort for Africa traces back three years ago when it found that Africa had difficulties with electricity in households. In many areas the power outage was so frequent that people lost power very often. Lightning and thunders frequently happened and the voltage changed a lot, which made the conditions for using electronic products more challenging.

•Ÿ Surge Safe TV

What kind of television is needed to cope with such difficult conditions? Based on extensive research and development, Samsung Electronics launched ‘Surge Safe TV‘ in May 2011. Surge Safe TV can endure the changes of voltage including power outage and overvoltage up to 500V and withstand a lightning up to 8kV. This culturally-aware product served as the momentum for Samsung Electronics to inch closer to becoming the number one TV supplier in Africa.

•Ÿ Triple Protector & Free Satellite TV

In May 2012, Samsung developed a new functionality named ‘Triple Protector‘ and applied it to its entire line of TV models in Africa. This feature enabled the TVs to endure not only the voltage changes and frequent lightnings, but also the high humidity in Africa’s rainy season. With ‘Triple Protector’, users could enjoy TV without inconvenience in spite of the scorching heat at around 60°c and damp air with about 90% moisture.

Over the same period, Samsung launched ‘Free Satellite TV‘. There were not many terrestrial broadcasting infrastructures in Africa and the satellite broadcasting made for a good alternative for a lot of countries. Samsung cooperated with diverse global satellite operators and provided African users with the first free-to-air Satellite TV service. African consumers who purchased Samsung TV having satellite receiver could have broader choice and improved access to digital content.

Samsung Electronics has been number one in TV sales record in the world for 8 consecutive years, since the launching of the Bordeaux LCD TV in 2006. In the first quarter of this year, Samsung continues to record the highest market share in world’s TV market and has taken the lead for the first time in UHD TV, the next generation of TV, accounting for 21.6% in the market.

As one of the largest electronics companies worldwide, Samsung has not only provided televisions with innovative features and refined design, but it also has been offering diverse localized TVs to satisfy different needs for different regional and cultural preferences. Considering African consumers’ unique environment, Samsung designed special TV products for users with scarce power supplies, high temperatures and humidity.

Localization of products is key to achieving customer satisfaction. And customer satisfaction has been and always will be the ultimate goal of Samsung; Samsung will continue the efforts for developing quality products with new technologies for people around the world to utilize valuable energy resources and benefit from various electronic products.

*All functionality features, specifications and other product information provided in this document including, but not limited to, the benefits, design, pricing, components, performance, availability, and capabilities of the product are subject to change without notice or obligation.