Introduced at CES 2019, the new Samsung Space Monitor was designed to put an end to messy desks – and space-hogging screens – once and for all. Combining a clean and sleek design with powerful performance, the Space Monitor allows users to work more productively – and game, browse and stream more comfortably – by making it easier to focus on what’s on the screen, and not what’s surrounding it.

To get a better sense of how the monitor helps users reclaim their workspace, let’s take a closer look at some of its key design features.

A Wall-Hugging Design

The Space Monitor was designed, from top to bottom, to reduce clutter and maximize desk space. It does this, in part, by borrowing user-favorite design elements from Samsung’s award-winning QLED TV line, including discreet cable management (more on that in just a moment), and a wall-hugging design that creates more space to work.

Just how much room does the monitor’s ergonomic form free up? Compared to a conventional monitor of equivalent size,¹ the Space Monitor offers users up to 40 percent more usable surface area – and makes it that much easier to maintain a clean desk.

A Zero-Level Height-Adjustable Stand

The Space Monitor’s zero-level HAS (height-adjustable stand) allows users to quickly and easily raise or lower their screen to whichever position is most comfortable for them.

Whether you’re editing a document or catching up on the latest binge-worthy show, the stand’s best-in-class adjustment span makes it easy to find the best possible view, allowing you to adjust your screen from a height of 8.4 inches above your desk all the way down to surface level. The ability to lower the monitor so that it rests on your desk is especially handy when working with a laptop, as it enables users to comfortably view both screens on the same level, reducing eye fatigue. The versatile stand also tilts back and forth to provide an optimal viewing angle at any height.

And because the Space Monitor’s design is all about maximizing, well, space, once you’ve finished your task and you push the monitor against the wall, the stand neatly folds into the back of the screen.

Seamless Cable Storage

Cables are key contributors to workspace clutter. Not here, however. The Space Monitor’s ports are easily accessible, and cables are discreetly hidden from view via a groove in the stand.

Best of all, setting up the monitor couldn’t be simpler, thanks to an integrated clamp at the base of the stand that allows the device to be securely attached to desks and tables of various thicknesses.

A Look That Suits Any Setting

Featuring a slim panel that’s bezel-less on three sides, the Space Monitor’s frame-like form adds an elegant touch to any office – home or otherwise. The combination of stylish and space-saving design cues also makes the monitor an ideal solution for hotel business centers, reception desks, libraries, and anywhere where work space is at a premium.

Powerful Performance

The Space Monitor’s understated design is complemented by eye-catching specs.

Both the 27-inch model’s WQHD (2560 x 1440) resolution screen and the 32-inch model’s 4K UHD display offer lifelike, pin-sharp images, as well as ample space for viewing documents and webpages, with less scrolling and zooming. Gamers in particular will appreciate the 27-inch model’s fast, 144 Hz refresh rate, which ensures flawlessly smooth visuals for fast-action gaming.

Both Space Monitor models also feature high brightness and support for over one billion shades of color, presenting photos, videos and games in vibrant detail and stunning contrast.

The Space Monitor is available to preorder now through January 11 via this link.

¹  Measured in a side-by-side comparison with the Samsung SD850, on a 47.2 x 19.7-inch (120 cm x 50 cm) desk.

Among the many TV innovations that Samsung has pioneered over the years, the company will always be remembered for transforming the TV from being a black box to a work of art with The Frame. The latest version, The Frame 2018 has just become available for purchase in North America and Europe, with other markets to come.

The Frame 2018 is the evolution of Samsung’s award-winning lifestyle TV, The Frame. With enhanced features, new customization options and more than 800 available works of art, The Frame 2018 transforms the living room into a dynamic gallery space.

Owners of The Frame 2018 now have more ways than ever to customize the look and feel of their room. The Samsung Art Store, the world’s largest art platform for TVs, houses an ever-growing and diverse library of artwork from some of the most prominent museums, galleries and artists around the world – including the recent addition of more than 30 iconic pieces of photography from The New York Times, 21 artworks from the Victoria and Albert Museum and 10 pieces from the YellowKorner gallery.

Whether they prefer to change the look of their room each season or want to bring a fresh vibe to their décor for a dinner party, consumers can customize The Frame to create their preferred aesthetic in any room. Thanks to an improved UI, owners of The Frame can browse different art pieces based on the color scheme of the room, or by a particular medium, like drawings or photography. Then, much like curating a music playlist, owners can create a personalized collection that shuffles through their particular selections as often as they like.

Stunning Quality with User-friendly Functionality

When it’s switched on, The Frame 2018 features a crisp and clear 4K UHD screen with HDR10+ technology, so that users can view the content just the way the director intended. Similar to Samsung’s 2018 QLED TV line, The Frame 2018 comes with new smart capabilities that make it quick and easy to set up the new TV and access content.

With Effortless Log-in, users can quickly transfer their Wi-Fi and Samsung account details from their phone to the TV via Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) without having to remember or re-enter their password. Samsung’s proprietary Smart Hub menu enables consumers to intuitively navigate across streaming services, consoles and live TV while the Universal Guide feature curates content based on each user’s unique taste.

A Gallery in your Living Room

The thing that sets The Frame 2018 apart is the way it transforms itself when the screen is switched off. Motion and brightness sensors convert The Frame 2018 from TV into a lifelike work of art. Just like how a framed picture looks different depending on the time of day, these sensors also adjust the screen brightness based on the ambient light in the room.

The Frame 2018’s enhanced Samsung Art Store is an optimized platform offering new ways for consumers to access new pieces of art. Additional features include:

• Slideshow – Sets a slideshow of the user’s personally selected artworks that automatically changes at intervals of between 10 minutes and 7 days according to personal settings
• Favorite – Enables consumers to select their favorite artworks and create their own collection of masterpieces to be used with Slideshow, and provide easier access to their favorite pieces

Discovery and navigation on the Samsung Art Store have been improved so users are never too far away from their new favorite piece to display proudly on their screen. Users can easily find their picks, browsing through the gallery where the images are sorted by different categories like colors and composition. Unlimited access to the Samsung Art Store is available for $4.99* a month, with a free month’s trial. Owning a permanent download requires $19.99* per each artwork.

The Frame 2018 seamlessly blends in with home décor. When mounted, it hangs flush to the wall thanks to Samsung’s No Gap Wall-Mount. The selection of four customizable magnetic bezel options – black, white, walnut and beige wood – also helps users to swap the monitor edge’s color to complement the room’s style. Also, by coming with the One Invisible Connection, a slim, translucent cable that transmits both power and AV data to the TV, The Frame 2018 ensures that users are provided not only better design but also better viewing experience.

The Frame has helped style-conscious consumers find the right mix of functionality and design for their TV – whether it is on or off. With The Frame 2018, it is refined even further and is now irresistible.

*Price may vary by currency.

No matter how big the TV screen is, if it doesn’t have the necessary picture quality, users won’t be able to realize the power of the screen. That’s why large-sized TV has inevitably led to the increase in demand for Ultra High Definition (UHD). UHD is a 4K (3,840X2,160) picture quality, which is applied to TVs that measure over 65 inches. The technology is about to take yet another step up as 8K (7,680X4,320) TVs are ready to be commercialized.

But this is an era whereby even the number of pixels isn’t enough in isolation. To produce the best picture quality possible, it’s also important to consider the environment this content will be viewed in and the quality of the original content itself. The paradigm is shifting and it’s vital that all considerations are taken into account to produce an experience that everyone will enjoy.

UHD TV Beyond FHD TV

Worldwide UHD TV sales surpassed FHD (Full High Definition) TV for the first time last year, according to market researcher IHS Markit. It is expected to ship more than 100 million units this year, which is about 45% of the total TV market. In 2022, the proportion of UHD TV is expected to reach 60%.

Samsung UHD TV sales volume is also on the rise. Sales of Samsung UHD TVs in the fourth quarter of last year already exceeded 50% of the total Samsung TV units sold globally. In the first quarter of this year, Samsung UHD TV sales also increased by more than 35% compared to the same period last year.

What is the Standard for Ultra-High-Definition?

In the ultra-high-definition TV market era, standards for judging picture quality are further developing. For example, is a TV able to reproduce colors with real-life brightness, particularly when the normal TV viewing environment is brighter than many would expect? According to the DOE survey, consumers in the U.S. and Europe usually watch TV in a bright environment with an average home illuminance level of 79 lux. Can a TV react and provide an accurate picture in these, and other common viewing use cases?

Experts advise consumers to look beyond the high resolution to see the different factors that cause the difference in brightness, contrast, and content when consumers watch TV. The way consumers view TV and the way experts gauge a TV’s ability to deliver is much more sophisticated than it ever has been. The TV needs to be more versatile because it’s used to do more things. That means Samsung has to be stringent to make sure its QLED products perform not just according to the specifications but also according to real life usage.

Blacks and Colors Transformed

A new criterion for picture quality is color volume, which can measure minute color changes, three-dimensionally, according to varying degrees of brightness. Recently, Verband Deutscher Electrotechnischer (VDE), a well-regarded certification institution in Germany established in 1893, certified QLED TV for 100% color volume for two consecutive years, which is the world’s first and only time a TV has received such a distinction.

QLED TV, based on the metal quantum dot technology, can accurately represent detailed colors that can be hidden from dark or bright images. Brightness can be expressed up to 2,000 knits, which is 3 to 4 times that of conventional TVs, giving a more vivid look to scenes such as sunlight reflecting texture and white snowy landscapes.

Indeed, this year’s Samsung QLED TVs achieves the highest level of contrast ratio by improving the quality of blacks on-screen while maintaining brightness. To create an even more stunning contrast ratio, the TVs feature new Direct Full Array technology, which puts backlit LEDs behind the panel for precise brightness control. By making the LED blocks more than ten times the number of conventional TVs, the light can be adjusted individually to create a subtler difference in black colors. Moreover, it applies the black algorithm that perceives and precisely adjusts black colors, successfully delivering the original detail even in particularly dark scenes.

When watching a dark scene in a bright environment, the reflection of objects around the screen can cause discomfort. QLED TV solved this problem by using Anti-reflection technology. Even under daylight or bright lighting, an anti-reflective screen dramatically reduces glare, allowing one to be more immersed in images regardless of the surroundings.

Along with this, Samsung is also working to expand the ecosystem to upgrade HDR (High Dynamic Range) technology, which is an integral function of ultra-definition TV. Since last year, Samsung has been developing HDR10+, which is one step more advanced than HDR10, a standard for realizing HDR video. HDR10+ is a technology that shows optimal contrast ratio for each scene through ‘Dynamic Tone Mapping’ technique which applies different contrast to each scene. The company is expanding its HDR10+ content in cooperation with global companies such as Amazon, 20^th Century Fox, Panasonic and Warner Bros.

AI Upscaling the Content

High quality content is as important as the ultra-high definition TV specification.

Many of the most recognizable names in video content such as Netflix, YouTube and various cable companies already provide UHD content. However, due to the burden of production cost, consumers are not able to enjoy 4K UHD broadcasting content on TV unrestrictedly yet.

The problem here is that if low-quality content is shown on a big screen, the pixels are usually enlarged artificially, causing the picture to shake or lose clarity. Samsung Electronics has solved this problem by installing the ‘4K Q Engine’ based on semiconductor technology on its QLED TV.

‘4K Q Engine’ is a technology that upgrades SD (400,000 pixels) and FHD (2 million pixels) class image to 4K (8 million pixels) class. Based on artificial intelligence, it applies a 5-step algorithm (Image Signal Analysis ▷ Noise Reduction ▷ Improved 1st Detail ▷ 4K Upscaling ▷ Improved 2nd Detail) to improve image quality and express hidden details. In actual comparison, in the FHD image, the part where the light in the night view of the city is clearly separated by the ‘4K Q Engine’.

What’s more, 8K AI Technology will be introduced in the latter half of the year and will offer an even better picture and sound expression.

QLED TV’s dramatically improved picture quality this year has been widely praised by many media outlets including Tech Radar, What Hi-Fi, and AVS Forum. Trusted Reviews gave Samsung’s QLED the Highly Recommended mark and said: “The Samsung QE65Q9FN is the most impressive TV I’ve reviewed in years. It effectively combines the strong brightness and colour of Quantum Dot LED (QLED) with the deep blacks and almost the lighting precision of OLED. That’s a huge deal in a world where you generally choose one or the other.”

“As TVs gradually get larger in size and the competition for premium picture quality becomes fiercer, detailed and subtle image rendering performance is growing in importance,” said Doochan Eum, Vice President of Visual Display Business at Samsung Electronics. “With Samsung QLED TV’s enhanced brightness, contrast, content, we are continuing to provide consumers with a superb immersive viewing experience.”

President Youngky Kim of Networks Business at Samsung Electronics estimates that monthly wireless internet usage will soar to 100GB in the 5G era from the current usage of 10 GB at most in the 4G environment. In other words, users will be able to enjoy wireless internet services including 4K and 8K UHD videos, virtual reality (VR), holograms, and autonomous vehicles to their satisfaction.

Using the 5G technologies that have been developed over the last seven years, President Kim has been committed to deploying 5G networks in many parts of the world. He said, “We will focus on the U.S. where 5G services will launch this year, as well as Korea and Japan – the leaders of 5G commercialization. It is our goal for Samsung’s 5G technology market share to exceed 20% by 2021, and to become one of the top three global network equipment suppliers within the next five years.”

President Kim sat with Samsung Newsroom on 27^th February at MWC held in Barcelona, Spain. The Q&A outlines the types of benefits consumers will be able to enjoy in the 5G era, and Samsung’s competitive edge and business strategies.

Q. How do you think the 5G will make a difference in our lives?

Kim: “4G brought us mobile connectivity so that we can use our smartphones anytime and anywhere. 5G will extend wireless connectivity to cities and factories as a whole. Internet of Things (IoT) will become a part of our lives, and consumers’ monthly wireless internet usage will skyrocket to 100GB. Furthermore, hologram video calls, augmented reality (AR)-based GPS, and autonomous vehicles will be more widely available.”

Q. Almost every participating enterprise at MWC 2018 talks about 5G. What differentiates Samsung from the rest?

Kim: “The telecommunications business is no longer just about expanding network coverage and enhancing performance. Going beyond simple connectivity, we aim to implement an automated and intelligent network that focuses on our consumers. The main task is to develop new services that are virtually latency-free. Samsung will demonstrate its unique competencies to bring 5G services to life, based on the company’s businesses and experiences in networks, mobile devices, TVs, home appliances, semi-conductors, and electronics parts as well as IoT platform.”

Q. For the first time in the world, the 5G network will be commercialized in the U.S. When do you think it will be distributed on a major scale?

Kim: “Countries like the U.S, Korea, Japan are on the verge of jumping into 5G commercialization. Samsung will accelerate the commercialization of 5G by working actively with service providers in 5G adoption-advanced countries. To deliver 5G services seamlessly, “killer applications” must be provided along with the network and user devices.”

Q. Samsung collaborates with Verizon for the commercialization of 5G in the U.S. What meaning does this partnership hold?

Kim: “The U.S. is an early-adopter and has a very large market, of which Verizon is the No.1 operator. In this respect, the partnership is recognition of our technological competencies. The 5G network employs the millimeter wave spectrum, which is a distinctive frequency bandwidth yet to be used for communications. It is therefore crucial that it successfully works out in an in an everyday setting. We believe that coming in first place to let users experience commercial services based on the millimeter wave spectrum will bolster our presence in the 5G market.”

Q. What is Samsung’s strategy to become one of the top three network equipment suppliers?

Kim: “Technological competency is our competitive edge. Samsung has been dedicated to validating 5G technologies and applying the requirements of global standards. Furthermore, we have been committed to developing and demonstrating “world first” technologies over the last seven years. To achieve success in our 5G business, our viewpoints on technologies, products and strategies must stay focused on consumers. I am positive that Samsung has every potential to grow into a top-tier enterprise with our consumer-centric products, services and infrastructure in the global 5G market.”

Although the Galaxy S9’s 3K Quad HD+ OLED Infinity Display features the same size (5.8 inches) and resolution (2960 x 1440) as last year’s Galaxy S8, the new device matches or sets many smartphone display performance records, and outpaces its predecessor in several measures including color accuracy, brightness, outdoor visibility and reflectivity.

Each of the Infinity Display’s screen modes demonstrates record-setting absolute color accuracy, which means that depicted colors are visually indistinguishable from perfect. In Cinema Mode, the Galaxy S9 has been rated to 0.7 JNCD (Just Noticeable Color Difference), a measurement that refers to the bare minimum color difference that the human eye can perceive. The display also features a wide native color gamut – 113 percent of DCI-P3 and 141 percent of sRGB/Rec. 709*; the largest that DisplayMate has ever measured in a smartphone or tablet.

The Galaxy S9 offers users the best in terms of image quality and brightness, and features an enhanced High Brightness Mode that allows it to produce vibrant visuals when users need them, such as when they’re under direct sunlight or in other environments with lots of ambient light. The display’s peak brightness of 1,130 nits is approximately 10.7 percent brighter than that of the Galaxy S8.

The Galaxy S9 also features a record-setting reflectance score – another measure that’s crucial when it comes to evaluating screen readability, picture quality and color accuracy in bright settings. DisplayMate’s evaluation has found that the display’s screen reflectance level is just 4.4 percent, which is the lowest that the firm has ever measured in a smartphone.

The device is additionally certified by the UHD Alliance for Mobile HDR Premium, which means that the Galaxy S9 is capable of playing the same dynamic 4K HDR (High Dynamic Range) content as 4K UHD premium TVs.

The Galaxy S9 will be available in stores beginning on March 16.

*The Galaxy S9 features four screen modes calibrated for different content, applications and user preferences. These measurements reflect the devices’ default screen mode, ‘Adaptive Display’.

The new AI technology achieves close to 8K resolution and enhanced sound quality by aligning with the unique characteristics of the specific content, a step up from typical upscaling technology used to improve image quality. So how exactly does it work? Let’s take a closer look.

Enjoy any content in 8K through Machine Learning

The world’s first 8K AI Technology that realizes a definition nearly the equivalent of 8K is based on Machine Learning. Computers or smartphones run according to directive values that humans enter. In contrast, Machine Learning refers to the way AI learns certain patterns and gives optimized answers based on various examples.

Samsung’s Machine Learning Super Resolution (MLSR) utilizes AI technology to compare low and high-quality versions of the same content to learn the technological differences between the two and form a vast database. It analyzes millions of pieces of video content and finds a correlation. Based on its analysis, it can select the optimum filters that support brightness, the level of blackness, spread and other errors from all inputs, and transform low-definition content to close to 8K high definition.

The input content is recognized as ‘real-time’ based on a frame and is enhanced by scenes, which makes it possible to upgrade image and sound quality immediately, regardless of whether the video source is live streaming or OTT (Over The Top).

8K picture quality through AI, what’s the difference?

Other upscaling techniques require human input to compare low-resolution and high-resolution scenes and find ways to reconstruct them. However, Samsung’s AI Technology enables it to self-study millions of images on its own using MLSR, allowing much-improved accuracy compared to conventional technologies.

There are three elements to improving picture quality on displays. First is ‘Detail Creation’ that sharpens the detail of expression and improves the texture to areas with low definition that have become blurry after compressing the file. Second, ‘Edge Restoration’ defines the edges of text, people or objects in a video, moving pixels on the borders to thin them down to increase legibility and visibility. For example, if text context is spreaded along the edges, the video will be adjusted around the text for clarity. In a video that shows the moon, Edge Restoration improves details of the moon’s shadow and enhances the darkness of the background for a clear distinction. Lastly, ‘Noise Reduction’ gets rid of static noises generated during high compression or recompression of files. In order to transmit an image, it is necessary to compress the image. In this process, various ‘noises’ such as a jiggling point or a squared dot can be effectively removed according to the image characteristics.

AI delivers immersive sound effects

When watching dramas or movies, realistic, immersive sounds are as important as picture quality. Samsung’s AI technology not only transforms low-definition into high-definition, but also optimizes the sound quality of content.

Conventional TVs provide multiple view settings such as movie mode and sports mode according to the genre of content. With Samsung’s new AI technology, content can be automatically analyzed by characterizing scenes to provide optimum sounds.

For example, let’s say you were watching a movie that includes musical performances. AI technology can highlight the music in a way that allows you to experience the sound as the actual characters would. When the crowd applauds after the performance is over, you would hear the clapping the same way as if you were in the crowd in the movie. When characters are speaking, AI adjusts the sound to make sure the lines are communicated clearly.

Imagine you were watching a relay broadcast of the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics that started last week. AI will enhance the voice of the announcer so that you don’t miss who’s up next. When a game has started, AI will increase the background sound to deliver the liveliness of the actual game. With this tailored sound adjustment scene by scene, audiences can enjoy the best sound quality for any genre of content.

Samsung developers plan to continue to improve sound quality according to the preferences of individual viewers so that each viewer can enjoy the best TV viewing experience, right for them. Because volume patterns differ for every user, and the viewing environment can change according to the time of day and other factors, the sound will be accordingly adjusted and optimized to provide the most enjoyable experience to each individual viewer.

Why does 8K AI technology matter?

As customer needs for high-definition TVs and content increases, some terrestrial broadcasting stations have committed to working towards UHD delivery, and various IPTV and cable channels have initiated 4K UHD (3,840 × 2,160) services. However, even as the TV industry begins to launch 8K (7,680 × 4,320) TVs, the reality is that 4K content is, as of yet, still not fully utilized in homes.

In this context, Samsung has proposed a new direction for TV technology by combining 8K UHD display technology and premiere content through AI. Samsung has developed an AI algorithm that automatically enhances picture quality to solve the problem of limited high-quality content. As example, AI technology plays a key role in the 85-inch 8K QLED TV technology that Samsung introduced at CES 2018.

Samsung will begin the process of applying AI technology to its 8K QLED TVs from the second half of this year, and viewers will soon be able to enjoy UHD quality video that is nearly 8K in resolution and delivers optimized sound for any type of content. A genuine 8K era is now on the horizon, and Samsung will continue to lead the way.

Samsung Electronics’ The Frame TV boasts striking 4K UHD picture quality when turned on and displays a collection of dazzling artwork when turned off. Bringing the two together in one device is certainly a masterpiece in innovation. But how does viewing artwork at home on The Frame square up to the gallery experience?

Round 1 – Price

For 1,799 euros (about $2,130), an art enthusiast can secure a piece by Wolfgang Uhilig and 1,699 euros (about $2,010) can buy a single work by Tommy Clarke at the Lumas Gallery in Berlin. Even official prints can cost hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars. Not to mention the cost of protecting and insuring masterpieces – purchasing a work of art is certainly a long-term financial commitment.

By contrast, access to the Samsung Collection’s 100 stunning works from 37 renowned artists is included with purchase of The Frame. To fuel the user’s passion for art, the Art Store offers additional pieces on a curated subscription basis at $4.99 per month, and works from the permanent archive retail at $19.99 each.

Altogether, The Frame can provide around 450 art pieces. With The Frame, art has never been more affordable – or offered an experience as priceless.

Round 2 – Aesthetics

Some say that nothing can compare to viewing the original. But the Frame TV’s Art Mode renders 43, 55, or 65 inches of pure artwork realistic enough to convince observers that they are studying a genuine article.

Art Mode redefines the meaning and purpose of the TV. The Frame can tastefully blend into its surroundings or become a statement piece in the home. Moreover, by displaying one’s own personal photos on The Frame TV, the user becomes the artist, muse and curator.

Round 3 – Convenience and Usability

The world’s most famous galleries are typically located in major cities and aren’t always the easiest to access. For example, tourists can travel thousands of miles simply to catch a glimpse of da Vinci’s famed “Mona Lisa” at the Louvre in Paris. But the tiny portrait is almost impossible to see behind the crowds of people who flock to view the painting on a daily basis.

Whether you pause to observe every detail, or take the occasional glance, viewing an artwork every day from the comfort of your own home can offer new perspectives on the subject.

The Frame also makes a pleasing addition to any public space, such as an office, hotel or hospital, and helps to reduce concern about artwork damage or maintenance.

Round 4 – The Bonus Round

In the final round, the gallery might just throw in the towel. The Frame is not simply a stunning display for artwork, but also a TV with outstanding picture quality. The Frame weighs in with 4K HDR Pro and 4K Color Drive Extreme, which add detail and definition to every image. Equipped with the 2017 Samsung Smart Hub and Samsung Smart View, viewing content on TV has never been easier.

Finally, the One Remote Control provides quick access to almost all connected media devices, so users can effortlessly switch between their favorite TV shows, movies and video games with a single remote.

While galleries exhibit expensive originals in a formal setting, the beauty of The Frame lies in its winning combination of price, picture quality and at-home comfort. On top of these it possesses dual-identity as a 4K UHD TV. Who won this match? You be the judge.