Samsung Electronics today announced the launch of its Generative Wallpaper feature for the 2024 Neo QLED and QLED models, powered by Tizen OS. This new feature leverages AI to create custom 4K images that enhance the TV’s display, offering users a unique way to personalize their viewing experience.

“Generative Wallpaper brings a new dimension of personalization to our customers’ screens, allowing them to customize their TVs in a way that truly reflects their style,” said Cheolgi Kim, Executive Vice President of the Visual Display Business at Samsung Electronics. “As we continue to push the boundaries of AI technology, we look forward to transforming the home entertainment experience and evolving how users interact with their screens.”

Through Generative Wallpaper, Samsung will deliver high-quality visuals that seamlessly integrate with home décor and creating a welcoming and immersive atmosphere. The feature will be available through Samsung’s Ambient Mode, which transforms the TV into a canvas for curated visuals, including useful information like weather updates, news and time. To access the feature, users can simply navigate to the ‘Ambient Mode’ menu, select the button and choose from themes such as ‘Happy Holiday’ or ‘Party.’ Samsung’s advanced AI then provides stunning 4K visuals that harmonize with the user’s home environment.

Generative Wallpaper will debut this month in South Korea, North America and Europe, with a global rollout planned for 2025.

Samsung Newsroom met with developers Jaeyoung Park, Seonbin Jang and Jonguk Shin from the Visual Display Business at Samsung Electronics to discuss The Premiere’s new features and next steps for the projector.

▲ (From left) Jaeyoung Park, Seonbin Jang and Jonguk Shin

Ultra-Short Throw: Embracing a New Era of Home Cinema

Within a year of its launch in 2020, The Premiere ascended to the top of the premium projector market in North America — achieving this feat by delivering an unparalleled home cinema experience to users.

The true value of The Premiere’s home cinema features became evident during the COVID-19 pandemic. As more people stayed at home, the online streaming industry expanded and brought projectors into the spotlight. The ultra-short throw projector segment, a category that includes The Premiere, represented just 7.2%¹ of the premium home cinema projector market in 2019. However, following the pandemic, this share grew to 22.5% by 2023.

▲ The Premiere 9

The Premiere’s biggest advantage lies in its convenience. Utilizing ultra-short throw technology with an aspherical mirror, the projector eliminates the need for ceiling mounts or a separate shelf to achieve an optimal projection distance. Users can simply place The Premiere directly in front of the desired wall, much like a TV, and screen adjustments can be made effortlessly via a remote control or mobile device. The Premiere 9 and The Premiere 7 are ideal for creating a personal movie theater, offering immersive screen sizes of up to 130 and 120 inches, respectively.

▲ A simplified conceptualization of two major Digital Light Processing (DLP) beam projector types

“The remarkable thing about ultra-short throw projectors is their ability to create a large screen with minimal space between the device and wall,” said Shin, who led development for The Premiere. “The Premiere 9, for instance, creates a 100-inch screen with just 9.4 inches of space between the wall and device.”

▲ The Premiere 9 can project screens up to 130 inches. (Note: Screen sizes in column A measured diagonally, not vertically)

“Home cinema projectors are all about delivering the best possible screen experience within a given space.”

– Jonguk Shin, Visual Display Business, Samsung Electronics

Upgrading With a Focus on Lifestyle

Following a successful debut, the team wanted more. They were resolute in transforming The Premiere into a comprehensive lifestyle product with value extending beyond home cinema.

“Our goal was to offer a wider range of use for The Premiere users,” explained Jang, who led product planning for The Premiere.

▲ Customize your space and set the right mood by projecting photos, color effects, background scenes and themes on your wall with The Premiere.

Custom Ambient, one of the newly added features, allows users to freely edit photos and videos through the SmartThings app on their smartphone and project them onto the wall. Users can even place widgets like a real-time clock onto the wall for everyday décor or use an animated effect like waves to make a splash during a party.

“Custom Ambient draws inspiration from The Freestyle’s Ambient Mode which is frequently used to upload social media posts,” he continued. “With The Premiere, users can create their own personalized space, even when they’re not watching videos.”

▲ Jaeyoung Park discusses The Premiere’s new lifestyle features of The Premiere.

Now with Samsung Gaming Hub installed, the projector’s entertainment capabilities have been significantly enhanced. Users can enjoy games from the cloud on the big screen without connecting a PC or gaming console. Of course, there are also plenty of HDMI slots (three) for those who want to connect PCs or gaming consoles, too.

“I often play racing games with my kids at home, and The Premiere’s 100-inch screen is perfect for the four of us to play on via split-screen without feeling cramped,” said Park.

▲ There are notable aesthetic differences between the first (left in each picture) and new (right) versions of The Premiere. The 2024 version features a more compact front with a warmer shade of Kvadrat fabric to better match home décor.

When turned off, The Premiere can also function as a smart speaker.

“The Premiere 9 features a built-in 40W 2.2.2 channel up-firing speaker that delivers powerful sound,” he added. “The Premiere 9 features front-firing units like a soundbar along with ample space for audio to resonate for deeper, richer acoustics compared to other form factors. Bixby can help users to enjoy immersive audio without turning on the screen with voice commands to stream music or launch podcast apps.”

Brighter With Advanced Laser Technology

Unlike TVs in which users view light directly from the panel, projectors reflect light off the projection surface. As a result, the right components and software technology are necessary to achieving high image quality. Advanced laser technology also contributes to The Premiere’s large crystal-clear screen. The Premiere 9 utilizes triple laser technology, leveraging laser light sources from the three primary colors red, green and blue. In contrast, The Premiere 7 employs single laser technology with a blue light source, supporting a wider color gamut and higher color accuracy compared to lamp-based or LED projectors.

The Premiere 9 and The Premiere 7 deliver up to 154% and 100% of the DCI-P3² color gamut, respectively, and both models support HDR10+ to ensure crisp, vibrant images even in bright environments.

▲ The Premiere 9 features triple laser technology for brighter, sharper images.

Another key strength of The Premiere lineup is the abundant brightness offered.

“The Premiere 9 delivers a peak brightness of up to 3,450 ISO lumens³ with triple laser technology, while The Premiere 7 offers up to 2,500 ISO lumens with single laser technology,” said Shin. “The higher maximum brightness provides clearer picture quality and a more comfortable viewing experience compared to previous models. The laser light source also boasts a long lifespan and consumes less power than traditional lamp-based projectors. In other words, maintenance costs may actually be lower.”

Smarter, AI-Powered Home Cinema

Despite its numerous usability features, the essence of The Premiere remains centered on watching videos.

“In an internal survey of The Premiere users, 90% of respondents indicated that they purchased the device to watch movies,” said Jang.

“Samsung’s robust hardware and AI technology, long recognized as No. 1 in TVs, have enhanced the picture and sound quality of The Premiere.”

– Jaeyoung Park, Visual Display Business, Samsung Electronics

To deliver a premium home cinema experience, the developers focused on elevating picture and sound quality. Automation through AI technology was key. With 4K AI Upscaling, The Premiere delivers vibrant 4K resolution and significant improvements in picture quality. The Vision Booster leverages a light sensor to automatically detect and adjust ambient brightness in real time and calibrate color and contrast using an algorithm for optimal picture quality.

“The Premiere is smarter than ever before,” said Park. “Samsung’s robust hardware and AI technology, long recognized as No. 1 in TVs, have enhanced the picture and sound quality of The Premiere.”

▲ Jonguk Shin explains the advantages of ultra-short throw technology.

While Samsung has retained the acclaimed built-in speakers from The Premiere’s predecessor, the 2024 lineup has introduced a variety of new AI features for audio as well. In addition to Dolby Atmos technology, an essential for immersive movie-watching, several AI-driven sound technologies have been incorporated including:

• Active Voice Amplifier (AVA) Pro, a feature that distinguishes voices from ambient noise and adjusts the voice volume accordingly.
• Object Tracking Sound (OTS), a feature that synchronizes sound with movements on screen.
• Adaptive Sound, a feature that automatically optimizes audio based on the surrounding environment.

Additionally, Q-Symphony allows users to connect wireless speakers for a more holistic listening experience.

▲ The Premiere projectors feature a minimalist, warm white design with rounded edges and a premium fabric finish from Kvadrat, a Danish textile design company that seamlessly blends in with any home decor. In the back, there is a Digital Audio Out (Optical) port and three HDMI ports, a LAN port as well as ex-Link and IR ports for better remote control

Transcending the Limits of Space for Immersion

What started as a movie projector for theaters, the modern projector has thrived due to its unique ability to transcend space — overcoming the physical constraints of screen size and location. Now, the advent of ultra-short throw technology has significantly mitigated the issues of space and passer-by shadows traditionally associated with beam projectors.

▲ Seonbin Jang describes the appeal of projectors.

As The Premiere continues to lead the way in the premium home projector market, what is next for this innovative device?

“Our goal is to seamlessly integrate projector screens to more spaces, such as walls and ceilings in homes,” said Park.

“The unique beauty of projectors is their ability to project beyond the physical confines of frame,” Jang reiterated. “In the future, we hope to evolve this into a spatial display that transcends the limitations of projection space — ultimately achieving a truly immersive screen experience, everywhere and anywhere.”

“Home cinema projectors are all about delivering the best possible screen experience within a given space,” concluded Shin. “We are committed to overcoming physical constraints to maximize the consumer experience.”

¹ Mainstream & High-end Home Cinema category, excluding China, based on revenue. by PMA Research, March 2023
² The Digital Cinema Initiatives (DCI) standard color gamut
³ Brightness level based on the International Organization for Standardization (ISO)

It’s that time of year again! The holidays are fast approaching, and the holiday spirit is in full swing. Although we can all agree that 2020 has been a year unlike any other, the true meaning behind the season – the sense of togetherness, fun and cheer – remains as important as it’s ever been.

Like the holidays, Samsung QLED 8K brings people together, although they do so in a slightly different way. The first part of our series guided you through picking out the perfect holiday gift from Samsung’s lifestyle TV lineup. Here, we’ll show you how Samsung QLED 8K’s combination of convenient features and immersive entertainment can make celebrating the holidays that much more fun.

‘Deck the Halls’ with Ambient Mode

What better way to get in the holiday spirit than by surrounding yourself with holiday-themed art?

Samsung QLED 8K’s Ambient Mode allows you to do just that. The feature adds a fun new dimension to decorating your living space by transforming your TV’s off screen into an immersive canvas. It’s perfect for those of us who love watching cozy content around the holidays, because it offers us more opportunities to enjoy festive imagery.

Make Time for a Holiday Movie Marathon

Watching films with friends and family is such an important part of the holidays. With so many classics to choose from, you’ll want a TV that allows you to enjoy each and every one in crystal clear quality.

Available in sizes ranging from 43 all the way up to 98 inches, Samsung QLED 8K takes movie marathons to a whole new level. Immerse yourself in your favorite holiday films with bright, vivid colors and jaw-dropping detail.

Enjoy Concerts and Musicals

For many of us, the holidays just wouldn’t be the same without the music – the concerts, musicals and more – that makes this season feel so special. With so many concerts and performances going virtual this year, many of us are turning to our TVs to enjoy this important part of the holiday experience.

Samsung QLED 8K allows you to view concerts and performances at a level of quality that makes you feel like you’re there. They do so by combining impeccable visuals with powerful audio innovations like Object Tracking Sound+ and Active Voice Amplifier (AVA). The former follows movement on screen to create lifelike, three-dimensional sound, while the latter analyzes scenes in real time to optimize sound for speech, music and more.

Unwrap a More Immersive Gaming Experience

With next-generation consoles set to be among this year’s hottest gifts, those who wish to get the most out of their gaming sessions will require TVs that are capable of supporting the most immersive experience possible.

Samsung optimized its QLED 8K, inside and out, to offer gamers an edge over the competition. The TVs work seamlessly with consoles to minimize barriers to your immersion, including tearing, stuttering and lag, producing the type of smooth and crisp gameplay that takes console gaming to the next level.

Make More Memories Together

More than anything, the holidays are about spending quality time with friends and family, reflecting on memories, and forging new ones.

Samsung QLED 8K’s built-in screen-sharing features make it easy for families to relive precious moments. Sharing home movies and music couldn’t be simpler with Tap View and Multi View. Both features allow you to instantly mirror content on your smartphone’s screen to your TV’s spacious display. Once you’ve found a video you’d like to show the group, simply tap your smartphone to your TV’s side to mirror it with Tap View, or use Multi View to create a picture-in-picture window of your smartphone’s screen that you can display alongside what’s on TV.

The TVs’ immersive displays are just as suitable for streaming heart-pumping workouts as they are for catching up on the latest binge-worthy show. And with simple controls for managing apps and connected devices, they make it that much easier to stay productive when working from home.

Read on for our tips on getting the most out of your Samsung Smart TV.

1. Enjoy Free Live TV

With Samsung TV Plus,¹ Smart TV users get instant access to over 100 channels spanning news, sports, entertainment and more – so they’ll never be at a loss when sitting down to stream.

Samsung TV Plus is 100% free, and comes pre-installed on all 2016 to 2020 Samsung Smart TVs. No downloads, additional devices, or credit cards required. With a simple internet connection, you can pick up where you left off on recently watched shows, discover new ones, and access video-on-demand services with ease.

With an ever-growing list of free channels – including CBS News, Bon Appétit, PlayersTV, and The Movie Hub in the U.S., as well as Rakuten TV’s Spotlight, Action Movies, Comedy Movies, and Drama Movies channels in Europe – Samsung TV Plus offers entertainment for every taste.

Along with this wide selection of leading channels and network favorites, there is also a wealth of free content for those interested in the arts. With a variety of concerts, tours and exhibits on offer, users can, from the comfort of their home, enjoy a high-definition concert by the Berlin Philharmonic,² or marvel at one of the Metropolitan Opera’s nightly opera streams.³

2. Work Up a Sweat

As much as we might enjoy our commute-free routines when working or studying from home, it’s still important to stay active throughout the day – even if that means turning your living room into a workout studio.

Luckily for Samsung Smart TV users, at-home workout videos catering to virtually all interests and abilities are just a few taps away.

Simply click on the exercise service of your choice, choose a workout to stream, and get started. It’s as simple as that. With the TVs’ high resolutions, you’ll never miss a step while working up a sweat. And with a variety of services available and more on the way, it’s easy to find the content you need to take your fitness routine to the next level.

Samsung’s new Samsung Health service offers a simple solution to satisfy Smart TV users’ fitness needs. Set to launch at the end of May in the U.S., U.K., Canada and Korea, with more markets on the horizon, Samsung Health combines free fitness content from world-class partners including the popular meditation app, Calm, as well as obé Fitness, Fitplan, Echelon, barre3 and Jillian Michaels. Compatible with 2018-2019 Samsung Smart TVs, the apps make it easy for users to workout at home.⁴

With Samsung Health, users will also enjoy access to the service’s wide-ranging content catalog completely free for one year after the service’s launch.

3. Work More Comfortably From Home

In addition to offering a range of options to help keep users active and entertained at home, Samsung Smart TVs make it that much easier to stay productive when it’s time to get to work.

In 2019, Samsung introduced its exclusive Remote Access feature. Available on the company’s latest Smart TVs, it allows users to remotely access and manage their personal computer(s) through their TV, regardless of their PC’s location.⁵

Remote Access also offers a wide variety of cloud-based documentation services that can make it easier for students to continue studying at home. They can even use a web browser to view online courses and live lectures on their TV’s spacious screen, so they won’t miss a single note or detail.

Remote Access also comes equipped with Wi-Fi Direct, which facilitates seamless screen sharing between TVs and PCs, mobile phones and tablets. This versatile feature opens the door for users to enjoy a wide range of content on their TV’s larger screen.

4. Find Some Peace and Quiet

Even the most media-savvy among us occasionally find ourselves needing to take a break from staring at screens to enjoy some peace and quiet instead. Thankfully, Samsung TVs’ Ambient Mode can help us do just that.

Ambient Mode enables Smart TVs to foster a relaxing environment by displaying works of art, family photos and other calming content when turned off. For those times when you’d like to completely tune out, you can program Ambient Mode to match the wallpaper or background of the space behind your TV, so your screen will blend seamlessly into its surroundings.

Transforming your TV into your own personal photo gallery has never been easier thanks to Tap View. Available on Samsung’s latest TVs, Tap View lets you mirror photos and other media to your TV’s screen with a simple tap of your smartphone. And with QLED displays’ revolutionary image technology, you can rest assured that your favorite snaps will be showcased in the full, high-res quality they deserve.

We’ve only just scratched the surface of what Samsung’s Smart TVs can do. Click here to learn more about the lineup’s latest updates and innovations.

¹ Samsung TV Plus is available in select regions including the U.S., Canada, UK, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Switzerland, Austria, Korea, and Thailand. Service availability may vary by region. TV Plus is available on 2016-2020 Smart TVs in the U.S., Europe and Thailand. In Canada, the service is available on 2017-2020 Smart TVs. In Korea, the service is available on 2013-2020 Smart TVs.

² Service is compatible with 2016–2020 Samsung Smart TVs.

³ Instead of downloading the app, users can choose to access the service via their Smart TV’s web browser.

⁴ Service availability and content partners may vary by country. Samsung Health will be launching on 2020 Samsung Smart TVs in the near future. Users with 2018–2019 models will be able to access the apps mentioned above via their Smart TV’s Apps section.

⁵ Available on 2019 and newer Smart TV models. Both the TV and PC must be connected to a network.

After a lengthy process, Samsung’s designers and developers were able to come together to produce the unprecedented Infinity Screen, which makes use of 99% of the display space and comes in at a super-slim thickness of 15mm. Samsung Newsroom interviewed the product designers and mechanics engineers behind Samsung’s QLED 8K 2020 TVs to learn more about how this revolutionary design came to be.

(From left to right) Jang-ho Kim, Hyun-joong Chae, Jae-wook Yoo and Hokwon Peter Song of Samsung Electronics’ Visual Display Business. Kim and Yoo are part of the product design group, while Chae and Song are part of the mechanics R&D group

Minimized Bezels, Maximized Immersion

Since its introduction to the market in 2018, Samsung’s QLED 8K TVs have constantly been applauded by the industry for their groundbreaking technologies which offer viewers the best available display resolutions powered by AI technology, HDR10+ and 100% color volume. For those who worked on producing the 2020 QLED 8K TVs, this legacy was always front of mind. In order to deliver an even more immersive viewing experience with this series of TVs, the screen’s bezel and its black matrix – that black boundary at the edge of the display – had to be minimized.

“Users should be able to focus solely on watching and listening when enjoying content on their TV,” stressed Jang-ho Kim. “To achieve this, we implemented a design that reduces the bezel count and black matrix into a near-imperceptible level. After numerous tests that involved reducing the black matrix each time by 0.1mm, we discovered the optimal values for this display, these being 0.8mm for the bezel and 0.9mm for the black matrix.”

Compared with the previous QLED 8K model (left), the Infinity Screen (right) has an immediately obvious lower bezel count

After many twists and turns, the ideal design was settled upon. But there were still challenges ahead when realizing this design into a product for the market. Given the number of parts that make up a screen’s black matrix, the team needed to come up with a streamlined way to include them all into the limited space allotted by the 0.9mm total area. “Considering that the average thickness of a human fingernail is between 0.6 and 0.7mm, the space we had to negotiate fitting all of the necessary components into was barely thicker than a fingernail,” said Hyun-joong Chae. “We had to raise the degree of precision implemented at the product assembly stage, which we achieved by producing specialized instruments and equipment, as well as cells that had adequately thin boundaries.”

The team provided a differentiated bezel for this unique display by changing the materials used in production. Previously, the main material for such products had been aluminum, but for this product, stainless steel was spread in the thinnest layer possible using a special method to increase its durability. “By reducing the bezel count and black matrix, the resulting screen we created occupies 99% of the front side of the product,” noted Jae-wook Yoo. “The TV’s Ambient Mode feature, which displays a user’s photographs and videos when the TV is switched off, also contributes to breaking down the boundary between the TV’s display and the space it is placed in.”

A Flat Back Design for Seamless Adhesion

As well as innovating on the front side of the device, the team also eliminated unnecessary elements from its back side. Unlike the back of a conventional display which is thin at both ends but becomes thicker towards the device’s center, the 2020 QLED 8K TV implements a flat back design that has a consistent thickness of 15mm. “When a product is wall-mounted, a differentiated back side design can cast a big shadow if there is a lot of space between the wall and the TV,” explained Yoo. “The flat back design allowed us to reduce this space and any resulting shadows considerably.”

The 2020 QLED 8K TV’s flat back design complements other interior elements well when wall-mounted

Of course, this slimmer back side design resulted in a reduction of space wherein to fit all the TV’s parts and components. Accordingly, these components, including the output port, the processor, the circuit board, the speaker and the cover, had to be reduced in size in order to fit naturally into this reduced space. “The cover was 2.7mm in width previously, but using a special method, we managed to reduce its thickness down to 0.8mm for the 2020 QLED 8K TV,” noted Hokwon Peter Song. “In order to do so, we spent a lot of time working with external factories and other experts in various fields in order to develop this specialized method.”

A Stand That is Strong in its Simplicity

Conventional TV stands often implement designs that stand out. However, the stand for the 2020 QLED 8K TV is small and simplistic in order to place more emphasis on the screen. Moreover, understanding that every user has consoles of different styles on which to place their TVs, the team decided that a simplistic design would best suit everyone’s TV environment.

“The display stand we designed tilts the TV’s screen backwards around 3.5 degrees,” explained Kim. “We calculated this specific angle to ensure that users would be able to enjoy a fully immersive, comfortable TV experience and the angle also boast the TV’s slim design at 15mm.”

The stand, which tilts the screen back by 3.5 degrees, provides the optimum angle for user immersion

Samsung’s 2020 QLED 8K TVs have been receiving favorable reviews from across the media and industry landscape not just for their advanced screen quality and sound technologies, but also for the concerted efforts the team have put in to overcome the limits of conventional design.

“In the future, TV screens are set to grow in size and provide users with ever-better screen quality experiences,” noted Yoo. “Our job is to make sure the product design fully backs up and complements the features and performances of these future products. We will continue to work hard to create products that provide the highest quality TV-watching experiences to users.”

Additionally, InfoComm 2019 attendees can experience Samsung’s other latest display innovations including MagicINFO 7 with AI-Based Analytics Solution, the new Flip 65’’ and QLED 8K signage.

The Wall Luxury: See the Greatness from the Comfort of your Home

Samsung is introducing its luxury version of The Wall, the ground-breaking Micro LED, large-format modular display. Ideal for even the brightest areas of the luxury residential space, The Wall Luxury is configurable and customizable to a variety of sizes and ratios from 73” in 2K definition, to 292” in 8K definition. With a depth less than 30mm, the slim, bezel-less infinity design along with customizable décor frames allows the display to blend seamlessly into its surroundings, ensuring no disruption to the desired ambience of its environment.

Available globally starting July 2019, The Wall Luxury offers a new user interface and experience. Based on research into the lifestyles of target consumers and their preferences, the new luxury model goes beyond just image quality and provides a personalized user experience. A customizable décor frame enhances the display and ensures it fits any luxury space. Thanks to the 100,000-hour lifetime of its self-emitting diodes, The Wall is designed to never turn off, but to change into a digital canvas best matching the owner`s interior needs and personal mood. When the screen is not used, the Ambient Mode can display a variety of curated art from paintings, photographs and video art to customizable pictures with digital frames – that best suit the homeowner’s tastes.

The Wall Luxury is also equipped with the AI picture quality engine, Quantum Processor Flex. This delivers optimized picture quality scene-by-scene, regardless of the original source format. Quantum Processor Flex is a machine learning-based picture quality engine that analyzes millions of image data to automatically calibrate the original low resolution according to the modular screen resolution.

Whether viewing a classic movie, an anticipated sporting event or the latest console game, AI upscaling, Quantum HDR technology peak brightness of 2,000 nits and 120Hz video rate provide a rich and superior visual experience that is second-to-none. To complement the display’s visuals, Samsung has partnered with industry-leading home entertainment and automation providers. These include Harman Luxury Audio and Steinway Lyngdorf for audio solutions; Control4, Crestron and Savant for home automation solutions; and Domotz, Ihiji and OrvC for remote monitoring capabilities.

“Throughout the last twelve months, we’ve closely monitored interior design and technology trends to shape the product planning and development of The Wall Luxury,” said Seog-gi Kim, Executive Vice President of Visual Display Business at Samsung Electronics. “We set out to create a product unlike anything else – matching the lifestyle and taste of those looking for the most exclusive and premium visual experiences in their homes.”

MagicINFO 7 with AI-Based Analytics: Turning Signage into Insights

Samsung’s MagicINFO 7 is a powerful content and device management solution for all types of smart signage, allowing businesses to conveniently create, schedule and play content across a signage network while delivering informative business insights through real-time integrated data collection and analysis. It is an all-inclusive platform that can meet all business requirements.

The commercial display market is changing rapidly, and many businesses require adaptive content. MagicINFO Analytics, powered by Brightics AI, turns the displays into a platform to deliver business insights. It allows users to optimize and automate store promotions and campaigns based on real-time integrated data. Using MagicINFO Analytics, marketers can analyze big data and in-store customer behavior to display the most relevant content customized for customers’ needs. MagicINFO Analytics also delivers meaningful performance reports allowing retail managers and marketers to better understand promotion results, informing future marketing campaigns.

At InfoComm 2019, Samsung has created a dedicated market-inspired space to showcase the many features and benefits of the powerful MagicINFO analytics solution. At the booth, Rule Manager, Behavior Sensing and Brightics AI tools enable the solution’s contextual marketing, traffic analysis, customized modeling and analysis capabilities. MagicINFO 7 supports all of Samsung’s smart signage products and beginning in 2019, will be embedded in its industry-leading QLED 8K signage — meaning all users will benefit from the full impact of this advanced technology, ultimately improving customer engagement while saving time and money.

New 2019 Flip 65’’: Digital Flipchart for Enhanced Collaboration

Expanding on the success of the 55” model, the new Flip 65” is the latest addition to Samsung’s portfolio of digital flipcharts, offering greater collaboration capabilities in an easy to navigate display. First unveiled at InfoComm 2019 and available globally from July, the 65” model provides a host of new features and is the world’s fastest interactive touch display – allowing teams to work smarter, faster and more efficiently.

The bigger 65-inch screen expands the usability of the display and is an ideal solution for large meeting rooms and classroom requiring a larger display. For this model, Samsung has introduced the No Gap Wall Mount, removing any unnecessary space between the product and the wall, meaning it is aesthetically appealing no matter the angle.

Samsung is now offering an advanced digital experience, truly making the move from analog to digital. Note Layer and Merge to Roll features create a completely interactive whiteboard, while Brush mode recognizes a wide range of pen thicknesses, ensuring users can produce the images they are looking for at just the stroke of a brush with the same smooth feel as a real paintbrush. Water and oil painting modes allow different styles and textures, while color mixing capabilities let users access a full, vibrant color palette. Finally, advanced technical capabilities such as connection to the cloud and popular cloud collaboration tools including Office365, OneDrive and Remote Desktop¹ as well as remote management allow users to take collaboration beyond the Flip and empower employees across multiple locations.

Also announced at InfoComm 2019, Samsung and Cisco have unveiled the next phase of their strategic partnership to improve modern workplace collaboration. By integrating Samsung’s superior 4K UHD SMART signage QMR Series with the Cisco Webex Room Kit Mini, groups and teams that are spread out across different locations can communicate over video and encounter a high-quality experience. The combination also provides a plug and play experience that is designed and optimized for smaller huddle spaces of three to six people, a true “Huddle in a box” solution. Additionally, Samsung’s new Flip 65” is the first interactive display that will be incorporated into Cisco’s upgraded version of the Webex Room Kit Series that is scheduled for release later this year. The combination will enable Webex co-creation on Samsung Flip 65” and expand from in-room ideation to two-way whiteboarding for teams located anywhere across the globe.

“The partnership between global leaders Cisco and Samsung will transform the workplace,” says Sri Srinivasan, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Webex Devices at Cisco. “Samsung’s visual display technology is second to none., Integrating these displays with Cisco’s Webex Room Kit Series will change the meeting room experience for distributed teams, whether they are gathering in huddle spaces or co-creating.”

“Collaboration is at the heart of any great business and our partnership with Cisco, the leader in telepresence and networking technology, will allow us to transform workspaces,” said Hyesung Ha, Senior Vice President of Visual Display Business at Samsung Electronics. “We look forward to working with Cisco to continually innovate the way businesses collaborate.”

QLED 8K Signage: The Market’s Highest Resolution Signage Launching Globally in Q3

Following the unveiling of the 82” QLED 8K Signage at ISE 2019 in Amsterdam, Samsung is today announcing the global availability of the display and an expanded portfolio, unveiling the 98” model. Both models will be available worldwide beginning Q3 of this year. Samsung’s QLED 8K combines the market’s highest resolution with artificial intelligence-enabled upscaling technology powered by Quantum processor in 8K. This means content can be produced at a lower cost and in lower resolution but can still be displayed in 8K quality. The brilliant picture quality, with 100% color volume and peak brightness up to 4,000 nits, brings every detail to life attracting customer attention. All in a slim, minimal design that seamlessly fits into any customer environment in portrait or landscape mode, QLED 8K Signage offers a new level of visual impact for businesses.

To learn more about InfoComm 2019, visit www.infocommshow.org. For more information about Samsung’s latest SMART Signage Displays, please visit https://displaysolutions.samsung.com/infocomm2019.

¹ Feature will be available beginning September 2019 through a software update.

Available now, a new Ambient Mode is designed to enhance consumers’ daily lives and provide them with unique experiences in viewing content beyond what the TV screen shows when turned on.

“We are proud to offer the Ambient Mode, which not only adds new value to the TV screen when it is turned off, but also brings new lifestyle benefits to our customers, moving beyond conventional TVs,” said Jongsuk Choo, Executive Vice President of Visual Display Business at Samsung Electronics. “We plan to expand content for Ambient Mode by collaborating with young, talented artists over the next several years to give our customers more meaningful ways to enjoy their QLED TVs.”

As part of the initial rollout of a new Ambient Mode, Samsung has collaborated with talented artists to help consumers make their homes a warmer and a more comfortable environment. Recognized for her abstract oil paintings, Tali Lennox, a model and artist who is influential in the fashion industry, joined forces with Samsung for Ambient Mode. Netherlands-based Scholten & Baijings also created a collection of various home artworks that feature porcelain and fabric products in elegant colors and patterns.

For more information on Samsung’s QLED TVs and Ambient Mode, please visit www.samsung.com/tvs.

“By introducing 8K in display signage, businesses can deliver impeccable picture quality to their audiences in a way that was previously not possible,” said Seog-gi Kim, Executive Vice President of Visual Display Business at Samsung Electronics. “The 82” QLED 8K Signage is just one of the many industry-leading products we are excited to showcase at ISE 2019. We look forward to introducing the global AV industry to the commercial applications of 8K.”

QLED 8K Signage: Market’s Highest Resolution with AI Upscaling

Samsung will present the new 82” QLED 8K Signage, which combines the market’s highest resolution with Artificial Intelligence (AI) upscaling technology — producing lifelike images, enabling users to enjoy immersive viewing experiences. The AI upscaling technology in commercial displays will capture the attention of potential customers; and to store owners and advertisers, this means more content production at lower costs and lower resolution but higher resolution display in 8K quality.

The new signage’s slim design, at less than 40mm deep, provides hassle-free installation by adopting Samsung’s advanced optical technology and blends into any environment in portrait or landscape mode. With a resolution of 7,680 x 4,320 pixels, individual pixels in an image become imperceptible to the human eye.

Similar to its 8K TV counterpart, the QLED 8K display delivers enhanced black color presentation through local dimming and Quantum Light Control. The display also features HDR10+ along with 4,000nit peak brightness and provides 100 percent Color Volume, presenting rich pictures.

292″ The Wall in 8K: Set to Launch in the First Half of 2019

Samsung will launch a 292” version of The Wall display in 8K globally in the first half of this year. The Wall is a large-format modular display ideal for luxury residences as well as for business purpose, configurable and customizable to a variety of sizes and ratios from 73” to 292”.

The Wall’s slim, bezel-less infinity design allows the display to blend subtly into its surroundings. The Ambient Mode allows customization of the display by showcasing diverse content such as photos and art and matching the background to complement its surroundings. A customizable décor frame also allows the display look, sleek and sophisticated from every angle to fit any luxury space.

To compliment the display’s visuals, Samsung works with industry-leading partners, including Harman Luxury Audio and Steinway Lyngdorf for sound solutions, Control4, Crestron and Savant for home automation solutions, and Domotz, Ihiji and OrvC on remote monitoring capabilities for channel partners.

Multi-Link LED HDR: Industry’s First 8K HDR for LED Signage

Samsung will introduce Multi-Link LED HDR, the industry’s first 8K LED HDR technology. Using Samsung’s proprietary algorithm and scene analysis, Multi-Link LED HDR turns any content into HDR quality, without special meta-data.

Multi-Link LED HDR for signage delivers unparalleled image quality, featuring Inverse Tone Mapping (ITM) and Dynamic Peaking to maximize brightness and contrast ratio of the full screen by doubling peak luminance. Color Mapping feature also sets an adaptive color gamut for true and vivid LED colors.

Moreover, Multi-Link LED HDR delivers live content with lower latency through an optimal live mode. It helps eliminate cable clutter of other displays with a 100-meter (330 foot) LAN¹ cable.

With the Multi 8K Frame Lock function embedded in Multi-Link LED, integrators do not require a separate device to sync content presented on 8K displays. Multi-Link LED HDR supports all Samsung SMART LED Signage products and is also compatible with The Wall Professional and the IFJ Series.

OMN/OMN-D Series: Bringing Semi-outdoor Signage to the World

Samsung will launch its semi-outdoor OMN/OMN-D series globally this year. These in-window displays available in both 46” and 55” sizes give businesses an eye-catching display solution with vivid and crisp content and excellent visibility, even in direct sunlight, with 4,000nit brightness and high contrast ratio of 5,000:1 all packed in a slim and neat design.

The OMN-D series is a double-sided display that allows store-front and indoor display, increasing sales opportunities both in and out of the store simultaneously. With WiFi embedded and using one electric power cord and one LAN cable, the series reduces cord clutter and increases energy efficiency.

Both displays feature dust-proof IP5X-validation and three-step overheat protection for durable performance, along with their own embedded solution, MagicINFO S6 powered by Tizen 4.0 for streamlined content management. The displays are optimized for a wide range of retail businesses from quick-service restaurants to department stores and more.

“We are proud to partner with Samsung in implementing the disruptive technology for semi-outdoor windows OMN. Thanks to over fifteen thousand digital windows installed in its stores and customers’ shops, today Luxottica is one of the largest private digital broadcasters globally. This new solution represents a step forward in the way our group engages with millions of consumers around the world,” said Mr. Carlo Panigati, Indirect Procurement Director at Luxottica, a leader in the design, manufacture, distribution and sale of fashion, luxury and sports eyewear based in Italy. Luxottica will begin using the OMN-series display in its stores across Europe, beginning in Italy.

At ISE, Samsung will also be introducing the new QMR and QBR series 4K displays that feature five models – 43’’ to 75” in size, an intelligent upscaling engine and IPX5 dust-proof validation, embedded with KNOX security solution and Wi-Fi for wireless management. Created with shopping malls, retail stores and airports in mind, QMR series has 500nit brightness and a non-glare panel. Made for smaller shops, commuter stations and terminals, QBR has 350nit brightness. Both series are upgraded from the last with smaller bezels and a more symmetric design.

To learn more about ISE 2019, visit www.iseurope.org. For more information about Samsung’s latest SMART Signage Displays, please visit http://displaysolutions.samsung.com/ise2019

¹ Multi-Link LED HDR utilizes HDBaseT which provides the global standard for the transmission of ultra-high definition video and audio over a single cable.

Left to right: Alexander Warr (Time Frame), Irem Deniz Akcam (Sphere), Matthew Cockeril (Kinetic Decor), Gerard Puxhe (Architectural Extension), Jianshi Wu (Bird Clock)

Samsung Electronics has teamed up with leading design and architectural magazine Dezeen in a competition to find the next graphic imagery for the QLED TV’s ‘Ambient Mode.’ Open to designers and creatives worldwide, the judges invited shortlisted entrants to the final round of the competition at IFA, with the grand prize winner announced on August 31 in Berlin. The competition saw a myriad of entries from all over the globe, but only five were invited to IFA to showcase their designs in full.

Ambient Mode is the innovative feature of 2018 QLED TVs that transforms the traditionally black display of the ‘off’ screen into a dynamic, animated interior design feature. Ambient Mode can mimic the appearance of the wall it sits on while also conveying chosen imagery or information, such as the time or the weather.

The judges of this contest to find the next Ambient Mode design, including esteemed designer Neville Brody and Serif TV designer Erwan Bourollec, and Dontae Lee, Head of Samsung’s Corporate Design Center, were looking for designs that fit Ambient Mode’s mission to echo its environment and blend seamlessly into the aesthetic of user’s homes. “We weren’t looking for a design that was going to dominate or be too overpowering,” noted judge Neville Brody (pictured below). “The most important feature for us was whether or not the design could really make any environment warm and relaxing, just like Ambient Mode has been designed to do.”

The competition elicited a diverse and exciting range of creative responses to Ambient Mode. “The great thing about all the designs is the potential they all had to be completely customizable,” elaborated Brody. “From the objects or animals involved to the background design, all had the potential to be as personal to users as possible.” Choosing a winner from the five dynamic shortlisted designs was no easy feat, but it was Swift Creatives’ design that “offered a level of detail you could get involved in, but at the same time stayed there as a very natural part of the environment,” explained Brody.

The judging panel believe that with these new designs, the QLED TVs and Ambient Mode offer users even more options to personalize and enhance not just their screens, but their living spaces, too.  “Samsung TVs today are truly beautiful,” affirmed Brody. “They are moving the display screen away from being just a piece of technology and towards something that fits more seamlessly into people’s lives. It is a tremendous opportunity for creatives and consumers alike.”

UK-based Swift Creatives, the team behind winning design ‘Kinetic Decor’, was inspired by the family connotation of the mobile design as well as their Scandinavian roots. “Our design taps into the fundamental Scandinavian pleasures associated with everyday living and the simple comfort of relaxing at home with friends, using technology to support, not intrude on, this experience,” said Matthew Cockeril (pictured above).

Take a look at the five shortlisted designs in full below.

“Kinetic Decor”, Swift Creatives, UK

This ‘mobile’ concept relies on light cues and motion sensors to determine the activity of the chosen objects or animals (completely customizable) on screen. Regarding the challenges of designing for Ambient Mode, Swift Creatives team noted that “treading the fine line between representing something physical and something digital – key to the Ambient Mode offering – required careful thought and conceptualization.”

“Sphere”, Doisign, Turkey

This ‘digital world’ design allows users to catch a glimpse of what is going on in the outside world of their friends and family around the world with this social media and local data powered cut-out design. “Our design has transformed the TV into a personal assistant by harnessing the QLED’s AI and IoT capabilities. The immediate personalized home interface Ambient Mode offers allows users to take their home to a new interaction level.”

“Bird Clock”, Jianshi Wu and Yitan Sun, USA

This whimsical concept showcases the time of day to users through the gentle flutter of birds; the number of birds on each level represents a different digit of the time, and background coloration showcases the time of day. “We wanted our design to make the act of checking the time on a device less of a mindless errand. It embraces how new technology like Ambient Mode can encourage new ways to interact with technology.”

“Time Frame”, Alex Warr and Zach Walters, USA

This design provides a portal into a desired location, be it your current one or somewhere further afield, with the shape of the portal’s frame adjusting to subtly indicate the time of day as a clock would. “Time Frame is a dynamic window, enhancing the user’s space by creating a virtual connection to another environment; it is designed to enhance and expand the possibilities of a user’s space.”

“Architectural Extension”, Gerard Puxhe, UK

This concept expands upon the design of a user’s existing furniture and interior aesthetic, taking on a ‘box’ shape that blends in with the room’s surroundings, while decorative elements subtly reflect live weather and time information. “With ‘Architectural Extension’, I aim to integrate the digital and the physical world in a believable way.”

Samsung Electronics and Dezeen, a leading design and architectural magazine based in the UK, announced the grand prize winner of the co-hosted ‘Dezeen x Samsung Ambient Mode Design Competition’ at IFA 2018 on August 31. “Kinetic Decor,” designed by Matthew Cockeril, Stephen Waller and Peter Hälldahl of UK and Denmark-based Swift Creatives, was honored with the grand prize and €8,000 prize money for best demonstrating how the Ambient Mode feature in Samsung’s QLED TV transforms the TV into something meaningful, even when switched off.

The Dezeen x Samsung Ambient Mode Design Competition, held from June 25 to August 3, focused on the evolving usability of the Ambient Mode, a new feature on Samsung’s QLED TV which blends the TV into the living room and the surrounding space by mimicking the wall’s color and displaying desired content and information such as the news, weather, photos and music. To enter the competition, entrants submitted their best Ambient Mode designs using static or animated images.

“Now in its second consecutive year, the Dezeen x Samsung Ambient Mode Design Competition provides the perfect opportunity to honor leading designers from around the world while acquiring graphic designs that reflect the premium quality of our TVs,” said Jongsuk Chu, Senior Vice President of the Visual Display Business at Samsung Electronics. “The opportunities to increase the usability of the QLED TV’s Ambient Mode is endless. The designs are reflections of how we imagine the Ambient Mode – as a feature that enriches the everyday lifestyles of our consumers across the world.”

The contest awarded €29,500 in total prize money, reflecting Samsung’s ambition to celebrate talented designers and acquire premium concept and design quality from all around the world. The judging panel this year included esteemed designers, Neville Brody and Erwan Bouroullec, who selected the winner based on a complex set of criteria – a full understanding of the Ambient Mode, as well as overall design, originality, usability and seamlessness with the surrounding space and user lifestyle.

The winning design “Kinetic Decor” is a digital re-staging of the ‘mobile’ concept, with the live movements of the design’s fish becoming more animated as a room’s lighting increases or a user approaches. The submission especially received high marks for its connectivity with Ambient Mode content that is already available today.

“Our design aims to bring calm and a beautifully dynamic structure into the living space,” said Swift Creatives team member, Matthew Cockeril. “We were motivated to apply because of the unique way Samsung’s display technology supports designs that are responsive and sensitive to the people within the space it sits.”

Alongside the grand prize winner, four finalists were shortlisted with their designs exhibited as special displays within the Samsung Electronics booth at IFA 2018. The designs include “Time Frame,” displaying the outside scenery on the TV; “Bird Clock,” picturing birds sitting on a power line to indicate time; “Architectural Extension,” a virtual space like the balcony that creates the illusion of extended space; and “Sphere,” displaying graphics of the Earth’s rotation matched with relevant content and data, including photos, news and friends’ social media posts.

To extend the ecosystem of Ambient Mode, Samsung Electronics will roll out a Software Development Kit (SDK) in beta version later this year.

During its press conference at the IFA 2018, Samsung Electronics is to announce its foray into 8K with the unveil of the Q900R QLED 8K complete with 8K AI Upscaling. Available in four ultra-large screen sizes (65”, 75”, 82” and 85”), Samsung QLED 8K TV will feature several 8K-ready enhancements, including Real 8K Resolution, Q HDR 8K and Quantum Processor 8K, all created to bring 8K-quality images to life. The new Samsung QLED 8K will be available in stores from end of September^*.

Samsung’s QLED 8K with 8K AI Upscaling is a part of the company’s long-term vision of leading 8K to the forefront as the most accurate and life-like screen resolution on the market.

“At Samsung, we’ve worked tirelessly over the years to move the industry forward when it comes to premium picture quality, and the introduction of our QLED 8K with 8K AI Upscaling is an integral component as we look to the future of displays,” said Jongsuk Chu, Senior Vice President of Visual Display Business at Samsung Electronics. “We’re thrilled to introduce the Q900R to consumers and are confident that they will experience nothing short of brilliance in color, clarity and sound on our new 8K-capable models.”

To achieve 8K-quality images, the Samsung Q900R features Real 8K Resolution capable of 4,000 nit peak brightness – a standard met by most film studios. This feature allows TV to produce four times more pixels than a 4K UHD TV and 16 times more pixels than a full HD TV. Q HDR 8K powered by HDR (High Dynamic Range) 10+ technology which optimizes the TV’s brightness levels and produces pristine colors and images is also incorporated to deliver pictures as intended by creators.

Samsung’s proprietary 8K AI Upscaling technology based on artificial intelligence also comes equipped with picture and sound quality to a level compatible with 8K regardless of the original source quality or format. Whether a user is watching content through a streaming service, set-top box, HDMI, USB or even mobile mirroring, the Quantum Processor 8K recognizes and upscales the content to appear in 8K quality. In addition, the Q900R features Direct Full Array Elite for enhanced contrast and precise backlighting control, and also 100% Color Volume, enabling users to witness billions of shades of color for the purest color accuracy to-date.

Focusing on user efficiency, the Q900R features a slate of new functions that enable consumers to use their TVs differently while maintaining the highest quality in picture and sound. For example, the TV recognizes and analyzes a number of connected entertainment devices like audio devices connected via optical cable with One Remote, then auto switches the TV’s image source and audio output for an optimized viewing experience. Lifestyle features, such as Ambient Mode, have been enhanced to seamlessly blend the TV in the surrounding space by showcasing beautiful images, weather, news and more on the screen. The One Invisible Connection, which comes standard at 5 meters, incorporates the optical cable and power in one seamless cord, giving users more freedom to decide where and how they place the TV. Smart enhancements, such as SmartThings, further add to the Q900R’s ability to provide users with greater access to information and make their lives easier, and the Universal Guide provides personalized recommendations to easily find live and OTT content on TV.

Samsung will showcase its latest television and audio announcements in its booth at IFA, located at the City Cube Berlin on Level 2.

^* Specific date and model may vary by region/country.

Available in a choice of 65, 75, 82 and 85-inch models, the new TV combines the market’s highest resolution with Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology that optimizes content for 8K presentation—producing truly lifelike images and sound, and enabling users to enjoy much more immersive viewing experiences.

Samsung has been the world’s number one TV manufacturer for 12 years running thanks to a commitment to setting new standards for picture quality and immersion. With the unveiling of QLED 8K, the company has once again raised the bar for both.

Why 8K Matters

Large-screen TVs (measuring 65 inches or wider) are becoming more and more common, with over 11 million sold just last year and, according to leading market research firm IHS Markit^*, approximately 16 million expected to be sold this year. The market for ultra-large screen TVs (measuring 75 inches or wider) is also predicted to almost double by the year 2020.

The larger TVs get, the more important their resolution becomes, as details portrayed on a bigger screen require more pixels—the thousands (or millions) of incredibly small dots that make up the images you see on your TV screen—to clearly define them. This means that ideally, in order to provide a level of detail that really blows viewers away, a large-screen TV’s resolution, or total number of pixels, should be above the previous high mark of 4K (3,840 x 2,160).

An 8K TV features a resolution of 7,680 x 4,320 pixels, which means roughly 8,000 pixels are packed into each horizontal line of the screen. At this level of pixel density, the individual pixels composing an image become imperceptible to the human eye—even when viewed up close. Samsung’s QLED 8K features over 30 million pixels in total, which adds depth and detail to content displayed on the TV’s expansive screen, and makes objects appear that much more realistic.

If history is any indication, consumers won’t have to wait long for immersive 8K content to become the new normal. It took just less than five years for UHD (Ultra-High Definition) TVs to overtake FHD (Full HD) models in global sales, and IHS Markit predicts that sales of 8K TVs will quadruple over the next few years.

How Resolution Affects Realism

Put simply, the higher a TV’s resolution, the sharper its picture quality, and the more realistic its images will seem. Samsung’s QLED 8K features a resolution that’s 16 times greater than FHD and four times greater than a 4K UHD TV. This allows the TV to produce lifelike visuals that accurately depict details in a scene or image which would likely go unnoticed on a lower-resolution TV.

As the resolution of an image increases, it also creates a sense of depth that tricks our eyes into believing that the objects within appear more immersive. When viewing high-resolution content on a wide screen, the wider our field of view, the more immersive the content we’re watching becomes, and the more “present” we feel within it.

In other words, QLED 8K’s high-res visuals and wide screen offer viewers a new level of immersion—one that allows them to feel like they’re in the heart of the action when viewing a favorite movie, or enjoying a front row seat when watching the big game.

How Samsung’s Innovating with 8K

Samsung’s QLED TVs have a history of fostering brilliant visuals that predates the line’s jump to ultra-high-resolution 8K.

For a start, each QLED TV is certified to deliver 100 percent color volume, which means accurate colors at any brightness level. This helps the TVs express subtle details in both bright and dark scenes, and produce vibrant HDR (high dynamic range) images that bring content to life.

Because contrast ratio, like resolution, can greatly affect a TV’s ability to produce images that pop off the screen, QLED 8K also features Samsung’s brightness-optimizing Q HDR 8K technology. This innovative technology maximizes contrast ratio to make images appear clearer and more three dimensional, analyzing an image’s object(s) and background in order to accentuate fine details. The TV’s Direct Full Array Elite technology enhances contrast even further, in addition to offering precise backlighting controls.

QLED 8K’s combination of perfect color volume, optimized contrast and support for the Samsung-spearheaded HDR10+ open standard allows it to foster truly cinematic viewing experiences. The TV’s 4,000-nit peak brightness matches the content mastering standard for major film and TV studios’ Blu-ray releases, while its HDR10+ technology leverages dynamic metadata to optimize contrast and colors from scene to scene to ensure that content is displayed in the manner that filmmakers intended.

And it’s not just films and shows that benefit from crystal clear 8K. The TV’s built-in Ambient Mode allows users to enhance their home’s décor with beautiful images when the TV is turned off. Photos and artworks look flawless when displayed at 8K resolution, and the TV’s boundless design creates the sense that the image on display is melting into the wall behind it.

What’s More: 8K AI Upscaling Technology Expands 8K TV Market

To enable users to enjoy as much 8K content as possible, the TV also features Samsung’s proprietary Quantum Processor 8K. This innovative addition recognizes content—whether it’s transmitted via a streaming service, set-top box, HDMI, USB, or even mobile mirroring— and automatically upscales its sound and images into near-8K quality using machine-learning 8K AI Upscaling technology. This enables consumers to view just about any movie or show on any channel in crisp 8K, regardless of the video’s native resolution or method of transmission.

The upscaling technology is compatible with all types of content, including standard definition, HD, FHD and UHD, but its optimization is most dramatic when the original source is a 4K UHD image. The built-in AI upscaling feature analyzes the relationship between low- and high-resolution video, and uses this insight to apply millions of upscaling algorithms that accentuate details, add sharpness to edges, and eliminate compression noise for streamed videos.

The feature expertly restores content’s texture and detail to allow you to view your show or movie as it was meant to be seen. The resulting images are so vivid and detailed that you’ll feel like you could reach out and touch the objects and characters within them.

QLED 8K’s AI Upscaling technology also includes a sound optimization function, which automatically analyzes content’s sound from scene to scene to foster the most immersive experience possible. When watching a football game, for instance, when a player makes a big play, the sound may amplify the audience’s cheers to recreate the excitement of being there in person. After the play, the TV may emphasize the commentators’ voices as they break down what just happened. There’s no need to raise the volume to hear what’s being said; QLED 8K will do it for you.

Going forward, TVs will be evaluated based on their ability to enhance viewers’ immersion to the point that they feel like they’re experiencing a scene, game or moment firsthand. The launch of Samsung 8K AI Upscaling technology brings us closer than ever to achieving this goal of blurring the line between reality and reproduction.

*IHS Markit TV Sets Market Tracker – Forecast Q1 2018, Information is not an endorsement of Samsung. Any reliance on these results is at the third party’s own risk. Visit technology.ihs.com for more details. 

Samsung Electronics announced a partnership with Dezeen, a leading design and architectural magazine, inviting designers to create graphics for the Ambient Mode feature on Samsung’s QLED TVs. Held from June 25 to August 3, the contest will reward 29,500 euros in total prize money. To enter the contest, designers need to submit their best Ambient Mode designs using either static or animated images.

Samsung’s Ambient Mode does away with the mundane black screen that dominates a room when the television is not in use. Built into the 2018 QLED televisions, Ambient Mode makes the screen appear transparent by mimicking the appearance of the wall behind it, while also enhancing its environment by overlaying additional imagery and information – such as the weather – if desired.

“Ambient Mode creates a useful and innovative experience for users, even when their television is turned off. Knowing that this experience is unique to every user, the Ambient Mode design competition is meant to develop imagery that resonates with each of our consumers,” said Jongsuk Chu, Senior Vice President of Visual Display Business at Samsung Electronics. “We hope that designers will take this opportunity to show off their creativity and help us grow the library of designs available to consumers on Ambient Mode.”

To enter, contestants must pick one of the four backgrounds provided by Samsung and develop concepts that build on both the television’s environment and the time of day in which the feature would be utilized. Designers can base their entry on one of Samsung’s existing Ambient Modes – décor, information or personal photos – or they can propose a completely novel mode. Further, as Samsung and Dezeen are looking for concepts that highlight how Ambient Mode can mirror the environment and blend into the aesthetic of consumers’ homes, entrants will need to specify a particular lifestyle for their design.

The competition’s judging panel includes esteemed designers Neville Brody and Erwan Bouroullec, as well as members of Samsung’s and Dezeen’s design teams – Dontae Lee, Executive Vice President and the Head of the Corporate Design Center at Samsung Electronics and Amy Frearson, editorial director of Dezeen.

The competition will reward 29,500 euros in total prize money. The grand prize winner will receive 8,000 euros while two runners-up will receive 3,000 euros, respectively. 1,500 euros will be awarded to the other seven shortlisted entrants and 1,000 euros will be given to five longlisted designers. Dezeen will interview the finalists and publish a story about each of them.

The competition entry is free of charge. However, entrants must be over 18 years of age with the ability to present their work to a panel of English-speaking judges. For more information on how to enter, please visit dezeen.com/Samsung.

This is the second contest in which Samsung and Dezeen have partnered to organize. In 2017, the two companies cooperated to host a TV accessory design competition for Samsung QLED lineup’s TV stands and received a total of 1,200 works from 83 countries. The contest participant Fulden Denheli received a grand prize and later was also named the winner at IFA 2017 for her adaptable, Scandinavian-inspired concept.

Researchers, who had previously focused only on how to improve functions of the TV when it is on, began to think outside the box. The black screen of the TV when turned off is an eyesore to many. Some users even hide their TV sets in a cabinet. These observations prompted TV developers to act.

Concentrating their attention on the TV screen, they eventually came up with the inspired idea of making the screen “transparent” when not in use. Users can choose to use this transparent screen to display pictures, news or weather forecasts, or make it seamlessly blend with the background. Creators from Samsung Electronics’ Visual Display Division explain how they developed “Ambient Mode” below.

Samsung Electronics’ Visual Display Division who planned, designed, and developed Ambient Mode. (from left) Dongheon Shin, Yoojin Choi, Suwon Shin, Hana Kim, Soohong Kim

The TV is Gone! The TV Screen Blends in with the Background

At the First Look 2018 New York, held on March 7 (local time) at the American Stock Exchange, the SmartThings app was used to take a picture of the wall in front of which a QLED TV was positioned, and then the TV disappeared. It was now in Ambient Mode, one of the features of 2018 QLED TVs. When this simple but innovative feature was revealed for the first time in the world, the audience burst into applause.

Ambient Mode analyzes the pattern and texture of the wall where the TV is mounted and displays the result on screen, leaving only the TV frame visible. Contrast and brightness can be adjusted for the best result.

Ambient Mode can also display news and weather forecasts in real time. It is a far cry from a simple screensaver, which uses images to cover the blackness of the screen. “Bringing the data in real time, Ambient Mode puts truly ‘live’ content on the screen. This is what differentiates Ambient Mode,” said Suwon Shin from the R&D team.

This innovative change was born through observing customers continuously. “My team researched lots of customers’ behaviors. Many users did not want to see the black screen in their living rooms when the TV was off. That’s when we came up with this idea.” said Yoojin Choi, a UX designer at Samsung Electronics. The division developed an algorism that generates patterns after analyzing the background.

This is not the only thing they learned through consumer research. According to Samsung Electronics’ survey, about 70 to 80 percent of households had bright wall colors without complicated patterns. They therefore added various plain background options so that customers could just choose one of them, fine-tune the color and brightness, and enjoy Ambient Mode.

Ambient Mode combines varied content on the transparent screen. In order to make the home more comfortable, developers built around the concept of nature. At six o’clock in the morning when the sun rises and lightens the house, the white luminance display level increases. When indirect lighting, such as a fluorescent lamp, is turned on, yellow has the highest luminance value. Birds sing at noon and crickets chirp in the evening. It is perfection down to the smallest detail.

Hana Kim from the Product Strategy Team said, “Ambient Mode, which has become part of the house, will show you useful information in the busy morning or in the evening when you are home from work. It doesn’t require any user interference. Ambient Mode does it on its own.”

Only 10 out of 900 Sketches Survived… An Endless Struggle for Agreement

The process of creating an unprecedented experience, including content moving as if it were alive, was a series of twists and turns. In addition to developing technology that could read and respond sensitively to every situation, the engineers had to figure out what customers have in common. “A still picture would not work. We had to make it seem alive and in harmony with its surroundings. Over the past year, I made more than 900 sketches. Only 10 of them survived. It was such a difficult a mission,” said Choi.

The Ambient Mode sensor stylishly hidden in the bottom logo of the 2018 QLED TVs

There were many technical hurdles. Soohong Kim, a hardware developer at Samsung Electronics recalled the days struggling to satisfy both engineers and designers. “Sometimes function and design do not go hand in hand. The sensor had to be placed in front for fine readings of the TV’s surroundings, but it didn’t look very good. Eventually, I put the sensor in the “Samsung” logo at the bottom of the screen. It is not visible to the naked eye.”

How to reach a consensus among planners, developers and designers was another hurdle to overcome. Since they were going where no one had gone before, endless meetings and discussions between departments became routine. “We were all greedy because we were taking the first step in a new field,” said Donghun Shin, a UX designer at Samsung Electronics. “We spent a lot of time in development and also made a lot of changes. We combined all the creative things together. It was a bumpy road, but we ended the journey satisfied.”

Ambient Mode Connects with Users, Complementing Lifestyles

Conventional TVs consume electricity while not in use. However, in Ambient Mode, 2018 QLED TVs detect when users are not around or when the lights are off using Bluetooth Low Energy and turn themselves off. The key is connectivity between the TV and the user. This function reduces energy consumption and extends the life of the TVs.

They look forward to seeing how Ambient Mode changes in the future. Hana Kim (pictured above) said, “There are various devices such as smartphones and tablets, but the TV has its own unique value in that it has a big screen for content sharing. Ambient Mode can encourage the media market to craft a range of content.”

“The Ambient Mode created an opportunity for the TV to be a warm and welcoming hub at the center of the living room,” said Yoojin Choi. “We will develop it so that families can communicate more and share a pleasant atmosphere in their living space.”

“Now the market is seeing the thinnest and largest TVs ever. We need new values to open a new market and I think Ambient Mode is the answer. 2018 QLED TVs with Ambient Mode bring the family together in the living room to have quality time. We don’t know where the end of the journey is, but one sure thing is that we will not stop here. We’re already wondering what the next innovation will be.”

With Ambient Mode, the creators realized what was only a wild imagination to someone else. And the team will continue their endeavor in bringing the unimaginable to reality.

As TVs get bigger, their design has become ever more important. According to a Samsung Electronics survey of US consumers last year, almost eight out of ten (77%) of the respondents who plan to purchase premium TVs over $2,000 answered that they consider ‘design’ to be important.

Continuing its design innovation for TVs since the launch of the Bordeaux TV in 2006, Samsung has once again created something beautiful in the QLED TV. The QLED TV is a work of art that naturally melts into a living space. Of its features, Ambient Mode, which turns the “off” screen into a new display, and the Invisible Connection, which combines power and data lines into one, best accentuate the TV’s beauty and its harmony with the surrounding environment.

1. ‘Ambient Mode’, the Revival of the Black Screen

TVs are turned on for only five hours a day on average, yet they occupy a large space on the wall in the living room. This means TVs hang on the wall just as a black screen for more than 19 hours every day. With a TV turned off, it is easier to see dust or fingerprints on the screen – especially when the screen is large.

This year, Samsung Electronics unveiled Ambient Mode for the QLED TV, turning an empty screen into a display that depicts images and information. Ambient Mode is unique and unparalleled as it literally allows the TV to blend seamlessly into the room.

“See the Sun in the Morning and Hear the Raindrops – All via TV”

Using just a picture of the wall taken by SmartThings, a mobile app which connects IoT home appliances, and a pattern generator to square the color with the wall’s texture, Ambient Mode can mimic the pattern behind the TV to complement the consumer’s home styling with a chameleon-like visual camouflage. Details of the photo, such as contrast and brightness, can be adjusted and further edited to make the display more authentic. What’s more, users can display family pictures on their TV screens, blending naturally with the patterns of their walls, like a picture in a frame.

The new model arrives along with features that sense the conditions of the outside surroundings such as weather and brightness, and changes decorative content to deliver valuable information throughout the day. For example, the TV display can show sunrise at six in the morning and play chirping sounds of crickets in the evening. If it rains, users can even hear the sound of rain via the QLED TV.

“The Freedom from Burn-in”

Ambient Mode also increases the QLED TV’s operation efficiency significantly with energy-saving functions that turn off the screen if users are not nearby. The SmartThings app detects mobile signals (Bluetooth Low Energy) and passes on the information to the TV. With an auto-dimming sensor, the TV’s brightness and color can be adjusted according to the viewing environment. In the dark, Ambient Mode is automatically turned off to prevent unnecessary power consumption.

In addition, the QLED TV’s inorganic quantum dot technology is free from burn-in, letting users appreciate Ambient Mode as much as they want without seeing afterimages, even after a static picture has remained on screen for an extended length of time. Samsung Electronics is the only company in the industry that offers a 10-year burn-in warranty.

2. Invisible Connection, Integrating TV Cables into One

As the number of TV peripherals increases, messy cables are exposed around the TV – and are often hidden inside the wall for aesthetic reasons. To gracefully harmonize the device into its surroundings, Samsung devised the One Visible Cable for its QLED TVs. Following the introduction of ‘Invisible Connection’ which combines complex connection lines into a single cable last year, Samsung unveiled the first-of-its-kind innovation by merging power lines into one line.

“The First TV to Integrate Power and Data”

With high-speed SerDes and optical communication technology, the Invisible Connection transmits audiovisual signals and data as well as power. Often, transmitting sensitive data at high speeds through an optical cable with a power line is likely to cause interference and noise. This, however, can be reduced by Samsung’s error compensation technology.

Made of inconspicuous transparent materials, the Invisible Connection is the perfect solution to tidy up the area around the TV and eliminate visual distractions. The cable offered is 5 meters in length, but if needed, the line can be extended up to 15 meters with separate purchase of a longer One Visible Cable. Thanks to the cable’s color and material easily blending in with the wall, users can now truly appreciate minimalism in interior design in their living rooms.

Accentuating safety as a key aspect of the Invisible Connection led Samsung Electronics to develop a new piece of technology. The over-current protection circuit cuts off power automatically as soon as users unplug or disconnect the cable. Samsung successfully stabilized high-voltage transmission and was approved by Underwriters Laboratories (UL), a global safety testing and certification company.

“Ambient Mode makes the invisible visible, and the Invisible Connection makes the visible invisible. Despite the two features’ roles being seemingly different, they both share the same purpose: to maximize spatial value and alter the lifestyles of consumers,” said Taeyoung Huh, Vice President of Samsung Electronics. “Samsung’s QLED TV and its technologies remains at the heart of creating a better-than-ever TV experience for all of our users.”

* Product specifications may vary depending on models and locations.

During the keynote presentation, Samsung Electronics President of Visual Display Jong-hee Han and other Samsung executives explained how the 2018 flagship TV line offers an unmatched home entertainment experience, meant to remove barriers to setting up and displaying the TV and streamlining access to content in a way that enables consumers to spend more time doing the things they love.

“With our 2018 TV lineup, we are changing the definition of visual display to Intelligent Displays,” said President Jonghee Han. “Designed for total immersion and to enhance the daily lives of consumers everywhere, all while being incredibly easy to use, the new QLED TV lineup provides users with the best viewing experience.”

President Han was joined on stage by executive partners from The New York Times, who discussed some of the new consumer benefits of the 2018 QLED TV lineup. In announcing a new partnership with Samsung, Mark Thompson, President and Chief Executive Officer of The New York Times Company, said, “QLED TV’s Ambient Mode is an exciting new way for viewers to experience The Times’s unrivaled, deeply reported and visual journalism.”

The First Look New York event featured an exhibition for guests to experience the 2018 product line and its features hands-on through a series of zones and displays. The exhibition included:

• The large-screen zone, which showcased the stunning picture quality of Samsung’s new line-up with enhanced color and contrast for a variety of situations, such as gaming and watching movies or sports. Samsung also displayed its acclaimed 146” The Wall, Micro LED technology-based modular screen, to be commercialized for home use.

• The movie zone featured Samsung’s multi-dimensional N950 soundbar with Dolby Atmos®, slated to become available later this year. The soundbar demonstrates how vibrant, powerful surround sound can enhance the home entertainment experience.

• The Ambient Mode zone showcased how the QLED TV redefines what it means to be “off” with new technology that transforms the TV into a beautifully functional screen which provides a multitude of information including news, weather and traffic, and which can also play music or completely blend into the wall behind it.

• The new 5-meter (included with QLED TV purchase) and 15-meter (available as an option) One Invisible Connection, with power cord and data cables merged into one durable cord – an industry first – enabling users to place the TV where they want, how they want, without a tangled mess of cords.

• Samsung’s 2018 Smart TV set-up is simple and can be done on the consumer’s most used device – their mobile phone, via the SmartThings app. Demonstrations also illustrated how consumers can use their voices to control their entertainment and viewing with the introduction of Bixby on Samsung’s TVs.

The 2018 QLED line will be available this month in the US. For more information, visit www.samsung.com.

*SmartThings is available on iOS and Android-powered devices.

** Bixby service ability may vary by country or carrier. Voice Command recognizes English (U.S.), Mandarin Chinese and Korean. Not all accents, dialects and expressions are recognized. The list of features that can be controlled by voice commands via Bixby will continue to expand. Mobile functionality compatible with Samsung Galaxy 8 series or higher with Bixby function. Samsung Account log-in and data network (wifi or internet connection) required to fully operate Bixby features.

***The product line, details and availability vary depending on the region.

****One Invisible Connection applies to Q7 and higher models except Q8F. One Remote Control applies to NU7400 and higher models.