Samsung Electronics is leading the change by strengthening the intelligent function of its 2018 QLED TVs with artificial intelligence (AI) and the Internet of Things (IoT). This year’s QLED TVs have dramatically simplified the consumer process for utilizing their TV, from the first set-up to connection with other devices. What’s more, the TVs are now able to share content with, and control, connected devices. These are the result of Samsung’s efforts to innovate the user experience based on the company’s understanding of consumer usage and by incorporating the intelligent assistant Bixby and the SmartThings IoT platform.

Effortless Set-up

The first step, of course, is to get the system set up – by taking just a few simple steps. When setting up for the first time, the TV will automatically connect to a user’s Samsung smartphone, or any mobile device with the SmartThings app installed, and take the user to the set-up step. The network information on the user’s smartphone will be shared, instantly connecting the TV to the Wi-Fi network it is connected to. If the user’s mobile is already linked to a Samsung Account, that information will also be shared with the TV.

Users can also select their apps of choice from their smartphones to enjoy them on Smart TV, and their favorites can also be added to the launcher for easy access. Once set up is complete, users won’t have to worry about it again. Unlike in the past where users had to sign in to each app on the TV, the Effortless Login feature will share and store the login information from a users’ mobile in the 2nd half of this year. The QLED TV allows users to instantly access their favorite social networking or music streaming apps.

IoT Devices Connected by a Single App

According to a survey by business solution provider CSG, 9 out of 10 consumers already own IoT devices, and half of consumers expect IoT to make tasks easier around the home. But, the process of connecting the TV to the peripherals tends to be a hassle for many. The 2018 QLED TV has tackled such challenges once and for all with ‘SmartThings,’ an integrated IoT platform that’s available now.

Users can run the SmartThings app on their smartphone and click ‘Add Device’ to automatically find all the IoT devices in the house that users can connect to. When turned on, SmartThings detects IoT devices at home ranging from traditional home appliances like washing machines and air conditioners to baby-cam, lights, doorbell, and locks. Device information in these connected homes can be viewed at a glance on the TV using the SmartThings Dashboard. The TV immediately becomes the control tower of the living room. Users can, for example, operate the air conditioner after checking the home temperature. Or check the remaining laundry time on the washing machine. Users can also choose to charge or run the PowerBot robot cleaner, and take a look at what ingredients are in the Family Hub refrigerator.

New Family Messenger in the Living Room

TV has made it easier than ever to review the pictures and videos taken on a smartphone through the Gallery app. Photos and video clips can be uploaded on Samsung Cloud which is connected to the user’s Samsung account, ready to be viewed on a big screen. When you take a picture on your mobile while you are traveling, you can immediately share your memories with your family as soon as a notification is uploaded to the TV. The Gallery app enables users to share the same content on the family hub.

The QLED TV will play the role of a special mediator in the living room to help family members communicate easily on a deeper level.

No More Multiple Remote Controls. Just Speak to Bixby.

The QLED TV has been equipped with ‘One Remote Control’ function which can control various peripherals with one remote control. In particular, this year, it supports not only game consoles, OTT (Over the Top) boxes and speakers, but also audio products connected with optical cables.

Bixby Voice also helps make navigating the QLED TV easier. By pressing and holding the remote control voice recognition button, it is possible to search content as well as set up a TV without having to operate it several times. It is a strength that users can find various VOD (Video on Demand) contents such as Amazon, Hulu, and HBO as well as the contents of the set-top box. Users can also get additional information like the soundtrack while watching TV. For example, say “What is this song” to find out what music is playing in the background.

Also, devices connected on SmartThings are voice-controlled. With Bixby, users can have a home IoT experience where everything flows smoothly.

“This year’s smart features of QLED TV have made it easier for users to enjoy the TV experience more conveniently.” said Heeman Lee, Vice President of Samsung Electronics’ Visual Display Business. “We will realize home IoT that changes the lifestyle by various connected devices communicating organically.”

^* The SmartThings app is supported on Android 7.0 and above and iOS 10 and above (On Galaxy smartphones, the SmartThings app is available from Android 6.0 and above)

^**Specific features and availability may vary by region and market

Following comprehensive lab tests, the magazine awarded Samsung Electronics’ 65-inch Q9F a rating of 920 on a 1,005-point scale – the highest score it has ever granted. Samsung QLED TV was honored for its advanced specs, smart features and versatile design, which together create the seamless viewing experience that Samsung has dubbed ‘Lifestyle TV’.

Samsung earned its score by thinking outside the box (or screen, as it were), not only optimizing QLED TV’s picture quality, but also honing the televisions’ form and components to simplify use and allow the devices to blend in in any home.

Products of this approach include QLED TV’s Invisible Connection cable, No Gap Wall Mount and refined One Remote Control, which earned high marks in the Innovation category of the evaluation. Other features designed to complement users’ living rooms include QLED TV’s boundless, 360° design and stylish array of stands.

The ability to offer a premium viewing experience while enhancing the user’s living space is at the core of Samsung’s Lifestyle TV range. In addition to QLED TV, this lineup includes The Frame, an intelligent display that doubles as a work of art, exhibiting artworks or the user’s personal photos when powered off.

Samsung QLED TV is the first product reviewed by Video Magazin to receive high marks in all three of its evaluation categories. In addition to Innovation, QLED TV received a high score in the Reference category, for its luminosity, innovative cable solution and signal processing, as well as the Highlight category, for its brightness, deep blacks, wide viewing angles, and ability to achieve 100 percent color volume.

Together, these features demonstrate how Samsung designed QLED TV with users’ lifestyles in mind, to redefine how the world experiences television.

The ‘Smart Hub’ interface, for example, combines live TV channels, set-top box channels and IP channels and shows them in an intuitive manner. One Remote Control can automatically detect and control almost all connected devices, which are displayed with instantly recognizable icons and names. Equipped with Samsung’s TV Plus service, QLED TV also offers the easiest and fastest way to find, purchase and watch the latest 4K films and entertainment.

Furthermore, with the latest version of the Samsung Smart View app, users can not only search content easily, but also access essential functions on their smartphone through an interface like the one on their TV.

Learn more about the seamless navigation and unified experience enabled by QLED TV’s smart features in the video below.

For additional information about the smart features of 2017 QLED TV, check out the following links:

New Smart Features of QLED TV

Infographic on the Evolution of Samsung Smart TV

Smart TV Service Update

Held in Paris’s famous Carrousel du Louvre, Samsung’s QLED TV Global Launch event featured a host of interactive exhibits illuminating how Samsung optimized the TVs to cater to more aspects of modern consumers’ viewing experience and usher in a new era of Lifestyle TV.

Experience the engaging exhibition for yourself in the photos below.

The QLED TV experience zone showcased the devices’ true-to-life picture quality and lifestyle-centric design.

A visitor seamlessly toggles between apps using the One Remote Control.

The exhibit’s accessory wall showcases the various stands, frames and mounting gear that allow users to install their QLED TV in a manner that suits their individual taste.

A home setup demonstrates how QLED TV’s versatile stands allow it to blend in within a range of settings.

An interactive exhibit featuring a pivoting wall demonstrates QLED’s ability to provide consistent color at any viewing angle.

A QLED TV home theater setup allows visitors to experience immersive HDR content provided in collaboration with 20th Century Fox.

A visitor experiences how QLED TV’s smart features amplify users’ entertainment.

The portion of the exhibit showcasing The Frame, an intelligent display that functions as a QLED TV when on and a work of art when in Art Mode, resembles an art gallery.

The Frame integrates seamlessly into any setting.

An enhanced user interface facilitates access to content and settings from the very first screen, while the intuitive One Remote Control automatically detects connected devices and displays them via easily recognizable device icons. Together, the QLED TV’s smart, easy-to-use entertainment features provide seamless viewing experience that truly fits your lifestyle.

One Remote Control, One Unified Experience

One way Samsung’s new QLED TV simplifies the viewing experience is with One Remote Control. Whether connecting to a game console or enjoying a movie on a Blu-ray player, One Remote Control can control almost all media devices, removing the need for multiple remote controls, thus reducing media clutter.

Furthermore, One Remote Control’s auto detection capabilities take the guesswork out of toggling between devices. When a device is connected via an HDMI port, the Samsung QLED TV automatically detects the device and lets users know what it is with instantly recognizable icons and names, such as ‘Xbox.’

Enhanced with voice control and an intuitive design with just a few buttons, One Remote Control allows users to quickly and comfortably access essential television functions and contents. The Home button, for example, leads users directly to the Home Screen so they can easily navigate the television’s Settings or Sources menus, Live TV or Smart Hub contents.

The Voice Recognition button, meanwhile, lets users conveniently initiate a voice command. The Color Button allows viewers to access additional options specific to the feature in use, and Play/Pause displays playback controls. The four-way button at the center of the remote control can be used to navigate each of these functions easily.

Easy and Intuitive Control—From Your Smartphone

With a simple tap on the latest Samsung Smart View app – available on both Android and iOS devices – users can not only search contents easily, but also access essential functions on their smartphone through an interface like the one on their TV.

Not only can users browse and control the content they want to watch from their phone, but they can do so without blocking programming on the TV with annoying menus and boxes, allowing other viewers in the room to watch their favorite shows without interruptions.

Users can also send content from their mobile device, such as personal videos and photos, to their QLED TV in original resolution. Even better, viewers can continue to use their mobile device for other tasks, such as sending an email or updating their social media status, while connected.

Offering seamless navigation and a unified experience for almost all services and devices, the new smart features of Samsung’s QLED TV provide a more seamless and intelligent way to enjoy a variety of contents.

※ The feature and service may vary by country and model.