2 – Based on the above it is probably no surprise that Blue Planet II is currently the most watched show of 2017, peaking with 14.1 million viewers²

3 – In Australia, the iconic State of the Origin rugby match between Queensland and New South Wales drew in the most viewers of 2017 to date with 4.1 million people³

4 – Whilst in China, it’s an internet based ‘rap reality’ show pulling in the viewers. The Rap of China showcase young and feisty contestants hoping for their big break into the world of hip hop, with more than 2.5 billion views to date⁴.

5 – Back in the UK, Only Fools & Horses was voted the most popular sitcom of all time in Samsung’s poll.

6 – The Chase is our number one game show

7 – Whilst Strictly Come Dancing beat off some stiff competition when it came to the best reality or talent show.

8 – When it comes to those in front of the camera, the USA is home to some of the best paid stars of television. According to Forbes, Dr. Phil is currently the highest paid presenter in the world earning a reported $79m.

9 – Sofia Vergara is reportedly the highest paid television actress at $41.5m

10 – And, Kim Kardashian’s business empire means she is the highest paid reality star with a reported fortune of $51m.

11 – Behind the camera, Netflix hit The Crown is the most expensive of all time, costing $130 million to produce⁵.

12 – Whilst American TV show M*A*S*H takes the crown for the most-watched episode ever, with 103 million viewers tuning in for the final ever installment⁶.

13 – Samsung’s recent survey also shows we’re watching more television than ever, with a fifth of us claiming to watch more TV now than we did five years ago thanks to both on-demand technology….

14 – …and our love of binge-watching. Game of Thrones was voted in the survey as being the most-bingeable show of all.

15 – Game of Thrones also hit the top spot when it came to the TV show return that is most hotly anticipated.

16 – It also appears household disagreements on what to watch might be a thing of the past, with 15.84 million homes in the UK now having more than two TVs⁷.

17 – Size also matters, with Samsung research showing 40 inches was the average TV screen size globally in 2016

18 – 25% of TVs sold in 2016 had a 50 inch screen.

19 – 90% claim they would like a screen which is 60 inches big.

20 – To date, Samsung has sold 427 million televisions around the world.

21 – Which all makes for a lot of telly watching! Approximately eight years in our life time!⁸ Happy World Television Day!

¹ Samsung survey conducted amongst 2000 adults in the UK by OnePoll, November 2017

² http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/news/blue-planet-2-most-watched-tv-show-david-attenborough-a8042171.html

³ http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/tv-and-radio/state-of-origin-game-three-most-watched-show-of-2017-20170713-gxab63.html

⁴ http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/blogs-china-blog-41236746

⁵ http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/news/the-crown-netflix-most-expensive-show-ever-matt-smith-a7392911.html

⁶ http://uk.businessinsider.com/most-watched-episodes-2016-9

⁷ According to BARB.

⁸ http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4186598/How-time-spend-activities-lifetime.html

Source: UK Newsroom

More than 2,500 people took part in the study which asked respondents to vote from a longlist of incredible views which was created by a panel of leading travel experts from publications including Rough Guides, Mr and Mrs Smith, Wanderlust and Good Housekeeping.

The study was specially commissioned to mark the forthcoming launch of the new Samsung Galaxy S8 smartphone which boasts an innovative ‘Infinity Display’ screen and premium best-in-class camera which has been used to capture a series of stunning photographs of many of the views listed.

Topping the list of greatest British views was the awe-inspiring sight of the lake Llyn Llydaw from the summit of Snowdon, nestling within Snowdonia National Park, which was created in 1951.

The full list of the 20 greatest British views is:

1)    Snowdonia – view of Llyn Llydaw from Mount Snowdon summit, Wales

2)    Scottish Highlands – view of Three Sisters mountains, Glencoe Valley, Scotland

3)    Stonehenge, Wiltshire, England

4)    St Ives Bay, Cornwall, England

5)    Cheddar Gorge, Somerset, England

6)    Loch Ness – view from Dores, Highland, Scotland

7)    Buttermere, Lake District, England

8)    Parliament and Big Ben – view from Westminster Bridge, London, England

9)    Giant’s Causeway, County Antrim, Northern Ireland

10)  Loch Lomond – view from Conic Hill, Dunbartonshire, Scotland

11)   Ben Nevis, Lochaber, Scotland

12)   Edinburgh from Arthur’s Seat, Scotland

13)   Peak District – view from Stanage Edge, Derbyshire, England

14)   Brecon Beacons – view from the summit, Wales

15)   Durdle Door, Dorset, England

16)   Spires of Oxford, Oxfordshire, England

17)   Bamburgh Castle – view from the coast, Bamburgh, Northumberland, England

18)   Seven Sisters, Sussex, England

19)   Bournemouth pier and beach, Hampshire, England

20)   Kings College – view from the River Cam, Cambridge, England

The study pinpointed the five key factors that make up a quintessentially British view, with rolling countryside coming top (42%), followed by rugged coastlines (21%), country villages (20%), historical landmarks (15%) and spires, cathedrals and architecture (15%).

The findings shine a spotlight on some of the most photographed sites in the UK revealing that the average British adult takes in excess of 1,000 pictures each year, predominantly on smartphones – the majority of which focus on landscapes and city views which was cited by 66% of those surveyed as their favoured photographic subject matter.

The study also revealed the subjects which are most likely to make pals envious when they were posted on social media sites.  Topping the list were awesome views (48%), followed by pictures of friends and family (10%), food and drink (6%) and selfies (5%). In addition to provoking jealousy, pictures of beautiful locations were also inspiration, with half of us (50%) admitting we are more likely to visit a place having seen a posted picture.

Sam Grant, Marketing Director at Samsung Electronics UK and Ireland said: “We wanted to mark the launch of the new Samsung Galaxy S8, with its unique and groundbreaking Infinity Display, by celebrating the beautiful views in our country of mountains, highlands, beaches and urban skylines that are best enjoyed unconfined.”

Samsung has celebrated the greatest British views by commissioning a new photography project from Matthew Cattell – Britain’s reigning Landscape Photographer of the Year which will be shot entirely on a Galaxy S8.  Matthew is travelling the length of the UK in March and April to capture a series of stunning shots at locations which were named in the study, including the London skyline, the Lake District and St Ives Bay.

Selected views named in the study are also being framed by the giant Infinity Display on a 7x3m scale model of the Galaxy S8, which Samsung are taking on tour throughout April to locations which featured in the top 20, including St Ives, London and Stonehenge.

Landscape Photographer of the Year, Matthew Cattell said: “The Galaxy S8 has the most evolved smartphone camera in the world today creating impressively sharp pictures, even in low light conditions – which is just as well as we encountered a fair few spring showers and grey days whilst shooting the project! I hope people enjoy the results and are encouraged to get out and shoot the amazing views closest to them.”

Landscape Photographer of the Year Matthew Cattell’s top five tips for shooting landscape views:

1.       Look for a focal point – focal points are important to hold the viewers’ attention. Might be something physical such as an interesting landscape feature, local landmark or building. Alternatively, could be more abstract such as the texture of a surface or the way that light plays across a scene.

2.       Think about your foreground and ‘lead in’ lines – consider the scene as having a foreground, middle ground and a background; including something interesting in the foreground which relates to the wider scene helps to give your photograph greater depth.  Foregrounds can also be used to lead the viewers’ eye into the photograph. Known as ‘lead in’ lines, these features are often linear (think wall, fence line, path) and work best when positioned moving diagonally across the frame.

3.       Best time to take photos –  The best time of day are the hours around sunrise and sunset, when shadows are deep and the light is warm.  Photographers call this period just after sunrise and before sunset the ‘Golden Hours’.

4.       How much sky to include – Imagine dividing a photograph up into three equal rows. Compositionally, it is better to place the horizon on either the upper or lower third, rather than through the centre of the frame. The amount of sky to include is then entirely dependent on the quality of the sky; if the sky is bland look to minimise it, or exclude it from the frame entirely.

5.       Additional equipment to consider –

• A tripod and mount help to keep the smartphone steady, to fine–tune compositions and use long exposure times.
• A Bluetooth shutter release – Pressing the screen to take a photograph will cause the camera to shake and this can result in blurry photographs. Using a Bluetooth shutter release (or the smartphone’s self-timer) eliminates this problem.
• Filters – If you want to get creative with your photography then it is worth investing in a set of filters, which clip over your smartphone’s lens.  Use a circular polarising filter to remove reflections and give blue skies a punch, or an ND filter, which reduce the amount of light getting into the camera and have the effect of lengthening shutter times, allowing the camera to record the passage of time.

The Samsung S8 is available for pre-order until 19th April and launches in the UK on 28th April, and will be available from selected retailers as well as the Samsung e-store – for more information and stockist details visit www.samsung.com/uk.

Images Top British Views: https://www.flickr.com/gp/taylorherringpr/n7fF9w

Images Giant Phone Tour: https://www.flickr.com/gp/taylorherringpr/32i3R9

Samsung Electronics today announced that HRH The Duke of Rothesay recently attended the official opening of the Prince’s Trust Scotland Centre in Glasgow, which was created to increase young people’s access to training and employment opportunities.

As part of the grand opening, HRH met a number of young people who have been supported by The Prince’s Trust Scotland, finding out about their journeys with The Prince’s Trust. During the visit, HRH participated in a range of activities including digital pancake cooking, robot building, puppet-making workshops and exploring the Samsung Digital Classroom.

In the last four decades The Prince’s trust has given over 825,000 disadvantaged young people the skills and confidence to find a job. Three in four young people who receive help from The Prince’s Trust move into work, training or education.

Samsung has been a supporter of The Prince’s Trust since 2012 through The Prince’s Trust & Samsung Celebrate Success Awards and has been introducing Digital Classrooms into its Centres.  Each Digital Classroom, equipped with an interactive whiteboard, Galaxy tablets, PCs and digital cameras, creates an enhanced interactive learning environment and gives young people an opportunity to pick up vital digital skills.

Aleyne Johnson, Head of Government Relations and Citizenship, Samsung UK said:

“We are honoured to have received a visit to one of our digital classrooms from HRH The Duke of Rothesay. At Samsung, we are committed to enhancing the lives of young people through technology and for the last three years we have been working hard to establish Digital Classrooms at schools and youth employment centres across the UK, providing young people with access to the tools and technology they need to succeed, as well as teacher training and connectivity, with the aim of making lessons more enjoyable and engaging.”

Samsung is continuing to work closely with The Prince’s Trust to introduce technology initiatives, embedding digital and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) skills across its programmes. In addition to Glasgow, Samsung Digital Classrooms have been opened at The Trust’s centres in Stoke-on-Trent and Kennington in London.

About Samsung’s Citizenship Programmes

Samsung is committed to help close the digital divide and skills gap in the UK. Samsung Digital Classrooms in schools, charities/non-profit organisations and cultural partners provide access to the latest technology. Samsung is also providing the training and maintenance support necessary to help make the transition and integration of the new technology as smooth as possible.  Samsung also offers qualifications and training in technology for young people and teachers through its Digital Academies in London and Birmingham. These initiatives will inspire young people, staff and teachers to learn and teach in new exciting ways and to help encourage young people into careers using technology.

Find out more: www.samsung.com/uk/citizenship

2016 Samsung Smart TV

Samsung Electronics reinforced its position as the number one Smart TV brand in the UK with news that its Smart TV platform has now passed the 2.5 million weekly unique users mark – a 33% increase in users over the past six months.

Samsung’s Smart TV platform content offering compliments the incredible viewing experience of Samsung’s award winning SUHD TVs, elevating home entertainment to new levels. The innovative SUHD TVs surpass the limitations of previous displays, delivering superior picture quality with stunning contrast, striking brightness and spectacular colour.

The growing popularity of the Samsung Smart TV platform is not only down to the great content and viewing experience on offer but also due to its simple and easy to use functionality and the fact users can access the apps they want without being locked into a long term contract.

Rhian James, Content Product Manager at Samsung Electronics UK & Ireland, commented: “2015 was an exciting year for content, we have seen a significant shift in the way people consume content which has been reflected in the remarkable growth in users of the Samsung Smart Hub over the past year.

 People are engaging with the content we have to offer more than ever and as the number one TV brand in the UK, we at Samsung want to ensure that we are offering consumers the widest choice of content possible. We are pleased to be working with an amazing range of partners to extend our quality offering, giving our Smart TV users access to the content they want more of.‘’

https://youtu.be/U8WxpJA4bX0

There are plenty of ways that people get distracted at the office. Workers are often faced with a torrent of daily email, fellow co-workers talking loudly and ringing phones. Increasingly, more and more offices are adopting the open concept, which, while designed to increase teamwork, does provide more opportunity for visual distractions. Office workers in Britain check their email every 22 minutes on average. Office workers are more connected than ever and the work environment are often not optimized for productivity and efficiency.

A recent report commissioned by Samsung UK and the University of Leeds put a dollar figure on those distractions. The cost is estimated at £250 pounds each year in the United Kingdom. Remarkably, the study found that the average worker is unproductive for 70 days of the year, with those surveyed responding that they complete about 3.6 days worth of work per week. However, the study also found that the vast majority of workers, about 90%, feel happier when they feel they have been productive.

Solutions to help workers be more efficient, and therefore more productive and happy, are required and the study found that choosing the right computer monitor can make a big difference. Adults in Britain spend an average of nine hours a day looking at a screen, which is about 10,000 days over the course of an 80-year lifespan.

Samsung’s curved displays are designed to reduce strain on the head, neck and especially the eyes of the user. Using multiple desktop screens on one computer is said to help with productivity, and the study found that about 38% of respondents use two monitors.

However, having one larger display can have obvious benefits for the user as well. Larger screens can help users to complete data-intensive tasks more quickly and with fewer errors. Users can have fewer windows open to keep information more organized. The main issue with large displays is that because the user views different parts of the screen from different angles, optical performance suffers. Modern displays are made to be viewed at right angles to the plane of the screen. A larger display means greater distortions in color and text towards the edges.

Therefore, the report explains, curved displays are an ideal solution for office workers. In addition to the user not needing to move his or her eyes and head as much as with a flat screen, a curved display also makes for a more immersive and more private experience. The study also found that when workers have more privacy, they feel less stress on the job. The proper technology configuration, like ensuring that the monitor is position at the right height as it relates to its user, is also vital to efficiency and user comfort.

In addition, about 61.5% of study participants responded that aesthetically pleasing technology in the workplace is important, but only 38.5% thought that their company-issued work equipment looked stylish. IT companies are increasingly discovering that an attractive looking workplace will have a positive impact on workers’ self-esteem and general wellbeing.

Samsung’s line of curved displays were made with the aesthetic of both the front and the back in mind. Curved displays, being on the cutting edge of technology, have a sleek look that undoubtedly makes users feel as if they are working on a leading edge piece of office equipment.

Companies that equip their workers with curved displays may very well find that it is an investment in productivity, efficiency and the wellbeing of employees.