Samsung Electronics today announced that its Micro RGB TV (R95H model) has received both the Safety for Eyes and Circadian Rhythm Display (CRD) certifications from Verband Deutscher Elektrotechniker (VDE), a leading global testing institute based in Germany.

Derived from VDE’s broader EyeCare Circadian certification, these certifications adopt a more refined evaluation framework, independently verifying eye safety and circadian rhythm support for a more rigorous assessment of display performance. This shift provides consumers with a more comprehensive assurance of comfortable viewing experiences.

Specifically, the Safety for Eyes certification evaluates display safety for prolonged viewing by analyzing light emissions from digital devices, with a particular focus on blue light and its impact on eye health. Meanwhile, the CRD certification examines how well a display supports the user’s biological clock. It measures the display’s ability to mimic natural light by adjusting color temperature and brightness based on time of day, while also reducing blue light in the evening to prevent melatonin suppression — supporting natural circadian rhythm and visual comfort.

Samsung’s Micro RGB meets the rigorous standards set by both certifications, demonstrating its commitment to eye safety and comfort. The display’s advanced Micro RGB LED architecture is especially noteworthy in that it finely adjusts brightness and color to create optimal viewing conditions at any time of day.

Having secured Safety for Eyes certification for its 2026 TV lineup and CRD for premium models, Samsung is now expanding CRD certification to a broader range of products.

“Micro RGB TV is setting a new standard in the premium TV market by being verified for both eye safety and circadian rhythm support,” said Taeyong Son, Executive Vice President of the Visual Display Business at Samsung Electronics. “We will continue to deliver display technologies that consider our users’ viewing environments and enhance their lifestyles.”

Samsung Electronics today announced that its 2025 OLED TV (S95F model) has been officially certified as a Real Black display by the Verband der Elektrotechnik (VDE), a leading electrical engineering certification institute in Germany.¹ By meeting the required standards to be genuinely considered Real Black, Samsung has proven that its OLED technology delivers a true black viewing experience.

The certification validates the OLED display’s crisp, reflection-free images with near-perfect blacks measured below 0.005 nits in dark environments, as well as black accuracy in sunlit rooms and even under direct sunlight. The result is crystal-clear visuals with rich, deep blacks in their truest form.

“Earning VDE’s Real Black certification is proof of our commitment to taking OLED technology to new heights,” said Hoon Seol, Vice President and Head of CE Division at Samsung Electronics Germany. “We look forward to bringing more customers the opportunity to experience world-class picture quality with the deepest blacks and color clarity.”

“VDE’s ‘Real Black’ certification is awarded only to displays that excel in our most demanding evaluations,” said Ansgar Hinz, the Chairman and CEO of VDE. “Samsung’s OLED stood out for its ability to maintain rich, accurate blacks across a wide range of lighting environments — from home theaters to brightly lit living rooms. This achievement reflects both technological excellence and a commitment to delivering consistent picture quality in real-world conditions.”

Meeting the Highest Standard for Real Black Validation

The flagship OLED TV series comes equipped with Samsung’s advanced Glare-Free 2.0. VDE’s certification affirms the exceptional performance of this proprietary technology, which preserves the depth and details of the OLED display’s black levels by minimizing reflections.

To earn this certification, Samsung’s OLED S95F series was evaluated on how “truly black” the display appears under various viewing conditions, with performance assessed through three rigorous tests:

• Ambient light impact in bright rooms: The display was evaluated for the level of distraction caused by light reflections for viewers while watching TV.²
• Black levels in dark settings: In a dark room test, the display’s black level performance was measured to ensure it met the standard of 0.005 nits or less.³
• Surface gloss level: Screen surface reflections were measured to determine the amount of glare of Samsung’s Glare-Free Technology.⁴

Exceptional Color for Gaming and Entertainment

The Real Black-certified OLED series delivers exceptional color clarity and contrast that brings every detail to life, whether in fast-paced games or cinematic scenes. The advanced OLED Glare-Free technology enhances this experience by preserving rich colors and deep blacks in any lighting conditions so that viewers can enjoy stunning, true-to-life visuals no matter the content.

Samsung has led the global TV market for 19 consecutive years,⁵ a position built on its leadership in premium displays and leading-edge innovations in viewing experiences. In addition to the VDE Real Black certification, Samsung’s 2025 OLED TV lineup is the first in the industry to be certified with AMD FreeSync Premium Pro and has recently been validated as NVIDIA G-SYNC compatible, ensuring seamless performance and smooth gameplay.

To learn more about Samsung OLED TVs, visit www.samsung.com

¹ All sizes of the 4K OLED TV S95F series (55’’, 65’’, 77’’ and 83’’) have received certification.
² Greyscale discrimination AVG ΔE2000 ≤ 5 in a bright room with 500 Lx.
³ Black level ≤ 0.005 nits in a dark room (based on ITU-R BT.2100-3 under VDE’s dark room conditions).
⁴ Samsung OLED: ≤ 15 Gloss Unit (GU) (ex. Mirror: 100 GU)
⁵ Omdia, Feb-2025 (Results are not an endorsement of Samsung).

Samsung Electronics announced today that its Neo QLED and Lifestyle TVs have been awarded EyeCare Circadian certification by Verband Deutscher Elektrotechniker (VDE), a leading electrical engineering certification institute in Germany. This achievement highlights Samsung’s commitment to developing technology that supports natural circadian rhythms, promoting well-being and visual comfort.

“This certification underscores our dedication to creating products that elevate the user experience by prioritizing eye comfort and reducing visual strain, all while delivering exceptional picture quality,” said Taeyong Son, Executive Vice President of Visual Display Business at Samsung Electronics. “We will continue to drive innovations that anticipate and adapt to users’ evolving needs, offering both immersive entertainment and sustainable long-term comfort.”

The certification covers major models across the Neo QLED and Lifestyle lineups, including The Frame and The Serif. Six critical criteria are evaluated when determining when a product is fit for certification: Safety for Eyes, Gentle to the eyes, Flicker Level, Uniformity, Color Fidelity and Circadian Stimulus (CS) index — a framework designed to assess visual comfort and circadian rhythm alignment.

Central to Samsung’s achievement is EyeComfort Mode, which automatically adjusts luminance and color temperature based on time of day and ambient lighting conditions. By simulating natural light patterns, the mode reduces strain during daytime viewing and fosters a restful nighttime environment, aligning with the body’s natural rhythms.

This certification adds to a series of recognitions for Samsung TVs, highlighting their user-centric products and features. The Neo QLED series previously earned VDE’s Circadian Rhythm Display certification, while Samsung’s Lifestyle TVs received Glare-Free verification from Underwriters Laboratories (UL) for reducing visual strain. Additionally, for their exceptional color accuracy, Samsung TVs are Pantone Validated.

To realize this vision of Calm Technology, Samsung has obtained the industry’s first Circadian Rhythm Display (CRD) certification from the German testing and certification agency Verband Deutscher Elektrotechniker (VDE). The certification was awarded to the Eye Comfort Mode feature of Samsung’s 2023 Neo QLED and Lifestyle TVs, The Frame, The Serif and The Sero.¹

The concept of pairing circadian rhythm with display technologies might seem unusual. So what exactly inspired Samsung to pursue it, and what was the process like from planning through to development and certification? To learn more, Samsung Newsroom sat down with three professionals who made this recent CRD certification possible, Taehwan Cha of the Picture Quality Solution Lab, Gyuheon Lee of the Product Development Group and Beomkyun Rha of the Product Planning Group.

▲ (From left) Taehwan Cha of the Picture Quality Solution Lab, Gyuheon Lee of the Product Development Group and Beomkyun Rha of the Product Planning Group

The Unique Combination of Circadian Rhythm and Display Technology

The term “circadian” is derived from the Latin words “circa” (meaning “about”) and “diem” (meaning “day”). Human circadian rhythm can be described as the biological pattern of engaging in dynamic activities during the day and sleeping during the night as well as the secretion and inhibition of related hormones such as melatonin, cortisol and growth hormones that occur naturally according to this cycle.

“We were ultimately working to find a way to achieve the best picture quality while also guaranteeing viewing safety,” noted Rha of why Samsung initially started focusing on circadian rhythm. “The result was the creation of Eye Comfort Mode, a feature which automatically optimizes picture quality based on changes in circadian rhythm.”

One of the characteristics of Eye Comfort Mode is that it uses artificial intelligence (AI) to enable the most comfortable picture quality by automatically detecting changes in the viewing environment. Eye Comfort Mode adjusts the amount of blue light based on the local sunrise and sunset time as well as the surrounding lighting environment. By adjusting the screen’s luminance level and color, Eye Comfort Mode creates an effect similar to the different lighting styles that occur during daytime and nighttime, with lower luminance and color temperature aiding the user to sleep well.

“Since Eye Comfort Mode sets the picture quality based on the surrounding viewing environment, the user can enjoy good picture quality without any quality degradation, even with less blue light,” explained Rha. “When planning our approach to CRD, it was extremely important that we could control the amount of blue light being emitted without affecting the picture quality, so we engaged in constant research and discussion with the development team and picture quality team right from the planning stages.”

Eye Comfort Mode, the Secret To Picture Quality Optimization at All Hours of the Day

As Eye Comfort Mode operates based on localized information to recognize sunrise and sunset times, it has to be able to harness regional geographic information of where the TV is placed.

“The basic algorithm allows the TV to obtain and operate based on sunrise and sunset information from a regional weather application, which is identified based on the location information of the TV,” said Lee. “Thanks to this algorithm, users can watch TV with picture quality optimized to the changes in their circadian rhythms wherever they are in the world with Eye Comfort Mode.”

In addition to local sunrise and sunset times, the surrounding lighting environment is essential to optimizing picture quality for CRD purposes. Accordingly, the light sensor built into the TV measures the amount of external light. Then it determines how bright or dark the viewing environment is to optimize picture quality for the user automatically.

The CRD Certification, the Last Hurdle to Improving Reliability

▲ The 2023 Neo QLED TV is measured using a spectroradiometer, which measures a display’s luminance, chromaticity coordinates, spectrum and more.

Once a technology is out of the planning and development stages, the last step in the process is to cement the value of the technology through certification from an external agency. For their CRD technology, as with all others, the certification process began with establishing the relevant objective and standardized criteria.

Through an external collaboration project, Samsung discovered an index for circadian stimulus (CS) as defined by the U.S. Lighting Research Center. This CS index can quantitatively express the effect of Eye Comfort Mode in number form through association with a light source’s power to inhibit an individual’s melatonin secretion.

Following this discovery, Samsung then developed a test project in collaboration with an external research institute and proceeded to set up a certification with VDE in order to obtain the CRD certification.

To win the trust of our consumers, it is crucial that we can obtain certifications for our technologies from a credible agency,” explained Cha. “While ‘circadian rhythm’ may be a somewhat unfamiliar term, it was used even in the name of the certification to emphasize the intention and value add of the technology, which is to provide picture quality optimized based on circadian rhythm.”

Delivering the Ultimate Viewing Experience to Users

Despite being awarded the VDE certification, those working on the CRD technology are still determined to develop even more ways to bring users the best picture quality possible. “Since people have different picture quality preferences, my goal is to provide customizable picture quality based on personalized needs ultimately,” said Lee.

For Rha, too, the next step is rooted firmly in personalization. “Display technologies have advanced significantly in recent years, and I think we have reached a point where the industry possesses a similar approach across the board,” he explained. “Going forward, I want to focus on and develop consumer-friendly features specific to each user.”

Finally, for Cha, picture quality is a consideration that should be embedded in every aspect of development. “I always ask myself how I can create value in the TV features and performance technologies we design when working on external picture quality evaluation and certification,” he noted. “My goal is to embed such technologies and practices across all stages of our process, from product planning and development to the final stage of certification.”

Going forward, Samsung is constantly striving to provide the ultimate viewing experience that considers viewing safety. In addition to the CRD certification the company recently received, the company also received “Eye Care” certification from VDE and “Glare-Free” validation from UL last year, a testament to the ongoing innovation journey Samsung is pursuing.

Stay tuned to Samsung Newsroom for all the latest on the company’s leading TV and display products.

¹ Certified Models: 2023 Neo QLED Q70C and superior models.

The 2022 Samsung Lifestyle TVs won the ‘Eye Care’ Certification from Verband Deutscher Elektrotechniker (VDE) in Germany, one of Europe’s largest technical-scientific associations with more than 36,000 members. The certification applies to Samsung’s 2022 Lifestyle TV models including The Frame, The Serif and The Sero. The screens are evaluated on various categories, including ‘Safety’, ‘Gentle to the eyes’, flicker level, uniformity and color fidelity.

(From left) Seokwoo Yong, EVP and Head of R&D Team, Visual Display Business at Samsung Electronics and Cherif Kedir, President & CEO of VDE

The new Lifestyle TVs were assessed for safety from blue light emission and melatonin inhibition levels based on a light hazard classification method set by the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC). Samsung’s 2022 Lifestyle TVs satisfy the IEC’s standards for screen flickering, which can cause eye fatigue or headache for viewers. They were also recognized for excellence in color fidelity and picture quality uniformity, both elements of which contribute to eye comfort level while watching TV.

(From left) Seokwoo Yong, EVP and Head of R&D Team, Visual Display Business at Samsung Electronics and Wyatt Brannan, Vice President of North America Consumer, Medical & Information Technology of UL

Samsung’s 2022 Lifestyle TVs¹ were also verified as ‘Glare-Free’ by Underwriters Laboratories (UL), a leading independent safety science company. UL’s verification validates the ‘Glare-Free’ claim by assessing the products against Unified Glare Rating (UGR) testing standard set by the International Commission on Illumination (CIE). Samsung’s new Lifestyle TV models use a new Matte Display with anti-glare, anti-reflection and anti-fingerprint properties to deliver the optimal brightness and provide the best picture quality without glare.

• Reflected Glare, which determines whether the objects on a TV screen are visible even when external light is reflected on the surface
• Discomfort Glare, which determines whether a TV screen is too bright
• Disability Glare, which determines whether a TV screen is overly bright when watching TV in a dark room

These glare assessments were calculated based on test results of watching TV in both 300 lux, which is equivalent to a brightly lit work area, and in 70 lux, which is usually the value for a dimly lit work area.

(From left) Seokwoo Yong, EVP and Head of R&D Team, Visual Display Business at Samsung Electronics and Raj Shah, Vice President at Marketing of Pantone

Additionally, Samsung’s all new 2022 QLED models received the world’s first ‘Pantone Validated’ certification from Pantone, the world-famous brand in the global color industry and creator of the Pantone Matching System (PMS).

These models receiving this recognition from Pantone include all 20 newly released models – 15 QLED TVs in both 4K and 8K and five monitors. Samsung’s 2022 QLED TV line-up was recognized for its accurate expression of 2,030 Pantone colors and newly added 110 skin tone shades.

“As TVs become more of an entertainment hub in the home, there’s an increased demand for screens with top-tier picture quality that minimize eye strain,” said Seokwoo Yong, Executive Vice President and Head of R&D Team, Visual Display Business at Samsung Electronics. “This recognition from leading global institutes validates our technology that delivers best-in-class images along with the most comfortable watching experience.”

¹ Applicable to Samsung’s 2022 Lifestyle TVs consisting of The Frame, The Serif and The Sero.

Four models from the 2021 Neo QLED lineup (QN900, QN800, QN90, QN85) received the certification, a distinction given for ‘Low Input Lag’ and ‘HDR with brightness of higher than 1,000 nits.’ Each of the TVs went through a rigorous testing process, ultimately earning the certification for less than 10ms of input lag during every scene of gameplay. Input lag refers to the period of time from when an electrical signal is sent from the game pad to when it is displayed on the screen. A TV with lower input lag will provide gamers with a more immersive gaming experience.

In addition, Samsung’s Neo QLED also received the certification for HDR with brightness over 1,000 nits. FreeSync Premium Pro also adds to the HDR support, making bright scenes brighter and dark scenes darker to offer optimized contrast. HDR technology is often considered as one of the most important features among gamers.

Apart from low input lag and HDR support with brightness of higher than 1,000 nits, Samsung’s Neo QLED TVs also reflect a number of new and exciting gaming features.

Samsung’s Neo QLED TVs deliver more accurate details, deeper blacks and incredible color expression due to their 100% color volume and 12-bit backlight control. Wide Game View and Game Bar, both industry firsts, deliver a broader viewing experience with 21:9 and 32:9, and the ability to quickly check a variety of gaming information.

In addition, Samsung’s Neo QLED TVs deliver fast game motion at 120Hz with Motion Xcelerator Turbo+, even during gameplay with fixed UI. Sound has also been enhanced through AI-based surround-sound and object tracking sound (OTS+), delivering the ultimate immersive gaming experience.

Yonghoon Choi, Executive Vice President of the Visual Display Business at Samsung Electronics said, “An increasing number of gamers look for large screen displays with high-end picture quality when shopping for a TV, and Samsung continues to lead the TV-focused gaming experience.”

For more information on Samsung’s 2021 Neo QLED TV, please visit www.samsung.com.

“This award shows that digital inverter compressor technology can save significant levels of energy in practice,” said Kook-Jeong Seo, Head of the Thermal Energy Lab, Digital Appliances Business at Samsung Electronics. “Going forward, we will continue to develop products that contribute to reducing energy consumption and support sustainability.”

The digital inverter compressor serves as the ‘engine’ for Samsung’s main refrigerator line-up, and is the component responsible for determining how much energy the refrigerator consumes. Currently, nearly all of Samsung’s refrigerator solutions incorporate digital inverter compressors. While traditional compressors operate at a fixed speed, digital inverter compressors are able to automatically adjust their energy use between 1,050 and 4,300RPM according to need, at any given time. Samsung digital inverter compressors use around 30% less energy than ones with single-speed induction motor compressors, and thus also help contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. They have also been certified by German institution Verband Deutscher Elektrotechniker (VDE)1 to last up to more than two decades in durability.

The ability of Samsung compressors to intelligently detect changes in temperature and adjust accordingly has additionally allowed for the emergence of other unique features in the company’s full refrigerator lineup. Refrigerators from the Samsung Chef Collection, for instance, feature a unique fixed-temperature technology called Precise Chef Cooling that maintains a temperature variation rate of less than 0.5 degrees Celsius (0.9 degrees Fahrenheit), ensuring that food stays fresher, for longer.

¹ Result based on test conducted by VDE under Samsung-defined test protocol on compressor of selected models only

Both safety certification institutions, UL and VDE, tested the 65Q900T 8K model and 65Q90T 4K models – both of which emit the brightest light among Samsung’s 2020 QLED TV lineup – for their blue light, ultraviolet rays and infrared rays.

“While Samsung QLED TVs emit high luminance and brightness, our TVs are designed to protect the eyesight without losing the truly immersive viewing experience,” said Yong Hoon Choi, Executive Vice President of the Visual Display Business at Samsung Electronics. “We are pleased to be recognized by UL and VDE for these efforts and will continue to make the safety of our customers a top priority as we develop our products.”

For more information on Samsung’s QLED 8K and 4K TV lineup, please visit www.samsung.com.

The smartphone revolution transformed the way we see the world: offering access to communication, information and entertainment – all in the palm of our hands. At the center of this revolution lies the smartphone’s display.

From watching the latest blockbuster to snapping breathtaking pictures, the highest levels of brightness, color accuracy and contrast are crucial to delivering the best possible color expression and the optimal mobile experience. The Galaxy S10’s striking colors and beautiful display have garnered considerable media attention, and the device has been designated DisplayMate’s highest-ever “Excellent A+” grade. This outstanding visual experience begins with the Dynamic AMOLED display.

Brilliant (1200-nit) Brightness

No matter where you are, you can enjoy a clear and bright viewing experience with the Galaxy S10 line. The Dynamic AMOLED display ensures that you can check your messages or easily search for restaurant recommendations without having to find a shaded spot when you’re outside and on the go.

When it comes to displays, brightness is measured in terms of luminance – the amount of light per square unit that the display emits or reflects. With a peak luminance of 1200 nits (40 percent greater than the Galaxy S7), the Galaxy S10’s display allows users to enjoy bright, clear images even under direct sunlight, without having to shade the screen with their hand or turn their back to the sun.

The Galaxy S10 is the world’s first mobile display to support HDR10+¹ which optimizes content’s brightness levels to offer users truly immersive viewing experiences. The display is backed by the official HDR10+ logo certification, which was created after several months of discussion with related organizations and companies to expand the HDR10+ certification standard – a standard that had previously only applied to TVs – to mobile devices.

Utilizing its HDR10+ Dynamic Tone Mapping feature, the Galaxy S10 ensures that content like films and shows are depicted precisely as their creators intended. This allows the display to adjust brightness to every single scene, creating better shadow detail, and making light scenes lighter and dark scenes darker.

The Galaxy S10 opens the door for users to enjoy an ever-growing collection of HDR10+ mobile content. This includes the rich library of HDR10+ content that’s accessible via Amazon Prime – the collection which was previously only available on HDR10+-compatible TVs. The Galaxy S10’s camera also allows users to record their own HDR10+-quality content with true-to-life colors and brightness.

Ever-So-Accurate Colors (0.4 JNCD)

Years of innovation in display technology have led to new heights of color expression for smartphone displays.

This is especially noticeable when viewing photos. Have you ever received photos from your friends whose colors looked washed out when viewed on your smartphone’s screen? A lack of color reproduction could be to blame. When it comes to color reproduction, it doesn’t matter how well a photo is shot, nor how high-quality the camera may be. Rather, it all depends on the color reproduction capacity of the display.

Like Samsung’s QLED TVs, the Galaxy S10’s display has been certified by Verband Deutscher Elektrotechniker (VDE) to produce 100 percent color volume in the DCI-P3 color range. This means that just like Samsung’s latest TVs, the Galaxy S10 can be counted upon to deliver a viewing experience that’s second to none. While previous Galaxy devices’ AMOLED displays have supported a wide range of colors, the Galaxy S10’s display takes color reproduction to the next level, producing true-to-life colors at the highest brightness levels.

The Dynamic AMOLED display received a score of 0.4 from DisplayMate for their evaluation of its Just Noticeable Color Difference (JNCD)². This stunning level of color reproduction makes watching a movie or show on the Dynamic AMOLED display a cinematic experience. It also helps ensure that when shopping for clothes or other products online, the colors of the items that you see on your screen will closely match the colors of those items in real life.

A World-Class (2,000,000:1) Contrast Ratio

When watching a movie or playing video games, the deeper the contrast, the more immersive the visual experience. In fact, the ability to make out shadowy figures in the dark can mean the difference between life and death when you’re playing a first-person shooter game.

The Galaxy S10 line takes gaming and watching videos to the next level with an industry-best, VDE-certified 2,000,000:1 contrast ratio. This opens the door for even more accurate color gradation³ and enables the display to produce exceptional detail and deeper contrast.

When gaming, greater contrast makes it that much easier to navigate dark settings and spot items and lurking enemies. When watching dark scenes in a film like the latest space-set thriller, the enhanced contrast allows even the most subtle of details to shine through.

“We innovate with displays to make the mobile experience more enjoyable and immersive,” said Kee-Hyon Park, a display R&D engineer in Samsung Electronics’ Mobile Communications Division. “That’s why we’ve enhanced every aspect of the Dynamic AMOLED display: to add brilliant, high-quality visuals to more aspects of daily life.”

¹ HDR10+ is a next-generation open standard for high dynamic range (HDR) video. The HDR10+ Logo License Program is the product of a joint venture established by Samsung Electronics, 20th Century Fox and Panasonic Corporation. HDR10+ logo certifications are evaluated by VTM Group, a certification/logo management services company based in the U.S.

² The Just Noticeable Color Difference (JNCD) measurement evaluates color accuracy based on the bare minimum color difference that the human eye can perceive. The closer a display’s JNCD score is to zero, the more accurate its colors are.

³ Accurate low-gradation color expression technology is not included in the Galaxy S10e.

* Images and videos included in this article have been simulated for illustrative purposes.

Under the hoods, so to speak, of the wide range of home appliances that we rely on every day are the motors that make them run. Just like with a car, the quality of a device’s motor will directly affect its performance and efficiency, and can ultimately determine the length of its lifespan.

Samsung Electronics’ home appliances, including its latest washing machines, feature innovative motors that foster efficient, reliable long-term performance. Let’s take a closer look at the various types of Samsung Digital Inverter Motors that power the company’s industry-leading home offerings.

Samsung’s Digital Inverter Motors, which include Direct Drive, DD PLUS and Spoke Motors, are optimized to meet the needs of various products, including washing machines. Direct Drive Motors (“DD Motors”, for short) connect directly to a washing machine’s load—without the need for complicated transmission—and provide high torque. These powerful and efficient motors are featured in Samsung’s mid-to-large front-load washers.

The DD PLUS Motor adds a geared system to the DD Motor, which maximizes efficiency. It’s utilized in top-load washers that require rapid, repetitive, yet efficient motion.

Spoke Motors offer strong force and energy-efficient performance, and take up less space than other motors. Initially, they were featured mainly in hybrid vehicles. However, that changed in 2012, when Samsung successfully designed the world’s first high-speed Spoke Motor for use in home appliances, and began to integrate the groundbreaking technology into its washers, dryers and air conditioners.

Samsung’s gear-driven Spoke Motors significantly improved both the energy and washing efficiency of its small-to-mid-sized front-load washers—by 18 and 19 percent, respectively^*. The motors’ smaller form factor enabled Samsung to equip the washers with larger tubs than would be possible with a conventional DD Motor. This allowed the machines to handle larger loads while maintaining efficiency.

In addition to enhancing its washers’ efficiency, Spoke Motors have allowed Samsung to reduce the amount of noise that the machines produce when running. Whereas washers with conventional DD Motors produce noise levels measuring 50.5 decibels (dB) on average, Samsung’s Spoke Motors tend to be roughly three decibels quieter than their “DD” counterparts^*.

Samsung’s Spoke Motors have also been proven to be exceptionally reliable. In fact, VDE (Verband Deutscher Elektrotechniker), a world-renowned electronics testing and certification institute, has certified the motors for a 23-year life span. That’s the longest in the world for a washer motor.

Samsung Electronics’ industry-leading motor technology has helped the company design high-performance, energy-efficient appliances that allow users to enjoy new levels of convenience in their daily lives.

^*Based on Samsung Electronics’ internal tests

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

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

UHD TV Beyond FHD TV

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

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

What is the Standard for Ultra-High-Definition?

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

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

Blacks and Colors Transformed

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

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

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

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

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

AI Upscaling the Content

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Over 95 percent of Samsung’s refrigerators have a digital inverter compressor that automatically perceives environmental changes caused by the surrounding temperature, opening and closing of the door as well as the operating mode, and adjusts its operating speed accordingly. Yet, approximately 90 percent of refrigerators in the world are equipped with conventional, fixed speed compressors. This compressor operates at a fixed maximum speed of 3,600RPM (or 3,000RPM according to electric power) even when only a little amount of cold air is required, ultimately consuming a lot of unnecessary energy and making noises.

Samsung refrigerators are smart and have a ‘strong heart’ that maintains performance evenly for as long as 21 years. This is the reason why Samsung Electronics leads world’s refrigerator market and ranks No.1 with over 50 percent in market share for digital compressors. Let’s look into the details of Samsung digital inverter compressors and the source of their unparalleled competitiveness.

1. Advanced Temperature Control with Unrestricted Speed from 0 to 4,500RPM

The Samsung digital inverter compressor operates by automatically detecting changes in the surrounding environment. It instantly responds to temperature change like people hunching their bodies in cold weather. The temperature inside the refrigerator rises when the door is opened and closed frequently, or when the surrounding temperature increases in the summer. In such cases, the compressor operates intensely at the maximum speed of 4,500RPM as cool air must be injected quickly. Samsung compressors do not require complex handling because they automatically detect these changes and operate at an optimal speed. In comparison, other conventional compressors operate at a fixed speed of maximum 3,600RPM based on a simple on/off system.

The Samsung Chef Collection Refrigerator has a unique, fixed temperature refrigeration technology that stores fresh food within the range of ±0.5 degrees Celsius. This special feature is possible due to Samsung’s digital inverter compressors that detect the slightest temperature change inside the refrigerator and control cool air. Fridges equipped with conventional compressors that always create the same amount of cool air have a significant variation in inner temperature and thus lack the capacity to preserve fresh food.

Samsung digital inverter compressor

‚2. Power Consumption Reduced by 30%

As a Samsung digital inverter compressor stops or slows its operation when the cool air is not required as much, such as at night or in the winter, it significantly increases power efficiency. The variable-speed refrigerating technology unique to the digital inverter can save power consumption by an average of 30 percent compared to other compressors that operate at a fixed speed of generally 3,600RPM.

3. Less Noise: a Fridge that Becomes Silent at Night

There may have been times when you’re in bed at night with your eyes closed, and suddenly the refrigerator starts making a buzzing sound. Samsung digital inverter compressors stop operation or operate silently at low speed at night, dawn, or even daytime if the refrigerator door is not frequently opened and closed. Such flexibility is one of the strengths of Samsung compressors that can control speed without restrictions.

„4. Performance Maintained Evenly for 21 Years

Samsung’s digital inverter compressor under performance testings

After more than 300,000 tests for 120 days, the German certificate authority VDE (Verband Deutscher Elektrotechnicker) issued a life-span certificate of 21 years to Samsung digital inverter compressors, which is the longest in the industry.

There is a motor inside Samsung compressors (refer to the video), and the compressor changes the rotational motion of the motor into linear piston motion, compressing and circulating refrigerants. This can be compared to a car’s engine, which requires a high level of reliability. Samsung achieved strong durability by incorporating the digital inverter control system with its unrivaled nano-processing technology, which has been developed on based on Samsung’s accumulated experience of manufacturing over two hundred million compressors in the last over 40 years.

Helmut Boehn, Head of Section (Cooling, Freezing Safety / Energy) at VDE.

*What is nano-processing technology?

The technology that precisely processes the metal surface at the scale of a few nanometers. If there is even a slight, minute unevenness on the surface of the compressor’s moving parts, such as piston, cylinder and bearing, it could increase friction that could gravely impact performance and reliability. Samsung has developed industry’s leading technology which processes at the scale at 100 nanometers or below (around one four-hundredth width of a single strand of hair) for manufacturing its compressors.

World’s No.1 Manufacturing Competitiveness, with One Compressor Manufactured Every Second

In addition to the strengths of a Samsung’s digital compressor, it is worthwhile to note Samsung’s strong manufacturing competitiveness. Samsung manufactures one compressor every second. It produces 54,200 compressors daily by operating the manufacturing line for 16 hours a day. These compressors are used in various products including Samsung refrigerators, and Samsung is planning to apply digital inverter compressors to all of its refrigerators by next year to enhance competitiveness.

The smart and strong Samsung compressors are used by not only Samsung but also other refrigerator manufacturers. In addition to household appliances such as refrigerators, air conditioners and dryers, the compressors are also used for automobiles, ships, and even for communication base stations. By conversely applying the principle of the refrigeration cycle of the compressor and changing the circulation structure of refrigerants, it can be used for heaters, dryers or heating sheets in cars that release heat.

One of the competitiveness of a Samsung digital inverter compressor, composed mostly of motors and super precision nano-processed parts, is that it can be made as small as a beverage can. It also has a competitive edge in manufacturing cost which allows it to be used in various household appliances and machinery.

Manufacturing process of Samsung’s digital inverter compressor

Established in 1893, VDE has carried out countless tests on the functions, performance and standard compliance of electronic devices. As one of the largest technical and scientific associations in Europe, it is well known for its strict quality assessment standards.

VDE conducted 310,000 on-off tests on Samsung’s digital inverter compressors, while simultaneously evaluating vibration, noise and safety. Following the tests, the institution certified that Samsung’s digital inverter compressors will remain operational for 21 years.

Samsung Digital inverter compressors for the refrigerator

A digital inverter compressor continuously regulates the air temperature in a refrigerator without stopping. It affects power consumption, noise and vibration. In this regard, the reliability and durability of a compressor are core determinants of the operational lifespan of a refrigerator. VDE’s official certification proves the top-notch performance and durability of Samsung’s inverter compressors.

Constituting more than 50 percent of the digital inverter compressor market, Samsung has the largest digital inverter compressor production capacity in the world. In May, Samsung’s accumulated production of compressors exceeded 200 million units since the company first started manufacturing the component in 1976. This means that Samsung has produced one compressor every three seconds!

Samsung’s compressors reduce power consumption via temperature sensing technologies and by minimizing noise and vibration. Digital inverter compressors are applied to Samsung’s major refrigerators, including the Samsung Chef Collection Refrigerator.

“The VDE certification is the result of Samsung’s development of new manufacturing processes and assembly lines which enhance the degree of precision of core components by two times,” said Young tae Kim, Vice President and Compressor & Motor Team Leader of the Digital Appliances Business at Samsung Electronics. “Going forward, we will remain committed to strengthening our core competencies and developing new innovative component technologies as a global leader in the refrigerator market.”

Test room for the digital inverter compressors at Samsung Electronics

“It is a pleasure to bring the world’s social network to Samsung Smart TV users, as well as continue to see the value of Samsung Smart TV, as a platform, growing,” said Sangsook Han, Vice President of the Visual Display Business at Samsung Electronics. “We will continue in our innovation on various fronts, including technologies and partnerships, to make sure our consumers can enjoy a wider variety of services.”

The new Facebook video app for TV is a new way to enjoy Facebook videos on a bigger screen. Through the app, users can watch videos shared by friends or Pages they follow, top live videos from around the world, and recommended videos based on their interests.

To access the app, users can simply log into their Samsung Smart Hub and download the application. Following a prompt for a one-time Facebook login, they can begin enjoying and discovering new content.

Earlier this year, Samsung announced its elevated Smart TV offerings, which focus on a unified, simple user experience tailored to address consumer pain points. With the new features, users will be able to control all devices connected to their TV via one source, the Samsung One Remote. Additionally, users can now enjoy their favorite live TV programs and video-on-demand services directly on TV with a simple click on Smart View mobile app.

This enhanced Smart Hub platform was rolled out on the company’s new QLED TV lineup at CES 2017. Among its many standout features, the QLED TV lineup includes dramatically revamped color performance, and was the first technology in the world to be verified by one of Europe’s largest technical-scientific associations Verband der Elektrotechnik (VDE) for reproducing 100% color volume.

Samsung Electronics today announced that its 2017 QLED TV, first unveiled at CES 2017, has received verification from world-class testing and certification association, Verband Deutscher Elektrotechniker (VDE), for its ability to produce 100 percent color volume. VDE provided verification for Samsung’s QLED TV based on the organization’s expertise in color volume testing. The verification is a mark of the QLED TV’s ability to provide a consistently high quality picture to viewers.

Color volume, which is the exacting standard of color expression, measures two elements of the TV with three-dimensional space – the color gamut and the brightness level. The color gamut looks at the largest amount of colors that can be displayed physically. The peak brightness represents the display’s maximum brightness level. The larger the color gamut and the higher the brightness, the bigger the color volume of the TV. The QLED TV’s expanded color volume results in more realistic, accurate and vibrant HDR images as the director or content producer intended, in both bright and dark scenes.

‘100 percent color volume’ presents color that can be expressed regardless of the different levels of brightness. For example, a leaf can be perceived as different colors, from yellowish green to turquoise, depending on the brightness of the light. The Samsung QLED TV can capture even the subtlest differences in color pertaining to brightness – something that is not easily depicted in traditional 2D color space – thus deliver the most true HDR picture quality as the director intended.

Generally, a TV’s color-rendering capabilities diminish as brightness levels go up, leading to color distortion on-screen. The Samsung QLED TV overcomes the trade-off between brightness level and color. With a peak brightness of 1,500 to 2,000nit, the QLED TV can express 100 percent color volume – a TV industry first.

Samsung’s QLED TV uses a new metal Quantum Dot material – making it possible for the TV to express a significantly improved range of color and peak brightness with much greater detail compared to conventional TVs. The new Quantum dots also allow the Samsung QLED TV to express deep blacks regardless of how light or dark the scene is, or whether the content is played in a brightly lit or dark room. Best of all, QLED delivers this level of performance no matter where the viewer is sitting, offering consistent color and quality from any viewing angle.

“The ‘100 percent color volume’ verification awarded to Samsung’s QLED TV signifies the excellence of our product and its revolutionary picture quality. As the global TV market leader for 11 consecutive years, we are thrilled to be leading the TV industry into a world of Quantum dot-powered displays featuring the best available picture quality,” said JongHee Han, Executive Vice President of the Visual Display Business at Samsung Electronics.