Samsung QLED TVs are certified as the burn-in free TVs by video, an acclaimed German tech magazine. Conducted in conjunction with the connect Testlab, a global testing lab, all 2018 Samsung QLED TV series were proved free of burn-in and afterglow reaffirming QLED TVs’ position as one of the most durable displays on the market today.

The requirements for TV displays are made ever more demanding by technologies such as High Dynamic Range (HDR). The risk of putative burn-in is of particular concern to TV customers in the premium segment. To see if displays stand up to the exacting performance requirements, the TV experts from video and connect Testlab carried out certification test based on the Information Display Measurements Standard (IDMS), an international norm for panel measurements, and concentrated on QLED TV’s HDR content display quality.

Samsung’s QLED TVs passed the stress test and received the certificate for ꞌno burn-inꞌ and ꞌno afterglowꞌ¹. In a 72-hour endurance test, the testers performed measurements on Samsung QLED TVs to check their putative burn-in effects, which may be caused by static picture elements. These effects, also referred to as ꞌmemory effectꞌ, ꞌghostingꞌ, ꞌimage retentionꞌ, ꞌsticky imageꞌ or imprecisely as ꞌburn-inꞌ, tangibly impair the picture quality of a television.

In the case of some display technologies, memory effects will start glowing after one minute of TV use if static picture elements are shown on their screen in high luminosities. In the test, the TVs were therefore made to display a checkerboard pattern for deep black and very bright white values for longer periods of time. The test engineers added variable text elements and an intermittently blinking white frame to the test picture so that the automatic stills detection customary for modern HDR TVs could not spring into action. This helped the testers create similar conditions as in HDR games. In addition to the standard analysis, the testers used dark gray images with brightness values of 10 nits– which will show if dark pixels are brightened up.

The measurements showed that the tested Samsung QLED TVs remained unaffected by the rigorous tests. The TV can thus theoretically be left on permanently without picture elements like network logos leaving an afterglow or burning in.

Taking into account that the quality of a TV screen is strongly impaired by afterglow and burn-in – especially after emitting HDR quality pictures with extreme brightness values – Samsung QLED TV is a product of choice among many other modern TVs for those planning to invest in a high-end TV. It guarantees powerful visual capabilities without potential memory effects or permanent damage.

“Anyone who is particularly sensitive to ghost images and unwilling to run any risks over many years of use will be on the safe side with LCD or QLED, respectively,”² conclude the test experts.

¹ All test criteria can be viewed at https://www.connect-testlab.com/.

² “Technik Extrem – Hilfe, es brennt (ein)”, video, issue 8/18, p. 58. All quotes are taken from this article.

Viewing Assisted by AI

With so much sport available to watch this summer, viewers might need a little help locating the events they want to watch. Samsung 2018 QLED TVs are furnished with Bixby and a Universal Guide, two intelligent features which make browsing for content even easier.

Bixby, the intelligent assistant, allowed the Newsroom to search for the team or game they wanted to see using a simple voice command, without scrolling through the schedules of every TV channel looking for content. So when viewers pressed the microphone button on their remote control and said, “Find Channels Showing Brazil Games”, a list of matches played by Brazilian teams appears on the screen.

The Universal Guide is equipped with a specialized Sports tab that recommends relevant content provided by the TV’s cable and satellite connections, as well as online streaming content, in a single place and prominently displays the titles of on-air sports games at the top of the screen.

Full Immersion at Home

When the grand stadium appeared on the 75-inch screen, the Newsroom gasped with delight. As they sat back to watch the TV, the green grass spread out lusciously before their eyes and all had the feeling that they were present at the live event. A big screen is critical to this sense of immersion. That’s why 2018 QLED TVs offer a full lineup of large screens – up to and including an 82-inch model.

When watching TV together with family or friends, people sitting at the edges of the group can often feel left out of the action, unable to see the full picture due to glare. To ensure that there are no more elbow-fights for a prime spot on the couch, Samsung QLED TVs have adopted Anti-reflection technology, making every seat the best spot for taking in the game. Anti-reflection also reduces the TV’s reflection of surrounding room lights when watching in the evening, so that viewers can see everything comfortably. The screen even captivated the audience from a distance and viewing was uninterrupted from any position around the room.

Vivid Pictures in Any Condition

The QLED TV’s 4K resolution gave the Newsroom a dynamic view of players’ movements. When watching sports on conventional TVs, the picture can appear blurred or broken because of the fast movements on the screen. However, the QLED TV guarantees clean picture quality with a 4K Q Engine, which automatically improves image quality and expresses hidden details.

Even viewed in the dark, Samsung 2018 QLED TVs fully expressed every small detail, like the sweat dripping from players’ foreheads, the players’ feet deftly maneuvering the ball around the field and the texture of a patch of turf flying from the ground. Direct Full Array technology ensured accurate and solid picture quality by controlling the individual brightness of the numerous tiny cells that light the screen, thus enhancing contrast around bright colors.

Under bright lighting, quantum dot picture quality shined through. Samsung 2018 QLED TVs are equipped with 100% Color Volume, which rendered the vivid realism of the stadium, regardless of ambient brightness. In addition, HDR (High Dynamic Range) 2000 technology expresses up to 2000 nit of brightness, which allowed viewers to clearly see the trajectory of the ball against a backdrop of bright colors from the sun, spectators and signs, or distinguish the back number of a distant athlete.

Optimized Sound for Heart-Racing Moments

At a live sporting event, layer upon layer of sounds from all around the stadium create a rich tone that is utterly unique. The melodic chants of the crowd, the sharp blast of the referee’s whistle, the shouts between players and the quiet hush before a crucial moment all blend to create an electric atmosphere.

QLED TVs up the intensity of sounds by automatically optimizing sound mixing according to the content displayed. The viewers put away their remote controls and were fully immersed. Understanding the difference between the spectators’ roars and commentators’ voices, the automated technology helps users focus by lowering the volume of surround sound when commentators are speaking, but raising the volume of the crowd at moments of excitement.

In sport, winners and losers can be decided in a split second. Watching sports on a Samsung 2018 QLED TV, viewers can enjoy every minute and every second, as if they were really there.

* Product specifications may vary depending on models and locations.

For decades, the TV has been a static object, confined to sit on the outer edges of a room or inside a cupboard, never moving from a single space as we attempt to hide away the cables that bring it to life. Yet Samsung Electronics believes that the TV should be an agile and dynamic device, with the flexibility to be positioned anywhere within in space and moved whenever desired. Combining cables into a single line, the One Invisible Connection was thus conceived to eliminate clutter and free the TV from its past.

Recently the Newsroom sat down with the One Invisible Connection managers to take a closer look at the journey from product planning to development, as they created this innovative solution.

First-of-its-kind Flexibility

The first development in Samsung’s dramatic reduction of cable clutter was the One Connect Box, a hub for connecting various A/V components to the TV, introduced in 2013. Building on this work, in 2017, the company debuted the Invisible Connection, which combined all data and A/V lines into a forked cable. This year, it unveiled a first-of-its-kind innovation: a new One Invisible Connection that integrates everything – data and power – into a single cable.

The new One Invisible Connection is the culmination of the team’s combined efforts to overcome numerous obstacles. “Last year, we focused more on the appearance to create a design that seems invisible. But this year, while developing the newer version, we looked closely at real households to see how the cables were actually installed,” remarked Mingu Roh from the Product Strategy Team. “People would twist and mold the cables to hide a power line out of sight. So, we thought integrating the lines into one single cable would be fundamental to increasing the TV’s freedom.”

The greatest technical hurdle was to allow a customer to freely change the location of their TV around a room, without being hindered by bulky power or data cables. Junghwa Choi from the R&D Team explained, “We developed a solution which uses high-speed SerDes, optical communication, and error compensation technology to integrate the power and data lines into one thin cable.” Seungbok Lee from the R&D Team added, “We decided on this route after careful deliberation.”

The cable provided with the TV is 5 meters in length, but if needed, the line can be extended up to 15 meters, with the separate purchase of a longer One Visible Connection.

This is how Samsung 2018 QLED TVs were freed from spatial restrictions. With the One Invisible Connection, users can easily move their TVs, avoiding the tiresome process of reorganizing tangled lines and unplugging the powerline from the outlet. No longer required to be positioned close to sockets or in front of a sofa in the living room, the TV can be enjoyed anywhere in the room.

Safety First

The One Invisible Connection has piqued public curiosity and raised certain questions concerning safety for small children and animals. Keeping these considerations at the forefront of their minds, the R&D Team undertook the sizable task of designing an ultra-thin cable that safely allows high-voltage transmission.

Customer safety was the team’s top priority in any situation. Focusing on the management and reduction of various safety risks led them to develop a new piece of technology: an over-current protection circuit that shuts off power in the rare case of overheating. In risky situations, the One Invisible Connection immediately cuts off power. “If it is unplugged or disconnected, power is cut off within two seconds for safety purposes,“ said Duhee Jang from the R&D Team.

Samsung was approved by Underwriters Laboratories (UL)*, guaranteeing the safety of the One Invisible Connection. Nevertheless, the certification process itself was challenging, as there were no pre-existing standards to measure the new development against. In fact, Samsung created a new standard.

“We worked closely with UL from the beginning of the project to define customer needs and standards. Given the time constraint, the Planning and R&D Teams had to work simultaneously and these profound efforts are why the successful development and optimization of the One Invisible Connection are particularly meaningful,” said Lee. “UL Marks are the most widely recognized safety certification marks in the world. We are proud of the fact that we were able to present these new standards,” he added.

First Impressions

Resolving the shortcomings of traditional cables, the developers of the One Invisible Connection paid close attention to consumer preferences. On their home visits, they had also gained insights about consumer perception of cable thickness.

Roh said, “There was feedback that thin cables seem vulnerable and unstable. People even asked me, ‘Is it OK to have a cable this thin?’ So the team began its research and verification process to find an optimal thickness that would also assure users.”

As the product evolved into a hybrid cable containing both power and data lines, the team enhanced durability by swapping materials. “The major changes include switching the cable material from Kevlar to the more durable Teflon on the outside,” Choi elaborated. “It successfully integrates several important technologies.”

In their desire to blend it seamlessly into the home, the team went beyond the traditional boundaries of the TV. Some may doubt the importance of a cable, but Samsung’s One Invisible Connection is at the forefront of the evolution of the TV from simple audio-visual medium to a lifestyle product.

In consideration of the growing trend of consumers seeking greater convenience from their products, maximizing mobility is the future of TV design. The team hopes it will soon be the norm that people move their TVs anywhere around their homes.

*UL is a global safety consulting and certification company, approved to perform safety testing by the U.S. federal agency Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).

Gather Together

As the buildup to the match begins, gradually more and more people begin to congregate around a screen. Yet those playing host might still be in the kitchen preparing snacks and drinks for their guests right up until kick-off. There is no need for anyone to miss a moment, as the seamless links between Samsung’s IoT devices mean that everyone stays connected.

Before the game begins, hosts can search for recipes to serve their guests by utilizing the Family Hub refrigerator’s function, which aids food preparation by suggesting dishes based on the contents of your fridge and users’ preference*.

To heighten connectivity, people can share their reactions by uploading images from their Galaxy smartphones to view on their Family Hub refrigerator or Samsung Smart TV using the Gallery app. What is more, the connected touchscreen on the door of the Family Hub smart refrigerator can mirror the screen of a Samsung Smart TV or smartphone using the Smart View app, so that even in the kitchen, people can see and hear when the game begins.

Kick Back and Relax

When it comes to watching a big match amongst family and friends, the bigger the TV, the better. As everyone gathers round to watch the game unfold, a larger screen ensures everyone can see the game. Samsung 2018 QLED TV range in size from 55-inch to 82-inch models, offering the large-screen viewing experience. In addition, the match can be enjoyed from almost any angle with advanced Anti-reflection technology.

The stunningly sharp picture quality of Samsung’s 2018 QLED TVs is engineered to make the beautiful game look even more beautiful. The 4K Q Engine featureharnesses AI to analyze and optimize content, ensuring that the movement of the grass during play is clearly defined and without blur, providing a more vivid experience. Viewers can take in every pass and tackle with accurate color and contrast thanks to 100% Color Volume expression and Direct Fully Array Elite technology, which adjusts the brightness of each finely arrayed dot.

In the stadium, both sights and sounds blend to create the atmosphere of the game. For viewers at home, true immersion is achieved when they hear the sound of a player kicking the ball into the net and the crowd roaring with delight. On Samsung 2018 QLED TVs, sound is optimized for a wide variety of content, so that sports fans can hear the action on the field and the voices of commentators with crystal clarity.

During a major sporting competition or tournament, several events can take place at the same time, so finding exactly what you want to watch can be time-consuming. Samsung’s 2018 QLED TVs are equipped with a Universal Guide, which shows a selection of content updated in real time. Based on users’ preferences and the latest local trends, the Universal Guide recommends content, compiling TV broadcasts and streaming content, viewers to easily locate their favorite games. Viewers can also use the TVs’ intelligent assistant, Bixby*, to search for sport content via voice command.

Go Mobile

With competing nations in multiple time zones, it’s likely that many viewers will need to catch a game or two on the go. Busy people who still want to get the most out of their experiences can keep on top of their scheduled viewing with the Galaxy S9 and S9+.

The Super AMOLED screens and Infinity Displays of the Galaxy S9 and S9+ maximize definition and space allowing viewers to see more. The HDR-capable display provides impeccable accuracy and Adaptive Contrast Enhancement achieves clear definition, even in direct sunlight. With an aspect ratio of 18.5:9, viewers are further captivated by the ever-so-slim top and bottom bezels so that the overall experience is like holding the green field in your hands.

Fans will be pulled even further into the game by the stereo speaker sound system of the Galaxy S9 and S9+, tuned to meet the high standards set by AKG. The Galaxy S9 and S9+ also integrate Dolby Atmos® 360-degree surround sound technology, which benefits all content through enhancements to sound quality and consistent playback volume, bringing entertainment to life through both regular stereo headphones and the device’s built-in speakers.

For the true multitasker, Multi-Window** allows users to simultaneously manage two windows on their screen, meaning on-the-move sports fans can keep an eye on the game in one window and use another app in the other window. For even greater flexibility, users can enable Landscape Mode and view the two windows side by side horizontally.

No matter how or where people watch an event, their viewing experience will be crystal clear and fully immersive, as Samsung’s IoT devices, TVs, and smartphones work together to create the dream team for this summer’s sporting events.

*Availability may vary by region.

**The Multi-Window feature may or may not be supported depending on the apps.

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.

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.

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.

Kuala Lumpur, 31^st May 2018 – Today marks the local launch of Samsung’s 2018 QLED TVs. Our relentless pursuit of TV perfection, coupled with an ambition to maintain our strong presence in the global market pushes us to usher in a new era of the Intelligent TV Display. It also introduces Samsung’s vision for the future of TV.

It is clear that today’s users are after larger screens, purer image quality, and hassle-free installations along with an easy-to-use AI-based technology to connect the smartphone to a TV. This is a trend driven by ever-changing consumers’ expectations.

Since its debut in early March at New York, the QLED TV is leading the global market with extra-large, ultra-high definition TVs[1].

It is the TV that does it all. In three simple words: Unrivalled viewing experience. No more distractions, just pure entertainment.

“This year, our 2018 QLED TVs are truly the most cutting-edge and contemporary-designed TV based on the modern consumer’s lifestyle. As such we are proud to say that our consumers will be able to enjoy their content, and how they interact with their devices on a redefined level,” said Yoonsoo Kim, President, Samsung Malaysia Electronics.

With this said; Samsung’s 2018 line of televisions is undeniably the most versatile and exciting yet. Thanks to the enhancements that have made the TV much more immersive and intelligently adaptive with users’ lifestyles, let’s take a closer look at the key features.

Q Picture: Enjoy Purest Pictures Without Distractions

To create even more stunning picture quality with pristine contrast, the TVs feature the new Direct Full Array which uses a panel with zones of smartly controlled backlighting that adjust automatically to deliver deep blacks and pure whites. This reduces blooming and halo effects and enables deeper contrast, with inky blacks and brilliant whites.

“This (Samsung Q9F) is a rare beast that seems as comfortable in pitch black as it is with the lights blazing. Its light and color performance is, as it was last year, unprecedented.” – TrustedReviews[2]

Advanced Anti-reflection technology ensures that the TVs’ spectacular picture quality can be enjoyed from almost any angle, and also helps boost contrast. Aligned with the new products, which include models wider than 55 inches, Q Engine technology automatically upscales on-screen content to UHD levels to further enhance viewers’ immersion.

Q Style: Spend Time Watching, Not Searching

Samsung’s 2018 QLED TVs’ style changes based on innovative technologies are also noticeable. Magic Screen is an energy-saving function that allows the TV to elegantly display images as well as real-time information such as the weather or news. For wall-mounted TVs, Magic Screen can mimic the pattern on the wall behind the TV to create an astonishing visual effect in which the TV blends seamlessly into the wall.

Samsung has also introduced a simple solution to eliminate cable clutter, called the One Invisible Connection, which integrates power cables and data lines that were previously separated to allow the TVs to harmonise with their surrounding aesthetic. Available up to 15 meters, it frees consumers from having to place their TV near data or power outlets.

“Samsung scored a homerun with the design of this year’s Q9F. Between the Invisible Connection cable that now also carries power as well as the video signal, to the simple yet helpful switch to a pedestal base cool, plus with the addition of Magic Screen, this TV is a technology statement with visual appeal.” – AVS Forum

Q Smart: Value Beyond Investment

The new QLED TVs are designed to seamlessly connect with SmartThings[3]-compatible devices to offer users even greater control over their home’s smart technology. In addition, users can access a variety of apps on the QLED TVs that they can enjoy at any time through one intuitive menu.

Audio Lineup

Samsung offers four new audio products that offer clear and immersive sound tailored to the different ways that individual consumers set up and use their home theatre systems.

• HW-N650: Designed for gamers, the HW-N650 soundbar features Acoustic Beam Technology that puts consumers at the center of the action.
• HW-NW700: The HW-NW700 soundbar features a wall-mounted design that perfectly complements QLED TVs so that they both blend beautifully into any home environment.

Samsung 2018 TV Lineup

In response to rising consumer demand, Samsung is reinforcing its commitment to ultra-large screen televisions. The 2018 Samsung TV edition features 9 series across the QLED TV, Premium UHD, UHD display range, available in a variety of sizes. Models in the 2018 line up feature both flat and curved display options.

• QLED TV: Models in the 2018 QLED TV range include – Q9F (75”, 65”), Q8C (65”, 55”), Q7F (75”, 65”, 55”). The QLED TVs feature enhanced color and contrast, HDR10+ compatibility, Magic Screen, Smart TV enhancements with SmartThings, One Remote Control and the One Invisible Connection.

• Premium UHD: Models in the 2018 Premium UHD TV lineup include NU8500 and NU8000. The Premium UHD TVs include features such as dynamic crystal color, HDR10+ compatibility, clean cable solutions, and Smart TV enhancements with One Remote Control.

• UHD: Models in the 2018 UHD 4K TV lineup include NU7400 (55”, 65”), NU7300 (49”, 55”) and NU7100 (55”, 58”, 65”, 75”). These UHD TVs include feature such as 4K UHD and HDR picture capabilities, clean cable solutions, slim design and Smart TV capabilities.

Samsung’s 2018 home entertainment lineup will be available starting 1^st June 2018 onwards at all Samsung Brand Stores and authorised dealers nationwide with details as follows:

*Prices shown are with 0% GST.

For more information on Samsung’s TV and Audio products, please visit

www.samsung.com/my/tvs/qled-tv/highlights/ and www.samsung.com/my/audio-video/.

Vincent Lee, Head of Audio Visual, Samsung Malaysia Electronics, introducing several key features of the new QLED TVs at the launch today.

Yoonsoo Kim, President of Samsung Malaysia Electronics, posing for a photo with Samsung’s latest QLED flagship TV

Yoonsoo Kim, President of Samsung Malaysia Electronics, posing for a photo with Samsung’s latest QLED flagship TV

[1] https://news.samsung.com/global/next-for-qled-part-1-samsung-dominates-the-large-screen-tv-market.

[2] http://www.trustedreviews.com/reviews/samsung-qled-q9fn

[3] SmartThings is available on iOS and Android-powered devices.

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 Full HD 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 4K 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.”

Rapid Growth of Large-sized TV Market

While growth in the overall global TV market has plateaued, sales of larger screen TVs 65-inch and over has grown by more than 30 percent in recent years. According to research firm IHS Markit, the market volume of 65-inch and over TVs was 8 million in 2016 and increased to 11.4 million in 2017. This year, market volume is expected to reach 16 million units.

The market for extra-large, or above 75-inch, TVs is expected to experience even more pronounced growth of 47% this year, a key reason why Samsung has made this segment a core focus area. In the first quarter of this year, the company’s global sales of 65-inch and larger TVs increased over 35% year over year. In the same period, sales of Samsung TVs in the South American market spiked nearly four times, and the demand for large-sized Samsung TVs almost doubled in Korea.

Almost Half of 75-inch TVs Sold Worldwide Made by Samsung

In 2017, Samsung Electronics maintained its top ranking in the worldwide TV market for the 12th consecutive year, with more than 20% market share last year.

Samsung’s presence is even more noticeable in the fast-growing, large-sized TV market. The company is leading the worldwide market of 65-inch and over TVs, with 31.1% share of total number of units sold and 34.1% share for total sales last year, according to IHS Markit.

The share is even higher for 75-inch and larger TVs, reaching up to 47.4% share based on number of units sold. This means that one out of every two extra-large TVs sold worldwide is a Samsung TV. The popularity of Samsung TVs is particularly noteworthy in Europe and Latin America, where the company holds almost 60% of market share.

For the overall 75-inch and larger TV market, there was almost three times sales growth in the first half of this year, as compared to the same period last year. To meet and hone in on the growing customer demand in this segment, Samsung has strengthened its 75-inch and larger TV lineup in the four series lines (Q6F, Q7F, Q8C, Q9F) of the 2018 QLED TV portfolio.

QLED Leads Larger TV Market with Aims to Double its Growth

Samsung’s 2018 QLED TV lineup has received strong reception since its global launch in March this year, for example experiencing a sevenfold increase in number of units sold in the first four weeks following launch in the United States compared to last year. In China and South Korea, sales volume doubled in the first quarter of 2018, compared to the fourth quarter of last year.

Samsung will continue its growth in both sales and innovation involving QLED TV.  Samsung’s 2018 QLED TV lineup has incorporated various additional functions to optimize high-resolution content for a very large screen, delivering a mesmerizing, immersive experience. Among other standout features, Samsung’s QLED TV is the world’s only TV delivering 100% color volume, and has been upgraded with technologies such as ‘Anti-reflection’ so users can enjoy pure blacks without reflection. ‘HDR 2000’ enhances the level of brightness and expressed detail, and 4K Q Engine, automatically upscales content to 4K resolution, optimizing the content for the big screen.

Samsung QLED TV has also been designed with convenience in mind and reflecting consumer needs with features such as artificial intelligence based on Bixby and SmartThings App, the One Invisible Connection that combines complex connection lines into a single cable, and Ambient mode which enables the TV to depict images and information, even when the TV is off.

“With the very full major sporting events line up this year, including 2018 World Cup Russia and the Asian Games, we expect the demand for large-sized TVs to grow rapidly,” said Jongsuk Chu, Senior Vice President of Visual Display Business, Samsung Electronics. “This year, for QLED TVs, we aim to double growth, as well as continue our leadership in the global TV market by driving the ultra-large TV market.”

In 2006, the beginning of Samsung’s market-leading run, the company laid the foundation for a new era of TV design with the unveiling of the Bordeaux, an LCD display with an elegant, wine glass-inspired form. Since then, Samsung TVs have become synonymous for pairing refined designs, like the Bordeaux’s, with first-of-their-kind innovations that take the viewing experience to new heights.

For example, in 2009, Samsung launched the world’s first edge-lit LED TV, which, in addition to being incredibly thin, introduced consumers to a new level of picture quality. That groundbreaking development was followed up, in 2010, by the world’s first 3D LED TV, which opened the door to a world of immersive 3D entertainment. That same year, Samsung unveiled the world’s first smart TV app store, and in 2011, the company launched Smart Hub, its intuitive smart TV user interface.

Other pioneering developments that demonstrate Samsung’s position ahead of the curve include the launches of the world’s first OLED TV, in 2013, and the first curved and bendable UHD TVs, in 2014.

Samsung’s new QLED TVs represent the pinnacle of this innovative history. The TVs’ combination of premium aesthetics and lifelike visuals has prompted many consumers to rethink how they assess a TV’s immersive qualities.

Featuring new Bixby integration and powered by quantum dot technology, QLED TVs offer a viewing experience defined by seamless controls and immersive visuals. The TVs’ ability to provide 100 percent color volume enables them to produce much brighter and deeper colors, allowing content to be displayed in the manner that producers intended.

QLED TV’s engrossing visuals are complemented by a minimalist design that eliminates distractions to enable users to be utterly immersed in their content. This aspect of the design is bolstered by both the One Invisible Connection, which seamlessly combines the AV and power cords, as well as those of peripheral devices, into a single, transparent cable, and the new Ambient Mode, which allows the TVs to display ambient images that enable them to seamlessly blend in with their surroundings.

Going forward, Samsung will continue to innovate with exciting TV technologies that will foster even more enriching and immersive viewing experiences. These include quantum dots, as well as the self-emitting MicroLED modules that the company debuted at CES 2018. Look forward to more updates on that milestone development in the latter half of this year.

Check out the infographic below to learn more about Samsung’s recent landmark TV technologies.