With its innovative television solutions, Samsung, the leader of the global TV market for the past 15 straight years, is realizing ‘A Better Normal’ in users’ actual lives. In part two of this series, Samsung Newsroom looks at how global trends and innovative products like Samsung’s television line-up have come to shape the very ways consumers live their lives.

How Lifestyle TVs Reflect Our Distinct Lives

Contemporary users spend a lot of time with their TVs. Thus, it is important that they select a TV that is a match for their individual lifestyle. According to its product development philosophy, which prioritizes ‘respect for all users’ preferences’, Samsung has developed innovations in fields ranging from screen design to user experience. And with Samsung opening the door to an era of more flexible and customizable lifestyle televisions, users no longer need to match their lifestyles to their TVs.

One initial aspect that Samsung analyzed was distinct patterns across different generations and lifestyles. A variety of lifestyles were taken into consideration in order to develop products that would fit a range of needs. For example, The Sero, a Samsung TV capable of alternating between vertical and horizontal orientation, was launched to meet the needs of a Millennial generation that enjoys consuming mobile content. Likewise, The Serif, a TV with an iconic design, was developed to satisfy those who value aesthetic appeal. The Frame, a TV that can be hung like a piece of artwork, is for those who prioritize artistic appeal.

The Premiere, an ultra-short throw (UST) projector which transforms the home into a theater, is another case in point. This industry’s first triple laser projector with 4K resolution and Smart TV UI delivers a remarkable in-home cinema viewing experience. Samsung went even further in meeting a range of diverse user needs with The Terrace, an outdoor TV that allows users to expand their home entertainment experiences to the outdoors.

Bigger is Better: The Trends Behind the Evolution of Premium TVs

Formerly minor facets of our lives like home training, telecommuting, and remote learning have become major parts of our regular routines recently. As we are required to spend more time indoors, more people are both working and playing from home, making our screens our windows to the wider world. Thus, more and more users have been investing in larger screens and premium televisions, with the popularization of various OTT services also contributing to this. Last year, experts forecasted that sales of large-screen TVs (over 75” in size) and 8K-resolution TVs would rise by 22% and 118% respectively this year¹.

Samsung Electronics took this trend into account too, diversifying its QLED TV model lineup to include 85, 75, 65, and 55-inch options. To further satisfy users with diverse expectations of large-screen TV functionality, Samsung also implemented 8K maximum resolution on the televisions and maintained a keen emphasis on sound quality. In particular, Samsung’s Object Tracking Sound (OTS) technology, a dynamic sound feature that corresponds to the movement of objects on screen, allows users to experience more realistic sounds while consuming their content. To further deliver optimized gaming performance, Samsung has also partnered with AMD to develop the first TVs with Freesync Premium Pro support for both PC and console games in its 2021 Neo QLED and QLED lineup.

These days users can experience the very best in displays from the comfort of their homes. For instance, the MICRO LED 110” model that Samsung unveiled in December 2020 breaks new ground in the premium display domain by showing users just how attractive a large-screen TV can be. The MICRO LED uses micrometer-sized LED lights to eliminate the backlight and color filters utilized in conventional displays. It is self-illuminating, producing stunningly lifelike colors and brightness through its 24 million individually controlled LEDs. The television’s Monolith design, defined by its screen-to-body ratio of over 99%, additionally allows it to fit naturally anywhere in the home. The new Multi View feature, which allows users to watch up to four different content sources simultaneously, is also available on Samsung’s MICRO LEDs.

Eco-Friendly – From Manufacturing to Disposal

When it comes to the environment, Samsung has adopted eco-friendly policies that cover the lifecycle of its TV products, beginning with the manufacturing stage. The use of recycled plastic materials has been applied to certain products in the manufacturing process, and the company’s Eco-Packaging, which sees previously discarded packaging materials upcycled, has been implemented. First used for 2020 lifestyle TVs, Samsung is now extending this packaging scheme to the entire 2021 TV lineup.

The company has also introduced Solar Cell Remote Controls, which can be recharged by indoor light, outdoor light or via USB. These remote controls will be featured with all 2021 Neo QLED models, removing the need for disposable batteries.

Samsung’s ‘Screens Everywhere, Screens for All’ vision aims to not only provide the best screen experience for all users, but to contribute to realizing a sustainable future. Looking forward, Samsung Electronics will continue working to provide optimal display solutions and create people-centered innovations while catering to ever-changing environments and trends.

1. Market research firm OMDIA forecasted that, in 2021, shipments of large-screen TVs (over 75” in size) would reach 7.62 million units, a 22% increase over the 6.27 million units last year. It also predicted that 8K TV shipments would reach 571 thousand units in 2021, surpassing the 262 thousand units in 2020.

From black and white to color, analog to digital, and digital to smart TVs­—Samsung Electronics has been there for all the key historic moments in the development of the television. Over time, Samsung has established itself as a global television leader by applying innovative technologies and staying a step ahead when it comes to identifying global lifestyle trends.

And Samsung’s innovation hasn’t slowed in 2021. Even in the unprecedented era of the global pandemic, the company recorded a revenue-based TV market share of 31.9%¹  in 2020. This was the highest figure the company had ever recorded, and means that Samsung has retained its number one spot in the global TV market for the 15^th consecutive year. In this two-part series, Samsung Newsroom will explore the legacy of Samsung TVs, which have long been pioneers in the sector.

A History of Excellence

Samsung released its initial ‘world’s first’ television in 1998 with the launch of its 55-inch projection TV. The company’s initial securing of this title was partially brought about by its helping to lead the global transition from analog to digital television.

Samsung went on to further change the game by releasing its LCD TV in the early 2000s. Around this time the company successfully popularized wall-mountable LCD TVs, leading to the inception of the golden age of LCD TVs. Samsung also launched a 46-inch (116cm) LCD TV—which was then the largest in the industry—and consequently altered the approach of an industry that had not been focused on large-screen TVs up to then. The 46-inch LCD TV, which cost more than USD 13,000 back then, was widely welcomed and helped spur the success of LCD TVs.

Samsung’s Bordeaux LCD TV, naturally portraying the tones of a fine wine

The Bordeaux LCD TV, released by Samsung in 2006, is another example that shows how innovation-based, outside-the-box thinking has changed the face of the sector forevermore. Developers began to question the long-term feasibility of thick, heavy, vacuum-tube-based televisions and instead started to dream of TVs that were lightweight and aesthetically sophisticated. The Bordeaux TV was the result, with its sales numbers exceeding one million in the first six months of its release. The Bordeaux TV featured a speaker that was relocated from both sides of the TV to the bottom, and highlighted its sophistication with a crimson color and curved edges. In addition to marking the launch of the Bordeaux TV, 2006 was also the first time in the company’s history that Samsung ranked first in the global television market. The company has continued to hold that position for 15 consecutive years, and still holds it today.

The Commitment to Realizing the Best Definition Ever Seen

Aiming to provide the absolute best experience to its television users, Samsung has maintained a keen commitment to improving image resolution. In a time of constantly changing lifestyle patterns and an ever-expanding pool of content, true technological innovation remains a primary driving force when it comes to retaining the TV industry’s top spot.

Samsung’s LED TV, which received attention for its innovative, integrated technologies

At CES 2009, Samsung introduced the beginning of the LED TV era. The company’s LED televisions used light emitting diodes (LEDs), which are semiconductor-based light sources that emit light when current flows through them, to realize very clear image resolution. About 50 engineers worked for around two years to completely redesign all components of the TV, obtaining more than 3,000 patents as they worked to realize the potential of LED TV technology. The resulting televisions would go on to distinguish themselves by creating a whole new domain for the industry.

Samsung’s QLED TV, first introduced at CES 2017

Samsung’s QLED TV, which achieved 100 percent color volume for the first time in the industry, is another product that reached the peak of screen technology. In 2017, Samsung released this next-generation television, which was based on quantum dot (QLED) technology. The TV takes quantum dot technology to new heights with advancements in light efficiency, stability and a wider color spectrum. At this time, Samsung emphasized that it would be creating a new standard for the global TV market in accordance with its slogan, ‘The Next Innovation In TV.’

Samsung revealed its 2021 Neo QLED, a whole new display technology, during its First Look event ahead of CES 2021. Neo QLED is underpinned by Quantum Mini LED technology, which features LEDs that are 1/40^th the height of conventional LEDs and are precisely controlled by Samsung’s own Quantum Matrix Technology and Neo Quantum Processor, a powerful picture processor with enhanced upscaling capabilities. Thus, Samsung, which has remained a step ahead when it comes to introducing future display technology, continues to lead the global TV sector while further strengthening its unique position in the market.

Reflecting Users’ Tastes – The Inception of the ‘Era of Smart’ 

After leading the global TV market for 15 consecutive years, Samsung’s innovations have come to transform users’ lifestyles and daily routines too. As more and more users gained the ability to handpick the content they wanted to watch, Samsung launched the Samsung TV App Store in 2010. In particular, the app provided a variety of high-quality local content for different countries, which helped to expand viewer pools. By developing the app according to the viewing preferences of each region and accentuating content like sports, movies, and cooking, Samsung helped make the viewing experience more enjoyable and further advanced its leadership.

Samsung has also been offering its Samsung TV Plus² service since the service’s launch in 2015. Samsung TV Plus is the company’s free Smart TV video service, which provides instant access to news, sports, entertainment and more. The service has now been expanded to 12 countries, bringing access to over 60 million Samsung Smart TVs.

Samsung, which has always been ahead of the pack when it comes to making our societies smarter, will continue to put the users first by allowing them to select what they want to consume and catering its offerings to their tastes. As it continues to demonstrate the power of content, Samsung is planning to further expand its Smart TV experiences by increasing the number of countries where it can provide its services, as well as reinforcing its cooperation with broadcasting companies and content providers from around the world.

1. January 2021 data released by market research firm Omdia

2. Samsung TV Plus is currently available in select regions including the U.S., Canada, U.K., Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Switzerland, Austria, Korea, Australia, and Brazil. Service availability may vary by region and product.