LONDON, UK – 30 August 2023 – Over half of Brits (71%) are planning to watch the hotly anticipated rugby tournament from the sofa at home this September.

But when it comes to the big game, new research from Samsung has revealed that 44% of the nation are confused about the new rugby laws that will be introduced. And with over a quarter (27%) of the UK being self-professed sofa refs, there is more of a need than ever this year to understand the updates.

Which is why Former England rugby international and broadcaster Ugo Monye has teamed up with Samsung – for the recently launched 98” Q80C TV – to equip the nation to see clearly, without the need to ‘try’.

The presenter and pundit said: “Millions of people are excited about September’s line-up. And while the new laws are going to shake up the game – getting your head around the regulations is less exciting. But with the help of Samsung’s big TV’s, viewers can supersize their experience and feel like they are in the best seats in the stadium, ready from the comfort of their home for knock-out match analysis. Game on.”

Dan Harvie, Vice-President TV/AV Division, Samsung Electronics UK & Ireland added: “Ultra-large screen TVs are on the rise, as people look to watch more major cultural moments at home with friends and family.  And when it comes to the best way to watch rugby this September – bigger is better – our large screen TVs bring all the excitement of the stadium experience to consumers right from their homes. In fact, our customers are typically upsizing their TVs by an average of 13 inches, which is why we’re producing televisions with 98-inch screens for the first time ever. With the introduction of the new rugby laws, it’s never been a better time to upsize your screen to enjoy all the action up close in the sharpest definition.”

Ugo shares his top tips on the key laws to look out for over the next few weeks:

• Shot Clock: The main law change that rugby fans will notice is the shot clock. Designed to speed up play on the field and stop time-wasting, players have 90 seconds to take a conversion, 60 seconds for a penalty kick. Scrums and lineouts have a time limit of 30 seconds whilst the ball must be released within 5 seconds for rucks.

• Bunker: Another major introduction is the Bunker. Recently trialled at the Summer Nations Series, the match referee will be able to consult the Foul Play Review Official stationed in the ‘Bunker’ if they are unable to determine if a possible incident of foul play isn’t clear or obvious after two big screen replays.

• TMO innovations – Also known as Television Match Official, the TMO is an individual who watches the match action on a TV screen away from the pitch and feeds information to the referee via an earpiece. For this year, TMOs can only interrupt play to investigate serious or dangerous play that the officials have missed.

• Deliberate foul play – Referees can now show a full red card to players on the pitch for intentional foul play. Players that are handed a full red card will not be able to return to the pitch and can’t be replaced.

Samsung’s 98” Q80C TV is the ultimate TV for individuals that want to supersize their entertainment and enjoy all the thrills of the stadium experience at home – perfect for having friends over & group watching all the rugby action. Driven by the Neural Quantum Processor 4K, it uses AI Upscaling technology to enhance image quality to fit a super large screen, enhancing the depth and sharpness of the content allowing you to see every bit of crisp detailing on the pitch. Combined with Quantum HDR+ technology, it delivers superior black and brightness performance allowing you to see every bit of crisp detailing on the pitch as if you are in the stadium.

For more information on Samsung’s large screen TV range including the 98” Q80C TV, visit: https://www.samsung.com/uk/big-screen-tv/

LONDON, UK – 07th July, 2023 – Today, Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd, leader of the global TV market for 17 consecutive years^[1] has announced its new 98” QLED Q80C TV in Europe expanding its premium TV line-up and providing even more unique differentiation choices for all picture and design needs.

“In recent years, we have observed a growing consumer desire for larger screens. At Samsung, we are dedicated to providing superior products that improve the lives of our consumers and address their situational needs,” said Jose Barreiro-Lopez, Vice President of the Europe Visual Display Office, Samsung Europe.

“This new, super-sized addition to our QLED line-up is especially exciting, providing a more immersive entertainment experience, making movies feel like you’re at the theatre, sporting events like you’re really in the stadium and gaming like you are in the middle of all the action. At Samsung we open up the world of entertainment, powered by ground breaking technology and complimented with amazing content partnerships. We bring every experience to life.”

Samsung is also offering consumers free delivery and installation worth £585, plus £1000 off when recycling their old TV^[2], as well as a free Q600C soundbar^[3] worth £599, allowing consumers to experience immersive surround sound at home. What’s more, get a free wall bracket^[4] worth £229, spread the cost over 12-36 months at 0% APR representative, benefit from a 5 year warranty and receive 6 months Disney+ worth £47^[5].

Introducing 98” QLED Q80C

Dive into the full power of AI with Q80C. Driven by a 4K Neural Quantum Processor, it uses AI Upscaling technology to enhance image quality to fit a super large screen, enhancing the depth and sharpness of the content^[6]. Combine this with Quantum HDR+ technology, delivering superior black and brightness performance allowing you to see every bit of the crisp detailing. Partnering with the 100% colour volume of Quantum Dot, this allows viewers to see even the brightest of scenes and worlds full of over a billion colours. Enjoy only on Samsung screens, vibrant, authentic colours all validated by PANTONE, bursting into life on your screen. If this makes you want to spend hours immersed in your favourite content, you can also help reduce strain on your eyesight by switching to EyeComfort Mode, an intelligent picture setting designed to automatically adjust the screen’s brightness and tone based on a built-in light sensor and sunset to sunrise information. If viewers are watching the TV during evenings, the EyeComfort Mode will enable the blue light level reducer to allow pictures to appear warmer and more comfortable for the eyes.

Q80C’s SuperSlim design fits seamlessly into your home. Its stunning, super slim and near bezel-less design provides an ultra-clear window into your entertainment. An immersive experience is not complete without incredible sound, and despite its SuperSlim design, sound can boom from this TV. Built into the Q80C, Dolby Atmos provides exceptional sound quality allowing viewers to indulge in their favourite shows with a virtual 3D sound experience. Samsung’s Object Tracking Sound Lite lets you feel every beat of the action, elevated by Q-Symphony to orchestrate TV and soundbar in perfect harmony meaning watchers can have the premium sound experience, with sound playing from both the TV and soundbar together.

SuperSlim Design

All your favourites, all in one place

All Samsung 2023 TVs feature Samsung Smart Hub, an intuitive user interface that seamlessly centralises your entertainment. Gamers will have access to the Samsung Gaming Hub^[7], a cloud-based app with games from some of the world’s biggest developers such as Fornite, Forza and Minecraft Legends, and console games run ultra-smooth on Q80C’s Motion Xcelrator Turbo+. Game like a pro as FreeSync Premium Pro provides tear free, stutter free low-latency HDR gaming, allowing gamers to have an exceptional user experience when playing HDR games, movies and other content.

Love your TV shows? Super-size the content you can view via them too when you access a vast range of entertainment on Samsung TV Plus, free on Samsung TVs. Add a new layer of entertainment with Philips Hue Sync, a partnership that brings a lighting setup that is both immersive and intelligent, syncing beautifully with your viewing or gaming experiences.

The 98” Q80C is available from 7th July.

[1] Omdia research – https://news.samsung.com/global/recognizing-innovative-excellence-samsung-tops-global-tv-market-for-17-consecutive-year

[2] The trade-up discount you receive is an incentive to recycle and to purchase a new Samsung television; it is not a trade-in value for the recycled television. Recycled televisions are non-returnable and have a zero value. If you return the television you purchased for a refund (for any reason) you will not receive any amount or value for your recycled television. You will be required to fully uninstall your television and make sure it is ready for collection at the same time we deliver your new television. We reserve the right to refuse the delivery if you fail to do so. A surcharge equal to the amount of the discount you received will apply if you do not recycle or have your television ready for recycling. Each household may only recycle one of each type of product and will receive only one trade-up discount for each product type recycled.

[3] Purchase from Samsung online by 25.07.23. Free soundbar automatically added at checkout. While stocks last.

[4] Purchase from Samsung online by 25.07.23. Free bracket automatically added at checkout.

[5] Spread the cost – all credit is subject to status and only available to UK residents over 18, with a UK Bank account and valid driver’s license, passport, or identity card. Credit duration is variable, and you could be offered credit at a higher rate than the representative APR set out above based on your personal financial circumstances and what you tell us. For smaller baskets of between £150 and £250 a minimum upfront payment of 20% is required and 12 months fixed monthly payments. For loans above £250, a 10% deposit is required and up to 36 months of fixed monthly payments. By accepting our credit you consent to a credit check being completed which will appear on your credit file. Warranty available on selected purchases between 22 March 2023 and 31 March 2024. Redeem your warranty within 90 days of purchase. For terms and conditions, visit https://www.samsung.com/uk/offer/5-year-samsung-tvwarranty/

[6] AI Upscaling may not apply to PC connection and Game Mode.

[7] Internet connection, additional gaming service subscription and compatible controller required. Gaming Hub not available in Republic of Ireland.