Samsung is set to take it right up to Apple with the Korean Company set to reveal a brand new slick TV interface and a new range of OLED TVs at the 2013 CES event in Las Vegas in January.After spending more than $250 million on software development, Samsung is set to reveal a new look TV that incorporates a brand new simplified interface and streaming service similar to what the current Apple TV service delivers. Gone is the cluttered TV interface found on the current range of Samsung Smart TVs.
The Korean Company is believed to have developed their Bada software to run on a TV, designed initially for smartphones. The Bada software allows Samsung to deliver new applications, content streaming and their own advertising platform which will be a blow to free to air TV stations in Australia.
Read: EXCLUSIVE: 2013 CES Reveal For New Samsung Brand
We can also reveal that Samsung Electronics Australia is currently working closely with the Hoyts cinema group and Foxtel to deliver a new level of movie streaming to a new range of OLED TVs that will be launched in Australia in April 2013.
A Company source in Asia told SmartHouse that software is critical to the future success of Samsung products and that the Company is “quickly closing in on Apple and their iOS operating software”.
“We recognise that the consumer wants simple easy to use applications on their TV and mobile devices via the use of smart software . We already have excellent hardware now we are set to launch new products with a software capability that takes our products to a new level” a Samsung source said.
Philip Newton, the Director of AV for Samsung Australia, said that the Company is planning to launch new OLED TVs at CES that are “stunning.” He also confirmed that new software and a a new range of content services will be launched in Australia in 2013.
In what will be a major blow to the struggling Quickflix organisation, Hoyts has confirmed that they are working with Samsung to deliver a new content service to multiple Samsung devices.
An unlimited streaming service for movies and TV services will be launched on the new Samsung platform a Hoyts executive confirmed to SmartHouse.
“What makes us different is the whole end-to-end space,” Hoyts chief marketing officer Crispin Tristram said.
“The activity that you drive through streaming will be creating rewards through cinemas.”
“We’ve spoken to our customers, we’ve made sure the technology is out there [to use],” he said, citing 4G mobile services and the national broadband network rollout as contributing factors to the readiness.
Foxtel is also working with Samsung to expand their content offering on the new range of Samsung OLED Smart TVs.
Foxtel chief executive Richard Freudenstein recently struck a deal with Hollywood hit factory HBO that locks out the free-to-air networks from buying programs such as Boardwalk Empire in a second window.
“It’s a long-term deal and we get all first-run HBO programming on Foxtel,” he said recently, adding: “You won’t see those programs on free-to-air.”
A new Foxtel application will allow Samsung customers to acces Foxtel services including movies and Fox Sport content.
