ISSUE 05 // JULY 10
The Opinion
Nagravision and Samsung make TV more interactive with Samsung Apps
Jason Han, senior manager of Samsung Electronics America, talks about adding applications to TV
What is Samsung Apps?
Samsung Apps is the world’s first HDTV-based application store where users can download and purchase applications from select 2010 Samsung HDTVs, Blu-ray players and home theatre systems. As a result of this new application platform, content owners and developers will now be able to develop one app that works across multiple devices, delivering a more consistent and intuitive experience for consumers.
Samsung Apps provides consumers with an expanded, easy-to-navigate selection of content and applications from leading content providers and services - all driven by the new, faster and more flexible Samsung platform. Applications can be downloaded and viewed all while watching TV. The first batch of TV apps will launch in the Spring free of charge, while premium apps will be available for purchase via the platform’s transactional interface in the summer of 2010.
The diverse range of apps will span video, information, lifestyle, games, and sports. Content partners will include AccuWeather.com, The Associated Press, Blockbuster, Fashion TV, Netflix, Pandora, Rovi, Twitter, USA TODAY, Vudu and YouTube. More apps from partners globally will also be available throughout the year.
What is Nagravision doing to enable this?
Nagravision is providing content publishing tools with simple application templates for creating and publishing applications on Samsung Apps. Consumers want to access web content on their connected devices and Nagravision’s tools make it easy to bring web and video content to them via personalised applications on widescreen TVs.
Everyone wins. Consumers get a more engaging experience in the comfort of their living room; content publishers can more easily create applications for Samsung Apps, which in turn provides a way for content partners to monetise their content.
Why did Samsung decide to go after this market to offer web-based applications to consumers?
Samsung’s goal over the past two years has been to really expand the boundaries in terms of consumer experience and to bring value to consumers via the connected TV, and 2010 is no different. The upgraded Internet@TV feature with Samsung Apps is another major step towards a truly personalised, easy to navigate and convenient connected TV experience. We’re offering it on the vast majority of TV models (40 inches and above) and are now extending those capabilities across multiple products. As a ‘connected TV’ market leader in 2008, Samsung was the first to deliver RSS feeds via its InfoLink feature, bringing news, weather and stock information directly to televisions for the first time. In early 2009, the company launched Internet@TV, the first widget-based TV service - and quickly captured 75% of the connected TV market share. Later that year, Samsung was the first to launch Blockbuster’s streaming movie rental and purchasing service on select HDTVs and Blu-ray players.
This year, people will be interacting with their televisions through a wide range of applications. They’ll be streaming HD video, viewing personal photos, interacting with friends and playing casual games – all at the push of a button on their remote control.
We saw a demo of the wireless capabilities combining mobiles with TV. Would you bring this to other phones like the iPhone?
I’m glad you asked. Samsung has actually developed an app in Apple’s App Store and it’s available now. The application is called ‘TV remote’ and is a WiFi remote control for 2010 Samsung internet-connected TVs. Connect your iPhone to the same router as your Samsung TV and the app will automatically search the TV as the app works as an ordinary remote control.
How will you attract developers? What developer tools would you offer?
The biggest driver for developers is access to millions of consumers through our TVs, Blu-ray players and home theatre systems. Using the Samsung Apps Software Developers Kit (SDK), content and application developers have new opportunities to build applications, content and services. The forthcoming developers programme will be an open platform that encourages anyone from premium content owners to individual developers to create their own applications. Samsung expects many more partners to become Samsung App developers by the end of 2010, which will make the content and services offered through the platform more diverse and robust than current competing connected televisions on the market.
Getting your hands on Samsung Apps
When will Samsung Apps be available?
The first batch of TV apps is now available for free, with premium apps available for purchasing via the platform in the summer.
How can consumers register for Samsung Apps?
Consumers don’t need to register to enjoy free apps now. They have to register and manage their payment account for premium apps from Samsung.com. This option will be available when we launch premium apps in summer, with options via a website. We’ll announce the details later this year.
Which Samsung TV models offer Internet@TV capability?
Several of the 2010 Samsung TV series in different sizes, including the majority of HDTVs with 40" screens and above, will offer movie streaming capabilities. These include our LED TV (C9000, C8000, C7000, C6800, C6500), LCD TV (C750, C650) and Plasma (C8000, C7000, C6500) line of televisions. Please go to Samsung.com for detail information.
Which Samsung Blu-ray players offer Internet@TV and Samsung Apps?
All Samsung Blu-ray players in 2010 will offer Samsung Apps. They include the BD-C7500, BD-C6900, BD-C6500 and BD-C5500 models. Please go to Samsung.com for detail information.
Can consumers stream the movies wirelessly, or via wired Ethernet only?
All the products mentioned above support streaming movie capabilities via either an Ethernet connection or wirelessly with the addition of a wireless dongle.
