Samsung Enhances AI TV Market Position with 7-Year Complimentary Tizen OS Upgrade

Samsung Electronics has made a significant strategic move to reinforce its leadership in the AI TV market by introducing a seven-year free upgrade for its Tizen operating system (OS) on AI TVs. This initiative, announced by Yoon Seok-woo, President of Samsung Electronics' Visual Display Business Division, during an August 22 briefing at Samsung’s Digital Research Lab in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province, is part of Samsung's broader strategy to secure a dominant position in the AI and IoT (Internet of Things) sectors.

Yoon emphasized that Samsung's AI TV initiative, combined with the Tizen OS's long-term support, will help widen the market share gap with its Chinese competitors. Tizen, Samsung's in-house developed OS, is already the world’s largest smart TV platform, powering over 270 million Samsung smart TVs as of last year. This dominance in the smart TV market positions Tizen as a critical component in leading the AI and IoT era.

The seven-year free upgrade service applies to AI TV models released in March 2024 and select 2023 models. This move aligns with Samsung's strategy of offering extended software support, similar to the seven-year free software updates for the Galaxy S24 series, which also launched this year. Samsung envisions AI TVs as the central hub of the AI-powered smart home, connecting and controlling other AI appliances such as refrigerators and air conditioners. Yoon highlighted that this integration sets Samsung apart from Chinese competitors, allowing users to monitor and manage their smart home devices through the TV, even when it’s off or when they’re away from home.

In the first half of 2024, Samsung Electronics retained its top position in the global TV market, capturing 28.8% of the market share by revenue. However, competition remains fierce, with Chinese companies TCL and Hisense jointly holding a 22.1% share. Alongside the Tizen upgrade announcement, Samsung unveiled several new AI-driven technologies. These include enhanced voice command capabilities, allowing AI TVs to execute dual instructions simultaneously. For instance, users can now ask the TV to "Find a movie with chicken and a detective, and turn off the power in two hours," and it will execute both commands.

Another innovative feature, set to roll out early next year, is a real-time translation tool that provides Korean subtitles for foreign broadcasts, such as English news channels like CNN. Samsung also introduced a 'Generative Wallpaper' feature, which suggests images based on the user’s emotions and preferences, and the “Relumino Mode” to improve visual accessibility by making screen outlines and colors more distinct for visually impaired users.

Samsung Electronics has made a strategic leap to bolster its leadership in the AI TV market with the announcement of a seven-year free upgrade plan for its Tizen operating system (OS) on AI-enabled TVs. This groundbreaking initiative was revealed by Yoon Seok-woo, President of Samsung Electronics’ Visual Display Business Division, during a press briefing held on August 22 at the Digital Research Lab within Samsung’s Suwon Campus in Gyeonggi Province. 

Yoon emphasized that Samsung’s decision to offer a seven-year free upgrade for the Tizen OS on AI TVs is a pivotal move designed to significantly widen the market share gap with its Chinese competitors. He highlighted how Samsung has been pushing the boundaries of innovation, stating, “Since declaring the era of AI screens earlier this year, we have been establishing the formula ‘AI TV = Samsung.’” This formula is not just a marketing slogan but a reflection of Samsung’s strategic vision to integrate AI deeply into its consumer electronics ecosystem.

The Tizen OS, a proprietary platform developed in-house by Samsung, has already become the cornerstone of Samsung’s smart TV strategy. As of last year, Tizen was running on over 270 million Samsung smart TVs worldwide, making it the largest smart TV platform globally. This extensive deployment of Tizen positions Samsung as a critical player in leading the AI and IoT era, where interconnected devices and seamless user experiences are paramount.