Samsung Introduces 2016 SUHD Line of Televisions

Samsung has introduced a new line of SUHD televisions at CES in Las Vegas. The new models feature an anti-reflective coating inspired by the eye of a moth and for better HDR reproduction, maximum brightness has been increased to 1000cd/m².

The new SUHD televisions are all equipped with a 10-bit UHD image panel with a quantum dot backlight. SUHD is the name Samsung gives to its high-end UHDTVs. The environment has been taken into account during production because the new panels are completely cadmium-free. To counteract reflections, the panels now feature ultra black technology that absorbs ambient light in a similar way to the eye of the moth. Because of this, and because the maximum brightness has now been increased to more than 1000cd/m², it is possible to display HDR in a lit room.

All smart TVs of the Korean brand run on the Tizen operating system, which has been given a new ‘smart hub’ home screen with the 2016 version. Samsung has announced that in 2016 there will be about 500 games on its TVs via the Playstation Now streaming service, but this service is only available in North America and the United Kingdom for now. It is not yet known whether Playstation Now will also be available in other countries on Samsung TVs this year.

For 2016 there is also a new Smart Control remote with motion detection that can be used as a universal remote control. Devices such as set-top boxes, game consoles and home cinema systems can be controlled with it. Because the TV itself detects which brand and type of device is connected, it is not necessary to configure this function before use.

All new SUHD models can serve as an internet-of-things hub. To this end, Samsung acquired SmartThings in 2014. There are now more than two hundred devices that are compatible with SmartThings, making it possible, for example, to control lights and see who is at the front door on the TV, after which the door can be unlocked via the TV remote control. Full functionality requires a separately purchased SmartThings Extend USB adapter.

A special model in the new line-up is the curved ‘bezelless’ KS9500 SUHD TV. According to Samsung, the bezel has been ‘omitted’ so that nothing can distract from the images shown on the screen. This design philosophy has been extended to the back where screws are no longer visible to create a TV that looks good from any angle. It is not yet known when the new models will be available in the Benelux and no prices have been mentioned yet.