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Samsung's latest 8K TVs will include 4K over-the-air tuners
Samsung's next wave of 8K TVs are likely to have numerous features to catch your eye, but one of the more important additions may be one of the simplest: an improvement to free broadcasts. The tech giant has revealed that its 2020 QLED 8K catalog will include ATSC 3.0 tuners with NEXTGEN TV to deliver over-the-air 4K programming, multi-channel object-based audio and "enhanced" content to US viewers. Your TV still won't be used to its fullest potential, but this beats having to pay for cable or streaming services to get a live TV picture beyond 1080p.
Samsung's zero-bezel 8K TV is real
Samsung Korea has announced the premium 8K TV it's bringing to CES 2020, confirming that the recently-leaked image is real. The Q950 is not only a super-high resolution TV, it also "sets a new standard" for TV screens with its Infinity Design -- according to the company at least. Other than a small edge along the bottom, there's really no frame to speak of, and Samsung says it measures only 15mm thick. Inside, its AI "quantum processor" powers a revamped UI that's good for upscaling any source to 8K as well as accessing TV over an antenna, or streaming services, with a universal guide that can combine recommendations from several apps at once.
Samsung's QLED 8K TV will be one of the first certified by the 8K Association
Samsung has fired a shot in a brewing 8K standards war by announcing that its 8K QLED TVs will be among the first to be certified by the fledgling 8K Association (8KA) sometime next year. That means the sets will hit a minimum 7,680 x 4,320 resolution (twice that of UHD), while peaking out at 600 nits of brightness and supporting HDMI2.1 and HEVC (H.265) standards. That could include models like Samsung's rumored bezel-free Q950T.
Samsung will gladly help you check if your OLED TV has burn-in
Samsung might be all about OLED in smartphone displays, but it's steered away from using those types of screens for its TVs, instead harnessing LCD and QLED tech. As part of its efforts to remind people that OLED can be susceptible to burn-in, it has released a super-helpful (and not at all borne out of self-interest) way to check your screen for the problem.
TCL opens up pre-orders for its 8-series 4K QLED TVs
Less than a month after putting its 6-series 4K QLED TVs on sale, TCL is opening up pre-orders for its 8-series displays through Best Buy. The 8-series is a newcomer to the TCL Roku TV range. Like the 6-series, it boasts boast quantum dot LED technology for better color performance, along with support for Dolby Vision, HDR10, HLG (Hybrid Log Gamma) and Dolby Atmos. It works with Google Assistant, Alexa and Roku Voice and comes with a voice remote.
TCL's 2019 quantum dot-enhanced 4K TVs go on sale starting at $599
Over the last few years TCL has developed a reputation for releasing high-quality, low-price 4K TVs, with Roku's smart TV platform built-in as well as support for Dolby Vision HDR and Atmos audio. Its 2018 lineup garnered awards and recommendations from all over, and the 2019 model year TVs are ready to roll out. TCL announced details on its new 6- and 8-series models last month, and now revealed that the mainstream 6-series 4K TVs are on sale. That includes a 55-inch model that starts at $599, which is $50 less than the same size last year, and a 65-inch version that carries over the $799 starting price from 2018.
Samsung to fight falling profits with midrange phones, 'mainstream' 8K
As Samsung expected, its Q2 profit is off from last year's by about 56 percent. An operating profit of $5.6 billion (6.6 trillion Korean won) is no small figure, but obviously not up to par for the electronics giant, and follow a similar result in Q1 of this year. A big reason for the fall is a drop in prices for memory chips, which Samsung is a major supplier of for products like smartphones and servers. It's also negatively affected by weak iPhone sales since it supplies Apple with parts, and is facing slower sales for its own high-end phone models. Last year Samsung was looking toward foldable devices to help turn around the trend, and after a delay it's still expecting the Galaxy Fold to join its Galaxy Note 10 as an "innovative" new product launch. According to the company's report, it's also pushing ahead on 5G.
Amazon previews Prime Day deals before the shopping frenzy
Amazon claims Prime Day 2019 will be a "two-day parade of more than a million deals." The action starts July 15th and new deals will drop as often as every five minutes for a full 48 hours. Today, Amazon released a preview of what's to come.
Samsung tweet suggests scanning your smart TV for malware every few weeks
This morning a Samsung customer support account tweeted an odd warning that, to prevent malicious software attacks on your smart TV, you should scan it for viruses every few weeks. It even included an instructional video to help you do so. The tweet, first spotted by The Verge, was short lived. Samsung has since removed it, but it existed long enough to raise a few red flags.
LG's 8K OLED TV is as big as it is expensive
Sorry, 4K TV owners, your days of bigging up your entertainment setup to pals is nearing an end -- 8K has officially arrived, and as LG's newest offering proves, it's almost sarcastic in its lavishness. LG is now accepting pre-orders for its 8K OLED -- the world's first -- which boasts eye-watering resolution and a price tag to match.
Samsung's first iTunes-ready TVs are here
Samsung's 2019 QLED TVs are rolling out in earnest, and they're widening Apple's ecosystem in the process. You can either purchase or pre-order the 8K Q900 as well as a host of 4K sets (the high-end Q series, the fashionable Lifestyle series or the budget RU line), and all of them will support the promised iTunes Movies & Videos app. You won't have to buy an Apple TV or otherwise jump through hoops to watch iTunes purchases and rentals in the living room. AirPlay 2 casting support is still coming "soon," and will reach 2018 TVs through a firmware update.
Samsung dives into 8K, MicroLEDs and more at CES
As we expected, 8K TVs were a huge topic at CES this year. Samsung already showed off its 8K QLED at IFA, but at CES we got a glimpse at the shipping models, including the huge 98-inch Q900R. It's cool tech, but there won't be any true 8K content for a while. Samsung's Scott Cohen explains why he thinks the company's AI upscaling could help give consumers a reason to go 8K. Additionally, the company showed off its latest MicroLED sets at CES, which includes a sensible 75-inch version and an enormous 219-inch set. As Cohen explains, that tech could give consumers more flexibility to deploy large screens. And honestly, it seems a lot more useful than 8K at the moment.
Samsung's imposing 98-inch 8K TV defines CES opulence
Samsung's initial 85-inch 8K TV was just the tip of the iceberg. The electronics giant has formally unveiled its 2019 TV lineup at CES, and the QLED-based Q900 series will include a range of 8K models headlined by a massive, intimidating 98-inch version -- if you have the room and cash for it, you can make sure you see every last pixel. There will also be 65-, 75-, 82- and 85-inch sets in case your bank account or living space isn't sufficiently enormous.
Samsung's 2019 TVs could add Google Assistant AI along with Bixby
CES 2019 is right around the corner, and we're preparing to learn all about next year's major electronics releases. Of course that will include a slew of new TVs, and Variety reports that Samsung is planning a couple of upgrades focused on AI assistants and audio. While the company enhanced the 2018 QLED TVs with its own Bixby AI assistant, next year it could go a step further with support for third party technology, namely Google Assistant. Other manufacturers already support assistants from companies like Google and Amazon, and opening up access will make linking to the rest of the smart home that much easier for people who don't go all-in on Samsung's brand. The other major upgrade mentioned applies to audio, with Variety pointing out trademarks recently filed around spatial and volume intelligence. From the names, it seems like Samsung might be planning technology similar to what we've seen in Google's Home Max and Apple's HomePod, where it can learn more about the room it is in and adjust sound accordingly. We'll find out the real information in just a few more days once the show starts in Las Vegas.
Samsung adds QLED screens to its artsy Frame and Serif TVs
Samsung designed the Frame and Serif TVs to be stylish additions to your home, like some sort of art piece that you can also use to watch movies. So, it's not surprising that the tech giant has announced an upgrade that's supposed to make them look even better: The 2019 versions of the two models will come with QLED screens.
Samsung's case for buying an 8K TV: Why wait?
Samsung and LG will forever be locked in a perpetual tug-of-war, and display tech is just one of the many fronts on which they tussle. Conference halls are their battleground, and at IFA this year, 8K TVs were their weapons. But where LG's model was a sneak peek at what may come to pass, Samsung's was ready to box up and sell. Speaking to Samsung execs this week, I asked them why on earth someone would by a 8K TV right now. Their case was simple: Why wouldn't they?
Samsung's 85-inch 8K TV is available to pre-order for $15,000
Samsung's gigantic 8K QLED TV is very nearly available in the US... and you might need to take out a loan to afford it. The company has opened up American pre-orders for the 85-inch Q900 ahead of its October 28th ship date, and it will cost you a staggering $15,000. While that's not the most expensive bleeding-edge set we've seen (remember when a 4K TV cost $20,000?), it still means monthly payments closer to what you'd expect for a car.
8K TVs are coming, but ignore the hype
It's time to throw out your 4K TV, 8K is here! Well, not quite. At IFA in Berlin this week, Samsung, LG and TCL showed off their upcoming 8K sets. It's like a flashback to the early days of 4K in 2013 -- all of a sudden the video format we've been hearing about for years is finally gearing up to reach consumers. Samsung is planning to actually sell its 8K QLED TV, LG gave us a glimpse at the world's first 8K OLED TV. But is this actually a huge leap beyond 4K? That's where things get complicated.
Samsung unveils an 8K QLED TV you'll actually be able to buy
Back at CES, Samsung gave us a glimpse at the Q9S 8K TV, which notably used artificial intelligence to upscale content to 8K. That was cool, but it was just a concept. During its IFA presentation today, the company unveiled its first 8K QLED TV that'll actually be available for purchase: The Q900R. It loses the easel-like design of the concept for a more traditional stand but it packs in many of the same features, including a real 8K resolution and AI upscaling. Samsung claims the set will also feature a 4,000 nit peak brightness, as well as support for the HDR10+ standard, which can optimize content on the fly. The Q900R will be available in 65-inch, 75-inch, 82-inch and 85-inch sizes.
Samsung ships its curved QLED monitor with Thunderbolt 3
Thunderbolt 3 displays are still quite rare in the PC world, let alone curved ones, but Samsung is ready to supply both at once. After a preview at CES, it's releasing its CJ79 curved QLED monitor worldwide. The 34-inch screen mates an ultra-wide 3,440 x 1,440 quantum dot screen (including a 125 percent sRGB color gamut) with two Thunderbolt 3 ports that provide 85W of power, a display signal and data through a single cable. Samsung pitches it as a productivity hub for MacBook Pro and Windows laptop owners who want a vast workspace without straining their eyes looking at a flat screen.
