Samsung Electronics Unveils 2020 QLED 8K TV at CES

Samsung Electronics introduced today its next-generation QLED 8K line at CES 2020 in Las Vegas, offering a glimpse into the future of display technology. 

It combines cutting-edge innovations that make the viewing experience more immersive with connected features that make consumer lifestyles more integrated to deliver the ultimate home entertainment experience.

The 2020 QLED 8K lineup provides consumers with an unprecedented viewing experience and unparalleled smart home integration. It leverages the power of enhanced AI (Artificial Intelligence) technology to improve audio, video and smart capabilities. Plus, it offers a range of smart features powered by Tizen, making it easier than ever for consumers to use voice commands and access new features like Tap View, Digital Butler and Samsung Health.

The ultimate expression of these different innovation is the new, flagship Q950TS QLED 8K TV, which is the first TV in the industry to feature surround sound audio, true-to-life 8K resolution and a stunning, ultra-thin form factor.

“8K resolution has the potential to transform our industry. Screens over 75” are the fastest growing segment in the market, and that segment is where 8K resolution matters the most,” said Joe Stinziano, Head of Consumer Electronics Business at Samsung Electronics America. “Our 2020 8K lineup demonstrates the power of this potential. Its unprecedented immersive capabilities and unparalleled smart features empower consumers to pursue their passions more simply and more comprehensively than ever before.” 

Reinventing TV Design

The Q950 practically eliminates the bezel around the display to create a screen-to-body ratio of nearly 99 percent, the largest in the market. When watching from about ten or fifteen feet away, consumers experience a stunning Infinity Screen effect where the bezels seem to disappear. The result is an even more immersive viewing experience that eliminates the boundaries between the TV and its surroundings.

In addition, the Q950 is only 15 millimeters thin across the entire display. In combination with a completely flat black panel, the Q950 can lay flush against the wall or create a striking silhouette when placed on a media stand.

Redefining Picture Quality

The 2020 QLED 8K lineup reflects Samsung’s commitment to leading the industry in the implementation, adoption, and playback of 8K resolutions. Every model in the lineup will meet the requirements of the 8K Association’s Certified Test Specifications as well as the CTA 8K Ultra HD Display Definition.

At the same time, the QLED 8K lineup is among the first in the industry to support the playback of native 8K content. In 2020, consumers will be able to enjoy and stream AV1 codec videos filmed in 8K on QLED 8K TVs. All Samsung TVs in the 2020 8K line will ship with this capability built-in.

And, Samsung is working with partners like YouTube to create pathways for streaming native 8K content.

In addition to building out the 8K ecosystem across the industry, the QLED 8K lineup helps consumers to experience the power of 8K resolution even when they are watching lower resolution content. Based on powerful Samsung semiconductor technology, the Q950’s next-generation Quantum Processor 8K features improved AI upscaling capabilities that use machine learning to analyze and identify the characteristics of individual pixels. It then restores different elements of the image to create a pristine 8K picture, regardless of the content source.

The Q950 also leverages the power of AI to ensure that nothing distracts viewers from their content. While traditional TV sensors can only adjust screen brightness based on the ambient light within the room, Adaptive Picture accounts for the distribution of light within the particular scene, ensuring that the TV can maintain a clear picture in bright rooms while still maintaining contrast.

Another common issue for consumers streaming content is the speed of their internet connection. AI ScaleNet ensures a smooth streaming connection by optimizing the available network bandwidth. It compresses content as it leaves the content provider and then restores it after it reaches the TV to effectively cut in half the bandwidth needed for consumers to stream content. Samsung Electronics is continuing to work with Amazon on this feature, utilizing AI ScaleNet from standard definition to 4K in Prime Video.

Reinvigorating Sound Performance

Since audio as important as video when it comes to an immersive streaming experience, the Q950 delivers some of the best TV audio on the market. It features speakers on every side of the display, as well as sub-woofers in the back. When combined with Object Tracking Sound+, which uses AI-based software to match the movement of audio sound with the movement of objects on the screen, the Q950 can deliver crisp and clear 5.1 channel surround-sound.

The Q950 can also adjust the volume of dialogue in response to common sounds like a blender or vacuum cleaner. Active Voice Amplifier (AVA) helps the 40% of U.S. consumers who say that these sounds tend to distract them while they’re watching TV by detecting the these noises and automatically enhancing voice clarity.

Finally, the Q950 is uniquely capable of using its built-in speakers as an additional audio channel when connected to a 2020 Q Series soundbar like the Q800, a 2020 CES Best of Innovation honoree. Q-Symphony pairs the audio from both devices together to create a dynamic and multi-dimensional soundscape.

Reinventing the Viewing Experience

Consumers today have access to—and are consuming—more streaming content than ever before. That’s why the 2020 QLED 8K TV line offers unique features that help consumers to better enjoy their content and interact with their different devices.

In 2020, Bixby, the Samsung’s AI assistant, is getting even smarter. Consumers can use their TV to change the mood of a room. For example, if they tell Bixby to create a calm atmosphere, the TV will then display a relaxing backdrop on the screen. In addition, Samsung will offer multiple voice assistant options in order to provide consumers a choice by integrating Amazon Alexa and the Google Assistant into Samsung’s 2020 QLED 8K line. Now users will enjoy easier access to the content they love, with expanded smart home and TV control capabilities.

The Q950 features a new and improved Universal Guide that uses AI-based algorithms to analyze the type of content that consumers watch, as well as the services and TV channels that they tend to use, to offer recommendations uniquely customized to their specific habits and tastes.

Through Samsung TV Plus, Samsung’s free smart TV video service, consumers can easily access new content, even if they have cut the cord. With just an internet connection, consumers can instantly access news, sports, entertainment, and more—with new options joining all the time. There are currently nearly 100 channels on Samsung TV Plus, including CBSN (CBS’s 24/7 live digital news channel), Yahoo Finance, Lively Place (from A&E Networks), Bon Appétit, VEVO, Outside TV+, and much more.

Reimagining Connected Living

The 2020 QLED 8K lineup accounts for the evolving ways in which consumers use screens today through innovative new features that integrate into modern lifestyles.

Because four out of every five people do not get enough regular exercise, Samsung has developed a fitness and wellness solution designed to fit around consumers’ hectic schedules. The Q950 can serve as the central hub for fitness and mindfulness within the home through the launch of Samsung Health on TV. Through Samsung Health on the Q950, consumers will be able to see their activities, track their progress, and pursue shared fitness goals with the entire family. Plus, they will have access to free and exclusive content from leading partners, including Calm, FitPlan, Jillian Michaels, Echelon, Obe Fitness, and Barre 3 and more.

In addition, more consumers are using their mobile devices while watching content on their TVs, even though it can be difficult to see everything happening on both devices. Multi-View ensures that these consumers won’t miss a thing on either screen by projecting the screen of the consumer’s mobile device onto the TV alongside a separate window for their TV content. With 14 different layouts, users can customize their viewing experience, from side-by-side viewing to picture-in-picture viewing along with several other options.

To create an even more streamlined experience for consumers, the Q950 also offers novel ways of mirroring your mobile device and controlling your home devices. Tap View empowers consumers to mirror their phone screens to the TV just by touching the two devices together. And with Digital Butler, consumer can control more devices than ever before by using infrared technology to detect and control non-IoT devices within the home.