Smart homes, smarter TVs for Samsung

Big TVs and smarter homes were the main themes of Samsung’s pre-CES press conference, as the company unveiled a new lineup of Super UHD TVs in Las Vegas.

New premium versions of its Gear S2 smartwatch were also announced, taking on the Apple Watch, along with a tablet that runs Windows 10.

In a different tack to its rivals, Samsung is opting to make the TV the heart of the connected home, turning it into a controller for your home systems. The new range utilises the internet of things hub technology the firm developed with SmartThings, making it compatible with more than 200 SmartThings devices, from door locks and lights to entry cameras.

"We think it's going to really help propel this industry," said Tim Baxter, president of Samsung Electronics America.

Like LG, Samsung has also been developing smarter home appliances, such as connected oven that you can preheat on your way home, and showed off a smart fridge - the Samsung Family Hub fridge - that allows owners to peek inside when they are out of the house, using cameras located inside the fridge.

“The refrigerator is no longer only a food storage appliance; it can be a device to share information and communicate with your family,” said Mr Baxter, adding that it could also make shopping and food management easier through partnerships.

The Family Hub also has a touchscreen that calendar reminders, photos and other items can be displayed and shared with family members.

"It's a true home appliance revolution," said John Herrington, senior vice president of Samsung Electronics America.

Included in Samsung’s TV lineup was a new curved SUHD TV that eliminates the bezel - or border - from the screen. Samsung’s Hyun Suk Kim said the new TVs represented the company’s “singular focus on innovation that matters most to consumers”.

The Gear S2 was also given a new look, with an 18-carat rose gold version joining a platinum S2.

Samsung has been developing wearables for some time, launching its first smartwatch in 2013, the Galaxy Gear. Initially, the South Korean firm opted to limit the use of the smartwatches to its own Galaxy line of Android phones. However, it has since rowed back a little on that decision, and one of the surprise announcements of Samsung’s event was that it planned to make the Gear S2 compatible with Apple’s iOS devices later this year.

“In 2015, we set a new standard with the Gear S2 in smart wearable category. We broke barriers to introduce one of Samsung’s most progressive wearable devices to date,” said Samsung’s Younghee Lee. “In 2016, we will continue to raise the bar, so that we can deliver products that our customers want most.”

There has been a drive in recent times to make the new generation of wearables more fashionable in an attempt to transform them from a niche product into a lucrative market. Tag Heuer is among the traditional watchmakers getting in on the new market.

Moving into the hybrid tablet market, Samsung showed off the Galaxy TabPro S, which runs Windows 10 and comes with a keyboard.