Samsung Electronics has revealed its plan to offer seven years of free operating system updates for its new AI-powered smart TVs. The updates, targeting TVs that run on the Tizen OS, will initially cover models released in March 2024 and selected models from 2023. This announcement was made recently at the company’s Suwon Campus in South Korea.
The decision to provide seven years of OS updates differs from Samsung’s usual policy of mainly releasing minor patches and bug fixes without upgrading the Tizen operating system. The strategy comes as Samsung faces growing competition from Chinese brands like Hisense and TCL.Â
Although Samsung continues to lead the global smart TV market, recent figures from Omdia show its market share has fallen to around 29 percent in the first half of this year, compared to over 31 percent the previous year. In contrast, TCL and Hisense have been making gains, reaching market shares of 12.1 percent and 10 percent, respectively.
Samsung’s Tizen OS, developed in collaboration with Intel, powers over 270 million Samsung smart TVs worldwide. As Chinese manufacturers continue to expand their reach, Samsung’s move could help it maintain its leadership in the smart TV sector.
Yoon Seok-Yoon, President of Samsung Electronics Visual Display Business Division, emphasized that the expanded Tizen OS updates for AI TVs are widening the market share gap with Chinese competitors. However, Samsung has not yet specified which models will be included in the new update policy. Initially, only select models from 2023 and those released in March 2024 will benefit, but the company plans to extend the updates to more models over time.
During the recent briefing, Yoon Seok-Yoon addressed the growing competition from Chinese TV manufacturers, emphasizing Samsung’s unique strategy. He highlighted that Samsung’s AI TVs are designed to serve as a central hub for an AI-powered home, connecting with other smart appliances like refrigerators and air conditioners. This integration allows users to manage and control these devices even when the TV is off or when they are not at home, marking a step forward in expanding the “AI home era.”
Earlier this year, Samsung announced that it would offer seven years of OS updates for its Galaxy S24 smartphones. By extending similar support to its smart TVs, Samsung aims to enhance customer satisfaction and boost its market share both in South Korea and globally. However, specific details on the models eligible for the updates or the exact rollout timeline have yet to be disclosed.
Around the same time, LG, Samsung’s main competitor in South Korea, promised five years of webOS updates for its smart TVs. Unlike Samsung’s announcement, LG provided a clear list of the models that would benefit from these updates, offering more transparency to its customers.
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