SYDNEY: Samsung 4K is undoubtedly a major upgrade over Full HD, but Samsung wants its new premium TV range to stand out even more – so much so it has created a dedicated sub-brand. The JS9000 is the first SUHD TV we’ve seen, and although we aren’t convinced the ‘S’ in SUHD really stands for anything special, the JS9000 certainly has a headline features that will make you think otherwise.
The Korean electronics giant’s new line of smart TVs — unveiled earlier this year at the Consumer Electronics Show — are organised into three ranges. The 7 series are ultra-high-definition sets starting at $3199 for the 55-inch model, while the 8 series are so-called SUHD sets starting at $4999 for the 55-inch, and the top-of-the-line 9 series are curved SUHD sets, the biggest of which is 88 inches and will set you back $24,999.
In a statement, Samsung said the free Netflix offer will only apply to some of the first purchasers of 2015 Samsung TVs. So it’s first in, best dressed.
Most of the new the televisions are in stores from Wednesday, Samsung said, which is good news for Samsung fans who have been holding off on upgrading their home theatres until the 2015 models arrived. The company is also launching a range of matching sound bars, which is now a well-established practice to encourage consumers to pay extra so their TVs don’t sound as thin as they look.
Unfortunately for those who believe bigger is better, the 85- and 88-inch models in the new line will not hit stores until June.
While many manufacturers are running their 2015 Smart TVs on Android operating systems, Samsung’s work with its own open-source Tizen software. Tizen was initially designed to run all Samsung devices from phones to cameras, and although that didn’t end up happening the company said TVs running Tizen will still be able to automatically recognise and connect to other Samsung devices in your house, like smartphones.
The software is based on web standards, meaning apps for video streaming services like Netflix, Quickflix, Presto and Stan should all be present and accounted for.
