Samsung is adding a series of features to its Smart TV interface that aim to seamlessly blend live television with on demand options.
The new Sports, Music and TV Plus services should begin appearing on Samsung Smart TVs shortly and are also accompanied by a new Smart View app for iOS and Android.
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For example, the Sports hub will combine live televised sports and video on demand clips. Users can also set up their favorite teams and be notified of scores, when games are being televised and on what channel.
Samsung says (via TechCrunch) this will take the hassle out of searching for your teams’ games, with notifications pushed to the TV and smartphone app.
The Music hub also aims to nudge you towards your favorite content faster by adding everything to a single interface. It offers access to services like YouTube, Spotify, iHeartRadio and even Shazam, which is great for identifying a song that may be playing on TV.
Finally, the TV Plus section is similar to what Apple is offering with its new TV app for Apple TV and iOS.
The idea is to aggregate content from various sources. It’ll feature recommendations from the likes of HBO Go, Netflix, Amazon, Hulu and more. Samsung will also use its own knowledge of your previous viewing habits to make recommendations.
The service update is rolling out to Smart Hub-enabled sets in the United States. It’s not yet clear when Samsung will be bringing the feature to the UK.
The update is great news for Samsung Smart TV owners, many of whom have been put out by the introduction of advertisements within the interface recently.
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Will you be splashing out on a new TV in 2017? What do you have your eye on? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
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Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
