Samsung unveils new lineup of SUHD TVs with quantum dot displays

Samsung unveiled a series of new Super Ultra High Definition (SUHD) TVs as part of a push to remain the biggest TV company.

Samsung made the announcement at a press event at the 2016 International CES, the big tech trade show in Las Vegas this week.

The Consumer Technology Association forecasts that 230 million TVs will be sold in 2016, down from 232 million in 2015. At CES, TV makers such as LG and Panasonic are pushing forward with their best models, focusing on 4K organic light-emitting diode (OLED) TVs.

LG is also showing off a 98-inch 8K TV at the show. It will be some time before mainstream consumers can afford those TVs, and only one out of five consumers in 2015 are buying even 4K TVs. So while there is a lot of effort going into bringing out new TV technologies, there’s also a lot of downward pressure on the market.

Samsung’s 2016 SUHD TVs will include models with quantum dot displays, the world’s first bezel-less curved design, and Internet of Things connectivity. You will be able to use your Samsung TV to control more than 200 smart devices based on the SmartThings platform or the Internet of Things (everyday objects made smart and connected). The TV can then be used as the controller for the smart home.

The SUHD TVs include a cadmium-free, 10-bit quantum dot display. Samsung said that means it will have the best picture quality, stunning brightness, exceptional contrast, and lifelike colors.

The vast majority of Americans watch TV with light in the room (86 percent on a typical weekday, 85 percent on weekends), and only a small share say they watch in complete darkness (14 percent on weekdays and 15 percent on weekends), according to a recent consumer survey. Samsung said it designed its new SUHD TVs to deliver the optimum viewing experience regardless of the lighting environment.

With no bezel that normally functions as the border, the viewer’s attention is focused purely on what matters most — captivating content on the screen, Samsung said.

Samsung said that its Tizen operating system has been built into 20 million smart TVs to date. Tizen is now integrated into Time Warner Cable, so that it will be easy to switch from one device to another without needing to change inputs on a TV set.

Samsung has also said it has 500 streaming and downloadable games on its Samsung Smart TVs, enabling “console-less gaming.”

The new TVs also have a button called Extra. This service is accessible on a Samsung Smart Control remote, and it can be used to get to content quickly. Samsung also launched its UltraHD Blu-ray player.

Every Samsung SUHD TV will have the UltraHD Premium logo.