One of the coolest new displays at last year's CEDIA Expo was The Frame, Samsung's swanky new display that looks as good when it's off as when it's on.
And not just from the perspective of styling and so forth; The Frame actually displays works of art, available for purchase from The Samsung Art Store, that automatically appear when the TV is turned off.
As with most things these days, The Frame is getting a sequel. The new 2018 version includes a few notable enhancements, including enhance picture quality and improved smart TV and smart home functionality.
Read the full press release for more details:
Samsung Electronics America Inc. today announced the evolution of its award-winning lifestyle TV, The Frame. With enhanced features, new customization options and more than 800 available works of art, The Frame for 2018 transforms the living room into a dynamic gallery space.
Owners of The Frame now have more ways than ever to customize the look and feel of their room. The Samsung Art Store, the world's largest art platform for TV, houses an ever-growing and diverse library of artwork from some of the most prominent museums, galleries and artists around the world - including the recent addition of more than 30 iconic pieces of photography from The New York Times.
"We designed The Frame for consumers who love the function of a big, beautiful 4K UHD TV but struggle to design their room around an empty black screen when the TV is turned off," said Dave Das, Senior Vice President of Consumer Electronics for Samsung Electronics America. "You can travel the world and still be hard-pressed to discover all of the art that is now available on The Frame. It gives consumers the freedom to design the room of their dreams, and the flexibility to change that design whenever they like."
Whether they prefer to change the look of their room each season or want to bring a fresh vibe to their décor for a dinner party, consumers can customize The Frame to create their preferred aesthetic in any room. Thanks to an improved UI, owners of The Frame can browse different art pieces based on the color scheme of the room, or by a particular medium, like drawings or photography. Then, much like curating a music playlist, owners can create a personalized collection that shuffles through their particular selections as often as they like.
TV when it's on...
The Frame features a crisp, clear 4K UHD screen with HDR10+ so users can view content just as the director intended. Similar to Samsung's 2018 QLED TV line, The Frame 2018 comes with new smart capabilities that make it quick and easy to set up the new TV and access content. With Effortless Log-in, users can quickly transfer their Wi-Fi and Samsung account details from their phone to the TV via Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) without having to remember or re-type in their password. And, Samsung's proprietary Smart Hub menu enables consumers to intuitively navigate across streaming services, consoles and live TV while Universal Guide curates content based [on] TV watchers' unique tastes.
The Frame also comes equipped with Bixby, Samsung's intelligence platform, so owners can use voice commands to bring up their favorite shows and control compatible smart lights, soundbars, cameras, door locks and more via Samsung's SmartThings IoT dashboard.
...Art When It's Not
When not in use, motion and brightness sensors convert The Frame from TV into a lifelike work of art. Just like how a framed picture looks different depending on time of day, these sensors also adjust the screen brightness based on the ambient light in the room.
The Frame seamlessly blends in with home décor. When mounted, it hangs flush to the wall thanks to Samsung's proprietary No Gap Wall Mount. The Frame offers four customizable magnetic bezel options3 - black, white, walnut and beige wood - so that users can easily swap colors to complement the color of the room. And the One Invisible Connection, a single slim and translucent cable that transmits both power and AV data to the TV, eliminates the clutter of cords beneath the TV and the need to place the TV near data or power outlets.
The Frame 2018 is available starting today on Samsung.com and will be available at retailers this month in 55" ($1,999) and 65" ($2,799) sizes.
For more information, visit www.samsung.com/TheFrame.
Additional Resources
•Samsung Unveils Its 2018 Home Entertainment Lineup at HomeTheaterReview.com.
•Samsung QN65Q8C UHD LED/LCD TV Reviewed at HomeTheaterReview.com.