Samsung shows off TV that can switch to vertical mode for mobile

South Korean giant Samsung has unveiled a TV that switches from a horizontal, landscape-style orientation to vertical, so that it can easily display smartphone content. The 43 inch device by Samsung is called as the Sero and comes with an integrated easel-like stand upon that the screen pivots. The TV will go on sale in South Korea by the end of May and will be priced at 1.89m won.

One of the TV analyst said that it was an interesting concept but it might have limited applications to support. The Sero will come with a microphone and the virtual assistant Bixby by Samsung built in. The TV can also be used to display photographs, a clock face or other images as per the convenience and mood of the user. Talking about the content, the users might want to watch a new series of shows by Snapchat as it is designed for mobile consumption and is all set to be launched in May.

Matthew Rubin, at market research firm Futuresource said that the TV has an interesting design but has faced a lot of challenges in the TV market. Rubin added, “The use case for the Sero, beyond that of a regular landscape position TV, is limited, especially with a relatively high price tag. A lot of content from the likes of YouTube is already in landscape mode.” The analyst also said that the TV is launching first in South Korea for the reason that it is a market with a very high mobile phone usage, so the success of the device can be predicted quite early.

This is not the first time Samsung showed off its experimental TV devices. Even in 2017 it had showed off a TV that had a wooden frame that is designed to display artwork and look more like a painting when it is not in use. Even at the CES tech trade show in Las Vegas, the firm unveiled a 75 inch TV made of modular micro LED panels.

Photo Credits: Variety