Samsung TV Plus hits 3 billion hours in worldwide viewership

Kim Sang-yoon, senior vice president and head of product management at Samsung Electronics America [Source : Samsung Electronics]

Samsung TV Plus, a free streaming service installed on Samsung Electronics Co.’s smart TVs, has racked up 3 billion hours of viewing time on the platform worldwide, suggesting media and digital advertisements based on the service could become a new cash cow amid slow TV sales.

“Samsung Electronics will transform into a service provider that offers what consumers want on TV,” said Kim Sang-yoon, senior vice president and head of product management at Samsung Electronics America, in a press briefing in San Francisco on Saturday.

Total hours streamed on Samsung TV Plus reached 3 billion hours as of last year, more than double from the previous year, according to the company.

Samsung TV Plus is a free streaming service that offers various contents such as films, dramas, entertainment, news, and sports.

As this service is ad-supported, free subscription comes with viewing advertisements. This platform is available in 24 countries, including the U.S., Germany, France, the UK, and Korea. In the U.S., Samsung TV Plus provides about 200 channels including CBS News and Bloomberg TV.

According to market research firms like nScreenMedia, the free smart TV market is projected to reach $4.1 billion this year.

Samsung Electronics’ smart TVs also offer Gaming Hub service in 9 countries including the U.S. This software platform allows users to enjoy games without the need for a console. Users can play games only by connecting the game controller and TV.

“There will no longer be sales of consoles in the game industry,” Kim said. “We will create new opportunities in the game industry that is bigger than media, music, and entertainment combined.”

Samsung Electronics’ smart TVs also offer Art Store that display about 2,000 pieces of art from 50 museums and galleries around the world including Belvedere Art Museum in Austria and Tate Modern in the UK. The service is available in 117 countries.