Samsung hones in on AI for new TV lineup, plays catch-up in OLEDs

Samsung Electronics showed off the cutting-edge AI technology deployed to enhanced viewer experience in its Neo QLED 8K TV.

Samsung Electronics President Yong Seok-woo talks during a news conference for its 2024 TV lineup in southern Seoul on Wednesday. [SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS]

Audiences watching an AI-controlled TV enjoy not only upscaled picture quality but also managed volume so that a moment is never missed no matter what is going on around them. Such an experience is available with Samsung Electronics' newest AI-equipped Neo QLED (quantum dot light-emitting diode) 8K TV launched on Wednesday, which is powered by its NQ8 AI Gen 3 processor. It is able to upscale the quality of low-resolution picture to 8K for clearer visuals and adjust the movement of moving objects, such as a football, to prevent distortion.

When the TV detects a noisy environment, such as a vacuum cleaner, it automatically raises the volume so viewers don't miss out on anything.

Samsung's Neo QLED 8K TV [SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS]

It also is able to identify the source of the sound on the screen to pan according to the so-called moving sound.

The newest neural processing unit is deployed with 512 neural networks, an eightfold increase from the previous version, Samsung says, which is able to process data at twice the speed.

"This year will be the start of an AI TV era," said Yong Seok-woo, president of Samsung Electronics, in charge of visual display business, at a news conference on Wednesday.

"On the back of on-device AI chips, the Neo QLED 8K TV will deliver an upgraded customer experience through fast data processing, security and effective resource usage. It will be the center of an AI home."

Samsung showed ambition in the OLED (organic light-emitting diode) TV market as well, to which it is yet a newcomer.

Its 2024 OLED TV lineup has been deployed with the second generation AI 4K processor, able to upscale picture quality to 4K and control brightness.

Glare-free technology reduces light reflections on the screen, Samsung said.

"Samsung Electronics secured a bigger market share last year in Korea's 77-inch OLED TV business, which is a notable feat in just two years," Yong said.

"With Samsung's AI technology and high-performance processor, we aim to narrow the gap with the No. 1 player in the global OLED TV market this year."

Samsung Electronics accounted for 23 percent of the global OLED TV market, industry data shows, while LG Electronics controlled 53 percent last year.

LG Electronics' 2024 OLED Evo TV [LG ELECTRONICS]

LG also launched its 2024 TV lineup on Wednesday, which included the LG OLED Evo and QNED Evo.

AI is yet again its focal point. The processor of the LG OLED Evo has been upgraded to the Alpha 11, which boasts AI processing four times stronger than the previous Alpha 9, the company said. Graphic performance increased by 70 percent, and processing speed enhanced by 30 percent.

BY JIN EUN-SOO [jin.eunsoo@joongang.co.kr]