Samsung’s going to create ‘contemporary’ TV experiences with TikTok, here is how

In December, Samsung announced that it had partnered with TikTok to bring the popular video sharing app to its smart TVs. This surprised the team of tech experts from Trusted Reviews.

We want to know why Samsung believes TikTok, a mobile content-focused app, will benefit the TV viewers we entertained with Samsung’s Head of TV for Europe, Nathan Sheffield, at CES last week.

The TikTok app is exclusive to Samsung TVs in Europe and, according to Sheffield, is in line with Samsung’s goal of building the best entertainment platform by introducing new experiences for users.

“I think it was a perfect combination of Samsung and TikTok that we can work together and create a world first in this regard. I think we can unlock a whole new experience on TV designed specifically for Home Viewing, ”Sheffield said.

Why use TikTok on your TV?

TikTok has already gained immense popularity as a mobile app. As of 2020, the app had over two billion downloads worldwide, so you may be wondering what the benefits of viewing content on a Samsung TV from a regular smartphone are.

“We saw that 29% of people are now what we call ‘virtualization’ on bigger screens,” Sheffield said. “In this regard, the advantages of TV and QLED really come into play because what you have there is obviously the QLED image quality itself, but also the intelligence and algorithms are built in that can upscale all of this content to 8K, of course if you have an 8K TV ”.

Samsung TVs can also adapt to their surroundings, adjusting the contrast levels to match the light in the room, and adjusting audio levels to optimize the sound, whether it’s dialogue, music or action.

Sheffield specifically cited the Sero as a good addition to the app. The 43-inch television allows users to view TikTok content as intended in portrait orientation, bringing the mobile experience to a larger, more sophisticated display.

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Sheffield also referred to the Edu-Tainment phenomenon and Samsung’s hashtag #LearnOnTikTok.

“We are now seeing people trying to get their own experience, whether it be through cooking or through fitness or just by investigating fun facts about TikTok,” Sheffield said. “Again, the application that lets you have this on the big screen is fantastic and you can share it with other household members. I think there are clearly some benefits to now transferring a service that originated on a small screen to a large screen “.

Samsung brings a shared TikTok experience home

TikTok is largely dominated by the younger generation. However, by bringing the app into the living room and automatically running it in a filtered restricted mode, the Samsung version looks much more family-oriented.

“The nice thing about TikTok is that the content is so diverse,” Sheffield said. “Whether you’re Gen X, Millennial, Mature Millennial, or older, there is content for everyone. I think here we see that without a subscription you don’t even need an account if you don’t want one. You can just jump right in and search for content that is most relevant to you. “.

This brings with it a potential disadvantage when viewing TikTok videos on a smart TV. One of the app’s most compelling features is its ability to attract users by recommending new content based on what they already love to see.

We asked how this feature could be affected by households with a shared experience, and therefore a shared “For You” page, and whether Samsung has any plans to introduce shared accounts with multiple feeds.

“Obviously, if you don’t have an account, TikTok will only display popular content,” Sheffield said. “But if you have an account and have a family account, for example, and family members of all ages have access to that account, I think the content may be more diverse.”

Users can sign out of one account to another on their Samsung TV for more personalized recommendations. However, as of now, this additional step is required for this content.

Relatives: Best TV

TikTok is the latest addition to the Samsung portfolio

The introduction of the TikTok app is one of many ways Samsung has tried to combine lifestyle and hardware based on its research.

“Over 20% of the people who buy the Serif Instagram actually get this TV, so you can see how socially active these users are,” Sheffield said. “So they get back to other social applications like TikTok. You know again that it shows how we combine these two words and build the lifestyle offering. “

Finally, we asked if the TikTok app was created in response to the coronavirus pandemic by turning that mobile experience into one for the home.

“No, it was not created in relation to the pandemic,” Sheffield said. “As we are trying to build the best entertainment platform and create these new experiences, it only adds to our ever-growing portfolio. In that regard, what we saw with TikTok was natural gravity for our platform, just as we managed to build key partnerships like Apple TV and Apple Music, which we announced at CES a year ago. “

TikTok is now available on all Samsung Smart TVs released in the UK since 2018, including the brand’s 4K and 8K displays, Smart Monitor, Premiere, Frame and Serif. The app will be released on the Sero later this year.

Employed author

Hannah joined Trusted Reviews in 2019 after earning a degree in English from Royal Holloway, University of London. She has also worked and studied in the USA and holds positions …

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