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Vimeo to shut down all of its TV streaming apps later this month
Aditya Tiwari posted a topic in Front Page News
Vimeo to shut down all of its TV streaming apps later this month by Aditya Tiwari The video hosting service Vimeo announced that its TV apps will be discontinued later this month on June 27. Vimeo said it will shut down its streaming apps across all supported platforms, including Android TV, Apple TV, Roku, and Amazon Fire TV. These apps will be removed from the respective app stores and Vimeo will no longer push any security updates or provide technical support for its TV apps. According to a support document spotted by Engadget, the latest change doesn't apply to "branded apps available to Vimeo OTT enterprise sellers." Vimeo is displaying on-screen notifications on users' TV screens informing them about the upcoming shutdown. Vimeo's streaming apps for TV were launched back in 2016, around the time when the company positioned itself as a rival to YouTube. But over the years, Vimeo transformed itself into a business-focused streaming platform. "Today, Vimeo is much more than a viewing destination. It's an all-in-one video experience platform giving creative professionals, businesses, and organizations everything they need to make and market amazing, impactful videos," Vimeo said explaining why it's pulling the plug on its TV apps. Nevertheless, the shutdown of the Vimeo TV apps isn't the end of the road. Users can still cast their Vimeo content on the big screen with the help of its Android and iPhone apps. Vimeo said it retires legacy products that are no longer in line with its standards, adding that casting via its mobile apps can provide a "better ongoing experience" to the viewers. To cast their favorite videos on compatible TVs, users can simply look for the Chromecast or AirPlay icon in the Vimeo apps for Android and iOS. As of now, Vimeo doesn't support casting videos from a Chrome web browser but users can AirPlay Vimeo content from the Safari browser on Apple devices. Via Engadget -
Your next TV could be completely free, but there might be a huge catch
John Callaham posted a topic in Front Page News
Your next TV could be completely free, but there might be a huge catch by John Callaham The cost of big-screen televisions has gone way down in the past decade. 10 years ago, a 50-inch flat-screen TV would have cost well over $1,000. Now you can get a 50-inch UHD smart TV for $250 or lower. But what if you could get a big-screen TV and it would cost absolutely nothing? That's apparently what a stealth startup company called Teevee Corporation is planning to do. According to a report from the Lowpass newsletter (via The Verge), this company is going to release this TV sometime in 2023. You would think there would be a big catch with giving away a TV, and you would be right. According to the report, this TV would have a secondary screen that would constantly show ads. Lowpass says this second display would have the height of a standard smartphone, but would stretch across the width of the main TV screen. The story says the second screen would also show things like the local weather, sports scores, and news headlines. The main TV would not actually be a smart television, but the company might bundle a streaming TV stick like the ones that Roku, Amazon, and others have made to turn it into a smart TV. The report does say some of this product's details could change before it officially launches. The company does have a teaser website, which proclaims, "Before has never been so jealous of after" inside what looks like the outline of a TV screen. The name of the TV itself will reportedly be called Telly, and it has its own teaser site, with the message, "The biggest thing to happen to TV since color." The rise of free, ad-supported streaming services like Pluto TV, Tubi, and others has made the concept of an ad-supported television set more than possible (indeed, the report says Teevee Corporation was first started by Pluto TV co-founder Ilya Pozin). However, some details would need to be addressed, such as the company convincing potential advertisers that their content is actually being seen by the Telly owner. Hopefully, we will learn more about this startup and its ad-based TV soon. Source: Lowpass -
The 4K TV market will see a 19.19% compound annual growth rate until 2027
zikalify posted a topic in Front Page News
The 4K TV market will see a 19.19% compound annual growth rate until 2027 by Paul Hill The 4K TV market will see a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 19.19% between 2022 and 2027, according to a new report from Technavio. After the period, the 4K market will be worth 183.45 billion - almost double where it is now. One of the main drivers in the adoption of 4K TVs is the rising popularity of large-display TVs. However, there are some challenges that the market needs to overcome. Going back to the popularity aspect of large displays, Technavio reports that just five years ago, 40-inch TVs were the standard size. This is rising, though, because manufacturers now offer TVs in excess of 80 inches. Another reason people are buying 4K TVs is due to their smart features. People tend to buy new TVs every decade or so, this means some people may not have built-in smart features yet but want them. The main key challenge to the growth of 4K TVs is expected to be the lack of 4K content. While these TVs can play 1080p and 720p content, consumers may be able to spend less money on a less sophisticated TV if they don’t think 4K is worth it. As time rolls on, this should become less of an issue as 4K-capable recording equipment comes down in price and more content is produced. While over the whole period, a CAGR of 19.19% is certainly possible, in the short term figures could be lower. Many sectors, including semiconductors and smartphones, have seen falling revenues due to the poor economic situation. Let us know in the comments if you’re planning to upgrade to a 4K TV soon. What do you think are the pros and cons right now? -
Samsung unveils S95C and S90C series TVs starting at $1,899
zikalify posted a topic in Front Page News
Samsung unveils S95C and S90C series TVs starting at $1,899 by Paul Hill Samsung has announced two new series of TVs for its OLED 4K TV line, they are the S95C series and the S90C series. Both series include 55”, 65”, and 77” displays with prices starting at $1,899. In terms of the underlying technology, Samsung boasts that each of the products includes a Neural Quantum processor that “mesmerizes viewers” with brighter and bolder visuals that emphasize visual details. These products begin rolling out around the U.S. today. With the S95C series, customers will pick up a Samsung TV that features an Infinity One Design which is just 4mm thick. The bezels are hardly noticeable on these models which should make for more immersive viewing and you can attach them to a wall with near flush-fit, or put it on a blade stand. It features Quantum HDR OLED+ for a better picture, Dolby Atmos for audio, and Object Tracking Sound+ which uses AI to follow the movement of the sound. The 77S95C costs $4,499, the 65S95C costs $3,299, and the 55S95C costs $2,499. With the S90C series, you’ll get Quantum HDR OLED, rather than the plus variant. It also features a LaserSlim design which is also almost bezel-free, Dolby Atmos, and Object Tracking Sound Lite. Unlike the aforementioned model, the S90C series includes 3D audio. The 77S90C will cost $3,599, the 65S90C has no price yet and is listed as coming soon, and the 55S90C will set you back $1,899. All of the TVs in these series will come with Tizen OS. Users have access to an entertainment hub that delivers Samsung TV Plus which gives access to live and on-demand content. They also come packed with the Samsung Gaming Hub which allows gamers to stream games from services including Xbox, NVIDIA GeForce NOW, Amazon Luna, Utomik, and more with no need for a console. -
UK consumers can save money on TV, broadband, and mobile packages, according to Which?
zikalify posted a topic in Front Page News
UK consumers can save money on TV, broadband, and mobile packages, according to Which? by Paul Hill The UK consumer group Which? has urged consumers to haggle or switch their TV, broadband, and mobile packages to try to save money. Its advice comes on the back of a survey it did of 5,100 people whose broadband, TV or mobile contracts had recently ended. It found that people who switched away saved £162 per year while those who stayed with their existing provider and haggled saved £90 per year. Of all those surveyed, a staggering 21% of broadband customers and 16% of TV and broadband customers didn’t bother to switch or haggle so will be paying over the odds for the services they’re using. In the UK, switching these services to another provider has been made very easy by Ofcom to help spur competition in those spaces which encourages lower prices. With that said, some providers, such as Vodafone, say this cut-throat market makes it hard to maintain their networks. For customers that are interested in switching providers, there are a number of good websites that will help you locate the best prices on the market. Some of these include Money Saving Expert, Uswitch, and a whole host of other Ofcom-accredited services. According to Money Saving Expert, most people don’t use more than 3 GB of data but could be paying unnecessarily for more. Its highlighted mobile SIM deal right now is from Lebara and it offers 3 GB of 5G data, unlimited calls, and unlimited texts on a one-month rolling contract. For the first six months, the SIM costs just £0.05 and then £4.90 thereafter. That’s £2.48 per month on average for a whole year, much less than most are paying for the same service. With the unusually high inflation that the UK has been experiencing recently, broadband providers were very quick to reach out to customers to let them know that prices would be going up. If you’d have let your provider know that you were quitting as a result, within 30 days, it would have been possible to exit your contract without incurring an early exit fee. By switching services, especially if you’re out of contract, it’ll mean you have more money left over to tackle things like higher food prices, higher rent payments, higher mortgage payments, and higher energy bills. -
Amazon adds Fire TV support to Echo Show 15 for free
Karthik Mudaliar posted a topic in Front Page News
Amazon adds Fire TV support to Echo Show 15 for free by Karthik Mudaliar Amazon has released a free update that brings the Fire TV interface to its Echo Show 15 smart display, making it useful as a small TV. You can stream content from a variety of apps, including Netflix, Prime Video, and YouTube, using an on-screen carousel to browse and resume shows. The design of the Echo Show offers a few variations on the Fire TV interface, which should be familiar to anyone who has used a basic Fire TV Stick. It allows you to use Alexa to open apps or stream specific content, and you can navigate using a paired Alexa Voice Remote or the controls in the mobile Fire TV app. The 15.6-inch smart display also has a virtual remote on the screen, so you don't need a separate controller for apps that don't support touch input. In addition to its new streaming capabilities, the Echo Show 15 also offers the standard features of an Echo Show, such as the ability to control smart home devices, make to-do lists, listen to podcasts, and interact with Alexa. Normally, the Echo Show 15 costs $250, but Amazon is offering a limited time bundle that includes the display and an Alexa Voice Remote for $194.99. If you already own an Echo Show, you can buy the remote for $10 (which is $20 off). Source: Amazon As an Amazon Associate, Neowin may earn commission from qualifying purchases. -
Plex adds Discover Credits so you can easily find what films and shows actors have been in
zikalify posted a topic in Front Page News
Plex adds Discover Credits so you can easily find what films and shows actors have been in by Paul Hill The Media Centre and streaming platform, Plex, has announced the launch of Discover Credits, a nifty feature that lets you see what other films and shows your favourite actors have starred in. If you see anyone who looks familiar but can’t remember what film they were in, Discover Credits allows you to quickly check. Using the feature is very easy, just check the details page of a film or show, or do a search for an actor by name. Clicking on the actor will bring up their profile page and if you scroll down, you’ll get a list of titles that they appear in. If you want to watch any of the titles, just tap the one you want, and you’ll be shown locations where you can view it. If you’re lucky, Plex will have the show available for free. The new Discover Credits feature is available now on Roku, Fire TV, Smart TVs, Apple TV, Android TV, Android, iOS, and web. If you’re not sure how to update the Plex app on your device, you can find the appropriate download on the downloads page. As a bonus, if you find a title you want to watch while you’re looking up actors, you can add them to your watchlist to view the films later when you have time. Just go to the film’s details page and click the Add to Watchlist button. You can view the Watchlist from the Plex sidebar later on. -
Upcoming 8K TVs likely won't be available in the EU due to energy rules
Chasethebase posted a topic in Front Page News
Upcoming 8K TVs likely won't be available in the EU due to energy rules by Steve Bennett Just as manufacturers gear up to announce and release their latest and greatest 8K capable televisions, new regulations are coming into place that may stop this launch in its tracks due to how power hungry these super high-resolution displays are. The EU has requirements in place for all consumer electronics that regulate how much energy they can consume, which fall under the Energy Efficiency Index (part of the wider Energy Efficiency Directive). The most recent change in March 2021 resulted in the majority of models falling into the lowest efficiency class possible (G). This is set to be reviewed again, in a drive by the EU to cut energy bills to consumers by doing what it can. This includes setting an upper limit on maximum energy consumption for TVs, which many manufacturers have said will effectively push back the rollout, or stop sale, of 8K TVs altogether. The 8K Association has provided a video response to the proposed change: The proposed targets for TVs are based on the size of the panel, but go up to a maximum of 178W for an 88" panel. For comparison, Samsung's QN900B 8K LCD is rated at 326W, which is significantly over the proposed limit, and shows the difficulties that manufacturers will face in meeting these requirements. Source: FlatpanelsHD -
Amazon announces third-gen Fire TV Cube and new Alexa Voice Remote Pro
zikalify posted a topic in Front Page News
Amazon announces third-gen Fire TV Cube and new Alexa Voice Remote Pro by Paul Hill Amazon has announced its next-generation Fire TV Cube and Alexa Voice Remote Pro. The Fire TV Cube is available for pre-order in the U.S. for $139.99 and the remote is also available for pre-order for $34.99. The new Fire TV Cube will begin shipping on October 25. Discussing the two products, Daniel Rausch, vice president of Amazon Entertainment Devices and Services, said: “The all-new Fire TV Cube is a big step forward for Fire TV—it’s the fastest, most powerful, and most versatile streaming media player we’ve ever made. This Fire TV Cube’s powerful processing and Wi-Fi 6E support deliver an incredibly smooth streaming experience, and HDMI input means you can instantly extend the simplicity of Fire TV and hands-free Alexa control to your home entertainment system. With Alexa Voice Remote Pro, we’re making it easy to find a misplaced remote and get to the apps and content you love.” The third-gen Fire TV Cube is powered by an octa-core 2.0 GHz processor, making it 20% more powerful than older models. This added processing power will translate into a smoother experience for users with faster app launch speeds. New features available on this model include an HDMI input port, Wi-Fi 6E support, and Super Resolution Upscaling. Of course, it has support for 4K Ultra HD, Dolby Vision, HDR, and Dolby Atmos audio. The new Alexa Voice Remote Pro, on the other hand, is a premium remote that’s designed never to get lost. If you misplace the remote, just ask Alexa to find the remote, and it’ll emit noise from its speaker, so you can easily find it. This cool feature will allow you to get on with watching TV instead of searching around the room for the remote. In addition to the speaker, the remote comes with two programmable buttons that can be set up to dim the lights, check the weather, run an Alexa Routine, and more. The remote also includes motion-activated backlighting that knows to come on when you’re in a low-light environment. The remote is compatible with most Fire TV streaming media players, Amazon Fire TV smart TVs, and Smart TVs with Fire TV built-in. For a full compatibility list, check Amazon’s website. -
Samsung TV Plus to get new logo, UI, and programmes by Paul Hill Samsung has announced that its free Samsung TV Plus service is going to get a new logo, an updated UI with better visibility and Dark Theme, and more programmes for people to watch. As the service comes to more Samsung devices, the firm hopes its new orange and blue logo reflects the service’s cross-compatibility. To keep users engaged, Samsung said that it’s expanding the range of programming on its service. In the United States, it’s adding Top Gear, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, NCIS, and more. Viewers in the UK will be able to tune in to the latest seasons of America’s Got Talent, and those in Germany will get access to the first native 8K produced TV show, Das Boot. In regard to the user interface, Samsung is going to add a Dark Theme and further enhance visibility. The addition of a dark theme will be good for viewers watching in a darkened environment, as it means their eyes won’t have to adjust between programmes. As people will be sat at a distance from their TVs, the enhanced visibility should make the service easier to use. Samsung said that it will continue to invest in content, exclusive premieres and partnerships so users get a better experience. It also said that the content on the platform will remain free of charge, offering an alternative to streaming services like Netflix for those who don’t want to or can’t pay for those services.
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TV viewers watched more on streaming services than on cable TV in July 2022
Alap Naik Desai posted a topic in Front Page News
TV viewers watched more on streaming services than on cable TV in July 2022 by Alap Naik Desai Streaming services such as Netflix, Disney+, Hulu, Prime Video, YouTube, and others, have surpassed traditional cable TV. A new report from market measurement firm Nielsen, claims TV viewers watched more on streaming services than they did on cable TV in July 2022. A shift long predicted by analysts has finally happened. Streaming had previously gained a lead over over-the-air broadcast TV. However, cable TV was still ahead in the race, until July this year. The Nielsen report indicates streaming accounted for 34.8% of audiences' TV viewing. Cable TV’s viewership isn’t far behind at 34.4%. However, streaming services now collectively command more viewers for all forms of content typically consumed via television. Over-the-air broadcast television currently owns only 21.6% viewership. Compared to the same period last year, streaming was up 22.6%. Viewers streamed an average of 190.9 billion minutes per week. This is substantially higher than the 169.9 billion minutes in April of 2020, during which major regions of the world were under strict lockdown. The Nielsen report indicates people aren’t necessarily watching more TV. Viewers are watching the same amount of TV but in different ways. In other words, streaming services have managed to pick up viewers who cable TV and over-the-air broadcast TV lost. Although Netflix lost subscribers for two consecutive quarters in 2022, it appears the streaming service is still the crowd’s favorite. While smaller streaming services collectively had 10.2% of viewers, Netflix had 8% of the consumers. YouTube trailed at 7.3%. It is important to note that Nielsen is tracking data from viewing on actual TVs. The data does not include viewers consuming content via portable devices such as smartphones, tablets, or computers. Via: Ars Technica -
UK: Young adults are watching broadcast TV seven times less than over 65s
zikalify posted a topic in Front Page News
UK: Young adults are watching broadcast TV seven times less than over 65s by Paul Hill The communications regulator, Ofcom, has revealed that young adults, those between the ages of 16 and 24, watch TV seven times less than over 65s in the UK. The elderly spend about a third of the time they’re awake watching broadcast TV, while young adults spend just 53 minutes watching each day. Ofcom’s data about how much broadcast TV is viewed each day by different age groups goes back to 2011. Over 65s spend slightly longer in front of the TV than they did in 2011, but every other age group has seen declines. The younger the age group is, the sharper their viewership seems to decline. Young adults, for example, were watching 165 minutes of TV in 2011, but this has declined to 53 minutes. The 24-35 group has also seen its viewership decline from 196 minutes to just 90 minutes. Over 65s increased their viewership from 347 minutes to 350 minutes. According to the regulator’s Media Nations 2022: UK (PDF) report, adults between 16-34 spent much more of their screen time-consuming subscription-based video on demand content and YouTube. In total, this cohort spends 281 minutes in consuming content from screens throughout the day, but just 30% of this is broadcast content. Apparently, people in this group spend 29 minutes playing video games each day. In the UK, the most popular subscription video on demand services as of Q2’22 were Netflix (60%), Amazon Prime Video (46%), Disney+ (23%), NOW (7%), and Apple TV+ (6%). Overall, subscriptions to these services fell by just 1% in all during the second quarter as people’s incomes get squeezed by higher energy and food prices. -
Plex Discover lets you see what there is to watch across all the services you subscribe to
zikalify posted a topic in Front Page News
Plex Discover lets you see what there is to watch across all the services you subscribe to by Paul Hill Plex has announced two new services, Plex Discover and Plex Universal Watchlist. Both are designed to take the hassle out of finding programmes to watch and where to find them. With all the subscription streaming services out there now, it can be difficult to keep track of everything. With Plex Discover, you can see all the content available to you across your services in one place and quickly begin watching. By using Plex Discover to link all your paid and free streaming services together, you will have more content to choose from. Don’t forget that Plex has its own content too which you’ll be able to see alongside content from other services. If you want to watch something that isn’t available on your services, just add it to the Plex Universal Watchlist and you’ll be shown the title when it becomes available. Commenting on the new features, CEO of Plex Keith Valory said: “We have been saying for years that our goal was to create a one-stop-shop for all the entertainment that matters to you, and today we put a massive piece of that puzzle in place. With new streaming services, movies, and shows constantly coming available, it’s time to tame the media chaos and that’s what we aim to do with these new features. In short, we know it's painful to find what to watch. We just want to get you there as quickly as possible.” If you’re keen to get started using these features, you can use the following link to learn how Plex Discover and Plex Universal Watchlist both work. -
Disney+ will launch a cheaper, ad-supported, tier from late 2022
zikalify posted a topic in Front Page News
Disney+ will launch a cheaper, ad-supported, tier from late 2022 by Paul Hill Disney has announced that it will be rolling out an ad-supported subscription tier for its Disney+ streaming service from late 2022 in the United States and in international markets from 2023. With so many streaming platforms, Disney will be hoping to win over more customers by offering its service at a low, but still undisclosed, price. For those who want to continue watching the service without ads, that option will still be available but the ad-supported tier will be more affordable. The company said that it viewed the planned tier as a building block for achieving its long-term target of getting 230-260 million Disney+ subscribers by the 2024 fiscal year. Commenting on its plans, Kareem Daniel, Chairman, Disney Media and Entertainment Distribution, said: “Expanding access to Disney+ to a broader audience at a lower price point is a win for everyone - consumers, advertisers, and our storytellers. More consumers will be able to access our amazing content. Advertisers will be able to reach a wider audience, and our storytellers will be able to share their incredible work with more fans and families.” As mentioned earlier, Disney has not yet revealed pricing detail about the ad-supported Disney+, though, it has said that the tier will be cheaper so it’s still likely to carry a price tag rather than be free like Spotify. It said it will release pricing details as well as the exact launch date later in the year. -
Source: Deadline via The Verge Better call Saul! :jump:
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Canadians have turned to Roku for streaming content according to a new study
zikalify posted a topic in Front Page News
Canadians have turned to Roku for streaming content according to a new study by Paul Hill Roku has announced that it’s the number one TV streaming service in Canada based on data from a study carried out by the Hypothesis Group. Roku said that the findings come after a year where it expanded its original content and released new streaming players as well as TV models that are intended to be easy to use. Commenting on the findings, Arthur van Rest, VP International at Roku, said: “We are proud to lead the Canadian TV streaming market. The Roku brand is growing in Canada with introductions to new streaming devices, original content, and new Canadian entertainment with partners like CBC, Global News, and Crave. Providing simplicity, entertainment, and value is clearly resonating with Canadian consumers, who are choosing our platform to stream TV.” According to Roku, the Hypothesis Group survey was based on responses from 2,510 who filled it out in October 2021. The assertion that Roku is number one in Canada is based on the fact that respondents spent the most hours streaming content on this platform. In 2021, Roku shared what content people were watching through Roku, the titles included Yellowstone, TSN Originals, CBC Tokyo 2020 Replay, Rick and Morty, Paw Patrol, Grey’s Anatomy, Game of Thrones, South Park, Friends, and CBC News Live. If you’d like to learn more about how Canadians consume Roku content, be sure to check out another report from Roku that was released last year containing a plethora of content. -
Roku's TV Ready program adds more Audio brand support and regions
Karthik Mudaliar posted a topic in Front Page News
Roku's TV Ready program adds more Audio brand support and regions by Karthik Mudaliar Roku's TV Ready initiative has made it easier for users to connect their TVs to speakers, receivers, and soundbars. Polk Audio and Westinghouse will be added to the roster of partners "in early 2022", which already include Bose, Element, Hisense, JVC, Pheanoo, Philips, TCL North America and Sound United, among others. Roku is now expanding the program to include even more brands and regions. After supported audio devices are connected, Roku devices will recognize them and turn the internal TV speakers off while channeling the audio through the audio devices instead and also allowing users to control the volume and other settings from their Roku remote. With TV Ready, Roku ensures that users do not have to worry about their audio settings much. Initially, the service was only launched in the US with Sound United (the parent company of Polk, Denon, Marantz, Class A, and Boston Acoustics) and TCL. Now, the company has already expanded the program by adding Element, JVC, Pheanoo, and Phillips. Roku has also expanded the program internationally and partners like Bose are expected to launch TV Ready devices in the UK, Canada, and Mexico soon. Bose VP of Product and Experience, Doug Cunningham said: "Roku TV Ready makes it easier than ever to set-up and use a Bose TV speaker for an improved audio experience. We are excited to bring this option to more Roku TV owners across the globe." According to Roku, the program provides participants with an easy-to-implement SDK for fast integration as well as a wireless soundbar reference design, something that it launched in CES 2021. -
Some of Samsung's upcoming TVs will support the HDR10+ GAMING standard
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Some of Samsung's upcoming TVs will support the HDR10+ GAMING standard by Paul Hill Samsung has announced that select 2022 4K and 8K TVs and gaming monitors that it plans to show off at CES will come with support for the HDR10+ GAMING standard which alerts gamers to the fact that the displays deliver an ‘immersive, ultra-responsive HDR gaming experience’. According to the Korean company, the new standard helps game developers provide the best visual experience for customers without the need for manual calibration. As a bonus, this standard works across different input sources including consoles and PCs so if you have multiple devices hooked up to the display, there’s no need to mess around with the settings for each source. Commenting on the news, Seokwoo Yong, Executive Vice President and Head of R&D Team, Visual Display Business at Samsung Electronics, said: “We are extremely proud to announce that the new HDR10+ GAMING standard will be adopted by Samsung’s 2022 Neo QLED line up with the Q70 TV series and above and gaming monitors, allowing users to enjoy a game-changing experience through cutting-edge visuals and richer, life-like images. Samsung will continue to invest in users’ viewing experiences as technology continues to advance and provide enhanced new features and capabilities.” Aside from Samsung showing off these displays at the upcoming CES event, several gaming companies, such as Saber Interactive, have some HDR10+ GAMING titles ready to show off at the event. Two of the games which have support for the new standard include Redout 2 and Pinball FX so be on the lookout for those. Game Mechanic Studios is another firm that will be showing off titles including Happy Trails and Kidnapped Princess. People playing titles on PC will need a compatible graphics card too, some of the ones that Samsung named include the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 30 Series, RTX 20 Series, and the GTX 16 Series GPUs. It said these will have HDR10+ GAMING drivers released next year. -
YouTube TV will reduce prices if it doesn't reach an agreement with Disney
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YouTube TV will reduce prices if it doesn't reach an agreement with Disney by Paul Hill Google has announced that the price of YouTube TV will fall from $64.99 to $49.99 per month if it doesn’t manage to renew its deal with Disney by Friday. According to the search giant, no "equitable agreement" between it and Disney has been reached yet but the two parties are trying to rectify this. Should they fail, Disney-owned content will vanish from the platform but the price of the service will also drop. Google said that Disney is an important partner for YouTube TV and that it wants to continue offering its programming, however, it said it wants Disney to treat it like any other TV provider and to offer the same rates that services of a similar size pay. It’s unclear how much Disney is asking Google to pay for the content but there’s no doubt that Disney believes it’s a fair asking price. With the $15 saving customers will make if Disney and Google fail to reach an agreement, they will be able to buy the Disney Bundle for $13.99 per month directly from Disney to fill the gap. For those who don’t care about Disney content, then that’ll be an extra $15 customers can put towards something else. If this episode is bringing back memories, it should. Back in May, Neowin reported that Google and Roku were having a spat over a distribution agreement. At the time, Roku accused Google of being an "unchecked monopolist bent on crushing fair competition". While we don’t have any insight into the discussions Google has, perhaps the fact that it’s at the centre of these disputes shows it is the party at fault. -
Plex reaches 200 free-to-stream live TV channels by Paul Hill The media server and streaming firm, Plex, has announced that its free-to-stream live TV channels now number 200, giving users more content to watch. Plex said that the live channels feature hit movies, bingeable series, news and more. Some of the newly released channels include Discover Film (Global), Christmas Lights (Global), COMMUNE (Global), Eddie’s Wonderland, and Cindie Lite. Since launching free live TV last year, the company has added content from well-known companies including Lionsgate, AMC, Crackle, Euronews and more. To further support the advertisers who are making it possible for this content to be free, Plex said it’s trying to help them get the most out of their campaigns. Explaining, Plex said: “Plex is also focused on bringing content providers and advertisers a deep knowledge of ad sales, analytics, data, and innovation to maximize campaign performance for marketers. Increased reach combined with fully transparent data, analytics, and efficient pricing are key pillars that help Plex partners grow their market share and sales.” To begin streaming content from Plex, just head over to the live TV section of the Plex website to see what’s on and begin watching. If you're not interested in the live TV offering, you can also use Plex to stream music from TIDAL, listen to podcasts, watch web shows and view on-demand films and TV series.
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Samsung sold a million units of The Frame this year by Paul Hill Samsung has announced that it sold one million units of its Lifestyle-category TV, The Frame. The Frame has almost reached another milestone of selling two million units since its original launch in 2017 – of course, the TV has evolved since its original launch with improved specifications and a sleeker design. Commenting on The Frame, Simon Sung, Executive Vice President and Head of Sales & Marketing Team of the Visual Display Business at Samsung, said: “The Frame is not just a device for watching TV, but a lifestyle product which enhances a space with its design and enriches consumers’ lives with an extensive art collection. We continue to look for ways to strengthen The Frame’s offerings to find innovative ways to satisfy consumers’ evolving needs and desires. We are also always exploring partnerships with new museums, galleries and artists to offer a much wider range of collections in the Art Store.” Samsung said that The Frame has seen heavy demand in North America and Europe, which has helped it achieve the one million sales target. The South Korean company also said that consumers have been spending more time at home due to work from home trends and the pandemic so demand for home entertainment has risen. As The Frame works to blend itself in with the environment, it has been a popular choice for those who can afford the hefty price tag (it's currently discounted for Black Friday). The latest iteration of The Frame came out in July with a new 85-inch option and a slimmer 24.9mm bezel – half the width of the 2020 model. Samsung also boosted the capacity of The Frame from 500MB to 6GB so that you can store 1,200 pictures in 4K resolution – these are displayed when a video is not playing to make your TV look like a framed picture.
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Sky Glass TV brings Sky without the need for a dish or box
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Sky Glass TV brings Sky without the need for a dish or box by Paul Hill Sky has announced the launch of Sky Glass, a new TV with Sky built into it. This means that customers will not need to buy a dish or a box to receive Sky channels. According to the firm, this makes it the only TV on the market with Sky built-in, making it a good choice if you want to reduce the clutter around your TV. The new Sky Glass will be available to purchase in the UK from October 18. It will cost from £13 a month over 48 months if you decide to split the payments or you can pay all in one go. The company doesn’t say how much the cost is if you buy outright but £13 multiplied by 48 is £624, so expect prices to start around there. Additionally, there are three models: Small 43”, Medium 55” and Large 65”. Adding to the cost, customers will also need to take out a £26 per month contract for Sky Ultimate TV, luckily, this contract renews every 31-days, giving you flexibility. Sky Ultimate TV will give you Netflix and Sky Entertainment, if you decide to pay £70 a month you’ll also get Sky Sports and BT Sport, and if you pay an extra tenner, you’ll get Sky Cinema added in too. Commenting on Sky Glass, Dana Strong, Group Chief Executive, Sky, said: “Sky Glass is the streaming TV with Sky inside, providing the total integration of hardware, software and content. Built on over 30 years of understanding what our customers want, this is a TV that only Sky could make. We believe this is the smartest TV available, and that customers will love it.” The company said that Sky Glass will debut in its other European markets from 2022 but it didn’t provide pricing details for those markets. In terms of the specifications, anyone picking up Sky Glass will be getting a great TV. It features a 4K Ultra HD Quantum Dot screen (10-bit HDR) that supports HLG, HDR10, and Dolby Vision. The Sky Glass can also adjust the sound and display based on what you’re watching and Zonal Technology help produces darker darks and brighter brights. Sky Glass also supports many TV services that people have come to expect including Sky, BBC iPlayer, Netflix, Disney+, ITV Hub, All4, Spotify, Peloton, PlayWorks and more. You can even use your voice to search for programmes, turn on the TV, control the volume or switch connected devices. To find out more, head over to the Sky Glass website. -
UK broadcasters looking at unified on-demand service to battle Netflix
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UK broadcasters looking at unified on-demand service to battle Netflix by Paul Hill According to an article published yesterday in The Telegraph (via MSN), the British broadcasters are looking to band together to fight off rivals such as Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and Disney+. Under the existing plans, which are not final, content from the BBC, ITV, Channel 4, and Channel 5 would all be combined in one space so if you filtered content by Drama, you would see the dramas from each of the services side-by-side. You will also be able to view content by service too. The report claims that the broadcasters have been in talks since the beginning of the year but that the urgency of the issue has intensified recently as they wish to flesh out a deal before 2023’s smart TVs begin production. If they arrange a deal quick enough, the new streaming platform could get its own button on smart TV remotes. The introduction of a free, combined streaming service would be very good for people in the UK who currently have to wade through several separate services to find the content they watch. The idea for this service could have come from Britbox, a paid service operated by BBC, ITV, and Channel 4. It offers more content than what’s available on their free platforms but it costs £5.99 per month. The media regulator, Ofcom, has said that it ‘supports strong collaborative partnerships’ so this news will be welcome. It should also be welcome by the government which announced last week that it wants to ‘protect the creation of uniquely British TV’. -
Roku announces plans to expand into its second big European market
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Roku announces plans to expand into its second big European market by Paul Hill The TV platform, Roku, has announced (via Reuters) its intention to expand into Germany later this year, making it the second big European market that it’ll be present in. Unlike the UK expansion, where it started out as the software partner for Hisense, it will immediately launch its own hardware in the German market. Speaking to Reuters, the executive leading Roku’s international expansion, Arthur van Rest, said that there’s a ‘very big secular shift to streaming’ and that this trend is only being sped up by the pandemic that gripped the world last year and is still making itself known with rising case numbers in many countries. He went on to say: 'TV and the way that it's being consumed are shifting dramatically - and we are right at the heart of that.' When Roku launches its hardware in Germany, it will come with apps and content from local partners including Seven.One Entertainment Group, RTL Deutschland, and Sky Deutschland. Of course, other services such as Netflix, Amazon’s Prime Video and Disney+ will be available for those who subscribe to those services. In the UK, Roku's streaming players come in four variations: Express, Express 4K, Streaming Stick+, and Streambar. Prices range from £29.99 to £129.99 which works out to around €35 and €150 respectively – these are the prices we could see when Roku arrives in Germany later this year. -
LG announces launch of LG QNED Mini LED premium TVs by Paul Hill LG has announced that it will be rolling out its newest TVs in July that use Quantum Dot NanoCell colour and Mini LED backlight technologies to deliver a premium experience. The new 2021 LCD TVs will deliver deeper blacks, more accurate colour reproduction, and greater contrast and brightness. The line-up of LG QNED Mini LED TVs consists of the 8K QNED99 and QNED95 series along with the 4K QNED90 series with screen sizes ranging from 65 inches to 86 inches. Aside from the aforementioned improvements in picture quality, these TVs are certified by the product testing agency Intertek to provide 100 percent colour volume and colour consistency. They also eliminate any colour distortion across wide viewing angles so they should be great to watch no matter where you’re sitting in a room. Commenting on the new TVs, Park Hyoung-sei, president of the LG Home Entertainment Company, said: “LG QNED Mini LED TV represents an evolutionary leap forward, leveraging LG’s unique color reproduction technology and mini LED backlighting to achieve the pinnacle of LCD picture quality. Our newest lineup is testament to LG’s technological leadership in the premium TV market made possible by continuously improving and refining our innovative OLED and QNED Mini LED TVs.” LG said that the new displays will be available in North America initially before coming to additional regions around the world in the following weeks. LG didn’t state the prices for the TVs but as they’re premium, expect them to be expensive.
