What They Say
Samsung’s TV Plus streaming app is one of the five most-used apps and the second most popular free video app on Samsung smart TVs. The free channel is streaming “billions of minutes every month” according to a Samsung executive. Now that the advertising-funded video model has been established, it is being moved onto the firm’s smartphone platform.
What We Think
One of the key attractions to TV makers of developing smart TVs was the potential to develop streaming services that could lead to a closer tie with consumers, but it has been a long and difficult road. However, the firm is now gaining momentum and the move to the smartphone business will bring much more exposure. As the article highlights, Samsung’s divisions are usually quite ‘siloed’, with relatively little sharing between the TV and smartphone businesses. This represents an unusual change to that approach. (BR)
