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James Martin/CNET
LAS VEGAS — Samsung on Monday showed off its latest TVs and home appliances as it attempts to maintain its leadership position in home electronics.
The Korean company has large ambitions: it sells more televisions and mobile devices than any other rival in the world, and it aims to soon become the world’s biggest home appliances vendor as well. To that end, Samsung at the 2015 Consumer Electronics Show here showed off its latest offerings of Ultra HD TVs, fridges and ovens.
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Tim Baxter, president and chief operating officer of Samsung Electronics America, touted the company’s growth in the industry last year. The Korean electronics maker reported securing 60 percent of the Ultra HD market share, while increasing its global sales of home appliances by 10 percent. It’s doubling down on these efforts with new offices dedicated to product research and development, according to Baxter.
“This is what Samsung does,” he said on stage. “We create possibilities and shape the future.”
CES is one of the most important shows for Samsung. At this event, it’s often that electronics are the star, not mobile devices. Monday’s press conference was no different. The company focused on its larger home electronics, with several teasers for tonight’s keynote, when Boo-Keun Yoon, co-CEO of Samsung and head of the company’s electronics business, will talk about the company’s plans for other Internet-connected devices. Samsung isn’t likely to discuss any new devices like smartphones, tablets or wearables until an event next month.
Tune in to CNET’s live blog of Samsung Co-CEO Boo-Keun Yoon’s CES keynote
Samsung’s past CES press conferences have marked the introduction of curved Ultra HD TVs, bendable TVs, smart-home software, digital cameras and various other gadgets. Most of the products eventually make it to market, but some turn out to be concepts that consumers never see — including 8K TVs, which are even more high definition than the 4K TVs, marketed as Ultra HD, that gained traction in 2014.
This year, Samsung announced nine different models of its Ultra HD series, confirming a report from November. The most premium — and likely most expensive — model is the curved-screen JS9500. The company did not announce any pricing and is not expected to do so until March, right before the TVs ship.
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All TV manufacturers are making some version of Ultra HDs, also referred to as UHDs. Samsung’s latest models feature quantum dots, a technology that helps produce brighter images and a wider range of color than conventional LED TVs. The new line, branded SUHD, follows announcements last week that the Korean electronics maker’s Tizen operating system will power all of the company’s smart TVs in 2015.
In addition to TVs, Samsung also rolled out its latest in home appliances. The company upgraded its Chef collection of kitchen appliances, unveiling some slimmer versions of its refrigerators, as well as upgrades to its ovens.
During its presentation, its executives mainly focused on partnerships and content over the products. This included the expansion of its music and video streaming services, Milk Music and Milk Video, to its smart TVs, and the launch of Milk VR, its virtual reality app.
Join us later Monday for more Samsung news during Yoon’s keynote, which starts at 6:30 p.m. PT.
