Samsung Electronics, the leading TV manufacturer in the world by shipment volume, has announced the passing of a significant milestone in the history of its fledgling Samsung Apps store specifically catered for the company’s web-connected HDTV displays equipped with the Samsung Internet@TV service. According to a statement released by the Korean consumer electronics giant, its Samsung TV Apps marketplace has served one million downloads to these internet-enabled HDTVs (dubbed “Smart TVs” by Samsung) as of today, which is no mean feat considering that the app store was only launched at the beginning of this year, and only features around 200 downloadable apps at this time of writing.
The increasing availability of broadband internet connection has been integral to the rising popularity of internet-enabled TVs (IETVs) among TV makers and consumers alike. Samsung has been quick to jump on this trend by implementing the Internet@TV platform on its flat-screen HDTV models since 2009, which allows users to access selected web content (e.g. Youtube and Flickr) directly on the television if hooked up to broadband internet.
By unveiling its Samsung TV Apps website at the CES (Consumer Electronics Show) in Las Vegas back in January 2010, Samsung has empowered owners of its internet-connected HDTVs with further customisation and interactivity. From the Samsung Apps marketplace, users can download web-connected apps onto their Samsung Smart TVs, allowing them to social network through Facebook and Twitter, or play interactive games such as Texas Holdem and Quizzmaster. According to Samsung, the most frequently downloaded apps on Samsung Smart TV sets globally are Hulu Plus, ESPN Next Level, CinemaNow and Texas Hold’em.
To promote its Smart TV technology, Samsung held a number of demonstration sessions on a “Smart TV Tour” in shopping centres across the UK last month. The company has also hosted several “Free The TV Developers Day” events and competitions around the world to encourage software developers to create web applications for the Samsung Apps platform.
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