My Cart - Following Google and Sony’s recent announcement of a partnership in internet television, Samsung and Yahoo are planning to expand their own version of television and web access in one.
Right now a large number of households worldwide boast both a cheap Samsung TV and at least one computer or laptop on which to access the internet. The next stage is allowing viewers to access websites and internet content on their television screen. But Samsung and Yahoo believe consumers do not want an unlimited choice of information appearing on their TV.
While Sony and Google have presented a ‘Google TV’ which, in basic terms, puts a web browser into the television, Samsung and Yahoo are proposing an integration which allows viewers to access the most popular sites online, without a deluge of information. Users will be able to access YouTube, Twitter, Facebook and a select array of sites relating to news, gaming and business.
The Samsung/Yahoo televisions were first unveiled in February 2009 and are now available in 13 countries worldwide. The planned expansion will add a further 26 new European countries and puts the partnership in a strong position. Yahoo marketing director says, “We don’t think people want the whole web browser experience crammed in a TV,” and believes that their internet television fits right in between Google TV and Apple TV, which is heavily connected to other popular Apple devices.
Samsung certainly sit in a strong position to drive forward internet television; outstripping sales of LG and Sony televisions to be the world’s biggest volume retailer of LCD and plasma TVs during the first three quarters of 2010.
