What is Samsung TV+ and what can you do with it?

Samsung wants its streaming service to also be shown on non-Samsung TVs. Did you have no idea that Samsung has a streaming service? It’s called Samsung TV+ and here’s what you can do with it.

Samsung Plus TV

You’ll already find the app on Samsung’s smart TV: Samsung TV Plus. It’s a free streaming service that you can find on your Samsung device (if it’s from 2016 or later). There are all kinds of channels to choose from, such as sports, news, and entertainment, where you see “pay” ads for the service. The service is pre-programmed as standard on Samsung devices. You don’t have to log into it, but if you do, you have more options. More on that later.

Because you still don’t know exactly what Samsung TV Plus is. The funny thing is, it’s not actually a streaming service. At least, it is not a streaming service like the mother of streaming services Netflix. It is not “on demand”. It is a service where you watch linear TV. You choose the channel and then this is what you get: Samsung plays what’s on that channel to its programming at that moment and you’re watching that. You can’t fast-forward, you can’t choose from all kinds of shows: it’s just watching what goes on. Although there are programs that you can watch later.

Samsung streaming service

Fortunately, you can browse a lot on this streaming service, because there are two dozen channels available: programs for kids, documentaries for people who are eager to learn, and for example, Bloomberg TV+ for people who want to keep an eye on world business or world news. Reuters and The Guardian are in English, but there is also, for example, the Dutch SBS6 classics. Thus, the selection is so versatile that everyone finds a channel to watch from time to time for entertainment or information. By the way, they do it better in the States: there are more than two hundred channels to choose from.

The biggest advantage of the account is that you can continue watching TV channels from where you left off. A big plus, because then you don’t have to miss anything completely and that makes this streaming service a bit more of a linear TV experience like when you’re just watching NPO1. You’d better be able to do this on your tablet or phone, because Samsung makes them, too. It is possible, but not yet in the Netherlands. For now, Samsung TV + is only available in the US on all Galaxy devices from the Korean brand.

competitors

Samsung is in there too, according to Lowpass conversation To see if other TV brands are interested in using the app. However, whether other brands are too keen on this is another matter. After all, it seems a little strange that a competitor’s brand name should always be so big on your TV’s home screen. Or, if Samsung was going to make it really colorful, there would be a standard button on the remote control, like Philips TVs have a Netflix button.

If you have a Samsung device, you know what to do: You probably tap that pre-installed app that you always see when you go to HBO Max. You can at least see if you find the channel that works for you. And if not, you know where to quickly find your favorite streaming service.