It's hard to believe this isn't just a clever April Fool's joke, but alas, it's way past April 1. As such, Samsung isn't kidding with the Sero, a vertical TV made especially for millennials.
It makes sense for the most part. The Sero was made specifically for the Snapchat and Instagram generation who's used to watching videos filmed while in portrait mode. But the 43-inch TV isn't vertical all the time — it can be rotated to a horizontal orientation easily. Making it in such a way that users can pivot between two modes was a smart move on Samsung's part, as most people probably wouldn't be comfortable with the vertical mode all the time.
Sero, The Smartphone TV
Samsung knows most content viewed on mobile now is vertical, and it designed Sero to encourage young people to project their smartphone stuff onto the TV by offering an easy, frictionless switch to vertical mode.
In the audio department, it's got 4.1-channel, 60 W speakers. As for design, it's got an integrated navy stand and a minimalist rear structure. As The Verge notes, Samsung seems to hope this TV will function as both a music streaming hub and a sleek addition to any chic household. If not, it can also be a conventional TV, a phone enlarger, or a massive digital photo frame. Clearly, while the vertical orientation might at first seem like a joke, it actually adds a lot of versatility.
Samsung threw in its Bixby digital assistant too for, well, Bixby actions. It's no Google Assistant, sure, but it's at least nice to have it built in to the device.
Samsung Sero TV Price And Release Date
While Samsung regards the Sero as a concept, it's still slapping a price and release date, which means the device will be available in the mainstream market even though it's a largely untried and untested idea. The company intends to sell the Sero for KRW 1.89 million at the end of May in South Korea, which is around $1,600. Whether or not it's going to make its way stateside remains uncertain, but it's safe to assume Samsung will observe customer feedback the minute after launch to see if this concept sticks.
Will millennials take the bait? Or will they tire of the novelty after a couple of uses? It's hard to say. Even if they hate it, Samsung might win businesses over with this idea, especially those who use vertical stands outside their storefronts.
In any case, make sure to check back with Tech Times as we learn more about Samsung's plans for Sero.
