We're at Samsung's 2011 product launch in Budapest today and tomorrow, where we hope to get full details of the Korean giant's forthcoming 2011 ranges of TVs, Blu-ray players and home cinema systems.
The opening press conference has just started, and here are the highlights so far:
• Samsung claims to be market leader in Europe for TV, Blu-ray and home cinema products
• The average time spent watching TV increases every year; last year it rose to four hours a day
• 'Any content, any time, anywhere' is the theme of Samsung's Smart TV technology
• Daniel Danker from the BBC talking about the changes brought by Smart TV: "Normal viewing peak for broadcast TV is 8pm; with on-demand TV it's 10.30pm."
• Danker again: "‘If you look at the percentage of on demand versus linear viewing, it's still mostly linear. That model won't go away, but on-demand is allowing the world of linear broadcasting to be supplemented by new content. It's a growth in TV consumption. Being able to get any piece of content on any device will become a part of our media landscape.
"When it comes to the 2012 Olympics, at the BBC we'll have much more content than we can possibly broadcast on what is essentially a limited number of channels. On-demand and IP delivery, then, is the only way to get the sheer quantity of content available to audiences. It adds an incredible degree of choice."
• Samsung's D7000 and D8000 TVs will transmit live broadcasts from the TV, wirelessly, to all new Galaxy devices. Nice. (We have an exclusive First Test of the Samsung D8000 in our April issue, on sale March 10th)
• New 3D glasses are said to be the world's lightest at 28g. New charger will charge four pairs at a time
• Around 75% of Samsung's 2011 plasma and LCD/LED TVs will be fully equipped with SmartHub tech in 2011
• SmartHub is both the new interface for Samsung TVs plus the jump-off point for all its internet TV services (such as BBC iPlayer and apps)
• Introducing 3D Sound+. This is a special sound mode in Blu-ray all-in-one systems that creates "enhanced vertical and horizontal surround sound". Crikey.
• In 2010, Samsung sold close to 25 million smartphones. New Galaxy phone range comprises Ace, Fit, Glo and Mini as we reported in our earlier news story
