Samsung plans to sell more than 25 million smart TVs this year as it tries to capture the emerging Internet TV market eyed by competitors including Apple. Samsung hopes to fill more than half of its planned global flat-screen TV sales of 50 million this year with Internet-enabled, interactive TVs. Smart TV allows consumers to access the Internet and online videos as well as offering specialized applications such as video games. Samsung’s latest smart TV recognizes human voices in some 30 languages to turn itself on or off, switch channels or adjust volume. It also recognizes hand motions and offers some 1,500 applications.
Top electronics makers including Samsung and LG have been aggressively pushing the televisions, seen as a hub in increasingly web-connected home appliances and other mobile gadgets. Samsung also hopes to introduce a smart TV run on Google’s operating platform by the end of this year, amid growing interest in arch-rival Apple’s soon-to-be launched smart TV. Research firm DisplaySearch expects the global TV market to grow just 2% this year after no growth in 2011, due to weak consumer demand amid the global economic downturn.
