Samsung is stepping up their media content offerings across TVs, smartphones, tables and other connected devices, to compete in the new eco system-driven market that has starting to shape up with Smart TVs. Samsung has just hired former AOL and Google-man David Eun as Executive Vice President.
New media strategy
With smartphones, Smart TVs and tablets eco systems have become increasingly important, and users expect all their devices to have instant access to video, music, books, photos and other media.
David Eun, former AOL and Google employee, now works for Samsung
Samsung says that David Eun “will play a key role in developing a global media strategy and driving new business opportunities”. No concrete details have been announced but Samsung certainly seems to acknowledge the intense competition from companies such as Apple and Amazon that sell hardware with very tight media content integration. Apple uses their iTunes platform for video, music, books and more, and Amazon has recently entered the tablet market with the Kindle Fire that takes advantage of Amazons media services. Sony is also believed to take advantage of their movie and music studios in an integrated eco system technology.
- “The competition for prominence in the living room has already begun, and Samsung Electronics is ideally situated to extend beyond that to connect the entire home and the lives of consumers,” David Eun says. David Eun was previously president of AOL’s Media and Studios division. Before that Eun was at Google where he was involved in Google Books, YouTube and Google Maps. He has also worked at NBC and Time Warner.
Many TV manufacturers are planning to launch Google TV based Smart TVs at CES 2012 this January, including Samsung. It is unclear how Samsung would link their strategy to the strategy of Google who is also offering more and more media content.
- Sources: Samsung press release, AllThingD
Samsung steps up efforts to integrate media content
