Samsung's The Frame TV has proven so popular that the company is launching the Music Frame intended for both music and TV sound, as it can connect wirelessly to 2024 Samsung TVs.
At first glance, it looks like a version of the IKEA Symfonisk speaker developed in partnership with Sonos, but Samsung's new Music Frame is actually smaller, more versatile, and developed with inspiration from its own The Frame TV, Samsung said.
Samsung's Music Frame has customizable covers. Photo: FlatpanelsHD
It can be used as a standalone speaker for music that you can hang on the wall or place on furniture, and customize with artwork of your choice (it's not a screen). It is deeper than a standard picture frame but otherwise blends in, based on what we saw at CES 2024.
To enjoy music, you can simply use your smartphone wirelessly over WiFi via various cast protocols or Bluetooth. Five can play together wirelessly. It contains 2x woofers, 2x tweeters, and 2x midrange drivers. The power supply is external.
Samsung Music Frame as seen from the back. Photo: FlatpanelsHD
Pair as wireless TV speakers
A more unique feature of Samsung's Music Frame is that it can pair wirelessly to a Samsung 2024 TV model via the 'Q Symphony 2024' system, meaning that the TV speakers will continue to be active.
While we did not witness the setup process, Samsung told us that the Music Frame can be assigned the role of rear speakers for surround, a bass speaker for improved bass together with the TV speakers, or front speakers for a wider front perspective with the TV speaker acting more as a center unit.
Samsung Music Frame pairs wirelessly to 2024 Samsung TVs. Photo: FlatpanelsHD
We were informed that they can also connect wireless to select Samsung soundbars.
FlatpanelsHD had a chance to listen to Music Frame at CES 2024 and our first impression was that it delivers quite powerful size for its size, but it is difficult to provide detailed insights as the CES environment is very noisy.
Next step, Tizen upgrades
Samsung's Music Frame is a flexible and elegant way to improve TV sound in the living room, and falls in line with what FlatpanelsHD has said for years; the best way to encourage consumers to adopt surround sound in the living room is to make speakers wireless and flexible in terms of design and integration options.
Of course, if Samsung had been more forward-thinking, it would have ensured that the Music Frame was also compatible with older Samsung TVs. We still encourage the company to start upgrading its Tizen operating system in existing TVs.
After LG committed to upgrading webOS in TVs at CES, and Panasonic announced plans to switch to Fire TV, Samsung remains the only major TV maker yet to upgrade its TV operating system post-sale.
Samsung did not announce pricing but told us to expect Music Frame later this year.
