The Sero is Samsung's first TV that can rotate between horizontal and vertical orientation. It is now available as a 43 inch model in the US and Europe.

The rotating TV
Our April Fools' Day joke from 2019 is now reality, although with a twist. Samsung is the first TV maker to launch a rotating TV in the US and Europe, although other brands are also toying with the idea. 

The rotating TV will let the user decide if the screen should be horizontal or vertical. In horizontal mode the 4K TV will work just like any other 16:9-format widescreen TV. In vertical mode the TV can show vertical video from social media or smartphones.

- "We are exceptionally proud to launch The Sero to the market. It is an industry-first and so we are able to capture the demand of smartphone/social media users by bringing an innovation that can display any content imaginable," said Dan Hastings, Director of TV and AV, Samsung UK. "With people now using their TVs in different ways than ever before, whether scrolling through social media, watching the latest viral videos or catching up on TV, The Sero is able to seamlessly adapt to enhance whatever content the user is watching, bringing a more bespoke and optimised experience."



Music system with AirPlay 2
If you own a Samsung Galaxy smartphone with Android 10 the TV can be set to automatically rotate when vertical video is transmitted from the phone. With other phones or services rotation must be engaged manually via a button on the remote control.

Underneath the LCD panel there is a built-in speaker system that doubles as a music system. It supports AirPlay 2 with an iPhone or iPad. Samsung added that the TV comes with 50 vertical backgrounds and that it supports Ambient Mode+, enabling a user to display information on the screen when it is not in use.



The Sero was launched in South Korea last year and is now rolling out to Europe and the US as part of the company's lifestyle product range, which also encompasses The Frame and Serif TV. Its hometown rival LG is pursuing a similar path with its 'Gallery' and 'Wallpaper' models where LG is using OLED technology as an enabler for new TV design solutions.

The Sero is available now in the US and parts of Europe, with wider availability to follow in the coming weeks and months. A 43-inch The Sero will cost you $2000 / £1600 / 1600.