The South Korean multinational electronics company Samsung has recently launched a web version of its free and ad-supported Smart TV Plus streaming service for live and linear programming as well as added casting support for Chromecast devices.
According to reports, the streaming product, which was previously limited to Samsung TV and mobile devices, was launched as a web service in the second quarter.
Samsung is a curious new player in the streaming space and launched with little fanfare, but the rollout makes an app that was previously limited to Samsung users now widely available to just about anyone. The company is yet to formally announce its web version and to include it in any marketing material for the streaming service.
The South Korean electronic giant did not make an immediate comment about the launch. However, a spokesperson confirmed the launch of the web version of the service.
Samsung TV Plus has been around for years and since 2016 it was made available on Samsung smart TVs also. But the current launch to more devices outside of the streaming ecosystem places it in direct competition with ad-supported streaming services including Peacock, the Roku Channel, or any number of linear-programming freebies like Pluto TV or Plex.
However, it is not very clear why the South Korean electronic giant seems to have decided to make a soft entry with the web version of its streaming service, Samsung appears to be exploring ways to bring TV Plus to a larger audience. But if the company’s ambitions are to dominate the linear streaming space, it is a bit late to the game.
