Samsung TV Plus expands and takes Rakuten TV free

Samsung TV Plus, Samsung Electronics’ free Smart TV video service, is expanding its free linear TV line-up and turning its Rakuten TV offering from a subscription into a free TV service.

The Samsung service, which is automatically installed on Samsung Smart TVs in select regions, now offers 47 channels to users across news, sports, entertainment, and more in the UK, where it is available on smart TVs models dating from 2016 onwards.

Samsung TV Plus has also expanded its movie offerings with the launch of an expanded offering from Rakuten TV. Previously, Rakuten TV on Samsung TV Plus was available as a paid option for consumers in five countries, with 20 channels. Later this month, it will be revamped as an advertising-based service with 28 channels, available in seven countries.

Samsung TV Plus is available in a total of seven countries in Europe – Germany, Austria, Switzerland, the UK, France, Italy and Spain – with 2.6 million active monthly users, each watching an average of 1.9 hours of TV Plus content per month.

“The advanced gains made in content availability have reframed the role of the television in our homes.Watching quality entertainment that is personal to your tastes has taken another big step forward this year on Samsung Smart TVs,”, said Guy Kinnell, VP, TV and AV, Samsung Electronics UK.

“I feel across the UK and Ireland, we’re so much more purposeful about what we choose to watch.  As content gets richer and more dynamic, the best TVs will be defined by their ability to deliver a viewing experience that is without compromise and more in-tune with the viewer’s more sophisticated desire to be entertained and informed. At Samsung, our TVs are at the forefront of this change in media consumption, and with further developments with TV Plus we see another step in delivering the amazing future of television.”