We’ve had our eyes on this one almost since we spotted this exactly a year ago at Las Vegas’ CES show. It’s a product for the times. More than 75% of all videos are watched on mobile devices (source: eMarketer) worldwide and 90% of videos watched vertically have a higher completion rate versus horizontal videos (Source: Impact/Mediabrix). It’s clearly a millennial thing, the audience the Samsung Sero is laser-focused on. If you’re like me, tired of those black bars that flank your Instagram feed every time you opt to cast your mobile device on to your large screen TV, the Sero might be the fix you need.
It’s remarkably simple yet a cutting edge innovation – a TV that flips. The Sero takes cues from your compatible smartphone and moves in the same direction, depending on your viewing angle. It’s not just Samsung smartphones, the Sero also features built-in AirPlay 2, you can view content from your iPhone or iPad too. A simple tap on the bezel activates Sero’s Easy Tap view and it will cast your video or even music on to your TV.
One of the features we’ve enjoyed while testing Samsung’s recent TVs like the Frame and Serif is Ambient mode. The Sero borrows this feature and transforms it into a work of art or your favourite photograph when it’s on standby mode. You can program your Content routines to ensure your content jumps from your smartphone to the Sero once you’re back home after a one-hour commute where you’ve been binge-watching. It’s not just the screen that follows your instructions, you can add the additional Mobility wheel accessory and drag this TV around.
The Sero is more than just a conversation starter for Gen Z folks, this one’s also a 43-inch QLED TV (3480 x 2160 pixels) that allows you to enjoy 4K content. AI upscaling is almost a given for premium TVs now, the Sero is no exception. The Sero upscales everything to 4K picture quality by analysing each scene for colour, texture data, lighting and contrast. It works even if your content source’s quality isn’t 4K. It’s also backed by 4.1 channel 60-watt speakers with Dolby Digital Plus. These speakers are cleverly concealed in the vertical stand and score with their bass thump.
It’s not just all play, at a time when WFH looks here to stay, the Sero is also a handy work accessory. Remote Access lets you mirror your computer’s display on the Sero wirelessly. You can even tap into your office PC to access files, or work on documents using Microsoft Office 365. There are other useful touches too, like the adaptive picture that adjusts the picture depending on your lighting environment. But nothing quite beats the awe on the faces of your drinking buddies when you make your TV flip the next time they’re over for a socially distant binge-watching session.
