Samsung Launches Designer TV for Upscale Furniture Market

Samsung began taking preorders at its e-commerce store Thursday for a 40-inch designer TV that also will be available for U.S. customers through the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) Design store on Aug. 6. The $1,499 4K Ultra HD Serif TV with high dynamic range was developed in collaboration with Paris designers Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec. It also will be available next month through upscale furniture stores Bo Concept NY, Ligne Roset and Vitra in major markets, Samsung said. It’s the first time Samsung has aligned with a designer to “not only re-envision how the TV looks but also how it functions,” said the company. The name Serif derives from the TV’s frame that resembles the letter “I” in serif typeface. Four detachable slanting legs support the TV, which Samsung describes as having a minimal exterior, refined user interface and simplified remote control. Serif TV will be available in white across all retailers and in blue from Samsung and MoMA. Responding to our questions about extending the Serif line to other screen sizes or extending features to other Samsung TVs, a company spokeswoman said the features of Serif are exclusive to that product and the company had no further plans to share. The Serif TV "resonates with consumers who value design and who shop for aesthetically complementary pieces at premium design-centric retailers," she said, responding to our question on distribution through furniture stores. Showroom stores give Samsung the chance to showcase the TV either on its own legs or on a credenza, "which make it a piece of furniture in and of itself," she said.