Samsung Announces Identity Upgrade, New Partners for FAST Service

Samsung unveiled a new brand identity and partnerships for the Samsung TV Plus free, ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) service that launched in 2015. Samsung TV Plus is integrated into all 2016-2022 Samsung smart TVs and Galaxy devices, plus select Family Hub refrigerators in the U.S. and Korea, the company said.

Samsung launched TV Plus in 2015; it now has over 220 channels in the U.S. and 1,600 globally, it said. Some 465 million devices worldwide across TV and mobile can access the service, which includes free and premium channels. It also has 50 owned and operated channels, including worldwide news, sports and entertainment.

In the new branding, Samsung is highlighting the “cross-device experience” and “ease of use across screens,” it said. “Our new look, programming and partnerships come at a time when many consumers are overwhelmed by a myriad of monthly bills and subscriptions,” said Sang Kim, Samsung senior vice president-product and marketing, highlighting the “instant and free access” to entertainment on Samsung TV Plus.

As part of the new branding identity, Samsung is delivering more free content and strengthening partnerships with A+E Networks, E.W. Scripps and BBC Studios, including launching the global auto franchise, Top Gear, it said. The FAST service bolstered news offerings, now carrying ABC News Live, CBS News, LiveNow from Fox, NBC News Now, Bloomberg TV+, UHD Student News, Cheddar News and Telemundo, Samsung said.

Next year, Samsung TV Plus will have new and expanded partnerships with Lionsgate, Vice Media and others, it said. Ride or Drive, the first auto-focused channel will launch on the platform, it said, plus Samsung Showcase, a channel featuring concerts, events and special programming.

Samsung TV Plus also plans exclusive premieres. It announced a two-minute sneak peek release of Prime Video’s The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power series, and an exclusive, uncut version of Demi Lovato’s Vevo Official Live Performance, a series of favorite tracks from global artists. It will also feature EstrellaTV’s new mockumentary, Norteados con Don Cheto.

To access the free content, device owners click the Samsung TV Plus icon on the first screen of a Samsung smart TV or launch the app on any Samsung mobile device, the company said.