Samsung To Launch TV Sets With Built-in iPlayer Features

Korean consumer electronics giants Samsung has confirmed that it will be rolling out a range of televisions that will come with BBC's popular video on demand service, iPlayer.

Speaking to the Telegraph, Erik Huggers, BBC Director Future Media and Technology said that "[the] BBC iPlayer has enjoyed huge success since launch two years ago, and the next challenge for us is taking the service mobile and into the living room; we've built a version of BBC iPlayer that can be easily adapted to work on internet-connected TVs."

Samsung models won't be the first television to come with integrated iPlayer capabilities. Last December saw the launch of Marks and Spencer's iViewer built by UK-based firm, Cello Electronics.

The 32-inch, Full HD model retails at £499, which is roughly £200 more expensive than a similar model without the iPlayer feature.

Prospective users will need to connect their television sets to the web which means that the solution won't rely on a dedicated set top box. 

Samsung will be offering it via its own Internet@TV service which will also include, in the forthcoming months, a web iteration of LoveFilm DVD rental service plus Muzu.tv, which is an online legal repository of music videos.

The yet-to-be-priced television sets will in the long run offer around 100 different Internet@TV apps, some of them paid for, accessible through its connected televisions and Blu-ray players.