At CES 2019 exhibited various smart mirrors. For example, the Capstone Connected Home, this smart mirror has Google Assistant built-in, so you can give voice commands. The touchscreen mirror can also display different apps and serve as a smart speaker, as seen on the CNET and DigitalTrends website.
A recently published patent shows that technology giant Samsung is also investigating the possibilities of a smart mirror. Samsung, however, opts for a slightly different approach; it is a TV that transforms itself into a smart mirror.
Samsung has been designing lifestyle televisions for some time, for example, Samsung The Frame. This TV can be turned into a work of art when the television is switched off. Samsung probably wants to apply the same principle to the smart mirror TV.
Samsung Smart Mirror TV
The design patent of Samsung Electronics was initially filed in the US with the USPTO (the United States Patent and Trademark Office) and was subsequently registered with the Global Design Database of the WIPO (World Intellectual Property Office), where the patent on October 16, 2018, published.
It is a design patent, which means that in addition to a series of images, only a summary description is mentioned. Nonetheless, the Samsung TV is illuminated from all sides; the device has a square design with rounded corners and very narrow screen edges. The rear offers space for various connections, including the power supply.
The summary description shows that you can use the television in ‘the first state’, while in ‘the second state’ you have a mirror at your disposal. Probably ‘the first state’ means that the TV is switched on, while ‘the second state’ shows the function for when the television set is in standby mode.
We also see this principle with Samsung The Frame TVs. Some time ago, the company also already applied for a trademark for Samsung The Window, possibly a transparent TV. Perhaps we can add ‘Samsung The Mirror TV’ here in the future.
The design looks at least ingenious, although the design is debatable. A square TV … probably means that you see pretty wide black bars at the top and bottom when watching TV, and TV programs are no longer broadcast in the traditional 4: 3 ratio.
One of the patent images shows the weather forecast is shown while someone looks at himself in the mirror. Another image illustrates a Samsung Galaxy smartphone shown on television; it is probably possible to connect your smartphone directly to the TV and thus view the content on your smartphone via your television.
It is possible that Samsung will also add touchscreen functionality to the smart mirror and smart lighting. In addition, it seems obvious that Bixby, Samsung’s own speech assistant, will be built in.
It is as yet unknown if and when Samsung will launch this smart mirror TV. But now that several smart mirrors are already available, it is certainly not inconceivable that Samsung will also jump into this hole. It would, in any case, be a nice addition to the already special portfolio of Samsung TV models.
