CES 2020: Is Samsung Sero's vertical screen the future of TV?

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CES has kicked off with a bang, with Samsung revealing one of the most futuristic home entertainment designs we've seen in quite some time, a TV that rotates by itself. 

The Samsung Sero (sero means vertical in Korean) made its first global public appearance at the Consumer Electronics Show on Sunday, and its ability to pivot between vertical and horizontal orientations was unveiled. Let's take a look at this mind-boggling piece of tech that's perfect for YouTube (and if you're stuck for something to watch, here's our pick of the best animated music videos). 

Now, some might say this is a tad unnecessary. What's wrong with a standard flat screen? We hate to tell you that if that's you, you're probably too old to be in the target market. This TV is firmly geared towards Generation Z and Millennial customers who use their smartphones as another mode of entertainment. 

The TV aims to be an extension of your smartphone, connecting to your phone over NFC and orientating automatically to mirror the content you're watching on your small screen. Websites and content optimised for a horizontal view will stick with the standard TV format, but if you happen across a site that's best enjoyed in a vertical view, your TV will take on a life of its own and rotate 90 degrees to an upright position. Think YouTube, TikTok, Instagram and Snapchat videos on the huge 43-inch screen. 

It does beg the question, however, as to what this means for videographers. The use of vertical video has risen dramatically over the past few years with the introduction of Snapchat and Instagram stories. And if the standard orientation of a monitor and TV is set to switch, this could see a big shake up in the video creation and editing industry.

Twitter reacts (badly)

Unsurprisingly, some might say, Twitter isn't convinced. This tweet pretty much sums up the response, with most users agreeing it's a gimmicky move from Samsung:

It's a cool piece of kit that has clearly been designed to solve a problem some people must be experiencing, but we're not sure how this one will sell (unlike this problem-solving slide keyboard concept, which we would love to come to fruition). 

However attached to their smartphones people may be, is it not enough to just view the content on the phone itself? We can't imagine buying a TV purely to watch social media videos on. Or maybe we're just too old. 

If you're happy with the usual non-rotating screen set up, here are are some of the top TV and monitors in your area, at the very best prices. 

Read more:

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