Own a Samsung television? You could soon transform your flatscreen into an expansive canvas for your favourite family photos.
Samsung is bringing Google Photos to the big screen with a future update to its Smart TVs. The partnership means you'll be able to showcase snapshots from holidays, hobbies, and daily life with loved ones on your telly's screen when you're not watching your favourite shows, documentaries, or playing the latest video games.
The South Korean firm is no stranger to this concept: its The Frame lineup pioneered the idea of turning a telly into a work of art or photograph when it's not in-use, something that LG is looking to ape with its next major release and Amazon has confirmed as a major feature for its Fire TV model.
Memories brings together curated stories based on people, locations, and meaningful moments for the first time on TV, available first and exclusively on Samsung TVs for six months
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First up, Samsung Smart TVs will be only flatscreens to benefit from Memories, a staple from the Google Photos app on smartphones, tablets, and web browsers, but has never made the transition to TVs before.
Due to launch in the next few months, you'll get to watch curated stories pulled together automatically from your photo library. These will be organised around the people in your life, the places you've visited, and meaningful occasions that matter most.
What's exciting is that Samsung has secured a six-month exclusive window for this feature. So if you've got a Samsung TV, you'll be the first to experience these curated memories on the big screen before anyone else can.
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Later this year, you'll gain access to some clever AI-powered Create tools that take things up a notch. These features let you transform your photos in fun and playful ways right from your telly.
The system uses technology called Nano Banana, which is Google DeepMind's image generation and editing model. You'll be able to apply themed templates to give your pictures fresh looks.
There's also a Remix function that lets you change the artistic style of your images.
And if you fancy bringing still photos to life, the Photo to Video tool will turn your favourite snapshots into short videos, adding movement to those frozen moments. Another feature coming later this year is Personalised Results, which gives you yet another way to enjoy your photo collection. This lets you view related pictures as a slideshow based on specific topics or themes.
The system will pull together relevant images from your library automatically. So if you fancy watching photos from seaside trips, mountain hikes or that Paris holiday, you'll be able to browse through them easily. It's all about making it simple to revisit particular types of memories without having to scroll through your entire photo collection.
“Samsung TVs have always brought people together, and bringing Google Photos to the big screen makes that experience even more personal,” said Kevin Lee, Executive Vice President of the Customer Experience Team at the Visual Display Business of Samsung Electronics.
“Through this partnership, we help users rediscover and relive cherished moments by bringing to light the stories behind their photos — right from the comfort of their living room.”
Samsung has earned plaudits for its The Frame lineup, which doubles up as an expansive photo frame or framed piece of art when you're not actively watching telly
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Google Photos and Google One Vice President, Shimrit Ben-Yair said: "Google Photos is a home for people’s photos and videos, helping them organize and bring their memories to life. We’re excited to bring Google Photos to Samsung TVs — helping people enjoy their favorite photos on a larger screen and reconnect with their memories in new ways."