In 2023, Samsung will equip its new TVs with the Tizen 7.0 operating platform. Its modification M2 appeared on October 31, 2022, while the penultimate version of the platform – Tizen 6.5 – was released exactly one year before. Interaction with the viewer occurs through the on-screen interface of Smart Hub.
He is responsible for three main tasks – managing the settings of the Samsung 2023 TV , installing and working with applications, as well as connecting and interacting with Tizen devices. On Tizen OS 7.0 TVs, the smart hub still consists of navigation feeds with large tiles and small icons. In this article, we will look at the main features of Smart Hub Tizen 7.0 and the differences from Tizen 6.5.
OS Tizen 7.0 and Tizen 6.5 differences
User interface
The interface of Tizen 6.5 has undergone a radical change compared to Tizen 6.0. But Tizen 7.0 is visually practically no different from its predecessor. In the new version, tiles take up about 40% of the screen. The home screen is designed to group certain types of content into sections. You’ll find their names on the left side of the screen in a drop-down panel.
In Samsung 2023 TVs, these are the following sections:
Privacy Options : This is where you can manage your privacy settings. You can also check the protection of your personal data.
Search : With this feature, you can search apps and content. This also applies to channels, programs or movies offered by the Smart Hub service. True, only YouTube content is often displayed as search results for content in various streaming applications.
Ambient : In this section you set all kinds of Ambient mode options. In the new version of Tizen OS, the NFT application list window has been added. Those. images can also be loaded from the NFT application, greatly increasing the number of possible options.
Media: the most important section. Here you will find all Smart TV apps and external connections. Also, this section is selected by default when you press the Home button.
Game : The section contains cloud gaming applications. These apps (such as Xbox and Geforce Now) are already available in the app store. The Game Center (Samsung Gaming Hub) will group all these apps along with any connected gaming consoles. You will also find gaming content on YouTube and Twitch.
Art : This section is only supported by Samsung Frame TVs . It allows you to view images on the screen when the TV is not in use.
Menu : in this section you will find all the settings, as well as a number of additional functions.
Note that Tizen 7.0 OS provides a user interface support technology that allows you to control the TV using your voice without additional processing in applications. To simplify interaction, an assistant in the form of a Mini-avatar has been added. It is displayed in a separate layer and shows automatically generated commands for all managed interface objects. And when the user says a command, he forwards it to the selected object.
Media center
Whether you want to stream Netflix , watch live TV or watch HDMI sources, you’ll find it all in the media center. Screen space is not used very well, for example, the top half of the screen is not used. Or rather reserved for potential advertising or affiliate content.
Applications are in the center of the screen. This line can be customized, but it is the only thing that can be personalized throughout the interface. This row can also accommodate HDMI inputs and streaming services. Since there is no button for external inputs on the remote, this is the best solution. At the bottom left you will find a tile that will take you back to the last used source.
Applications
Samsung TV has a very wide range of applications. When it comes to streaming video, we can say that you will find almost everything here. Most of these applications are also preinstalled. The choice depends on the region, but this is mainly for local applications. To install other applications in Tizen 7.0, you can go to the application store with a Samsung account.
Mirroring
You can share your smartphone screen with your Taizen 7 TV screen via Smart View, Apple AirPlay (AirPlay 2 supported) or Tap View. When you start mirroring, the TV screen switches to the Multi View screen or mobile device screen. But TVs don’t support all Chromecast features.
Ambient hub
If you want to give your TV a decorative function when you are not watching, you can use the Ambient mode. There are all sorts of artistic images, soothing scenes, atmospheric videos, and other decorative images. Those who turn on Ambient are greeted with a large advertisement for the NFT store. We recommend simply ignoring this commercial solution. Scroll down to see the usual Ambient features.
At the very bottom, Samsung offers a series of routines that can be activated, for example, to automatically turn on the TV in the morning for a few hours with useful information. Those who wish to customize these routines can do so through the SmartThings app on their smartphone. There are also limited options for the Ambient screen.
Section Menu
This is where Samsung groups the settings, as well as a number of additional features. The appearance of the home screen menu has changed slightly in relation to Tizen 6.0. The navigation ribbon is no longer there, and the settings or the Multi View function of the Ribbon are called up through the buttons at the bottom of the screen. To select connected external devices, the button on the left is highlighted. As before, the settings can be accessed through the remote control.
External devices are, for example, HDMI inputs (if they are connected), as well as all devices that the TV finds on your home network. You can also connect a USB camera to the Samsung TV, which is also on this list. Samsung also highlights three features in it: SmartThings, Samsung TV Plus, and Workspace.
You can control smart devices in your home through SmartThings. Workspace lets you connect to a PC, Mac, or Samsung Dex smartphone. Or you can even connect directly to Microsoft 365 to work from home on the big screen. The Multi View option allows you to view two screens side by side or use picture-in-picture mode.
Tizen 7.0 review summary
In terms of layout and design concept, the new Tizen Smart Hub matches what we see in other major Smart TV systems (Google TV, LG webOS 23 ). It is a full-screen interface with a small space for ads and affiliate content. This in itself is not bad if the recommended content matches your browsing habits. But it rarely matches.
The new interface is sometimes slow to respond, especially when you first turn on the TV. This is actually incomprehensible in 2023. The big advantage of Samsung Smart Hub is the extensive list of applications and many additional features. In this area, Samsung, as always, shows excellent results.