Samsung TV Plus, a new app in Germany, has been available since mid-April with which you can watch over 90 TV channels on the go and at home for free. However, the offer does not come without restrictions, as TECHBOOK found out in the app check.
Television via the Internet, the so-called IPTV, is booming. More and more users are doing without a classic connection via cable, satellite or DVB-T2 and instead watch their TV program via app. Providers such as waipu.tv and Zattoo are already established brands here. However, receiving private channels such as RTL, ProSieben and Co. costs money. A new Samsung app, on the other hand, is completely free. “Samsung TV Plus offers 100 percent free television. Without a catch.” A pretty big promise that the manufacturer makes to its users. But can the company keep it and how easy is it to use the new app on a smartphone?
Overview
What program selection does Smart TV Plus offer?
Samsung promises access to over 90 free channels his app. And indeed the offer is very extensive. The stations are divided into genres for a better overview. In addition to films, there is also music & Arts, Entertainment, News & Documentaries, sports, children and much more. Favorite stations can be created as favorites in the user profile and users can also manage program reminders here.
Due to the scope of the channels offered, we do not list every single one in this news. However, Samsung itself has created an overview in which you can also find brief explanations of the various channels. The channel list can be viewed here as a PDF.
The well-known channels that can be accessed via Samsung TV Plus include the Auto Motor Sport Channel, CNN, various themed channels from Rakuten TV (comedies, documentaries, dramas, etc.), Focus TV and Spiegel TV, MTV, Netzkino but also children's channels such as Nick Rewind and Nick Pluto TV. There is even a special channel for the various episodes of SpongeBob SquarePants.
Samsung TV Plus cannot be installed on every device
The app has been around for a while, but it has recently become officially available in Germany. Samsung offers it for free download in the Google Play Store as well as in its own app shop. However, Samsung TV Plus can only be used by owners of a Samsung device. According to the list of devices, Samsung TVs from 2016 and Galaxy smartphones with Android 9 Pie and higher are supported - i.e. the models in the Galaxy S10, S20, S21, Note 10 and Note 20 series.
We tried them on the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra.
Also read: Galaxy S21 review – great smartphone with annoying savings
It doesn't work without registration
Once installed, the app can be used after confirming the data protection rules. Registration is initially not required - many live programs can be streamed right from the start. However, Samsung's statement that you don't have to register is not always true. Because with some channels comes the notice that you have to log in to the app again separately with your Google account or Samsung account in order to be able to watch them. We noticed this, for example, with the content for children. Funny, one would expect that the program for adults with a login would have to be protected from eyes that are too young. However, the Netzkino offer is also only available to viewers after registration.
The films and documentaries are not available on demand in the Samsung TV Plus app. Rather, the program is played back in each station one after the other. As with linear TV, users have to tune in in good time if they don't want to miss anything. At least a reminder can be set punctually for the start of a film.
Advertising and picture quality
The problem, however, is that the app often does not show which film is currently playing. The content is often only divided into genres, for example as a family film, science fiction or simply as a feature film. Also unsightly, but to be expected with a free offer, are the advertisements. At the start of a program or in between, short advertising clips are shown from time to time. Overall, however, the advertising was still within limits.
When you pan the smartphone, the film is automatically displayed in full screen mode. Stream quality varies. With newer films and programs, the playback quality is usually good and sharp enough for the 6.8-inch display of the Galaxy S21 Ultra. However, there are also various titles that are older. These can be black and white films from the 1920s or older, but also productions from the 1960s to 1980s that do not yet have such a high resolution. Here you can sometimes see individual pixels on the smartphone, but the poor image quality should be even clearer on the TV set.
Conclusion: Samsung TV Plus can definitely be worthwhile
To be honest, we didn't go into the app test with very high expectations. In the end, Samsung TV Plus left a positive impression. One of the biggest shortcomings is that the app can only be used by owners of a Samsung device so far. And the missing program details in the smartphone app make the search for special titles a little difficult. We also didn't like the fact that you have to register for certain channels - Samsung had promised something else here.
We rate the fact that Samsung displays ads between streams as neutral. That's to be expected with a free service, and we even found the ads to be less aggressive than the ones now showing up on YouTube.
Samsung TV Plus is not a replacement for Zattoo or waipu.tv. The classic TV channels of the public and private broadcasters are missing. Rather, the app is suitable for watching programs occasionally, or for those who want to watch news about CNN, for example, in between. For being free, the Samsung TV Plus app packs quite a punch.
