Alternative music streaming service Qobuz has created its first ever TV app, partnering with none other than the world’s number one brand, Samsung Electronics.
Qobuz said its application is available to download now on all Samsung Smart TVs via the Galaxy Store, and that for the duration of this month it will be featured in the editor’s choice section to give it more visibility.
If you haven’t heard of Qobuz, it’s a fairly niche music streaming service that features human-crafted playlists and exclusive content that sets it apart from bigger rivals. It’s also unique in that it offers both high-resolution streaming and the opportunity to purchase high-resolution music downloads from its online store.
The company promises users they’ll enjoy a “familiar and easy-to-use interface” on Samsung TVs, through which they can access their favourite tracks.
To begin with, Qobuz said it will be launching in 18 markets: the U.K., the U.S. Australia, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.
Samsung TV owners will get to try before they buy too, as Qobuz says they’ll be able to enjoy a one-month free trial of the service to sample what’s on offer. Besides the more than 70 million tracks it provides access to, there’s hundreds of album reviews, liner notes and digital booklets to discover.
Once the free trial period is up, subscriptions start at £14.99 per month or £149.99 for a full year’s access. For existing subscribers, they’ll be able to use the app’s QR code function to login to their account on their TV.
Qobuz is competing against some big rivals, including Spotify, Tidal, Deezer, Apple Music and Amazon Music Unlimited to name just a few, so the partnership with Samsung is a smart move as it tries to convince the masses that it offers a better deal. More than 190 million households around the world are said to own a Samsung TV, so it’s tapping into an enormous potential audience.
While audiophiles might sneer at the suggestion of streaming high resolution to a TV and its limited speaker system, it’s also possible to connect the big screen via HDMI to a more capable sound system, and potentially even enjoy Qobuz’s sounds in multiple rooms.
Qobuz Deputy Chief Executive Georgnes Fornay said the company chose to build an app for Samsung because it’s the world’s biggest TV brand. “It’s exciting to know our service will get in front of so many music fans and all the potential customers in the Samsung ecosystem,” he said.
Fornay’s comment that he opted to partner with Samsung “first” suggests Qobuz might be planning to bring its app to more TV platforms in the future, but so far nothing has been disclosed.
Maya Harris, senior director of business development and strategic partnerships at Samsung, said the launch of Qobuz on its TVs “illustrates how dynamic the smart TV experience has become, both as a single platform and a hub for the entire connected home.”
