Samsung unveils a TV that can switch to vertical mode

Samsung unveiled a TV that switches from a landscape-type horizontal orientation to a vertical position – so you can easily view the content of a smartphone.

The 43-inch device calls Sero and comes with a built-in bracket similar to an easel on which the screen pivots.

It will go on sale in South Korea by the end of May and will cost 1.89 million won (£ 1,250).

A television analyst said that it was an interesting concept, but that its applications could be limited.

Sero will be bundled with a microphone and Bixby's virtual assistant integrated with Samsung. It can also be configured to display photographs, a clock face or other images.

Among the content that users might choose to watch, it could be a new set of Snapchat shows, designed for mobile consumption and expected to be launched in May.

It was an interesting design but challenges in the television market, said Matthew Rubin of the Futuresource market research company.

"The case of using the Sero, beyond that of a conventional landscape TV, is limited, especially with a relatively high price," he said.

"Much of YouTube's content, for example, is already in landscape mode.

"It is telling that television is launching at first in South Korea, a market where the rate of mobile phone use is very high, so that the likely success can be measured soon enough."

The South Korean technology giant is known for its sometimes experimental television designs. In 2017, he introduced a television with a wooden frame designed to display works of art and look more like a painting when it is not used.

And earlier this year, at CES Tech in Las Vegas, the company unveiled a 75-inch (190 cm) TV made of modular LED micro panels.

The BBC asked Samsung if the Sero would be likely to be marketed outside of South Korea and is waiting for an answer.