Samsung is now a formal competitor to digital signage software providers. It has released its VXT platform and communicated clearly with the market that it is going alone to win direct business.

However, this was not always the case. In 2013, Marc Benson (our CTO) and I were approached by Samsung UK to attend a briefing at their Chertsey, UK. Samsung presented their vision for a system-on-chip (SoC) display range, pitching digital signage software companies to join them on a journey towards screens with integrated players.

In a room full of competitors, Marc and I glanced at each other in acknowledgement. This was aligned with our plans and we would maintain our composure until we could discuss what had been presented and proposed.

Before the briefing, we had developed a new methodology for our Signagelive platform, moving the logic and core capabilities for running a digital signage player to the cloud. We created a player-client technology that could be built into other devices using APIs and SDKs to connect and control the player on a manufacturer device or SoC display. In the car returning home from Chertsey, it was an easy ‘[hell, yeah](https://sive.rs/n)’ decision for Marc and me to commit to developing support for Samsung’s SoC displays. We spent the journey back to our office updating our development roadmap to prioritise this.

Fast forward to ISE 2014, and I am on stage at the Integrated Systems Europe press launch for Samsung SoC Displays. I am being introduced as a lead software partner for Samsung Smart Signage Platform (SSP) digital signage alongside the then President of Samsung Displays, SG Kim.

The following months included trips to Germany and the USA to showcase our early Samsung SoC solution. I was also invited by Samsung to their HQ in Suwon, Korea, where I presented to the Samsung global executives and was treated exceptionally well by their team, who provided fantastic hospitality.

The early Samsung SoC displays were limited and only suitable for basic digital signage. However, with each new generation of SoC and SSP software, the gap between the capabilities of an external media player and an SoC display, closed. We gained commercial traction, and our initial investment in that project was paying off.

Samsung's SoC Displays led to competitors offering alternative solutions. LG followed with webOS-based SoC displays. The experience in developing Signagelive support for Samsung SPP displays directly helped in supporting webOS, reducing the development and QA time by half.

The introduction of Android-based solutions from Philips and Sony, followed and built on our core development for Samsung and LG. Our initial Samsung development enabled us to support Google ChromeOS and our deep integration with BrightSign, acknowledged with our Elite Partner status.

Our collaboration with Samsung was pivotal for our support for all hardware vendors and other areas of our business.

Our association with Samsung significantly increased Signagelive's brand awareness, opening new opportunities.

Samsung’s partners aimed to build relationships with SSP software partners as new distribution and reseller partners were established worldwide. Many of those relationships remain key to our success.

The new customers, networks, and licences won from our support of Samsung SSP displays is pivotal to our sustained growth.

Many of our customers operate digital signage networks with multiple vendor players and SoC displays, and will continue to do so rather than be locked in to a propiertary solution from a single hardware manufactuer.

In addition, our resellers and customers require the support, integrations and flexibility offered by an independant, specialst digital signage software provider.

Despite Samsung's decision to go it alone with VXT, their original decision to bring SoC displays to the market has been fundamental to our current success and planned future growth, for which I am grateful.