Samsung and Google turn the TV into a digital canvas

The role of the television in the modern home is undergoing a significant transformation. No longer just a passive black rectangle reserved for evening entertainment, the TV is evolving into a dynamic digital canvas that serves as the centerpiece of the living room. In a move that solidifies this shift, Samsung has announced a major partnership with Google to integrate Google Photos and its popular Memories feature directly into Samsung Smart TVs. This collaboration, revealed ahead of CES 2026, promises to fix one of the most disjointed experiences in the smart home ecosystem: viewing personal photos on the biggest screen in the house.

For years, displaying family photos on a television has been a surprisingly friction-filled process. Users typically had to rely on "casting" images from a smartphone, a method that drains battery, requires a stable Wi-Fi connection, and often suffers from lag or aspect ratio issues. With this new integration, Samsung is eliminating the need for dongles or phone-based casting. Instead, Google Photos will exist natively within the TizenOS platform, allowing users to access their cloud-based libraries with the same ease as launching Netflix or YouTube.

The headline feature of this integration is Memories. Anyone with a smartphone is likely familiar with this feature,which uses machine learning to curate collections of photos based on specific themes, such as "Recent Highlights," "Trip to Paris," or "Best of 2025." Starting in early 2026, these curated collections will automatically populate on Samsung TVs. This means that instead of a static screensaver, the television can cycle through meaningful moments,effectively turning the device into a high-end digital picture frame when not in use. The integration is designed to be ambient, ensuring that the technology enhances the living space rather than demanding constant attention.

What makes this announcement particularly interesting for industry observers is the technical depth of the implementation. Samsung is not merely displaying a slideshow; they are leveraging their Vision AI Companion to intelligently format these images for the large screen. Furthermore, the collaboration introduces advanced generative capabilities. Later in 2026, the integration will expand to include "Create with AI" features. Powered by a Google DeepMind model referred to as Nano Banana, this tool will allow users to generate themed templates and stylized visuals directly on the TV. Users could, for example, take a standard family portrait and remix the art style to better match their living room decor, or convert still images into subtle motion videos to add vitality to the room.

There is also a competitive angle to this partnership that highlights the complex relationship between major tech giants.Reports indicate that this native Google Photos experience, specifically the Memories integration, will be exclusive to Samsung TVs for a six-month window. This creates a somewhat ironic situation where Samsung users will enjoy a superior Google Photos experience on their televisions compared to users of Google's own operating systems, like Google TV or Android TV, which have historically lacked a dedicated, feature-rich Photos app. This exclusivity period underscores Samsung's dominance in the global TV market and Google's willingness to prioritize widespread adoption over platform exclusivity.

The rollout is scheduled to begin with the 2026 lineup of Samsung Smart TVs, with the feature available out of the box.Owners of older models are not entirely left out, as Samsung plans to push these features to compatible in-market models via software updates later in the year. The setup process promises to be seamless, likely involving a simple QR code scan to link the TV to a user's Google account. Once connected, the content flows automatically, curated by AI to ensure that duplicate or blurry photos are filtered out, leaving only high-quality memories on display.