Samsung’s New 4K Smart Monitor Features a Magnetic Wireless Webcam

The Samsung M8 monitor, announced on Monday, is positioned as a replacement for the USB webcam and Smart TV. The 32″4K Smart Monitor features a wireless webcam that can be removed and attached with magnets. The TV also has built-in apps, including Netflix and Hulu, that work without a PC connection.

The M8’s 1080p webcam connects to the camera case via a four-pin connector, a Samsung spokesperson told Ars Technica. The holster connects to a port on the monitor, powering the camera and connecting it to a PC. So it seems like the camera won’t work with a different monitor. Once in place, you can tilt the camera or remove it for privacy when not in use.

This is different from the magnetic wireless webcam prototype Dell showed us in December. The Dell Concept Camera is separate from the monitor so it can be placed in the ideal location, such as the center of the monitor, for the perfect angle. Samsung’s magnetic webcam tries to help you find the perfect angle with face tracking and auto zoom.

The South Korean-headquartered company announced its first M7 “smart monitor”in 2020. The displays have earned this title by offering streaming services like Amazon Prime and Apple TV over an internet connection, without a PC or TV.

Like Samsung smart TVs and some Galaxy phones, smart monitors also have the Samsung TV Plus app, which streams some live TV channels, such as Cheddar News, CBS News, and NBC’s Stories over the Internet. Both Samsung smart monitors try to make your TV jealous with their own remote control.

Unlike the M7 remote, the M8 does not include control of voice assistants such as Amazon Alexa and Samsung’s Bixby. In an unusual way, the microphone is built into the monitor. For Bixby users, Always On Voice will display “conversation information on the screen when Bixby is activated, even if the monitor screen is off.”Samsung’s announcement said.

Improvements over the M7 include a 75 percent thinner design and a thinner monitor to 11.4mm. The smart monitors also have a new look, taking Apple’s equally thin (11.5mm) 24-inch (11.5mm) iMac all-in-ones as a base, offering a variety of colors. If you’re happy with a moderately bright white monitor, Samsung will charge you $700, but any other color has an additional $30 charge.

Samsung has also updated its SmartThings Hub, which allows you to check on other devices connected to your Wi-Fi, though you’ll need a special dongle due out in April to use the app with Zigbee devices. The company has also added Workspace, which allows you to “remotely access another PC, use Microsoft 365 programs”and connect to Samsung Galaxy, Note or Tab devices through the Samsung DeX platform.

As for the panel, Samsung’s new USB-C (65W charging) M8 monitor promises an impressive 3000:1 contrast ratio thanks to its vertical alignment panel, as well as up to 400 nits of brightness and 99 percent sRGB coverage.