Samsung's 2013 TVs out from next week, including $40,000 UHD TV

Samsung's Phil Newton on stage in Sydney with the S9 UHD TV

Samsung Australia celebrated the launch of its 2013 TV line-up in Sydney last night, showcasing a range of new flat panels including its new $40,000 UHD TV.

There is 15 new models hitting Australian stores next week, running the gamut of sizes, features and display technologies.

All shapes and sizes

Samsung F8000: the flagship model for 2013

Samsung's Series 8 TVs will be the flagship models for the year, and will range in screen sizes from 55- to 75-inches. These TVs including quad-core processors, Samsung's latest software, a touch-sensitive remote control and gesture recognition.

These top-end TVs will also sport Samsung's Evolution Kit processors, that can be hotswapped with newer hardware down the track. Samsung is planning yearly updates of the Evolution Kit to keep older TVs up to date wit the latest features. The latest Kit is compatible with last year's TVs and will cost $299, including a new touch remote.

Aussie innovation

Most impressive is the new voice recognition software developed in Australia, in conjunction with Macquarie University. Striving for natural language recognition, Samsung has recorded "thousands" of sentences so that the TV can respond to requests in a natural-seeming way.

Beyond basic commands, the TV is capable of understanding questions regarding personal preferences, such as search requests relating to genres or performers. Samsung believes the TV has "been trained to have a personality and character".

The showstopper at the event is Samsung's S9; an ultra-definition TV with a $40,000 price tag. The TV will be on display at a limited number of stores and built to order. It comes with complimentary installation by Samsung staff and hardware upgrades for the next five years.

Full recommended pricing for the 2013 Samsung range is as follows: