At the centre of PX, which had been in development for around two years, was a dedicated media tablet that aimed to replace the traditional TV remote. The tablet was supposed to give users access to a unified guide with listings of live TV and streaming content with a custom-built user interface that looked unlike any traditional multi-purpose mobile device, multiple sources familiar with the project told Variety. Samsung was hoping to partner with streaming services and pay-TV operators to include their apps and content on the tablet, which would be included with all of its higher-end TVs in the US.
PX was being built by the team behind Boxee, the developer of the Boxee Box media streaming device. The PX team, based in New York, initially got significant resources from Samsung, and was able to grow its headcount from around 40 to close to 100 employees, according to one source. Some of this growth was fueled by smaller acquisitions, which included the online video startup Shelby.tv.
However, the work on PX suffered a number of setbacks, with the launch repeatedly delayed from as early as January this year. The delays were in part due to the inability to reach agreements with TV providers. One source said the project also faced significant resistance from Samsung’s Korean executives, who were wary of a product developed out of their reach in the US.
