Samsung opens home screen ads to programmatic buyers via major DSPs
Samsung is making its smart TV home screen advertising inventory programmatic, joining a trend among smart TV operators to open this ad space to new demand. Additionally, gaming platform Roblox is expanding its advertising to include untargeted ads for users under 13 who pass an age verification system, aiming to integrate ads in new areas responsibly.
Key Takeaways
- Samsung home screen ad inventory will be available programmatically starting in Q3 2026.
- The Trade Desk and Google's DV360 are confirmed as the initial DSP partners for Samsung's home screen units.
- Magnite's SpringServe ad server will provide the underlying transaction layer for Samsung's programmatic rollout.
- Roblox implemented a facial age estimation system to verify users and deliver untargeted ads to children under 13.
Why It Matters
The shift toward programmatic home screen ads marks the end of an era where premium OS real estate was reserved exclusively for direct deals. For advertisers, this simplifies cross-channel frequency management and lowers the barrier to entry for non-skippable 'first-look' placements. By integrating with major DSPs, Samsung is positioning its 77 million active households for sophisticated, data-driven buying workflows that mirror standards in the broader digital and retail media ecosystems. The evolution of kids' advertising on Roblox highlights a parallel trend: the use of biometric verification to satisfy strict regulatory guardrails while expanding monetization into once-restricted demographics. Watch for whether other major OS players like LG or Vizio follow suit with similar programmatic home screen access.
Additional Context
The programmatic opening of Samsung's home screen follows a broader competitive shift in the TV operating system market. Per MediaPost (June 2026), Roku has also recently refreshed its home screen to enhance personalization and monetization, with analysts estimating the surface represents a significant revenue driver for its 125 million daily household starts. Samsung TV Plus, which reached 88 million monthly active users (MAUs) in late 2024 and surpassed 100 million MAUs by early 2026 according to company disclosures, is increasingly moving to align its specialized hardware surfaces with the automated buying workflows preferred by major agencies. This integration is timely, as U.S. connected TV (CTV) ad spend is projected to grow to over $42 billion by 2027 per Amra & Elma (September 2025). Roblox's advertising expansion for younger users is supported by its 'Facial Age Estimation' technology, which the company began rolling out globally in January 2026. According to company reports from February 2026, roughly 45% of the platform’s 144 million daily active users had completed the verification process. This system, developed in partnership with the third-party vendor Persona, is designed to separate users into specific age brackets—such as 5-8, 9-12, and 13-15—to ensure that under-13 audiences receive only age-appropriate, untargeted experiences. While the system has faced scrutiny regarding biometric privacy, Roblox maintains that facial data is deleted immediately after processing to maintain safety standards in a market increasingly regulated by local governments, such as the strict online protection rules recently implemented in Indonesia.
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