Samsung Electronics is hoping to have its own iPhone moment with its new stylish TV set called Serif TV.

“This is the iPhone of TVs,” said a Samsung executive at the company’s TV business division. “We have long worked on a product that would have a similar appeal as iPhones. This is the product that will notch up our brand image,” he said on condition of anonymity.

The Serif TV is the culmination of Samsung’s upscale push across its product lineup in recent years.

Designed by renowned French designer brothers Ronan and Erwan Buroullec, the TV aims to become a piece of furniture rather than simply a functional TV.

The design was inspired by the shape of the letter “I” in a serif font. The TV is available in three colors -- white, red and blue -- and three sizes -- an ultrahigh definition 40-inch; a full HD 32-inch; and a regular HD 24-inch.

The two larger models come with optional legs so that they can stand up on their own. The designers also paid attention to the rear of the device, covering up the eye-aching ports and connectors with a fabric panel.

“What we were looking for was a solid presence that would sit naturally in any moment,” the design duo said in a statement.

In a rare move, the TV’s launch event in September last year was held at a fashionable concept store in Paris, called Colette. Chanel’s chief designer Karl Lagerfeld also purchased two TV sets at the time, according to the Samsung executive.

The TV went on sale in Korea from late last month through a limited number of luxury furniture and design shops. Only 32-inch and 40-inch models are available here, priced at 1.39 million won ($1,200) and 1.99 million won, respectively.

The Serif TV comes at a time when Samsung and other tech giants are feeling the pinch from the enhanced competition with their Chinese rivals that are pouring quality products at cheaper prices into the market.

With aims to restore profitability, now big companies are paying more attention to the premium home appliance market whose growth rate is double that of the mass-product market.

Samsung’s local rival LG Electronics also recently launched a new luxury appliance brand LG Signature whose refrigerator model is priced at 8.5 million won.

By Lee Ji-yoon (jylee@heraldcorp.com)