The Criterion Channel, the streaming service run by the Criterion Collection, has been unable to reliably deliver its app to a number of Samsung televisions since a platform overhaul that began on September 24. The company says a new version of the app is now live on most Samsung models, but devices still awaiting Samsung's certification review remain without a working version. The episode has renewed attention on a paradox that has followed the service since its launch: a library widely admired by cinephiles, paired with an app that many viewers find frustrating.
The Criterion Channel launched in 2019 as the streaming arm of the Criterion Collection, the company known for restored classic films, deep cuts, world cinema and the supplemental materials that accompany its releases. It took over the role of FilmStruck, the earlier streaming platform that collapsed in 2018. Since then, the service has built a reputation among film enthusiasts for the breadth and care of its catalog, which spans established classics, overlooked work and films from outside the United States.
According to Criterion, the Samsung problem traces to the platform overhaul and to the review process that Samsung requires before an app can be updated on its devices. Samsung runs its televisions on its own operating system, Tizen, and apps must pass compatibility testing and certification before they reach users. Criterion says the delay in clearing the remaining models is beyond its control. Samsung did not respond to a request for comment.
The current outage is not the first sign of trouble on Samsung devices. A similar crash bug was reported in January 2025 and was largely fixed by March, suggesting that recurring compatibility problems have affected the service's presence on these televisions for some time. Problems have also been reported on LG televisions, adding to the picture of a technical experience that varies from device to device.
The app's shortcomings are not new. A review conducted in 2019 identified glitches, films that cut off before their end and error overlays that interrupted viewing. Complaints have continued to surface over the years, centering on an awkward interface, buffering problems and login issues on Roku and Apple TV. For a service whose selling point is the quality of its films and the material surrounding them, the gap between content and delivery has been a persistent source of criticism.
Criterion does not publicly disclose its revenue or staffing. Estimates place the company at near 100 employees, and an analysis by Kona Equity puts annual revenue in the low seven figures. Commentators have described the Channel as a small boutique service that lacks the technical resources of larger rivals such as Netflix or Apple. Its brand, however, has been growing through physical media sales and the enthusiasm of celebrity fans, a position that some observers see as an opening at a time when Netflix is concentrating on original blockbuster productions.
For now, viewers with Samsung televisions that have not yet been cleared by certification will need to wait for Samsung's review to conclude. Criterion has said the new app is available on most models, leaving the remaining devices as the immediate question for the company and its audience.