The Smart View app from Samsung, since its launch, allows its users to pipe media content on their device to a nearby TV. Now, a new upgrade to the app indicates its expansion into the streaming market.

Just recently, Samsung released an iOS version of the Smart View app on Apple's App Store. Its official description remains vague as of late, but it did have screenshots that show tabs from Amazon Prime, Hulu, YouTube, etc. This suggests that the app's new version makes it similar to Roku and Chromecast.

As Variety has reported, the implication of this Smart View app upgrade is that its users can watch media, from any of the aforementioned sources, directly to their TV screens, whilst using their smartphones as remote controls. Apart from that, Samsung also added a universal search feature and a tab for live TV content that will users to view featured content and recently watched shows.

It remains unclear whether the new Smart View app can only be enjoyed on newer TV models or if users can use it to stream media content on older versions as well. That said, Smart View app users will find out more about the subject at next week's CES press conference.

It is worth noting, however, that Netflix is notably absent in all of this. This suggests that the Korea-based tech company may have agreed with Apple on its decision to not secure the media streaming titan.

The iPhone maker, on the other hand, has not fully embraced this new development in second screen media technology. However, according to Engadget, it did introduce its own TV guide app. which helps Apple TV users easily find content in ever-expanding media catalogs.

It must also be noted that, back in 2013, Samsung launched "Perfect Experience," which was an initiative to have users move away from TV apps and have them use a dedicated tablet as a remote control device instead. The project may have been junked after two years, but the technology remained.