Samsung Electronics is looking for the most innovative applications around IPTVs, Blu-ray players and Blu-ray Home Theater Systems, and kicks off the “Free the TV” Challenge, an initiative that first began 5 years ago.  The challenge also marks the roll out of Samsung’s 2.5 Software Development Kit (SDK 2.5), which demonstrates Samsung’s ecosystem that allows developers to fashion Converged Apps, those which works across multiple screens and runs on TV, PCs and mobile devices.

Samsung urges developers to explore the following Converged Apps categories:

1) Controller Apps – These Apps enable a second device to control an App on the TV, thus providing touch or mouse input and interactivity that a standard remote control cannot.
2) Companion Apps – These Apps use a second device to provide additional information (including via web sites and social media sites) that is synchronized to, and supplements, what is shown on the TV itself.
3) Interactive Apps – These Apps allow the user to use a second device as a secondary display. For example, a user can pause a video on the TV and resume it on the other device.

Samsung’s in a pretty good position for the long term expectations of the connected device market, with a hand in nearly every bucket of consumer electronics.  And the large scale manufacturer is hoping to own as much of the space as possible, and that now includes software.  With its own OS and the ability to leverage others like Android, Samsung wants to make its devices work better with each other.  It’s a strategy Apple’s been building out for nearly a decade, and with more OS options, broader internet access and application-driven services, the concept of interconnected devices becomes more realistic by the day.

Samsung’s pushing its own efforts here as much as possible, launching the world’s first HDTV-based application store. Effective this week, users can choose premium apps across categories like video, gaming, social media, sports and kids.

“We are thrilled that content owners continue to embrace Samsung Apps and that we have doubled the number of applications available to owners of Samsung 2010 connected TVs and Blu-ray devices,” said Eric Anderson, vice president of content and product solutions, Samsung Electronics America, Inc.

“The Free the TV Challenge will continue that momentum by opening up these TVs to even more developers across the US who want to distribute their content on the biggest screen in the home. People want a connected entertainment experience with their devices and we encourage developers to free the TV by bringing new concepts, as well as existing apps from many platforms, to the TV.”

See here for more information about the contest and access to SDK 2.5.  The winners will be awared during the 2012 International CES in Las Vegas. The first prize winner will take home $100,000 cash, a 65-inch Samsung LED TV and a Samsung Galaxy Tab.  The winning app will also get premium exposure in Samsung Apps.