LG will license its webOS software to other TV brands

LG announced tonight that the company’s webOS smart TV platform will soon be available on TVs from other brands. RCA, Ayonz and Konka are among the companies that have already signed up. “This has the potential to reshape the television industry for technology and content providers, while dramatically increasing LG’s presence and importance in the global home entertainment market,” LG said in a statement. hurry.

The news comes after LG revealed a significantly revamped version of webOS at CES in January. On LG 2021 televisions, the sliding “slats” interface has been abandoned entirely in favor of a more traditional scrolling home screen. I have seen a wide range of opinions from existing LG TV customers; some like the new look because it looks like a streaming device and seems easier to use. Others who have come to enjoy the more colorful and “fun” webOS are hoping LG will keep webOS 6 out of their TVs from 2020 and onwards. I will need more time with the software before I can weigh.

But this redesign isn’t something buyers of licensed webOS TVs will have to think about – at least not yet. LG tells me that the “powered by webOS TV” platform is based on webOS 5.0. So it will look the same as LG TVs of recent years.

By licensing its platform to other TV brands, LG is following in the footsteps of Roku and Amazon, each of which has partnered with third parties to launch the Roku and Fire TV Edition TVs, respectively. Here’s what LG says its partners will take away from the deal:

WebOS TV licensees receive the familiar and highly acclaimed UX design along with a rich feature pool such as voice search and control, built-in artificial intelligence algorithms, and easy connectivity that have earned webOS acclaim industry and consumers. With LG webOS TV, partners also enjoy a variety of content options, including access to global streaming service applications such as Netflix, YouTube, Amazon Prime Video, and the DAZN sports streaming service, as well as than LG Channels, the company’s free premium content streaming service. Compatible TV models also include the dedicated Magic Motion remote control.

Image: LG

What’s in this for LG? The company will control the TV software experience on more devices and also collect more ad revenue. Expanding webOS to more TVs will put ad-sponsored LG channels in front of new eyes. This approach also gives LG more user data to make improvements to webOS, which in turn will benefit the company’s TV lineup.