LG Electronics is rolling out what some may consider to be a very useful update to its 2020 TV models, including its OLED and LCD screens.
With the update, 2020 LG TV owners will have the option to use the newer, full-screen webOS that appears on more recent models.
LG’s webOS was for a long time quite different, with users navigating the TV via a bottom bar menu, which looked like a kind of app drawer. Later, it was expanded to include content previews and shortcuts. Then, in 2021, LG completely redesigned webOS as a full-screen operating system (pictured above).
This full-screen version of webOS is now coming to LG’s 2020 TVs, including the excellent LG GX and LG CX OLED televisions, plus LCD TVs such as the LG Nano90 and LG Nano85. To be more specific, all TVs that run WebOS 5.0 are getting the upgrade to a full screen that resembles the WebOS 6 found on the company’s 2022 TV models.
In a statement to FlatPanelsHD, LG’s Director HE Marketing and Communications David Seperson said the company has always strived to support its TVs long after consumers purchase them. “The current updates that you are asking about to webOS 5.0 are meant to improve usability/navigation for those opting for the new version,” he explained.
Here's what the older webOS used to look like:
The update is being rolled out to LG 2020 TVs gradually, the company said. Once users receive it, they’ll have the option to select the new full-screen webOs by going to Settings -> General -> Home settings -> Home screen style.
Viewers should note that while the full-screen webOS experience offers a lot of advantages and new features, it also displays ads and recommendations more prominently than before, enabling LG to generate additional revenue after it has sold its TVs.
It should also be pointed out that the 2020 TVs are not getting the most recent version of webOS either. This year, LG has revamped webOS for its 2023 models with a unique “Quick Menu” that acts like the Control Center on an iPhone or Quick Settings menu on Android devices. Users can customize the Quick Menu with their favorite options and settings, so they can be accessed with a single click. However, LG has decided that this version of webOS will remain exclusive to this year’s televisions.
