LG wants other TV manufacturers to begin using its webOS platform for their smart TVs. The South Korean company today announced that it has begun licensing the software experience to other TV manufacturers in an attempt to expand its presence in the market.
With a webOS license, TV manufacturers will get access to the same user experience and interface as LG"s TVs, in addition to features like voice search, voice control, and AI algorithms, as well as all the apps and content that are available on webOS. Some TVs can also have a Magic Motion remote controller.
Park Hyong-sei, president of the LG Home Entertainment Company, commented on the announcement:
“The webOS platform is one of the easiest and most convenient way to access millions of hours of movies and TV shows (...). By welcoming other manufacturers to join the webOS TV ecosystem, we are embarking on a new path that allows many new TV owners to experience the same great UX and features that are available on LG TVs. We look forward to bringing these new customers into the incredible world of webOS TV.”
As pointed out by LG, the smart TV market is known for companies using proprietary software to power the experience on their own TVs, so the licensing of webOS could help more brands offer a recognizable user interface across the board. Of course, platforms like Android TV already exist, so LG isn"t the first to try to bring uniformity to the ecosystem. The real goal is to have as many people as possible using its platform.
LG says it already has over 20 TV manufacturers committed to the webOS partnership, including brands such as RCA, Konka, and Ayonz, so we"re likely to start seeing more TVs ship with webOS installed in the future.