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LG makes Smart TV simple with webOS at CES 2014

LG’s aims to make Smart TV less of a warren-like headache and more of a joy with its new webOS-powered 2014 range, unveiled at this year’s CES. 

From setting up your smart TV, to switching between broadcast TV, online and external media devices, LG aims to take the hassle out of literally everything. 

Thanks to a new Launcher, the main menu of the 2014 LG smart TVs will feature a strip of icons running left to right that run along the lower section of the screen. 

LG makes Smart TV simple with webOS at CES 2014
LG takes the smarts out of Smart TV with its new webOS-based interface

The idea is that using your remote you’ll be able to dip in and out of menus using simple left and right movements rather than having to memorise Tekken-style control presses to get to the good stuff. 

When you’ve connected a media drive or a games console to your LG TV, it’ll recognise and assign a name to that device, rather than you having to remember than HDMI2 is your Xbox or Blu-ray player is. 

As well as making it much easier to find what you want, this unified menu has the added bonus of letting you download apps and quickly jump to web pages while watching TV, in between ad breaks or at half time during a football match. 

Speaking at the unveiling of the new system, president and CTO of LG Electronics Dr. Scott Ahn said: 

“WebOS is an operating system that was optimised for the Web since its inception. We believe in its ability to provide the simplest and most intuitive user experience. We took its possibility and applied it first to TVs. 

“As a result we have revolutionised how you experience smart TV. We have simplified the way you connect to your TV and inputs and how you discover new content and services.” 

Alongside the Launcher, a Live Menu can be opened while watching TV, which gives you quick access to things like search and recommendations. 

All of LG’s smart TVs from the 2014 range, from the entry level models to the huge 105-inch monsters will run on webOS and feature this new streamlined interface. As part of a content partnership, Netflix subscribers will be able to enjoy House of Cards in 4K Ultra HD on LG smart TVs. 

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