LG Electronics has said it’s bringing Apple’s TV apps, services and capabilities to more than 200 third-party television brands that currently license webOS Hub, the licensed version of its webOS operating system.
LG first announced its plans to get into the lucrative TV OS licensing market in February 2021, when it said it would make a scaled-down version of webOS available to other TV makers. In an update in mid-2022, the company said it was doubling-down on that strategy and that it aimed to get more than 200 TV brands on board with the idea.
According to its own account, LG has already achieved that target, with more than 200 partners now using webOS Hub as the software on their TVs. In other words, webOS Hub has emerged as a major rival to the likes of Android TV and Roku OS.
Some of the TV brands using webOS reportedly include Konka, Seiki, Blaupunkt, Eko, Stream Systems, Aiwa, Hyundai, KMC, Walton and Croma. In other words, it’s mostly entry-level and lower-end TV brands.
The TVs sold by those brands will now be able to access the Apple TV app, as well as Apple Music, LG said.
“The Apple TV app and Apple Music are now available in over 100 countries, which is where owners of webOS-enabled TVs from 200 partner brands will benefit from a growing list of content and life-enriching features,” LG Electronics said in a press release. “The latest OLED TVs and UHD TVs powered by webOS Hub support AirPlay and HomeKit, allowing more audiences to experience the enhanced usability and convenience these advanced TVs provide.”
LG explained that it is the full Apple TV app that it’s offering, which means subscribers will be able to access shows like Ted Lasso and For All Mankind, as well as movie purchases and rentals from the iTunes store, plus various subscription channels. The company didn’t provide any information on whether or not the app supports 4K resolution, HDR10, HDR10+, Dolby Vision or Dolby Atmos.
The Apple Music app is home to more than 100 million songs as well as music videos in 4K resolution, and users will also be able to access their personal music library from within it.
Apple AirPlay 2 is a system that allows users to stream video and audio from Apple devices such as iPhones, iPads and Macs to their television. Meanwhile, Apple HomeKit enables users to control smart home devices such as thermostats, lights and locks in multiple rooms using the TV.
LG specified that while the Apple TV and Music apps will be coming to all webOS Hub TVs, support for AirPlay 2 and HomeKit will only be available in models running webOS Hub 2.0, which means some older TVs with the software won’t get those features.
