Some features that LG is introducing to high-end TVs this year seem to better serve LG’s business interests than those users’ needs. Take the new remote. Formerly known as the Magic Remote, LG is calling the 2025 edition the AI Remote.
The new remote doesn’t have a dedicated button for switching input modes, as previous remotes from LG and countless other remotes do.
By overlooking other obviously helpful controls (play/pause, fast forward/rewind, and numbers) while including buttons dedicated to things like LG’s free ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) channels and Amazon Alexa, LG missed an opportunity to update its remote in a way centered on how people frequently use TVs.
LG and Samsung are incorporating Microsoft’s Copilot chatbot into 2025 TVs.
Samsung, which is also adding Copilot to some of its smart monitors, said in its announcement that Copilot will help with “personalized content recommendations.” Samsung has also said that Copilot will help its TVs understand strings of commands, like increasing the volume and changing the channel.
I wonder if there’s a viable business model in lobotomizing “smart” TVs. Like, a local shop that breaks warranty, removes the phone innards, and rewires everything to work with buttons.
