Surprise rollout for a new interface that wasn't expected until 2025
(Image credit: Future)
During the Samsung Developer's Conference in early October, the Korean company announced that it was bringing the One UI interface to its Tizen OS TVs. The Samsung OS skin is typically seen on the company's smartphones, like the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra, and wasn't expected to release the TV version until 2025.
As reported by Sam Mobile, Samsung is rolling out the One UI update to select TVs well ahead of projected release dates. As of this writing, Samsung is releasing the update to TVs released in 2023 and some within the 2024 Samsung TV lineup.
During the conference, Samsung revealed it plans to bring operating system skin to all its primary product lines, including TVs.
The update changes the look of your Samsung TV's interface. Beyond unifying the look of their TVs and smartphones, Samsung is adding features like a "For you" tab on the home screen with personalized recommendations and a watch later list.
It's also adding a Live Tab for live television and a recommended Apps tab.
Samsung has also added the ability to control multiple Samsung TVs from the same account using a keyboard and mouse.
The One UI update on the TVs is based on the current Tizen 8.0 operating system. It's unclear if, going forward, Samsung will attempt to bring Google's Android OS to their TVs or build on top of Google TV, and some apps might not be optimized for Tizen 8.0 yet.
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If your TV is eligible for the update, you can install it immediately when it arrives or download it later. It is a rollout, so your TV might not immediately get the update, but it sounds like Samsung is working to get it out quickly.
Scott Younker is the West Coast Reporter at Tom’s Guide. He covers all the lastest tech news. He’s been involved in tech since 2011 at various outlets and is on an ongoing hunt to build the easiest to use home media system. When not writing about the latest devices, you are more than welcome to discuss board games or disc golf with him. He also handles all the Connections coverage on Tom's Guide and has been playing the addictive NYT game since it released.
