These were all separate areas of webOS before, but now they’re being moved into the spotlight. There will be individual rows for shopping, sports scores, and the ad-sponsored LG Channels - where you can stream free programming - on the home screen.

(LG’s latest Magic Remote will also have shortcut buttons for select streaming apps including Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and Disney Plus.) LG says “the new home screen provides faster access to the most frequently used apps and streamlines content discovery with the ability to receive recommendations based on the user’s preferences and viewing history.” You can see a big “sponsored” slot in the top left there, so yes, you can expect some ads and paid placement recommendations on the home screen of your future LG TV. You’ve got a hero area at the top with large banners, then “top picks,” followed by apps, home dashboard / your inputs, and a bunch of other categories. At least on the surface, everything looks more bland. The colorful webOS “blades” interface is completely gone. Version 6.0 of the software gets rid of the slide-up bar altogether and now has a full home screen that looks akin to what you’d find on, well, any other TV. LG is giving webOS a major overhaul for its 2021 TVs. Highlight a streaming app, and an additional row slides up to reveal recommended picks and what’s streaming. When you hit the remote’s home button, a shortcuts bar with apps, HDMI inputs, and other destinations slides up at the bottom of the screen but doesn’t completely overtake whatever’s on-screen.

But LG’s TV interface has grown to be among my favorites for its efficiency at staying out of the way. There’s really not much of a resemblance between the webOS software that runs on LG TVs and the Palm smartphones where the operating system had its beginnings many years ago.

Lg smart tv browser update