The annual renewal of the TV range of the main manufacturers does not only include improvements in picture and sound quality. Every year that passes Smart TV systems improve with small aesthetic changes, faster execution and new functionalities. This is what has happened with webOS, the operating system included in LG's OLED and NanoCell televisions. Specifically, in the 2019 models we will find webOS 4.5. With this new version, LG once again improves one of the most complete and secure Smart TV systems on the market . So we wanted to take a look at the features and news that this year's version brings.
At the design level, we do not have too many changes compared to webOS 4.0, the version used in 2018 televisions. We will see more striking changes if we come from a 2017 television. What we do notice regarding webOS 4.0 is that performance has been improved , being now even faster and with an immediate response . For the rest, the new version is still a very intelligent system thanks to ThinQ, LG's Artificial Intelligence system. It is joined by compatibility with Google and Amazon assistants, thus becoming a television compatible with practically any smart device. And all this controlled, once again, with the magnificent Magic Control knob. Let's take a look at everything the new webOS 4.5 has to offer .
Home Panel: the brain of our smart home
One of the coolest features of the new webOS 4.5 is the Home Panel . It is a screen from which we can control most of the smart devices that we have at home .
In addition to seeing the entries in a much more graphical way than in a list, we have another column from which we can see the connections with mobile devices . And finally, there is a third column in which we see all the ThinQ-compatible devices that we have at home.
That is, from here we can control from the refrigerator to the washing machine, through the air conditioning or smart speakers. From the sofa we can control some functions of any compatible appliance.
A single remote control to control three assistants
To control webOS 4.5 the new LG televisions maintain their commitment to the Magic Remote . It is a control that works by Bluetooth and that shows a pointer on the screen that greatly facilitates the use of the system. It also has a control wheel to scroll through the different options, as well as direct access buttons to Netflix and Amazon Prime Video.
The main Artificial Intelligence system of the new OLED TVs is still ThinQ . The LG system allows us to perform some actions on the television, such as searching for programs on the television and applications, knowing more about what we are watching, searching for new content, switching between television inputs or changing various configuration parameters.
However, ThinQ is not the only wizard that includes webOS 4.5. By pressing the microphone-shaped button that we have on the remote, we will see how the television itself warns us that we have several options available. In addition to ThinQ, the Google Assistant is seamlessly integrated into the new LG TVs .
By holding down the microphone button on the remote we can ask you what the weather is going to be tomorrow, when our favorite team plays or what appointments we have on the calendar. We can also control smart devices, create alarms and reminders, check who Daenerys Targaryen is or ask her to sing us a song, among many other things.
As for Alexa, webOS 4.5 is compatible with the Amazon assistant, but it does not have it integrated . What exactly does this mean? That we can ask Alexa to turn on the TV or change the channel, but as long as we have an Echo speaker or another model with Alexa integrated.
In short, webOS 4.5 comes with some really interesting news. The new version of LG's Smart TV system is even better, faster and with more functionality . In addition, it is still the most secure system on the market, since it maintains the UL Cybersecurity certificate.
