LG has announced that a beta program has arrived for owners of compatible 2022 LG TVs in the US and Europe that will allow them to update from webOS 22 to webOS 23, as reported by FlatpanelsHD.
The beta, which is available as an app called ‘Beta Program’ within the LG apps store on the TV itself, will run until March 1 and if all goes smoothly, we can expect a public rollout of the webOS 23 update after that. Compatible models for the beta test (and subsequent update) include some of the best OLED TVs from 2022: the LG A2, B2, C2, G2, CS and LX (according to FlatpanelsHD).
It’s worth noting that after installing the beta you can’t go back to webOS 22. What are the main differences between the two versions?
While the style was largely similar, webOS 23 saw the introduction of ‘Quick Cards’ to the home menu, allowing you to organize your apps into different categories such as Movies, Sports, Music and more, allowing for faster and easier navigation.
The Start menu also got a less cluttered look, resulting in fewer recommendations appearing on screen. This meant that the homepage was slimmed down (on average) from a few pages to two. There was also the introduction of the Quick Menu, which we described as a ‘game changer’ in 2023.
An upgrade?
In our reviews of 2022 and 2023 LG OLEDs, such as the LG C2 and LG C3, both webOS 22 and webOS 23 received positive reviews. Compared to some of the other best smart TV platforms, we found webOS to be a user-friendly and easy-to-navigate platform with very few negatives.
However, when comparing webOS 22 to webOS 23, it was clear that webOS 23 was the superior smart TV platform. Instantly changing settings, such as picture mode and sound output, using the Quick Menu allowed for easy adjustment if a picture mode was not suitable for a particular source or program. Additionally, as mentioned above, the Quick Cards make organization much easier.
Overall, it comes down to personal choice. If you’re happy with webOS 22, it’s best to avoid this beta as there’s no going back once you install it. But if you’re up for a change, sign up for the beta.