Samsung has started rolling out its One UI software update for select Samsung TVs earlier than expected SamMobile.
Following a recent announcement that Samsung would be integrating its One UI software design into its TVs – bringing them more in line with what its phones, like the Samsung Galaxy S24, look like – the rollout of this software has begun, well ahead of the expected expectations. Release date 2025 earlier.
In the report, SamMobile says the One UI update appeared on its Samsung S90C, one of the best TVs out there, and it looks like other 2023 models are also receiving the update.
The One UI software update is said to run Tizen 8.0 – Samsung’s 2023 TVs currently run Tizen 7.0 – and while the One UI update will make cosmetic and design changes to Samsung’s TVs, the actual smart TV platform itself will be Tizen remain under the name surface.
The other biggest news about this update is that Samsung TVs will now receive seven years’ worth of updates, meaning Samsung TVs from 2024, like the Samsung S95D, will receive software updates until 2031.
See below for some of the major changes and updates based on the One UI implementation. It’s worth noting that these updates may vary by model, region, and more.
One UI updates
As for the changes the One UI software update has brought to the 2023 TVs, some key features include For You, Live and Apps tabs on the home screen – something 2024 Samsung TVs already have – those recommendations tailoring based on recent viewing experiences, as well as the addition of the Daily+ Hub for lifestyle management and health apps, similar to Samsung’s super-useful Game Hub.
There’s also a new Watch Later tab where users can save TV shows and movies to a list to watch at a later time. There is also a design change in the Game Bar to the latest version.
There are fitness improvements too, as real-time data such as heart rate and calorie consumption can be tracked when you connect a Samsung Galaxy Smart Watch, such as the Samsung Galaxy Smart Watch Ultra, which we rate as one of the best smartwatches.
App widgets and animation changes have also been made to look and work like the One UI software in design.
Samsung’s goal in bringing the One UI software to its TVs would be an attempt to unify all its products into one family, further expanding the current SmartThings technology. But is this good news for Samsung TV owners?
One UI reservations
We’ve previously expressed our reservations about the introduction of One UI to TVs, as a regular criticism we’ve had of the One UI software in the past in our reviews of the phones is that it’s too complicated and often hides features that could easily be should be accessible.
While we have no qualms with Tizen as a smart TV platform, and in fact have praised its improvements over the years, most notably the ‘hub menu’ system, we never noticed that the webOS, Roku and WebOS can really beat. TV and even Google TV in this year’s sets, and Tizen isn’t as user-friendly.
So if One UI is something we’re critical of for not being user-friendly, is adding it to a smart TV platform that we don’t find as user-friendly as competing smart TV platforms a step forward or backward?
We’re still in the very early stages of this rollout, so we’ll have to see how One UI fares on the top Samsung TVs – we hope it’s a long-term improvement.
