LG has announced that a beta program has arrived for owners of compatible LG 2022 TVs in the US and Europe that will allow them to upgrade from webOS 22 to webOS 23, FlatpanelsHD reports.
The beta version, which is available as an app called 'Beta Program' within the LG App Store on the TV, will run until March 1 and if all goes well, we can expect a public release of the webOS 23 update after that. The supported models for beta testing (and subsequent update) are some of the best OLED TVs of 2022: 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. So what are the key differences between the two versions?
Although largely similar in style, webOS 23 saw the introduction of 'Quick Cards' in the home menu, which allowed you to organize your apps across different categories such as Movies, Sports, Music and more, allowing for a Faster and easier navigation.
The start menu also got a less cluttered look, reducing the number of on-screen recommendations. This meant that the home page (on average) was reduced from several pages to two. The quick menu was also introduced, which in 2023 we describe as a “game changer”.
An update?
In our 2022 and 2023 LG OLED reviews, like the LG C2 and LG C3, both webOS 22 and webOS 23 received positive reviews. Compared to some of the best smart TV platforms, we found webOS to be an easy-to-use and easy-to-navigate platform with very few negatives.
However, when comparing webOS 22 with webOS 23, it was clear that webOS 23 was the superior smart TV platform. Changing settings, such as picture mode and sound output, on the fly with the Quick Menu allowed for easy customization if a picture mode didn't suit a certain source or program. Plus, Quick Cards, as mentioned above, make organization so much easier.
Overall, it all comes down to personal choice. If you are happy with webOS 22, you'd better avoid this beta as there is no going back once you install it. But if you fancy a change, sign up for the beta.
