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Samsung will roll out free software updates to your Smart TV for the next seven years.
Following in the footsteps of its Android smartphones, including the best Galaxy S24 Ultra deals, the South Korean firm has committed to keeping all 2024 models refreshed with new features, security updates, and performance improvements until the early 2030s. Starting with its flagship Galaxy S24 series, Samsung has promised seven years of major Android OS updates, matching the pledge for new Google Pixel handsets.
Samsung relies on its own Tizen operating system to power its Smart TVs. Based on Linux, it offers support for some of the most popular streaming apps, like Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+, and Apple TV+, as well as catch-up services like BBC iPlayer, ITVX, and Channel 4.
Samsung Smart TVs arrive with TV Plus — an ad-supported streaming service with popular series from the BBC, Channel 4, and other terrestrial broadcasters available to watch on-demand or live
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Tizen ships with Samsung TV Plus preinstalled — an ad-supported streaming service with access to Hollywood movies and popular TV shows, available live and on-demand. Fan favourites like The Graham Norton Show, Seinfeld, Schitt's Creek, Hell's Kitchen, and Homes Under The Hammer are all available to watch anytime.
While Samsung will include seven years of software updates as standard with all Smart TVs released in 2024, it will also retroactively apply the same level of support to some televisions launched last year. The announcement was first reported by industry blog, FlatPanelsHD.
Samsung has been the biggest television brand worldwide for the last 15 consecutive years. However, it's been slow to pledge software support compared to some of its rivals. LG has confirmed plans to support all Smart TVs launched in 2022, 2023 and 2024 with five years of free software updates to its WebOS platform.
If you're struggling with sluggish performance and missing apps on your older Smart TV, but the panel itself still provides a good viewing experience, one of the easiest upgrades is to plug-in a newer set-top box, like the latest generation of Fire TV Stick from Amazon, which can now double-up as a games console. Likewise, Roku offers a clutter-free menu as well as its own equivalent to Samsung TV Plus, dubbed The Roku Channel.
The best Sky Stream deals offer a sleek Apple TV-like box with access to 100+ live channels in HD from Sky TV that aren't available on Freeview, on-demand boxsets from HBO and Sky Originals, as well as streamers like Netflix, ITVX, BBC iPlayer, Apple TV+, Paramount+, Disney+, and Prime Video, to name just a few.
Sky says its custom-designed 55-inch Glass TV — a direct challenge to Samsung's portfolio from the satellite broadcaster — was the single best-selling model of Smart TV in the UK last year. It's available in the latest sale, one of the best Sky Glass deals.
For those who recently upgraded to a 2024 model of Smart TV from Samsung, the latest announcement should be a welcome boost as you'll continue to benefit from improvements to the software, new functionality, and critical security support for years to come.
