The free update of Samsung TVs to One UI is already underway - here are the changes coming to the TVs

As SamMobile reports, Samsung has started rolling out its One UI software update to select Samsung TVs earlier than expected.

Following the recent announcement that Samsung will integrate One UI software design into its TVs to better match the look of its phones, such as the Samsung Galaxy S24, the rollout of this software has begun significantly earlier than its expected release date of 2025 previously.

In the report, SamMobile reports that the One UI update has appeared on its Samsung S90C, one of the best TVs available, and it appears that other 2023 models are also receiving the update.

The One UI software update is said to run on Tizen 8.0 – Samsung’s 2023 TVs currently run on Tizen 7.0 – and while the One UI update makes cosmetic and design changes to Samsung’s TVs, the actual smart TV platform itself remains Tizen under the surface .

The other headline on this update is that Samsung TVs will now receive updates for seven years, meaning Samsung TVs starting in 2024, such as the Samsung S95D, will receive software updates until 2031.

Some of the key changes and updates based on the launch of One UI are below. Please note that these updates may vary depending on model, region, etc.

One UI updates

SamMobile shows that the One UI update is being implemented on Samsung’s televisions – including its own 2023 S90C. (Image credit: Sammobile)

As for the changes that the One UI software update has brought to the 2023 TVs, some of the key features include the For You, Live and Apps tabs on the home screen – something that Samsung TVs from 2024 – which offers tailored recommendations based on last playback, the inclusion of the Daily+ Hub for lifestyle management and health apps, similar to Samsung’s extremely useful Game Hub.

There’s also a new Watch Later tab that allows users to save TV shows and movies to a list to watch at a later time. There is also a Game Bar design change from the latest version.

There are also fitness improvements, as real-time data like heart rate and calories burned 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 behave like the One UI software in terms of design.

Samsung’s goal in bringing One UI software to its TVs is said to be an attempt to unite all of its products into one family, further expanding on its current SmartThings technology. But is this good news for Samsung TV owners?

A UI reservation

Samsung Galaxy S24 home screen

In our recent reviews of One UI on Samsung phones, we criticized the less user-friendly approach. (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

We’ve already expressed our reservations about bringing One UI to TVs, as we’ve regularly criticized the One UI software in our phone reviews in the past for being overly complicated and often hiding features that should be easy to identify and accessible.

While we have no qualms about Tizen as a smart TV platform and have even praised its improvements over the years, the “Hub Menu” system being the most notable, we’ve never found it to have competitors like webOS and Roku quite beats TV and even Google TV in this year’s devices, finding Tizen isn’t as user-friendly.

So if we criticized One UI 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 performs on the best Samsung TVs – we hope it’s a long-term improvement.

The free update of Samsung TVs to One UI is already underway – here are the changes coming to the TVs

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