Hot topics

LG has Found an Ingenious Way to Push TV Ads Down Your Throat

nextpit govee tv backlight t2 hero picture
© nextpit

Read in other languages:

Seeing ads on your smartphones and televisions you have not subscribed to is very common these days. This usually happens with cheap products, which is a way for manufacturers to regenerate more revenue or recoup the low margin from the hardware front. However, it appears that even premium smart TVs are not immune to ads.

A high-end now comes with first-party ads

As discovered by FlatPanelsHD which is testing the new $2,400 LG G4 OLED TV, the pricey new television is showing full-screen screensaver ads. The commercial, which runs several minutes, presents LG channels and is played before the screensaver.

Although it's not really surprising to see this given it is normal for some companies like Amazon to show first-party promotions on their devices, it was already confirmed by LG's advertising arm that this format would support third-party products and services in the future. This means that many LG smart TVs, even the dated models could soon display these screensaver ads.

LG OLED TV 2024
LG shows screensaver ads on its latest LG OLED TV 2024 by default. But it can be disabled from the settings. / © Flat Panels HD

LG even touted how effective and engaging this type of ad format is. In a press release statement, LG's Ad Solution director, Chris Weiland, said that  "full-screen ad format has effectively utilized idle screen time to boost brand visibility." It was also mentioned this could also come to other form factors apart from TVs and streaming devices. So, what we can make from this?

This is presumably only the beginning and more companies should follow LG's approach in the foreseeable future. Now, it's unclear what will be the reaction of consumers to this setup of premium TVs getting ads.

You'll get ads, but you can opt out (for now)

Recently, the trend of displaying ads on devices like smartphones and streaming boxes has been debated, with some users feeling this format is intrusive and undermines user experience. To address this, some companies have made ads optional while others will only show ads when you're accessing free content.

As for LG here, it is giving users to disable the new screensaver ads on its TV lineup from the settings then turning off Screen Saver Promotions. However, we don't know how long until LG will make it optional.

What are your thoughts about seeing ads on premium devices? Do you think it spoils the experience? Our comment section is open.

The best smartphones under $1,000 

  Editor's recommendation The best iPhone The best camera phone Value for money The best foldable The most affordable
Product
Price
  • $799
  • $799
  • $999
  • $599
  • $999
  • $499
Picture Samsung Galaxy S24 Product Image Apple iPhone 15 Product Image Google Pixel 8 Pro Product Image Nothing Phone (2) Product Image Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 Product Image Google Pixel 7a Product Image
Review
Review: Samsung Galaxy S24
Review: Apple iPhone 15
Review: Google Pixel 8 Pro
Review: Nothing Phone (2)
Review: Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5
Review: Google Pixel 7a
Offer*
nextpit receives a commission for purchases made via the marked links. This has no influence on the editorial content and there are no costs for you. You can find out more about how we make money on our transparency page.
Go to comment (0)
Jade Bryan

Jade Bryan
Junior Editor

I still remember how amazed I was when I first got hold of the Nokia 3210 back when I was a kid, and it was during that time I developed my love for technology, particularly for mobile phones. I started sharing my knowledge through writing in different blogs and forums back in Nokia Nseries era. I even make videos before where I put different phones side-by-side. Today, I'm still an avid enthusiast of smartphones, but my interests have evolved into smart devices and electric vehicles.

To the author profile
Liked this article? Share now!
Recommended articles
Latest articles
Push notification Next article
No comments
Write new comment:
All changes will be saved. No drafts are saved when editing
Write new comment:
All changes will be saved. No drafts are saved when editing