LG's Software Update Forces Microsoft Copilot Onto Smart TVs (tomshardware.com)
- Reference: 0180389635
- News link: https://entertainment.slashdot.org/story/25/12/15/1430224/lgs-software-update-forces-microsoft-copilot-onto-smart-tvs
- Source link: https://www.tomshardware.com/service-providers/tv-providers/lg-tv-update-adds-non-removable-microsoft-copilot-app-to-webos
LG's support documentation confirms that certain preinstalled or system apps can only be hidden, not deleted. At CES 2025, LG announced plans to integrate Copilot into webOS as part of its "AI TV" strategy, describing it as an extension of its AI Search experience. The current implementation appears to function as a shortcut to a web-based Copilot interface rather than a native application. Samsung TVs include Google's Gemini in a similar fashion. Users wanting to avoid the feature entirely are left with one option: disconnecting their TV from the internet.
[1] https://www.tomshardware.com/service-providers/tv-providers/lg-tv-update-adds-non-removable-microsoft-copilot-app-to-webos
Your Telescreen just got an update (Score:3)
Orwell would have had a field day with Copilot and AI TVs.
Re: (Score:2, Insightful)
> Orwell would have had a field day with Copilot and AI TVs.
I'd imagine Orwell would be quite angry today.
Takes an unreal amount of ignorance to turn a fiction writer into a fucking prophet.
They are desparate to find a use case for AI (Score:3)
I am looking forward to post-Microsoft post-OpenAI tech world. Too bad when bubble pops it will also take down Nvidia, I quite liked their gaming video cards.
Dumb TVs (Score:2)
Everyone knows it is actually Dumb TVs that update themselves in a way as to force things on you, like spying and advertising.
Speaking in .bomb (Score:2, Troll)
> describing it as an extension of its AI Search experience..
We generally understand how search works today. And what goes on behind the scenes (indexes, database optimizations, etc.)
The FUCK is an "AI Search experience"? Some shit we're regurgitating from the .bomb era? How exactly is AI helping here?
But, but ... (Score:4, Funny)
God is my co-pilot!
Not connecting to the internet (Score:2)
WebOS is shitty and laggy enough without having it try to drive an AI interface. I bought the TV for its picture quality not to have a half baked LLM tell me what to watch. Even on my brand new G5 OLED, which must have some decent horsepower for all the image processing it can do, the menus take a few seconds to load in. No way am I trusting them with an internet connection. I hooked up a separate media player box and my PS5 and the TV has never even seen my network.
"Television" seems so outdated (Score:3)
Why not just rename the device to Telescreen?
You can hide it (Score:3)
Use the edit function, highlight Copilot and move it to the hidden apps tray.
Re:You can hide it (Score:4, Funny)
Sure, you can hide it. What you cannot do is hide from it.
Factory reset (Score:2)
Then don't update. Ever.
The only question is if you can update apps without updating the TV software itself, or for how long.
I love my C8. But... (Score:2)
My 65" C8 is the best television that I have ever owned, hands-down, but I turned that smart TV dumb almost immediately. Once a year I check for firmware updates using a temporary guest network. If I find an update that I think I need I install it then otherwise I leave it alone.
In my electronics graveyard are three generations of Roku, two Nvidia shields, a Chromecast, a couple of Kodi, boxes, on Amazon fire stick, and probably some more devices that I have forgotten about. I also have an Xbox that was my
I tried! (Score:2)
I didn't want any new "updates" from Samsung on the TV, so I kept rejecting its "Updated User Terms" earlier this year (after owning the TV for 5 years). I don't want "updates" - I just want it to work the same way it worked in 2020, when I bought it. But that's not possible, as the TV booted itself off my WiFi and won't connect to the WiFi any more. Could be just coincidence?
If I bought a pair of pants in 2020, and then 5 years later Levi's decided to "change the terms of the license" and turn them neon
Cord-cutting cord-cutter (Score:5, Insightful)
Cool, glad I never connected my TV to the Internet.
Re: (Score:2, Informative)
We bought a 43 inch LG "smart" TV for our rec room to play content stored on my media server, and had to return it because it refused to work without an internet connection.
Could not get past the wifi setup screen without entering a network.. tried a floating AP but then it kept detecting no internet connection and going back to wifi setup.
They want your data, and they will deny you use of your own stuff to get it.
Re: Cord-cutting cord-cutter (Score:2)
Sounds like a good class action lawsuits brewing, and I hope these high tech tyrants get eaten alive in court
Re: (Score:2)
That's interesting, I bought an Hisense Vidaa TV and it works fine without an Internet connection. It actually very politely asks if you want to connect to a network but lets you skip its terms and conditions and use it with networking disabled. When changing inputs it still shows the smart tv dashboard with Disney+ recommendations stuck in time somewhere in 2024 but it otherwise works fine. I haven't let it do any updates, but I am not using any of its built-in apps at all.
I also have an Amazon Fire TV tha
Re: (Score:3)
Jeff Geerling had a similar issue when he found that some of the advertised features of a Bosch dishwasher were locked behind an app and you had to connect it to WiFi to enable:
[1]https://www.jeffgeerling.com/b... [jeffgeerling.com]
[2]https://www.youtube.com/watch?... [youtube.com]
I think in his case he was so invested in time with installing the thing before he found out about that limitation that he just sucked it up and kept it. We all encouraged him to take it back to make a statement to Bosch and the retailer but I get why one would feel de
[1] https://www.jeffgeerling.com/blog/2025/i-wont-connect-my-dishwasher-your-stupid-cloud
[2] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5M_hmwBBPnc
Re: Cord-cutting cord-cutter (Score:1)
U sure about that? I have purchased probably 10 tvs with WiFi/streaming apps built in and never once has one required I setup WiFi. I always just connect a fire stick anyway and use it as a dumb screen.
Re: (Score:2)
I would assume he is given he described exactly what happened when he tried to not set up a Wi-Fi connection.
Re: (Score:1)
I stopped connecting my TV’s to the internet in 2016 and never looked back.
Re:Cord-cutting cord-cutter (Score:4, Insightful)
Cell modems getting very cheap, there are telecos that turn consumer modems into public WiFi access points, etc. It is only matter of time until these devices able to bypass your refusal to allow them to connect to your network.
Re:Cord-cutting cord-cutter (Score:5, Interesting)
The problem is the cost of the bandwidth to serve graphical ads is still quite high. For low bandwidth applications, there are 10 year subscription plans which are quite reasonable, but graphical ads would not fit into that use case. The additional cost of the bandwidth would have be paid for by the advertisers in some form. They could of course figure out a model to somehow pay for this.
If I purchased a TV got it home and plugged it into the AC socket without connecting it to my network, and saw it was serving ads. I'd return it and buy a digital signage TV, or use a PC and a large computer monitor if all of the manufacturers did this.
Regarding that celluar antenna used by the cellular modem: Nothing that a pair of dykes or an X-acto knife couldn't fix provided you are willing to void your warranty.
Of course, the TV could refuse to work if it couldn't contact the mothership.
Re: (Score:2)
2012 for me. I pirated all my media anyway. I've never paid for a streaming service. I disconnected my PS4 Pro a while back and kept it on old enough firmware that I've since hacked it and only play torrents games (have a Raspberry Pi that gives it an IP but no Internet, and I use it as my FTP tunnel to GoldenHen on the device).
People need to stop connecting Internet of Trash devices.
Re: (Score:3)
The day will come when a TV (or dishwasher or refrigerator) will not function at all without an internet connection.
Re: Cord-cutting cord-cutter (Score:3)
It already has...
[1]https://www.jeffgeerling.com/b... [jeffgeerling.com]
[1] https://www.jeffgeerling.com/blog/2025/i-wont-connect-my-dishwasher-your-stupid-cloud
Re: (Score:1)
I know it took a lot of effort, I get that .. but I literally would have ripped it out and taken it back to the store. Make it clear they write down on the return slip it was due to cloud features.
I've had issue with my dishwasher lately and have been avoiding replacing it. Now I'm going to have to be dreadfully aware of ensuring anything I buy DOES NOT have Wi-Fi. I'd probably even get the sales manager to sign something guaranteeing it has zero Wi-Fi capabilities and accept a full return no-questions-a
Re: (Score:2)
Then some of us will go back to washing dishes by hand, and using ELI the Ice Man.
Re: (Score:2)
This is why I got a Sony tv in 2020 and have not connected it to the internet. Worth the price differential.
Still, what I really want is a decent 65" display; no speakers, no OS, just a bright colorful screen with quick refresh.