Why Are Smart TVs So Complicated? What You Need To Know


Why Are Smart TVs So Complicated

We live in an era where our TVs can play content via voice commands, tell us the weather, and also control other smart gadgets in our homes. But when it comes to the basic stuff like calibrating the color profile or adjusting motion blur, things can get really confusing and frankly frustrating.

Smart TVs are very complicated to navigate primarily because TV manufacturers are yet to figure out how to build an intuitive user interface. Furthermore, because of low profit margins, manufacturers lack the financial incentive to invest in the development of an intuitive UI. 

In this article, I’ve gone over some of the primary reasons modern-day smart TVs are so unintuitive and complicated to use.

Following that, I’ve also shared potential solutions that’ll give you better access and control over your TV’s bells and whistles.

Why Are Smart TVs So Complicated To Use?

The main reasons behind the complicated and frustrating user experience of modern-day smart TVs can be summed up into the following points:

  • Smart TV Manufactures Are Newcomers in UI Design
  • Smart TV Manufacturers Lack the Financial Incentive
  • The Manufacturers’ Vision for Smart TVs
  • The Lucrative Data Collection Business

Let’s go over each of these points in more detail:

Smart TV Manufactures Are Newcomers in UI Design

As streaming became more popular, manufacturers quickly realized they needed to make their TVs more streaming-friendly.

This meant shipping TVs with dedicated operating systems (OS) that support internet connection and can install & run streaming apps.

That said, not even a decade has passed since it was common for manufacturers to sell “dumb” TVs with simple on-screen digital menus for controlling basic picture settings.

The problem is that these smart TVs have tons of settings related to picture quality.

This is more true for more expensive and advanced TVs with fancy features like 4K, HDR, Motion Blur, Dolby Vision, etc.

Creating an intuitive menu system for navigating all these settings is where the manufacturers are struggling.

Smart TV Manufacturers Lack the Financial Incentive

With advancements in the screen manufacturing industry, we see an increase in the supply of TVs, creating a more competitive market.

As a result, TVs are sold at very low margins, barely making any profit.

TV manufacturers put most of their efforts into incorporating features that make the TV more marketable.

And since consumers are mainly concerned with the screen size and picture quality when purchasing a TV, that’s also what the manufacturer prioritizes – neglecting the UI.

The Manufacturers’ Vision for Smart TVs

Budget TVs don’t make enough profit to invest in R&D for a better UI (User Interface).

That’s understandable! But what’s the excuse for more expensive $1000+ TVs? 

Some of the big names in the TV industry – namely Samsung and LG have a different vision for Smart TVs. 

Instead of looking at TVs as the primary unit for consuming large-screen entertainment, they envision TVs as the central hub for smart homes – a connecting interface for all in-home IoT devices.

As a result, they are more focused on creating a better platform that allows for smart connectivity features, putting off the development of an intuitive UI for easy navigation.

The Lucrative Data Collection Business

Smart TV manufacturers don’t have the know-how to create an intuitive UI and lack the proper financial incentive.

So why not partner with a company specializing in smart TV UI like Android TV or Roku?

Well, smart TVs connected to the internet allow companies to collect user data using a technology called ACR (Automatic Content Recognition) and then push personalized ads to make extra money.

This is true for all smart TVs running on proprietary OSes or third-party solutions like Android TV, Roku, Amazon Fire TV, and so on.

Now, by moving to a third-party solution, TV manufacturers will lose out on implementing their own ACR technology and their ad revenue.

This is most likely a big reason why some manufacturers like LG and Samsung refrain from adopting Android TV and sticking to their sub-par in-house alternatives.

What Can You Do To Improve Your Smart TV Experience

If you’re one of the millions that find that smart TV user interfaces are absolutely frustrating to use, then here are a couple of solutions you can implement to fix it:

  • Get a Third-Party Streaming Device
  • Call a Technician To Calibrate Your TV

Let’s discuss this in more detail.

Get a Third-Party Streaming Device

TV manufacturers might lack the incentive to build a better user experience for their customers. 

However, the success of streaming devices like Roku, Apple TV box, and the Amazon Firestick depends on simplicity and usability.

That said, these third-party streaming devices are not perfect with super intuitive UIs that even grandmas can instantly understand. But they are still far better optimized and easier to navigate than the default UI your smart TV comes with.

Here’s a great article on Tom’s Guide going over the best streaming devices in 2021 that you might find helpful.

Call a Technician To Calibrate Your TV

Modern-day smart TVs are capable of producing excellent picture quality.

But what’s surprising, or rather infuriating, is that by default, they ship with uncalibrated color profiles, poor color saturation, unnecessary motion blurring, and many more headaches.

Now, it’d be alright if you could go into the settings and adjust these options yourself.

However, these options are buried inside a cascade of menus and submenus, making it super difficult to do anything.

And even if you manage to find the right option, it’s primarily presented in super technical terminology like saturation levels, HUE, gamma levels, etc., which the average user might not understand.

The best way to fix this, albeit an unfortunate one, is to call in a technician who’ll calibrate the TV to acceptable picture quality. 

Alternatively, if you’re tech-savvy and have the time, you can read the user guide on the specific UI of your smart TV and then calibrate it yourself.

Key Takeaways

Modern Smart TVs offer tons of awesome features, but most of their necessary options are hidden behind an intuitive interface that’s super complicated to navigate.

This is mainly because smart TV manufacturers are new to creating complex user interfaces backed by OSes.

They also have tight margins on TV sales and lack the financial incentive to invest in R&D for better UI.

Currently, the best solution to avoid this problem is to purchase a third-party streaming device with a much more intuitive interface. 

Alternatively, you can also call in a technician to calibrate the picture settings or, if you’re tech-savvy enough, read the user guide for the TV’s UI and do it yourself.

Nelson Barbosa

I'm an engineer in love with smart home tech. On my website, I share useful tips and tricks to help my readers get the most of their devices and make their lives simpler by adding just a drop of technology in everyday routines!

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