
New LG Smart Display Series Will Ship This Spring With BrightSignOS Onboard
January 28, 2025 by Dave Haynes
LG’s US pro display group has done an interesting tie-up that will see a new series of LG ultra high definition digital signage displays running BrightSignOS operating system, with units available to U.S. customers Q2 and international markets to follow.
The new LG 49, 55, and 65-inch UV5N series models will run BrightSignOS on an LG system-on-chip (SoC) processor.
“In development for two years and exclusive to LG for the next three years, this industry-first collaboration with BrightSign is a game-changer for digital signage,” says Michael Kosla, SVP of LG Electronics USA’s Media Entertainment Solution B2B division. “It combines the benefits of BrightSignOS with LG’s award-winning displays. These new Ultra HD signage displays are the first to market to offer BrightSignOS integration on an embedded SoC. This offers flexible operating system options for users, along with simplified integration and greater standardization across the board via BrightSign’s OS running on LG’s system-on-a-chip, best-in-class digital signage displays.”
“Businesses are in the market for signage applications that are easy to deploy, cost-effective, and updated over time. This keeps them on the edge of content innovation without having to constantly rip-and-replace systems,” says Steve Durkee, chief executive officer at BrightSign. “This agreement exemplifies our efforts to give new and existing customers more ways to leverage the power of our purpose-built operating system, BrightSignOS.”
It’s an interesting development given LG has been marketing smart displays for several years on the basis that whatever management software was used, it needed to be compatible and work with LG’s own webOS operating system. So if you had a blended network that was running some, let’s say Linux or Windows devices, using the processors of LG smart displays meant either using a limited functionality web player, developing a native software player for webOS or working with a third-party middleware solution like signageOS.
With this arrangement, a network that is using little purple BrightSign boxes already can add LG smart displays that have BrightSignOS running on them, and not need to buy standalone BrightSign players. That can save on capital costs but also reduce the potential points of failures, like HDMI cables and power cables that somehow work loose or were never quite seated properly when they were first deployed.
This is clearly seen as a strategic decision, given the three year exclusivity worked out in the partnership.
Users gain access to BrightSign’s Cloud, a secure and scalable cloud infrastructure that connects BrightSignOS to a comprehensive suite of proprietary and integrated partner services. The integrated LG UHD signage displays have access to the BSN.Cloud platform through BrightAuthor:connected software. It gives users added control, with remote management of players, networks, and content from anywhere.
LG banking on increasing options and ease for content management compared to VXT making it easier to use Samsung hardware. I give the edge to LG.