I love smart television sets as much as the next person, but one thing has been giving me pause for some time now: their longevity. You see, modern smart TVs run operating systems, making them function a lot like computers. And, as with PCs, this addition of software means that updates are necessary to stay protected against exploits and vulnerabilities.

The problem here is that software updates aren’t guaranteed forever. Eventually, support cycles end, and technology treks onward. When this inevitably happens, your expensive flat panel will suddenly be out-of-support, complete with all the baggage that comes with that status. Putting aside security-related concerns, out-of-date software also tends to suffer from a lack of application compatibility, which is bad news all around.

Smart TVs have an expiration date problem

Security vulnerabilities are inevitable

Simply put, your smart TV has an expiration date. Tech companies only support devices for a limited period of time, and this applies just as much to flat panels as it does to smartphones, tablets, computers, and other electronic devices. Eventually, as time marches on, your TV will be left in the dust, no matter how expensive it was at the time of purchase, or how high-end of a set it was at launch.

It’s hard to fault TV manufacturers too much, to be fair, as it’d be unrealistic to expect indefinite support for all models across all time. That being said, it’s still a shame that the situation is the one that it is, with all modern TVs one day destined to become vulnerable to network exploitation, data theft, and other serious concerns.

Eventually, your smart TV’s operating system will also lose compatibility with applications, including all-important streaming apps like Netflix, Disney+, Hulu, and Paramount+. Just like on smartphones, apps update independently of the OS, and, over time, they require up-to-date OS software to run correctly. The end result will inevitably be an OS that cannot support the apps you use on a daily basis on your smart TV.

Thankfully, there’s a solution to this predicament: switching to a dedicated set-top box or a streaming stick when the time calls for it. Relying on external hardware for smart TV purposes is the main way to maintain your flat panel’s vitality over time, effectively ‘resetting’ it’s software support window, so to speak. Yes, it means you’ll lose out on the frictionless experience of an all-in-one smart TV, but continued app compatibility and regular security patches are more than worth the trade-off.

How long will my smart TV last?

Manufacturers do offer software and security update guarantees

The good news is that your smart TV is likely to stay secure and compatible with apps for a fair bit of time. Television set makers offer various software update promises, ranging from anywhere between two and seven years depending on make and model. Here’s a rundown of brand update guarantees from several of the major players in the market:

• Samsung (Tizen OS): guarantee of three years of general software updates from product launch, along with seven years of security updates for models launched in 2023 or later (five years for older models)
• LG (WebOS): guarantee of four years of general software updates from product launch, along with five years of security update support
• Roku TV (Roku OS): no official time-based life cycle guarantee, software updates tend to last for around five to seven years
• Vizio (Vizio OS): no official time-based life cycle guarantee, software updates tend to last for around three to five years
• Amazon/Insignia/Pioneer/Toshiba (Fire OS / Vega OS): guarantee of four years of feature and security updates from time of launch
• Sony/Hisense/TCL/Philips/Panasonic/Sharp/RCA (Android TV/Google TV): guarantees vary considerably based on brand, with roughly two to three years of software updates and security patches being commonplace. Google itself does not offer a universal update policy guarantee for third-party hardware