LG Electronics has embarked on an innovative journey to enhance the performance and user experience of its webOS-powered televisions using Flutter, a versatile UI toolkit developed by Google. In a recent experiment, LG engineers successfully rewrote their Japanese Electronic Program Guide (EPG) using Flutter, achieving remarkable improvements in app launch speed, memory efficiency, and overall responsiveness.
The decision to adopt Flutter stemmed from a desire to overcome performance limitations encountered with existing technologies like React, previously used for app development on webOS.
The initial Flutter prototype not only met but exceeded performance benchmarks set by the original app, demonstrating a doubling in launch speed without any optimization efforts.
Buoyed by this success, LG plans to expand the use of Flutter to other critical applications within its TV ecosystem. By integrating Flutter into webOS, LG aims to enhance developer productivity, improve runtime performance across its app portfolio, and foster a more engaging user experience for millions of LG TV users globally.
Looking forward, LG envisions a future where Flutter-powered apps become integral to the webOS platform, offering enhanced capabilities and performance across different models of LG televisions. The company is actively exploring partnerships and initiatives, including a planned closed beta program, to further integrate Flutter into its ecosystem and encourage developers to leverage its capabilities.
For developers interested in exploring opportunities within the LG webOS ecosystem, LG invites participation in upcoming events such as the LG webOS Hackathon 2024. These initiatives aim to shape the future of TV app development, leveraging Flutter’s strengths to deliver innovative solutions and experiences to LG TV users worldwide.
WebOS Link: https://webostv.developer.lge.com/
Hackathon Link: https://webostv.developer.lge.com/news/2024-07-04-lg-electronics-call-for-participants-for-the-lg-webos-hackathon-2024