LG TV Plus

The most necessary thing about this app is a basic remote control with a numeric panel, volume and program control buttons, Mute and OK buttons. It’s the essence of any TV remote. It’s also connecting your TV as a display for selected objects, so you can show photos and videos on it, in a manner way better than using it as a second display.

Design 5/5

LG has always been about good design, and so is this app. It features quite a decent file browser to stream files to your TV, and an easy basic remote that can back up your default remote if it got lost or broken, or just with batteries dried.

Usability 3/5

The idea of having a Wi-Fi remote is great. Your TV and your phone need to be in the same wireless network, so they can recognize each other. The webOS-based LG televisions already have the server part installed, so no fiddling is required normally.

Another useful feature is broadcasting videos and photos from your device to the TV screen. No need to buy and connect a Chromecast or Apple TV: your TV already has what it takes to be connected to a mobile device. With it, you can show your photos and videos to everyone in the room, hold a presentation, or watch a movie on Netflix together, even if the Netflix app is on your phone.

Alas, it doesn’t always function as intended, first of all because of constant disconnections. They are especially severe if you have a dual-band router, or your TV is wired up to the Internet. But going wireless doesn’t always help.

Cross-platform use 5/5

The app is available for iOS and Android – that is, for absolutely most phones and tablets in use now. It requires Android 5.0 and above, or iOS 8.0 and above. But it’s compatible with certain LG TV’s only as well. Planned as versatile, it only works with LG TVs manufactured in 2014 or later. 

In-app purchases

The app is completely free; but given that you have already purchased the TV, you obviously have paid for this app as well. Even if you didn’t intend to use it first. It doesn’t show ads, considering you already have enough of them on your channels.

The Bottom Line

If you have a compatible LG TV, this app will save you precious seconds while you’re searching for videos to stream, switching channels, or just streaming videos from your phone to TV. Otherwise it’s not granted. For example, a TV made in 2014 was detected by this app on an iPhone, but completely unnoticed by its version on an Android device.