The world is moving fast. Your three months old phone is already obsolete. That’s how dynamic the technological world is! With all the established brands trying to stay relevant and new brands coming up frequently with innovative features, the competition is at its peak now, more than ever. Remember the times when our television sets only had black and white pictures, and landline phones were a rarity in common towns. Within a span of a few years, a lot has changed. Now, we don’t just have a colour television set! We have flat-screen and even some curved screen television sets that give us 4K Ultra HDR quality. The possibilities in this technological era are infinite.
As convenient as our lives have become with this rapid advent of technology, smart devices do have some limitations a buyer needs to be aware of. Smart TV is one such device that emerges as a novel, relevant, and highly convenient option for every household when it comes to convenience. With lower prices and the promise of better quality, the buyer is somewhat tranced by this whole experience of owning a smart tv.
To put it in simple words, any television is smart which can connect to the internet. Here’s why there is a rapid boost in demand for Smart TVs.
- The Streaming services
Since a smart TV can be connected to the internet, one can access everything we access on the internet via our phones or laptops, but on a bigger, better, and clearer screen. If you are a Netflix binge-watcher, you might want to consider Netflix recommended TVs for the whole experience. Many TVs have amazon prime application already installed. All you need to do is put in your login details and enjoy your favourite shows.
- AI-Powered Smart TV
Artificial Intelligence, whether we like it or not, is becoming an integral part of our lives. TV manufacturers use such advanced technology to provide users with a more personalized experience with their smart TVs. The Voice assistants like Google, Amazon’s Alexa, and Samsung’s personal assistant Bixby assist people to give voice commands and control the device with utmost ease.
Given the benefits of a Smart TV in your home, let’s not forget with great ease comes great threats. Recall the 2017 Vizio Privacy scandal. The TV manufacturer allegedly gathered user’s personal data and browsed history, and sold it to advertisers and analytics firms. Apparently, the feature which collected information was set as the default option in Vizio Smart TV sets. Such breaches to privacy are justified by stating that the data is used to give a more personalized experience.
Now it is your choice as the user, what and how much data you want these companies to have access to!
Another threat you might face as a Smart TV user is Breaches via Wifi Routers. Old models of wifi routers sold were not manufactured in a way to secure your smart devices from breaches. In 2013, a bot named Linus/Flasher. A bot was collecting personal login credentials from smart devices, including Smart TVs.
Security in Smart TV
The newer models of routers come with a better secure technology for minimum breach of your privacy via routers. You might want to put a black tape on your Smart TVs webcam, too, as that again is used for spying or conducting criminal activities. The hackers can quickly get access to your Television’s webcam and access the interiors of your home and your movement. It is pretty clear that such information can be used for various criminal acts. Therefore, remember to keep your webcam covered when not in use.
It is also speculated that Smart TV voice assistants like Alexa, Google eavesdrop on user’s conversations and streaming habits with the help of built-in microphones in the devices.
These are just some of the ways your decision of buying a Smart TV can go haywire. If you as a user want a secure and convenient smart TV experience, remember to read the policies you agree to and the settings your device has inbuilt. Awareness can save your privacy and promise you a great experience with a Smart TV. Enjoy technology in a more secure way!
