LG Electronics has confirmed to the FCC that it will abandon 'Nextgen' ATSC 3.0 tuners with the launch of next year's 2024 TV line-up due to a lost patent case.

LG was one of the first TV makers to include ATSC 3.0 tuners in select TV models in 2020 to enable broadcast TV in 4K, HDR, 120fps, and more. 

And now LG is becoming the first to abandon ATSC 3.0 again.

The company has confirmed that it has made the decision not to include ATSC 3.0 functionality in any of its new TV models for 2024 due to having lost a patent case to Constellation Designs LLC, which has led to an increase in royalties from $3.00 to $6.75 for every LG TV with ATSC 3.0 support.

- "This challenging and uncertain patent landscape has forced LG to make the difficult decision to suspend the inclusion of ATSC 3.0-compatibility in its 2024 television lineup for the United States. This decision was not made lightly, because LG has been a vocal ATSC 3.0 advocate, a strong supporter of local broadcasters, and a leading developer of television products with the latest NEXTGEN TV technologies," LG wrote in a statement to the FCC (Federal Communications Commission).


May reevaluate later
Since the launch in 2020, LG has included ATSC 3.0 tuners only in its G, M, and Z series OLED models. The company's hesitance to expand support to all models has likely been influenced by the patent fight.

The development is obviously very bad news for broadcast TV in the US, which is already struggling due to the rise of streaming service.

LG leaves the door open to bringing back ATSC 3.0 at a later date in case the patent landscape changes. It has asked the FCC in the US to help address the patent situation.

- "Going forward, LG will, of course, continue to monitor the patent landscape and its effect on LG’s own product roadmap and overall industry dynamics."

Other TV makers such as Hisense, Samsung and Sony have yet to comment on the situation.

- Source: FCC