Philips' Google TVs are getting a massive free upgrade – including older OLED models

Philips is rolling out an Android upgrade that'll make older TVs feel shiny and new

Philips OLED 909 with Ambilight shining on the wall behind in blue and pink
(Image credit: Philips / TP Vision)
Quick Summary

Philips is rolling out an important firmware update to its 2023 and 2024 Google TVs, bringing the underlying Android OS up to date.

This includes flagship OLED TVs from the last couple of years – 2025 models already have the latest software.

We've got good news for owners of 2023 and 2024 Philips TVs – an important upgrade is rolling out right now for free.

The update is for the brand's models that run Google TV, and brings the underlying operating system up from Android 12 to Android 14. That's the same version Philips' 2025 TVs are running.

The update has actually been available for a few months, but many TV owners will have been unaware. It was only available as a download for installation via a USB flash drive. Now it's being sent directly to TVs as an over-the-air update.

Philips isn't the only firm rolling out Google TV updates. Google itself has already updated the Chromecast, and Sony is rolling out Android 14 to its TVs too.

What does the Philips Google TV update actually do?

Don't expect a massive redesign, like Apple's tvOS 26 and its Liquid Glass – the visual changes between Google's Material You design in Android 12 and Android 14 are fairly minor, with improved app layouts, slight visual refinements and better content recommendations.

The most important changes are under the hood, so while you won't see them directly they should mean a better TV experience.

Android 14 is designed to launch apps more quickly, to multi-task more smoothly and to deliver a more stable system. There are also improvements to its HDR and HDMI support, gaming support, smart home integration, and to your privacy and security settings.

As FlatpanelsHD reports, the firmware update is rolling out to lots of models including multiple Philips OLED TVs. Here's the full list of supported TVs (some are regional variants):

2024 Philips OLED models

  • Philips OLED 959
  • Philips OLED 909
  • Philips OLED 889
  • Philips OLED 859
  • Philips OLED 849
  • Philips OLED 819
  • Philips OLED 809

2023 Philips OLED models

  • Philips OLED 908
  • Philips OLED 888
  • Philips OLED 848
  • Philips OLED 818
  • Philips OLED 808
  • Philips OLED718
  • Philips OLED708

2023 Philips LED models

  • Philips PUS8888
  • Philips PUS8848
  • Philips PUS8818
  • Philips PUS8808
  • Philips PUS8558
  • Philips PUS8548
  • Philips PUS8518
  • Philips PUS8508
TOPICS

Writer, musician and broadcaster Carrie Marshall has been covering technology since 1998 and is particularly interested in how tech can help us live our best lives. Her CV is a who’s who of magazines, newspapers, websites and radio programmes ranging from T3, Techradar and MacFormat to the BBC, Sunday Post and People’s Friend. Carrie has written more than a dozen books, ghost-wrote two more and co-wrote seven more books and a Radio 2 documentary series; her memoir, Carrie Kills A Man, was shortlisted for the British Book Awards. When she’s not scribbling, Carrie is the singer in Glaswegian rock band Unquiet Mind (unquietmindmusic).

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