Do Smart TVs Have Touch Screens? Here Are The Facts

Touch screens have become a widely accepted feature in almost all everyday gadgets that we use. They are present in our Smartphones, Tablets, Laptops, and even home appliances have them.

It seems like almost all gadgets with a digital interface are now operable with a touch screen, you may wonder if Smart TVs would have a touch screen as well.

Do Smart TVs Have Touch Screens?

Smart TVs do not have Touch Screen displays. While there are digital media devices that enable touch screen capabilities, having such functionality defeats the purpose of having a TV, which was designed for you to browse through programs without having to get up and change channels or settings.

 

Who Makes Smart TVs with Touch Screens?

The closest device to a Smart TV is the Smart Display Screen by LG.

This product lets you display different content or menus without having to plug into a computer.

LG’s Smart Display can read a variety of file types, including HTML5, to create a more interactive experience for users.

The data the Smart Display screen reads are done via USB connections.

Is it Smart to Have Touch Screens on a TV?

The advancement of television leans towards being able to do everything without having to get up from your chair.

Having a touch screen on your Smart TV defeats this purpose, and will only be an added feature that would not really be used by consumers.

A touchscreen TV would only equate as an unnecessary cost, which is usually omitted to keep the prices of a product down.

Also, to use the touch screen functionality, the screen needs to be flat or tilted at an angle that would be comfortable.

Notice how touch screen displays are usually tilted or flat and parallel to the ground in kiosks.

This viewing angle, unfortunately, is not ideal for TVs, which you often view from afar.

How Much Does a Touch Screen TV Cost?

A 65-inch touch TV display can cost as much as $1,800 dollars on Amazon.

Factors that determine the price include display size, screen size, and other features.

The smaller touch screen, leaning towards personal use, can go as low as less than $100 dollars but have limited functions.

Check out our article that talks about Are Smart TVs Easy Or Difficult To Use?

Does Samsung Produce Touch Screen Smart TVs?

Samsung only produces interactive displays, which are not Smart TVs.

When Will We See More Smart TVs with Touch Screens?

It’s not at all impossible to see Smart TVs with touch screens in this age of technology, but we have to consider the functions and how they contradict each other.

Touch screens are meant to be used up close, which would mean getting up from the couch to use the touch display.

But Smart TVs have crisp displays that are meant for viewing from afar, and would not be clear when viewed up close.

Thus, if you go up close to a Smart TV with a touch screen, you may not be able to see the on-screen buttons you are pressing due to the pixels per square inch of Smart TVs.

Until display technology evolves to allow clarity both close and afar, it will be hard to integrate touch screens with Smart TVs.

What Are Touch Screen Displays Best Used For?

Having a touch screen display is a great way to cut down on the maintenance of equipment, or even increase productivity in your work.

Here are some samples of how you can use a touch screen technology in your business:

Touch Screen as a Self-Service Concierge System:

Touch screen TVs are good as displays or digital signage, which businesses can use to automate customer relations procedures.

Use them as a menu display for restaurants or other business establishments, and customers will be queued properly. Touch screen displays can help customers scroll through an establishment’ map, should they be looking for a particular area.

Since it’s a touch screen, there’s no need to include a mouse and keyboard for your self-service kiosks.

This also means there is less equipment to maintain, and you only have to worry about two fewer devices from breaking down.

Touch Screen as an Input Device in Tight Spaces:

You can use touch screen displays to lessen the hardware needed in tight spots such as checkout booths of cashiers booths.

If space were a luxury, this would cut the need to have a physical keyboard, as you can type everything on the screen.

Look into our article which reads about How Much Electricity Do Smart TVs Use?

Touch Screen as a Design Tool:

If you are a graphic designer or in a profession that requires hand accuracy in designing visuals, a touch screen will also be beneficial to you.

Using a compatible stylus, you can hand draw your designs, color manually, or even create architectural designs, as if you were drawing manually on a sheet of paper.

This helps improve the creative process, as you will be able to have the accuracy of the hand, with the digital precision of a computer.

An example of this device is the Wacom Cintiq Pro hybrid LCD tablet.

Can You Turn a Smart TV into a Touch Screen?

You can attach the Touchjet Wave Virtual touch screen to your Smart TV through the HDMI port.

Touch screen capabilities are hardware dependent. You need to be equipped with the right hardware for your TV screen to interpret every touch as a command.

This is where the Touchjet Wave comes in.

The Touchjet Wave is an attachment you put on your TV’s screen to let it read commands via touch.

It recognizes finger gestures made on your TV screen, so it can open a menu or app when you touch it. It also runs on Android, which lets you install apps that are appropriate for touch screens.

If you install this on your TV, you won’t be able to use the Smart features, as the Touchjet Wave’s system will be the one in place.

Can You Use Apple TV or other Digital Media Boxes with Touch Screen Displays?

No.

The operating systems used for Apple TV or other digital media boxes do not include in its system the ability to read and execute commands rendered through touch gestures on the screen.

If you plug your digital media box onto a touch screen display, you can only use the screen to flash your Apple TV’s contents.

References:

Are all smart TVs touch screens?

LG Touch Displays

Turn TV into touchscreen Amazon Accessory