Google TV and Android TV are two completely different media platforms that will let you stream your favourite films, TV reveals, music and extra.
While Google developed Android TV to be used on TVs, media gamers, streaming gadgets and extra – with the platform showing in quite a few guises and iterations since its launch in 2014 – Google TV is actually a rebranded model with further options and a few design tweaks.
Android TV and Google TV provide many the identical issues, equivalent to streaming apps and web shopping, with a number of key variations – however what are they, and which one is definitely higher to make use of?
What’s Google TV?
Again final 12 months, Google introduced its new good TV platform, referred to as Google TV. Google TV is a person interface that runs on Android gadgets equivalent to smartphones, TVs and the most recent Google Chromecast.
Google TV permits customers to entry their favorite content material together with Netflix, Disney Plus, Amazon Prime Video, YouTube, Apple TV, HBO Max and far more. Whereas which will sound fairly much like different good platforms available on the market, Google TV desires customers to have simpler and quicker entry to their most seen and really useful content material. It does this by mixing all of the content material from every streaming service collectively and placing it into one interface so you may search throughout all streaming providers in a single straightforward click on.
For instance, as a substitute of in search of Netflix content material on the Netflix app, head to the house display the place Google TV will give fast and quick access to what you wish to watch with out you having to waste time by going into every app.
Google TV has fairly a number of options that are not on Android TV. What’s fascinating about Google TV is that it’s much more user-friendly as you do not should be in entrance of your display to function it. You’ll be able to add films or TV reveals to your watch listing by way of your telephone, which is good for planning your viewing prematurely.
Google TV additionally has an clever good engine that can recommend content material that you could be take pleasure in primarily based in your earlier viewing habits. This may be significantly helpful should you’re a serial flicker at all times looking out for brand new packages to look at.
Google TV can also be a terrific addition when you’ve got kids, as you may create a channel only for them that can solely present age-appropriate content material. Dad and mom can stay in full management of this channel by utilizing the Household Hyperlink app to dam apps, management what functions are used and set viewing limits and bedtimes.
When you’ve got a Google Nest, you will additionally love the brand new Google TV system as you may join your Google Nest digicam and consider your digicam feed by way of your TV.
Different added options of Google TV embody built-in slideshows from Google pictures and the power to manage your different good residence gadgets, equivalent to lighting, straight out of your TV display. There may be additionally assist for a number of person accounts – which is helpful should you and your family take pleasure in completely different content material.
What’s Android TV?
Android TV is an Android working system that Google designed to be used on TVs, streaming sticks, digital media gamers, and even soundbars. Android TV is constructed into many TVs from manufacturers equivalent to Philips, Sony and Sharp. It options an enormous vary of apps by way of the Google Play Retailer, together with Netflix, Disney Channel, Spotify, YouTube and HBO Now. There are additionally plenty of dwell channels viable by way of Android TV, together with Bloomberg TV, NFL and ABC, and a bunch of gaming apps.
Android TV cuts out the muddle providing you with a extra direct, extra streamlined expertise – one which’s simply restricted to what your tv can deal with.
Because of this Google Play Retailer on Android TVs solely shows apps supported by the TV platform – not all of these accessible on smartphones.
TVs that had been manufactured from 2017 onwards with Android TV included additionally include Google Assistant integration by default. So you may simply say ‘OK Google’ that will help you management your good residence merchandise in addition to finishing up life admin duties equivalent to checking your calendar or including to your to-do listing.
The voice search, by way of the distant perform, can cease you from losing time and typing out what you are in search of; simply communicate the title of the actor, film or television present you are in search of into the distant and Android TV will discover it for you.
Android TV could have been round for some time, however it’s undoubtedly holding abreast of the most recent tendencies. For those who’re fed up with scrolling by way of the latest dance strikes in your telephone, you will now discover the TikTok app built-in into Android good TVs.
Plus, one other nifty function is included if you cannot watch a film or TV present with out questioning the place you noticed the actor earlier than. Search the actor’s title, and you will find each title they’ve ever starred in plus their bios which saves a go to to IMDB.
Android TV customers ought to have not too long ago seen an improve of their person interface, which now reveals three new tabs together with Dwelling, Uncover, and apps which may help make content material simpler to seek out and emulate the brand new Chromecast with Google TV – even and not using a full shift onto the brand new platform.
The place to get Google TV
One of the simplest ways to look at Google TV is to buy the Chromecast with Google TV. This new Chromecast is filled with the most recent know-how, together with 4K video streaming and a voice distant.
When it comes to value, it prices $49.99 / £59.99 / AU$99, which is barely cheaper than the Chromecast Extremely, however except you wish to stream video games, it’s the good choose.
In terms of shopping for a TV with built-in Google TV, in the intervening time, Sony is the one possibility. Sony has opted to make use of Google TV on its high-end televisions, together with the 4K OLED Sony A90J and LCD champion Sony X95J.
The place to get Android TV
Android TV may be discovered on an enormous variety of good TVs. Philips, Sharp, Toshiba, and Sony are just some of the producers which have this working built-in as normal. You can too discover it in streaming video gamers, just like the Nvidia Defend TV Professional.
Final 12 months’s Sony A8H OLED remains to be top-of-the-line TVs round, and one with the Android TV platform. This TV has a surprising image efficiency mixed with a strong sound system making it the best selection for any residence cinema fanatic. When it comes to value, the 55-inch mannequin is available in at $1,899 / £1,799, whereas the bigger 65-inch measurement is available in at $2,799 / £2,799.
How do Google TV and Android TV examine, and which one is finest?
So on the face of it, it could look as if Google TV is simply an replace to Android TV that brings a few new title, new person interface and new options – extra of a rebrand than a revolution – and also you would not be incorrect. However simply because Google TV is now on the scene, that does not imply that Android TV is defunct.
The principle distinction between the 2 is that Google TV focuses on person interplay and perfecting content material curation, so discovering what you wish to watch is modern and straightforward. Google TV additionally gives a watchlist that permits you to simply bookmark content material from completely different apps to look at later. You are able to do this from any gadget that lets you log in to your Google account, so you may join whether or not it is your telephone or laptop computer.
From 2021, nevertheless, many TV producers that run Android TV will probably be switching to Google TV for his or her major interface. Plus, you may also entry Google TV by way of media streaming gadgets equivalent to Google Chromecast, so we’re airing on the aspect of Google TV because the superior possibility.
Until you are planning on upgrading your TV, you most likely need not fear an excessive amount of about making the change. Until, in fact, your Android TV is appearing a bit sluggish, through which case it could be least expensive to select up a brand new Chromecast with Google TV slightly than an entire new tv show.