If you’re looking to buy a smart TV, then you might have come across the terms ‘Android TV’ and ‘Google TV’. And like some of us, you might be confused whether you need to buy Android TV or Google TV. In this post, we will see which is better Android TV or Google TV, and the key differences between Android TV and Google TV. This knowledge may help you in your decision to buy a smart TV.
What is Android TV?
Android TV is an operating system for smart TV based on Android and developed by Google. The Android TV OS is used for television sets, digital media players, set-top boxes, and soundbars.
Android TV was first announced at Google I/O in June 2014, as successor to the then unsuccessful, Google TV. Yes, the name “Google TV” existed before Android TV. Ever since then, Android TV have been used on a wide range of devices, but most popularly in smart TVs.
Android TV features a user interface designed around content discovery, voice search, content aggregation from various media apps and services, and integration with Google Assistant, Chromecast, and more.
What is Google TV?
Google TV is a modified Android TV user interface, which is branded as “Google TV. The name has nothing to do with the not-so-popular Google TV Operating system launched by Google prior to the existence of Android TV.
Google TV is basically an interface running on top of Android TV. So, at it’s core, Google TV is Android TV with some fancy features. Google TV first launched in 2020 when it was released alongside a new version of Google’s streaming dongle known by the name Chromecast.
Today, most of the smart TVs are shipped with Google TV and Android TVs are becoming rearer.
What are the key differences between Android TV and Google TV?
As we have stated above, Google TV is basically Android TV with some advanced features, better user interface and more. Here are some of the key differences between Android TV and Google TV for your reference.
User Interface:
- Android TV generally has a simple interface, focusing on app icons and content recommendations. If you have already experienced Google TV user interface then you might find Android TV user interface a bit boring.
- Google TV on the other hand has a fancier, user friendly, more visually appealing interface etc. Google TV also prioritize content aggregation from various streaming services.
- Google TV prioritizes personalized recommendations based on user preferences and usage history.
Content Discovery and Recommendations:
- On Android TV, the content discovery and recommendations are pretty basic, and are more app-centric, rather than user-centric. That is you need to open an app, say, YouTube, and the content recommendations are from within the app.
- Google TV on the other hand, offers personalized recommendations based on your usage from various content sources at once. It also includes a “For You” tab that includes shows, movies, and content suggestions based on the user’s watching habits.
- Google TV emphasizes content aggregation and unified experience. What this means is that Google TV aggregates content from different streaming services like Netflix, Disney+, and more, allows users to browse and watch from a variety of sources in one place.
Google Assistant Integration:
- Both Android TV and Google TV supports Google Assistance for allowing users to search for content, control smart home devices, and access information hands-free via voice commands. But on Android TV, it is not so deeply integrated.
- Whereas, on Google TV, Google Assistant is seamlessly integrated,
Parental Controls and User Profiles
- Google TV and Android TV both support multiple user profiles.
- However, Android TV does not include built-in features for restricting mature content or setting screen time limits.
- Whereas, Google TV allows you to create a dedicated child profiles which may be important for parents such as to limit access to mature content and setting daily screen time limits.
These are just some of the basic differences between Android TV and Google TV.
So, which is better – Android TV or Google TV? Which one should you go for if you are planning to buy a Smart TV?
At the end of the day whether Android TV or Google TV is better depends on your choices and your preferences.
If you want a simple, basic interface without much distractions then Android TV may be better for you. Comparatively Android TV are cheaper than Google TV. Whereas if you want a better user interface with personalized content recommendations based on your usage and history then Google TV may be better for you.
However, you may also note that more and more smart TVs are going to be using Google TV as the platform rather than Android TV. Which means buying Android TV now would seem a little outdated very soon. So, you can make a decision based on these factors as well.
What do you think? Let us know in the comments.
Looking for Smart TVs? Here are some on great officers on Amazon!
Explore more Smart TVs at great officers on Amazon!
# Android TV vs Google TV
# Which is better Android TV or Google TV
# Key difference between Android TV and Google TV
# Should I buy Android TV or Google TV
