You may have heard of Android TV and wondered what it was. Perhaps you assumed that it was a viewing platform that works through smartphones and tablets, which Android often powers.
Maybe you’ve seen Android TV’s and questioned the difference between these and smart TV alternatives. Below are helpful answers to questions about this attractive entertainment solution.
What is Android TV?
Android TV is Google’s smart TV platform and it can be found in TV’s manufactured by the most popular brands like Sony, Philips, and Humax Direct. Alternatives including Roku and Amazon Fire lack the Android operating system which is preinstalled into devices.
Google is a trusted household name, and the Android symbol and functions are familiar to most consumers, thanks to phone and tablet use. Android also powers cars and watches. Google Assistant, Google Play Store, and Google Chromecast tools are integrated into the systems for accessibility and user-friendliness.
When you look for a smart TV that offers spectacular options to view live and recorded programs, to download films and boxsets, access Amazon Prime, Netflix, Disney+, HBO Max and other streaming services, and games through Google Play Store, video subscription opportunities, or even a well-known subscription-free service provider like Freeview or Freesat, you have the freedom to choose what you want to watch or play when you want to.
Freedom?
With an Android TV, you decide on the content you download and watch and which devices you want the show or film to play on. Apps allow a vast choice of entertainment options, and Google Assistant has over 500000 shows to choose from.
So, if live TV offers no delights, you don’t have to wonder what to do, access the menu on your TV screen to download new content or watch something already recorded easily. You use voice commands to operate the Android TV and have a remote control too.
During the pandemic, UK viewers have shifted their attention away from mainstream channels for entertainment, although they continue to use them for news updates. It has become a welcome escape to stream or download content that is guaranteed to contain nothing Covid related. When the first lockdown ended, research showed that viewers continued to invest in options like Netflix.
Customised experiences
You and your neighbors have different entertainment expectations. So, whilst TV channels will screen their popular shows at their set times, and you can elect to watch live, pause, record, and replay content, you aren’t tied to their schedules.
Your personal media, photos, and videos of events you’ve recorded for reviewing are available on your TV, and the streaming services and downloaded content allow you to fill your relaxation hours as you choose.
You may prefer comedies, car shows, and sports events plus blockbuster movies, but your neighbor is interested in catching up on the soaps, older movies from the golden era, and learning how to play the guitar via an app. You can both enjoy your TV in your own way with ease.
Is Android TV complicated?
No. The application of technology within the device is mesmerizing; the consumer experience is also delightful. Essentially, Google’s smart TVs, including Android, is as simple to navigate as the mobile phone you use each day.
The screen layouts, images, and text items are designed with your enjoyment in mind. Rather like the raft of other smart products being installed in domestic and commercial environments, this one is a labor-saving, stress-reducing addition to your space.
You don’t need to wade through instruction manuals, wait for engineers to install and manage your TV or worry about accidentally switching on your washing machine whilst changing TV channels. The advancements in smart technology are just that, smart.
Google has produced an official list of brands that provide the optimum version of Android TV; there are imitations on the market, so for peace of mind, check that your TV choice is on their list.
Alongside Android, TV consumers can enjoy additional soundbars and recorders. For example, the Humax Direct AURA UHD Freeview Play, 4K Recorder, powered by Android TV with Freeview Play pre-installed launched in November 2020. It requires an aerial, an internet connection, and a Google account.
You can view content on TV or across devices via an app, even when you’re on the move. The 2TB version has a storage capacity for 1000 hours of recorded content, and you can record 4 shows whilst watching a 5th.
