What is Android TV and How Does It Work - Explained!

Updated: December 29, 2020

With over 40% market share, Android TV is one of the leading smart TV platforms out there. As internet adoption is accelerating across the world, users are looking for smart TVs to play content over the internet and Android TV is filling the need. That said, there are users who are still stuck with cable television and they are looking to understand this new Android TV landscape. So if you want to learn what is Android TV and how it works then you have come to the right place. Here, we explain everything about Android TV, its pros, cons, and the future. With that in mind, let’s begin.

Everything You Need to Know About Android TV

Right from the basics of Android TV to features and hardware requirements, we have covered everything in this article. You can click on the link below to move to the relevant section easily.

Table Of Contents

What is Android TV?

Android TV is a smart TV platform developed by Google. When I say smart TV, it means a TV that can deliver content from the internet (called IPTV). So to use Android TV, internet connectivity is a must. Talking a bit about its development history, the platform was announced back in 2014 against the rising need for more IPTV solutions. Now, not just traditional TV sets, but set-top boxes, digital players, and even soundbars run Android TV.

What is Android TV?

Even before 2014, the company had released Google TV which was announced in 2010. It was based on Chrome with an overlay of video sites to play content through the browser. However, the project failed to take off and Google brought Android TV in 2014 which was based on the Android operating system.

Unlike Android that we run on our smartphones, the TV interface is quite different. It has a top-to-down scrollable interface with row-based menus. Android TV emphasizes more on content discovery by aggregating content from multiple apps. So that was all about the basics of Android TV. Let’s now find the best features of Android TV.

Android TV Features

Since Android TV is based on Android OS, it has Play Store support which means you can access thousands of Android apps optimized for the TV platform. It has been six years since Android TV was announced so now you have a variety of quality apps that work fluidly on the TV platform. You no longer have to use a web browser as almost all the streaming and live TV services have an app for Android TV.

Apart from that, the headline feature of Android TV is Chromecast integration. On all Android TVs, you can play content right from your smartphone and desktop (through Chrome browser). You can cast the smartphone screen on your Android TV seamlessly. In fact, some Android TVs also support casting from Windows 10.

Chromecast uses screen mirroring technology, but Google and several major developers have optimized many of their apps to work flawlessly with support for sound output, background play, quality streaming of content, and full-resolution display output. Basically, if you have got an Android TV and Android smartphone, you will not need a separate Chromecast dongle to cast your smartphone screen.

Besides that, all Android TVs now come with a dedicated “Google Assistant” button. It’s not one of those gimmicky features, but one that works superbly well. Leveraging Google’s Knowledge Graph, Google Assistant can show precise results of your queries. For instance, if you ask Google Assistant to “play the crown”, it will show you all the streaming options available from different sources. You can even purchase a movie right on your Android TV seamlessly.

Finally, we have Android TV remotes. Unlike remotes of traditional TVs and set-top boxes, it’s quite minimalist with just a few buttons in place. The reason behind this design approach is Google Assistant that can largely understand any query you throw at it, even in your local language. I would say if you are going to get an Android TV, be ready to use the voice assistant frequently. For the old-school users, there is an on-screen keyboard, but chances are you are not going to use it.

Hardware Need

Android TVs generally don’t need beefy hardware as it’s a lightweight OS. Most Android TVs in the market come with a modest Amlogic or a Mediatek processor coupled with 4/8GB of storage and 2/4GB of RAM. That said, some Android TVs do feel slow to navigate and the response is slightly delayed due to the low-end chip. So I would recommend you to get an Android TV that comes with a decent processor, has higher RAM capacity, and can play 4K content smoothly.

Nvidia Shield TV is one of the popular media players that run on Android TV and it comes with powerful specs under the hood. For instance, it has got Nvidia’s in-house Tegra X1 processor with a dedicated 256-core Nvidia GPU. There are also Android TVs that come with HDR, HDR10, Dolby Vision, and Dolby Atmos support. All these feature add-ons depend on the TV manufacturer so before buying an Android TV, do look for these perks.

What About Android TV Updates?

Yearly update on Android TV does not have a fixed number as it depends on the TV manufacturer. Most companies offer 2-3 years of updates, but frankly, it’s not enough. TVs last much longer than smartphones so Google should up the game and address the update issue directly.

For instance, Android 11 is the latest Android TV version, but most TVs, including mine (Mi TV in India) are still running Android 9. On the updates front, I think you are going to be disappointed after a few years.

Gaming on Android TV

As we went through the hardware requirements, it’s clear that Android TVs are not meant for gaming since it comes with modest specs. You can however play non-intensive Android games from the Play Store. Apart from that, with game streaming services on the rise like Stadia, GeForce Now, and xCloud, it’s now possible that you can play high-end titles on your budget Android TV.

Google has already committed support for Stadia and it’s coming to the successor of Android TV (called Google TV, again) in the first half of 2021. Talking about Google TV, let’s find out how Google TV is different from Android TV.

Android TV vs Google TV

Google’s rebranding of its smart TV platform has come a full circle. Starting with Google TV in 2010 and moving to Android TV in 2014, Google has decided to rebrand Android TV with Google TV again in 2020. Unlike earlier drastic changes, this time Google TV keeps the same Android base but improves personalized recommendations and on the curation front.

As Google knows too much about us, it plans to offer highly-curated content on Google TV. It also offers a “Watchlist” menu where you can find all the movies that you have saved on the web. Next, you can get your smartphone notifications on your Google TV and control IoT devices right from your TV. Basically, with Google TV, Google wants to streamline your viewing experience and offer you a more personal dashboard.

If you want to try out Google TV on your Android TV then you can do so by following our guide. It works for the most part, but some features are still broken. Google aims to replace all Android TVs with Google TV by the end of 2022, but it will depend on TV manufacturers if they want to pass the update to you.

Currently, you can use Google TV officially in the US if you choose to buy the new “Chromecast with Google TV” dongle. The company has stated that Chromecast with Google TV will be coming to more countries in 2021. In addition, smart TVs, set-top boxes, and dongles will ship with Google TV out of the box in 2021.

So the bottom line is that next year, you will hear more and more about Google TV rather than Android TV, but bear in mind, it’s a difference in the user interface with the fundamentals remaining almost the same.

List of Popular Android TVs (Continually Updated)

BRAND	Model Name	Size
Marq (flipkart)	Marq 43AAUHDM	43
	Marq 43AAFHDM	43
	Marq 32AAHDM	32
	Marq 65SAUHD	65
	Marq 49SAUHD	48.5
	Marq 32VNSSHDM	32
	Marq 49SAUHD/49SAHD-Black	49
Aconatic	Aconatic 32HS521AN	32
	Aconatic 43HS521AN	43
	Aconatic 55RS543AN	55
	Aconatic 55US300AN	55
	Aconati c65RS543AN	65
iFFALCON	iFFALCON 40F2A	40
	iFFALCON 32F2A	32
	iFFALCON 49F2A	49
	iFFALCON 75H2A	75
	iFFALCON 55K2A	55
	iFFALCON 65K2A	65
	iFFALCON 65V2A	65
	iFFALCON 65K71	65
	iFFALCON 55H71	55
	iFFALCON 65H71	65
	iFFALCON 43K31	43
	iFFALCON 50K31	50
	iFFALCON 55K31	55
LLoyd	LLoyd 32HS301B	32
	LLoyd 43FS301B	43
	LLoyd 43US900B	43
	LLoyd 55US900B	55
	LLoyd GL32H0B0ZS	32
	LLoyd L32HS670A	32
Micromax	Micromax L32CANVAS4	32
	Micromax L32TA6445HD	32
	Micromax L40TA6445FHD	40
	Micromax L43TA7000UHD	43
	Micromax L55TA7001UHD	55
MI	MI L40M5-5AIN	40
	MI L32M5-AL	32
	MI L43M5-AN	43
	MI L43M4-4AIN	43
	MI L50M5-5AIN	50
	MI L55M6-EQG	55
	MI L32M6-EI	32
	MI L55M4-4XINA	55
	MI L65M5-5SIN	65
	MI L49M5-AN	49
	MI L32M5-AN	32
	MI L43M5-AI	43
	MI L32M5-AI	32
	MI L40M6-EI	40
	MI L75M6-ESG	75
Panasonic	Panasonic TH-65HX700DX	65
	Panasonic TH-55HX700DX	55
	Panasonic TH-43HX700DX	43
	Panasonic TH-55HX635DX	55
	Panasonic TH-43HX635DX	43
	Panasonic TH-43HX625DX	43
	Panasonic TH-58HX450	58
	Panasonic TH-50HX450	50
	Panasonic TH-65GX655DX	65
	Panasonic TH-55GX655DX	55
	Panasonic TH-49GX655DX	49
	Panasonic TH-43GX655DX	43
Sanyo	Sanyo XT-43A081U	43
	Sanyo XT-49A081U	49
	Sanyo XT-55A081U	55
	Sanyo XT-65A081U	65
	Sanyo XT-43UHD4S	43
	Sanyo XT-50UHD4S	50
	Sanyo XT-55UHD4S	55
	Sanyo XT-65UHD4S	65
	Sanyo XT-43FHD4S	43
	Sanyo XT-32RHD4S	32
Sony	Sony KD-55X7400H	55
	Sony KDL-49W800G	49
	Sony KDL-43W800G	43
	Sony KD-55X9500G	55
	Sony KD-49X8000H	49
	Sony KD-55X8000H	55
	Sony KD-43X8000G	43
	Sony KD-49X7500H	49
	Sony KD-65A8F	65
	Sony KD-55A8G	55
	Sony KD-55X8000G	55
	Sony KD-65X9300E	65
	Sony KD-65A8G	65
	Sony KD-55X9300E	55
	Sony KD-65X8000H	65
	Sony KD-65A9F	65
	Sony KD-65X9500E	65
	Sony KD-55A8F	55
	Sony KD-75X8500F	75
	Sony KD-65A9G	65
	SonyKD-55X7500F	55
	Sony KDL-43W800F	43
	Sony KD-49X8000G	49
	Sony KD-55X8500G	55
	Sony KD-43X7500F	43
	Sony KD-65X8000G	65
	Sony KD-49X8500F	49
	Sony KD-43X8500F	43
	Sony KDL-49W800F	49
	Sony KD-43X8200E	43
	Sony KDL-43W800D	43
	Sony KD-65X9500G	65
	Sony KD-75X8000H	75
	Sony KD-55X9000E	55
	Sony KD-49X9000E	49
	Sony KD-55X9500E	55
	Sony KD-65X9000E	65
	Sony KD-55X9000F	55
	Sony KD-65X7500F	65
	Sony KD-49X8200E	49
	Sony KD-65X9000F	65
	Sony KD-55X8500F	55
	Sony KD-55A9F	55
	Sony KD-55A1	55
	Sony KD-65A1	65
	Sony KD-49X7500F	49
	Sony KD-55A9G	55
	Sony KD-85X8000H	85
	Sony 43X7400H	43
	Sony 55X7500H	55
	Sony 43X7500H	43
	Sony 65X7400H	65
TCL	TCL 50C715	50
	TCL 32S65A	32
	TCL 55C715	55
	TCL L65C2US	65
	TCL 55P715	55
	TCL L55C2US	55
	TCL 65P8	65
	TCL 43P8	43
	TCL 43S6500FS	43
	TCL 85P8M	85
	TCL 32S6500S	32
	TCL 65P715	65
	TCL 55P2MUS	55
	TCL L55P2MUS	55
	TCL 43P8B	43
	TCL 43P715	43
	TCL 55C815	55
	TCL 50P715	50
	TCL 65P2MUS	65
	TCL L65P2MUS	65
	TCL 55P8E	55
	TCL 55P8	55
	TCL 49S6500S	49
	TCL 65P8E	65
	TCL 65C6	65
	TCL 75P715	75
	TCL 55P8S	55
	TCL 65X4US	65
	TCL 50P8E	50
	TCL 65C715	65
	TCL 50P8	50
	TCL 75C815	75
	TCL 55C8	55
	TCL 40S6500	40
	TCL 43P8E	43
iFFALCON (by TCL)	iFFALCON 43K61	43
	iFFALCON 50K61	50
	iFFALCON 32F2A	32
	iFFALCON 55K61	55
	iFFALCON 43K31	43
	iFFALCON 55K31	55
	iFFALCON 55H71	55
	iFFALCON 43F2A	43
	iFFALCON 55K71	55
	iFFALCON 43K71	43
	iFFALCON 40F2A	40
	iFFALCON 65K3A	65
	iFFALCON 65V2A	65
	iFFALCON 55K3A	55
	iFFALCON 65K2A	65
	iFFALCON 55K2A	55
	iFFALCON 75H2A	75
	iFFALCON 65K31	65
	iFFALCON 65K71	65
	iFFALCON 50K31	50
	iFFALCON 49F2A	49
	iFFALCON 65H71	65
VU	VU 43US	43
	VU 32US	32
	VU 55PM	55
	VU 50PM	50
	VU 43GA	43
	VU 55UT	55
	VU 85QPX	85
	VU 65PM	65
	VU 50UT	50
	VU 32GA	32
	VU 43PM	43
	VU 43CA	43
	VU 43UA	43
	VU 43UT	43
	VU 55-OA	55
	VU 43-OA	43
	VU 65UT	65
	VU 50-OA	50
	VU 43 OA	43
	VU 43 OA -V1	43
	VU 55-OA	55
	VU 55-OA V1	55
	VU 50CA	50
	VU 55CA	55
	VU OAUHD75	75
Hisense	Hisense 43A71F	43
	Hisense 55A71F	55
	Hisense 55A73F	55
	Hisense 40A56E	40
	Hisense 32A56E	32
	Hisense 50A71F	50
	Hisense 65U7QF	65
Haier	Haier LE43K6600UGA	43
	Haier LE40K6600GA	40
	Haier LE43K6600GA	43
	Haier LE50K6600HQGA	50
	Haier LE32K6600GA	32
	Haier LE55U6900HQGA	55
	Haier LE65S8000EGA	65
	Haier LE50U6900HQGA	50
	Haier LE32W2000	32
	Haier LE55U6500UAG	55
	Haier LE50F9000UAP	50
	Haier LE55K6600HQGA	55
	Haier LE65U6500UAG	65
	Haier LE65U6900HQGA	65
Infinix	Infinix 43X1	43
	Infinix 32X1	32
Kodak	Kodak 50CA7077	50
	Kodak 65CA0101	65
	Kodak 32HDX7XPRO	32
	Kodak 43CA2022	43
	Kodak 55CA0909	55
	Kodak 43UHDX7XPRO	43
	Kodak 55UHDX7XPRO	55
	Kodak 40FHDX7XPRO	40
	Kodak 43FHDX7XPRO	43
	Kodak 32HDXSMART	32
	Kodak 32HDXSMART V1	32
	Kodak 32HDXSMART	32
	Kodak 55UHDXSMART	55
	Kodak 40FHDXSMART	40
	Kodak 40FHDXSMART V1	40
Motorola	Motorola 55SAUHDMQ	55
	Motorola 55SAUHDMG	55
	Motorola 43SAUHDMQ	43
	Motorola 43SAFHDM	43
	Motorola 43SAUHDMG	43
	Motorola 65SAUHDM	65
	Motorola 40SAFHDME	40
	Motorola 55SAUHDM	55
	Motorola 32SAHDME	32
	Motorola 32SAFHDM	32
	Motorola 50SAUHDM	50
	Motorola 43SAUHDM	43
	Motorola 50SAUHDMQ	50
	Motorola 75SAUHDM	75
Nokia	Nokia 43TAFHDN	43
	Nokia 32TAHDN	32
	Nokia 43TAUHDN	43
	Nokia 50TAUHDN	50
	Nokia 55TAUHDN	55
	Nokia 65TAUHDN	65
	Nokia 43CAUHDN	43
	Nokia 55CAUHDN	55
	Nokia 65CAUHDN	65
OnePlus	OnePlus 43FA0A00	43
	OnePlus 32HA0A00	32
	OnePlus 55Q1IN-1	55
	OnePlus 55Q1IN	55
	OnePlus 55UA0A00	55
Philips	Philips 58PUT6604	58
	Philips 50PUT6604	50
	Philips 43PUT7791	43
Realme	Realme RMV2004	43
	Realme RMV2005	50
Redmi	Redmi L50M6-RA	50
	Redmi L55M6-RA	55
	Redmi L65M6-RA	65
Thomson	Thomson 43TH6000	43
	Thomson 50TH1000	50
	Thomson 40M4099	40
	Thomson 40M4099 PRO	40
	Thomson 32M3277 PRO	32
	Thomson 43TH0099	43
	Thomson 43TH6000_UD9	43
	Thomson 32PATH0011	32
	Thomson 50OATHPRO1212	50
	Thomson 55 OATHPRO 0101	55
	Thomson 43 OATHPRO 2000	43
	Thomson 43PATH4545	43
	Thomson 55PATH5050	55
	Thomson 65 OATHPRO 2020	65
	Thomson 40PATH7777	40
	Thomson 32PATH0011BL	32
	Thomson 50PATH1010	50
	Thomson 43PATH0009	43
	Thomson 75 OATHPRO2121	75
	Thomson 43 OATH 1000	43
	Thomson 49 OATH 9000	49
	Thomson 32M3277	32
	Thomson 55TH1000	55
Toshiba	Toshiba 32L5050	32
	Toshiba 55U5050	55
	Toshiba 43L5050	43

Android TV and Google TV Explained For You

So that was all about the Android TV platform and what it offers. We have also discussed Google TV and how the company intends to phase out Android TV with a brand new UI, personalized curation, improved voice assistant, and more. So just go through all the points of the article and I am sure you will find all the necessary information. If you think I have missed out on anything then do comment down below and let me know. I will surely try to help you out.

#Tags

#Android TV

Arjun Sha

Passionate about Windows, ChromeOS, Android, security and privacy issues. Have a penchant to solve everyday computing problems.

Comments 1

Anonymous says:

3 years ago at 3:42 pm

I will never buy an android tv. I prefer web OS or Tizen OS over this OS. The lg and samsung tv are so convenient to use, starting from boot time to adjusting settings, everything is snappy.

Reply

What is Android TV and How Does It Work – Explained!

Everything You Need to Know About Android TV

What is Android TV?

Android TV Features

Hardware Need

What About Android TV Updates?

Gaming on Android TV

Android TV vs Google TV

List of Popular Android TVs (Continually Updated)

Android TV and Google TV Explained For You

Arjun Sha