Google created an enormous buzz and a ship load of confusion when it launched Google TV, its second good TV platform again in September 2020. With broadly comparable options and appears, you’d be forgiven for mistaking it with Google’s long-standing good TV working system Android TV powering among the greatest streaming units on the market, however there are a selection of key variations.
As Google continues its rollout of its newer interface on the most recent TVs and set-top packing containers, we check out the variances between Google TV and Android TV, in addition to what the long run holds for each platforms.
First launched all the way in which again in June 2014, Android TV was one thing of a recreation changer for house leisure tech.
Android TV is a by-product of Google’s Android cell working system, providing entry to the Google Play Store for apps and video games in your TV whereas additionally providing you with helpful options like Google Cast assist and voice management through Google Assistant. It was shortly adopted as good TV middleware by the likes of Sharp and Sony, with its launch additionally being the catalyst for a deluge of good TV packing containers hitting the market preloaded with the working system.
Key to the Android TV expertise is its house display screen interface which goals to encourage content material discovery by suggesting reveals and flicks out of your apps and subscription companies like Amazon Prime Video, Netflix, and YouTube — a characteristic that’s expanded upon additional with Google TV.
Google TV first hit TV screens in 2020 when it was launched alongside a brand new model of Google’s streaming dongle, the aptly named Chromecast with Google TV. It’s the de facto good TV interface for brand spanking new Google-powered TV’s and set-top packing containers that are actually being launched by main producers.
Rather than being a brand-new working system, Google TV is in actual fact a software program layer operating on high of Android TV.
Similar to how launchers give a makeover and new performance to Android telephones, Google TV brings a brand new person interface with a distinct feel and look, with Android TV nonetheless offering the spine for the expertise.
As properly as sporting a barely refined design, the newer interface affords a a lot larger deal with personalised content material by making use of AI, whereas additionally providing a devoted tab for reside broadcasts.
Both Android TV & Google TV provide the identical large choice of good TV apps and video games, whereas additionally that includes assist for voice instructions with Google Assistant, good house controls, casting with Chromecast, and media streaming. Both good TV techniques additionally provide video video games through Google’s Stadia cloud gaming service.
Where the 2 platforms actually diverge is with how content material discovery is introduced on the house web page.
While Android TV’s suggestions are primarily based on apps fairly than private style, Google TV makes use of Google’s machine studying, Google Assistant, and Google’s Knowledge Graph data base to be taught your viewing habits. This knowledge is then used to make tailor-made options on the house display screen’s devoted For You tab, present related promotions, and spotlight well-liked content material in your area.
Google TV additionally has a reside TV tab, which shows previews of energetic broadcasts from the likes of Sling TV and YouTube TV. If one thing piques your curiosity, merely faucet the thumbnail to go straight into the printed; there is not any have to open a number of apps if you need to discover one thing to look at.
Another differentiator comes with profiles and parental controls. Unlike Android TV, Google TV helps a number of children’ profiles below a single grownup’s Google account, with private suggestions for every profile. While content material restrictions on Android TV are dealt with through its system-wide parental settings, Google TV permits you to create youngster profiles with their very own set of boundaries for content material which could be managed through the Google Family Link service.
Pretty a lot all new Google-powered units hitting the market equivalent to Sony Bravia and TCL TVs shall be preloaded with Google TV from the outset, but it surely doesn’t seem like older Android TV units shall be getting an improve to the brand new platform.
It’s not all unhealthy information for house owners of present Android TV kits although, as they gained’t be getting left behind utterly. Recent updates for some Android TV units such because the NVIDIA Shield, Xiaomi Mi set-top packing containers, and Sony TVs have acquired a revamped person interface that appears very near Google TV, with giant round app icons on the left facet and a few of Google TV’s new options being ported over.
Among these additions are the Discover tab, which options content material suggestions grouped by style and the Watchlist characteristic. Located below the Library part tab, Watchlist seems to be primarily based on Netflix’s My List and allows you to add films and TV reveals you need to take a look at at a later date.
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