Android TVs

An Android TV is any brand of Smart TV that uses an Android operating system. Android is an OS developed by Google that can be found in a wide variety of smart tech including most Smartphones.

Android Mobile Phones have a familiar and intuitive user interface compared to an Android TV. The Android operating system gives access to the Google Play Store where users can download and install compatible apps. Many popular apps from the Google Play Store are supported on Android TVs including YouTube and subscription streaming services such as Netflix, Stan, Amazon Prime Video and more. Android TVs also have access to other digital marketplaces to rent or purchase Audio, movies, TV and Gaming.

TVs that use an Android operating system are seamlessly compatible with other Android devices and features. Voice activated Google Assistant can be used to control and search on the TV provided it has the necessary hardware to recognise voice, usually either built in for hands free voice control or via a button on the remote control.

A Smart TV is any TV that can connect to the internet. Smart TVs are essentially specialised computers designed primarily around displaying media on their screens, making them a versatile multimedia device that can stream video, run apps, play games and access content from other platforms through apps like Netflix, YouTube and more. Smart TV technology is standard in most modern TVs.

Android TVs are also Smart TVs. The thing that sets Android TVs apart from others is that they have Google’s Android TV operating system installed on them, while other brands of Smart TVs can run different operating systems like Tizen or Google TV.

Google’s Android operating system can be found installed across many smartphones, Tablets and other devices. Android TV comes pre-installed on a wide variety as seen here from different brands such as Toshiba, Sony and TCL TVs. Using an Android TV is comfortable and familiar for those who own other Android devices and finding tutorials is easy regardless of the specific TV brand or model.

Google’s Android operating system can be found on a wide variety of smart tech including TVs. Many users are familiar with Android devices such as smartphones, tablets and Smart Watches. Android tech products are in direct competition with Apple products such as the iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch. Apple develop their own devices closely alongside their iOS operating systems, creating a carefully curated ecosystem of tech and services that operate best with each other.

Regardless of Apple’s development philosophies and their competition with Android, you can still use Apple products with an Android TV. The Android TV app is available on Apple’s App Store and will allow control of and screen mirroring to the TV using an iPhone or iPad. The Apple TV Android app allows streaming of content already purchased but will not allow further purchases.

Before buying a new TV, think about how it will be used and how many other devices need to be connectted. Devices such as Blu-ray Players, Media Players and Gaming Hardware usually require HDMI ports, so it’s worth checking that a new TV has enough ports for all your devices. For the latest consoles like Sony’s PlayStation 5 or Microsoft’s Xbox Series X, taking advantage of high quality outputs requires the latest HDMI 2.1 standard.

Resolution describes the maximum number of pixels that the screen can use to produce the displayed image. The more pixels on screen, the clearer and more detailed the picture. The highest resolutions for modern TVs are 4K and 8K UHD. Whilst an 8K resolution is four times better than a 4K resolution there is not really any 8K quality media available at this stage, so 8K TVs sadly can't be used to their full potential. The PS5 and Xbox Series X are both designed to take advantage of 4K and 8K resolutions at 120fps framerates which needs a TV capable of a 120hz refresh rate and/or variable refresh rate. Check out our range of Gaming TVs for excellent options across any gamer.