When we talk about connected TVs, the terms tend to clash and get mixed up. One of the questions that often comes up is: what is the difference between Smart TV and Android TV? We give you the answer!
Samsung, LG, Philips, Sony, TCL, Panasonic … many major consumer electronics brands offer connected televisions .
These intelligent screens connect to the Internet via a Wi-Fi network or an Ethernet cable connected to a box, and thus offer access to a large number of online services , allowing the possibilities of the television to be multiplied.
Today, watching television is no longer limited to DTT channels : it is possible to access Netflix , Spotify , YouTube , Deezer … you can also surf the Internet and even play video games in some case. The possibilities are endless!
To offer so many online services, television manufacturers install an operating system on their connected TVs . Some have decided to develop their own system: this is particularly the case with LG , whose connected televisions embed webOS , or Samsung , which uses Tizen , its in-house system.
Others, and these are the most numerous today, have chosen to use Android TV .
1. Android TV, a popular system on Smart TV
The answer to the question that may be bothering you is therefore simple: the term Smart TV designates all the connected televisions present on the market ; while the term Android TV refers to one of the operating systems used by certain manufacturers.
Today, Philips , Sony , TCL , or even Sharp equip their connected televisions (or smart TVs therefore) with Android TV .
Benefits for brands
This has many advantages for brands: the first is that they don’t have to develop their own operating system internally, and benefit from Google’s know-how on the subject.
Then, they do not have to manage the updates themselves : it is, again, Google that does the work.
Android also enjoys a good reputation , since this operating system also equips hundreds of millions of smartphones and tablets around the world.
Benefits for users
For the user, Android TV is also advantageous since it offers access to hundreds of applications , starting with those dedicated to replays of television channels , VOD or SVOD platforms such as Netflix or Amazon Prime, and music like Deezer or Spotify.
If he has an Android smartphone , the user can also access his mobile files on his television , since it is a unified system .
Finally, the televisions that take advantage of Android TV integrate Google Assistant , the voice assistant of the company, which it is possible to use via a microphone present in the remote control .
2. A Smart TV does not necessarily rhyme with Android TV!
Described thus, Android TV seems very interesting and very complete. And this is the case: it is not for nothing that many manufacturers integrate it into their televisions.
However, if your preferences lean towards a TV from a brand like LG or Samsung, which therefore does not include Android TV , this does not mean that your Smart TV experience will not be good.
Indeed, manufacturers who do not use Android TV know very well that they must be able to stand the comparison, and therefore develop immersive features that optimize the viewing experience.
It is also important to note that TVs running WebOS and Tizen also offer the most popular applications for connected TV enthusiasts, such as Netflix, YouTube, Amazon Prime Video and many others.
Now that you are clear about the difference between a Smart TV and the Android TV operating system , you are better equipped to choose from the different brands and models of connected TVs.
Either way, getting a smart TV , whether it’s running Android TV, WebOS or Tizen, is the guarantee of enjoying an immersive and complete online experience. The rest is ultimately a matter of taste, affinity and budget.