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Here's everything you need to know about Android TV

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Android on the big screen.

We might have some bias by saying this on a website called "Android Central," but when you think about it, Android really is one of the most versatile operating systems in existence. We most commonly think of it as what powers smartphones like the Galaxy S21 and Pixel 5, but it also extends to tablets, smartwatches, car infotainment systems, and even televisions.

That last point is what we're talking about today — Android TV. This is the version of Android that powers smart televisions and streaming boxes, and it's been doing that since 2014.

Other platforms like Roku and Amazon's Fire TV have overshadowed Android TV's popularity, but that doesn't mean it's not worth reading and learning about. In fact, Android TV has quite a lot to offer if you're a fan of Google services and are looking for a way to bring more smarts into your living room.

Android TV fact sheet

Leading the pack

NVIDIA Shield Android TV

$145 at Amazon $150 at Best Buy

Android TV in all of its glory

Without a doubt, the NVIDIA Shield Android TV is one of the best ways to experience Android TV for yourself. This small and compact gadget brings Android TV to your living room with full support for 4K HDR streaming, Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos, and AI upscaling tech that converts HD content into 4K.

What is Android TV?

As mentioned above, Android TV is a version of Android that's designed specifically for televisions. It first debuted in June 2014, with the latest version (Android 11) launching in September 2020. Among the improvements rolled out as part of the update were a more useful power button menu, a built-in screen recorder, greater control over conversation notifications, and the ability to pin your favorite apps to the share page.

Like other TV operating systems, you can use Android TV to watch Netflix, Hulu, YouTube, and countless other streaming apps. Android TV even supports some games, giving you a nice change of pace when you feel like having more interaction with your entertainment.

The current interface for Android TV is pretty simple. The top row houses all your applications, with the row of apps you see being favorites you've chosen to show on your home screen. When you click the Apps icon, you'll see a full list of all installed applications.

Below that is the Play Next section, which recommends certain shows and movies for you to watch based on your playback history. It's quite useful when it works, but the fact of the matter is that only select applications actually support it (Netflix and Hulu not being among them).

Below Play Next, you'll see a list of "channels" for your apps. If an app supports this (which, again, not all of them do), you'll get recommendations for shows to watch in that app right on your home screen. You can customize the appearance and order of these channels however you see fit, playing nicely into the customization we're familiar with in Android on our smartphones.

You won't be adding widgets or custom icon packs to Android TV anytime soon, but as far as smart TV operating systems go, it's definitely one of the cleanest and most intuitive.

Google Assistant on Android TV

If you're a frequent user of the Google Assistant on your phone and smart speakers, Android TV will feel right at home to you.

As with other Google gadgets, the Google Assistant is built right into Android TV. Click the Assistant button at the top of the screen or press the Assistant button on your remote, and you can talk to the Google Assistant just like you would anywhere else.

This is helpful in a few different ways. For commands specific to your TV, you can have the Assistant pause what you're watching, adjust the volume, open certain apps, etc. However, it extends far beyond voice command playback controls. Ask the Assistant about the weather, who Kylie Jenner is dating, or to turn off the living room lights. This is the same Google Assistant you know and love, just on your TV.

How Android TV works with Chromecast

Browsing for shows to watch using apps on the big screen is a great experience, but for those times when you're already on your phone, Android TV has you covered with support for Chromecast.

Find a YouTube video or Netflix show on your phone you want to check out? Just tap the Chromecast icon on your phone, select your TV, and you can send that video to your TV just like that.

This works with any app that supports Chromecast, including something like Google Photos. Instead of hunching over your phone to look at family pictures, you can display them on your television with just a couple of taps.

Streaming boxes and dongles with Android TV

When it comes to getting your hands on Android TV, there are a couple of ways to go about this — the most affordable of which is to buy a streaming box or dongle with Android TV built-in.

These are relatively compact gadgets that plug into your TV, like a mini-game console and allow you to access Android TV and all of the perks that come with it. Whether you have a "dumb" TV with no smart interface or a Roku TV you want to upgrade, an Android TV box is perfect for adding a ton of new features while spending as little money as possible.

Two of our favorite Android TV devices right now are the Xiaomi Mi Box S and NVIDIA Shield Android TV. The Mi Box S is among the most affordable Android TV devices on the market right now and offers 4K HDR streaming and full Google Assistant support at an incredible price. While the Shield TV is more expensive, it ups the anty with a faster processor, Dolby Atmos/Vision, AI HD-to-4K upscaling, and access to NVIDIA's GeForce Now game streaming service.

Some TVs also ship with Android TV built-in

If you have more cash to spend and are looking to upgrade your entire TV, you could also buy a television that comes with Android TV built-in right out of the box.

This is obviously a much more costly purchase, but if you need a new TV anyway, you might as well buy one that doesn't require extra hardware to use Android TV.

There are some solid options out there in this market, such as the Hisense 65H8F and pretty much all of Sony's smart TVs.

What's the deal with Google TV?

In line with the launch of Chromecast with Google TV in 2020, it was announced that Google TV would be the new user interface (UI) for Android TV.

Powered by Google's machine learning, Google Assistant, and the Google Knowledge Graph, the new Google TV interface sits on top of the Android TV software. It serves as an easy way for users to find content from various streaming services on their TV or monitor. More specifically, the new interface places Google's content recommendations front and center and features a new Live tab for TV-like integrations such as YouTube TV.

The Google TV interface is divided into several tabs that allow you to browse content by movies, shows, apps or to access your library, where the content you've purchased from Google via Play Movies & TV — now the Google TV app — is stored. Content is also recommended to you based on your viewing habits when signed into your profile.

The new interface also introduces the option to create profiles targeted specifically at younger viewers, which feature rows of recommended videos from kid-friendly apps. The kid-specific Google TV interface also features bright colors and fun illustrations, the option to pick background themes such as "under the sea" and "space travel," and profile avatars aimed at younger viewers.

The future of Android TV

It's worth pointing out that the rollout of Google TV on Android TV devices has already begun, including on the NVIDIA Shield TV and the NVIDIA Shield TV Pro. Sony also recently announced its full lineup of smart TVs launching in 2021 will come with Google TV built-in.

While Google TV appears to be the future of Android TV in regard to UI, Google also announced it would continue to provide the generic Android TV interface to a handful of other manufacturers, like Sony, until 2022. These existing contracts, along with the fact that the new software will likely be introduced with the new Android TV hardware, means that Android TV and Google TV interfaces will continue to co-exist for at least another year.

Leading the pack

NVIDIA Shield Android TV

$145 at Amazon $150 at Best Buy

Android TV in all of its glory

Without a doubt, the NVIDIA Shield Android TV is one of the best ways to experience Android TV for yourself. This small and compact gadget brings Android TV to your living room with full support for 4K HDR streaming, Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos, and AI upscaling tech that converts HD content into 4K.



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