Smart TVs from Sony, TCL and a handful of other brands are going to look a little different in 2021 as the companies switch from Android TV to Google TV. But why the change? What is different about Google’s new platform?
While Sony’s smart TVs are the most visible to switch on, they are not the only ones. Other Android TV manufacturers are also moving to the newer Google TV platform as Google updates all of its TV software offerings.
What is Google TV, and why do you want it on your smart TV?
What is Google TV?
Google TV is the latest version of Google’s smart TV platform, formerly known as Android TV. In some ways, the move to Google TV has simply been re-marked, as the underlying Android software is still making everything work.
It is said that there are several changes in the new Google TV name that are more than profound. By updating the look and feel of basic interface elements, such as the home screen, and improved communication between TVs, smartphones, and other devices, Google TV might feel a big change than you were used to with Android TV.
And if you think, “Have I not heard of Google TV?” you’re right. Google TV was the name of Google’s first foray into smart TVs and set-top boxes in 2010. (Remember the Logitech Revue?) Everything that is old is new again.
Why the change?
Google has had a hand in the smart TV and streaming worlds for years, with Android, Chromecast, YouTube and TV and movie content in the Google Play Store. But these different pieces of software and hardware have never been a cohesive whole. In the early days of streaming and smart TVs, it made sense, and Google had room to try and experiment with different things. But today’s TV landscape is much more established, and Google TV is part of an effort to consolidate these diverse experiences into something more cohesive, as the streaming world is mainstream.
Google TV combines several of these elements. It’s the main interface for new Chromecast devices and now smart TVs. You can add things to your phone to your watchlist, share content between devices more easily and have a more personalized experience. And by integrating more closely with Google’s own paid live TV service, YouTube TV, Google wants to establish itself better as the complete solution for modern TV viewing.
Over the next few years, you can expect everything Android will switch to Google TV, whether it’s smart TVs, set-top boxes or streaming sticks.
What is different from Android TV?
While the move to Google TV is just as much a name change as anything else, there are different experiential and functional changes to Google TV that make it different from any version of Android TV that has come before. The biggest changes have to do with user interaction, searching and sharing information between devices.
We first looked at the interface with the Chromecast with Google TV overview. The main interface is a bit cleaned up, with dedicated tabs for live TV and an “For You” tab that puts all your recommendations in one place. Other tabs provide quick access to movies, shows, programs, and your purchased and rented library.
The home screen has also been changed to prioritize content recommendations from your preferred streaming services. Hopefully this means more suggestions for programs you want to watch, and fewer ads for services you may not want to pay for.
You’ll also get more composite suggestions for live TV shows, whether it’s new to shows or a live TV service like YouTube TV.
There is also a new “watchlist” with which you can bookmark programs from different programs to watch later. This is a persistent list that syncs across different devices, so you can add titles to it on your phone, your web browser, and any other device that allows you to sign in to your Google Account.
Google Assistant takes center stage as voice interaction gets better support. On TVs with out-of-the-box microphones (which include multiple Sony TVs), this means that your voice search will be able to use hands-free and use your Google-powered smart TV just like a Google Home speaker.
It also has enhanced integration with all your smart home devices. If it works with Google Home, it will work with your TV as well. And if you carry a device with a camera, such as one of the best video doorbells, you can see the current on the screen.
What are the benefits of Google TV?
All the things we love about Android TV will still be on Google TV, including the Google Play Store and its 5000+ apps. This includes all major streaming services, such as Netflix, Apple TV, Disney Plus and HBO max.
Search should be predictably amazing – after all, it’s Google – with intuitive voice search that can easily pick up programs and movies, or jump to a full web search if needed.
Google TV adds support for multiple user accounts, which means you can have your own experience on the same smart TV as the rest of the family. In the words of our own Mike Prospero, “I will not get recommendations for Gilmore Girls, and she will not make the Fast & Furious franchise appear on her screen.”
There are also child profiles that allow you to set up a child-friendly account on TV. In that profile you can personalize things for your family and keep out apps and recommendations that may not be suitable for younger users. It even allows you to set specific amounts of TV viewing time and exclude it from the designated sleep time.
An added bonus: Google TV reportedly has a basic TV mode that effectively turns your device into a mute TV. It disables all the connected stuff needed for smart TV use – such as an internet connection for streaming, tracking for content recommendations and ads, and (because the internet connection is broken) disables Google Assistant. All you have left is live TV via a TV antenna or cable, and external devices such as media players and game consoles connected via HDMI. Even the home screen is mostly removed, giving you such a basic TV experience as you would get on any modern TV.
Is there something wrong with Google TV?
Well, we did not have much chance of using the new Google TV software, so there are many things we do not know yet. Chromecast users have reported some bugs, such as that programs do not start properly and that the search is a bit awkward, but we’ll have to see if this is still the case when the first Google TV smart TVs are tested. come.
Apart from that, the biggest problem with this Google TV change may simply be that it’s confusing. The new Google TV is not the old Google TV, and it replaces Android TV, while it is quite Android TV in everything but name and logo. In a product category that is so filled with jargon and brands and unexplored specifications, simpler is usually better.
The good news? This seems to be Google’s ultimate goal with the transition from Android to Google TV – a simpler, more coherent approach to TV and streaming. It can only take a few years before everything is on the same page.
Does Android TV still exist?
The answer is ‘Type’. Technically speaking, Google TV is based on Android TV, so Google TV is just as much a brand new brand as anything else. In that sense, Android TV is not going anywhere.
Older Android TVs – those using Android 9.0 or earlier – will continue to use Android TV in more or less the same way as always. However, some more recent Android devices, from 2019 and 2020, may be upgraded to a slightly different version of Android, one designed to look and feel more like Google TV.
It’s mostly just the question of whether your TV will be updated to a fresh version of Android. Some manufacturers will release updates quickly, others may never even get it right. If you have an older Android-based smart TV or Android TV power stick, you can disable automatic updates to prevent the new interface from appearing.