It’s exhausting to discover a TV at the moment that isn’t good — which means it‘s related to the Web and capable of run apps — and plenty of of these are working Fireplace TV or Android TV. Having a wise TV means you don’t should trouble with a separate streaming stick, and you may get to your streaming companies a bit simpler. Selecting one with Android TV or Fireplace TV additionally means you get a top-tier digital assistant, too.
Fireplace TV is on the market on TVs from Toshiba and Greatest Purchase’s Insignia model, together with the Toshiba C350 Fireplace TV and Insignia F30 Fireplace TV Version (2020 mannequin). Android TV might be discovered on Sony, Hisense and TCL TVs, such because the Sony Bravia X800H and Hisense U8G Android TV (65U8G).
Each Android TV and Fireplace TV can do lots; the suitable one for you’ll possible come right down to which expertise you want higher — and which digital assistant you already use.
Android TV vs. Fireplace TV: Navigation and interface
Android TV and Fireplace TV every characteristic horizontal layouts with lengthy screens that you just scroll right down to browse. Till lately, the distinction between the 2 was the variety of menu choices. However a giant interface redesign for Fireplace TV has made the 2 very related in approaches.
Android TV incorporates a streamlined menu: House, Uncover and Apps. The House display has marketed content material on the prime, then will get to favourite apps (which you choose). That’s adopted by Play Subsequent — exhibits and flicks you’re in the midst of watching or the following episode of a collection. What seems after that has lots to do with the apps you obtain, and might embody suggestions from Netflix and YouTube, in addition to ideas from the Google Play Retailer. On the backside of the web page is a hyperlink to customise the House display, the place you’ll be able to select which app suggestions seem.
The Uncover tab is concentrated extra on suggesting content material for you based mostly in your apps and viewing selections. You may also inform Android TV what you prefer to get extra customized suggestions. You must choose in to personalization to see suggestions on the Uncover tab. The Apps tab exhibits you every little thing you’ve downloaded, and incorporates a hyperlink to the Google Play Retailer to seek out extra.
With the replace, Fireplace TV additionally has three menu gadgets: House, Discover and Reside. Beforehand it had an extended record of menu choices: House, Reside, Your Movies, Free, Films, TV Reveals, Apps and Settings.
The House display begins with advertisements for exhibits and flicks, some associated to apps and companies you’ve gotten, some not. Under that you just see the menu, and to the suitable of the menu are your apps. You may change which apps seem there by going to Your Apps and Channels. The House display additionally exhibits Just lately Watched, an inventory of sponsored hyperlinks after which Just lately Used Apps. As you scroll down the display, you’ll see Prime Video suggestions combined in with content material from different apps reminiscent of Netflix.
Discover is the place you browse for motion pictures and exhibits. You may search, or delve into matters or classes. Reside exhibits you what’s on now based mostly on any dwell streaming apps you’ve gotten and provides hyperlinks to dwell streaming apps.
If Prime Video is your fundamental service, Fireplace TV works very effectively. When you don’t subscribe to Prime or aren’t a fan of its choices, the Amazon focus of Fireplace TV will possible get in your method.
Winner: Android TV. Each are very related, however Android TV provides extra flexibility.
Android TV vs. Fireplace TV: App choice
Each Android TV and Fireplace TV have nearly each app you possibly can need accessible. Current omissions, reminiscent of Apple TV on Android TV and Peacock and HBOMax on Fireplace TV, have been addressed.
The Google Play Retailer exhibits featured and advisable apps and video games on its fundamental display, and you can even search by voice or by typing. As you sort, ideas seem beneath to hurry your discovery. However the quickest solution to discover an app is to make use of Google Assistant.
The Appstore channel on Fireplace TV is the place you get new apps and video games. The App Library exhibits you the apps you’ve downloaded, whereas Featured supplied instructed downloads. When you don’t see what you’re in search of there, the All Classes tab provides 27 themes to dig into. Sadly, there’s no straightforward search choice that’s centered on apps. However you’ll be able to all the time ask Alexa — as with Android TV, voice search is your quickest method when you already know what you’re in search of.
Winner: Tie
Android TV vs. Fireplace TV: Search
With a lot content material accessible, search turns into a key a part of a wise TV. You need to have the ability to discover exhibits and flicks, in addition to apps.
As talked about, utilizing voice search is usually the simplest solution to discover issues. Each good OSes additionally allow you to sort your question and recommend phrases as you sort.
On Fireplace TV, a seek for “Paul Newman” introduced up choices from companies I subscribe to, and confirmed different motion pictures and TV exhibits he’s featured in. It additionally instructed apps reminiscent of YouTube the place I might additionally seek for the identify. Once I looked for The Colour of Cash, the TV confirmed a web page with the film, related outcomes, but in addition apps that had nothing to do with the film.
On Android TV, a seek for “Paul Newman” produced a web page with some information from Wikipedia, YouTube movies that characteristic the actor and flicks and exhibits that he’s in. The display additionally options associated searches. Once I did the The Colour of Cash search, I obtained a abstract of the movie, together with IMDB and Rotten Tomatoes scores. I additionally might see which of my companies I might stream from, together with the fee. The Android TV consequence was rather more helpful.
Winner: Android TV
Android TV vs. Fireplace TV: Voice recognition
It is a battle between Goliaths — Alexa on Fireplace TV and Google Assistant on Android TV — and also you in all probability have already got a voice assistant desire. Each work very effectively inside a TV, although the processor your TV consists of performs a job in how briskly voice recognition works, and on some fashions the digital assistant is fingers free whereas on others you must push a button on the distant.
Within the good TV setting, voice recognition is turning into extra necessary than ever. You will get your TV to do all types of issues with simply your voice. Each Android TV and Fireplace TV can regulate the quantity, launch apps and carry out searches based mostly on what you ask. You may also use the digital assistants to inform you the climate, play music and extra — something you are able to do with an Alexa speaker or Google Assistant speaker.
Winner: Tie
Android TV vs. Fireplace TV: Privateness and promoting
Let’s face it: each Amazon and Google need to know as a lot about you as attainable and push its companies. Fireplace TV and Android TV are simply one other platform for them to take action. However you’ll be able to take some management of the data every gathers.
Fireplace TV opts you in to monitoring by default, however you’ll be able to flip some off. Go to Settings > Preferences > Privateness. There you’ll be able to swap off amassing of non-public knowledge for advertising, assortment of over-the-air TV content material and use of interest-based advertisements. You may also reset your promoting ID.
Android TV makes it fairly exhausting to seek out the way to regulate your privateness settings. Go to Settings > Gadget Preferences > About > Authorized Data > Advertisements and also you’ll discover a solution to flip off advert personalization. Android TV additionally makes you choose in to the Uncover tab to obtain customized film and present suggestions — which is sweet, however as soon as I opted in I couldn’t discover a solution to choose again out.
Winner: Fireplace TV, however neither places your privateness first.
Android TV vs. Fireplace TV: Good residence
With the digital assistants baked into Android TV and Fireplace TV, your TV can turn out to be the hub of your good residence. You may flip in your lights, shut the storage door and rather more when you’re watching your favourite present.
The most effective one for you is the one which works together with your current good residence gadgets. When you favor Google Assistant, Android TV will work seamlessly with what you’ve gotten. Similar factor for Alexa.
Winner: Tie
Android TV vs. Fireplace TV: Which one wins?
You may’t lose with both of those good TV programs. Each have all of the apps you need and nice digital assistants. The brand new replace for Fireplace TV makes the interface virtually the identical as Android TV. Fireplace TV typically requires much less tinkering than Android TV to get probably the most out of it, however Android TV can ship a greater general expertise when you’re in search of strong good TV options.
Strictly talking, Android TV wins by a nostril, thanks largely to its superior search and navigation, although the 2 good TV platforms are intently matched on each entrance.
| Android TV | Fireplace TV | |
|---|---|---|
| Navigation | ✓ | |
| App choice | ✓ | ✓ |
| Search | ✓ | |
| Voice recognition | ✓ | ✓ |
| Privateness and promoting | ✓ | |
| Good residence | ✓ | ✓ |
| General | 5 | 4 |
In actuality, the suitable one for you is probably going the one which matches the digital assistant you favor: Alexa or Google Assistant. The good TV platform is simply one other medium for these instruments. Nevertheless, when you don’t have Amazon Prime or any Alexa gadgets, Android TV will probably be a better option.