It’s onerous to discover a TV at the moment that isn’t sensible — that means it‘s related to the Web and in a position to run apps — and plenty of of these are operating Fireplace TV or Android TV. Having a wise TV means you don’t should trouble with a separate streaming stick, and you will 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 offered on TVs from Toshiba and Finest Purchase’s Insignia model, together with the Toshiba C350 Fireplace TV and Insignia F30 Fireplace TV Version (2020 mannequin). Android TV may 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 so much; the correct one for you’ll probably come all the way down to which expertise you want higher — and which digital assistant you already use.
Contents
- 1 Android TV vs. Fireplace TV: Navigation and interface
- 2 Android TV vs. Fireplace TV: App choice
- 3 Android TV vs. Fireplace TV: Search
- 4 Android TV vs. Fireplace TV: Voice recognition
- 5 Android TV vs. Fireplace TV: Privateness and promoting
- 6 Android TV vs. Fireplace TV: Good house
- 7 Android TV vs. Fireplace TV: Which one wins?
Android TV and Fireplace TV every characteristic horizontal layouts with lengthy screens that you simply scroll all the way down to browse. Till not too long ago, 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 includes a streamlined menu: Dwelling, Uncover and Apps. The Dwelling display has marketed content material on the prime, then will get to favourite apps (which you choose). That’s adopted by Play Subsequent — reveals and flicks you’re in the course of watching or the subsequent episode of a sequence. What seems after that has so much to do with the apps you obtain, and might embrace suggestions from Netflix and YouTube, in addition to solutions from the Google Play Retailer. On the backside of the web page is a hyperlink to customise the Dwelling display, the place you may select which app suggestions seem.
The Uncover tab is targeted extra on suggesting content material for you primarily based in your apps and viewing decisions. It’s also possible to inform Android TV what you prefer to get extra customized suggestions. It’s a must to decide in to personalization to see suggestions on the Uncover tab. The Apps tab reveals you every part you’ve downloaded, and includes a hyperlink to the Google Play Retailer to seek out extra.
With the replace, Fireplace TV additionally has three menu gadgets: Dwelling, Discover and Reside. Beforehand it had an extended record of menu choices: Dwelling, Reside, Your Movies, Free, Motion pictures, TV Exhibits, Apps and Settings.
The Dwelling display begins with advertisements for reveals and flicks, some associated to apps and companies you’ve gotten, some not. Beneath that you simply see the menu, and to the correct of the menu are your apps. You may change which apps seem there by going to Your Apps and Channels. The Dwelling display additionally reveals Not too long ago Watched, an inventory of sponsored hyperlinks after which Not too long ago Used Apps. As you scroll down the display, you’ll see Prime Video suggestions combined in with content material from different apps equivalent to Netflix.
Discover is the place you browse for films and reveals. You may search, or delve into subjects or classes. Reside reveals you what’s on now primarily based on any dwell streaming apps you’ve gotten and presents hyperlinks to dwell streaming apps.
If Prime Video is your foremost service, Fireplace TV works very properly. When you don’t subscribe to Prime or aren’t a fan of its choices, the Amazon focus of Fireplace TV will probably get in your method.
Winner: Android TV. Each are very related, however Android TV presents extra flexibility.
Android TV vs. Fireplace TV: App choice
Each Android TV and Fireplace TV have nearly each app you can need accessible. Current omissions, equivalent to Apple TV on Android TV and Peacock and HBOMax on Fireplace TV, have been addressed.
The Google Play Retailer reveals featured and really helpful apps and video games on its foremost display, and it’s also possible to search by voice or by typing. As you kind, solutions seem under to hurry your discovery. However the quickest technique 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 reveals you the apps you’ve downloaded, whereas Featured provided urged downloads. When you don’t see what you’re searching for there, the All Classes tab presents 27 themes to dig into. Sadly, there’s no simple search possibility that’s centered on apps. However you may at all times ask Alexa — as with Android TV, voice search is your quickest method if you happen to already know what you’re searching for.
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 reveals and flicks, in addition to apps.
As talked about, utilizing voice search is commonly the simplest technique to discover issues. Each sensible OSes additionally allow you to kind your question and recommend phrases as you kind.
On Fireplace TV, a seek for “Paul Newman” introduced up choices from companies I subscribe to, and confirmed different films and TV reveals he’s featured in. It additionally urged apps equivalent to YouTube the place I may additionally seek for the title. 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 reveals that he’s in. The display additionally options associated searches. Once I did the The Colour of Cash search, I received a abstract of the movie, together with IMDB and Rotten Tomatoes scores. I additionally may see which of my companies I may 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 most likely have already got a voice assistant desire. Each work very properly inside a TV, although the processor your TV contains performs a task in how briskly voice recognition works, and on some fashions the digital assistant is palms free whereas on others it’s important to push a button on the distant.
Within the sensible TV setting, voice recognition is turning into extra essential than ever. You may get your TV to do all types of issues with simply your voice. Each Android TV and Fireplace TV can alter the quantity, launch apps and carry out searches primarily based on what you ask. It’s also possible to use the digital assistants to let you know 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 wish to know as a lot about you as doable and push its companies. Fireplace TV and Android TV are simply one other platform for them to take action. However you may take some management of the knowledge every gathers.
Fireplace TV opts you in to monitoring by default, however you may flip some off. Go to Settings > Preferences > Privateness. There you may swap off accumulating of private information for advertising and marketing, assortment of over-the-air TV content material and use of interest-based advertisements. It’s also possible to reset your promoting ID.
Android TV makes it fairly onerous to seek out easy methods to alter your privateness settings. Go to Settings > System Preferences > About > Authorized Data > Advertisements and also you’ll discover a technique 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 nice, however as soon as I opted in I couldn’t discover a technique to decide again out.
Winner: Fireplace TV, however neither places your privateness first.
Android TV vs. Fireplace TV: Good house
With the digital assistants baked into Android TV and Fireplace TV, your TV can turn into the hub of your sensible house. You may flip in your lights, shut the storage door and rather more when you’re watching your favourite present.
The very best one for you is the one which works along with your current sensible house 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 sensible TV methods. Each have all of the apps you need and nice digital assistants. The brand new replace for Fireplace TV makes the interface nearly 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 if you happen to’re searching for strong sensible TV options.
Strictly talking, Android TV wins by a nostril, thanks largely to its superior search and navigation, although the 2 sensible TV platforms are intently matched on each entrance.
| Android TV | Fireplace TV | |
|---|---|---|
| Navigation | ✓ | |
| App choice | ✓ | ✓ |
| Search | ✓ | |
| Voice recognition | ✓ | ✓ |
| Privateness and promoting | ✓ | |
| Good house | ✓ | ✓ |
| General | 5 | 4 |
In actuality, the correct one for you is probably going the one which matches the digital assistant you favor: Alexa or Google Assistant. The sensible TV platform is simply one other medium for these instruments. Nonetheless, if you happen to don’t have Amazon Prime or any Alexa gadgets, Android TV will likely be a more sensible choice.
