Overall Findings
Android TV and Google TV are excellent operating systems for smart TVs and Chromecast streaming devices. Google TV is the newer of the two and has several improvements, but it’s not as different from Android TV as you may think. Both operating systems are Android-based, with Google TV working more like an Android TV update with a rebrand than a complete reinvention. Switching from an Android TV device to one running Google TV is more akin to upgrading from an old Android smartphone to a newer Android model rather than jumping from an Apple iPad to something completely different like a Windows tablet. All of the Android apps that run on Android TV also run on Google TV, and both feature strong support for voice commands with Google Assistant, smart home controls, casting with Chromecast, and media streaming. Whether you prefer Google TV over Android TV or not will come down to how much you’re interested in its various improvements, namely its user profiles, child settings, better personalization, and focus on live TV.
User Experience and Apps: Google TV Is More Personal but the Apps Are the Same
Android and Google TV work completely fine as smart TV operating systems. Google TV is an improvement on Android TV due to its emphasis on content over apps, the addition of individual user profiles, and a renewed focus on live TV content. Google TV’s live TV tab is a genuinely helpful feature as it displays previews of active broadcasts from services such as Philo TV, YouTube TV, and Sling TV all within one screen. This feature makes choosing what to watch much easier and faster than opening individual apps one after the other. It also gives you one more reason to use your smart TV dashboard when looking for something to watch. Both Google TV and Android TV support the same library of Android apps from the Google Play Store app store. You can also use each smart TV system to play video games via Google’s Stadia cloud gaming service. When it comes to Google Stadia cloud gaming, Google does recommend specific TV models over others, but this has little to do with the operating system.
Smartphone and Smart Home Support: Both Support Casting, Voice Commands, and Mobile Remote
You can control smart TVs running either Google TV or Android TV via the Google TV smartphone app. Using the app, you can control various system settings and use your phone to type search phrases or login information significantly more conveniently than typing with the TV remote. As of late-2021, the Google TV app is only available on Android smartphones, which means iPhone owners will have to live without this functionality. Users can manage a profile’s watch list via the Google website. You can do this on any device, including tablets and computers. Android TV and Google TV both support the control of connected smart home devices such as Nest security cameras and smart lights either by manual controls or by using Google Assistant-powered voice commands.
Parental Controls and Profiles: Google TV Beats Android TV When It Comes to Kids
When it comes to user profiles and personalized content, Google TV is the winner. While Android TV allows users to log in with their Google account to manage apps and other preferences, the process is tedious. Plus, it still displays content recommended for the primary account holder. On the other hand, Google TV supports the creation of profiles that sit within one Google account, and each one is fully personalized based on that individual’s viewing activity. Parents can also create child profiles for younger family members and monitor and manage them via the Google Family Link service. It’s a vast improvement over Android TV’s system-wide parental lock setting that affects everyone.
Final Verdict: What’s the Difference Between Google TV and Android TV?
If you’re just after a basic smart TV that can play content from Netflix and Disney Plus, use Android apps, and cast media with Chromecast, you really can’t go wrong with either Android TV or Google TV. However, if your household has multiple people who would benefit from having separate user profiles and you watch a lot of live TV streaming apps on a very regular basis, Google TV is a clear choice. It would be hard to recommend buying a new Google TV device if you already have an Android TV device that works just fine. When it comes time to upgrade, though, such as when investing in a smart TV or Chromecast device that supports 4K or HDR, a model running Google TV may be worth a look if the price is competitive and you can see yourself using the newer features.
