In the world of smart TVs, we all have heard of Android TV. TVs that are built on the Android operating system and offer more features than normal TVs. Features such as streaming from YouTube and other video streaming services, playing games and running apps, browsing the web, etc. are among the capabilities of smart TVs. But competition has also emerged in this market, and as always, a bipolar market has emerged on a large scale. On one side of this market, all Android TVs from different brands, and on the other side, only Apple stands with its exclusive product, Apple TV. What is the use of these smart TVs? What is the difference between Apple TV and Android TV?

When it comes to comparing Apple TV and Android TV, Apple is competing alone with several Android TV brands. This comparison has been discussed in the mobile internet space. In this article, we want to compare Apple TV with other Android TVs so that we can finally decide which one is more worth buying. So if you are looking to buy a smart TV but are hesitating between Apple TV and Android TV, read this article.

Android TV

Android TV is the name of the operating system that Google developed for Android smart TVs in 2014 based on Android. This operating system has been made publicly available to smart TV manufacturers, and companies such as Sony, LG, Samsung, Amazon, etc. have used it to launch their smart TVs. The term Android TV now refers to TVs that have this operating system.

Android TV allows you to stream songs, images, and videos from various applications. It also provides you with the ability to Screen Mirroring from devices such as mobile phones and laptops. Android TV supports video streaming services such as Netflix, HBOmax, Hulu, Spotify, Disney+, etc. in archive form and YouTube TV, etc. in live broadcast form. It also has relatively good gaming features and can keep you satisfied. Of course, you should also know that the presence of various bugs in this operating system and other Android derivatives is an undeniable fact. Android TV must support all smart TVs in the Android market, so it cannot remain 100 percent flawless.

The reasonable price is one of the advantages of Android TV. Of course, if compared to Apple TV. These TVs are relatively reasonably priced despite supporting countless services. Another advantage of Google's own Android TV is having ChromeCast by default. Chromecast allows you to cast images and sounds from your mobile to your TV with high quality and minimal delay.

As the Android TV market continues to grow, it is predicted that the market value of Android TVs will reach around $70 billion by 2028. This number shows the level of attention paid to Android TV by companies as well as users.

Apple TV

The most serious competitor to all smart TVs on the Android market is Apple TV. Apple TV is Apple's streaming, playback, and multimedia management service and tool that was introduced to the world in 2007. Since that year, Apple has produced and released various generations and models of Apple TV. From the 1st generation Apple TV to the 3rd generation Apple TV 4K that was introduced in 2022; Apple has offered customers creativity, higher quality content, more attractive features, and a better user experience in each version of this device.

One of the advantages of Apple TV is that you can connect it to any TV and use it. Android TV is limited in this regard, and you must buy a new Android TV to use it. Apple TV, like Amazon Fire TV, has a separate device called the Micro Console. This magical micro console, along with Apple's proprietary operating system called tvOS and a simple, stylish and attractive, and of course, extremely functional remote, has become the most popular device in users' homes and has been able to entertain them for hours, months and years.

Apple TV also excels in the field of content production, and this is one of the strengths of Apple TV over Android TV. Namely, exclusive content. Apple has offered this exclusive Apple TV content in the form of a separate subscription called Apple TV Plus.

On Apple TV+ you will have access to a huge world of movies and series, animations, anime, comedy and social programs, children's programs and a variety of original documentaries from Apple. This exclusive content is available only on Apple TV+. Apple TV Plus content is exactly what Android TVs do not have on their own.

However, Apple has also provided the Apple TV Plus app for Android TV with the aim of using Apple TV Plus on different devices. So you can download it from the Amazon App Store or Google Play and install it on your Android TV.

Apple TV Plus isn't the only content available on Apple TV. Like Android TV, Apple TV supports movie and music streaming networks and platforms like Netflix, Paramount+, Hulu, HBOmax, Discovery+, Disney+, and Prime Video, etc. So you won't have any restrictions on accessing the world's major streaming services.

In addition to streaming, Apple TV also allows you to download and receive content from apps and games. To do this, you can download exclusive and attractive apps and games from the App Store on tvOS and install them on your Apple TV.

Another feature that adds to the usability of Apple TV is the excellent compatibility of Apple services with this device. For example, to access your information on Apple TV, just log in to it with your Apple ID. Then you will see that all the information you have on your iPhone, iPad or MacBook will also be activated on Apple TV. Other Apple services such as Apple Arcade, iCloud Plus, Apple Music, Apple Fitness and Apple News are also available on Apple TV, which you can use to activate them with an Apple One subscription.

Due to the growth in popularity of Apple TV around the world, Apple's revenue reached approximately $365 billion by 2021, which alone shows the popularity of Apple TV over Android TVs.

The most important differences between Apple TV and Android TV

There are many differences between Apple TV and Android TV, but in this article we will cover the most important ones.

Software

When reviewing Apple TV and Android TV, the first thing to discuss is the number and quality of applications offered for these two platforms. In addition to providing its own streaming service, namely Apple TV+ and iTunes, Apple TV also supports countless other programs and software. Among these programs, it also supports many streaming services. So if you are interested in watching Apple content and the movies and series that this company has provided on Apple TV, Apple TV is undoubtedly the best choice for you. Also, if you use Apple devices such as iPhone or iPad or Mac, having an Apple TV will give you a pleasant experience.

On the other hand, on Google Play TV (Google's own Android TV) and other Android TVs, there are also many applications available through Google Play itself and other Android app stores. From games to the most everyday applications, they can also be found on Android TV. However, Android TVs usually do not have dedicated applications and, of course, there is no news of special subscriptions and exclusive content. Instead, you can watch videos from video streaming services such as Netflix etc.

Gaming

When it comes to games on smart TVs, Apple TV stands out with its own exclusive titles such as UIRayMan, Mushroom Wars2, Into the Dead, Crossy Road, Jetpack Joyride, and more. Apart from the Games section in the App Store, which has countless games for Apple TV, one of the biggest interesting differences between Apple TV and Android TV is the presence of Apple Arcade. With Apple Arcade, you will have access to more than 250 exclusive and interesting games on Apple TV. Of course, to use Apple Arcade games, you need an Apple Arcade subscription, which can also be activated with Apple One for a much lower price. The advantage of these Apple TV games is that they are free, remove ads, and remove in-game payments.

Android TV also offers a lot of games. Titles like Asphalt8, Hovercraft, Zombie Age2, Dead Trigger2, etc. are available on Android smart TVs, but you must use Google Play to download them. Some of these games require a Play Pass subscription and you can't use them for free, but there are still plenty of Google Play games! Of course, Apple Arcade games can only be played on Apple devices and you can't have them on Android TV. The gaming experience on Google Play TV and other Android TVs has been reported to be a little weaker than on Apple TV, but in some cases it's not so much that you feel annoyed or uncomfortable. Ultimately, it depends on the model of your TV how well it can handle the processing of games.

Environment and User Interface (UI)

Apple TV is equipped with the tvOS operating system with a simple, understandable and smooth user interface. In this user interface, you can have all the software installed briefly on the main menu. Networks and video streaming services are also organized in the same way. Apart from this, the smoothness of tvOS and the features it provides are also undeniable. In general, we can say that the Apple TV user interface is neat, simple, smooth and usable. The tvOS operating system itself is a lightweight operating system and free of any extras. The Apple TV remote has good control over the operating system space of this TV and is also easy to use. Also, unlike Android TV, on Apple TV you can preview or preview any video or item you hold the cursor on.

The Android TV user interface is also very simple, smooth, stylish, modern and practical. There are no useless or extra features, but since Android TV is an open-source operating system, each company has made its own changes to it and has so-called personalized it. This causes differences in the performance and way of working with different Android TVs. Naturally, the remote control of each Android TV may also be different from other Android TVs, which is not attractive. In general, do not think that Android TV is completely useless. Incidentally, some features of Android TVs can be fun and attractive. Accessing the application menu on Android TV is also easy and gives you smooth and problem-free user experience. Although this is a matter of taste, in the end, most Internet users are more satisfied with the environment and user interface of Apple TV.

Content and exploration

Both smart TV market rivals, Apple TV and Android TV, offer users a great way to search and explore content. Android TV uses Google Assistant and recognizes voice commands by pressing the microphone button on the remote or saying "OK Google." Apple TV, like other Apple services, uses Siri as its voice assistant. To command Siri on Apple TV, you must hold down the microphone button on the remote and release it after you've given your command. Both Android TV and Apple TV intelligently and automatically process the user's search and show them the most relevant results.

Conclusion

Apple TV or Android TV? Which is better? The answer to this question ultimately depends on the use cases. If you use Apple devices and you are interested in Apple's exclusive content and you want your smart TV to be with you wherever you go, you can get an Apple TV. But if the amount of content is important to you and you don't have a TV and you are planning to buy a smart TV, Android TV can be the logical and right choice for you.

Both smart TVs require a subscription to access content, so there is not much difference in costs for you. In the Apple ecosystem, activating all the necessary services to increase the productivity of Apple TV can be done by purchasing an Apple One subscription, while Android TVs may require a separate subscription for each section or each software, and it is not possible to activate their services in groups and at a lower price. If your choice is Apple TV, you can buy Apple TV+ from Apple 98 at the lowest price and immediate delivery to activate the subscriptions and services required for Apple TV.