Xiaomi has recently announced its new F2 TVs with Fire OS 7 as the operating system. These new TVs coexist with the Android TV models offered by the manufacturer. In this way, if you find yourself in a position to buy one of the company’s mid-level or entry-level televisions, Now you have a choice.
This agreement between Amazon and Xiaomi is important because First TVs with Fire OS in Spain, an experience that until recently we were only able to get through dongles and external players like the Fire TV Stick and company. In this article, we will focus on a comparison between Xiaomi televisions with Android TV and Xiaomi televisions with Fire OS to help you choose and explain the advantages we get with this new operating system.
Xiaomi is the only manufacturer in Spain to offer both Fire OS and Android TV
First of all, it should be noted that although Fire OS is the operating system designed by Amazon, android based, so we will find many similarities with Android TV or Google TV. In the case of the Xiaomi TV F2, the software experience will be as if we had plugged a Fire TV Stick 4K Max into a television.
This is Xiaomi TV F2, Xiaomi P1 or P1E level, i.e. 4K models with LED-LCD panel and very similar specifications. Thus, in the case of TV F2, the main difference lies in the softwaredue to the inclusion of the aforementioned Fire OS 7. In fact, this version is the same version that can be found on Amazon dongles.
On a visual level, although the distribution is similar, there are differences between both operating systems. In both we find a panel with our most used apps, advertising banners with the latest streaming platforms and their own content recommendation system. In this sense it is a matter of taste, because both operating systems contain almost the same level of functionality.
Full app availability
As we said earlier, Fire OS is based on Android, so usability of apps is very complete. Among the best known cases, it is true that it is necessary to use alternative methods to download HBO Max on Fire OS as it is not available on the official store. If we can’t find the app we want in the store, we can always try to download its APK.
Searching for apps in the Amazon store is perhaps a little less intuitive than it is in the Google Play Store, as categories are prioritized before searching. Similarly, we can always interact with Alexa directly from the remote to find the app we want.
Xiaomi F2 43″ Smart Fire TV 108 cm (4K Ultra HD, HDR10, Frameless Aluminum, Prime Video, Netflix, Alexa Voice Control, HDMI 2.1, Bluetooth, USB, Triple Tuner)
For €339.00 on Amazon today
Sending content that is also compatible with AirPlay
Fire OS, just like Android TV supports sending content from mobile devices, tablets and others. Although it does not have Google Cast internally, which offers a slightly wider experience, we can send content from the phone depending on the applications in addition to its own mirroring system.
The special innovation of Xiaomi F2 TVs is native AirPlay support for the Apple ecosystem. And for televisions with Android TV, it was necessary to download one of the many third-party applications to support the connection between an iPhone, iPad or Mac and a television with Android TV.
Home appliances also affect the choice
The choice between a TV with Fire OS or Android TV It will also depend on the devices we have at home.. And as you know, the Amazon system uses the Alexa ecosystem to intelligently communicate with other devices. That way, if we have more Alexa-compatible devices in our connected home, maybe it’s a good reason to consider buying a television with Fire OS. For example, connecting Amazon Echo speakers to the TV will be much easier with such an operating system.
Alexa trust
Xiaomi TV F2, like any Amazon dongle or media player, has Alexa built-in. This means that We will be 100% compatible with the smart voice assistant, this means we will have more extensive options for connecting devices or using Skills. If we press the microphone button on the remote, the Alexa bar should appear so that we can interact with the assistant.
Advertising and diagnostic data on both systems
If we make a more detailed comparison between one system and another, Fire OS has slightly more ads than Android TV. If we look at the home screen, there will be content from other partners that we unfortunately cannot avoid unless we install an additional launcher.
Turning off usage data collection is much easier and more intuitive on Fire OS than Android TV
The advertisements and recommendations we obtain in the system interface are partly linked to the use of our personal information and privacy; this is something we can partially disable on both systems. At this point, it should be clarified that disabling the collection of usage data is much easier and more intuitive on Fire OS than on Android TV. Although the option is enabled by default, we can disable it in Fire OS if we enter it. Settings > Preferences > Device Usage Data.
Fire OS or Android TV?
Both operating systems offer very similar functionality and The choice will depend, first of all, on the ecosystem of preferences in home devices and voice assistants.. If you have an Android phone like this and are more familiar with Google products and services, perhaps it would be better for you to look at Xiaomi models with Android TV. On the other hand, if the Alexa ecosystem and all that Fire OS has to offer you are attractive, the Xiaomi TV F2 could be a great choice.
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