When choosing a television, there are a number of factors we need to consider to choose the one that suits our needs. In addition to the quality, technical specifications, size, connectivity and extra functions of the panel, There is one part that many users overlook: software.

The operating system of our Smart TV is the way users interact with the television and benefit from its functions. Therefore, it is important to choose a television that offers these features. A platform that meets our needsespecially when it comes to downloading apps, enjoying streaming platforms, controlling the rest of smart home devices, or interacting with smart voice assistants.

Your TV’s operating system is an important choice

The good thing is, even if you regret the operating system your Smart TV includes as standard, there are HDMI dongles and set-top boxes that connect to our TV and offer software more suitable to what we’re looking for. While we also enjoy other features we like about our TV. They are also excellent devices for providing smart features and networking functions to TVs that do not offer Internet connectivity.

Although there are manufacturers who develop their own operating systems integrated into televisions, such as Samsung with Tizen OS or LG with webOS, there are other open systems that other manufacturers can use and are included in the devices we mentioned. before. In this context, systems such as Android TV (or Google TV overlay) or Fire OSThey have become very popular because they provide versatility and support numerous applications that we cannot find in other systems.

Android TV is the best option if you want to download any app

So, if you want to take advantage of your television and obtain applications from the Play Store or install applications that are not officially available in this store, The operating system that gives you the most freedom in this regard is Android TV/Google TV.. Fire OS is also an operating system based on Android TV, but its app store is more limited, so in some cases, you’ll need to get APK files from external sources to install certain apps.

Google TV is available as standard on many televisions. Sony, TCL, Philips, Hisense, Xiaomi and many more manufacturers already include this software in their Smart TVs. On the other hand, if you bought a TV that does not have this operating system and want to experience its excellent compatibility with applications, you can always buy a device like Chromecast, the new Google TV Streamer or any other HDMI dongle. Set up your set-top box with Android TV and connect it to your television.

There are many applications that are not compatible with other operating systems. As an example, Kodi, one of the most prominent multimedia hubs that you can download to your Smart TV, is not officially available on Samsung or LG TVs (although there is an unofficial way to do it in the latter case).

Hot TV Stick

If you usually enjoy content on Twitch, its official app is not available on Samsung TVs and you will have to resort to external methods to be able to watch a live stream on this platform. For many years, HBO Max could not be installed on Fire TVs from the official Amazon store until Max arrived. side loading to download. If you want to prevent such situations in this way; Android TV/Google TV is definitely the most interesting option for you in this respect.

Apple’s operating system for televisions, tvOS, is also an option to consider, especially due to the technical features of Apple TVs and the fluidity of the system. However, we need to refer separately for some examples. escape from prison to enjoy certain applications. For example, although Kodi is compatible with tvOS, You need an Apple TV to be jailbroken To make it easier to install.

AppleTV

Finally, It all depends on how you use your television on a daily basis.. If you don’t usually bother with apps too much and just want to watch TV series and movies from streaming platforms, almost every operating system will offer you this functionality. But if you need a system that gives you the freedom to install any app and want to try out all the options the software has to offer, Android TV/Google TV is the way to go.

In Xataka Smart Home | Smart TV is changing and manufacturers no longer care about selling TVs, but about consuming their services.