Android TV, Smart TV and Digital TV | What Exactly Is The Difference?

October 3, 2020 Majira Media

In this ever changing digital era, TV set has drastically changed from the old analogue TV to Digital TV then to Smart TV and the latest entrant in Television market is the Android Television. But what exactly is the difference between digital, smart and Android Television and which one should you go for when shopping for one?

Many people find it difficult to distinguish between the three yet their difference is quite wide with each having one or more unique feature that sets it apart from the other.

However,one common feature is that both the Digital, Smart and Android Television sets have the ability to receive the digital TV signals. The TV market is flooded with both types and it might be confusing to distinguish between the varieties.

We unpack the three and help you make an informed decision.

The Difference between Digital TV Smart TV and Android TV

Digital TV

A digital TV as the name suggests is a television set that has the ability to receive digital signals. The transition from the analogue TVs ushered in the digital era. Ever since the world saw the new era of digital migration, analogue TVs were switched off, It therefore meant that you either connect a digital signal transmitter to your analogue TV set or replace it with a digital one. Digital televisions come with a limited number of TV channels one can watch.

Smart TV

A smart TV is a digital TV set that comes with pre-installed application that enables one to connect and run premium services and a limited number of applications. A smart TV is internet enabled thus users are able to watch online content. Common application that are pre-installed on smart TV include Netflix, Showmax, Youtube among others.

Smart TV users may not be able to install their desired applications and the system cannot be upgraded. This means should you wish to enjoy services from other service providers such as Hulu or Amazon, then you will need to buy another Smart TV set with more advance system firmware and applications.

Android TV

Android TV is the latest entrant into the TV market and provides users with a range of options to choose from. Just like the smart TV, android TV is internet enabled but what sets it apart from the others is that the TV runs on Android Operating system. Android TV therefore has the Google Play Store the enables users to download any application they so wish.

You can therefore be able to download Netfilx, YouTube, Showmax and other quite range of Apps that are missing on smart TV. Android TV has over 300+ applications ranging from video-on-demand, social, gaming, music, and photo sharing that enables interaction between TV and mobile sets.

Another good feature with Android TV is that you can easily update and upgrade to the latest version and Operating System via internet connection.

With Android TV, There’s also the added luxury of the TV’s Voice Search functionality. Instead of having to manually type in what you’re looking for, you can talk to your TV using the remote for a faster, hassle-free way to search using the Google Assistance option. Pairing this feature with Google Assistant allows you to control all your smart home devices too.

Also Read:Best TV Brands to Buy

Price Differences

The three TV sets fetch different prices on the market. Of all the three, Digital TV is the cheapest. You would expect android TV to be the most expensive due to improved functionality but to the contrary an Android TV is cheaper than a Smart TV. You can shop for your favorite TV brand on platforms such as Jumia.

Android TV Features And Functionality

	Features
1	Internet Enabled
2	Unlimited Apps Can be Downloaded
3	Allows for live Streaming
4	More Clear with sharp images
5	Google Assistance Enabled
6	Voice Control Enabled
7	One can switch between different Modes
	System can be Upgraded