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As per a survey conducted by ‘The Expresswire’, the market for smart TV is highly likely to grow at a CAGR of 1.8% during the period of 2021-27. By the time 2027 ends, it is projected to rise to USD 126520. As a smart TV app development company, you should tap the huge market of the Smart TV platform. Before that, you should do some analysis regarding the difference between the different OS of smart TVs. To build a brand of your own, this would be necessary. There are several smart TV platforms like Android TV, VIDAA, WebOS, Tizen, and others. This blog is aimed at providing a detailed differentiation between WebOs and Android TV.
Without much delay, let’s start this.
Define Android TV
Android TV is the platform for smart TV. Curated by Google, android TV is based on the Android OS. this platform is built to provide an intuitive and streamlined interface. Using Android TV, users can stream their favorite apps, games, and content on their smart TV.
Android TV is available on several platforms, including smart Televisions, streaming sticks and set-top boxes. Users can enjoy a wide range of features like customized suggestions, voice search, and easy connectivity with Google services like Google Assistant, Google Play, and Chromecast. Android TV supports streaming services like Amazon Prime Video, Netflix, and Hulu. With Google Assistant, Android TV users can also operate smart home appliances like thermostats and lights.
Define WebOS
WebOS is a smart TV OS for LG smart TV devices. It is based on the Linux platform and built with the aim of offering consumers easy access and control over innovative processes and smart devices. This connection is established through the visual user interface.
In 2009, Palm designed WebOS as a mobile OS. It was originally used in many HP and Palm handsets. LG owned the operating system in 2013 and converted it into a smart TV OS. It is now been incorporated into different LG smart TV models.
Let’s now discuss the difference between these two smart TV OS based on different functionalities.
User Interface
WebOS provides an exceptionally user-friendly UI. It also offers a card-based interface, which allows smart TV users to switch between apps much more easily. While creating WebOS-specific TV apps, keep gesture-based navigation, remote control compatibility, user-centric design, and full-screen programs in the note. Full-screen TV apps should be developed to give consumers an immersive experience. Developers must create intuitive menus with clear language while concentrating on user-centric design. They should also allow for user input and dynamic prompts. The Web OS-specific apps are simple to use. As a smart TV app developer, make sure that users can utilize directional buttons as well as remote control buttons like stop and play.
On the other hand, the common UI characteristics that are built into Android TV, are a Leanback interface, row-based suggestions, voice search, multitasking support, and Chromecast integration. Users may browse their smart Android TV apps with remote control devices. This is possible due to the Leanback UI. Developers should keep elements like streamlined menus, bold icons, and a simple layout in order to achieve Leanback interface. In terms of multitasking capabilities, Android TV users can quickly switch between other applications without closing the running applications. Further, the most crucial characteristic that developers should consider while designing apps for Android TV is a smooth UX.
App availability
App availability on Android TV and WebOS may vary depending on a few criteria.
Android TV runs the Android OS and has permission to use the Google Play Store. It has an extensive library of apps, which are available for download. This comprises well-known streaming services such as Amazon Prime Video, Netflix, Hulu, and YouTube. Moreover, with an emulator, TV users can display some of their Android smartphone apps on Android TV.
WebOS, on the other hand, is a proprietary OS built by LG. It is particularly meant for their smart televisions. Although the app library available on WebOS isn’t as large as Android TV, it nevertheless offers a good variety of apps, such as widely known streaming apps such as YouTube, Netflix and Amazon. It also comprises other popular games.
Moreover, both WebOS and Android TV Android TV have a decent app selection, however, Android TV has accessibility to the huge library of Google Play Store giving it an advantage over WebOS.
Screen Sharing
WebOS has a feature named “SmartShare”. it enables users to seamlessly link their mobile phones or other devices to their LG smart Televisions. This system integrates both the DLNA protocols and Miracast, allowing users to stream mobile content from their smartphones to the TV. It also allows duplicating the user’s device screen. To give a better user experience, developers may make use of this capability by optimizing their apps for screencasting and sharing.
Android TV, on the other hand, features a function known as “Google Cast,” which allows users to stream any content or media from their smartphones or PCs to the TV. This function needs the user to have the relevant app loaded on their mobile device or PC. They can operate them through a Chromecast-enabled device. To enable casting and give a better UX, developers may incorporate the SDK available to Google Cast into their apps.
Android TV and WebOS offer screensharing and screencasting, while in significantly different methods. To create a smooth screen casting experience for users, developers must optimise their built applications for both platforms considering the capabilities each provides.
Conclusion
So, before going with the OS, you need to consider each of its capabilities and functionalities. You may have certain preferences that you would like to provide to your users. Right? So, list out those and then check which smart TV OS aligns with your preferences. For example, if you want to provide a huge collection of apps to your users, then you would definitely want to go with the Android TV.
