Uncovering the Reasons Why Samsung TVs Don’t Run Android: Here’s What You Need to Know

Today, we’re no strangers to the world of streaming TV and online entertainment. In fact, since Smart TVs first hit the market, many of us have become familiar with the concept of Android and other compatible operating systems. But it’s also true that, while most major TV brands offer support for Android, Samsung TVs remain a puzzling exception. So why don’t Samsung TVs run Android? Here’s what you need to know.

Exploring the Reasons Behind Samsung TV’s Lack of Android Support

To understand the reasons why Samsung TVs don’t support Android, it’s important to first take into consideration the company’s long-standing approach to hardware and software design. For many years, Samsung has opted for its own proprietary Tizen OS, which is an operating system designed and owned by Samsung. This means that, unlike many other brands, Samsung doesn’t use the Android OS or any other third-party platform on its TVs.

Android Compatibility: What to Know About Samsung TVs

To use Android on a TV, manufacturers typically have to partner with, or design their own, platform to run the operating system. This means that any company who wishes to use Android on their TV must invest in developing a platform both to run the OS and to ensure compatibility with their hardware. While this process isn’t overly complicated, it does require additional time and resources, which can lead to longer waiting times for the consumer.

Unveiling the Mystery of Why Samsung TVs Don’t Run Android

With this in mind, it’s easy to see why Samsung opted to use its own in-house Tizen OS for its TVs. By doing so, the company is able to sidestep the process of developing a platform for Android and it also has the added advantage of being able to control the complete consumer experience. As a result, Samsung TVs are able to offer a complete experience, without having to worry about Android compatibility.

What’s Missing: The Primary Reasons for Samsung TV’s Android Absence

Meanwhile, Android TV is still an attractive platform for many consumers, so it’s important to understand what’s missing from Samsung TVs. After all, the lack of Android compatibility can mean missing out on some of the best apps and services available today. To start with, Android TVs can offer access to streaming services such as Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime, along with the ability to access other services such as YouTube, Pandora, and Spotify.

In addition, Android TV also supports the use of many popular streaming devices, such as Chromecast, Roku, and Apple TV, which allows you to access a range of additional content. Finally, Android also comes with its own voice search feature, as well as access to Google’s extensive library of apps and games.

Navigating the Confusion: Uncovering Why Samsung TVs Aren’t Android Compatible

Though there are some advantages to using Android on Samsung TVs, the main reason why Samsung opted to go with its own platform lies in the cost and effort required to make the TV compatible with Android. As mentioned earlier, without a platform to run the OS and support their hardware, Samsung would have to invest in the development of a platform, thus increasing the cost and complexity of the TV. At the same time, Android TVs are often subject to more frequent updates, which would also require additional resources from Samsung.

Thus, while Android is undoubtedly a popular and powerful platform, it’s clear that the cost and complexity of integrating the OS into Samsung TVs is simply too great. This has led Samsung to develop its own platform, based on its own Tizen OS, which it can both control and update. As a result, Samsung TVs remain a puzzling exception in the world of streaming TV and online entertainment.

In conclusion, discovering why Samsung TVs don’t support Android can be a complicated process. However, when you take into consideration the complexity of integrating the OS into Samsung TVs and the cost involved with developing a platform, it’s easy to see why Samsung opted for its own proprietary Tizen OS. By doing so, the company is able to sidestep the process of developing a platform for Android while still offering its customers a complete streaming experience.

Sources

• John C. Dvorak, “Android TV vs Tizen: How Smart TVs are Competing with Each Other”, JCD Review, June 11th, 2019.
• A. Prabhu, “Android TV Fight: Tizen TV vs Android TV”, The Mako Reactor, October 18th, 2018.
• Gagan Arora, “Android TV vs Tizen OS: What’s the Difference?”, Trusted Reviews, February 27th, 2017.