Dubai: Running Android apps on Smart TVs have been a tricky business as it is not designed for the big sizes and unfriendly user interfaces.
The Chinese TV manufacturer and the strategic partner for Google TV — Hisense — is set to solve the problem and make it more attractive with the launch of Vision TV in the UAE in time for Fifa World Cup.
“The advantage is that Hisense and Google have jointly developed the apps. Currently, the apps on the Smart TVs are shifted directly either from mobile phones or tablets to the TV version, so it does not have the TV resolution and functions,” Terry Wang, general manager of Hisense Middle East, told Gulf News.
Hisense will be launching TVs in four sizes – 30, 50 and 55 inches, and will run Android 4.2 Jelly Bean operating system.
However, Wang said that Android TVs will face challenge as the success of Smart TV is related to content providers. In the region, pay-TV operators have their own channels and charge them. In the US market, the content providers use internet (IPTV) and charges subscribers. The growth will depend on the content.
Moreover, he said that there is no dominant operating system in the TV space like in the mobile devices space.
Every TV vendor is trying to create their own user interface like Samsung uses Linux and LG with WebOS.
Industry experts said that Google TV has a bright future and the only hurdle is that all the TV manufacturers need to adopt the operating system instead of the fragmented market.
When asked about the price of the Android TV, he said that it is not yet fixed but it will be the same as the current Smart TVs in the market.
Total TV sales in the Middle East and Africa are expected to be 17.7 million units this year compared to 16.8 million, witnessing a growth of 5.36 per cent.
Globally, 226.6 million TVs are expected to be sold this year compared to 225.4 million. Out of which 108,000 units are expected to be ultra high-definition or 4K TVs compared to 20,000 units this year, registering a growth of 440 per cent.
“Google’s Android has an advantage but is not clear as in the mobile devices segment,” he said.
Hisense will be launching curved 4K TVs or ultra high-definition TVs in July. They boast a pixel format of 3840 x 2160 pixels, four times that of current 1920 x 1080p Full HD TVs, and have great clarity and depth.
