GTrusted

As Google expands Android beyond the smartphone, the TV is another large market with an even larger screen to sell more advertising.   Many technology companies like Microsoft and Apple have long coveted replicating their success in the living room but with limited success.

Unlike Apple with its single Apple TV product, Google is using a blitzkrieg approach working with many partners to simultaneously try different ways into the TV market and see what sticks.

The simplest way to use your Android phone play content on your TV  is to use Wi-Fi to mirror the phone screen with the TV screen using Miracast technology.  See example of Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge using Miracast to display video through the Samsung AllShare Wireless Dongle.

Google is going a step further from simple screen mirroring by integrating Android more fully into the TV.

One one extreme, Google has totally embedded itself into Sony's line of Android TV's.  No extra accessories needed- just your Android phone and Sony Bravia Android TV.  You no longer need your phone to find and play content to your TV- all that can be done in the Android TV itself.  See how well the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge works with the Sony Bravia Android TV.

If your TV isn't Android, fear not.  Google has also teamed up with Asus to provide the Nexus Player, which allows you to use Android TV with any brand TV.

On the other extreme, Google has created Chromecast.  You don't get all the bells and whistles like a full Android TV, but you can let Apps on your Android phone to play content directly on your TV through Chromecast.  Compared to screen mirroring which eats up battery life and doesn't allow you to use other apps while watching a video, Chromecast works more like a remote control.  Apps like YouTube and Hulu on your phone can command Chromecast to directly stream your favorite shows into your TV.

Unlike Apple's "just buy this and you'll love it", Google continues its "choose which one is the best for you".  While Google's approach offers a lot of choice and freedom to the user, there is also a learning curve especially with so many different implementations.  Still, it will be interesting to watch the continued evolution of Android TV and no doubt the user experience and comfort level will improve with time.