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One of the new android platforms which was announced by Google last year was Android TV. This was Google’s attempt to bring Android to your home entertainment system in a more advanced and intuitive manner than had been previously offered by the Chromecast or GoogleTV. As such, Google released their Nexus Player device which was manufactured with Asus and so began the era of Android TV. Since then, adoption has been a little slow although in 2015 this will change. And with the already launching of the Nvidia Shield, the change is starting to be seen.
That said, 2015 will be the year in which TV manufacturers adopt Android TV more seriously. Back at CES in January, TV manufacturers were quick to jump on board Android TV, with the likes of Sony, Sharp and Philips all announcing their intention to include Android TV as an inbuilt feature. Well, if you are in India, you might not have the same availability of Android TV just yet, but at least some manufacturers are making inroads in bringing Android to your TV. Indian manufacturer, Micromax have today unveiled and announced their latest offerings which are in fact, TV’s powered by Android. Now, these do not run on the Android TV platform but do come with Android built-in as their operating system. This means there is no Lollipop but instead you will be looking at Android 4.4 (KitKat) on the larger TV while the slightly smaller one comes running on Android 4.2 (Jelly Bean).
Micromax unveiled two TV’s in total and both come with 4K displays. One is a 42 inch version and one is a 49 inch version. Both TV’s are generally the same, although do have some small differences. In terms of specs, the new Micromax Android running TV’s will come with 1GB RAM and powered by a dual-core processor. In terms of memory, they will offer 2.5GB internal storage as standard. Additional features expected include WiFi and Ethernet. While connection wise, the TV’s come with three USB ports, two HDMI ports (three HDMI ports on the smaller 42-inch model) and a VGA connector. As this is an android powered TV, they both come preinstalled with the likes of YouTube and Gmail and do have the ability to download other apps from the Play Store. In terms of price, the 42 inch version will set you back Rs 39,990 (roughly $640) while the 49 inch version will cost 49,990 (roughly $800). If you are interested in picking up one then they will be exclusively available via Flipkart soon.