Android TV is Google's smart TV operating system — the platform that powers smart TVs from Sony, TCL, Xiaomi, OnePlus, and most other Android TV brands in India. Google TV is not a separate OS: it is a new home screen launcher built on top of Android TV, introduced in 2020. The underlying platform is the same; what changed is the interface.
Google TV's home screen aggregates content recommendations from multiple apps into a unified "For You" feed, organised by category (Movies, Shows, Live) rather than showing individual app icons. It is more like a content discovery layer sitting above the app level. Android TV's home screen shows apps directly.
For CTV advertising, the distinction does not matter:
- Both platforms run the same TV apps from the Google Play Store — JioCinema, Hotstar, YouTube, Zee5, SonyLIV all work identically on both.
- Both use the Google Advertising ID (GAID) for ad targeting and measurement.
- A programmatic CTV buy through DV360 or a platform direct deal does not distinguish between Android TV and Google TV impressions — they are the same inventory class.
In India in 2026, the majority of smart TVs in the installed base still run Android TV. Google TV is shipping on newer premium and mid-premium models (Sony Bravia XR, newer TCL and OnePlus sets). Budget smart TVs — the high-volume segment — predominantly still ship with Android TV. For planning purposes, treat both as a single Android TV ecosystem.
Full guide
For a complete explanation, read: Android TV vs Google TV: what advertisers and publishers need to know