Continuing its proliferation to all edges of the video ecosystem, Android TV may have now overcome a key hurdle in its quest to become the defector video interface in portable projectors.
As first reported by 9 to 5 Google, Chinese electronics maker Xiaomi has integrated support for Netflix in its $599 Android TV-powered Mi Smart Compact projector.
So … why is this important?
HD projectors based on Android TV are a niche but increasingly popular home theater solution for video consumers around the world, providing an economical, space-saving means to create a big-screen viewing experience. These projectors have native Android TV 9.0 capability, and don’t need to be connected to any external streaming device.
Up until Xiaomi’s integration of Netflix support, however, no Android TV projector on the market could access the top streaming service without help of an outside OTT device. If Xiaomi’s move is widely followed, big-screen projectors might become yet another video device category dominated by Android TV.
Also read: Android TV to Become Dominant Global Pay TV Set-top Platform: Research Group
Google’s Android TV platform has become popular among pay TV operators worldwide as an economical means of offering customers an OTT platform that supports most popular streaming apps through the Google Play Store, while also offering voice support through Google Assistant. The OS can be featured on a thin-client set-top that delivers the Android TV experience, along with the proprietary managed video service of the operator, all over managed IP network.
But Android TV continues to proliferate among direct-to-consumer devices, as well. This week, for example, another Chinese electronics maker, TCL, introduced two new smart TVs powered by Android TV 9.0, offering smart TV customers an alternative to more expensive sets based on Roku and Amazon Fire TV.
