Google has had a longstanding rule about its OEM hardware partners using a "forked" version of Android TV, that is an iteration that has been stripped of all recognizable, consumer-effacing Google services, a la Amazon Fire TV.
But for the second time in the last month, one of Google's Android TV smart TV partners is coming out with a new model powered by Amazon's TVOS -- Xaomi this week announced a new "F2" line of Fire TV-enabled 4K/HDR10 smart TVs for the UK market.
The move follows Hisense's introduction of its own Fire TV models last month.
At that time, there was speculation in online pubs that cover Google stridently that the tech company's terms of service might have loosened a bit. Many of Google's smart TV OEM partners also make sets powered by Roku, but this is the first time Fire TV models from these CE makers have surfaced.
While Google faces one more competitive headwind in its quest to control the global living room, the company does finally seem to be on the move internationally with its own Chromecast with Google TV connected TV dongle.
Introduced in October 2020, the device has only been available in a handful of countries besides the U.S. But deployment will soon expand to 12 additional nations, including Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Switzerland, Austria, and New Zealand. India, Taiwan and South Korea are on the list, as well.
Meanwhile, further extending Google's TV reach, the company announced that its Google TV app is now available for Apple iOS mobile devices, replacing the Google Play Movies and TV app in Apple's app store.
Among other capabilities, the software will enable users of Apple mobile devices to use their gadgets as remote controls for Android TV- and Google TV-powered smart TVS, dongles, etc.
