Nearly all 2015 Philips TVs will run Android TV

TP Vision will be integrating Android TV into nearly every single one of its 2015 Philips TV range, the company announced today at CES 2015. This includes Philips smart TVs and all of Philips UHD TVs, which will no doubt follow in the footsteps of the Android-powered 9809 series which we saw back in August 2014 at the IFA tradeshow.

However, unlike the 9809 series, which runs Android 4.2 Jelly Bean, Philips’ 2015 range of Android TVs will run Android 5.0 Lollipop, bringing Google’s Material Design scheme to the big screen. Having an Android operating system also means you’ll have access to the Google Play Store, letting you download all your favourite Android apps straight onto your TV, including streaming services such as BBC iPlayer, 4OD, Demand 5, and Netflix. 

“We want to leverage the advantage of being a pioneer member of Android’s large, fast growing eco-system,” said Albert Mombarg, Head of Smart TV at TP Vision. “It attracts a huge base of developers, who now can easily adapt their apps for different types of devices including TVs.”

Even better, every Philips 2015 Android TV will support OnLive integration. This means you’ll be able to use OnLive’s cloud-based game streaming service to play PC games at full graphics settings on your TV over the internet. We saw this on the 9809 series and were impressed with the low latency levels, although the quality of the game will very much depend on the speed of your internet connection. Still, it’s a great feature for keen gamers and we’re pleased it’s made the jump from the 9809 series. 

The graphical interface will also make use of the new Android TV launcher, which TP Vision hopes will help provide a much smoother user experience when browsing through the smart TV menu screens. 

“By combining superb picture quality in both FHD and UHD, our unique Ambilight lighting technology, great design and the power of Android TV, we are putting together a truly sophisticated TV offering for our Philips TV customers,” said Nico Vernieuwe, Chief Commercial Officer of TP Vision.