Do all Android TVs share the Google Play store?

by runQuick

Hi everyone, I'm having trouble understanding Android TV as a product. Similar to how all Android Phones share the same apps, do all Android TVs share the same apps?

Asked another way, the LeEco Ecotv (Smart TV) says its powered by Android TV but YouTube videos show that the Google Play store is disabled on that device but there's still an ability to "side load" via APK file?

I am so confused about how to define Android TV and also how to define the LeEco TV which seems to have its own app store separate from Google Play but can still be side loaded with Google Play APKs?

mkliao

If you have the X3 version, then yours is most likely a stripped down version of Android TV called EUI. However, if you have the Super4 version, then it is the native Android TV and you should be able to install all available apps on the Android TV App Store without sideloading them.

frg2005

I think the confusion comes from the fact that companies like LeTV or Xiaomi, which are chinese, have different products for their local markets and for the rest of the world. The chinese versions tend to have a stripped version of Android that has no Google Play support because as far as I know there is no Google Play Store in China due to restrictions from the government.

fblauer

According to this link, android TV has the google play store: http://www.androidpolice.com/2015/11/01/the-android-tv-version-of-the-google-play-store-gets-a-streamlined-look-in-the-latest-update-apk-download/ Personally, I think you are better off with a separate box, like the Xiaume mi box for android TV, rather than getting a TV with it built in.

JimboLodisC

LeEco must be doing something different with their version of Android TV. I think that might be the only Android TV device not running the official Play Store then.

znark

None of the reviews mention that the Google Play Store is disabled on the LeEco Android TVs. There may be some confusion about older models some of which run Android but weren't Android TV and don't have the Play Store.

Something similar happens with the Mi Box where there are older models and Chinese version that aren't Android TV.