Nobody is going to put a phone OS on a TV when there is an OS designed for TV viewing.

Full Android is terrible on a device that is not touch capable. It requires different hardware and apps to turn other apps to landscape.

If you really love the YouTube phone app keep using it and cast to your TV.

Android tv is licensed. It does HD Netflix and 4k YouTube and works with Spotify and Pandora from the Play store. Android tv is designed around remote only use, not a bastardized touch panel interface. Android tv has built in Chromecast as well as voice search from remote (the boxes do not sure on TVs). Android tv gets updates, quite a few actually while cheap boxes never get any software fixes.

Even the worst Android TV box is miles ahead of an equally specs and priced tablet android box.

I will agree with you that it is very underwhelming and not customizable. The benefit to me is the overall support, generally any device which runs Android tv has proven itself to Google to be worthy hardware for great video playback experience across many different apps and video formats using only a 7 or 8 button remote.

Also, if you really want it. Install sideload launcher from Play store as well as x-plore and sync a Bluetooth or usb mouse. Now sideload the Android version of YouTube. Why, I don't know... You'll likely need a modded one as it's usually a system app. But that'll get you what the YouTube app would work like on those china boxes

Do you have any idea what your phones apps would look like on TV? Absolute garbage.

That is why you have Android TV.

Its like you are in some dream where phone apps magically work on Android TV. Go side load some regular Android apps on your TV so you understand.

Also, I am going to go out on a limb and assume your TV is really sluggish when navigating the OS. You can thank your TV manufacturer for using crap processing for that part.

You can sideload almost any Android (handheld) app on to your ATV device, but you'll be severely handicapped as those apps expect you to either use touch or a pointing device (mouse, touchpad, etc.).

In this sense, ATV is no worse than the china-boxes, other than that it doesn't usually come with an air-mouse or touch-pad remote. Nvidia's shield has mouse-pointer on its right gamepad/controller joystick, but it's still cumbersome.

Anyway, many apps actually do support directional navigation, without registering as TV-ready apps, also, if you're into Chinese apps, there's a marketplace entirely for those ready for TV. So, my shield also has Aptoide and Shafa Market installed, just for those things not in the Play store. (Some apps may not be visible in Aptoide for TV, just search for them, and they're usually there, then you can get feel of how they perform on your platform)

Just remember that, when you venture into foreign app stores, they're not safe by definition, and your user experience will not be how Google intended ATV to be.

E: small corrections

You can cast videos from your phone to tv, You do not need to use the AndroidTV application. In any case, you can install a regular YouTube via sideload or any filemanager, But I think that without a mouse, you quickly make sure that using a standard YouTube is difficult

AndroidTV is Google's unfinished side project that they don't give 2 shits about right now.

Although Android for the phone is much better, it isn't made for a 32+ inch, non touch screen display.

It's pretty much that simple.

As for cheap Chinese boxes, well they are cheap in both hardware and launcher quality, not optimized for TVs (operating with an air mouse. Like a Wii remote, which sucks imo), doesn't have optimized AndroidTV apps like Netflix, and many connect to questionable servers without user knowledge.

you went and bought a tv without either using it or researching it? good man!

What's good about it? Every app works with a remote and you can cast to your TV. You can't cast to an Android device, and my TV isn't a touchscreen.

Also, I don't really feel comfortable with some random Chinese box running a very outdated version of Android. If they don't have spyware on it already, they can easily find an exploit to make it happen.

Just think about how awesome it would be to move around that slowly moving mouse cursor around the touch input optimized apps.

Then also there is those non tech oriented people, that would be confused if suddenly their new TV was shipped with some kind of mouse. Instead of the good old TV remote.

So that's the reason why there is that TV remote friendly android tv os instead of the stock phone/tablet touch version of the Android OS.

However I'm in the same boat, as what comes about the compatibility between normal android applications made for phones and tablets. Too often those apps either do not work or just crash in the same moment when you try to launch them.

Some of these apps could just be easily used with usb mouse or air mouse remotes.

But if you don't want to have 55-70 Inch tablet with TV stand and touch screen, then this current Android tv is the best way to do it.

I'm not 14 nor do I live with any 14 year olds. I'm sure the musicly app sucks too. But I'm busy using the real streaming apps with DRM support and a harmony remote. But hey enjoy your Android box and it's air mouse contraption so you can click all over the place like you're a Korean kid playing starcraft.