Is the trend of de-Googleing smart TV systems an innovation or nonsense?

Since when, the Android operating system has become the "standard configuration" of smart TVs. When it comes to the definition of smart TVs, TVs that are equipped with the Android system and can be connected to the Internet are called smart TVs. However, as the drawbacks of the single Android system become increasingly apparent, the de-Googleization of smart TV operating systems has gradually become a trend.

The open source nature of Android and Google's years of hard work have enabled it to have a very complete ecosystem. Under this ecosystem, whether it is the optimization of the operating system itself, online services, or the APP application development environment, the Android system has shown great maturity advantages.

Therefore, in the process of transformation from traditional TV to smart TV, most manufacturers have chosen Android operating system without hesitation. The advantages of Android system such as low cost, quick effect and good effect are also considered as the main reasons why smart TV should choose Android system.

However, as smart TV products running the Android system have shown defects such as operational complexity, poor experience, and cluttered content, manufacturers have questioned through their actual actions whether the Android operating system is the ultimate best choice for smart TV products.

At the 2015 CES held recently, Panasonic, a long-established Japanese TV manufacturer, announced that its 2015 smart TV products will use Mozilla's Firefox OS operating system to develop unique smart TV functions.

At the end of last year, Mozilla just cut off its connection with Google Search and quickly reached an agreement with Yahoo to completely replace Google as the default search engine. There have been rumors about Panasonic's smart TV products cooperating with Mozilla for a long time, but the official launch of related product news at this time is undoubtedly the most direct manifestation of its de-Googleization.

Apart from Japanese brands, Korean brands of smart TVs are also moving towards a de-Google trend. Recently, Samsung announced that it will use the Tizen operating system on its new smart TV products this year. As one of the most important manifestations of Samsung's de-Googleization, the continuous extension of the Tizen operating system on the platform is an important measure for Samsung to actively build its ecosystem.

Prior to this, Samsung's smart TVs used Samsung's own platform based on Linux optimization and Google's Android system. From giving up the self-developed system to switching to Android, and then from abandoning Android to choosing Tizen, Samsung and other TV manufacturers have the most direct expression of their love-hate relationship with the Android system.

Although Android is still the most popular operating system for smart TVs and set-top boxes, customized operating systems have become another shortcut pursued by many TV manufacturers. Take LG, a Korean brand, for example. LG used to use the Android system, but after acquiring webOS at the beginning of last year, LG has adopted the webOS operating system on all its high-end models, and achieved sales of over 5 million units eight months after its launch.

By launching a personalized and customized operating system, not only can the differentiation of smart TV products be enhanced, but the existing smart TV product content, application management and other programs will also be optimized and managed, thus simplifying the current complex operations of smart TVs.

In fact, before introducing Google's Android operating system into the TV field, domestic TV manufacturers have already established their own smart TV operating platforms, such as Konka's OMI operating system based on the Linux system and Hisense's self-developed HITV-0S operating system...

Like other manufacturers' self-built operating systems, these customized systems face problems such as inconsistent standards and difficulty in application promotion. The diversification of operating system platforms has also directly led to increased workloads for software developers, and in the future, there may be problems such as difficulty in popularizing TV application APPs.

But even so, Sony recently announced that all new smart TVs launched this year will be equipped with Google's Android TV platform, and technology research and development efforts will be mainly focused on the 4K display field.

From hardware to software and vice versa, all the technological innovations made by TV manufacturers are just to provide users with a better experience. Whether it is choosing a variety of TV operating systems or continuing to improve the product hardware itself, timely improving the long-delayed user experience of smart TVs is the ultimate means to help the industry develop.

As a winner of Toutiao's Qingyun Plan and Baijiahao's Bai+ Plan, the 2019 Baidu Digital Author of the Year, the Baijiahao's Most Popular Author in the Technology Field, the 2019 Sogou Technology and Culture Author, and the 2021 Baijiahao Quarterly Influential Creator, he has won many awards, including the 2013 Sohu Best Industry Media Person, the 2015 China New Media Entrepreneurship Competition Beijing Third Place, the 2015 Guangmang Experience Award, the 2015 China New Media Entrepreneurship Competition Finals Third Place, and the 2018 Baidu Dynamic Annual Powerful Celebrity.