Android TV is one of the most popular smart TV systems in the world. This is no coincidence, as the Google-developed platform has thousands of apps, far outperforming rival solutions. Its graphical user interface is transparent, easy to use and supports voice control. It's no wonder that several major companies, including Xiaomi, have chosen this solution.
The vast app abundance is a wonderful thing, but of course you need to be on your feet to sift through it all to find the most useful bits. In this article, we've set out to present what we think are the 7+1 best apps that add the most value.
Netflix
There can't be a debate about which is the best, most important app available through Android TV. Netflix is the world's largest online streaming service, offering thousands of movies and series in the best possible quality, up to 4K resolution, with HDR and Dolby Atmos support.
And all this for a relatively low monthly fee, which is significantly less than if you subscribe to a traditional TV package. Netflix also has content in Hungarian, and what is not dubbed has decent quality subtitles.
HBO Go
HGO Go is very similar to Netflix, with the "small" difference that the quality of the available picture is not so good, as it lacks (at least in the region) 4K HDR and Dolby Atmos support. However, the offer is huge and content is also available in Hungarian.
The reason why it is important to highlight HBO Go as an important app for Android TV is because there is a lot of exclusive material, and several rival smart platforms (MyHomeScreen, Vidaa, etc. ) do not allow you to run this important app. This can be a deciding factor for many when making a purchase decision.
Asphalt 8 Airborne
This is one of the most beautiful and best free car games available on Android TV. The graphics are superb, and the program is optimised to run lavishly on the relatively weaker hardware of TVs. It can be controlled using a USB-connected controller, but such a device is available at a relatively reasonable price.
Asphalt 8 Airborne is a perfect example of how Android TV can turn a TV into a games console. And it's worth mentioning that there are plenty of other games on offer, such as Angry Birds, to name just one important and popular example.
YouTube
If there's one app that might make it worth switching to a well-functioning smartphone, it's YouTube.
On devices supported with Android TV, such as the Xiaomi on TV the YouTube client runs flawlessly and you can enjoy great videos in 4K HDR quality, completely free of charge.
The Xiaomi TVs which is part of its image processing chip, is also able to improve resolution, which means that even lower-detail content can be displayed with correct picture quality on the big screens of TVs.
Retroarch
Retroarch is also a game-centric application that allows you to run old Nintendo (Super Nintendo, NES, Nintendo 64) and PlayStation 1 games. It is in fact a very well-optimised emulator with a huge database, making it possible to turn your television into a real games console. Control is as mentioned above, using a USB-connected controller, so it's easy as pie.
Spotify
Spotify is one of the world's largest music providers, with a database of millions of songs that can be played on Xiaomi TVs, which also offer good sound quality.
Code
Android TV comes with a media player app installed at the factory, which is good for basic tasks. If you want more than that, such as complex media management and extra information from online sources, you need a more sophisticated solution. One example is Kodi, a versatile and excellent media player.
SFTV
The SFTV, or Send Files to TV, app makes it easy to send (media) files from compatible devices to your TV wirelessly. Once copied to the TV's memory, even high-resolution video files can be played without any problems.
