Freeview Play coming to Android TV

At long last, Freeview Play is coming to Android TV devices, this should mean that for the first time, users will be able to access All4, CBS catch-up and Horror Bites.

https://www.broadbandtvnews.com/2020/02/28/freeview-play-to-be-available-on-android-tv/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+broadbandtvnews+%28Broadband+TV+News%29

If you've got an existing Android TV device, you may be waiting a long time.

However the full press release points out new TVs with this functionality are "ready to launch".

I wonder if Sony will as a result switch from Android TV + YouView to Android TV + Freeview Play?

I also wonder if the nVidia Shield will also get this functionality?

If they do - we can only hope the implementation is a lot faster. I've had two Sony Android TV sets, and disabled YouView on both of them, and instead use the regular Sony DVB front-end UI instead, which is massively more responsive.

Is that what Android TV is - basically Sony?

No, it's also used as an OS to power streaming set-top boxes such as the nVidia Shield and the Xiaomi MiBox. Cheaper Chinese streaming boxes use standard Android.

Android TV is wierd, Content Apps and System Applications seemingly bundled together with no stable ordering, updating haphazard, and as for finding new Content Apps from within the ecosystem difficult, and that's being kind.

Sideloading of some standard Android apps is possible, but some streaming apps like Britbox and NOW TV don't work unless you use the Chromecast built-in feature.

It gets a bit easier if you plug a keyboard in - as that makes the Google Play store (which is available on Android TV - but only shows Android TV-specific apps) much neater to use.

I ignore it on my Sony Android TV TV because the Sony TVs are so underpowered (same reason I disabled YouView on the TV).

However on the nVidia Shield TV it works pretty well.

Now feeling this will REPLACE YouView rather than becoming an option, YV having decided to concentrate on servicing their service partners. No real incentive for Sony to continue now considering the platform isn't going to be offered direct to customer via retail anymore.

My Phillips Ambilight TV is an Android TV complete with Google Assistant.

The Google Play Store is quite restricted on what it offers app wise though.

Has anyone tried sideloading something like Virgin TV Go onto an Android TV?