Google’s emerging quest to make Android TV a player in the global connected TV market has taken another key step, with Chinese electronics maker TCL selling Android TV-powered smart TVs in the U.S. for the first time.
TCL is selling two Android TV models, both branded “3-Series,” and each primarily sold through Best Buy for starters: a $129 32-inch set with 720p LED display; and a $199 40-inch LED set with 1080p HD capability.
Also read: Android TV: Everything You Need to Know About the World’s Fastest Growing Video Operating System
Both Android TV sets feature hardware that is very similar, if not identical, to the popular Roku-enabled smart TVs TCL has sold in the U.S. since 2014, and will continue to sell.
TCL recently overtook Samsung to become the U.S. smart TV market leader, according to IDC. (It still officially lists itself as America’s second ranked brand in marketing material.) TCL has quickly established its brand by selling lower margin LED smart TVs with high-end features and quality displays at a significantly lower price point than the competition.
