TVs & Audio | June 2, 2023
Last week, the Android sector found itself immersed in a major controversy after a study was published revealing the presence of malware in Android TVs and TV Boxes sold in Spain. These devices were running programs automatically without user consent or control. Many of these devices are sold on Amazon and are quite popular among consumers.
Far from being a mere anecdote, this appears to be a significant problem that even Google has been compelled to address publicly. The company not only explains the specifics of this attack but also provides guidance on how users can protect themselves.
It is also important that Google has responded to the first question that many users have asked, which is: How is it possible for Google to allow this? The answer is simple: they haven’t allowed it. These products have not been officially licensed by Google and have been released without the company’s knowledge.
These “fake Android TVs” are devices that are not actually based on Android TV, Google’s operating system for televisions, but rather on AOSP (Android Open Source Project), the open-source version of Android. As many people know, Android is an open system, and a significant portion of its source code is available for download and modification. Google creates its own versions of Android and Android TV based on this code, which are used in the majority of smartphones and televisions today. It’s also important not to confuse Android TV with Google TV.
Thanks to the open-source nature of the code, anyone can copy it and create their own version of the operating system, adapt it for their devices, or launch their own system. This is how, for example, Huawei has been able to create its own HarmonyOS for its devices, which does not rely on any of Google’s apps.
However, this freedom has also allowed for the creation of these types of devices that appear to be Android TV but are not truly so.
The quickest and easiest way to check if we have purchased a genuine Android TV device is to see if we have access to Google Assistant. This is a Google-owned app that is not included in AOSP and therefore requires a license from the company. Devices that don’t have it have not been approved by Google.
Google has also explained that Google Play has a feature that checks our device to see if it is certified by the company. It’s called Play Protect, and to use it, follow these steps:
Finally, Google has a list of manufacturers that have been certified to release devices with Android TV, including brands like Xiaomi, Sony, TCL, and more. The list of certified manufacturers in Spain is as follows:
In addition, there are other brands that have been certified in other markets, such as XGIMI, BenQ, Asus, and OnePlus. By purchasing one of these devices, consumers can be assured that they can use Google apps and that the system is secure.
However, that doesn’t mean that all devices that haven’t been certified are insecure; the fact that something is not official doesn’t necessarily make it more dangerous. Google certification does provide more assurance that the device does not come with pre-installed malware, but there are many unofficial devices that are perfectly valid.
