Trade: Mitchell & Brown Commits to Android TV Platform

Mitchell & Brown is backing Google’s Android TV smart platform, giving High Street retailers another strong USP against mass-market brands.

Bolton-based British TV brand Mitchell & Brown has backed Google’s Android TV smart platform as the de facto operating system across its smart TVs into the future. The company has unveiled a trio of new near borderless 4K ‘KBL’ models running Android TV OS in time for the peak Christmas season and has committed to the Google platform going forward. The move puts Mitchell & Brown TVs on a level technology playing field with the likes of Sony, Philips, and Panasonic and gives the brand’s TVs a built-in app for Disney+ subscribers for the first time.

Despite stiff competition from several OEM smart TV operating systems, Mitchell & Brown Operations Director Dan Brown is convinced of the long-term future of the Google system.

“We evaluated all the available OEM smart TV operating platforms, and it was clear from the features and flexibility of the Android TV platform that it is the class-leader. Given Google’s financial might and commitment to ongoing development of its smart operating systems across various devices, it is difficult to see how Android TV won’t become the gold, and perhaps only, standard operating system for smart TVs in the future.”

Some of the biggest players in TV manufacturing have their own operating system, such as LG’s WebOS and Samsung’s Tizen, but even Tier 1 brands like Philips and Sony have adopted Google’s latest platform. In 2020 Panasonic also ditched its own Viera platform in favour of Android TV, putting Mitchell & Brown in very good company.

“I don’t see the big Korean TV brands adopting Android TV any time soon,” says Dan. “But for mid-tier manufacturers and smaller brands like ourselves, it makes a lot of sense to buy in the very best operating system from a specialist software brand. With Android TV rolling out across our smart TV range in 2022, our TVs will offer the same smart features and functionality of the top tier brands. This gives our retailers a strong, exclusively independent TV offering to compete with the big brands that are sold everywhere and often heavily discounted by the mass online merchants.”

The latest 2021 iteration of Android TV integrates Google Assistant for voice control, and the tile-based interface mimics the familiar mobile platform. The top row of the home screen is the Content Discovery Bar, which offers suggested content based on the user’s previous viewing habits and searches. The results are pulled from across broadcast TV and smart TV services, making for seamless integration of all available TV content. The platform also offers instant access to all the major streaming services, including Netflix, Amazon Prime, YouTube, NowTV, Disney+ and many more.

The new Android TV ‘KBL’ models cover the key 43”, 50” and 55” screen sizes and are available to retailers now. Mitchell & Brown will unveil its 2022 line up in Spring next year with the majority of its smart TVs featuring Android TV OS, and the final smart TV models moving to Google’s platform by Q3. Like every model in the Mitchell & Brown range, the new Android TVs will benefit from the company’s UK-based customer support call centre and a 7-year guarantee as standard.

For retailers not yet selling the UK’s fastest growing domestic TV brand, contact Big Red Sales to set up a Mitchell & Brown account today.  info@bigredsales.co.uk  Tel:01344 893932

www.mitchellandbrown.co.uk

For more images, model-specific pricing information or review samples, please get in touch with the team at Quick Brown Fox: hello@quickbrownfoxpr.com / 01797 360 513

About Mitchell & Brown

Part of the Bolton-based TVD Group established in 1996, Mitchell & Brown is a British TV brand that puts the UK customer at the heart of everything it does. Offering a range of TVs specifically developed for UK consumers and manufactured by Europe’s largest TV manufacturer, the brand continues to go from strength to strength by bucking the trend for ‘globalised’ products. The UK focus continues through retail and customer service, with Mitchell & Brown exemplifying the local ethos, family values and unrivalled customer support that many of its trusted high street retailers have built their success on. The Mitchell & Brown TV range comes with an industry-leading 7-year warranty as standard. Find out more about Mitchell & Brown: www.mitchellandbrown.co.uk

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Editors notes

Founded in 1996 by Jim Brown and his sons Matthew and Daniel, the TVD Group started from humble beginnings in a shop in Leigh and have now become a leading UK provider in audio visual solutions. Putting the customer at the heart of everything we do and priding ourselves on unrivalled service and quality products has acted as a catalyst for growth, which has seen the group go from strength to strength.

In 2016, to celebrate the brand's 20th anniversary and pay tribute to their late father, the two brothers decided to develop their very own exclusive TV brand, named 'Mitchell & Brown' using their father's surname and Jim's mother's maiden name.

Built by Europe’s largest TV manufacturer, who design and manufacture TV’s for almost every major brand around the world, each television undergoes rigorous control processes and testing.

Mitchell & Brown TV sets come in various sizes, including LED TVs from 20” to 75” with build in features such as Freeview Play, Smart TV apps, 4K UHD, WIFI, Hotel Mode and DVD Combi.

The Mitchell & Brown TV range comes with an industry-leading 7-year warranty, so our products have a reputation for client satisfaction and reliability.