Sharp has announced that its first Android TVs have gone on sale in the U.K. The affordable BL2 series TVs sport 4K resolution LCD displays and feature 35 watt Harman Kardon speakers, and are currently available in 40-inches, with 50-inch, 55-inch and 65-inch models to come early next year.
The TVs are a milestone for Sharp as they’re its first Android TVs to go on sale in Europe. The company was, together with Sony and Philips, one of the first brands to launch Android TVs in the U.S. in 2014, but those original sets never made it to other regions as subsequent economic woes forced Sharp to sell off the rights to its TV brand.
But Sharp has now recovered from its problems and is looking to re-establish itself in the world’s TV markets, and Android TV is a key part of that strategy.
The BL2 series was first announced at IFA 2019 in Berlin in September, and provides access to hundreds of apps and games through the Google Play store, including Netflix, Amazon Prime and HBO. The TVs run Android 9 and come with Chromecast and Google Assistant built in.
Sharp’s decision to adopt Android TV as a platform benefits Google too, as it gains another European partner besides Sony, Philips, TCL and Hisense. Google needs more partners as it has struggled to gain much traction in Europe with Android TV, FlatPanelsHD reported.
The 40-inch Sharp BL2 TVs are on sale now priced at £315, available at Amazon, John Lewis, Currys and other stores. The larger displays will go on sales in early 2020.
