Many people assume that if an APK works on an Android phone, it should automatically work on a Smart TV or Android TV device. In practice, that is not always the case.
Android phones, Android TV, Google TV and TV Boxes can differ in Android version, hardware architecture, available storage, screen orientation and the way apps are controlled. A mobile app may depend heavily on touchscreen navigation, for example, while a television normally relies on a remote control.
Before assuming that an APK is broken, I usually think it is worth checking the device operating system, Android version, available storage and whether the application was actually designed for a television interface.
The exact symptom matters too. An app that refuses to install is a different problem from one that installs but stays on a loading screen, displays a black screen or closes unexpectedly.
I have been researching these kinds of Android TV and Smart TV compatibility issues while working on <a href="https://xupershydra.com/">xuper</a>, a Spanish-language technology project covering connected TV devices, APK compatibility and troubleshooting.
What compatibility problems have you experienced when moving an Android application from a phone to a TV or TV Box?
