TCL 6-Series Google TVs disappear from shelves - here’s why

TCL 6-Series
(Image credit: TCL)

For the next few weeks, you’re going to have a very hard time finding a new TCL 6-Series or TCL 5-Series Google TV at Best Buy, as the retailer has temporarily suspended sales in the US.

Best Buy’s decision seems to be in direct response to customers’ complaints about performance issues on the TVs, a problem that TCL says it’s currently hammering out.

“TCL is committed to delivering premium products with world-class experiences and the new product featuring Google TV is certainly no different,” the company wrote in a statement.  

“We are sorry to hear that some users are facing challenges with the stability of the user interface featured on TCL sets with Google TV. Our high-performance TVs are constantly evolving and recent software updates have allowed us to make significant progress, but we will continue to refine our products featuring Google TV. Patience is appreciated, as customers will see marked improvements in the weeks to come.” 


Analysis: Isn’t Google TV supposed to be better than Android TV? 

The fact that Google TV is causing some problems on TCL’s mid-range TVs doesn’t come as a huge surprise - this is the first year TCL has implemented Google TV, and its hardware likely wasn’t designed to deal with it. That in turn seems to be the root cause of all the errors and weird behavior its users are experiencing. 

It's a real shame because, for the most part, Google TV is a better smart platform than the older Android TV system. The new UI is more aesthetically pleasing and there have been a number of updates that make navigating around and keeping tabs on your favorite shows and movies significantly easier than before.

While TCL is hard at work addressing the problems with Google TV, the company told Digital Trends that this won’t impact availability of the TV in international markets, and you’ll continue to see the Roku TV versions of the 6-Series and 5-Series on store shelves in the meantime.

TOPICS
Nick Pino

Nick Pino is Managing Editor, TV and AV for TechRadar's sister site, Tom's Guide. Previously, he was the Senior Editor of Home Entertainment at TechRadar, covering TVs, headphones, speakers, video games, VR and streaming devices. He's also written for GamesRadar+, Official Xbox Magazine, PC Gamer and other outlets over the last decade, and he has a degree in computer science he's not using if anyone wants it.

Read more
Sony Bravia 9 backlight demo showing images on screen and on raw backlight
TCL overtaking LG's premium TV sales is the inevitable result of OLED's biggest problem and mini-LED's biggest strength
Blue Chromecast with Google TV plugged into the back of a TV with the remote next to it.
Google has stopped selling the Chromecast with Google TV – but there's no way I'm replacing mine
Google Chromecast 2
Google is finally rolling out a fix for broken Chromecasts – just as new bugs appear on the Chromecast with Google TV
TCL 85-Inch Class Q6-Series 4K UHD HDR QLED Smart Google TV (2024) on red background with TechRadar price cut sign
This massive 85-inch QLED TV has plummeted to $799.99 at Best Buy
Google Chromecast 2
Chromecasts are still broken – but Google tells fuming owners not to factory reset their devices
A woman holding two HDMI cables behind her TV, looking confused
More 4K TVs will be upgraded with better 120Hz connectivity in 2025, but it might not be the ones you expect, due to a surprising trade-off
Latest in Streaming Devices
Google Chromecast 2
Google rolls out another Chromecast bug fix for users who factory-reset their devices
Google Chromecast 2
Google is finally rolling out a fix for broken Chromecasts – just as new bugs appear on the Chromecast with Google TV
Best Google Chromecast Apps
Following recent problems, Chromecasts are getting a free update to Android 14 – here's what that means
Google Chromecast 2
Chromecasts are still broken – but Google tells fuming owners not to factory reset their devices
Google Chromecast 2
Chromecast users are getting increasingly angry about a weird 'untrusted device' bug that blocks casting – but a fix is coming
Blue Chromecast with Google TV plugged into the back of a TV with the remote next to it.
Google has stopped selling the Chromecast with Google TV – but there's no way I'm replacing mine
Latest in News
Stability AI 3D Video
Stability AI’s new virtual camera turns any image into a cool 3D video and I’m blown away by how good it is
The Google Wallet app with a mode for kids shown on-screen.
Google Wallet’s new kid-friendly payment system is a win for parents
A man holds a smartphone iPhone screen showing various social media apps including YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, Threads, Instagram and X
A worrying Apple Password App vulnerability reportedlyleft users exposed for months
Google Pixel 9a
Google is delaying the Pixel 9a to fix a mystery “component quality issue”
The bottom left corner of an Android phone, showing the Phone, Messages, Google icons and Google Search bar
Google Messages remote delete will soon save you from texting embarrassment – and here's how it works
ExpressVPN mobile app and Aircove
ExpressVPN ‘reduces workforce’ for the second time in two years