The latest Google TV Updat introduces a smart home control panel, free live TV, and AI-powered features to enhance content discovery and usability.
Google has announced a series of updates for all Google TV devices, including the new Google TV Streamer. This includes its smart home control panel, a new sports page, and new Gemini-powered features.
The tech-giant is extending all the software features of its new Google TV Streamer to every Google TV device including Google TVs, Chromecasts with Google TV, and third-party Google TV streamers in the coming weeks.
These enhancements aim to improve how users discover content and manage their smart homes. Here are the key features:
Smart Home Control
The new home panel on Google TV allows users to manage compatible smart home devices—like lights, thermostats, and cameras. One turn lights on or off or dim / brighten, trigger a Movie Time automation, and adjust your thermostat, all from the remote.
The panel also enables livestreaming of connected cameras to the TV, including pulling up a picture-in-picture notification when someone rings your video doorbell. Users can also receive doorbell notifications, letting them see who is at the door without interrupting their viewing.
If the remote is misplaced, voice control through Google Assistant allows users to control their devices hands-free.
This smart home control panel is accessed via a tile in the quick settings and opens as a feed on the right side of the screen.
Users can also access new doorbell notifications to see who’s at the front door without pausing what they’re watching.
Personalized Screensavers
When the TV is idle, it can transform into a customized art display. An enhanced Ambient screensaver allows users to generate AI-created designs or display memories from Google Photos. By simply giving prompts, users can create unique images.
Easy Sports Browsing and Entertainment Backed By AI
The Google update packs a new sports tab on the “For You” page which collates all sports content in one place, making it easier for the user to find live games, upcoming events, sports commentary, and YouTube highlights as well as personalized recommendations. The feature is US-only.
Powered by Gemini technology, the new update also provides summaries, audience reviews, and seasonal breakdowns to help viewers choose what to watch.
Free Live TV
Google has been pushing hard on free content ever since it revamped that hub on TVs to “Freeplay.” Building on last year’s success, Google TV now offers 150 free built-in channels which are accessible without any downloads or subscriptions. The updated channel guide allows users to browse by genre and topic, featuring new additions like Heartland, The FBI Files, and ION Plus. Recently, the company enabled easier search options for free channels on The Roku Channel.
Google TV Expansion
Google TV is widening its reach to more countries, including Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, and the Philippines. It now supports 270 million monthly active Google TV and Android TV OS devices.
In addition to the Google TV Streamer, new art TVs from Hisense and TCL, as well as smart projectors from Vankyo, Epson, and XGIMI, will be available.
Google TV Streamer
Stepping in for Chromecast, the Google TV Streamer is a slim, sleek streaming box that features all of a user’s smart home tools and entertainment into one small unit.
The streamer also packs Gemini-integrated features and the new “home panel.”
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Availability
Google stated these updates will roll out to all Google TV devices starting September 23, 2024, with wider availability expected in the coming weeks.
