Google on Monday announced a series of updates for all Google TV devices, including the new Google TV Streamer. 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—from the comfort of their couch.
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 is an option for managing devices.
Personalized Screen Experience
When the TV is idle, it can transform into a customized art display. An enhanced Ambient screensaver enables users to generate AI-created designs or showcase memories from Google Photos.
By simply describing their ideas or selecting prompts, users can create unique images. Alternatively, they can ask Google Assistant to display cherished memories.
Sports and Entertainment
The new sports page in the For You tab consolidates all sports content in one place, making it easier to find live games, upcoming events, sports commentary, and YouTube highlights.
Enhanced overviews of top movies and shows, powered by Gemini technology, provide summaries, audience reviews, and seasonal breakdowns to help viewers choose what to watch.
Free Live TV
Building on last year’s success, Google TV now offers 150 free built-in channels, accessible without any downloads or subscriptions. The updated channel guide allows browsing by genre and topic, featuring new additions like Heartland, The FBI Files, and ION Plus.
Google TV Expansion
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 is expanding to more countries, including Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, and the Philippines, and now supports 270 million monthly active Google TV and Android TV OS devices.
Availability
According to Google, these updates will roll out to all Google TV devices starting September 23, 2024, with wider availability expected as the week progresses.