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Every year a new version of Android arrives, and with it, usually a bunch of new features and behind-the-scenes changes. This year, with the launch of the first Android 12 Developer Preview, we also saw the first time that the release came with previews for Android TV and Google TV. It’s a source of excitement in itself, but the updates themselves don’t really have much to offer.
Android updates usually don’t bring new TV features
I’ve been playing with Android TV 12, especially the Google TV flavor, for a day. From configuration to settings, honestly, I can’t think of anything notable to tell you, and the course on Android TV has been since its inception.
The last time an Android update provided major features and UI revisions to Android TV was Oreo, when Google completely revamped the experience. Little has changed since then. The next version, Android 9 Pie, was one of the biggest updates, but it still hasn’t done anything major. Google optimized performance, added support for autofill (which was never widely used), and added a new setup method that offloaded much of the work to a nearby smartphone. The simplified Settings menu was the biggest change for the user.
Android TV 10 brought Project Treble with it, along with other performance optimizations. Faced with the user, however, this update did nothing. The same goes for Android TV 11, which has hardly been adopted. The only notable changes for this update include support for low latency, better gamepad support, and some improved TV features.
The simple fact is that most of the new features that Google gives to its TV platforms don’t come from Android updates, they come from launcher updates, apps and other methods. This is also a smart strategy, as many of the changes that users really care about can be implemented without worrying too much about OEM partners.
Most of the news is behind the scenes
If you haven’t detected a model at this point, most of the changes you’ll find in Android TV platform upgrades are done outside of the user’s view. Some people may experience the changes, but for the most part, they will be invisible. Google described the new features, at least in the first look at Android TV 12, as such:
And, for the bigger screen in the house, the first look at Android 12 for Android TV is also available. Along with bringing the latest Android features to the TV with this preview, you’ll also be able to test your apps on the all-new Google TV experience. Learn more on the Android TV developer site and get started with your ADT-3 development kit.
This is not helpful.
Based on timing alone, it’s pretty clear that Android TV 12 will see wider adoption, meaning this update will likely be the first time Scoped Storage has taken effect on Android TV / Google TV. For the average user this will never matter, but those who want to load apps from the side can encounter problems, although we cannot say that we have encountered any to date. We also hypothesized that some of the changes to Android 12 like HEVC transcoding, AVIF, multi-channel audio, etc. could be felt on TVs running the platform.
As for Google TV based on Android 12, there was literally only one user-friendly feature I could find. In the “For you” tab, the home screen now displays a list of “Recommended videos” powered by YouTube, with the logo. It’s really not a topic of enthusiasm, as Google could roll it out to the new Chromecast with an app update. Honestly, they probably already have it and we’re just seeing it for the first time here by coincidence.
Faster updates are the real reason for the hype
Does this mean that there is no reason for Android TV and Google TV users to be excited about Android 12? Absolutely not! The truth is, major Android updates have never has been a big deal for Android TV. The platform is usually a full version behind and has literally skipped entire versions of the operating system more than once.
Having an Android 12 update this early for TVs is a quantum leap, and it’s also pretty telling that the preview we ran on an ADT-3 also included the February 2021 security patch. Not creating any expectations, but it really looks like updates will finally be a priority for Google with this renewed interest in the platform and I have to say I’m really here for it.
When will Android TV 12 be deployed?
It seems reasonable to assume that Android TV 12 will start rolling out stable releases around the same time as the phones, which is slated for around August or September at this point. Of course, that might not mean consumer devices like the new Chromecast, TCL TVs and others are getting the update fast, but we hope they are.
We’ll continue to install new preview versions of Android TV and Google TV as they become available, so stay tuned as we notify you of any significant changes we see.
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