You Can't Escape the Google Assistant, Even on TV

At Google I/O 2022, at that place were a slew of announcements nearly the ascendency of the Google Banana and the continued expansion of Android. Only smack between these two was news about updates to Android TV, the space where many of Google'southward recent efforts overlap.

One of the large changes Android TV users will run into in the coming months is Android O arriving on their devices. The new TV homescreen for O moves six content shortcuts to the meridian, which users can edit and reorder. This is where you'd put the Netflix or YouTube app.

The balance of the page is given over to new channels provided by content producers. Netflix, for example, tin put a sample of its offerings in a horizontal scrolling bar. Providers can also create specific channels. In a easily-on demo with Android O, I saw both a YouTube channel and a separate channel for trending content on YouTube.

Content providers create the channels, just users tin can edit which ones appear on their homescreens and the order in which they appear. A new onboarding feel will requite users a chance to choose some channels, such as business organization or technology news. Android Idiot box O can too detect if y'all take content apps installed on your phone, and volition automatically add together those to the homescreen.

Videos on Android Boob tube will too have machine-playing previews in Android O. As you highlight the static images displaying different shows, they begin to play after a short delay. Information technology's certainly engaging, but personally I was turned off past the thought of car-playing anything.

Oh Hey, Google

This year, Google appear that the Google Assistant will exist coming to even more than platforms — including iPhones. But Android TV will also be playing host to Google's Alexa competitor. Information technology volition as well be a wide rollout, coming to Android TV devices running Marshmallow, Nougat, and O. The Assistant will too exist available on skinned Android Tv set devices, like the Nvidia Shield streaming box and even branded cable boxes from cable providers.

On Telly, Google Assistant will function much the same equally Alexa and Siri on their respective streaming boxes. You lot can ask it to play movies, perform searches, and so on. The Assistant does bring some more than subtle tricks to the Idiot box, even so.

Google Assistant on TV

For example, you can keep to have a conversation with the Banana, and reference previous results. You can ask "What is Stranger Things" and see a carte du jour talking well-nigh the hitting Netflix show. You can follow that up with a second question request "how many episodes is it?" The Banana understands that past "it" you mean Stranger Things and information technology will display the answer. All of this is done on-screen, even while other video content is playing.

I have an Apple Tv set at home, and I've been surprised at how much more than capable Siri on the iPhone is compared to its TV counterpart. The Google Assistant on Android Tv set, on the other hand, seems to exist as capable as ever. You lot can ask the Assistant how long it will take to get to piece of work while you're watching Netflix, and a carte du jour will announced on the bottom 3rd of the screen with the relevant information.

This last point was briefly touched on during the Google I/O keynote presentation. The Google Assistant and the Google Home volition before long be taking reward of nearby screens to present relevant information in response to voice queries. Information technology could push driving directions to your phone or brandish a atmospheric condition report on a Chromecast continued Idiot box, for example.

This year'southward Google I/O was very much centered around the idea of Google being an "AI first" visitor. Putting the Google Assistant into the company's big-screen experience is definitely a step in that direction, merely whether people will change their habits, request questions about the weather or stocks to a TV, remains to be seen.