Google has announced improvements to the Google Play store used by its TV customers, but visitors to the Google I/O event in Mountain View this week didn’t get an update to the operating system itself.
Last year saw major changes to the Android TV UI, but there’s no further update due in the near future. When asked if Google planned to upgrade the Android TV codebase to Android Q, Android TV’s senior director Shalini GovilPai said: “We don’t necessarily need to be on the same timeline.”
It was reevealled Android TV platform now has more than 140 pay TV partners, 6 of the 10 top smart TV OEMs using the Android TV platform. A total of 1,000 different streaming platforms are available, including Amazon which is now seen on the majority of its partners.
There are more than 5,000 apps and games in the Android TV ecosystem.
The problem is of course discovery, which Google plans to address with a revamp of the Play Store later this year.
In an addition to the discovery mechanism, Google also plans to combine installation and login actions to require fewer button presses.
PIN security will be brought in so you don’t have to enter the entire password.