Google today announced that it is extending all the software features of its new Google TV streamer to every Google TV device, including the Smart Home control panel, a new Sports page, and new Gemini features.
The biggest upgrade for smart home users is the new Home Panel. Accessible via a tile in the Quick Settings panel, this smart home control panel lets you control devices connected to Google Home. For example, you can turn lights on or off or dim/brighten them, trigger a movie time automation, and adjust your thermostat—all from the remote.
The panel also allows live streaming of connected cameras to your TV, including displaying a picture-in-picture notification when someone rings your video doorbell. (Only Google Nest doorbells show PIP, but Google says other compatible doorbells will send a notification.) For more information on the panel, check out my review of the Google TV Streamer.
A new Sports page in the For You tab of Google TV will be a welcome addition this football season. It attempts to pull together all your sports content from all your services, including YouTube highlights, and present you with personalized recommendations. (The feature is only available in the US.)
Several Gemini-based AI features announced with the Google TV streamer are coming to the Google TV ecosystem. These include show summaries, reviews, and season breakdowns to help you choose the shows you want to watch. Ambient mode has been updated to include the ability to create screensaver images using generative AI.
Google says there are now 150 free channels available with Google TV Freeplay, the FAST option built into the Google TV operating system and available only in the US, and an updated channel guide that allows browsing by genre and theme.
Google also announced that Google TV is the world's leading streaming platform with over 270 million monthly active devices. The company is expanding the platform to more countries, including Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam and the Philippines, and is working with more brands to extend the platform to more hardware, including smart monitors from Asus, projectors from Epson, XGIMI and Vankyo, and Art TVs from Hisense and TCL.