Android TV is about to receive an update as indicated from the Google I/O 2017 schedule. It has been a while coming, so enthusiasts of Google’s smart TV platform will be pleased to hear that the update bringing new features is on the way. Google has detailed an event that will take place at its annual I/O developer conference on Wednesday, May 17 from 6pm to 7pm. It’s thought this refers to Eastern Time although that’s not entirely clear at this stage. Incidentally, Google’s I/O 2017 developer conference takes place from May 17-19 at the Shoreline Amphitheatre, Mountain View, California.
The scheduled presentation will offer beginner content level and Google says that the session will help developers find out about new Android TV developments. This covers not only recent improvements to the platform but also new APIs for building Android TV apps. Finally, Google mentions that the session will cover Android TV improvements that are on the way, as well as new features. As you might expect, there is no further information yet on exactly what the update will bring, but as May 17 is not far away it’s likely that more information will be available soon.
Android TV was first announced back in 2014 and now has millions of users. A successor to Google TV, the service enables users to access the Google Play Store for Android apps and media streaming services from the likes of Hulu and Netflix. However, in recent times it has appeared that Google has somewhat of a lack of interest in Android TV, choosing to pay more attention to other projects rather than offering major updates to the platform. There was some surprise for example, with the arrival of Google’s own YouTube TV that supports many other platforms but not Android TV, and some feel that Android TV really needs better live TV and MVPD support. Indeed the majority of new additions to Android TV have instead come from box makers who have been making their own changes. For instance, at CES 2017 NVIDIA announced its ‘New SHIELD’ Android TV console, which comes with integrated Google Assistant. More news on the upcoming Android TV update is expected soon.