Google will bring some Google TV interface to Android TV devices. The offering will start today in a number of countries.

Google TV vs Android TV

Android TV is an operating system for TVs and media players. Google TV is the shell above Android TV. So Google TV comes with a number of add-ons and a different look. The Chromecast with Google TV, the successor to the Chromecast Ultra, is the first device to come with Google TV. Google TV is supposed to be the successor to Android TV, but Google has now decided to add a portion of the theme to Android TV. The company reports this on Android TV community.

Android TV’s “For You” section with personalized content is now rolling out. Additionally, the Discover tab comes to these devices. That doesn’t mean right away that these devices have a Google TV shell with this update, but there are many similarities.

New features for Android TV

The biggest change can be found on the Android TV home screen. The search function and Google Assistant remain in the upper left corner, but the sidebar has it, among other things Applications at Watch after that He completely disappeared. Instead, there are now three tabs at the top: HomepageAnd the Discover at Applications.

Android TV: Legacy Mode

Android TV: Not available

New in Android TV, the Discover or Discover tab is close to the For You feature on Chromecast with Google TV. According to Google, this feature offers “personalized recommendations based on what you watch and what interests you, as well as what’s popular on Google.” Recommendations are based on the apps and subscriptions you have.

Why is Google doing this?

This update is a strange move by Google as the company previously stated that its goal is to transfer existing Android TV devices over time to Google TV UI. However, Google has previously joked that “some new UI features” will be coming to Android TV, and this update appears to be the result of that. Another reason could be that the update is a temporary hiatus for TVs and set-top boxes that are not ultimately updated to the Google TV UI.

Availability update

The update is rolling out with new tabs on Android TV devices in the US, Australia, Canada, Germany and France starting today. The update will be rolled out in more countries in the coming weeks. Since Google TV and Chromecast with Google TV have not been officially released in the Netherlands and Belgium, it is not certain if we will also see custom recommendations on Android TV here. The For you tab is also not found here on Chromecast with Google TV, as you can read it in our review.

Android TV: Not available