Google TV seems to be getting a lot of new powerful capabilities

Google’s Android TV might be one of the best smart TV platforms out there, but it hasn’t seen major new features in the past couple of years. Yes, Google introduced a massive UI overhaul in the form of Google TV, but it’s mostly a cosmetic change and doesn’t add many new capabilities to the Android TV platform. However, if a new report is to be believed, Google has big updates in store for Android TV and Google TV.

according to protocolGoogle plans to closely integrate Android TV with Wear OS. This will eventually enable interactive video workouts on your TVs, complete with the ability to see your heart rate and other fitness stats in real time on your TV screen. Google is said to be rolling out these features sometime next year, according to slides from a closed partner event the company recently held.

In 2024, Google is apparently planning to better marry the Android TV platform with its smart home products. The integration should give users smart home controls on their Google TV and Android TV devices, such as watching the feed from their security camera without interrupting their content viewing experience.

Updates are headed to Android TV and Google TV this year

Other instant updates that may come later this year could enable newer wireless audio experiences. According to the report, Google is currently working on a feature that will turn Nest speakers into wireless speakers for Android TV and Google TV. The company also reportedly wants to bring this feature to third-party audio devices. Besides, Google is said to be working on adding Fast Pair to Pixel Buds so that they can connect wirelessly to Android TV devices.

To make room for all of these updates, Google recommends that device partners support Bluetooth 5.0 on Android TV and Google TV devices running Android 13. The company also encourages partners to provide at least 16 GB of internal storage for apps and system updates. Most Android TVs on the market limit the internal storage to 8GB, including Chromecast with Google TV. This makes downloading updates and new apps difficult without having to offload installed apps.