Google TV features finally make sense with new multi-user support

After launching in October of final yr, Google TV is lastly getting considered one of its most requested options: multi-user profile assist.

Google TV is a revamp and rebranding of Google’s Android TV OS. It isn’t clear if there are any laborious guidelines, however the Android TV branding appears to cease at model 9 for business gadgets, and for Android 10-and-up-based set-top packing containers and good TVs, the working system known as “Google TV.”

Google TV’s flagship characteristic is the brand new house display, which is designed round a content-recommendation engine. As an alternative of the standard grid of streaming app icons, Google TV shows the exhibits themselves on the house display, prioritizing what issues—the content material—and deprioritizing which service it comes from. The issue with Google TV’s advice strategy is that the system has gone a full yr with out profile assist, so each consumer of the TV impacts the one listing of beneficial content material.

With multi-user assist, Google TV’s house display will lastly make sense. A child’s streaming of Sesame Avenue will not battle with an grownup’s streaming of Squid Sport. Customers will get their very own suggestions. Multi-user assist additionally signifies that the Google TV watch listing will now be tracked for particular person customers. As well as, profiles will get entry to their private Google account information by way of the Google Assistant, so you possibly can ask issues like “present me my calendar” and get a related end result.

With profile assist, Google TV’s ambient mode, which exhibits up whereas the TV is idle, can also be being upgraded with extra personalised info. Google says, “From the most recent recreation rating to the climate, information, and extra, your TV will hold you updated with data based mostly in your profile. You may even scroll by the on-screen shortcuts to leap into your photographs or begin enjoying your music and podcasts with only a click on.”

The ambient mode is US-only for now, however Google says assist for profiles will roll out globally to Google TV gadgets from Sony, TCL, and the brand new Google Chromecast quickly.