Tag Archives: Google TV

Treats, trends and touchdowns — it’s game time

We are just days away from the biggest night in football and Google is here to help you prep. Warm-up with some trending food and stats, get ready to watch the game with Google TV, tackle football-related queries with Assistant and re-watch all your favorite commercials on AdBlitz. Start to finish, we’ve got you covered.

Gameday stats

It isn’t a gameday without delicious food. This time last year, we saw searches for wings increased more than 130% compared to a typical Sunday in 2021 on Google Maps, and around this time every year, we see search interest in buffalo wings spike. This year, we decided to take a look at what the most-searched wing flavors were across the United States.

Map of the United States showing which the most-searched wing flavors were by state.

But Sunday isn't just about food: We also checked out regional search interest in this year’s teams and quarterbacks.

Map of the United States showing which quarterback was the most-searched by state.
Map of the United States showing which football team was the most-searched by state.

And the big game isn’t complete without an epic halftime show. Take a look at this year’s performers ranked by search interest over the past year.

Most-searched 2022 halftime artists over the past year in the U.S.

  1. Eminem
  2. Snoop Dogg
  3. Dr. Dre
  4. Kendrick Lamar
  5. Mary J. Blige

Say “Hey Google” to get your head in the game

Get into the game day spirit with Google Assistant, which is ready to answer all of your questions about football’s biggest game day. Start with some of these questions that will have you sounding like a pro:

  • “Hey Google, who’s going to win the big game?”
  • “Hey Google, help me talk like a football fan.”
  • "Hey Google, Touchdown!"
  • “Hey Google, give me facts about football.”

From endzone to AdBlitz

The commercials are (almost) just as important as the game, and you can find big game ads on the YouTube AdBlitz channel. There you can stream playlists featuring the most comedic, dramatic, action-packed and inspirational commercials and teasers. YouTube lets you decide which brands scored big with their game day ad, too — and the five ads with the most views by February 20 will be given the honor of entering the AdBlitz winners’ circle.

Catch the game with Google TV

Tune into the big game on Sunday and stream everything from kickoff to the winning play with your Google TV device, other Android TV OS device or in the Google TV app on Android devices in the U.S. Coverage begins at 12pm ET on NBC and Peacock, or on the NBC channel in your preferred live TV app with a YouTube TV or Sling TV subscription.

If you’ve recently bought a new Google TV or other Android TV OS device, you can get started by enjoying six months of Peacock Premium at no extra cost (terms apply). Just head to your Apps tab and scroll down to find your Peacock offer.

Watch With Me on Google TV: Chris Paul’s watchlist

Movies and TV can make us laugh, cry and even shape who we are. Our watchlists can be surprisingly revealing. We’re teaming up with entertainers, artists and cultural icons on a new Watch With Meseries on Google TV to share their top picks and give you a behind-the-scenes look at the TV and movies that inspired them.

Remember waking up on Saturday morning and catching up on the latest episode of your favorite show before it ended? Chris Paul does. Before being crowned the king of the basketball court, Chris was just another kid from North Carolina who loved watching TV with his brother. “Back then, you couldn’t record your show or get it on demand to watch later,” he says. “You had to watch it when it came on.”

TV and movies were a way for him to learn about the world. “Growing up without social media made a lot of things different,” he says. “My brother and I used to get home from school and watch movies four, five days in a row. TV gave us a fresh perspective and a way to see what our dreams could be. As I got older, I looked back and saw how these shows and movies shaped my life.”

Google TV showing the Watch With Me page with Chris Paul’s watchlist.

What does your watchlist say about you?

Chris Paul: My watchlist says that I’m someone who has watched a lot of different things, and has a pretty diverse taste. I like the stories being told and the impact that TV and movies have on you.

What’s your favorite genre?

Chris Paul: My favorite genre would be comedy. I love to laugh. The stuff that makes a good comedy are the punchlines, the characters and the storyline. I think you can naturally tell when things are sort of off the cuff… a good comedy can’t be predictable.

What are some must-watches in your household?

Chris Paul: At home, we love getting together with the kids to watch TV, whether it be movies or shows. But I had a few movies that my wife had to see before we got married – like I asked her if she had seen them and she said no. We weren't going to get married until she saw “The Last Dragon” because that movie is a staple in just culture.

What’s something you love watching that might be unexpected?

Chris Paul: I don’t just love watching comedies, I like watching horrors too. But, something that I really liked to watch, probably nobody would expect is “Below Deck.” It’s interesting to watch a reality show about people working on yachts and what their life is like.

Do you like watching TV with the captions on or off?

Chris Paul: I’m a captions-off person, but now I watch with captions on. My wife likes having the captions on and always grabs the remote to turn them on to listen and read at the same time.

Who’s your favorite person to nerd out about shows and movies with?

Chris Paul: I love talking to my brother CJ about shows and movies more than anything. And I think people probably hate when me and my brother are around because all we do is quote lines from shows and movies on the regular. No matter what it is, that's all me and my brother do.

Check out Chris’s watchlist and catch some of his favorite lines on Google TV, rolling out over the next few days. Tell us your favorites using #WatchWithMe!

CES 2022: Better together with Android and beyond

Editors note: Google planned to attend CES 2022 but pulled out due to concerns over COVID-19.

The average U.S. household had 25 connected devices in 2021, up from 11 in 2019. If you’re like me, you want to pick and choose the devices that work best for you regardless of brand. You also want to easily set up and move from one device to the next throughout your day, and without having to pull up the same song or task over and over again.

Android was built for everyone, everywhere and to give people more choice in devices, whether it’s based on the design, features or overall value. Over the years, we’ve evolved Android to support more devices in your life such as watches, tablets, TVs and even cars. And beyond Android, our work at Google includes laptops, headphones and speakers, smart home devices and much more.

That’s why we’re building on our efforts and introducing more simple and helpful ways to make your devices, from Android’s ecosystem and beyond, work better together.

Quickly set up and connect your new devices

It can be fun and exciting to get a new device — but that can turn into a headache when you start setting it up. We’re making this process a little less daunting with pairing support for more devices.

Fast Pair has already helped people connect their Android phones with Bluetooth accessories over 100 million times. It enables instant set up and device pairing, bringing up the companion app for installation and transferring your Google credentials. We’re continuing our work with partners to further extend Fast Pair’s functionality beyond audio connectivity with wearables, headphones, speakers and cars and extending it to TVs and smart home devices, so you can instantly start using all the devices in your life.

Starting in a few weeks, when you turn on your Fast Pair-enabled headphones, your Chromebook will automatically detect it and pair with it in a single click, letting you stay focused when studying or working wherever you are. If you get a new Chromebook later this year, you can use your Android phone to quickly set it up and get immediate access to all of the information you’ve already saved, like your Google login and your Wi-Fi password.

Log in credentials transferring from a side by side Android phone to a red Chromebook laptop.

In the coming months, you’ll be able to set up your headphones for when you need to watch quietly with your Google TV or Android TV OS device at home. And with built-in support for Matter on Android, you’ll be able to use Fast Pair to quickly connect new Matter-enabled smart home devices to your network, Google Home and other accompanying apps all in just a few taps.

A phone showing the process of connecting a smart bulb into the Google Home app with Fast Pair for Matter-enabled devices

Lock and unlock your devices

Today, you can already unlock your Chromebook with your Android phone to quickly get right to work. In the coming months, we’ll bring this feature to your paired Wear OS smartwatch so you can instantly unlock and access your Chromebook and Android phone or tablet when you’re close by.

A phone unlocks next to a watch face motioning through a passcode

And with a digital car key, you can now use your compatible Samsung or Pixel phone to lock, unlock and start your supported BMW vehicles from your phone. Starting later this year, on phones with Ultra Wideband (UWB) technology, you won’t even have to take your phone out to use it as a car key. You’ll also be able to securely and remotely share your car key with friends and family if they need to borrow your car. We’re working to bring digital car keys to more Android phones and vehicles later this year.

A phone over an outlined graphic of a car and an unlock motion

Complete tasks and share media across devices

To amplify your visual and audio experiences, your devices should instinctively know which of them you want to use and when. We’re building a technology for Bluetooth-enabled headphones that will enable them to automatically switch the audio to whatever device you’re listening to. So if you’re wearing headphones to watch a movie on your Android tablet and you receive a phone call, the movie will pause and the headphone audio will automatically switch to your Android phone and then switch back to the movie when you’re done. Spatial audio on your headsets will make you feel like you’re really there by adapting the sound based on your head movements, positioning the audio in the space all around you. These features will be available in the next few months on supported headphones.

A video of a movie with dancers playing on a tablet, with a phone on next to it receiving a phone call

We’re also making it easier to move and manage your content across any device. With Chromecast built-in, your Android phone already allows you to share videos to displays and TVs as well as audio content to select speakers from Nest and others. To help you cast music and podcasts you’re listening to from your Android phone to more of your speakers, we’re bringing Chromecast built-in to more brands, starting with all Bose smart speakers and soundbars in the next few months.

A phone above a Bose soundbar showing a cast connection

Whether you’re at home or on the go, we’re also adding features to Phone Hub on Chromebooks later this year that help you accomplish more across your devices. Today, you can use your Chromebook to view and respond to chat notifications, toggle Do Not Disturb, set off the ringtone to find your phone or continue browsing recent Chrome tabs. Later this year, if you’re working on your Chromebook and your Android phone is out of reach (such as charging in a different room), you’ll be able to stay in touch by accessing chat apps from your phone directly to your Chromebook –without needing to install them again on your Chromebook. We’re also excited to add Camera Roll to the Phone Hub, which makes access to your most recent photos and videos as easy as one click.

A phone receiving a text message, with the message appearing on a red laptop for responding

Today, you can already use your voice while driving to close the garage door, turn off the kitchen lights, turn down the thermostat and check if you locked the front door. You’ll soon be able to ask Google for help even before you leave the front door. With remote actions, you can use your voice to warm up and cool down your car, lock and unlock and get information (like how much battery you have left) on all Assistant-enabled devices. These capabilities are coming first to vehicles from Volvo Cars in the coming months, with more to follow.

Do more with Android and Windows PCs

For the first time with Android, we’re also focused on building for other platforms, like Windows, whether it's in gaming, productivity or other areas. For example, by connecting your Android phone to your Windows PC with Fast Pair, you’ll be able to quickly set up Bluetooth accessories, sync text messages and share files with Nearby Share. We’re working with Acer, HP and Intel to bring these experiences to select Windows PCs first later this year.

An HP Windows PC laptop next to a phone showing Nearby Share as a feature for sending files

These features will be rolling out throughout the year. Moving forward, you’ll continue to see us invest in more helpful ways for your devices to work better together.

Watch With Me on Google TV: Taraji P. Henson’s watchlist

Movies and TV can make us laugh, cry and even shape who we are. Our watchlists can be surprisingly revealing. We’re teaming up with entertainers, artists and cultural icons on a newWatch With Meseries on Google TV to share their top picks and give you a behind-the-scenes look at the TV and movies that inspired them.

You may know Taraji P. Henson from her iconic roles in “Baby Boy,” “Empire,” “Hustle & Flow,” “Hidden Figures” and “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.” While she dominates the big screen, she’s been using her platform to promote representation. “I didn’t get into acting for fame. I do it for the lives that I can touch because representation is very important and helps build empathy for others.”

Taraji is also passionate about eradicating stigmas around mental health and believes entertainment can help bring awareness to the pain that people may be facing silently. “When I found myself doing work in the mental health field, I realized how much movies and TV help depict the struggles that others go through for us to relate to and how we should all be a little more empathetic when we’re dealing with others.”

Google TV showing Watch With Me page with Taraji P. Henson’s watchlist

We sat down with Taraji to learn more about her work and what she watches.

What does your watchlist say about you?

Taraji P. Henson: My watchlist says that I’m someone who loves to laugh and I’m always rooting for the underdog. My picks should hopefully give you insight into people’s lives and how we should open up our hearts and minds.

What’s your favorite holiday ritual?

Taraji P. Henson:My holiday ritual is watching “The Christmas Story” on repeat.

What’s your top choice genre?

Taraji P. Henson:Comedy is my top choice. I always want to laugh! And I think the best way to teach is through Comedy because you get to laugh, but you also don’t feel like you’re being preached to.

Do you have a favorite guilty pleasure?

Taraji P. Henson:I love watching reality TV, especially any of the Real Housewives franchises!

What’s one rule you have for watching TV or movies with a group?

Taraji P. Henson:Shut up and be quiet! I don't want to hear you next to me talking or crunching on your popcorn.

Who’s your favorite person to nerd out about shows and movies with?

Taraji P. Henson:My best friend since the seventh grade. She was also an art student with me, and we grew up watching the movies on my watchlist together like “Sixteen Candles” and “Beaches.”

What’s the best way to watch your watchlist?

Taraji P. Henson:Wear some comfy sweats or PJs on the sofa with the lights off. Be sure to turn the sound on loud!

So get comfy and settle into Taraji’s watchlist on Google TV, rolling out over the next few days. Be sure to share with us your favorites using #WatchWithMe!

5 ways to watch more for less with Google TV

There’s more streaming entertainment than ever — and if you want to watch it all, the cost of subscriptions can add up quickly. In fact, our research showed that 67% of TV streamers are concerned about how much they’ll pay for streaming in the future.

With Google TV, you don’t have to limit your watchlist — or break the bank. Just in time for the holidays, here are a few ways you can watch more, for less, with Google TV in the U.S.

TV showing the Google TV Live Tab with integrated Pluto TV linear channels

Free Live TV channels from Pluto TV now in the Google TV Live tab


  1. Watch free live, linear streaming TV channels on the Live tab. Starting today, we’re partnering with Pluto TV so you can access more than 300 free live TV channels on Google TV. Visit the Live tab to see what’s on now or check out the Free Live TV recommendations in the For You tab. This new integration with Pluto TV will be available on all Google TV devices in the coming weeks.
  2. Check out movies on YouTube. Access thousands of feature-length movies for free with ads from the Movies & Shows tab in the YouTube app. Don’t miss holiday favorites like “Jingle All The Way,” “Serendipity” and “Bridget Jones’s Diary.”
  3. Try out more free Google TV apps. Head on over to the Apps tab to find a row of “Free movies & TV” apps to download, including Tubi, Xumo and Red Bull TV.
  4. Enjoy six months of Peacock Premium, at no extra cost. For a limited time, when you activate a new Google TV (or other Android TV OS device) in the U.S., you can get Peacock Premium at no extra cost. (After that, it’s $4.99 a month plus tax, but you can cancel at any time — check out all the details for more information.) You'll get everything Peacock has to offer — hit movies and shows, exclusive originals, WWE, live sports and more. Visit the For You or Apps tab after you set up your device to redeem the offer.
  5. Redeem Google Play Points for movies, shows, apps and more. If the movie or TV show you’re looking for isn't available from your services or free providers, you can rent or buy over 200,000 movies and TV episodes directly from Google TV, starting at $2.99. Whether it’s a new release or an old favorite, just search for it with your voice and click “Rent.” And with the Play Points loyalty program, you can earn points for every dollar you spend and redeem them for free Play Credits, which you can use to buy more movies, shows, books, apps and games.

And in 2022, we’ll be bringing you more ways to watch for free. In the meantime, kick back with free live TV, premium shows from Peacock and on demand movies on your Chromecast with Google TV and TVs from Sony andTCL.

Watch With Me on Google TV: Simu Liu’s watchlist

Movies and TV can make us laugh, cry and even shape who we are. Our watchlists can be surprisingly revealing. We’re teaming up with entertainers, artists and cultural icons on a new Watch With Meseries on Google TV to share their top picks and give you a behind-the-scenes look at the TV and movies that inspired them.

Actor and writer Simu Liu loved movies and TV from a young age -- he liked losing himself in a story. He loved it so much, he wanted to pursue acting, and he broke new ground when he was cast as the first Asian American Super Hero in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, playing the title character in Marvel Studios’ “Shang-Chi and The Legend of The Ten Rings.” Even after playing a superhero himself, he still enjoys watching epic tales. “I’m someone who loves escaping into completely new and different worlds through watching movies and TV. Whether it’s a world of wizards, orcs or Greco-Roman gods, I’m just somebody that loves being whisked away.”

Also important to Simu Liu is seeing Asian representation on the big screen. We recently sat down with Simu Liu to learn about his Google TV watchlist and what his top picks mean to him. “My watchlist says I’m somebody who cares deeply about Asian representation and telling our stories, because they haven't been told yet in Hollywood in a deep and meaningful way or they are just starting to be told,” he says. “All these films have deeply impacted me in some personal way, and I'm so excited to share them with you.”

Google TV showing Watch With Me page with Simu Liu’s watchlist.

Before diving into his top picks, we asked Simu a few questions to get to know him and his love for movies and TV.

What’s your go-to movie snack?

Simu Liu:Essential movie snack is the butter popcorn with the liquid butter drizzle topping. How many pumps of butter is best? That's a very good question that I think about. There's basically two schools of thought: One is to pump all the butter at the top and let it seep down. And the other one is to pump as you fill the bucket to evenly distribute.

What’s your favorite genre?

Simu Liu:My favorite genre is superhero movies. I mean, come on. It’s the best.

What makes a great date-night movie?

Simu Liu:A great date night movie needs a fantastic “meet cute” moment. We all know that moment in the romantic movie where the main characters chases the other down and professes their feelings in this beautiful, perfect monologue.

Do you love watching movies at home or in the theaters?

Simu Liu:I like watching at home, but there's nothing better than sitting at a theater in a dark room, experiencing a movie on a massive screen with a bunch of strangers and just munching on popcorn.

You come from the world of sitcoms and love watching them. What makes a good sitcom for you?

Simu Liu:The characters are really what makes a great sitcom. You have to have a balanced cast of wacky characters that you love to love and love to hate... it's got to have the perfect balance.

Why are movies and TV important to you?

Simu Liu:I believe in the transformative power of storytelling. Movies and TV have the capacity to change people's lives or at the very least, show them something about their lives that is relatable, that is poignant and that makes them think. My life was so affected by the movies and TV that I saw, and was how I taught myself language and culture when my family immigrated to Canada when I was a young child.

Explore Simu’s watchlist and uncover more fun facts about Simu, like his love for musicals, on Google TV, rolling out over the next few days. Tell us your favorites using #WatchWithMe.

Make Google TV more you with personalized profiles

If you're like me, you live in a house where each person has their own taste in entertainment. Everyone brings their likes, dislikes and “no WAYs'' to the sofa. To keep everyone in the house happy -- whether that's your partner, kids, other family members or roommates -- we’re bringing features to Google TV that will make TV a little more tailored for whoever’s sitting on the couch.

TV screen with 4 heads showing different profiles in circles.

Set up a personalized profile.

Create a space for your own tastes

Google TV profiles let everyone in your home enjoy their own personalized space with their Google Account. With a personalized profile, you’ll get TV show and movie recommendations just for you, easy access to your personal watchlist and help from your Google Assistant.

Recommendations tailored to you, and only you: As you watch TV, your profile takes into account your interests and preferences to help you discover more of what’s out there for you. And for the little ones, you can always set up a kids profile to help them access a fun collection of movies and shows under your guidance.

Access to your own watchlist: When a friend tips you off to a hot new show, you can always add it to your watchlist to save it for later. Each Google Account has its own watchlist, so your finds will show up right in your profile and stay separate from your other’s lists in your household.

Help from your Google Assistant: Ask for recommendations by saying, “what should I watch?” or get help streamlining your day by saying “show me my day.” Your profile is linked to your account’s Google Assistant, so you’ll get the personalized answers you are looking for.

And setting up a new profile is easy. Your downloaded apps and app login details will be used across profiles, so you won’t have to start from scratch each time you set up a new profile.

TV screen showing a photo of three kids as the background, with a rectangle square overlay naming the location.

Stay up to date at a glance in ambient mode.

Stay up to date even when your TV is idle

Google TV already lets you see your favorite memories from Google Photos when your TV is idle. Now, we're making ambient mode more useful by bringing in more personalized information and recommendations at a glance. From the latest game score, to the weather, news and more, your TV will keep you up to date with info based on your profile. You can even scroll through the on-screen shortcuts to jump into your photos or start playing your music and podcasts with just a click. If you are off for a longer break, your TV will shift fully to your ambient mode’s photos or curated artwork after a few minutes.

Pick your favorite live TV service

With Google TV’s Live and For you tabs, your favorite live shows are just a click away. To give you more live TV provider options, we’ve now integrated Philo into our live TV features, in addition to YouTube TV and SLING TV. To see your shows on the Live TV tab and in your recommendations, just add your Live TV provider.

Support for profiles and glanceable cards in ambient mode will begin rolling out on Chromecast with Google TV and Google TVs from Sony and TCL soon. Profiles will be available globally, while ambient modes cards will be first available in the U.S. only. Philo is now available as an integrated live TV provider in the US. We hope all of this makes your TV feel a little moreyou.

Some features and availability may vary by OEM and/or device manufacturer.

Watch With Me on Google TV: Hasan Minhaj’s watchlist

Movies and TV can make us laugh, cry and even shape who we are. Our watchlists can be surprisingly revealing. We’re teaming up with entertainers, artists and cultural icons on a new ongoing Watch With Me series on Google TV to share their top picks and give you a behind-the-scenes look at the TV and movies that inspired them.


Writer, comedian, producer and TV host Hasan Minhaj is best known for his sharp, earnest political commentary. When he isn’t on screen tackling any number of current issues, he’s happy to sit back and rewatch one of his favorite films. 


“Movies and TV shows are an opportunity to watch something with loved ones,” Hasan says. “Whether they make you laugh or feel something deep. Or they can be a source of respite, or help you realize how big the world is.”


We sat down with Hasan to learn more about his own Google TV watchlist and discover any hidden gems he has on repeat. “To me, rewatchability is everything. So my watchlist is everything that I can watch over and over, whether it's with my wife, dad or kids. That's what's on my watchlist: Comfort food in the form of movies.”

Google TV showing Watch With Me page with Hasan Minhaj’s watchlist.

Do you prefer watching movies alone or with others?

Hasan Minhaj: I love watching movies with people, but now that I’m a dad with two kids, I’ll watch movies any way I can when I get the chance. 


Who is the first person you call to talk about a new movie or show?

Hasan Minhaj: My best friend, Prashanth. We can get really argumentative and petty and just go head-to-head about why we love or hate something. But we’re still friends when it’s all said and done. 


What’s your must-have movie snack?

Hasan Minhaj: I like to have the best of both worlds. I go one salty, one sweet, which to me is why the Peanut M&Ms are probably one of the greatest movie snacks ever.


Do you read reviews before seeing a movie or show? 

Hasan Minhaj: No, I listen to my friends. If a friend texts me, "Hey, you have to check out ‘Ted Lasso,’" I'll check it out. 


How would you describe your watchlist?

Hasan Minhaj: I’d say it’s a guaranteed good time. I think if someone were to look at my watchlist, they would be like, "Hey, he loves movies that are really funny. He's definitely a dad. And he definitely has a soft spot for 80s, 90s and early 2000s nostalgia."


To check out Hasan’s watchlist and learn more about how Chris Rock inspired his start in comedy, catch his full interview and watchlist on Google TV's For You tab, coming in the next few days. Be sure to join in on the fun and share your favorites using #WatchWithMe.

Get ready for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics with Google and YouTube

In a few hours, the best athletes from around the world will come together in Tokyo to compete on the world's largest stage. While everyone on the ground prepares for the matches and meets, we’re getting ready, too. 


We hope technology can help everyone enjoy the Games safely at a distance this year. Here are six ways Google is helping bring you all the action from the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020:


1. Stay up to speed (without breaking a sweat) with Google Search

When you search for the Olympics you’ll be able to find the latest information on your favorite events, sports and players, and even see where your country ranks in the race for gold. If you can’t tune into the Games live, don’t worry — you can watch a daily recap video or check out the top news related to the Olympic Games. For data aficionados, check out our Trends page to see fun Search stats on your favorite sports.


2. Take a timeout with the Doodle Champion Island Games

Join in on the action with our largest-ever interactive Doodle game, created in collaboration with Japanese animation STUDIO 4°C. Click on the Doodle to enter the gameworld, join a team and compete against reigning Champions across skateboarding, rugby, climbing and more — all in retro 16-bit glory. Keep a lookout for dozens of surprises and side quests as you journey through Doodle Champion Island. 

Image of the Doodle Champion Island game

3. Find official broadcaster highlights (and more) on YouTube and Google TV

From July 23, catch live events as well as clips and highlights from official Olympic broadcasters, including Marca Claro and Eurosport, around the world on their YouTube channels.  In the U.S, YouTube TV will also show NBCUniversal’s live coverage of Tokyo 2020 and there’s tons more to watch on the official Olympics channel on YouTube. Earlier this month, we added Olympic-related content on YouTube with new YouTube Originals series "Strive," "How To Olympics," "Break the Record" and a feature-length documentary "World Debut" ahead of opening ceremonies.


Google TV users can head to the For you tab and open the Olympics page to find apps from official broadcasters and tune into live streams and missed events, or be inspired by popular sports movies, sports shows, videos on Japan and more.


4. Let Google Assistant do the legwork

Wondering who won? Just ask “Hey Google, who won women’s basketball in the Olympics?” Rooting for a specific country? “Hey Google, how many medals does France have in the Olympics?” You can even say, “Hey Google, tell me a fun fact about the games in Tokyo.” Whether you’re using your phone, speaker, TV or other enabled device, Google Assistant will have all the important details.


Plus, in the U.S., NBC is bringing an exclusive game to the Google Assistant. It’s already available on all devices, so test your summer sports knowledge with dozens of trivia questions. Just say “Hey Google, play NBC Sports Trivia” to start your quest for trivia gold.


5. Keep up to date with Google Play apps

Don’t miss a single moment: Download our collection of apps including the official Olympics app, official broadcasters, news organizations, social, sports and games, plus fitness.


6. Explore Japan with Street View, Google Arts & Culture and Translate

Even if you can’t experience the Games IRL, you can take a virtual tour of the country with Google Street View. From snow-capped mountains and glistening cave formations to cities packed with history and culture — you can see it all without leaving your chair. Or with Google Arts & Culture you can explore Japan’s traditional crafts and mouth-watering food; Umami Land will be particularly fun for foodies. After all that, you might feel inspired to learn a little Japanese, and Google Translate has you covered.


Good luck to all the athletes taking part, and let the games begin!


Android 12 Beta 3 for TV is now available

Posted by Wolfram Klein, Product Manager, Android TV OS

Alongside today’s Android 12 Beta 3 release for mobile, we’re also bringing the third Beta of Android 12 to Android TVs. We’re excited to bring new media features, UI improvements, and privacy controls to the experience with Beta 3 while we continue our work of preparing the full release.

Media

At the heart of the TV experience is beautiful and seamless media playback. In the US, users are spending well over 4 hours a day watching media on TV, and are always asking for the highest resolution playback possible. With Android 12, we are releasing three new features to better support ever-improving picture quality.

  • Refresh Rate Switching Settings: For a smoother viewing experience, Android 12 now supports seamless and non-seamless refresh rate switching. Apps can now integrate these settings for playback of content at optimal frame rates. The Match Content Frame Rate user setting has been added to allow users to control this feature, and apps can call Display.getMode to know if a user’s device supports seamless rate switching.
  • Better display mode reporting: We are improving how TV devices report display modes and making hotplugging behavior more consistent. App developers no longer need to use workarounds for accurately detecting display modes or for handling HDMI hotplug events.
  • Tunnel Mode Updates: Updates to Android’s tunnel mode are making it even easier for app developers to support consistent and efficient playback across devices by reducing media processing overhead in the Android Framework.

User Interface

A beautiful media experience needs an equally stunning user interface to match. Android TV brings two new additions to the UI that help developers provide users with a richer visual experience on high performance devices.

  • Background blurs: Background blurring using RenderEffect (for in-app blurs) and WindowManager (for cross-window blurs) can now be used to easily enhance the visual separation of different UI layers.

Example background blur used to separate UI layers.

  • 4K UI support: For added visual fidelity, Android TV OS now officially supports UI rendering at 4k resolution on compatible devices. 4K UI resolution can be tested in the upcoming Android 12 emulator for TV to allow app developers to prepare their app for devices with the higher resolution.

Privacy and Security

With Android 12, we’re continuing to focus on giving users more transparency and control while keeping their devices and data secure. Beta 3 for TV includes many of the new privacy features from the Android framework.

  • Microphone and camera indicators: Users will now see any time apps are accessing the microphone or camera by showing an indicator on the TV screen. For better visibility of recent app accesses to microphone and camera, users can visit their privacy settings on TV.

Microphone and camera indicators showing during a video call. Video credit: Ekaterina Bolovtsova.

  • Microphone and camera toggles: Two new global privacy settings are now available, allowing the user to easily toggle access to the microphone or camera. When those toggles are disabled, apps will be unable to access microphone audio and camera video.

Microphone access toggle in a user’s global privacy settings.

  • Device Attestation: To assure that your application is running on certified and authentic hardware, the Android KeyStore API has been extended to support attestation of basic device properties.

The Android 12 Beta 3 release for TV is available as a system update to ADT-3 devices today. Also available in the coming weeks, you can use the preview version of the Android 12 emulator to test and build your apps for TV. We hope this helps you test your Android TV app implementations for the next generation of devices. To learn more about getting your Android TV app ready, visit our Android TV OS developers page.

We can’t wait to see what you will build with Android 12 on TV!