Skip to main content

Android devs can now code for Google TV

Google TV
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Google has been working on its Google TV platform for a couple of years, and while initial offerings may have landed in the consumer marketplace with a dull thud, the company is soldiering on with its efforts to marry the Internet with the living room television. Now, Google has taken what may be a major step in that direction, unveiling the Google TV Add-on for the Android SDK, which will enable Android developers to start adapting (or creating) applications for Google TV. Unleashing tens of thousands of Android app developers on the Google TV platform may help spawn an ecosystem—even if devs find mobile apps don’t always make a good one-to-one port to televisions.

“These are still early days for Google TV, and this release is another step in providing developer tools for the big screen,” wrote Google TV product manager Ambarish Kenghe, in Google’s Android Developers blog. “While the number of apps available on TV will initially be small, we expect that through this early release of the add-on you’ll be able to bring optimized TV apps into the ecosystem more quickly.”

The carrot Google is dangling in front of Android developers is access to the Android Market: with an operating system upgrade to Honeycomb, Google TV devices will be Android-compatible and (in theory) capable of running a wide range of Android apps. Of course, most Android apps are developed for smartphones—and some for tablets—and few of those are likely to succeed on Google TV without modification. For instance, Google TV won’t have touchscreen input, so apps that require touchscreen input will be automatically excluded from a Google TV device’s view of the Android Market. Google is also recommending Google TV apps get optimized for D-pad navigation, designed with an eye towards being viewed from 10 feet away, and other changes: Google has published some UI guidelines to help developers get started. The Google TV Add-on doesn’t support all Google TV features, but does enable developer to emulate much of Google TV on Linux with KVM—which may save devs the trouble of finding a suitable Google TV hardware unit. Google says it’s working to bring emulation to other operating systems.

Editors' Recommendations

Geoff Duncan
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Geoff Duncan writes, programs, edits, plays music, and delights in making software misbehave. He's probably the only member…
Google Messages vs. Samsung Messages: Which app should you use?
Google messages versus samsung messages app icons side by side on Galaxy Z Fold 5.

Amid the rise of third-party messaging apps, texting remains a popular means of messaging in the U.S. If you own an Android phone, you've likely used or heard of Google Messages, which is positioned as the default text messaging app for Android. It is the culmination of Google's long history with multiple messaging platforms. Google has pursued smartphone companies to use its Dialer and Messages apps as their default since at least 2017 and now mandates them to use Google Messages as the default messaging app on all devices.

Meanwhile, if you have been a Samsung user in the past, you have likely also known and experienced the Samsung Messages app, which comes preinstalled on all Samsung phones and cannot be uninstalled. This is despite losing its spot as the default messaging app on Samsung Galaxy smartphones.

Read more
How to use Circle to Search on your Android phone
Samsung Galaxy S24 showing Circle to Search.

When Samsung announced its Galaxy S24 series, it also revealed a slew of new features in its Galaxy AI suite.

One of these new features is Circle to Search, which lets you easily search for anything on the screen with a simple gesture. It’s like a mashup of Google Lens and a screenshot search, and you can activate it from pretty much any app, not just your web browser.

Read more
Best Google Pixel 8 deals: Save $800 on the latest Pixel
The Google Pixel 8 on a table showing the screen.

If you're thinking about buying Google's latest flagship smartphone, the Google Pixel 8, then you should take advantage of phone deals so that you can enjoy a discount when purchasing the device. There are offers from retailers, carriers, and Google itself, and we've rounded them all up below so you won't have to go anywhere else if you want to compare them. You're going to have to be quick if you want to shop these Google Pixel 8 deals though, as they may not stick around for long.
Today's best Google Pixel 8 deals
There are some great Google Pixel 8 deals around including direct discounts when you buy the phone unlocked and trade-in deals for anyone who wants to commit to a specific cell phone provider. With such versatility, there should be something for everyone here. Take a look below to find the best Google Pixel 8 deal for your situation.

Google:
Amazon: Buy the phone unlocked
Verizon:
T-Mobile:
Spectrum:

Read more