The march to revamp Android TV seems to be continuing, with the first preview release of Android TV 12 being unveiled this week. And while Google’s release notes so far have left enough to the imagination, it’s called a ‘new Google TV experience’, which may indicate that the user interface adjustments we first saw in 2020’s Chromecast with Google TV , to more smart TV platforms in the future.
The appropriate name “Android 12 Developer Preview 1” was introduced on February 18 for those using the ADT-3 Developer Kit, a streaming device intended for developers to test their software for compatibility with the latest version of Android TV.
In addition to mentioning a Google TV interface, 9to5Google suspects that the update may also bring some enhancements to the feature, including support for HEVC (high efficiency video encoding) transcoding and multi-channel audio. The website also points out that the most important aspect of this version may be the fact that it is released around the same time as the first version of Android 12 on mobile devices. Android TV updates usually keep up with the updates of smartphones and tablet systems by months or more, so a same-day release of this latest preview may suggest a more synchronized release plan for the future.
Philip Palermo