A better remote for smart TVs that aren’t Chromecast or Android TV
The Google Home app for Android and iOS is pretty tightly integrated with the Chromecast with Google TV and other Android TV devices, but it’s been a bit lacking when it comes to controlling other screens. If your TV is connected to the internet, there was a decent chance you could add it to Google Assistant, but until now, most users would only be get access to the most basic controls. An update to this UI has been in the works for months, and now it looks like it’s finally starting to reach most users.
Google sounded the alert today that users should be on the lookout for the new interface, signaling that it’s no longer be exclusive to the Home Preview Program (via 9to5Google). Knowing Google’s history with staged rollouts, though, it might still take some time to reach everyone.
The new UI is similar to the experience offered with Google Nest Hub devices when asking the Assistant to control a TV. In addition to the basic on/off functionality that already existed, you can now play or pause media, skip forward or back, adjust or mute volume, and even change channels or toggle source inputs. All of the buttons are nice and rounded in true Material You style, and the volume rocker takes focus with extra large controls that are hard to miss.
Most of these features were already available if you were controlling a Chromecast or Android TV, but as someone who has an Nvidia Shield TV Pro hooked up to a non-smart TV, I’m definitely already jealous of the ability to switch inputs. Oh, well — at least I can set up a Plex server on my system and stream media to other TVs.
