TCL is the first TV maker out of the gate with Google’s Gemini AI baked directly into its hardware. The company’s new QM9K series, detailed today at IFA, is the debut line of Google TVs running Gemini, complete with smarter presence detection and hands-free controls.
Serious TV smarts on the way
Embracing system-wide AI control
We saw Gemini for Google TV teased during CES 2025, where the Big G promised big features like faster, more conversational voice commands, personalized recommendations, and even a Nest Hub-style smart information panel. Now, we’ve learned TCL is the launch partner, and it’ll be rolling out Gemini as a key feature of its flagship QM9K lineup.
The QM9K series comes in 65-, 75-, 85-, and 98-inch options, all using TCL’s new ZeroBorder, CrystGlow WHVA QD-Mini LED panels at 144Hz with 4K resolution. According to TCL, the panels are 30% brighter with nearly 60% more precise dimming zones compared to last year’s models, which would be a significant achievement. The lineup supports Dolby Vision IQ, HDR10+, and HLG, with audio tuned by Bang & Olufsen. The TVs pack four HDMI ports (one with eARC), plus a backlit voice remote in the box.
But Gemini really headlines the QM9K family’s bill. TCL calls them “the industry’s first” TVs with Google’s new AI on board. Gemini handles the usual “Hey Google” commands but with a noticeable speed boost and smarter results compared to the sluggish Assistant experience of recent years. Ask for movie recommendations by age group or content (“comedies for kids under 10,” for example) and Gemini can parse the request far better than before.
It’s more than just voice control, though
The TVs also ship with a built-in mmWave sensor that takes presence-detection beyond simple motion sensing. Walk into the room, and the screen can wake into screensaver mode or even a customizable onscreen hub showing calendar events, weather, or Nest camera feeds. TCL says you can fine-tune the sensor’s range so that the TV doesn’t light up when you just walk by in the hallway.
Google pitched this presence-aware hub as a way to make TVs feel more useful when idle, although only time will tell if people want their living room display doubling as a smart home dashboard. Still, the flexibility of Gemini plus TCL’s accessible, great-performing hardware could give the idea some traction.
TCL hasn’t revealed exact pricing yet, but with last year’s 65-inch QM8K often selling for around $1,300, expect the QM9K to cost more when it hits Best Buy and other retailers later this month. With Gemini poised to roll out more widely across Google TV later this year, TCL’s QM9K is a glimpse of where the platform is headed: faster, smarter, and a little more aware of your presence in the room.
