While it seems like Google’s making some huge changes to its software with Material 3 Expressive and Android, there are products in the brand’s catalog that have gotten less attention over the past few years, like Google TV.
That’s not to say that Google hasn’t updated the experience, but it would be nice if the brand went all out and really revamped things for 2025. This is especially the case when we’re seeing new products arrive on shelves that provide more power, and have the ability to push more complex UIs and menu systems.
Nothing too exciting but it’s there
Of course, there always has to be balance when issuing a new update because you don’t want to break the experience for people using older or less powerful devices. With that said, it looks like a newly redesigned homescreen is now being tested by Google.
The report comes from 9to5Google, sharing that the server-side update is changing the way the primary navigation bar looks, mainly renaming sections with ‘Home’, ‘Live’, and ‘Apps’. In addition, the profile menu can now access some of the most important parts of the experience, providing menus for ‘Watchlist’, ‘Library’, ‘Your services’, and ‘Content preferences’.
Again, these aren’t the most exciting changes that we’ve seen, but at least something is now happening with Google TV. 9to5Google shares that this isn’t an update that’s widely rolling out, so if you’re seeing it on your device, there’s a pretty good chance that you’re just part of a test.
So if you’re lucky enough to see it, we recommend giving it a spin and testing it out. Of course, if you’re tired of waiting for Google, and want something fresh, we recommend checking out third-party launchers that not only change the look and feel of Google TV, but also get rid of things you hate about stock launchers like ads.
Recently, we took Projectivity Launcher for a spin, and found that it offers an experience that really elevates the smart TV experience. It’s fast, clean, and easy to use. Furthermore, it removes ads from your homescreen to provide an experience that focuses on your content.
