This archive report was first published on 19 September 2019.
Google has been giving its Android TV platform a much-needed facelift, and the latest updates are a testament to this effort. The platform, which has been relatively quiet in recent months, has seen a surge in adoption by device makers, with Chinese company Xiaomi recently announcing a range of budget television sets for the Indian market.
While the hardware is certainly impressive, with prices starting at around Kshs 36,000, the software is also noteworthy. To cater to the needs of the target market, Google has rolled out several new features to the Android TV platform, aimed at making it more user-friendly and accessible to a wider audience.
Among the new features are Data Saver, Data Alert, Hotspot guide, and Cast. Data Saver allows users to enjoy up to three times more watch time without exhausting their data plans, while Data Alert sends notifications to users to help them keep tabs on their data consumption. The Hotspot guide helps users set up their TVs using their mobile hotspots, and Cast enables users to view media they download on their phones directly on their television screens.
The new features are currently rolling out to Android TV units from TCL, Xiaomi, and others in India, with the rest of the world expected to receive them in due course. The Cast functionality can be enabled through the beta version of Files by Google.
Published on September 19, 2019
