Widgets have been added to the latest version of the Google TV Android app. very! But it feels kind of limiting.seems like Google flew the gun and released it a little earlier than expected.Or at least that’s what this report is about Pointed out by 9to5Google.
For those of you who don’t know, Google TV is the service that brings all your streaming subscriptions together in one place. The dedicated app is one of the things you need to use the free service, but you also need a TV that comes with Chromecast or Google TV. You can also get a remote control if you want, although it’s made by Google, the app already has a feature for that.
So why would Google TV need a widget? Honestly, from what I’ve seen, this is a clearer indication that widgets are in the works.Currently, widgets can only be placed on A Pixel 7 Pro phone running the latest version of Android 13 QPR2.
If you are among such individuals, downloading the Google TV app offers you a unique opportunity to place a 4×5 widget on your screen. When it’s done, it shrinks down to a small horizontal bar. yay?
A screenshot of the upcoming widget taken by 9to5Google.
Currently, the Google TV Widget allows you to:
- Click the magnifying glass to open the keyboard (yes it is confusing)
- Tap the remote control to open the Google TV virtual remote control
- Tap the central Google TV logo to open the app
Even if you don’t have a degree in rocket science, you can understand that this might not work as Big G intended. Especially considering the amount of screen real estate you’re expecting the widget to sacrifice just to show a small strip with 3 features. However, this allows you to actually receive a well-functioning Google TV widget. It saves you the effort of not having to open the .
Android has dozens of widgets, many of which are owned, maintained, and regularly updated by Google itself. However, it doesn’t seem to attract users much. Let’s hope that when the Google TV widget is fully completed, users will have more reasons to use it.