Android TV 12 is one of the platform’s most meaningful updates in a while, but despite its early start, Google has yet to release the final version. In a new blog post published this week, Google has confirmed that Android TV 12 will be available on TVs soon, and has expanded the developer preview.
A blog post published to Medium by Google’s Paul Lammertsma recaps what’s new in Android TV 12 including 4K UI rendering, text scaling, and refresh rate switching as well. We covered most of these new additions last year in earlier developer previews. Towards the end of the post, though, he also reveals two new bits of information.
Firstly, the platform’s dedicated developer device, the ADT-3, can now download 12’s developer preview via an OTA instead of manually flashing the update. To our knowledge, this is the first time Google has made a developer preview available via an OTA on Android TV, but it certainly makes sense given the nature of this device — it is not consumer-friendly.
Secondly, and more excitingly, is that Android TV 12 is on its way to a formal release. While no specifics are mentioned, Google says that Android TV 12 will “being appearing” on TVs “early this year.”
Android 12 will begin appearing on TVs early this year, so now is the time to begin evaluating your app for compatibility.
While March 2022 is pushing it on “early” in the year, the phrasing here certainly points towards Android 12 showing up on some new models or via updates in the near future. An easy guess would be on new Sony Bravia or Hisense models. Sony usually launches its new batch of Google TV-powered televisions around late March — last year’s models went on sale around March 30. There’s no sign on if this update will be made available for Chromecast with Google TV.
More on Android TV:
- Everything new in Android TV 12: tweaked design, privacy toggles, ‘Quick Connect,’ more [Gallery]
- Walmart’s Onn Android TV streamer gets another update w/ January 2022 security patch
- Google Home 2.48 brings Android TV remote to iOS, Wifi graph tweaks
Author: Ben Schoon
Source: 9TO5Google
