Android TV 14: release date, features and compatibility – Android Authority

Android 14 is on the way in the near future, but what about Android TV 14? Google has reportedly canceled its plans to roll out Android TV 13. It looks like Google is moving on and instead focusing on the next iteration. Typically, Android TV updates are relatively minor compared to standard Android releases. It seems likely that this will be the case this year as well. Let’s go ahead and discuss everything we know about the upcoming Android TV 14 release date, features and more.

Android TV 14 release date

• Android TV 12 — November 30, 2021
• Android TV 11 — September 22, 2020
• Android TV 10 — December 10, 2019

Android TV 14 was officially announced earlier in 2023, but Google is yet to release the stable version of Android TV 14. We already know that Google plans to launch Android 14 in October, around the same time as its October Pixel 8 event. It’s very possible that we could see Android TV 14 soon after for some devices like the Chromecast with the Google TV family. At the very least, you can expect it during the fourth quarter of 2023.

Is there an Android TV 14 beta?

The stable version of Android TV 14 may still be a little delayed, but the Android TV 14 beta is already available. The problem is that it can currently only be installed using the Android Studio emulator. In fact, it’s really only designed for developers and is not recommended for average users. Additionally, we don’t expect it to be available on physical hardware until the official release.

Android TV 14 Features

Although Apple’s tvOS 17 looks like a pretty big release, we don’t expect as big a change for Google’s Android TV 14. Of course, Google has yet to release a full changelog for the final version. Everything we know is based on an in-depth analysis of the beta version of Android Authority contributor Mishaal Rahman via X. The good news is that there is at least one cool new feature: Android Shortcuts. There are also a few other interesting little changes.

You may remember the leaked video discovered by Rahman last week, indicating that a new Chromecast with Google TV could be on the way. Or at least a new remote. The new remote features a unique star button that can be customized with an app shortcut of your choice. The only problem is that you’ll need Android TV 14 with Google TV software to do this.

Adding app shortcuts isn’t the only thing you can use the new star button for. You can also use the new remote’s custom button for device inputs.

Android TV might get call notifications this time around

The beta has a new call notifications feature for Android 14 and Android 14 with Google TV devices. Simply put, you’ll be able to receive call notifications directly from your TV as long as you have a compatible device.

What’s less clear is whether it’s just a notification or whether you’ll be able to fully take a call directly from the big screen. Either way, it’s a pretty cool feature. Hopefully it is also possible to receive messages. Worried about your calls appearing when someone else is watching? The good news is that the calls are specifically linked to your profile.

A number of new accessibility features are coming to Android TV 14. Google is adding a new shortcut for text scaling, a bold text setting that makes it easier to read, and a new color correction setting for colorblind people. There’s also a new feature called Audio Descriptions, which will play what’s happening on the screen, but only for supported movies and shows.

Finally, the accessibility menu is now much more visible. You’ll find it as a top-level submenu in Settings instead of buried deep in the System submenu.

Android TV 14 is expected to introduce some small performance tweaks, such as the ability to hide HDR formats or retain standard dynamic range. Don’t want to specify how he handles this? The Preferred System setting will choose the right choice for you.

Although not directly related to performance, there are even new energy efficiency settings: low, moderate, high, and unrestricted. Using low disables the network connection when you are not using the TV. Moderate leaves just enough functionality to wake your TV over Wi-Fi. Of course, high sheets are present on almost everything. As you might guess, unrestricted mode allows all network features to work all the time. Keep in mind that these new features will only work with supported hardware. Maybe we’ll see it on the new Chromecast with Google TV? Hard to say, but it would make sense for Google to introduce this feature on its own hardware.

Right now, we can’t say for sure what Android TV 14 compatibility will look like. After all, Android TV 13 never came to a single device outside of ADT development hardware. Interestingly, it appears that the upcoming ADT-4 dev box won’t even be available to developers outside of Google and its direct partners.

It seems certain that the Chromecast with Google TV series will eventually see the update, especially since it completely skipped Android TV 13. Any new Android TV hardware may also ship with it, like the Chromecast with Google TV. Don’t expect it to roll out to every Android TV box or TV, even the newest models. Typically, Android TV devices focus more on security patches rather than full operating system software updates. After all, there’s only so much to add to the platform and as you see from the Android TV 14 features list above, the updates tend to be pretty minor.

Android TV 14: Features we want to see

While we don’t know much about Android TV 14, there are at least a few things we’d like to see eventually come to the platform.

I really like the Android interface with Google TV, especially the Continue Watching feature. Simply put, it lets you catch shows regardless of which streaming service they came from. Although I prefer it to its Fire TV equivalent, it can be quite finicky. I’ll get ready to resume a show I just watched, only to have it disappear from the list for no reason. Sometimes there will even be random shows that I haven’t watched in forever that sit there forever.

A more robust streaming history would be welcome. Imagine if you could click a “more details” button and go back to what you watched with the last viewed date. It would be great to see features like time spent and other details about your viewing habits. As someone who watches a lot of shows and then forgets about them forever… that would be amazing.

Google One VPN is already built into your Pixel devices, but what if it was also supported by Google TV devices or even just the Chromecast series? A VPN can be very useful for watching geo-restricted content. For example, I used it to watch episodes of Bluey directly from ABC (Australia Broadcasting Company), even though I live in the United States.

As much as I would love to see that, it’s probably not likely, but it would certainly be awesome.

Yes, there are Android TV games on Google Play, but the selection is quite limited to say the least. Running games on Chromecast with Google TV can also be quite frustrating. Not only are its specifications relatively low, but its storage space is also limited. The easiest way to get around this would be to better support video streaming services. Previously, Google had Stadia, but official support for Xbox Game Pass or NVIDIA GeForce Now would be a welcome addition.