Upcoming Google TV Update Introduces Potential Challenge for Dolby Atmos Functionality
Google's annual developer conference, I/O, unveiled the latest iteration of Android for Google TV, with the upcoming version slated to roll out to compatible devices shortly. In a departure from tradition, Google will leapfrog Android 15 and move directly to Android 16, a decision that centers around a two-year cycle for significant updates to the Google TV operating system.
The latest Android 16 release includes several significant changes, with a strong emphasis on enhancing developer capabilities, improving performance, and refining the user experience. One of the key features is the introduction of MediaQualityManager, a system designed to allow developers to control picture and sound settings within their applications. This empowers streaming apps to optimize settings for each piece of content, promising a more customized viewing experience.
Another notable feature is Eclipsa Audio, an immersive audio format developed in collaboration with Samsung. Android 16 will support the IAMF (Immersive Audio Model Format) spatial audio standard through the new Platform Eclipsa Audio codec. The open-source alternative aims to challenge Dolby Atmos, and while initially only available for use with YouTube, it is likely to expand to other streaming platforms in the future.
In addition to the new features, Android 16 also includes performance enhancements, such as improved media playback efficiency and better HDMI-CEC reliability. The operating system will also be compatible with Android XR, Google's new mixed reality software designed for smart glasses and headsets.
The visual updates in Android 16 are relatively subtle. The main settings menu has undergone minor refinements, with clearer color separation and updated iconography. The home screen and quick settings panels remain largely unchanged, according to reports.
Google plans to release Android 16 later this year, and it's expected that the latest TV streamer, as well as the older Chromecast with Google TV, will be among the first devices to receive the update. Manufacturers such as Sony, Philips, TCL, Epson, and Xgimi, which use Google TV for their TVs and projectors, are also expected to update their systems in the future, though no release dates have been confirmed.
The Android 16 update for Google TV marks an incremental improvement for users, but offers valuable new tools for developers and paves the way for more advanced features in the future.
- The MediaQualityManager system, introduced in the Android 16 release, allows developers to control picture and sound settings within their applications, offering a more customized viewing experience for streaming apps.
- Google's new operating system, Android 16, will support the immersive audio format, Eclipsa Audio, an open-source alternative aiming to challenge Dolby Atmos, initially only available for use with YouTube.
- Android 16 includes performance enhancements such as improved media playback efficiency and better HDMI-CEC reliability, making it a more efficient operating system.
- Android 16 is expected to be compatible with Android XR, Google's new mixed reality software, designed for smart glasses and headsets, broadening the application's potential uses.
- The Android 16 update for Google TV is anticipated to be released later this year, with the latest TV streamer and the older Chromecast with Google TV being among the first devices to receive the update.
- Several brands, including Sony, Philips, TCL, Epson, and Xgimi, which use Google TV for their TVs and projectors, are expected to update their systems to Android 16 in the future, though no release dates have been confirmed.
