[Update: Widely available] New Google TV for Android rolling out via US Play Store

Abner Li | Oct 13 2020 - 8:05 am PT

In addition to big screens via the new Chromecast, Google TV is also aimed at Android devices. The new Google TV is beginning to roll out via the Play Store, but you can also download it now.

Update 10/13: The US rollout for the new Google TV app on Android started the day after it was announced at Launch Night In. Since then, it’s been slowly appearing through the Play Store.

Over the past 24 hours, version 4.23.23.42 has been making its way to more and more devices stateside, which is the only country Google has announced the new TV experience for. After updating, users are immediately greeted with a system notification from the Play Movies & TV client to initiate a fast upgrade and set-up process where you select streaming services.

Original 10/1: Behind-the-scenes, this new experience is delivered by updating an existing app that dates back to 2011 and has amassed over 5 billion downloads. Requiring users to download an entirely new client would not be an effective delivery method. Google said on Wednesday that the app upgrade is rolling out first to the US.

After updating to version 4.23.23.31, a notification announces that “Play Movies & TV on Android is now Google TV.” Tapping opens the app to a transition screen that lets you “Launch Google TV,” complete with a nifty animation of the new four-color branding.

The bottom bar has four sections, with “Home” having three top tabs: For you, Movies, and Shows. Here you’ll see various personalized carousels:

Top picks for you
New TV shows on your services
New movies on your services
Because you watched X
Trending TV shows
Watch it again

At the very bottom is “Browse by genre,” which is a carryover from the previous version. Next up is a “Shop” tab that’s near-identical to the Play Store. “Library” is grouped by “Movies” and “Shows” with various filters. There are a grid and list view, but both are not too dense and only show a few items at a time.

“Watchlist” rounds out the app, and is sourced from things you bookmarked in Google Play and Google Search. Settings can be accessed by tapping your profile avatar, with this new app following all the latest Google Material Theme conventions.

The new Google TV for Android is rolling out now via the Play Store, but you can also download and sideload it directly from APK Mirror. There is a server-side component with those in the US getting it first.