Google TV

Google TV update rolling out with performance boost, frees up storage with app hibernation

Ben Schoon | May 2 2023 - 12:33 pm PT

Rolling out starting today, Google TV devices are getting a performance boost with a new update that also makes tweaks to improve the storage situation that many users face, partially with the addition of automatic app hibernation.

In a brief post, Google explains that a new update is rolling out for all Google TV devices, including Chromecast with Google TV and many others. The update focuses on two things, performance and storage.

Starting with performance, Google says that this new update will hit both devices and remotes, with a goal of eliminating “wait time” when waking up your device, as well as the response time between pressing a button and actions taking place on screen. These updates are apparently already rolling out to all users.

We have made updates to both your devices and remotes to eliminate wait time. We reduced the time it takes to wake up your Google TV, the response time between your TV and button clicks on your remote, and the amount of time you see the loading animation when rebooting your device.

Another tweak being made focuses on storage, which, as many Chromecast owners know, can be frustrating to deal with. Starting now, Google TV will automatically “hibernate” apps that haven’t been used in the last 30 days. App hibernation on Google TV will offload the app from your system when it’s not in use but keep key data local so you can hit the ground running quickly when you want to use it again. You’ll need a device based on at least Android TV 12 for this to work, though. That includes Chromecast with Google TV, but not all TV sets and other set-top boxes.

Google also notes that Android App Bundles on Android TV OS, which Google last year announced it would mandate starting this month, will cut down the size of TV apps by around 25%.