Google Android TV 12 Will Soon Be Here
Google's latest Android TV operating system will soon appear on an Android TV media streamer or smart TV near you. This latest operating system for popular Android media players will bring with it some great new features.
This will make it easier to enjoy your favorite streaming TV apps, and is enhancing a popular alternative media streaming platform to Roku.
New Features Included in Android TV 12
When Google announced the latest version, they gave developers a preview of the features we soon can look forward to on Android Smart TVs, Google Chrome, Nvidia SHIELD, and other Android TV media streamers running the latest Android 12 OS.- Text Scaling Text scaling will make it easy to increase the font size in Android TV. This will make it easy for users to set the screen font size while ensuring the menus still scale appropriately. Another handy feature that makes the Android TV operating system easier to use for those that are visually impaired.
- App Based Refresh Rate Switching This will let apps automatically switch TVs between video playback frequencies from 24, 25, and 30Hz. This is useful for smooth playback and a more fluid user interface. If your TV supports these frequencies. This can now be done seamlessly without the typical momentary black screen.
- 4K User Interface On Televisions that support 4K, this will also show the Android UI in 4K UHD. So now when navigating the home screen and various operating system menus you can do so in full 4K resolution. Apple TV and Roku already offer this, so it's nice to see Android TV joining the 4K party.
Best Android TV Streaming Devices
Nvidia SHIELD Pro
This is one of the most popular and well-known media streamers that uses Android TV for its operating system. It is still the best Android TV media player available, but they are expensive. If you can afford one, they will give you a great Android TV experience and are not overly restrictive the way Roku and Apple TV are.
This means you can side load apps from unknown sources to access tons of freely available content to stream online. Some will say this has it's own risks, because apps loaded outside Google Play Store could contain malware. But they have even found apps inside the Google Play Store to contain malware. So it's always a good idea to use some type of scanner on Android that can detect this on your device.
An Android TV enabled media streamer is also a much better choice than a Fire TV, because Amazon recently blocked certain apps from being installed and used on their devices.
If the SHIELD Pro is too much for your budget, you're in luck. Google recently redesigned their Chromecast streamer. It now comes with a real remote control, and it now uses Android Google TV for an operating system.
It's super affordable and will still work great for streaming movies and shows from your favorite apps. We can often find these under $50, and are a much better choice than a Fire TV.
Besides a smart TV that runs on Android, these are currently the best media streamers you can buy which can take full advantage of Android TV 12 when it is released shortly.
Find Great Deals on a 2021 Chromecast
Free Android TV Apps
There are many Android apps which let you stream Free TV. For a list of apps you can install and use on your Android TV -- Please click here »
