Google TV is Getting a Neat Picture-in-Picture Mode

I don’t learn about you, however my favourite demonstrations on the electronics retailer again in my childhood have been the TVs up on the wall showcasing their picture-in-picture talents. Being in a position to tune into two TV reveals concurrently on two completely different channels felt like such a futuristic thought. The dream of the ‘90s lives on in the next version of Google TV. The Android 13 Beta for TVs launched days before Google I/O kicked off this week. Google used the second day of its developer conference to offer more insight into what’s coming to Google TV and Android TV OS later this summer time.

Picture-in-picture has been obtainable on Android smartphones for a few years, starting with Android 8. Google is barely now fully extending the ability to Android’s TV interface. Just like on an Android telephone or pill, you’ll be capable of use two separate apps on the identical time: one which takes up a lot of the display screen, and a second one obtainable within the nook. Google encourages builders to make use of its keep-clear API to keep away from overlaying important elements of the interface that it is advisable to navigate the display screen.

The speckling of different new options within the Android 13 Beta for TVs is usually minor. For one, you’ll be capable of use the Google TV app in your smartphone to start out casting from a specific app, so that you don’t need to even hassle with the TV distant to search out one thing to observe. The beta additionally features a new API known as AudioManager, which builders can implement in order that gadgets like your Chromecast with Google TV or Android TV can establish completely different audio sources. It’s an extension of an current API that Google added to the Android 13 Beta on telephones, simply as picture-in-picture is an extension of a smartphone-first characteristic.

If you usually go to sleep with the TV on (that’s me each night time!), Google has launched a brand new API known as MediaSession. Developers can implement this into their Google TV apps to higher react to HDMI state modifications. Once you flip off the TV (or it shuts off routinely after you’ve been zonked out too lengthy), your Google TV-enabled machine acknowledges there’s no display screen to solid to, so it shuts off, too.

For of us who depend on differing enter strategies to entry their TVs, Android 13 Beta for TVs helps completely different keyboard layouts as a part of the InputDevice API. Game builders can use this characteristic to swap between QWERTY and AZERTY keyboards. And for these with accessibility wants, Google TV will allow audio descriptions throughout apps and the interface.

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These modifications aren’t dwell in Google TV but, however they’re a glimpse at what’s to return later this yr when the corporate finalizes the following model of Android.