We’re still digging through all the announcements from day 1 of Google I/O 2018. New features have been shown off for Android P, Google Assistant, Android Auto, ARCore, and much more. One of the first things to be announced the other day was the JBL LINK Bar soundbar/TV device. Google’s other Android TV announcements have flown under the radar, but here are a few exciting things coming with the Android P update.
Android P for Android TV will bring several improvements. The first will make it easier to set up a new device. When going through the setup process, you’ll see a prompt appear on your nearby Android phone. You’ll be able to finish the setup on your phone, which should be a lot easier than using your remote. It will even ask which apps to pre-install, like when setting up a new phone.
The next feature should be incredibly handy: Autofill support is coming to Android TV. Signing into apps on a TV can be a real pain with the remote. Hopefully, having forms automatically pre-populated will help improve the user experience.
Last, but not least, is something that should be exciting to anyone who does a lot of video calls: Android P on Android TV will support external cameras. That means you could plug in a webcam and use it to make video calls from your TV. Movies that take place in the future always like to show people making video calls on their living room TVs. That could become a reality with Android TV.
Check out the full Android TV segment below if you’re interested in a future Android TV device. Unfortunately, the only device that’ll be running Android P is only accessible to developers who express interest in developing for the platform. Hopefully, an existing model will receive the update or a new consumer model will be announced so that people can actually take advantage of these new platform features.