During Google I/O, Google also announced new features for Android TV. A set of software components for developers has been released: it aims to encourage them to create more aesthetic and functional applications, with the aim of standardizing the user experience on our televisions.
It wasn’t just artificial intelligence or smartphones at Google I/O 2023 this Wednesday, May 10. Televisions also benefit from a small novelty, which we will not see happen immediately. Google announces the release of Compose for TV, a framework (i.e. a set of software components) user interface ” to develop aesthetic and functional applications for Android TV “, can we read on the blog of Android.
The design of applications on Android TV can be standardized
Android promotes Compose for TV by saying it allows developers “build apps with less code, easier maintenance, and a modern Material 3 design“. Apparently, by telling Compose for TV about its Android TV app, the tool is able to create it automatically and when the app changes, the UI also updates.
Thisframeworkprovides direct access to Android APIs and applications can be made easily compatible on different devices: televisions, smartphones, tablets, connected watches and at different screen sizes. Indeed, Compose for TV relies on Jetpack Compose, the “toolboxused for other Android devices.
Additionally, Android is releasing a new version of its design guidelines documentation for Android TV: this covers typography, colors, navigation, layout, and more. They can be quite different than for our smartphones: television screens have different sizes and above all are not used in the same way, the recoil is much greater.
What will change the interfaces of our televisions
Who says standardized design also says standardized user experience: interface changes between applications could be less visible. Moreover, as this should make life easier for developers, we can hope that fewer bugs appear on Android TV applications. We can also expect the maintenance of applications to be better: in other words, we could enjoy them longer, even if they are no longer updated.
The stakes for Google are high: Android TV boasts of having more than 150 million monthly users and of being the operating system shipped with the most televisions in 2022. Improving the user experience is also going to compete with Apple TV and Fire TV.
Want to join a community of enthusiasts? Our Discord welcomes you, it’s a place of mutual aid and passion around tech.