Major updates for Google’s Android TV platform have historically been a lot slower than smartphones, but things took a big step in the right direction with the unexpected early release of the Android TV 12 Developer Preview. Now, Google is debuting the Android TV 12 Beta and giving developers a useful Google TV tool.
Right alongside smartphones, Android TV 12 is launching in beta today. As with the previews, the update is available solely to the ADT-3 developer dongle, not for consumer devices like the new Chromecast or the Nvidia Shield TV. A bit of a shame, but not surprising.
What’s new in Android TV 12’s beta release? Unlike the visual overhaul that’s arriving for smartphones, Google isn’t changing much up on the TV. Or at least they’re not saying it yet. We’ll be highlighting any changes present in Android TV 12 we find in the coming days.
Alongside the arrival of the Android TV 12 Beta, Google is also launching a new emulator for developers. Starting today, app developers can test their apps on Google TV based on Android 11 alongside a typical Android TV emulator. A new virtual remote that more closely mimics a real remote has also been added to the emulator.
More on Android TV:
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
