Google released this Wednesday (1st) the stable version of Android 12 for televisions (Android TV and Google TV). For now, however, only smart TVs with the official ADT-3 dongle can access the new version of the operating system.
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The “debut” of Android 12 for television comes months after the launch of the system for mobile phones — and, in some ways, it follows similar patterns. When Google released the OS in October, only the “purest” version of it (AOSP) was publicly available, useful only to programmers interested in it.
The ADT-3 device looks like an ordinary dongle, but its purpose is to provide a basis for developing new tools for smart TVs. It is precisely for this reason that most users of this device are programmers, not ordinary consumers.
Android TV 12 with 4K menus and more
As for Google’s new TV OS, there are a variety of interesting additions. The news that reach televisions with the giant’s system are: camera and microphone usage indicators (and blockers of these components); OS interface and menus rendered in 4K; HDMI 2.0 CEC support; and a bunch of visual tweaks to animations and element design — including a revamped startup screen.
Currently, Android 12 for Android TV and Google TV is gradually distributed among users with ADT-3 via OTA (“over the air”). You can also download it manually from the Google Developer Center. Unfortunately, there is no forecast for the broader release of this major update, but stay tuned at FreeGameGuide to find out as soon as the update becomes available.