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You can now use your Apple iPhone to control your Android TV device
Google TV is finally replacing the old Play Movies & TV app on iPhone and iPad
Google has been on a slow path toward its reimagined role in the media we watch and the software experience that comes with it. Back in 2020, the newly designed Google TV app replaced the old Play Movies & TV app on Android. The next step came just two months ago as the Play Store app dropped the Movies & TV section. The finish line is now drawing near as Google is finally replacing the iPhone and iPad version of Play Movies & TV with the Google TV app that so many Android users have come to know.
D-pad controls for Android TV devices land on the Google Home app
Google’s digital remote now looks and acts like a real remote
Google released its new Android TV remote app some time back to serve as a handy alternative to a physical remote, and it had options for both swipe and D-pad controls. However, accessing the remote from the TV app was not exactly ideal. So, the company brought the remote to the Google Home app, but only with swipe controls. Now it's getting the D-pad, too.
Google launched its new remote app for Android TV a couple of months ago, nearly a year after launching its first Chromecast with an actual interface to browse. Anyone who's ever lost their remote can tell you a virtual control panel can be a lifesaver, but accessing it from the TV app on your phone can be a hassle. With its latest update to Home, you can finally control your Chromecast or Nvidia Shield without the need for an extra app.
How to try out Google's new Android TV remote on your phone
It's better than the old app, but is it better than a real remote?
Google just released a new software remote for Android TV and Google TV devices. That's a fancy way of saying that you have a new way to use your phone to control your smart TV's Android-powered guts. Of course, Google's had a dedicated app with that functionality for a while, but it wasn't great. In fact, Google recently de-listed and ended support the old app. So, what's this new method like? In short: Pretty good for most people.
Google brings us up to speed with what's new-new (and kinda-new) for Android
The teased Android TV remote, some Gboard improvements, and a few Pixel-exclusive features are coming to your phone
Today, Google has announced the rollout of a whole pile of "new" features for Android and Android Auto — 16 changes, by Google's count. Of course, this is Google, so "new" in many of these cases means they've been spotted in testing for months, and you may have been using many of them already. The tweaks cover a wide range, including accessibility improvements and Android Auto (which we'll cover separately to help streamline things just a little bit), but highlights include a new remote control for Android TV built right into your phone, an Assistant reminders hub, several time-saving Gboard improvements, and the trickle-down of a few Pixel-exclusive features.
Google announced a replacement for the Android TV remote app
The new native remote will work with both Android TV and Google TV, and will roll out "later this year"
As part of the I/O festivities, Google has just announced its plans to make Android phones into Android TV compatible remotes. Of course, that's already a thing, but Google wants to build this into Android itself (presumably, via Play Services), and it should make everything from setting up a new service to finding a new show to watch that much easier.
Google TV Android app preps remote control interface
Looks set to replace the ageing Android TV Remote Control app
Google has completely revamped the Play Movies & TV app as Google TV, and it looks like the new app is about to get some more functionality. 9to5Google has uncovered some strings that point at the integration of an on-screen remote, seemingly replacing the aging Android TV Remote Control app last updated in 2017.
Google's remote application for controlling Android TV with your smartphone is... OK. It's adequate. It beats inputting passwords letter-by-letter with a physical remote, and that's about all you can say in praise of the app. While it lets you perform a voice search, it won't launch TV apps without going back to the home screen, and its trackpad isn't a cursor (as some apps might benefit from), it's just a gesture pad. But that doesn't mean there isn't room for improvement, specifically on Android tablets. Here's what version 1.0 looked like on a tablet: