Nvidia Shield TV gets a new OS – but it isn’t Google TV

A revamped Android TV interface picks and chooses from Google TV’s arsenal

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TheNvidia Shield TVstreaming box is getting an update, starting today – with an overhauled interface that introduces some (but not all) of the improvements of theGoogleTVoperating system(viaThe Verge).

NvidiaShield TV famously runs on theAndroid TVplatform, though Google has begun transitioning certain product lines onto the Google TV OS, as with theChromecast with Google TVstreamer.

This Shield TV update has certainly utilized more of the home screen than before, removing app shortcuts from the left hand side of the screen but expanding the apps view to get more services onscreen at one time. There’s also now a Discover tab with content recommendations, and new banner promotions forDisney Plus shows.

The update stops short of bringing in Google TV in full – the Shield TV already has a remote distinct from the new Google TV clicker, so a full transition might not quite have worked – but it does show the software provider iterating on its offering.

The Google TV interface in general improves the usability of the Android TV interface, and we wouldn’t be surprised to see it roll out into more product ranges. We’re already seeing newSony TVsthat ditch the traditional Android TV OS for Google TV in 2021, for one. TheAppleTV andApple TV Plusservices also came to all Android TV devices (including the Shield TV) earlier in the year.

Don’t bug me

Android TV long had a reputation for buggy software, which has gradually been lost – though it may take a shift onto a sleeker Google TV interface to truly start anew and shake up some legacy design choices on the older OS.

There are some truly excellentsmart TVplatforms out there, and the continued popularity of streaming sticks indicates that many TV owners aren’t overly happy with the built-in software that comes in so many screens.

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Google then has to compete not only with the webOS and Tizen platforms found onLG TVsandnew Samsung TVsrespectively, but also the cheap and streamlined plug-in solutions found in theAmazon Fire TV Stick LiteorRoku Express.

At the moment, though, it looks like Google is gearing up for a change.

Henry is a freelance technology journalist, and former News & Features Editor for TechRadar, where he specialized in home entertainment gadgets such as TVs, projectors, soundbars, and smart speakers. Other bylines include Edge, T3, iMore, GamesRadar, NBC News, Healthline, and The Times.

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