Highlights:

• Google TV’s latest update promises a performance boost and increased storage
• It introduced new features like ‘App Hibernation’ and ‘Android App Bundle.’
• The update is available on Android S and above.

Google TV’s recent update promises a boost in efficiency alongside adding a brand new ‘App Hibernation’ feature that helps users free up storage space. ‘App Hibernation’ is a feature that causes apps that haven’t been used in the past 30 days to hibernate, according to a new article on the Google TV support page.

The feature that initially made its way on Android 12 is now accessible on Android S and above. The primary objective of the feature is to boost performance by clearing storage spacing without compelling users to uninstall apps from the device. It functions by force-stopping the app, followed by deleting temporary files that might have been stored by it.

Google had mandated app upgradation from APK to AAB format by May 2023 for developers. This would facilitate more storage on the Google TV as AAB (Android App Bundles) shrink the app size by 25%.

Adding to the list of improvements, Google has also rolled out additional optimisations to enhance the user experience by making the functionalities speedier. Reduction in wake-up time has been implemented by introducing changes to the TV and the remote. Responsive remote controls along with improvement in loading animation during the boot sequence.

Google TV rolled out an update last year that addressed concerns like choppiness, boosted performance and gave access to a new ‘Free up storage’ menu and other features.

When using some of the best Android smartphones and devices, these features are not as important, but if you’re using a product with limited storage space, like a Google TV, every little bit counts and optimisations like these can be a godsend. Check your settings menu and update your Google TV device to notice the difference.