Google is joining in the trend towards more streamline user interfaces with a key update to its Google TV operating system that’s designed to help users find content such as movies and shows much more easily.
The new Quick Access row on the Google TV home screen interface is designed to make it easier for people to find something worth watching, and is being rolled out in the U.S. via a firmware update to devices such as the Nvidia Shield TV, 9to5 Google reported.
It allows users to browse through various new movies and shows from multiple streaming services in one place, without needing to switch between different apps. In other words, users will be able to preview and launch content directly from the home screen.
Within the Quick Access row are featured buttons such as “Free Live TV”, “Play Next”, Popular Movies and Shows”, “Top Selling Movies” and “Trending on Google”.
The update is yet another move towards more streamlined experiences, accelerating a trend that has seen smart TV operating systems evolve towards more curated interfaces. It follows the February 2023 update that saw Google TV introduce four new content pages to make it easier to find things to watch, including “Movies”, “Shows”, “Espanol” and “Family”. Each of those pages integrates content from multiple apps, so they reduce the need to keep switching between various streaming services and live TV channels.
Roku TV recently announced a similar update in December, with dedicated slots on its home screen for different types of content. But whereas Roku quickly rolled out that feature to everyone, Google appears to be limiting availability so far, as the Quick Access row is only being made available in the U.S. for now, and some devices, such as the Chromecast with Google TV, are not included at this time.
Android Authority said the Quick Access row will be rolled out to U.S. users in the coming weeks, but it remains to be seen if or when it will come to users in other regions.
