It appears the Android TV team had a busy IBC (International Broadcasting Convention) in Amsterdam this week, with a complete roadmap through 2021 for the platform being shared and new turnkey dongle and set-top box detailed.
Android TV Roadmap
The big consumer-focused news from the roadmap concerns Stadia. According to this roadmap, Stadia integration will arrive along with an Android 11/R update at some point in 2020. If indeed Android 11 needs to happen before Stadia arrives for Android TV, that means it could be much later in 2020 than most would hope for.
Other roadmap details include Google’s prediction that Android TV will host 8-10K apps on the platform by 2021 and beyond (currently offers around 5,000 apps), larger access to Assistant for operators, and a next-gen user experience that includes Google Lens and other Google services for televisions.
Dongles and Set-Top Boxes
Hardware was also a focus for Android TV, with a new turnkey dongle detailed for any operator willing to brand it and release it.
According to FierceVideo, “Google worked with a manufacturer to handle fulfillment and logistics for the device, which launches straight into the operator app and allows its home screen to be customized by the operator as well. The device also supports Google Assistant and has Chromecast built in.”
A hybrid set-top box was also showcased, complete with standardized specs, but of course, there are no photos of either devices currently available.
I will say, there sure does seem to be a lot more happening with Android TV than Wear OS. You ready to get down on some Android TV + Stadia gaming action in 2020?
// XDA | FierceVideo