Android 14 for TV is here, bringing picture-in-picture support and much more

Android TV and Google TV boxes are among the most popular ways to bring smart functionality and streaming services to your TV set. This platform tends to move more slowly than Android for phones, but Google has just announced Android 14 for TV at its I/O developer conference.

Google is touting a number of features and tweaks as part of the updated OS. For starters, the search company claims that Android 14 for TV is “snappier and more responsive” than previous versions. That’s a welcome improvement as stuttering and freezing is still an issue on streaming devices today, particularly with so many devices still offering 1GB or 2GB of RAM.

We’re also getting new energy modes this time, with a Google screenshot (seen below) now showing three distinct energy-saving modes based on network features.

Google is also bringing more accessibility options, including color correction, “enhanced” text options, and “improved” navigation. The new software will also let app developers prevent content from continuing to play when the TV input is switched, or if the TV itself is turned off.

Finally, Android 14 for TV will also offer picture-in-picture support for “qualified Android 14 TV models.” Google didn’t reveal more details about this feature, such as supported apps or hardware requirements. But we imagine that this would allow people to keep watching content (e.g., YouTube or Netflix) while browsing the home screen or another app’s streaming catalog.

This isn’t the only Android TV and Google TV news today, as Google also confirmed that Gemini will power AI-generated content descriptions on the home screen.