When it comes to operating systems, the software powering smart TVs adoesn't get a lot of attention. Your phone, watch or tablet tend to get annual updates, compared tothe best Android smart TVs, which might see semi-regular security patches at best.
According to a report from Android Authority, Google plans to add some regularity to updates for its TV software, with a move toa biannual cycle for Android TV operating system updates. That means any new major versions of the Android TV OS will launch every two years.
Most people buy new TVs every five to 10 years with the purchase usually based on specs like price and screen size. As such, TVs don't necessarily need updates as often as smartphones which tend to see shorter upgrade windows of two to four years.
An unnamed source told Android Authority that Google announced the biannual decision at the company's Android TV partner conference earlier this year, though a spokesperson declined to confirm or deny the cadence.
Android TV is based on the same operating system as the one we're familiar with on our Android phones. However, current Android-based TVs are running Android TV 14, based on the phone software that arrived in 2023. Android TV 14 officially launched in May 2024 during Google I/O.
That version of the TV OS made its debut with the new Google TV Streamer that launched in August. The streamer introduced AI tools and upgrades to Google Home. For the most part, your Android TV is probably rocking Android TV 12, if not older.
Based on the report, it's not clear if that two-year schedule starts this year with the release of Android TV 14 or if we're at some in-between point.
Android 15 has only just started coming out for Google Pixel devices and other Android phones. Reportedly, we might see Android 16 launch early in the spring of next year. Assuming this report is correct, then the next version of Android TV we might see would be based around Android 16 in late 2025 or early 2026.
Up to now, none of the features in Android 15 have related to Android TV, and it's unclear if there is anything in Android 16 relevant to the TV OS either.
According to Android Authority, most Android TV operating system apps are not a part of the Android Open Source Project which allows manufacturers to put their own spin on Android like Samsung's One UI or OnePlus's Color OS.
This means that curious tinkerers can't poke around in the source code to find hints at what Google might be adding to future iterations of Android TV.
For now, we'll have to wait until later 2025 or early 2026 to see where Google actually is in the cycle.
