One of the biggest changes Google has ever made to its Google TV platform happened last year when it replaced the old Google Assistant with Gemini. This change transformed the voice assistant on Google TVs, making it much more conversational and resourceful.
Now, you can talk to your Google TV almost like you would to another person. It can help you find show and movie recommendations and even provide summaries for series you’re catching up on — like a season recap of The Pitt or Daredevil: Born Again.
Although Gemini has only been available on Google TV devices in the US and Canada for a few months now — including the Google TV Streamer and smart TVs from brands like Hisense and TCL — it’s already getting its first major update with three new features. These features aim to make Gemini more useful, from helping you check the latest sports scores to providing deeper insights into any questions you throw its way.
- Dimensions
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6.4 x 3 x 1-inch
- Connective Technology
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Wi-Fi, Bluetooth
- Brand
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Google
Gemini’s answers are becoming more visual
Your TV can now attempt to teach you about complex subjects
Google recently outlined the new Gemini features coming to Google TV in a blog post, starting with its ability to provide richer, more visual responses.
For example, if you ask your TV about a recipe, Gemini can now include a video tutorial right in its answer, so you can easily follow along while making it. Or, if you’re checking sports scores, it can pull up a live-updating scorecard and tell you which streaming platforms are showing the game, so you can quickly find it.
Google is also highlighting Gemini’s ability to turn your TV into a learning tool. So if you’re tired of the show you’re watching, you can now ask Gemini for a “deep dive” on topics that interest you, from health and wellness to economics, technology, and more.
When you ask Gemini to deep dive into a question, it provides a custom, interactive walkthrough with a narrated visual breakdown. In my view, it almost feels like Google is turning your living room into a classroom with this feature, as Gemini can now guide you through complex topics step by step. However, my main concern is how accurate these deep dives will be, given Google’s spotty track record with its AI Overviews in Search.
“Deep dives give you the option to turn passive viewing into meaningful screen time, enabling you to interact with the subjects that fascinate you most,” Google explained.
Sports briefs are coming to Google TV
The newest Gemini update is currently rolling out in the US
Finally, just in time for the start of the MLB season, Google is also adding sports briefs to Gemini for Google TV. Last year, Google introduced news briefs, giving you a quick rundown of the latest news stories making headlines. Sports briefs work the same way, keeping you up to speed on game highlights and scores across multiple leagues, including the NBA, NHL, MLS, and MLB.
If you’re interested in trying out these new Gemini features, you won’t have to wait long. Google says that deep dives and sports briefs are rolling out to Gemini-enabled Google TV devices in the US now, with richer visual answers rolling out to both the US and Canada. Google also announced that it will soon start rolling out Gemini for Google TV to more countries, with the UK, Australia, and New Zealand receiving the update this spring.
Overall, as someone who is usually pretty hesitant about anything AI-related, I do think these Gemini features for Google TV seem useful, especially the sports briefs and the enhanced visual responses.
Again, my main concern is with the new “deep dive” answers Gemini can provide on TVs. I’m curious to see how accurate they’ll actually be, since Gemini has made mistakes before, particularly with its AI overviews in Google Search.
