Google Assistant finally launches on Android TV, starting with the NVIDIA Shield

Google Assistant on Android TV
Google Assistant on Android TV (Image credit: Android Central)

Google has announced that Google Assistant is finally making its way to Android TVs, starting with the NVIDIA Shield Android TV. The AI platform seems to be available just about everywhere else in the home, but having Assistant on the biggest screen in your home is a great way to experience its power.

The feature set for Assistant on Android TV is the same as what was first teased back in January at CES — which is, it's basically what you've experienced on other platforms, plus a few TV-specific tweaks. You can ask general knowledge questions and have the answers displayed on screen, search YouTube, play music, ask for specific content in certain apps like Netflix or HBO, ask for photos from Google Photos, control smart home devices, get travel time information and so much more.

A few months later than expected, but it's great to see Assistant expand.

Basically, Assistant on your Android TV will be closer to the full-featured version that's offered on your phone, with the typical limitations of being a stationary device like you may be used to on Google Home. That's good to see considering how long we had to wait for it to arrive, and considering the high power of the Shield Android TV and a stable home internet connection it should be a great experience.

Though today's announcement talks about Assistant arriving on Android TVs as a whole, the first hardware to get the service will be the NVIDIA Shield Android TV. If you have one, you'll be able to grab a (rather large) update starting today. Google specifically notes that Sony's Android TV-powered Bravia TVs will get it "in the coming months" but makes no note of a time frame for other Android TV devices other than the previously known detail that it has to be running Marshmallow or later.

Andrew Martonik

Andrew was an Executive Editor, U.S. at Android Central between 2012 and 2020.