Google TV app preps a new remote control feature for your Android TV

The Google TV app on Android (previously Play Movies & TV) is getting a new remote control feature that will let you control your Android TV. Our Editor-in-Chief, Mishaal Rahman, has spotted the feature in the latest Google TV release (v 4.25) and, while it isn’t live yet, he has managed to enable it manually to get the following screenshots:

As you can see in the attached screenshots, the upcoming remote control interface in the Google TV app is quite minimal. It features a large square D-pad with a circular button in the center and arrows on four sides that will help you easily navigate the Android TV UI on your connected smart TV.

To control a TV, you’ll first need to pair the TV to the app by selecting it from a list of available TVs. This will begin a pairing process, in which you’ll have to enter a 4-digit PIN code shown on your TV in the app. Once that’s done, you should be able to use the remote control feature to control your Android TV.

Mishaal tested the feature with a couple of devices, and it currently doesn’t seem to work with NVIDIA’s SHIELD TVs. It’s worth noting that this new remote control feature in the Google TV app will likely replace the Android TV Remote Control app, which hasn’t been updated in years. Therefore, we suspect that it may receive additional capabilities, like voice input support, a touchpad, and keyboard support, before it rolls out to users. But, at the moment, we haven’t seen any evidence in the app to support this claim.

As of now, Google hasn’t shared any official information regarding the feature. We will update this post as soon as the remote control feature starts rolling out to users with a future Google TV update.

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