Google TV Streamer (4K) to Reportedly Get a New Remote With Backlit Controls Soon

Google TV Streamer (4K) could soon benefit from a new accessory which may improve its operation in low-light scenarios, as per a report. The streaming device, which launched in August last year, is the latest flagship addition to the Mountain View-based technology company's lineup of smart home entertainment solutions. While it features a redesigned set-top box-like form factor and 4K streaming capability, Google is reported to be enhancing its functionality further by developing a new remote that adds backlit controls.

Backlit Controls for Google TV Streamer (4K)

As per an AFTVNews report, Google's latest update for the TV Streamer (4K) contains code references for backlit remote controls. One of the strings hints towards a setting which enables “illumination of the buttons on the remote control upon each press”. The accompanying arrays also suggest that Google might offer three control modes — Never, Standard, and Scheduled.

When set to Never, the backlit controls will not illuminate, as per the report The Standard setting will enable illumination upon each press, lasting for 5 seconds each time it is activated. Meanwhile, users may also be reportedly able to schedule the illumination for a specific time period, for example, during night time from 6 pm to 6 am.

Since the current model does not ship with a backlit remote, the code suggests that such an accessory might be in development for the Google TV Streamer (4K) which aims to improve its operation in the dark.

As per the report, supported Google TV remotes may also have a dedicated button for toggling the backlit controls, with another string suggesting that “pressing the button on the remotes activates backlight illumination”.

Google TV Streamer (4K) Price, Features

Notably, the Google TV Streamer (4K) is priced at $99.99 (roughly Rs. 8,390) in the US. The device is available in two colourways: Hazel and Porcelain. It supports streaming at up to 4K HDR at 60 frames per second (fps), alongside Dolby Vision, HDR 10+ and HLG video formats, and Dolby Atmos audio. Running on Android TV OS, the streaming device comes equipped with 4GB of RAM and 32GB of onboard storage. The company says it can run TV streaming apps like YouTube, Netflix, Apple TV+ and more, providing access to over 700,000+ movies and shows.

In terms of connectivity, the Google TV Streamer (4K) comes with USB Type-C, HDMI 2.1, and Ethernet ports. It supports dual-band Wi-Fi 5 and Bluetooth 5.1. Google says it also has AI capabilities, leveraging the company's Gemini large language model (LLM) to provide summaries, reviews and season-by-season breakdowns of media. It also uses Google AI to provide content suggestions based on the user's viewing preferences.