Android TV 11 Announced With Privacy, Performance Improvements

Android 11 has debuted on Android TV platform just a couple of weeks after the latest Android version arrived for smartphones. The new release brings key Android 11 features that were originally provided to mobile users along with some updates tailored specifically for smart TVs. It carries enhanced memory management to deliver a smoother experience on Android TV-based models. Android 11 also brings support for Auto Low Latency Mode as well as extended gamepad support. Additionally, Google has upgraded Android TV Emulator to help developers easily test their apps for smart TVs.

One of the prime features that Android 11 carries over from its mobile-focussed release to smart TVs is one-time permissions. This will let you grant third-party apps temporary access to your microphone and other hardware. The latest update also comes with an enhanced memory management to upgrade the performance on your smart TV.

Apart from the privacy and performance enhancements, Android 11 on Android TV brings support for Auto Low Latency Mode. This comes in handy specifically for games and video conferencing apps where low latency is valued over the best possible graphics. Developers will be able to leverage the new addition and enhance performance on their apps and games.

Android 11 also brings low latency media decoding to Android TV. It also carries a new Tuner Framework with updated Media CAS support and extensions to HAL implementation of HDMI CEC.

Google has also added support for Nintendo Switch Pro controller and Steam controller to Android 11. It features a silent boot mode for system updates. Additionally, Android 11 brings a new feature called inattentive sleep that allows a user inactivity timeout to be set after which the device goes to sleep. There is also support for scoped storage that limits app access to external storage.

Android TV manufacturers using Android 11 will also be able to offer configurable wake keys and provide greater control over their TV functions. Similarly, there is a new framework functionality for managing system LEDs. Android 11 on Android TV also facilitates physical mute buttons for far-field microphone enabled devices. Furthermore, Google has brought a test harness mode on Android TV and Play Store support in the Android TV Emulator to let developers test their apps before making them live for public access.

Android 11 has initially been rolled out as a system update to ADT-3 devices. Android TV manufacturers, however, will launch and upgrade devices to Android 11 over the coming months, Google's Android TV product manager Wolfram Klein said in a blog post.

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