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When it comes to operating systems, the software that supports smart TVs doesn’t get much attention. Your phone, watch or tablet tends to receive annual updates. Best Android smart TVsmay see semi-regular security patches at best.

According to a report prepared by Android AuthorityGoogle plans to add some regularity to updates to its TV software by switching to a bi-annual cycle. AndroidTV operating system updates. This means that new major versions of the Android TV operating system will be released every two years.

Most people buy a new TV every five to 10 years, and the purchase is often made based on features such as price and screen size. Therefore, TVs don’t need updates as frequently as smartphones, which see shorter upgrade intervals of two to four years.

An anonymous source told Android Authority that Google announced the biennial decision at the company’s Android TV partners conference earlier this year, but a spokesperson declined to confirm or deny the pace.

Android TV is based on the same operating system that we are used to on our Android phones. However, current Android-based TVs run Android TV 14, based on the phone’s software arriving in 2023. Android TV 14 was officially released during Google I/O in May 2024.

This version of the TV operating system makes its debut with the new version Google TV Broadcaster Launched in August. The publisher introduced AI tools and upgrades to Google Home. For the most part, your Android TV is probably rocking Android TV 12, if not older.

According to the report, it’s unclear whether this two-year program will begin this year with the launch of Android TV 14 or if we’ll be at some point in between.

Android15 It has just started rolling out for Google Pixel devices and other Android phones. That being said we can see Android 16 comes out early in the spring of next year. Assuming this report is true, we could see the next version of Android TV based on Android 16 in late 2025 or early 2026.

So far, none of the features in Android 15 have anything to do with Android TV, and it’s unclear if there’s anything related to the TV OS in Android 16 either.

According to Android Authority, most Android TV OS apps are not part of the Android Open Source Project, which allows manufacturers to put their own spin on Android, like Samsung’s. A user interface or OnePlus’ Color Operating System.

This means curious tinkerers won’t be able to poke around in the source code for clues about what Google might add to future versions of Android TV.

For now, we’ll have to wait until late 2025 or early 2026 to see where Google actually is in the cycle.

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