Google TV updates to bring in latest Android

Google is updating Google TV devices to the latest version of its Android operating system, in a move that will see it offer a wider range of games and apps and improve compatibility.

Announcing the move at its I/O developers conference in San Francisco, Google said the move to Android 4.2.2, known as Jelly Bean, would bring “more great experiences to TV” and would allow OEM partners to update to future versions of Android in a matter of weeks rather than months.

It said that for developers, this means they can build apps for Google TV devices using the latest Android APIs and the Android Native Development Kit (NDK), a toolset that allows users to implement parts of thir app using native-code languages such as C and C++.

“Today Google TV is also moving to the latest version of Chrome, and from now on Google TV benefits from Chrome updates on the same six week cycle that you’ve come to expect from Chrome,” Google said in post on its Google TV developer site.

This update adds support for hardware-based content protection, enabling developers to offer premium TV content in HD within their web apps.

Google said that Google TV-powered devices in the market will start to receive updates in the coming months, with new Google TV devices also expected to launch later this year.

LG, which is showcasing its Google TV offerings at the I/O conference this week, confirmed that its Google TV sets would receive the update in the third quarter of this year.

LG said adding the latest Android OS would allow customers to enjoy more applications, including games with a greater level of interactivity and advanced graphics.

“In addition to boosting overall performance, the latest Jelly Bean update supports the Android NDK so Google TV owners can have the widest, most diverse selection of apps to choose from. Smartphone apps designed using the NDK will run on Google TV with little to no modifications. With NDK compatibility, users can now play more games on a bigger LG Google TV screen. This level of compatibility makes it easier for developers to enter the burgeoning Smart TV app market,” said LG.