Chromecast with Google TV is finally ready to receive an Android 12 update, and the new Chromecast (HD) gives us a glimpse of what the platform will bring to Google’s big screen experience. Here’s everything new in Android 12 for Google TV on Chromecast.
What’s new in Android 12 for Chromecast with Google TV?
As we said before, system updates are not a Major source of new features or changes for Google TV and Android TV. On the contrary, the most significant changes come from launcher or app updates. Still, there are quite a few new features that come with Android 12 for Chromecast with Google TV, and they’re live on the Chromecast with Google TV (HD) first, which comes with the update installed.
Block access to microphone and camera
One of the major changes in Android 12 comes in the form of better privacy with the microphone and camera. Android 12 now always shows an indicator when microphone or camera permissions are used by displaying an easily visible green dot in the corner. While this Android 12 feature probably won’t be noticed for its camera half on Chromecast with Google TV, it’s certainly a welcome change to show microphone access. Google TV already had an indicator UI, but this version is much more visible and works more consistently across the OS.
Beyond a simple flag, there’s now a way to block access to the microphone and/or camera in Android 12. On Google TV, you’ll find it in Settings > Privacy under the “Microphone” or ” Camera”. On each page, you’ll also see a list of apps that attempted to access those permissions.
“Match content frame rate”
Another new feature that you’ll find on all Android TV OS 12 devices is system support for matching the frame rate of the content displayed. This is available with three options on Google TV – transparent, non-transparent, and fully disabled. On Chromecast (HD), the first option is enabled by default.
What are these options for? Google explains as follows.
Transparent:
If requested by the app, your device will adapt its output to the original frame rate of the content you are watching, ONLY if your TV can transition seamlessly.
Not seamless:
If requested by the app, your device will adapt its output to the original frame rate of the content you are watching. This can cause your screen to go blank for a second when exiting or entering a video playback.
Never:
Even if the app requests it, your device will never try to match its output to the original frame rate of the content you’re watching.
Text scaling
Another option you’ll find in Google TV 12 on Chromecast is text scaling. Although it has long been available in Android on phones and tablets, the option is now also available on TVs. You’ll find text scaling under Settings > Display > Text scaling, with four options from 85% to 115%. You can see a comparison of the smaller text to larger text options below.
You can now block surround sound
Google TV 12 also brings more control over sound formats. In the previous update, you could choose between “Automatic”, which would use all sound formats your device has marked as approved, or “Manual”, which would force sound formats as a user-accessible option. Now there is also a “none” option which can completely disable surround sound.
“Quick connect” for Wi-Fi
You will also find a new network setting in Google TV 12 on Chromecast called “Quick Connect”. As Google confirmed to us last year, this is designed to make it easier to connect your Android TV device (in this case, a Chromecast) to Wi-Fi from your smartphone.
From what we can tell, this requires your smartphone to also be running Android 13 – at the very least, it doesn’t work on Samsung devices running Android 12/L, but we were able to locate the option on Pixel devices running Android 13.
TikTok is installed during installation
This change is very probable exclusive to Chromecast with Google TV (HD), but we found TikTok to be one of Google’s included apps on the device. It is installed as part of the installation, although you can prevent it from being installed during the installation.
When will Chromecast (4K) get Google TV 12?
So that’s all that’s new in Android 12 for the Chromecast with Google TV, but when will the update arrive on the 4K model?
At this time there is no confirmed timeline for when Chromecast with Google TV (4K) will receive its Android 12 update, but it should arrive in the not too distant future via an OTA upgrade. traditional.
What about Android 13?
It’s Android 12, though, and smartphones are now getting Android 13. When will that update be coming to Google TV? What’s new? Much of this remains to be seen. Early hands-on testing with Android TV 13 revealed there wasn’t much new, and Google hasn’t released the final version of the update until late September 2022.
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