ALPHABET’s consumer team will give TV sets running its Google TV operating system an artificial intelligence (AI) upgrade by adding Gemini to its Google Assistant voice-control system.
At the CES technology conference on Monday (Jan 6), the company previewed upgraded Google TV software that adds more natural voice commands, improved content search and deeper YouTube integration.
The Gemini upgrade, due to roll out later this year, will allow users to hold back-and-forth conversations with third-party TVs without the need to use the “Hey Google” trigger phrase for each command, Google showed in a demo for reporters. The company also showcased the ability to more naturally call up content, such as asking for videos from a recent trip that were saved to a user’s Google Photos account.
The update marks the first time Google is bringing Gemini to third-party TV sets running its OS, such as those from Sony Group, Hisense Home Appliances Group and TCL Technology Group, after debuting some of that functionality on its first-party streaming box last year. The firm’s Google TV platform competes with other major television operating systems, including those from Samsung Electronics, Amazon.com and Roku.
Google also gave an early preview of a new “always-on” mode for a slate of TVs that use sensors to determine if a user is approaching and show them information they may find useful. The system, for instance, could show someone customised news, weather forecasts and other items when they are in the vicinity of their TV. TCL in late 2025 will be the first manufacturer to offer this always-on mode, followed by Hisense in 2026. BLOOMBERG
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