Google TV just got a serious performance boost — here’s what we know

(Image credit: Future)

Google TV is gaining steam as one of the more popular smart TV platforms. Between the best Google TVs and Chromecast with Google TV, there are now a lot of devices that rely on the platform to get the best shows and movies in front of you.

And now, head of Google IO 2023 next week, it’s getting a serious upgrade.

In a blog post, Google announced that they are introducing a few upgrades focused on two areas: storage and performance. These upgrades will be available on all Google TV devices and have either already rolled out behind the scenes or are currently going out via software updates.

First, Google is introducing App Hibernation. This feature will automatically force unused apps to go into hibernation if they haven’t been accessed in over 30 days. This feature is available to all devices running Android 12 or higher and should free up some memory to give your device a boost. (Note: Google’s post referred to “Android S”, which likely refers to Android 12 due to its codename “Snow Cone”.)

The Chromecast with Google TV HD — (Image credit: Henry T. Casey for Tom's Guide)

The other storage improvement will reduce the size of your Google TV apps by approximately 25%. This is through Google leveraging a feature called Android App Bundles and should definitely free up some space on your Google TV or Chromecast with Google TV.

But the real highlight of these updates is the performance boosts. Google has started rolling out updates to Google TV devices and remotes in the background and they provide a series of upgrades. The wake-up time for Google TV has been reduced and the response time between the remote and Google TV has also shrunk. Loading animations and reboot times have also been cut to make Google TV perform faster than ever.

Google TV new user interface — (Image credit: Google)

This isn’t Google’s only recent upgrade to Google TV either. Back in February, Google drastically overhauled Google TV’s cluttered home screen. The Google TV homescreen was the biggest complaint from numerous members of our staff so Google simplifying the user interface was a massive improvement.

Thinking about picking up a smart TV or a new streaming device? Now may be the best time yet to make the switch to Google TV. Some of the best TVs now have Google TV built-in and the Chromecast with Google TV 4K is one of the best streaming devices we’ve ever tested.

More from Tom's Guide

Malcolm McMillan is a staff writer for Tom's Guide, writing about the latest in tech, gaming and entertainment with a particular focus on artificial intelligence (AI) and AI-based tools like ChatGPT. He has written up much of our coverage on the latest AI tools including ChatGPT, the new GPT-powered Bing and Google Bard. He also covers A/V tech such as televisions, soundbars and more, in addition to covering VR headsets from the Meta Quest 3 to the PS VR2.

Before writing for Tom's Guide, Malcolm worked as a fantasy football analyst writing for several sites and also had a brief stint working for Microsoft selling laptops, Xbox products and even the ill-fated Windows phone. He is passionate about video games and sports, though both cause him to yell at the TV frequently. He proudly sports many tattoos, including an Arsenal tattoo, in honor of the team that causes him to yell at the TV the most.