Katarzyna Petru
Google is starting to refresh Google TV according to the new vision of Material 3 Expressive — more colourful, fluid, and “personal.” On paper, it sounds pretty good. In practice? For many users, it's just an excuse to cram even more ads onto the home screen.
The update to Google TV version 4.39.3356.780959673.5 brings a few cosmetic changes:
– banners on movie and show pages are a bit larger,
– titles have been shifted more towards the centre,
– buttons are flattened and less rounded,
– image previews have smoother edges.
They may seem like small details, but overall it looks more cohesive. The system does indeed feel fresher — though it may not suit everyone. But the real problem arises elsewhere.
Advertisements on Steroids
On Reddit, especially on r/AndroidTV, users are openly criticising the new wave of advertisements. On the "For You" page, instead of recommendations, large banners from Coca-Cola or other brands that have nothing to do with the content being viewed are starting to appear. While advertisements on streaming platforms are nothing new, Google is overdoing it with their quantity and aggressive format.
In comparison, Roku does include ads, but they typically limit themselves to promoting specific content — not products. On Google TV? An advertisement looks like an advertisement. Big. Flashy. Impossible to miss.
It can be circumvented — but not everyone can
Fortunately, Google TV is still Android TV underneath, so if you know what you're doing, you can turn off most ads. How? By using an alternative launcher, like Projectivy, which hides nearly all intrusive elements. This is an advantage over webOS, Tizen, or Roku, where the user has virtually no control.
Is the new design bad? Not necessarily. But the impression is spoiled by the fact that behind the “aesthetics” lies yet another attempt to monetise your attention. And that simply doesn't sit well with many people.
Source: hdtvtest
