What you need to know
- Support is being added for TVs, set-top boxes, and media remotes.
- Selecting apps, changing inputs, and playback control are some of the commands that will be available.
- These three additions come to the list of over 60 existing devices already available.
Google Assistant is available for nearly anything you can think of. Blinds, coffee makers, fireplaces, and so many other products — even yogurt makers can be controlled with your voice! Now, Google Assistant is finally gaining official support for TVs, set-top boxes, and media remotes.
Yes, if you think that this has been an option for a while now, you're not wrong. Control for a select few products like the NVIDIA Shield, DISH Hopper DVRs, Android TV, and a few others has been rolling out since 2018. The announcement for official support for all TVs, set-top boxes, and media remotes from Google (via Android Police) means that other manufacturers of these product types will be able to add Google Assistant as well.
Each of these newly added devices will carry common command types such as on/off, selecting apps, playback control, and a few others that will be able to offer a consistent functionality across products. It's unclear if these control options will be included in the Google Home app and smart displays or not.
Hopefully, official support for the addition of smart controls on these devices will be taken advantage of by more OEMs. Soon you'll be able to control not only your faucet, lawnmower, thermostat, but also your TV all via Google Assistant.
Google Assistant too
NVIDIA Shield TV is one of the best options out there for streaming boxes. With nearly any streaming provider you can think of available, and Google Play Store support, the apps are seemingly endless. Not to mention Dolby Vision, Dolby Atmos, AI upscaling for 4K content, all with Google Assistant to help control it at your fingertips.
