In recent months, more and more TV manufacturers are launching their devices with GoogleTV instead of using the older one Android TV operating system. As more companies move to Google Television, the original Android TV experience is months behind. However, the tech giant does not seem to completely ignore the old Android TV experience. In what appears to be its first major update in several months, Google is reportedly rolling out a user profile feature for some Android TV users. According to a report by 9to5Google, user profiles appear on Android TV’s “Discover” home screen design for some users. This feature was first noticed by some Reddit users. The users claimed that a profile switch icon started appearing on the top right corner of the interface next to the settings button and time.
Android TV user profiles: how it works
Android TV users can click on their profile icon to see a new page that will ask them to “choose the primary account for your TV”. The user profile icon also includes options to both add and remove accounts. According to the report, the page will even mention that the primary account is used for watchlists and purchases.
Difference between user profiles for Android TV and Google TV
Users should note that Android TV profiles are not the same as Google TV user profiles. Like Google TV, Android TV doesn’t have a user switcher that changes the home screen in real time. The user profile in Android TV looks like a new interface that helps users manage Google accounts associated with the device.
It also comes with a few more advanced features. Since Google has started rolling out the new feature for limited users, details are still not available. The report suggests that the user profiles in Android TV can be used for YouTube. Instead of building all its accounts to switch to the app, YouTube integrates with the profile switcher on Android TV OS.
Android TV user profiles: how it works
Android TV users can click on their profile icon to see a new page that will ask them to “choose the primary account for your TV”. The user profile icon also includes options to both add and remove accounts. According to the report, the page will even mention that the primary account is used for watchlists and purchases.
Difference between user profiles for Android TV and Google TV
Users should note that Android TV profiles are not the same as Google TV user profiles. Like Google TV, Android TV doesn’t have a user switcher that changes the home screen in real time. The user profile in Android TV looks like a new interface that helps users manage Google accounts associated with the device.
It also comes with a few more advanced features. Since Google has started rolling out the new feature for limited users, details are still not available. The report suggests that the user profiles in Android TV can be used for YouTube. Instead of building all its accounts to switch to the app, YouTube integrates with the profile switcher on Android TV OS.
Difference between Android TV and Google TV
Android TV is the original operating system developed by Google for smart TVs. Meanwhile, Google TV is a skin designed based on Android TV. This skin is similar to the custom smartphone skins that different brands offer separately, such as OxygenOS and OneUI. So when devices, such as the latest Chromecast models, get new features like user account switching, they usually come from Google TV. Meanwhile, Android TV devices including the Nvidia Shield TV wants users to provide separate experiences for different people using the TV.