I'm not saying the old UI was great, but I don't think this is better. It's not something my family will understand well. I don't want recommendations and second-guessing for what someone else thinks I want to watch. I don't want to endlessly scroll across horizontal ribbons. I want my apps laid out without extra crap I don't want to see, and I want a nice unified search option.
sweet. I might still get some good use out of my 3 year old Nexus player.
unless you own an ancient 2015 Sony model...
But it'll be at least a year before anyone gets it
The biggest issue I see with this is part of a larger problem with Android TV. Most apps still aren't ATV formatted, and in fact, they've recently become less compatible with my airmouse remote. I used to be able to pause videos in most non-ATV apps but now I have to back out of full-screen mode and press on screen buttons.
I think this great article makes several key points. The channels model makes for better partnerships with key media partners & app makers by providing them branding and focus. The fact that key players like Netflix, HBO, etc are already on board is a good one. I didn't realize that support for old Recommended system makes creating a Channel so simple.
I didn't realize that smart TVs & cable boxes are majority of Android TV out but it makes sense. So does Jared's comment that it seems very likely that Google will make a new in house Android TV device. NVidia can continue to be a great partner, but a Pixel (or similar branding) could make a big difference in adoption of the platform.