So I am participating in hackathon this week where we will be building apps for Android TV, and any idea about what is it that you want to be implemented would be great info. I am not a user of this technology so I am not quite sure what feature could make life of ATV users easier or happier. Maybe we can help each other 😀
Are you a google employee? If so a google photo client. Cant believe it is not there already.
Sleep timer. Sony Android TVs have this added in and its quite nice to have. It would be nice if it was native to Android TV so set top boxes could trigger it as well without having to set it at the TV level.
Chromecast multiroom audio sync. Currently only available on chromecast audios and newer gen Chromecast videos. Would be cool if it was available for Shield or MiBox too.
Mouse pointer added to the Android TV Remote app
Ability to use Google Photos albums as Backdrop source for screensavers
Ability to build custom rows on the homescreen without having to use a third party app
YouTube TV integration with Play Next and a revamp of the Live Channels app to look more like YouTube TV with the ability to combine multiple services into the Live Channels app (i.e Pluto TV)
Edit I forgot... A Chrome Remote Desktop app
Google to actual pay attention to and support Android TV.
I don't know if this is on Google or how apps are using Picture-In-Picture, but the ability to browse for something else to watch while watching something would be nice. I'm not sure how many support this, but Samsung TVs have recommendations on the bottom navigation overlay.
Basically, you have to stop what you're watching and quit the app to look if you want to attempt to search for something else to watch. Just multitasking is something that Android could do better and truly exploit the benefits over more limited UI interfaces (like Roku).
Signal strength and quality app for the TV tuner, preferably one that can graph multiple channels to help with antenna alignment.
How about a decent Reddit client? 👍
A decent gamepad app.
A fully functional Slide Show app.
(I don't want much, do I? Happy to Beta test it on my Sony AF8 though!)
Having the youtube app be chromecast-aware for devices with built-in chromecast functionality. When I stop watching something and throw a video from my phone, youtube casting launches over youtube, and when I stop watching it closes and goes back to the previous youtube..
L2TP and PPTP VPN
which is available built-in android I have no idea why did they remove this on Android TV
also, a Mouse pointer Mode for Remote controls is needed ( or at least an app that can do that )
Desktop with time, weather, maybe reminders on left. To the right side, today's news headlines ticker ascending. Bottom 5 favorite apps.
A full featured YouTube app with dev support that actually listens to feedback from their user reviews..
I don't know about apps, but Android TV at a core operating system level needs to have so many more IR codes for many common actions (play/pause, number buttons, etc) for use with third party remotes like the Harmony from Logitech.
Proper ambient mode support but that might be an Nvidia issue and not an Android TV issue.
ITT people asking an app developer for things only Google/OEMs can do
native octoplus
Automatic frame rate switching
Better home screen customization. Maybe even different launchers
SMB Sharing / NTFS Support
Universal login for cable TV subscription authentication. Pretty sure Apple TV has had this for a couple years now.
Remote control, not the kind you hold in your hand.
Automatic frame rate switching.
NightLight (f.lux filter).
Update native apps UI.
Better dark theme (get rid of the greenish settings hue).
Ambient mode where it emulates a Google hub type interface or just better intergration with Google assistant (give me reminders and weather).
Link to digital wellbeing on your phone.
Get phone notifications on the TV.
Native side by side view.
Resize pip window and select audio source.
Better Android TV remote (launch apps from the remote and cursor support).
Better launch animations.
5.1 FLAC at high resolutions
An app that displays the current network usage. This could be an overlay that can be turned on/off that could be used to determine bitrates of the video stream being played currently. This would be useful for comparing video services to see who offers the highest bitrate streams. Also should be able to read from wifi or USB wired network adapters.
Be cool to get some cool stuff out of this. From our last in Serbia.
https://www.hackathon.com/event/bits-n-android-tv-hackathon-52081248416
Third party launchers. More UI controls.
Timely updates
Chrome as tv app... no shady third party solutions which proxy your webpages.
I just got a shield gaming edition and I was severely underwhelmed. android tv is a joke only two boxes officially support it and a few TVs. The only reason to get an android TV box is for GeForce Now which is only available on the Shield which is $200. That's not much cheaper than an actual console system these days. Android TV is user un-freindly when compared to tvOS. You can tell they want you to use Android TV with an HD homerun or fire tv recast and not much else. Also i get the vibe they wanted a bunch of Oems to include it in their smart TVs and google doesn't have much of a focus on having a lot of box options but built in android tv, fire os, or tvOS is incredibly dumb because what happens if you brick your $800 TV? you always want your box separate, it's also waaaay cheaper to buy a normal 4k tv and a cheap box than a fancy top of the line tv with Android Tv or TvOS.
I thought Live Channels + TVIRL would be the EPG I was looking for for my IPTV sub but it doesn't work very well IMO. I shouldn't have to use a paid third party service to get my channel groups working correctly, and I shouldn't have to use the paid version of TVIRL to get auto EPG update. Why can't I just plug my xtreme codes login or my m3u_plus link into Live Channels and be done with it? Live Channels is a joke. It's 2018 Android TV has been out for years and it still sucks. I find no added functionality in my shield that my $35 fire stick couldn't do aside from GeForce Now. Google messed up the rollout sooooo bad. Why did they call it "Android TV" instead of a totally different name like "Screendroid os" or just SOMETHING that isn't so easily confused with android os itself running on cheap boxes? The fire stick will continue to eat Android TVs lunch until they get it on some boxes that can compete with fire sticks in price. The mi box s is kinda pricy for a buggy box that can't properly display UHD yet.
GeForce Now is the only reason I got a shield instead of the Apple Tv gaming bundle. If I could play Fortnite or PUBG on the Apple TV I would have bought that instead in a heart beat. Also the shield gaming bundle is too expensive. The normal one can be bought for $129, which is still way too high for an android tv box, and you can buy a cheap game pad for $20. They are charging an extra $70 for that gaming controller, and it's a nice controller don't get my wrong, but I don't need a $70 controller when I'm a casual gamer and the $16 ones on amazon work just as well.
Also if these tech companies want to muscle in on the TV market they need to include remotes with more than 4 buttons. Real tv watching requires a full remote layout.
Automatic colour space and frame rate switching, so it can be applied to the NVIDIA Shield