Quick Summary
Google will reportedly add Find My Remote features to streaming devices soon, after references were discovered in Android TV 14.
You will need a compatible remote control, however.
Some tech updates are minor. And others will transform your life and have you dancing with joy in the streets. A new Google TV update may be in the second category, because it could mean an end to wondering where the hell you left the TV remote.
As spotted by Android Authority, there are references to a new feature in Android TV 14 called "find my remote". You don't need to be Sherlock Holmes to deduce what that's going to do. And its presence in that particular software is significant because Android TV is the root of both the Google TV and Android TV software, so it's likely to be coming to multiple streaming devices sooner rather than later.
Finding lost remotes may sound like a solution to a very first world problem, but if your home is anything like mine then remote control hunting is a pretty common chore. So if nothing else it's likely to be good for your mood.
What Google says about Find My Remote
The text strings in the code make it clear how the feature will work. They say: "When Find my remote is enabled, you can play a sound to locate your Google TV remote if it’s misplaced.
There is a button on your Google TV that you can push to play a sound on your remote for 30 seconds. This only works with supported Google TV remote controls. To stop the sound, press any button on your remote."
There's both good news and bad news in that description, because the key words there are "this only works with supported Google TV remote controls". However, such remotes are coming.
Find My Remote is already in the new Onn Google TV 4K Pro streaming box from Walmart, and the description in Google's code indicates that this is not a Walmart thing but a Google TV thing. So you can expect plenty more models fairly soon. We just don't know which ones just yet.
The new feature should be made available to any Google TV that ships with Android 14 for TVs, but we don't know whether it'll be coming to TVs with older versions of the OS – and if it is, when it'll be made available.
-
When is Black Friday 2024 – this Friday or next? Here's the official answerBlack Friday is on 29 November in 2024 – a week later than the year previous. But that's not stopped retailers putting on their sales...
-
Forget Black Friday, F1 24 is completely free for a limited timeThis top racing game has a free weekend
-
Apple MacBook Pro to get a major rival from an unlikely source, claims reportCould we see a resurgence of the Pixel name in the laptop world?
-
Google TV Streamer finally getting the puzzle piece it's been missing since day oneSolves my biggest issue with the streaming device
-
Google Pixel Tablet 2 to add a major something that was missing on first-gen, claims reportGoogle is said to be preparing the Pixel Tablet 2 with an official keyboard case
-
Google TV Streamer gets its first free update with a surprise audio featureAn update is rolling out to Google's latest set-top-box now
-
Android 16 release date revealed and it's ridiculously earlyGoogle is stepping up the schedule for Android versions, which could be interesting
-
Google Pixel 9a tipped for a camera change you might find surprisingDetails on the Google Pixel 9a camera might not be what you expect
-
Google Search gets an unusual update that could prove controversialGoogle is stripping away a potentially useful tool, one that it says few people use.
-
Google’s Pixel Drop brings great free updates for your Pixel phone, new or oldAndroid 15 rolls out at last, and that means there's a neat Pixel Drop to go with it
