Google Inc's announcement last week that Google Assistant will soon be available on Android TVs spurred some excitement among concerned device owners. Through the Google app for Android TV version 3.0, Google Assistant can be activated.
The new Google app for Android TV can only support Xiaomi Mi Box, Bravia TVs, NVIDIA Shield TV and LeEco TVs, among others. Nevertheless, it is expected to be released to other Android TVs very soon.
Reminders and prerequisites
Android TV, running on an ARM processor like the NVIDIA Shield TV, is eligible to use this APK. Devices running on the x86 processor like the Nexus player will not be accommodated since this processor is not supported.
Based on some users who have tried using Google Assistant on their Android TV, the Google app version 3.0 has been found unstable. Hence, glitches could occur once in a while when using it. One reported glitch is the cursor being stuck in the search box after looking up to get results.
Also read: Google Assistant is coming to Chromebooks very soon
Another reported issue is that the voice input will not work on the older Android TV which does not have a mic. Additionally, some Bravia TVs, even if they have the Google app for Android TV version 3 and a mic, need long presses on the mic button to trigger follow-up commands.
So far, Google Assistant works well on the Xiaomi Mi Box and LeEco TVs. Although, it has to be noted that bugs might exist intermittently. Google might soon be releasing firmware updates once it officially rolls out the app.
How to install Google Assistant on Android TV
Porting Google Assistant to an Android TV is easy and simple. Just download the Google app for Android TV version 3 APK via this link. Then sideload the app on a smartphone and reboot it.
