Many new features are added to the Google TV platform through software updates. The biggest news here is probably the novel integration of YouTube Shorts. The platform will soon feature a row of personalized short videos directly on the homepage.
In other words, short-form vertical video formats continue to migrate from mobile phones to larger screens. Disney+ recently capitalized on this trend by introducing an in-house vertical video platform. The announcement states that the feature will “start with YouTube Shorts,” so it looks like Google is leaving open the possibility of integrating other platforms as well. Only time will tell if TikTok and Instagram Reels will make it to Google TV-enabled devices.
The platform also adds some generative AI capabilities. Because it’s 2026 and no device is secure. AI image generation tool Nano Banana is now available on the Google TV platform, allowing users to “put a twist on any photo” and “make the room laugh.”
The company will bring its video generation tool Veo to the platform. This will allow you to create videos via prompts. You know the drill. Google gives the example of a user asking for a video of his grandfather dancing in space.
This update also adds some small features. Google Gemini is integrated into the Photos app and allows for prompt-based queries. The app also added an AI editing suite, Google Photos Remix.
YouTube Shorts integration won’t arrive until this summer, but everything else is already available. Most of these tools only work with Gemini-enabled devices.
