Google TV revamps mobile app, ditches full-width search bar

On Google TV app, the user will see a display bar with a grid titled "Explore genres"
An undated image of Google Android TV apps. — Android

An undated image of Google Android TV apps. — Android

Google TV would redesign its mobile Android app to be even more visually immersive and have a full-width search bar. The design is aimed at creating an improved layout on larger screens, such as the Pixel Fold.

The Google TV app previously featured a very visible top-centered search bar accompanied by a voice input shortcut and account switcher/menu. This design made search highly accessible, but it also consumed quite useful screen real estate.

What's new in Google TV?

The refreshed application has opened up space for a magnifying glass icon to sit alongside the user profile avatar and push the search bar. The "Google TV" branding now occupies the upper-left corner, which leaves the artwork at the top edge of the screen-another way in which it is more immersive and brings the user inside the content.

Enhanced search functionality

When searching for something on the Google TV app, the user would see a display bar with a grid titled "Explore genres", which would have a broad list of genres like Action, Animated, Comedy, etc. The new feature leads users to a page where there are carousels in numerous categories; these features allow the discovery of their sought content.

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Eliminated full-width search bars among other first-party apps are Google Messages and the Play Store. Its justification is that it would take up less space and the magnifying glass icon alone is enough. Critics present the opinion of how large and obvious the search bar offers a touch target.

Rollout and availability

It is a server-side rollout, and only on particular devices running on version 4.39.2486.x of the app. Eventually, it would reach other devices as well, bringing with it a much smoother and more interactive Google TV experience to the users' ends.