An update to Google TV is now in the process of rolling out and it is designed to make it easier to find something to watch. Depending on the device, and how you use Google TV, the latest update might not feel all that useful, or even new.
Essentially, four new shortcuts are being added to the Google TV’s For you page. The new additions are Movies, Shows, Family and Español. The new shortcuts will be visible below the apps row on the For you tab and allow the user to jump to specific sections. For example, clicking on the Movies button will take you to a movies page.
While Family and Español are certainly new and are likely to prove useful to families and/or those looking for more Spanish-language entertainment, the Movies and Shows shortcuts aren’t new. Google TV already features specific Movies and Shows sections which are available to access via the top menu, along with For you, Apps, and Library.
Naturally, it would be pointless to have Movies and Shows listed in both places which is why the addition of them as shortcut buttons has resulted in their removal from the top navigation menu.
In spite of this update designed to make these sections more discoverable, it arguably buries the Movies and Shows sections when compared to the current design.
What seems likely here is that Google wanted to add the additional Family and Español shortcuts and moving the Movies and Shows links made more sense than making the top menu even busier and more cluttered than it already is.
Speaking of which, it is also possible that this is simply part of a much wider design change that’s coming. YouTube TV is heavily reliant on a tag shortcut system and the way this new Google TV update looks and works is very similar. In other words, this may only be the start of more of these YouTube TV-like tag buttons arriving on Google TV.
In addition to the new shortcut buttons, there are some other navigational tweaks to be aware of. According to Google, the profile switcher is moving to the top left corner and the Search feature is moving to the right side. Google TV is also getting a new quick settings button as well.
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