Google LLC today updated its developer tools to make it easier to build apps for smart TVs powered by Android TV, a platform with an increasingly big role in its consumer hardware strategy.

Android TV is a version of Google’s mobile operating system designed to power standalone displays. It’s an important part of the search giant’s effort to win more share in the smart home market. The number of Android TV screens that are used at least once a month has jumped over 80% in the past year and seven of the world’s top 10 TV manufacturers now ship products powered by the platform. 

The update announced today is meant to make it easier for developers to build and monetize Android TV apps. In the ease-of-use department, Google has added a “low-latency mode” that allows developers to make their apps snappier by disabling the post-processing performed by smart TVs to enhance graphics quality. The search giant sees this feature coming particularly handy for optimizing video games, which are sensitive to latency-related delays.

Also new is an updated version of Leanback Library, a collection of ready-made software components Google provides to ease app development. The update makes it easier to build apps that work both on Android TV and standard Android by allowing more code to be reused across the two platforms. Google has also expanded the library with new components that help with building interface navigation features, such as scrolling.

Another major theme of today’s Android TV update is helping developers monetize their apps. Google takes a commission on apps sold via the Play Store and, as a result, helping developers drive more sales contributes to its own revenue. It also encourages more app makers to make their services available on the platform. 

Android TV will soon enable users to make purchases with a PIN code instead of a password, which should make the buying experience slightly more streamlined. Google has also added a feature called Play Store Instant that can grow app installs by enabling users to try a service before downloading it. 

These enhancements were joined by other changes including functional improvements to Android TV’s on-screen keyboard and the Android TV Emulator, which lets developers test apps on their desktops. All the updates announced today ultimately advance Google’s goal of lowering the entry barrier to building services for its smart TV platform. In this way, the search giant is helping to increase the number of third-party apps available on Android TV and make the platform more competitive. 

Photo: Google