Google is bringing its voice assistant software to its TV platform. The NVIDIA Shield TV is the first Android TV device to support Google Assistant, but Google says Sony Bravia TVs will gain the feature in the coming months.
That will let you control TV features with your voice, ask questions, and perform plenty of other actions using your TV rather than a phone or smart speaker. But Google’s actually playing catch up here.
Apple TV already includes Siri support, and Amazon’s Fire TV devices support Alexa. Roku also has a voice search feature, but it’s a lot less versatile.
To use Google Assistant on a Shield TV, you’ll need to download software version 6.0, which is out today.
Update: For more details, check out our hands-on overview of the Shield TV v6.0 software.
Once installed, you can use “OK Google” voice commands like “watch Game of Thrones on HBO,” “Play some music,” or specify songs or artists you want to hear on Google Play Music, YouTube Music, or other supported services including Pandora and Spotify.
There’s also support for controlling smart home devices including Nest cameras, getting answers to questions, news, traffic, or weather updates, or ordering products available through Google Express. You can also turn off the Shield TV by saying “OK Google, turn off.”
Other new features in the Shield TV 6.0 update include support for a $40 SmartThings Link device (or $15 when you pre-order from SmartThings).
, allowing you to use the Shield as a smart home hub and support for YouTube 360 videos.
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