Google TV adds AI features with Nano Banana, Veo, and YouTube Shorts on home screen

More Gemini features are coming to Google TV | TechCrunch

Google announced on Wednesday a new wave of AI-powered features coming to Google TV, alongside a dedicated short-form video feed that brings YouTube Shorts directly to the home screen. At the center of this update are more Gemini capabilities. Within the Gemini tab, a "Create" button lets users experiment with generative AI tools Nano Banana and Veo. These are rolling out first on Gemini-enabled TCL TVs in the U.S., with broader device support expected later. Nano Banana, Google's image-generation and editing model, lets users transform photos using simple voice prompts. Users can swap outfits, change backgrounds, or generate entirely new scenes. Google is positioning the feature as a shared, living-room experience, encouraging playful prompts like asking the AI to make "my dad wear a ridiculous outfit" to get a laugh from family and friends. Veo, on the other hand, allows users to create clips from scratch or animate still images by describing a scenario. For instance, "make my grandfather moonwalk in space." Google Photos is also getting an upgrade on Google TV. With Gemini-powered search, users can quickly surface specific memories, like vacations or birthday parties, without digging through their entire library. Results are displayed in a browsable format, making it easy to view images full-screen or launch a slideshow. There's also a new "Remix" feature that lets users apply artistic styles such as watercolor or oil painting to their photos. Meanwhile, "Dynamic Slideshows" introduces animated layouts, frames, and color treatments. Users can turn any Google Photos collection into a vivid, TV-ready slideshow by selecting Google Photos in the screensaver settings. Beyond AI tools, Google is also leaning into the growing popularity of short-form video. Coming soon, a new "Short videos for you" row will appear on the Google TV home screen, starting with content from YouTube Shorts. The move comes on the heels of YouTube recently introducing an option to hide Shorts on mobile, suggesting mixed user demand. Still, Google hints this could expand beyond Shorts in the future, potentially to other platforms. Instagram has already expanded its TV app to Google TV devices in the U.S. earlier this year.

Got a Google TV? It's Getting an AI Upgrade (and YouTube Shorts)

Your TV is no longer just for watching shows, movies, or playing video games. Google TV is expanding its creation features, bringing AI-generated content to the biggest screen in your home, alongside new features for Google Photos and YouTube. In a future update, YouTube Shorts recommendations will appear on your home screen across Google TV devices. An example in Google's marketing shows it appearing above the "Trending on Google" section, under the title "Short videos for you." It shows six videos, including the creator's name, the video's headline, and the number of likes it has received. It's set to be personalized, but it's not clear if it'll draw from what you've previously watched on YouTube or what you like to view across all of Google TV's services. Google says it'll roll out to devices across the US later this year, but it hasn't clarified whether you'll be able to turn this option off. It may not be for everyone, as YouTube recently added an option to stop seeing Shorts in its mobile app. A new Google Photos integration, meanwhile, lets you use your own photography as a screensaver, rather than defaulting to stock imagery. You can choose any album to become a slideshow of images on your TV's screen when you're not using it. It's rolling out now, and you can set it up in the quick settings: find the screensaver option, select Google Photos, and build an album of photos to use as your screensaver. Your device will need at least 2GB of RAM to handle this, so it won't work with the Chromecast With Google TV (HD) or an Onn HD. If you have a Gemini-enabled device, Google is also updating Photos to allow expanded voice search. A new results page lets you browse voice results, including searching more broadly with queries like "show me photos from my birthday party last year." Photos viewed on Google TV will also let you make edits with Nano Banana AI tech via an option called Remix. A button appears at the bottom of the photo when you're looking at it, and it lets you make an AI-generated version where you look like an animated character, a watercolor painting, and more. Other new AI integrations coming to Google TV include the option to use Nano Banana's photo-producing and tweaking tech. A new Create button in the Gemini tab on Google TV lets you describe what you want an AI-generated image to show, or what edits you want to make to an existing subject. Nano Banana then creates it on your TV. The same works through Veo for video clips. Google says, "Whether you want to create a new clip from scratch or add motion to an existing image, just describe what you're looking for and let Veo do the rest. It's a cool way to get creative with family and friends." These last two AI-generation features are available only on Gemini-enabled TCL TVs in the US.

The Google TV platform will soon display YouTube Shorts videos directly on the home page - Engadget

The Google TV platform is getting a bunch of new features via a software update. The biggest news here is likely a novel integration of YouTube Shorts. The platform will soon display a row of personalized Shorts directly on the home page. In other words, the short-form vertical video format continues to move off of phones and onto bigger screens. Disney+ recently got in on this trend with the introduction of an in-house vertical video platform. Google has even seemingly left the door open to integrate other platforms, as the announcement says this feature is "starting with YouTube Shorts." Time will tell if TikTok and Instagram Reels end up on Google TV-enabled devices. The platform is also adding some generative AI features because, well, it's 2026 and no device is safe. The AI image generator Nano Banana is now available on the Google TV platform, allowing users to "make the room laugh" by adding "twists to any photo." The company is bringing the video-generation tool Veo to the platform. This lets people make videos via prompts. You know the drill. Google gives an example of a user asking for a video of their grandfather performing a dance in space. This update also brings some smaller features. Google Gemini has been integrated into the Photos app, allowing for prompt-based queries. That app has also received the AI editing suite Google Photos Remix. YouTube Shorts integration doesn't come until this summer, but everything else is already available. Most of these tools only work with Gemini-enabled devices.

Google TV adds features no one really asked for

Karandeep Singh Oberoi is a Durham College Journalism and Mass Media graduate who joined the Android Police team in April 2024, after serving as a full-time News Writer at Canadian publication MobileSyrup. Prior to joining Android Police, Oberoi worked on feature stories, reviews, evergreen articles, and focused on 'how-to' resources. Additionally, he informed readers about the latest deals and discounts with quick hit pieces and buyer's guides for all occasions. Oberoi lives in Toronto, Canada. When not working on a new story, he likes to hit the gym, play soccer (although he keeps calling it football for some reason🤔) and try out new restaurants in the Greater Toronto Area. Our TVs are no longer simply 'lean-back-and-watch' machines. They're slowly turning into hubs for creativity and sovcial interaction. Google's latest Google TV update, for example, is making this shift official, and it is doing so by weaving its AI models right into Google TV. Related Gemini wants to make sure that your Google TV is the only screen that matters Three new features are rolling out now Posts By Karandeep Singh Oberoi The update brings models like Nano Banana and Veo directly to the OS to complement the existing Gemini features. Here's what's new: With Nano Banana now available on Google TV, you can start generating images on the big screen. Why would you want to do this? I'm not entirely sure. But the functionality is now there. To get started, you'd need to visit the Gemini tab and select 'Create.' Generate videos with Veo With Veo and Geminig available on all the convenient screens, like your smartphone, tablet, and desktop, I'm not entirely sure why you'd want to use Veo to generate videos on your TV, but here we are. This could potentially be useful for a quick laugh on movie nights or when the whole family is sitting together, but that's about it. Similar to Nano Banana, to get started, you'd need to visit the Gemini tab and select 'Create.' Look for photos with your voice Users will now be able to verbally ask Gemini on Google TV to find specific photos hidden in their Google Photos library. Simply bring up Gemini and say something like "Show me photos of last year's beach vacation," and Gemini will bring up a carousel of all relevant images. Once you've found the image you were looking for, you can 'Remix' it directly on your TV. This allows you to transform the image into different styles, including 3D animation, Anime, Sketch, and Comic book. Use your Google Photos library as your TV's scrensaver When you aren't actively viewing content on your TV, it can automatically transform into a gallery of your best moments. "Simply turn any Google Photos album into a dynamic slideshow to view your pictures in stunning collages and colors. To get started, visit your screensaver settings under "Quick Settings" and select Google Photos as the source." YouTube Shorts, but on your Google TV's home screen We've been asking to see fewer Shorts, but Google has the oppposite on its mind. It is now putting YouTube Shorts directly on or Google TV home screen. The videos will appear in a new "Short videos for you" row right on the home page. The row will start rolling out to US Google TV users this summer.

Google TV is getting Nano Banana, Veo, and YouTube Shorts

Among the best streaming devices, Google has been the most aggressive in incorporating AI; when the Google TV Streamer launched, you were able to use Gemini to search for shows and movies using natural language, and you could also have it create screensaver artwork based on whatever your imagination could think up. As of today (April 29), Google is adding a few more AI-assisted features, and will also update the interface to add short-form videos. Here's a quick look at what's coming. These features will be available on Google TV-enabled smart TVs, as well as the Google TV Streamer. More Nano Banana photo editing -- and better photo searching While you previously were able to use Nano Banana to create AI images from whole cloth, you can now edit or modify the photos you've already taken. So, if there's a picture of you standing in an office building, you can ask Gemini to transplant you to the beach or the Moon. Or, if you don't like the outfit you're wearing, you can ask Nano Banana to change your threads, add a hat, or sport some new shoes. You can also take a more artistic approach using Google Photos Remix, which will let you add different artistic styles to your pictures, such as changing them to a watercolor or oil painting. And, Gemini will now let you search through your Google Photos more easily, so you can perform a natural language search, such as "pictures with balloons" or "photos of cats." Google will then return a page showing all the results, allowing you to comb through your entire catalog more easily. Veo video generation If you're bored with all the streaming options, why not create your own? Google TV's integration with Veo will let you do just that, allowing you to make a video from voice prompts alone, or animate an existing still photo from your collection. YouTube Shorts YouTube Shorts has become one of the more popular video formats for the platform, so Google will be adding it to the home page of Google TV devices. It's not available just yet -- the company said it will be coming this summer to the U.S. -- but when it's added, you'll see a row of "Short videos for you," based on your browsing history and preferences. Outlook In all, Google broadening the reach of its AI tools to its popular streaming device is a sensible, if inevitable move. While I imagine people will have fun editing and creating videos and photos using Nano Banana and Veo, I suspect that the most popular new features will be the ability to search through your voluminous database of photos to find the ones you want. Adding YouTube Shorts also makes a ton of sense, even if their vertical format is less suited to a widescreen television than a phone's display. If you're listlessly scrolling through the best streaming services looking for something to watch, there's no better time-killer than a bunch of snackable, short-form videos. Follow Tom's Guide on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our up-to-date news, analysis, and reviews in your feeds. Subscribe to Tom's Guide on YouTube and follow us on TikTok.

Google TV Gets More Gemini-Powered Features for Content and Entertainment - Phandroid

If you're a Google TV user, then you might want to "tune in" (pun intended) to this new update for the platform, which brings several new features for content and entertainment. The updates introduce advanced AI functionality and expanded media integration, which allows the platform to double as a shared content generation hub. The update integrates Gemini-powered tools including Nano Banana and Veo, which will allow users to generate and edit custom images and videos directly on the big screen using voice commands. For example, users can modify family photos with visual additions or generate video clips by simply describing a scenario. These tools will arrive first on Gemini-enabled TCL Google TVs within the United States. Personalized media management also receives an update via Google Photos, and users can now tap into Gemini's natural language processing to search their photo libraries by voice, making it easier to find specific memories like vacations or birthdays. The "Remix" feature likewise allows users to apply artistic styles -- such as oil painting or watercolor -- to their images, while an updated dynamic slideshow mode transforms the TV into a digital gallery of collages and curated albums. Google adds that its TV platform is expanding its content offerings to meet the growing demand for "snackable" media, which includes instantly accessible feeds for short-form content such as YouTube Shorts. As for availability, the AI image and video tools will initially be limited to specific hardware, while the dynamic slideshow features will arrive for eligible Google TV devices worldwide.

Google TV gets Gemini-powered AI features for creation, search and streaming

Google has rolled out new updates for Google TV, introducing AI-powered creative tools, improved Google Photos integration, and a new short-video experience on the Home screen. The update aims to make the TV more personalised, interactive, and useful beyond traditional streaming. With this rollout, Google TV adds features for creating images and videos, searching and remixing photos, and discovering short-form content directly from the Home interface. Google TV is introducing generative AI tools that allow users to create images and videos using simple voice or text prompts. Both tools are available through the Gemini tab under the "Create" option. Google TV adds new ways to edit and display photos on the big screen. A new "Short videos for you" row is coming to the Google TV Home screen.