Google Is Adding Some Data Saving Features To Android TVs

On September 17, Google announced it would add some new features to Android TVs in a bid to help users connect their TVs to the Internet more easily via mobile hotspots. The company will first roll out these features in India, before releasing them globally. They are products of a Google team called Next Billion Users.

One problem that many users have faced is that their TVs don't support Internet connectivity via Ethernet line or Wi-Fi. Thus, they use hotspots from their tablets or smartphones. According to the Product Manager of the Next Billion Users team Joris van Mens:

Google said it has identified and solved this problem by adding a new feature to Android TVs, dubbed Data Saver. With this feature, you can watch more content on the TV, with data usage on mobile connections reduced by 3 times.

In addition to Data Saver, Google will also introduce three other new features. The Hotspot Guide feature will allow you to set up your TV with your mobile hotspot. The next feature called Data Alerts will help you monitor the amount of data you have consumed when watching TV.

Finally, Google's Files app, which was first released two years ago, helps users cast video files on their devices to a TV without using any internet data. This application makes it easy to free up content on smartphones. Till August, Google said this app had over 100 million users.

Google plans to launch the four new features for users in India, starting with devices from TCL, Marq of Flipkart and Xiaomi. These features are expected to be soon available globally. Xiaomi revealed that its new TV lineup will support Prime Video and Netflix, as well as the Data Saver feature.