Android TV Core Services
Category : Tools
Reviews (30)
There are now ads that cannot be removed and return right back at the first login to your account without giving you the chance to turn off updates. Never mind the time that takes to do this with on a remote or the horrible Android TV remote app which is worse because it can collect data without improving the situation. I'm using set top boxes, all thrown away because of the egregiously invasive nature of this but I can't even begin to imagine how people who have built-in to their TVs must feel. It's not all bad though, I got 2xAAA rechargeable batteries back per remote. They are much more useful than being invasively marketed to, so... thank you Google?
If you have this app, roll back to the factory version to remove the Ads at the top. Turn off Auto-Updates in the Play Store to prevent it from upgrading to the Ad version. Unfortunately, none of the other apps will auto-update so you'll need to do that manually. Yes- this is the only way to prevent your TV from becoming a Google Ad machine. No- Google has no shame.
Definitely hate the ads spotlight on the top for services i don't have and i don't want on a TV that cost way too much money.
Updating this app did not cause any ads to appear on the home screen of my Sony TV. Ads placed on my home screen were instead controlled by the Android TV Home app as part of the "Cinematic Highlights" update. If, like me, you were appalled by this, I recommend you uninstall the Android TV Home app, disable auto-updates, and write an appropriate review on the Android TV Home app page. I hope that by not having the latest update for the Android TV Home app, my experience has not actually been different to what others have described, but otherwise, performance updates will always welcomed. I honestly considered the Android TV OS a great experience before ads were pushed on loyal consumers. You can still do the right thing, Google.
Your home screen will not look like the images shown here. Google got greedy and started pushing advertisements on the top 1/3 of the home screen. Ads contain images not suitable for younger viewers, raunchy advertisements, etc. I just want the launcher that came with the device I purchased. Google got greedy and ruined the Android TV experience.
My Android TV experience was just short of perfect up until I updated to the latest version and now it seems like an ad platform with apps. I have rolled back to the factory version of the app and turned off automatic updates. I will not be updating until ads are removed.
Android TV was great until the advertisements showed up on my homescreen without a way to turn them off. Now, instead of viewing my installed apps at the top of the screen, the top 20% of my screen is dedicated to selling me HBOMax and "staff picks". It's ridiculous and pisses me off. Looking to return my TV and find one with out unsolicited advertisements.
Just updated sony tv firmware and suddenly "staff picks" ads are showing up. Why google why? Don't say since android OS is ours, we can put whatever into users screen. Not in this age! Either pull this out or give a setting to turn it off. It is taking up some screen real estate and I hate ads as well. I would have given negative rating but since that is not an option giving 1 star.
The latest update adds a "Sponsored" row to the top of the screen that unlike all other rows, cannot be turned off. My TV does not show a toggle at all, but some others appear to have toggle that does not stay in the off position.
Sony xh91 also known as xh85 (49") The On Timer cant open live tv and catchup (youview), it only opens the normal freeview play, kind of annoying to keep switching between the two freeview services when all i want is youview my sony 2015 tv was able to open youview on the On timer without issue Also the freeview play tv guide menu (not the youview one) is annoying that it opens a programme information screen instead of just going to the channel, should be option to disable that extra menu so i can just scroll through and choose channel and it goes to it without the extra fuss
Has been updated to include advertising that cannot be turned off. Android TV now has compulsory advertising on the home screen. My Sony TV uses Android TV as it's operating system. This is a complete violation of trust. Google has gone too far in invading people's homes. This is my TV, I paid a lot of money for it, and I own it, and I have the right to use it as it was sold to me by Sony.
The last update added giant "staff pick" ads with no option to turn them off. FYI, I paid $7000 US for my 77" Sony OLED, so there should not be any reason to see ads on a premium device. If I keep seeing ads, this will be my last Android TV.
Android TV now has large ads across the top of it's homescreen. There is no way to disable these ads and they take up a huge portion of the screen real estate. Google should at least give us a way to opt out in the settings.
Before Google forced a sponsored row of ads on my TV screen I was actually a fan of Android TV. Now I'm considering doing away with all Google services. If I wanted a TV with ads I would have bought a Samsung. Thankfully I have an Apple TV which I will be using exclusively now for streaming.
Very disappointing that Google would inject ads into your TV with no notice and no way to opt out. I never would have bought an Android TV had I known this was coming. Google is rapidly becoming a company you should avoid at all costs.
Installs ads on the Home screen of your Android TV. This app is force installed by Google and can’t be removed, but it can be disabled. I suggest doing so as it is just garbage.
Even with auto-updates turned off you still push ads to my Shields launcher? Are you kidding me? These aren't devices you subsidized, I paid for these. Who builds ads into a launcher and then tries to pass it off as new features? Complete GARBAGE!
Google has decided to start using updates to push ads onto devices that were sold without them. They have not asked for anyone's permission to do so, and have basically told people to just deal with it. This kind of hostility towards users is exactly why Google products should be avoided at all costs.
Wow Google, an awesome clean TV UI now half taken up by advertising that I cannot remove or customize! My $1000 TV is now an advertising billboard so I assume you'll be paying me monthly rent for it???
non removable ads on homescreen? are you kidding me... you couldn't spend some engineering time to improve the youtube app or make a functional browser on Android TV instead?...
Forced ads take up 30% of the home screen. This is not okay. New users go find a different device to avoid this garbage.
I will never again buy a TV with Android TV running on it. To have unremovable ads patched in to a TV that I spent almost two thousand dollars on is insane and offensive. Sony has also lost any business from me in the future.
The ads completely ruin it for me. I cannot abide by a device that I pay for, with money, which then STILL throws ads at me. How greedy can companies be? It's rediculous.
Disgusted by the forced ads on the home screen. I will no longer spend any money on google play tv/movies or make any other purchases through my tv.
Latest update overwhelms the Android TV home screen with advertising. Very unhappy with this! Looking at alternative platforms...
Adds non removable sponsored section to my Android TV home screen. Shameless abuse of an Android TV system app to deliver unwanted advertising on a product for which I already paid a ton of money.
We don't want ads on the TV we spent a lot of money on. There are enough ads crammed down our throats everyday.
Remove the sponsored content from my home screen. I didn't purchase a thousand-dollar TV to see unavoidable ads pinned at the top.
Google has added unremovable adds to the home screen with this app. Why did I spend $1000 on a TV just to see ads?
Thought the Android TV was pretty slick when I got it. Better than my last smart TV, anyway, with a much better selection of apps to use to view media. Ads are now on my homescreen without any way to turn them off. This is a deal breaker. If the TV had been free or there had been information that there would be homescreen ads it would be one thing. But I bought a device expecting an ad free experience, got it for a while, and then had advertisements trojan their way in after the fact. Completely unacceptable. If there isn't a way to turn these off in preferences soon this will be my last Android TV.