Discovering your Google TV’s misplaced distant will quickly grow to be much less irritating

Abstract

• Google TV’s Android 14 replace features a Discover my distant instrument for locating misplaced remotes.
• Walmart Onn Google TV Professional, whereas not operating Android 14, has the distant discovering performance as a consequence of a more recent Android 12 launch.
• Current Google TVs could not get the Discover my distant function if their remotes lack the mandatory {hardware}.

Walmart launched its Onn Google TV 4K Professional earlier this month with spectacular upgrades and intriguing new options. Amongst different issues, the streaming field shipped with a Discover my distant performance. Urgent a tiny button positioned in entrance of the streaming field will trigger the distant to beep and flash its tiny LED gentle for 30 seconds. Initially, it was assumed that Walmart added the misplaced distant discovering performance to the Onn Google TV 4K Professional. However that is not the case, with the function reportedly being part of Android 14 for TV.

Android skilled Mishaal Rahman noticed strings associated to the brand new Discover my distant function in Google’s newest Android 14 for TV emulator construct (by way of Android Authority) uploaded after I/O 2024. The strings make it clear that the instrument to find the misplaced distant is a part of the Google TV platform, presumably paving the way in which for it to come back to extra streaming containers sooner or later.

When Discover my distant is enabled, you’ll be able to play a sound to find your Google TV distant if it is misplaced.

There’s a button in your Google TV that you would be able to push to play a sound in your distant for 30 seconds. This solely works with supported Google TV distant controls. To cease the sound, press any button in your distant.

Moreover urgent a button on the streaming field, Google may also allow you to use voice instructions to seek out the misplaced distant. AFTVnews might set off the instrument via a voice command on their Walmart Onn 4K Professional, although the function didn’t work, presumably as a consequence of a bug.

Whereas Walmart’s Professional streaming field doesn’t run Android 14 for TV, its firmware relies on a more recent Android 12 for TV launch that features the distant discovering instrument.

Discover my distant won’t come to current Google TVs

For the time being, it’s unclear which new and current streaming containers will achieve entry to the Discover my distant instrument with Android 14 for TV’s launch. However do not count on this function to come back to your Google TV if its distant lacks the requisite {hardware}, which is a built-in speaker.

Apple TV has included a misplaced distant discovering instrument for Siri Distant for a couple of years now. Given the function’s usefulness, it is good to see Google lastly bringing it to Google TV — higher late than by no means!