Google recently debuted its artificial intelligence assistant Gemini on TCL's flagship QM9K Mini-LED TV, and now it’s expanding that rollout to its own primary TV device, the Google TV Streamer.
In a blog post this week, Google said Gemini TV will launch on the Streamer in the next few weeks, as part of a staggered rollout globally. It’ll replace the old Google Assistant as the primary interface for voice interactions.
Gemini is said to be much more capable than Google Assistant because it can handle proper conversations with users, just like the Gemini app found on Android smartphones. That’s why Google says “Gemini for TV isn’t just for entertainment”.
That said, entertainment remains the primary focus of TVs in general, and in this regard, Gemini might be pretty useful. As an example, Google said to imagine a scenario where a husband and wife can’t agree on what to watch. In this case, the husband might say to Gemini that “I like dramas, but my wife wants to watch a comedy. What’s a good movie we can watch together?”. Based on that request, it’ll do its best to find suitable titles that fit with both genres, Google said.
Alternatively, if someone is a big fan of a series such as Outlander and a new season has just arrived on Netflix, they can ask Gemini for a quick recap on what happened previously, bringing them back up to speed. Gemini can also help users to find movies and shows they can’t remember the name of. For instance, they might ask “what’s the name of that new crime series everyone’s talking about?”, or “what’s the name of that new film Tom Hanks stars in?”, and it will do its best to find it.
Beyond finding things to watch, Gemini also provides educational value. A parent could ask it to explain certain concepts to help their kids with their homework, for example. By saying “explain why volcanoes erupt to my third grader”, it will prompt Gemini to not only spit out a concise response that kids can understand, but also find suitable videos on YouTube.
The Google TV Streamer is Google’s flagship streaming device. It launched in 2024, replacing the now discontinued Chromecast dongles, providing extra processing power thanks to its more advanced chipset. Once Gemini arrives, users will be able to access it simply by tapping the microphone button on their Google TV Streamer remote control.
Google plans to bring Gemini to TCL's QM8K and QM7K TVs later this year too, along with the TCL X11K, which is a Europe-only model. In addition, Hisense’s U7, U8 and UX ULED TVs will also get Gemini before the year is out, as will the Walmart Onn 4K Pro, a rival streaming device that's extremely popular in the U.S.
