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Google may be prioritizing the new Google TV experience for smart TVs, it isn’t sunsetting the old Android TV interface just yet. The company has just released an update for the latter, adding an account switcher to the home screen. A similar feature has been available on Google TV for almost a year now.
Several Android TV users have recently reported seeing a new icon in the top-right corner of their TV’s home screen. Nestled between the settings button and time, it is an account switcher that lets you quickly change the primary Google account linked to the TV. The icon shows the profile avatar of the account that is currently in use. Clicking on it will take you to a new page where you can switch to another linked account, add a new account, or remove an existing account. The page also notes that the primary account is used for watchlists, purchases, and personalized recommendations.
Android TV adds an account switcher to the home screen
This new addition to Android TV makes things a lot more convenient for families that share the same TV. By linking the Google accounts of all family members, everyone can get a personalized feed of recommendations on the homescreen. Google will use your online activities and watch history to recommend content. However, it’s still far from the perfect user profile system for multiple reasons. Firstly, it only shows up on the ad-powered Google Discover home screen. The account switcher doesn’t exist on the old Leanback interface of Android TV.
Moreover, it only switches the primary account for your “TV”. According to Android Police, changing the primary account doesn’t change the accounts logged in Google apps like YouTube, YouTube TV, or even the Play Store — something that Google TV does. The publication also noticed a typo on the account switcher page. It says “Login to a different Google account” under the “Add account” button. It should have been the verb “log in” instead of the noun “login”. Hopefully, Google will fix this error and improve the feature with subsequent updates in the future.
Meanwhile, the new account switcher should be available to more users with an Android TV device soon. The rollout began recently for users in the US. It should reach everyone around the world in the coming weeks. As said earlier, Google TV has had a more feature-rich account switcher for about a year now.
