Google announces Android 11 developer preview for Android TV devices

(Image credit: Sony)

We've been expecting Android 11 for a little while now, predicting a June reveal in light of cancelled events – in this case, Google's I/O event, which never went ahead on 12th-14th May. However, the version of Android 11 for Android TV devices has finally been revealed.

As reported by Android Authority, Google announced (via Android Developers Blog) that the first developer preview for Android 11 will be available for ATV developers starting now. This, of course, means that we can expect to enjoy Android 11 on our Android TVs and streaming boxes at some point in the future – but not just yet.

To clarify, the current rollout is for developers and will only work on developer-focused hardware, specifically ADT-3 streamers supplied by Google. Don’t try to install it right now on your Sony TV (such as the ZH8 above, which is based on Android 9.0 OS), for example.

Google says that the Android TV version of Android 11 will come with “many privacy, performance, accessibility, and connectivity features.” 

We’ll need to wait a little while to fully understand what those claims mean, though. Watch this space – we'll be poised for updates. 

Will Google's new Android TV streaming dongle (curiously codenamed Sabrina) be mentioned in the Android 11 code? If it is, we'll tell you – stay tuned. 

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Becky has been a full-time staff writer at What Hi-Fi? since March 2019. Prior to gaining her MA in Journalism in 2018, she freelanced as an arts critic alongside a 20-year career as a professional dancer and aerialist – any love of dance is of course tethered to a love of music. Becky has previously contributed to Stuff, FourFourTwo, This is Cabaret and The Stage. When not writing, she dances, spins in the air, drinks coffee, watches football or surfs in Cornwall with her other half – a football writer whose talent knows no bounds.