Google TV to get a free upgrade that could be truly transformative

Google is set to upgrade its TV platform technology, resulting in much better performance across devices.

It has been confirmed that both Google TV and Android TV will transition to 64-bit systems, allowing for more advanced versions of apps to operate. This could mean that third-party streaming services could see faster loading times and even improved video quality.

According to FlatpanelsHD, Google informed app developers about the forthcoming changes last week: "Following other Android form factors, Google TV and Android TV devices will soon support 64-bit app compatibility," said Google TV's Fahad Durrani.

"64-bit apps will offer improved performance, shorter start times, and new viewing experiences on upcoming 64-bit Google TV and Android TV devices."

Sadly, that latter bit suggests that the new technology will not improve the experiences for older and current streaming devices running Google TV or Android TV. So don't expect your existing television to suddenly benefit.

Google will be keeping 32-bit compatibility for the time being, for its platforms to continue to work as usual: "We’re not making any changes to 32-bit support, and Google Play will continue to deliver apps to 32-bit devices," added Durrani.

"The 64-bit requirement means that apps with 32-bit native code will need a 64-bit version as well."

However, the upgrades will be developed in preparation of a new set of devices, likely coming next year. This could including a new version of the Google TV Streamer, it is claimed.

There is one current device that will be compatible, though. The Nvidia Shield TV and Shield TV Pro models do support 64-bit apps, it's said. So, if you want to ensure you are futureproof and you'll get the best versions of each app when released, you could always look into buying one of the years-old Android boxes.