Google TV May Let You Use Your Phone as a Gamepad

Google TV is reportedly considering adding a feature that would allow users to control their TVs with their smartphones. The move is seen as a potential step towards making Google TV a more viable gaming platform.

The news comes from an APK teardown of the Google TV app, which revealed code strings related to a 'gamepad' and 'joystick'. This suggests that Google may be planning to allow users to use their phones as gamepads for their TVs.

This feature would likely work similarly to the virtual gamepad mode introduced in Android 17 for foldable phones. Users could potentially control games on their TVs with their phone screens, although this may require some adjustments to accommodate the touchscreen controls.

While this development is seen as a positive step towards making Google TV more gaming-friendly, it's unlikely to completely change the platform's reputation overnight. The addition of this feature would still be just one part of what users need for a seamless gaming experience on their TVs.