Google TV is a robust user interface and smart TV hub used by AV brands like Sony, TCL, and Hisense. While the platform is best known for providing access to apps like Netflix, YouTube, Disney+, and HBO Max, hundreds of free Google TV apps are available on the Google Play Store. We’d like to talk about the true third-party underdogs and why they deserve your download.
From side-loading UI customizers to an open source multimedia platform to pull up music, photos, and videos on your Wi-Fi network, here are seven of the best Google TV apps you’ve (probably) never heard of. If you need help choosing your Google TV hardware, look at our roundups of the best Google TVs and best streaming devices.
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7
Projectivity Launcher
The Google TV interface is packed with features, settings, ads, and a ton of UI elements. While it’s not impossible to navigate, your Google TV screens can look over-stuffed after a while. Enter Projectivity Launcher, an alternative Google TV launcher that does a better job consolidating apps, menus, and media. The result is a cleaner and better-organized user interface that you can set as your default launcher.
Projectivity Launcher lets you customize different parts of the UI, including background wallpaper, custom sections, and the input your TV switches to when you turn it on. Projectivity Launcher is ad-free. If you decide to upgrade to PL Premium for only $9, you get one extra user profile, one more profile protected by parental controls, and additional wallpaper settings.
6
tvQuickActions
What if we told you there was a way to remap some of the buttons on the manufacturer-provided remote for your smart TV or streaming device? As long as your hardware runs Google TV, you can download an app called tvQuickActions that will let you do just that.
When you launch the app, a tvQuickActions dashboard appears on your TV screen. Press the button on your Google TV device remote that you want to reprogram, then choose from one of several custom commands, including Go to Home, Previous App, Take Screenshot, and Toggle Wi-Fi.
5
VLC for Android
If you’re looking for an end-all-be-all multimedia hub that works with almost every file format, VLC is the software for the job. Now that the platform is offered for iOS and Android devices, it’s ready to be added to your Google TV.
VLC has an intuitive, ad-free interface that makes it simple to browse, organize, and open most video, photo, and music files. The client can upload content from physical disks like USB flash drives or external SSDs and locate files you shared to your local network. VLC’s built-in players give you a surprising amount of control over media playback, with options like auto-rotation, brightness, and seeking on the table.
If you’re looking for another great content-hosting hub that’s available on most smart TVs and streaming devices, we recommend Plex. After you set up a Plex Media Server, you can share access to your media library with any friend or family member you’ve given access to.
4
Open Browser
Smart TVs and streaming devices lean heavily on entertainment apps like Netflix and YouTube and the best of the basics can be overlooked. Like, how about a good web browser? Allow us to recommend an app called Open Browser.
Free to download, Open Browser gives you access to the seamless and intuitive browsing you get on a desktop PC. Browse multiple tabs and windows simultaneously using your Google TV remote. You can also plug in a USB mouse or keyboard to streamline your web experience. Open Browser also filters web content into sections like Live, Top Websites, and YouTube Hot.
Open Browser users can choose from multiple languages and have access to an Incognito mode for private browsing. Accessibility settings are limited, though there are pinch and zoom functions for web pages, so you won’t struggle when reading finer fonts and text sizes. While there are ads, they don’t do much to bog down Open Browser’s performance.
3
AirScreen
Most of the mobile device world is split between iOS and Android (which is where Google TV lives). Still, many folks own iPhones and want to use features like AirPlay to cast videos, photos, and music to their Google TVs. That presents a pickle because Google TV doesn’t natively support AirPlay. However, apps like AirScreen can save the day.
When installed on your Google TV, launch the app, grab your iPhone, and cast via AirPlay. AirScreen also supports Cast and DLNA protocols, and additional features include built-in screen recording and encryption for all file transfers.
2
Haystack News
For those looking for a quick and easy way to catch up on the day’s headlines, we recommend Haystack News. Giving you access to news media the world over, Haystack lets you create a customized news profile that only displays the topics and networks you want to see. Thanks to numerous partnerships, you’ll get local and global coverage from outlets like ABC News, CBS News, Reuters, Cheddar, and more.
When it comes to local news coverage, Haystack News is partnered with networks like CBS New York, News12, WCBS, and other noteworthy affiliates. Whether you’re looking to stay informed on breaking news in your community or want to know what’s going on in another country, Haystack has the coverage you can rely on.
The app is free to download and ad-supported, though the latter doesn’t infringe on the intuitive layout too much.
1
Asphalt 8: Airborne
What’s a list of lesser-knowns without a little blast of gaming? We’d like to throw the spotlight on Asphalt 8: Airborne, a single and multiplayer racing game you can download on your Google TV device. Race on over 75+ tracks all over the world while driving one of over 300 licensed vehicles.
The game is packed with unique features and content. Spend your days unlocking new parts and rides or competing in a live event or two. The choice is yours, and Gameloft has an admirable track record when it comes to Asphalt 8 updates.
The lesser-known side of Google TV
We’re not saying there’s zero chance you’ve heard of (or have even downloaded) one of the seven Google TV apps we reported on. We’re merely assuming the wider world of smart TV and streaming device owners is more connected to services like Netflix, YouTube, and Disney+, and that’s A-okay. But give one of these apps a trial run. We have other deep dives on Google TV, including this roundup of the 14 best Google TV apps for non-stop streaming.
