When it comes to operating systems, smart TV software gets little attention. While cell phones, watches, and tablets tend to get annual updates, the best Android smart TVs get semi-regular security patches at best.

According to a report from Android Authority, Google plans to bring more regularity to TV software updates by moving the Android TV operating system to a biannual update cycle. This means that a new major version of the Android TV OS will be released every two years.

Most people buy a new TV every 5 to 10 years, usually based on price, screen size, and other specifications. Therefore, TVs do not necessarily require frequent updates like smartphones, which tend to be upgraded within a short period of 2-4 years.

An unnamed source told Android Authority that Google announced the twice-yearly decision at its Android TV partner conference earlier this year, but a spokesperson would neither confirm nor deny the cycle.

Android TV is based on the same operating system we are used to with Android phones. However, current Android-based TVs run Android TV 14, which is based on the phone software that came out in 2023; Android TV 14 was officially announced at Google I/O in May 2024.

This version of the TV OS debuted in August with the new Google TV Streamer. This streamer introduced AI tools and upgraded Google Home. Most likely your Android TV will have Android TV 12.

According to the report, it is unclear if the two-year timeline begins with the release of Android TV 14 this year or if we are somewhere in between.

Android 15 is just beginning to be released for Google Pixel devices and other Android phones. Allegedly, Android 16 may launch early next spring. Assuming this report is correct, the next version of Android TV will be based on Android 16 in late 2025 or early 2026.

To date, Android 15 has no Android TV-related features, and it is unclear if Android 16 will also have anything related to TV OS.

According to Android Authority, most Android TV operating system apps, like Samsung's One UI and OnePlus' Color OS, allow manufacturers to put their own spin on Android They are not part of the Open Source Project.

This means that curious nitpickers cannot poke around the source code to find hints of what Google might add to future iterations of Android TV.

For now, we will have to wait until late 2025 or early 2026 to see what cycle Google is actually in.