New development for Android users may take them by surprise. Now, their phones could prove to be more useful than ever before. Earlier, Android users had to keep an Android remote for operating their Android TV. But now, Google has removed this difficulty by launching an app.

This app is Android-supported and is called Google TV remote. It functions the same way as a remote but only through the Android mobile phone. Not only this, it supports the other Android TV operating system devices as well. The task of saving long passwords, entering titles, and search items are now saved by this app. By adding ‘remote title’ to settings in the Android phone or by Google TV app, this remote could be accessed. This feature of a virtual remote in the Android TVs is a great relief from carrying a physical remote. The UI and UX of the app would be improved by Google as soon as possible, to help the users with other Android OS too. The Android TV Remote Service 5.1 is being rolled out.

This app is just a new way for using the Android smartphone to control your TV. 

• To build app support you need to have an Android phone running Android 4.3 or later with Google TV app version 4.27.8.93 or later installed.
• The Android TV device also needs both Android Remote Service v 5.0 or higher and Gboard v 11.0 or higher.
• If you are using Chromecast with Google TV, you'll also need to enable developer mode in order to sideload apps.
• The same wifi network needs to be present in your phone, as the Android TV is connected to.

Just a swipe and a tap:

All of these settings are pre-requisites for running the Google TV remote app on your device. After this setup, the user is good to go. Interestingly, this remote could be set up with a quick settings toggle too. You just need to launch the Google TV app once and then the quick settings will display the remote title, in the settings menu.

The features of the new app:

1. An optional D-pad

2. Swipe-based navigation for smoother UX.

3. Easy swipe and push

4. The volume could be controlled by the phone’s volume keys while in the remote UI.

5. Navigation row consisting of Home button, Back button, Google Assistant and volume controls.

6. A text input field in the remote

7. Lots of menu buttons for performing different functions like exiting, directional input, etc.

Say goodbye to the hardware phones being lost and limited buttons for control. Google presents to you a dedicated UI remote app as the users carry their Android phones everywhere with them. They won’t have to worry about carrying another piece of plastic with them.