Google launched Chromecast with Google TV last year, which uses a modified version of Android TV. The changed software is still compatible with all Android TV apps, but it has changed in some important ways, including how it handles multiple users. After many people were annoyed by his absence, parental controls are arriving on the Google TV platform.
Android on phones and tablets has offered robust support for many users since the days of Jelly Bean, but very little of this functionality has been ported to the TV’s operating system. Android TV has only an optional restricted profile, where certain apps can be hidden using a 4-digit PIN code. The Play Store, most system configurations and even some storage folders are completely blocked in this mode. The Google TV implementation is slightly different, with limited multiuser support based on Google accounts, but secondary users still cannot set their own home screen, have separate app data, or set up different streaming accounts.
Google TV account chooser
Poor multi-user support is definitely an issue with something that is generally shared by everyone in a household, but Google is happily working on a (partial) solution. A company representative said in a support conversation that Google TV will soon have ‘Child Profiles’, which look like the original Android TV restricted profiles:
I just wanted to post an update that Kids Profiles should be released next month (or so). Restricted profiles are in fact obsolete in [Google TV] and replaced by the new “Child Profiles” feature, which allows you to set up a safe space for children on Google TV. During integration, you can choose which apps to make available to children. YouTube kids is available by default and other installed apps require parental activation before being made available to children. The output of the children’s profile can be restricted by a PIN to prevent children from accidentally returning to their parents’ account.
This is not yet true multi-user support, but it should at least address parents’ complaints about children being able to access any content on Google TV. We expect a quick launch.
