New features are coming to Google TV: in addition to the remote control locator function, support for Picture-in-Picture (PiP) will soon be available. The idea of being able to view an additional window on the screen is interesting, especially given the success of this feature on smartphones. However, there are some limitations that might temper the excitement.

NOT FOR ALL CONTENT AND NOT FOR ALL DEVICES

The first limitation concerns the applications compatible with PiP on Google TV. This feature will only be available for apps in four specific categories defined by Google:

1. Communication, such as messaging and video calling platforms.
2. Home automation, including apps for baby monitors and smart doorbells.
3. Activity and health monitoring.
4. Notifications for sports scores and news.

So, if you were thinking of watching a game on DAZN in PiP while following Affari Tuoi on Rai 1, you’ll be disappointed. PiP on Google TV will be used for more practical applications and less for multimedia content consumption, unlike on smartphones.

This choice makes sense, as watching two videos simultaneously can be redundant, and PiP requires significant resources.

Additionally, PiP will not be available on all devices equipped with Google TV due to hardware limitations. Although there are no specific details yet, it is likely that only the more powerful devices will be able to support this feature.