Due to a smaller installer base, the specialized version of the Play Store that comes on Android TV gets a lot less attention that the version on phones and tablets. Even so, we keep an eye on all the various flavors of Android – check the sign over the door – so we’re happy to report that the Android TV version is has received a notable update. The latest release (5.10.30-leanback) makes some big changes to the user interface, chopping off some of the less necessary corners to focus on the core experience.
Old on the left, new on the right.
What that means is that most of the entries on the left hand menu are gone, leaving just the home page, a dedicated game page, “My Apps” for the apps and games you’ve already installed, and a Settings page. Specialized sections (similar to those that appear on the home page of the phone version of the Play Store) are now gone. The format for the rectangular app icons themselves has also been adjusted, listing the full name, publisher, square icon, and an update badge in the lower stripe. The “update all” button is gone, apparently with no replacement, and video content is featured on the new home page, but not the Games or My Apps pages. There are a few shifts in color scheme, spacing, and typography as well.
The updated version should be rolling out to all Android TV users over the next week or so. If you’d rather have it now, you can download the specialized app from APK Mirror and sideload the file to manually install it.
Download
The APK is signed by Google and upgrades your existing app. The cryptographic signature guarantees that the file is safe to install and was not tampered with in any way. Rather than wait for Google to push this download to your devices, which can take days, download and install it just like any other APK.
File Name: com.android.vending_5.10.30-leanback-80403086_minAPI21(nodpi).apk
Version: 5.10.30-leanback (80403086)
MD5: 43e59b74f98c7e4a469b362cd4271241
- Thanks:
- Riley