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Google TV Now Playing: supported contract and package eligibility for Media3 sessions #3459
Description
Does Google TV require anything beyond an active MediaSession to show Now Playing in Quick Settings and the screensaver? The TV documentation doesn't seem to mention package eligibility.
I tested the Media3 1.10.1 session demo (androidx.media3.demo.session) on the official Google TV Android 16/API 36 ARM64 emulator. The launcher is com.google.android.apps.tv.launcherx 1.0.877433387; the screensaver is com.google.android.apps.tv.dreamx 3.3.18.985840323.
After starting a track and pressing Home, the demo's framework session stays PLAYING and its position advances. It has transport controls, title/artist/duration, artwork and a sessionActivity, but neither surface shows the track. Spotify shows it on both, on the same emulator.
A diagnostic of this launcher version found a package-name hash filter before session selection. It rejects the demo's active controller; Spotify's package is included. I don't know whether this is an intended requirement or how packages become eligible.
Is there a supported route for apps distributed outside Google Play? If this belongs to the Google TV team, could you point me to the right support channel?
One caveat: the demo source, manifests and resources were unchanged, but I built it with a separate harness using published Media3 1.10.1 artifacts, rather than the stock upstream build. I haven't tested a physical TV.
Activity
andrewlewis commentedon Oct 13, 2026
I think this is outside the scope of this tracker, but we've contacted the Google TV team. I'll plan to reply here once I hear back.
andrewlewis commentedon Oct 14, 2026
The requirement is that the app category on the Play Store is 'Music'. The sample app is not published on the Play Store so it wouldn't be expected to show up.
@nitmarha Do you have a production app on the Play Store that uses this category and isn't showing up? If so we can look into what's going on. Thanks!
nitmarha commentedon Oct 14, 2026
Thanks for checking with the Google TV team. We don't currently have an app published on Google Play; distribution is outside the store. Is there any supported way for such apps to become eligible, or is Play Store publication in the Music category required? Is this requirement documented anywhere?
andrewlewis commentedon Oct 15, 2026
At the moment this seems to be how it works.
Not that I'm aware of.
I'll pass on a request for documentation and to support this use case.
nitmarha commentedon Oct 16, 2026
Thanks for checking with the Google TV team and passing along the request. I appreciate the clarification.