Android TV now has a new Sponsored content row on its home screen. While we’re not exactly sure what it is going to be used for, it seems fairly obvious that we are going to see ads up there.

There is no escaping this deluge of advertisements, clearly. But till Google makes up its mind on what they want to show on this channel, we can take a deep breath and enjoy ad-free TV till it lasts.

Google released an update last year with a solution to display the Google Play Spotlight row in the home screen itself. While this row could be disabled, the new sponsored row in the latest update cannot.

This is quite troubling as it definitely appears to hinder the ultimate entertainment experience that Android TV was supposed to offer.

The image above comes from a Reddit user AtHeartEngineer who is seeing the Ad on his Sony TV. But SOny’s is not alone, Android TVs from other OEMs have been reported seeing this, too.

A Google spokesperson has made the following statement to XDA:

Android TV is committed to optimizing and personalizing the entertainment experience at home. As we explore new opportunities to engage the user community, we’re running a pilot program to surface sponsored content on the Android TV home screen.

Aha! So Google does plan to put ads that cannot be disabled right on the Android TV home screen. We’re not really looking forward to it.

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