NVIDIA SHIELD Android TV Update Brings Netflix HDR, HDR GameStream, YouTube 4K60

NVIDIA SHIELD Pro
It’s been nearly a year since NVIDIA first launched its Tegra X1-powered SHIELD console. Since that time, SHIELD has been upgraded to Android 6.0 Marshmallow and received nearly a dozen software updates and features enhancement to keep it up to date. But as its first birthday rolls around, NVIDIA is ready to drop some new software goodness on SHIELD owners.

NVIDIA will soon be releasing SHIELD Experience Upgrade 3.2, which will bring with it (among other things) support for the VUDU app. In fact, SHIELD will be the only Android TV device to support the VUDU app and the 4K content library that it will bring. A number of additional apps will be available for the platform including Spotify, WatchESPN, Disney Channel, Disney Junior, CNN Go, and Comedy Central.

SHIELD Experience Upgrade 3.2 will also bring Netflix in-app voice search and HDR support for enhanced, jaw-dropping visuals with respect to color and contrast (a first for media streaming devices). The YouTube app has been updated to support 4K video at a buttery smooth 60 frames per second.

SHIELD and SHIELD controller

You’ll also be happy to know that SHIELD will support HDR GameStream, which will be made possible with NVIDIA’s new Pascal-based GPUs that are on the way. We’ve already shown you what a graphics monster the GeForce GTX 1080 is on the benchmark front, and the slightly less beastly GeForce GTX 1070 will be touching down on June 10th. And if that wasn’t enough, Resident Evil 5 is coming as a native Android app for SHIELD, while Shadwen and Homefront: The Revolution will be available via GeForce NOW.

And as you might expect, an update to Android N will be coming later down the road once it’s been fully validated for SHIELD. DVR and picture-in-picture support will arrive alongside the major OS update.

We should mention at this time mention that while this won’t be of much benefit to those that already own SHIELD, NVIDIA will for a limited time include a free remote in the box when you purchase a brand new SHIELD. It doesn’t matter if you purchase the 16GB model or the more capacious 500GB model -- NVIDIA has you covered.