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AT&T is beta testing an Android TV set-top box designed w/ DirecTV Now in mind

Android TV has been growing at a surprisingly high rate over the past couple of years, and a big part of that has been the adoption from companies. Today, we’re getting new details on an AT&T Android TV box in development which may launch next year.

For almost a year now, reports have been floating around regarding a small set-top box from AT&T running on top of Google’s Android TV platform. It was first reported by Variety, and today beta testing is underway on this new box (via TechCrunch)

The device was slated to launch by the end of this year, but AT&T CEO John Donovan said today in an earnings call that the company plans to “roll out trials in the first half” of 2019 for this new AT&T Android TV box. The idea behind this box is to transition traditional pay-TV customers over to DirecTV Now, but may also be sold independently. With AT&T’s pay-TV business on the decline, a box like this could certainly help find some new customers.

This AT&T Android TV box hasn’t been officially shown off, but FCC filings reveal a compact device which has a pretty simple design. It includes a voice search remote and runs Android TV with access to other apps via Google Play. There’s an HDMI port, USB port, optical audio, Ethernet, and a power port.

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