Hide.me refreshes Android app and adds TV ad blocking
Hide.me has updated its Android app with a redesigned dashboard for phones and TVs. The release also brings SmartGuard, its ad and tracker blocker, to Android TV for the first time. The company says the changes are meant to make streaming safer.
Hide.me’s Android refresh centers on a redesigned dashboard intended for both phone and television screens. The update also marks the first time SmartGuard, the service’s ad and tracker blocker, is available on Android TV. According to the company, these changes are aimed at making streaming safer. The announcement fits a broader pattern in consumer software, where privacy and security tools are being adapted for living-room devices as more people watch video through connected TVs.
The update could affect Android TV users who want fewer ads and trackers while streaming, as well as phone users navigating the redesigned dashboard. If such tools become more common on televisions, viewers may gain more control over data collection and ad exposure, though the actual effect depends on adoption and how the blocker performs. Companies offering VPNs and privacy features may face pressure to support more living-room platforms, potentially changing expectations for connected-TV privacy.