Update 10/3: This next-generation Nvidia Shield TV, as spotted by Android TV Rumors, also entered the Wi-Fi Alliance. The certification info confirm our results that WiFi 5, not WiFi 6, will be compliant with the latest Shield TV hardware.
The new Shield TV Dongle (P3430) also got its Wi-Fi certification, after Bluetooth a few days ago.https://t.co/I3SXixiwvT#AndroidTV pic.twitter.com/hpjtLI1HsG
— Android TV Rumors (@androidtv_rumor) October 3, 2019
We’ve been tracking what seems to be a next-generation Nvidia Shield TV with updated hardware in a dongle form factor for the earlier three months. This device has now been certified Bluetooth, placing it one step nearer to releasing and confirming some details.
Nvidia’s Shield TV series has been recognized as some of the finest Android TV systems on the market, ranging from their outstanding results to exclusive apps such as Nvidia GeForce NOW. The last hardware revision came out in early 2017, placing Nvidia Shield TV in the top place for another revamp.
It was found earlier this year that Nvidia was working on a third-generation Shield TV, with an updated version of the chipset Tegra X1 and probably Android Pie out of the box. This device, codenamed “mdarcy,” later entered the FCC, where the possibility of being a Shield TV dongle instead of the typical set-top box was disclosed, and emerged side by side with a new remote.
Now, as of this morning, Nvidia has been certified by the Bluetooth SIG with the probable Shield TV dongle, removing another obstacle to release. The Bluetooth listing indicates the same amount of the P3430 model shown in the FCC listing, confirming that the two phones are identical.
We can verify some details about the new Nvidia Shield TV dongle in the listing itself. We’ve already been pretty confident that the Shield TV dongle will launch with Nvidia’s great Android Pie version for Android TV, and the SIG listing confirms this, as one of the mentioned listings is for “Android P-Dessert Bluetooth Core Host solution.”
We also heard from another referenced listing that Bluetooth 5.0 and 802.11ac Wi-Fi (now known as Wi-Fi 5) will be available on the recent Nvidia Shield TV device. This finding is somewhat disappointing, as the change to Wi-Fi 6 officially began with the iPhone 11 series this month as some of the first “Wi-Fi 6 Certified” devices.
Unfortunately, we’re not closer to understanding when Nvidia can release this possible Shield TV dongle, but January’s CES 2020 still looks like a strong guess. This would follow the pattern set at CES 2017 by the current Nvidia Shield TV. Also set to expire in mid-January is the short-term confidentiality of the FCC on the device, offering us a relatively clear window for Nvidia’s announcement.
