Google TV gets real
By Jenny • Mar 19th, 2010 • Category: Industry News
- Photo: Google
Having recently reported that Google was working with Dish Network to experiment with TV Search, it has emerged that their goals are even loftier than that, and a full-on Google TV, in partnership with Intel, Sony and others, has been rumoured to be in the making.
Internet on your TV
The New York Times reported that the technology would essentially be Google Android OS televisions and set-top boxes, all powered by Intel Atom chips. In addition, Google is reportedly building a new Chrome browser just for these televisions. Sony, with their Bravia pedigree, would be building the televisions for this service, and the option of bringing similar offerings to its other platforms such as the Playstation 3 and its Blu-ray devices is a possibility.
Android apps on your TV
- Photo: Sony
What this means is Android apps should work on this Google TV. In addition, it is reported that Google will release a special SDK (standard development kit) for development on the television service. In addition to being a platform for Google Android OS applications, the aim is to make browsing the web, uploading pictures and social networking functionality integrated, as easy to use as flipping through channels.
The threat
The major threat a service like this has is for television networks and Pay-TV providers. Satellite and cable companies, who initially dismissed the web, then sued the web, and have since begun warming to the web, will now have disruptive web video services on the same platform. So, in this respect, gone will be the days of pesky YouTube at arm’s length, and on its way will be the days of getting services like Hulu and HBO Go.
- Photo: Apple
The Google Android OS powered TV, as some outlets have pointed out, could also be the spark that stokes the fire on Apple executives to start treating the Apple TV as something other than a hobby.
What’s next?
It’s still too early to tell what the Google TV will even be or when to expect such a service, but given how much entertainment is consumed on the television, which presents a valuable audience to advertise to, it was only a matter of time before the separate worlds of the Internet and the television set come colliding.
Tags for this article: Android OS, Apple TV, google android, Google TV
