Android TV Could Be Google's Next Big Thing

By Kevin Parrish
published

2014 may be a big year for Google's TV efforts.

The research arm of Digitimes predicts that Google TV will no longer be used in products, as Google has already merged the Google TV team with the Android team. Because of this, Google is expected to push TV products that have adopted Android, not the former operating system.

The report states that Google's experience with Google TV helped shape Chromecast, which Digitimes deems as one of Google's "star" products. Chromecast is a simple key-shaped device that plugs directly into an HDMI port. Owners connect it to their Google account, and can stream media directly to the device including Netflix, Hulu Plus, Pandora and a number of other apps.

Digitimes Research believes that this device will generate consumer demand for Android-based television. And the firm is correct: Chromecast may be simple and small, but Google customers likely want a bit more. They may want to watch purchased movies and TV shows, or pull up a favorite game with just the press of a remote control button.

Digitimes Research believes that Android TV will become a core entertainment device in families because of the smartphone connectivity. The firm also predicts that Chromecast – and likely Android TV – will boost the adoption of Google's Chrome browser because of its Chromecast connectivity.

Digitimes' predictions arrive after insiders said that Google's rumored set-top box may be called Nexus TV. The device will supposedly land in the first half of 2014, reportedly running Android and allowing customers to stream their paid Google Play content, load up movies and TV shows via Netflix and Hulu Plus, and play Android games.

The latest rumor claims that the set-top-box will not support live broadcast TV after all, indicating that the company may have faced the same roadblocks encountered by Intel, who is reportedly trying to sell off its own streaming TV project; Apple's rumored iTV plans have also reportedly faced the same issues. If the report is true, then Google is merely trying to compete with Apple TV and Amazon's own rumored Firetube set-top box.

Google reportedly dropped the Google TV name back in October. For now, hardware partners are using the "Google Services for TV" label. Making a Nexus set-top-box makes sense as a way for Google to reboot its TV efforts that began with the Chromecast gadget, and to set a new standard on how an Android-based TV should function within the home.

Kevin Parrish
19 Comments Comment from the forums
  • ericburnby
    Sure it will. Just like Eric Schmidt said in Dec 2011 that Google TV would be on 50% of TV's by June 2012.

    Well Eric, it's now 2 years since your prediction. What happened?
    Reply
  • ericburnby
    Double post
    Reply
  • bochica
    Definitely would like to see the Android TV and the like takeoff, but I would really like the ability to stream live TV. It doesn't have to be all 900+ channels DirecTV and Dish have, but at least local stations, ESPN, BBC, Velocity, Cartoon Network, etc. Some of the "basic" channels most people watch. The Live TV area seems to be the only tough area right now.
    Reply
  • tolak
    If they don't get with the big cable companies all of this streaming will come to a screeching halt. Especially when 4k starts streaming. Already 1080p movie is 4.2gbytes an hour on netflix so that gives me at comcast roughly 5 movies a day @ 20gb per day. 10 GB per 24 hour period x 2, cuz most of us at max will watch tv throughout 12 hour period not more. My kid is streaming, my wife is streaming, then I sometimes do as well. So this ends up blowing past the 300gb a month. Big cables interest do not align with Goals of ALL of silicon valley and this idea of cloud computing being the future, because cloud gaming would destroy 300 gb a month.
    Reply
  • spinportal
    China / Taiwan are selling Android TV sticks like hotcakes for $90USD. Everything like XMBC and apps preloaded. And Miracast Wifi-Direct. Google better shape up and get with the program because they are missing the boat if they think they can sell a better Roku box.
    Reply
  • remyj123
    I agree with tolak, the live TV streaming would consume a ton of broadband. Why is it so difficult to just create the Apple TV, Google TV, etc and have a cable card slot in it/ Tivo has been using cable cards for years for the live TV piece and then have their apps for Netflix, Pandora, Hulu, etc. Works like a champ. What ever happened to cable cards anyway? I thought they were supposed to replace TV tuners in cable boxes, TVs, DVRs, etc. Seemed like the best route and does not take up any Internet bandwidth.
    Reply
  • bombebomb
    Flashing my TV with custom rom's.... just saying :D
    Reply
  • Oliver Sedgwick
    'They may want to watch purchased movies and TV' chromecast users already can, the Google Play Movies and TV app is cast-enabled
    Reply
  • JD88
    I think the Chromecast is a lot more innovative than this. Set top boxes are a dime a dozen. TV's should just have Google cast integrated by default. Controlling content with a smartphone is much better than using a clumsy remote and set top box menu.
    Reply
  • daekar
    The telecommunications companies will never allow any services like this to become very useful or desirable... because it requires too much bandwidth, and even if they did, it will be ages before some parts of the country get unlimited bandwidth service. My 4G home service is 10GB a month - that's crippling. No streaming, no Netflix, and dear God don't do a raw install of Windows and try to download all the updates and applications you want. If I couldn't get unlimited 4G by tethering to my phone (grandfathered in by buying a phone at full price) I couldn't even play online games because a few updates a month plus VOIP for team stuff just burns through data.
    Reply