Apple TV challenge from Google falls flat in 2010
Logitech has reportedly halted shipments of its Revue Google TV boxes through January while waiting for Google to update its software on the poorly selling units.
According to a report by DigiTimes, Logitech's supplier, Gigabyte Technology, is reportedly noting a hit on its revenues from the suspension. The report also stated that Taiwanese component suppliers anticipate Google to release its forthcoming update to the Android OS in late February or March "at the earliest," allowing suppliers to resume shipments at some point after that.
Within two months of its launch, Sony slashed the price of its own Google TV product, signaling that sales were not going as well as expected amid less than charitable reviews. Last week, Google was reported to be telling its other licensees not to show their existing Google TV-based set top boxes and televisions at next month's CES.
The delay was intended to let Google "refine the software, which has received a lukewarm reception," according to a report by the New York Times. The Android-based Google TV was unveiled in May and launched in early October on devices from Sony and Logitech. Other licensees, including Toshiba, LG and Sharp, were planning to release Google TV products at CES, including televisions incorporating the software. The report noted that Google's "late request caught some of the manufacturers off guard."
Google's track record in delivering new software products has been less than stellar, with 2009's big announcement of Wave being abandoned in a year, the expected release of Chrome OS being delayed an entire year, a focus on Flash playback on Android delivering poor results, Twitter-competitor Google Buzz failing to find lots of interest alongside the company's Knol Wikipedia-killer, and big news concerning the company's rival VP8-based WebM video codec petering out as H.264 continued to gain major traction.
The Google TV initiative ran into trouble with broadcasters before even launching, and many have subsequently blocked the boxes from displaying their content aimed at web users, one of the primary features Google TV was intended to deliver.
Jobs on Google TV
Creating a set top box is not easy, Apple's Steve Jobs has acknowledged, long calling his own company's Apple TV a hobby rather than a major business. In June, Jobs said in an interview that the cable operators "give everybody a step top box for free, or for $10 per month. That pretty much squashes any opportunity for innovation, because nobody's willing to buy a set top box."
Jobs took a shot at Google's recently unveiled TV ambitions, saying "Ask Tivo, ask Replay TV, ask Roku, ask Vudu, ask us? ask Google in a few months.
"The only way that's ever going to change," Jobs said, "is if you can really go back to square one, tear up the set top box, redesign it from scratch with a consistent UI across all these different functions, and get it to consumers in a way that they're willing to pay for it. And right now there's no way to do that."
Jobs later launched a new version of Apple TV based on iOS, and offered the new device for just $99. The new version has proven to be far more popular, selling around a million devices in less than a quarter and earning positive reviews, including placement in Time magazine's top ten gadgets of the year.
The new box skirts around the "go to market" problem Jobs outlined for general purpose, TV-centric devices like Microsoft's Windows Media Center and Google TV, which both aim to provide DVR playback of live TV, programming listings, and similar features that compete with cable boxes. Apple TV targets movie rentals and playback of other iTunes content, with the newly released ability to stream pictures, TV, movies and music from mobile devices including the iPhone and iPad.
According to a report by DigiTimes, Logitech's supplier, Gigabyte Technology, is reportedly noting a hit on its revenues from the suspension. The report also stated that Taiwanese component suppliers anticipate Google to release its forthcoming update to the Android OS in late February or March "at the earliest," allowing suppliers to resume shipments at some point after that.
Within two months of its launch, Sony slashed the price of its own Google TV product, signaling that sales were not going as well as expected amid less than charitable reviews. Last week, Google was reported to be telling its other licensees not to show their existing Google TV-based set top boxes and televisions at next month's CES.
The delay was intended to let Google "refine the software, which has received a lukewarm reception," according to a report by the New York Times. The Android-based Google TV was unveiled in May and launched in early October on devices from Sony and Logitech. Other licensees, including Toshiba, LG and Sharp, were planning to release Google TV products at CES, including televisions incorporating the software. The report noted that Google's "late request caught some of the manufacturers off guard."
Google's track record in delivering new software products has been less than stellar, with 2009's big announcement of Wave being abandoned in a year, the expected release of Chrome OS being delayed an entire year, a focus on Flash playback on Android delivering poor results, Twitter-competitor Google Buzz failing to find lots of interest alongside the company's Knol Wikipedia-killer, and big news concerning the company's rival VP8-based WebM video codec petering out as H.264 continued to gain major traction.
The Google TV initiative ran into trouble with broadcasters before even launching, and many have subsequently blocked the boxes from displaying their content aimed at web users, one of the primary features Google TV was intended to deliver.
Jobs on Google TV
Creating a set top box is not easy, Apple's Steve Jobs has acknowledged, long calling his own company's Apple TV a hobby rather than a major business. In June, Jobs said in an interview that the cable operators "give everybody a step top box for free, or for $10 per month. That pretty much squashes any opportunity for innovation, because nobody's willing to buy a set top box."
Jobs took a shot at Google's recently unveiled TV ambitions, saying "Ask Tivo, ask Replay TV, ask Roku, ask Vudu, ask us? ask Google in a few months.
"The only way that's ever going to change," Jobs said, "is if you can really go back to square one, tear up the set top box, redesign it from scratch with a consistent UI across all these different functions, and get it to consumers in a way that they're willing to pay for it. And right now there's no way to do that."
Jobs later launched a new version of Apple TV based on iOS, and offered the new device for just $99. The new version has proven to be far more popular, selling around a million devices in less than a quarter and earning positive reviews, including placement in Time magazine's top ten gadgets of the year.
The new box skirts around the "go to market" problem Jobs outlined for general purpose, TV-centric devices like Microsoft's Windows Media Center and Google TV, which both aim to provide DVR playback of live TV, programming listings, and similar features that compete with cable boxes. Apple TV targets movie rentals and playback of other iTunes content, with the newly released ability to stream pictures, TV, movies and music from mobile devices including the iPhone and iPad.
Comments
I don't know about Google's latest offering, but the new AppleTV is awesome - especially with AirPlay.
Lets tweak that headline for this time in 2008
Apple iPhone challenge from Google falls flat in 2008
Don't write off a Google product at 1.0.
Don't write off a Google product at 1.0.
I wrote off the Nexus One a long time ago.
While I agree that it is not perfect and there is room for improvement, I really believe that it has a great potential.
Also, I don't subscribe to cable and I think more and more people do the same. So the argument that cable set boxes are free or cheap isn't really going to work in the longterm.
It might too early, but I think both Google and Apple are right to invest in this industry.
I cancelled my cable service and now use Netflix, Hulu Plus, and AppleTV exclusively. In doing so, I'm saving about $80 monthly.
I don't know about Google's latest offering, but the new AppleTV is awesome - especially with AirPlay.
I did the same thing, however I have found some serious flaws with the AppleTV. I am sure if it was made by anyone else other than Apple it would have also fallen flat.
1) Lack of TV shows to rent.
2) Can't stream divx/xvid from PC.
3) Rented movies download slow.
4) No Hulu Plus!
I bought the AppleTV on launch day like I did the iPad.
I also have the Sony Media Player and it does all for only $20 more, plus AmazonVOD has a ton of content.
Lets see:
The iPhone clone - nexus/G1/any other android phone
iOS - Android
Macbook clone - That new netbook they DOA'd, G48 or something like that.
Apple TV - Google TV
Safari - Chrome browser (as in both based on webkit)
It just seems that they somehow managed to get hold of all these products (just to name the obvious), when Schmidt was on the board.
As soon as he left they kept going but its like they were not 100% sure what they were doing and just made bad clones.
Unfortunately for everyone else the Google can afford to pay huge money on a device and then watch it fail and move on.
Then the community of Google Fans get together and do all the hard work for them by fixing the OS or other instabilities because either its not Apple, its "open" or because they just love Google etc
I know this post will get torn to shreds and thats understandable.
But keep this in mind,
When was the last time you saw a Google product that
a) wasn't bought from a 3rd party
b) Some other company like Apple hadn't created and created well first.
or
c) Wasn't poorly built/beta and then allowed the community to do their own repairs?
I wonder if Google will ever build a car?
"The NEW Google car...
.....the community does all the hard work and we take the credit"
I wonder if Google will ever build a car?
Google is actually building a car, one of those self-driving one.
I did the same thing, however I have found some serious flaws with the AppleTV. I am sure if it was made by anyone else other than Apple it would have also fallen flat.
1) Lack of TV shows to rent.
2) Can't stream divx/xvid from PC.
3) Rented movies download slow.
4) No Hulu Plus!
I bought the AppleTV on launch day like I did the iPad.
I also have the Sony Media Player and it does all for only $20 more, plus AmazonVOD has a ton of content.
Does anyone known if Mad Men Season 4 is available for rent on Apple TV?
Does anyone known if Mad Men Season 4 is available for rent on Apple TV?
Would you be a Mad Man if I tell you it's not available?
all the other extenders/streamers require consumers to mix-and-match hardware of different brands to get it all to work. Sony comes closest to unified hardware, but has no iTunes equivalent (i see they are going to launch their own store next year). DLNA, the one universal standard, is ok, but it's no AirPlay.
the notion that the web and "cloud" will somehow make all these hardware related considerations unnecessary is wishful thinking. you still have to get it all organized somehow, whatever media you got or want, local or cloud, via some piece of hardware in your house. and a big screen TV will never be the right tool for that.
that's why Google TV is the wrong direction. it doesn't make this all simpler, it actually adds more complexity to whatever you already have. i already have five gizmos that run Netflix - ATV, PS3, TiVo, iPad, and my Mac (it's my hobby). i need another?
simplification and integration is the key.
Does anyone known if Mad Men Season 4 is available for rent on Apple TV?
Not for rent, but the iTunes Store has Season 4 for purchase - $29.99 for HD and $19.99 in standard def. Individual HD episodes can be purchased at $2.99 apiece. Download to your computer and play with your ATV.
Netflix doesn't have any Mad Men seasons or episodes for streaming, but you can order up the first three seasons by mail in standard or Blu-ray if you have an account.
When was the last time you saw a Google product that
a) wasn't bought from a 3rd party
b) Some other company like Apple hadn't created and created well first.
or
c) Wasn't poorly built/beta and then allowed the community to do their own repairs?
If only we could bring back Microsoft Bob, I'm sure everything would be alright.
Too bad there's no "Dinner & A Movie" services to the home...
Apple should buy Netflix and give away an DVR-based Apple TV with a 2-year subscription.
Later, Google will buy Blockbuster and with a 1-year subscription, give away a Google TV that has 2TB of cloud storage.
HoHoHo!
Google is actually building a car, one of those self-driving one.
There's a name for the initial occupants ... crash test dummies.
a great internet search engine. Does anyone have a better one? Apple?
Good come back, but I think his implication was besides their core product.
Maybe Google is expecting something like this along with iPad update announcements shortly after CES.
3) Rented movies download slow.
Word is this happens if you're using a name server other than your ISP's (such as Google or OpenDNS) because Akamai can no longer route you to the optimal download paths.
Google is actually building a car, one of those self-driving one.
No, they are paying to get their name on someone else's invention. Prey it does not use Android...
I also have the Sony Media Player and it does all for only $20 more, plus AmazonVOD has a ton of content.
Really? The Sony Media Player can stream audio and video content from my iTunes library using three different methods: The device interface, the iTunes interface or using an iOS device as a fully functional GUI remote? It can also stream from my iOS devices too?
Or are you LYING!?