I'm surprised nobody has brought up the Motorola acquisition here. Motorola makes a good portion of all cable boxes in the US (haven't found a number), and this along with Google's partnerships with many of the major TV manufacturers (the same as their phone manufacturers) makes this statement seem pretty plausible. I don't know how Schmidt thinks they'll have market share quite so quickly, but all of the pieces are in place.
Motorola/Google's set top boxes are irrelevant. Schmidt claimed that GoogleTV would be embedded in the TV itself- not the set top box.
Motorola/Google's set top boxes are irrelevant. Schmidt claimed that GoogleTV would be embedded in the TV itself- not the set top box.
How can you say that's irrelevant? Perhaps standalone cable boxes will be a thing of the past. It would make perfect sense to me to have an integrated cable box as TVs become more like computers. Consolidation and miniaturization are the name of the game in the tech world. Motorola can easily miniaturize their boxes, and OEMs can easily incorporate them into devices.
I think his last sentence may be implying that Apple is that outside looming threat that would make all the vendors want to get together to defend against Apple, even if it means partnering with Google for Android.
I think Sir Howard Stringer said as much recently, although he says Sony been developing their own next gen TV to counter an anticipated move by Apple. In other words, Sony will not depend on the Google TV solution.
Perhaps the next uber company will succeed by selling CE products with free drugs to it's hapless consumers. Or you just sign your ass up to be on call for use by auction to the lowest bidder and get a free phone.
"man this is the best phone and tv ever, cost me nothing plus free calls, music, videos, games"
"yeah but you get ass raped by strangers"
"nah man, I don't even notice cause I'm too busy shoving my brain full of free shit, I can't believe people would pay for things, they are stupid sheep"
"yeah but yer ass..."
"I never used it for much anyway and it is not like I see the person doing me cause I signed up for the free laptop plus glory hole gold class option, 20mins a week"
Our society is on a dark path
Best post of the month.
I'm thrilled to see so many people finally getting it. As someone who has been paying close attention to these trends for years (it's more than just Goog, btw, think Facebook, and others), it's been frustrating to see so many people mindlessly ignoring the long-term consequences of getting shit "for free". Now, many of you here are paying more attention, and that's the first step in societal change.
Sure, most joe-six-pack dudes aren't paying attention yet, any many never will, but people on this board, and others like it, are tech-inclined, more likely to be on the early side of tech trends. More likely to be advice-givers and thought-leaders. It's up to us to make sure the general, ignorant public starts to understand the issues. We need to ensure that jragosta's future (nightmare) where all his TVs break and there's nothing left on the market that's non-Google doesn't happen.
I'm surprised nobody has brought up the Motorola acquisition here. Motorola makes a good portion of all cable boxes in the US (haven't found a number), and this along with Google's partnerships with many of the major TV manufacturers (the same as their phone manufacturers) makes this statement seem pretty plausible. I don't know how Schmidt thinks they'll have market share quite so quickly, but all of the pieces are in place.
While I was unable to find those particular cable-TV box manufacturer statistics, I was able to locate the following data:
1. There are over 160 million set-top boxes in the US. (2011, www.dailytech.com)
2. The top manufacturers are (in apparent decending order): Motorola, Cisco Systems, ADB,
ChangHong, Coship, HUMAX, Jiuzhou, Pace Micro Technology, Panasonic, Samsung, Skyworth, and Thomson. (2007, www.worldresearchandmartets.com).
Personally, I would have thought Scientific Atlanta to be in that mix.
Even as rumors of an Apple television set continue to swirl, Google Chairman Eric Schmidt has claimed that company's Google TV platform will be embedded on the "majority" of televisions in stores by next summer. [...]
The only way that could ever happen is if Google bought the "majority" of TV manufacturers and embedded Google TV in it themselves.
I don't think Google has that kind of cash. Not after paying the sucker price for Motorola Mobile.
How can you say that's irrelevant? Perhaps standalone cable boxes will be a thing of the past. It would make perfect sense to me to have an integrated cable box as TVs become more like computers. Consolidation and miniaturization are the name of the game in the tech world. Motorola can easily miniaturize their boxes, and OEMs can easily incorporate them into devices.
Of course. The OEMS CAN do all sorts of things. But there's absolutely no reason to believe that this is going to happen in the next 3 months (which would be necessary to have the majority of systems on the shelf next summer have Google TV inside.
I haven't read the whole thread, but this headline really made me laugh. Having Google TV in half of TVs really means nothing. It doesn't help sell hardware as Apple TV does, and presumably as an actual Apple Television set will. Many people will not use it...it will just be there. Google is dreaming on this one.
Of course. The OEMS CAN do all sorts of things. But there's absolutely no reason to believe that this is going to happen in the next 3 months (which would be necessary to have the majority of systems on the shelf next summer have Google TV inside.
IF all of my existing TVs break and IF there are no non-Google TVs on the market, then I would probably buy a Google TV. Other than that? Nope.
Well to be fair, I buy Panasonic Professional Plasma displays. So I am not too worried as those aren't going anywhere but for general consumers, this could be a big negative.
Comments
I have no use/need for Google TV and WILL NOT buy a TV that helps Google learn about my TV viewing habits to better push advertising.
I'm surprised nobody has brought up the Motorola acquisition here. Motorola makes a good portion of all cable boxes in the US (haven't found a number), and this along with Google's partnerships with many of the major TV manufacturers (the same as their phone manufacturers) makes this statement seem pretty plausible. I don't know how Schmidt thinks they'll have market share quite so quickly, but all of the pieces are in place.
Motorola/Google's set top boxes are irrelevant. Schmidt claimed that GoogleTV would be embedded in the TV itself- not the set top box.
Has this guy (and manufacturers) ever wondered that some people WILL NOT BUY a TV with Google TV built in?
I have no use/need for Google TV and WILL NOT buy a TV that helps Google learn about my TV viewing habits to better push advertising.
I wouldn't quite go that far.
IF all of my existing TVs break and IF there are no non-Google TVs on the market, then I would probably buy a Google TV. Other than that? Nope.
Motorola/Google's set top boxes are irrelevant. Schmidt claimed that GoogleTV would be embedded in the TV itself- not the set top box.
How can you say that's irrelevant? Perhaps standalone cable boxes will be a thing of the past. It would make perfect sense to me to have an integrated cable box as TVs become more like computers. Consolidation and miniaturization are the name of the game in the tech world. Motorola can easily miniaturize their boxes, and OEMs can easily incorporate them into devices.
I think his last sentence may be implying that Apple is that outside looming threat that would make all the vendors want to get together to defend against Apple, even if it means partnering with Google for Android.
I think Sir Howard Stringer said as much recently, although he says Sony been developing their own next gen TV to counter an anticipated move by Apple. In other words, Sony will not depend on the Google TV solution.
Perhaps the next uber company will succeed by selling CE products with free drugs to it's hapless consumers. Or you just sign your ass up to be on call for use by auction to the lowest bidder and get a free phone.
"man this is the best phone and tv ever, cost me nothing plus free calls, music, videos, games"
"yeah but you get ass raped by strangers"
"nah man, I don't even notice cause I'm too busy shoving my brain full of free shit, I can't believe people would pay for things, they are stupid sheep"
"yeah but yer ass..."
"I never used it for much anyway and it is not like I see the person doing me cause I signed up for the free laptop plus glory hole gold class option, 20mins a week"
Our society is on a dark path
Best post of the month.
I'm thrilled to see so many people finally getting it. As someone who has been paying close attention to these trends for years (it's more than just Goog, btw, think Facebook, and others), it's been frustrating to see so many people mindlessly ignoring the long-term consequences of getting shit "for free". Now, many of you here are paying more attention, and that's the first step in societal change.
Sure, most joe-six-pack dudes aren't paying attention yet, any many never will, but people on this board, and others like it, are tech-inclined, more likely to be on the early side of tech trends. More likely to be advice-givers and thought-leaders. It's up to us to make sure the general, ignorant public starts to understand the issues. We need to ensure that jragosta's future (nightmare) where all his TVs break and there's nothing left on the market that's non-Google doesn't happen.
I'm surprised nobody has brought up the Motorola acquisition here. Motorola makes a good portion of all cable boxes in the US (haven't found a number), and this along with Google's partnerships with many of the major TV manufacturers (the same as their phone manufacturers) makes this statement seem pretty plausible. I don't know how Schmidt thinks they'll have market share quite so quickly, but all of the pieces are in place.
While I was unable to find those particular cable-TV box manufacturer statistics, I was able to locate the following data:
1. There are over 160 million set-top boxes in the US. (2011, www.dailytech.com)
2. The top manufacturers are (in apparent decending order): Motorola, Cisco Systems, ADB,
ChangHong, Coship, HUMAX, Jiuzhou, Pace Micro Technology, Panasonic, Samsung, Skyworth, and Thomson. (2007, www.worldresearchandmartets.com).
Personally, I would have thought Scientific Atlanta to be in that mix.
Even as rumors of an Apple television set continue to swirl, Google Chairman Eric Schmidt has claimed that company's Google TV platform will be embedded on the "majority" of televisions in stores by next summer. [...]
The only way that could ever happen is if Google bought the "majority" of TV manufacturers and embedded Google TV in it themselves.
I don't think Google has that kind of cash. Not after paying the sucker price for Motorola Mobile.
The only way that could ever happen is if Google bought the "majority" of TV manufacturers and embedded Google TV in it themselves.
Sounds a lot like Borg bio-mechanical implants and assimilation techniques to me.
How can you say that's irrelevant? Perhaps standalone cable boxes will be a thing of the past. It would make perfect sense to me to have an integrated cable box as TVs become more like computers. Consolidation and miniaturization are the name of the game in the tech world. Motorola can easily miniaturize their boxes, and OEMs can easily incorporate them into devices.
Of course. The OEMS CAN do all sorts of things. But there's absolutely no reason to believe that this is going to happen in the next 3 months (which would be necessary to have the majority of systems on the shelf next summer have Google TV inside.
The only way that could ever happen is if Google bought the "majority" of TV manufacturers and embedded Google TV in it themselves.
I don't think Google has that kind of cash. Not after paying the sucker price for Motorola Mobile.
The Motorola deal cost significantly less than we assume.
The Motorola deal cost significantly less than we assume.
Really? Care to provide some evidence?
The deal was listed at $12.5 B. There were accumulated tax credits worth several billion. So how much less than that was the cost of the deal?
Really? Care to provide some evidence?
The deal was listed at $12.5 B. There were accumulated tax credits worth several billion. So how much less than that was the cost of the deal?
There's the tax credits and the 3.2B that Motorola has. The cash itself makes the deal 25% less than the upfront cost.
Not saying anything about whether or not it was worth it, just saying it cost less than people assume.
Of course. The OEMS CAN do all sorts of things. But there's absolutely no reason to believe that this is going to happen in the next 3 months (which would be necessary to have the majority of systems on the shelf next summer have Google TV inside.
I'm glad we agree then.
There's the tax credits and the 3.2B that Motorola has. The cash itself makes the deal 25% less than the upfront cost.
Not saying anything about whether or not it was worth it, just saying it cost less than people assume.
Since I (and most people who bother to stay informed) knew about those things, how is that less than we assumed?
I wouldn't quite go that far.
IF all of my existing TVs break and IF there are no non-Google TVs on the market, then I would probably buy a Google TV. Other than that? Nope.
Well to be fair, I buy Panasonic Professional Plasma displays. So I am not too worried as those aren't going anywhere but for general consumers, this could be a big negative.
...
Personally, I would have thought Scientific Atlanta to be in that mix.
They are part of Cisco.