Unable to catch Apple TV, Google TV said to rebrand under Android soon
Adoption of the Google TV platform trails Apple's Apple TV device by a wide margin, and now the search company may be ready to rebrand its television offerings under the Android name in an effort to spark consumer interest.
Google is reportedly preparing to phase out the Google TV brand, and sources tell GigaOm that personnel within the search giant are already referring to the next generation of its television platform as "Android TV." Google has not yet announced any official rebranding, but a recently-scheduled developer event in Seoul was officially called "Android TV Developer Day." Meanwhile, a number of Google TV partners appear to have dropped the moniker from their products, instead saying that forthcoming offerings will be Android devices with access to "the latest Google services for TV."
The rebranding would tie the struggling television platform to Google's much more successful Android brand. A sizable majority of the world's smartphones — and an increasing number of its tablets — run Android, and observers note that the brand name alone could get some consumers to take a longer look Google-powered televisions.
Launched three years ago, Google TV has struggled to gain traction in the market, despite Google exec Eric Schmidt's confident statement that by the summer of 2012, "the majority of the televisions you see in stores will have Google TV embedded." Instead, the platform has been hobbled by its complicated set-up process and unwieldy controls. It also ran into resistance from content providers, who were unfriendly to the idea of consumers being able to stream content from the web to their television sets.
In the intervening time, Google appears to have lost some interest in Google TV. Earlier this year, the company rolled out a new television dongle, a $35 media streaming device that captured the tech industry's attention and has received mostly positive reviews. For that device, though, Google went away from the Google TV moniker, going instead with Chromecast, a name tied to its popular Chrome web browser.
Meanwhile, the Apple TV set-top box has enjoyed considerable success, even though Cupertino still deems the device a "beloved hobby." Apple sold more than five million Apple TV units in 2012, and the device enjoys support from many of the most popular networks on television.
Apple TV grabbed 56 percent of the streaming devices market in 2012, according to one study, with its nearest competitor being Roku at 21.5 percent. That same study noted that Google TV was "conspicuous in its absence" from the list of top players in the segment. The study estimated that fewer than one million total Google TV devices had been sold to date.
Comments
I can't wait to hear Google Android exec Eric Schmidt's confident statement that by the summer of 2012 2014, the majority of the televisions you see in stores will have Google Android TV embedded.
Larry: Houston we have a problem. Our customers don't understand our name and what we're doing.
Houston: Your name is stupid. Your customers do understand and that you sell ads.
Larry: We're going to rebrand and use Android. We sell heaps, err, ship heaps, err, there are more Android devices than anything else.
Houston: Yea - good luck with that. Give these guys a call, they may be able to help you 0800 faxsam. I hear they can do a gold plastic model, you might need it.
Hahahahahahahahaha
would be my response.
People want their TVs to be a place you blob out in front of. No thinking allowed! That's why the Google brandname failed - associated with searching the web which is an active, mental effort, thinking activity! And it is why Apple succeeded: because everyone knows they do the simplest. most intuitive, easy GUI possible, all of which is associated with not having to think (of course there was a lot of thinking by the designers so the user didn't have to!).
I think one of Google's biggest successes up to date is Android, and one of their biggest failure's is Chrome OS (not Chrome browser). So I am sure Android will eventually replace Chrome on laptops as well.
This is the same for Microsoft Windows RT. Microsoft will eventually focus on Windows Phone 8 on tablets instead of RT.
All the unsuccessful software without critical mass will disappear. And hopefully for the sake of the whole world, Windows RT will be dead before the first quarter of next year comes to an end.
Sure sounds like Android to me!
Here is the thing. Why? Why not focus on Chrome?
They must think that Android as a brand is desireable. I don't think that is the case to the extent they must think. Android is a "me too" product. The largest reason it is successful is that it is put on everything. The cheep, the $69 tablets.
Mcdonalds is the most popular restaurant. Doesn't mean it is good.
Can you imagine if this were Microsoft? They'd call it something like the Microsoft Windows Television Entertainment Experience Center for Home, Office, and Mobile.
And when Android TV failed, there'll always be Chrome TV. And when that also failed, well.. there's still Play TV.
So they will compete with themselves, and third party lisencees, and Roku, and Apple?
Sure sounds like Android to me!
Here is the thing. Why? Why not focus on Chrome?
They must think that Android as a brand is desireable. I don't think that is the case to the extent they must think. Android is a "me too" product. The largest reason it is successful is that it is put on everything. The cheep, the $69 tablets.
Mcdonalds is the most popular restaurant. Doesn't mean it is good.
I really like Mcdonalds though..
If you're really curious there's an article at Gigaom about it, the same source AI used for this story.
http://gigaom.com/2013/07/15/like-netbooks-of-old-chromebooks-are-the-fastest-growing-pc-segment-whats-different/
You know what, everyone knows what crap is... You might as well name it SteamyTurdTV.
I think one of Google's biggest successes up to date is Android, and one of their biggest failure's is Chrome OS (not Chrome browser). So I am sure Android will eventually replace Chrome on laptops as well.
This is the same for Microsoft Windows RT. Microsoft will eventually focus on Windows Phone 8 on tablets instead of RT.
All the unsuccessful software without critical mass will disappear. And hopefully for the sake of the whole world, Windows RT will be dead before the first quarter of next year comes to an end.
What? Chrome OS is a huge success. It's barely existed for a year and yet has already captured 22% of the education market, and 5% of the entire PC market. I decided to give it a try (didn't really need a real computer anymore with my tablet and phone) and loved it. It's a great experience for my needs and likely the needs of 90% of the people out there.
http://www.nasdaq.com/article/google-chromebooks-are-deadlier-to-pcs-than-ipads-cm285343
Careful. You and Gatorguy are treading on dangerous ground here ;-)
Fwiw, I agree. Chrome OS is pretty cool and for people who don't need processing power (programs), it serves quite well. It's no wonder the education market loves it. I may buy one for my daughter for school.