Google has been trying to conquer the living room for more than a few years now, and they have attempted to do so in a number of ways. Their longest standing project which is now defunct(at least in terms of continual production)is Google TV and the selection of Google TV boxes that were being sold starting a few years back. After less than stellar sales Google finally pulled the plug on Google TV last year, right around the time they were releasing the Chromecast streaming dongle which plugs into your TV’s HDMI port. For a very short period in 2012 there was the also the Nexus Q which might have had great potential if Google didn’t pull the plug before the first round of purchased units even made it out to consumers. At this year’s Google I/O developer conference Google unveiled the much anticipated Android TV box, a new take on what Google TV could have and should have been from the start.
Now that we have the Nexus Player released, and a handful of other devices from various OEMs set to launch in the near future running on the Android TV platform, we had recently heard that Sony will be producing actual TV’s with Android TV baked into the unit. There are a few reasons why this could be a great idea, not the least of which is that you wouldn’t need extra equipment to access the Android TV platform, which would also result in one freed up HDMI port. Although not everyone will be looking to purchase a new TV when these units launch whic is said to be as early as February(that is if Sony and other manufacturers produce something like this)the option of having Android TV as part of your television instead of being an add-on device gives alternatives to the consumer who may like the idea of having less equipment hooked up to the TV while still being able to utilize the same content one could find on the Nexus Player.
The question, is will a feature like this entice you to buy a television that has the Android TV platform built-into it? From a personal standpoint, if I was in the market for a new TV around the time something like this would launch, I would find it more appealing than having to buy one more device like the Nexus Player to hook up to my TV where I already have my console and my Chromecast plugged into the HDMI ports. I love the idea of Android TV and the features of having Android games I can play on the big screen with a dedicated gamepad, as well as a wealth of content from Google Play Movies and TV, and Google Play Music, but I don’t care for the idea of having more stuff cluttered around the area.
From what we already know, which isn’t really much, Sony’s potential upcoming TV’s with Android TV will get access to all the same content that the Nexus Player has, so there really wound’t be any more of a benefit feature wise to having one product or the other. It mainly all comes down to price and what you’re willing to spend, and whether or not you really need a new TV, and of course if you have an OCD thing like myself where you want your electronics setup to look as clean as possible. The less visible wires and stuff sitting around the better. When it comes to Sony’s offerings in this area, they’ll likely be set up to use the Dual Shock 4 as the gamepad, which is another plus for those that own a PS4. Would you consider buying a TV like this if more companies were to produce them?