Just days after web retail giant Amazon.com unveiled its digital TV device, Google is intensifying the battle for the living room with a new Android TV device, according to US technology reports on Monday.
According to TheVerge.com, the new gadget will be based around a simple interface that will standardise all the different apps from service providers like Netflix, Hulu and YouTube to enhance users’ ability to search and find different content.
The device would be Google’s third major attempt to bridge the chasm between computers, smartphones and televisions. Its initial Google TV launched in 2010 but was quickly pulled due to lukewarm reaction from consumers and critics.
However, last year’s debut of the Chromecast dongle, which allows users to cast content from their smartphones and tablets to their televisions, has been a surprising hit.
Android TV is expected to work in tandem with Chromecast in the same way that Google has one operating system for smartphones and tablets, and another one for its increasingly popular line of Chromebooks.
In one of the documents obtained by The Verge, Google states that “Android TV is an entertainment interface, not a computing platform.
“It’s all about finding and enjoying content with the least amount of friction.” The report came just days after Amazon announced its new $99-set-top box which hooks up to televisions and allows users to stream content from the company’s video library and from services such as Netflix, Hulu and sportscaster ESPN.
Apple has also long been rumoured to be working on an update to its Apple TV device as the company seeks a new genre-defining device to help offset the increasing competition facing its iPhone and iPad models.