Is ‘Android TV’ Google’s latest attempt to take over the living room?

By David Nield April 5, 2014

android tv googles latest attempt take living room google — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Microsoft, Sony, Roku, Apple, Google, Amazon — everyone is trying to take over your living room with smart boxes and streaming devices. Thanks to documents obtained by the Verge, we have a sneak peek at one of the new products heading to the market: Android TV. The report states that the project is already at an advanced stage, with app developers currently coding for the platform.

Think Google and set-top boxes and Google TV instantly springs to mind, but according to the Verge this is something much simpler and potentially more appealing. “Android TV is an entertainment interface, not a computing platform,” writes Google. “It’s all about finding and enjoying content with the least amount of friction” in a way that’s “cinematic, fun, fluid, and fast.”

Android TV will feature a simple, straightforward interface that’s easy to navigate, with an emphasis on content rather than extras. Google’s music, movie and app stores will of course be tightly integrated, and the card-based design visible everywhere from Google+ to Google Now is also set to feature prominently in the new interface.

While there will be the option to browse through a catalogue of content if you wish, the magic inside Android TV will recommend the television shows and films you’re most likely to want to watch in a way that’s similar to Google Now. According to the documents seen by the Verge, app developers are being encouraged to make their software as intuitive and streamlined as possible.

It feels like Android TV is a lighter, more versatile and more natural evolution of Google TV, but what the future is for that platform — and indeed for the hugely successful Chromecast — remains to be seen. What we do know is that Google still has plenty of plans in store for your TV set.

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Dave is a freelance journalist from Manchester in the north-west of England. He's been writing about technology since the…

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