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

By David Nield Published April 5, 2014

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.”

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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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Former Digital Trends Contributor

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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Best streaming devices for 2025: Apple TV, Roku, Fire TV, and more

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You pay good money for all the streaming services you subscribe to (or maybe your budget and preferences attract you to the many free ad-supported services out there). Either way, you deserve to get the best viewing experience you can, and if the operating system built in to your smart TV isn't cutting it for you, you may be among the millions of users who opt for the external plug-and-play solution of one of the best streaming devices.

That's not to say there's anything wrong with smart TV OSes, especially since Roku, Amazon Fire TV, and Google TV power so many smart TVs, with LG and Samsung picking up the slack with their own operating systems.

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LG for the holidays: Take $400 off the 77-inch LG C3 OLED TV

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With Christmas nearly here, we’re guessing there’s at least a handful of shoppers running around stores, scouring aisles for TV deals. And while most of the smaller TVs are at astronomically low prices, the larger, more advanced sets are often still expensive. This is why it’s a great idea to take a look at markdowns on slightly older TVs that are still sold brand-new, like this fantastic LG offer:

For a limited time, when you purchase the LG 77-inch C3 Series OLED through Best Buy, you’ll only pay $1,900. Mind you, this TV once cost $2,300 at full price. We reviewed the LG C3 Series back in 2023, and editor at large Caleb Denison called it “a stellar TV.”

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Sling TV celebrates the holidays with a rate increase that goes live today

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Happy holidays! Sling TV got you a present, and it's a $6-per-month price increase. As we reported last month, today marks the beginning of the new pricing for all of Sling's packages -- Sling Orange, Sling Blue, and the combo Sling Orange and Blue package. Costs per month for the three packages are now $46, $51, and $66, respectively, with half off your first month.

Sling attributes the increase to rising costs of programming "well above the price of inflation." It also points out "these increases are industry wide" and "Sling continues to be the most affordable option with offerings more than $20 less per month versus other providers." It's worth noting that Sling has been adding features throughout 2024, including 4K streaming of major sporting events such as the MLB All-Star Game, postseason, and World Series, the 2024 Olympics in Paris, and the U.S. Open in select major markets.