Google debuted their entry in the battle for consumer’s living rooms today, as they unveiled Android TV, a new platform for internet-connected televisions and set-top boxes. The platform brings streaming video, audio, custom apps, and games to the television front.
Much of Android TV’s functionality is similar to that of the Apple TV or similar set-top boxes from Roku and Amazon. Users will have access to streaming media from companies like Netflix and Hulu, and Google will make the Play Store available for developers to create apps with TV-centric user interfaces.
The platform will, of course, support gaming. Google showed off the gaming capabilities at I/O with a multiplayer game of NBA Jam between a player using an Android TV, and another using a Samsung tablet. While game controllers are supported, the minimum requirement is for a simple directional pad, and a mic for voice search.
While at first glance the Android TV’s interface looks to be rather conventional, the system will be powered in a large part by voice commands. The capabilities were demoed on stage by saying “Breaking Bad,” which left the user just a single tap away from watch an episode of the show. Voice queries can also result in related YouTube videos, and related info about the actors and such.
Google will not be making its own hardware, instead leaving it up to partners such as Sony, Sharp, and Philips, who will begin shipping Android TV sets in 2015.
