On Saturday, the Verge unveiled some leaked documents that indicate that Google is preparing to launch Android TV, a home viewing experience described as “less ambitious and easier to understand” than competitors such as Apple TV, Roku, and Amazon’s Android-based Fire TV. “Access to content should be simple and magical,” says one of the Google memos. One of the ways Android TV might realize that goal is by “proactively” recommending programs: That could mean doing away with endless browsing or it could mean having a fresh batch of “You Might Like This” suggestions to decline.
The entry point here, the Verge writes, “is people lazing on the couch” and not necessarily “inventive new applications that harness the big screen.” Images show that apps like Vevo, Netflix, Hulu, and Pandora (already popular on Apple TV, Fire TV, and Roku) will share consistent interfaces onscreen with Google in-house apps like Play Movies, YouTube, and Hangouts. It’s not clear where Google’s Chromecast HDMI dongle will fit into the product, but “The Verge understands that the Chromecast won’t go away, so that may mean developers will have to build two different interfaces.” Bottom line: You’ll never run out of TV to watch.
