Tomorrow Apple will certainly hog the spotlight after making announcements at its annual developers event, but its not the only company that has an event like this schedule in June. Google is right on its heels with its own developer-focused event. According to a new report the previously rumored Android TV might be announced at Google I/O 2014. Powered by the company’s Pano user interface, it is believed that Android TV will also focus on gaming.
The Mountain View based company has been down this road before with Google TV which is now chalked up as a spectacular flop. It has been eclipsed by competitors with little or no consumer interest left. Which is why it makes sense for Google to start again with a clean slate.
The main distinction between Android and Google TV is reportedly going to be that the former will focus on online media and gaming whereas the latter tried to bring together pay TV services and applications. Netflix and Hulu apps are said to be available at launch. Google will reportedly team up with hardware manufacturers for Android TV set-top boxes and smart TVs.
Pano will apparently distinguish Android TV from its failed predecessor. The user interface is basically a series of cards which users can browse horizontally, with each card having “deep links” into publisher’s apps. This will give users the option to start playback right away instead on first launching a publisher’s apps before browsing for content.
It also makes sense why Google would want to focus on Android-based video games with its new platform. Rivals are already doing this, look no further than the Amazon Fire TV which comes with a standalone gaming controller. Yes, these devices won’t deliver console level gaming but Android users might appreciate the chance to play their favorite titles on a big screen.
Google I/O 2014 takes place June 25-26, 2014 in San Francisco.
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