GoogleGoogle readies TV set-top box in race with Apple, Amaz
Google readies TV set-top box in race with Apple, Amazon
By Rolfe Winkler
Google Inc. is to unveil a new television set-top box on Wednesday as it races Amazon.com Inc., Apple Inc. and others to control digital content in the home.
During its developer conference Wednesday, the search giant plans to show off at least one small set-top box that resembles products like the Roku, Amazon’s AMZN+0.10% Fire TV, and Apple’s AAPL+0.16% Apple TV, according to two people who have seen the device.
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Google’s GOOG+0.24% device will carry another company’s brand, but will be powered by Google’s new Android TV software designed to play movies, games and other content on televisions, the people said. Users will be able to control the box using Android smartphones or tablets, and potentially other devices.
A Google spokeswoman declined to comment.
The details suggest that Google’s television strategy will be similar to its smartphone strategy, providing key software to hardware makers to power their devices.
Google has said it would follow the same playbook for wearable devices like smartwatches, the first of which are expected to be shown off at the conference. Those will be powered by another flavor of Android software called Android Wear.
It isn’t clear if Google plans to design its own version of a set-top box running Android TV similar to its Nexus line of smartphones and tablets that are powered by Android.
Each Android device presents another opportunity for Google to display ads, its primary way of generating revenue.
To support its new operating systems like Android Wear and Android TV, Google needs to court software developers to build apps that will appeal to consumers.