Google has now officially announced the end of Google TV and will instead concentrate on Android TV and the Google Cast ecosystem.
Existing Google TV devices and all of the features of these devices will continue to work, and so will the apps that were developed for the Google TV platform. A small subset of Google TV devices will be updated to Android TV, but most Google TV devices won’t support the new platform.
Google TV was launched in 2010 with Sony being the first to develop TV sets for the system. Later Samsung, Vizio, Toshiba, LG, Asus, Hisense and TCL joind the list of companies supporting the system, but ever since its launch Google TV has been struggling to get accepted.
With Android TV – and the fast acceptance and deployment of Chromecast – Google is convinced the new system will have a better reception, “With the launch Android 5.0, Lollipop, Android TV is now fully launched, and we’re working closely with OEMs to release Android TV devices going forward. By extending Android to the TV form factor, living room developers get the benefits, features and the same APIs available for Android phone and tablet development.”
Last year, Philips (TP VIsion) was the first to announce its Android TV sets, while at this year’s CES Sony and Sharp unveiled their new Android TV sets. A line-up of Android TV powered other set-top and over-the-top boxes is expected any time soon. In June 2013, Google announced its first list of Android TV partners.