Will Relaunching Google TV as 'Nexus TV' Make a Difference?
Google TV may in for a change, but not the kind you're thinking of. The web-based television service could end up rebranded as Nexus TV, tying it to Google's more popular and well received line of electronic devices, while shedding a name that's seen its share of disappointments and failures since launch. Just ask Logitech, which jumped on board the Google TV bandwagon early on, lost millions of dollars, and dubbed the experience a "gigantic mistake."
A rebranding makes sense, especially if it's true that Google is getting ready to relaunch the service sometime in the first half of 2014, as reported by The Information (paywall). CNET, which scaled the paywall, says the rumor fits in line with what it was told by Google chief Sundar Pichai, which is that a major Google TV announcement will be made at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas next month.
As it stands, the Nexus brand is viewed favorably by consumers, so it wouldn't be a bad idea for Google TV to piggyback on that. However, Google must also make sure that its service is appealing. Not only has Google TV pretty much flopped up to this point, the current iteration is mired in Android 3.2 (Honeycomb), a dated version of Android that has only a 0.1 percent share of the entire Android market. There have been several new versions of Android since Honeycomb, including Ice Cream Sandwich, Jelly Bean, and KitKat.
Another direction Google could go is to rename the service Android TV, as previously rumored. Either way, while the current name may be an issue that needs addressed, it's the least of Google TV's problems.
A rebranding makes sense, especially if it's true that Google is getting ready to relaunch the service sometime in the first half of 2014, as reported by The Information (paywall). CNET, which scaled the paywall, says the rumor fits in line with what it was told by Google chief Sundar Pichai, which is that a major Google TV announcement will be made at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas next month.
As it stands, the Nexus brand is viewed favorably by consumers, so it wouldn't be a bad idea for Google TV to piggyback on that. However, Google must also make sure that its service is appealing. Not only has Google TV pretty much flopped up to this point, the current iteration is mired in Android 3.2 (Honeycomb), a dated version of Android that has only a 0.1 percent share of the entire Android market. There have been several new versions of Android since Honeycomb, including Ice Cream Sandwich, Jelly Bean, and KitKat.
Another direction Google could go is to rename the service Android TV, as previously rumored. Either way, while the current name may be an issue that needs addressed, it's the least of Google TV's problems.
