Schmidt’s claim, that “By the [northern hemisphere] summer of 2012, the majority of the televisions you see in stores will have Google TV embedded in it,” couldn’t be more out of touch with reality unless he was also promising to come to your home and watch the TV with you too.
To begin, Google TV itself is a questionable product that’s broadly failed. Logitech, Google’s champion hardware partner, dropped its rifle and ran the other way screaming after the Revue bombed. Software updates that’ll beef up Google TV are on the way, but the system is starting at a huge disadvantage — most people have either been burned by Google TV or have forgotten about it.
Next, Schmidt’s ignoring the fact that pretty much every major TV manufacturer — Samsung, Panasonic, LG, Vizio, et all — have spent an enormous amount of money and effort building their own “smart TV” software. And they’re very proud of them, justified or not. So what makes Schmidt think they’re all going to abandon years of development for a stale Google sandwich? Hubris? Bewildering overconfidence? Some combination?
2011 is almost over, which means Google has about six months to make this television fantasy land materialise. Sony has one TV with Google baked in — hundreds of other models across many different manufacturers to go, guys! Now Eric, if you’re done, I’ll take a puff of that. [PaidContent]
Troy
Friday, December 9, 2011 at 8:02 AMSounds like Google+ for TVs, supposed to be big but wont make it
Harvz
Friday, December 9, 2011 at 8:19 AMi know it sounds crazy but you have to think that TV makers would already be making the TV that they will be selling in 6mths. So maybe he said it because they have already done all the deals
captjase
Friday, December 9, 2011 at 9:26 AMGuess we’ll find out in 6 months who’s really full of Schmidt..
Harrison
Friday, December 9, 2011 at 2:14 PMThat was brilliant.
jack
Friday, December 9, 2011 at 9:36 AMThis article is a bit snarky. Having a go at google for pushing an o/s on companies that have their own?
Android kinda pushed everyone elses phones out of the way. Chrome has a giant space in the browser world…
It won’t happen in 2012, but an open-system will be what takes the cake, as content providers want more people to see their stuff, not just people with one certain system.
DarkAura
Friday, December 9, 2011 at 11:29 AMReally a bad article but mainly because of the tone. trying to stoke a flame war post again are we?
Your article could of been better if you took out the harshness but your points are worth bringing as a point of debate. I think it would of been better to make this poll question to the community.
To be honest I think it’s very possible but it may be too a short deadline. Put it this way, The smart TV software you talk about is crap (generally crapper then Google TV) and if Google makes GTV a well-known brand as it integrates it with Android phones (aka the Market) and the interface the same (honeycomb or ics) then I see people choosing the TV that has the Google sticker over the other brand that has the same features but an unused smart TV software from the likes of Samsung or Phillips. It will be a huge selling point.
From the manufactures point of view (who have spent an enormous amount of money and effort building their own “smart TV”) why continue to waste time and money on developing our own software when we can get Google’s free software which has a market and people will be asking for it. Google will advertise the crap out of it for you as well.
So to wrap up, If I’m going to buy a new tv, I go to the store and see three big brand name TVs Samsung, Sony, Phillips and they all are the same size have the details But Phillips and Sony have special software and Samsung has Google TV which the store clerk tells me syncs with my android phone and has the market place, there will be no doubt which one I’m buying. The Manufactures know this and if one jumps on the bandwagon they all must.