Google needs the television industry. That’s expected to be the gist of chairman Eric Schmidt’s MacTaggart lecture at the MediaGuardian Edinburgh international television festival on Friday. After the disaster that is Google TV’s US launch, you’d be a fool to disagree.
So just what does Google TV need to do to succeed in the UK? We’ve come up with a few things.
1 iPlayer access
If you’ve ever tried 4OD or ITV Player, you’ll appreciate just how far ahead the BBC’s iPlayer service is. Amazingly, Apple TV still doesn’t have iPlayer access (in the UK at least), when even the PS3 does. If Google TV wants to be a major player in the UK TV game, it needs iPlayer from the off, no question.
2 The support of the channels
Before Christmas a number of US networks started blocking flash videos from their websites from Google TV, which is strange, especially considering Google TV is basically just bringing a web browser to your big screen. Nevertheless, ABC, NBC, and CBS all blocked videos from their sites from Google TV, so if you want to stream full-length episodes from the three major US broadcasters’ websites, you’re flat out of luck. This seems incredibly shortsighted, and something Google needs to make sure is fixed for the UK launch. When Google unveiled its partners for the US launch, most TV networks weren’t on board; those that were only offered small apps, such as a CNBC stock ticker. Gets those deals inked, and we’re in business.
3 Improved search
Virgin Media TiVo has pretty much cornered the market in searching for TV shows. Type in what you’re looking for and it’ll search not only live TV and the on demand database, but the internet as well, throwing up results from YouTube. Google TV’s, meanwhile, presents hit and miss results, and US reviewers criticised its quirks, such as sometimes searching within the app launched and sometimes scouring the TV listings. Given Google’s experience in search, we’re expecting big things.
4 Partnership deals
Google TV launched partnered with Sony, Intel and Logitech – Intel chips powered it, and Sony and Logitech made gear compatible with the service. Impressive partners, and no doubt all very capable with plenty of cache, but if Google wants to make real inroads it’ll need to play to the majority of TV viewers, and that means hitting up the Tesco brands too. So Bush, Humax, Goodmans, Grundig, and the rest. Only when it’s as easy to partner with as Android will it start seeing a similar uptake in the UK.
5 Better controls
Back in our Apple TV review, we sang the praises of using the iPhone/iPod Touch app to control it – if you’ve either device, you’ll rarely reach for the Apple TV remote. Google TV, by contrast, involves a QWERTY keyboard layout (as specified by Google), and mouse control in combination with standard arrow keys to navigate. Which is confusing to say the least. The D-pad’s Select button, for example, has nothing to do with where the mouse cursor is, but instead clicks whatever you last selected using the keyboard. Some serious integration is needed. Of course, you could always use the app to control from your phone, but better basic controls would help the uninitiated.
