Sony believes that consumers are ready to take the next step in internet televisions, with the Japanese giant looking beyond its own well-received smart TVs.
The company has been in partnership with Google on its Google TV boxes for some time – and has just launched its first raft of products for the UK.
At the launch of these boxes, Sony's Ben Law explained that the company's customers were already embracing internet connected televisions and were looking for 'the next step'.
Embracing the future
"Consumers are really starting to embrace the concept of internet on their televisions, or smart TV as we call it as an industry," said Law.
"At Sony we've really seen people connecting their products and interacting with different services.
"What we've seen from the research is that everyone is really positive about smart TV functions and the different applications and functions that you can get through there.
"Some people are buying smart TVs but they want to be able to go the next step. They want to be able to seamlessly search through Google for any information that they want to find and they want to interact with it like they are used to on their tablets or phones.
"They want to take things to the next level."
Partnerships
Sony has, of course, even gone so far as to offer integrated Google TVs in the US, and the company is clearly hoping that the partnership with Google will bear fruit in the future.
With many TV manufacturers offering up their own proprietary internet connected services, and major players like LG, Philips and Sharp teaming up in the Smart TV alliance, the market remains fragmented.
It remains to be seen if, ultimately, TV manufacturers decide to go with someone like Google and its Android platform or continue to seek out their own routes to next gen smart services.
But for consumers looking to take the next step it remains something of a difficult decision.
