Google is no longer selling the Nexus Player on its own store, and it looks like it's not coming back.
Although the player continues to be available on other sites, it appears that third-party retailers have been out of stock of the device for months.
The Nexus Player originally existed as a means for consumers to retrofit non-smart TVs with Google's Android TV operating system.
Increasingly, however, television manufacturers such as Sony, Sharp and Philips are installing Android TV directly on their television sets, removing the need for an external device like the Nexus Player.
An early stepping stone
We weren't all that impressed when we reviewed the Nexus Player back in 2015. The Android TV operating system was still early, and the player was lacking key streaming apps from Amazon Prime and HBO.
However, in the years since its release the OS has seen a great deal of development, leading our own Jamie Carter to declare it one of the best Smart TV platforms in the world.
Other Android TV devices, such as the Nvidia Shield TV, have begun to differentiate themselves with increased gaming offerings rather than focussing on just video playback.
But with most TVs now shipping with a smart TV platform of their own, it was only a matter of time before Google decided to kill off its dedicated external box.
A spokesperson from Google said, "Nexus Player is still available on some retail sites. Android TV continues to be a living room favourite as one of the best smart TV experiences. We are pleased with the success and have seen millions of activations so far."
The lack of the confirmation of a restock of the Google store suggests that once stock disappears from other retail sites the Nexus Player will be gone for good.
A spokesperson from Google said, "Nexus Player is still available on some retail sites. Android TV continues to be a living room favourite as one of the best smart TV experiences. We are pleased with the success and have seen millions of activations so far."
This lack of a confirmation of a restock from Google suggests that once the Nexus Player disappears from other retail sites then it will indeed be gone for good.
- A Nexus Player could still be a great option if you're looking for one of the best Kodi/XBMC boxes
Via The Verge
