While Chromecast still holds our interest, it looks like Google is turning away from the name Google TV, instead naming its TV OS "Android TV", which will still be available to manufacturers.
The report comes from GigaOm, which quotes an unnamed exec at an unnamed manufacturer as saying: "They are calling it 'Android TV'."
Though a lot of manufacturers have dabbled with Google TV, it never really picked up speed.
Google TV only comes built into either a "buddy box" like the Netgear NeoTV Max and Asus Qube or integrated TV from manufacturers like LG and Hisense, all of which are very expensive.
Strength behind Android
Renaming it after the popular Android may all help to boost and make clearer exactly what Google TV actually is – an Android platform for TVs.
And it's strange that Google hadn't initially called it Android TV, as Google TV is built on top of the popular mobile OS.
Even Chromecast, which we thought would have been more Chrome OS based than Android, is actually built upon Google TV's architecture and not Chrome.
The name "Android TV", however, still isn't finalised yet, as the report says that employees are also calling it "Google services for TV" and will likely involve an update to Android Kit Kat.
Either way, it is clear that Google hasn't given up on the TV-platform dream.
- Here's a look at Google's TV competition, Apple TV.
