Providing market intelligence for more than 35 years

In The News

Can Google's Android TV Take on an Updated Apple TV?

Perhaps aware of Chromecast's limitations, Google unveiled Google TV's successor, Android TV, at its I/O conference last year. Compared to Google TV, Android TV is far less complex, with a standard interface composed of rectangles and a simplified remote. Android TV connects to the Google Play app store, uses Google's excellent voice search technology, and supports Xbox-style controllers, including one Google created in partnership with ASUS.

Unfortunately for the search giant, Android TV just hasn't gained much traction. Google released the Nexus Player last fall to demonstrate the power of the Android TV platform, but it was widely panned. In its review, The Verge wrote that the Nexus Player suffered from several strange bugs and a lack of apps, ultimately concluding that Google had "lots of work left to do."

Last month, Parks Associates reported that Google was the second-largest seller of dedicated streaming devices in 2014. But all of its 19% market share came from the Chromecast rather than its Nexus Player.

From the article "Can Google's Android TV Take on an Updated Apple TV?" by Motley Fool.

Previously In The News

Tech Companies Waging Big Battle Of The Bots

In order for a virtual helpmate to run your life, it needs to engage with the providers of all the services you rely on, from your calendar app to your Uber ride. Those providers must either partner w...

A new frenemy: Apple is going Hollywood. But it’s been a bumpy ride.

Amazon and Roku both have greater distribution in the U.S. than Apple TV. According to a Parks Associates report from last May, Roku has a 37 percent market share in the U.S., followed by Amazon Fire...

What To Watch For At The Newfronts: Day Three

The Mindy Project” moved from Fox to Hulu last fall, and it’s become one of the site’s most popular shows, according to Hulu executives, though the site does not release actual viewing numbers. Rea...

TV's next big experiment: 'choose your own adventure'

Viewers vote on the actions of the protagonist -- leading to one of seven endings -- using a smartphone app while the movie keeps rolling seamlessly for between 70 and 90 minutes. "This type of con...