By Paula Planelles Manzanaro
Since its birth, numerous changes have transformed the way users watch television. Today the big electronic firms are fighting for pole position in the television market. While Google shows off its latest devices at the International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) this week in Las Vegas, rumours of a new television set by Apple are shaking the television market.
A beginning of the real TV revolution everyday is getting closer. Apple and Google struggle to be the first ones in creating a new concept on how people watch their favourite programmes. Google has already taken the next step towards the expected revolution, with the creation of a 55in-screen television, which combines ease of use and smartness, offering access to 150 applications for television and Youtube.
Google’s main partnership, the South Korean company LG Electronics, launched the “smart” TV this week, taking advantage of Android interface’s devices. The United Kingdom will be able to enjoy the advantages of this new set, which will come with 3D glasses, next year, an article in The Independent informs.
According to what Paul Sweeting, principal at Concurrent Media Strategies, told the E-Commerce Times, Google’s new tech strategy is much more integrated with the Android platform. “That opens up a lot of possibilities for bringing in developers and allows you to develop multi-screen experiences that leverage Android across phones and now Google TVs and tablets, so that's significant”, he said.
The new box aims to be a success. Eric Schmidt, chairman at Google, commented recently that “by the summer of 2012, the majority of television you see in stores will have Google TV embedded on it”.
However, Google is not the only firm which has attracted attention at the world’s biggest tech show. Apple does not want to fall behind in the TV revolution. Although the firm is not expected to come to market until 2012, there are rumours that Apple will revolutionize the TV’s world offering a 50in television set, with a touch-screen interface and the Siri voice-recognition system used on the iPhone 4S, according to a report in The Independent.
Apple’s new box could represent a dangerous situation for Google in the race towards the technology market’s leading. Experts from all over the world show their preferences, such as Karl Havard, chief strategy officer at Wunderman. Although Mr. Havard admits being a fan of Apple, he affirms that Google is the leader so far. “The barrier to entry for Google will be a lot lower because it’s a normal TV set [and] all of sudden it’s going to open up a whole new world to people and that’s a smart move. The barrier to entry for Apple will be much higher, especially with the rumours saying the cost would be double that of a normal TV”, he said.
Nevertheless, Apple and Google have something in common. Both firms aim to renew the television’s world, especially in a moment with a slump in television sales registered in the United Kingdom, the article in The Independent informs. So, the new smart televisions have the responsibility of changing this. As the digital strategist Nic Newman says, the smart TVs “failed to excite mainstream audiences in 2011 partly because a lack of compelling interactive experiences”.
2012 will become the inflection point in the new TV revolution, with more quality, innovative products and interactivity that surprises people.
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