Google TV’s place on the Google roadmap was murky...
Google TV’s place on the Google roadmap was murky following an earnings call late Thursday, as company executives steered questions about the platform to Google Fiber trials and YouTube instead. In response to an analyst question about the potential for…
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Internet access on TV screens, CEO Lawrence Page said Google executives are “excited about television, screens and displays and have been for a while.” He added, “We've had Google TV as a product for quite some time,” he said, positioning the platform as somewhat dated. Page didn’t mention manufacturer Hisense’s planned rollout of a Google TV product in mid-November or products from Sony and LG currently on the market. Page said “it’s great to have a real browser available on your television to access YouTube” and other content, adding that YouTube is available on “a lot of other devices including DVD players and game consoles.” Google is “working hard” to get distribution for YouTube for Chrome, for Google “as a whole” on TV screens, “as well as our own products,” he said. The company is “still in the early stages of that,” he said. Regarding how Google Fiber fits into the company’s plans, Page noted that the service is still in limited trials in Kansas City. Google Fiber, controlled by the Nexus 7 tablet, “can drive the industry forward,” he said. Chief Financial Officer Patrick Pichette added that with Google Fiber, the company is “pushing for the next chapter of the Internet in the U.S.” where consumers want faster Internet speeds “at reasonable prices.” Google Fiber is a “great mouse trap,” he said. Page sidestepped a question about the differences between Google TV and Google Fiber, directing the conversation again to YouTube, saying, “Recently YouTube transitioned for me a year ago to something that could keep me entertained for hours on TV,” citing “high-quality” content tailored to users who can build their own channels. YouTube’s “tremendous increase in usage” has translated to increased monetization, he said. “That’s how we see the future,” Page said. “YouTube is going to be available everywhere -- on mobile, TV, desktop -- wherever you want.”