Samsung is close to deal on Google TV
Samsung yesterday said it is close to securing a deal to roll out the next generation of Google TV, bolstering the lucrative partnership between the two giants.
Both companies have struggled in the sector this year, with Samsung’s meteoric rise in the flatscreen TV market being curtailed by a collapse in demand for expensive consumer goods outside the mobile sphere.
Google’s first foray into TV in the US was a disaster, with the firm failing to win over the major US networks. This led launch partner Logitech to slash the price of its Revue set-top box from $249 to just $99 – making a loss on each one sold. At one point returns of the Revue outpaced sales.
Yoon Boo-keun, president of Samsung’s TV division, said the company will unveil its Google TV at an event next year – presumed to be the Consumer Electronics Show.
Samsung and Google have collaborated on a range of Google-branded “Nexus” mobile phones, which the search giant has used as a showcase for its Android operating system.
Samsung is also a key subscriber to Android, with the software helping to push its flagship Galaxy SII handset above Apple’s iPhone in the smartphone war.
Google TV is already available on some of Sony’s Bravia range but has failed to change the Japanese firm’s fortunes, with it slipping to a fourth consecutive quarterly loss earlier this month, dragged down by TV sales.
Audiences on both sides of the Atlantic have stuck resolutely to their traditional TV viewing habits, with numbers remaining roughly stable despite the rise of online content.