Google launches live TV app for set-top boxes that could replace cable TV

In the Android ecosystem, Google often adopts a business model of free platform and paid digital content. In the set-top box, smart TV and living room entertainment market, Google also hopes to replicate this model .

Recently, Google quietly launched an application for watching live TV channels on set-top boxes, which will make traditional cable and satellite TV operators uneasy.

According to foreign media reports, Google's release of this live TV application was very low-key. It is not known whether it was to avoid irritating cable TV operators.

The full name of this software is "Android TV Live Channel". In the Google Play software store, Tencent Technology saw Google's description of this application, which is also very simple.

Google said that set-top boxes using the Android TV platform can install the app, which can then watch live TV channels such as news, sports, movies, and TV series.

However, it should be pointed out that Google itself has not yet launched an Internet live TV channel service for set-top boxes. Google said that the above application can use TV signal sources such as IP TV. As for other TV signal sources, Google only describes them as "more".

Through this app, Android set-top box users will be able to realize the TV viewing functions of cable TV set-top boxes, such as picture-in-picture, subtitle options, channel selection, children's permission control, etc. In addition, users can also watch the screen of two channels at the same time by splitting the screen.

In addition, this application software is specifically provided for set-top boxes based on "Android TV" and cannot be installed on mobile phones and tablets.

"Android TV" is a new smart TV and living room entertainment platform launched by Google to replace "GoogleTV". It is based on the Android operating system, but Android TV is still in the early stages of promotion. The set-top boxes based on this platform include Google's own Nexus player.

Analysts said that with the availability of set-top box hardware and live TV software, it will be a natural process for Google to launch an Internet-based live TV service for set-top box users in the future. By then, cable and satellite TV companies will face more users quitting the network and canceling their accounts.

Google is no novice in providing live TV services. In the Google Gigabit Fiber service launched in cities such as Kansas and Austin, Texas, Google also provides the option of bundling TV channel packages, and users can also choose pure broadband services without TV channels. This "fiber TV" service experience will help Google provide live TV services on the Internet.

The Internet-based live TV channel service has become a new market with great business opportunities. Sony has taken the lead in launching this service, and its user-end device is the PS set-top box.

Earlier, Intel also coveted this market and developed a set-top box with excellent performance. However, due to obstacles in the licensing of TV channels and program content, Intel announced that it would give up and transferred the set-top box technology and related businesses to the communications company Verizon.

In addition to Internet and technology companies, traditional American TV stations (such as CBS and HBO) are also launching "pure Internet" live channel services. Internet users only need to pay a low monthly fee to watch a few of their favorite channels, without having to bear hundreds of dollars in cable TV fees.

As a winner of Toutiao's Qingyun Plan and Baijiahao's Bai+ Plan, the 2019 Baidu Digital Author of the Year, the Baijiahao's Most Popular Author in the Technology Field, the 2019 Sogou Technology and Culture Author, and the 2021 Baijiahao Quarterly Influential Creator, he has won many awards, including the 2013 Sohu Best Industry Media Person, the 2015 China New Media Entrepreneurship Competition Beijing Third Place, the 2015 Guangmang Experience Award, the 2015 China New Media Entrepreneurship Competition Finals Third Place, and the 2018 Baidu Dynamic Annual Powerful Celebrity.