News: 0178605710

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Google TV's Uncertain Future (theverge.com)

(Thursday August 07, 2025 @05:30PM (msmash) from the change-of-heart dept.)


Google has [1]quietly admitted defeat in selling advertising for its smart TV platform, returning ad inventory to publishers and accepting a revenue share instead of controlling ad spots directly, according to The Verge. The policy reversal comes as Google spends hundreds of millions of dollars annually on Google TV without breaking even, while Amazon outspends the company on retail incentives that have already pushed Google TV sets out of Costco stores in favor of Fire TV models.

Amazon pays up to $50 per activated television to retailers and manufacturers, The Verge reported. Google TV has grown to 270 million monthly active devices worldwide since unifying Android TV and Chromecast under a single brand in 2020, but many devices operate in overseas markets that generate little revenue or run customized versions controlled by pay-TV operators. YouTube's success in the living room -- generating $9.8 billion in quarterly ad revenue and accounting for 12.5% of all US television viewing -- has reduced internal support for Google TV, with sales teams prioritizing the video platform and some YouTube executives arguing the smart TV budget should be redirected, the report adds.



[1] https://www.theverge.com/lowpass-newsletter/724970/google-tv-ads-monetization-problem


Re: (Score:2)

by SeaFox ( 739806 )

Actually the opposite if we're comparing it to Amazon's FireTV platform. I'd gladly change my Fire Sticks to Android TV if I could, because there are less ads than FireOS has. The Fire Sticks I have support 10-bit h264 video, though. I haven't been able to locate an OTT hardware device that has this capability beyond them,

No way (Score:1)

by Acum Amcum ( 6208780 )

Wait. Google TV has ADS? Haha.

Re: (Score:2)

by r1348 ( 2567295 )

Not mine, thanks to ad-blocking DNS and SmartTube.

Re: (Score:3)

by flink ( 18449 )

Same here. I actually prefer Android TV over most of the other "smart" TV platforms. Yes, it's riddled with ads, but I can install an alternate launch bar and SmartTube and never see them. Actually, I tend to skip the built-in OS on the TV altogether and use an nVidia Shield since the hardware in the TV is so under powered it tends to bog down after a couple of years.

Re: (Score:2)

by MachineShedFred ( 621896 )

Only if you don't go and install one of the many launchers available on the Google Play Store for free which get rid of the ads...

Google TV? (Score:2)

by VertosCay ( 7266594 )

I was not even aware that they had branded TVs. Why would anyone want one?

Re: Google TV? (Score:2)

by drinkypoo ( 153816 )

If you want a smart TV then Google is by far the best of the bunch. It offers the most apps and the best UI. I have a LG TV with WebOS or whatever in my room and it is awful. I don't use the smart features and the UI that I do use is still trash compared to the Google TV we have in the living room.

Re: LG TV with WebOS (Score:2)

by drainbramage ( 588291 )

I thought maybe it was just me.

I am so glad to learn someone else HATES the LG WebOS UI failures.

Not only is the UI shockingly bad their remote is a mess and of such poor quality that various buttons require 'Hulk Smash' level key presses.

The minutes long boot time to get the various (required) options available really puts the cherry on top.

Re: (Score:2)

by rta ( 559125 )

Note they're not Google brand TVs, they're other brands (like Sony, TCL ,HiSense) but use Google TV as their operating system. The other main cross manufacturer OS option is Roku TV.

LG and Samsung use their own proprietary systems.

(i'm on a TCL that runs Roku. it's ok, but adjusting picture modes and all that is all through menus and fairly tedious and also somewhat limited in options)

plain monitor (Score:2)

by frission ( 676318 )

I just want a plain monitor, i love my sony tv, but had the android/tv OS that is built-in. i mainly use a roku and gaming consoles, it's dumb that i sometimes have to "reboot" my TV.

Annoying popups on youtube (Score:2)

by hwstar ( 35834 )

They must be pushing it hard.

I Have to hit ESC every day I watch youtube to get rid of the popup for google TV.

Someday someone will write an AI-based popup killer based on your preferences and wishes to act as your gatekeeper. But then again those things could be made illegal or start to have captchas or a quiz which need to be solved to dismiss the popup. Businesses won't back down on pushing lucrative and mostly worthless products to unsuspecting customers. Why pay a subscription fee just to see cable TV

This one will be on the Graveyard before 2026 (Score:1)

by ConstantineXI ( 10114656 )

The Google Graveyard is about to have another burial!

Any given program will expand to fill available memory.