Difference between Apple TV and Google TV
The race for web TV supremacy has hit a fever pitch, and right at the center of the fiercely brewing storm is Apple TV and Google TV who are both more than worthy contenders. Apple TV has been around a bit longer than Google TV of course, but the latter certainly shows signs of being able to put up a feisty stand. Does Google TV indeed have what it takes to measure up against Apple TV? Let's take a look.
In Brief
One of the primary goals of the Google TV is to integrate the web into the home TV viewing experience as seamlessly as possible. Apple has already tried to do that with the Apple TV of course, but this hasn't been nearly as successful as the company’s iPhone or the iPad. With the release of the Apple TV which is based on the iPhone OS however, the company may just begin to catch up with Google’s own offering.
What makes the two devices distinctly different from one another is that the Apple TV is both a hardware device and a piece of software, while Google TV is essentially a platform that you can build on. This means that Google TV will potentially allow users to add on various other products to the basic feature set.
In Use
What causes many people to balk at the Apple TV is its insistence on confining its content to the Apple network, which at this time basically means iTunes. In contrast, Google TV has employed a more open model that allows users to obtain content from the Internet as well as various other pay and non-pay sources. Both Apple TV and Google TV still rely on live TV and DVR content from cable providers, and it remains to be seen how smoothly these services will integrate with the other features of these devices.
Initial Market Impact
Judging from one market study, it appears that Google TV is the overwhelming choice of the majority, having garnered almost 60% out of more than 1,600 votes. Apple TV came in much lower with only just over 21% of the respondents preferring it to Google TV. However, more than 8% of respondents actually liked both devices. It appears then that Google TV has a slight edge at this point, although this can change with the fluctuations of the market.
Summary
Apple TV
- Recently launched a version based on the iPhone OS
- Hasn't quite captured the market like the iPhone or iPad has
- A dedicated hardware device as well as a piece of software
- Provides content to consumers by way of iTunes
- Preferred by less people than Google TV based on one study
Google TV
- Was launched with the goal of integrating the web and television experience
- Unlike the Apple TV, Google TV is a platform that provides additional content
- Allows users to access content from the Internet and various other pay and non-pay sources
- The overwhelming choice of the majority of respondents in one survey
