Confirmation has arrived for Google’s TV service to begin broadcasting in the UK, according to The Telegraph.
Google CEO Eric Schmidt is due to confirm that the web TV service will be coming to UK living rooms soon at the Edinburgh Television Festival.
After dominating the mobile phone market Google saw a gap in the home entertainment market, web and streaming TV, and decided to create Google TV. The service works with specially designed set-top boxes and connects to the internet to bring on-demand TV access.
Despite big name manufacturers such as Logitech signing up and creating some pretty cool Google TV set-top boxes, the service has received a distinctly luke warm response in the U.S, where Google has been trialling the service.
With a Google TV-powered set-top box or TV you’ll be able to watch traditional Freeview channels as well as having access to a host of online content, such as BBC iPlayer.
Though many are probably unaware of Google TV coming to the UK, the search giant has been gearing up for a UK release and making some changes behind the scenes for a while now.
Google recently acquired SageTV, a UK company that provides specialist software for media servers – ideal for streaming online media such as TV.
Google TV runs a customised version of the Android software you’ll find on smartphones and tablets, and includes Google’s own Chrome web browser for TV-based web surfing. You also get access to apps such as Twitter, Facebook and games, giving you an all-round entertainment package for your telly.
The Edinburgh Television Festival starts today and carries on through the weekend, so be sure to stay tuned here for further information on Google TV landing in the UK.