Google TV Coming To UK, Says Eric Schmidt

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Hard to believe, but it’s almost been one year since Google TV was first released via some special HDTVs from Sony and a set-top box from Logitech. Even more hard to believe? Google TV has yet to be released in the United Kingdom. Don’t know why, but that will soon change, according to a report from The Daily Telegraph. The London broadsheet is reporting on their website that Google TV will be coming to the UK, according to Eric Schmidt, former Google CEO and current Executive Chairman of that company.

At the Edinburgh Television Festival, Schmidt explained that Google TV would be coming to the United Kingdom “within six months”, which means that Britons could get the software (based on Android, but heavily modified) almost 18 months after their American cousins did. Schmidt said that Google TV in the UK would have special UK-only apps, like BBC iPlayer and ITV Player.

Google TV received poor critical reviews when it first came out here, and prices for the Logitech Revue boxes and Sony HDTVS with Google TV built-in have both been dropping considerably fast – a sign of poor sales. Although the first version of Google TV wasn’t great, many people compared it to Android 1.0, which also got mixed reactions when it first came out.

Smart TVs are the future, and manufacturers like Samsung and LG are already putting “apps” on their  televisions. Both Google and Apple are maneuvering for the upcoming television war with their Google TV and Apple TV products. So, it makes sense that Google will be rolling out Google TV in the UK soon, and probably in greater Europe as well.