Grenzgenial

Google TV vs. Apple TV / Apps and the UI

There are some unsung revolutions coming up this year.

While Microsoft and the others are chasing behind to catch up on the mobile market, but will always remain one step behind with Google and Apple, both companies are already up into other things, especially TV.

So fresh so good. Google is here with the long awaited Google TV and I must say “Yeah I like it!”. 

While there has been some buzz around Apple’s TV, presented last month, but always declared a “hobby” of the company, I think Google TV has taken the right direction and introduced some really nice new features, especially one: Apps for TV.

While the idea of Apps, could actually come from Apple itsself (see the iPhone), Apple TV lacks to become the platform for Apps, the iPhone became. Hey you Apple guys, I think this was a big mistake and I think it is the real revolution behind Google TV.

I think, that its clear by now, that TV’s need some update and especially need their own UI and controls to interact with. It’s similar to how the iPhone revolutionized the mobile market, with it’s innovative touch interface.

You cannot just bring a classical webpage like Facebook to the TV screen, you have to modify it, to make use of TV’s features. (see my follow up guide on UI design for TV apps)

The combination Google chose is great, and is the same that Apple chose too, a mobile device, like the iPhone, with a rich UI as remote control and a TV as the screen for it. Apps for TV will have to be developed to render pages, that look nice on a big screen, while still being used from a cell phone device. (Googles Android and iPhone being a good platform for that)

Google TV (contrary to Apple TV) also greatly interacts with the “old” way of watching TV, making it a good start of migration to some sort of web based TV, that Apple TV is.

So while Apple TV is becoming more the “video recorder” substitute in our homes making it possible to rent and buy films, Google TV is becoming the “set top box” substitute, making it possible to connect to your Satellite, the Web and see webpages on your TV screen. 

So ok Google, I think you got it good this time! I think we will see many cool apps come out for Google TV in the next time.

Here is my comparison to what are the main differences and “killer” features:

Apple Tv vs Google TV:

Sources:

GoogleTV:

• classical: Satellite, TV 
• new: Web

AppleTV:

• classical: no 
• new: iTunes Store for TV shows and films

Stream vids to the TV:

(through vids on it from iPhone, Mac)

Google TV: no, yet?

AppleTV: yes

Stream from it:

Google TV: no, yet

AppleTV: no

Remote control it with your phone:

Google TV: yes

Apple TV: yes

Apps:

Google TV: yes

Apple TV: no

Guide to UI Design for Google TV: How Google TV Apps will introduce a whole new world of HTML5 and AJAX apps for TV

I just kept thinking today, of how Google TV will actually revolutionize the TV market and came to the conclusion, that this will end up in something similar to what we are seeing happening on the iPhone.

I think we will see a whole new bunch of AJAX geekiness come together with Google TV and their concept of enhancing UI with Apps for TV.

Have a look at: http://www.google.com/tv/spotlight.html just to see a few concepts, of what we can expect to come up next.

I thought of how UI design for a TV might have to look like and came up with these few principals:

1. TV UI Design Principal No.1: Apps will have to split UI and control: Control may reside on a mobile device with touchscreen or computer, UI will be the television screen

2. TV UI Design Principal No.2: The main screen being the Television, Apps will have much “screen real estate”, while having to provide much bigger buttons, than websites on a computer, cause TV screens are normally far away. (yeah I see Web 2.0 Buttons coming to the TV next you ;)

This means, that we will see many Apps, that are more similar to how they look on an iPad today, than on the iPhone.

3. TV UI Design Principal No.3: Rich remote controls: I think interacting with the TV, will be much similar to how you use the iTunes remote App, the remote control being a fully fledged web app too, with possibilities to search, select and switch TV programs as well as bring parts of the UI to the remote control itsself.

In fact the TV will be like the extended arm of your mobile device.

Use your Facebook app, as long as you are not in front of the TV. As soon as you get near your TV, connect to it and see the whole navigation happen on your TV, while still controlling the Facebook app on your phone. I really do like that thought!

4. The API

I think, there will be some SDK necessary, for bringing up some important features into what the browser is lacking right now. Especially access to the TV and Audio device!

Wouldn’t be surprised  to see this integrated in Google Tv’s version of “Webkit” ?! already.

Hopefully Google will choose to make Google TV an open platform, like they did with Android!

UPDATE: so Google TV is actually based on Android according to this article http://phandroid.com/2010/10/21/google-tv-root-first-signs-possibilities/ and the video insoide.

So while I am still waiting and am curious of how this device will really be, I recommend to you developers out there, to warm up your fingers and get ready to start doing some great stuff with Google TV!