Apple TV vs. Google TV: the battle for your living room

Apple unveiled a new version of Apple TV on Wednesday. As opposed to many such initiatives, including Google's upcoming Google TVs, Apple has their own view of what consumers want in the living room, and whether or not they or Google will come out the big (or even small) winner is the question.

Apple TV what the consumer wants: Jobs

Apple CEO Steve Jobs was pretty pointed in his comments. Two things that seem pointed directly at Google TV: people don't want a computer in their TV he said, and they don't want the "amateur hour." That second comment is specifically directed at YouTube, one can assume.

Therein lies the difference between Google TV and the new version of Apple TV. One is about easing people into more computing via their TV (Google). One is about another type of set top box (Apple).

In reality, new Apple TV box is sort of like a Roku box (which streams Netflix) on steroids. The new Apple TV box streams Netflix, but it adds connectivity to MobileMe, iTunes, streaming from your computer, and more. That's more in line, perhaps, with what consumers want.

"(People) don't want a computer on their TV. They have computers. They go to their wide-screen TVs for entertainment. Not to have another computer. This is a hard one for people in the computer industry to understand, but it's really easy for consumers to understand. They get it," Jobs said.

Writer and analyst Michael Gartenberg summarized the differences, though in a somewhat obtuse way, on Twitter:

"Apple and Google taking two different approaches. Google wants input one. Will never get it. Apple wants input two and might."

Hard to understand, but Business Insider translates it nicely:

He's referring to the input jacks on your TV set. Google is trying to replace your cable box or satellite TV box as "input one." That's really ambitious, and a big risk. Apple wants "input two," where your DVD player is today, or your PlayStation. That seems more attainable.

As with the war over smartphones, here Apple and Google are battling over your living room. Which do you think will succeed, input one or input two?

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