14 DAY TRIAL // The hype around Google TV seems to have died down, but Google is not giving up without a fight. Rumor is that it's regrouping and working on a big update for the software. In the meantime it's touting some of Google TV's advantages, like the large choice of news sources. And there are also signs that the Android Market is coming to Google TV sooner rather than later.
Some developers have noticed an update to the Android Market which now offers the possibility to filter apps based on whether they have a touchscreen or not.
Since all Android phones have touchscreens, many are saying that this is a sign of the imminent launch of the Android Market for Google TV devices.
When Google TV was announced, the company said that it will get access to the marketplace sometime in early 2011.
This would enable third-party developers to create applications for Google TV devices. So far, only a few Google partners have had their apps included.
The Android Market update would fit very well in the time frame. However, people may just be jumping to conclusions. T
he Market is definitely coming to Google TV, but just because a new feature, which may be related to those devices, landed it doesn't necessarily imply that the launch is coming very soon.
What's more, there are rumors that Google is asking third-party manufacturers to hold back on plans to launch new devices while it sorts out some of the issues with the software and creates a more compelling experience for the average user.
Meanwhile, Google is touting Google TV as a great way of accessing news from a variety of sources, offline or online.
"Television is stil the main source for the daily news in the home, according to PEW research. Until lately, print and web news content have been absent from the big screen. We’ve been working with developers to enhance your TV news experience, optimizing both traditional and innovative news sources for Google TV," Google writes in a blog post listing some of the sources.