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Chromecast with Google TV

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Re: Chromecast with Google TV

#131

Post by criddell »

scarface74 wrote: post #127
criddell wrote: post #112

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think you're right about the attitude among techies - especially those around San Francisco - and I think that's part of the reason why our reputation is in decline. A lot of America sees us as a bunch of creeps spying on everything they do and they aren't wrong about that. Video records are a special class of data covered by the Video Privacy Protection Act. The tangible cost is the risk that your viewing history…

And that law has no effect on Google. Google doesn’t sell data to advertisers. It sells access to you. Meaning they aren’t going to send advertisers a list of 20-35 year olds who like action movies. Advertisers are going to ask Google to target their advertisements to that demographic.

I'm not 100% sure, but I think there are also data retention limits and opt-out requirements as part of that act. Some states have stricter rules as well.

Re: Chromecast with Google TV

#132

Post by Someone1234 »

andrew_ wrote: post #113
Someone1234 wrote: post #66

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Combing both Chromecast and Android TV (e.g. Nvidia Shield) has a less than 10% market share. Making it smaller than Samsung, Amazon, and much smaller than Roku (market leader). It seems to have a hardcore audience that think the world of it (or who haven't tried anything else), but most of the market moved on years ago. If anything this Google TV "Chromecast" is designed to make Chromecast relevant again.

Chromecast is still a hit with anyone who torrents or streams live TV from local sources, and VLC users.

Isn't that the Nvidia Shield's niche with its local Plex support?

Re: Chromecast with Google TV

#133

Post by Someone1234 »

anoncareer0212 wrote: post #95
Someone1234 wrote: post #93

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Both are just a modified Linux. They're distinct ecosystems though because Android TV/Chromecast use the Play Store for content/app delivery, whereas Fire TV/Samsung/Roku use their own respective stores. If one supported both the Play Store and their own, the definitions might be more subject to question, but as it stands they don't officially allow that.

It's fairly straightforward, Amazon patches Android, not Linux.

To create their own distinct ecosystem, which is what we're discussing.

Pointing out both Android TV and Amazon Fire is Android OS based isn't particularly relevant to market mineshare. Linux too is used by both (and others), but it would be pretty strange to try to combine them all under a "Linux streaming stick" moniker.

Re: Chromecast with Google TV

#134

Post by scarface74 »

criddell wrote: post #131
scarface74 wrote: post #127

Earlier quoted context omitted.

And that law has no effect on Google. Google doesn’t sell data to advertisers. It sells access to you. Meaning they aren’t going to send advertisers a list of 20-35 year olds who like action movies. Advertisers are going to ask Google to target their advertisements to that demographic.

I'm not 100% sure, but I think there are also data retention limits and opt-out requirements as part of that act. Some states have stricter rules as well.

There is an opt out. The only retention policy is that records must be destroyed within one year after the account is terminated.

https://epic.org/privacy/vppa/

Re: Chromecast with Google TV

#135

Post by scarface74 »

petra wrote: post #125
cle wrote: post #110

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You don't think "likes action movies" or "watches romantic comedies" or "binge watches on weekends" are targeting segments that advertisers will pay for?

I think they can statistically analyze which category one belongs to among those categories. Whether they can sell that capability to advertisers ? I don't know.

So exactly how would they do that without my viewing data and why would advertisers pay for that when they can get better information from Roku and the smart TV manufacturers?

Re: Chromecast with Google TV

#136

Post by v7p1Qbt1im »

anderspitman wrote: post #55
koiz wrote: post #29

Looks great, been waiting to get out of the roku world for too long.

Curious what the shortcomings of Roku are for you? I'm not a heavy user but my ultra has been great.

Not OP but I find the interface to be quite ugly and dated. Also some apps are missing (might be a region issue, though).

Google TV seems to be the most complete solution now. Next to Apple TV and Shield.

Re: Chromecast with Google TV

#137

Post by shajznnckfke »

scarface74 wrote: post #122
anoncareer0212 wrote: post #99

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Anecdotally, techies are tiring of vague statements about privacy and 'you're the product', especially about Google. If theres a tangible cost beyond enabling ad targeting, people are still amenable (this has always been true for the general populace, Google has a more trustworthy image than Apple! Imagine that)

Why else would Google be producing hardware and selling it so cheaply if not to monetize usage data? Is there any world where the thin if any profit margin on Chromecast like devices are worth the revenue for a company the size of Google? Roku - the leading company in the space - made $1.19 billion in revenue. I doubt anyone thinks that Google will approach Roku’s market share. Roku is all about obtrusive advertising…

Apple has sold tens of millions of Apple TVs. Apple doesn’t break out the revenue in their earnings reports but they have definitely made billions in revenue from the business. With that large install base, Apple has growing power to promote services in the video streaming market which is worth hundreds of billions. The more power Apple has here, the greater their ability to extract a cut from streaming service revenue as platform owner. This is relevant to Google as a player in the video streaming market, who also owns platforms that compete with Apple’s. It would be stupid for Google to not put up a fight in this market.

Re: Chromecast with Google TV

#138

Post by shajznnckfke »

cle wrote: post #110
petra wrote: post #102

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Google already knows so much about you, it doesn't really care about your TV watching habits. But maybe, they'd like to put highly targeted ads on your TV.

You don't think "likes action movies" or "watches romantic comedies" or "binge watches on weekends" are targeting segments that advertisers will pay for?

It seems like search intent data would be a great source of this kind of information that Google already has. I think this product is more about competing for market power as platform owner in the video streaming business, which is worth hundreds of billions of dollars.

I’d guess it could tie into the ad business by showing attribution when ads for media result in conversions that play on the Google TV, although I’m not sure how big the opportunity is there.

Re: Chromecast with Google TV

#139

Post by scarface74 »

shajznnckfke wrote: post #137
scarface74 wrote: post #122

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why else would Google be producing hardware and selling it so cheaply if not to monetize usage data? Is there any world where the thin if any profit margin on Chromecast like devices are worth the revenue for a company the size of Google? Roku - the leading company in the space - made $1.19 billion in revenue. I doubt anyone thinks that Google will approach Roku’s market share. Roku is all about obtrusive advertising…

Apple has sold tens of millions of Apple TVs. Apple doesn’t break out the revenue in their earnings reports but they have definitely made billions in revenue from the business. With that large install base, Apple has growing power to promote services in the video streaming market which is worth hundreds of billions. The more power Apple has here, the greater their ability to extract a cut from streaming service reven…

Tens of millions?

No one thinks that Apple has sold tens of millions of TVs.

https://macdailynews.com/2020/09/02/strategy-analytics-apple...

The global population of TV and video streaming devices has now exceeded 1.1 billion, with Apple TV / tvOS holding 2% share, according to the latest market share analysis from Strategy Analytics’ TV Streaming Platforms service.

And this is from MacdailyNews. Definitely not an anti Apple rag. Apple has been calling the AppleTV a “hobby” for over a decade.

There is a reason that Apple is making deals left and right to get AppleTV (the app) on competing platforms and now they are making deals with Roku to support Airplay.

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