When Google first revealed Google TV at Google I/O back in 2010, it showed a lot of promise, but even then, many were skeptical of its potential.

It seems that now, Google is giving up on the brand, but not the concept, moving toward an Android TV strategy, and leaving Google TV in the past.

Google has not announced this branding change so far, but GigaOm’s Janko Roettgers spoke with a consumer electronics manufacturer, which produces Google TV devices, and said, “They are calling it ‘Android TV’.”

Roettgers notes that partners like Sony, LG and STMicroelectronics have already subtly stopped referring to “Google TV” in favor of things like “Google services for TV”. He writes:

Even members of the original Google TV team have started to drop that name when talking about their work. A recently-scheduled developer event in Seoul was officially called “Android TV Developer Day,” and some developers have started to change affiliations in their online biographies from “Google TV” to “Android TV.”

Ultimately, the Android brand makes a great deal of sense. When people think of Google, they think of search and web services. When they think of Android, they think of consumer electronics like phones and tablets. TVs and other connected devices for TV viewing would seem to fit in here as well.

I expect Google will make an announcement about this in the near future now that the news is out. An Android rebranding could be just what Google TV needs to capture more interest from consumers, many of which are already using Android devices.

Image: Google