Google cooking up Android games console, report says
The search giant is said to be crafting a rival to the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, as well as the Android-powered Ouya.
Google could be primed to release a games console powered by its Android operating system, if fresh reports concerning the search giant's plans are to be believed.
The system, which would go head-to-head with new consoles like the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, has apparently been designed as a pre-emptive strike against Apple, the Wall Street Journal reports (paywall link), citing 'people familiar with the matter'.
Specifically, the console will battle the next version of Apple TV, which the tipsters reportedly reckon will soon feature its own games console, or gaming component.
Both companies are -- in theory -- well placed to start making games systems, having already amassed a huge stack of games and willing developers for Android and iOS.
Previous attempts at turning Android into a games platform have struggled, however -- just look at the clumsy Sony Ericsson Xperia Play, or the Ouya console, which has struggled with unfavourable early reviews.
The report also makes mention of a revamped Nexus Q home entertainment orb, and the next version of Android, which is said to debut in the autumn. The upcoming edition is expected to be called Key Lime Pie, in keeping with Google's confection-themed nomenclature.
Would you play games on an Android console or using Apple TV, or should Google and Apple stick to smart phones, and leave gaming to Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo? Let me know your thoughts in the comments, or on our Facebook wall, and point your eyes downwards for a video about the GameStick -- an HDMI-shaped attempt at Android gaming.
