By pushing its own ‘Smart TV initiative’ with advertising and promotions, Intel will be diluting the GoogleTV brand and hurting its chances of success.
Intel this week started advertising its ‘Smart TV ‘ platform for GoogleTV products. The move is meant to bolster Intel’s profile in the set top box game, but with only one product line out, GoogleTV, it may just confuse consumers.
It seems clear by this initiative that Intel (INTC) has plans to introduce other ‘Smart TVs’ besides the GoogleTV (GOOG). In fact they already have one. The AppleTV (AAPL) runs on an older Intel Centrino chip. Most Microsoft (MSFT) Media Centers have their own Intel chips as well.
But these aren’t Smart TV’s with Intel Atom processors™.
Confused?
So too will be GoogleTV’s target audience, especially when other media centers advertise their Intel credentials.
“GoogleTV with Smart TV Inside”?
That’s not what Google and its partners, including Intel, need at this juncture. To gain momentum in this space they’ll need a cohesive identity to solidify the brand. At this point, that is GoogleTV.
End of story.
Intel might have other long term plans with its Smart TV initiative – perhaps they plan on working with other hardware makers and other software platforms, but if they want GoogleTV to be a success, it’d be best for them to keep quiet.
