Google said it now has 140 pay TV operator partners worldwide for its Android TV platform.
This represents a fast uptick in growth for Android TV, with Google reporting 100 pay TV constituents in December, just ahead of CES.
Google revealed the stat to MCN as it prepares to kick off its annual I/O developers conference, which is set to being May 7 in Mountain View, Calif. The company said there are currently 5,000 apps for Android TV, a steep uptick over the 3,000 that were available entering I/O a year ago.
“From Google’s perspective, the home is becoming more and more important,” said Shalini Govilpai, senior director and head of Android TV, discussing her company’s focus on television these days. She greater broadband speeds, the popularity of OTT services and the emergence of voice control systems like Google Assistant, are combining to make control of the TV a huge focus for oft-distracted tech giant Google.
Related: Android TV Now Claiming Over 100 Pay TV Operator Partners Worldwide
Meanwhile, pay TV operators looking for a simple, cost-effective way to provide OTT apps to users, while still providing a branded, controllable managed video service, are driving Android TV consumption.
Govilpai said pay TV operators are using the flagship Android TV iteration, as well as the operator tier version that allows for far more customization, while entailing a far more involved development approach.
“Right now, it’s about 50-50,” she said, describing the breakdown in usage.
Govilpai didn’t disclose a specific number in terms of how many consumers worldwide are using Android TV. Google, however, has said the number is in the “tens of millions.”
Other Android TV touchpoint include smart TVs—Google has deals with six of the top smart TV OEMs to embed the Android TV platform in their sets.
Nvidia and Xiaomi, meanwhile, make off-the-shelf OTT devices built around Android TV.
